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ABC, Arizona Robbins, Callie Torres, characters, Disney, equality, gender, GLAAD, grey's anatomy, Jessica Capshaw, lgbt, popular culture, relationships, representaion, Sara Ramirez, shonda rhimes, Shondaland
In light of recent events, I feel someone needs to give a voice to one of the characters who has become the victim of a lot of hatred among the general Grey’s Anatomy audience. I’m talking about, the once adored, “Good Man in a Storm,” Dr. Arizona Robbins. When we first met this perky Pediatric Surgeon, she instantly captured the hearts of many, myself included. According to TV Guide’s, Matt Mitovich, “she quickly established herself as a fan favorite,” describing her as “a breath of fresh air in the often angsty halls of Seattle Grace.”
I couldn’t agree more. She definitely brought some lightness and a new energy to the series. I mean, who can forget the first time she breezes by Dr. Bailey on her heely sneaks? Has there ever been anyone more adorably quirky than Arizona Robbins?
Who wouldn’t be immediately intrigued by this character? This kind of quirkiness was something that was very new to Grey’s Anatomy. But there was something more to this blonde, blue-eyed, “girl-next-door,” than met the eye. There seemed to be this edge to her. She said it herself, “Don’t let the roller skates fool you. Peds is nothing but hardcore.” And she wasn’t kidding, as you get to know, Dr. Arizona Robbins, you begin to see that underneath that cheerful demeanor lies this bold, self-assured woman, who isn’t afraid to go after what she wants. Just go back to the first time she meets Orthopedic Surgeon, Callie Torres.
I mean, whoa, that is one confident woman. ‘Beat Your Heart Out’ indeed. And yes, it’s at that moment that we discover, Arizona Robbins, likes the ladies, which would go on to make her “the only lesbian series regular in Primetime TV.” Talk about an exciting time for television and equal rights. Having someone like Arizona Robbins on a popular show like Grey’s is important because she represents a lot of people out there who exist in this world, who are very rarely portrayed on TV. What’s great about Arizona is that she’s not some stereotype. She is shown to be a multifaceted character, who is not defined by any one thing, not even her sexuality. Arizona does not wear it on her sleeve. It is merely one aspect of who she is. And that’s what makes her so wonderful. Through Arizona’s story, she has the power to change people’s perceptions and preconceived notions on what it means to be gay. She shows that even though gay people may not be part of “the norm,” they are in fact, normal. They are doctors, they are daughters, they are sisters, they are mothers, they are wives, they are your friends. Heck, they may even be you. Arizona’s presence allows people to get to know someone they may otherwise not have a chance to meet. And as a result, it can lead to understanding and acceptance and even love for someone who might be different from you. Not only that, she can be an inspiration to those who might be struggling to live their own truth. Seeing someone just like yourself is empowering because you realize you’re not alone. If she can be strong and secure in who she is, you can too. She was such a positive symbol for members of the LGBT community. People judged her on her character, not her sexuality. But given all the drama of the last two seasons, I think people forget why we all fell in love with her. They’re focusing on all the bad. And now it seems because she’s a lesbian she is being a held to a different standard. Take a look at this pic from Instagram:
Maybe we need to be reminded why she was so well received in the beginning and why it’s so upsetting to see all the venom being thrown her way. Here’s a look back at some of her most shining moments:
Remember this beautiful scene from Season 6 when Arizona tells Callie she never had to “come out” to her parents because she never had boyfriends, ever. Callie was different, as all her life, she had only been with men. So, this being with a woman was all very new for her and was having trouble with her family who was reluctant to accept this new discovery. So, Arizona, ever the voice of reason was there to offer Callie some perspective on where her father was coming from.
Despite the many efforts of Dr. Torres to convince her father, “you can’t pray away the gay,” he still couldn’t seem to accept his daughter. (Interesting choice of words here…was this when Callie was still being labeled (by Shonda Rhimes) as a late-blooming lesbian? )
Anyway, back to Arizona. Seeing her girlfriend still making no head way with her father, what did our strong, loving, protector do? She took it upon herself to defend the honor of the woman she loves by delivering this heartfelt speech to Callie’s dad.
That scene will go down in Grey’s history. Not only do we see just how good our Good Man in a Storm is, but we also see how incredibly sweet she is when it comes to Calliope Torres. And just how persuasive and moving Arizona can be with her grand speeches. It’s one of my favorite things about her and probably what solidified my love for this character. Arizona Robbins is honorable. She is a person with a strong moral compass and is a woman of strong convictions. Who can forget the time she stands up for George O’ Malley and his decision to join the army?
In addition to standing up for what she believes in, she is also an amazing doctor. One who advocates for her patients and is well-respected because of it. Remember when one of her patient’s families donated 25 million dollars to the hospital, as a result of her genuine concern for their son’s well-being?
Season 6, episode 8 “Invest in Love”
That gesture is a true testament to the kind and caring person Arizona is at core. She doesn’t do things because they’re popular. She does things because it’s what feels right to her in her heart. And no matter how hard she tries, she can’t help but worry, not only for her “tiny humans,” but also for her co-workers and friends. Look how concerned she is about Alex Karev:
But, just like anyone else, she does have her faults. She is after all, human. Arizona can be seen as a little bit selfish and a self-described, “Know-It-All, Type A.” But she is the first to acknowledge that, sometimes, she does in fact, “misread things. And calls a situation wrong.” I don’t think we can forget the elevator scene from season 5 where Arizona apologizes to Callie for calling her a “newborn,” and asks her out on a date.
This was the beginning of their story which held such promise. And was an image of what a stable same-sex relationship could look like. But somewhere along the way, things began to fall apart for this couple and for this character.
Many fans would say, Season 7, signified serious changes for Callie & Arizona’s dynamic and was when we first started to see the character assassination of Arizona Robbins. And when it became increasingly evident that she was being used more as a plot device to advance Callie’s story, than as a fully realized individual. The egalitarian relationship they once shared became unbalanced with Callie calling the shots and taking away Arizona’s voice. It was like Arizona was constantly being punished for leaving Callie at the airport to do work with underprivileged kids in Africa. Sure, the way that situation was handled was not ideal, but in Arizona’s defense, I think she did it with good intentions. She knew Callie didn’t really want to leave her life in Seattle and was fearful Callie would end up resenting her down the line, if she went with her. So, Arizona said, “you stay here and be happy. And I’ll go there and be happy.” It was devastating for both of them. And Arizona’s trip didn’t last long because she realized her love for Callie was too strong and no job was worth being apart from the love her life. So, she shows up on Callie’s doorstep 3 months later in hopes of being reunited with her great love. The look on Arizona’s face when she sees Callie again pulls at your heart strings. And when she says, “you look really pretty,” you can’t help but turn to goo. It was obvious how much she had missed her girlfriend and how much she wanted her back. But Callie was still angry and heartbroken, so she slams the door in her face. They do ultimately reconcile, but not until Arizona learns that in her absence, Callie, had become pregnant by Mark Sloan. And Callie gave her 5 minutes to decide if she was in or if she was out. Arizona had no time to process this information, but was so in love with Callie, of course, she was in. And here begins the modern family storyline that Callie’s portrayer, Sara Ramirez, was so passionate about telling. And where Arizona was suddenly made to feel like second banana to Callie’s baby daddy and bff, Mark Sloan. Any time, Arizona, would express displeasure with this situation and attempt to talk about her feelings, like an adult, Callie would shoot her down and accuse Arizona of being jealous, or that she had a problem with Callie’s being bisexual. Which is a belief we now find out even series creator, Shonda Rhimes, shares, since she recently said, “Arizona has always been a little “dismissive,” of Callie’s sexuality.” I think that’s outrageous and untrue. Sure, there are some lesbians who are “suspicious of bisexuals” because they fear, they “will go back to men.” And some, like Arizona, say, “are you one of those fake lesbians visiting lesbian land?”
But is that being dismissive? Or is that a legitimate concern? Because some women do visit lesbian land as a phase and after they have had their fun experimenting, they do return to “the normal” heterosexual relationship. Those women are not bisexuals. How was Arizona to know which category Callie truly fell in? When Arizona first met Callie, she had only one brief affair with another woman. And it was when Callie was first learning about her sexuality. And from what Arizona knew, Callie, fell in love fast and hard, with women and men. And had to wonder if it was really about being in love, or about who just happened to be there. Arizona wanted to feel like she was special. That she stood out from the pack and that Callie truly loved her more than anything or anyone else. But it’s pretty hard to feel secure, when you’re constantly being told to put up or shut up by the person who’s supposed to love you most. I think we need to remember some of the things Arizona had to endure while Mark Sloan was still in the picture.
Who can forget the scene from season 7, where a pregnant Callie dictates how the evening is gonna go down? She is to have a foot rub from her baby daddy, while her girlfriend, Arizona, is busy in the kitchen cooking dinner for all 3 of them.
Is this “normal” behavior of a bisexual person? Or is this more a representation of a polyamorous relationship? Because I don’t know of any other couple, gay or straight, where this would seem acceptable. Do we really think that if this were Meredith and Derek, Addison would come over, spend the night, and give a foot rub to her ex-husband? And we wonder why Arizona would say it looks like some sort of “bi-dream.” That, again, is not bi-phobic, in my opinion. Honestly, it is a stereotype, a negative one, that says a bisexual can’t be happy unless they have both men and women. They’re said to be greedy and indecisive. Not sure what Grey’s Anatomy was tying to convey with this 3-way parenting story, but it certainly looks like they were perpetuating a negative stereotype. Not only that, it looks like they were placing more value on the man in the family unit, than on the lesbian who’s role was constantly being diminished. Just look at the way Mark, Callie, and Arizona leave the hospital after Sofia was born.
Arizona is trailing behind the biological parents, even though she is the one engaged to Calliope Torres. And these are just a few examples. Let’s not also forget how many times Mark made his way into Callie and Arizona’s bedroom and Callie treated it as a joke, instead of respecting any sort of boundaries.
What’s even more gross than Callie laughing about him walking in on them, is the way the show makes it all about the male getting pleasure from seeing two women making love. It turns it into a joke. Like the time, Arizona, was upset that Mark was looking at her boobs. It made her uncomfortable that he would just stare at them, but what did Callie say, “so, they’re good boobs.” Again, Arizona’s feelings were trivialized. This would become an ongoing theme for Callie and Arizona. Even the day Arizona asked Callie to marry her. Arizona and Callie were supposed to go on a romantic weekend together, leaving their worries behind. No work. No Mark. Just them. But that was not acceptable to Callie, who just couldn’t put her phone down for even five minutes to devote her complete attention to Arizona.
I don’t know about you, but this would make me feel like anything but special. I’d feel like I didn’t matter. But, somehow, Shonda Rhimes and Sara Ramirez are now spinning it to demonstrate how unfairly bisexuals are treated. And using Arizona as a symbolic plot device to illustrate the bias that exists among some lesbians and society, as a whole, toward the bisexual community. Instead of uniting everyone, they’re being divisive in their quest for bisexual visibility. And at the same time, coming across as a little sexist, hetero-normative, and lesbophobic. And if that’s not troubling enough, let’s not forget that in Season 9, Shonda, in an effort to keep the show “fresh” and to give the writers “fertile ground,” she made the decision to have our “Good Man in a Storm” cheat on Callie, during a storm! Something that seemed completely out of character and was ill-timed as well, considering the writers had already made Arizona pretty unlikable in the way they handled her post-amputation storyline. There were many interviews around that period that said the series would be delving in to what that kind of trauma would do to a person and that they would be exploring a PTSD storyline for Arizona, but that somehow never made it to the light of day. None of it was ever fully developed and a lot of stuff was happening off screen leaving the audience to fill in the gaps. And a lot of the writing had become inconsistent. So much so, that in season 10, they had to do a retcon episode to try to explain why the cheating happened. But still, viewers are divided on the issue. Some say, Arizona is flat out selfish. Some say, it was her way of regaining the control she had lost, in her life and in her relationship. That decisions were no longer being made by her, but for her. And the leg was just a catalyst that brought all those deep seeded issues to the surface. She had been a good man in a storm for too long…pushing down her true feelings, in a way to keep order and a way to be a wife for Callie, even if she hadn’t truly healed. Others say, the cheating was a result of Arizona no longer feeling like she was enough for Callie, which she tearfully admits to April, in church, just before Kepner is about to be married. There were other signs that point to this as well. Callie was disengaged whenever Arizona would try to talk with her. Callie asks Arizona who Lauren is and just as Arizona starts to tell her, Callie proceeds to talk about Bailey and how they need to “fix” her.
Sadly, I think Arizona was feeling very much less than and missed how Callie used to make her feel, when they first got together. Callie used to make her feel wanted. And she used to be interested. Just compare the elevator scene with Callie and Arizona from season 6, to the elevator scene with Arizona and Lauren in Season 9.
I don’t know what was going on in Arizona’s head, but I think she still did love Callie a great deal, even though she cheated. I’m not sure how Callie was feeling at that point, given all they had been through. But she certainly didn’t come across as a wife who was with her wife out of love and want. She told Arizona repeatedly that she stayed with her while she was sick. And she wasn’t gonna run because Arizona stayed with her after the car accident. It was more about obligation than love. And if some of the sides for upcoming episodes are related to Callie and Arizona and why their marriage ended, it makes Arizona’s “irrational” and “biphobic” fears all the more justifiable. And it sets bisexuals back because it only serves to perpetuate the stereotype that women are never enough. That a bisexual woman will always ultimately choose a man. I mean, I am not kidding, but this is from a side to ep 15…
Jean (75 and sweet) — She’s speaking with her doctor and tells her she’s got one tiny problem that she hopes the doctor can help. Her husband has recently died and the gentlemen have started calling. SHE WANTS TO POLISH Herbert’s 9 iron…yes, HIS PENIS. She’s terribly interested in it. In fact, SHE’S INTERESTED IN ALL THE PENISES. But she’s had hip replacement and it’s giving her trouble. She brought cookies. In the next scene she tells Dr. Hall to listen. The hip squeaks. Any way she tries, on her back, on her side, bent over the arm of a couch…(you get the picture). She had the hip replacement 15 years ago but it only started squeaking 6. Her husband didn’t mind. Dr. Hall is concerned. A new hip is major surgery. But Jean is lovely and any man would be lucky to be with her and get used to the sound, just like Gil. That’s not what Jean’s looking for. Gil was the love of her life. He’s the only man she will ever love. But she’s damned if he’s the only man who will ever razzle her berries. Dr. Hall realizes that Jean doesn’t want to be limited. That’s right. She wants to look and sound her best. Dr. Hall adds that she wants a fresh start. Exactly.
Is Dr. Hall supposed to be Callie? She doesn’t want to be limited?
Then there’s this side from ep. 12…
Hillary explains that Todd cares for her deeply, he’s sweet and clingy. And the more he feels, the less she does and they haven’t been together for long, but he wants to take it to the next level. She started pretending to fall asleep whenever he would go on and on about their future. Dr. Rogers says that’s diabolical. Hillary says that today they were walking in the park and he got down on one knee all teary-eyed and she faked fainting. She didn’t realize how close she was to the steps but she had to go with it. Dr. Rogers says she can really commit. Hillary says yes, but not to Todd.
(Scene 2) Dr. Rogers consults with Hillary in her patient room. Hillary’s leg should be fully healed in about 3 months. Hillary asks if Todd is there. Dr. Rogers tells her she needs to break up with Todd. She can’t take another fall like that. Hillary says she knows she should and she will. Todd enters the room and asks how Hillary is. Dr. Rogers is going to leave but Hillary tells her she can stay. Todd tells Hillary he’s going to take her home and make sure she has everything she needs. Hillary tells him that he’s been so sweet and kind, but she’s been unfair. Todd tells her not to worry about him and he loves her. Hillary looks panicked so she fakes fainting. Todd is terrified and tells Dr. Rogers to help but she is over it. Dr. Rogers tells Todd that what Hillary is trying to tell him is that she wants to break up with him. Dr. Rogers knows that all he wants is to help but it’s not what Hillary wants and she doesn’t deserve it. Todd starts to cry. Dr. Rogers says he deserves someone who wants him there and who needs the kind of attention only he can give. Dr. Rogers puts her arm around Todd and walks him to the door.
Are Hillary and Todd supposed to represent Callie & Arizona? It would play into what Sara Ramirez has said when talking about their relationship. She wondered, “Did someone lie to themselves when they committed to this relationship?” Or was it about fear that prevented them from leaving? Look at the pic below. One is from season 7 and the other is from season 9. Arizona is talking about her dream, not including Mark, not that she doesn’t want a family with Callie. But in the season 9 pic when Arizona is talking of the future and buying a house for their family, Callie seems detached. She didn’t want to talk about it yet. Why? Because Mark had just died or because she wasn’t really committed to Arizona?
Because there was yet more evidence to this in episode 10×09 when they went house hunting. Arizona was so excited, but Callie was preoccupied with her phone.
I think Arizona sensed this for a while, which is why she suggested adding to their family. It was a “band aid.” It was a desperate attempt by Arizona to hold onto Callie. Hoping that she would be enough if she could give Callie a baby. And that she would be the one to get pregnant this time. Which heartbreakingly led to a miscarriage. What was even more heartbreaking for Arizona was that her wife wasn’t there for her emotionally. Callie missed the sonogram appointment and didn’t offer her much comfort, other than to say, halfheartedly, we’ll try again. But Arizona couldn’t handle another loss. She had already lost her brother, her best friend, her leg, her baby, and I think, her wife. And that is what I believe led her to the arms of Dr. Lauren Boswell. Callie and Arizona did “try” to reconcile after all of the mess that was season 9 and 10, but as Sara Ramirez has said, “it wasn’t about result. It was about trying.” So, we now know, the result was that they couldn’t fix their problems. Callie finally spoke the truth. She felt stuck with Arizona. And told Arizona that she deserved more. I took it to mean, she deserved someone who loved her and wanted to be with her. And that it wasn’t fair to Arizona to keep making sacrifices for her, if Callie wasn’t truly all in. A sentiment that was kind of alluded to last season when Callie tells Arizona she shouldn’t have to give anything up.
So, here we are, Arizona is no longer giving things up. She is on her way to becoming a fetal surgeon with the help of Dr. Herman and her fellowship. While Callie is off finding herself, or so that’s what we were told. In reality, it’s been 5 episodes post divorce and both she and Owen Hunt are both trying to get back out into the dating game. This is the “transitionary period,” Sara talked about in an interview post break up. Which translates to taking the series from the Calzona relationship to Callie and her new relationship. They certainly didn’t waste any time. As early as 11×06, Callie and her new pals were talking about how they were all connected by sexual relations and that Callie does dudes too. And who walks in at that precise moment? Her ex-wife. So, is that all she is now, a former sexual partner? Yet again, the lesbian relationship is being shown as less than compared to the hetero relationships on the show. It’s as though Callie snapped her fingers and the marriage was over. We have not seen Callie and Arizona interact. There has been no talk of their child. No talk of the house they bought together. No talk of assets. Nothing. The series is trying to make the audience forget Calzona was ever a thing, so they will be ready to see Callie dating again. Conversely, Owen Hunt, is only now beginning to truly let go of Cristina. And it’s been nearly a year since Sandra Oh’s departure. Speaking of Cristina, when she broke up with Burke, Shonda said they gave her a full season to mourn the loss of that relationship. I guess the real reason for the Calzona break up was to just put Callie with someone new and take the series into its next phase. Callie and Arizona will come together at some point though, but not until they have healed. And when they do they will begin a beautiful friendship. And will be co-parents. Sara Ramirez has said, “what if they work better as friends? A relationship that’s not necessarily romantic.” And how seeing two women become friends is just as exciting as seeing two women get married on TV. My question is, how will this friendship play out? Will it be shown on-screen? Will it be like a Callie and Mark friendship? When Callie is off on dates, or with her new love interest, will Arizona walk in on them having sex? Will Callie be dismissive of her boyfriend if he wants to be alone with her, if Arizona happens to call? Or will Callie suddenly have grown and through her newfound self-awareness, thanks to her failed marriage and some introspection, now be better at her new relationship? Will she not make the same mistakes this time around? How convenient. She was incapable of boundaries when it came to Mark. Oh, I’m sorry, only when it came to Mark and Arizona. Notice how respectful she was of Lexie Grey when she questioned Callie’s sexuality. No one ever accused Little Grey of being dismissive.
Arizona was the only one being ridiculous and biphobic. Yet another thing that screams inequality. But all this is supposed to be made better because Arizona is now advancing in her career. And Shonda is keeping her promise, “I will be good to Arizona.” I wonder if Arizona will be shown starting a new relationship? Or will she now become asexual? Or will it even matter, as some fans feel she might not be around much longer. And nor will they as many have already jumped ship.
