R. Zeke Fread,

I am quite sure you have received tons of letters about this, but I would be remiss if I did not share my feelings.

I need to write to you today to let you know about what has happened on the television program, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".

The end of this season had the reconciliation of Willow (played by Alyson Hanigan) and her lover Tara (Amber Benson). Being a huge Willow and Tara fan I had looked forward to this episode all year. However, the people in charge have decided to mar this otherwise wonderful episode with one lesbian being shot in the back and killed, Tara, and the other, Willow, turning evil. To make matters worse, Tara is shot and killed in the bedroom she shared with Willow and it is not so-subtly implied that the two girls had just finished making love.

Willow, consumed by anger, turns into the season's "Big Bad", or the big evil character of the show. She tortures and kills Tara's murderer, attempts to kill his associates and anyone that gets in her way, including
her two best friends. She fights her own friends and then she attempts to destroy the world to end her own pain. She is stopped at the last minute, not by the powerful Slayer, but her friend Xander (a man) who gets her to stop by proclaiming his love for her. Not reminding her that Tara would not want her to do this, but talking about his love for her.

I should not have to point out that this plays out a disgusting cliché. What makes matters worse it appears that the sole reason for Tara to be shot is to advance this evil witch Willow plot, and thus ratings. This all from a
production company that I thought had much higher ideals. Apparently most of the Gay and Lesbian media also thought so, given "Buffy"s accolades in various publications. Accolades that I might add that the people in charge of Mutant Enemy, Buffy's production company, have never failed to accept.

I find this development not only to be extremely vulgar, but potentially devastating to young lesbian viewers. The same viewers that have told Ms. Benson in public (and well documented) that her character of Tara has helped them feel better about themselves.

On a personal level I am disgusted. Now, I am a married man, father of one, who probably has the least in common with Willow and Tara of anyone you'll read. Except that their story touched me. I am lucky enough to have found that one true love in my life. I saw the same thing on my television screen. Now I get to see that be destroyed for a weak plot point.

I am very thankful for Mr. Whedon and Mutant Enemy for giving us Willow and Tara in the first place. But the actions of the last four episodes (Seeing Red, Villains, Two to Go, Grave) has reversed all of that good.

While death is rarely a cause to worry about in the universe of "Buffy", the writers are going out of their way to tell us Tara's story is over. Here is a quote from Joss Whedon himself, posted to the Buffy website after the
finale aired.

"Posted by: Joss - May 22, 2002, 2:27 AM
Thought I was out, but.... had one more thing to add. I killed Tara. Some of you may have been hurt by that. It very unlikely it was more painful to you than it was to me. I couldn't even discuss it in story meetings without
getting upset, physically. Which is why I knew it was the right thing to do. Because stories, as I have so often said, are not about what we WANT. And I knew some people would be angry with me for destroying the only gay couple on the show, but the idea that I COULDN'T kill Tara because she was gay is as offensive to me as the idea that I DID kill her because she was gay. Willow's story was not about being gay. It was about weakness, addiction, loss... the way life hits you in the gut right when you think you're back on your feet. The course of true love never did run smooth, not on my show. (only Dennis Franz has suffered more than my characters.) I love Amber andshe knows it. Eventually, this story will end for all of them. Hers ended sooner. Or did it......? Yeah, it did."

Tara is not coming back. And even if she did it would not erase what they did.

I should also point out that to emphasize the weakness and addiction storyline, they used Willow's addiction to magic. It was her addiction that lead to Willow and Tara to separate and then again it was Willow's addiction to magic that allowed her to nearly destroy the world. Except that magic in seasons 4 and 5 had been linked, with Willow and Tara, to lesbian sex. So are they telling us that lesbian sex now leads to evil, insanity and death?

Magic and Sex have had a long-standing relationship. In BtVS, and in Willow and Tara's case in particular, Magic is a metaphor for sex, and for love. As season four progressed (1999-2000), we saw Willow and Tara performing more and more magic together. At the same time we see their relationship grow. In "Hush" we see that they are stronger together than they are apart. The "Journey to the Nether Realms" spell in "Who Are You" in season 4 has very obvious sexual overtones. In fact when asked about it in later interviews, both Joss and Alyson Hannigan called it the big Willow and Tara sex spell. In Fandom it is often called the "Flaming O" spell. In Tough Love (season five) Tara's misgivings about Willow's use of magic are related to her feeling she could lose Willow. In fact the argument makesthis fairly obvious.

Tara: It's not that. I worry, sometimes. You're, you're changing so much, so fast. I don't know where you're heading.
Willow: Where I'm heading?
Tara: I'm saying everything wrong.
Willow: No, I think you're being pretty clear. This isn't about the witchcraft. It's about the other changes in my life.
Tara: I trust you. I just ... (looks down) I don't know where I'm gonna fit in ... in your life when...
Willow: When ... I change back? Yeah, this is a college thing, just a, a little experimentation before I get over the thrill and head back to boys' town.

Pause.
Willow: You think that?
Tara: Should I?
Willow: I'm really sorry that I didn't establish my lesbo street cred before I got into this relationship. You're the only woman I've ever fallen in love with, so ... how on earth could you ever take me seriously?
--

I would like to see the Gay and Lesbian media take some official stance on this. I can write them letters all day. But I am only one person and I cannot make a difference. They listed to the press when they showered them with accolades. Hopefully they will listen to you now.

If you wish more information there is an excellent FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) about this at,
http://pub106.ezboard.com/fthekittenthewitchesandthebadwardrobe36671frm1.showMessage?topicID=434.topic

Sorry for the rather unwieldy URL.

Here is another on a completely seperate site. The authors of this wonderful FAQ have given everyone permission to copy it and post it anywhere they like. If you wish to put this on your site, http://www.tampabaycoalition.com, I am more than sure that the authors will be more than happy. Just click the link above (the long one) to get the information about using it.

http://www.xtreme-gaming.com/theotherside/cliche.php

Thank you,

Tim

From Jessi

I feel I need to write to you today to let you know how I feel about what happened on the television program, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

The end of this season had the reconciliation of Willow (played by Alyson Hannigan) and her lover Tara (Amber Benson). Being a huge Willow and Tara fan I had looked forward to this episode all year. However, the people in charge have decided to mar this otherwise wonderful episode with one lesbian being shot in the back and killed, Tara, and the other, Willow, turning evil. To make matters worse, Tara is shot and killed in the bedroom she shared with Willow and it is not so-subtly implied that the two girls had just finished making love.

Willow, consumed by anger, turns into the season's "Big Bad," or the big evil character of the show. She tortures and kills Tara's murderer, attempts to kill his associates and anyone that gets in her way, including her two best friends. She fights her own friends and then she attempts to destroy the world to end her own pain. She is stopped at the last minute, not by the powerful Slayer, but her friend Xander who gets her to stop by proclaiming his love for her. Not reminding her that Tara would not want her to do this, but talking about his love for her.

I should not have to point out that this plays out a disgusting cliche. What makes matters worse is it appears that the sole reason for Tara to be shot is to advance this evil witch Willow plot, and thus ratings. This all from a production company that I thought had much higher ideals. Apparently most of the Gay and Lesbian media also thought so, given "Buffy's" accolades in various publications. Accolades that I might add that the people in charge of Mutant Enemy, Buffy's production company, have never failed to accept.

I find this development not only to be extremely vulgar, but potentially devastating to young lesbian viewers. The same viewers that have told Ms. Benson in public that her character of Tara has helped them feel better about themselves.

On a personal level I am disgusted. Tara Maclay was my angel during a very rough time in my life. The relationship she had with Willow Rosenberg is what kept me going through depression and suicidal feelings. I was at a rough time in my life then and knowing that I couldn't see the next episode until the following week is what kept me going. I am alive and well today because of Tara and Willow. I am lucky enough now to have found that one true love in my life. I saw the same thing on my television screen. Now I get to see that be destroyed for a weak plot point.

While death is rarely a cause to worry about in the universe of "Buffy", the writers are going out of their way to tell us Tara's story is over. Here is a quote from Joss Whedon himself, posted to the Buffy website after the finale aired.

"Posted by: Joss Whedon - May 22, 2002, 2:27 AM
Thought I was out, but.... had one more thing to add. I killed Tara. Some of you may have been hurt by that. It very unlikely it was more painful to you than it was to me. I couldn't even discuss it in story meetings without getting upset, physically. Which is why I knew it was the right thing to do. Because stories, as I have so often said, are not about what we WANT. And I knew some people would be angry with me for destroying the only gay couple on the show, but the idea that I COULDN'T kill Tara because she was gay is as offensive to me as the idea that I DID kill her because she was gay. Willow's story was not about being gay. It was about weakness, addiction, loss... the way life hits you in the gut right when you think you're back on your feet. The course of true love never did run smooth, not on my show. (only Dennis Franz has suffered more than my characters.) I love Amber and she knows it. Eventually, this story will end for all of the! m. Hers ended sooner. Or did it......? Yeah, it did."

Tara is not coming back. And even if she did it would not erase what they did.

I should also point out that to emphasize the weakness and addiction storyline, they used Willow's addiction to magic. It was her addiction that lead to Willow and Tara to separate and then again it was Willow's addiction to magic that allowed her to nearly destroy the world. Except that magic in seasons 4 and 5 had been linked, with Willow and Tara, to lesbian sex. So are they telling us that lesbian sex now leads to evil, insanity and death?

I would like to see the media take some official stance on this. I can write them letters all day. But I am only one person and I cannot make a difference. They listened to you when you showered them with accolades. Hopefully they will listen to you now.

Thank you,

Jessica

~~~~~~

Zeke,

I think what you wrote is great. It gets every thing out there and in the open, for people to understand. I'm glad you're helping. I doubt any of us will get Joss Whedon to bring Tara back but at least he and everyone else will know that we didn't just stand by and let this happen. I thank you very much for helping get our word out. Your letter sounds great. We do abbreviate Buffy the Vampire Slayer like this though, BtVS.
Thanks again for your help
Keep me posted on up coming things,
Jessi

~~~~~~

Hello,

I'm a lesbian and have watched the growing relationship between Willow and Tara of BtVS from it's beginning and wanted to add my voice to the many others who were horrified by the death of a loving lesbian couple on a popular television program. Mr. Whedon could have chosen to break the mold to have changed the history of lesbians in film and allowed this one lesbian couple to portray a loving and successful relationship. Instead he chose the time honored "lesbian cliché", if you're in a lesbian relationship you are doomed from the start. Mr. Whedon has said in an interview that the idea of not being able to kill Tara (the lesbian cliché ya know) was just as bad to him as actually killing her. Well, Mr. Whedon has made his choice and now I will make mine, no more of Mr. Whedons fare for me.

Sincerely,

Lynne

~~~~~~

Tampa Bay Coalition

I feel that I need to bring attention to recent developments in UPN's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," a show that has a large younger fan base. Two and half years ago, the producers chose to depict a lesbian relationship involving one of its major cast members (Alyson Hannigan, "Willow") Over time, they have shown this relationship in an honest and natural way. It became the first network television show to show a lasting, healthy relationship with characters that appeared in nearly every episode. Nearly three years later, it is still the only network television show doing this. Hollywood has a long standing history of either killing their lesbian characters or turning them into villains (a detailed documentary of this is "The Celluloid Closet") and for the first time, this particular drama seemed to be avoiding that cliché. Then on the season 6 episode 19 ("Seeing Red," US airdate Tuesday, May 7, 2002) one of the lesbian characters was shown being shot through the heart by a stray bullet in front of her lover, mere minutes after being shown in bed together, and the remaining character descended into "dark majiks," eventually becoming a murderer and trying to end the
world.

Although this story has been done before, it is particularly upsetting that the producers of this show decided to do it to the only lasting gay relationship on network television. When the producers took that step to show a long-term lesbian relationship to millions of viewers, many of them young, they were doing something good for these people. They were giving a community sorely lacking in screen time someone to relate to. They were telling people who didn't know any lesbians in their lives that it was OK and normal. They were helping people overcome prejudice.

Now that they have taken this away in such a violent fashion, they have taken something that was doing actual good in the world and torn it down. Whatever the reasons, they weren't worth it. Most people will go their
entire lives without affecting so many people for the better, and instead of embracing it and doing more good, they reduced it to nothing, took it out in a body bag, no funeral, no remorse.

I believe that the people who take the good out of the world are no better than the people actively doing harm. I don't believe there is anything that can justify the treatment of these characters, and I want the producers of
"Buffy" to be called on it. I strongly feel that they should take responsibility for the messages they send and I urge you to help in bringing this matter to attention.

Thank you for your time and attention.

Hilary