Lena Waithe’s interpretation of what it means to embrace sexuality, race, and family in modern America is stunning, and hits the nail directly on the head. The Master of None episode “Thanksgiving” deals with topics that are often swept under the rug in terms of American media, casting a light on parts of our society that we don’t often have the pleasure of meeting. Waithe’s writing is phenomenal. So much so, in fact, it earned her an Emmy for Outstanding Writing on a Comedy Series. She is the first black women in history to earn the award, one which has traditionally gone to white, male writers.

            The episode of honor, Thanksgiving, has received insanely high ratings on sites like IMDb, and for good reason. The episode follows Lena Waithe’s character, Denise, as she matures from a girl into a woman, revolving around themes of family and the holiday Thanksgiving. Throughout the episode, we see Denise coming to terms with her sexuality, and her place in society as a black, lesbian woman. Denise begins noticing that she has an affinity for women at a very young age. Her walls are plastered with pictures of 90’s female TV stars (Jennifer Aniston especially), and as she gets older, she seems to sense that her preferences don’t gravitate towards men. In her teenage years, she shares this fact with her friend Dev. She says that she isn’t comfortable with the term lesbian, as she is still figuring out what it means to be lesbian, and instead refers to herself as “Lebanese.” Dev treats her as any friend should, and continues to care for her.

             In her early 20’s Denise decides to come out to her mother for the first time, even though she recognizes it’s stigma in parts of the black community and alongside her mother’s views. Denise says in the episode that black parents see their children as trophies, and a child that comes out of the closet is viewed as imperfect in the eyes of others, and a failing on their own part. While sitting in a café, Denise tells her mother the truth. Her mother is heartbroken. She says that black women must work twice as hard to get half as far in life, but a black lesbian woman will have to work even harder. Denise explains that she can’t help being lesbian, but her mother sees the sexual preference as a flaw in her own parenting.

             Denise brings her girlfriend to a Thanksgiving dinner for the first time several years later, and is met with hostility from her mother. She takes extreme offense to her daughter bringing a girlfriend to meet her family, and it take several years for her mother to adjust to the changes and accept them. The final portrayal of Thanksgiving is perhaps the most enlightening when it comes to acceptance, and is a fantastic representation of coming to terms with sexuality within the family. Before the dinner, Denise’s girlfriend offers to help her mother with the cooking. Denise’s mother bonds with her girlfriend after a realization that she loves and cares for her daughter as well, and begins to see that Denise’s sexual preference in no way diminishes her value as a person. Acceptance is ultimately seen in one of the final scenes, when Denise is embraced by her mother, who declares that she is happy for her.

            Not many shows, at least those of such a high rating, have dared to touch these topics. The LGBTQ community has been overshadowed in recent years by themes that adhere to traditional social norms, despite the enormous insight they offer into a group of millions of Americans. For decades, women of color, not to mention lesbian woman of color, have been put on the backburner in society when it comes to their equality. “Thanksgiving” is a wider look at some of the real struggles and acceptances that people face, and Lena Waithe’s extraordinary writing and actressing should be applauded in that aspect.