Ben Platt on 'The Polician,' Comg Out as Gay - Variety

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• "THE POLICIAN" ACTOR THEO GERMAE IS PLAYG THE MOST REHG TRANS CHARACTER ON TELEVISNTHE SHOW'S BREAKOUT STAR HOP TO SET A NEW PRECENT FOR THE WAY TRANS STORI ARE {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}TVBY SAM MANZELLAOCTOBER 14, 2019/12:09 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:3000PX;WIDTH:2000PX;}TAYLOR HILL/FILMMAGICNEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 26: THEO GERMAE ATTENDS THE PREMIERE OF NETFLIX'S "THE POLICIAN" AT DGA THEATER ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 NEW YORK CY. (PHOTO BY TAYLOR HILL/FILMMAGIC)BY SAM MANZELLAOCTOBER 14, 2019 / 12:09 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"\"THE POLICIAN\" ACTOR THEO GERMAE IS PLAYG THE MOST REHG TRANS CHARACTER ON TELEVISN","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2019-10-14T16:09:22.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2019-10-14T16:09:22.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"SAM MANZELLA","KEYWORDS":"TRANSGENR","ARTICLESECTN":"TV"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHEN ACTOR THEO GERMAE FIRST HEARD ABOUT THE ROLE OF JAM SULLIVAN RYAN MURPHY'S THE POLICIAN, THEY WERE STILL WORKG THEIR DAY JOB: SLGG LATT AT A FFEE SHOP {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THAT WAS ABOUT A YEAR AGO, BUT SEEMS LIKE ULD'VE BEEN A LIFETIME. SCE THEN, THE ILLOIS NATIVE—WHO IS NONBARY AND THEY/THEM AND HE/HIM PRONOUNS—SRED THE PART, RELOTED TO LOS ANGEL THREE DAYS LATER TO STARTG FILMG, AND MA THEIR MAJOR ONSCREEN BUT WHEN THE SERI H NETFLIX ON SEPTEMBER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}A TE MURPHY PRODUCTN SLE, STAR POWER, AND STYLISTIC FLAIR, THE POLICIAN FOLLOWS PAYTON HOBART (BEN PLATT), A WEALTHY TEEN WHOSE MACHIAVELLIAN TERMATN TO BEE STUNT BODY PRINT OF HIS POSH HIGH SCHOOL LEADS HIM DOWN A ROCKY, ABSURD PATH. GERMAE'S CHARACTER JAM IS ONE HALF OF PAYTON'S MPAIGN MANAGEMENT SQUAD, ALONGSI MCAFEE WTBROOK (LRA DREYFS). OTHER ST MEMBERS CLU GWYH PALTROW, JSI LANGE, JUDH LIGHT, BETTE MIDLER, ZOEY DTCH, AND JANUARY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHILE THE POLICIAN'S PRODUCERS WERE SPECIFILLY SEARCHG FOR A TRANS MASCULE ACTOR, GERMAE SAYS JAM BEG TRANS WASN'T REALLY DISCSED. "I WAS LIKE, THIS IS OL," THEY TELL ME OVER THE PHONE OM LOS ANGEL. "MAYBE 'S GOG TO E UP [ THE SCRIPT]?"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GERMAE PREFERS TO PLAY MALE CHARACTERS, SO THE PROSPECT OF PORTRAYG JAM—A SHREWD, BLUNT POLIL STRATEGIST—WAS EXCG. "LIKE, I DON'T HAVE TO TALK ABOUT HOW I HATE MY BODY OR ANYTHG?" THEY RELL THKG. "SO MANY DNS THAT HAVE TRANS NTENT HAVE BEEN [THAT WAY] SCE I STARTED ACTG AND DNG PROFSNALLY. THIS WAS SUPER REHG."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ANOTHER HALLMARK OF THE POLICIAN'S OVERWHELMG QUEER APPEAL IS S CHARACTERS' TOTAL NONCHALANCE TOWARD GENR FLUIDY AND ALL-OVER-THE-MAP SEXUAL EXPLORATN. THERE'S DRAMA, SURE ( IS RYAN MURPHY, AFTER ALL), BUT THE SHOW'S TEEN PROTAGONISTS EXPEND THEIR EMOTNAL ENERGY ON CRIS OVER POWER PLAYS, MEDIL FAKE-OUTS, AND SUDN ATHS—AND LS SO ON A GAY KISS OR GENR-NONNFORMG LOVE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN BETWEEN HELPG PAYTON FD A NNG MATE FOR HIS MPAIGN AND CNCHG THE NUMBERS ON THE LIKELIHOOD OF HIS W, JAM EVEN GETS A JUICY ROMANTIC SUBPLOT. NO SPOILERS, BUT 'S THE KD OF CLANSTE AFFAIR THAT'S UALLY RERVED FOR CISGENR AND HETEROSEXUAL CHARACTERS. IT ALSO POS A MAJOR THREAT TO THE SQUEAKY-CLEAN OPTICS OF PAYTON'S MPAIGN AND CREAT A NEW LAYER OF TENSN HIS RELATNSHIP WH JAM, ADDG A MORE SISTER DIMENSN TO JAM' CHARACTER—AND SURG THAT HIS IMPLIC TRANSNS REMAS THE LEAST OF HIS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT IF PLAYG JAM WAS A BREATH OF H AIR FOR GERMAE, THE ACTOR STILL BELIEV SOCIETY HAS "A LONG WAY TO GO" BEFORE SUAL, UNNAMED TRANSNS AND SEXUAL FLUIDY IS THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"I WOULD LOVE MORE TELEVISN TO JT BE LIKE THAT—WHERE [GENR OR SEXUAL ORIENTATN] ISN'T A BIG AL—BUT I ALSO KNOW 'S VERY IMPORTANT TO SPECIFILLY HAVE QUEER NTENT WHERE ISSU WH GENR AND SEXUALY ARE SPOKEN ABOUT," THEY ADD. "I DON'T WANT TO BE ERASED; I JT WANT TO BEE ONE PART OF THE THG THAT QUEER ACTORS AND TRANS ACTORS GET TO DO."NETFLIXTHE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GERMAE (L) WH LRA DREYFS THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GERMAE'S ACTG BACKGROUND IS THEATER, AND MOST OF THE PARTS THEY'VE LAND WERE STAGE ROL. STEPPG TO THEIR FIRST MAJOR ONSCREEN GIG WAS DNTG, AND GERMAE IS NDID ABOUT HOW THAT MA THEM FEEL: "I WAS SO ANX WHILE WE WERE FILMG!" THEY SAY WH A LGH. BUT THE WELG, SUPPORTIVE ATMOSPHERE ON SET HELPED EASE THAT ANXIETY, AND MA GERMAE FEEL MORE AT HOME ALONGSI SEASONED FILM AND TV ACTG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WORKG WH TRANS JOURNALIST AND PRODUCER JA MOCK, WHO DIRECTED THE THIRD EPISO OF SEASON 1, WAS PARTICULARLY SPECIAL FOR GERMAE, WHO'S A BIG FAN OF MOCK'S WRG AND TELEVISN WORK. WHILE WASN'T GERMAE'S FIRST TIME ACTG WH A TRANS DIRECTOR, WAS REVELATORY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"THERE IS A LEVEL OF UNRSTANDG THERE, AND 'S REALLY EXCG," THEY ADD, RELLG THE FIRST TIME THEY'D EVER DNED FOR A TRANS DIRECTOR ON A DIFFERENT PROJECT. "I REMEMBER GOG HOME AFTER DOG THE DN AND JT CRYG, BEE I FELT SO FORTABLE BEG ABLE TO BE VULNERABLE. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPLA HOW FEELS WHEN YOU GET TO WORK WH SOMEONE WHO JT GETS ."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;PADDG-BOTTOM:56.49999999999999%;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:100% !IMPORTANT;WIDTH:100% !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GERMAE ATTRIBUT "ACCEPTG EVERY PART OF MYSELF" TO THEIR NEWFOUND SUCCS, AND THEY ALSO MAKE A POT TO MENTN THAT TRANS ACTORS SHOULDN'T FEEL GUILTY OR SELF-NSC ABOUT RRECTG STMAT OR CREW MEMBERS IF THEY'RE MISGENRED ON SET. THE MORE FORTABLE TRANS PEOPLE ARE ASSERTG THEIR INTY AT WORK, GERMAE SAYS, THE EASIER BE TO FD ALLI ON SET WHO N SUPPORT THEM OR JUMP TO DO ANY NECSARY RRECTG, TOO. "THE BETTER YOU KNOW YOURSELF, AND THE BETTER YOU N JT SAY 'FUCK '—THAT HAS HELPED MY DNS GET BETTER, HELPED ME WORK BETTER, HELPED ME LIKE MYSELF BETTER. THE DTRY IS STILL GOG TO BE REALLY SHTY TOWARD [TRANS] PEOPLE. BUT I WANT TO HELP CHANGE ."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ASKED IF THEY HAVE A DREAM TV OR FILM ROLE, GERMAE PS BEFORE NFSG THAT THEY'RE A "HUGE GEEK" AND HAVE DREAMED OF TAKG ON A CHARACTER ON STAR TREK OR ANOTHER SCI-FI OR FANTASY SERI. "I WOULD LOVE TO PLAY A BADASS ANDROID," THEY ADD. "I'D LOVE TO DO SOME STUFF WH MAGIC—I'D LOVE TO BE A MON OR AN ANGEL. BUT WOULD ALSO BE OL TO JT BE A LEAD. TRANS PEOPLE SHOULD GET TO BE LEAD CHARACTERS, YOU KNOW?"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE POLICIAN IS CURRENTLY STREAMG ON {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS
• LATVIA BE 7TH NATN TO BE LED BY AN OPENLY GAY HEAD OF STATE
• 10 TEEN MOVIE GAYS WHO INSPIRED THE INFE QUEERNS OF "THE POLICIAN"FROM CHRISTIAN "CLUELS" TO MEGAN "BUT I'M A CHEERLEAR" TO DAMIAN "MEAN GIRLS," PAYTON HOBART AND CO. STAND ON THE SHOULRS OF GIANTS. {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}TVBY LTER FABIAN BRATHWAEOCTOBER 3, 2019/9:39 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:2874PX;WIDTH:4274PX;}PARAMOUNT PICTUR/GETTY IMAGJT WALKER AND ALICIA SILVERSTONE A SCENE OM THE FILM 'CLUELS', 1995. (PHOTO BY PARAMOUNT PICTUR/GETTY IMAG)BY LTER FABIAN BRATHWAEOCTOBER 3, 2019 / 9:39 AM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"10 TEEN MOVIE GAYS WHO INSPIRED THE INFE QUEERNS OF \"THE POLICIAN\"","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2019-10-03T13:39:11.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2019-10-03T13:39:11.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"LTER FABIAN BRATHWAE","ARTICLESECTN":"TV"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE POLICIAN IS AN AMALGAMATN OF A LOT TO THGS, MOSTLY THE EXPLOSN OF TEEN FILMS THE LATE '90S. THE NEW NETFLIX SERI IS EQUAL PARTS ELECTN, CEL INTENTNS, AND JAWBREAKER, SERVG AS BOTH AN O TO THOSE TOUCHSTON AND A PARODY OF THEM, THANKS TO CREATOR RYAN MURPHY'S WELL-DOCUMENTED REVERENCE FOR FLAMBOYANCE AND NOSTALGIA. {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE SHOW'S CENTRAL CHARACTER, PAYTON HOBART (BEN PLATT), IS AN OVERACHIEVER WH POLIL ASPIRATNS THE VE OF TRACY FLICK, MA FAMO BY REE WHERSPOON HER BREAKOUT ROLE. MEANWHILE, THE DALLIANC WH MURR AND BLACKMAIL—AS WELL AS THE VERY ADULT POSTURG OF S TEEN PROTAGONISTS AGAST THE BACKDROP OF AN AFFLUENT HIGH SCHOOL—SMACK OF JAWBREAKER, DROP DEAD GEO, AND CEL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ALL THE FILMS HAD AN UNNIABLY QUEER ATHETIC, BUT IF THEY HAD QUEER CHARACTERS, THEY WERE OFTEN RELEGATED TO SUPPORTG OR ANCILLARY ROL. THE POLICIAN, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS SO ABUNDANTLY AND SEAMLSLY QUEER THAT PRACTILLY NO ONE IS 100% {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PAYTON IS BI, HIS RIVAL ASTRID (LUCY BOYNTON) IS SEXUALLY FLUID, HIS ONE-TIME NNG MATE SKYE (RAHNE JON) IS GENR NONNFORMG, AND HIS MPAIGN MANAGER, JAM, IS PLAYED BY TRANS ACTOR THEO GERMAE, THOUGH THE CHARACTER'S GENR INTY IS NEVER DISCSED. EVEN PAYTON'S MOM, GEA (GWYH PALTROW), IS HAVG AN AFFAIR WH HER HORSE TRAER BRIGTE (LBIAN TENNIS LEGEND MARTA NAVRATILOVA).{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}STARTG 1999, HOLLYWOOD CHURNED OUT AN IMPRSIVE SLATE OF TEEN FILMS THAT WERE FAR DARKER AND SEXIER THAN THE JOHN HUGH CLASSICS OF THE PREV . WHILE MY ADOLCENT SELF AND MY PEERS SOUGHT VERSNS OF OURSELV ON SCREEN BACK THEN, WE BARELY REMBLED THE 20-SOMETHG (AND SOMETIM 30-SOMETHG) ADULTS AND THEIR PLEX, SCTIVE MACHATNS. STILL, I PERSONALLY VOURED ANY AND EVERY HT OF QUEERNS THEM, INTIFYG WH CHARACTERS THAT BRIEFLY POPPED UP TO ASSUAGE MY OWN SENSE OF VISIBILY. THEY WERE UALLY FUNNY AND ATTRACTIVE, AND HAD AT LEAST ONE GOOD LE OR SCENE. THEIR PRENCE FELT CREDIBLY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SO, HONOR OF THE POLICIAN'S EFFORTLS QUEERNS, HERE ARE 10 CEMATIC TEENS WHO PAVED THE GAY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CHRISTIAN STOVZ CLUELS (1995){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PLAYED BY JT WALKER, THIS DIS-DANCG, OSR WIL–READG, STREISAND TICKET–HOLDG IEND OF DOROTHY WAS THE KEBOY OF MANY A MID-'90S GAY DREAM. POOR CHER (ALICIA SILVERSTONE) JT DON'T SEE THE SIGNS—AS BTIE DNNE (STACEY DASH) OBSERV, "THE BOY N DRS"—BUT SOMEHOW DNNE'S BOYIEND MURRAY (DONALD FAISON) IS MORE WORLDLY THOSE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}COURTNEY SHAYNE JAWBREAKER (1999){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GAY WRER-DIRECTOR DARREN STE'S CULT CLASSIC BASILLY KICKED OFF A YEARLONG N OF FILMS THAT PATED THE SISTER SI OF TEEN LIFE WHEN H THEATERS FEBARY 1999. THOUGH FEATURG NO OVERTLY QUEER CHARACTERS, FEWER THGS NEAR THE LENNIUM'S END WERE AS KNOWGLY MP AS ROSE MCGOWAN'S PERFORMANCE OF REMORSELS BCH ON WHEELS—AND HEELS—{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BLAE TUTTLE CEL INTENTNS (1999){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FROSTED HIGHLIGHTS REACHED THEIR CULTURAL PEAK WHEN PACEY OM DAWSON'S CREEK—A.K.A. JOSHUA JACKSON—GOT HIS GIGGL AS THE NNIVG BLAE, WHO LEVERAG HIS SECRET AFFAIR WH FOOTBALL STAR GREG (ERIC MABI) SERVICE OF THE GREATER PLOT: ALL THAT 18TH-CENTURY-SPIRED TRIGUE AND BACKSTABBG AMONG S STRAIGHT MA CHARACTERS (PLAYED BY SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR, RYAN PHILLIPPE, AND REE WHERSPOON).{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TAMMY METZLER ELECTN (1999){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}REE WHERSPOON WAS HAVG QUE THE GENUE'S YEAR BETWEEN THIS AND CEL INTENTNS, BUT ELECTN SHOWED THE CHOPS WE'D ALL E TO ADMIRE AND FEAR TWO S LATER BIG LTLE LI. MATCHG TRACY FLICK WH HER THLS TENACY, TAMMY (JSI CAMPBELL) THROWS HER HAT TO THE RACE FOR STUNT BODY PRINT (AND A WRENCH TO TRACY'S PLANS) AFTER HER GIRLIEND LISA (FRANKIE INGRASSIA) STARTS DATG HER DIMW BROTHER AND TRACY'S POLIL OPPONENT PL (CHRIS KLE).{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PETER SWENSON DROP DEAD GEO (1999){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THOUGH ONLY SEEN PICTUR, PETER (JAMIE OLSEN) LOOMS LARGE FOR LISA SWENSON (R.I.P. BRTANY MURPHY). PETER IS HER BIG GAY BROTHER WHO RAN AWAY TO THE CY THE FIRST CHANCE HE GOT, LIKE MANY A SMALL-TOWN HOMOSEXUAL. HIS DAD, HOWEVER, IS NIAL ABOUT HIM AND HIS PENCHANT FOR DRSG UP LIKE LIZA MNELLI—UNTIL LISA GIV HIM A , AND RATHER LOUD, {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MEGAN BUT I'M A CHEERLEAR (1999){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AN ANOMALY FOR 1999, BUT I'M A CHEERLEAR HAD A QUEER HEROE, AND THE PLOT REVOLVED AROUND HER QUEERNS. NATASHA LYONNE STARS AS HAPPY-GO-LUCKY MEGAN, WHO IS FORCED TO A NVERSN-THERAPY MP AFTER HER FAY AND IENDS SPECT SHE'S A LBIAN. AT THE MP, N BY NONE OTHER THAN RUPL, MEGAN FALLS FOR FELLOW MPER GRAHAM (CLEA DUVALL). EVEN MORE REMARKABLY, THOSE TWO CRAZY KIDS GET THE KD OF HAPPY ENDG THAT STILL FEELS LIKE A RARY 20 YEARS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}RAY WILKS SRY MOVIE (2000){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ALL RIGHT, BEAR WH ME. SRY MOVIE WAS A PARODY OF SCREAM AND ALL THOSE SUBSEQUENT TEEN SLASHER FLICKS THAT ME OUT THE LATE-'90S, AND SO SHAWN WAYANS PLAYED A PARODY OF THE "CLOSETED JOCK" ARCHETYPE. AFTER ALL, BILLY AND STU WERE TOTALLY GAY. RAY JT TAK THE ARCHETYPE TO THE EXTREME—LIKE, A DICK THE EAR EXTREME. BUT AT THAT POT (AND UP UNTIL RATHER RECENTLY) REPRENTATN OF QUEER PEOPLE OF LOR ON SCREEN BARELY EXISTED, SO THIS WAS PRETTY MUCH THE BT WE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}L BRG IT ON (2000){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE CIZEN KANE OF CHEERLEAR MOVI (ROGER EBERT'S WORDS, NOT ME… BUT ALSO ME), BRG IT ON GAVE SO MUCH: A POST–DROP DEAD GEO KIKI DUNST AT HER BT; GABBY UNN NVCGLY MASQUERADG AS A TEENAGER, WHICH SHE STILL ULD DO TO THIS DAY; A STAKE-LS ELIZA FUCKG DHKU BRANCHG OUT OM BUFFY; BLAQUE! BUT MOST OF ALL (OR AT LEAST FOR ME), GAVE HUNKY MALE CHEERLEAR L (HUNTLEY RTER). WHILE STRAIGHT CHEERLEAR JAN (NATHAN WT) HAS A CHIP ON HIS SHOULR FOR ALWAYS HAVG TO FEND HIS SEXUALY, L RMS NEW GIRL MISSY (DHKU) THAT HE'S MORE "NTROVERSIAL." FLUENTLY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PL DENTON RUL OF ATTRACTN (2002){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}I TEND TO LUMP THIS MOVIE TO THE LATE-1990S AND EARLY-2000S TEEN-MOVIE BLZ EVEN IF THE KIDS ARE DOG TERRIBLE THGS LLEGE RATHER THAN HIGH SCHOOL. THE SAME SPIR PREVAILS, THOUGH. BASED ON THE 1987 BRET EASTON ELLIS NOVEL, ROA FOLLOWS THE LOVE TRIANGLE BETWEEN DG ALER SEAN (JAM VAN DER BEEK), VIRG LRA (SHANNYN SOSSAMON), AND HER BISEXUAL BOYIEND PL (IAN SOMERHALR), WHO HAS THE HOTS FOR SEAN. PL TRI AND FAILS TO GET WH HIM, WHICH IS PROBABLY FOR THE BT SCE SEAN BATEMAN'S BROTHER PATRICK IS QUE THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DAMIAN LEIGH MEAN GIRLS (2004){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FIVE YEARS AFTER THE TEEN MOVIE BONANZA BT, MEAN GIRLS PROVED THE GENRE STILL HAD SOME KICK. HOWEVER, CHRISTIAN'S SPIRUAL KEBOY DAMIAN (DANIEL FRANZE) GETS MORE TO DO THAN JT ACT AS A FOIL FOR THE PROTAGONIST. AS ONE HALF OF THE OUTSIR DYNAMIC DUO WH BFF JANIS (LIZZY CAPLAN), DAMIAN IS THE LOGIL END TO THIS ERA OF TEEN-MOVIE QUEERS. HE'S MORE VELOPED THAN MOST OF HIS PRECSORS AND RPONSIBLE FOR MANY OF THE MOVIE'S BT LGHS—BUT HE'S NOT THE TARGET. AND NOT FOR NOTHG, BUT DAMIAN LOOKS LIKE YOUR AVERAGE GUY, NOT SOME IAL OF WHAT A GAY TEEN SHOULD LOOK LIKE. THAT SELF WAS—AND STILL IS—CREDIBLY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

"THE POLICIAN" ACTOR THEO GERMAE IS PLAYG THE MOST REHG TRANS CHARACTER ON TELEVISNTHE SHOW'S BREAKOUT STAR HOP TO SET A NEW PRECENT FOR THE WAY TRANS STORI ARE {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}TVBY SAM MANZELLAOCTOBER 14, 2019/12:09 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:3000PX;WIDTH:2000PX;}TAYLOR HILL/FILMMAGICNEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 26: THEO GERMAE ATTENDS THE PREMIERE OF NETFLIX'S "THE POLICIAN" AT DGA THEATER ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 NEW YORK CY. (PHOTO BY TAYLOR HILL/FILMMAGIC)BY SAM MANZELLAOCTOBER 14, 2019 / 12:09 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"\"THE POLICIAN\" ACTOR THEO GERMAE IS PLAYG THE MOST REHG TRANS CHARACTER ON TELEVISN","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2019-10-14T16:09:22.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2019-10-14T16:09:22.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"SAM MANZELLA","KEYWORDS":"TRANSGENR","ARTICLESECTN":"TV"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHEN ACTOR THEO GERMAE FIRST HEARD ABOUT THE ROLE OF JAM SULLIVAN RYAN MURPHY'S THE POLICIAN, THEY WERE STILL WORKG THEIR DAY JOB: SLGG LATT AT A FFEE SHOP {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THAT WAS ABOUT A YEAR AGO, BUT SEEMS LIKE ULD'VE BEEN A LIFETIME. SCE THEN, THE ILLOIS NATIVE—WHO IS NONBARY AND THEY/THEM AND HE/HIM PRONOUNS—SRED THE PART, RELOTED TO LOS ANGEL THREE DAYS LATER TO STARTG FILMG, AND MA THEIR MAJOR ONSCREEN BUT WHEN THE SERI H NETFLIX ON SEPTEMBER {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}A TE MURPHY PRODUCTN SLE, STAR POWER, AND STYLISTIC FLAIR, THE POLICIAN FOLLOWS PAYTON HOBART (BEN PLATT), A WEALTHY TEEN WHOSE MACHIAVELLIAN TERMATN TO BEE STUNT BODY PRINT OF HIS POSH HIGH SCHOOL LEADS HIM DOWN A ROCKY, ABSURD PATH. GERMAE'S CHARACTER JAM IS ONE HALF OF PAYTON'S MPAIGN MANAGEMENT SQUAD, ALONGSI MCAFEE WTBROOK (LRA DREYFS). OTHER ST MEMBERS CLU GWYH PALTROW, JSI LANGE, JUDH LIGHT, BETTE MIDLER, ZOEY DTCH, AND JANUARY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WHILE THE POLICIAN'S PRODUCERS WERE SPECIFILLY SEARCHG FOR A TRANS MASCULE ACTOR, GERMAE SAYS JAM BEG TRANS WASN'T REALLY DISCSED. "I WAS LIKE, THIS IS OL," THEY TELL ME OVER THE PHONE OM LOS ANGEL. "MAYBE 'S GOG TO E UP [ THE SCRIPT]?"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GERMAE PREFERS TO PLAY MALE CHARACTERS, SO THE PROSPECT OF PORTRAYG JAM—A SHREWD, BLUNT POLIL STRATEGIST—WAS EXCG. "LIKE, I DON'T HAVE TO TALK ABOUT HOW I HATE MY BODY OR ANYTHG?" THEY RELL THKG. "SO MANY DNS THAT HAVE TRANS NTENT HAVE BEEN [THAT WAY] SCE I STARTED ACTG AND DNG PROFSNALLY. THIS WAS SUPER REHG."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ANOTHER HALLMARK OF THE POLICIAN'S OVERWHELMG QUEER APPEAL IS S CHARACTERS' TOTAL NONCHALANCE TOWARD GENR FLUIDY AND ALL-OVER-THE-MAP SEXUAL EXPLORATN. THERE'S DRAMA, SURE ( IS RYAN MURPHY, AFTER ALL), BUT THE SHOW'S TEEN PROTAGONISTS EXPEND THEIR EMOTNAL ENERGY ON CRIS OVER POWER PLAYS, MEDIL FAKE-OUTS, AND SUDN ATHS—AND LS SO ON A GAY KISS OR GENR-NONNFORMG LOVE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN BETWEEN HELPG PAYTON FD A NNG MATE FOR HIS MPAIGN AND CNCHG THE NUMBERS ON THE LIKELIHOOD OF HIS W, JAM EVEN GETS A JUICY ROMANTIC SUBPLOT. NO SPOILERS, BUT 'S THE KD OF CLANSTE AFFAIR THAT'S UALLY RERVED FOR CISGENR AND HETEROSEXUAL CHARACTERS. IT ALSO POS A MAJOR THREAT TO THE SQUEAKY-CLEAN OPTICS OF PAYTON'S MPAIGN AND CREAT A NEW LAYER OF TENSN HIS RELATNSHIP WH JAM, ADDG A MORE SISTER DIMENSN TO JAM' CHARACTER—AND SURG THAT HIS IMPLIC TRANSNS REMAS THE LEAST OF HIS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT IF PLAYG JAM WAS A BREATH OF H AIR FOR GERMAE, THE ACTOR STILL BELIEV SOCIETY HAS "A LONG WAY TO GO" BEFORE SUAL, UNNAMED TRANSNS AND SEXUAL FLUIDY IS THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"I WOULD LOVE MORE TELEVISN TO JT BE LIKE THAT—WHERE [GENR OR SEXUAL ORIENTATN] ISN'T A BIG AL—BUT I ALSO KNOW 'S VERY IMPORTANT TO SPECIFILLY HAVE QUEER NTENT WHERE ISSU WH GENR AND SEXUALY ARE SPOKEN ABOUT," THEY ADD. "I DON'T WANT TO BE ERASED; I JT WANT TO BEE ONE PART OF THE THG THAT QUEER ACTORS AND TRANS ACTORS GET TO DO."NETFLIXTHE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GERMAE (L) WH LRA DREYFS THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GERMAE'S ACTG BACKGROUND IS THEATER, AND MOST OF THE PARTS THEY'VE LAND WERE STAGE ROL. STEPPG TO THEIR FIRST MAJOR ONSCREEN GIG WAS DNTG, AND GERMAE IS NDID ABOUT HOW THAT MA THEM FEEL: "I WAS SO ANX WHILE WE WERE FILMG!" THEY SAY WH A LGH. BUT THE WELG, SUPPORTIVE ATMOSPHERE ON SET HELPED EASE THAT ANXIETY, AND MA GERMAE FEEL MORE AT HOME ALONGSI SEASONED FILM AND TV ACTG {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}WORKG WH TRANS JOURNALIST AND PRODUCER JA MOCK, WHO DIRECTED THE THIRD EPISO OF SEASON 1, WAS PARTICULARLY SPECIAL FOR GERMAE, WHO'S A BIG FAN OF MOCK'S WRG AND TELEVISN WORK. WHILE WASN'T GERMAE'S FIRST TIME ACTG WH A TRANS DIRECTOR, WAS REVELATORY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"THERE IS A LEVEL OF UNRSTANDG THERE, AND 'S REALLY EXCG," THEY ADD, RELLG THE FIRST TIME THEY'D EVER DNED FOR A TRANS DIRECTOR ON A DIFFERENT PROJECT. "I REMEMBER GOG HOME AFTER DOG THE DN AND JT CRYG, BEE I FELT SO FORTABLE BEG ABLE TO BE VULNERABLE. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPLA HOW FEELS WHEN YOU GET TO WORK WH SOMEONE WHO JT GETS ."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;PADDG-BOTTOM:56.49999999999999%;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:100% !IMPORTANT;WIDTH:100% !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GERMAE ATTRIBUT "ACCEPTG EVERY PART OF MYSELF" TO THEIR NEWFOUND SUCCS, AND THEY ALSO MAKE A POT TO MENTN THAT TRANS ACTORS SHOULDN'T FEEL GUILTY OR SELF-NSC ABOUT RRECTG STMAT OR CREW MEMBERS IF THEY'RE MISGENRED ON SET. THE MORE FORTABLE TRANS PEOPLE ARE ASSERTG THEIR INTY AT WORK, GERMAE SAYS, THE EASIER BE TO FD ALLI ON SET WHO N SUPPORT THEM OR JUMP TO DO ANY NECSARY RRECTG, TOO. "THE BETTER YOU KNOW YOURSELF, AND THE BETTER YOU N JT SAY 'FUCK '—THAT HAS HELPED MY DNS GET BETTER, HELPED ME WORK BETTER, HELPED ME LIKE MYSELF BETTER. THE DTRY IS STILL GOG TO BE REALLY SHTY TOWARD [TRANS] PEOPLE. BUT I WANT TO HELP CHANGE ."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ASKED IF THEY HAVE A DREAM TV OR FILM ROLE, GERMAE PS BEFORE NFSG THAT THEY'RE A "HUGE GEEK" AND HAVE DREAMED OF TAKG ON A CHARACTER ON STAR TREK OR ANOTHER SCI-FI OR FANTASY SERI. "I WOULD LOVE TO PLAY A BADASS ANDROID," THEY ADD. "I'D LOVE TO DO SOME STUFF WH MAGIC—I'D LOVE TO BE A MON OR AN ANGEL. BUT WOULD ALSO BE OL TO JT BE A LEAD. TRANS PEOPLE SHOULD GET TO BE LEAD CHARACTERS, YOU KNOW?"{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE POLICIAN IS CURRENTLY STREAMG ON {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

“Payton's possibly a homosexual, ” says Astrid Sloan (Lucy Boynton) durg a particularly heated moment oppose Payton Hobart (Ben Platt) the new Netflix seri The Polician.

LATVIA BE 7TH NATN TO BE LED BY AN OPENLY GAY HEAD OF STATE

In Season 1, a gay man’s an was impaled wh a fireplace poker. And Season 5, a hero-addicted man named Gabriel (Max Greenfield) was “gay raped” by a mon wieldg a spiked fluctuated wh s reprentatns of queerns on screen.

“I hontly don't unrstand why llg that gay man a ‘buttmunch’ was such a sndal, ” Lange’s character, Dty Jackson, says to her granddghter as they de on ee pasta. That's what gays do: munch butts and celebrate Halloween!

10 TEEN MOVIE GAYS WHO INSPIRED THE INFE QUEERNS OF "THE POLICIAN"FROM CHRISTIAN "CLUELS" TO MEGAN "BUT I'M A CHEERLEAR" TO DAMIAN "MEAN GIRLS," PAYTON HOBART AND CO. STAND ON THE SHOULRS OF GIANTS. {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}TVBY LTER FABIAN BRATHWAEOCTOBER 3, 2019/9:39 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:2874PX;WIDTH:4274PX;}PARAMOUNT PICTUR/GETTY IMAGJT WALKER AND ALICIA SILVERSTONE A SCENE OM THE FILM 'CLUELS', 1995. (PHOTO BY PARAMOUNT PICTUR/GETTY IMAG)BY LTER FABIAN BRATHWAEOCTOBER 3, 2019 / 9:39 AM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"10 TEEN MOVIE GAYS WHO INSPIRED THE INFE QUEERNS OF \"THE POLICIAN\"","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2019-10-03T13:39:11.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2019-10-03T13:39:11.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"LTER FABIAN BRATHWAE","ARTICLESECTN":"TV"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE POLICIAN IS AN AMALGAMATN OF A LOT TO THGS, MOSTLY THE EXPLOSN OF TEEN FILMS THE LATE '90S. THE NEW NETFLIX SERI IS EQUAL PARTS ELECTN, CEL INTENTNS, AND JAWBREAKER, SERVG AS BOTH AN O TO THOSE TOUCHSTON AND A PARODY OF THEM, THANKS TO CREATOR RYAN MURPHY'S WELL-DOCUMENTED REVERENCE FOR FLAMBOYANCE AND NOSTALGIA. {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE SHOW'S CENTRAL CHARACTER, PAYTON HOBART (BEN PLATT), IS AN OVERACHIEVER WH POLIL ASPIRATNS THE VE OF TRACY FLICK, MA FAMO BY REE WHERSPOON HER BREAKOUT ROLE. MEANWHILE, THE DALLIANC WH MURR AND BLACKMAIL—AS WELL AS THE VERY ADULT POSTURG OF S TEEN PROTAGONISTS AGAST THE BACKDROP OF AN AFFLUENT HIGH SCHOOL—SMACK OF JAWBREAKER, DROP DEAD GEO, AND CEL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ALL THE FILMS HAD AN UNNIABLY QUEER ATHETIC, BUT IF THEY HAD QUEER CHARACTERS, THEY WERE OFTEN RELEGATED TO SUPPORTG OR ANCILLARY ROL. THE POLICIAN, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS SO ABUNDANTLY AND SEAMLSLY QUEER THAT PRACTILLY NO ONE IS 100% {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PAYTON IS BI, HIS RIVAL ASTRID (LUCY BOYNTON) IS SEXUALLY FLUID, HIS ONE-TIME NNG MATE SKYE (RAHNE JON) IS GENR NONNFORMG, AND HIS MPAIGN MANAGER, JAM, IS PLAYED BY TRANS ACTOR THEO GERMAE, THOUGH THE CHARACTER'S GENR INTY IS NEVER DISCSED. EVEN PAYTON'S MOM, GEA (GWYH PALTROW), IS HAVG AN AFFAIR WH HER HORSE TRAER BRIGTE (LBIAN TENNIS LEGEND MARTA NAVRATILOVA).{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}STARTG 1999, HOLLYWOOD CHURNED OUT AN IMPRSIVE SLATE OF TEEN FILMS THAT WERE FAR DARKER AND SEXIER THAN THE JOHN HUGH CLASSICS OF THE PREV . WHILE MY ADOLCENT SELF AND MY PEERS SOUGHT VERSNS OF OURSELV ON SCREEN BACK THEN, WE BARELY REMBLED THE 20-SOMETHG (AND SOMETIM 30-SOMETHG) ADULTS AND THEIR PLEX, SCTIVE MACHATNS. STILL, I PERSONALLY VOURED ANY AND EVERY HT OF QUEERNS THEM, INTIFYG WH CHARACTERS THAT BRIEFLY POPPED UP TO ASSUAGE MY OWN SENSE OF VISIBILY. THEY WERE UALLY FUNNY AND ATTRACTIVE, AND HAD AT LEAST ONE GOOD LE OR SCENE. THEIR PRENCE FELT CREDIBLY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SO, HONOR OF THE POLICIAN'S EFFORTLS QUEERNS, HERE ARE 10 CEMATIC TEENS WHO PAVED THE GAY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CHRISTIAN STOVZ CLUELS (1995){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PLAYED BY JT WALKER, THIS DIS-DANCG, OSR WIL–READG, STREISAND TICKET–HOLDG IEND OF DOROTHY WAS THE KEBOY OF MANY A MID-'90S GAY DREAM. POOR CHER (ALICIA SILVERSTONE) JT DON'T SEE THE SIGNS—AS BTIE DNNE (STACEY DASH) OBSERV, "THE BOY N DRS"—BUT SOMEHOW DNNE'S BOYIEND MURRAY (DONALD FAISON) IS MORE WORLDLY THOSE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}COURTNEY SHAYNE JAWBREAKER (1999){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}GAY WRER-DIRECTOR DARREN STE'S CULT CLASSIC BASILLY KICKED OFF A YEARLONG N OF FILMS THAT PATED THE SISTER SI OF TEEN LIFE WHEN H THEATERS FEBARY 1999. THOUGH FEATURG NO OVERTLY QUEER CHARACTERS, FEWER THGS NEAR THE LENNIUM'S END WERE AS KNOWGLY MP AS ROSE MCGOWAN'S PERFORMANCE OF REMORSELS BCH ON WHEELS—AND HEELS—{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BLAE TUTTLE CEL INTENTNS (1999){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FROSTED HIGHLIGHTS REACHED THEIR CULTURAL PEAK WHEN PACEY OM DAWSON'S CREEK—A.K.A. JOSHUA JACKSON—GOT HIS GIGGL AS THE NNIVG BLAE, WHO LEVERAG HIS SECRET AFFAIR WH FOOTBALL STAR GREG (ERIC MABI) SERVICE OF THE GREATER PLOT: ALL THAT 18TH-CENTURY-SPIRED TRIGUE AND BACKSTABBG AMONG S STRAIGHT MA CHARACTERS (PLAYED BY SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR, RYAN PHILLIPPE, AND REE WHERSPOON).{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}TAMMY METZLER ELECTN (1999){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}REE WHERSPOON WAS HAVG QUE THE GENUE'S YEAR BETWEEN THIS AND CEL INTENTNS, BUT ELECTN SHOWED THE CHOPS WE'D ALL E TO ADMIRE AND FEAR TWO S LATER BIG LTLE LI. MATCHG TRACY FLICK WH HER THLS TENACY, TAMMY (JSI CAMPBELL) THROWS HER HAT TO THE RACE FOR STUNT BODY PRINT (AND A WRENCH TO TRACY'S PLANS) AFTER HER GIRLIEND LISA (FRANKIE INGRASSIA) STARTS DATG HER DIMW BROTHER AND TRACY'S POLIL OPPONENT PL (CHRIS KLE).{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PETER SWENSON DROP DEAD GEO (1999){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THOUGH ONLY SEEN PICTUR, PETER (JAMIE OLSEN) LOOMS LARGE FOR LISA SWENSON (R.I.P. BRTANY MURPHY). PETER IS HER BIG GAY BROTHER WHO RAN AWAY TO THE CY THE FIRST CHANCE HE GOT, LIKE MANY A SMALL-TOWN HOMOSEXUAL. HIS DAD, HOWEVER, IS NIAL ABOUT HIM AND HIS PENCHANT FOR DRSG UP LIKE LIZA MNELLI—UNTIL LISA GIV HIM A , AND RATHER LOUD, {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MEGAN BUT I'M A CHEERLEAR (1999){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AN ANOMALY FOR 1999, BUT I'M A CHEERLEAR HAD A QUEER HEROE, AND THE PLOT REVOLVED AROUND HER QUEERNS. NATASHA LYONNE STARS AS HAPPY-GO-LUCKY MEGAN, WHO IS FORCED TO A NVERSN-THERAPY MP AFTER HER FAY AND IENDS SPECT SHE'S A LBIAN. AT THE MP, N BY NONE OTHER THAN RUPL, MEGAN FALLS FOR FELLOW MPER GRAHAM (CLEA DUVALL). EVEN MORE REMARKABLY, THOSE TWO CRAZY KIDS GET THE KD OF HAPPY ENDG THAT STILL FEELS LIKE A RARY 20 YEARS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}RAY WILKS SRY MOVIE (2000){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ALL RIGHT, BEAR WH ME. SRY MOVIE WAS A PARODY OF SCREAM AND ALL THOSE SUBSEQUENT TEEN SLASHER FLICKS THAT ME OUT THE LATE-'90S, AND SO SHAWN WAYANS PLAYED A PARODY OF THE "CLOSETED JOCK" ARCHETYPE. AFTER ALL, BILLY AND STU WERE TOTALLY GAY. RAY JT TAK THE ARCHETYPE TO THE EXTREME—LIKE, A DICK THE EAR EXTREME. BUT AT THAT POT (AND UP UNTIL RATHER RECENTLY) REPRENTATN OF QUEER PEOPLE OF LOR ON SCREEN BARELY EXISTED, SO THIS WAS PRETTY MUCH THE BT WE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}L BRG IT ON (2000){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE CIZEN KANE OF CHEERLEAR MOVI (ROGER EBERT'S WORDS, NOT ME… BUT ALSO ME), BRG IT ON GAVE SO MUCH: A POST–DROP DEAD GEO KIKI DUNST AT HER BT; GABBY UNN NVCGLY MASQUERADG AS A TEENAGER, WHICH SHE STILL ULD DO TO THIS DAY; A STAKE-LS ELIZA FUCKG DHKU BRANCHG OUT OM BUFFY; BLAQUE! BUT MOST OF ALL (OR AT LEAST FOR ME), GAVE HUNKY MALE CHEERLEAR L (HUNTLEY RTER). WHILE STRAIGHT CHEERLEAR JAN (NATHAN WT) HAS A CHIP ON HIS SHOULR FOR ALWAYS HAVG TO FEND HIS SEXUALY, L RMS NEW GIRL MISSY (DHKU) THAT HE'S MORE "NTROVERSIAL." FLUENTLY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}PL DENTON RUL OF ATTRACTN (2002){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}I TEND TO LUMP THIS MOVIE TO THE LATE-1990S AND EARLY-2000S TEEN-MOVIE BLZ EVEN IF THE KIDS ARE DOG TERRIBLE THGS LLEGE RATHER THAN HIGH SCHOOL. THE SAME SPIR PREVAILS, THOUGH. BASED ON THE 1987 BRET EASTON ELLIS NOVEL, ROA FOLLOWS THE LOVE TRIANGLE BETWEEN DG ALER SEAN (JAM VAN DER BEEK), VIRG LRA (SHANNYN SOSSAMON), AND HER BISEXUAL BOYIEND PL (IAN SOMERHALR), WHO HAS THE HOTS FOR SEAN. PL TRI AND FAILS TO GET WH HIM, WHICH IS PROBABLY FOR THE BT SCE SEAN BATEMAN'S BROTHER PATRICK IS QUE THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}DAMIAN LEIGH MEAN GIRLS (2004){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}FIVE YEARS AFTER THE TEEN MOVIE BONANZA BT, MEAN GIRLS PROVED THE GENRE STILL HAD SOME KICK. HOWEVER, CHRISTIAN'S SPIRUAL KEBOY DAMIAN (DANIEL FRANZE) GETS MORE TO DO THAN JT ACT AS A FOIL FOR THE PROTAGONIST. AS ONE HALF OF THE OUTSIR DYNAMIC DUO WH BFF JANIS (LIZZY CAPLAN), DAMIAN IS THE LOGIL END TO THIS ERA OF TEEN-MOVIE QUEERS. HE'S MORE VELOPED THAN MOST OF HIS PRECSORS AND RPONSIBLE FOR MANY OF THE MOVIE'S BT LGHS—BUT HE'S NOT THE TARGET. AND NOT FOR NOTHG, BUT DAMIAN LOOKS LIKE YOUR AVERAGE GUY, NOT SOME IAL OF WHAT A GAY TEEN SHOULD LOOK LIKE. THAT SELF WAS—AND STILL IS—CREDIBLY {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

”Lange, the two-time Osr-wng actor whose reer found new energy on televisn after appearg AHS, told BuzzFeed News at a prs panel that queer pop culture is “built- om the get-go” Murphy’s when asked how she felt beg touted as a gay in thanks to her work wh Murphy, she replied, “Wasn’t I before? I’ve thk I’ve always been a gay in.

“I thk about what an impact as a queer teenager had on me to see Kurt on Glee, ” he says, referencg the openly gay character on the h mil drama seri. In fact, many of the characters on the show are openly gay or sexually fluid. Perhaps stickg wh people longer was this immortal le om the queen of mp herself, Jsi Lange: "That’s what gays do.