Behind the Scenes of Grey's Anatomy's Lesbian Romance
This spring, Grey's Anatomy introduced a lesbian story line with a romance between the confident, sexually voracious Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez) and the professionally ambitious yet personally restrained Erica Hahn (Brooke Smith).
The plot line, culminating in the season finale, "Freedom," offered both the drama Grey's Anatomy has become known for and a groundbreaking truthfulness network television has rarely achieved when it comes to lesbian relationships.
For Callie and Erica, the season ended with a passionate kiss...
With that kiss, Callie and Erica became the only regular lesbian or bi-sexual female characters currently on network television.
This is also the first time that two regular stars on a network show have begun a lesbian romance, as opposed to one becoming involved with a new lesbian character introduced expressly for that relationship.
To prepare for the story line, which will continue next season, the Grey's Anatomy producers consulted with GLAAD, which worked with the series on a previous story line about a transgender character with breast cancer.
To read more about how the Callie-Erica story line was developed on Grey's Anatomy, and for hints at what's to come, follow the link here ...
June 17th, 2008 9:55 AM
i don't wanna see the character of lesbian in this series because i hate the lesbian even gay...
June 17th, 2008 10:45 AM
I hope they don't screw this up! Yes let them have issues it is Grey's after all but please please please writers don't screw them up just because they are two women!!
June 17th, 2008 11:34 AM
I think this affair is great and i like that at this point, it's light and fizzy. (I don't need crazy sturm und drang lesbian action on Grey's- that's where I feel ER mistepped.) Let them be just another couple!
June 17th, 2008 1:03 PM
As a Christian, I cannot support the writers and their decision to promote homosexuality. I have been watching this show since it started. I own every season and never miss an episode. If they develop this relationship, I will not be watching anymore.
June 17th, 2008 1:05 PM
They are not lesbians! They are straight chicks who are kissing each other. It is so offensive to call them lesbians.
Lesbians don't sleep with men all their lives and then all of a sudden decide to be lesbians like this.
This was the last straw for me on this show.
June 17th, 2008 1:51 PM
Loaf! There are a lot of women out there who get to a certain age or time of life and realise they are lesbians. Not many but they are out there!
I for one an not offended by calling 'Callie' and 'Erica' lesbians.
MerDerlove! I'm confused, your name suggests you are a MerDer fan. Derek broke marragie vows, they have had a LOT of sex out of marrage yet ... you love them!!
June 17th, 2008 2:28 PM
some people are so narrow-minded!
isn't it better to love, even if it is someone who's the same gender, than to hate?
and I'm also a Christian, by the way, but the bible says that you are not suppose to judge. AND it never said lesbians were sinners. its says a man shall not be with a man, but it never says anything about women. just saying.
I cannot believe how judgmental you guys are. Your gonna actually stop watching the show because they made a gay storyline?
June 17th, 2008 5:09 PM
I agree with JEnny 100%, how ignorant can you people be. I'm offended for the gays.. Whats so wrong about abc accommodating a lesbian storyline. That just shows how far we've come whether it was fighting for african american rights or all the horrible stuff that divided this nation, its like we still haven't learn. This is 2008 get use to it gays are apart of our society they are human beings just like us. If you think they're committing a sin, I'm sorry to be the one to say it but everyone commits there own sins, it's not up to us to judge each other but just to try and live and respect others whether we agree or disagree with the choices we make. Grey's made a bold move and hell it's the best they ever made I'm tired of watching Merder break up and make up. What else is on!!! Callie/Eirica thank you Well done Shonda Rhimes.
June 17th, 2008 5:28 PM
I agree with MerDerLove. I am a Christian and I think that homosexuality is wrong and disgusting. There are a lot of things that happen on this show that I do not personally agree with, but I have still watched each episode and purchased each of the seasons DVDs. If this show promotes homosexuality, I will not watch it anymore.
June 17th, 2008 5:29 PM
Are you serious that the bible says "Man should not be with man" and you don't think that applies to women? It definitely applies to women. Marriage is for a man and a woman.
June 17th, 2008 9:54 PM
im not religious at all, but let me stick up for religion's behalf:
dont even kid yourself that you are a good person and a good christian by not watching grey's due to its gay storyline. if being a 'good christian' is that important to you then you wouldnt be watching grey's in the first place cos adultery and lying and sex before marriage are all storylines that grey's has been having that the bible is against. your viewpoint is not due to religious reasons at all, but rather your societally imposed homophobia - which is a fair enough viewpoint if that hatred of things unknown (even if it is love) is how you want to approach this.
i dont mind if you take this viewpoint - you're entitled - but dont try to kid yourself that you are morally superior because of it. if anything, id say it was hypocritical. just say you're homophobic and call a spade a spade - its not your fault, its just that yall have had no exposure to what exactly a homosexual relationship is and are scared and insecure about new unknown things: which is why it's so great that sara ramirez and brooke smith are doing justice to this revolutionary storyline :) to open people's eyes.
its a shame that love has boundaries whereas hate has none, dont chu think?
June 18th, 2008 6:38 AM
okay, listen up. the comment about the bible not saying anything about lesbians, was kind of a joke! I was just pointing out the fact that you can be a Christian and support gay people.
and why on earth would you watch the show in the first place, if you are so religious? they get married in Vegas, sleep with married men, get STD's ect ect.
I guess if you don't want to watch the show anymore, it says more about you than it does about the show.
And DO NOT blame religion for your homophobic thoughts.
June 18th, 2008 10:30 AM
cute
June 18th, 2008 6:05 PM
Jenny and getoveryourself,... pls I want you to be my friend. With people like you, I have faith! One day, all the stubborn, homophobic will be gone from the earth!!!!!
June 18th, 2008 6:06 PM
To add to my comment... I am a non religious person but I do have respect for person that are very religious as long as they respect me. Sounds like a difficult concept for some of you.
June 18th, 2008 8:18 PM
cheers to that, friend.
June 18th, 2008 10:31 PM
I don't care if a show has lesbians on it, but I still am tired of writers forcing it. Callie was great as a sexy woman with curves, but now you're tossing her into a storyline because it's the 'in' thing to do. Yes, women CAN decide they're lesbians later in life, but tv makes it seem like that's the norm. One day you wake up, REALLY like your friend and WHAM Lesbian. They portray male characters as tortured and trying to come out for years, but the women are all....'oh, I'll think about it a week or two, but SURE, let's go!' Just stop making the pieces already there fit what you want to do. The character was great and ground-breaking as a sexy plus sized woman. Now she's just another stereotype of a strong woman who can't be with men. Great.
June 18th, 2008 11:46 PM
i understand what you are saying: like finally we have a cool sexy normal-sized woman character on tv representing, but now shes being used to further another cause and its like - but the first cause was fantastic enough!
i reckon it was over a period of weeks that callie discovered she had feelings - and i think that denial is a pretty strong ego-defence mechanism. addison is the one who pointed it out to her. i personally dont think it was too short a development (for tv), but yeh - i hear what you are saying about being a tortured gay in the closet for years, and i think thats true in a lot of cases. but i think it is callie's personality that forces this forward - shes very confident and passionate and goes for what she wants - hello? remember how she pretty much picked up george and mcsteamy on the spot?! she was like: what up fools? are yall coming or not? the train is leaving the station :)
so she has been denying it and trying to escape it, but once she faced her feelings through the power of unsubtle parallel storyline girl, lola, why wouldnt she apply the same forwardness toward erica? its just the character's passionate truthful nature. thoughts?
June 19th, 2008 2:50 AM
You have to think there was 5 week between 4.11 and 4.12 if Callie and Erica where going out a few days a week having lunch together the feelings will have developed. It would have been nice to see it but ... writer strike screwed that!! lol
June 19th, 2008 1:26 PM
I can't believe you guys are going to stop whatching the show just because two women kissed. There have been much worse things on the show, and other TV shows. I am a christian to, God will not kill you if you are whatching a show with Lesbians on it. He just wants you to believe in him. Lighten up, and continue whatching the show, don't you want to see what happens with Mer/Der?!!!
June 19th, 2008 9:03 PM
Just had to post that Grey's has been my favorite show since it began. Missed a few episodes & turned it back on to see Callie/Erica. What a huge disappointment to see that this show is trying to promote homosexuality! If the story line between Callie/Erica continues, I for one will stop watching.
From the previous posts, I realize I may be called homophobic, judgemental, hyprocritical, etc. That doesn't bother me at all. I'm just tired of yet another show trying to "normalize" homosexuality. I stand firm on my belief that this kind of love is for a man and a woman.
I do hope I can look forward to watching Grey's again in the fall. However, I won't think twice about finding a "new" favorite show if homosexuality becomes a norm on this one.
June 19th, 2008 11:05 PM
I cannot believe that Shondra is making Callie a lesbian. She has always been one of my favorite characters and now that is ruined. I wouldn't mind the lesbian thing so much if it made any sense. Callie has never given off any lesbian vibes. She has always seemed like a character that really enjoys men. On the other hand it is not hard to see Erica as a lesbian at all. Hell, it would make more sense for Meridith to be a lesbian than Callie. After all, she is the one with all of the relationship and committment issues. Don't get me wrong. I would not want Meridith to come out as a lesbian either! Wouldn't that have the message board overflowing. LOL
June 22nd, 2008 6:26 AM
I think both characters were 'straight' at first. The writers, in my view, started to bring their friendship to another level over time. When Erica first arrived she & Callie got along like a house on fire; it wasn't until Addison's visit that it became obvious to all; and Grey walking in on Erica when she was with the psych to me indicates that Erica was trying to come to turns with her feelings for Callie as it was all new to her. Then of course, Callie telling the young girl she would regret not being honest with herself later, made Callie realise she had feelings for Erica also.
It will be interesting to see how the story line is developed; is it a one-off for both characters or true love that strikes them, surprising themselves but being honest enough to accept it?
Well done to the writers etc, this does happen in real life, when you meet your soul mate you meet your soul mate - regardless of gender.
June 22nd, 2008 5:45 PM
I agree completely with OneAussie. The writers have done a magnificent job with this storyline! In todays day & age u think ppl would be more accepting of different ppl, who ppl r & what they do! I think the writers made a great choice of putting Callie & Erica together. As OneAussie said it happened over time, it wasnt forced. It was unexpected by both characters and now they are trying to work out how to deal with it... and what step / road they should take next... Thank u to the writers for coming up with this storyline and also to Brooke and Sara for the magnificent & high level of acting!
June 22nd, 2008 6:52 PM
callie and erica are the best bi- sexual team and the first ever in the whole season of grey's,,,,they are the best and the most controvertial lovers ever,,,,the most shocking finale of the grey's that i watch is the best,,,,,, didn't expect that that was coming!!!!