Regarding studio portrayals of LGBT characters

Picture of characters Leo Snart (Citizen Cold) and Ray Terrill (The Ray), a m/m superhero couple, in a kissing scene. 

The actors are Wentworth Miller (Leo, left) and Russell Tovey (Ray, right).

Regarding studio portrayals of LGBT characters

Crisis on Earth X was the fourth annual Arrowverse crossover event, featuring episodes of the live action TV shows: Supergirl, Arrow, The Flash, and DC's Legends of Tomorrow, on The CW network.

The first episode aired Nov 27, 2017.

Across the event's four episodes, characters Leo and Ray share a total of 3 (three) kiss scenes among their tender moments.

Their kiss onscreen was the first time that a m/m pair was seen to kiss in live action superhero media, anywhere. TV or film.

Watch a video clip of two of their kiss scenes here from YouTube.

This was the first time gay men kissed onscreen in superhero media.

It was November 2017.

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Since then actor Wentworth Miller, who played Leo Snart, has spoken about what went on behind the scenes and the notes he gave the writers about better representation. 

He brought up some excellent, valid points.

"Hollywood is never not sending messages," he wrote. He's right and he should say it.

I'm re-posting his IG post below as a transcript, along with the screen shots, to reference back to. 

Sadly his IG account seems to have been taken down, along with the posts, but there are plenty of screen shots of this particular post on Tumblr or Google.

Screen shots posted after the transcript.

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Transcribed Wentworth Miller's Instagram post:

"[We] need more communication among LGBTQ fans and those who create these shows [to pave] the way for more inclusion..."

Someone wrote that under my previous post. 100%. If I ran a show leading with diversity/inclusion, I'd set up a dedicated online forum where the writers and I can connect with fans, hear concerns, get feedback. 

(Who knows? Maybe such things exist.)

Meanwhile, it's another argument for more queer actors in queer parts. 

At this moment in time/the culture, for me, it's not just about playing these characters. It's about advocating on their behalf.

Small example (because God is in the details): Leo. The powers-that-be willed him into existence and I was grateful. He didn't have to be gay but the writers wrote that shit. 

So we got two gay actors playing two gay superheroes kissing onscreen... 

Felt like a moment.

And it needed tweaking. In the scene where Leo tells Mick and Sara he's marrying Ray, his original line was like, "I just want something normal..." Gays. Just like us. Except me? I'm not getting married. 

I didn't want Leo framing marriage as 'normal' for folks (kids) watching. It's not. It's homonormative. 

A ton of queer folks are living full, content lives outside the marriage construct. That line became, "I'm looking for a new kind of adventure" (or some such).

Two actors of the same gender kissing onscreen is the beginning of the conversation. Not the end.

Hollywood is never not sending messages.

Would a straight actor playing Leo push for that change? Have that conversation with the (straight) writers and (straight) director? 

Maybe. I did because I had to. It reflects my lived experience. 

I'm having these conversations 24-7. Not just on set.

I should note I had the weight, and will, to push for rewrites. Not every actor does. #privilege

Last tweak: The scene where Leo and Ray argue while Ray changes. 

The first draft called for me to 'blush and turn away' at the sight of a shirtless Ray. Hello. They're lovers. Pretty sure it was the person who wrote that scene who wanted to blush and turn away.

Dear Writer(s): Don't.

Stay. Look. See. Hear. -W.M.

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