Daniela Sea, the new genderqueer character Moira on the L word, is only the second out actress on the show. She lends the melodramatic series in its third season a shred of the street-cred that it was sorely lacking. Not only the mostly straight-identified cast makes me think something’s off but, I have a bittersweet feeling when someone connected to the more artist-based, non-commercial community collaborates with mainstream entertainment. The LGBTQ community is just one social minority familiar with co-option and exploitation. Shouldn’t I be happy when media gets a little bit closer to representing what’s actually out there? I can’t help worry that Daniela, like Ellen DeGeneres, will eventually be doing American Express commercials or worse, interviews like the recent Redbook article in which both Ellen and the interviewer gingerly skirt around topics that could lead to discussing being gay. The frightening, larger issue is that like all minorities in America, the LGBTQ population is now only socially recognized if it affirms its identity as a consumer group.

I remember seeing Daniela Sea two years ago in the Lower East Side Beauty Pageant, where she walked on stage barefoot and played a wooden flute instrument. Held annually at the former Fez (R.I.P.), this was one of the few almost exclusively lesbian events and has died due to the rent-tyranny of Manhattan. Daniela didn’t win the pageant, actually one of my favorite performers, Dynasty Handbag did. As the time of year approaches when the pageant would be taking place (not sure if it will), I only hope that Daniela stays close to her old community.