UNIVERSITY OF JYVASKYLA Department of Language and Communication Studies Intercultural Management and Communication “WE’RE HERE, WE’RE QUEER!” Exploring queer narratives in the series Sense8. ​ ​ Victor Khlistunov Master’s Thesis JYVASKYLA 2020 2 JYVÄSKYLÄN YLIOPISTO Tiedekunta – Faculty Laitos – Department Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Department of Language and Communication Studies Tekijä – Author Victor Khlistunov Työn nimi – Title “WE’RE HERE, WE’RE QUEER!”. Exploring queer narratives in the series Sense8 ​ Oppiaine – Subject Työn laji – Level Intercultural Management and Master’s Thesis Communication Aika – Month and year Sivumäärä – Number of pages March 2020 62 Tiivistelmä – Abstract This thesis focuses on queer representations of the characters in the TV series Sense8 ​ including two gay characters Lito and Nomi. The aim of the research is to define how the notion of queer is defined in the series. Three specific scenes have been selected for a closer ​ ​ look at sci-fi queer sex portrayal while narratives of the two seasons of the series are chosen for identifying queer representations and themes. The data is examined through the perspectives of queer theory, transhuman theory and previous research on queerness on TV and in yaoi/manga. The study is carried out using narrative analysis. This approach allows the thesis to determine reoccurring themes, character representations and development. The findings have shown that there is an established direct connection between the notions of queer and transhuman. The study has identified representations of queer normalisation, ​ ​ ​ ​ the closet and coming out, heterosexual plot and multisexual sex, diversity and inclusivity, traditional and fuild queerness. The thesis has shown that the series attempts to reimagine the default of sexuality while still sustaining heteronormativity. Asiasanat – Keywords Queer, gay, transhuman, narrative, TV series Säilytyspaikka – Depository University of Jyväskylä Muita tietoja – Additional information 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION 3 1.1 Background 4 1.2 Research aims and questions 6 1.3 Structure of the Thesis 7 2 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 8 2.1 Setting a scene for queer studies 8 2.2 Non-binary identities 14 2.3 Transhuman and sci-fi 15 2.4 Queerness on TV 17 2.5 Yaoi in the West 20 3 DATA: The TV series Sense8 24 3.1 Narrative analysis 24 3.2 DATA: the TV series Sense8 26 3.3 First demons 29 3.4 Going all out or holding back 31 4 QUEER ANALYSIS 35 4.1 Sensates 35 4.2 Queer victory 37 4.3 Coming out, twice 39 4.4 Heterosexual plot vs multisexual sex 42 4.5 Diversity and inclusivity 45 4.6. Traditional vs fluid queerness. Reimagining the default? 47 5 DISCUSSION 53 REFERENCES 58 4 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background In recent years there has been more and more research conducted in the field of queer studies including those focusing on different media. However, even nowadays literature or video materials including movies and TV-series where a queer person would be a main character are not abundant. From this perspective, the series Sense 8 is unique, since there are eight main characters, each with their own story, who can be considered as queer. The thesis considers them queer for a variety of reasons, including the fact that they represent the other, not ordinary and engage in sexual activities with people of different genders. Based on my analysis, the series carries social relevance; it can be argued that the showrunners intended for the series to encourage creators of new media to be bolder and push the boundaries. Clearly, the findings indicate that another aim of this series is to communicate through certain narratives that queerness is normal, to draw the attention of the public to the issue. In the ideal world queerness must be normal, it does not need attention, explanation or acceptance. The society might not be ready to overcome its boundaries and social norms. Some parts of the world might be more open-minded about sexuality and identity proven with widespread celebration of gay prides, legislation of gay marriage in parts of Northern, Southern Americas, Europe, Australia and Asia (Taiwan), changes in adoption rights which are a step in a direction of wider equality and tolerance. Nonetheless, other parts of the world still struggle to accept anything that does not fall into heteronormative agenda. The recent events of anti-gay rhetoric include shooting of an openly gay artist in Puerto Rico in 2019, the rise of far-right groups against equality march in Poland in 2019 and much more. 5 One of the gloomiest events in Russia will be discussed in more detail as one example of LGBTQ+ phobia in the world. In 2018 Russia saw the creation of an ominous website established by a group that call themselves “Saw”. It is a reference to the movie of the same title where characters are forced to play a horrid deadly game. The headline of the website said “Chechnya Comeback” reminding about hundreds of queer people tortured and killed in a series of purges in the region. The sole purpose of the website was to instigate violence by disclosing a list of gay activists to kill which included their names, addresses and photos. Elena Grigorieva was one of the people on that list. She was an activist, came out as bisexual and received many death threats. When her name was posted on the website the threats became more violent and together with other activists, she managed to close down the website. On 18th July she posted a status on Facebook asking police to find the creators of the ​ website. Two days later she was killed. Authorities do not agree to examine the connection between her murder and the “Saw” group or to investigate the website at all. However, this website is one of many problems gay people face in everyday life in the country. Gay dating apps are not safe to use as you can be hunted down, blackmailed, tortured or worse. There is antigay propaganda law prohibiting not only gay prides, but also any symbolics and the spread of any vital information. (Hall, 2019) At times and in places like this, Sense8 brings new hope to millions of LGBTQ+ people across the globe. It demonstrates and showcases queerness, including homosexuality, in positive light which can provide comfort, raise tolerance and acceptance and educating the population. The Sense8 series (Netflix, 2015-2018) was met mostly positively and with ​ approval (IMDb, 2018). It has a rating of 8.3 out of 10 on IMDb (2018) Internet Movie 6 Database. Some of the reviews call it “great series”, “best series of 2015”, “Even better than I hoped it would be” and many more (IMDb, 2018). It was nominated twice for Primetime Emmy Awards, twice for GLAAD Media Awards, and it is the winner of GLAAD Media Awards for Outstanding Drama Series in 2016 (IMDb, 2018). The series was hugely popular with the viewers binge-watching episodes instead of taking it slowly (Netflix, 2016). Binge-watching is understood as a practice of watching several episodes of the series, if not the whole season or the series itself very quickly one after another. The binge-watching might be because it is a crazy combination of heterosexual, homosexual, even multisexual sex, orgies, queerness and sci-fi. It is worth mentioning that the thesis unfolds a dilemma constructed in the series. The society imposes a heteronormative order, the alt-right movements are on the rise globally, non-mainstream sexual identities are discriminated, oppressed and opposed. Sense8 is a fresh new series with a unique style, narratives and conception. It advances and pushes stories of queerness, tries to reestablish the norms of sexuality and sex, blurs the boundaries between them. However, in the end is it all-embracing or does it uphold heteronormativity? 1.2 Research aims and questions The research aim of the thesis is to find out how the notion of queer is defined in the series. ​ ​ The study raises and answers the question of what is achieved with the notions of queerness in the series. The research questions of the thesis which will be enriched in later chapters are: ​ ​ 7 1. What are the ways the main characters are represented (in particular as queer) in the narratives of the series? What themes in respect to queerness emerge in the series? What tools do the showrunners utilize to build the characters’ queer identities? 2. How is the main characters’ queerness connected to their abilities, and what do the showrunners achieve with these connections? 1.3 Structure of the Thesis The thesis continues with chapter two introducing the key concepts connected with the thesis. Firstly, it introduces the concept of queer studies and identity. After that it presents the theory about pansexuality and non-binary sexual identities. Additionally, posthumanism, transhumanism and science fiction are discussed. Finally, the study discusses previous research of queer identity representations in TV series, yaoi and manga. Chapter three concentrates on and explains narrative analysis which is used for the analysis in the thesis Moreover, it introduces the data. It describes what the series is about, gives general information about the characters, their abilities and depicts the three chosen scenes as well as reasons why they were chosen. Chapter four analyses the representations and narratives of the queer characters. The final chapter concludes the thesis, discusses the analysis, findings, lays out limitations to the paper, implications and suggestions for future research. 8 2 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 2.1 Setting a scene for queer studies First, this chapter introduces the main term in the paper – “queer”. Previously the word “queer” was used to describe people, who are attracted to the same sex, and it highlighted the differences from the norms.