A brilliant supernatural coming-of-age story, Buffy: The Vampire Slayer is a staple of popular culture. Proudly celebrating its 25th anniversary as of this year, the show explored themes of trauma, burgeoning adulthood and sexuality, and continues to resonate with audiences today. Buffy broke new ground in its 4th season when fan-favorite character, Willow Rosenburg (played by Alyson Hannigan) found love with fellow witch, Tara Maclay (Amber Benson). And, while this move was initially considered a massive step forward for the LGBTQ+ community, hindsight points to a major problem.

Throughout the first 3 seasons, the sweet and socially awkward Willow won fans' hearts. So to did the character's passionately sweet romance with werewolf, Daniel "Oz" Osborne. Far from a one-off plot point, Willow and Oz's love, its ups-and-downs and their exploration of physical intimacy was heavily showcased. Willow's decision to lose her virginity was presented as a major character arch, and the couple's eventual split is still widely regarded as one of Buffy's most heartbreaking moments.

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Willow and Oz have a heartbreaking breakup

Shortly thereafter, Benson's character is introduced in the season 4 episode, "Hush."  Tara helps Willow harness her power as a witch, after both are rudely silenced by a group of their peers. Like-minded, the two become fast friends, with a palpable romantic chemistry lingering just below the surface. One of the first depictions of romance between woman on television, the relationship between Willow and Tara is a quintessential "slow burn." Their romantic development received praise for its realism, depth and emotional intimacy, and they remain one of the most beloved pairings on the show to date.

While deserving of these accolades, and incredibly helpful to some members of the LGBT+ community, Willow and Tara's love story illustrates a glaring issue with queer representation that still persists today. Willow never expressly denies her attraction to men. She never expresses discomfort or confusion during her relationship with Oz. And, while firmly in a relationship with Tara, she admits that her lingering romantic and sexual feelings for the werewolf are still very much present. To most fans, this is a clear indication that the character is bisexual.

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Tara, Willow, Buffy

Despite this, Willow refers to herself as either "gay" or "lesbian" throughout the duration of the series and in subsequent graphic novels.  Known to the queer community as "bisexual erasure," this practice hasn't ended with Buffy. Various media have ignored discussion of bisexuality entirely and -- in extreme cases -- have denied that bisexuality even exists. While Buffy showcases this harmful practice in a largely benign way -- with Willow being hailed as a "bisexual icon" in some circles -- more egregious examples include Darren Star's Sex and the City, and the more recent Orange is the New Black. While the latter made a half-hearted attempt to correct itself in the final episode, and the former currently attempts right its wrongs via the poorly received ... And Just Like That, many bisexual people harmed by these portrayals say that this effort isn't enough.

In 2020, prior to being embroiled in a slew of controversy ranging from abuse of cast and crew to sexual harassment, series creator Joss Wheaton told multiple news outlets that, were the show made today, Willow would've been confirmed as bisexual. While the discourse surrounding the character's sexuality still persists, with lead actress Sarah Michelle Geller hoping for an eventual reboot, bisexual fans of the franchise may finally be satisfied.

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