You’ve got to understand that this was 2014. I’ve seen some younger lesbian, bi, and queer folks today going, “So what? They held hands. They didn’t even kiss.” Or people watching it for the first time, saying, “I don’t see what the big deal is. There wasn’t any build-up!”
But the landscape of children’s TV was very different six years ago. Like, that moment when they looked into each other’s eyes in a beam of golden light was revolutionary. I was living in a house with other queer people and we ALL screamed and cried, just like this.
Korrasami paved the way for Steven Universe and She-Ra to do what they did in the following years. And, yes, those were leaps forward whereas this was a step. But I saw it on another post, and I’ll echo the sentiment: Korrasami walked so Catradora could sprint.
Same-sex marriage wasn’t legal in the US in 2014.
Not until 2016. Before that, the marriage was only recognized in a few states.
It might not seem like much now, but HOLY FUCK this moment in the finale was huge in 2014.
Legend of Korra was the first Western animated kids’ TV show to portray a same-sex relationship. Not only that, but with a lead character.
It was legendary in 2014 and will always be important in LGBTQ+ media history.
My best friend @borinquenaqueer and I watched the finale together, and openly wept at the conclusion. It was a big, big deal. We had spent the entire season talking about how much we wished it would be allowed. We wanted it so bad, but we didn’t even dare hope for it, because we knew it wouldn’t be permitted anywhere near a kid’s animated television show.
And then it was.
