SO MANY memorable queer characters on-screen have stolen our hearts. 💕
However, some of our favorite movies had the most cliché queer tropes, which we all got tired of watching on repeat. But things are slowly changing for the better in the 21st century, and although it is slow progress, we are very happy to see it happen.
To reminisce, I have compiled a list of clichés around LGBTQ+ characters that are ignorant, far from reality, and honestly an offense to the entire queer community. Here are 12 old-fashioned queer tropes that fans are excited to say bye-bye to:
1.
The gay best friend is extremely outdated, and we are glad to see it go away — slowly but surely!
2.
Queer individuals are either in toxic relationships or dying to be in a relationship — there is no in-between.
3.
We no longer want to see queer couples dying on us— we want them to live to be 100.
4.
Lesbians are not predatory, cold, and distant — and it’s time Hollywood accepted that!
5.
Movies having queer characters as ornaments in a film for inclusivity.
6.
When the creepiest villains have queer mannerisms simply because they get obsessed with the protagonist?
7.
When queer love and drama happen only in flashbacks, with no mention of it in the present.
8.
The closeted bully who physically attacks others because of his inability to accept his sexuality.
9.
Gay men who turn away from true love and marry a woman.
10.
When coming out was used as a plot device to make the show interesting rather than inspirational.
11.
Portraying queer individuals as promiscuous and flirty.
12.
The once hyped ‘girl-on-girl’ action for the male gaze — which has now shifted for the female gaze!
These tired tropes just prove that a lot of mainstream cinema — and its audiences — write queer characters like they’ve never actually met a queer person. It’s all stereotypes, trauma, or fantasy. Honestly, we’re over it. Give us more queer stories that are joyful, weird, wholesome, messy, real. Not everything needs to end in heartbreak or be a sob story. Sometimes, we just want to see queer people falling in love over coffee, going on awkward dates, or surviving Monday.