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The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper

The Pitt News

The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper

The Pitt News

The University of Pittsburgh's Daily Student Newspaper

The Pitt News

Opinion | From Korrasami to Caitvi: Exploring lesbian representation in cartoons

Olga Tseytlin | Staff Illustrator

Over break, I finally had the opportunity to watch the Netflix original series “,” based on the online game “.” One of my friends recommended it to me, telling me that I’d like it simply because it has lesbians in it. And they were right. The fact that this show had a couple of lesbians in it was the main reason why I enjoyed the show so much. 

In my life, I have watched a multitude of shows, specifically cartoons, that have great lesbian representation, but for me, Arcane takes the cake. This is because of a sex scene that happens towards the end of the show between two of the main protagonists. Seeing something like that animated made me feel a wave of different emotions. It was surprising but, in a way, heartwarming, because I know if animators tried to make this 10 or even five years ago, it may not have made it to air. 

In terms of all LGBTQ+ representation, we truly have come such a long way, and it is so amazing to watch, especially when you look back to the cartoon that paved the way for us to be here now. When I think of one of the first sapphic relationships to be portrayed in TV animation, I always go back to Korra and Asami from “The .” This was a show I watched consistently as a kid, and I would even say that watching the end scene where Korra and Asami hold hands and go into the spirit world together is one of my core memories. 

Watching that scene on my TV at nine years old was probably one of the first times I saw two women love each other romantically. Even if I didn’t fully understand what I was watching, something about it drew me in and opened my eyes to how relationships could be. They didn’t always have to be a man and a woman, but could just be women — a revelation that was mind-blowing to me. Though the build-up of Korra and Asami’s relationship had many flaws due to gay marriage not being federally legalized in the United States, I still feel grateful for the crumbs that the showrunners could give us. 

Since the ending of “The Legend of Korra,” which was 10 years ago, so much has changed in terms of what animators and show creators can do with their gay characters. There have been so many notable lesbian relationships from 2015 to now. Some of my favorites include Ruby and Sapphire from “,” Princess Bubblegum and Marceline from “,” Amity and Luz from “,” Adora and Catra from “” and so many more. 

All of these relationships do a wonderful job of showing just how beautiful sapphic love is. It can be soft and tender yet at the same time rough and vulnerable, but in the end, they’re all the same because they’re just people who share love for each other. The shows I mentioned above do a great job at showcasing a sapphic relationship because you can tell the creators put a lot of thought and effort into them. It wasn’t a ploy to add diversity or fan service just to please the audience. It’s a genuine connection that the creators want you to feel when watching. 

Having an actual connection form between the two characters and allowing that relationship to grow is hard, but “Arcane” does this incredibly well. In “League of Legends,” Caitlyn and Vi were already canon before the show came out, and “Arcane” just adds more story and complexity to the characters that we aren’t able to see when playing the game. 

In the show, we’re able to see the highs and lows of Caitlyn and Vi’s relationship, getting more insight into how their friendship soon turns into more. The two battle grief, revenge and betrayal yet find solace in each other even if the circumstances around them aren’t ideal. It’s a fully formed relationship that has so much thought and care poured into the characters to make everything perfect. I think this is why the sex scene between the pair was so much more powerful. 

Sex is one of the many ways people show deep love and intimacy between each other. It’s two bodies coming together as one, representing the love that they have for each other. I think that having this scene was important especially to show the depth and maturity of the relationship. These characters are adults who experience lust and crave each other in a way only they can satisfy. 

Though I do love many lesbian relationships and characters in TV, both animated and live-action, I tend to always prefer cartoons. In cartoons, the world that they live in doesn’t ever seem to have homophobia or any type of adversity surrounding their sexuality. Watching that is a breath of fresh air compared to shows set in the real world. It’s not uncommon to watch a show and the main plot line of an LGBTQ+ character is that they frequently face homophobia. It’s nice to watch characters live their life as who they are without having to fight for the right to be themselves. 

Animated sapphic relationships are so important to me and I’m sure to many others as well. I’ll always be grateful to see two women in love and living a happy life. As a kid, it was eye-opening, and now as an adult, it’s comforting. To see people who share a commonality makes me feel more comfortable in my sexuality. From “The Legend of Korra” to “Arcane,” I’ll appreciate the steps we’ve taken in the last 10 years even if they could be considered baby steps. Regardless, we’re still moving forward, and I can’t wait to see what else is to come. 

Danae Poteat writes primarily about pop culture and current events. Write to her at [email protected].

׿ the Contributor
Danae Poteat, Senior Staff Columnist
I’m Danae and I am currently majoring in nursing and in the process of getting a global health certificate. I am a pop culture addict and niche meme lover. Write to me at [email protected]