Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a sweet, campy series that celebrated female empowerment and broke new ground with clever metaphors and historic firsts, delving into LGBTQ+ themes. Recently, actor Amber Benson who played Tara Maclay reflected with Out Magazine on its lasting impact.

When Buffy premiered on The WB in 1997, it was still rare to see a teenage girl leading a show—let alone a romance between two queer characters. 

“You’re changing people’s perceptions of what it means to be queer. You’re reaching viewers, especially across our country, who may have never met a queer person but love Tara and Willow,” she said. 

“As an actor, you do so many roles where it’s just a job. But with Buffy, I felt part of something important, that it wasn’t just a show.”

She added: “It was at hand to people who were living in places where there wasn’t a community. I know (Alyson) felt the same way, that this relationship was iconic in so many ways. It was also about empathy and love.”

Willow and Tara are so important too me. The 1st LGBT couple I really saw on TV. I went all in at 14 years old and they truly mean the world. https://t.co/7tF1BF5M6m

— Hannah-4th Earp Sis 🇬🇧 (@EarpSista) October 29, 2024

For many LGBTQ+ viewers, Willow and Tara’s relationship was the first queer couple they’d ever seen, both on TV and in real life. While Buffy primarily focused on Sarah Michelle Gellar’s iconic vampire-slaying heroine, the relationship between Willow and Tara—played by Alyson Hannigan and Amber Benson—marked a significant moment in LGBTQ+ representation.

Their first kiss, shared in season five, was groundbreaking as the first televised kiss between a lesbian couple on American TV, giving hope to countless queer youth. Witchcraft in the show often served as a metaphor for the characters’ sexualities, providing a nuanced approach to on-screen queerness.

In one memorable storyline, Tara’s conservative family threatens to take her away and “fix” her “problem.” Her father demands, “She belongs with her family,” while her sister calls her a “disgusting demon.” But her friends defend Tara, with Buffy stating, “We’re her family.”

Later, Willow shares a pivotal scene with potential slayer Kennedy, marking the first lesbian sex scene on an American primetime show.