#brittana pda

[spaceorphan18]

Looking at the gif of all the times Klaine sat together in the choir room - and rolling my eyes at the distance between them.

I understand it’s all to do with camera angles and everyone being in the shot but it looks daft. Particularly as all the other couples are sitting so close or holding hands etc, but not Klaine. Even when married in season 6!

There were probably a lot of components to it -

PDA was just never a part of Kurt or Blaine's characters. Sure romance was -- as was signing to each other in the courtyard. But snuggling up to each other with a bunch of people around? Just wasn't a thing built into their characters.

I don't think production cared all that much about what the kids did in the background. And Chris just wasn't the type of person who wanted to dig into the snuggly parts of Klaine. Lea and Cory were dating. Heather and Naya were bffs. And I think Jenna and Harry literally had nothing else to do but be doing things in the backroom. I don't think Darren would have cared one way or the other. But Chris just wasn't going to do it. And not because he hated Klaine. But because that's just not who he is.

I'm sure there were some network mandates -- if you watch Brittana, it's a slight of hand, they weren't really allowed to do much, it just looked like more because they were always in the back cuddled up together. There is an imbalance between the way the queer characters' relationships were handled and the way the straight characters' relationships were handled. Sure they were allowed more freedom in later seasons - but I do think there was a limit on what Fox would allow.

And, I mean, Klaine got a lot of things that other couples didn't. We got a lot of domesticity - we got to see them make out in a car, make out on a bed, wake up with each other, talk about enjoying sex with each other. And entire plot lines that dealt with their relationship. After Wemma (which completely petered out by Season 3) and Finchel (whose back and forth drama became super tiring) they were the third billed couple on the show. And got some great story lines because of it.

There's always a plethora of fanfiction I could point you to. Sometimes the holes in canon lead to great things in fanon.

<3

#that's how s.o. sees it

[tuiyla]

1, 5, 36, 41 for Brittana!

1 - How do they fall asleep? Wake up? Any daily rituals?

In terms of waking up, I’ve always thought they were a morning sex sort of couple so there’s that haha. Santana seems more like a night person and Brittany a morning one to me but no so drastically that they can’t compromise and go to bed together. Sometimes Santana stays up longer and needs to be dragged out of bed but that’s about it. In terms of rituals, they’re spontaneous so even when they fall into a rhythm it can always be disrupted by Lord T’s shenanigans or just the nature of their lives. They’re not big on a routine and just go with the flow.

5 - Nicknames? Pet names? Any in-jokes?

Britt-Britt, canonically. I’m undecided whether I like the common fanfic nicknames of San and Tana. I like how Britt says Santana, so. But they use babe a lot for each other, a headcanon I have because of the opening scene of 6x08. Not too big on nicknames and pet names overall but they do have a TON of in-jokes that really annoy other people. They’re constantly referring to Lord T shenanigans and things Britt has said, or Santana’s more colourful insults. It becomes hard to decipher for new people they meet and even seasoned Glee Clubbers. Quinn understands most but not all of it and Mercedes reaches the same level, courtesy of being on tour with them.

36 - What’s their greatest strength as a couple? Their weakness?

Oooooh interesting. Greatest strength can often also be a greatest weakness and I think that’s the case with them too. Their greatest weakness is their codependency and the outside world stopping to exist when they get so focused on each other. I do think they get better at that after the breakup and when they get back together. Though season 6 didn’t let Santana interact with her friends, she expanded her inner circle in seasons 4 and 5 so it’s not just Brittany she trusts in anymore. And that’s good for their relationship, as well as Britt having been at MIT and experienced the world on her own for a brief while.

So they need to be mindful of their codependency but also the all-consuming and frankly unconditional love they have for each other is the reason they’re the real thing. Simply put, they love each other so much and so purely that it doesn’t matter what obstacles might come their way. They make mistakes, of course, and end up hurting each other on occasion but there’s never a moment they don’t exude pure love. “All I know is that because of that, anything’s possible.” Aww.

41 - Are they party-goers? What are they like when they’re drunk? Does it happen often?

That’s interesting because they start out as a drunk party couple. I think they remain party-goers and enjoy a drink now and then but they actually drink less after high school and college. It’s their way of taking control over their own narrative by only partying as much as they want to. I think Santana used to drink to calm the nerve sin high school and seem cool but she doesn’t do that anymore. And alcohol barely has an effect on Brittany anyway - don’t get me wrong, she drinks, but is so relaxed and shameless even when sober that it doesn’t make a difference.

They do go out to club when living together in New York but again, on their own terms. It’s a stark contrast to the start of their relationship where everything was dictated by social status and peer pressure, playing it up for the jocks etc. But yeah they like to go out and get the other Glee Clubbers to join them. Sometimes they get a little carried away with the PDA after a few drinks but it’s for themselves now so who cares. Well, Kurt does. He always has to tell them to get a room.

#thanks anon #ship ask game #ask game #anon #brittana asks #brittana headcanons

[sohemotional]

Brittana OOA (handpicked part II): 5, 12, 14, 19, 56

5. Describe their cozy night in.

Just a simple night in. They order food or Brittany cooks (Santana doesn't cook much) and it'll be just them, their cats, and their babies watching movies together

12. Do they have many heated arguments? How do they smooth things over?

These two literally never argue. They're just not the type of couple who argue and they work as a team most of the time. They're also good at talking to each other maturely/calmly if something is bothering them. Of course there would always be things they disagree on but I can't really think of anything major they would disagree on that would become a serious argument, certainly not one that involved them screaming at each other.

Santana does have this jealous side always, although she is a lot more secure after they're married but maybe occasionally some dude might try to flirt with Britt when they're out, so that would put Santana in a bad mood for the rest of the day. That would make Brittany roll her eyes because Santana is being so moody but they'd have great sex after that and Santana would be back to normal again. Or Brittany might go a bit crazy with the home shopping network and buy a bunch of crazy stuff they don't need, or maybe adopt a new cat. Her zany side is usually cute to Santana but if she gets too eccentric, it would make San lose her temper and she might shout. Then Santana would feel guilty and they'd both apologize and cuddle.

14. How do their personalities compliment each other? How do they clash?

Their personalities complement each other quite perfectly which is one of the reasons why I love them so much as a pairing. They're completely different in many ways but if both of them had the same personality type, the pairing just wouldn't work. Santana tends to think in a more stable/practical way about most things which helps to keep Brittany grounded when she's getting too silly/eccentric. They need each other to keep each other balanced because without Britt, Santana would be too serious and without Santana, Britt could get too flighty and silly.

Brittany encourages her to lighten up and open her imagination while Santana brings her back down to earth. They complement each other in other ways too. Santana tends to be very fiery, dramatic and emotional about expressing herself, whereas Brittany is calmer/steadier/more pragmatic about her emotions. So when Santana completely flips out about something, Brittany is there to soothe her and calm her. Brittany is like coming home for Santana. Brittany helps her to feel more at peace in herself when her world is spiraling. Meanwhile, Brittany would feel protected by Santana's presence because she's so strong and take charge about most things.

19. How do they feel about PDA?

They're definitely a mushy and affectionate couple, despite what many would believe. They'd definitely be that couple who hold hands everywhere and dip kiss. However, Santana is not huge on PDA, except if it's say, something she can do with Britt to shock or gross out people like Rachel or their other friends. She's very private and only Brittany knows how passionate/romantic Santana is in the privacy of their bedroom but she's okay with that.

56. What do they do turn the other on/put them in the mood?

Brittany knows that Santana is totally turned on by her dancing, so she'll dance seductively just for her and put on a show. She also knows how much Santana is into her legs, so if she wears a super short skirt or tiny shorts, she is guaranteed some sweet lady lovin. Brittany has a thing about Santana being sweaty. It's a little weird but she loves when Santana just comes back from working out, it's a total turn on for her to watch Santana working out or playing sports too (even though Britt is the more athletic of the two). They both will whisper seductive things to each other. If she kisses the sensitive spot on Santana's neck or bites her ear, San can't keep her hands off of her.

#Brittana #Santana Lopez #Brittany Pierce #Brittana headcanons

[theghostofashton]

My thing is I dont like how Brittana got to be all snuggly and affectionate and not Klaine. That’s not fair, the gays were restricted doesn’t apply here since Brittana clearly were not restricted while my couple was

hi anon! there is...a lot going on here and i have some complex thoughts on this, but i would first like to say that i really don't feel comfortable comparing klaine and brittana. they're different couples, with different stories, and i just don't think comparing them is necessary or productive, tbh. all i've seen it lead to is hurt feelings and as someone who adores them both....that's just not something i want to engage in.

so....what you're saying about brittana being affectionate and klaine not getting to be, i think is actually an interesting point in how wlw relationships and mlm relationships are viewed. brittana kind of became a thing because so many fans latched onto the background moments in s1. the writers basically made canon in 1x13 that they were more than friends, but yet no attention was really drawn to them being affectionate with each other in the choir room or linking pinkies in the hallway, stuff like that. they were just seen as best friends, super close. nothing romantic was assumed despite how affectionate they were.

to say they weren't restricted... sure, they were allowed to be affectionate in this way. however, something a lot of wlw couples face is this constant assumption that they're just best friends, this refusal to accept that they are in a romantic relationship. it's either their relationship being utterly dismissed or it being overly fetishized and sexualized. that's also a problem. being repeatedly invalidated is incredibly damaging, and i don't think that should be understated.

as for klaine, you're right, they didn't get to be nearly as affectionate. but that's, unfortunately, a reality for mlm relationships as well. early on, kurt is seen as a literal disease who could "infect" another guy, simply by talking to him. forget affection, this idea that he would "turn straight boys gay" was pervasive in the early seasons. that's....not just a tv thing. there's a long history of that actually happening that has made pda for gay men unsafe. two women are affectionate and it's so cute because they're just super close besties, but two men are affectionate and people cannot handle it. men don't feel comfortable expressing affection out of fear of "compromising" manliness, or.....looking gay, and those attitudes often turn into hostility around men who do choose to be publicly affectionate.

and that's a problem for a lot of reasons (the misogyny of viewing affection as "feminine" and refusing to engage in it bc you don't want to be seen as "girly", for one) but the unfortunate reality is just that....kurt and blaine grew up in ohio. the attitudes and societal views, particularly in the early 2010s, were incredibly homophobic and not shy about it. both of them were heavily bullied for existing as gay kids in high school, before even a relationship entered the picture. we saw in 3x04 how wary they were of pda in public. that's a fear that tends to stay with you.

all this to say....i think the way things were portrayed is actually very realistic. it sucks, and i hate knowing that society really is....like this, but i think it’s pretty accurate. brittana were able to be very affectionate and slide under the radar because, as two girls, people wouldn't assume they were together based simply on how close they were. klaine, as two guys, weren't able to be affectionate because dominant societal attitudes made that uncomfortable at best, unsafe at worst.

#mlm couples and wlw couples face lots of different issues in regards to societal perception #and that's very complicated and a lot more to unpack than what i said here i tried to keep it brief #but bc of that i just don't think comparing them helps anyone lol #they all face homophobia but there are also unique issues wlw face and unique ones mlm face #and i think the best course of action is to be vocal about all these issues and trying to spread awareness #basically: mlm wlw solidarity #answered #anonymous #glee

[amazonworrier]

How does Santana feel about pda? W all of her gfs lol

She's super self-conscious at first, until she's secure in a relationship... With all her gfs it's probably more a case of casual touches and needing to always be attached in one way or another, rather than full-blown making out in public all the time. I'm basing this entirely on what we see in the show as well, so not a headcanon. Just look at:

- pretty much every Brittana scene ever. Even during their breakup phase

- Dantana. Santana's an awkward nerd at first, but then we get casual cheek kissing in front of friends, or that ep where she literally sits ON Dani in the loft. There's a whole couch there.

- Pezberry. They hold hands and walk around NY in their little waitress outfits. And whatever tf was happening between them in Be Okay.

- Quinntana. Hand holding at the Valentine's day wedding, but also just lots of random squeezing/jump hugging/very close cuddling happening in the background during season 3. Maybe that was Rivergron not Quinntana, but it made the final cut, so... watch out Brittany?

#anon #quinntana #pezberry #dantana #brittana #santana lopez

[acatpersonapparently]

Jemtoria - Love? You can either choose a few or do all of them. Your pick! 😊

Sorry this took a while, wrote it, deleted it, stressed, rewrote it, stressed, posted it. Thank you so much!

Who said “I love you” first?

Victoria did, because that’s what you do when your crush tell you that you turn silver in the moonlight at a sleepover like its a simple fact.

What are their primary love languages?

This is the core of my obession because Victoria is all physical touch and Jemima is very verbal (although she dips into acts of service because Munk is a good dad) Victoria is all hands reaching out, lingering long on touches, possessive arms. Jemima is more morning wake-ups full of excitement and kisses, compliments throughout the day, notes in lunches

Who uses cheesy pick-up lines?

i don’t think its dramatic to say Jemima. Tugger teaches her pickup lines because there’s nothing like Jemima saying “Who winks and can screw like a tiger” like she’s telling Victoria that there are brownies in the kitchen.

Victoria gets one or two in here and there. It’s not fun because Jem just gets excited and praises her for doing it.

How often do they cuddle/engage in PDA?

All the time. Victoria likes the way she can wrap her arms around Jemima and let her happily deal with people. In more proper situations where Victoria is being very careful about her manners, Jem tries to make sure she accidentally brushes again Victoria plenty.

(Also remember like Brittana from Glee? Pink-linking? Mmm.. yeah that)

Who initiates kisses?

Victoria does. Victoria pulls Jemima away from work, words, and music for kisses. Sometimes Jemima says something so achingly sweet that its all she has for an answer. If Jem is genuinely busy, she peppers kisses wherever she can, whenever she can.

Who’s the big and little spoon?

Jemima is a very proud backpack. 

(She also holds open doors and pulls out chairs cause she was raised right)

Who’s better at comforting the other?

Jemima is full of little words to help Victoria put herself together. She can just shift gears to meet Victoria where she’s at. There’s a way Jemima can pull her mind away from the thing bothering her and also comfort her about it at the same time.

(Jemima is an absolute baby when she’s sick and that’s where Victoria shines)

Who’s more protective?

Victoria knows Jemima loves her every time she steps in front of her a certain wide stance. 

Do they prefer verbal or physical affection?

Victoria preens herself under Jem’s compliments because they’re always so genuine and thoughtful. She also feels like the most special person when Jem buries herself into her side after a long day.

Jemima appreciate the way Victoria invades her personal space willingly. She also thinks three squeezes meaning I love you is brilliant because Victoria says I love you a thousand times a day even if she hasn’t uttered a word since they woke up.

What are some songs that apply to their relationship, in-universe or otherwise?

Plot twist: I keep playlists for everything I write. So, I actually have a playlist for this. Some bits I’d like to share.

Pretty Girl - Hayley Kiyoko / / Your Text - Sundial / / Honey Lavender - Ieuan / / Tell Em - Sabrina Carpenter / / pov - Ariana Grande / / When We First Met - Hellogoodbye / / Silver - Nic Nim / / THE ROMANTIC - LAURYN MARIE / / You Want My SIster - 1 Hour Band (this is the basis of a very specific almost written AU) / / 

Who remembers the little things?

I’m so soft for Victoria doing her best to keep Jemima stocked in sunflowers and sweet. Jemima is simply the kind of person who remembers that one thing someone mentioned seeing in passing months ago and getting it for them.

Victoria, on the other hand, is great for keeping track of schedules and appointment. Her timeliness was something Munkustrap vocally approved of. 

#asks #a-cat-is-not-a-dog #jemtoria #thanks #i tried to keep this brief but i could gush for like hours #i also deleted this after finally getting it where i wanted and almost cried #cats the musical #victoria cats #jemima cats #good stuff for fic thoughts #i can't explain how much ive thought about this alone and i don't know where to begin #i dunno just big high school girls shyly kissing in the corner of hallways energy

[gleeincorrectquotes]

I think the dispute about klaine and on screen interaction stems from a comparison to other couples. Like how all the straight pairings had alot of obvious physically affectionate scenes vs the gay ones. Or perhaps that they only had alot of major affectionate scenes when they were a central story and didn't get as much background stuff, or that they weren't as PDA heavy as other pairings. S3 i honestly do believe part of the lack of PDA stems from being at public school in Ohio so...

Okay yeah. Sorry it takes me a while to be able to read things like this my brain hurts when paragraphs are too big haha

So from what I’ve gathered you’re saying

- That gay couple’s don’t have as many on screen interactions as straight couples.

I completely agree with this! Probably the best example would be the Toungue tied song where Finchel had an onscreen kiss, Rory got two different girls kissing him and Tike got an onscreen kiss + another couples scene and Wemma got.... this

I mean Brittana got a kiss too but since they had like 2 other scenes this season it’s like the least the writers could do??

Mean while Klaine got?? Nothing. Not even like walking down the hallway holding hands. They weren’t even really walking down the hallway together cause Blaine’s really behind him (wanky)

- They only really have affectionate moments when the plot revolves around them

I mean yeah I think, But is that not the case for most of the couples? Maybe I’m just drawing a blank but I can’t really remember times where Finchel is jammed in where it isn’t a main plot. For example in DWS, I can’t remember them having anything going on or them even talking in that episode let alone being affectionate because they’re not the main focus of the ep.

Out of all the screenshots I took 2/9 were from the same episode (DWS) if I count those as one ep 2/8 are eps where Klaine isn’t the main focus (The scene in Heart where they’re singing ((I don’t count it as a klaine-centric ep because it isn’t)) and the scene in On My Way where they’re holding hands)

I think there are a few background moments like these

But yeah I’ll agree they didn’t get loads

- Not PDA heavy. But that could be because they are in public school in Ohio.

I think this is what the writers said when people asked about it. I don’t really mind that excuse I mean it makes sense? Blaine was once beaten up so bad he seems to have some strain of PTSD and Kurt was bullied so bad he had to transfer schools so yeah I get that. The only times they do show PDA it’s usually in the choir room or when there’s no people around.

Or it could be because Figgins would yell at them for it like he yelled at Santana and Brittany. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Anyway hope this makes sense? And I answered all this right?

#random #anon #klaine #not incorrect quotes #glee #i might change this later im tired #does this even make sense

[geez-lopez]

A lot of Choni shippers are overwhelmed with the amount of kisses and PDA's they're getting. Hehehehe some of you shipped Brittana and it shows...

#choni #brittana

[gleeandintersectionality]

         Intersectionality was first defined by scholar Kimberle Krenshaw and was described as a ‘but for’ analysis- I would have received that job ‘but for’ my race, I would have gotten that promotion ‘but for’ my gender” (Molina-Guzman and Cacho 72). Intersectionality “challenges predominant understandings of race and gender as discrete social identities shaped by and formative of distinct social experiences” (Molina-Guzman and Cacho 72). Intersectionality is ultimately the overlapping of different identities like race, gender, and sexual orientation that make an individual’s life more challenging as they identify with multiple minorities. For example, Krenshaw specifically addresses how black women can experience sex and race discrimination (Molina-Guzman and Cacho 72). Intersectionality can be found in the characters on FOX’s teen comedy-drama, Glee. This blog will focus on mainly on Mercedes, a black woman, Santana, a Latina lesbian, and Unique, a black trans woman. 

         On Glee, there is constant competition between the two arguably strongest female singers of the club: Rachel Berry and Mercedes Jones. Rachel is Jewish, but light skinned and Mercedes is black. Throughout the series, Rachel receives many solo numbers, while Mercedes is denied the same opportunity. Dubrofsky explains how Mercedes is seen only performing music by black artists and being denied solos because of her attitude: “If Mercedes is presented as having the talent and appropriate voice for a solo, she is portrayed as lacking the drive or the ability to tame her emotions to claim center stage, reproducing stereotypes of the angry black woman” (91). While Rachel has the right voice for every genre of music, Mercedes is pegged by her race. To make sure audiences don’t call Glee racist, they act as if it is Mercedes’ lack of ambition and drive that denies her solos. When auditioning for the school musical, West Side Story, Rachel and Mercedes both audition for the role of Maria. The play directors are impressed and shocked with Mercedes’ audition expressing how they have “never seen Mercedes so ‘glamorous’” (Dubrofsky 96). This could be seen as whitening Mercedes into an elegant, classy performer igniting a reaction and performance typical of Rachel. However, after Mercedes’ stunning performance, the play directors are still torn about who to cast: “Rachel appears not only the safer choice, but the obvious one—seamlessly, unquestionably having what it takes to play the role, while Mercedes is an assumed risk. Why Rachel possesses what it takes, and what the doubts are about Mercedes, are never specified” (Dubrofsky 97). While neither girl fits the role of Maria who is Puerto Rican, it is never explained why Mercedes would be the riskier choice or why Rachel is the stronger performer. Dubrofsky explains show Glee shows “whiteness as an undefined but everpresent and desirable quality” (97). This scene shows that if you want to be leading lady material you have to be white or light skinned. 

          The person who mostly gets blamed for selecting solo performances is Mr. Schuester, the white and male Glee club teacher who gives Rachel a plethora of solos. It is not until season three that Mercedes calls out Mr. Schuester on his biased attitude: “You give that skinny Garanimals-wearing ass-kisser everything. For two years I took it. Not anymore” (Futterman par. 5). For two years, Mercedes has accepted her lack of solos, but in season three, Mercedes becomes outspoken and confronts the situation head on. She knows she is a star and will no longer play second fiddle to Rachel. The episode ends with Mercedes joining a new glee club. Because of Mercedes’ race she works twice as hard as Rachel and the other white glee members to be seen as talented and multi dimensional. Mercedes wants to be more than a stereotype and show that she can sing all genres of music and display a range of emotions. This shows intersectionality as Mercedes being a black woman has to work twice as hard against the light skinned Rachel to get what she wants. 

        The next character I will be discussing is Santana Lopez. Santana applies to intersectionality because she is a woman, Latina, and a lesbian. When discovering her sexuality, Jacobs explains how compared to Kurt, a white male gay student, Santana’s coming out is even more challenging as she is isolated from other gay women and particularly gay women of color (339). Besides her sexuality, Santana's ethnicity marks her even more as an outcast as she identifies with two minorities and therefore lacks people similar to her within her small town and high school. Jacobs also discusses the rejection Santana faces from her grandmother when she comes out to her. Jacobs explains how it is not shocking that the “only overtly homophobic adult is an old, Catholic Hispanic woman, aligning phobia with a benighted, ethnic/ racial religiosity” (342). This shows how age, religion, and ethnicity affect how one responds to gay people. Since Santana’s family is Latin, they are strongly religious and therefore do not accept homosexuality. In comparison to Kurt Hummel whose father immediately accepts him, Santana faces rejection because of her family’s ethnicity and religion. 

          Villagomez also discusses the pivotal moment of Santana’s coming out to her abuela. The rejection Santana experiences after coming out “not only showed the rejection LGBT’s face (or fear facing) when coming out, but the rejection Latinos specifically encounter which, usually, can be related to strong religious and cultural beliefs” (Villagomez 1). This shows that although all LGBT teens may fear coming out, many Latinos have it harder because of their family’s strong religious beliefs that go against homosexuality. This is the case with Santana’s abuela as she says that Santana has committed a sin (Villagomez 2). Villagomez further explains how Santana’s rejection shows how emotional and complicated coming out can be. Santana was also the only gay character on Glee to face rejection and ultimately showed LGBT teens that it may be better “to leave the negative people out of their life, especially after you’ve given the relationship and seach for acceptance your all” (Villagomez 2). 

         In the series, Santana forms a relationship with Brittany who is white. Through their relationship, they experience unfair treatment compared to the straight couples at school. Gilchrist touches upon this when Principal Figgins finds Santana and Brittany leaning in for a kiss and interrupts them. Santana interjects “This is such bullcrap! Why can’t Brittany and I kiss in public? Because we’re two girls” (Gilchrist 2). Figgins explains how the high school does not allow any types of PDA between any couples, but alas, he has been receiving complaints about Brittany and Santana’s relationship. Santana asks if any complaints have been made about Finn and Rachel who are publicly making out in the hallway. As a new religion club has began at the high school, Figgins is attempting to stop Brittany and Santana from kissing to make those who are religious feel comfortable. Santana clearly upset says, “All I want to do is be able to kiss my girlfriend but I guess no one can see that because there’s such an insane double standard at this school” (Gilchrist 2). Referring to how Finn and Rachel and other straight couples get away with kissing in the hallways, Santana is frustrated because she is denied this right because she is gay. As the religion club sends singing Valentine grams for straight couples, Santana requests one for Brittany. After praying about it and having a long discussion, the club decides to sing for Brittany and Santana. This shows how Brittany and Santana are not given the same privileges as their straight couples at school and must hide their relationship to make their straight peers feel more comfortable. 

         Snarker focuses more on Brittany and Santana’s relationship by discussing how media does not highlight their relationship and oftentimes focuses more on the gay men in relationships. In an article by EW, they claimed: “Kurt is the most important character on television right now” (Snarker par. 13). Snarker explains that although the way Kurt deals with being gay in a disapproving world is inspiring, she wishes more people would focus on Brittany and Santana’s relationship, saying, “For gay women, Brittana is every bit as engaging, albeit on a smaller scale, than Kurt is for gay men. Their legitimate, if unlabeled, relationships matter to us. We’d like it if it mattered to you, too” (par. 15). Snarker also points out that when the media does address Brittany, they address her relationship with Artie, a boy, rather than with Santana as Brittany is sexually fluid within the series (par. 10). Just like being white was preferred for Mercedes, being straight is seen as the preferred norm on Glee. Brittany and Santana align with intersectionality as they get outcasted within their school and get ignored by the media. 

        I will now be moving on to Unique Adams, an African American trans woman. When Unique first joins the glee club, she wants to perform in women's clothes. Mercedes and Kurt, both fear the reaction Unique will receive with Kurt saying, “ ‘I’ve worn some flamboyant outfits, but I’ve never dressed up as a woman.’ To which Unique replies ‘That’s because you identify yourself as a man. I thought you of all people would understand’ ” (Kane par. 4). This shows how even members of the LGBT community like Kurt still misunderstand transgender individuals and label them inaccurately. 

        One of Unique's biggest plot lines in Glee is when she catfishes Ryder Lynn, a heterosexual white male, as a girl named “Katie.” As Sandercock explains Unique takes on an identity unlike her own: “Unique portrays herself online as a thin, white, blonde, cisgender woman – a hegemonic ideal of beauty – an identity and embodiment that exists in opposition to her as a large, black, trans woman” (442). Sandercock further explains, “This highlights the intersectional nature of gender, race and beauty ideals that impact on the marginalisation of trans women of colour. Her avatar reveals beliefs about what is most beautiful and desirable, and her fears of embodying none of these ideals” (442). Unique knows that as a black trans woman she does not embody the standard of beauty which is white, thin, and cisgendered. Through becoming Katie, she is trying to disown her intersectionality and become the image that is desired most in society. Ryder is mean and lashes out at Unique in real life for not understanding her gender identity. Unique tells him that she is a “proud black woman” (Sandercock 442). He decides to mention Unique and how he feels about her to Katie. Katie replies, “This Wade/ Unique guy believes he is a girl. He doesn’t need any proof. It’s his truth. And like what you said, what’s true is true” (Sandercock 443). After this, Ryder changes his point of view about Unique, however Unique has already told Ryder that she is a woman, yet he only believes it when it comes from Katie. Sandercock explains how “this highlights the role of race but also the economy of desire whereby ‘loving’ Unique becomes crucial to winning the affection of ‘Katie’ who intersectionally embodies normative femininity, whiteness and cisness” (443). This scenario shows that trans people and people of color know they are not the image of ideal beauty, and therefore, are insecure about the way they are seen and if they will find romantic love. This scene also shows that white, cisgender and heterosexual people may only accept and believe in those who are trans, gay or black only when it is explained and accepted by someone similar to them. 

          Glee portrays a vast range of races, genders, and sexualities through their characters. Intersectional characters teach audiences the difficulties of being a part of multiple minorities and how it affects their lives. Although Glee can be controversial in its representations, it ultimately shows that those applying to intersectionality experience specific hardships that white, straight, and cisgendered individuals do not understand.

[spaceorphan18]

Yeah, it sucks that we didn’t get a Klaine kiss during Tongue Tied but here’s how I see it. Even after Klaine and Brittana opened the gates for LGBT folks at McKinley, there’s still that fear of backlash, as shown by the flower scene in Asian F. I believe Brittana’s more comfortable with PDA because maybe this is just me, but I tend to notice that lesbians are more accepted than gay men in certain circles because straight guys think it’s hot to look at, so they don’t mind it. Double standard.

I mean there is a double standard.  Sure!  And at the time, no, Klaine wasn’t huge on PDA.  

But I still side-eye the filmmakers hard on this one.  This wasn’t network interference.  This was the filmmakers not even thinking about doing it -- they all but admitted it wasn’t something they thought of nor even really cared about it -- and tried to hide it with a lame comment about Kurt not liking PDA.  (I do think they tried to make up for this with the whole courtyard thing in LLL.)  

I think what bothers /me/ the most, though, wasn’t even the lack of kiss (though it is very glaring omission when Finchel and Brittana get to slobber all over each other).  It’s the fact that Kurt (and Blaine) were barely showcased in that montage at all.  Not only do they not celebrate together -- in any form, but neither one of them is cut away to.  Kurt gets one moment of surprise near the beginning.  Blaine’s in the background of a few moments.  Rory got more screen time during this montage.  

It just kind of goes to show that at the time -- Klaine wasn’t a narrative that the writers cared all that much about.  It was kind of on the same level as Samcedes or Tike or anyone else that wasn’t Finchel or the Seniors.  And the focus of narrative was far more interested in winding up those A-Plot stories than anything else.  If I had to guess -- the only reason Brittana got to kiss was that Naya and Heather pushed for it.  

Also as an aside -- It really makes me wonder about the changes from Season 3 to 4... but I suppose that’s a convo for another day.  

#thanks nonny! :) #Anonymous

[tuiyla]

I started rewatching Heart and though I appreciate the amount of love and care Ali Adler pours into Brittana, I’m not sure I’m all the way down with how the storyline is handled and the whole PDA and ~religious reasons~ thing. No further thoughts and probably this is it for this liveblog just... Eh, season 3 continues to be not quite great even when it’s passably good.

#glee liveblog #like yeah i treasure ali adler and i like parts of this plot #but certain aspects don't sit well with me #also joe is.... yeah #i guess i do have further thoughts but for another day #at least brittana get /something/ in s3 i guess #3x13 liveblog

[murdershegoat]

Im sorry but you absolutely gave the worst chaotic bi the permission to ask u hella questions. Here we go! Q1: Between Brittana and Faberry who would be more grossly affectionate in public?

brittana for sure their relationship has always had a level of public affection and also quinn is so freaking repressed theres no way shes comfortable w pda

#glee time #just in case anyone wants to stop from seeing these lol #Anonymous #asks

[theghostofashton]

What you say about the intimacy of Klaine, it got very frustrating in season three when we’d see Finchel or Tike kissing and sitting so close to each other every episode. I accept Fox maybe did not like the gay couple to be so affectionate, and that’s why we were stuck with them five feet apart, and hardly any kisses at all during season 3. Then a horrendous split in 4.

But I do wonder also about Chris’s mindset. Particularly season 5. Because there does look like there are times he’s checked out. There’s times Darren has moved in to improvise a kiss, or a hug , only to have Chris turn away. I think most of the improvised affection was at Darren’s instigation. Who knows why this is, was it because what was going on behind the scenes, and the real life saga. Or was it Chris playing Kurt as gradually becoming more closed off during season 5? Because it’s not just the Ny arc, but even in Movin Out and 100 you can see he’s less enthusiastic with Blaine than with his girl friends. And the writers choose to call it Kurt doesn’t like Pda.

hi anon. there's a lot to unpack here!

i think for starters... while i share your frustration about the lack of affection in s3, there was actually a pretty unfortunate point being made. it was addressed directly with brittana in 3x13, but sadly...that is the case, often, with affection with straight couples vs. gay ones. pda between queer couples is often seen as inappropriate regardless of how innocent it is. and the worst part is that it's still a thing, with the don't say gay bills being introduced all over the us that ban education on lgbtq+ topics to young children. so, while it's frustrating and heartbreaking that this is the case, i appreciate the double standard being shown because does still unfortunately hold up.

as for your other point.... i'm a little confused about what this has to do with chris, honestly? the moments you refer to where darren's improvising a kiss/hug (5x15 and 5x17 iirc?) seem like chris genuinely not realizing that's what he's doing, rather than him intentionally turning away. and him writing a cheek kiss into 5x19 feels possibly even intentional, as a result, him realizing he missed darren's couple tries at it and finally giving us that. i'm also not sure what you mean by him playing kurt as gradually more closed off? to me, he seemed so happy to have blaine in nyc and so sweet with his reassurances in movin' out, and as for 100... they only got one scene together, and it was joking about their sex life and then april's weird comment about inevitable divorce, that kurt seems more bothered by than blaine.

as for kurt being more enthusiastic with his girl friends than with blaine....i don't think you can really compare those things, to be honest? kurt is a gay man, he's not attracted to any of his female friends. the affection, therefore, in those interactions, is very different from the affection with his fiancé, not to mention he's back in the choir room, back in lima, the place he was horrifically bullied for his sexuality. i think....he deserves to be cut some slack if he seemed a little off. he was totally fine to hold blaine's hand in public in new york, a couple episodes later, so i don't think it had anything to do with blaine. (tbh, it could've also simply been chris' own excitement at seeing people like amber again - iirc darren said something about everyone just being excited to be together, and that might've bled over)

#i'm just honestly a little confused anon #i don't think this had anything to do w chris #i do think kurt was drawing into himself a bit in the nyc arc particularly after he was gaybashed but #i don't think it's a blaine thing i think it's a kurt thing #chris making decisions based on his perception of kurt and kurt's mental health #answered #anonymous #glee #long post

[amazonworrier]

Your thoughts on Brittana/Santana kissing are interesting. I want to point out, not to be awkward or cause any shipping war, but it wasn’t easy for Klaine either. Their signs of affection were limited also, probably by Fox censorship, and what could be shown for teenage gay or lesbian couples in 2010’s. Quite a lot of the klaine kisses were edited and cut short, or improvised or added by the actors, or just not written in at all: likewise their intimate scene at the end of 3:5 was changed, and they usually sat a good few feet apart in the choir room (blamed either on camera angles or because Kurt doesn’t do PDA - what nonsense). So I think that both couples were limited in what affection could be shown, certainly seasons 2 to 3 felt like that for Klaine; and Brittana too in 1-4.

Totally. My reference to Klaine was purely in the sense that they did at least get a little more rope than Brittana, but there's no denying both couples were censored to an extent. I just didn't delve deeper into Klaine in that other post because the particular ask wasn't about them. It was (oddly) about Naya's kissing skills which... I still can't quite wrap my head around. Hahah.

#anon #klaine #brittana #naya rivera

[insidesamevans]

I'm Coming Back To Finish The Series...

…but Imma rant first. So bear with me.

I hate Glee writers. Seriously, speaking exclusively from the standpoint of a Samcedian, these hoes suck. Honestly, I cannot for the life of me, figure out why anyone would wanna fuck with our ship. I wouldn't complain if the act of severing Samcedes helped to further plot points or something like that… but at this point I'm pretty sure the writers do it just because they can. I really can’t think of any fucking reason for Samcedes ending the series the way it did. No reason whatsoever. And the worst part is that I believe the writers only did that shit out of habit.

Stay with me here; I’m about to take you on a trip.

So who here remembers back when Season two ended with Samcedes holding hands surreptitiously in The Lima Bean?

Anybody?

Okay, so that shit rubbed me wrong a little at the time, mostly because I didn’t like Mercedes having to make do with a secret Boo, while everybody else was deep in true, public love. Plus Sam had just survived this truly God-awful year, so in my mind they deserved a little classroom PDA together. It bothered me, but still, the couple was cute. And I was fascinated by the ship, giving me a reason to do two things: a) go back thru S2 episodes and look for ninja moments of Samcedes together. And b) discover fanfic.

It was pretty much the end of my life as I knew it then.

I spent that summer (I remember being laid off work and doing the summer children chauffeur tour while collecting my pennies and doing intermittent temp work) discovering AUs. So many AUs… I read stories about how Samcedes got together as a couple. I pored over many authors’ rendition of their magical first summer together, I looked over my shoulder while reading smutty first-time narration, and I got my life. Which meant that the anger I SHOULD have felt over the fucking writers flinging Samcedes at us in the last minute? It never truly materialized.

So Season 3 starts and Mercedes is real quick to shit all over Samcedes, so of course I died a little inside. Intellectually I knew the reason behind the whole Tinsley-Gate thing had to do with Chord not being there. But my shit was wrecked! All the time I wasted getting hooked on a ship that was dead in the water? I wanted it back! So you can imagine my joy when Sam returned and spent the whole season chasing Mercedes.

This is where watching Glee became my sweetest form of torture. Because even though our couple had many and plenty scenes together and it was marvelous, they were never an ACTUAL COUPLE. So they had no right to all the stolen kisses and sweet moments together. And by the time the season ended and they were in the clear to be the Samcedes I needed to see… like, Promosaurus Samcedes for the win!

The shit fizzled out for no discernible reason whatsoever.

Why, tho? For what point? Why was it okay to display Kurt and Blaine’s relationship dashing itself on the rocks of a long distance relationship, Finchel dissolving in angst, Brittana hopelessly divided… but not Samcedes? Once again, they were broken up offscreen like stepchildren, and once again we had to rely on fanfic to provide the whole story. I knew in my heart that Samcedes could have been the one couple to survive the whole “c/o 2012 going off to college” thing. Cuz it wasn’t their first time at the long distance rodeo, but whatever. The people wanted to experience Bram in all its glory. So be it and all that shit.

Here’s where the fuckery resumes tho. The writers made it a point to put quote marks around Samcedes after Cory passed away. Bram took its last breath when Heather got pregnant, so that was no longer an issue. That Stevie Wonder episode was all about Mercedes, and Sam had a small role in boosting her up. Then the back half of Season 5 was pretty much their show. The grownup Samcedes Saga. They weren’t in puppy love anymore and shit was for real. So why split them up?

Go on, I’ll wait.

Why?

I’ll tell you why… the show runners didn’t give a shit about anybody other than Rachel, Kurt, and Blaine.

Tina and Artie might have gotten their happily ever after and Quick may have worked through all their shit, but for all we know Mike is married to Matt now. Like Rory and Sugar or Artie and Kitty, Samcedes wasn’t important enough waste a finale love story on. And it sucked because Samcedes put in the work; they deserved a wedding and a baby. Sam wanted it, Mercedes wanted it. Season 5 set it up for us to see; ergo it should have happened.

Instead we got a whole season of Mercedes relinquishing Sam to Rachel for only God knows what reason, and heavy innuendo suggesting that they will always be in love.

I call bullshit so if you aren’t ready to be inundated with MY version of events through the lens of this die-hard Samcedian, unfollow quickly.

Cuz it’s going DOWN!

#samcedes

[tuiyla]

Don't you find it strange that Santana was so openly handsy with Brittany in s1 but then spent the next two seasons freaking about people suspecting that she was gay? I am to this day very confused by some of their moments, such as caressing arms or legs in front of everybody. No actual couple in the entire show ever acted that way i don't think (some of them did make out during glee club but those moments were part or actual scenes, they weren't just background moments). I'm a Brittana sap and I love their very handsy moments but I just don't get how some of them exist in the first place lol

I thought this was ~only~ a week old ask but turns out it's been two weeks, apologies. Hope you're reading this. In return for your patience, I'm really gonna dive in lol.

I don't find it strange, actually, I think it works out very well in-universe. There are two main reasons why but they intersect. First, PDA between two girls has an entirely social perception and limit than between two men or people of different genders, regardless of their actual relationship status. I think culture is shifting ever so slowly and it's a complex issue, to say the least, but basically Sapphic love is both extremely fetishized and dismissed to a ridiculous degree. We'll get back to the fetishization part with my second reason, but the dismissal has become a meme over the years. It's not unheard of with gay men either that their relationship is dismissed as "brotherly" by those who'd rather pretend queer people don't actually exist, but it's even more true with Sapphic relationships.

It takes a lot for Sapphic relationship to be taken seriously, or at least it can take a lot. Weddings have bene referred to as friendship ceremonies. Gals being pals. Because the limit of what's branded acceptable in a non-romantic/sexual relationship between women is higher than for others, things that'd be considered PDA for actual couples flies with female friends. Some of my friends in high school touched each other in ways and were affectionate enough that, had one of them been a guy, they would have been told off by a teacher. Had they been guys, they would have immediately been labelled gay (but more like a slur version). But girls are allowed to be affectionate in friendships because of the gender norms we have. Brittana didn’t do anything I didn’t also see at my own high school tbh. Well apart from after they actually got together of course lol.

It's a double-edged sword, though. On the one hand, girls can be touchy-feely and no bats an eye, and it's a shame society doesn't allow men to express the same affection within friendships without assuming there must be something more there. But it also comes with a dismissal of when that relationship between two women turns romantic, because Sapphic sexuality is fetishized to the extreme but Sapphic love is brushed off. Girls being affectionate or even making out is treated as hot but not as anything serious. They couldn't possibly actually love each other, right? Not like that.

So reason number one, their affection was just considered to be gals being pals I think. Especially two feminine cheerleaders both known for getting around with guys, people didn't initially bat an eye. That's just Brittany and Santana being Brittany and Santana. From the pinkies to the hugs and everything else, I don't think anyone really stopped to think twice about how they behaved. I get that, with the hindsight that they were in love and also that it's 2022 now and times are changing, it seems now that surely, someone must have been suspicious juts going off on their physical affection. But as someone who was in high school in 2009, I think it's plausible that people didn't consider it to be anything strange.

But then we have reason number 2, that Brittana fully played into the other extreme in this equation, namely the fetishization. As we find out in 1x14, Brittana regularly go on dates with guys together or otherwise play into the male gazey idea of “oh, two hot cheerleaders!” Even taking it as far as two hot cheerleaders making out in front of guys, and who knows exactly what else. In this way, they really neutralized any potential rumours, at least for a while there in season 1. By playing into the idea that they’re only doing this for the pleasure of straight guys, they doubled down on the idea that their friendship is otherwise just that. I certainly don’t think any of the jocks stopped for a second to consider that Brittana’s relationship should be taken more seriously than some fooling around for the boys’ sake. It’s disappointing to see that stereotype be perpetuated but what can ya do.

So by season 1B, Brittana are widely known to be a) best friends who are very casually handsy with each other and b) girls who make out in front of guys and play into the fetishization. They exploit their own exploitation in this sense. I actually just recently wrote a small-ish section on this exact topic in season 1 for my latest Santanalysis; it’s not the main thing I discuss but part of it, and I think one day we should dive even deeper into this aspect of Santana and her relationship with Brittany. Because as I alluded to in my Brettiago post (iirc), the whole reason why Santana was bold enough to explore her sexuality with Brittany in the first place is because of this societal double standard. Because I believe she knew, even if subconsciously, that people would dismiss the idea that she has genuine feelings for Britt, that she could be gay. It’s just gals being pals and them being physical with each other for the sake of men.

I’d also just like to note that what we see of them in the choir room should be treated slightly differently, because ultimately the Glee Club was supposed to be this safe space and the choir room where they’re even more liberal with how they interact. Put aside that the choir room became their place, as they grew more comfortable in Glee and became genuinely attached, not just serving as Sue’s spies, I think even Santana was more relaxed with how she approached things. Brittany was relaxed to begin with, but it’s only at times like the Sectionals sex bomb or the Rumours situation where we see Santana tense up. And that’s a whole other convo, and how Santana’s illusion of heterosexuality falls apart is for another say and for part two of the post I mentioned. Coming to a dashboard near you this May lol. I’m just mentioning all this because I think it’s important to note that they might also have bene even more handsy in the choir room because Glee was supposed to be a safe space where even if people found out they were more than friends, it’s a different scenario than the whole school knowing or suspecting something.

Which also brings me to a point I just have to bring up because I woke up and chose violence against Finn Hudson today. Glee was supposed to be a safe space, so even as the events of season 2 unfolded and most Glee Clubbers found out about or at least suspected Brittana*, that’s not what Santana was terrified of. The whole school already knows, Finn said to try and justify his appalling moment where he betrayed this implicit trust of the choir room’s safe space. But they didn’t. And even if the ridiculous plot of the Congress race and political ads didn’t exist, Finn still outed Santana to a homophobic school where no, most of them hadn’t already known. I guess Santana thought that after Finn had not one but two episodes dedicated to learning not to be a dick with homophobic tendencies, he might have learned to be an ally. Or at least not someone who’d out a lesbian as a cruel attempt at a comeback.

*I think the show could have done a better job of establishing with at least a few key people how they found out about Brittana. That would have been an interesting element but season 3 proved they didn’t care about that. Finn knew and he chose to be a giant asshat with that info.

Anyway that was our anti Finn Hudson side tangent.

To close this off, I think Santana’s journey with her own sexuality and others perception of her is a fascinating and complex story. I think it’s more nuanced than “well if she didn’t want people to know she was gay she shouldn’t have acted gay.” To be clear I don’t think that’s what you’re saying  Anon, at all! But I have seen that ~excuse~ for The Outing, which, wow, I wonder how it feels to be heartless. I think what you’re saying is valid, their PDA is curious in light of their true feelings and Santana’s fear, but there are societal aspects to consider and how Brittana played into those. They only began to be clocked as different things piled up and, ultimately, as Finn pushed that final stone and it all came tumbling down. And now I’m sad about Santana’s worst fears coming true and really mad at Finn fucking Hudson. Ah well, jumping over to a different post to write about their season 1 dynamic should be fun, lol.

#this escalated but ah well #lots to consider #glee asks #anon #brittana asks #santanalysis #kinda gonna put it down as because i went off #brittanalysis #anti finn hudson #because he deserves it #brittana pda #any other tags needed i don't think so #santana asks #again kinda #the stroking legs in 2x01 audition was very fruity and makes me feel things #but i can see why they felt chill about doing that