Behind the Screen: The Representation of Lesbian Abuse in Entertainment Content and Popular Media
No discussion of how media treats abuse—and suffering more broadly—in lesbian narratives can ignore the infamous “Bury Your Gays” trope. The term refers to the long history of media killing off queer characters, often immediately after they have finally experienced romantic happiness, and frequently to further a straight character’s storyline. The trope is rooted in the censorship regimes of the early twentieth century, particularly the Hays Code of 1930, which explicitly forbade any depiction of “sex perversion” that did not end in tragedy. For decades, if a queer character appeared on screen at all, they were almost guaranteed to be alone, depressed, dead, or all of the above.
The ultimate form of narrative abuse remains the "Bury Your Gays" trope. A flashpoint for this discussion occurred in 2016 when the sci-fi series The 100 killed off Lexa, a prominent lesbian character, moments after she consummated her relationship with the female protagonist. The massive fan backlash exposed a collective exhaustion with media that builds up lesbian joy only to violently disrupt it, proving that audiences demand better than trauma-centric storytelling. The Real-World Impact of Media Representation
A recurring critique of mainstream entertainment content is the reliance on psychological cruelty to progress a plot. Lesbian characters are frequently subjected to severe gaslighting, forced outed states, and familial rejection. While these experiences reflect real-world challenges, media often exploits this trauma for "torture porn" or shock value without offering characters a path toward healing or justice. The Legacy of "Bury YourGays" xxx lesbian abuse
If popular media provides a wide ecosystem of stories—ranging from mundane romantic comedies to stable family dramas—a psychological thriller featuring an abusive lesbian protagonist ceases to be a defining statement on the entire community. It simply becomes what it was meant to be: a compelling, singular story about the darker corners of human nature.
If “Bury Your Gays” buries queer joy, another popular media trend has done something arguably more insidious: it has glamorized the abuse itself. The BBC America hit Killing Eve , which ran from 2018 to 2022, centered on the obsessive and increasingly toxic relationship between MI6 agent Eve Polastri and the psychopathic assassin Villanelle. The show was widely praised for its complex female characters, its dark humor, and its palpable sexual chemistry. But it was also, as its own showrunner admitted, a story about “a toxic romance” that was “eating them from the inside”.
As a 2025 study concludes, we need of 2SLGBTQ+ communities in media to counteract the disproportionately high rates of gender-based violence and to finally normalize queer joy. While dark romance might have a place as a niche genre for personal exploration, the mainstream portrayal of lesbians should not be synonymous with suffering. The future of lesbian entertainment content lies not in how much abuse it can show, but in the depth, variety, and authenticity of the joy it finally allows to flourish on screen. Behind the Screen: The Representation of Lesbian Abuse
The harm of these misleading portrayals is compounded by the fact that domestic violence in lesbian relationships is a serious public health issue. It is “a serious social and public health issue”. In the U.S., the CDC has found that a staggering 43.8% of lesbian women report experiencing physical violence, stalking, or rape by their partners. Notably, two-thirds of those reported their abusers were exclusively female. Other sources estimate this number as high as 44%.
If you or someone you know is experiencing lesbian abuse, it's essential to know that help is available:
The portrayal of same-sex female abuse in popular media often falls into several problematic categories: Press coverage of same-sex domestic violence cases in Spain For decades, if a queer character appeared on
While historical media often ignored same-sex domestic violence (SSDV), newer content has begun to address it.
The representation of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) individuals in mainstream entertainment has advanced significantly over the past few decades. Audiences now have access to a wider variety of queer narratives than ever before. However, a deeper examination of popular media reveals a persistent and troubling trend: the frequent linking of lesbian relationships with abuse, trauma, and tragedy. From psychological thrillers to prime-time television dramas, lesbian abuse in entertainment content remains a prevalent trope. This pattern shapes public perception, reinforces harmful stereotypes, and impacts the well-being of queer audiences. The Historical Context of the "Tragic Lesbian"