Queer Benefit #341: Lexa
Here’s wishing for more happy endings! …No, not that kind! Okay, maybe that kind, too.
In case this is the first time you’ve heard about this trope or simply doubt how bad the problem is, Autostraddle posted a really awesome(ly sad) infographic on the issue. And seriously do look into The Trevor Project — donate, share it, volunteer, anything — because it’s services like that that help at-risk LGBT youth every day.
Thanks for reading! You can support us directly by checking out…
- Patreon — Join for free for early access to comics and newsletters or subscribe for as little as $1/mo (you set the limit!) to also get exclusive content, videos, downloads, and more
- Ko-Fi — Tip us or order custom artwork directly
- Follow @findchaos on (most) social media to find and share updates
How does one contact your about the use of this image at a local PRIDE center? If it’s okay with you and it was possible for you to alter it so you have your credits and the way to contact the Trevor Project on the piece, I’d like to use it for educational purposes at my local center.
That sounds wonderful! You can totally hit us up at contact@findchaos.com to suss out the details and get a hi-resolution version for printing. <3
Well, “Legend of Korra” had a happy ending at least. 🙂
True, and I’m glad it’s such a positive example for queer folk. Personally, I don’t relish that the queerness was implied rather than canonical. It’s kind of a shame that we’re still at a point in society where queerness is still treated with kid-gloves and primarily subtextual. It seems to be the canon queers who have a lot to worry about.
Well…Clarke is still alive, but you are right. Are the gay the new blacks? (you know…the horror movies and things like those)
Where do I sign?!!
There’s Legend of Korra. They had to sneak it in because it’s a kid’s show, but it ends with the two main female characters getting together.
Our Heda will always be in our hearts. Always
And if your character is a transitioner they are probably a murderer as well. :/
And if a character is a transitioner they usually die, but are usually a murderer as well.
Or maybe Lexa was killed off because Alycia Debnam-Carey landed a bigger role on Fear the Walking Dead, which was picked up for a 15 episode second season after its initial 6 episode first season?
If you look at the statistics chart below the comic, the issue is obviously much bigger than just one actress. She was the one we chose to represent because her character’s death sparked the flood of outrage and become a talking point around the trope, as well as an icon for queer women by the time we made the comic. However, statistical evidence doesn’t lie, and the fact is queer women get killed off disproportionately.
I feel the one that hurt me most was Brother, dear brother. Which I’m spoiling because it’s evil.
The main character’s love interest is suicidal throughout the series, but she starts feeling better. Then on the first date with the main character she dies in a freak accident. In the last episode the main character is very happy with her boyfriend.
I remember going on an “LGBT movie marathon” and was depressed on how 95% of them ended in tragedy. Either one of both of the couples would die or they would break up in the end. Hardly ever any happy endings for LGBT characters in movies.
While I get there were contract issues so that Lexa’s actress couldn’t stay on the show, there were definitely better ways they could’ve sent her off. Giving her such a ridiculous death barely a minute after having sex with the main character was just offputting as shit.
The Vampire Dairies did something very similar within the same week or so with a lesbian couple that episode of The 100 aired, too. And, surprise, both series are owned by the same network. Make of that however you will… :\
P.S. This is why I’m happy that a major character in the book series that I’m writing turned out to be queer. I totally didn’t plan for it to happen, but that’s how she ended up and it made me really ecstatic that that’s where the narrative took me.
The trope is hungry. We must starve it.
This is very similar to what I’ve started to refer to as the “Broke-Back-Mountain Effect” in movies featuring LGBTQ+ couples. Finding a romance movie featuring a LGBTQ+ couple where one, or both, of them don’t die (or have something equally tragic happen) is like finding a goddamn unicorn.