necrophilia, aversion therapy,
At Briarcliff, many of the patients claim to be unjustly institutionalized, including micro-cephalic Pepper, who was framed for her nephew's murder; nymphomaniac Shelley. The man, believed to be a violent serial killer, he becomes the subject of interest of a pragmatic psychiatrist and the sadistic Dr. Arden, the latter of whom routinely conducts scientific operations on patients.
The institution is run under the watchful eye of the stern Sister Jude and her second-in-command, the naive Sister Mary Eunice, and the founder of the institution. Briarcliff's inhabitants are routinely subject to supernatural and scientific influences, including demonic possession and extraterrestrial abduction.
Lana, the main character in Season 2 is a lesbian. Her lesbian relationship and orientation is central to the entire plot.
Her partner, who is a school-teacher, is threatened with blackmail if she doesn't have her partner committed against her will. While in the asylum, she is given aversion/conversion therapy to make her straight.
Like most of the seasons of American Horror Story, queer actors are prominent. For this season it includes Sarah Paulson and Zachary Quinto
s2e1 - Reporter Lana Winters is committed to an asylum against her will when her roommate (partner) Wendy is black-mailed into signing the papers. Sister Jude threatens to out her as a lesbian, which would end her career as an elementary school teacher
s2e4 - Lana is offered a chance to escape if she shows signs of being 'cured' of homosexuality. She agrees, and is forced into aversion therapy and conversion therapy.
s2e5 - Lana is forced to kiss her murdered girlfriend's corpse.
s2e11 - Lana asks for Wendy's body, saying that everyone knows about her being a lesbian, and now no one else cares about her or burying her body.
s2e12 - Lana wrote a book about the experience. In it she downgrades the relationship to just roommates.
s2e13 - Lana is now open about her sexuality and is with Marion. And mentions how tough it was for gay women back then.
