Glee Explores Its Lesbian Feelings

Tonight on Glee, Gwyneth Paltrow and Mr. Schue bonded over their love of being inappropriately sexy in front of children, newlywed Emma revealed she’s still a virgin, and Blaine creepily urged Kurt’s dad to talk to give him “the talk.”

But the most interesting part of the show was Brittany and Santana trying to work out exactly what they are to each other. Their relationship has progressed from offhand jokes about the cheerleaders’ secret lesbian tendencies to the acknowledgement that they’re regularly making out (and scissoring) though they both date boys too.

When Brittany says she wants to talk about her feelings, Santana snaps, “Let’s be clear here. I’m not interested in any labels, unless it’s on something I shoplift.” Brittany and Santana are unusual TV characters because they’re openly attracted to both men and women, and as Lux Alptraum wrote in October, “it’s thrilling to see this sort of sexual fluidity represented on one of the most popular shows on television.”

Santana has always been quick to clarify that she isn’t a lesbian, but in this episode we learned that she’s been using the “fluid sexuality” label to downplay the seriousness of her feelings for Brittany. However, after weeping through a performance of “Landslide,” Santana acknowledges that she’s in love with Brittany, she’s just afraid that makes her a real lesbian, not a girl who makes out with her friend sometimes because boys think it’s hot.

Brittany, who’s always seemed more comfortable with her bisexuality, doesn’t want to leave Artie, but she says sweetly that if they break up, “I’m so yours. Proudly so.” Sexuality that falls somewhere between gay and straight isn’t often portrayed on mainstream TV unless a female character is just having a brief lesbian fling to drive up ratings. Hopefully Glee will continue focusing on Santana and Brittany’s relationship, as it’s certainly more interesting than Quinn’s quest to be prom queen.

Earlier: Gwyneth Sings “Do You Want To Touch Me” To Some Underage Kids
Why Glee‘s Brittany And Santana Are My Queer Icons