Harry Potter: Queerbaiting

Last week’s release of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the script of the new story from JK Rowling’s beloved wizard, caused the expected stir – but for reasons unanticipated. As the text landed in bookshops around the world, accusations began flying as readers debated whether the two young characters – Scorpius Malfoy and Albus Potter – were an example of “queerbaiting”.

Queerbaiting is a term that exists mostly in fan communities, and refers to the writers or creators of a world (whether of a movie franchise, a book series, or a TV show) using injections of homoeroticism and romance to draw an audience seeking LGBTQ representation, while not alienating a wider audience who may not want to see a gay relationship depicted. Think of the term “bromance” – a dynamic that employs romantic tropes, all the while not actually fulfilling them.

Accusations of queerbaiting are more commonly directed towards television than books: TV shows such as House, Supernatural and Rizzoli & Isles have all been singled out, while recent depictions of “confirmed bachelors” Sherlock Holmes and John Watson have also been accused of dabbling in manipulative homoeroticism...

Guardian Books Blog Daftness.

There's billions of people on the internet, some are guaranteed to be quite bonkers.

Orlando: Jonas

Monday night, I attended the vigil/Stonewall Democrat-sponsored rally that sprawled the blocks surrounding the historic Stonewall Inn to process and mourn Saturday night’s massacre at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, with my NYC queer community.

I want to first thank the organizers of this event for reading the names of every identified victim of the mass shooting at the end of our 90 minutes spent in community together. However — I am angry, as are many in my queer family — about a number of things that happened at the event which felt more like a political rally than a vigil.

But the most sour taste I can’t seem to wash out of my mouth is the introduction of straight pop star Nick Jonas as one of the evening’s speakers (he was only one of a few straight speakers).

For months now, Jonas has engaged in what is colloquially referred to as “queerbaiting” — marketing himself, and his sex appeal, to gay men during the lead up to the release of his new album which came out last Friday...

I don’t want to draw too many conclusions about Jonas’ and his team’s intention with this aggressive “queerbaiting.” But one thing is certain: this is not a time for straight allies to take up space — especially if you’re an ally who just dropped an album three days ago.

Now is a time when we, as a community, are mourning the loss of 49 queer and trans brothers and sisters, many of them people of color. The media and public are largely already trying to erase the sexuality and gender identity of the victims. Seeing a straight, white man on stage addressing the mourning queer community only intensified the pain of our grief...

JamesMichael Nichols, Dear Nick Jonas, There’s A Way To Be A Straight Ally. That Wasn’t It, HuffPost Queer Voices. 

Speechless.

Attitude: The Body Hair Issue

Nick Jonas has admitted that he doesn’t feel the need to “wax or shave” his body hair.

The Chains singer said that he thinks being naturally groomed is “the beautiful part about being a man”.

He told Attitude that he was surprised by the reaction to some of his recent photoshoots, which have seen him show off chest and back hair.

He said: “It’s funny, I never even really thought about it; that that would be an issue. I think that I’ve never even tried to like wax or shave my chest hair or anywhere else.'

Attitude are really selling me their 8-page interview with Nick Jonas on their website.

Who knows what thrilling insights they're holding over for the print edition?

Sexy Nick on his nasal hair and toenail clippings?

Or has a guy ever hit on him? How much exactly does he love his gay fans - on a scale of one to ten? Which male celebrity does Nick think is the most good-looking? What's his workout regime? Has he ever dreamed about being pissed on by a burly fireman? etc etc etc.

Nick Jonas's rainbow crotch-grab: Especially for you.

I'm not just taking the piss here. I really am concerned as to why certain gay media can put such love and effort into their publications, but fill their websites and their tweets - major portals for the real thing - with such banalities. 

See for example...

Such a nice story. World's second strongest man comes out: http://t.co/0XnvjrO6Qv
— Gay Times Magazine (@GayTimesMag) November 10, 2014

If I wanted 'nice stories', I'd follow Enid Blyton. 

Word Of The Day: Queerbaiting

If I see another article in a publication oriented towards gay men proclaiming how hot Nick Jonas is, I might scream. I get it, he’s packed on some muscle mass since the last time he was relevant—and it’s always nice to have eye candy—but his recent appearances at gay clubs in New York seem a little disingenuous.

Jonas has a self-titled album coming out soon, and because the rise of One Direction and Justin Bieber has diminished his influence in the lucrative teen girl market, he needs to find a new group to promote his material. It looks like he’s found his audience: gay men.

His marketing team must be having a gay old time, if you’ll forgive the pun, because it’s a little too coincidental that Jonas has started popping up at gay clubs to take his shirt off, stripping down and emulating Mark Wahlberg for a photoshoot and tweeting “I love my gay fans,” around the release of the new album’s second single, “Jealous.” As a slight cynic, this doesn’t feel like a genuine way to attract fans—it feels like a marketing ploy.

Jonas isn’t the only high-profile act that capitalizes on the seemingly untapped mainstream market of gay men. The MTV show “Teen Wolf” has been working its werewolf-fueled magic in queer-baiting since the show premiered in 2011...

Conor Murphy, The Daily Cardinal.

Update: A sort-of - and somewhat muddled - reply on Towleroad; Yes, Nick Jonas Is (Sort Of) Queerbaiting His Gay Fans - So What?