LGBTQ stereotypes are stereotypes about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people based on their sexual orientations, gender identities, or gender expressions. Stereotypical perceptions may be acquired through interactions with parents, teachers, peers and mass media, or, more generally, through a lack of firsthand familiarity, resulting in an increased reliance on generalizations.
Negative stereotypes are often associated with homophobia, lesbophobia, gayphobia, biphobia, or transphobia. Positive stereotypes, or counterstereotypes, also exist.
In general
Media
The portrayal of the LGBTQ community in media has historically reinforced negative stereotypes and societal norms, excluded LGBTQ+ individuals, and tokenized them by reducing their representation to their sexual orientation or gender identity. Media portrayals of LGBTQ+ individuals can influence both society attitudes and how LGBTQ+ individuals view themselves. Positive media representations can improve visibility and understanding of LGBTQ+ people and may help support allyship. Positive media representations can improve visibility and understanding of LGBTQ+ people and may help support allyship. In recent years, LGBTQ representation in media has increased, with more diverse and complex characters appearing in film.
Effects of stereotypes LGBTQ stereotypes can affect how LGBTQ people are treated and how they see themselves. Studies have found that being exposed to stereotypes can increase stress, contribute to mental health struggles, and affect identity development (Them, 2020). This is especially true when individuals do not have access to supportive environments, communities, or positive representation.
Stereotypes can also influence everyday interactions and increase the risk of discrimination, exclusion, or unfair treatment in places such as schools, workplaces, and healthcare settings. Media and society can continue to spread and reinforce stereotypes, which affects how people think about LGBTQ individuals and how they are treated in everyday life.
History LGBTQ stereotypes have been around for a long time in media and culture, often reflecting how society viewed sexuality and gender at different points in history. In earlier film and television, gay men were often shown as extremely feminine or used for jokes, while lesbian women were often shown as masculine or overly sexualized. These kinds of portrayals limited how LGBTQ people were seen and understood.
In the past, LGBTQ identities were also often linked with negative ideas such as being "deviant" or criminal in both media and society. Transgender people, when included at all, were often portrayed as mentally unstable. Over time, representation has become more diverse and realistic (Gomillion & Giuliano, 2011); however, some of these older stereotypes can still appear in modern media.
Murder and violence
LGBT rights activists have fought against fictional representations of LGBT people that depict them as violent and murderous. Columnist Brent Hartinger observed that "big-budget Hollywood movies until, perhaps, Philadelphia in 1993 that featured major gay male characters portrayed them as insane villains and serial killers". Community members organized protests and boycotts against films with murderous LGBT characters, including Cruising (1980), Silence of the Lambs (1991), and Basic Instinct (1992). Theatre scholar Jordan Schildcrout has written about the recurrence of the "homicidal homosexual" in American plays but notes that LGBT playwrights themselves have appropriated this negative stereotype to confront and subvert homophobia. Such plays include The Lisbon Traviata (1985) by Terrence McNally, Porcelain (1992) by Chay Yew, The Secretaries (1993) by the Five Lesbian Brothers, and The Dying Gaul (1998) by Craig Lucas.
Bisexual people
Indecision
Many bisexual people are often characterized as indecisive due to their attraction to both men and women. As the term bisexual can refer to people who do have a sexual preference but are open to sexual interactions with other groups, bisexuals are sometimes seen as unwilling to commit to one sexual identity. This characterization can include stereotypes originating in the LGBT community itself as people who are bisexual do not always choose homosexual partners—they are often seen as being in a transitory or experimental phase between being heterosexual and homosexual.
Promiscuity Another common stereotype is that bisexual people are promiscuous and incapable of having steady or long-term relationships. This includes belief that, according to a bisexuality study, "compared to lesbians or gay targets, bisexual targets in a relationship with lesbian or gay partners were evaluated as more likely to transmit STDs and less likely to sexually satisfy their partners" by the public. Bisexual people are sometimes seen as being incapable of monogamy or sexually manipulative. Bisexual people are also assumed to want to engage in threesomes.
Disaster bisexual The "disaster bisexual" stereotype, also called "chaotic bisexual", characterizes bisexual people as having chaotic, goofy, or socially awkward personalities. According to Den of Geek, disaster bisexuals have such chaotic personalities that "without knowing anything else about them you could correctly guess that they're bi", and they are "a hot mess above all else". According to Autostraddle, the term originated on Tumblr. According to The Routledge Handbook of Queer Rhetoric, the term is used by some bisexuals aiming to reclaim stereotypes that they are confused, promiscuous, or overwhelmed by their attractions. S.E. Fleenor described the term as being a self-effacing way for bisexuals to describe themselves as fun and messy. Aspects associated with the disaster bisexual stereotype include "not being able to sit in chairs 'properly'", "the overuse of finger guns", and "unseasonably cuffed jeans".
The stereotype of the disaster bisexual has been used in media. Fictional characters that have been described by fans as disaster bisexuals have included Harley Quinn from the DC Extended Universe, Loki from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Motoko Kusanagi from Ghost in the Shell.
Media representation Due to negative characterizations of bisexuality, media personalities are often reluctant to share their identity with the public, leading to reduced visibility. Rock musician David Bowie famously declared himself bisexual in an interview with Melody Maker in January 1972, a move coinciding with the first shots in his campaign for stardom as Ziggy Stardust.Carr, Roy; Murray, Charles Shaar (1981). Bowie: An Illustrated Record. New York: Avon. . Bowie later regretted revealing his sexuality, stating, "I had no problem with people knowing I was bisexual. But I had no inclination to hold any banners or be a representative of any group of people. I knew what I wanted to be, which was a songwriter and a performer ..."
Regarding the portrayal of bisexual people by Hollywood, stigma is present, especially for men. From the end of the McCarthy era to today, "The history of male bisexual characters in film has been one of negative stereotyping."
Gay men
Gay men are often equated interchangeably with heterosexual women by the heterocentric mainstream and are frequently stereotyped as being effeminate, despite the fact that gender expression, gender identity, and sexual orientation are widely accepted to be distinct from each other. The "flaming queen" is a characterization that melds flamboyance and effeminacy, remaining a gay male stock character in Hollywood.The Celluloid Closet; (1995) Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman. Theatre, specifically Broadway musicals, is a component of another stereotype, the "show queen", which generalizes that gay men are involved with the performing arts, and are theatrical, overly dramatic, and camp. Gay men are also perceived as being artistic.
The bear subculture of the LGBT community is composed of generally large, hairy men, referred to as bears.
Appearance and mannerisms
Gay men are often stereotyped as speaking with a lisp or a feminine tone. Fashion and effeminacy have long been seen as stereotypes of homosexuality. They are often based on the visibility of the reciprocal relationship between gay men and fashion. Designers, including Dolce & Gabbana, have made use of homoerotic imagery in their advertising. Some commentators argue this encourages the stereotype that most gay men enjoy shopping. A limp wrist is also a mannerism associated with gay men.Encyclopedia of Lesbian and Gay Histories and Cultures - Page 491, Bonnie Zimmerman - 2000
Recent research by Cox and colleagues demonstrated that "gaydar" is often used as an alternate label for using stereotypes, especially those related to appearance and mannerisms, to infer orientation.
Sex and relationships
Gay men are often stereotyped as hypersexualized and unable to maintain committed or fulfilling relationships, though research suggests that their relationships are just as fulfilling as those of other couples. Research suggests that lesbians may be slightly more likely than gay men to be in steady relationships. In terms of unprotected sex, a 2007 study cited two large population surveys as showing that "the majority of gay men had similar numbers of unprotected sexual partners annually as straight men and women". Another study found that gay men sometimes faced social boundaries because of this stereotype. Participants in the study reported finding it difficult to befriend other gay men on a platonic basis. The study found that when they would engage with other gay men there would be an assumption of sexual motivations, and when it became clear that this was not the case the other men would not be interested in continuing socialising. These stereotypes permeate throughout all facets of society, even influencing those subjected to it.
Another persistent stereotype associated with the gay male community is excessive partying. Before the Stonewall riots in 1969, most LGBT people were extremely private and closeted, and house parties, bars, and taverns became some of the few places where they could meet, socialize, and feel safe. The riots represented the start of the modern LGBT social movement and acceptance of sexual and gender minorities, which has steadily increased since. Festive and party-like social occasions remain at the core of organizing and fundraising in the LGBT community. In cities where there are large populations of LGBT people, benefits and bar fundraisers are still common, and alcohol companies invest heavily in LGBT-oriented marketing. Ushered in by underground gay clubs and disc jockeys, the disco era kept the "partying" aspect vibrant and ushered in the more hardcore circuit party movement, hedonistic and associated with party and play.DANCE OF DEATH, First of three parts, CRYSTAL METH FUELS HIV Christopher Heredia, May 4, 2003, SF Gate
The relationship between gay men and female heterosexual "fag hags" has become highly stereotypical. The accepted behaviors in this type of relationship can predominantly include physical affections (such as kissing and touching), as in the sitcom Will & Grace.