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B.C.'s Thoughts: On a Tree By a Willow

Invisible People

Okay, I admit it: I'm a fan of Buffy, The Vampire Slayer. Recently, I've been complaining about Willow's latest relationship. To recap:

  • back in first season, Buffy, Willow and Xander were the three main characters.
  • Xander was attracted to Buffy, Willow was attracted to Xander, but Buffy was attracted to Angel
  • Eventually Xander started seeing Cordelia, which devastated Willow
  • But Willow started seeing a cute werewolf named Oz
  • and then, in Season three, something happened between Willow and Xander. They started kissing each other, even though they were both dating other people.
  • this ended up breaking up Xander and Cordelia, and Willow's relationship with Oz was rocky for a while.
  • Cordelia was so distraught by this that she ended up catching the attention of Anya, who is a vengeance demon who punishes men who've broken the hearts of women.
  • Bad things happened (involving another dimension where Willow was a vampire), and eventually Anya lost her demon powers. She was human again for the first time in 1000 years. (and, as a result, has had difficulty with the finer points of social customs).
  • and, oddly, Anya and Xander started dating
  • and suddenly, in the fourth season, Oz dumped Willow and left town
  • Willow was really upset about this for several episodes, and then she started seeing Tara

Now, I think that this is an interesting story line. I think that Joss Whedon is treating the relationship really well -- he hasn't been trying to Say Something with the relationship; he's been treating it almost as a background detail of the show.

This is stuff I like. I think that we don't need shows that have special "Queer" episodes... we need on-going queer characters. So what's been annoying me?

What annoys me is hearing everyone talking about how Willow has suddenly come out as a lesbian. I've heard this endlessly. Here's a pretty typical conversation that I've been in recently:

Person: So what do you think of the Willow developments on Buffy?

BC: I'm really impressed. I like the way that her relationship hasn't been a big spotlight event; instead it's just *there*.

Person: Yeah, it's a good way to handle it, but shouldn't her coming out as a lesbian have had a bit more soul-searching?

BC: She hasn't identified as a lesbian, though. To my knowledge, she hasn't stated her sexual orientation.

Person: It's pretty clear that she's a lesbian, though.

BC: Not necessarily. There aren't only two orientations, y'know. Personally, I think it's far more likely that she's bi. Remember the episode where Oz comes back, and Willow wrestles with the fact that she loves both Oz and Tara?

Person: Oh. I guess I didn't think about that.

This sort of situation has happened with such frequency that I'm starting to get really irritated. I honestly hadn't thought that bi people were *that* invisible. But it seems like *nobody* entertains the idea of Willow being bi.

Now, just two weeks ago, on Buffy, Willow and Anya had a fight. They've been really kinda prickly toward each other for a few episodes, and they had a good screaming match at each other.

Willow said that she was frustrated with Anya's inability to pick up social manners, and that she worried that Anya was going to hurt Xander. After all, Anya spent 1000 years as a vengeance demon hurting men.

In response Anya said that she worried that Willow (who is still Xander's best friend) was going to break up Anya and Xander.

Anya: "I know what broke up Xander and Cordelia. You. Or rather, your lips."

Willow: "That's not true. Oh, okay, it is true. But that would never happen, now."

Anya: "Why should I believe that?"

Willow: "Hello?!? Gay, now!"

And I was, at the same time, laughing my ass off over that line, and a bit disappointed. I guess I wonder if even the great Buffy creator, Joss, couldn't even think about Willow being bi. Are bi people that invisible?

Copyright © 2001 by B.C. Holmes. Last updated February 2nd, 2001.
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