The current era of girls-kiss relationships and romantic storylines is the best we’ve ever had—but that bar was tragically low. We have moved from “shock value” to “slow-burn depth” and from “tragedy” to “joyful complexity.” However, we are still plagued by cancellations, the male gaze, and a reliance on coming-out trauma as a crutch.
For decades, the image of two women kissing or falling in love on screen was either a punchline, a tragedy, or a titillating secret meant for a male gaze. Today, that landscape has shifted dramatically—though not without growing pains. The rise of intentional, well-crafted romantic storylines between girls and women (from teen first-love dramas to adult slow-burn epics) has become one of the most emotionally resonant and politically significant movements in modern storytelling. This review examines the current state of "girls kiss" relationships and their romantic arcs, celebrating their triumphs while critiquing their persistent shortcomings. The Evolution: From Subtext to Center Stage For much of film and TV history, queer female relationships existed in coded language. Think of the longing glances in Rebecca (1940) or the tragic sacrifice of The Children’s Hour (1961). The infamous "buried gay" trope—where one or both women die by the end—dominated for decades ( Fried Green Tomatoes , Bound being a rare exception). Even in the early 2000s, a "girls kiss" was often a sweeps-week stunt on network TV ( Buffy the Vampire Slayer ’s Willow and Tara being a groundbreaking, albeit cautiously handled, exception). 2 Sexy Girls Kiss
Unlike many heterosexual romances that rush to a big kiss or bedroom scene, the most memorable sapphic storylines cherish the small things: fixing a collar, a hand held under a table, eye contact that lasts two seconds too long. A League of Their Own (Amazon, 2022) excels at this—the romance between Carson and Greta is built on whispered conversations, shared cigarettes, and the terror and thrill of being seen. The current era of girls-kiss relationships and romantic
Moreover, these storylines challenge straight audiences to empathize. A well-written sapphic romance is not a niche genre—it’s just a love story. When Carol (2015) or Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) captivated mainstream audiences, it wasn’t despite the gender of the lovers; it was because the longing, the restraint, and the passion were universally human. Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5) The Evolution: From Subtext to Center Stage For