Leisha Hailey and Kate Moennig reflect on 'The L Word' in memoir 'So Gay For You'

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4.2 • 672 Ratings

🗓️ 18 June 2025

⏱️ 9 minutes

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Summary

By the early 2000s, only a handful of queer female characters had ever been featured on television. Then, The L Word entered the scene in 2004, exploring lesbian identity, friendship and sex over six seasons and a 2019 reboot. Now, two of The L Word's stars – Leisha Hailey and Kate Moennig – are out with a new memoir So Gay For You. In today's episode, the authors talk with NPR's Juana Summers about the way representation of queer characters has changed since the 2000s, the parts of the show that didn't stand the test of time, and their tips for lifelong friendship.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, it's Empire's Book of the Day. I'm Andrew Limbong. They were a batch of TV shows in the early 2000s that had to do two things.
0:09.7	One, be entertaining, and also, two, introduce queer culture to a sheltered, closeted America.
0:16.4	I'm talking about Will & Grace, queerist folk, queerer for the straight guy. Still, there weren't
0:21.9	many shows specifically focused on queer women, but then came the L-word on Showtime. That show
0:28.0	show was an important cultural phenomenon, and you can see its fingerprints all over television
0:32.3	today. Leisha Haley and Kate Minig were two stars of the L-word, and they've got a new memoir
0:37.2	out about their time on the show titled So Gay for You.
0:41.1	And they spoke to NPR's Juana Summers about not just what they loved about the show, but also some of their regrets.
0:48.6	That's ahead.
0:50.2	In the U.S., national security news can feel far away from daily life.
0:55.0	Distant wars, murky conflicts, diplomacy behind closed doors.
0:59.5	On our new show, Sources and Methods.
1:01.6	NPR reporters on the ground bring you stories of real people, helping you understand why distant events matter here at home.
1:09.2	Listen to sources and methods on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.
1:14.2	By the early 2000s, only a handful of queer female characters had ever been featured on television.
1:20.2	So just imagine the buzz when the L Word premiered in 2004.
1:24.4	Okay.
1:25.9	Melanie slept with Heather.
1:27.2	Okay.
1:28.3	Heather slept with Brooke. Melanie slept with Heather. Okay. Heather slept with Brooke.
1:30.6	Heather slept with Brooke?
1:31.7	Yes.
	...

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