When questioning representation of lesbian culture on “The L Word,” one must ask: do the media ever accurately portray real life in general (lesbian or not)?

From Ellen Degeneres’ self-titled popular talk show to Showtime’s “The L Word,” lesbians are becoming more visible in our media, but are these representations of the lesbian community accurate or are they a mystification of lesbian reality?

Many lesbians feel that Degeneres hides her sexuality on her popular program by not making a reference to her sexual orientation. Some think that one’s sexual orientation doesn’t have to and even shouldn’t be illuminated for the crowd.

But others think that as a member of a marginalized group, Degeneres should do just that to breakdown the preconceived notions about lesbian identity — for instance, that lesbians only wear flannel button-downs and can’t dance.

It seems that Degeneres may be engaging in an all-too-familiar “don’t ask, don’t tell” way to placate the producers of her show. If that were true, should we think of Ellen as a “sell-out”?

Isn’t it possible that Ellen is just doing what she needs to do to keep the producers happy and stay on the air? After all, she may be a lesbian, but she also has a job to keep.

What about “The L Word”? Does Showtime accurately portray the lesbian community? Are the lesbian characters believable, or is the “The L Word” a wishful misrepresentation of the community?

When questioning representation of lesbian culture on “The L Word,” one must ask: do the media ever accurately portray real life in general (lesbian or not)? No. Is that even the media’s goal?

Maybe it should be, but we must not forget that primetime shows like “Friends,” “Lost” and “My Name is Earl” are not all that representative of reality either.

Although I am on the fence on whether or not “lesbian” shows like “The L Word” are accurate representations of our community, I know that on Oct. 25 I will be in line, credit card in hand, purchasing its second season on DVD.

> Comments