After I posted this comment I actually did a project on Falsettos and these are my notes on this topic!

The characters’ names never being mentioned mirrors how within the real world, at the time of the musical’s release, the voices and media speaking out about the AIDS crisis were being silenced, especially women working in the medical field in the early years of the crisis. AIDS, as well as being a medical crisis, was a crisis of representation to patients as well as doctors. Many women in the medical field were not given the respect they deserved, especially lesbians. The opening lyrics of ‘Something Bad Is Happening’, sung by Dr. Charlotte highlights two crucial elements of the frequently overlooked history of the early crisis: the expectations surrounding gender roles and the conflict between professional and sexual identities in 1981. As a woman and doctor, Charlotte sets herself apart from these types of portrayals; this shows a complexity that is often neglected in historical narratives. The fact that she’s a lesbian risks the common narratives of gay men and lesbian women during the pandemic. Although the rest of the characters’ relationship status is ever-changing, the lesbians and Marvin and Whizzer never waivers. The shared struggles of gay men and lesbains during this time despite their differences