Xena's Feminine Mystique
by Marion Williams
Zadok Perspectives Issue No. 63
Autumn 1999

The Power of Friendship

DESPITE THE OBVIOUS ADVANTAGES of Xena's great power, audiences understand that it means nothing to her without the strength and life gained from a loving friendship.
This tension between Xena's 'two sides' is played out in her close relationship with the blonde Bard, Gabrielle, who escaped from an approaching forced marriage to join Xena in her adventures.

Gabrielle is protégée as well as hand-maiden-or should I say 'warrior's companion'. Xena and Gabrielle have a mutual trust relationship, but Xena is usually the protector, mentor and 'all knowing one'. Gabrielle has brought the caring and soft 'human' side out of Xena; a side that was once buried under the 'warrior'. In a recent episode Xena said to Gabrielle, "I've seen so many changes in you, things I could never have expected. But as hard as the changes have been you've got to know that it's for a reason. All this is for a reason, otherwise what's the point? I was asking myself that same question when I first met you."

This vignette of the nature of their relationship has a 'sisterhood' feel, highlighting the help women can give each other in their journey to freedom. It can be suggested also that the merging of Xena and Gabrielle as an interdependent unit may in some way draw the female viewer into identifying and uniting both parts of herself; the tough, competent and strong, protecting the sensitive, vulnerable, nurturing and good. Most women would testify to the dangers of 'wearing' one's persona the other way round.

Not surprisingly, in light of such an intense portrayal of friendship, Xena has become a lesbian icon, which has helped the program achieve cult status. Mr Showbiz, in an on-line interview with Lucy Lawless, who plays Xena, quizzed her on the speculations about the nature of Xena's relationship with Gabrielle:

"Ah! You mean do we play up to it? . . . 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! . . . I think I can speak for some of the people who work on the show-we all like pushing the boundaries . . . We try to make highest common denominator viewing".

Liz Friedman, Xena's producer, calls herself a "representationally starved queer" (quoted in Woosh Online). "Honestly," she says, "we didn't write the characters to be explicitly lesbian. Going into it we never really had any thoughts about that. I think what we really wanted to do was we wanted to make a very strong and real relationship between the two of them in that their friendship does not consist of the two of them talking about their boyfriends and what kind of sanitary protection they like, which tends to be what you see on television when women talk. They have a real concern and respect for one another."

Intimate moments where Xena and Gabrielle are together seem to overlay classic images of a heterosexual-stance. There is sensuality with a subtle edge of eroticism and flirtatious banter, sometimes appearing as sisterly care, yet allowing an interpretation of romance. Perhaps the best example of this is the kiss between Xena and Gabrielle in the episode "Quest". The kiss occurs in a kind of dreamscape while Xena's spirit is in the body of a man. Xena and Gabrielle are shown at the beginning of the kiss, but just before their lips meet, the image changes to show the man and Gabrielle kissing. This scene has produced some of the longest 'Are They?/Aren't They?' debates in Xena fan-dom.

Diane Silver, in the August 1997 edition of Woosh Online, suggests we can apply a lesbian reading to Xena and Gabrielle's relationship due to its similarity to the daily realities of lesbian life, which consists of caring and vulnerability, commitment and the impact of loss of the other. One could argue, however, that these sentiments can be found and encouraged in platonic friendship.
Why is it that Hollywood is unable to portray intimacy without a sexual overtone? Are we, in our hurried and detached lives, producing a society which hungers for intimacy to the point where saccharin screen sexuality, as a substitute for true, deep connection, must appear everywhere for a decent rating?

It is hard to know how much Xena is written to cater for its gay audience. (Oh yes, by the way, the program is not just for the kids!) Is it a coincidence that most of Xena's heterosexual encounters were in the days when she was 'evil'? As a redeemed person intent on doing good she has rescued Gabrielle from an arranged marriage. Now neither of them need men, although opportunities abound. They have a choice.

How does this subtext translate to the cultural acceptance or diffidence to the lesbian relationship? A 'queer' reading of the text means we must deconstruct previously held stereotypes and understandings of homosexuality. Xena and Gabrielle, if they in fact are supposed to be lovers, contradict the stereotype of the lesbian as butch and somewhat invisible. They are sexy, stunningly attractive, have enjoyed men at times yet they choose each other at this time and place.

To: Spirituality in the Xenaverse

Marion Williams Marion Williams is a counsellor specialising in sexuality and gender, and director of Women's Ministries at Exodus, South Melbourne. She wishes to thank Xena-fan, Dr. Louise MacIntosh, for her kind input into this article. e-mail: Maz_Williams@iname.com