She's a tough, no-nonsense, civil rights lawyer with a motorcycle mama past. Melanie isn't afraid to express a controversial opinion — whether personally or professionally. Yet, despite this contentious nature, she's also a devoted partner to Lindsay and mother to Gus, and will defend her friends to the death...even her sometimes nemesis: Brian.
Melanie is no shrinking violet. Find out where others stand with her.
Even though Melanie came from a very different background than Lindsay, she knew they both had the same goals for their relationship: to start a family. And about six years into their relationship — with the help of Brian's sperm — Lindsay gave birth to Gus. The plan was that Brian would immediately sign over his legal rights to the baby so Melanie could adopt him. Everything seemed perfect...until Brian saw Gus. He wouldn't do it. Melanie was furious. Worse, she felt betrayed that Lindsay didn't immediately insist Brian keep his agreement. Things worsened when Melanie started having to pick up extra work to offset Lindsay's not working. She felt she was slaving for Gus and Lindsay, but when she'd come home Lindsay would avoid all intimacy between them. Tensions started to build and Melanie tried to convince Lindsay to see a counselor. Frustrated, Melanie had a brief affair with Marianne. When Lindsay found out about the affair, Melanie decided it was a good idea to move out. For a moment it seemed the relationship was over forever. The two women began to live separate lives. Melanie tried to get back in the saddle by going out to lesbian bars, but she missed Lindsay terribly. When she finally broke down and went to see Lindsay, she found that Lindsay was planning to marry...a man! It was a Frenchman named Guillaume who needed his green card and could help out with Gus as well as with finances. Melanie was heartbroken. She missed Lindsay more than she imagined, but Lindsay remained furious about Melanie's betrayal. Strangely enough, it was Brian who arranged for the two women to get back together. At the same time he finally kept his agreement and signed the papers so Melanie could adopt Gus. It seemed Melanie's and Lindsay's dream family was finally going to happen.
When Lindsay proposed to Melanie at Lynette's wedding, Melanie didn't know what else to do except say "yes." But when Lindsay pressed her on it later, Melanie reneged. After all, she didn't believe in weddings. To her they were just meaningless heterosexual symbols. No way would she go through with a wedding.
When a little girl at Gus's birthday party asked Melanie and Lindsay if they were married Melanie suddenly changed her mind about "marrying" Lindsay. Reversing herself, Melanie was the one on her knees this time...and Lindsay said "yes." It seemed the lesbians were going to be "legit"...well...as "legit" as lesbians can get in Pittsburgh.
When Leda showed up on her motorcycle, Melanie knew she had to feed her own bad girl instincts or she might explode...but would Lindsay accept this sassy other side? Well...not at first. But soon Lindsay was jumping on the back of Melanie's motorcycle, happily nurturing her partner's part-time-passion.
Melanie and Lindsay announce to their friends that they're getting married! Everyone's supportive...except Brian of course...go figure!
Melanie was furious when Lindsay called her cheap...just because Melanie didn't want to spend an exorbitant amount of money on the wedding. Both women were at their breaking points until Lindsay discovered some love letters between her late grandmother and a forbidden female lover. After reading these letters Melanie and Lindsay found new meaning to their wedding, and Melanie feels more than happy to spend anything to be with the woman she loves.
Although everything was going wrong with their wedding day plans, Melanie just wished that Lindsay would calm down and take a deep breath. But then at the last minute, everything worked out. And when a glowing Lindsay came walking down the aisle, Melanie was the one who breathed a sigh of relief. She was finally going to marry the woman of her dreams.
Melanie can see Lindsay is feeling threatened by Leda's offer to renovate the attic in exchange for moving in for a while. This pisses Melanie off at first until Lindsay finally relents and realizes that she was behaving foolishly.
Has lesbian bed death set in? Melanie wants to rekindle the sexual heat with Lindsay, but after an attempt at a mid-day hotel tryst fails, Melanie doesn't know what's wrong. That is, until she thinks she sees Lindsay and Leda getting it on. Is that the problem? Melanie blows up...but then what she thinks is the problem becomes the solution when the three women kiss and make up...for an unusually long time.
Melanie pretty much hated Brian from the word go. He was the greatest challenge to her affection for Lindsay, and the obstacle to her adopting Gus. Not only that but he seemed to have no respect whatsoever for Melanie. He refused to let Gus have his Bris, embarrassing Melanie in front of her relatives. Worse he went back on his initial agreement to sign over his rights to Gus so that Melanie could adopt him. Melanie could barely contain how much she started to hate him. She was completely flabbergasted when Brian asked her to help him with Kip's sexual harassment lawsuit against him. She did it, but didn't know why. But the most surprising twist in their relationship came when Melanie and Lindsay had split up. Melanie and Brian started to bond. And when it seemed like nothing would make Lindsay come back to her Brian stepped in. He convinced the women that they still loved each other and better damn well get back together...since he was signing over his rights to Gus, so Melanie could finally adopt him. From that point on Brian and Melanie respected each other...just not always on the surface.
Melanie liked Ted from the start. After all, compared to all of their other gay male friends, Ted was the most like Melanie. He was sensible, smart, successful...and shared her disdain for Brian. Professionally Melanie is Ted's lawyer and Ted is Melanie's accountant. She definitely hangs out more with Ted than any of the other gay men in "the gang." Melanie feels comfortable around Ted, and enjoys hanging out with him, whether shopping for presents for Michael's birthday party or just shooting the bull over a beer at Woody's. During Melanie's separation from Lindsay, Ted helped her drown her sorrows at Dyke Night at Babylon. Not that it helped. Later, when Ted was going through his second shot at a relationship with Blake, Melanie was happy to go out on a limb and help Blake get a job as a paralegal at her firm. Whatever Ted needs, Melanie is happy to try and help.
Melanie had been fighting with Lindsay when she first met Marianne. It was at yet another of the seemingly endless lesbian baby showers in the Pittsburgh area. Immediately, Melanie recognized a "bad girl" soul mate in the non-domestic Marianne. Marianne hated babies, and hated "good girl" dykes who don't smoke and only think of monogamy and being nice. After Melanie had another awful fight with Lindsay she met Marianne for a cup of coffee and commiseration. This lead to a casual one-night-stand between the women — a one-night stand that would result in a separation that almost ended Melanie's and Lindsay's relationship forever.
Melanie and Leda used to be an item on the lipstick-lesbian, motor-cycle-babe
circuit. After their break-up, the women grew apart. While Leda continued to
live the exciting life of a sexy, cycle-riding, world-class photographer,
Melanie mellowed, putting both her bike and her wild side in the back of the
garage to collect dust. But then Leda showed up out of nowhere and that bad girl
instinct rose up from Melanie's innermost soul. And although Melanie wouldn't
trade her life with Lindsay for the world, she needed to - just for a day --
chuck off her Home-Depot-domesticity, strap on a leather halter top and roll
down the road with Leda and the other Dykes-on-Bikes.
Ever since their 3-way with Leda, Melanie and Lindsay are having great sex. But now Leda is getting in the way and Melanie realizes that it's time for her friend to get the message and move on. When Lindsay and Melanie give Leda the news and she is crushed. What happened? She renovates the attic, renovates their sex life and then it's so long Leda? Soon Leda realizes that her anger isn't justified and leaves the girls on a pleasant note...off to find a love of her own.
MELANIE MARCUS: "I don't care what men think about their dicks!"
This civil-rights lawyer stands her ground, whether it's business or personal. She'll also fight like hell for her family or friends. Although she can appear all business, she's also got somewhat of a sordid past involving motorcycles and wild women. Her biggest problem is that Brian, being Gus' father, will always have an overly strong influence on her home life.
EARLIEST AMBITION: To be a notorious girl drummer for an all girl punk band.
FAVORITE MOVIES: The Matrix, Easy Rider, I've Heard the Mermaids Singing.
FAVORITE JUNK FOOD: Peanut butter on Matzos.
FAVORITE OLD TIME TV CHARACTER: Rhoda Morgenstern from "Mary Tyler Moore".
FAVORITE FAMOUS COUPLE: Peppermint Patty and Marcy from "Peanuts".
GUILTY PLEASURE: Flipping through motorcycle magazines, fantasizing about having a brand new Harley and making Lindsay her Biker Broad.
BOOK OR MAGAZINE WHICH SHE COULD NOT LIVE WITHOUT ON A DESERT ISLAND: The New Republic or the New Yorker.
HABITS OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT IRRITATE HER: People that stare at Lindsay and her when they are walking hand-in-hand or want to sneak a kiss in public. Sexist or misogynistic men. Anything that Brian does.
SEVEN FAVORITE JEOPARDY! CATAGORIES: Biker Babes, Modern Art, Women Writers, Pretty Politicians, High on the Hog, Love that Leftist, and Hebrew Honeys.
THE ONE ITEM THAT'S ALWAYS IN HER REFRIGERATOR: Reddi Wip.