Why can't they just be happy?

Storylines with gay couples in soap operas often seem to contain a lot of unhappiness. Love stories in common contains a lot of unhappiness in soaps of course, even the straight ones, because of the drama. But it beats me that gay love stories have a lot of ingredients in common. It often starts with one parted love and a lot of denial from one of the characters and not seldom a little bit of abuse between the lovers. And when they finally becomes a real couple at least one of them just have to be unfaithful, there is a lot of on-and-off and then of course, the death comes. Don't get me wrong, straight people also dies in soaps, but for me it kind of hurts more when the gay person, who never really was happy because of the ingredients mentioned above, has to die. And leaves devastated partner behind. Just as i Brokeback mountain. There are exceptions of course, but there has been a lot of dead gays:

Fer Rodondo played by Javier Calvo.

Fernando "Fer" Redondo - Física o Química (ESP)

Well of course Fer has to die! They'd only just decided to cancel the show beacause of decreasing audience and they had just two more episodes two film when they decided to kill Fer. He is getting shot by a bullied student who thinks it's a good idea to bring a gun to school and lock the doors a little bit. In the same episode that him and David finally made up and got back together realising what is inportant in life - that is: love. They just wouldn't go for a happy ending. No, that is mainstream. Upsetting! Poor David has to live without the love of his life, but hey, shit happens when you are gay!

Roman Wild played by Dennis Grabosch.

Roman Wild - Alles was zählt (DE)

Deniz and Roman. Another on-and-off couple. Hey but of course, they are gay. A wonderful figure skater who dies from a brain tumor on the ice in the arms of his great love. Beatiful but unnecessary. Beautiful figure skaters doesn't deserve to die, not even in soap operas. Romans and Deniz's story contains a lot of beautiful, hot, happy and funny scenes, but there still is a lot of cheating and hurting. And we want Roman to live and love and skate! Bloody brain tumor. 

Doug Carter played by P J Brennan.

Doug Carter - Hollyaoks (GB)

This is one of these annoying deaths when the person in question is in a big disaster (bomb explosion) but survives, then survives another disaster (collapsing building) and then dies anyway. Unnötig as they would say in Germany! Oh and I forgot to tell you, Doug and his big love Ste was just about to leave for a new start and a new life. We can't let that happen can we?

Edwin Bouwhuis played by Raynor Arkenbout.

Edwin Bouwhuis - Goede tijden, slechte tijden (NL)

Edwin could be really happy with his love Lucas (after some on-and-off, of course) when Edwin catches some kind of deadly virus and dies, just as him and Lucas reunites. Enough said!

Luke Fuller played by Billy Campbell.

Luke Fuller - Dynasty (USA)

Ok, now whe are talking the 1980's in USA. It is not surprising that this storyline is really chaste and miss a lot of juicy details. I can't even recall that the couple of Steven Carrington and Luke Fuller gets to share a kiss. There were a lot closing doors in the most exciting moments this time. I think they finally got to hug each other in Moldavia when they decided to move in together. But of course, there is a terrorist attack in the middle of Amandas wedding and Luke gets shot in the head and dies. So much for that happiness. But a plus for a gay storyline in a 1980's soap. They were rare.

As devastating as it would have been to see Fer, Roman, Doug, Edwin and Luke to leave the series without their great loves, I rather would have wanted them to live. A good gay is a gay who is alive, even if it's off screen. Unnecessary deaths are just that - unnecessary. Därmed basta!