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data-ttid="ContentHearContaer" class="ContentHearContaer-cGKRbE knDxNq"><div class="ContentHearHedAccredatnWrapper-GFiQf cDNVlV"><div data-ttid="ContentHearTleBlockWrapper" class="ContentHearTleBlockWrapper-cjmSKp eiGjZk"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubric" class="ContentHearRubricBlock-LmpbT tPofh"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubricDateBlock" class="ContentHearRubricDateBlock-kAQcZP fTFWxD"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX gPBNpL bric ContentHearRubricContaer-eTudtt iRsSlw"><a class="RubricLk-gRWSOU cwyjHY bric__lk" href="/entertament/tv-and-movi"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">TV and Movi</span></a></div></div></div><h1 data-ttid="ContentHearHed" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearHed-NCyCC iUEiRd jdcWfa isouMH">“Buffy Ma Me Queer”: Why LGBTQ+ Viewers Fell So Hard for the Vampire Slayer</h1></div><div class="ContentHearAccredatn-lfctVB etVsnJ ntent-hear__accredatn" data-ttid="ContentHearAccredatn"><div class="ContentHearDek-bIqFFZ eijTxK">Few shows at the time picted queerns all of s nuanc, a world where we were not othered.</div><div class="ContentHearByle-kmPyCa emiglw"><div class="ContentHearByleContent-dpPmNn DRFq"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl ContentHearByl-cZqgyJ bHLeKI"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH hdWCIC byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bCbgyH gnILss byle__preamble">By </span><a class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM ByleLk-gEnFiw iUEiRd hSmufO skIR eErqIx byle__name-lk button" href="/ntributor/evan-ross-katz">Evan Ross Katz</a></span></span></p></div><time data-ttid="ContentHearPublishDate" dateTime="2022-03-22T13:47:06-04:00" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearPublishDate-eIBicG iUEiRd dCoEhu bDGyxQ">March 22, 2022</time></div></div><div 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</p><p><em>In this excerpt om</em> <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Into Every Generatn a Slayer Is Born: How Buffy Staked Our Hearts</a> <em>(out now om Hachette Books), thor Evan Ross Katz lays out why queer fans fell so eply love wh</em> Buffy the Vampire Slayer — <em>a show that, many ways, ma history when to LGBTQ+ reprentatn.</em></p><p>“I am watchg <em>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</em> aga,” <em>RuPl’s Drag Race UK</em> Season 2 nner-up Bimi Bon-Boulash clared on an Instagram Q&A June 2021. “That’s one of my fav jt bee ma me queer I thk.”</p><div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--article-mid-ntent" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--article-mid-ntent nsumer-marketg-un__slot---ntent"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><p><em>Buffy</em> — the show, not the character (although maybe the character, too) — was queer before queer was ol. It explored queerns through s characters and their relatnships, as well as implicly, through them of outsirns and secrecy. There were nuanced queer characters and queer relatnships, and on that jt <em>felt</em> queer.</p><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><p>“As a whole, <em>Buffy</em> is an immensely plex text wh ntent that tly ed people to rensir what is and isn’t queer,” wr Nile Grafanakis her say “The Queer Influence of <em>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</em>.” “The show challenged people to refe the socially nstcted notns of acceptable genr and sexual performance.” It’s statements like this that I n’t help but be remd of that faiar rea, the mimizatn of <em>Buffy</em> as a teen show about vampir. Sure, ’s that — and there’s nothg wrong wh that. Sure <em>and</em> ’s so much more, as Grafanakis shrewdly argu.</p><asi aria-hidn="te" class="PullQuoteEmbedWrapper-sc-EoVjf fQbAzo"><div class="PullQuoteDerativeBorr-sc-iUyOLj fAzNVP"></div><div class="PullQuoteEmbedContent-sc-kTcfhx eoUd"><p>“No high school queer/misf show has done what <em>Buffy</em> did and ntu to do: allow the adolcent queers to not only fd one another and empower one another but then to fight their mons si the halls, outsi the halls, and unr the halls of their high school.”</p></div></asi><p>As my iend Johnny Atoro not, himself a thirtysomethg gay <em>Buffy</em> votee (we’re everywhere!), the show me out at a time when there wasn’t another show that portrayed the misfs/outsts high school such a specific and nuanced way.</p><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad---ntent"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot---ntent" data-no-id="5mjx0h"></div></div><p>“<em>The Craft</em> to md, but that was a movie and has such a different sp on the misfs. In <em>Buffy</em>, they picted high school as <em>leral</em> hell for the Sobi. There wasn’t a show at the time that allowed the misf so much agency while also pictg such a lack of agency the ey of their peers. The show has lasted so long bee no superhero show, no show about wch (like <em>Charmed</em>, which is often ly pared wh <em>Buffy</em> — look, <em>Charmed</em> is great, perd; <em>Buffy</em> is great, exclamatn pot, and that’s a nuanced but important difference) … no high school queer/misf show has done what <em>Buffy</em> did and ntu to do: allow the adolcent queers to not only fd one another and empower one another but then to fight their mons si the halls, outsi the halls, and unr the halls of their high school.”</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-1 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p>For many of , myself clud, the show helped to visualize our future selv, allowg to see queerns all of s nuanc, and existed a world which queerns was not othered. “It was the first time I saw a show where the queer characters were fully veloped,” says wrer Gabe Bergado. “I knew of gay celebri — there were headl like ‘Is Ricky Mart gay?’ and I remember the origal <em>Queer Eye</em> st — but was excg to see characters like Willow and Tara change over the seasons, have their heroic moments along wh their mistak, and of urse, st spells to take down mons.”</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB kNleGZ sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="nel7oo"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="fw2ayc"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bectqB body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Why Queer Fans Fell So Hard for “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE hTTfoq ptn AssetEmbedCaptn-fNQBPI fmQnYP asset-embed__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd eNhSMp fNaHcW ptn__cred">20th Televisn</span></div></figure><p>The actors, too, regnized the signifince of this moment. “I knew was important to have a lead character who was gay bee so often, at that time, was the forced iend,” says Gellar. “Not to — I don’t want to say wasn’t a big al, ’s always a big al when you’re breakg ground, but wasn’t a big al that sense that was more, ‘Oh she’s gay? Great.’ I thk we were proud to tell the story, but even more proud people’s reactns to . And I’m proud of the show for helpg to normalize somethg that should be so normal, as opposed to so often on televisn shows where ’s like the ‘special episo’ and everyone discs . That’s not the world that we live , meang those of who worked on the show. We were livg a world where someone out and says they’re gay, ’s jt ‘Okay, great.’ All anyone should ever re about is that the person that you’re love wh is a good person and that they take re of you. That, and Oz cheated on her. Tara was good to her.”</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="a6obkn"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="RecircMostPopularWrapper-bRuGTi jkTTgR recirc-most-popular-wrapper viewport-monor-anchor"><div class="RecircMostPopularConter-jiViNn ktrplG recirc-most-popular-sparrow-trackg hi-asi-ad" data-most-popular-id="mod-most-popular-96"><div class="RecircMostPopularHeadg-iVzhzt jKtkdT">Most Popular</div><ul class="RecircMostPopularItems-dCAajf gqcRrp"><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff cedGRJ summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw jykXPG" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Virgo Season Is Gog to Be Punishg. 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data-recirc-id="em-hed-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ jbVqqA summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Everythg You Need to Know About the Bud Light and Dylan Mulvaney Fias</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dHMSJg summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH ecFEgL byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name">Samantha Riel</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw gmWMTZ ad ad--asi"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--asi" data-no-id="m7lb78h"></div></div></li></ul><div class="RecircMostPopularFooter-enPjgs laPXdt"></div></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="r4y27"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bectqB body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>I didn’t yet know I was gay when I started tung to <em>Buffy</em>. I didn’t know much at all, really. It was all very “fire bad; tree pretty” terms of my slow-burgeong worldview. But I remember, so vividly ’s somewhat jarrg, watchg Willow and Tara clasp hands the very first episo which Tara is troduced. It’s so obv watchg now exactly what that moment tells and forhadows. But like Willow, I didn’t know that there were parts of me that were beg reprsed, or maybe were jt still velopg. Wh the show, I was able to live a paradigm so apart om the world around me, one which queer was powerful, that I felt immediately aware of and embolned by the many signs of otherns that had prented themselv throughout my life.</p><p>Was <em>Buffy</em> a groundbreakg show for queer visibily and reprentatn? Inarguably. “In ntext, that time, was ed,” says one of the most proment stg directors wh the fashn dtry, Jam Scully. “Most young gay people look back now at that time and rag on <em>Will & Grace</em> and shows like that, but you have to unrstand the ntext of that time. People hated . This was the Bh years. We weren’t out the way we are now. And pecially kids of that age, who were really watchg <em>Buffy</em>. You uld intify wh her bee she was an outsir and a loner. Even though she had iends, was a group of outsirs. And then when Willow me out years later, that was a real blockbter. I uldn’t believe they were dog this. It all seems so normal now, but at the time wasn’t.”</p><div class="GenericCalloutWrapper-tojWn gMmxpu llout--has-top-borr" data-ttid="GenericCallout"><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image"><noscript><img alt="Image may nta Human Blon Teen Kid Child Person Sarah Michelle Gellar Clothg Apparel and Eveng Drs" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE hTTfoq ptn AssetEmbedCaptn-fNQBPI fmQnYP asset-embed__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnText-bHjzlu iUEiRd kvieLQ iXWezO ptn__text">RY4TD0 SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER : SEASON 4, 1999</span><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd eNhSMp fNaHcW ptn__cred">Allstar Picture Library Ltd. / Alamy Stock Photo</span></div></figure></div><p>He ntued: “I grew up wh a generatn of men and women who fought for and then died. And I remember growg up thkg you would never have any reprentatn, that media would not be somethg which I would see myself. And the fact that I was already to my thirti when this show me out thkg, Wow, I nnot believe that teenage kids are gettg to watch this, and that’s normal. Whereas when I was a kid, the only character that was gay that was on televisn that I n thk of was the drag queen Beverly LaSalle on [<em>All the Fay</em>], who they never knew whether she was a drag queen or trans or male or female and ultimately gets murred a fag-bashg, and the other was Billy om <em>Soap</em>. And <em>Soap</em> was broadst after midnight, so that was all you got. So those storyl on <em>Buffy</em> seemed like a real ph. It wasn’t jt a kid g out and gog away. They ma a part of the storyle until the end, which I thk was really important.”</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="wxjk5"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="RecircMostPopularWrapper-bRuGTi jkTTgR recirc-most-popular-wrapper viewport-monor-anchor"><div class="RecircMostPopularConter-jiViNn ktrplG recirc-most-popular-sparrow-trackg hi-asi-ad" data-most-popular-id="mod-most-popular-97"><div class="RecircMostPopularHeadg-iVzhzt jKtkdT">Most Popular</div><ul class="RecircMostPopularItems-dCAajf gqcRrp"><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff cedGRJ summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw jykXPG" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Virgo Season Is Gog to Be Punishg. 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data-recirc-id="em-hed-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ jbVqqA summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Everythg You Need to Know About the Bud Light and Dylan Mulvaney Fias</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dHMSJg summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH ecFEgL byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name">Samantha Riel</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw gmWMTZ ad ad--asi"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--asi" data-no-id="ftedx"></div></div></li></ul><div class="RecircMostPopularFooter-enPjgs laPXdt"></div></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="w7vhwh"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bectqB body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>And lt we fet the many of of all genrs and sexuali who wanted to be Buffy, Buffy her crop tops, her tight pencil skirts, her seemgly never-endg bounty of patent leather jackets. She was and is and always will be the ultimate. “In my experience growg up gay, I was ndned to hate the feme quali myself, om the way I talk to the way I walk and everythg between,” says Matías Fran, a <em>Buffy</em> superfan known on Twter for his supercuts of the seri. “So jt to watch women simply be able to fully embrace their femy has always ronated wh me. And on <em>Buffy</em>, they were able to do all of that and then some.”</p><p><em>Buffy</em> hs differently for LGBTQ+ people; jt do. And I’m not talkg about jt gay men, as n often be the se wh certa pop-culture relics. I really mean the whole of our betiful muny. Why is that? I ask my iend Johnny:</p><p>“It’s important to not shg off the ‘queer person has a secret’ trope that’s <em>Buffy</em> that speaks so loudly to many our muny. ‘The queer has a secret power’ is so special for kids and is revised time and time aga YA novels and shows. I watched this show when I was the closet and then out of the closet. I was able to have a <em>Buffy</em> poster above my bed, have the ‘Be Me’ book out on display, or ask my mom to tape <em>Buffy</em> on TV for me when I was at choir practice late and I uld ‘pass.’ My secret was still safe ’e was a pretty girl om TV. But queers all knew what we were watchg. We were watchg a queer wh a secret slay her mons throughout high school and growg up, hidg and dodgg danger almost daily, all the while her mother was jt hopg she was adjtg well to a new town. We watched the queer Sobi navigate a landspe that was vic and fun at the same time: high school and hell on Earth. We were watchg so many ways. We knew, Mary. No high school show was dog that. At least, not starrg the misfs, the weirdos … the on that are sometim popular and sometim not. Sometim visible and sometim the center of nflict and drama.”</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-2 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p>We knew, Mary. We knew.</p><p><em>Excerpted om</em> <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Into Every Generatn a Slayer Is Born: How Buffy Staked Our Hearts</a> <em>by Evan Ross Katz. Copyright © 2022. Available om Hachette Books, an imprt of Hachette Book Group, Inc.</em></p><p><em><strong>Get the bt of what’s queer.</strong></em> <a href=">Sign up for <em>them</em>.'s weekly newsletter here.</a></p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="751twe"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 PaywallInleBarrierWhWrapperGrid-fyrGfS kLQIUk grid-layout--adrail narrow 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Trans Characters Are Even Better</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dHMSJg summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH ecFEgL byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bCbgyH gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Charlie Jane Anrs</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff jCBznZ summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm cuPhiJ" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Lea Robson on the Joy of Brgg Black Trans Liv to the Small Screen" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX gPBNpL bric SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Communy</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dVrbhU summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk--unrle-disable" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ kBFaWv summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Lea Robson on the Joy of Brgg Black Trans Liv to the Small Screen</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dHMSJg summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH ecFEgL byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bCbgyH gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Sterlg Cz-Herr</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff jCBznZ summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm cuPhiJ" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Wrtler Anthony Bowens on Reprentatn, Hypermasculy, and His Viral “I’m Gay” Moment" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX gPBNpL bric SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">TV and Movi</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dVrbhU summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk--unrle-disable" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ kBFaWv summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Wrtler Anthony Bowens on Reprentatn, Hypermasculy, and His Viral “I’m Gay” Moment</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dHMSJg summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH ecFEgL byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bCbgyH gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Nade Smh</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm cuPhiJ ad ad--read-more"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--read-more" data-no-id="vujlt"></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff jCBznZ summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm cuPhiJ" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="7 Drag Kgs Expla Why They Should 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WHAT MAK "BUFFY" A GAY IN?{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}TVBY STEVEN FRANKAPRIL 11, 2007/4:16 PMBY STEVEN FRANKAPRIL 11, 2007 / 4:16 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"WHAT MAK \"BUFFY\" A GAY IN?","DATEPUBLISHED":"2007-04-11T20:16:36.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2007-04-11T20:16:36.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"STEVEN FRANK","KEYWORDS":"THE BACKLOT","ARTICLESECTN":"TV"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUFFY SUMMERS, THE BLOND, VAMP-KICKG FIGHTER WHO MANAGED TO RISE OM THE AD TWICE ON THE BELOVED 1997–2003 TV SERI IS BACK SLAYG AGA. SORT OF. A NEW IC BOOK SERI OM DARK HORSE TLED BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 8 — WH AN IAL STORY ARC BY BUFFY CREATOR JOSS WHEDON — OFFERS THE SHOW'S VOTED CULT FOLLOWG A RARE OPPORTUNY TO SEE WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN IF THE SHOW HAD NTUED TO AIR. THE PUBLITN OF THE NEW IC BOOK SERI CIS WH THE 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE SHOW'S PREMIERE, A TONE THAT, FOR BUFFY'S MANY GAY FANBOYS, V REFLECTN ON THE SHOW'S PLACE THE NON OF GAY-THEMED TV — AND ANTICIPATN OF WHERE S RE CHARACTERS (GAY AND STRAIGHT, LIVG AND UNAD) ARE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FOR GAY MEN — ALWAYS DRAWN TO EMPOWERED WOMEN WH A SENSE OF STYLE (SEE XENA) — BUFFY, AS IMMORTALIZED BY SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR, WAS MORE THAN AN IN; SHE WAS THE TEENAGE GIRL THEY WISH THEY ULD HAVE BEEN HIGH SCHOOL. FEARLSLY NAVIGATG THE LIVG HELL OF SUNNYDALE HIGH, SHE PULVERIZED MONIC BULLI WH HER FISTS AND CLIQU OF MEAN GIRLS WH TTY ONE-LERS THAT PACKED JT AS MUCH OF A {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"I WOULD SAY THE HIGH SCHOOL SETTG ACUNTS PART FOR THE SHOW'S APPEAL TO A GAY DIENCE — THE SCENE OF THE TRMA, SO TO SPEAK," SAID WILL MCCORMACK, A WRG STCTOR AT NEW YORK UNIVERSY. "THE SHOW WAS GOOD AT EXTERNALIZG TERNAL STAT; WHEN I WAS HIGH SCHOOL, I THK I WAS RATHER SHUT DOWN EMOTNALLY AND WAS GENERALLY PERCEIVED AS BOOKISH AND GEEKY. THE SHOW FOUND A WAY TO ENNOBLE A SIAR SET OF CHARACTERS."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SELF-SCRIBED BUFFY ADDICT STEVEN LAWRENCE ELABORATED: "THE SHOW MA THE OUTSIRS THE MOST ATTRACTIVE AND APPEALG CHARACTERS. THE POPULAR STUNTS WERE JT SNACK FOOD FOR GHOULS. THEY LACKED TERT OR DISTCTN. THE OUTSIRS HAD THE POWER."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}INTENSIFYG HER SENSE OF HERSELF AS AN OUTSIR, BUFFY'S STAT AS A VAMPIRE SLAYER — A SECRET SHE HAD TO KEEP OM ALMOST EVERYONE HER LIFE, CLUDG HER MOTHER FOR SEVERAL YEARS — FORCED HER TO GRAPPLE WH AN ISOLATG LONELS THAT ULD EASILY BE A METAPHOR FOR THE TRMAS OF THE CLOSET, PARTICULARLY FOR GAY YOUTH. THIS SUBTEXT PRETTY MUCH BEME THE SHOW'S TEXT THE SEASON 2 FALE WHEN BUFFY OUT ABOUT HER SECRET TO HER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HER MOTHER'S NAïVE RPONS, CLUDG, " IT'S BEE YOU DIDN'T HAVE A STRONG FATHER FIGURE, ISN'T ?" AND "HAVE YOU EVER TRIED NOT BEG A VAMPIRE SLAYER?" ARE MET BY A HEARTBREAKGLY EMOTNAL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"NO, DON'T STOP," SHE SAYS. "IT NEVER STOPS. DO YOU THK I CHOSE TO BE LIKE THIS? DO YOU HAVE ANY IA HOW LONELY IS? "{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AS BUFFY FAN LAWRENCE OBSERVED: " THE TERTG THG ABOUT BUFFY WAS SHE ME OM AN EXPERIENCE OF BEG VERY POPULAR BUT THEN FOUND OUT SOMETHG ABOUT HERSELF THAT SHE FELT ULDN'T BE KNOWN BY OTHERS. SHE ME TO THIS NEW HIGH SCHOOL RRYG THAT KNOWLEDGE BUT MANAGED TO BUILD A CIRCLE OF TSTED IENDS SHE ULD NFI . THAT DIRECTLY TIED TO MY OWN EXPERIENCE G OUT, AND THAT OF MANY OTHER GAY AND LBIAN PEOPLE I KNOW."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE SHOW COM OUT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LIKE BUFFY HERSELF, THE SHOW SEEMED TO E OUT AFTER THOSE HIGH SCHOOL SEASONS, MORE EXPLICLY ALG WH GAY CHARACTERS AND HERG A MORE OVERT QUEER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ONCE THE GANG STARTED LLEGE, BUFFY'S BT IEND, WILLOW (ALYSON HANNIGAN), WHO HAD PREVLY LOCKED LIPS WH BOY CSH OZ (SETH GREEN) AND XANR (NICHOLAS BRENDON), FELL LOVE WH TARA (AMBER BENSON). THIS WAS NO MERE "VERY SPECIAL SWEEPS MONTH" STUNT, BUT A SER, LONG-TERM, VERY LOVG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}A 2003 ARTICLE OBSERVED: "WILLOW'S RELATNSHIP WH TARA WAS (AND STILL IS) THE LONGT-NNG LBIAN RELATNSHIP ON WORK TELEVISN (2.5 SEASONS), AND THE PAIR VELOPED A DITED FOLLOWG AMONG LBIAN AND BISEXUAL FANS WHO FELT OVERJOYED TO FALLY SEE ASPECTS OF THEIR LIV AND THEIR RELATNSHIPS REFLECTED BACK."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GAY BOYS WERE NO LS OVERJOYED. LAWRENCE REMEMBERED: "WHAT WAS IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT RELATNSHIP WAS SEEG A SAME-GENR RELATNSHIP BEG REPRENTED WH SUCH TENRNS AND PASSN. AS A GAY MAN, I TAKE POSIVE REPRENTATNS WHERE I N GET THEM. ANY TIME A SAME-GENR RELATNSHIP IS PORTRAYED A POSIVE BUT VERY REAL LIGHT BENEFS ALL."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TARA AND WILLOW'S RELATNSHIP WAS AT S MOST HEART-SWOONGLY ROMANTIC THE SEASON 6 EPISO "ONCE MORE WH FEELG." NOT ONLY DID TARA SERENA WILLOW WH A BETIFUL, SHAWN COLV-QUE BALLAD, "I'M UNR YOUR SPELL," WILLOW APPARENTLY PLEASURED TARA BED SO SKILLFULLY THAT TARA LERALLY FLOATED ABOVE THE BED {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BEYOND THE HOT AND HEAVY (FOR WORK TV ANYWAY) SAME-SEX ACTN, THAT EPISO MIGHT BE NSIRED BUFFY AT S GAYT FOR ANOTHER REASON: IT WAS A SGG, DANCG, VERY KNOWG AND VERY LOVG TREATMENT OF THE MIL FORMAT, WH NODS TO EVERYTHG OM SONDHEIM TO L MISéRABL. AS LAWRENCE SAID, "I'M A GAY MAN … I LOVE A GOOD MIL. … BUFFY AS A MIL … DON'T GET BETTER THAN THAT."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JT HEARG THAT BUFFY WAS DOG A MIL WAS ENOUGH TO MAKE NORMAN CHEBO, AN AVID BROADWAY THEATERGOER, WATCH THE SHOW, EVEN THOUGH HE'D NEVER SEEN BEFORE. "I LOVED ," HE SAID. "IT SHOWED A TE UNRSTANDG OF MILS AND WAS A GREAT WAY TO SHOWSE A LOT OF DIFFERENT TYP OF MIC. … NOW I LISTEN TO THE CD ALL THE TIME AND KNOW ALL THE LYRICS."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BEYOND THE TV SHOW {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE. THE MIL EPISO HAS SPAWNED ROCKY HORROR-LIKE MIDNIGHT SCREENGS BOSTON, NEW YORK, CHIGO, TUCSON, PTSBURGH AND OTHER CI ACROSS THE UNTRY, WHERE DIENCE MEMBERS SG ALONG AND ACT OUT THE PARTS. THIS MEANS THAT ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT, THERE JT MIGHT BE DOZENS OF SPIKE WANNAB THSTG THEIR PELVIS PUBLIC — SOMETHG ELSE GAY FANBOYS N THANK BUFFY FOR. THE BUFFY SG-A-LONG IS JT ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW THE BUFFY UNIVERSE HAS TAKEN ON A GAY-IENDLY LIFE OF S OWN BEYOND THE ORIGAL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS THE PREDOMANCE OF BUFFY SLASH FAN FICTN ON THE WEB. CHECK ALMOST ANY FAN FICTN SE, AND YOU'LL SEE ANGEL/SPIKE PAIRGS THAT EQUAL, IF NOT SURPASS, KIRK/SPOCK — AND 'S NO WONR. HERE WERE TWO STUDLY GUYS WH A THG FOR LEATHER, WHO SEEMED TO SPEND ALL THEIR NIGHTS PROWLG UNRGROUND CLUBS AND ULDN'T KEEP THEIR FISTS OFF ONE ANOTHER. EVEN WHEDON, ON HIS DVD MENTARY FOR BUFFY SP-OFF ANGEL, ACKNOWLEDGED: "SPIKE AND ANGEL, THEY WERE HANGG OUT FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS. … ARE PEOPLE THKG THEY NEVER —? COME ON, PEOPLE! THEY'RE OPEN-MD GUYS!"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUFFY MAY HAVE GENERATED ENOUGH HOMOEROTIC IMAGERY TO FUEL UNTLS GAY FANTASI AND FAN S, BUT FOR SUCH A GAY-IENDLY SHOW, WAS SORELY LACKG S PICTN OF ACTUAL GAY MALE CHARACTERS. LAWRENCE DO REMEMBER ONE PARTICULARLY TERTG, STEREOTYPE-BTG CHARACTER WHO APPEARED EARLY ON THE SERI: A HIGH SCHOOL JOCK NAMED LARRY WHO MERCILSLY BULLIED XANR BEFORE G OUT TO HIM (AND THEN G ON TO HIM). LARRY SHOWED UP AGA A FEW EPISOS LATER, NOW SO FORTABLE WH HIS SEXUALY THAT HE PROCLAIMED, "I'M SO OUT, I GOT MY GRANDMA FIXG ME UP WH GUYS."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUFFY DIDN'T GET ALL RIGHT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FAR MORE PROBLEMATIC WAS ANDREW WELLS, ONE OF A TR OF GEEK VILLAS TRODUCED SEASON 6. ONE OF ANDREW'S CRIM WAS UNLEASHG FLYG MONKEYS TO ATTACK THE SCHOOL PLAY, AND NOTHG SAYS "FRIEND OF DOROTHY" LIKE A WIZARD OF OZ REFERENCE. EVERYTHG ABOUT ANDREW SCREAMED GAY, OM HIS GHG OVER ALMOST EVERY GUY ON THE SHOW TO SOME OF HIS SOPHOMORIC DIALOGUE. (LOOKG FOR HIDN TRANSISTORS, HE TELLS FELLOW VILLA JONATHAN, "I'LL FD IF I HAVE TO CHECK EVERY HOLE MY BODY — AND YOURS!"){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT THE CHARACTER NEVER MONSTRATED ANY KD OF SELF-AWARENS ABOUT HIS SEXUALY. ANDREW REMAED A LONG-NNG VARIATN ON WHAT HAS BEE A MADNG TELEVISN CLICHé: THE GIRLIE GUY EVERYONE BUT HIM KNOWS IS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT IS TELLG, HOWEVER, THAT WHILE MA CHARACTERS AND FAN FAVOR ANGEL AND SPIKE ARE NOT EVEN MENTNED THE FIRST TWO ISSU OF THE NEW IC SERI (ALTHOUGH BOTH WILL LIKELY APPEAR FUTURE ISSU), ANDREW HAS A KEY ROLE TO PLAY, OVERSEEG AND TRAG SLAYERS UNR BUFFY'S MAND. HE'S STILL D AS GAY, OBSSG OVER STAR WARS TRIVIA AND FASHN (BEMOANG "THE PE AND THE LTLE BELL-BOTTOMS" THAT LANDO CALRISSIAN SPORTS RETURN OF THE JEDI) BUT THEN IMMEDIATELY LNCH TO A SER LECTURE ABOUT WEAPONS AND HEAD {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT'S AS IF WHEDON HIMSELF IS ACKNOWLEDGG THERE'S MORE TO TELL ABOUT THE CHARACTER THAN PREV TV SEASONS ALLOWED. PERHAPS THE APPARENT MATURATN OF ANDREW'S CHARACTER PROMIS SIAR PROGRS THE TREATMENT OF HIS SEXUALY; WILL CERTALY BE TERTG TO SEE HOW WHEDON HIMSELF HANDL THIS TOUCHY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SEEG WHAT BUFFY, XANR, WILLOW AND THE GANG ARE UP TO NOW, AS WELL AS HOW THEIR CREATOR PERSONALLY ENVISNED THEIR FUTUR, IS WHAT WILL NO DOUBT DRIVE MANY FANS TO IC BOOK STOR THE G {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE PLOT, SO FAR, SEEMS TO BE ALG WH HOW BUFFY'S ARMY OF SLAYERETT IS BEG TARGETED BY THE U.S. ERNMENT AS POTENTIAL TERRORISTS. IT'S THE KD OF TIMELY, POLILLY CHARGED STORYTELLG ONE EXPECTS OM BATTLTAR GALACTI, BUT LACKS THE THEMATIC RICHNS, EMOTNAL ANGST AND PERSONAL RELEVANCE THAT GAY FANS OF BUFFY WERE IALLY DRAWN TO. WHAT LACKS PLOT, THOUGH, MAK UP FOR THE PROMISE OF PELLG VELOPMENTS FOR S RE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}OF PARTICULAR TERT TO GAY FANS IS WILLOW, WHOSE NAME UP A NTEXT THAT IS TRIGUG. BUFFY'S YOUNGER SISTER DAWN HAS APPARENTLY HAD A BAD-BOYIEND EXPERIENCE ALL HER OWN (WH AMGLY EXTREME SUPERNATURAL REPERCSNS), BUT THE ONLY ONE DAWN IS WILLG TO DISCS HER PROBLEMS WH IS WILLOW, WHICH LEADS BUFFY TO SAY SARSTILLY, " WILLOW'S THE EXPERT ON BOYS SCE WHEN NOW?" IT'S AN UNCHARACTERISTILLY MEAN-SPIRED REMARK OM BUFFY — SHOCKG, EVEN, TO HEAR HER REFERENCE HER BT IEND'S SEXUALY THE FORM OF A {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT THE FACT THAT SHE SAYS THIS HTS AT WHY DAWN MIGHT NOT WANT TO TALK TO HER THE FIRST PLACE. BUFFY, FOR ALL HER STELLAR QUALI, WAS NEVER VERY SELF-AWARE, PECIALLY TERMS OF HER EFFECT ON OTHER PEOPLE. SHE DON'T SEE THAT ISN'T WHAT WILLOW DON'T KNOW ABOUT BOYS THAT MATTERS TO DAWN; 'S WHAT WILLOW DO KNOW ABOUT RELATNSHIPS THAT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}UNLIKE BUFFY, WHOSE RELATNSHIPS HAVE UALLY END TEARS OR STAK THROUGH THE HEART, WILLOW HAS BEEN RELATNSHIPS WHICH SHE EXPERIENCED TE LOVE — NOT TO MENTN MUTUAL RPECT — SERVG AS A MUCH MORE POSIVE ROLE MOL FOR DAWN. IT'S ALSO WORTH REMEMBERG THAT WAS WILLOW AND TARA WHO SERVED AS SURROGATE PARENTS TO DAWN WHEN BUFFY WAS AD AND BURIED AND THAT, EVEN NOW, DAWN LOOKS TO WILLOW FOR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT WILL BE TERTG TO SEE HOW THE WILLOW-DAWN-BUFFY DYNAMIC PLAYS OUT THE 25–30 PROMISED ISSU TO E, AS WELL AS WHETHER OR NOT WILLOW IS STILL WH KENNEDY, HER LOVER POST-TARA. HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET MORE FACE TIME FOR WILLOW, MORE SIGHT TO ANDREW, AND MAYBE EVEN A NEW OUT AND PROUD GAY MALE CHARACTER. MAYBE WE'LL GET TWO AND N EVEN SEE THEM GETTG SOME FLOATG-ABOVE-THE-BED-'S-SO-SO-CREDIBLE ACTN. NOW THAT WOULD BE SOMETHG GAY FANBOYS ULD SG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

WHAT MAK "BUFFY" A GAY IN?{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}TVBY STEVEN FRANKAPRIL 11, 2007/4:16 PMBY STEVEN FRANKAPRIL 11, 2007 / 4:16 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"WHAT MAK \"BUFFY\" A GAY IN?","DATEPUBLISHED":"2007-04-11T20:16:36.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2007-04-11T20:16:36.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"STEVEN FRANK","KEYWORDS":"THE BACKLOT","ARTICLESECTN":"TV"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUFFY SUMMERS, THE BLOND, VAMP-KICKG FIGHTER WHO MANAGED TO RISE OM THE AD TWICE ON THE BELOVED 1997–2003 TV SERI IS BACK SLAYG AGA. SORT OF. A NEW IC BOOK SERI OM DARK HORSE TLED BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 8 — WH AN IAL STORY ARC BY BUFFY CREATOR JOSS WHEDON — OFFERS THE SHOW'S VOTED CULT FOLLOWG A RARE OPPORTUNY TO SEE WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN IF THE SHOW HAD NTUED TO AIR. THE PUBLITN OF THE NEW IC BOOK SERI CIS WH THE 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE SHOW'S PREMIERE, A TONE THAT, FOR BUFFY'S MANY GAY FANBOYS, V REFLECTN ON THE SHOW'S PLACE THE NON OF GAY-THEMED TV — AND ANTICIPATN OF WHERE S RE CHARACTERS (GAY AND STRAIGHT, LIVG AND UNAD) ARE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FOR GAY MEN — ALWAYS DRAWN TO EMPOWERED WOMEN WH A SENSE OF STYLE (SEE XENA) — BUFFY, AS IMMORTALIZED BY SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR, WAS MORE THAN AN IN; SHE WAS THE TEENAGE GIRL THEY WISH THEY ULD HAVE BEEN HIGH SCHOOL. FEARLSLY NAVIGATG THE LIVG HELL OF SUNNYDALE HIGH, SHE PULVERIZED MONIC BULLI WH HER FISTS AND CLIQU OF MEAN GIRLS WH TTY ONE-LERS THAT PACKED JT AS MUCH OF A {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"I WOULD SAY THE HIGH SCHOOL SETTG ACUNTS PART FOR THE SHOW'S APPEAL TO A GAY DIENCE — THE SCENE OF THE TRMA, SO TO SPEAK," SAID WILL MCCORMACK, A WRG STCTOR AT NEW YORK UNIVERSY. "THE SHOW WAS GOOD AT EXTERNALIZG TERNAL STAT; WHEN I WAS HIGH SCHOOL, I THK I WAS RATHER SHUT DOWN EMOTNALLY AND WAS GENERALLY PERCEIVED AS BOOKISH AND GEEKY. THE SHOW FOUND A WAY TO ENNOBLE A SIAR SET OF CHARACTERS."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SELF-SCRIBED BUFFY ADDICT STEVEN LAWRENCE ELABORATED: "THE SHOW MA THE OUTSIRS THE MOST ATTRACTIVE AND APPEALG CHARACTERS. THE POPULAR STUNTS WERE JT SNACK FOOD FOR GHOULS. THEY LACKED TERT OR DISTCTN. THE OUTSIRS HAD THE POWER."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}INTENSIFYG HER SENSE OF HERSELF AS AN OUTSIR, BUFFY'S STAT AS A VAMPIRE SLAYER — A SECRET SHE HAD TO KEEP OM ALMOST EVERYONE HER LIFE, CLUDG HER MOTHER FOR SEVERAL YEARS — FORCED HER TO GRAPPLE WH AN ISOLATG LONELS THAT ULD EASILY BE A METAPHOR FOR THE TRMAS OF THE CLOSET, PARTICULARLY FOR GAY YOUTH. THIS SUBTEXT PRETTY MUCH BEME THE SHOW'S TEXT THE SEASON 2 FALE WHEN BUFFY OUT ABOUT HER SECRET TO HER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HER MOTHER'S NAïVE RPONS, CLUDG, " IT'S BEE YOU DIDN'T HAVE A STRONG FATHER FIGURE, ISN'T ?" AND "HAVE YOU EVER TRIED NOT BEG A VAMPIRE SLAYER?" ARE MET BY A HEARTBREAKGLY EMOTNAL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"NO, DON'T STOP," SHE SAYS. "IT NEVER STOPS. DO YOU THK I CHOSE TO BE LIKE THIS? DO YOU HAVE ANY IA HOW LONELY IS? "{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AS BUFFY FAN LAWRENCE OBSERVED: " THE TERTG THG ABOUT BUFFY WAS SHE ME OM AN EXPERIENCE OF BEG VERY POPULAR BUT THEN FOUND OUT SOMETHG ABOUT HERSELF THAT SHE FELT ULDN'T BE KNOWN BY OTHERS. SHE ME TO THIS NEW HIGH SCHOOL RRYG THAT KNOWLEDGE BUT MANAGED TO BUILD A CIRCLE OF TSTED IENDS SHE ULD NFI . THAT DIRECTLY TIED TO MY OWN EXPERIENCE G OUT, AND THAT OF MANY OTHER GAY AND LBIAN PEOPLE I KNOW."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE SHOW COM OUT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LIKE BUFFY HERSELF, THE SHOW SEEMED TO E OUT AFTER THOSE HIGH SCHOOL SEASONS, MORE EXPLICLY ALG WH GAY CHARACTERS AND HERG A MORE OVERT QUEER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ONCE THE GANG STARTED LLEGE, BUFFY'S BT IEND, WILLOW (ALYSON HANNIGAN), WHO HAD PREVLY LOCKED LIPS WH BOY CSH OZ (SETH GREEN) AND XANR (NICHOLAS BRENDON), FELL LOVE WH TARA (AMBER BENSON). THIS WAS NO MERE "VERY SPECIAL SWEEPS MONTH" STUNT, BUT A SER, LONG-TERM, VERY LOVG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}A 2003 ARTICLE OBSERVED: "WILLOW'S RELATNSHIP WH TARA WAS (AND STILL IS) THE LONGT-NNG LBIAN RELATNSHIP ON WORK TELEVISN (2.5 SEASONS), AND THE PAIR VELOPED A DITED FOLLOWG AMONG LBIAN AND BISEXUAL FANS WHO FELT OVERJOYED TO FALLY SEE ASPECTS OF THEIR LIV AND THEIR RELATNSHIPS REFLECTED BACK."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GAY BOYS WERE NO LS OVERJOYED. LAWRENCE REMEMBERED: "WHAT WAS IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT RELATNSHIP WAS SEEG A SAME-GENR RELATNSHIP BEG REPRENTED WH SUCH TENRNS AND PASSN. AS A GAY MAN, I TAKE POSIVE REPRENTATNS WHERE I N GET THEM. ANY TIME A SAME-GENR RELATNSHIP IS PORTRAYED A POSIVE BUT VERY REAL LIGHT BENEFS ALL."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TARA AND WILLOW'S RELATNSHIP WAS AT S MOST HEART-SWOONGLY ROMANTIC THE SEASON 6 EPISO "ONCE MORE WH FEELG." NOT ONLY DID TARA SERENA WILLOW WH A BETIFUL, SHAWN COLV-QUE BALLAD, "I'M UNR YOUR SPELL," WILLOW APPARENTLY PLEASURED TARA BED SO SKILLFULLY THAT TARA LERALLY FLOATED ABOVE THE BED {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BEYOND THE HOT AND HEAVY (FOR WORK TV ANYWAY) SAME-SEX ACTN, THAT EPISO MIGHT BE NSIRED BUFFY AT S GAYT FOR ANOTHER REASON: IT WAS A SGG, DANCG, VERY KNOWG AND VERY LOVG TREATMENT OF THE MIL FORMAT, WH NODS TO EVERYTHG OM SONDHEIM TO L MISéRABL. AS LAWRENCE SAID, "I'M A GAY MAN … I LOVE A GOOD MIL. … BUFFY AS A MIL … DON'T GET BETTER THAN THAT."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}JT HEARG THAT BUFFY WAS DOG A MIL WAS ENOUGH TO MAKE NORMAN CHEBO, AN AVID BROADWAY THEATERGOER, WATCH THE SHOW, EVEN THOUGH HE'D NEVER SEEN BEFORE. "I LOVED ," HE SAID. "IT SHOWED A TE UNRSTANDG OF MILS AND WAS A GREAT WAY TO SHOWSE A LOT OF DIFFERENT TYP OF MIC. … NOW I LISTEN TO THE CD ALL THE TIME AND KNOW ALL THE LYRICS."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BEYOND THE TV SHOW {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE. THE MIL EPISO HAS SPAWNED ROCKY HORROR-LIKE MIDNIGHT SCREENGS BOSTON, NEW YORK, CHIGO, TUCSON, PTSBURGH AND OTHER CI ACROSS THE UNTRY, WHERE DIENCE MEMBERS SG ALONG AND ACT OUT THE PARTS. THIS MEANS THAT ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT, THERE JT MIGHT BE DOZENS OF SPIKE WANNAB THSTG THEIR PELVIS PUBLIC — SOMETHG ELSE GAY FANBOYS N THANK BUFFY FOR. THE BUFFY SG-A-LONG IS JT ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW THE BUFFY UNIVERSE HAS TAKEN ON A GAY-IENDLY LIFE OF S OWN BEYOND THE ORIGAL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS THE PREDOMANCE OF BUFFY SLASH FAN FICTN ON THE WEB. CHECK ALMOST ANY FAN FICTN SE, AND YOU'LL SEE ANGEL/SPIKE PAIRGS THAT EQUAL, IF NOT SURPASS, KIRK/SPOCK — AND 'S NO WONR. HERE WERE TWO STUDLY GUYS WH A THG FOR LEATHER, WHO SEEMED TO SPEND ALL THEIR NIGHTS PROWLG UNRGROUND CLUBS AND ULDN'T KEEP THEIR FISTS OFF ONE ANOTHER. EVEN WHEDON, ON HIS DVD MENTARY FOR BUFFY SP-OFF ANGEL, ACKNOWLEDGED: "SPIKE AND ANGEL, THEY WERE HANGG OUT FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS. … ARE PEOPLE THKG THEY NEVER —? COME ON, PEOPLE! THEY'RE OPEN-MD GUYS!"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUFFY MAY HAVE GENERATED ENOUGH HOMOEROTIC IMAGERY TO FUEL UNTLS GAY FANTASI AND FAN S, BUT FOR SUCH A GAY-IENDLY SHOW, WAS SORELY LACKG S PICTN OF ACTUAL GAY MALE CHARACTERS. LAWRENCE DO REMEMBER ONE PARTICULARLY TERTG, STEREOTYPE-BTG CHARACTER WHO APPEARED EARLY ON THE SERI: A HIGH SCHOOL JOCK NAMED LARRY WHO MERCILSLY BULLIED XANR BEFORE G OUT TO HIM (AND THEN G ON TO HIM). LARRY SHOWED UP AGA A FEW EPISOS LATER, NOW SO FORTABLE WH HIS SEXUALY THAT HE PROCLAIMED, "I'M SO OUT, I GOT MY GRANDMA FIXG ME UP WH GUYS."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUFFY DIDN'T GET ALL RIGHT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FAR MORE PROBLEMATIC WAS ANDREW WELLS, ONE OF A TR OF GEEK VILLAS TRODUCED SEASON 6. ONE OF ANDREW'S CRIM WAS UNLEASHG FLYG MONKEYS TO ATTACK THE SCHOOL PLAY, AND NOTHG SAYS "FRIEND OF DOROTHY" LIKE A WIZARD OF OZ REFERENCE. EVERYTHG ABOUT ANDREW SCREAMED GAY, OM HIS GHG OVER ALMOST EVERY GUY ON THE SHOW TO SOME OF HIS SOPHOMORIC DIALOGUE. (LOOKG FOR HIDN TRANSISTORS, HE TELLS FELLOW VILLA JONATHAN, "I'LL FD IF I HAVE TO CHECK EVERY HOLE MY BODY — AND YOURS!"){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT THE CHARACTER NEVER MONSTRATED ANY KD OF SELF-AWARENS ABOUT HIS SEXUALY. ANDREW REMAED A LONG-NNG VARIATN ON WHAT HAS BEE A MADNG TELEVISN CLICHé: THE GIRLIE GUY EVERYONE BUT HIM KNOWS IS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT IS TELLG, HOWEVER, THAT WHILE MA CHARACTERS AND FAN FAVOR ANGEL AND SPIKE ARE NOT EVEN MENTNED THE FIRST TWO ISSU OF THE NEW IC SERI (ALTHOUGH BOTH WILL LIKELY APPEAR FUTURE ISSU), ANDREW HAS A KEY ROLE TO PLAY, OVERSEEG AND TRAG SLAYERS UNR BUFFY'S MAND. HE'S STILL D AS GAY, OBSSG OVER STAR WARS TRIVIA AND FASHN (BEMOANG "THE PE AND THE LTLE BELL-BOTTOMS" THAT LANDO CALRISSIAN SPORTS RETURN OF THE JEDI) BUT THEN IMMEDIATELY LNCH TO A SER LECTURE ABOUT WEAPONS AND HEAD {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT'S AS IF WHEDON HIMSELF IS ACKNOWLEDGG THERE'S MORE TO TELL ABOUT THE CHARACTER THAN PREV TV SEASONS ALLOWED. PERHAPS THE APPARENT MATURATN OF ANDREW'S CHARACTER PROMIS SIAR PROGRS THE TREATMENT OF HIS SEXUALY; WILL CERTALY BE TERTG TO SEE HOW WHEDON HIMSELF HANDL THIS TOUCHY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SEEG WHAT BUFFY, XANR, WILLOW AND THE GANG ARE UP TO NOW, AS WELL AS HOW THEIR CREATOR PERSONALLY ENVISNED THEIR FUTUR, IS WHAT WILL NO DOUBT DRIVE MANY FANS TO IC BOOK STOR THE G {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE PLOT, SO FAR, SEEMS TO BE ALG WH HOW BUFFY'S ARMY OF SLAYERETT IS BEG TARGETED BY THE U.S. ERNMENT AS POTENTIAL TERRORISTS. IT'S THE KD OF TIMELY, POLILLY CHARGED STORYTELLG ONE EXPECTS OM BATTLTAR GALACTI, BUT LACKS THE THEMATIC RICHNS, EMOTNAL ANGST AND PERSONAL RELEVANCE THAT GAY FANS OF BUFFY WERE IALLY DRAWN TO. WHAT LACKS PLOT, THOUGH, MAK UP FOR THE PROMISE OF PELLG VELOPMENTS FOR S RE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}OF PARTICULAR TERT TO GAY FANS IS WILLOW, WHOSE NAME UP A NTEXT THAT IS TRIGUG. BUFFY'S YOUNGER SISTER DAWN HAS APPARENTLY HAD A BAD-BOYIEND EXPERIENCE ALL HER OWN (WH AMGLY EXTREME SUPERNATURAL REPERCSNS), BUT THE ONLY ONE DAWN IS WILLG TO DISCS HER PROBLEMS WH IS WILLOW, WHICH LEADS BUFFY TO SAY SARSTILLY, " WILLOW'S THE EXPERT ON BOYS SCE WHEN NOW?" IT'S AN UNCHARACTERISTILLY MEAN-SPIRED REMARK OM BUFFY — SHOCKG, EVEN, TO HEAR HER REFERENCE HER BT IEND'S SEXUALY THE FORM OF A {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT THE FACT THAT SHE SAYS THIS HTS AT WHY DAWN MIGHT NOT WANT TO TALK TO HER THE FIRST PLACE. BUFFY, FOR ALL HER STELLAR QUALI, WAS NEVER VERY SELF-AWARE, PECIALLY TERMS OF HER EFFECT ON OTHER PEOPLE. SHE DON'T SEE THAT ISN'T WHAT WILLOW DON'T KNOW ABOUT BOYS THAT MATTERS TO DAWN; 'S WHAT WILLOW DO KNOW ABOUT RELATNSHIPS THAT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}UNLIKE BUFFY, WHOSE RELATNSHIPS HAVE UALLY END TEARS OR STAK THROUGH THE HEART, WILLOW HAS BEEN RELATNSHIPS WHICH SHE EXPERIENCED TE LOVE — NOT TO MENTN MUTUAL RPECT — SERVG AS A MUCH MORE POSIVE ROLE MOL FOR DAWN. IT'S ALSO WORTH REMEMBERG THAT WAS WILLOW AND TARA WHO SERVED AS SURROGATE PARENTS TO DAWN WHEN BUFFY WAS AD AND BURIED AND THAT, EVEN NOW, DAWN LOOKS TO WILLOW FOR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT WILL BE TERTG TO SEE HOW THE WILLOW-DAWN-BUFFY DYNAMIC PLAYS OUT THE 25–30 PROMISED ISSU TO E, AS WELL AS WHETHER OR NOT WILLOW IS STILL WH KENNEDY, HER LOVER POST-TARA. HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET MORE FACE TIME FOR WILLOW, MORE SIGHT TO ANDREW, AND MAYBE EVEN A NEW OUT AND PROUD GAY MALE CHARACTER. MAYBE WE'LL GET TWO AND N EVEN SEE THEM GETTG SOME FLOATG-ABOVE-THE-BED-'S-SO-SO-CREDIBLE ACTN. NOW THAT WOULD BE SOMETHG GAY FANBOYS ULD SG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

* buffy gay *

Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 2 featured s first gay mor character Larry (Larry Bagby III) and troduced s first lbian relatnship season 4 when Willow and Tara beme a uple. This ia is herently harmful to the bisexual muny, as they often receive cricism for "not beg gay enough" or "not beg straight enough" which is why tly posive bisexual reprentatn is hard to fd on televisn.

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BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM BUFFY GAY

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*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* BUFFY GAY

BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM BUFFY GAY