They're not only trying to nurture a queer audience that's hungry for more characters that reflect them and their lifestyle, but they're also addressing the need to break the sexism and moving towards gender equality. And these two topics, sexuality and sexism, undoubtedly share a good deal of intersectionality. You can't discuss one issue without considering the other, for example, the specific scene I'm focusing on shows both Ivy and Harley together in very casual, comfortable clothing. They exchange glances and work together to prevent Batman from interfering with them in their territory. The two women later talk to Batman saying that they will never be defeated by a man. Ivy also mentions being trapped in female domestic slavery (to men). This suggests that she not only wants to fight sexism but also typical gender norms and the idea that women should be attached to men. That said, I think the most prevalent urgency of the situations was that the show was made after and partly during the AIDS crisis. At the time, it was too risky to create a suggestive queer relationship between two men (considering that the AIDS crisis demonized gay men in particular). However, the need for positive representation of homosexuality was evident. The relationship between Harley and Ivy, in this episode and the rest of the series, suggests that the creators wanted it