Editing Xena (section)

===Lesbian subtext and debates===
''Xena'' has enjoyed a particular cult status in the lesbian community. Some of the lesbian fanbase see Xena and Gabrielle as a couple and have embraced them as role models and lesbian icons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afterellen.com/TV/xena.html |title=Xena and Gabrielle: Lesbian Icons |publisher=AfterEllen.com |access-date=31 October 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061019015939/http://www.afterellen.com/TV/xena.html |archive-date=19 October 2006 }}</ref> A group called The Marching Xenas participated in many gay and lesbian [[pride parades]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.warriorprincess.com/Lucy/toptentv_uk_111701.html|title=Top Ten TV – Sex Bombs|publisher=warriorprincess.com|access-date=31 October 2006}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=February 2012}}

A subject of much interest and debate among viewers is the question of whether Xena and Gabrielle are lovers.<ref name="leonard">{{cite web|url=http://archive.salon.com/july97/21st/xena970703.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060719053422/http://archive.salon.com/july97/21st/xena970703.html|archive-date=19 July 2006 |title=Who Owns Xena? |access-date=2 January 2007 |last=Leonard |first=Andrew |date=3 July 1997 |work=Salon Magazine}}</ref><ref name="young">{{cite web|url=http://dir.salon.com/story/ent/feature/2005/09/15/xena/index.html?pn=2 |title=What we owe Xena |access-date=2 January 2007 |last=Young |first=Cathy |date=15 September 2005 |work=Salon.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060628043834/http://dir.salon.com/story/ent/feature/2005/09/15/xena/index.html?pn=2 |archive-date=28 June 2006 }}</ref> The issue is left deliberately ambiguous by the writers during most of the show. Jokes, innuendo, and other subtle evidence of a romantic relationship between Xena and Gabrielle are referred to as "lesbian subtext" or simply "[[subtext]]" by fans.<ref name="leonard" /> The issue of the true nature of the Xena/Gabrielle relationship caused intense [[Shipping (fandom)|shipping]] debates in the fandom, which turned especially impassioned due to spillover from real-life debates about [[same-sex sexuality]] and [[gay rights]].<ref name="young" />

In a 2003 interview with ''Lesbian News'' magazine, Lawless stated that after the series finale, she had come to believe that Xena and Gabrielle's relationship was "Gay. Definitely... There was always a 'Well, she might be or she might not be,' but when there was that drip of water passing between their lips in the very final scene, that cemented it for me. Now it wasn't just that Xena was bisexual and kinda liked her gal pal and they kind of fooled around sometimes, it was 'Nope, they're married, man'."<ref>{{cite magazine|date=January 2003|title= Lucy Lawless|magazine=Lesbian News |volume=28 |number=6|pages=26&ndash;27|location=Los Angeles, California|publisher=LN Publishing Inc. }}</ref>

The ''Xena'' fandom also popularized the term [[Femslash|Altfic]] (from "alternative fiction") to refer to same-sex romantic [[fan fiction]].<ref name="Lo">Lo, Malinda. (4 January 2006) [http://www.afterellen.com/Print/2006/1/fanfiction.html Fan Fiction Comes Out of the Closet] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080117044113/http://www.afterellen.com/Print/2006/1/fanfiction.html |date=17 January 2008 }} [[AfterEllen.com]]. Accessed 19 July 2007.</ref> Many fans felt the term [[slash fiction]] carried the connotation of being only about male/male couples and was not a good description for romantic fan fiction about Xena and Gabrielle.{{Citation needed|date=February 2020}}

Inspired by episodes that featured Xena and Gabrielle sharing past lives or living in alternate timelines, ''Xena'' fanfiction writers created an original new genre known as [[Uberfic]].

She was ranked No. 3 in [[AfterEllen.com]]'s Top 50 Favorite Female TV Characters.<ref>{{cite web|title=AfterEllen.com's Top 50 Favorite Female TV Characters |url=http://www.afterellen.com/content/2012/02/afterellencoms-top-50-favorite-female-tv-characters?page=0%2C16 |publisher=AfterEllen.com |access-date=24 June 2012 |date=27 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120625231948/http://www.afterellen.com/content/2012/02/afterellencoms-top-50-favorite-female-tv-characters?page=0,16 |archive-date=25 June 2012 }}</ref>