Moving out to go to university or college is a life-changing moment for many young people, especially those who identify as LGBTQI. When her school friends slyly prevent her living with them, saying that she has been acting too distant and secretive, we get our first inkling that there may be more to her than meets the eye.
This episode then ends with a big reveal: we see Leighton swiping on a dating app in a bar and arranging to sleep with a woman. However, she also meets Alicia Midori Francis , who runs the sessions and the two gradually discover that they get on better than they originally expected. A huge part of what sets The Sex Lives of College Girls apart is that Leighton starts the series knowing her identity.
It is also rare to see a character explore the sexual side of their identity before the romantic, with many other queer TV shows such as Love, Victor introducing a sexual aspect only in later seasons once characters are in a relationship. In contrast, The Sex Lives Of College Girls portrays Leighton as comfortable with one night stands, becoming uneasy and trying to cut all ties as soon as romantic feelings are involved. Another important moment on the show came when Leighton forces herself to have sex with a man, feeling like there is no way around it other than to out herself.
This is a huge step for the character, finally admitting to herself how much she cares about Alicia and telling someone about their relationship. It has been refreshing to see a lesbian character that, while closeted, is portrayed as sexy and confident. We can likely expect her to begin coming out to more people, as well as feeling more comfortable in herself as she gradually tackles her internalised homophobia.
Perhaps we will see her get back together with Alicia, or else venture into a new romantic relationship. So who knows what adventures are in store for Leighton? We may not have to wait too long to find out, with Renee sharing behind the scenes moments from filming and season two expected to drop some time this autumn or winter. DIVA magazine celebrates 28 years in print in If you like what we do, then get behind. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
