Why Queer Representation in Media Matters
I was watching Little Women (2019), and an exchange between Jo and Amy stuck out to me:
Jo has begun writing about her and her sisters' domestic joys and struggles throughout their lives (which becomes the book Little Women), and she is questioning whether or not her story will matter enough to warrant being written and published. Jo claims that the stories that are written reflect their importance. Essentially, only the stories that are written down already are considered important. Amy rebukes this, saying, "Perhaps writing will make them more important."
The stories that we document dictate societal understanding and memory. Writing dictates history. Writing dictates acceptance. Writing expands perspectives and exposes people to lives and experiences they might never have encountered otherwise. In a physical archive, the pieces maintained tell a story of what will be passed on to the next generation. What is written down in media (TV shows count!) serves as its own far-reaching archive of what will influence current and future generations.
To be more specific, I write this because of the hatred I am seeing on the internet surrounding Byler, a gay ship between two teens in the 80s (Set in the TV show Stranger Things). There is so much shipping discourse, and people misunderstand why Byler shippers are so passionate about this becoming a true canon love story. They say we are "reading too much into it," calling us delusional, saying to not get our hopes up, to not put too much importance on it.
But since when has "caring less" about something been helpful? People do not make a change in the world by becoming less passionate. In fact, we feel we need to be "crazy," and outspoken, and meticulous in our explanations, because otherwise we will not be seen. Even if the producers do not do it justice, we want to ensure this story is fought for and told, even if it is through our tumblr essays, fanart, and fanfiction. Passion shown by individuals through art is what depicts importance, but the difference between us and the Duffer brothers is the sheer difference in audience size and reach. You could argue that, at that point, as writers, they have a responsibility to use that to their advantage. I would say this is especially true because of how far they have let the Byler shipping discourse go (in interviews/marketing and online), and how long they have dragged out the love triangle.
Jo questions the importance of her simple, domestic story of women growing up and choosing their life paths. This can be compared to our beloved story of Mike Wheeler and Will Byers, who are a strong and true representation of how love changes us and makes us stronger. But somehow this story is seen by some as cheapened and not likely, simply because it is between two boys. Jo questions her story's importance because in all the stories she has read, she has not seen this one represented. In that time period, women were most often depicted in stories as purely fodder for love stories. But Jo wanted to depict a story that showed people the complexities of a woman's life, that they are worth more than just as a love interest. The book Little Women did just that by opening up doors of inspiration for future generations of women.
The story's underrepresentation is the exact reason why it must be told.
Stories have power. People tend to assume that what they do not see does not exist. We laugh at the idea that some people truly think that gay people just did not exist in the 80s-- but these ignorant people are real. And that is directly caused by the lack of stories told that depict gay people in the 80s.
Queer representation does not dictate the innate value of queer individuals. But positive queer love stories-- in which the character's development is treated with the same respect and value that a straight character would-- serve as stepping stones to a more inclusive and empathetic society. Positive queer narratives act as a self-fulfilling prophecy; societal expectations are shaped by their existence, building a reality where queer joy and success are widely seen as important and expected.
This is why Byler is so important, and all we want is for others to understand its importance. Depicting a story of a queer boy in the 80s getting the success and love he always wanted, to the audience of one of the biggest TV shows this decade, paves the way for a future where this won't seem so unlikely.
