Word of Gay: Difference between revisions

This may be because of [[Media Watchdog|Media Watchdogs]] or fear of backlash. It can also be due to [[The Law of Conservation of Detail|Conservation Of Detail]]. On the other hand, heteronormativity states you have to mention a character is gay to establish it if the story is vague. Most readers will assume a character is heterosexual when their orientation isn't developed in text. Thus, this may be a publicity appeal to a gay audience while not upsetting that part of the audience who feels uneasy about this. Or it could just be one big publicity stunt.

 

 

It's notable that this trope, or more accurately the shocked reaction and the idea that there must be some scheme behind it, is a [[Double Standard]]. Many characters never express any romance or sexuality within a story, but if such a character is revealed to be heterosexual, nobody bats an eye.

* While some other members of the production crew are [[Teasing Creator|infamously]] [[Shrug of God|dodgy]] about the subject, according to an interview with director Masaki Tsuzuki (the creator of the [[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha|Nanoha]] franchise) and the voice actresses of [[Nana Mizuki|Fate]] and [[Yukari Tamura|Nanoha]], they are indeed lesbians. [http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff230/BPHaru3/RND/Fate_chan_is_a_prince_en.jpg In this article], the two VAs mention that in 10 years, Nanoha will be a housewife for Fate. The original writer, Tsuzuki, also says Vivio "frequently keeps in contact with Fate-''mama'', as often as contacting ''the father'' who works away from home, with a communication tool."

* ''[[Axis Powers Hetalia (Manga)|Axis Powers Hetalia]]'': [[Word of God]] says that Sweden is gay.

*** It could even be said that he ''acts'' gay around Finland, either being a [[Straight Gay]] or [[If It's You It's Okay|just straight the rest of the time]]. You see, [[Fridge Brilliance|the Finnish stereotype of Swedes suggests that all Swedish men are either gay or closeted bisexuals]].

* The ''[[Mai-HiME (Anime)|Mai-HiME]]'' [[All There in the Manual|artbooks]] canonize one relationship that was somewhat ambiguous in-series: Shizuru and Natsuki find happiness together at some point after Shizuru's graduation at the end.

{{quote| "Ultimately when the Battle had concluded, Natsuki again spoke affectionately to Shizuru who was graduating. Before one is aware, happiness will visit these two..."}}

** The [[Spiritual Successor]], ''[[Mai Otome]],'' was slightly better about it. The series played coy with their relationship throughout the series, but Drama CDs released after the series ended revealed that yes, they were a couple all along.

** Those scenes also made it clear (as if it wasn't already) that Ribbons {{spoiler|didn't return Alejandro's affections. As much, he used himself as a [[Honey Trap]] to get in Alejandro's good side and use him in his plans.}}

*** What makes this really confusing? {{spoiler|[[Word of God]] says that Innovades like Ribbons are genderless, even if they look more masculine or feminine (the sole exception being Anew Returner).}}

 

== [[Comic Books]] ==

* The vain Sunstreaker from the Dreamwave ''[[Transformers]]'' comics was apparently written as being gay, although (this being a comic aimed at teen fanboys) it was never going to be used in the story itself. Oddly enough, the [[Ambiguously Gay]] Tracks was ''not'' intended to be gay. What made this a [[Squick]] for many TF fans was that the writers pointed to the bio they wrote for Sunstreaker in ''More Than Meets The Eye.'' Read without this information, it makes Sunstreaker sound like a vicious assassin who can't switch off when he's around his allies. The [[Word of Gay]] turns it into a description of a creepy [[Depraved Homosexual]].

* Invisible Kid, from the "Reboot" continuity of the ''[[Legion of Super-Heroes (Comic Book)|Legion of Super-Heroes]]''. Element Lad in the Oneboot was the [[Inverted Trope|inverse]] of this trope-- his switch-hitting was an [[Ascended Fanon]] after years of rampant fan speculation based entirely (at first) on his pink costume. Fan speculation probably dates back to the 1975 APA article by Jim Shooter where he says that Element Lad might be gay.

* Alicia Vega, minor ([[Bury Your Gays|dead]]) ''[[Stargate Atlantis (TV)|Stargate Atlantis]]'' character, and a male supporting character (they will not say who). The series was originally supposed to hint at Vega's sexuality on-screen, and the relevent scenes were even filmed and can be found on the DVD's, but most of her scenes were deleted from her introductory episode for pacing reasons, getting rid of not just the hints at her sexuality, but most of her characterization in general.

* ''[[Popular]]'' creator Ryan Murphy said that his plans for the third season would have included Sam realizing she was gay.

* Hugh Laurie famously said he can easily see ''[[House (TV)|House]]'' getting it on with Cuddy, Cameron or Wilson.

** Katie Jacobs, executive producer of ''[[House (TV)|House]]'', once implied this too.

** Earlier, some of the show creators had said they originally intended to make Geordi gay on Next Generation, but backed down from it. This may explain why he consistently had little luck with women; some of the earlier [[Expanded Universe]] novels are also dripping with [[Ho Yay]]. (In ''A Call to Darkness'', when Geordi is ordered off duty to relax, he heads to the holodeck and activates his program of Ancient Greece, and spends a lot of time walking around holding Homer's hand and talking in rather intimate fashion.)

** Dominic Keating said about [[Star Trek Enterprise|Malcolm Reed]]: "God knows I played him gay!" No one's quite sure [[Sarcastic Confession|whether or not he's joking]]. However, Malcolm is easily the most-slashed character of the series in fandom. According to an interview, apparently B&B called him up and said "by the way...we're going to make your character bisexual." According to Keating himself, he thought it over, then went "Fuckit, I've played gays before" (And how!) and went for it. Executive backpedaling ensued, and they claimed it was "a joke" (Hence the excruciating "[[Have I Mentioned I Am Heterosexual Today?|I'm straight, totally straight, totally not at all gay]]!" episode "Shuttlepod One". He's also claimed that when playing Evil Malcolm in "Through a Mirror Darkly": "I just made him gayer and evil."

** In an inversion, [[George Takei]] (who is gay) specifically said that Hikaru Sulu is ''not'', in response to many fans who assumed that because Takei was, that necessarily his character was also. Sulu also canonically has a wife and daughter, though the former has never been introduced.

* Q from ''[[Star Trek]]''. Both one of the writers for the show and John de Lancie, the actor who played Q, thought he was in love with Picard. Of course, Q is naturally genderless, just takes on the male form when he's around humans, so it might be somewhat of a special case.

* In discussing the Dumbledore issue on his [http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2007/10/flowers-of-romance.html online journal], author [[Neil Gaiman]] once mentioned in passing that "''[[Neverwhere]]'' has two gay characters who are Out, as far as the book is concerned, and one major character who is gay but it isn't mentioned, simply because that character was one of many people in that book who don't have any sexual or romantic entanglements during the story." He hasn't actually named the characters, but an educated guess would suggest Hunter and Lady Serpentine as the two outed charcters. (The hinted [[Les Yay]] between them is something that both of them look back on fondly.) The one whose sexuality doesn't affect the story is any fanfic writer's guess but is likely the Marquis De Carabas, largely because he bears a striking character resemblence to the Cluracan from Gaiman's ''[[Sandman]]'', who is also gay. And because he's [[Large Ham|flamboyantly fabulous]].

** Another Gaiman example relating to his ''[[Babylon Five]]'' episode "Day of the Dead": he has confirmed that the [[Les Yay]] many fans saw between Lochley and the ghost of Zoe, her friend during her "[[Dark and Troubled Past|junkie teenage hooker]]" period, was intentional.

** Ricky and Jake in "Rise of the Cybermen"/"Age of Steel", as revealed by RTD in ''[[Doctor Who Confidential]]''. The deleted scene showing this is included in the DVD box set.

** [[Steven Moffat]] has said that [http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/05/14/steven-moffat-outs-river-song-as-bisexual/ River is bi].

* In ''[[Jonathan Creek (TV)|Jonathan Creek]]'', Maddie's publisher Barry was gay, at least according to David Renwick. However, since his entire purpose in the story was to be someone Maddie could rant about Jonathan to, it never got mentioned. (There was one scene in Season Two in which Maddie would say "Who wants to go out with a mindless copulating machine who just wants to get at you with his seed drill?" and they would ''both'' get rather thoughtful, but it got cut for time.)

* Graham Linehan and Arthur Matthews, creators of ''[[The Fast Show]]'', have stated that the popular characters Ted & Ralph are both gay; Ralph is GAY gay, Ted is a more repressed gay.

* ''[[Glee (TV)|Glee]]'' has kind of an odd case at the moment: ex-cheerleader Santana has already slept with and confessed her love for her best friend Brittany, but has so far refused any labels, and suggested she still has sexual attraction to boys. However, series writer Brad Falchuk has said that she is in fact a lesbian, even if she's not yet ready to say so.

** She got some [[Character Development]] and is now, if not out, then at least admitting it to herself. And Brittany.

* Gus and Max in ''[[Breaking Bad]]''. Their relationship is open for interpretation, but creator Vince Gilligan has stated that he thinks they were lovers.

* In ''[[Heroes (TV)|Heroes]]'' we have Zach. Unfortunately they didn't make it known to the actor until after he had been cast and his management was not happy about it, so the storyline never came to fruition, and he [[Chuck Cunningham Syndrome|dissappeared]] a few episodes afterwards anyway, due to the actor being cast in [[The Sarah Connor Chronicles]].

[[Category:Queer As Tropes]]

[[Category:Word Of Gay]]