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Eloise was the fandoms main example when they wanted queer women in bridgerton- she is the prime example of a common lesbian trope in media. I think if Eloise was canonically queer, and her main story was queer, the fandom would have a much easier time swallowing it because she is what they expect to see when someone says lesbian. She is the “loud angry lesbian” stereotype. So by instead making Francesca, the sparkler of the season and, by all accounts, the perfect daughter and woman for the days standard, canonically queer, it turns every stereotype on its head. This does not fit into people’s worldview, that women that are quiet and want marriage, want children, can also be lesbians. Francesca, at first glance, is the standard for women. So by making her queer, it is forcing the viewer and other producers and executives of the entertainment industry to face the fact that “lesbian” is not a personality trait. It is not a trope. Anyone can be a lesbian, and that is uncomfortable for people. It’s uncomfortable that a girl just like you can be a lesbian, that you can relate to her. People create this version of a lesbian in their heads, and Fran doesn’t fit into that.

I’m also against bisexual Fran because why does she have to romantically love a man? Why does a man have to be there for you? If your answer is “because the book” try again. The show is not the books. They have taken the bare minimum from the book and created the world from there and you were okay with it, so why is a lesbian the line you draw? You are okay with Daphne being the diamond of the season, you are okay with will and Alice being central characters, you are okay with half the cast being PoC, so why is a lesbian the line you draw? When season one came out and people were bitching about Black people being cast, they are racist. But when Fran is a lesbian and you are bitching about it, you are not homophobic?

Another argument I see is “what about bi rep?” And what about lesbian rep?? Personally I think Fran being a lesbian gives a LOT more interesting conflict and makes the story more compelling. Instead of a girl who’s first love died and oh look, she’s in love again! It’s, here’s a girl who’s not sure what love is anymore. Who feels different from everyone but saying it out loud is a death sentence. Whose best friend wants something from her that she cannot give him. Who desperately wants to be a mother, but she can’t because the way she loves is wrong. Who loves anyway. CONFLICT IN SHOWS IS FUN. if you don’t have conflict, YOU DONT HAVE A SHOW TO WATCH. I’ve seen a lot of people seemingly want a show that goes soulmates meet -> kiss -> fuck -> marry happily ever after, but that is NO FUN. Conflict. Is. Good. Antagonists, whether it be “im marrying your sister”, “im secretly whistledown”, or “be my mistress”, IS A GOOD THING. it drives the story somewhere and GIVES YOU A SHOW TO WATCH.

I also do not want people to think that when I mean “Fran and John should be platonic” I mean they are Just Friends who hang out sometimes. I want them to be platonic in the sense that i have never had someone understand me like you. You are everything to me. I don’t know how to stand without you holding me up. THAT CAN BE PLATONIC.

This isn't a purity thing. This is a "everyone stand with us against destroying the environment and giving asthma to poor people" thing.

Did you know that when one community says no to an AI data center, they specifically search out communities with fewer resources? Communities that can't defend themselves? And the pollution 100 percent affects their health and wellbeing, in addition to burning through our already scarce drinking water.

(also, btw, the book links are to the Storygraph, which includes content warnings for each one!)

smth funny and lighthearted about a security robot who'd rather watch TV then do its job? all systems red by martha wells (first novella in the The Murderbot Diaries series, 6 books, ongoing)

a complex, intricate political space opera following a warship AI who's lost (almost) everything? ancillary justice by ann leckie (first in the Imperial Radch trilogy) (fun fact! bc of space linguistics reasons, all characters in this series are referred to with she/her pronouns, making gender a non-factor - it's really cool!)

a dark story about travelling between parallel universes and a woman who is dead in almost every single one? the space between worlds by micaiah johnson (standalone) (SO good, i don't get to recommend it often enough!!!)

a story about grief and letting go, and a unique take on alien invasion? the seep by chana porter (standalone novella)

hey, how abt some dystopian YA, for old times sake? specifically, one with sapphics and sick mechas? try gearbreakers by zoe hana mikuta (first in duology)

or, if you'd prefer something a bit less angsty, YA about a ragtag group of teens and a space heist? the disasters by m. k. england (standalone)

alternate history steampunk that blurs the line btwn science fiction and fantasy? the black god's drums by p. djeli clark (standalone, novella)

a dark gone girl-esque thriller about clones? the echo wife by sarah gailey (standalone)

poetic sapphic romance and time travel? this is how you lose the time war by max gladstone and amal el-mohtar (standalone)

a hopeful utopian future and a human-robot friendship? a psalm for the wild-built by becky chambers (novella, first out of two) (this author's got a whole bunch of hopepunk sci-fi novels in general, if that's smth you're looking for!)

africanfuturism, coming-of-age, and cool jellyfish aliens? binti by nnedi okorafor (novella, first in trilogy)

spicy lesbian cyborgs? and shall machines surrender my benjanun sriduangkaew (novella, first in the Machine Mandate series, 6 books)

cosmic horror with an autistic scientist, cyborg angels and AI gods? the outside by ada hoffmann (first in trilogy, 2 books are out)

also, if you're a fan of Janelle Monáe, may i draw your attention to the fact that they've recently come out with a Dirty Computer short story collection, each story co-written with a diff writer?

this list is long enough, but have some more authors (who are not cis men) also worth checking out: rivers solomon, yoon ha lee, charlie jane anders, aliette de bodard, xiran jay zhao, mary robinette kowal, corinne duyvis