As EastEnders screens its first civil partnership, Erin Ekins explores Christian and Syed’s groundbreaking love story

UK TV history was made on October 16th, when EastEnders screened its first ever gay wedding. Christian Clarke and Syed Masood tied the knot after a three-year storyline that has seen taboos challenged (a devout Muslim and an out ÔÇÿnÔÇÖ proud party boy fall in love ÔÇô chaos ensues), complaints received (because seeing two men naked in bed before the watershed is BAD), and criticism and praise bestowed in equal measure.

I have adored the storyline from the first angst-filled, lust-fuelled kiss right through to their alternative family unit with SyedÔÇÖs young daughter Yasmin. I applaud the storyline for breaking through the criticism and tackling such a contentious issue.

In 1987, EastEnders screened the first pre-watershed gay kiss ÔÇô a kiss on the forehead. This was followed by a flurry of complaints and angry headlines, berating the soap for such a display. In 2011, on the other hand, the portrayal of Christian and Syed naked in bed (another first for the soap), generated just over 100 complaints.

[pullquote]EastEnders writer Pete Lawson explains the importance of LGBT+ portrayal in soap opera

ÔÇ£Ever since the first gay character and the first gay kiss, EastEnders has created TV milestones. LGBT+ people have seen their lives reflected. Teens have had new role models and families have had a chance to talk about lesbian and gay issues. Drama feeds compassion, and through this comes change. Soaps have always had the ability to change hearts and minds and shape national debate. Showing soapÔÇÖs first civil partnership was another milestone ÔÇô and 8 million people will have seen that a ÔÇÿgayÔÇÖ wedding is simply another wedding, full of love and passion and beauty (and, being EastEnders, shortlived in happiness and full of drama!). IÔÇÖm so proud to have been given the chance to write it. If it gives one young LGBT+ person hope, then thatÔÇÖs fantastic.ÔÇØ[/pullquote]

While certain tabloid media blew hot air on the subject, the relatively low number of complaints shows great progress, although it also shows that there is still work to be done. After all, as John Partridge, who plays Christian, joked: “it only took us 25 years to move to the bedroom!”

It is difficult to tell a gay story at 7:30 in the evening, and Christian and SyedÔÇÖs storyline was about more than just sexuality. EastEnders worked closely with LGBTQI Muslim Support Group Imaan to portray the heartbreaking conflict that many young Muslims face today.

That John Partridge and Marc Elliott have spoken of receiving letters from people who have come out off the back of the storyline is testament to its success.

However, this does not exempt the show from criticism. There have been times when Christian and SyedÔÇÖs presence seemed more tokenistic than heartfelt, jumping sporadically from one issue to another ÔÇô surrogacy, adoption, the return of SyedÔÇÖs wife and daughter ÔÇô with little deep exploration of the subjects. By their very nature, soap operas magnify the negatives of humanity in the most melodramatic fashion, which can be infuriating if seeking positive or realistic images of LGBT+ people. In fact, George Michael has very publicly accused the Christian and Syed storyline of being an insulting portrayal of gay relationships.

Whether or not you agree with this assessment, the importance of this storyline cannot be disputed. Despite what anyone thinks about EastEnders, it cannot be denied that it is one of our biggest instruments of social change. Airing four times a week to 10ÔÇô15% of the population, it wields more transformative power and social reach than any Stonewall campaign or pride march could ever hope to obtain.

What EastEnders has achieved is the normalisation of an affectionate and intimate relationship between two men, as epitomised in the heartfelt, loving and tender portrayal of Christian and SyedÔÇÖs civil partnership.