Does 'Andor' Pass The Vito Russo Test?
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The live-action incarnations of Star Wars have finally been brave enough to dip their toe in the proverbial LGBTQIA+ pool. After the brief kiss at the end of Rise of The Skywalker, Disney promised there would be more to come, but it took three years for Andor to fulfill that pledge. But are Cinta and Vel, Andor’s lesbian couple a giant step forward or just tokenism to appease queer fans?
The Vito Russo Test
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The Vito Russo Test was developed by GLAAD, the world’s leading LGBTQIA+ advocacy organization to monitor participation in media. Their website states that in a similar fashion to the Bechdel Test, it is a first step rather than a finish line. It is designed to check how well companies are portraying queer and trans roles.
The Vito Russo Test contains three measures:
The film contains a character that is identifiably lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer.
That character must not be solely or predominantly defined by their sexual orientation or gender identity (i.e. they are comprised of the same sort of unique character traits commonly used to differentiate straight/cisgender characters from one another).
The LGBTQ character must be tied to the plot in such a way that the character’s removal would have a significant effect, meaning the character is not there to simply provide colorful commentary, paint urban authenticity, or set up a punchline. The character must matter.
How does Andor measure up against this? It is actually a lot more complex than it first appears, so we’re going to break down each part of the Vito Russo Test and look at it individually.
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1. The Film Contains A Character That Is Identifiably Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, And/Or Queer.
Image Source: Decider
Andor nails this one. When Cassian arrives on Aldhani, it’s made known to him pretty quickly that Cinta Kaz and Vel Sartha share a bed, even if it is only just a camera cut away. It is enough to stop the audience from thinking that either of the women will be a love interest for the lead and lets them focus on the heist. There are several discussions between Cinta and Vel throughout the series gently reminding the audience that they are in a relationship. The word “girlfriend” is even used.
Interestingly, Disney Plus is not available in China or Russia, two big markets that may have demanded the scenes be cut. However, in Poland, sections of which are LGBTQIA+ free, the series is available for streaming.
2. That Character Must Not Be Solely Or Predominantly Defined By Their Sexual Orientation Or Gender Identity.
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Vel is absolutely not defined by her sexuality, but she is heavily queer-coded. She has been added to the canon as Mon Mothma’s cousin. When she reaches Coruscant we learn how she has rebelled against the conservative conventions of Chandrila that her niece Leida is embracing. Perrin Fertha (Mon Mothma’s husband) makes many jokes about finding a husband, and Vel shrugs it off, suggesting that same-sex relationships are not encouraged in Chardrilian society. Vel also has to change her personality around her family and Coruscant society, pretending to be just another spoiled rich girl.
We know nothing about Cinta before the events of Andor. The only titbit we are given is that her family was killed by Stormtroopers, but there’s no information about how this happened, or even what planet she came from. The only personal information we have about her is that she is Vel’s girlfriend. Cinta does not speak for the first two episodes that take place on Aldhani, and only has any meaningful dialogue when she is one-on-one with Vel. Her entire plotline is to highlight the difficulty of maintaining a relationship during the rebellion. She’s Vel’s girlfriend and not much else.
3. The LGBTQ Character Must Be Tied To The Plot In Such A Way That The Character’s Removal Would Have A Significant Effect.
Image Source: GameRevolution
Let’s be honest, if Cinta were cut out, not much would change. She is not involved in the main heist and gets left behind. She blows up the dam on Aldhani, but if someone had thought to plant a remote detonator beforehand then she could have been dispensed with completely.
After Aldhani, Cinta goes to Ferrix, but just sits and watches without any real part in the action. Removing her would not change what happens to any other character. The heist would still occur, and Vel would still visit Coruscant and follow Cassian to Ferrix.
On the other hand, Vel Sartha is crucial to the narrative. She is in charge of the robbery on Aldhani and is the balance to the deceitful Skeen, whose subterfuge would not have worked as a plotline if Cassian did not have a partner there to back him up. Vel is now a relative of one of the most important characters in the Star Wars universe, which also writes her into the creation of the Rebel Alliance. It is likely she will be around in Season 2 as well.
In Conclusion…
Andor does use one of its queer characters to shore up the storyline of the other. While no one is suggesting it is realistic for every single person on screen to have a well-developed arc, in a franchise that has been going for nearly half a decade and contains only a handful of LGBT characters, it might be prudent to give them something to do.
Although both Vel and Cinta are openly queer, their expression of love never gets flirtatious. They never show attraction, even suggestively. However, Cassian is pictured in the shower after sharing a bed with an unidentified female alien, clearly pointing to what had happened earlier. The show is rated TV-14 in the United States and PG-12+ in the United Kingdom, which gives Disney some wiggle room with what they can portray on screen.
Andor has passed the Vito Russo Test, but only half-heartedly. The next time Star Wars puts a rainbow on the cover and call it a "Pride" issue, they might want to make sure queer fans are not looking on cynically.
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Source(s): GLAAD, The Hollywood Reporter, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution Media Center, Wookieepedia [1], [2]
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