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A Brief History Of Awkward Lesbian Kisses On Television

As part of it's Secret History of Television, Vulture took a look at lesbian kisses on television. It's a critical stance, with straight female characters getting surprised with same-sex smooches described as one of the "irritating tropes" of the 1990s and a frequently employed "dumb ratings stunt."

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Below, watch a  timeline of this manipulative move, going all the way back to L.A. Law in 1991, when Abby and C.J. locked lips. Other entries come from Roseanne, Ally McBeal, Star Trek: Deep Space 9 and of course, Sex and the City, when Carrie was surprised by a kiss from Alanis Morrissette. (Is that ironic? We can't tell.)

Such sapphic smooches weren't groundbreaking, as Vulture explains—there just to titillate straight guys, they were really a step backwards for LGBT representation on the small screen.

Fortunately, television has evolved and lesbian kissess are now used to depict actual lesbian relationships—between two actual lesbians! (Or between a bisexual and her prison girlfriend, but you get the point.)

Watch the informative clip below.

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