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The Young and the Restless is one of the longest-running soaps in TV history. The series follows the scandals, love, and lives of the various characters who hail from the fictional Genoa City. Although most of the storylines remain the same and are partly recycled, the show has become very progressive.

Y&R has handled several controversial social issues and introduced the first Black family in the ’80s, all of which made it very popular. The series has also been hailed for its accurate portrayal of reality, which has been made very clear with its first LGBTQ couple that has touched fans.

Mariah and Tessa at the altar, celebrating
Mariah Copeland (Camryn Grimes) and Tessa Porter (Cait Fairbanks) | Sonja Flemming/Getty Images

Fans loved seeing themselves represented on ‘Y&R’

Representation matters a lot, and various shows and movies are aware of this. Whenever people see themselves represented in a TV show or movie, they connect better with the characters and show more support for the project.

Tessa and Mariah recently walked down the aisle, and fans have been more than excited at the historic event. LGBTQ fans were happy with the wedding as they felt represented in the long-running soap. One fan commended the actors Cait Fairbanks and Camryn Grimes (Tessa Porter and Mariah Copeland) for their performances as the couple. The fan went on to talk about how important representation for LGBTQ people is and they’re looking forward to seeing more of the happy couple.

Another fan said, “This representation is so meaningful & important. It’s rare for us LGBTQ fans to feel seen or reflected on our screens. – It has been beautiful to watch this couple develop & grow together.” Other fans went on to discuss how the wedding made them “emotional” and that the two are fans’ favorite couple.

Fans think the wedding was a long time coming

Tessa and Mariah first met in 2017 when Mariah moved to the fictional Genoa City. She and Tessa worked for a record company and soon formed a friendship. At the time, they were both in heterosexual relationships, with Tessa famously dating Noah. She and Noah had several ups and downs and eventually called it quits.

Mariah first realized that she had feelings for Tessa but failed to act on them since she wasn’t sure how Tessa would react. As it turns out, Tessa shared the same feelings, and the pair pursued a relationship. The duo even considered adopting a child after Mariah became a surrogate and bonded with the child for a while.

Fans had been rooting for the couple since they made their relationship official, and with the wedding, some fans feel it was a long time coming. Many fans think the writers dragged the relationship out too long, and they’re thrilled the pair are finally married.

Tessa and Mariah’s wedding is a first for the soap

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Traditional soaps have come a long way in terms of acknowledging same-sex couples. All My Children broke barriers when it introduced Bianca and Reese as a lesbian couple with General Hospital, following years later with Brad and Lucas.

The Young and the Restless borrowed a leaf from the others’ pages and introduced the fan-favorite couple, Mariah and Tessa. The pair had been dating for a while before advancing their relationship.

Their highly anticipated wedding made history as the first-ever for the long-running soap. This then opens the door for other same-sex couples to date and hopefully marry in The Young and the Restless world.

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