In an effort to build a space for queer people like myself, every Sunday I’ll be posting interviews, opinion pieces, listicles, reviews, and more focused on the LGBT community (and occasionally about the Latinx community since I am Latinx.) Welcome to Queerly Not Straight! Enjoy and leave a comment below if you have a suggestion for what I should cover next.
Cancellations hurt. No matter how you look at it, the end of a journey that we wanted to see more of stings and leaves us feeling lost and hopeless. That’s exactly what happened to Batwoman and Legends of Tomorrow and how many fans are feeling after the cancellations of both TV shows. And it honestly comes as a surprise from a network that pats itself on the back because they “Dare to Defy” expectations or what other networks are doing. Well, look at you now.
This exploration as to why the cancellation of Batwoman and Legends of Tomorrow hurts so much comes from someone who hasn’t watched either show in a long time. The reason why I stopped watching isn’t important and I was a different person when I stopped watching both. But I always knew that people connected with both shows because they saw themselves in a manner they had never before and that sort of thing is something no one can put a price on or deny.
So, even though I haven’t watched Batwoman or Legends of Tomorrow in ages, their loss still hurts. Batwoman had gone through many changes since its Kate Kane days. And Ryan Wilder had made a family of her own surrounded by other POC characters while being one herself and a queer woman. Legends of Tomorrow had one of the wildest casts out there with POC characters many had never seen before and two queer captains who were married to each other while trying to save the world.
And both shows bonded people. Because of these shows, people felt connected to these characters, saw themselves for the first time, and felt like they could be themselves just like their favs were. They could also find love like their favs Ryan Wilder and Sophie Moore did on Batwoman and Sara Lance and Ava Sharpe did on Legends of Tomorrow. And let’s not forget the fierce and loving communities that formed around these two ships, known as Wildmoore and Avalance.
That’s why the cancellations of these two shows hurt: because people formed communities and found solice in these people and ships. And The CW cancellations of both shows feel like they’re saying that LGBTQ, and POC people, aren’t worth it. They aren’t worth the time, the effort, the money, or the seasons. That feeling hurts and in turn makes us, the communities they have tried to tempt into watching their shows, less likely to trust them when they do give our communities TV shows.
Where we go from here, I have no idea. But to those who ship these couples and who felt seen by Batwoman and Legends of Tomorrow, you are worthy. You are worth every story, every journey, and every great romance. And you shouldn’t let any network make you feel otherwise. Also, hold onto the communities you’ve made, the fanfictions written, and the lifelong friends. Those are real and you’ll carry them on with you onto the next journey.
Queerly Not Straight posts every Sunday with opinion pieces, listicals, reviews, and more focused on the LGBT community (and occasionally about the Latinx community since I am Latinx.)
