The attack against LGBTQ+ rights rages on — but on Tuesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre carved out time during her regularly scheduled press briefing to celebrate Lesbian Visibility Week with some very special guests — proving that some battles are best fought from within.
Speaking at the briefing upon special invitation, "The L Word" cast member Leisha Hailey and executive producer Ilene Chaiken delivered statements on the importance of visibility and representation, praising Biden's White House for the noted fight to secure health and safety for the LGBTQ+ community amidst an ongoing onslaught from Republican lawmakers. Cast members Jennifer Beals and Kate Moennig stood by in support.
Guiding her guests to stand beside her at the podium, Jean-Pierre greeted the room saying, "So this week is Lesbian Visibility Week, and as the first openly queer person to hold a position of press secretary for the president of the United States, I see every day how important visibility and representation are . . . Even though I grew up in one of the most diverse cities in the world (New York), as a young queer woman of color I felt alone and sometimes invisible. For so many people in our community, "The L Word''s impact can not be understated. Being able to see diverse narratives that reflect our lives is incredibly important."
Ironically, but not to take away from the beauty and importance of Tuesday's briefing, Showtime announced the cancellation of "The L Word: Generation Q" — a series that furthered the narrative that began with the debut of "The L Word" in 2004 — just last month, which is a fleece-covered thorn not lost on the cast.
In Wednesday's episode of the podcast "Pants," hosted by Hailey and Moennig, they joked about Showtime footing the bill for the trip to Washington, although they'd recently been "fired."
Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course.
"We're honored to have the opportunity to be here today standing beside the first out lesbian press secretary in our history who serves the most pro-LGBTQ+ president in our history, said Chaiken, the first from the show to speak following Jean-Pierre's introduction. "When 'The L Word' debuted in 2004, we too accomplished a few firsts by bringing our stories into homes and communities across the country and around the world. We learned by the beautiful response to our show how profoundly important it is for people, particularly young people, to see themselves reflected in our entertainment culture."
And while, currently, that appreciation for LGBTQ+ representation being reflected in entertainment feels on shaky ground after the cancellation of so many queer shows in recent months (The L Word: Generation Q," "A League of Their Own," "First Kill," Queer as Folk," etc.) public recognition such as what took place at the White House on Tuesday gives hope for what's possible. There are plans in the works for a reboot of "The L Word," rumored to be set in New York, and hopefully many more shows that won't see the chopping block as quickly as the ones that came before it.
"Visibility starts in our homes and our communities," said Hailey, taking to the mic after Chaiken. "And even if it feels like you're under attack, know that we see you."
Moennig and Beals, although not delivering statements of their own, shared clips from their day at the White House on social media. In Beals' Instagram post, seen below, the ladies dance with Jean-Pierre down a White House corridor to the tune of Beyoncé's "Run the World (Girls)."
As Chaiken said perfectly during her statement, "They may try to erase our stories from classrooms and libraries, but we're here today, here at the White House. We won't be erased."
Shares