Cousin Liz

[JoeKv99]

First airing on October 9, 1977, episode "Cousin Liz" guest-starred future Superman's Mom K Callan as Veronica, the long-time partner of Edith Bunker's recently-deceased cousin. You can probably guess how Archie reacts to the news, but (spoiler alert) Edith stands up to him.... Later, Archie threatens to take Veronica to court for Liz's heirloom silver tea set, exposing her as a lesbian and threatening her job as a schoolteacher.

Send this video to friends and family in the "movable middle" of Maryland, Maine, Minnesota, and Washington before the vote next month. Ask them to watch it before they cast their ballots. Ask them to think about what their vote will do to their lesbian, gay, and bisexual neighbors. On our behalf, ask them if they're really still meaner than Archie Bunker.








All in the family

[FindingNamo]

Ellen Barkin would win the tea set!

[Reginald Tresilian]

Oh wow! I remember that episode. Haven't thought of it in years.

[D2]

And it wasn't the first time "All In The Family" tackled a gay storyline; it was introduced as early as the fifth episode, in fact:

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

I read that last night. It's just like The New Normal, except the New Normal is so real!

[doodlenyc]

"You mean Liz....is a lez?!"

[SNAFU]

I remember the episode where Mike and Gloria's photographer friend paid a visit and Archie thought he was gay. They argued about it for most of the show with Archie making all kinds of nasty quips. Turns out the guy wasn't gay, just a bit effininate. It was later in the show when Archie was down at Kelsey's that he got his upcommance when one of his old friends, a very macho ex football player came out to him.

[FindingNamo]

Played by Asa Buchanan!

[EricMontreal22]

Ha I was just gonna say! I loved that Phil Carey played that role.

[doodlenyc]

And the photographer friend was Luke Spencer, aka Anthony Geary.

[SNAFU]

I was in my teens when that episode aired and found it incredible inspiring. Felt as if the producers had somehow saw the struggle I was going through about how people percieved me and me coming to terms with my sexuality.

Have to admit that show tackled some pretty inredible topics for the time. Right down to Edith's Drag Queen friend!

[carolineorchange21]

The Beverly LaSalle story lines are among some of the funniest and most heartbreaking in this series. The writers came up with such great dialogue for the Archie/drag queen exchanges - and while some of the jokes are corny, Beverly is never shown to be ridiculous.

Edith Bunker is a brilliant character in her total acceptance of people - and her reaction to Bev's violent end just destroys me. 'Edith's Crisis of Faith' is the best pair of Christmas-themed episodes of any show, ever, in my opinion. When Mike and Ma talk about faith and bad things happening to good people it's just so honest. Brilliant.