Estelle Getty, most famous for her role as sass-talkin’ Golden Girl matriarch Sophia, has died at 84.

I recently rewatched a bunch of GG season one episodes, and was delighted and not entirely surprised to come across Episode 5: “Isn’t it Romantic”. The episode introduces Dorothy’s friend Jean, who like the other gals on golden pond is a recent widower. But get this wacky twist [spoiler alert], Jean’s deceased partner Pat was a lady, and Jean is a big old dyke.

Maybe it’s that 1985 was the year that AIDS “really” hit Hollywood, with Rock Hudson’s announcement and subsequent death from the virus, or maybe it was gay-ass Bea Arthur and doubtless other friends of Dorothy (so to speak) on the writing staff–but the Girls are refreshingly cool about Jean’s coming out. Even Rose, the unsuspecting object of affection, finds it in her farm girl heart to be an ally.

So anyway, we love you and we’ll miss you Estelle, but thanks for leaving us with Sophia. Links to Episode 5 below, if you’ve got twenty or so minutes to pay tribute. As soon as I figure out ProTools, I’m recording a queer house anthem and sampling Blanche’s drawled-out ”Lesbian . . . Lesbian . . . LEZbian???” around the 5:44 minute mark in part two.

“Isn’t it Romantic”: Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4.

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