General Hospital star Genie Francis is slamming Luke and Laura’s “rapemance” by basically saying that it was not okay then and it certainly still is not okay today. Here’s what she has to say.
General Hospital Star Genie Francis Slams Luke And Laura’s Rapemance: “It’s Not Okay”
Speaking to Decider in a new interview, Genie opened up about some of the social issues that General Hospital has taken on in the past, including Luke and Laura’s romance. Genie stated that it was an inappropriate storyline from the beginning and that she’s not inclined to defend it anymore. She said, “As a young kid at 17, I was told to play rape and I played it and I didn’t know what it was. At 60, I don’t feel the need to defend that anymore. The story was inappropriate, and I don’t condone it.”
And while Luke and Laura definitely did go their separate ways, Genie does admit that the stigma of her character’s rape does still linger on for her, both personally and professionally. She said, “It’s been a burden I’ve had to carry to try to justify that story, and so I’m not doing that anymore. When a woman says no, she should be listened to. If you play that scene, you don’t just have her saying no; you have her screaming no.”
Many General Hospital fans and critics alike have commented with, “This has gotten some press outside the soap world today. I wonder if there are plans to resurrect Luke for the 60th, if they might be curtailed now? We know how she feels about Luke and Laura. And we agree about how inappropriate it was,” along with, “I’m sure Gloria could have paired Genie with another actor in the soap and created a similar type of popularity without it having to be with Laura’s rapist. If these writers and producers are so creative and legendary, they should know how to mitigate these issues.”
General Hospital Star Genie Speaks Out
Another critic wrote, “I remember learning about the rape and watching the scenes years and years after I had already invested in them as a couple. It was so shocking. But I viewed it as something outdated about our culture and about television. I think she’s right to express her opinion about it, but I also think her animosity towards Tony Gary is part about.”
Needless to say General Hospital fans will have to tune in to find out what will happen next! Let us know what you think by leaving us a line with your thoughts in our comments section below. General Hospital airs weekdays on the ABC network. Check your local listings for times.
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