"That doesn't make him gay": How Fans Deny Queerness in The Righteous Gemstones and Other Recent Series Paperback – August 28, 2025

How do television viewers decide that characters are gay? Why is one viewer convinced by a scene where two men smile at each other, whereas another responds to a scene where they share a bed with "I don't see how that makes them gay"? This book examines scenes, situations, and structures that permit characters to be read as LGBT, including two same-sex characters as a romantic couple in the dark comedy/crime drama The Righteous Gemstones and other contemporary television series, contrasted with social media posts that embrace, ignore, or deny their identity. Some surprising strategies emerge, such as "if a man speaks to a woman, he is always straight," and "they can't be a romantic couple if another character ever refers to them as 'friends.'" This thoroughly researched work investigates the practices of viewers identifying "gayness" on television, drawing conclusions about both media and audience. Read more