In 2018, Steven Canals, Ryan Murphy and Brad Fulchuk created a ground-breaking television show set in New York City in the late 80s focusing on the LGBTIQ communities. That show is POSE and it’s noted for its stark and honest portrayal of the era. Our Lady J, who was co-nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 2021 with Steven Canals for Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series at the time of publishing, spoke with Creative Screenwriting Magazine about her efforts on the show.
Our Lady J was no stranger to the arts before turning to writing. She toured as a concert pianist for many years before making the change to a television writer. She even performed at Carnegie Hall! “I think the most important thing I’ve taken from music and brought to writing is the ability to work with others,” she said.
Being in a TV writers’ room is like playing in an orchestra. The showrunner is the conductor and you follow their lead.
Using the analogy to orchestras, a TV writer knows to play louder when her solo is coming up and to play softer afterwards to blend in with the orchestra.
Despite the similarities, television writing is not the same as playing the piano. Our Lady J knew that she had to look inward to succeed as a TV writer. “I felt really alone growing up and really struggled connecting with people. I found comfort in art.” It was through her love of the arts that she found the connection that she yearned. “It became the thing that saved my life. It gave me something to live for. It was my passport to the world.”
These feelings of disconnection permeated into the fiber of POSE. On a deeper level, it’s a TV series about realizing your place in the world, combating loneliness and alienation and, finding a place to express yourself. “The way we relate to each other in the modern world is often through what we watch on TV.”
Our Lady J. Photo by Hudson Taylor
In view of the voices of the LGBTIQ communities largely being silenced, POSE was the perfect remedy. Being ignored by the mainstream media created numerous problems and misconceptions about this community to outsiders. It created all sorts of problems such as mental health, housing, employment and discrimination.
“POSE is the same act as what our characters where going through when they created the over the top balls. It’s a show about community, acceptance, taking care of each other, being seen by others who are like us and connect… and therefore gain strength through visibility.”
Our Lady J is meticulous in her writing to accurately represent the combined experiences of the LGBTIQ communities. “I try to be fearless in my attention to detail. I try not to be afraid of words or of my shadow side.”
Like every strong writer, J dives deeply into the full humanity of each character in POSE. This process resonates with the viewers because it creates three-dimensional characters, rather than someone who’s purely aspirational. “I also shone a light on the characters’ shadow sides to show their bravery, strength, and selflessness.”
Elektra (Dominique Jackson). Photo by Eric Liebowitz/FX
Diversity and Inclusion is making its indelible presence felt on our screens. Does this trend result in a closed shop only accessible to members of particular communities?
“When I write about an experience that I personally haven’t been through, I keep in mind that the characters may know more than me. This keeps me curious about a character’s life. I never think I’m smarter or better than them – even the bad guy,” said the writer. This mindset allows Our Lady J to ask questions about who the characters are and what actions they would take to propel the storyline. Encouraging the visibility of such characters on screen allows the audience to perceive them more as their equals rather than ‘others’. It encourages the audiences to ask questions rather than make assumptions about them.
POSE is a unique show in that it didn’t relegate the LGBTIQ actors to support roles, but rather, brought them to the front – left, right and center. “Our actors, writers, producers and crew are largely members of these communities. The diversity we bring to the screen has never been matched before,” she continued. Hopefully this will create more opportunities for other creatives in these communities to tell their stories on screen.
Telling wonderful stories about the LGBTIQ community doesn’t implicitly insist on exclusively hiring LGBTIQ writers. “Some of the most beautiful dialogue on POSE was written by Brad Falchuk [a straight, white male]. He’s an empathetic writer who understands the human condition. If you really know yourself and your humanity, you can write for any character because you realize the connectivity of all humans.” That said, Brad was in a room with two other trans writers with whom he could bounce ideas back and forth and get clarity and authenticity. “If you choose to write characters outside your lived experience you need to be close to the source.”
This is especially true for trans characters who have frequently been portrayed in a negative light for so many years. “This was very damaging to our global psyche.” Some writers without intimate knowledge of the trans community might subconsciously impart their prejudices on trans characters based on previous representations of them. One aspect that Our Lady J has seen is non-trans writers undermining the intelligence of trans characters. “The strength, resourcefulness, and intelligence that trans people have to survive in this world makes us some of the sharpest people around.”
The POSE writers’ room is a cauldron of thoughts and ideas. The storylines were often collective, inspired by one writer and elaborated on by the other writers into a fleshed out scene. “I feel grateful that I can bring my experience of living with HIV to the writers’ room. It explored the fears, the commitment to survive, the backfalls, and the moments of vulnerability. All these feelings came from a deeply personal space.”
POSE deliberately doesn’t pitch itself as a show only suitable for the LGBTIQ communities. Our Lady J believes the spectacle of POSE brings in viewers from all walks of life. “There is so much glamor, celebration, and fun. The ball scenes were our way of expanding our audience.” These scenes not only countered the harsh realities of trans life, but they were also moments of pure entertainment, aspiration, comedy, and joy.
Our Lady J finds the craft of television writing less challenging than the business. The attention to detail and the poetry separates the average writers from the good ones. “When a writer makes their audience slow down to smell the scent and atmosphere on the page, it makes them memorable.”
In conclusion, Our Lady J offers her final piece of advice to writers: “Know the difference between confidence and entitlement.” The world is not unfair when someone doesn’t like your script. It doesn’t mean they don’t understand you or your artistry. It simply means it didn’t appeal to their sensibilities or their current slate at the time. Confidence is understanding understanding these factors or why your script wasn’t quite there yet. You need to do the work to move past your ego and get better at your craft.
