The Golden Girls & Gay Marriage

[@markwhitman72]

Sophia"s answer made me tear up! This show was way ahead of the time!

[@anonymousx4378]

Mark Whitman I love this little old lady, why couldn't she have been my grandmother?

[@nassauguy48]

It was nice, but as a committed single man, I have to disagree with the statement about everyone wanting someone to grow old with. I seriously have never had that desire, and I know that I am hardly the only one. I so much value my freedom. Nonetheless, a very poignant statement on the part of Sophia!

[@christopherangeli1141]

@@nassauguy48I'm glad you at the very least appreciate the spirit of what Sophia Petrillo was saying.

[@katherinelong5411]

In real life Estelle Getty was very close to gay men and she done so much for the gay community.

[@christopherangeli1141]

​@@katherinelong5411 That's nice I suppose.

[@MyidolGwen]

Sophia's level of acceptance probably has to due with her raising a crossdressing son, thought she admitted she never liked it she tolerated it because she loved her son more than anything

[@JebarisBlueNose]

I can dig this. If you don't like the concept of gayness or being GLBT, the best thing to do is still love the person and show tolerance.

[@Xxsorafan]

Nathan Bjørnson how can u not like the concept but love them and be tolerant? That makes no sense. That “concept” is part of who they are and if you don’t like that you don’t like them truly

[@Meow2198]

​@@Xxsorafan You don't have to understand a person to love them, that is how boundless true love is. We all have different beliefs and ideas about how one should live. It's natural that some cannot understand or agree with another person's concept of life. That doesn't mean that they can't love each other. The love parents have for their children can pass their need to understand his/her concept. It's because you love them that you tolerate it. This is true in every relationships not just parent and child. It is the same as the concept that LGBT always preaching about "love has no boundaries". If this makes no sense to you, then you don't understand what true love is all about yet.

[@kaylgp]

Mas Galaw being gay is not a decision. it’s a big part of who someone is. you can’t say you love them if you hate who they are.

[@KalibreSteelblast]

@@Xxsorafan I hate the fact that my father watches Ancient Aliens and other pseudoscientific bullshit on TV. But he's still my old man, and dammit I'm still his son, and he's got more to him that I like than I dislike.

[@friedrichkass1644]

Sophia: "Blanche would you marry me?" She is so funny! No wonder that so many gays loved golden girls! They touch actually problems our society!

[@alexrajcevic7370]

Most of the writers were gay and got away with so much brilliant writing

[@samlsd9711]

Everybody loves Golden Girls. If somebody says they don't they must have a problem.

[@baimibrahim5626]

Friedrich Kass I watched it when I was a kid and hardly understand English and what is it about but it really amazed me how they had brought the idea long time ago

[@hh-bluedynamite]

I've read somewhere that when producing the episode where the girls attend Phil's (Sophia's son's) funeral, Estelle (the woman who plays Sophia) looked over her script and asked the producers if that can change the eulogy lines because she believed what was written would come across as homophobic and something that a mother should never say about her child. They agreed to change it.

[@jollyfighter7319]

Estelle Getty‘s nephew was gay and died of AIDS, she definitely was an ally

[@PeachWookiee]

@@jollyfighter7319 She was such before the term entered public consciousness. Estelle Getty wanted so badly to help her friends who were stricken with AIDS. She was a lovely woman.

[@saberiandream316]

Man, my respect for the actresses and the producers of Golden Girls just went even higher.

[@ajs11201]

I didn't know that detail, but I wouldn't doubt it for a minute. Estelle Getty was a staunch LGBT supporter. When she first signed on to Golden Girls, she suspected or knew one of the writers was gay, and she pulled him aside to assure him that she'd always have his back.

[@boglenight1551]

Unfortunately she was wrong, many mothers do exactly that.

[@00metta00]

Absolutely brilliant - way ahead of it's time. This show had some really wise writers.

[@MrSebboxxx]

the writers are unknown, thats a pitty :-)

[@boccs9925]

@@samlsd9711 I think you are deeply underestimating a woman's ability to talk about her own desires.

[@najeyrifai293]

@@samlsd9711 All I can say is that I feel bad for your girlfriend.

[@HauntFreak13]

Sam LSD Read a romance novel lol

[@Kenneth_villanueva27]

matured and woke writers

[@nothingbutintroverted4372]

this seriously made me emotional i hope these women are all up in heaven together eating cheesecake and reminiscing they helped move society forward

[@mattstewart1637]

Made a difference in mine when I came out several years later!

[@ajs11201]

Well, maybe not Bea Arthur. She actually disliked cheesecake. But I take your point and hope they're all celebrating their love and tolerance in the grandest of reunions.

[@tobiaswalker7562]

Probably are

[@justinnewton7366]

As a gay guy this show is awesome and way ahead of it's time... this was genuinius!!!

[@JoshyJosh]

The balance of funny/seriousness on this show was just perfect every single time

[@bookerjones8123]

It was one of the few sitcoms of that time that could pull it off. I used to hate it when TV comedies got 'serious' and 'sentimental' because they couldn't blend it with the funny stuff and it would be corny and embarrassing. Like you say, "Golden Girls" nailed it every time.

[@standoughope]

A dearly missed show.

[@sarahmoviereviewer4109]

+Ryan Swanson amen i have every single season

[@sarahmoviereviewer4109]

+Matt Allen Walmart had to find and in nc

[@standoughope]

+sarah “Sarah Movie reviewer” hayes I used to love this show as a kid so I decided to re-watch it as an adult thinking it'd be disappointing and/or it'd be too dated to enjoy but no. Loved it more as an adult. Way ahead of its time.

[@mtoffo2275]

Sophia is so sweet and funny in this scene, she manages to get the point across with simplicity, without being preachy

[@maggiebwashburn80]

I live in a small town in the south & I have a gay cousin that just came out to everybody in our family & this hit the spot! I can't wait to show it to his mother. :)

[@Andrew_Warden]

I hope everything is going good for your family and especially for your cousin who came out. It can't have been easy in a small southern town. He's lucky to have you as his cousin, and his friend.

[@JoshyJosh]

maggiewishbone80 Whatever happened???

[@TheHadesShade]

maggiewishbone80 so how did it go?

[@kz1000ps]

Oh Sophia... you never cease to amaze me.

[@Digital111]

It took almost 30 years for gay marriage, to become legal... that's sad..

[@jessiejames7492]

all in good time , all in good time...

[@conradschmidt251]

I am from Germany and I'm so pissed that every person in politics is talking about how important it is to give gays the same rights but they still don't want to make same-sex-marriage legal. :/

[@jessiejames7492]

I dont agree too but I accept it as a matter of fact...i cant change anything so? why bother.. let people live their lives their way. they have to answer for it...everyone does

[@LMedici]

+kefou kefak Same for Japan. A Country were You can Have Gay Sex and scream it Through the roofs, But not label yourself as Gay.

[@MIS315]

Inlustris you mean from the airing of this episode. it took a lot longer than thirty years

[@pichchoco7866]

That is why Sophia is the best character... she is an open minded person.

[@kenirainseeker539]

@Logia SD She comes around though, should watch the full episode

[@triciajohansen7124]

And funny as hell!!!!!

[@ajs11201]

All the actresses were very LGBT friendly, and probably most of all was Estelle Getty who was a fierce supporter and defender of gay men.

[@dcle944]

A wise person is someone who has a simple answer for a complex problem. Whoever wrote this little sketch is beyond brilliant. Not only it works perfectly for the characters, but it’s just so simple of an answer.

[@williamdiehl117]

You also have to credit the network (NBC) for allowing them to do an episode on this topic back then but the writers, producers and cast also all deserve lots of credit too.

[@FunJason84]

This show was WAY before its time.

[@AndyStarzs1]

Well everyone who worked on this show were really famous already lol. So I think they could get away with a lot lol

[@mervynanip9925]

I like it the way Blanche and Sophia’s conversation transcends over the matter. It shows the openess and acceptance of somewhat a matter taboo enough to be discussed openly.

[@TheBlueStar16]

She speaks words of true wisdom #PreachSophia 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@otaku_youtube_nerdforever4016]

WHY CANT EVERYONE BE AS EXCEPTING AS SOPHIA !!!

[@suzycreamcheesez4371]

accepting GN

[@baimibrahim5626]

Otaku_youtube_Nerd Forever not everyone has the hearts as she was

[@Vydio]

I believe she had trouble at first, like with Dorothy's friend Jean. But I think she gradually became more accepting, and actually tried to help Blanche accept it.

[@baimibrahim5626]

Vydio yeah everyone I think will have a hard time facing it , but don't forget we face the hardest time when we realize we are different 😊

[@katherinelong5411]

I know what you mean Sophia was a wise lady. Estelle Getty was very close to the gay community and she supposed gay rights, before she died.

[@jannapitts3188]

I have to agree with Sophia. We all want someone to love, someone to grow up with in life, and know that whatever little or big bumps life throws at us knowing that we spend those hard and or easy days with someone who help us cross down those paths it nice to hold hands at the end of the road and say together “See We made it. And we proved them wrong.~”

[@andrewh5136]

I don't think we'll ever have another show like this again. It gracefully and hilariously addressed so many sensitive issues that would offend people now.

[@kenirainseeker539]

Are you kidding? Christians hated this.

[@saberiandream316]

​@@kenirainseeker539 Yes, you're 100% right. They still treat being gay as a choice and a "sin" that goes against the actual values of a man like Jesus that they claim to love. By the same token, despite how inclusive the show is to the LGBT, the actual community itself would hate this, I know, because I've seen them say it's insulting that the extent of representation in the show is a gay woman whose wife died in a "bury your gays" trope, and a man who's a gay stereotype. Even though the show itself poked fun at all ethnic and national stereotypes, gay people are off-limits? I really hate this world we live in. It's not just the right wing that would hate this show today, it's the left wing as well.

[@garym444]

as a person struggling with my sexuality at the time with ultra Christian parents and a lot of intolerance around me due to where I lived which was a small city where it was perfectly okay at the time to criticize gay people I found this extremely validating

[@saberiandream316]

I just don't understand why the ultra-religious are so intolerant and hateful towards gay people.

[@kevinmay9151]

Good God the UNITED STATES needs Golden Girls more than ever right now

[@baimibrahim5626]

Wow, it's absolutely way head of time to bring such an idea of gay marriage , I never knew this before . And the enlightened come out of Sophia is something to be appreciate.

[@landyachtfan79]

This will always be my favorite episode of the whole series. If an 80-something year old woman gets it, then why don't people who are more than half her age?!!!!!! It's not about what you do & don't understand about the sexual aspect, it's about needing/wanting someone to grow old with, & EVERYBODY should have that chance, regardless of which gender they are attracted to.

[@joelfeliciano1548]

Sophia is absolutely brilliant! This show called that spade a spade way before we all sucked at life!

[@luisrtorres513]

Sophia was the most blunt and real on this show but I loved it when she brought out her soft side. She had the biggest heart and would do anything for the people she loved.

[@bitca222]

This will forever be my all time favorite show. I was 2 when this show ended but I know almost every episode by heart. So ahead of its time

[@jessicare5331]

Remember, this was the 80s.

[@NiVi192]

Sophia was one wise, open minded old lady!

[@emilybarnes330]

I will say this. I love everyone in this show but Sophia will always have a special place. So many people would kill to have a mom like her so loving and caring, whether she'll admit it or not. It is also so impressive to me that in cases like this Sophia is so rational and accepting of things that were more taboo back then despite the fact that she was the oldest and lived in the time where things like gay marriage was considered illegal or immoral.

[@vanessamogollon2919]

God bless Sophia (Estelle Getty) with such truthful and loving words. Now she belongs to the ages 😊❤️❤️

[@SamBoyd-yy9wh]

This show was so ahead of its time. Even today, gay marriage is controversial but back in the 80s it was almost unheard of!

[@rickyparker4552]

AMAZING WRITING!!!!!! This is one of THE BEST comedy shows from the last 50 years!!!!!! This kind of comedy is among greats like All in the family Good Times Maude Threes Company The Jeffersons Cheers WKRP Rhoda and Sanford and Son.

[@opal645]

love Sophia in this scene

[@bryansmith5279]

LMAO..... absolutely epic writing and acting.... such a great cast/show.

[@maximusmeridius1665]

Brilliant writing and a great show. Love Sophia's wisdom and common sense

[@divyajeetnayak6687]

No wonder it was one of the best shows of its time.... So good

[@baimibrahim5626]

Everyone want someone to grow old with. This has been my motivation for accepting who I am and never loose hope.

[@jennymason2522]

Sophia's level of Acceptance is quite amazing, probably right up there with my Grandma's too.

[@johnramjattan5461]

Since no one else said it...I will. This show was way ahead of its time!

[@Mochrie99]

There goes Golden Girls breaking down barriers. Is it any wonder so many people love this show?

[@tigertail68]

Beautifully, just beautifully, well done. Period.!

[@TheLongjohntim]

This show was and still is GREAT!

[@MrSebboxxx]

... when Sophia talks about sicilian men kissing ... its great ...

[@SuperGreatSphinx]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiss_of_death_(mafia)

[@chris4195]

This was a great scene between Blanche and Sophia. I don't think Blanche had a problem with gay people. I believe she just was a bit ashamed of her own brother being that way ONLY because she didn't want to face any possible harsh judgement upon herself. Many people have no issue with gays unless it involves one of their own. Blanche was somewhat insecure that way. She liked to flaunt her sexuality, but worried about what people thought of her and her family. So basically one of those "I'm fine with it, but not if it's my brother". But you can see that she already "got it" even before listening to Sophia. She just didn't want to admit it.

[@barcyorky]

So ahead of their time particularly when you consider these were older women and this made more than 30 years ago!

[@michaelrauch8629]

Forward but not in your face, funny but not mean, adorable but noy cheesy

[@1220hawkeye]

Sophia was awesome! RIP to these beautiful beings

[@avsfan73]

This is AMAZING!!! Sophia is such an amazing character but she got it.

[@jjaa6157]

My nephew married his husband a few years ago, and everyone accepted it.

[@sandekv]

Luckily the world has become more accepting of gay marriage since this show was on. As long as they're two consenting adults, I don't care who they choose to marry. Their marriage is between both of them, the state, and optionally any higher power(s) they believe in.

[@patrickmcpherson97]

What else can be said but-classic Sophia.😂😂😂

[@pyreneesgal5823]

I like how the series honed in on certain topics that were discussed a lot during this period of time.

[@NOACCEPTANCE772]

Not gonna lie, "Blanche, will you marry me?" almost murdered me

[@skysglcw]

Why? 🤣

[@errolpletcher9186]

Did y'all know that Estelle Getty personally took care of her dying nephew after he was diagnosed with AIDS? She opened an AIDS clinic in his hometown (Beacon Hill, NC) that's still open to this day.

[@madabbafan]

She also refused to take any part where her character would be homophobic or be any other form of a bigot.

[@dismith73]

'Sister of the bride' 1991 written by Marc Cherry and Jamie Wooten for the characters created by Susan Harris

[@SkepticalChris]

For many who aren't aware, Estelle Getty herself has had a long connection to the Gay Community, and especially when she took part in the play Torch Song Trilogy which happened right during the worst times of the AIDs epidemic. Estelle had many gay friends during her times on stage, and when AIDs hit, she would see so many of her friends, young vibrant people, be reduced to virtual corpses in weeks and then dying not soon after. She, like many people felt so helpless that they could do so practically nothing but just help them feel some comfort in their dying days.

[@nicksmith7118]

She also had a nephew who died of AIDS in 1992.

[@blueknight07]

I love how the golden girls was always able to sneak funnny moments in a very deep times.

[@Andelko3]

That is the Reason why I love the Golden Girls

[@KiiBon]

This show was very brave for tackling something like this in the 90's

[@penikatapeni4801]

To love someone is not just words, but actions. To tolerate, to accept because of love is action. It’s a choice not an option ☺️ thank you Golden Girls for being ahead of societies time

[@vitordragon]

A very special series! Very! Greetings grom São Paulo, Brazil.

[@islamelo8681]

vitordragon Olá, nós dois sabemos apreciar uma excelente série como esta

[@suzycreamcheesez4371]

aloha from Honolulue

[@ldoprado1]

Nós três... tb sou brasileiro!

[@XxEmoGothOutcastxX]

"Everyone wants someone to grow old with. And shouldn't everyone get that chance..?"

[@mildredmunoz7191]

Was and still is my favorite show.

[@edgarfilho6129]

What a beautiful remark! I love them forever.

[@julychee23]

If an eighty-something year old woman in the nineties could understand and accept , I would think that most people nowadays would too.

[@khalilcooper8830]

If presidential nominations were a thing I would nominate Sophia 100%

[@SimsMoyal]

So simple so true Yet there are people with darkness in their mind and hatred in their hearts who feel they have the right to deny other people such a basic right as love and they are using God's name to justify their evil nature an ill manners

[@Rashy225]

Sophia is adorable

[@andrewjerome6573]

I always found it interesting that Blanche, the most sexually liberal of all the Golden Girls, had a problem with having a gay brother. You’d think she’d be the most accepting and Rose the most uncomfortable with it 🤷‍♂️

[@kenirainseeker539]

You know how it is sometimes, homophobes projecting their own insecurities on others

[@silencemeviolateme6076]

Southern culture.

[@12classics39]

I think it’s because Blanche is Southern, an area of the US that is not exactly accepting.

[@madabbafan]

Rose was a bit like Edith Bunker, not the sharpest knife in the draw, she may not have understood it but she did understand marriage and family so tomher two men wanting to get married was a 'what? Huh? Oh, ok'

[@hoopsonwheels]

Hold up so acceptance was actually being taught in shows back in what was this the 1980s!?

[@kenhollis6197]

In the 70s, even. All in the Family, Maude, MASH, Cheers, and Soap had gay characters and storylines.

[@dragon22214]

@@kenhollis6197 mash even had an episode where a swedish doctor thought Klinger was transsexual and was going to help him get to Sweden so he could transition

[@Xxsorafan]

Yes people act like this gay agenda in the media is some recent things but is it so hard to believe that lgbt are people too and deserve the spotlight in media as well

[@mmr7484]

Way ahead of its time

[@rum_coke_17]

I remember when I was younger and my mind was kinda closed to this topic due to the fact that I was living with a homophobic and religious father (whom I haven’t seen since I was 11 when we kicked him out of the house) so I was pressured into going along with his beliefs that same sex couples were inappropriate and trans people were invalid. But as I got older, I finally opened my mind and came to realize a few things about myself that actually make a lot of sense.

[@alsunpilsut]

I love this show even more for this

[@ShadowCammando24]

Brilliant scene from a great show.

[@crazyframe4]

Why am I crying rn 😭😭

[@ryangroves596]

Hell yeah beautifully said

[@haniminhas6237]

Wow. I wish my parents would have watched this show in the 80s. Would have been so easy to make them understand

[@greenghost2008]

incredibly progressive for the time.

[@odin8352]

Now if it's only that easy to convince them 🤣

[@pichchoco7866]

Sophia the wise...

[@SuperGreatSphinx]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom

[@cesartavares899]

This show was way too good for it's time

[@jessiejames7492]

Bea Arthur opened a home for LGBT men and women who find themselves sidelined and ostracised..( before she died).She may be one herslef. i often wondered...what do you think...Those days actors kept quiet ...Then later , they didnt have to tell anyone it was law

[@katherinelong5411]

Bea Arthur wasn't gay. Bea Arthur was close to the gay community just like Estelle Getty was. Just appreciate what Bea Arthur and Estelle Getty done for the gay community.

[@jayveli1264]

We Stan Sophia

[@doesntmatter9809]

That's how much we live Blanche, even though she was anti -gay marriage, none of us were mad at her.

[@York22]

toronto peace zone because her opposition wasn’t out of bigotry it was about fear of the unknown

[@kenirainseeker539]

She comes around though, should watch the full episode

[@Father_of_Death]

Aww. Sophia is so sweet in this scene. I just want to kiss her on the head.

[@crisboy9858]

It is still the most watched show around Is it any wonder ? Can’t get this kind of show anywhere anymore and that is the sad part.

[@chiekokatsune8692]

Sophia would do well in Durarara.😂

[@MaritsView]

Imagine if Blanche said yes 🤭😅

[@skysglcw]

Omg 😂👀💀😳

[@Arjun-142]

Awesome

[@queen_of_domination]

Sophia was funny as shit!

[@breanajean4544]

so funny show Sophia is so so funny 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗😆😆😋🤗🤗🤗

[@deenkwaan9968]

Love this! :-)

[@avatarria9318]

I m not crieing you are for a sitcom of 70s Who respect the lgbt people TT

[@josabby474]

The show demonstrates that there’s plenty of comedy that hasn’t aged poorly.

[@Teddylyons]

Can we get more tv shows like this

[@alyshamarie7792]

I love them

[@JoeButter-j2c]

Awesome.

[@tristian2000]

I ship it

[@CosplayerPro]

Which episode it is ?

[@standoughope]

Season 6 Episode 14 "Sisters of the Bride" Hulu