Many queer women hailed The L Word when it made its debut for its glamorous, upscale representation of contemporary lesbians. But although the show has expanded the repertoire of lesbian and bisexual roles, The L Word’s representation of Latinas has often reflected the same uninformed approach that makes lesbians wince when their lives are portrayed on film and in television.

Both recurring Latina characters on the show, Carmen Morales (Sarah Shahi) and Eva "Papi" Torres (Janina Gavankar), have been based on enduring stereotypes. Moreover, neither character was played by a Latina actor. Prior to the appearance of either character, however, there was a coded reference to Latina identity during Season 1 in the peripheral character of Ivan Aycock (Kelly Lynch).

As many LGBT viewers understand, sometimes mainstream stories include subtextual meanings that can be interpreted only by those with insider knowledge. These coded communications don’t only target lesbians and gays; they can speak to other groups as well.

Ivan Aycock is an Anglo drag king who takes a shine to Kit Porter (Pam Grier), Bette Porter’s straight sister. Ivan was embraced by many lesbians in the butch-femme and transgender communities for representing an overtly masculine image of women. Although The L Word is often seen as an antidote to the stereotype of the mannish dyke, to these subgroups masculine images of women were something to be prized, not rejected.

The L Word's story lines have often intersected with the art world, and Ivan's character may reference a famous 1991 series of portraits titled Being and Having, taken by lesbian photographer Catherine Opie. Being and Having plays on the differences between "being" and "having" an identity by documenting women who have assumed the names and visual characteristics of men of various ethnicities.

Like several of the women in these photos, Ivan’s drag stylings imitate a version of Hispanic macho identity, indicated by pompadoured hair, the wearing of gang colors and a passion for vintage cars.

Ivan's complex gender and racial identity on The L Word seems to encourage a more nuanced and playful understanding of what identity means to people. What is seen as negative to one person may be positive to another, in the same way that what constitutes masculine and feminine behavior is subject to interpretation.

But a flexible identity can also stimulate crisis. For instance, when the heterosexual Kit finds herself becoming increasingly attracted to Ivan, Kit’s sense of her own sexual identity begins to fall apart.

In many ways, Ivan was a test case for The L Word in two areas: gender and ethnicity. In later seasons an overtly transgender story line was introduced via the character of Max, and Latina characters were also introduced. In fact, a Latina character, Papi, once again challenges Kit's sexual identity in Season 4.