Seeing a few "those MEDIA ILLITERATE CHILDREN still INSIST that the finale was BURY YOUR GAYS" floating around.
I'm happy to break down my reasoning:
- David Jenkin's post-finale interviews all make clear that Izzy's death was decided upon - even if only by David himself - at a very early stage.
- Having established that Izzy would die, the writing team then chose to give him an explicitly queer narrative arc of self-discovery and joy, one they knew was going to end in a painful death.
- They gave no other characters that strikingly queer arc of self-acceptance and expression - just the one they'd already decided to bury by the end. There were other queer characters, in queer relationships, but they didn't get queer arcs. (A character arc is the transformation or inner journey of a character over the course of a story. Being queer is not itself an arc; for example, Lucius's arc was about overcoming trauma. A character can be queer without a queer arc.)
- The only character who did get a queer arc also got a grave.
- You should be concerned by this choice from a writing team, especially if you are queer.
- You should not be belittling the people who are voicing their concern.
As a side note, I was born in the 1980s. I grew up in the UK under Section 28. For what it's worth, I also have a first in English Literature. I've been suffering terrible media representation of gay people my whole life, and when I see it in a show which made a point of encouraging gay fans to feel safe and seen and respected, I'm going to point at it and scream very loudly.
ok i swear i’m not trying to start a fight but i have two questions:
- even if we’re only considering character arcs about an inner journey of self-acceptance a “queer arc” and not any of the several queer romances in the show, isn’t the whole show?? stede bonnet’s queer arc???
- is there a storyline jenkins et al could have written for izzy that still ended in his death without it being “bury your gays”?
Our Flag Means Death 2.06 "Calypso's Birthday"
That leg isn't up in Leg Heaven then, is it? ☠️
I think it's funny that Stede seems aware that Izzy is into Ed and also that he thinks Izzy was rooting for their breakup the whole time. But is so clearly not threatened by Izzy on any level.
Increíble cómo Izzy se volvió el loquito del centro por un episodio entero.
10/10, excelente interpretación. Fácil podría ser el de mi pueblillo.
Felt like bullying this rat again
Our Flag Means Death + tumblr textposts (part 9)
I'M SO SORRY (you know which one)
Ok but in episode 6 of ofmd when Ed was hanging there like SpongeBob…
It’s been living in my head rent free so I had to draw it
Might I add his always dutiful assistant?
tfw your boyfriend’s scary best mate REALLY doesn’t like you
Couldn’t get this out of my head