Coming Straight Story: Difference between revisions

{{quote|'''Norm''': "I can't go on with this any longer. I wanted to be your decorator, so I pretended to be who I thought you wanted me to be. but it's time I came out of the closet. I'm straight." <br />

'''Robert''': "Impossible." <br />

A straight character is believed by everyone within a group to be gay. Eventually, that straight character "comes out", and admits to the group that they are, in fact, straight. Nearly always [[Played for Laughs]], this is a very common inversion of the typical [[Coming Out Story]], where a closeted gay man or lesbian finally admits to their heterosexual friends and family that they are homosexual.

Where a [[Coming Out Story]] is frequently a serious event within a character's life, with friends and family sometimes being initially unaccepting of the revelation, a [['''Coming Straight Story]]''' almost always involves the gay friends rapidly coming to accept the fact that their friend is straight. Typically involves a straight male character in a profession in which homosexuality is the stereotypical expectation.

Often also serves the purpose of a [[Gay Aesop]] about being open-minded and accepting of those with a different sexual orientation, although this may be undermined by the trope being [[Played for Laughs]]. Also serves as an Aesop that [[Honesty Is the Best Policy]].

Often a result of [[Mistaken for Gay]] remaining uncorrected, or due to a character intentionally being [[Camp Straight]]. Occasionally applied directly upon the character being [[Mistaken for Gay]], although this is usually less effective. Can only arise in the absence of a character with [[Gaydar]]. Sometimes [[Invoked]] by a character in order to get a laugh from other characters. Contrast with a successful case of [[Cure Your Gays]], where a character that was gay is turned straight and thus "comes straight" in a different sense.

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{{examples|Examples: }}

* ''[[Kick-Ass]]'': in the original comic his would-be girlfriend is not pleased that he had been lying to her. In his defense, he didn't originate the lie; when he was found naked and beaten up it was rumored that he was prostituting himself for rough sex. He just rolled with it because it was a way to hang out with her.

* A girl who has been sent to "True Directions" camp in ''[[But I'm a Cheerleader]]'' "comes out" as straight after a while, complaining that her parents just assumed she was a lesbian because she's [[Tomboy|Tomboyish]]ish.

* In ''[[Three To Tango]]'', Matthew Perry's character is initially [[Mistaken for Gay]], then keeps up the façade for a number of selfish reasons until the film's climax, where the trope comes into play.

* In the movie ''Where the Heart Is'' ,<ref>not [[Where the Heart Is|the natalie portman one]]</ref>, Crispin Glover's characters comes out as straight after pretending to be gay because he thought it would be the only way people would take him seriously as a fashion designer.

* [http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7080706/1/Mikado_Comes_Out_of_the_Closet This]...[[Everyone Is Gay|interesting]] [[Durarara!!]] fanfiction. The title and summary might have been a tip off though...

* Not fanfiction as much as fandom, but much of the [[Suzumiya Haruhi]] fandom assumed Itsuki Koizumi was gay due to his [[Camp Gay|fabulous hair flip]], hand gestures, style, and [[Ho Yay]] with Kyon. Then, from Vol 4 onward, it is heavily implied he is {{spoiler|unrequitedly in love with Haruhi.}} Doesn't stop the [[Yaoi Fangirls]] from crying [[Ambiguously Bisexual]], however.

* In ''[[Friends]]'', Phoebe's husband, whom she married so that he could get a green card, was always considered to be gay, in part due to his profession (he skated in the ice-capades). When she goes to meet up with him to reminisce, he admits to her that he is, in fact, straight, and that he wants a divorce, so that he can marry his new girlfriend.

* [[Matt Damon]] appears in ''[[Will and Grace]]'' as a candidate for the lead position in a gay choir, going up against Jack for the part. It is soon revealed that his character is, in fact, straight, which gets a gasp of shock when he admits it in front of the choir. They quickly accept him anyway, to the frustration of Jack.

* ''[[Unhappily Ever After]]'': In the [[High School Graduation Episode]] Barry comes out as straight - he was just pretending to be gay in order to [[Pet Homosexual|hang out with hot chicks]]. Later retconned when he shows up during The College Years with the same personality he had when he was "pretending" to be gay.

* ''[[Cheers]]'': Norm pretends to be gay in order to secure an account in his new home decorating business, then confesses to the couple that he's straight. They fire him - not because he lied, but because they simply ''must'' have a gay decorator. It's ''tres gauche'' to use a straight decorator.

* In the sitcom ''[[Rodney]]'', Rodney gets booked to do a stand up performance at a gay bar and his best friend pretends to be Rodney's boyfriend so guys won't hit on him. Eventually, they come out as straight.

* In an episode of ''[[Two and A Half Men]]'', while Charlie is pretending to be gay for the sake of a gay client, he meets a hot chick, so he invites her out shopping. On the shopping trip, he tries to convince her that she's flipped him, but when that doesn't work, he comes out as straight. Unfortunately, his mother is coincidentally in the same store, overhears, and decides to support his original story, [[Just for Fun|for fun]].

* In the [[Mockumentary]] ''[[Dorm Life]]'', a first-season episode centers on everyone discovering Andy is gay, and showering him with love and acceptance. In the second season, when they all view a screening of the first season, Andy is shocked to discover that's what they thought, and reveals that he really is straight. The rest of the characters revile him for it for the rest of the season.

* In one episode of ''[[King of the Hill]]'', Bill pretends to be gay so he can work as a hair stylist, but eventually comes out as straight. It is not well received.

* In ''[[The Simpsons]]'' episode ''Flaming Moe'',<ref>not to be confused with the Simpsons episode ''Flaming Moe's''</ref>, Moe opens a gay bar and eventually runs for political power with support of the gays who think he is gay. When challenged by Smithers, who knows Moe to be straight, to kiss him, Moe decides instead to come straight, to the disappointment of the gathered homosexual support base.