The Question: I am trans, and I haven’t come out to everybody. I was thinking about posting something on trans day of visibility this year, but all of the other trans people I know were really dismissive and mad about trans day for this ability. It made me feel kind of embarrassed that I wanted to “come out quote on that day. Ultimately I decided not to, but now I feel like… Just generally unsure of when to tell people, or how to do so. Am I being performative about this? Should I wait until… Next… TOV?
- TDOV Latecomer
Natalie Morales has a small role as a gay Christian cop named Ann on Santa Clarita Diet, a Drew Barrymore show about zombies that ended in 2019.
She lives next-door and is investigating a slew of undead murders — the ones Drew Barrymore + Timothy Olyphant have been committing since Drew Barrymore turned into a zombie.
Also, they’re real estate agents.
You can probably think of all the ways a storyline involving a gay Christian cop would be extremely boring, even on a sitcom.
Even on a Zombie sitcom.
Instead, it’s super funny.
Because of a single recurring line,
and the way that Drew Barrymore/Timothy Olyphant say it:
“Well… You know Ann. Ann loves God.”
I’m not totally sure why this cracks me up every time I hear it, except that I can think of at least five different Queer women I would also describe with the phrase “ well… She loves God.”
Not all of them love a Christian God, but.
They all love God.
Most of the time when we talk about LGBTQ people and religion, it’s like…
A really big deal.
It’s very serious.
When I think about fiction plot lines that involve religion and gay people, almost all of them are either extremely “take that” to organized religion, or about “reclaiming” organized religion after years of oppression from it.
(I’m thinking about whatever is going on in the new L word with the drunk kid from Missouri and the Queer sober pastor.)
But when I think about LGBTQ people in my actual life who believe in God, who practice organized religion, no matter how much religion trauma they might have, their own relationship to religion is kind of a sidenote.
It’s peripheral to who they are — even if what they believe, and how they came to believe it is a big part of who they are.
This week is both trans day of visibility and Easter, two holidays about radical transformation and Internet social capital.
Since we’re all micro celebrities now, or at least everyone with an Instagram is, both events require SAYING something, even if it’s just “ I’m hot now”or “ I still love my mom who loves Jesus.”
But any other day? Without the calendar event?
Well No Spoilers, but ultimately Ann’s love of God becomes more of a plot point than a character trait.
And love God sure, but she also is… a cop.
In short: you do not have an obligation to other people’s performances.
Critiques, posts, analysis, takes — they’re all part of that performance.
So do what you want.
Be trans on whatever day you want, or not.
Love God, or not.
Read more from H at https://notesonfeednet.substack.com.
