‘San Junipero’ is an episode in a series ‘Black Mirror’ and it is one of the few with happy endings. Most of the series deals with the danger of technology, but in this episode, the technology helps create a space that allows nonconforming people to be free and truly live.

In the world where ‘San Junipero’ takes place, there is a technology that allows senior citizens to once a week upload their consciousness into the cloud where they could live in a simulated reality in any time period they so choose.

Gay Lives: Forcing into the Closet

In reality, Yorkie is unable to live her life as a gay woman. In fact, when she came out to her parents, they rejected her, causing her to run off and got into a serious car accident which resulted in Yorkie being quadriplegic. Being fully paralyzed, unable to respond to anything in anyway, Yorkie is, in a way, forced back into the closet as she is no longer able to act on her desire.

Kelly is the similar position. In this restrictive society, Kelly ends up marrying a man called Richard without ever acting on her desires she has for women even though she was attracted to many and has always known that she is bisexual.

However, in the simulated world, they are freed from society’s judgement. In the simulated world of 1980s, Yorkie meets Kelly at a club in San Junipero, and they fall deeply in love.

Gender as Socially Constructed

The juxtapose between the real world, and the simulated world in the episode illustrates exactly how socially constructed gender is. In the simulated world where they are free from the influence of people from the old world, there are no such restriction on gender conformity.

They can even live in the form of their younger-self in the simulated world. Yorkie, who society disabled her from being a lesbian, can finally be one in this world. They can also change their appearances (clothes, make-ups etc.) at will with their thoughts alone.

They can choose to be anything they want without any kind of restriction they once had. They can be their true self and can expresses as such, like when Kelly compliments Yorkie on her choice of fashion, ‘you’re authentically you’. After all, if gender is performative, they could only be true to their genders if there is no restriction on what they would want to perform or express themselves with.

Later, Yorkie decides to ‘pass over’ or live in the simulated world after she is euthanized, uploading herself onto the cloud forever. But, Kelly is reluctant because her husband chose not to when he died. She cannot fully overcome the old values on gender, still clinging to the relationship with her late husband.

However, after Yorkie convinces her, Kelly reconsiders, and chooses to be with Yorkie in the simulated world, freeing herself from the human restriction that they put on themselves.

Importance on Same-sex Marriage

‘San Junipero’ also touches on the importance of same-sex marriage. Yorkie is quadriplegic and wants to be euthanized, but is unable to do so because her parents are deeply religious and would not honor her wish. Luckily, Yorkie’s nurse, Greg, offers to marry her just to override her parents’ authorization. However, Kelly steps up and marries Yorkie and authorizes Yorkie’s euthanasia for her successfully.

This brings us to the issue of same-sex marriage in our current society. Without the right to marriage, the partner of LGBT+ person cannot legally make medical decision for their love one, thus systemically oppresses LGBT+ people—beating them down at their weakest.

Limited Freedom of LGBT+

Before, Yorkie is able to only go to the simulated world once a week. But after passing over, Yorkie lives there permanently, and she proclaims how much she loves the place:

Yorkie: Oh, I love it here. I just love it.
Kelly: You’ve been here before!
Yorkie: But now I live here!

And I think this reflects well on our society. LGBT+ people have certain freedoms, and are allowed to exist without prosecution. But we all yearn to be in the society that is truly free and always free, not just on some occasion, so that we can finally, truly live.

After all, how can we call these constrained, limited, half-baked freedoms freedoms at all?