Syd-nificant Other

Following my last post on One Day at a Time, I really wanted to talk about it again, specifically about the reoccurring non-binary character of the show, Syd!

Syd initially appears in the episode "To Zir, With Love," the third episode of Season 2. They identify as non-binary and uses the pronouns they/them.

credit to anonymous on tumblr

After Elena meets them online through their advocacy group The Feminist Gamers of Echo Park, the entire group meets up in real life and Elena learns that Syd is also gay, and that they have a crush on Elena.

credit to anonymous on tumblr

Syd is one of the only non-binary characters I can name in mainstream TV shows, especially as a character who is not the butt of transphobic jokes. They become Elena's Syd-nificant other (more on that later!) in episode 5 of Season 2, and share their first kiss as well.

Syd is a wonderful example of a beautifully handled out non-binary character. Originally in the episodes following Elena and Syd becoming a couple, Elena and others would refer to Syd as Elena's "girlfriend."

This sparked some comments from fans, who wondered why Syd, who is non-binary, would identify as Elena's GIRLfriend.

The writers took this into consideration, to which they made episode 2 of Season 3, where Syd expresses their desire to change their relationship title to something more fitting to them. After a lot (and I mean a lot) of attempts all around, from "my everything" to "better whole" to "person-friend" and "gay of sunshine," Elena tries out significant other, to which Schneider puns up to Syd-nificant Other and it's PERFECT.

credit to anonymous on tumblr

It's really validating to see a show take into consideration what their LGBT fans say and then actually take action into fixing it accordingly. I've never felt hurt or unheard by this show, I feel apart of it, like I belong. A lot more shows should make us feel like that, don't you think?

Although I'd love to go on about this show forever, I do want to provide you readers with more recommendations of shows, or tell you other shows to STAY AWAY FROM.

So, this'll be the last post on ODAAT. I hope you check it out!

Good-bi for now,
Nelly