# Positive lesbian characters in film **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 7, 2009, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-lesbian-characters-in-film/499010 "2009-06-07T14:56:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-lesbian-characters-in-film/499010/21 "2009-06-07T19:03:14Z")
“Boys on the Side” had a lesbian undertone. I think. Anyway, the two of them (Whoopi and Mary Louise Parker) were mostly positive types. ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-lesbian-characters-in-film/499010/22 "2009-06-07T19:21:17Z")
I have evidently logged in to an alternate universe Straight Dope Message Board–that is the only explanation for no mention of Willow Rosenberg within 20 seconds of the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Monstera\_deliciosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monstera_deliciosa/32/109_2.png) [@Monstera\_deliciosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstera_deliciosa)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-lesbian-characters-in-film/499010/23 "2009-06-07T19:21:45Z")
Going back a bit, how about Cher’s character (Dolly, I think it was) in **Silkwood**? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-lesbian-characters-in-film/499010/24 "2009-06-07T19:23:48Z")
> [@Reno\_Nevada](#): > > I have evidently logged in to an alternate universe Straight Dope Message Board–that is the only explanation for no mention of Willow Rosenberg within 20 seconds of the OP. Well, I had to dock her some positivity points for that whole almost destroying the world thing. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-lesbian-characters-in-film/499010/25 "2009-06-07T19:27:31Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > If TV series count, there’s Susan Ivanova from **Babylon 5**. Positive, bad ass, and sometimes funny. I’m pretty sure Ivanova was bisexual, not a lesbian. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-lesbian-characters-in-film/499010/26 "2009-06-07T19:49:55Z")
> [@Reno\_Nevada](#): > > I have evidently logged in to an alternate universe Straight Dope Message Board–that is the only explanation for no mention of Willow Rosenberg within 20 seconds of the OP. Willow’s not in a movie. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-lesbian-characters-in-film/499010/27 "2009-06-07T19:56:53Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > Willow’s not in a movie. If there’s lesbians in [Willow](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096446/), I don’t want to know about them. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-lesbian-characters-in-film/499010/28 "2009-06-07T20:47:46Z")
They weren’t central characters, but Steve Martin’s neighbors in LA Story were a very normal, healthy lesbian couple. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-lesbian-characters-in-film/499010/29 "2009-06-07T22:42:01Z")
Oh! There was a lesbian subplot in **The Color Purple**! Also **Even Cowgirls Get the Blues** , but it reeked of inauthenticity. I only vaguely remember **Grace of My Heart** , but I think it’s worth a mention. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-lesbian-characters-in-film/499010/30 "2009-06-07T22:50:46Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Brandon Teena also wasn’t a lesbian. I know. I meant Chloe Sevigny’s character. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-lesbian-characters-in-film/499010/31 "2009-06-07T23:21:18Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > “Boys on the Side” had a lesbian undertone. I think. Anyway, the two of them (Whoopi and Mary Louise Parker) were mostly positive types. Whoopi Goldberg’s character was a lesbian who fell in love with Parker’s character, but Parker was a heterosexual woman who, rather centrally to the plot, had AIDS. > [@Tengu](#): > > I’m pretty sure Ivanova was bisexual, not a lesbian. Ivanova was definitely bisexual. Calling Chloe Sevigny’s character in _Boys Don’t Cry_ a lesbian is a serious stretch. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-lesbian-characters-in-film/499010/32 "2009-06-07T23:51:46Z")
Sandra Oh played a favorably depicted lesbian in _Under the Tuscan Sun_. Oh God, I just admitted to watching a Chick Movie. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-lesbian-characters-in-film/499010/33 "2009-06-08T00:05:52Z")
Alyssa Jones in Chasing Amy? Although she may be classified as bi rather than lesbian. There’s also an Australian film called Love and Other Catastrophes which has a lesbian couple at its centre, both of which are humanly flawed (who doesn’t have drama-filled relationships while at Uni), but I would still see them as a positive portrayal. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-lesbian-characters-in-film/499010/34 "2009-06-08T00:42:43Z")
> [@Girl\_From\_Mars](#): > > Alyssa Jones in Chasing Amy? Although she may be classified as bi rather than lesbian. Controversial. Most of my lesbian friends hate the flick and say it’s a “what lesbians really want is dick” movie. I think it’s a “love knows no bounds, not even gender/orientation” movie, but then I’m a 99% straight guy, so… The only thing that did bother me about it is that, while everyone makes fun of Binky for stereotyping lesbians as man-hating, Alyssa’s lesbian friends \*do \*shun her for dating a guy. So… yeah. Mixed signals there, Kev’. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-lesbian-characters-in-film/499010/35 "2009-06-08T00:50:57Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > If TV series count, there’s Susan Ivanova from **Babylon 5**. Positive, bad ass, and sometimes funny. Bisexual. > [@Tengu](#): > > I’m pretty sure Ivanova was bisexual, not a lesbian. Yep. I think she actually did love Marcus Cole a little bit, but realized it a little late and it was not enough. ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-lesbian-characters-in-film/499010/36 "2009-06-08T01:00:53Z")
I remember seeing on video years ago a 1985 movie called [“Desert Hearts,”](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089015/) starring Helen Shaver. It was set in the '50s, with a woman coming to Reno to establish residency for a divorce, and falling in love with another woman. That was a pretty good film. ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-lesbian-characters-in-film/499010/37 "2009-06-08T02:30:39Z")
How about _The Hours?_ Meryl Streep’s character was pretty positive. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-lesbian-characters-in-film/499010/38 "2009-06-08T03:16:18Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > Sandra Oh played a favorably depicted lesbian in _Under the Tuscan Sun_. See post #14. John Sayles **[Lianna](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085838/)** is about an older woman coming to terms with the fact that she is a lesbian. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-lesbian-characters-in-film/499010/39 "2009-06-08T03:22:12Z")
Pretty much all the characters in If These Walls Could Talk 2. The lesbian characters in Better than Chocolate and Nina’s Heavenly Delights. Chloe Sevigny’s character in Boys Don’t Cry was by no means a lesbian - she thought she was dating a man. I’d call the Bound lesbian and bisexual woman bad simply because they were really fucking annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-lesbian-characters-in-film/499010/40 "2009-06-08T03:35:19Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > I’m pretty sure Ivanova was bisexual, not a lesbian. Willow too for that matter. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-lesbian-characters-in-film/499010.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/positive-lesbian-characters-in-film/499010.md?page=3)