▁After ▁Ellen ▁have ▁noted : ▁" Call ie ▁and ▁Er ica ▁became ▁the ▁only ▁regular ▁les bian / bis ex ual ▁female ▁characters ▁currently ▁on ▁network ▁television . ▁This ▁is ▁also ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁that ▁two ▁regular ▁characters ▁on ▁a ▁network ▁show ▁have ▁begun ▁a ▁les bian ▁rom ance , ▁as ▁opposed ▁to ▁one ▁becoming ▁involved ▁with ▁a ▁new ▁les bian ▁character ▁introduced ▁express ly ▁for ▁that ▁relationship ." ▁ ▁Before ▁emb ark ing ▁on ▁the ▁story line , ▁the ▁show ' s ▁produ cers ▁consult ed ▁with ▁the ▁Gay ▁& ▁Les bian ▁Alliance ▁Again st ▁Def am ation ▁to ▁ensure ▁they ▁maintained ▁real ism ▁throughout . ▁Tr ish ▁D ool an , ▁star ▁of ▁April ' s ▁Sh ower ▁was ▁invited ▁to ▁consult ▁in ▁the ▁work shop ▁sessions ▁which ▁took ▁place , ▁and ▁sur m ised ▁that ; ▁" They ▁were ▁really ▁wanting ▁to ▁be ▁truth ful ▁to ▁the ▁two ▁characters ▁they ' re ▁foc using ▁on ▁in ▁the ▁woman - w oman ▁relationship ", ▁with ▁Nik ki ▁We iss , ▁who ▁also ▁consult ed , ▁adding : ▁" they ▁didn ' t ▁want ▁to ▁s tere ot ype ▁anything , ▁either , ▁and ▁write ▁from ▁a ▁place ▁where ▁they ▁didn ' t ▁understand ▁it . ▁[...] ▁I ▁don ' t ▁think ▁they ▁did ▁it ▁as ▁a ▁st unt ▁to ▁get ▁people ▁back ▁to ▁watching ▁after ▁the ▁strike . ▁I ▁really ▁think ▁that ▁they ▁wanted ▁to ▁develop ▁these ▁two ▁characters , ▁and ▁that ▁you ▁could ▁see ▁a ▁clos eness ▁with ▁them ▁way