OurPath (formerly SSN) Open Forum / Trigger Warning: Netflix's Firefly Lane

**Posted by ThisTooShallPass** February 17, 2021 1:32 pm

If you haven't watched Firefly Lane, but are thinking about it, I wanted to offer warning that there is a side story that might need a trigger warning. There are actually a few other issues addressed that might be triggers for other people, but specifically for straight spouses, just know that it seemed to go from a minor side story to playing a major part in one episode, and I spent that entire episode sobbing.

(I've never read the books, so I don't know if these parts were added or not.)

Last edited by ThisTooShallPass (February 17, 2021 1:34 pm)

**Posted by Ellexoh_nz** February 17, 2021 2:20 pm

ThisTooShallPass wrote:
If you haven't watched Firefly Lane, but are thinking about it, I wanted to offer warning that there is a side story that might need a trigger warning. There are actually a few other issues addressed that might be triggers for other people, but specifically for straight spouses, just know that it seemed to go from a minor side story to playing a major part in one episode, and I spent that entire episode sobbing. (I've never read the books, so I don't know if these parts were added or not.)

Strange....when I got home after my 5 weeks away my partner said to me "you should watch Firefly Lane...it's really good" so I stated watching it, got 10 minutes in and thought to myself "this is not the kind of stuff he's interested in!" I was a bit bemused and reading your post TTSP I'm curious about the possible triggers you found.
Can you elaborate? Does it seem to portray real life or is it another beautiful series full of beautiful people doing beautiful things with a token gay couple living their truth. I'll watch it if I have to but I'm trying to cut down on my own triggers

Elle

**Posted by ThisTooShallPass** February 17, 2021 3:55 pm

**POSSIBLE SPOILERS**

If anyone's watching and doesn't want spoilers, you might skip my post.

Elle, the gay brother is introduced early on. At first he was just doing his thing quietly (only one person knew about his male partner), but eventually he went deeper into the closet by marrying a woman without disclosing a thing to her. It does not allude to cheating or a sexless marriage or anything like that, but enough was said across one episode in particular to utterly destroy me as I saw the parallels to my own life. So that was my trigger. The wife doesn't get much face time either, she throws a couple one-liners that point to "red flags" but her story is not told.

Other triggers I noticed include teen rape and miscarriage.

As I said, I haven't read the book, but I just did a quick search - and although he was a character in the book, the article said his sexuality was never explicitly discussed and it was assumed he was straight. So, perhaps he was changed for the show to be one of the token diversity characters because the timeline of 70s-early 2000s give a lot of fodder for a gay male storyline.

**Posted by Ellexoh_nz** February 17, 2021 4:16 pm

ThisTooShallPass wrote:
**POSSIBLE SPOILERS**If anyone's watching and doesn't want spoilers, you might skip my post..

Thanks TTSP...yeah it sounds like it wouldn't upset me so much as make me angry. Another depiction of diversity that seems to glide past the individual pain of a character who doesn't seem to have any importance in amonst the clamour of the moneymakers to be on-trend with those crying out for equality

Elle

**Posted by Rob** February 18, 2021 7:51 am

"..marrying a woman without disclosing a thing to her.."

Thanks for the heads up.. crossing it off my list to watch. I'm not triggered by this so much anymore but have no desire to see it depicted as normal. Im sure the rest of the show is good.

Elle, you have to wonder if your husband may have wanted you to see this depicted as a normal thing?

**Posted by Moving in circles** February 18, 2021 8:52 pm

Thank you for sharing the triggers and details. I watched 1.5 episodes before seeing your message, and had naturally not contunied with it. I wondered where the brother story would lead. I was partly curious yet partly fearful.... It seems like SO MANY SHOWS are built on the premise of sneaky lies and divorce....or maybe I just never noticed before TGT. I'm done with that show now.

**Posted by OutofHisCloset** February 18, 2021 9:10 pm

I watched the first two episodes before your post, ThisTo, and had already decided I didn't like the show and wouldn't watch any more of it. (I didn't like the "successful" tv personality character.) But your post solidified that decision. Thanks for the head's up.