Reality stars discuss 'The Real L Word'

This is a big year for queer women on Penn’s campus, according to Queer People of Color Co-Chairwoman and College freshman Diana Estrada-Alamo.

On Thursday, Queer People of Color and Lambda Theta Alpha hosted two stars of Showtime’s reality series The Real L Word, which tells the story of a diverse group of women who identify as lesbians. The program, which took place at the LGBT Center, was part of QPenn, an annual week-long celebration of the LGBT community.

The two guests, Whitney Mixter and Rose Garcia, shared personal experiences about coming out and explained why they became involved with The Real L Word. Based on the original Showtime series The L Word, this unscripted show focuses on the lives of six lesbian women in Los Angeles. Garcia, a personal friend of both shows’ producer Ilene Chaiken, served as the inspiration for the character of Papi on The L Word.

Much of the show is devoted to dispelling rumors about the lesbian community and demonstrating the diversity within this group.

“There’s no definition of what a lesbian is,” Mixter said. “We’re women. We’re lesbians.”

In addition to “humanizing lesbians as people,” The Real L Word showcases ethnic, religious and economic diversity among lesbians, Mixter said. Garcia, a Puerto Rican-American and Catholic, described her family’s acceptance of her sexuality. She explained how “basing everything on love” can overcome any cultural or religious differences.

“I know who I am, and God’s going to love me for who I am,” Garcia said.

Both women stressed the importance of LGBT visibility in the media and on college campuses in reducing stigma and promoting equality. They are currently involved in a public service project for the Gay Straight Alliance.

The audience, which consisted almost entirely of female students from Penn and the Philadelphia area, asked the panelists questions about sharing their personal lives on television and the impact of the show.

College junior Mari Kishi said she came to the event “to hear the real voices about ethnicity and race in the LGBT community,” and was pleased with the discussion.

Some came because they were fans of the Showtime series, like College senior Carolyn Lee. “The cultural aspects of the show are pretty important,” she said.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.