Lesbian relationships had been addressed on US television before, but none made a greater impact in the early 2000s than Buffy’s Willow Rosenberg and Tara Maclay. Though revered and heralded as TV’s first long-term lesbian relationship, they were not immune to the BYG trope, and Tara’s death would echo years later with the loss of Lexa. In a TV landscape that offered few lesbian characters, Tara Maclay was a beacon for many women who were desperately searching for representation in the nineties. Amber’s portrayal of the quiet yet powerful witch continues to endure and cross generational boundaries; no matter how old we are, we can all find a piece of ourselves in Tara Maclay.
Moderator: Dana Piccoli
Panelists: Amber Benson
