i don’t suppose i could convince you to add The Stones of Blood, The Creature from the Pit, and The Happiness Patrol, could i?
Summary
this is long and i’m not tagging Every Spoiler
in addition to TSoB having Old Lesbians in it, it deals, however indelicately, with the idea of self-transformation, both in hiding yourself for your own protection and allowing yourself to become who you are, which is seen in both the “heroes” and “villains” in this story (i maintain that the Ogri are not villains, it’s not their fault they need blood to survive). Romana (having wished to be called Fred in her first story) tries her hand at a slightly more masculine golfer’s outfit (excepting the heels, which are quickly removed), and when she realizes her presentation is, let’s say, not suited for her environment, she changes into something more traditionally feminine (she’ll get her chance for more masculine presentation next season, don’t worry). Similarly, Cessair of Diplos knows her appearance and presentation at present will not be accepted by many around her, so she transforms into something more palatable until those around her know her “secret.” Given the fact that this was 1978, of course the side we’re to sympathize with is the one who assimilates to gender norms, but given the revelation that the main characters were used as pawns in an evil scheme to oppress the universe and drive it to chaos, this is slightly easier to overlook. If that’s not grounds enough, then we can still use “these two old women who are unrelated to each other share a small cottage and hate the cops” as justification enough.
TCftP (by the same guy who wrote TSoB) seems to be almost an apology for TSoB, where the thousands-of-years-old “monster” that kills people for their nutrients is painted in a far more positive light. It deals with a monster that’s only considered dangerous because the government says it is, but who really just wants peace, freedom, and resources to build a better world for everyone. Said monster is consistently gendered and degendered depending on the sympathies of the people around him, and any attempts made to communicate or reach out are met with violence and/or fear until the Doctor sucks him off attempts a more friendly and compassionate dialogue, let’s say, which symbolizes a… union, a coming together of sorts… you get the idea. The concept of a monster that can only speak to you with your own voice should get a mention too, since it symbolizes the perception of others being a reflection of the self, or something deep-sounding like that.
i don’t think i need to explain myself for THP, it’s pretty explicitly about homophobia, especially being in the first season aired after the passage of Section 28.
Now, admittedly, that is all conjecture and shaky literary analysis, but your specific words were “stories that give LGBTQA+ vibes” and i think i’ve covered that :3
