Why so many queer female characters die on TV

During the fall 2015 and spring 2016 television season, an estimated 242 characters died. About 10 percent were LGBTQ women.

As Vox’s Caroline Framke writes, queer women are all too used to seeing themselves killed off on television. For decades, gay and bisexual characters have met a series of unfortunate ends, usually in service of moving the plot forward, crushing the spirits of the partners they leave behind, or just making a straight person feel bad.

This bleak tradition of queer women dying on TV, aptly titled the “Bury Your Gays” trope, began even before television sets were a staple in American homes. Watch the video above to learn more about the fascinating history of “Bury Your Gays.”