We Need To Talk About Queerbaiting

By Dylan Mann-Hazell, Content Writer and Marketing Intern at myGwork

What is queerbaiting, why is it a topic of conversation recently, and how does this effect the LGBTQ+ community?

For anyone unfamiliar with the term, queerbaiting is an expression initially coined in the 1970s to describe a marketing technique with the aim of subtly attracting the attention of the LGBTQ+ community. Since fandom and internet culture reared its head in the early 2010s, the term has become popularized and widely used to call out and discuss the legitimacy of LGBTQ+ representation in the media. Most notably, it was used in reference to films and television shows that featured characters alluded to be LGBTQ+, with a deliberately incorporated romantic/sexual tension or ambiguity, without following through on any genuine or authentic queer representation. It is thought that this writing technique exists, consciously or unconsciously, as an attempt to lure in LGBTQ+ viewers without alienating anti-LGBTQ+ viewers.

A prominent example of a piece of media that has been accused of queerbaiting is BBC’s Sherlock, which consistently insinuated that the bond between main characters Holmes and Watson was perhaps stronger than friendship. Writer Steven Moffat denied any intention for these characters to come across as romantic, leading to critics offering instances within the show that suggest otherwise, thus opening up many conversations, social media posts and popular video essays about the effects of queerbaiting. This technique has also been attributed to movies that have advertised the incorporation of LGBTQ+ content in their promotional material, e.g., Beauty and the Beast and Cruella, but turn out to feature very minor, easily missed roles in the overall story.

Used in this way, the term queerbaiting is important – necessary, even, to call out an outdated and patronizing method of manipulating a community that deserves better representation. However, as with every trend that catches on in social media, the term has evolved into something entirely new. In recent years, it has become popular to attribute the label to actors, singers, and other prominent figures who have not publicly divulged their sexuality. Those who use the term in this way may think they are pushing for inclusivity and openness, but the impact this is having on the LGBTQ+ community, particularly those still closeted, is becoming increasingly damaging.