Homosexuality in Daria

The bulk of this article deals with one of the most asked questions in Daria fandom: "Are Daria and Jane lesbians?" Do the sixty-five episodes, two movies and two canon publications imply that either Daria or Jane are gay?

Affirmative Arguments

The closeness of Daria and Jane's friendship. Generally, any two same-sex characters on television seen as having a fondness for each other's company are seen as gay (e.g., Cagney and Lacey, Xena and Gabrielle). Daria and Jane seem to spend time exclusively with each other, at least for the first three seasons. We see neither of them spending any significant time with their opposite-sex counterparts at Lawndale High School until Tom Sloane appears. Curiously, even with "The Kiss" fresh in mind, the girl manage to go right back to being close friends again, a situation hardly ever seen in real life.

Daria has a very accepting attitude toward gay issues, if you take her comments at face value when she meets Cupid and St. Patrick's Day in "Depth Takes a Holiday", to wit:

St. Patrick's Day: Not another step, lassie.

Daria: All right, I'll sign.

Cupid: What?

Daria: Your petition for an alternative lifestyles parade. Where's the pen?

Glenn Eichler said in an interview that Jane could be straight but "curious."

Negative Arguments

Jane Lane did NOT have sex with Alison in Is It Fall Yet? She also dated only boys during the series (Bobby "Big Head," Ethan, Tom Sloane).

Daria and Jane both deny being lesbians as show hosts on MTV's Daria Day Marathon. Examine the following conversation they had between clips:

Daria: Okay, we're back with an online question from Brian H.

Jane: "Dear Daria, are you a lesbian? If so, would you be interested in acting in a film?" Wow.

Daria: Brian, I'm not a lesbian. But if you think you have to be a lesbian to play a lesbian, then you must think Tom Cruise drinks the blood of virgins.

Jane: Um, bad example.

Daria: Huh? Oh yeah, but you know what I mean.

Jane: I'm a lesbian!

Daria: You are not.

Jane: I know, but I want to be in a movie.

As another example, though one with a mixed message, is the conversation they had during MTV's Sarcastathon 3000.

Daria: Welcome back to Sarcastathon 3000. Is it cold in here?

Jane: Come on out, Daria. The cartoon body is nothing to be ashamed of.

Daria: If I come out, it's just gonna feed those rumors about us.

Jane: Hmm, wouldn't want to do that. Okay, then. I'll just do this nude painting of you from memory.