LIFESTYLES
QUEERBAITING EXAMINED An exploration of both the harmful effects of queerbaiting and calling it out
Q
16 | DESIGNED BY KATELYN CHU
ueerbaiting: a term that uses a word that it does not represent. With a history spanning to the early 2000s, ‘queerbaiting’ was first coined and popularized by internet fandoms frustrated with the lack of genuine LGBTQIA+ representation in television shows. And while the term has stuck around in today’s generation, its meaning has since been used to describe a variety of circumstances where promises of LGBTQIA+ representation are not kept. Even though it might seem obvious that using an identity that many identify with as a marketing tool is distasteful, there are many more reasons why queerbaiting is
inappropriate and harmful. Not only ambiguous ending read as noncomdoes it lead young teens and chil- mittal to many modern fans. dren to believe that there is little rep“Because of the relative scarcity of resentation on screen, but it can also queer relationships onscreen, the bait enable corporations to profit from dis- and switch can be especially harmful. ingenuous marketing to the LGBTQ+ Seeing queer representation on TV community. can be incredibly affirming to viewers. Many popWhen that ular shows representaBECAUSE OF THE RELand series tion ends up have used ATIVE SCARCITY OF QUEER being just for queerbaiting RELATIONSHIPS ONSCREEN, show, it can as a tactic to make you THE BAIT AND SWITCH CAN rope in a largfeel like your er audience, BE ESPECIALLY HARMFUL. story isn’t SARAH STIEFVATER appealing important to those of enough to the LGBTQIA+ community to rake be told—or even that it doesn’t exist,” in monetary profit. Some well-known digital media company PureWow ediexamples include Riverdale, Pitch tor Sarah Stiefvater said. Perfect and, debatably, The Legend Seeing a character they can relate of Korra, which featured an ending to onscreen helps those who are still that left many viewers on the questioning feel more represented. edge of their seats without This is especially applicable to teens any answers. While co-cre- who are still unsure of their identity, ator Bryan Konietzko later especially those that may seek out confirmed that the two fe- movies and films to better understand male characters were themselves through a different lens. indeed in a re- But by using this as a cheap marlationship, keting strategy and not as part of the t h e character’s journey of discovery and growth, movies that queerbait quickly sever the connection between the viewer and character. Said activist and filmmaker L e o
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THERESA NGUYEN perspectives editor/photo editor
