In summer 2017, an online survey asked people to
talk about their experiences of watching Berena
and being part of the fandom. On these pages are
snippets of what was written, that highlight
just how important these characters and their
relationship have been for some of us.
All responses were anonymous.
My Mum died last year whilst my divorce was
finalising and I was coming to terms with my
sexuality – quite a lot for one year! Tumblr
and the Berena fandom there is what has kept
me going.
Berena has helped me through so
many difficult times in my life
and is often the only thing
that can make me feel better
when I’m feeling low. I don’t
like to think where I would be
now if it wasn’t for these two
amazing women.
I’ve been through a shit
year or so and I’d like to
put it out there that this
It has truly changed
representation makes me feel
my life. I was out
safe. It brightens my day when
online and to a
I’m feeling dull, it makes
few friends, and I
me feel more confident in my
thought I had 100%
writing of fanfiction because I
accepted myself,
feel like I (hopefully) do the
but I hadn’t. But
characters justice. I don’t
watching Bernie
know if I am straight, or gay,
and the storyline
or whatever. But what I do
playout, it really
know is that, regardless of
helped me.
what I am, it’s okay.
The Berena storyline has totally changed my life… seeing
two women onscreen that I totally related to allow me to
understand the feelings I’d had my whole life!
I’m a lesbian, but I married a man because I buried that
part of me. He’s a good man and we have 2 children. We
were able to talk about the true me for the first time.