I totally agree with you on the writers room issue! It's a bit less easy to see, but it's definitely important for representation to go beyond shallow stereotyp

I totally agree with you on the writers room issue! It's a bit less easy to see, but it's definitely important for representation to go beyond shallow stereotype, and actually touch on real experiences. For an example from my background, the "gay best friend" is a pretty tired trope, and while it technically counts as gay representation, I don't feel connected to the character since it doesn't reflect my reality. So for me feeling seen extends beyond to just visibility, but to accurate representation of someone like me. Another reason why this "feeling seen" thing can matter to people is that stories can give people a template to imagine their own life. If I see a gay couple I can connect to, it becomes easier to imagine my own future - what my family may be like in the future, and what kind of person I might be in that relationship. And while it's absolutely possible to think of those sorts of things via straight representation, or just brainstorm separately, for me there's something extra to seeing it in action.