So, How Gay Is ‘Thor: Love and Thunr,’ Really? | Vany Fair

Contents:

• KEN HAS ALWAYS BEEN BARBIE’S GAY BT FRIEND—NOT HER BOYIEND
• NEW ‘GAY WATER’ LOOKS TO AVOID BUD LIGHT DISASTER
• IS MY HBAND GAY? SIGNS OF A GAY HBAND
• SO, HOW GAY IS THOR: LOVE AND THUNR, REALLY?NATALIE PORTMAN CLAIMED THAT THE ANCHISE’S LATT STALLMENT IS “SO GAY”—BUT IS SHE RIGHT?BY CHRIS MURPHYJULY 8, 2022BY JAS BOLAND/MARVEL STUDS.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEWHEN NATALIE PORTMAN SAYS THAT SOMETHG IS “SO GAY,” I WANT TO BELIEVE HER. AFTER ALL, SHE’S A QUEER IN BY VIRTUE OF STARRG PABLO LARRAíN’S JACKIE, MANY MISS DR MERCIALS, AND, FIRST AND FOREMOST, WNG THE OSR FOR THE BLACK SWAN, A PSYCHOSEXUAL PAS UX BETWEEN TWO WARRG BALLERAS. SO WHEN PORTMAN SWORE DURG A Q&A AT THE LONDON PREMIERE OF HER LATT FILM, THOR: LOVE AND THUNR, THAT MARVEL’S NEWT OFFERG IS “SO GAY,” MY TERT WAS IMMEDIATELY PIQUED—AND WHILE I HADN’T SEEN A MARVEL FILM SCE 2018’S BLACK PANTHER, I HAD TO KNOW WHETHER THOR 4 WOULD BE AN ENTRY TO THE QUEER CEMATIC NON à LA MOONLIGHT, CAROL, AND THE NILE KIDMAN AMC AD.SO OFF TO THE CEPLEX I WENT, TSTG NATALIE PORTMAN SPE MORS THAT THOR: LOVE AND THUNR MIGHT NOT BE AS GAY AS SHE CLAIMED. BUT STILL, I HAD FAH. THOR: LOVE AND THUNR WAS DIRECTED BY TAIKA WAI, WHOSE QUEER, PIRATE HBO MAX SHOW, OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH, CERTALY CROSS THE THRHOLD OF “SO GAY.” BISEXUAL ACTOR TSA THOMPSON WENT ON RERD AT SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON SAYG THAT SHE WANTED TO FD HER CHARACTER VALKYRIE, THE FEMALE KG OF ASGARDS, A QUEEN THE NEXT FILM. PL, THERE WAS GOG TO BE A RA ORA MEO. ALL POSIVE SIGNS!WHAT I FOUND…WELL I’M STILL TRYG TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND. BELOW IS A LIST OF THE GAY MOMENTS, SUBTEXT, AND ENERGY THAT I ULD FD THOR: LOVE AND THUNR, RANKED BY THEIR LEVEL OF GAYNS. BE WARNED: SPOILERS ABOUND.NOT GAY (AND SORT OF RUDE)CHRIS PRATT’S STAR-LORD IS PRETTY HEAVILY FEATURED THE FIRST 15 MUT OF THE FILM. THERE’S A FIGHT SCENE WHERE THOR FENDS OFF TWO MONSTERS WHILE A RSIAN SPL, AND STAR-LORD DRAMATILLY ROLLS HIS EY (WHICH GOT A BIG LGH OM THE DIENCE, BY THE WAY). SHAMG ANOTHER MAN FOR BEG SUPER FLEXIBLE AND A “B MUCH”? SORRY; THAT’S ANTI-QUEER BEHAVR, I’M AAID.CHRISTIAN BALE’S PERFORMANCE AS GORR THE GOD BUTCHER WAS GIVG VOLMORT VIB, WHICH MA ME THK OF HARRY POTTER, WHICH MA ME THK OF J.K. ROWLG—WHO IS ACTUALLY HARMFUL TO LGBTQ+ PEOPLE AND TO MY PSYCHE. ALSO, FOR THE ENTIRE FILM I THOUGHT HE WAS PL BETTANY.THERE’S A B WHERE HEIMDALL’S SON, AXL (KIERON L. DYER), RENAM HIMSELF, AND THOR SISTS THAT AXL E HIS PREV NAME, ASTRID. EVENTUALLY, THOR ACQUIC AND LLS AXL BY HIS CHOSEN NAME…BUT ’S LEFT A WEIRD TASTE SOME LGBTQ+ FANS’ MOUTHS.SIMPLY NOT GAYTHERE’S A SHORT MONTAGE OF THOR, PLAYED BY CHRIS HEMSWORTH, AND HIS MANY LOVERS…ALL OF WHOM ARE WOMEN. TECHNILLY, HE KISS A “WOLF WOMAN” WHILE RIDG “A WOMAN WOLF,” BUT THE ENERGY OF ALL IS OVERWHELMGLY STRAIGHT LOTHAR.THE MONTAGE THAT PICTS NATALIE PORTMAN’S DR. JANE FOSTER AND THOR’S RELATNSHIP IS BASILLY JT A 10-MUTE VERSN OF THE BREAKUP (2006) STARRG JENNIFER ANISTON AND VCE VGHN, PL A MAGIC HAMMER. DECIDLY NOT GAY.MATT DAMON AND MELISSA MCCARTHY BOTH APPEAR A PERFORMG TROUPE ASGARD, ACTG OUT THE LEGEND OF THOR. LATER ON, DAMON APPEARS AGA AND ASKS VALKYRIE IF HE SHOULD WRE A PLAY TO HELP SAVE THE TOWN, WHICH HAS BEEN RAVAGED BY VOLGORR THE GOD BUTCHER. WHILE THE SHEER AMOUNT OF SURPRISE CELEBRY REVEALS THE FILM IS SOMEWHAT GAY (WHO DON’T LOVE A RUVEAL!), THE MOCKERY OF STAGE ACTG IS NOT GAY AT ALL.SLIGHTLY GAYTHE FILM OPENS WH A PREFACE THAT FEATUR THE GOD DNYS (SIMON RSELL BEALE)—SHIRTLS A FIELD OF GIGGLG FLOWERS AND WEARG A SPARKLY GOLN CROWN AND STATEMENT NECKLACE, BRAGGG ABOUT HOW MANY FOLLOWERS HE HAS. FLOWERS, STATEMENT NECKLAC, AND BEG OBSSED WH FOLLOWERS? DEFELY A B GAY!K MISTAKENLY LLS JANE FOSTER “JANE FONDA.” THE VOTN OF MISS FONDA, ’80S AEROBICS AND 9 TO 5 QUEEN, IS FELY SLIGHTLY GAY!THE FIRST NEEDLE DROP OF THE FILM IS, QUE RANDOMLY, ENYA’S “ONLY TIME.” THIS FEELS WEIRDLY APPROPRIATE GIVEN THE RECENT RURGENCE OF WCHY FORMER POP STARS WHO NOW LIVE STL PLETELY OFF THE GRID. AGA, NOT EXPLICLY GAY ANY WAY, BUT I FELY UGHT QUEER VIB.THOR’S CLOTH ACCINTALLY GET STRIPPED OM HIM, LEAVG HIM STANDG A ROOM FULL OF GODS THE NU. WHILE NOTHG SALAC IS SEEN (THE MOVIE IS ONLY PG-13, AFTER ALL), I BELIEVE THAT IMAGG CHRIS HEMSWORTH NAKED WILL RULT A QUEER AWAKENG FOR SOME OF THE YOUTH (AND, LET’S FACE , THE ADULTS) THE DIENCE. BON POTS: K SAID, “IT LOOKED LIKE A LTLE URGETTE,” I.E. A ZUCCHI—WHICH IS A HOP, SKIP, AND A JUMP AWAY OM THE EGGPLANT EMOJI.GAYTHOR, JANE, AND VALKYRIE MORE OR LS EXCLIVELY TRAVEL BY RIDG SCREAMG YAKS WHO N ON A SUPERCHARGED RABOW. WHILE RABOWS ARE NONILLY GAY (SEE: THE PRI FLAG, “SOMEWHERE OVER THE”), THIS IS SORT OF THE LOWT POSSIBLE BAR YOU ULD PASS FOR HAVG QUEER NTENT. BUT, I GUS UNTS.THE SHEER NUMBER OF FIERCE PANTSUS VALKYRIE WEARS AS KG OF ASGARD. SERVG LEWKS IS GAY!VALKYRIE BRGS A PORTABLE SPEAKER WH HER ON THE RABOW GOAT SHIP AND PLAYS A SNIPPET OF “FAY AFFAIR” BY MARY J. BLIGE. THAT’S A BOP, AND GAYS LOVE BOPS!MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHRED, WHE & ROYAL BLUE MAY BE “THE MOST EXPENSIVE B OF FAN FICTN EVER”BY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISRSELL CROWE GIV THE WORST VOL PERFORMANCE OF HIS REER SCE L MISéRABL (2012). HIS BLOWHARD ZS SOUNDS LIKE THE FIRST DRAFT OF AN ITALIAN ACCENT, BUT ZS IS FAMOLY GREEK. IT WAS NFG AND NFOUNDG AND REMD ME OF HIS JAVERT, AND THERE’S SOMETHG HERENTLY QUEER ABOUT THAT.GAY??THE SO-LLED GAYNS OF VALKYRIE IS (TENTNALLY) NFG. AT ONE POT SHE TELLS DR. JANE FOSTER—WH WHOM SHE CLEARLY HAS NO ROMANTIC CHEMISTRY—THAT SHE MISS HER “SISTERS.” DO SHE MEAN SISTERS LIKE RELATIV, SISTERS LIKE GIRLIENDS (PLATONIC), OR SISTERS LIKE GIRLIENDS (ROMANTIC)? WE NEVER FD OUT. VALKYRIE IS THE GAYT PART OF THE FILM FOR SURE, BUT DO NOTHG EXPLICLY QUEER EXCEPT MAYBE…WHEN SHE’S PG THE KGDOM OF THE GODS. VALKYRIE BRIEFLY STOPS TO MAKE BEDROOM EY AT ONE OF ZS’S FEMALE NCUB, WHO I AM PRETTY SURE IS PLAYED BY RA ORA. THIS HAPPENS SO FAST (AND IS FILMED SUCH A WAY THAT I’M PRETTY SURE ULD GET CUT OUT OF THE MOVIE IF NEEDS TO BE LS LGBTQ+-IENDLY TERRORI) THAT I AM ACTUALLY NOT SURE IF ’S RA ORA OR NOT. BUT DO HAPPEN, AND IS A MOMENT—THE ONLY MOMENT—OF GIRL-ON-GIRL “ACTN” THE FILM, IF YOU N LL THAT.AT ONE POT, THOR IS VOLVED A LTLE B OF A LOVE TRIANGLE BETWEEN JANE FOSTER AND HIS AX, STORMBREAKER. MANY LGHS ARE (ATTEMPTED) TO BE WNG OUT OF STORMBREAKER’S SEEMG JEALOY OF JANE. IT WAS NFG TO ME, A MARVEL-NEOPHYTE, AS I ASSUMED THAT THOR’S AX WAS A GENRLS OBJECT—AND NOT TO GATEKEEP THE WORD GAY, BUT I’M PRETTY SURE A LOVE TRIANGLE BETWEEN A MAN, A WOMAN, AND A MAGIL AX DON’T QUALIFY AS “SO GAY.” BUT I’M HAPPY TO KEEP AN OPEN MD ON THE MATTER.THE MOST EXPLIC “GAY” MOMENT: VALKYRIE AND K HAVE A (VERY BRIEF) HEART-TO-HEART ABOUT ROMANCE WHILE THOR AND JANE FULL ON MAKE OUT. IN THE SCENE, K EXPLICLY SAYS THAT HE HAS TWO DADS, AND THAT HIS SPECI ARE NCEIVED WHEN TWO KRONAN MEN HOLD HANDS OVER A LAVA P. IT’S A SWEET MOMENT, BUT THE SCENE IS PLACED SUCH A WAY THAT, AGA, FEELS LIKE ULD BE ENTIRELY REMOVED OTHER MARKETS. DURG THE NVERSATN, K ALSO MENTNS VALKYRIE’S AD GIRLIEND AND HOW SHE’S CLOSED HERSELF OFF OM LOVE. AGA, FELY REGNN THAT LGBTQ+ PEOPLE EXIST—BUT ’S THE FIRST AND LAST TIME WE HEAR ANY MENTN OF VALKYRIE’S LOVE LIFE OR TERT WOMEN.AT THE END OF THE FILM, THERE’S ALSO THE BRIEFT OF SHOTS OF K HOLDG HANDS WH ANOTHER ROCK KRONAN (PRUMABLY A MAN) OVER A LAVA P, AN ATTEMPT TO MAYBE MAKE A BABY. DID MARVEL JT SHOW OUR FIRST SCENE OF GAY KRONAN SEX? IT’S HARD TO KNOW.SO GAYNATALIE PORTMAN G THIS FILM AS A SHOWSE AND THEN HAVG HER CHARACTER DIE, HOPEFULLY RELEASG HER OM THE MCU AND ALLOWG HER TO GET BACK TO PROJECTS LIKE CLOSER.MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHRED, WHE & ROYAL BLUE MAY BE “THE MOST EXPENSIVE B OF FAN FICTN EVER”BY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISVALKYRIE SUALLY WEARG A PHANTOM OF THE OPERA SWEATSHIRT WHILE KICKG SOME SPIR MONSTER ASS.HONORABLE GAY MENTIONKAT DENNGS ALSO APPEARS AS A LLEAGUE OF DR. JANE FOSTER ONE (1) SCENE, NEVER TO BE SEEN OR HEARD OM AGA. SHE’S BEEN A GUT JUDGE ON DRAG RACE AND HAS A OL VIBE, SO SHE GETS AN HONORABLE MENTN HERE.SO, LOOKS LIKE THOR WILL NOT BE WNG ANY GLAAD AWARDS. BY MY SCIENTIFIC LCULATNS, THERE WERE FAR MORE NOT GAY MOMENTS THAN GAY MOMENTS, AND ONLY TWO THAT WOULD QUALIFY AS “SO GAY.” IN EVERY WAY, THE FILM WAS LS GAY THAN DUNE, WHICH FEATURED TIMOTHéE CHALAMET POUTG, BUTTHOLE-SHAPED WORMS, AND STEPHEN MCKLEY HENRSON HOLDG A LTLE PARASOL JT SO.BUT WHAT WERE WE TO EXPECT? A MOVIE PRODUCED BY MARVEL WHICH IS OWNED BY DISNEY—WHICH HAS E UNR A B OF FIRE FOR S HANDLG OF GAY NTENT AND S FANCIAL SUPPORT OF ANTI-LGBTQ+ POLICIANS—WAS MAYBE NEVER BOUND TO BE “SO GAY” AFTER ALL. SO THE NEXT TIME THE FORMER UNRSTUDY FOR LRA BELL BUNDY RUTHLS THE MIL OFF BROADWAY SAYS THAT SOMETHG IS SO GAY, DON’T NECSARILY TAKE HER WORD FOR .MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR“IT’S RAG TEENS” AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?THE BT TV SHOWS OF 2023, SO FARSEX TOYS, FANCIAL CRIM, AND THE ORIG OF BARBIETHAT SOUND YOU HEAR IS DONALD TMP SCREAMG, CRYG, AND THROWG UP A MAR-A-LAGO BATHROOMIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMERINSI THE ACTORS STRIKE PRS APOLYPSE: “THE CELEBRY FACTORY HAS SHUT DOWN”IS ALL THIS AMATR THERAPY-SPEAK JT MAKG US LONELIER?FROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)CHRIS MURPHY
• JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS ASSISTANT STRENGTH ACH KEV MAXEN OUT PUBLICLY AS GAY
• ‘IT’S MY FLORIDA TOO’: PULSE SHOOTG SURVIVOR BRANDON WOLF ON BEG BLACK, GAY AND THE ANTI-RON DESANTIS
• HOW TO ACCEPT THAT YOU ARE GAY
• JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS ASSISTANT COACH KEV MAXEN MAK HISTORY AFTER COMG OUT AS GAY
• MUY GAY TOO MEXINO
• HOW GAY IS TOO GAY?
• KEN HAS ALWAYS BEEN BARBIE’S GAY BT FRIEND—NOT HER BOYIENDBARBIE’S BELOVED BEARD?FOR YEARS, PEOPLE HAVE QUTNED WHAT ROLE KEN REALLY PLAYS BARBIE’S LIFE. BUT THE TTH IS PLA SIGHT: KEN’S NOT BOYIEND MATERIAL. AT LEAST, NOT FOR BARBIE.BARRY LEVTFREELANCE WRERPUBLISHED JUL. 21, 2023 4:35AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEAST/GETTYIT’S BARBIE WEEK AT THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED, CELEBRATG THE DOLL’S POP-CULTURE HISTORY, OUR FAVORE BARBIE MEMORI, AND A CERTA MAJOR MOVIE. READ ALL OF OUR VERAGE HERE!“SHE’S EVERYTHG. HE’S JT KEN.” THAT’S THE TAGLE FOR THE WILDLY ANTICIPATED BARBIE MOVIE, DIRECTED BY GRETA GERWIG AND STARRG MARGOT ROBBIE AND RYAN GOSLG. THE IMPLITN IS CLEAR: COME FOR BARBIE, AND STAY FOR BARBIE… BUT KEN HAPPENS TO BE THERE TOO.KEN HAS LONG BEEN SEEN AS NOTHG BUT BARBIE’S HUMAN ACCSORY, BUT WASN’T ALWAYS THIS WAY FOR THE POOR MISUNRSTOOD DOLL. WHEN KEN WAS FIRST TRODUCED 1961, HIS FIRST MERCIAL TRIED TO POSN HIM AS BARBIE’S EQUAL AND, UNMISTAKABLY, BOYIEND. “GET BOTH BARBIE AND KEN AND SEE WHERE THE ROMANCE WILL LEAD!” THE MERCIAL PROMISED.SCE THEN, LIKE BARBIE, KEN HAS UNRGONE UNTLS TRANSFORMATNS AND FASHNS. BUT AS TIME WENT ON, KEN FOUND HIMSELF AN AFTERTHOUGHT. TOYMAKERS MATTEL NEVER GAVE HIM THE SAME KD OF BACKSTORI AS BARBIE—WHILE SHE’S HAD OVER 200 REERS, KEN HAS HAD JT SOME 40-ODD PROFSNS. (AN CREDIBLE AMOUNT OF JOBS FOR A PERSON, SURE. BUT FOR A DOLL? EMBARRASSG.) BARBIE HAS STARRED LOTS OF VIO GAM AND MORE THAN THREE DOZEN FILMS; KEN HAS HAD A MAJOR ROLE A MERE HANDFUL OF THEM. BUT THERE’S ONE KEY REASON WHY KEN IS ALWAYS LAGGG SIGNIFINTLY BEHD BARBIE AND 'S A LOT EPER THAN THE DOLL’S SEEMG LACK OF POPULARY: KEN HAS BEEN MISST. HE’S NOT BARBIE’S BOYIEND. HE’S BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.DPE MATTEL’S SISTENCE THAT BARBIE AND KEN ARE A HAPPY ROMANTIC RELATNSHIP, THERE’S PLENTY OF SPECULATN ABOUT KEN’S SEXUALY. EVEN IF HIS MAKERS CLAIM HIM TO BE STRAIGHT, THERE’S MOUNTG PROOF TO THE NTRARY. PERHAPS THE MOST DISPUTABLE EVINCE THAT KEN IS FACT BOTH A MEMBER OF THE QUEER MUNY AND BARBIE’S BTIE, NOT BOY TOY, OM A RATHER SURPRISG PLACE: 2010’S TOY STORY 3.IN TOY STORY 3, BARBIE AND KEN PLAY A SURPRISGLY LARGE ROLE. THEIR TRODUCTN TO THE FILM IS TGED WH ROMANTIC TENSN. WHEN THE PAIR MEET, THE FILM VOK A MON TROPE: A ROMANTIC NEEDLE DROP HS THE MOMENT THE LOVERS LOCK EY. IN THIS SE, ’S “DREAM WEAVER” BY GARY WRIGHT. AS FAR AS BARBIE AND KEN ARE NCERNED, THEY’RE THE ONLY ON THE ROOM. “I LOVE YOUR LEG WARMERS!” KEN TELLS BARBIE. “NICE AST,” SHE BANTERS, WH HEAVY EMPHASIS ON THE FIRST SYLLABLE. BEFORE THGS GET TOO HEATED, THEY LOCK ARMS AND WALK OFF TOGETHER. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / GETTY LET’S BE HONT—SPE THE ROMANTIC OVERTON OF THE SCENE, THEIR BRIEF EXCHANGE TELLS EVERYTHG ABOUT HOW THEY SEE EACH OTHER. KEN DON’T MENTN ANYTHG ABOUT BARBIE’S BODY, STEAD HIGHLIGHTG HER LEG WARMERS. BUT BARBIE IS UNSUBTLY TRYG TO SCE KEN JT TWO WORDS. SHE’S AFTER KEN, BUT KEN IS AFTER SOMEONE WHOSE CLOTH HE N ADMIRE.SURE, LATER THE FILM, KEN AND BARBIE SAY “I LOVE YOU” TO EACH OTHER. AND THEY GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN SAYG EACH WORD OF “I LOVE YOU”—SO SOMEONE DIFFERENT N SAY “LOVE” EACH TIME, AS KEN EXPLAS. HE MENTNS OFFHAND THAT HE HAS EVERYTHG EXCEPT SOMEONE TO SHARE WH. BARBIE AND KEN EVEN NUZZLE THEIR NOS TOGETHER. Y, THERE’S FELY LOVE BETWEEN IENDS—BUT THROUGH ALL, THERE’S NOT A HT OF SEXUAL CHEMISTRY.LOOK, I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THKG—SIR, THIS IS TOY STORY; WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU EXPECTG? IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER ROMANC THE ANCHISE—WOODY AND BO PEEP, AND JSE AND BUZZ—THERE’S NO DOUBT THAT THERE’S REAL LOVE THERE BETWEEN THE SENTIENT TOYS. THEIR PASSN FOR ONE ANOTHER TRANSCENDS MORE THAN SIMPLY BEG TERTED EACH OTHER’S OUTFS. THE SAME NNOT BE SAID OF THE MATTEL DOLLS. THAT’S MA EVINT WHEN KEN FALLY GETS AN OPPORTUNY FOR TIMACY WH BARBIE. “THIS IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS,” HE TELLS BARBIE WHEN THEY FALLY GO TO HIS DREAMHOE TOGETHER, HAVG PARENTS ALL OVER THE WORLD CLUTCHG THEIR PEARLS. BUT FEAR NOT: KEN SIMPLY TAK BARBIE TO… HIS WALK- WARDROBE. ANY SEMBLANCE OF ROMANCE MAK WAY FOR IENDSHIP, WHEN THE PAIR JUBILANTLY PESE KEN’S OUTFS. AND STEAD OF DOG SOMETHG WILD LIKE KISSG BARBIE, KEN PUTS ON A FASHN SHOW FOR HER STEAD. THE FILM WON’T SAY , BUT A POST-CREDS PUNCHLE ABOUT KEN’S HANDWRG, PLETE WH HEARTS AND STARS SURROUNDG HIS NAME, TELLS WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW.THE HEAVILY IMPLIED NATURE OF KEN’S GAYNS TOY STORY 3 HARKENS BACK TO HOLLYWOOD’S TRADNAL GAY BT IEND-TYPE CHARACTERS. IN THE HAYS CO ERA, EXPLIC REFERENC TO HOMOSEXUALY WEREN’T ALLOWED, SO CHARACTERS LIKE VAN BUREN (FRANKL PANGBORN) 1937’S EASY LIVG, KIP (DAVID WAYNE) 1949’S ADAM’S RIB, OR ADDISON (GEE SANRS) 1950’S ALL ABOUT EVE STEAD WERE IMBUED WH EFFEMATE CHARACTERISTICS, OFFERG A GLIMPSE OUTSI OF HETERONORMATIVY WHOUT EXPLICLY BEG QUEER.NONE OF THE CHARACTERS WERE THE SAME—SOME WERE TTY, OTHERS SWEET. SOME HAD ULTERR MOTIV, AND OTHERS OFFERED UNNDNAL SUPPORT. BUT EACH OF THE GAY BT IENDS WAS TRSILLY FED BY THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT IENDS. WE NEVER REALLY LEARNED MUCH ABOUT THEM AS DIVIDUALS. THEY LIVED ON THE MARGS, FLHG OUT THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS, HARDLY HAVG A PURPOSE WHOUT THEM; THAT PORTRAYAL REMAS TE TODAY. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / PHOTOS BY GETTY / WARNER BROS. DES LATER, 2010, THE GAY BT IEND WAS ALL THE RAGE; TEEN VOGUE EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO PROCLAIM THE GBF AS THE SUMMER’S MT-HAVE ACCSORY. BUT UNLIKE THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY, TODAY’S CEMA, THE GBF IS ALLOWED TO BE OPENLY GAY. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY STILL BARELY REGISTER AS PEOPLE WH CHARACTER TRAS BEYOND THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS. IN MOVI LIKE MEAN GIRLS (2004), THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006), EASY A (2010), NO STRGS ATTACHED (2011), AND ISN’T IT ROMANTIC (2019), GAY IENDS EXIST ENTIRELY THE ORB OF THEIR FEMALE IENDS. IT’S SUCH A STRONG TROPE THAT EVEN PERSISTS QUEER ROMANTIC EDI: 2020’S HAPPIT SEASON FDS JOHN (DAN LEVY) OFFERG ADVICE AND SNARKY ONE-LERS TO HIS LBIAN BTIE LI OF MEANGFUL CHARACTER VELOPMENT.IN TOY STORY 3, THE SAME IS TE OF KEN. HIS EXISTENCE PENDS ON AND CIRCULAT AROUND BARBIE. IN BARBIE, KEN HAS FOUND SOMEONE WHO REALLY UNRSTANDS HIM. HE DON’T GET ALONG WH THE OTHER TOYS, WHO MOCK HIM FOR BEG A “GIRL'S TOY.” BUT BARBIE LOV FASHN, JT LIKE HE DO. “NO ONE APPRECIAT CLOTH HERE, BARBIE,” KEN LAMENTS TO BARBIE, ABOUT THE OTHER TOYS’ TREATMENT OF HIM. “NO ONE!” BUT BARBIE DO, AND FOR KEN, THAT’S LIFE-CHANGG.THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS WHY THE FILM WOULDN’T OUTRIGHTLY STATE THAT KEN IS HOMOSEXUAL. NOT ONLY DO DISNEY SELF HAVE A PLITED HISTORY WH QUEER CHARACTERS, BUT KEN AND BARBIE ARE ALSO THE PROPERTY OF MATTEL, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN STEADFAST ASSERTG KEN’S HETEROSEXUALY. THAT’S NEVER BEEN CLEARER THAN 1993 WHEN THE TOY PANY TRIED TO REIGNE KEN’S POPULARY MATTEL’S SOLUTN? EARRG MAGIC KEN. EARRG MAGIC KEN WAS A FIERCER, FELY MORE QUEER KEN THAN EVER BEFORE. THIS VERSN OF THE DOLL HAD BLEACHED BLON HAIR, A PURPLE LEATHER VT (!), A PK-PURPLE MH TOP (!!), AND OF URSE, AND EARRG THE “GAY EAR”. BUT THAT’S NOT ALL: AROUND KEN’S NECK WAS SOMETHG THAT ANY ACTIVE PARTICIPANT OF THE QUEER SCENE THE ’90S REGNIZED STANTLY—A CK RG (!!!).THE EARRG MAGIC KEN TURNED BARBIE’S BOYIEND TO AN OUT-AND-PROUD HOMOSEXUAL RAVER. MATTEL, OF URSE, VEHEMENTLY NIED ANY CLAIMS THAT KEN WAS GAY, LET ALONE THAT HE HAD SOMETHG AS PREPOSTERO AS A CK RG AROUND HIS NECK. AS LISA MCKENDALL, FORMER MANAGER OF MARKETG AND MUNITNS, SAID AN TERVIEW ABOUT THE DOLL, “WE’RE NOT THE BS OF PUTTG CK RGS TO THE HANDS OF LTLE GIRLS.”REGARDLS OF MATTEL’S TENTNS, ’S HARD TO NY WHAT THE EYE N SEE. DPE THE NAME, CK RGS AT THE TIME WERE ED AS A FASHN ACCSORY AND A SIGN OF FIANT QUEERNS AND SEX POSIVY. AS A RULT, GAY MEN BOUGHT THE DOLL DROV, AND SPE MATTEL ULTIMATELY RELLG THE DOLL AND WIPG AWAY ANY TRACE OF EARRG MAGIC KEN, WAS NEAR-IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE KEN AS ANYTHG BUT THE GLOR HOMOSEXUAL HE WAS BORN TO BE OM THEN ON. MATTEL SPENT THE NEXT UPLE OF S TRYG TO RETA KEN’S MORE HETERONORMATIVE, MASCULE IMAGE, BUT THE VEIL WAS LIFTED, AND THERE WAS NO GOG BACK. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO/THE DAILY BEAST/PHOTOS BY GETTY/WARNER BROS. THOUGH MATTEL DON’T SEEM TO BE WILLG TO SAY KEN IS ACTUALLY GAY, THE KEN DOLLS OF RECENT YEARS SEEM TO REALLY LEAN TO KEN’S QUEERNS. THE YASSIFITN OF KEN IS CLEARLY UNRWAY. WHILE THERE IS NO WAY TO “DRS GAY,” THERE ARE SEVERAL DOLLS THAT SEEM TO SUGGT OTHERWISE, SUCH AS:FASHNISTA KEN #193, WHO LOOKS VERY EXCED TO TELL YOU ABOUT HIS NEW OBSSN, TROYE SIVAN;TRAVEL KEN DOLL, WHO HAS A SATCHEL PERFECT FOR BATHHO AND A PURPLE OVERNIGHT BAG THAT LERALLY PROCLAIMS HE’S “EXTRA;”KEN LOOKS DOLL, SERVG “I’M GONNA GIVE YOU A MAKEOVER”-TYPE REALNS WHILE SPORTG BLACK PLEATHER PANTS;THIS KEN, WHO WEARS THE LEAST HETEROSEXUAL DOUBLE NIM IMAGABLE.WHILE I HAVE A FEELG THE NEW BARBIE MOVIE WILL PUT THE WORK TO NVCE THAT KEN IS A HETERO DU WHO LOV NOTHG LIFE MORE THAN BARBIE HERSELF, THE WRG’S ALREADY ON THE WALL: KEN IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE, BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.KEEP OBSSG! SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK, TWTER, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK.READ MORE OF OUR BARBIE VERAGE HERE. BARRY LEVT

KEN HAS ALWAYS BEEN BARBIE’S GAY BT FRIEND—NOT HER BOYIEND

The film won’t say , but a post-creds punchle about Ken’s handwrg, plete wh hearts and stars surroundg his name, tells what we need to heavily implied nature of Ken’s gayns Toy Story 3 harkens back to Hollywood’s tradnal gay bt iend-type characters.

In the Hays Co era, explic referenc to homosexualy weren’t allowed, so characters like Van Buren (Frankl Pangborn) 1937’s Easy Livg, Kip (David Wayne) 1949’s Adam’s Rib, or Addison (Gee Sanrs) 1950’s All About Eve stead were imbued wh effemate characteristics, offerg a glimpse outsi of heteronormativy whout explicly beg of the characters were the same—some were tty, others sweet.

NEW ‘GAY WATER’ LOOKS TO AVOID BUD LIGHT DISASTER

Des later, 2010, the gay bt iend was all the rage; Teen Vogue even went so far as to proclaim the GBF as the summer’s mt-have accsory.

In movi like Mean Girls (2004), The Devil Wears Prada (2006), Easy A (2010), No Strgs Attached (2011), and Isn’t It Romantic (2019), gay iends exist entirely the orb of their female iends. ” But Barbie do, and for Ken, that’s are plenty of reasons why the film wouldn’t outrightly state that Ken is homosexual.

Mattel, of urse, vehemently nied any claims that Ken was gay, let alone that he had somethg as prepostero as a ck rg around his neck. As a rult, gay men bought the doll drov, and spe Mattel ultimately rellg the doll and wipg away any trace of Earrg Magic Ken, was near-impossible to see Ken as anythg but the glor homosexual he was born to be om then on.

IS MY HBAND GAY? SIGNS OF A GAY HBAND

Though Mattel don’t seem to be willg to say Ken is actually gay, the Ken dolls of recent years seem to really lean to Ken’s queerns.

SO, HOW GAY IS THOR: LOVE AND THUNR, REALLY?NATALIE PORTMAN CLAIMED THAT THE ANCHISE’S LATT STALLMENT IS “SO GAY”—BUT IS SHE RIGHT?BY CHRIS MURPHYJULY 8, 2022BY JAS BOLAND/MARVEL STUDS.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEWHEN NATALIE PORTMAN SAYS THAT SOMETHG IS “SO GAY,” I WANT TO BELIEVE HER. AFTER ALL, SHE’S A QUEER IN BY VIRTUE OF STARRG PABLO LARRAíN’S JACKIE, MANY MISS DR MERCIALS, AND, FIRST AND FOREMOST, WNG THE OSR FOR THE BLACK SWAN, A PSYCHOSEXUAL PAS UX BETWEEN TWO WARRG BALLERAS. SO WHEN PORTMAN SWORE DURG A Q&A AT THE LONDON PREMIERE OF HER LATT FILM, THOR: LOVE AND THUNR, THAT MARVEL’S NEWT OFFERG IS “SO GAY,” MY TERT WAS IMMEDIATELY PIQUED—AND WHILE I HADN’T SEEN A MARVEL FILM SCE 2018’S BLACK PANTHER, I HAD TO KNOW WHETHER THOR 4 WOULD BE AN ENTRY TO THE QUEER CEMATIC NON à LA MOONLIGHT, CAROL, AND THE NILE KIDMAN AMC AD.SO OFF TO THE CEPLEX I WENT, TSTG NATALIE PORTMAN SPE MORS THAT THOR: LOVE AND THUNR MIGHT NOT BE AS GAY AS SHE CLAIMED. BUT STILL, I HAD FAH. THOR: LOVE AND THUNR WAS DIRECTED BY TAIKA WAI, WHOSE QUEER, PIRATE HBO MAX SHOW, OUR FLAG MEANS DEATH, CERTALY CROSS THE THRHOLD OF “SO GAY.” BISEXUAL ACTOR TSA THOMPSON WENT ON RERD AT SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON SAYG THAT SHE WANTED TO FD HER CHARACTER VALKYRIE, THE FEMALE KG OF ASGARDS, A QUEEN THE NEXT FILM. PL, THERE WAS GOG TO BE A RA ORA MEO. ALL POSIVE SIGNS!WHAT I FOUND…WELL I’M STILL TRYG TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND. BELOW IS A LIST OF THE GAY MOMENTS, SUBTEXT, AND ENERGY THAT I ULD FD THOR: LOVE AND THUNR, RANKED BY THEIR LEVEL OF GAYNS. BE WARNED: SPOILERS ABOUND.NOT GAY (AND SORT OF RUDE)CHRIS PRATT’S STAR-LORD IS PRETTY HEAVILY FEATURED THE FIRST 15 MUT OF THE FILM. THERE’S A FIGHT SCENE WHERE THOR FENDS OFF TWO MONSTERS WHILE A RSIAN SPL, AND STAR-LORD DRAMATILLY ROLLS HIS EY (WHICH GOT A BIG LGH OM THE DIENCE, BY THE WAY). SHAMG ANOTHER MAN FOR BEG SUPER FLEXIBLE AND A “B MUCH”? SORRY; THAT’S ANTI-QUEER BEHAVR, I’M AAID.CHRISTIAN BALE’S PERFORMANCE AS GORR THE GOD BUTCHER WAS GIVG VOLMORT VIB, WHICH MA ME THK OF HARRY POTTER, WHICH MA ME THK OF J.K. ROWLG—WHO IS ACTUALLY HARMFUL TO LGBTQ+ PEOPLE AND TO MY PSYCHE. ALSO, FOR THE ENTIRE FILM I THOUGHT HE WAS PL BETTANY.THERE’S A B WHERE HEIMDALL’S SON, AXL (KIERON L. DYER), RENAM HIMSELF, AND THOR SISTS THAT AXL E HIS PREV NAME, ASTRID. EVENTUALLY, THOR ACQUIC AND LLS AXL BY HIS CHOSEN NAME…BUT ’S LEFT A WEIRD TASTE SOME LGBTQ+ FANS’ MOUTHS.SIMPLY NOT GAYTHERE’S A SHORT MONTAGE OF THOR, PLAYED BY CHRIS HEMSWORTH, AND HIS MANY LOVERS…ALL OF WHOM ARE WOMEN. TECHNILLY, HE KISS A “WOLF WOMAN” WHILE RIDG “A WOMAN WOLF,” BUT THE ENERGY OF ALL IS OVERWHELMGLY STRAIGHT LOTHAR.THE MONTAGE THAT PICTS NATALIE PORTMAN’S DR. JANE FOSTER AND THOR’S RELATNSHIP IS BASILLY JT A 10-MUTE VERSN OF THE BREAKUP (2006) STARRG JENNIFER ANISTON AND VCE VGHN, PL A MAGIC HAMMER. DECIDLY NOT GAY.MATT DAMON AND MELISSA MCCARTHY BOTH APPEAR A PERFORMG TROUPE ASGARD, ACTG OUT THE LEGEND OF THOR. LATER ON, DAMON APPEARS AGA AND ASKS VALKYRIE IF HE SHOULD WRE A PLAY TO HELP SAVE THE TOWN, WHICH HAS BEEN RAVAGED BY VOLGORR THE GOD BUTCHER. WHILE THE SHEER AMOUNT OF SURPRISE CELEBRY REVEALS THE FILM IS SOMEWHAT GAY (WHO DON’T LOVE A RUVEAL!), THE MOCKERY OF STAGE ACTG IS NOT GAY AT ALL.SLIGHTLY GAYTHE FILM OPENS WH A PREFACE THAT FEATUR THE GOD DNYS (SIMON RSELL BEALE)—SHIRTLS A FIELD OF GIGGLG FLOWERS AND WEARG A SPARKLY GOLN CROWN AND STATEMENT NECKLACE, BRAGGG ABOUT HOW MANY FOLLOWERS HE HAS. FLOWERS, STATEMENT NECKLAC, AND BEG OBSSED WH FOLLOWERS? DEFELY A B GAY!K MISTAKENLY LLS JANE FOSTER “JANE FONDA.” THE VOTN OF MISS FONDA, ’80S AEROBICS AND 9 TO 5 QUEEN, IS FELY SLIGHTLY GAY!THE FIRST NEEDLE DROP OF THE FILM IS, QUE RANDOMLY, ENYA’S “ONLY TIME.” THIS FEELS WEIRDLY APPROPRIATE GIVEN THE RECENT RURGENCE OF WCHY FORMER POP STARS WHO NOW LIVE STL PLETELY OFF THE GRID. AGA, NOT EXPLICLY GAY ANY WAY, BUT I FELY UGHT QUEER VIB.THOR’S CLOTH ACCINTALLY GET STRIPPED OM HIM, LEAVG HIM STANDG A ROOM FULL OF GODS THE NU. WHILE NOTHG SALAC IS SEEN (THE MOVIE IS ONLY PG-13, AFTER ALL), I BELIEVE THAT IMAGG CHRIS HEMSWORTH NAKED WILL RULT A QUEER AWAKENG FOR SOME OF THE YOUTH (AND, LET’S FACE , THE ADULTS) THE DIENCE. BON POTS: K SAID, “IT LOOKED LIKE A LTLE URGETTE,” I.E. A ZUCCHI—WHICH IS A HOP, SKIP, AND A JUMP AWAY OM THE EGGPLANT EMOJI.GAYTHOR, JANE, AND VALKYRIE MORE OR LS EXCLIVELY TRAVEL BY RIDG SCREAMG YAKS WHO N ON A SUPERCHARGED RABOW. WHILE RABOWS ARE NONILLY GAY (SEE: THE PRI FLAG, “SOMEWHERE OVER THE”), THIS IS SORT OF THE LOWT POSSIBLE BAR YOU ULD PASS FOR HAVG QUEER NTENT. BUT, I GUS UNTS.THE SHEER NUMBER OF FIERCE PANTSUS VALKYRIE WEARS AS KG OF ASGARD. SERVG LEWKS IS GAY!VALKYRIE BRGS A PORTABLE SPEAKER WH HER ON THE RABOW GOAT SHIP AND PLAYS A SNIPPET OF “FAY AFFAIR” BY MARY J. BLIGE. THAT’S A BOP, AND GAYS LOVE BOPS!MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHRED, WHE & ROYAL BLUE MAY BE “THE MOST EXPENSIVE B OF FAN FICTN EVER”BY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISRSELL CROWE GIV THE WORST VOL PERFORMANCE OF HIS REER SCE L MISéRABL (2012). HIS BLOWHARD ZS SOUNDS LIKE THE FIRST DRAFT OF AN ITALIAN ACCENT, BUT ZS IS FAMOLY GREEK. IT WAS NFG AND NFOUNDG AND REMD ME OF HIS JAVERT, AND THERE’S SOMETHG HERENTLY QUEER ABOUT THAT.GAY??THE SO-LLED GAYNS OF VALKYRIE IS (TENTNALLY) NFG. AT ONE POT SHE TELLS DR. JANE FOSTER—WH WHOM SHE CLEARLY HAS NO ROMANTIC CHEMISTRY—THAT SHE MISS HER “SISTERS.” DO SHE MEAN SISTERS LIKE RELATIV, SISTERS LIKE GIRLIENDS (PLATONIC), OR SISTERS LIKE GIRLIENDS (ROMANTIC)? WE NEVER FD OUT. VALKYRIE IS THE GAYT PART OF THE FILM FOR SURE, BUT DO NOTHG EXPLICLY QUEER EXCEPT MAYBE…WHEN SHE’S PG THE KGDOM OF THE GODS. VALKYRIE BRIEFLY STOPS TO MAKE BEDROOM EY AT ONE OF ZS’S FEMALE NCUB, WHO I AM PRETTY SURE IS PLAYED BY RA ORA. THIS HAPPENS SO FAST (AND IS FILMED SUCH A WAY THAT I’M PRETTY SURE ULD GET CUT OUT OF THE MOVIE IF NEEDS TO BE LS LGBTQ+-IENDLY TERRORI) THAT I AM ACTUALLY NOT SURE IF ’S RA ORA OR NOT. BUT DO HAPPEN, AND IS A MOMENT—THE ONLY MOMENT—OF GIRL-ON-GIRL “ACTN” THE FILM, IF YOU N LL THAT.AT ONE POT, THOR IS VOLVED A LTLE B OF A LOVE TRIANGLE BETWEEN JANE FOSTER AND HIS AX, STORMBREAKER. MANY LGHS ARE (ATTEMPTED) TO BE WNG OUT OF STORMBREAKER’S SEEMG JEALOY OF JANE. IT WAS NFG TO ME, A MARVEL-NEOPHYTE, AS I ASSUMED THAT THOR’S AX WAS A GENRLS OBJECT—AND NOT TO GATEKEEP THE WORD GAY, BUT I’M PRETTY SURE A LOVE TRIANGLE BETWEEN A MAN, A WOMAN, AND A MAGIL AX DON’T QUALIFY AS “SO GAY.” BUT I’M HAPPY TO KEEP AN OPEN MD ON THE MATTER.THE MOST EXPLIC “GAY” MOMENT: VALKYRIE AND K HAVE A (VERY BRIEF) HEART-TO-HEART ABOUT ROMANCE WHILE THOR AND JANE FULL ON MAKE OUT. IN THE SCENE, K EXPLICLY SAYS THAT HE HAS TWO DADS, AND THAT HIS SPECI ARE NCEIVED WHEN TWO KRONAN MEN HOLD HANDS OVER A LAVA P. IT’S A SWEET MOMENT, BUT THE SCENE IS PLACED SUCH A WAY THAT, AGA, FEELS LIKE ULD BE ENTIRELY REMOVED OTHER MARKETS. DURG THE NVERSATN, K ALSO MENTNS VALKYRIE’S AD GIRLIEND AND HOW SHE’S CLOSED HERSELF OFF OM LOVE. AGA, FELY REGNN THAT LGBTQ+ PEOPLE EXIST—BUT ’S THE FIRST AND LAST TIME WE HEAR ANY MENTN OF VALKYRIE’S LOVE LIFE OR TERT WOMEN.AT THE END OF THE FILM, THERE’S ALSO THE BRIEFT OF SHOTS OF K HOLDG HANDS WH ANOTHER ROCK KRONAN (PRUMABLY A MAN) OVER A LAVA P, AN ATTEMPT TO MAYBE MAKE A BABY. DID MARVEL JT SHOW OUR FIRST SCENE OF GAY KRONAN SEX? IT’S HARD TO KNOW.SO GAYNATALIE PORTMAN G THIS FILM AS A SHOWSE AND THEN HAVG HER CHARACTER DIE, HOPEFULLY RELEASG HER OM THE MCU AND ALLOWG HER TO GET BACK TO PROJECTS LIKE CLOSER.MOST POPULARVANY FAIR’S “IT’S RAG TEENS” COVER AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?BY SAVANNAH WALSHRED, WHE & ROYAL BLUE MAY BE “THE MOST EXPENSIVE B OF FAN FICTN EVER”BY SAVANNAH WALSHTHE CAST OF OPPENHEIMER AND THE REAL PEOPLE THEY PLAYBY HILLARY BISVALKYRIE SUALLY WEARG A PHANTOM OF THE OPERA SWEATSHIRT WHILE KICKG SOME SPIR MONSTER ASS.HONORABLE GAY MENTIONKAT DENNGS ALSO APPEARS AS A LLEAGUE OF DR. JANE FOSTER ONE (1) SCENE, NEVER TO BE SEEN OR HEARD OM AGA. SHE’S BEEN A GUT JUDGE ON DRAG RACE AND HAS A OL VIBE, SO SHE GETS AN HONORABLE MENTN HERE.SO, LOOKS LIKE THOR WILL NOT BE WNG ANY GLAAD AWARDS. BY MY SCIENTIFIC LCULATNS, THERE WERE FAR MORE NOT GAY MOMENTS THAN GAY MOMENTS, AND ONLY TWO THAT WOULD QUALIFY AS “SO GAY.” IN EVERY WAY, THE FILM WAS LS GAY THAN DUNE, WHICH FEATURED TIMOTHéE CHALAMET POUTG, BUTTHOLE-SHAPED WORMS, AND STEPHEN MCKLEY HENRSON HOLDG A LTLE PARASOL JT SO.BUT WHAT WERE WE TO EXPECT? A MOVIE PRODUCED BY MARVEL WHICH IS OWNED BY DISNEY—WHICH HAS E UNR A B OF FIRE FOR S HANDLG OF GAY NTENT AND S FANCIAL SUPPORT OF ANTI-LGBTQ+ POLICIANS—WAS MAYBE NEVER BOUND TO BE “SO GAY” AFTER ALL. SO THE NEXT TIME THE FORMER UNRSTUDY FOR LRA BELL BUNDY RUTHLS THE MIL OFF BROADWAY SAYS THAT SOMETHG IS SO GAY, DON’T NECSARILY TAKE HER WORD FOR .MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIR“IT’S RAG TEENS” AT 20: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?THE BT TV SHOWS OF 2023, SO FARSEX TOYS, FANCIAL CRIM, AND THE ORIG OF BARBIETHAT SOUND YOU HEAR IS DONALD TMP SCREAMG, CRYG, AND THROWG UP A MAR-A-LAGO BATHROOMIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMERINSI THE ACTORS STRIKE PRS APOLYPSE: “THE CELEBRY FACTORY HAS SHUT DOWN”IS ALL THIS AMATR THERAPY-SPEAK JT MAKG US LONELIER?FROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)CHRIS MURPHY

While there is no way to “drs gay, ” there are several dolls that seem to suggt otherwise, such as:Fashnista Ken #193, who looks very exced to tell you about his new obssn, Troye Sivan;Travel Ken Doll, who has a satchel perfect for bathho and a purple overnight bag that lerally proclaims he’s “extra;”Ken Looks Doll, servg “I’m gonna give you a makeover”-type realns while sportg black pleather pants;This Ken, who wears the least heterosexual double nim I have a feelg the new Barbie movie will put the work to nvce that Ken is a hetero du who lov nothg life more than Barbie herself, the wrg’s already on the wall: Ken is, and always will be, Barbie’s gay bt obssg!

A new nned cktail lled Gay Water is lookg to attract LGBTQ drkers and avoid the pfalls of Bud Light’s disastro marketg partnership wh transgenr fluencer Dylan Mulvaney. The mixture of vodka and soda water, long known rmally as “gay water” the LGBTQ muny, is the brachild of 30-year-old gay entreprenr Spencer Hodson. He noted that the nctn aims “to stigmatize the word ‘gay’ by brgg reprentatn to spac that have not tradnally featured queer products, such as bars, liquor stor, grocery stor, rtrants, hotels and more.

Hodson, who is fancg Gay Water wh his own money pl backg om fay and iends, his brightly lored ns are leang to their gayns stead of avoidg .

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS ASSISTANT STRENGTH ACH KEV MAXEN OUT PUBLICLY AS GAY

He told CNN that he worked wh a queer signer to base Gay Water’s red, purple, green and orange lor scheme on pop art and 1990s televisn shows om Nickeloon, a ble work for children. “Gay is an umbrella term and the ia behd the brand is to be as clive as possible, which means we want alli, we want straight people to be part of this muny we’re buildg. A statement on the Gay Water webse not that the word “gay” appears barely any products outsi of Pri Month each June.

Sometim a woman may have been a heterosexual relatnship for years and yet feel somethg is somehow "off;" and she may fd herself askg, "Is my hband gay?

‘IT’S MY FLORIDA TOO’: PULSE SHOOTG SURVIVOR BRANDON WOLF ON BEG BLACK, GAY AND THE ANTI-RON DESANTIS

" Many women fd this qutn unthkable but acrdg to Bonnie Kaye,, an expert women married to gay men, is timated that 4 ln women have been, or are, married to gay men. Unfortunately, is timated that 50% of gay hbands hi their homosexualy om their wiv and don't reach this place of honty on their own.

HOW TO ACCEPT THAT YOU ARE GAY

In many s, is the wife, who after spectg that somethg is wrong, mt nont the gay hband wh the evince, and only then n hontly be achieved. If turns out that a hband is, fact, gay, the fallout n be difficult to al wh, particularly for the straight partner.

What's important to remember is that the hband's homosexualy is entirely his rponsibily and has nothg to do wh the wife. So when Portman swore durg a Q&A at the London premiere of her latt film, Thor: Love and Thunr, that Marvel’s newt offerg is “so gay, ” my tert was immediately piqued—and while I hadn’t seen a Marvel film sce 2018’s Black Panther, I had to know whether Thor 4 would be an entry to the queer cematic non à la Moonlight, Carol, and the Nile Kidman AMC off to the ceplex I went, tstg Natalie Portman spe mors that Thor: Love and Thunr might not be as gay as she claimed. Thor: Love and Thunr was directed by Taika Wai, whose queer, pirate HBO Max show, Our Flag Means Death, certaly cross the thrhold of “so gay.

Below is a list of the gay moments, subtext, and energy that I uld fd Thor: Love and Thunr, ranked by their level of gayns. Be warned: Spoilers GAY (AND SORT OF RUDE)Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord is pretty heavily featured the first 15 mut of the film. Eventually, Thor acquic and lls Axl by his chosen name…but ’s left a weird taste some LGBTQ+ fans’ NOT GAYThere’s a short montage of Thor, played by Chris Hemsworth, and his many lovers…all of whom are women.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS ASSISTANT COACH KEV MAXEN MAK HISTORY AFTER COMG OUT AS GAY

SLIGHTLY GAYThe film opens wh a preface that featur the god Dnys (Simon Rsell Beale)—shirtls a field of gigglg flowers and wearg a sparkly goln crown and statement necklace, braggg about how many followers he has.

Aga, not explicly gay any way, but I fely ught queer ’s cloth accintally get stripped om him, leavg him standg a room full of gods the nu. While rabows are nonilly gay (see: the Pri Flag, “Somewhere Over the”), this is sort of the lowt possible bar you uld pass for havg queer ntent. Jacksonville Jaguars assistant strength and ndng ach Kev Maxen cid on Thursday to e out publicly as gay hop of livg his life whout fear and to spire others.

Before jog Jacksonville’s achg staff, he was a strength ach for the football teams at Baylor and Febary 2022, Maxen reached out to NFL player Carl Nassib, who me out as gay 2021, to seek advice. Mcular gay pornstar @LivgLargerXXX knows a thg or two about transformatn -- he's been to mcle growth and jectg siline to his dick and balls (which is a fetish) sce 2017. He scrib himself as a domant daddy, keyholr (for gay submissive men to chasty), and fistg top who posts vios on both OnlyFans and JtForFans.

MUY GAY TOO MEXINO

Unrstand important health issu for gay men and other men who have sex wh men, and get tips for matag good Mayo Clic Staff. Gay men also are more likely to have body image problems and eatg disorrs, such as anorexia and bulimia, than are other men. Many health re and mental health anizatns foced on the lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr muny also offer substance e treatment or may be able to provi rmatn about lol rourc.

And rearch has shown that gay men and other men who have sex wh men experience timate partner vlence at a higher rate than do other men. A lack of shelters and other facili equipped to offer gay men a safe, supportive place to get help also may make dntg to seek re. Concern about homophobia and the stigma sometim associated wh homosexualy may prevent some gay men om gettg route health re.

”Wolf had sought refuge Florida 15 years ago when he was done wh ral Oregon, the childhood home where he suffered embedd racism and homophobia on a daily basis.

HOW GAY IS TOO GAY?

Among his motivatns for wrg the book was to reclaim tersectnaly om DeSantis and others on the right who seek to hijack explas: “I wanted to give a human flavour to what tersectnaly actually looks and feels like and what feels like to experience racism and homophobia at the same time.

KEN HAS ALWAYS BEEN BARBIE’S GAY BT FRIEND—NOT HER BOYIENDBARBIE’S BELOVED BEARD?FOR YEARS, PEOPLE HAVE QUTNED WHAT ROLE KEN REALLY PLAYS BARBIE’S LIFE. BUT THE TTH IS PLA SIGHT: KEN’S NOT BOYIEND MATERIAL. AT LEAST, NOT FOR BARBIE.BARRY LEVTFREELANCE WRERPUBLISHED JUL. 21, 2023 4:35AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEAST/GETTYIT’S BARBIE WEEK AT THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED, CELEBRATG THE DOLL’S POP-CULTURE HISTORY, OUR FAVORE BARBIE MEMORI, AND A CERTA MAJOR MOVIE. READ ALL OF OUR VERAGE HERE!“SHE’S EVERYTHG. HE’S JT KEN.” THAT’S THE TAGLE FOR THE WILDLY ANTICIPATED BARBIE MOVIE, DIRECTED BY GRETA GERWIG AND STARRG MARGOT ROBBIE AND RYAN GOSLG. THE IMPLITN IS CLEAR: COME FOR BARBIE, AND STAY FOR BARBIE… BUT KEN HAPPENS TO BE THERE TOO.KEN HAS LONG BEEN SEEN AS NOTHG BUT BARBIE’S HUMAN ACCSORY, BUT WASN’T ALWAYS THIS WAY FOR THE POOR MISUNRSTOOD DOLL. WHEN KEN WAS FIRST TRODUCED 1961, HIS FIRST MERCIAL TRIED TO POSN HIM AS BARBIE’S EQUAL AND, UNMISTAKABLY, BOYIEND. “GET BOTH BARBIE AND KEN AND SEE WHERE THE ROMANCE WILL LEAD!” THE MERCIAL PROMISED.SCE THEN, LIKE BARBIE, KEN HAS UNRGONE UNTLS TRANSFORMATNS AND FASHNS. BUT AS TIME WENT ON, KEN FOUND HIMSELF AN AFTERTHOUGHT. TOYMAKERS MATTEL NEVER GAVE HIM THE SAME KD OF BACKSTORI AS BARBIE—WHILE SHE’S HAD OVER 200 REERS, KEN HAS HAD JT SOME 40-ODD PROFSNS. (AN CREDIBLE AMOUNT OF JOBS FOR A PERSON, SURE. BUT FOR A DOLL? EMBARRASSG.) BARBIE HAS STARRED LOTS OF VIO GAM AND MORE THAN THREE DOZEN FILMS; KEN HAS HAD A MAJOR ROLE A MERE HANDFUL OF THEM. BUT THERE’S ONE KEY REASON WHY KEN IS ALWAYS LAGGG SIGNIFINTLY BEHD BARBIE AND 'S A LOT EPER THAN THE DOLL’S SEEMG LACK OF POPULARY: KEN HAS BEEN MISST. HE’S NOT BARBIE’S BOYIEND. HE’S BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.DPE MATTEL’S SISTENCE THAT BARBIE AND KEN ARE A HAPPY ROMANTIC RELATNSHIP, THERE’S PLENTY OF SPECULATN ABOUT KEN’S SEXUALY. EVEN IF HIS MAKERS CLAIM HIM TO BE STRAIGHT, THERE’S MOUNTG PROOF TO THE NTRARY. PERHAPS THE MOST DISPUTABLE EVINCE THAT KEN IS FACT BOTH A MEMBER OF THE QUEER MUNY AND BARBIE’S BTIE, NOT BOY TOY, OM A RATHER SURPRISG PLACE: 2010’S TOY STORY 3.IN TOY STORY 3, BARBIE AND KEN PLAY A SURPRISGLY LARGE ROLE. THEIR TRODUCTN TO THE FILM IS TGED WH ROMANTIC TENSN. WHEN THE PAIR MEET, THE FILM VOK A MON TROPE: A ROMANTIC NEEDLE DROP HS THE MOMENT THE LOVERS LOCK EY. IN THIS SE, ’S “DREAM WEAVER” BY GARY WRIGHT. AS FAR AS BARBIE AND KEN ARE NCERNED, THEY’RE THE ONLY ON THE ROOM. “I LOVE YOUR LEG WARMERS!” KEN TELLS BARBIE. “NICE AST,” SHE BANTERS, WH HEAVY EMPHASIS ON THE FIRST SYLLABLE. BEFORE THGS GET TOO HEATED, THEY LOCK ARMS AND WALK OFF TOGETHER. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / GETTY LET’S BE HONT—SPE THE ROMANTIC OVERTON OF THE SCENE, THEIR BRIEF EXCHANGE TELLS EVERYTHG ABOUT HOW THEY SEE EACH OTHER. KEN DON’T MENTN ANYTHG ABOUT BARBIE’S BODY, STEAD HIGHLIGHTG HER LEG WARMERS. BUT BARBIE IS UNSUBTLY TRYG TO SCE KEN JT TWO WORDS. SHE’S AFTER KEN, BUT KEN IS AFTER SOMEONE WHOSE CLOTH HE N ADMIRE.SURE, LATER THE FILM, KEN AND BARBIE SAY “I LOVE YOU” TO EACH OTHER. AND THEY GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN SAYG EACH WORD OF “I LOVE YOU”—SO SOMEONE DIFFERENT N SAY “LOVE” EACH TIME, AS KEN EXPLAS. HE MENTNS OFFHAND THAT HE HAS EVERYTHG EXCEPT SOMEONE TO SHARE WH. BARBIE AND KEN EVEN NUZZLE THEIR NOS TOGETHER. Y, THERE’S FELY LOVE BETWEEN IENDS—BUT THROUGH ALL, THERE’S NOT A HT OF SEXUAL CHEMISTRY.LOOK, I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THKG—SIR, THIS IS TOY STORY; WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU EXPECTG? IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER ROMANC THE ANCHISE—WOODY AND BO PEEP, AND JSE AND BUZZ—THERE’S NO DOUBT THAT THERE’S REAL LOVE THERE BETWEEN THE SENTIENT TOYS. THEIR PASSN FOR ONE ANOTHER TRANSCENDS MORE THAN SIMPLY BEG TERTED EACH OTHER’S OUTFS. THE SAME NNOT BE SAID OF THE MATTEL DOLLS. THAT’S MA EVINT WHEN KEN FALLY GETS AN OPPORTUNY FOR TIMACY WH BARBIE. “THIS IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS,” HE TELLS BARBIE WHEN THEY FALLY GO TO HIS DREAMHOE TOGETHER, HAVG PARENTS ALL OVER THE WORLD CLUTCHG THEIR PEARLS. BUT FEAR NOT: KEN SIMPLY TAK BARBIE TO… HIS WALK- WARDROBE. ANY SEMBLANCE OF ROMANCE MAK WAY FOR IENDSHIP, WHEN THE PAIR JUBILANTLY PESE KEN’S OUTFS. AND STEAD OF DOG SOMETHG WILD LIKE KISSG BARBIE, KEN PUTS ON A FASHN SHOW FOR HER STEAD. THE FILM WON’T SAY , BUT A POST-CREDS PUNCHLE ABOUT KEN’S HANDWRG, PLETE WH HEARTS AND STARS SURROUNDG HIS NAME, TELLS WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW.THE HEAVILY IMPLIED NATURE OF KEN’S GAYNS TOY STORY 3 HARKENS BACK TO HOLLYWOOD’S TRADNAL GAY BT IEND-TYPE CHARACTERS. IN THE HAYS CO ERA, EXPLIC REFERENC TO HOMOSEXUALY WEREN’T ALLOWED, SO CHARACTERS LIKE VAN BUREN (FRANKL PANGBORN) 1937’S EASY LIVG, KIP (DAVID WAYNE) 1949’S ADAM’S RIB, OR ADDISON (GEE SANRS) 1950’S ALL ABOUT EVE STEAD WERE IMBUED WH EFFEMATE CHARACTERISTICS, OFFERG A GLIMPSE OUTSI OF HETERONORMATIVY WHOUT EXPLICLY BEG QUEER.NONE OF THE CHARACTERS WERE THE SAME—SOME WERE TTY, OTHERS SWEET. SOME HAD ULTERR MOTIV, AND OTHERS OFFERED UNNDNAL SUPPORT. BUT EACH OF THE GAY BT IENDS WAS TRSILLY FED BY THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT IENDS. WE NEVER REALLY LEARNED MUCH ABOUT THEM AS DIVIDUALS. THEY LIVED ON THE MARGS, FLHG OUT THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS, HARDLY HAVG A PURPOSE WHOUT THEM; THAT PORTRAYAL REMAS TE TODAY. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / PHOTOS BY GETTY / WARNER BROS. DES LATER, 2010, THE GAY BT IEND WAS ALL THE RAGE; TEEN VOGUE EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO PROCLAIM THE GBF AS THE SUMMER’S MT-HAVE ACCSORY. BUT UNLIKE THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY, TODAY’S CEMA, THE GBF IS ALLOWED TO BE OPENLY GAY. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY STILL BARELY REGISTER AS PEOPLE WH CHARACTER TRAS BEYOND THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS. IN MOVI LIKE MEAN GIRLS (2004), THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006), EASY A (2010), NO STRGS ATTACHED (2011), AND ISN’T IT ROMANTIC (2019), GAY IENDS EXIST ENTIRELY THE ORB OF THEIR FEMALE IENDS. IT’S SUCH A STRONG TROPE THAT EVEN PERSISTS QUEER ROMANTIC EDI: 2020’S HAPPIT SEASON FDS JOHN (DAN LEVY) OFFERG ADVICE AND SNARKY ONE-LERS TO HIS LBIAN BTIE LI OF MEANGFUL CHARACTER VELOPMENT.IN TOY STORY 3, THE SAME IS TE OF KEN. HIS EXISTENCE PENDS ON AND CIRCULAT AROUND BARBIE. IN BARBIE, KEN HAS FOUND SOMEONE WHO REALLY UNRSTANDS HIM. HE DON’T GET ALONG WH THE OTHER TOYS, WHO MOCK HIM FOR BEG A “GIRL'S TOY.” BUT BARBIE LOV FASHN, JT LIKE HE DO. “NO ONE APPRECIAT CLOTH HERE, BARBIE,” KEN LAMENTS TO BARBIE, ABOUT THE OTHER TOYS’ TREATMENT OF HIM. “NO ONE!” BUT BARBIE DO, AND FOR KEN, THAT’S LIFE-CHANGG.THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS WHY THE FILM WOULDN’T OUTRIGHTLY STATE THAT KEN IS HOMOSEXUAL. NOT ONLY DO DISNEY SELF HAVE A PLITED HISTORY WH QUEER CHARACTERS, BUT KEN AND BARBIE ARE ALSO THE PROPERTY OF MATTEL, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN STEADFAST ASSERTG KEN’S HETEROSEXUALY. THAT’S NEVER BEEN CLEARER THAN 1993 WHEN THE TOY PANY TRIED TO REIGNE KEN’S POPULARY MATTEL’S SOLUTN? EARRG MAGIC KEN. EARRG MAGIC KEN WAS A FIERCER, FELY MORE QUEER KEN THAN EVER BEFORE. THIS VERSN OF THE DOLL HAD BLEACHED BLON HAIR, A PURPLE LEATHER VT (!), A PK-PURPLE MH TOP (!!), AND OF URSE, AND EARRG THE “GAY EAR”. BUT THAT’S NOT ALL: AROUND KEN’S NECK WAS SOMETHG THAT ANY ACTIVE PARTICIPANT OF THE QUEER SCENE THE ’90S REGNIZED STANTLY—A CK RG (!!!).THE EARRG MAGIC KEN TURNED BARBIE’S BOYIEND TO AN OUT-AND-PROUD HOMOSEXUAL RAVER. MATTEL, OF URSE, VEHEMENTLY NIED ANY CLAIMS THAT KEN WAS GAY, LET ALONE THAT HE HAD SOMETHG AS PREPOSTERO AS A CK RG AROUND HIS NECK. AS LISA MCKENDALL, FORMER MANAGER OF MARKETG AND MUNITNS, SAID AN TERVIEW ABOUT THE DOLL, “WE’RE NOT THE BS OF PUTTG CK RGS TO THE HANDS OF LTLE GIRLS.”REGARDLS OF MATTEL’S TENTNS, ’S HARD TO NY WHAT THE EYE N SEE. DPE THE NAME, CK RGS AT THE TIME WERE ED AS A FASHN ACCSORY AND A SIGN OF FIANT QUEERNS AND SEX POSIVY. AS A RULT, GAY MEN BOUGHT THE DOLL DROV, AND SPE MATTEL ULTIMATELY RELLG THE DOLL AND WIPG AWAY ANY TRACE OF EARRG MAGIC KEN, WAS NEAR-IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE KEN AS ANYTHG BUT THE GLOR HOMOSEXUAL HE WAS BORN TO BE OM THEN ON. MATTEL SPENT THE NEXT UPLE OF S TRYG TO RETA KEN’S MORE HETERONORMATIVE, MASCULE IMAGE, BUT THE VEIL WAS LIFTED, AND THERE WAS NO GOG BACK. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO/THE DAILY BEAST/PHOTOS BY GETTY/WARNER BROS. THOUGH MATTEL DON’T SEEM TO BE WILLG TO SAY KEN IS ACTUALLY GAY, THE KEN DOLLS OF RECENT YEARS SEEM TO REALLY LEAN TO KEN’S QUEERNS. THE YASSIFITN OF KEN IS CLEARLY UNRWAY. WHILE THERE IS NO WAY TO “DRS GAY,” THERE ARE SEVERAL DOLLS THAT SEEM TO SUGGT OTHERWISE, SUCH AS:FASHNISTA KEN #193, WHO LOOKS VERY EXCED TO TELL YOU ABOUT HIS NEW OBSSN, TROYE SIVAN;TRAVEL KEN DOLL, WHO HAS A SATCHEL PERFECT FOR BATHHO AND A PURPLE OVERNIGHT BAG THAT LERALLY PROCLAIMS HE’S “EXTRA;”KEN LOOKS DOLL, SERVG “I’M GONNA GIVE YOU A MAKEOVER”-TYPE REALNS WHILE SPORTG BLACK PLEATHER PANTS;THIS KEN, WHO WEARS THE LEAST HETEROSEXUAL DOUBLE NIM IMAGABLE.WHILE I HAVE A FEELG THE NEW BARBIE MOVIE WILL PUT THE WORK TO NVCE THAT KEN IS A HETERO DU WHO LOV NOTHG LIFE MORE THAN BARBIE HERSELF, THE WRG’S ALREADY ON THE WALL: KEN IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE, BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.KEEP OBSSG! SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK, TWTER, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK.READ MORE OF OUR BARBIE VERAGE HERE. BARRY LEVT

Growg up a nservative majory whe town was difficult bee the same kid who would ll me the N-word on one day would ll me a homophobic slur on another day and I was nstantly navigatg the tersectns of those two thgs.

Last month DeSantis’s mpaign released an anti-LGBTQ+ vio assailg Tmp for his past support of gay and transgenr ments: “It is a sry time to be not jt LGBTQ but LGBTQ and Black this state and ultimately that’s the tent.

Most people the LGBTQ+ muny know om experience that acceptg your sexualy will lead to your beg a happier, more open this gui, the term gay has been ed to clu all forms of non-heterosexual attractn, whether that be people who are lbian, gay, bisexual, queer, pansexual, or otherwise not straight. There isn't any need to change yourself - beg gay is jt another way of simply existg, and there is nothg wrong wh at all.