Fans Sign Petitions & Send Flip-Flops to Save 'Sense8'

In beautifully dedicated fashion, Sense8 fans have taken action to voice their disagreements with its cancellation on the first of this month.

Petitions have popped up all over the internet from Twitter to Tumblr and beyond to renew the beloved show for a third season, to continue to showcase diversity on mainstream television and find closure for the cluster's story.

Another, more creative, operation has gone underway, where fans are called to send a single flip-flop to Netflix with the message that "Sense8 needs closure like Lito needs his flip-flop #renewSense8"--a reference to a fan favourite moment in Season 1.

(Photo Credit: https://twitter.com/MelissaStout11/status/870972713141252096/photo/1)

If you're a fan of Sense8 and would like to show your support for its renewal, you can sign and share the Change.org petition here.

And/or if a more assertive motion is your thing, you can learn more about Operation Flip-Flop here.

Don't let this show go down without a fight!

Sending good vibes out to you my darlings,

~ Tilly ~

Netflix Cancels 'Sense8' on the First Day of Pride Month?!

Some sad news rains down on the first day of Pride Month. Earlier today, Netflix announced the cancellation of The Wachowski's Sense8 after its two-season run.

The drama first premiered on Netflix in June 2015, introducing us to eight characters from around the world who are all mentally linked, dealing with their own and then each others' daily lives and the mysterious and dangerous company trying to track them down. It wasn't a perfect show, oftentimes very unstructured, but it was a strong leap towards representation with a diverse cast that even included a trans-actress (Jamie Clayton) playing a trans-character.

Netflix's VP of original content, Cindy Holland, issued a statement today about the cancellation:

"After 23 episodes, 16 cities and 13 countries, the story of the Sense8 cluster is coming to an end. It is everything we and the fans dreamed it would be: bold, emotional, stunning, kick ass, and outright unforgettable. Never has there been a more truly global show with an equally diverse and international cast and crew, which is only mirrored by the connected community of deeply passionate fans all around the world. We thank Lana, Lilly, Joe and Grant for their vision, and the entire cast and crew for their craftmanship and commitment."

No particular reason for its cancellation has been stated but with it being a largely expensive production there could be a multitude of reasons. It does come as a hurtful surprise, however, with it having a much stronger second season and the fact that today is the first day of Pride Month--it all feels like a slap to the face of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Fans are understandably outraged, calling foul on all fronts, making queries as to why other less-than-impacting shows are receiving renewals when Sense8 was just building momentum. Adding fuel to the fire is the cancellation of Baz Luhrmann's The Get Down (also featuring POC's and LGBT+ characters) that was announced just last week after only a single season.

Losing two popular shows that not only represented but celebrated diversity has made the beginning of Pride Month feel a little despairing. 

But all is not lost, be loud in your disappointment, make it known that shows like Sense8 and The Get Down, that celebrate love and acceptance despite vast differences, are so vital in moving the world forwards. And then support the shows: raise their numbers, keep them buzzing, let Netflix know that we're not letting go without a fight.

Stay happy my darlings,

~ Tilly ~

An Introduction: What Pride Means To Me

Hiya! My name is Tilly. I’m a 24 year old bisexual woman--

--and I’ve never been to Pride.

“Somewhere Over The Rainbow” plays in the background.

I was very lucky to grow up in a household where my parents embraced individuality and uniqueness and applied a parenting style that created a subconscious that never said my siblings and I couldn’t be anything but ourselves. They had no expectations of us other than to be happy and healthy. So coming out March of last year was actually very uneventful. I gathered my family and announced: “I am bisexual!” My mother told me she loved me no matter what... and then proceeded to ask if she could continue washing dishes. I mean, my brother also clapped but that was really it. No glitter or confetti or Gaga in the background.

Just: you’re still you… but gay sometimes.

Which is phenomenal. Not everyone is as lucky to be accepted as instantly and wholeheartedly as I am, whoever I am. And I’m so grateful.

I’m still very new to the LGBTQIA+ community; still delving into the history, still hearing about other people’s experiences, and still trying to figure out what my place is. I have a few queer friends but really my only experiences with discovering the LGBTQIA+ community have only been through the media: TV shows, movies, books, Tumblr, etc. And for some people, that’s their only available connection because maybe it’s not safe for them to come out or they don’t have any queer friends or family or they’re still trying to discover who they are.

I’ve never been to Pride and I don't quite know what it means to me yet, it's the same for a lot of people in those situations above. So I think that’s a part of why representation in media is so important. Not only to resemble and accept a more realistic world full of diversity but also to reach as many people on this Earth as possible and give them something to connect and relate to.

That’s why I’m starting this blog.

I want you to think of it as a place for us both to help discover Pride and representation through reviews and news of television, movies, books, manga, comics/graphic novels, and video games that have LGBTQIA+ themes. I also want us to find a safe space here for all.

Maybe along the way, I can help someone discover what Pride means to them, find out what Pride means to me, and make my way to finally celebrating Pride next year!

Stay happy my darlings,

~ Tilly ~