I am going to say this even though I might get hate for it. I am not a fan of the change from Michael to Michaela from Bridgerton, and not for the reason you think.
I was told years ago, let me be really honest here for a moment, about eight years ago, after several visits with my doctor, I was told I could not have children due to PCOS and fibroids. I wasn't sure I even wanted kids, but the fact that I was told I couldn't have them was pretty devastating. I don't talk about it and I don't tell people because it's just something I have to push away and not think about because it sends me spiraling. I've had to convince myself that I don't want kids and am content to raise my nephew and niece. I love them, but am regularly told by both their parents that they aren't my kids.
Anyone that knows me knows that my two favorite Bridgerton books were Romancing Mr. Bridgerton and When He Was Wicked. Polin is my OTP. And Franny, to me, her story was perfect. Admittedly, when I pictured Michael, I thought of a hot Scottish man, and instantly thought of Richard Madden. But when they cast John, I gave it a chance, and LOVED the actor that played John as much as I love Hannah Dodd as Franny.
I couldn't wait until they announced who they cast as Michael, and then it was revealed that Michael was going to be Michaela. I was crushed. Admittedly, I love Michael Stirling. I love that he was the Rake of Rakes. He made Anthony, Simon, Benedict, and Colin look like amateurs. Benedict may have attended the Orgy, but Michael fucking started it! The Merry Rake.
And the real reason I was crushed... it erases all the problems Franny has in her marriage/relationship with Michael around her not being able to conceive. It causes a strain on their marriage as you see in her epilogue. She left Scotland to be with her family to give her a Michael time apart because it was causing such an issue. And the whole reason she stays in Scotland when he gets there is to see if she's pregnant, and if she's not, then he makes it his mission to get her pregnant so she has to stay with him and marry him because he's hopelessly in love her. And Franny, every day that passes and the possibility of her being pregnant is hope in some ways, but when she finds out she isn't pregnant, the disappointment she feels is... real. She and Michael even come to terms with the fact she might not ever get to have children. It's a crushing realization you have to make when you have no choice.
But now, they can't deal with that anymore because of the direction they chose. It would have made more sense (and honestly made me happier) if they had made Eloise a lesbian since she's truly the one outside of society with no real desire to be part of it. And that all could have stemmed from her having no real interest in being with a man, because she's attracted to women. Philip was already introduced in Season 1 and showed he had a cordial marriage to Marina, who was content if not happy. They could have left it at that.
All this to say, don't assume that I'm against the change because I'm homophobic or whatever. It's because there are so few women in popular media that struggle with fertility. Especially in romance novels and period pieces. The last show I can even remember seeing it happen was Monica on Friends. That was 20 years ago. It's not talked about. It's not acknowledged and yet it does effect a huge portion of society. It's taboo and they really don't talk about how it effects the women that have to deal with it. How lonely it can feel. How sad, because you're supposed to have your kids around you as you get older. Some of us don't or won't get this because our own bodies can't do what our bodies are supposed to do.
So, yeah, I'm disappointed not because there's a same sex relationship. Couldn't care if there is. I only care because they've done it to the one character on this show who doesn't end up with a litter of kids.
