"Lesbian Request Denied" is the third episode of season one of Orange Is the New Black.
Piper must deal with the attention of Susanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren, an inmate who wears her heart on her sleeve and can be... Over the top in her expression of her feelings. When she files a bunk transfer request in Chapman's name, Chapman ends up asking Healy for advice and is told that Brutal Honesty might be the only way. Flashbacks, in the meanwhile, concern the story of Sophia Burset, the prison's hairdresser, who turns out to be a trans woman, imprisoned for the credit-card fraud she used to finance her operations. She has maintained the love and fidelity of her spouse, Crystal, but alienated her son Michael, who ended up turning her over to the police.
This episode provides examples of the following tropes:
- Abhorrent Admirer: Crazy Eyes tries to woo Piper.
- A Day in the Limelight: Sophia Burset.
- All Take and No Give/Never My Fault:
- Sophia's wife calls her on her selfishness, when Sophia tries to get her to smuggle in hormones for her. "How fucking selfish can you get?" Sophia has a Heel Realization and promises to make it up to her.
- Piper tries to blame Alex entirely for what happened to her. Alex points out that Piper got involved with an international drug cartel because she wanted to feel different and special.
- Bait the Dog: Pornstache attempts this by waving an Egg McMuffin in front of Sophia's face. She tells him off, though. "I don't do sausage in my breakfast sandwich."
- Duct Tape for Everything: Sophia makes her shower slippers out of duct tape, because the commissary doesn't carry any in her size. "Metallics are very in."
- Excrement Statement. Crazy Eyes urinates emphatically onto Claudette's nice clean floor to get Piper in trouble.
- Food Porn: Larry describing his groceries to Piper. Quickly subverted when he tries to turn it into phone sex and Piper shoots him down.
- Funny Background Event: If you look at the Healy's monitor the scene after Burset snaps off his toy dog's head, you'll see he's looking online to buy a replacement.
- Incompatible Orientation: Implied by Sophia's line to Pornstache when he tries to extort sex from her.
- I Want Grandkids: Carol constantly reminds Piper that Piper's eggs are getting old and that she wants grandchildren.
- Masturbation Means Sexual Frustration: Larry indulges in masturbating while watching porn at home to deal with not having sex with Piper. His brother-in-law Cal advises him to practice edging for chi energy.
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Making Use of the Twin: Laverne Cox has an identical twin brother, who plays Sophia in her pre-transition flashbacks. - Mistaken for Gay: Piper and Crazy Eyes are mistaken to be a prison lesbian couple, much to Healey's anger. Piper immediately clears it up for him.
- Old Maid: Although Piper and Larry are engaged, Piper's mother hints that the time Piper spends in prison is taking years away from her ability to be a successful wife and mother. "My mother told me my eggs are getting old."
- Politically Incorrect Hero: One of Piper's cellmates refers to Sophia as a "he-she". Nichols is quick to call her out on it. Healey also refers to Sophia by transphobic slurs when trying to get her meds.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: Fig insults Sophia by referring to her as a "he"; and saying that if they wanted to stay a woman then they should've stayed out of prison.
- Rewatch Bonus: Alex claiming to Piper that she didn't frame her becomes this after the season finale.
- Sexual Extortion: Pornstache tries to extort oral sex out of Sophia. It doesn't work and he abuses his position of power to threaten her.
- Sorry, I'm Gay: Implied. When Pornstache attempts to extort oral sex from Sophia, Sophia tells him that "she doesn't do sausage in her egg mcmuffin".
- Shout-Out:
- Nobody Poops: A definite inversion when Piper goes to use the communal washroom, and the discussion that follows. The inmates talk about this trope in reference to Miss Claudette. "She ain't dookied since she been here!"
- Title Drop: Healy reveals to Piper that Crazy Eyes requested Piper as a bunk-mate, which Healy refuses. "Lesbian request denied." Piper straightens him out right away.
- It also refers to Sophia and her now-troubled relationship with her wife. "Please keep your penis," is what she said before Sophia transitioned.
