Gender Isn't Real!

This time we are not going to talk about a specific TV show, but instead, we are going to discuss about tropes! Not just any tropes, but tropes regarding queers.

With the current openness of the society, more and more shows have included LGBTQ related characters or plots into the show to catch up with the trend and connect to the society. Here are 10 tropes with examples from different TV shows:

1.All Lesbians Want Kids: Susan in Friends

Do you remember whom Carol (Ross’s first ex-wife) left Ross for? Susan! who becomes lover with Carol and they even get married in the later part of the show. When Carol and Ross get divorced, Carol finds out that she is pregnant with Ross’s baby; and they decide to keep it. When the baby is about to be born, Susan and Ross were fighting about whose last name should be put in the front of the other’s. Although this baby is the creation of Carol and Ross, Susan still wants her last name to be in the baby’s name, which indicates that she wants the baby!

2. Always Camp: Michel in Gilmore Girls

In media, there is a phenomenon that some jobs systematically attract people with “camp” sensibilities, and it is usually related to show business or arts. Although Michael is not working in the fields of performance or arts, his job of being a concierge is not considered as a highly masculine job either. On top of that, he is speaking with a French accent, which is a bonus point when reading into this trope!

3.Ambiguously Bi: Rory in Gilmore Girls

The name of the trope basically tells it all that it is about a character who has the possibility to be a bisexual, but no one actually knows. I guess when you see Rory’s name, you are a bit shocked, right? In the TV show, Rory only dates boys, however, once her friend told her that she and her college roommate, Paris, would make a pretty good couple. All she answers is that she is too high maintenance without denying the possibility of dating her.

4.Anything That Moves: Samantha in Sex and the City

This trope is referring to the person who is willing to have sex with almost ANYONE. Whoever is familiar with Sex and the Citywould know how sex-addicted Samantha is. In the series she is known for indiscriminate sex, but typically with men.

5. The Beard: Margaery Tyrell in Game of Thrones

When you call a character “the beard”, it means that the person is a “disguised shield” for the gay or lesbian, who stays in a relationship with the gay in order to help him hide their true sexual orientation. In Game of Thrones, Margaery is playing this role for King Renly Baratheon. One night, before they are having sex, the queen herself even asks him whether she needs to ask her brother to come help the king out.

6. Cure Your Gays: Susie (Theo)’s dad in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

This trope is about someone who considers that being gay is a problem or a disease that can be “cured”. In this new witch themed Netflix show, Susie is a girl who always thinks that she is supposed to be a boy; and that female is just her physical gender. In season 2, she even changes her girly name Susie into Theo and joins the boy basketball team. However, her dad initially cannot really accept her in this way, even tries to convince her to be more girl. The twist is that, in the end, he also decides to respect his daughter’s (or should I say his son’s) choice.

7. Experimented in College: Rachel in Friends

Some people might question about their sexual orientation, so they decide to do some experiments while in college to figure the answer out. In season 7, episode 9 of Friends (The One with Rachel’s Big Kiss), Rachel remembers that she kissed one of her female schoolmates in college, which was the wildest night in her life. However, Phoebe doesn’t buy it at all. In order to prove herself, Rachel invites the schoolmate and Phoebe for dinner and tries to talk it out. It turns out that the schoolmate not only remembers the kiss, but also clearly is still in love with Rachel.

8. Gay Cowboy: Cameron in Modern Family

Somehow that gays are never been linked with soldiers or sailors but with cowboys. Cam in Modern Family is one of the example for this trope. He grew up in a ranch located in Missouri, so he always has a little bit of that cowboy feature in him. One time, he and Michel even bring their daughter, Lily, back to the ranch that Cam grew up in.

9. Girlfriend in Canada: Howard in The Big Bang Theory

Have you ever seen a homosexual character that lies about having a partner of the opposite sex but lives far away or just coincidently is not in town at the moment? This is what the trope is about! One episode in The Big Bang Theory, Leonard’s mother comes for a visit and Howard tells everyone that he has a girlfriend (but the truth is that he actually does!), but she is out of town. and that is why Leonard’s mom could not meet her in person. Unfortunately… Leonard’s mother already thinks that he and Raj are in the closet.

10. Straight Gay: Dave in Modern Family

Straight gay is referring to someone who is gay but without any obvious “gayness”, so others are hard to tell that they are actually gay. In season 4 and episode 8 of Modern Family, Dave being Cameron’s gay friend who runs into Phil in “Mistery” date. Since Phil is trying to meet new friends during his leisure times, he invites Dave over to watch a football game while Dave misunderstands Phil’s purpose, thinking that Phil is interested in him. Well, Phil has no clue that Dave is a gay!