By now we have all heard the discourse surrounding the Bridgerton season five announcement, and while I am personally looking forward to it, quite a few people are not as enthusiastic as I am. However, that group is split into two subgroups—the first with valid complaints about Eloise’s season and chronological accuracy, and the second simply being homophobic…or rather, not so simply. The issue is that while, yes, homophobia is a huge issue that is the driving force behind the response to this season, the fact that Francesca and Michaela are women makes this issue worse. Sapphic relationships are not accepted as “widely” as relationships between men, and this stems primarily from misogyny. But we will get to that in a bit, along with all my other thoughts and opinions on this controversial season teaser.
I will readily admit to the fact that I have never read the Bridgerton books, regardless of whether that makes me a traitor to my title as an English major, but I have heard enough about them that I feel qualified to give my two cents. For someone arguing the point of this season being out of order, or entirely different from the books, I can sympathize with that. Trust me, I am a strong believer that books are usually better than their film adaptation. Where my feathers become ruffled is when people start talking about how a sapphic relationship with a happy ending is not “historically accurate.” They are correct, the tragic reality is that a romantic relationship between two women that are able to love each other in the open is not historically accurate, as the queer community has had to fight for far longer than what should have been necessary for basic human rights. Keeping this in mind, it is a good thing that Bridgerton is not historically accurate—and it never has been! Up until this point, I had never heard a single person complain about this undeniable fact, and yet now it is being constantly used to excuse their own prejudices.
Additionally, representation is so important. Please take a minute and try to think of a single sapphic relationship in mainstream media that is 1.) canon, 2.) the main focus, and 3.) a happy ending. What comes to mind? Maybe one or two examples? Now think of the exact same thing, but with a straight relationship. I’m sure every single one of us could come up with dozens and dozens of examples, and that is why having this relationship in such a huge show as Bridgerton is so impactful. The reason why I bring up point two, however, is because of another issue in the visual media we are surrounded by. The fact that even when there is lesbian relationships in shows, they are constantly pushed to the side and used only to complement or offset the main ship of the show, often including a one-time scene of a queer relationship to generate buzz. This is such a common theme that it’s considered an actual subgenre of media: “the lesbian kiss episode.” These episodes are found in shows such as L.A. Law and other television in which a straight girl will kiss another woman, but the relationship either doesn’t survive or is never mentioned again. In a world where these complex situations are used as nothing but an attention-grabber, it is refreshing to see a show that is willing to give two women the romance they deserve.
Queer representation in film is always important, but sapphic representation specifically, as it is often pushed to the side in favor of gay relationships that receive a better public response. As someone who has been a fan of Bridgerton since the very first season and was on social media when Bridgerton season three came out, I find it so interesting that people did not get this angry over Benedict being bi and exploring his sexuality, but the second that it is Francesca, people suddenly have an issue. Another example of this is the response to Heated Rivalry. This show garnered such a huge following, particularly among women. I am not pointing any fingers, but it raises the question of why that show got such a positive reaction while Bridgerton season five did not. Do viewers simply have deeply rooted misogyny? Is it because the queer relationship is no longer “hot”? I do not have all the answers, but these are questions that must be asked.
In any case, I will be excitedly looking forward to the next Bridgerton season and rooting for Francesca and Michaela, regardless of how much it seems to irk others. So, make sure to look out for my review when season five comes out… in two years.