Overview

Identification As they re-circulate, secure and re-imagine LGBTQ+ characters and narratives, fan publics mobilize identificatory scenes of intelligible queer lives. The fans I interviewed spoke of the relatability of these characters, and their experiences of secret queer desires, coming out, family struggles and first relationships. As Jensen argues, ‘the Naomily storyline has therefore created the foundation for a shared inspirational idea – a junction from which people with same-sex desires have developed a community of symbolic mirrors in which they can reflect themselves in the fictional characters and in each other’ (Jensen 2013: n.pag.). As one interviewee described: We can relate to that because with Emily she sort of knew she was gay and then when she admitted it to herself she just had to come out to everyone. Her group accepted her, but her family didn’t. If you’re gay, lesbian, or bi we know that we always have this fear of coming out to our family and wondering if they will accept it or not. (Skins fan, 2013) About the Author Kate McNicholas Smith is lecturer in television theory at the University of Westminster. Industry Reviews 'Lesbians on Television provides a nuanced look at the gender and racial politics which underpin a number of relevant queer televisual works, interrogating and illuminating the often-contradictory ideologies which pervade them. McNicholas Smith's notion of 'the lesbian normal' is also useful to other researchers examining contemporary queer representation, as it emphasizes the postfeminist and homonormative discourses which are often found in queer media works. As such, Lesbians on Television is a welcome contribution to the study of how lesbians are depicted in contemporary representation. As McNicholas Smith writes in the book's conclusion, contemporary lesbian representation has given us cause for both optimism and concern, with her monograph serving as a detailed account of precisely the discursive tension inherent in many queer televisual works.' -- Anamarija Horvat, Journal of Popular Television