Eileen Montesin Celebrated By Malta Pride For Providing Queer Representation In 1999 TV Show
Eileen Montesin has been hailed as “a queen, LGBTI icon and an ally” of the community in a Facebook post by Malta Pride as they celebrate February as LGBT History Month.
The famed Maltese TV producer, actor and director, Montesin has long been a public figure in Malta, gracing our screens and capturing the hearts of many. Yet not many may be aware of just how much of an ally to the LGBTI community she really is.
Queer representation on television has always been a struggle, even in this day and age – not only in Malta but internationally. Though it has seen tremendous strides in its portrayal in recent years, there is doubtlessly much more that can be done.
However, what most readers are unlikely to know is that Eileen Montesin was in fact one of the very first local personalities to include a proper queer storyline within one of her TV shows: Undercover.
Running from 1999 to 2003, Undercover aired at a time when queer representation in Malta was practically non-existent. Yet, Undercover featured a character, Andre, who was a gay man yet was not yet fully out of the closet.
The clip that was shared by Pride Malta features Andre’s mother concerned about what he is about to do, yet it is Montesin’s character, Becky, who keeps encouraging him to still take the risk and come out to his mother anyway.
LGBT History Month runs throughout the month of February, with the intention of raising awareness of, and combat prejudice against, members of the LGBTI community, as well as to celebrate their history.
Pride Malta is currently running a month-long throwback to various events that have occurred in the past in relation to the LGBTI community.
Did you know of Undercover’s queer representation? Comment below!
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