Killing Off the Lesbians: A Symbolic Annihilation on Film and Television

This title is printed to order. This book may have been self-published. If so, we cannot guarantee the quality of the content. In the main most books will have gone through the editing process however some may not. We therefore suggest that you be aware of this before ordering this book. If in doubt check either the author or publisher’s details as we are unable to accept any returns unless they are faulty. Please contact us if you have any questions.

Spoiler Alert: the lesbian character always dies. That is what seems to happen in television shows and films from all around the world. But is it true and is it something new? And does it even matter when women who love women can be found right across the media landscape? Looking at the fates of characters over decades, this wide-ranging and lively book argues that killing off the lesbian-even if she only appears via the subtext-is nothing new. It is a form of symbolic annihilation that has an impact in real life.
Industry surveys and scholarly studies show that it is now easier for actors to come out and be role models. When more women are working behind the scenes the quality of what appears on-screen also becomes more diverse, but the storylines do not necessarily change. From the Xenaverse to GLAAD to the Lexa Pledge, fans have demanded better from the entertainment industry. As their fan fiction migrates from the computer screen to the printed page, they reanimate the dead and insist on happy endings.