Who is fucking excited the L Word is back?! I had this day marked in my calendar from the moment it was released. I know the younger generation will watch Generation Q and be excited to have a queer show solely made by us and for our community and on the flip side also be confused about who Bette, Alice, Shane, Tina (She is mentioned in the first episode) and Angie (the original L Word watchers know her as Angelica) are, but those of us who were around for the original L Word are ecstatic to have them back and on the edge of our seats to see where they are now.
Before watching the first episode of Generation Q, I was hopeful that this L Word would be more of a true representation of our queer community. I can say that Generation Q does just that. As great as the original was, some people might watch the original and point out stereotypes of our community. Yes, it portrayed toxic filters of relationships, both romantic and platonic, in the LGBTQ community. I know that Ilene Chaiken wrote the L Word using parts of her life as examples and a guide for the show. I think what people are missing is that during my time there was NOTHING like the L Word and we were trying to figure it all out together. Yes, there was “Queer as Folk”, but that was mostly gay men and 1 white lesbian couple. See someone like me, a gay black woman, could not relate in the way I related to the L Word. I was in college when I came out and when the L Word premiered and I must admit, I mimicked things from that show because I came from a small ass town with little knowledge of what it meant to be a lesbian or to even have a friend who was also gay. I had a cousin, I call her the pioneer gay, but she was in the military and did not live nearby for me to observe her life. I had a lot of friends who were in the same boat and we claimed the L Word as our own. One time in college we had a “rainbow” party with edible brownies mainly because there was an episode of the L Word where they had a bad-ass party with edible brownies and better believe WE HAD A FUCKING BLAST!
Underneath the entertainment of toxicity, stereotypes, and misrepresentations, we were learning how to grow together, how to be out together, how to fight together and how to love together! I hope Generation Q watchers see this show with PRIDE and understand that the original broke barriers that paved the way for Generation Q to rise and be represented. The original L Word watchers will be here with you cheering you on as you break the barriers we could not penetrate. My wish this time is that we shatter the ceiling this time.
The L Word Returns| Generation Q Style
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