Other entries in the series can be found here. Most recently: Sansa/Brienne on Game of Thrones.
Rarely, there comes along a great, well-written show with a central pair of fantastic female protagonists whose love and support for each other is a tentpole of the series (Rizzoli & Isles, Buffy & Willow, Xena & Gabrielle). Then, that show inevitably feels the need to throw in a couple of (fe)male love interests for each woman as if to say, “Hey! Nothing lesbo happening here. At least not between these two!”
That’s exactly what Parks & Recreation did in a swift two-for-one: Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott) and Chris Traeger (Rob Lowe) arrived in Pawnee at the tail end of season two and by season three, they’re macking on Leslie and Ann respectively.
Ann and Chris are now having a baby. Leslie and Ben got married and are blah-blah-blah perfect for each other. But what if Chris and Ben had never stayed in Pawnee? Did Ann and Leslie need these two schmos?
The relationship between civil servant Leslie Knope and nurse Ann Perkins has grown so naturally into one of the best female friendships on TV. Where on 30 Rock, Tina Fey’s Liz Lemon and Jane Krakowski’s Jenna Maroney were “best friends” who barely tolerated each other, Leslie and Ann could hole up for days and never get bored of the other’s company.
Of course, it’s a bummer when people sexualize female friendships just because the women love each other and don’t try to tear each other down at every turn. So it’s gross when lascivious pervs turn a beautiful sisterhood into a porny fantasy, like so.
But in this case, Leslie and Ann really would be better off together, without the doubts Chris puts in Ann and the way Ben tries to rein Leslie in sometimes. Leslie needs someone to support her always, and though Leslie does harp on Ann’s looks, she also encourages her to do better for herself, to think of herself as smart and capable instead of just decorative, and to want the best for their shared small-town life.
Here are some thoughts on Leslie and Ann being in love.
1. “Tragically, we are both heterosexual.”
As Alice from The L Word once put it, “Most girls are straight until they’re not.”
2. They look amazing next to each other.
Ann is all blush and shyness, with her hazel eyes looking into Leslie’s baby blues for guidance. And Leslie is all fair and blonde on top of her. They’d be gorgeous together, a perfect yin and yang.
3. All the times Leslie calls Ann “beautiful.”
We get it. You think she’s beautiful, Leslie. Or in an especially revealing instance, you think Ann is “stupid hot.” (But more importantly, you also think she’s brilliant and have so much unflinching confidence in her abilities and expertise.)
4. The way they look at each other
Like they’re so, so proud of their baby and can’t believe the other one is really this awesome and kick-ass.
5. This hug
Can you just imagine them spooning after a long day of government work? Ann would be sprawled on the couch, her head in Leslie’s lap while Leslie strokes her hair and they watch old episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and eat night-time waffles. And then Ann would look up and smile softly and Leslie would be like, “What?” and Ann would say, “Nothing. Just you.” And Leslie would grin really wide and tickle her a little and they’d shift and snuggle sitting up with Leslie’s head on Ann’s shoulder, and Ann would say, “You’re amazing at what you do and I’m sorry today was hard” and Leslie would really, really appreciate it.
6. So much mutual support
They each genuinely and unselfishly want the best for the other. There’s no better foundation for a relationship than a friendship with this much trust, devotion, and love.
7. Leslie loves Ann more than any lame-o guy she’s put up with
Maybe Ann can’t find love because Leslie is her lobster.
8. This amazing realization and also, Leslie’s outfit
Look how eager Leslie is to show Ann off. They look like the best local government lesbian power couple Indiana has ever seen.
9. They get each other’s crazy
And they accept and love that about each other. Someone once said, “Love is finding someone whose crazy matches yours,” probably. Ann feeds off Leslie’s enthusiasm and Leslie is tempered by Ann’s logic. They make each other the best version of themselves.
10. They’re already the most important people in each other’s lives
Yes, Leslie loves Ben but Ann was here first — and truthfully, I think if it was The Good Son situation and Leslie had to save one and let the other fall off a cliff, we all know who’d make it back to JJ’s Diner in one piece. (Hint: It ain’t the Human Disaster.)
So there you have it: They find each other physically attractive, are super compatible, and are a better, more supportive match than the male characters they’ve been needlessly paired with.
In conclusion, Ann and Leslie together should be endgame of this show because that’s the relationship that’s been building since the pilot and the one that deserves to be paid off. Galentine’s Day for all!
Tags: ann perkins, femslash fridays, lesbians everywhere, leslie knope, local government lesbian power couple, making people lesbians by argument, night waffles, parks and recreation, stupid hot
I can’t get behind this only because it makes me think of Councilman Dexhart and the news anchors (as stated!) and his creepiness and then I get angry. I may be too attached to the fictional characters here, though.
Also because Ben Wyatt/Adam Scott aaf.
Then leave Femslash Fridays! This is not BEN WYATT FRIDAY
So if this is not Ben Wyatt Friday does that mean there will be a Ben Wyatt other day?
Please?
No. You have angered me.
Maybe you can have a Henry Pollard day, if you’re very good.
I would definitely take this as consolation.
This frightens me a bit.
You are right to fear me.
LESLIE KNOPE AND WIFE ANN
I mean, Ben/Leslie makes me incredibly happy and teary-eyed and I can’t wait for President Knope and First Gentleman Knope-Wyatt, but… ….. LESLIE AND ANN REALLY DO LOVE EACH OTHER BEST
Once I read some Leslie Knope/Hermione fanfiction, where Leslie was the president. I was kind of into it?
oh my god where is this
http://archiveofourown.org/works/362695 here!
You are both angels and I am resisting clicking at work because that feels wrong. Can’t wait to read this later.
Don’t say I never did anything for you: http://archiveofourown.org/works/362695
You guys, this fanfiction is THE BEST!
lol I wrote it and it is here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/362695
This is so beautiful. Thank you.
Yeah, this one doesn’t even require subtext. They are pretty nearly textually an “ILU but a relationship would ruin our friendship!” couple. They really are a modern-day Anne and Diana.
Oh man that description is perfect. I can just see Leslie getting letters (okay, emails) from Ann when she moves away (whyyyyyy?!) that are perfect but “contain a little too much Chris”*.
*Hopefully you’ve read Anne of the Island or this may not make sense
I got it! I got it.
I wish I could give this comment more thumbs up.
I am both convinced and desperate for waffles, even though it’s not nighttime.
If there’s one thing I have learned from Leslie Knope, it’s that waffles are for any time.
Because of this I just added a waffle iron to my Christmas list.
I forced (by which I mean saying, “I wonder who my Secret Santa is? I wonder if he knows how much I love waffles? I wonder if he sees this Bed Bath & Beyond coupon?” on repeat) my kid to get one for me a couple of years ago. Best appliance decision ever.
Closely followed by my getting the spouse that Cuisinart indoor grill/griddle that Nicole wrote about a couple of months ago for his birthday. Paninis for dinner! Waffles for dessert! Carb-happy family!
The tag: making people lesbians by argument. Here here!!!!!!
LESLIE AND ANN FOREVER.
When Ann leaves, I’m going to cry. I’ve known this since it was announced Rashida was leaving the show.
I WILL BAWL
I just know it.
Ann has always been my favorite character, even though the writers don’t give her much to work with. She really IS a beautiful, brilliant tropical fish. She just loves so hard and so much!
Plus “LeslieAnne” sort of sounds like “Lesbian”. So. Of course.
Ok, I have to say this even though I will incur vitriol. Um “LeslieBen” does too…
But Ann is so boring! and I think Ben is slightly less boring, althought still not good enough for the amazing goddess that Leslie is.
to quote Tracy Jordan, AM I IN A BARN, BECAUSE I AM SURROUNDED BY NAY-SAYERS (WORDPLAY)!
ALWAYS AND FOREVER. Ben/Leslie/Ann is also acceptable in my house.
I’m Team Ben so admittedly biased, but I disagree with your point about Ben reigning Leslie in. I don’t disagree that he does, but I’d argue that a) Leslie needs to be reigned in sometimes and b) there examples of Ann doing the same thing. Who forced Leslie to face reality over her hoarder tendencies? Who called Leslie a steamroller when she wasn’t giving Ben the space she requested? Who tried to stop Leslie from auctioning off to strange men at Jerry’s benefit? Ann has already tried to keep Leslie grounded; we just see it more from Ben these days since he and Leslie are a married couple and Ann is written into storylines with other characters.
am I gonna have to start banning straight people
Because I’ll do it. I’ll make this site a queer wasteland, with just me and three terrified lesbians and a lot of GIFs from The Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls In Love. DON’T TEST ME.
I volunteer to be Terrified Lesbian Number 1.
#2 right here.
You amazing, beautiful, powerful carnivorous butterfly. I will join the ranks of your Terrified Lesbian Army.
Make it a wasteland and call it peace, you wonderful, terrible, Roman imperial, sapphically inspired savante. I will march with that army as Terrified Lesbian Number 3.
Adam Scott is very funny and I like him and his character, but I would take this version of the show in a HEARTBEAT.
Also, in the interests of Femslash Friday, here is a moderately heartbreaking piece I read on tumblr earlier this week. Pretty relevant, I think! http://lalond.es/post/62659499378/the-girls-are-n…
Whoa, thanks for sharing that Tumblr post, sad as it may be.
Yeah uh Ben and Leslie are boring and dumb and awful. It is a vision of relationships that only exists in sitcoms. They are never actually confronted with actual challenges, they never have any actual chemistry, it’s just straight-man-and-goofball shit. Boring boring boring.
This femslash is way better than the canon, is my point.
You are wise. You will live.
All of your Leslie-Ben points are correct. They are just a man and a woman doing things in a hetero relationship at the “correct” pace and it’s only cute because people project their own hetero relationships onto them and because everything Leslie does is adorable (therefore, everything someone for Leslie is also great). BUT Ann is boringly written! And if she was with Leslie it would only be great because they’d be a lesbian couple on tv. I would watch it, but it wouldn’t make Ann any less boring.
Ann/Leslie forever BUT did you really just say Xena is a well-written show? Because ahahaha I have never sat through an episode without rolling my eyes so hard they start to hurt. The only two reasons for watching it are 1) Xena and Gabrielle’s relationship and 2) staring at Lucy Lawless’ thighs, oh my god.
The simple truth is this: In a game of marry fuck kill, presented with all dudes, Leslie has chosen to marry Ben and Ann has kind of defaulted to Chris. But if they were to be asked, at their most honest, they will say that they each have a fourth category: love of my life. And that is where they fall for each other.
My grown-up niece mentioned yesterday that she was dressing as Ann for Halloween, and was surprised by my enthusiasm (which included more than one-Traegeresque “ANN PERKINS!”).
She finds Ann a bit dull, I guess, and made the mistake of asking what I really liked about Ann, and suddenly I was spouting a torrent of accolades for Ann Perkins and the beauty of a relationship that amplifies the finest qualities of each person and for the portrayal of genuine and unabashed female friendship as it is so rarely seen in popular entertainment, all punctuated with outbursts of “you beautiful tropical fish!” and “you beautiful musk-ox!” and “No Ann, please. I beg of you, will you just shut your beautiful pie-hole?”
At the end, we agreed that:
A) neither of us is ready for Ann to leave Pawnee;
B) I might be unexpectedly over-invested in Ann & Leslie’s friendship.
Yes. Yes, this.
OMG, Leslie’s face in the first trophy wife GIF …
OMG, Leslie's face in the first trophy wife GIF …
I wish I could give this comment more thumbs up.
I was literally all BUT BEN and then I read this: “And then Ann would look up and smile softly and Leslie would be like, “What?” and Ann would say, “Nothing. Just you.” ” and my heart curled up like a kitten on a hot water bottle and I was undone.
No Femslash Friday this week? Disappointment!
Oh yes there was! http://the-toast.net/2013/11/08/femslash-friday-k…