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Xena - The Subtext FAQ for alt.tv.xena

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Created by the ATX Subtexters; compiled by Erin (erin@cts.com)




Version 1.08 (Updated 01/07/1998)



Editor's Notes: I must admit to having been delinquent in
my duties to the FAQ, considering that it hasn't been updated
in about four months.  During that time, I've received some
"favorite subtext moments" from people about the new
episodes, so I've tried updating that as well as I could.  If
you sent me a subtext moment that I haven't included, please
re-send it.



Dedication: This FAQ is dedicated to the "Xena: Warrior 
Princess" cast and crew for giving us such a wonderful show 
to obsess over, and all those subtexters out there who never
lost the faith.





Part I: Overview





Q1. Why do we need a subtext FAQ, anyway?



A1. Give yourself one point if any of these sound familiar to

   you:


        "All this subtext crap is pure bull.  Xena's no

         lesbian."

        "Why do people assume that strong women have to be 

         lesbians?"

        "You people are just fixated on Xena's sex life.  

         Why don't you get a life of your own?"

        "Xena's just a fictional character! She can't be 

         gay."




   Sound familiar? These type of posts pop up on alt.tv.xena
every week, leading to numerous threads, flames, and insults.  The
whole point behind subtext is to allow people to enjoy the show in
whatever way *they* want to.  If this means they prefer to view
Xena and Gabrielle as sisters, that's great; if it means they 
prefer to see Xena and Gabrielle in a same-sex relationship, that's
great too.  The Cast and Crew of "Xena:WP" have stated
repeatedly that subtext exists, and that people are free to
interpret it as they choose.  The reason the FAQ exists is to
prove that.



The purpose of this FAQ is:




 
To provide evidence that subtext is real and intentional,
   through interviews with the cast and crew of "Xena: 
   Warrior Princess."

 To provide examples of subtext as it has appeared in the 
   "Xena" tv series.
 
 To give resources and links to further information on 
   subtext.





Q2. What is "subtext"?


A2. "Subtext" is generally defined as a subtle, underlying 
theme.  Subtext is not something that is stated outright, 
but is identified by hints and clues.



Q3. What is "lesbian subtext"?



A3. In the world of Xena fandom, "lesbian subtext" refers 
specifically to the romantic innuendo between Xena and 
Gabrielle.  People tend to differ when it comes to 
identifying instances of such innuendo, and what they mean;
this sometimes leads to arguments on alt.tv.xena.



Q4. Does "lesbian subtext" really exist, or is it all in 
people's imaginations?



A4. There are really two issues here: the existence of 
subtext and the interpretation of subtext.  When it comes to 
the existence of subtext, many members of the cast and crew 
have come out (so to speak) and flatly stated in interviews 
that they put subtextual scenes and dialogue in the shows 
intentionally.  When it comes to interpretation of what the 
subtext means, there is generally enough doubt left by the
cast and crew of "Xena" so that people may interpret Xena 
and Gabrielle's relationship as being either close friendship 
or romantic love.


  
There is little room for doubt that subtext exists; what it 
means, however, is left open to personal interpretation.







Part II: Evidence & Interviews



Q5. What proof is there of the existence of subtext? What 
are these interviews you mentioned?



A5. Here are excerpts from various interviews (arranged by
interviewee):



Liz Friedman (Producer):



Source: The Advocate

Date: August 20, 1996 

Title: "Flirting With Xena" pages 81-83

Author: Anne Stockwell




     But despite these disclaimers--and despite hints of a 
future male love interest for the warrior princess--Friedman
and company have welcomed Xena's lesbian fans, even writing 
sapphic double entendres into scripts. "One episode starts 
with the camera looking at some bushes," Friedman explains. 
"We hear Gabrielle asking, 'How was that?' Xena answers, 
'Very nice!' Gabrielle says, 'Really? I wasn't sure," and 
Xena replies, 'No, no, you're doing great.' Then we see 
them, And they're fishing--naked!"




     "They're such a perfect little butch-femme couple," 
Friedman concludes, laughing.  "What they do between 
episodes, I don't know." ...




     On the work front Friedman promises that Xena's lesbian
fans can look forward to lots of gal-pal action in stories 
to come. "We've already shot one episode," she offers, 
"where Gabrielle almost dies and Xena gives her mouth-to- 
mouth resuscitation. Lucy did an unbelievably great job with
the scene."









Source: "One in Ten", a lesbian and gay radio program from
Boston

Date: October 1996




        MARY BRESSLOUR -- I'm Mary Bresslour (spelling?) 
and this is One in Ten, along with Keith Orr (spelling?). 
The chat rooms have been buzzing for months now. The cult 
television hit, Xena: Warrior Princess, has lots of fans 
estatic over fearless heroine Xena and her red-headed 
companion, Gabrielle, and the twist is that the producers 
also seem to be consciously using the pair to cultivate a 
bit of a lesbian following.





 ... talking about Xena and Gabrielle...


   
        KEITH -- How do the actors feel about the sort of 
gay twist to their characters?


        LIZ -- I think they really like it. They get a real 
kick out of it. Lucy thinks it's great and I think Renee 
does also. 








Source: Entertainment Weekly, 

Date: March 7, 1997

Title: "Xenaphilia" pages 38-42.  

Author: Mike Flaherty




Though the character of Xena is regularly shown in the 
intimate company of men, sexual ambiguity is a mainstay 
of the show--which openly gay Xena producer Liz Friedman 
is all too happy to admit: "I don't have any interest in 
saying they're heterosexuals. That's just bulls---, and no
fun, either."












Robert Tapert (Executive Producer):




Source: Knight-Ridder newspapers

Author: Jennifer Weiner

Date: January 31, 1996




"All I can say about that [subtext]," says (Co-Producer, 
Rob) Tapert, "is that Gabrielle satisfies her every whim."








Source: Ms. Magazine. Special Anniversary Issue

Date: July/August 1996. Vol. VII, No. 1.

Title: "Xena: She's Big, Tall, Strong--and Popular"

Author: Donna Minkowitz




     In our interview, Tapert spontaneously brings up the 
possibility that Xena also has love relationships with 
women. "People ask me frequently about Xena's sexual 
orientation," he informs me, "especially about her 
relationship with Gabrielle. I tell them that she has had a 
string of lovers in her life and that now she is trying to 
get control of her emotions." It's hard to imagine a more 
ambiguous statement, but it's certainly not an utter denial. 
Indeed, Tapert proudly tells me that the show "has become a 
favorite with gay women" and that some lesbian bars have 
special Xena viewing nights. (So do a number of women's 
prisons.) "Early on, the studio came down on me, because 
they wanted to make sure no one perceived Xena and Gabrielle 
as lesbians," the producer says. He doesn't seem to be 
trying very hard to accede to their demands.








Title: The Xena-Philes:  TV's Warrior Princess draws a 
mighty following 

Author: Tom Goodman




"I think the gay thing is there," Tapert says.  "Certainly 
there is a belief that Xena and Gabrielle are having sexual 
relations."




He's not kidding about that.  The internet is filled with 
rambling about Xena's double-entendres and longing looks.  
When she gave Gabrielle a simple kiss, the whole system 
almost crashed.  If Gabrielle takes off Xena's warrior 
boots - forget it.  It's Topic A for days.


 








Steven L. Sears (Head Writer/Supervising Producer):





Source: August "Whoosh!" #11

Title: "TYDUS INTERVIEWS HIMSELF: RESPONSE TO LAST MONTH'S 
       EDITIORIAL AND THEN SOME" 

Author: Steven L. Sears




Q: Have you ever been guilty of pushing the subtext for the 
sake of the audience?



A: Yes. Aside from the fact that *I* like it, I think that 
it adds to the characters. And, also, it doesn't diverge 
from my interpretations of who Xena and Gabrielle are or what 
their relationship is.



[FAQ Editor's Note: This interview can be found at:

http://www.whoosh.org/issue11/sears.html
.
I would encourage everyone to go and read this interview, so
as to determine for yourselves whether this quote was taken 
"out-of-context."]







Michael Levine (Director):





Source: August "Whoosh!" #11

Title: An Interview with Michael Levine

Author: Bret Ryan Rudnick



[About "Altared States": ]




LEVINE: When I got the script for ALTARED STATES (#19) I read 
the first scene, and it called for Xena and Gabrielle to be in 
the water. They're doing the double entendre and they're fishing. 



RUDNICK: A classic subtext moment. 



LEVINE: Yes, a classic subtext moment. 




[About "The Quest": ]




LEVINE: Then we did the kiss scene. 



RUDNICK: Another infamous moment in subtext history. 



LEVINE: (laughs) I kept thinking "How am I going to do this?" 
How can I shoot this where they lean in and you think they're 
kissing but they're not...There's also a thing that never got 
shot because it was taken out in the rewrite stage. It was in, 
it was out, it was in, it was out, this went on up until almost 
the last day. What it was, instead of Gabrielle taking the ambrosia 
and placing it in Xena's mouth with her hand, the original script 
had Gabrielle put the ambrosia on her lips and kiss Xena. Lucy and 
Renee were all for it. They said "Sure, no problem." 













Q6. So, are the producers saying that Xena and Gabrielle have
to be gay?



A6. No, and you wouldn't find many subtexters out there who 
would argue that either.  The whole point behind subtext is
that people can enjoy the show *however they wish*, without having
someone tell them that they're wrong, or reading things into the
show that aren't there.  The following quotes support the
"neutral stance" of the cast and crew:




Liz Friedman (Producer):





Source: The Advocate

Date: August 20, 1996 

Title: "Flirting With Xena" pages 81-83

Author: Anne Stockwell




   For Friedman, all this adulation reflects a sad vacuum 
on traditional television. "The reaction to Xena shows how 
few substantive portrayals of women's friendships we see on 
TV," she observes. "In terms of what's explicitly presented,
Xena and Gabrielle are very close friends who, I do believe,
love each other, whether or not there's a degree of sexual 
intimacy." 











Source: "One in Ten", a lesbian and gay radio program from
Boston

Date: October 1996




        MARY -- It's kind of like a great female Butch 
Cassady and the Sundance Kid.

        LIZ -- Yeah. They're just a terrific pairing. My 
take on it is what Xena and Gabrielle do in between 
episodes, I don't actually know.

        MARY -- Hey, don't ask, don't tell. Right?

        LIZ -- (laughing) Yes.

        MARY -- But that must be some of the fun off it, 
too, which is their relationship can really be anything to 
any viewer in many ways. And you have some fun with this. 
Let's be honest.

        LIZ -- Absolutely, oh absolutely! That's one of the 
best parts of the job, getting to throw in references that 
I know the fans who are interested in that will pick up on, 
but don't necessarily flash any irrevocable red lights. We 
opened up a show with the two of them fishing naked and 
we're about to have a Halloween episode that will certainly 
have some nice moments for our queer fans, a little lesbian 
vampire show.












Rob Tapert (Executive Producer):





Title: The Xena-Philes:  TV's Warrior Princess draws a 
mighty following 

Author: Tom Goodman




Tapert only laughs, saying such instances are "us being 
very bad." That's because the word came down early not to 
make the characters outright lesbians.  "Advertisers don't 
like that," he says.  But being coy has certainly kept the 
interest up.  "We blurred the lines," Tapert says. 












Lucy Lawless ("Xena"):





Source: Knight-Ridder newspapers

Author: Jennifer Weiner

Date: January 31, 1996




"And, um, what exactly is up with Xena and Gabrielle?  The 
relationship between big, strong silent Xena, and small 
bubbly blond Gabrielle (played by Renee O'Connor) have made 
the show a favorite with gays and lesbians with a taste for 
camp - that plus the fact that every time Gabrielle lands a 
boyfriend, he dies. When Lawless answers you can almost hear
her smile across the Atlantic oceans, "Hmm," she says 
"perhaps I should adopt the American euphemism, I will 
neither confirm nor deny."











Source: Mr. Showbiz Interview with Lucy Lawless




Q:  A lot of people like to speculate on the true nature of 
the relationship between Xena and Gabrielle. Does the fact 
that people like to read things into the show have an effect
on your performance? 



LL: Ah! You mean do we play up to it? What are you asking 
here? We do have fun with that aspect, but I never want to 
shove it down people's throats because it can also be 
alienating and we don't want to do that to any sector of 
our audience. But we don't want to alienate our lesbian 
following. We love 'em all! We love 'em all equally, 
whether they're on the edge or not. 



Q:  The reason I didn't ask "Do you play up to it?" is 
because didn't want to put words in your mouth. 



LL:   Well, that was my little Freudian slip there! We 
all--I think I can speak for some of the people who work 
on the show--we all like pushing the boundaries a little. 
We don't want to make a bloody middle-of-the-road show. 
We're not interested in watching those kind of shows. We 
try to make highest common denominator viewing. Not lowest, 
not middle.   We want to make the highest.











Source: Post TV/Radio

Title: Fallen star: Cult queen Lawless mends wounds at home

Author: Joanne Ostrow




"We talk about it on set. We're all aware of how different 
sectors of our audience perceive the show. If you're talking
about the lesbian element, we are aware and we're not 
afraid of it. This is a love story between two people. What 
they do in their own time is none of our business."



The producers promise a future episode will chronicle a day 
in the life of Xena and Gabrielle--"what happens between 
the fights," Lawless said. "I'm looking forward to it. All 
audience members and speculation are welcome," she said, "as 
long as people aren't nutters, as long as they aren't 
stalkers, you know."








Source: New York Times

Date: 08/31/97

Title: 'Yi Yi Yi Yi Yi!' Xena Takes on Broadway

Author: Luisita Lopez Torregrosa




  Unlike some other actresses, Ms. Lawless has no qualms about 
being seen in a bar like Meow Mix, or being associated with a 
lesbian following. She seems unfazed by the more or less constant 
speculation, on the Internet and in settings like Meow Mix, about 
the relationship between her character and Gabrielle. Whatever 
their sexual bond, their fondness for one another is the heart of 
the show. 



  "The relationship should transcend all of that," Ms.
Lawless said about the question of their sexuality. "It is
about love, and  sexuality is certainly a small part of love. We
don't want to be  definitive about it. It's one of those things,
neither confirming  nor denying. We like our audience to make up
their own mind. You know, everybody enjoys it from their own point
of view, and that is fine with me." 












Renee O'Connor ("Gabrielle"):





Source: People Magazine Online

Date: the week of July 13th

Title: "DOUBLE JEOPARDY:  As feisty Gabrielle, Renei O'Connor 
        heats up"

Authors: PETER CASTRO

         KIRSTEN WARNER in Auckland

 

"It was unintentional to begin with," says O'Connor of the 
implied story line. "But the more lesbians started watching, 
and the more feedback we received from them, our characters 
started to develop a little more intimately.  We have to keep 
it a family show, but the subtext is there." 






Part III: Subtext In "Xena"



Q7. So what are some examples of subtext in the show?



A7. Most examples of subtext that have been written into the
show are ambiguous, and can be interpreted by the audience 
as friendship, sisterly love, or romantic infatuation.  
Because of the nature of television, and the unique demographic
audience that "Xena: WP" enjoys, writers must be very
careful what scenes they include, and what boundaries they push.
Some examples are fairly blatant (the hot tub scene in "A
Day In the Life", for example) and some scenes are vague.
 The  following examples are meant as homework assignments for the 
reader; watch them and decide for yourself (and keep in mind
that this is, in no way, a comprehensive list, and is meant
to be subjective).




"A Day In the Life":


 Gabrielle and Hower are discussing Xena's odds of getting
married.  Gabrielle remarks that it isn't likely, and says, 
"She likes what I do."
 Xena and Gabrielle are discussing Hower's romantic 
infatuation.  Gabrielle remarks "Another one of them" is in 
love with Xena.  Xena and Gabrielle try to think of a way 
to discourage people (men?) from being attracted to her.
 Xena and Gabrielle bathe together, naked, in a hot tub 
while scrubbing each other's backs and playing "Where's the
soap?"
 Minya remarks to Xena, "The whip is mine. The frying pan 
is yours.  Hower is mine!  She's yours [nodding at 
Gabrielle]."
 Gabrielle holds Xena's breast while pulling herself off
of the ground.
 At the end of the episode, Gabrielle looks at Xena 
adoringly, then kisses Xena on the cheek.
 Xena and Gabrielle sleeping side by side on the same
bedroll.





"A Neccessary Evil":


 Callisto refers to Gabrielle as "Your precious little 
Gabrielle" when speaking to Xena.





"The Quest":


 Gabrielle tells Iolaus that she loved Xena.
 Xena, in possession of Autolycus's body, kisses 
Gabrielle fully on the lips.
 Gabrielle places her head on Xena's shoulder at the end 
of the episode, as well as having her arm around Xena's 
waist throughout that dialogue.





"Destiny":


Gabrielle's speech at the end of the episode, in which 
she states that she loves Xena.





"Here She Comes...Miss Amphipolis":

The look on Gabrielle's face when Xena is kissed by 
"Miss Artiphys."





"The Giant Killer":


The moonlight scene when Xena and Gabrielle hold hands.





"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun":


The scene where Gabrielle turns Xena into a Bacchae.





"Return of Callisto":


The quick kiss goodbye between Gabrielle and Xena in the 
temple.





"Callisto":

The campfire scene where Xena confesses to Gabrielle.





"Altared States":


The opening scene where Xena and Gabrielle are fishing 
together, naked.
Gabrielle looks at Xena and says, "You are beautiful!"
Xena and Gabrielle climbing up each other out of the well;
Xena comments, "Lovin' every minute of it."





"A Fistful of Dinars":

Xena's speech to Petracles warning him to stay away from
Gabrielle.





"Ulysses"


The grief-stricken look on Gabrielle's face when she 
overhears Ulysses and Xena discussing their feelings for
one another.





"The Price"

Xena says to Gabrielle, "You don't know how much I love...that."





"Been There, Done That"

Joxer is looking at Xena's neck, and remarks, "Is that a
hickey?"  Xena and Gabrielle both get very guilty looks.





"The Debt, part 1"

Xena rolls over in the middle of the night, and reaches over 
for Gabrielle in her sleep.





"The Debt, part 2"

Gabrielle tells Xena, "I love you, Xena".  Xena
responds, "Love you too, Gabrielle."




(Thanks to all who e-mailed me their favorite scenes.  If 
there's a scene that is particularly subtextual, let me 
know and I'll include it in the FAQ.)



Q8. But what about all of Xena's and Gabrielle's relationships 
with men? Surely they prove to you people that Xena and Gabrielle 
aren't lesbians.



A8. There are really two ways of explaining these scenes within 
the bounds of subtext.  One way is that Xena and Gabrielle are 
bisexual, and therefore attracted to both men and women.  This 
argument is boosted by the quote from Rob Tapert in which he 
refers to Xena as having had a "string of lovers in her
life" but he refuses to narrow it down to male or female, leaving 
the comment purposefully ambiguous.  Having Xena and Gabrielle 
have male love interests doesn't preclude the possibility of 
a relationship between the two of them.  The second explanation 
is that there are many lesbians who have had relationships with 
men in their past, before developing exclusive relationships 
with women.  Some lesbians had been married for years before 
coming out, and therefore are unsurprised when they see men in 
Xena's past.



One loyal subtexter put it thusly: "The only way to explain
Xena's life history realistically, it seems to me, is to say, 'Yeah, 
at one point she did guys. Maybe she'll do guys again. But for 
now, it's clear Gabrielle gives her what she needs. More power 
to her.'"



All this is a way of saying, yes, subtexters are aware that Xena
and Gabrielle are often shown in the (romantic) company of men.  
But part of the fun of the show (for subtexters) is to see Xena
and Gabrielle's relationship with each other.  So while they know
that there are romantic male interests in the show, it's far more
entertaining for them to concentrate on the subtext.  And that's
what the show is all about, really.  You got a problem wit' dat? :)




Q9. Why do Xena and Gabrielle have to be perceived by subtexters
as lesbians just because they're strong women?



A9. They don't have to be perceived as lesbians simply because
they're strong women, but their strength doesn't preclude them 
from being lesbian (or bisexual) either.  That they are strong 
women is simply beside the point; I've never seen a subtexter 
argue that Xena and Gabrielle are strong, therefore they are 
lesbian.  They argue instead that Xena and Gabrielle repeatedly 
share intimate and romantic moments on the show, and therefore 
they appear to them to have a lesbian relationship.





Part IV: Resources and Links



Q10. Where can I find more information about subtext, now that 
a whole new world has opened for me?



A10. Many of the standard Xena mailing lists have discussions 
on subtext, in addition to the continuing discussions on 
alt.tv.xena.  One mailing list in particular, the Xena 
Campfire Girls (which is not limited to women, by the way) is 
"subtext friendly", and all discussions of subtext
are welcome there.  For more information on the Campfire Girls,
visit their web page (http://www.mindspring.com/~bkbragg/).  Many 
alt.tv.xena subtexters frequent both the newsgroup and the 
Campfire Girls mailing list.



There also exists an index of subtext related fan fiction, for
those who like to read the fevered imaginations of talented,
literary subtexters. :)  



The URL is:
http://www.xenafiction.simplenet.com/
There is also a Web-based general subtext FAQ which can be 
found at http://xenite.simplenet.com/xena.htm
for those who wish even more information.



DAx's Obsession's Home Page is also very enjoyable from a 
subtextual point of view.  It has lots of links, lesbian fan
fiction, the Museum of Subtext, and the Subtext Forum! The URL
is case sensitive, so type it in exactly as it appears here:



http://www.obsession14.com/

For Subtexters who have access to America OnLine, there is a 
Pro-Subtext Xena Chat held on Sunday evenings at 11pm Eastern
Time.  It is held in the Community Conference Room at keyword:
Chat onQ.  The motto of the group is:  "Queer Xena Chat: Where 
Subtext is the ONLY Text!"  They also do a weekly mailing, which 
includies weblinks and other resources for queer fans of XWP. They
also have a group "pass-along" fan-fic story.  If you're interested in more information, send e-mail to
OnQXena@aol.com.



Q11. Who are the "alt.tv.xena subtexters"?



A11. The atx subtexters are a group of bold men and women of 
all sexual preferences who believe fervently in the 
existence of subtext and discuss all evidence of said
subtext ad nauseum. :)  Then again, we're fans of the show, 
and everyone has to obsess about something, right?



Q12. What is alt.tv.xena-subtext?



A12. Alt.tv.xena-subtext is a newsgroup which is meant to be 
subtext-friendly, with fewer of the arguments which tend to 
be prevalent in alt.tv.xena (arguments which this FAQ is 
meant to largely address).  Unfortunately, few Xenites 
populate the group, either through choice or inavailability.  
Whether it is a growing group or not remains to be seen.  At
the time of this writing, there are several stringent rules
which govern posting in alt.tv.xena-subtext.  If you're going
to post in ATX-S, please read the FAQ for that group first, or
you'll probably find out the hard way that apparently freedom 
of speech is not always assumed to be appropriate on the Internet.




Note from the editor (erin@cts.com):  This FAQ is a work in 
progress.  I am always accepting suggestions and contributions. 
Although we all may disagree on subtext, there's one thing 
we never disagree on: Xena rocks!