levarthistory

[levarthistory]

Criminal Minds “Jemily” FanFiction Highlights The Need of Producers to Include Queer Voices Proudly and Publicly 

There are 3,289 works under the relationship tag “Jennifer "JJ" Jareau/Emily Prentiss” on AO3. These are two straight (as far as we know) female main characters depicted in the show Criminal Minds. Out of a rotating cast of 15 main characters we are given four people of colour and one queer woman, who just recently came out in the 16th season of the show. A huge popular critique of the show throughout the years was their choice to not have Emily and JJ have a romantic relationship, as they had obvious chemistry over years of seasons on the show together. The substantially sizable amount of fanfiction written about the couple exemplifies the need for role models representing queer love and healthy relationships, as well as complex queer stories and narratives. 

The AO3 FanFiction by “jemilysbaby” titled I'm in love with you and all these little things is a 2030 word ode to happy, healthy, queer relationships. This is a need that is in no way fulfilled in the show. “Emily pauses, pretending to think for a moment, before launching into the list of her favorite things about JJ. Her tone is filled with mock seriousness, as if she's listing a very important set of facts.” The FanFiciton centers around a very wholesome interaction between the two characters, as if they're in a pre established relationship. The dynamic the characters have in the story is one that seems very happy and healthy. “The Influence of Media Role Models on Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Identity,” an article from the Journal of Homosexuality, discusses the importance of positive role models in media. “Indeed, the notion that a role model's similarity to an individual is an important predictor of the role model's influence has been confirmed by a variety of studies demonstrating that people are more influenced by role models of the same gender or race.” This quote shows how young queer people can benefit from seeing positive queer characters in the media. When queer people see queer characters who are proud of their identities and are pursuing different life paths, it helps to instill that same self confidence and hope in themselves. Similarly, when queer folks are exposed to healthy examples queer relationships, they get a better understanding of good secure relationships that they can have as models. There is a huge need and want for portrayals of what healthy, happy, and loving queer relationships look like. 

In there’s an art to falling apart (I hope you put me back together) by “Iforgotwhatsthat” on AO3, the necessity of complex queer relationships comes to light. The “hurt/comfort” tag is used. This tag is to show that the work depicts a common trope of one character experiencing some kind of trauma, and the other character comforts them. This specific work centers around the couple as they are out on an assignment for their job and are navigating their unspoken feelings for each other. The work goes in depth on their feelings, thoughts, anxieties, and complicated dynamics.  A recent article came to the following conclusion, “The findings suggest that queer people feel, most of the time disconnected from the media images of queerness portrayed on-screen. Either due to their lack of diversity that fails to acknowledge the community’s heterogeneity, the using of stereotypes, the sensationalization of queer suffering, or the lack of the queer perspective within the narratives.” The writers need to depict these characters in a more complex way, highlighting the need for better representation of multifaceted and complicated characters and dynamics in queer characters and relationships. 

The poor representation in the show exemplifies the importance of representations of  queer love and queer stories and narratives in popular media. I'm in love with you and all these little things by Jemilysbaby and there’s an art to falling apart (I hope you put me back together). by Iforgotwhatsthat are just two of the 3,289 works that are begging for the representation they are not getting from the show.