What is gay baiting

There are two meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun queerbaiting. Etymons: queer n. Some consonants can take the function of the vowel in unstressed syllables. View the pronunciation model here.

In films and television series, this is done either by introducing a character whose sexuality seems, early on, to be coded as something other than one hundred percent heterosexual, or by indicating -- be it ever so slightly -- that two same-sex characters might possibly be attracted to each other. Queer baiting may also involve the suggestion of a romantic or sexual interest between two characters of the same gender without making it outright canon. This can backfire against TPTB when queer baiting is paired with "no homo! The term encompasses the disappointment and betrayal felt by fans when the canon retreats from that early perceived position of queer inclusion, and clearly marks the sexually ambiguous character as straight.

By Moises Mendez II. This photo set caused her to be one of the many celebrities in recent years that have been the subject of queerbaiting accusations. Amid the online discourse, however, one Twitter user uploaded a tweet that perfectly summed up the current place where this discussion stands in our cultural landscape. According to Julia Himberg, director and associate professor of Film and Media Studies at Arizona State University, the origins can be traced back to the early days of the internet when there was less explicit LGBTQ representation in media on fan blogs and internet forums.

There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun gay-baiting. To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription. After purchasing, please sign in below to access the content. Sign in with library card.