By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
Accept
Nerds and BeyondNerds and Beyond
  • Television
    • ABC
      • 9-1-1
      • ABBOTT ELEMENTARY
      • THE COMPANY YOU KEEP
      • THE ROOKIE
      • THE ROOKIE: FEDS
    • AMC+
      • ANNE RICE’S MAYFAIR WITCHES
    • APPLE TV+
      • TED LASSO
    • CBS
      • FBI: INTERNATIONAL
      • GHOSTS
    • DISNEY+
      • PERCY JACKSON
      • STAR WARS SERIES
    • FOX
      • 9-1-1: LONE STAR
    • HULU
    • NBC
      • NIGHT COURT
    • NETFLIX
      • BRIDGERTON
      • MANIFEST
    • MAX
    • PEACOCK
      • YELLOWSTONE
    • PARAMOUNT+
      • STAR TREK SERIES
    • PRIME VIDEO
      • THE BOYS
      • THE SUMMER I TURNED PRETTY
    • SHOWTIME
    • SHUDDER
    • SYFY
    • THE CW
      • ALL AMERICAN
      • ALL AMERICAN: HOMECOMING
      • GOTHAM KNIGHTS
      • NANCY DREW
      • RIVERDALE
      • SUPERMAN & LOIS
      • THE FLASH
      • THE WINCHESTERS
      • WALKER
      • WALKER: INDEPENDENCE
  • Movies
    • MARVEL MOVIES
    • NETFLIX MOVIES
    • PARAMOUNT+ MOVIES
    • PIXAR
    • SONY
    • SONY MARVEL
    • STAR WARS MOVIES
  • Books
    • STAR WARS BOOKS
  • Recaps
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
  • Contact Us
Search
Reading: Pride Month Character Spotlight: Callie Torres
Share
Sign In
Aa
Nerds and BeyondNerds and Beyond
Aa
Search
  • Television
    • ABC
    • AMC+
    • APPLE TV+
    • CBS
    • DISNEY+
    • FOX
    • HULU
    • NBC
    • NETFLIX
    • MAX
    • PEACOCK
    • PARAMOUNT+
    • PRIME VIDEO
    • SHOWTIME
    • SHUDDER
    • SYFY
    • THE CW
  • Movies
    • MARVEL MOVIES
    • NETFLIX MOVIES
    • PARAMOUNT+ MOVIES
    • PIXAR
    • SONY
    • SONY MARVEL
    • STAR WARS MOVIES
  • Books
    • STAR WARS BOOKS
  • Recaps
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
  • Contact Us
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© 2022 Nerds and Beyond. All Rights Reserved.
Nerds and Beyond > TELEVISION > Pride Month Character Spotlight: Callie Torres
TELEVISION

Pride Month Character Spotlight: Callie Torres

Crystal
Last updated: 2018/06/12 at 7:20 PM
Crystal
Share
6 Min Read
SHARE

Welcome to the twelfth article in our Pride series for the month of June! Each day we will be highlighting a different LGBTQ+ character who we think is a great example of representation, dynamic characterization, and overall badassery. Check out the rest of the series here.

If you have ever caught an episode of Grey’s Anatomy, there’s a good chance you have seen Dr. Calliope “Callie” Torres. This is because out of the 317 episodes of the show, she’s been in 239 of them. Why is that special? Because Callie is also bisexual and those 239 episodes make her the longest running queer character in television history!

I was ecstatic to hear this because Callie is the first character I ever really connected with after coming to terms with my own bisexuality. There was a woman who was struggling with the realization and not knowing how best to process it, even going so far as to cheat on her first girlfriend with a man. Watching her journey to accepting herself as bi was both heartbreaking and beautiful. Once she made it there though, she owned it. She was very adamant about the fact that she was indeed bisexual. In a world experiencing so much bi-erasure, that was huge for me. It also gave us one of the best quotes ever:

Not everything is puppies and rainbows, though. Seeing Callie come out to her father was so real and devastating. He disowned her and completely cut her off in every way. It is a fear so many in the community have, but thankfully she had the support needed to get her through it. He did eventually accept her, but I wonder how often that is truly the case in reality. Regardless, it was incredibly authentic.  

When it comes to Grey’s Anatomy, relationships within the hospital are the biggest plot points. This design allowed us to see Callie as relationships were built or ended with both male and female characters over the years. Her marriage and divorce from George O’Malley, her one-night stands with Mark Sloan, her relationship with Erica Hahn, the marriage and divorce from Arizona Robbins. All of these were integral relationships that helped shape her decisions.  My favorite relationship situation will always be with Callie, Sloan and Arizona. Having a baby and learning to be a parent is hard enough. Doing so with three people, two who are a same-sex couple with relationship issues, might have seemed impossible. The show was able to present three people working together for the best interest of a child. After Mark was killed, the relationship between Callie and Arizona working together as parents was stressed, but they did what was needed to make it work, at least until it didn’t anymore. Sometimes the best thing for a child is for the parents to no longer be together.

- Advertisement -

There is so much more to Callie than her sexuality though. For starters, she is a certified badass! She goes for what she wants with a fierce determination and doesn’t let anyone or anything hold her back. That is easily demonstrated by her choice of career. She is an orthopedic surgeon, which has the lowest percentage of women in any surgical specialty at less than four percent. It takes a woman with a strong character to break the mold and make steps into a male-dominated field and Callie certainly has that. In addition to being a BAMF ortho surgeon, she’s a mother of a beautiful baby girl that is her world. She’s been shown as a girlfriend, a wife, and been a friend for many of the other characters. She is a deep and complex character that has been through the ringer and came out on top.

I want to take a moment to mention the actress who portrays Callie, Sara Ramirez. After hearing too many stories of violence against the LGBTQIA+ community, including the horrific events that unfolded at Orlando’s Pulse nightclub, she decided to come out, identifying as bisexual and queer. I cannot even begin to explain how much this means to me, personally. It’s one thing to be an average person and say, “I’m bi,” and hear the disapproval or, even worse, the disbelief that it’s even an option. To have someone like Sara come out and bring exposure to bisexuality, to say that it is real, brings a sense of validation. Ever since, Sara has continued to be an advocate and avid supporter for and of the LGBTQIA+ community. We are extremely grateful for all her efforts.

Callie and Sara both created a positive lasting impact on the LGBTQIA+ community. We’ve seen the struggles, the challenges, but more importantly the love, support, and acceptance.

Do you have a character spotlight suggestion? Leave it in the comments down below!

Share this:

  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Related

You Might Also Like

‘Superman & Lois’ Season 3 Finale Synopsis Released

‘Gotham Knights’: Season 1, Episode 13 “Night of the Owls” Synopsis

‘Riverdale’: New Synopsis Released for Season 7, Episode 13 “Chapter One Thirty: The Crucible”

Season 5 of ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ Premieres This July On FX

Marvel Releases the First Five Minutes of ‘Secret Invasion’

TAGGED: Callie Torres, Grey's Anatomy, Pride, Pride 2018
Crystal June 12, 2018
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Reddit Copy Link Print
Share
By Crystal
Crystal joined the Nerds and Beyond team in 2018. Three years earlier, she tripped into the Supernatural fandom and decided to stay. It's where her passion for writing was reborn. Her free time is largely centered around creative writing (okay, it's fanfic), providing editing for others, and binging makeover shows. The DC Universe is her other fandom of choice and she lives for the crossover extravaganzas. The main joy in her life is her young son whom she homeschools and takes to Disney World as often as possible.
Previous Article Matt Cohen Co-Hosts Extra TV!
Next Article Rob Benedict Launches New “Rock God Roadie” Campaign with Stands!
Leave a comment Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Stay Connected

2.6k Followers Like
35.3k Followers Follow
2.2k Followers Follow
3.8k Subscribers Subscribe

Latest News

‘Superman & Lois’ Season 3 Finale Synopsis Released
SUPERMAN & LOIS TELEVISION THE CW June 8, 2023
‘Gotham Knights’: Season 1, Episode 13 “Night of the Owls” Synopsis
GOTHAM KNIGHTS TELEVISION THE CW June 8, 2023
‘Riverdale’: New Synopsis Released for Season 7, Episode 13 “Chapter One Thirty: The Crucible”
RIVERDALE TELEVISION THE CW June 8, 2023
Release Date and Pre-Order Details Released for ‘Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’
FANDOM GAMES MARVEL June 8, 2023
Nerds and BeyondNerds and Beyond
Follow US

© 2022 Nerds and Beyond. All Rights Reserved.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?