From a project I submitted for last week – apparently they’re still looking.

WOMAN TO PLAY A LESBIAN
Background
Female / 24 to 50 / AfricanAm, Caucasian, Hispanic, Mixed
You would one half of a Lesbian Couple looking to buy a home at an open house. We are looking for more of sterotypical Lesbian look – more butch.

I’ve learned not to be discouraged if a part goes out again after I’ve submitted.  I used to have a feeling of  “They’re still looking! They don’t WANT me!” but that’s my scared actor-lizard-brain talking.  20-plus years of performing finally quiets that sucker down.

When it’s a part looking for a butch/lesbian/queer woman, though, it does make me think twice.  I’ve been to the open calls for butches and lesbians.  I’ve seen the super skinny blonde girls with their long, long hair tied up in a bun and shoved mercilessly under a baseball cap, looking more like Prymatt Conehead than any respectable butch I know, wearing some sort of “sporty” t-shirt and their too-skinny jeans.

In the two years I’ve been in LA, there has only been ONE other butch that I’ve seen at either an open call or an agent-scheduled audtion that was, well, REAL.  We gave each other the Knowing Look. And I think she got the part, and good on her. When I signed with my agent, he asked me how I felt about the other women at the auditions I’d been getting for myself. My answer was “I’m the only one in the room who looks like me. That’s why I’m here.”

And, of course, I’m not forgetting that there are a few already-sort-of-famous folks like Julie Goldman and Skyler Cooper, among a few others, who scoop up the too-few parts.  I actually lost a part on a queer web series to Julie Goldman back in 2004, when both of us were the heavy funny butches (she’s way funnier than I, hence…).

So another day, another battle to be myself in an industry of stereotypes and chameleons. Another audition, another breakdown looking for a “smokin’ hot model-type to play a dirty lesbian. Must be comfortable touching another woman and kissing open-mouthed.” I could show them a thing or two about that, but apparently the ‘model-type’ I exude only sells Suburus and Olivia cruises, which I obviously buy with all of my lesbian-disposable-income. At least in those spots I get to wear excellent flannel shirts. (snarky wink)