The characters in the series take inspiration from the figures in Penny Marshall’s 1992 cult classic, “A League of Their Own,” including the iconic Mae Mordabito and Doris Murphy. But the new show, which premiered on Amazon Prime Video earlier this month, gives these characters more depth and dimension, as well as a whole host of new queer characters.
“Most movies are centered on heterosexual romantic storylines, but ‘A League of Their Own’ wasn’t. It was about women working together and striving to be the best at something,” said Sarah Warn, editor-in-chief of AfterEllen.com, a site for lesbian, bisexual and transgender women in entertainment. “The show has taken that concept and expanded on it, creating a rich world of queer women characters with their own individual stories and arcs.”
The series, set in 1943, follows the Rockford Peaches, a team in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, as they navigate the challenges of playing in a league dominated by men.
One of the most significant changes the show makes is to the character of Dottie Hinson (played by Lori Petty), who is now a lesbian. This is a departure from the original, in which Dottie is shown to be attracted to men, but it’s a welcome one for queer viewers.
“It’s so important to see queer women represented onscreen, especially in a period piece like this,” said Warn. “Dottie is such an iconic character, and to see her queer-identified in the series is just fantastic.”
Another queer character who was introduced in the series is Kit Keller (Chanté Adams), a black lesbian pitcher who is drafted by the Peaches. Kit is a complex and fully realized character, and her addition to the show is a welcome one.
“It’s so important to see a character like Kit on television,” said Warn. “She’s a black lesbian woman, and she’s unapologetically herself. She’s a great role model for queer women of color.”
The show also features a number of queer supporting characters, including a gay male umpire, a transgender woman reporter, and a lesbian couple. This level of queer representation is fairly rare on television, and it’s one of the things that makes “A League of Their Own” so special.
“It’s so refreshing to see a show that queer women can really sink their teeth into,” said Warn. “It’s a show that we can really claim as our own.
You can catch “A League of Their Own” series on Amazon Prime Video.
