Smash the heterosexual orthodoxy
Jul. 27th, 2005 12:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
donnaimmaculataFollowing the confirmation of the Remus/Tonks canon and the subsequent - to use a polite term - discussions about whether or not Rowling has merely submitted to society's heterosexist pressure, I would like to ask a question that's always interested me: What makes Remus gay?
I am asking this, because there are many readers who read the character Remus Lupin as gay. And I don't mean the character's being coded as representing the idea of homosexuality on an allegorical level, which is quite a different thing. (A worrying one as well if people assume that making someone a vicious man-eating monster means that they stand for homosexuality, but this is neither here nor there.) What I am interested to know is what, exactly, about Lupin's characterisation makes readers think he's as gay as a tree full of monkey.
Because, as much as I like writing and reading Remus in slash pairings, I've never read the character in the novel as gay. (He reminds me far too much of my ex-BF for that, but this, again, is neither here nor there.) He's polite, understanding and witty, which, I realise, are qualities that are often contributed to gay men, because they are oh so full of understanding for us women, quite unlike their rude, insensitive, grumpy straight counterparts.
This is a serious question. I'm honestly interested.
I am asking this, because there are many readers who read the character Remus Lupin as gay. And I don't mean the character's being coded as representing the idea of homosexuality on an allegorical level, which is quite a different thing. (A worrying one as well if people assume that making someone a vicious man-eating monster means that they stand for homosexuality, but this is neither here nor there.) What I am interested to know is what, exactly, about Lupin's characterisation makes readers think he's as gay as a tree full of monkey.
Because, as much as I like writing and reading Remus in slash pairings, I've never read the character in the novel as gay. (He reminds me far too much of my ex-BF for that, but this, again, is neither here nor there.) He's polite, understanding and witty, which, I realise, are qualities that are often contributed to gay men, because they are oh so full of understanding for us women, quite unlike their rude, insensitive, grumpy straight counterparts.
This is a serious question. I'm honestly interested.
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no subject
Date: 2005-07-27 08:48 pm (UTC)ahh.. now I don't have to comment because you said it perfectly. bless you.
I totally agree with everything, especially Remus/Sirius making more sense to me as a pairing because of the dynamic, not because of their gender. Granted, because of R/S I've got into reading other slash pairings, but I really just like the idea of Remus&Sirius and of course when you read the fanon stuff it gets sort of in your head.
As far as Remus being gay or not, I didn't read him that way until I entered the fandom and then it seemed to resonate with me and make a lot of sense, so... it's hard to say now. (sorry, this post was rather pointless, but I just wanted to snog
no subject
Date: 2005-07-28 01:26 pm (UTC)*snogs you back*