Character profile pages provide a description and other details about a character. Note: Before you enter a character to the database, make sure the actor who plays them is added.
When to Add a Character
A character gets added to our database when they are queer female, transgender or non-binary and have at least a name and lines. Background characters with no lines do not need to be added.
Character Name
Enter the name of the character. Pick the name they’re best known by.
- Honor the cultures that use family name first (ex: Shida Yui)
- Use an alias/alternate name if they’re better known by that (ex: Thirteen, Adam Torres)
- If a character switches names during the show you can use the ‘first’ name first and separate with a slash (ex: Moira/Max)
Main Content
Content
Enter a description of the character. Spoilers are okay.
Character Photo
Use a photo of the character and not the actor.
You can find these on promotion or press websites for shows. If you can’t find a photo you can use a screenshot. If you cannot find a good picture, ask in #editors on Slack, as some members have press access.
Note! If you’re taking screenshots on Google Chrome, you will need to disable “Hardware Acceleration”
Additional Data
Gender Identity, Sexuality, Romantic Orientation
Choose the gender, sexual and romantic (if applicable) orientation the character identifies as. If the character does not explicitly state their orientations choose the ones that fit best or you can use unknown.
Character Clichés
Choose the cliches that apply to the character. If the character is played by an out queer actor make sure to add “Queer IRL.” If they truly have no cliche’s choose “None.” If they are a dead character remember to use “Dead Queers.” This, in combination with the character’s death date contributes to the death statistics.
Death
If the character dies, use the air date the death occurred. Generally, it will be the episode airdate unless they died off-camera. In that case, pick either the episode date their death is stated or try to figure out which episode they died in. If you can’t tell, go for the closest date possible. If a character is dead make sure they have the “Dead Queers” Cliche tag.
Actor Data
Name(s)
If the character was played by multiple actors, add them all, with the primary actor first
If you cannot find an actor, use the “Unknown” actor.
Alternate Images
Some characters are played by multiple actors for more than a flashback (think “Becky” in Roseanne, or Darren in Bewitched). Other times, an actor appears as an animated character and a ‘real’ character. In those situations, you will want to add secondary images:
Shows
For each show an character appears on, you will select the show name, the ‘type’ and the years.
- Show Name – By default it displays the two most recently added shows (even if they’re in draft). You can select one show per ‘show group.’
- Character Type – There are three character types: Main, recurring and guest. Main is for main characters that are on nearly every episode. Recurring characters are on multiple episodes and are involved in one of the show’s story arcs. Guest characters only appear on one episode (two max).
- Years Appears – Check off every year they’re on a show.
Multiple Shows
You can add more than one show if a character appears on multiple shows (Lucretia from the Spartacus series, Janet King from her own show and Crownies, for example). To do that, scroll down to the Add Another Show button:
After that, you’ll get a whole new group.
Note: There is a bug where the show added in the first group is default selected in the second. You’ll have to delete it to add the new on.