As a middle schooler, I developed a deep and abiding love for Joss Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV Series. The obsession continued for a few years. I recorded every new episode from antenna TV onto VHS tapes while I was at Young Women activities every Wednesday night. I would watch them over and over and giddily layered the Angel spinoff episodes onto my weekly viewing. My mom would often take me to K-Mart to buy a BVS YA book for completing my weekly piano lessons.

My parents grew concerned, not only about my fascination with the show, but also its mature content. They let me hang these two posters in my room, but didn’t approve of Buffy’s and Cordelia’s immodest clothing. I remember pretty clearly a time that my older brother came into my room and lectured me about the immodesty of Buffy’s dress. But of course, I still loved the show, despite their warnings.