Ilene Chaiken And ‘The L Word’ Cast Appear At White House Press Briefing

Ted Johnson
·2 min read
1
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Ilene Chaiken and cast members of The L Word: Generation Q appeared at the White House daily briefing on Tuesday to speak out on attacks on the LGBTQI community.

They were at the White House to mark Lesbian Visibility Week.

More from Deadline

“We’re delighted that The L Word lives on and speaks to a new generation,” Chaiken told reporters. “But we’re painfully aware that our struggles are far from over. We face new threats against our community, from online harassment to legislative acts of violence to actual physical violence. Astonishing, backward, mean-spirited attacks by groups and individuals who, in trying to deny our humanity, only diminish their own.”

Chaiken is co-creator, writer and executive producer of The L Word. She and the cast members were the latest showbiz figures to get the briefing room platform, following others including the cast of Ted Lasso, Cyndi Lauper and Matthew McConaughey.

Also appearing at the briefing were Generation Q cast members Jennifer Beals, Leisha Hailey and Katherine Moennig.

Karine Jean-Pierre, the first openly LGBTQI person to serve as White House press secretary, said that last year, she attended the filming of an L Word episode showing the marriage of the characters Bette and Tina, “a moment that meant so much to queer women across the country.”

“Even though I grew up in one of the most diverse cities in the world [New York City], as a young queer woman of color I felt alone and sometimes invisible,” Jean-Pierre said. “For so many people in our community, The L Word impact cannot be understated. Being able to see diverse narratives that reflect our lives is incredibly important. It is important that young people see characters on television and in the books who they can relate to, whose life stories and identities inspire them to reach their highest, highest potential.”

The L Word: Generation Q, a sequel series to the original, recently ended its run on Showtime, but a new series is in the works.

Best of Deadline

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.