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A FAQ FOR SUBTEXT FANS & THE LOYAL OPPOSITION
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(1) What is subtext?
Also known as lesbian innuendo, subtext can be a scene, an action, a word,
a line, a touch, a look, a tone of voice or an entire episode that implies
or shows that Xena and Gabrielle are lovers.
(2) Do the producers/writers put subtext into the show on purpose or is it
just a fantasy of the fans?
Executive Producer Rob Tapert, Producer Liz Friedman and Lucy Lawless have
all said in interviews that they purposely put subtext into the show. Among
other things, they have said they like "blurring the lines" (Tapert) and
"pushing the boundaries" (Lawless). However, they also say that the two
characters were not originally written as lovers, but were written to be
heterosexuals who were as close as sisters. Tapert has also said that they
were originally told that advertisers did not want to see lesbian
characters.See interview excerpts. [Beloved webmeisters: Can this be a link
to the interviews?]
(3) What are the episodes and scenes that appear to have the most subtext?
Some of the episodes cited most frequently by subtext fans are QUEST, A DAY
IN THE LIFE, ALTARED STATES, GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN and parts of RETURN
OF CALLISTO. Episodes and scenes that show the closeness and intensity of
the bond between Xena and Gabrielle are also embraced by subtext fans. These
episodes include THE PRODIGAL, THE RECKONING, DESTINY, GREATER GOOD and IS
THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE.
QUEST -- One of the most notable subtext episodes to date, this episode
opens after Xena has died (see the episode, DESTINY). Gabrielle is taking
Xena's body home to Amphipolis to be buried. The grief Gabrielle shows
communicates her love for Xena. Gabrielle also says that she always thought
of Xena as being her home and tells Iolaus that she wished she had told Xena
that she loved her. Later, when Xena and Gabrielle meet in a dreamscape the
two kiss. When Gabrielle brings Xena back to life with ambrosia (the food of
the gods) the two women share a tender moment that subtext fans believe was
a wordless communication of "I love you." At the end of the episode,
Gabrielle puts her arm around Xena's waist and the two lean against each
other and talk contentedly.
A DAY IN THE LIFE -- Extremely subtext heavy, this episode follows the daily
activities of the two women, including the rather mundane moments when they
are between battles. The two joyfully bicker like an old married couple in a
style that one fan argued matches the classic "Thin Man" movies that focused
on a husband and wife detective team. Some of the subtext moments include
the hot tub scene where Xena and Gabrielle, sitting extremely close, wash
each other's backs and the closing campfire scene where the two women lay
side by side looking at the stars while waiting to fall asleep. Gabrielle
also kisses Xena on the cheek after whacking her on the nose with a staff.
GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN -- Described by Producer Friedman as a "little
lesbian vampire episode", this episode includes a scene where Gabrielle
dances with two women at a party that reminds many folks of a lesbian bar.
Gabrielle is also turned into a vampire and gets to bite Xena on the neck.
To subtext fans, Xena appears to definitely be enjoying Gabrielle's bite.
ALTARED STATES -- This first-season episode may be the first time or nearly
the first time that XWP staff consciously put subtext into the show. (Note
that many subtext fans feel that subtext was clear even in the first
episode, SINS OF THE PAST.) The episode opens with a shot of Xena and
Gabrielle's clothes hanging on a tree and then the camera shows the two
skinny dipping in a lake and having a giggling good time. For a while the
viewer really cannot tell what is happening. Eventually, we learn that the
two are fishing.
RETURN OF CALLISTO -- Many subtext fans now cite this famous
Gabrielle-Gets-Married episode as another example of subtext. Many see the
looks on Xena's face during Perdicus' proposal and at the wedding ceremony
as the look of a woman who's love (Gabrielle) is marrying someone else. A
few fans have argued that Xena said a quiet "thank you" after Callisto
killed Perdicus, but alas, I see no evidence of this.
Despite all these specific instances, in a very real sense almost every
episode of XWP is a subtext episode because almost every show portrays the
intimate bond between the two women. There are so many instances of this
that it is impossible to list them. Among the most notable are CALLISTO,
DESTINY, GREATER GOOD, IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE, THE PRODIGAL and THE
RECKONING.
THE PRODIGAL -- Subtext fans see Xena's love for Gabrielle in Xena's
grief-stricken looks when Gabrielle decides to leave her. (Gabrielle has
decided that she is endangering Xena by staying with her.) We also see the
love and joy when Gabrielle returns.
THE RECKONING -- Gabrielle refuses to abandon Xena, even after Xena strikes
her during a rage induced by Ares, the god of war. Xena is devastated by her
violent action and appears ready to give herself up for execution until
Gabrielle's forgiveness restores Xena's will to live.
CALLISTO -- This first-season episode featured the first and most famous
campfire scene. Xena tells the story of her army's massacre of Cirra, and
Gabrielle makes Xena promise not to turn into a monster if Gabrielle is
killed. However, a simple report of what was said does not convey the
emotion of the scene, which portrayed two individuals who allowed themselves
to be vulnerable and emotionally intimate.
DESTINY -- In this second-season episode, a wounded Gabrielle undertakes a
grueling journey to take a dying Xena to a mountain-top healer. Gabrielle's
committment and true grit certainly communicate her love for Xena. When Xena
dies, Gabrielle speaks to Xena about how much she needs Xena while images
are shown of some of the two women's most loving moments.
GREATER GOOD -- Gabrielle shows her love in her reaction to Xena's apparent
death from poison. Gabrielle kneels next to Xena's body, gently plays with
Xena's hair and finally kisses Xena and rests her cheek against Xena's
cheek. The scene ends when Gabrielle is interrupted by another character.
Immediately after the interruption, Gabrielle takes her staff and beats on a
tree while screaming "no".
IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE? -- The first-season finale, this episode
portrayed a distraught and panicky Xena's frantic efforts to revive
Gabrielle when Gabrielle dies from a wound. Despite the fact that several
people try repeatedly to stop Xena by telling her that Gabrielle is already
gone, Xena persists while yelling to Gabrielle, "Don't leave me!"
Eventually, Xena succeeds in bringing Gabrielle back.
(4) What is the nature of Xena and Gabrielle's relationship?
This is the subject of endless debate on-line. Some people declare they are
platonic friends. Others declare that they are lovers. Today most fans --
lesbian, bisexual and heterosexual -- agree on two things. (a) The
relationship between Xena and Gabrielle is extraordinarily close and is a
vital aspect of everyones enjoyment of the show. (b) The producers/writers
are trying to leave it an open question so that viewers can see the
relationship however they want. If you want to see heterosexual, you can see
heterosexual. If you want to see lesbian or bisexual, then you can see it
that way.
Perhaps the best example of this is the kiss between Xena and Gabrielle in
QUEST. The kiss occurs in a kind of dreamscape while Xena's spirit is in the
body of a man. Xena and Gabrielle are shown at the beginning of the kiss,
but just before their lips meet, the image changes to show the man and
Gabrielle kissing. This allows viewers to put their own interpretation on
the kiss. People who want to see romance will see Xena and Gabrielle
kissing. People who don't want romance will see the man and Gabrielle
kissing. This scene has produced some of the longest Are They/Aren't They
debates in on-line fandom.
(5) What do the people who make XWP think about lesbians and gays?
>From all reports, most people who do the show appear to be pro-gay. (I might
even say all, but just don't have enough information) This has been shown in
on-the-record interviews and in-person conversations that fans have had with
the cast and staff. Openly lesbian Liz Friedman is producer of the show.
She was promoted from co-producer to producer after the first season.
Also, I have had interactions with Supervising Producer Steven Sears on line
and he is delightfully funny and very pro-gay in his statements. (We do,
however, disagree at times.) Other people who have had even more in-depth,
in-person conversations with these folks agree that they do not appear to be
homophobic in the least.
Lucy Lawless (Xena) appears to be particularly positive in her attitudes
about lesbians and bisexuals. For example, she has stated in print that she
took her daughter (age 7 at the time) to a "gay mardi gras" in New Zealand.
She did the short, lesbian movie "Peach" and has never backed away from it
or said it was a mistake.
Often she puts her comments in terms of a joke, which appears to be part of
her personal style. (In a 10-3-96 article in the Orange County (California)
Register, Ms. Lawless is quoted as saying, ``I went to Catholic school where
at 8 or 9 I discovered how cool it was to be a dunce, because you could get
away with so much by just pretending to be a dummy.")
Lawless' fondness for joking led to what is probably one of the most famous
Lawless quote in fandom. When interviewed by the gay magazine The Advocate
(August 20, 1996.) about Friedman, The Advocate reported the following.
- -
"Liz Friedman is gay ?" cries Xena star Lawless. The glamorous
six-foot-tall New Zealander, so unshockable as Xena, lapses into stunned
silence. Finally - after a nerve-racking pause - Lawless hoots with
laughter: "If I'd only known! She's the first woman I've worshiped! I'd
crawl 40 miles through broken glass just to wank off in her shadow!"
- -
If this is an accurate quote, Lawless just said in the bawdiest, funniest
way possible that she would perhaps make a pass at Friedman. (She would
certainly crawl through broken glass for Friedman.) Lawless undoubtedly knew
that Friedman is a lesbian because Friedman said in the Advocate interview
that she has always been out in her job.
The next paragraph of the Advocate article adds the following.
- -
Turning serious, Lawless offers definite ideas about why Xena turns women
on. "Xena doesn't apologize," she says. "She doesn't accept that being a
woman is a disadvantage in this world. Neither do I - and neither does Liz.
She doesn't knuckle under to any bullshit. She's a star on the rise."
- -
(6) What do we know about the private lives of Lawless and Renee O'Connor
(Gabrielle)?
First, let me tell you my prejudice about discussing their personal lives. I
think both actresses need their privacy and should be treated with respect
at all times. I say this, not only because I love their work, but because
they appear to be a truly genuine, warm human beings who deserve to be
treated well. I think it is a bad idea for fans to speculate on the private
lives of the cast. On the other hand, this is an important question,
particularly for lesbian and bisexual fans and especially young fans who
need role models. The following information is from Lawless and O'Connor's
public statements.
Lawless is in a relationship with a man. By all reports this is a real
relationship and is not just show to give her a heterosexual cover story.
She never names this fellow in interviews, but refers to him as her
"partner". She was previously married, is divorced from the first fellow,
and has a daughter who is 8. Few interviews have been done with O'Connor,
and little has been reported about her private life. However, a 1995 Houston
newspaper article quoted her as saying that she had a boyfriend in the
United States. (XWP is shot in New Zealand.)
(7) What do Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor think about playing characters
with subtext?
In an October 1996 radio interview, Friedman was asked, "How do the actors
feel about the sort of gay twist to their characters?"
"I think they really like it," Friedman said. "They get a real kick out of
it. Lucy
thinks it's great and I think Renee does also."
In a 1997 interview with the on-line "Mr Showbiz" web site, Lawless also
responded to a question about the gay twist on the characters. "I think I
can speak for some of the people who work on the show--we all like pushing
the boundaries a little," Lawless said.
(8) Will Xena and Gabrielle's relationship ever be clearly identified as
being one way or the other?
No one knows that except for the people who make XWP, and they might not
even know the answer to that question at this time.
(9) Why do lesbians and bisexuals keep bringing up the subtext? Are they
obsessed with sex? Why can't they stop talking about sex?
When we bring up Xena and Gabrielle's relationship, we are not talking about
sex although many of us believe that sex is part of their relationship.
Instead, we are focusing on love and discussing what we see as an
extraordinarily wonderful "marriage". To never talk about this topic would
be as silly as never talking about a TV portrayal of a particularly
wonderful heterosexual marriage. We also talk about Xena and Gabrielle as
lovers because in them we see ourselves, our partners, our level of
commitment and our love.
One of the best discussions of this is from Kit, who posted about the topic
to the XenaVerse mailing list in February 1997 during the lengthy debate
about the kiss in QUEST.
Kit wrote:
It seems to me that when many straight people discuss The Relationship, the
emphasis is on what labels to hang on Xena and Gabrielle. And the label
depends entirely on whether or not Xena and Gabrielle are sexually intimate
or want to be sexually intimate or will be sexually intimate.
I do not know one lesbian who is particularly concerned with how to label
either Xena or Gabrielle. What lesbians see is love, the kind of love that
we experience with other women. From my own experience and from the
experience of the many lesbians I have known, love between women may be
expressed in many ways, including sexually, but it is seldom *defined* by
whether or not two women have been sexually intimate.
Is this such a hard point to grasp? Do heterosexuals define their
relationships by whether or not they are sexually intimate? Do you leap
into bed with someone the minute you have those 'in love' feelings? Do you
insist that your platonic friendships with members of the opposite sex can
*never* turn into something more?
Just as two people can be in love without necessarily expressing their
feelings sexually, two people can be sexually intimate without feeling any
love for each other at all. So how can we use labels that categorize
sexuality to describe a relationship whose essence is defined by love?
Many lesbians have been very reluctant to label themselves as lesbians
because society defines lesbians by what they do in bed and with whom.
Society defines us strictly in terms of our sexual behavior, and most people
resist having their most important relationships defined so narrowly.
I defined myself as lesbian because the people whom I have loved most
deeply, the people with whom I realized I could share my life, have all been
women. I label myself only because in this society I still have to make a
place for myself. What others take for granted, the right to love and to
marry, is still denied to me, and as long as I belong to a group of people
whose civil rights are systematically ignored
and denied, I must carry a label. To be included, I must be visible.
I look forward to the day when I don't have to label myself as different. I
am not different. I want to love someone, share my life with someone, build
a family with someone, have a future with someone. I have this in common
with almost every human being on this planet, and the fact that my choice of
whom to love is condemned by so many is a mystery to me.
Can we simply look at human relationships, including the relationship of
Xena and Gabrielle, as a mystery whose meaning transcends gender?
(10) Why do lesbians and bisexual women sometimes get so angry during the Are
They/Aren't They debates?
After watching the debates for some time, watching the reactions of friends
and watching my own reactions, I've come to the conclusion that we are not
angry because our opinion of Xena and Gabrielle is being questioned.
Instead, we tend to get angry when people argue that the subtext
interpretation cannot possibly be valid and that the platonic friendship
view is the only truth. We get angry when our opinion is ridiculed or
belittled. We also get angry when we hear arguments that appear to be based
on homophobia, bigotry or stereotypes. See the Homophobic Hit Parade.
[webmeisters: Can this be a link to the list of homophobic remarks in #12?]
(11) Why do heterosexals sometimes get so angry during the Are They/Aren't
They debates?
I've seen folks get angry when lesbians and bisexuals argue that our view is
the only one that can possibly be valid and all others are lies. I also
believe that it can be quite a shock for heterosexuals to hear the
lesbian/bisexual interpretation for the first time. This is not because this
interpretation is inherently shocking, but because so many heterosexuals
have never knowingly interacted with lesbians or bisexuals before.
In one sense, on-line Xena fandom seems to me to be like a grand experiment
in diversity and communication. For perhaps the first time, a large number
of heterosexuals are interacting with a large number of lesbians/bisexuals
and, for once, us lesbians and bisexuals are speaking very openly about our
views. I have never come across anything else like this open exchange. And
while lesbians and bisexuals are used to hearing the heterosexual viewpoint,
few heterosexuals have ever had the opportunity to hear the other point of
view because it is so often ignored by the media.
There are also some heterosexuals who follow religions or other belief
systems that declare homosexuality in any form to be a sin. For these folks,
I as a lesbian am wrong/evil/immoral whether I'm in a monogamous and loving
relationship, I am a good parent, pay my taxes, go to church or help my
fellow citizens.
(12) How can I tell if I'm likely to start a flame war with my post?
A flame war is a seemingly endless series of angry, ridiculing or belitting
posts exchanged between two people or many people. The posts usually include
name calling and potentially explosive wording. It can destroy friendships
and sink a
mailing list. It is not worth it, and turns mailing lists and bulletin
boards like the NetForum into battlegrounds.
To see if you're likely to start a flame war, look at your post before you
hit the send button. Any post by either side in the debate that claims that
there is only one valid viewpoint is likely to touch off a flame war. Using
obscenity and writing in an angry and insulting manner will also throw
gasoline on the fire. Any post that uses arguments based on stereotypes and
homophobia will also cause problems.
**** The Homophobic Hit Parade *****
---1. Why is it that everytime two strong women are shown on TV, they are
automatically assumed to be lesbians? I'm sick of people saying this!!!
People have even accused me of this!
Remember, if anyone ever assumes you are a lesbian (and you're not), you can
always reply: "No, I'm not, but thanks for the compliment."
---2. Why is it that there are never any strong women heterosexual
characters on TV or in the movie? They're either all lesbians or assumed to
be lesbian!
Actually, they aren't. Among the many strong heterosexual characters shown
on TV and movies are Ellen Ripley (Alien movies), Christine Cagney and Mary
Beth Lacey (Cagney and Lacey), Dana Scully (X Files), The Bionic Woman,
Wonder Woman, Murphy Brown, Cybill Sheridan & Mary Ann (Cybill), Sarah
Connor (Terminator movies), Jadzia Dax and Kira Nerys (Deep Space Nine),
Captain Katherine Janeway (Voyager), the policewomen on NYPD Blue, Colleen
McMurphy (China Beach), Emma Peel (The Avengers), Catherine Chandler (Beauty
and the Beast) and Jane Tennison (Prime Suspect).
---3. If they do decide to make them lesbians, XWP will lose a lot of fans
particularly families with children.
This is based on stereotype that lesbians/bisexuals/gay men don't have "normal"
families and never raise children. This is simply not true. Many gay
families watch XWP with their children. This is also based on the stereotype
that all hetereosexual parents view even the slightest hint of
homosexuality as bad. However, many heterosexual parents have said on the
NetForum and in other on-line forums that they support any show that
portrays a truly loving and commited relationship, which XWP certainly does.
This is also based on the stereotype that openly lesbian/bisexual characters
will never been accepted by the public. Today, survey data indicates that is
simply not true.
---4. Why are you people so obsessed with sex, for heavens sake!?! They're just
friends! Can't people be close without others assuming that they jump into
bed with each other!
Based on the stereotype that the sex-crazy homosexual, this argument assumes
that lebian/bisexual fans are only thinking about sex when they discuss
subtext. This argument ignores the fact that the focus of the discussion is
love. On the other hand, this argument does touch on a valid point -- our
society's obsession with sex. The key here is how you word the post and
whether you imply that a same-sex relationship is always bad or that subtext
fans are obsessed with sex.
---5. Xena and Gabrielle can't be lovers because they have both been with men.
This is based on several stereotypes and misconceptions about sexual
orientation.
Many lesbians have been with men, been married and had long relationships
before they realized their true orientation and enter into long-term
relationships with women. Xena and Gabrielle could also both be bisexual.
Bisexuals are folks who are sexually attracted to both genders. This doesn't
mean that they have multiple partners. However, it does mean that they have
multiple possibilities and may be with women at one time in their lives or
with men at another time.
---6. Xena and/or Gabrielle are my heros. They can't be lesbians!!
I and other lesbians and bisexuals find this extremely offensive because it
assumes that the very worst thing you can do is to label a person as queer.
By implication then, being lesbian sounds like it's something equivelent to
being a murderer or rapist.
---7. The Bible says homosexuality is wrong. Why can't I say that. What
happened to freedom of religion and freedom of expression?
Religion is one of those things that sets people off because the faith you
have in your religion and your interpretation of your scriptures probably
will attract the equal and opposite fervor of someone who totally disagrees
with you. (For example, not even all Christian denominations believe that
homosexuality is wrong. The United Church of Christ is only one example of a
denomination that ordains homosexuals as clergy.) Arguing religion is like a
warp coil breach (KABOOM!). You can think it, have great faith in it, but
saying it can start a flame war. Perhaps in on-line Xenadom it is best to
agree to disagree.
Updated 3/2/97
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