Smash the heterosexual orthodoxy

[donnaimmaculata]

Following 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.

Comments

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

You know, I can see the Sirius/Remus appeal, even though I don't really ship them. However, there is a difference between the situational gayness of Remus (i.e. he's shagging Sirius) and the inherent gayness (i.e. the character is teh gay, even though there is no Sirius in the case). And I wonder where this comes from.

My best gay male friend is a Geordie with a foul temper who swears incomprehensibly and gets into fights when he has too many beers.

Does he scratch them with his manicured nails? *g* Maybe he's a hetero in the closet.

[fluffyllama.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Maybe. I dunno then, maybe it is the stereotype for some of those folks.

Trust me, I try not to look at Ian's nails. I know where they've been *shudder*

[donnaimmaculata.livejournal.com]

Trust me, I try not to look at Ian's nails. I know where they've been *shudder*

Ahaha! And oh dear... *g*