The fight for LGBTQ+ representation of television has been a long one. Media presentation of sexual diversity used to be a delicate dance of subtly. Any show that came out and addressed LGBTQ issues ran the risk of dividing their audience. It wasn't something many producers considered worth the risk. Now, the opposite is true, most media can't afford to ignore diversity.
Even though recently there's more LGBTQ+ representation with shows like Transparent, The 100, and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, television has, according to GLADD, failed gay women. Luckily, we have shows like the CW's Supergirl that are fighting for better representation.
On the show Supergirl's sister, Alex Danvers, is a lesbian. The character spends the early part of season two struggling with her feelings and coming out. It's a story arc that has proved powerful in the show and resonated with queer fans everywhere. On Saturday December 3, 2016, an Indiana-based comic book store employee named Mary tweeted a story about an an encounter with a young gay Supergirl fan that made waves across the online comics community.
Mary's story is showcased in the video above. The impact of having queer representation on television is a powerful reminder that the world needs more Queer heroes.
Perhaps television should take some notes from the comic book community, which has made strides over the past few years to ensure LGBTQ+ people feel represented in both major and independent books. The writer of the current Supergirl comic book series, Steve Orlando, is one such creator who's trying to ensure gay characters are present in the DC Universe. While he's just one of many LGBTQ+ people working in comics, it shows the industry is tending toward change. Now if only we could do the same for other forms of entertainment.