Asexual Representation in 'Bojack Horseman'

When I first started watching the Netflix original series Bojack Horseman I did not have high expectations. I was a little bit drunk and looking for some background noise while I painted. I did not expect to get genuinely invested in the characters. I thought I’d be able to leave the series proud of them, instead I was left with an overwhelming sense of dread at how real the characters were. For talking cartoon animals, they all had a way of connecting with the worst side of myself.

But there was always one character that left me feeling different. This wasn’t like the cartoon crush I had on Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender, or even the connection I had to Princess Bubblegum from Adventure Time. This was different.

From the first moment Todd Chavez began speaking, I knew that he would make the greatest impact. The character is a lovable couch potato with a knack for getting into zany situations without trying. He’s a floater going from adventure to adventure without caring what people say about him and putting his whole heart into whatever mess he’s gotten himself into. Through the series many characters take advantage of his naivety and work to get things out of him. I paid attention to that character, relating to him in a way I’d never related to another character in any book or television show. It wasn’t until the fourth season that I found out why.

“I just can’t date someone who’s asexual.”

When the line is said, the character doesn’t know what the term meant. As someone who has identified as asexual for years, I did. I dropped the mug I was holding. I had never seen a character like myself on television before, so the revelation that one might be made my heart stopped. I knew what came next, his sexuality would become the butt of all jokes. Nothing could possibly be funnier after all. But that wasn’t the case.

As Todd discovered the meaning behind the term and actually began using it to describe himself I was blown away. The way it was handled was something I had never seen before and for once in my life I was feeling pride in myself and comfortable in my sexuality. Seeing Todd go to meet ups and learn more about what it meant taught me more than I had known. I had always doubted my ability to stay in long term relationships because of my sexuality, but there, on TV, in an Emmy award winning show was the depiction of a married asexual couple. I was in tears.

I kept it in the back of my mind that they were probably going to twist it into a cruel joke, but they never did. As I watched season five, I found myself in tears yet again. Seeing the main asexual character in a romantic relationship with another asexual character was so beautiful. Listening to him describe the difference between asexuality and aromanticism in a confusing but accurate way was the acceptance I had never felt.

Beyond everything in the show, seeing the other characters accepting Todd Chavez without question was an indescribable feelings. While some don’t understand his sexuality, all of his closest friends never push him to be anyone else.

The scene when he came out to Bojack truly shook me to my core because nobody had ever accepted me like that and in that moment, I felt accepted. The scene where he went to the meet up for the first time brought me to tears, because that acceptance of himself was something that took me years to feel. Seeing him developing and identifying himself as asexual, while turning away from typical asexual stereotypes brought me to my knees.

If I have anything to say to the show runners and how they handled an asexual character it is “thank you.” Thank you for doing your research, and making me feel like I’m not a freak. Todd isn’t different because he’s asexual, and neither am I. Thank you for creating a character like him, and presenting him accurately. Thank you for teaching me things that I never knew. This character means the world to so many. He had the impact, but you made the difference, so thank you.