I first saw the lovely Lady Guinevere on an unusually warm Sunday afternoon in Glasgow. Now don't get excited, I didn't get the chance to meet her, I'm referring to seeing her on the big screen as the delicious Max in Go Fish. Myself and my then gf/best friend (isn't it always the way) dragged ourselves into the city centre with the prospect of dyke spotting at the local independent movie theatre since we'd read secretly in the newspaper the week before that there was a lesbian movie fest running all day. At that stage I was neither out to anyone I knew or to myself really, preferring to pass off my absolute attraction to women as 'experimentation' or 'just something best friends did' (yes I know I was naïve, what can I tell ya).

Anyway, off we went into town and paid for our tickets for the three movie lesbian run, full of anticipation as to how many dykes would actually show up and full of concern that, shock horror what if someone recognised us? After inventing an elaborate plan of how we'd explain ourselves in the event that we might bump into someone who knew us, (for those of you interested, we decided we'd say we didn't realise it was a lesbian movie we were seeing) we grabbed our seats and cosied in for the show. First up was Salmonberries starring k.d. lang, which I found dull and boring to be honest. Next up was something which at this moment I'm hard pressed to recall since it appeared to be a Sandra Bernhard movie which was confusing and only slightly amusing at best. By the time these movies had both finished I was finding it difficult to remember why we'd bothered leaving the burbs for the day. Thankfully my faith was restored when I braved it enough to turn around and see the rest of the cinema goers and there were plenty of cute dykes cuddled up with their partners. Ahhhh bliss, this is what it's all about, being free, being happy with who we are, expressing our love for women without guilt, and.. oh hell is that Vicki from school? Hide. After that scare, up flashed these rather cheap looking black and white images informing us all that the next movie known as 'Go Fish' had begun.

Ohhh dear.. like the last two weren't bad enough, now this was some weird indie black and white offering, I didn't think I'd be able to keep myself awake…. And then… it happened. There she was, the woman of my dreams, the most beautiful amazing creature I'd ever seen, Guinever Turner aka Max West. Ok I admit it, I was shallow at 19, but forgive me, this was my first real live lesbian on screen and god did I fancy her like hell! I swear to you, from that point on, it was just me in that movie theatre. I watched the screen completely mesmorised by this cute, funny, sexy babe and her impressive monologues and adorable personality. I laughed, I smiled and I'm not too proud to admit, I drooled. When it was over I left that cinema renewed in my beliefs and for perhaps the first time in my life, truly happy that I loved women. Max gave me hope that out there someplace someone was waiting for me, some gorgeous sexy woman whom I'd write about, whom I'd laugh with over menial things, whom I'd keep in bed on a workday because I just couldn't stand not getting to touch her for another 9 hours. It all became reality in a mere hour and a half of black and white joy. When I got home I realised that I had just developed the hugest crush on not just Max but the lovely actress playing her, our Lady Guinevere. So I did what any self-respecting dyke would do of course, I researched her, I read about her, I actively sought information on her and the more I found out, the more I admired. Not only did the actress in movie look like a complete hottie but she was also smart. She wrote the movie, did the title sequences and so much more. And that is where my acceptance of loving women really began. Sound extreme? Maybe. Sound truthful? Hopefully. She inspired a young confused dyke to follow her heart and believe in the joy and beauty of loving women. So for that, I'm always going to appreciate Guinever Turner. And ok, ok, yes I admit it, I still fancy her almost 10 years later. Some things never change.

The following brilliant little story arrived with us in September 2003 - It's anonymous by request... enjoy.

I'm in my early 30's and I live in Canada. I work in an office in the Accounting/Payroll department for a divison of a major corporation. I just sort of "stumbled" onto this site, so I've missed the February deadline (this was the deadline to send Guin your L word ideas.. Ed.). But, I figure I've got a pretty weird but true tale to tell...I wish I could send it to Guinevere herself, but I know that would be highly unlikely - I'm sure she'd get a little chuckle from the story, which goes something like this:
A newly married, pretty woman living in a small Canadian town is watching the Documentary channel and a program called "Exposure" comes on. Then an HBO screen appears and a show titled "The Best of Taxicab Confessions" comes on. The woman, home alone while her husband works nightshift, recalls seeing the short commerical clips for the show and decides to see what it's about, besides that - "Everybody Hurts" has always been one of her fav songs. The first taxicab fare is a cop/emergency worker and his stories to his driver keep her from changing to a different channel - even when it goes into it's first commercial break. The next scene shows an attractive and very intoxicated woman settling in for her ride home. She is sophisticated even though she appears to be totally pissed drunk. Then she starts to flirt with the female driver! The woman watching the program can't believe what she's seeing - this obviously beautiful young passager isn't just fooling around, she is seriously into seducing this other woman! The viewer finds her attention completely captured by watching how sweetly and sexily the passenger is trying to get the driver to come home with her. She hears herself say to the TV "Do it, do it, you silly driver!" The last words from the passenger's lips "no one will ever know" stay in the veiwer's mind...and who was this enchanting (although pissed) woman! In the days that follow, the woman finds herself replaying images of that scene in her head. She can't forget the beautiful woman...but she can't understand why - she's not gay or even bisexual! But she is intrigued by how that flirty woman made her feel - she even dreams it! A few nights later, while she's puttering around the house, a rerun of Ally McBeal comes on. She begins to remember hearing or reading something about the stunning blonde actress on the show supposedly being a lesbian. She sits down to watch the show. She has a difficult time believing this Portia de Rossi (great name) is into girls like the one in the taxicab. Again, she is intrigued so she goes on the internet to see what she can find out - it's like a big mystery/suspense thing that she needs to "get to the bottom of". She finds herself very drawn to the actress and her seemingly courageous decision to be openly gay with Beatle Ringo's stepdaughter (cool). TV-watching woman finds herself thinking being gay can't be that bad. A name that she sees over and over again on the different Portia sites, is someone she had dated - Guinevere Turner (another great name). She tells no one about these wierd thoughts she's having about the Taxicab girl and the Ally McBeal girl. A month or 2 later, she sees that same "Taxicab Confessions" episode again! By this time, the woman TV nut, has become way too interested in beautiful gay women! She's checked out all the Portia sites and on a whim (a week or so after the rerun) she decides to surf the net for this so-called dyke hearthrob, Guinevere Turner (she really likes that name!).

She has never heard of this person Portia had a thing for, but she seems to be very popular with lesbians! She breifly scans the headlines and wonders what all the fuss is about. She is impressed to discover Guinevere is a talented, creative artist with incredible accomplishments and credits! She decides to check out some photos, maybe see a candid shot of her with Portia. A huge gallery of thumbnails comes up on the screen and the inquisitive woman starts to click through the pics. She gets a strange feeling this very good-looking woman is starting to remind her of someone she's seen before. She gets to some pictures where Guinevere's hair is a lighter shade of brown and the realization hits her like a slap in the face - it's her! The girl from the taxicab show! That damn drunk beautiful enticing woman who has awaked something so deep-down in her that she didn't even know it was there! She's never had an interest in woman but she needs to know more about this wonderful Genevere Turner babe and why she's stirred these strange and scarey feelings in her! She loves her new husband and she meant her "I do - 'til death do we part"! But oh...what will happen next?!

Cheers! P.S. Hope you liked my story.