as societal acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals grows, so too does the complexity of their portrayals in media. contemporary storytelling increasingly features well-rounded gay characters who have their own romantic lives, where their sexual orientation is secondary to their overall character development.
it's crucial to distinguish this evolution from mere tokenism; a character who happens to be gay but otherwise fits the conventional "best friend" archetype isn't necessarily an example of a distinct trope.
historically, the most prevalent iteration of this trope has been the male gay best friend (GBF) to a heterosexual female protagonist.
however, there's a slow but noticeable emergence of other variations. this trope can be seen as a sub-category of the "token minority." when a character's gay identity is portrayed as contributing to a greater sense of empathy or providing unique wisdom to the protagonist, they might be categorized as a "magical queer."
exploring the trope across different media
anime and manga
in the realm of anime and manga, characters like Lussuria from reborn! showcase this trope, though sometimes with unsettling undertones, particularly when depicting inappropriate attractions.
conversely, neighborhood story features Seiji Kisaragi, Mikako's gay friend, who is presented as a realistic character. in a notable subversion, Seiji is actually bisexual, challenging assumptions.
pet shop of horrors offers a literal interpretation with the character Wong, a mythical goat-demon disguised as human, attempting to seduce the protagonist D.
D, however, sees through the disguise and takes Wong as a pet. ghost talker's daydream includes Shizue, Misaki's close friend and colleague, who is a lesbian. her sexuality is briefly addressed when Misaki questions her decision to be open about it, but the conversation is quickly dropped.
the manga don't meddle with my daughter! playfully subverts the trope by exploring Clara's burgeoning attraction to a supervillain, "Honey, the Hugger." this attraction is confirmed to be mutual in the epilogue, although initially conveyed through subtle subtext.
comic books
in scott pilgrim, Wallace Wells, Scott's roommate, exemplifies a supportive friend and mentor figure.
his active sex life and occasional catty remarks contribute to his character, and he eventually settles into a committed relationship. Wallace's role as a caring and supportive friend to Scott is evident, especially during critical moments in the story.
fan works also explore this dynamic.
in ask hoops and dumbbell, Dumbbell encounters a coworker who tries to cast him in the GBF role, suggesting activities like shopping and boy-watching. Dumbbell's rejection of these stereotypes, citing his disinterest in shopping, lack of drinking, and existing relationship, leads the coworker to dismiss his responses as mere sass.
Jean-Paul Beaubier from child of the storm initially appears as a stereotypical "camp gay" character, but the narrative later reveals a more intelligent and formidable persona beneath the façade. his relationship with Carol is characterized by a "vitriolic best buds" dynamic, with shared conversations about boys being a minor aspect.
total disventure all stars features Raj and Jake as GBFs to Ally and Millie, respectively, while Bowie serves a similar role for Ellie.
in high school musical, Ryan Evans, despite being ambiguously gay, exhibits flamboyant traits and supports his sister Sharpay, even acknowledging the public perception of him as her "poodle."
film
the german comedy echte kerle (regular guys) centers on a straight police detective and his gay housemate, a mechanic.
amidst cringe comedy and mistaken identities, the film offers touching moments, including a scene where the housemate criticizes the detective's assumptions based on his sexuality.
the film g. delves into the complexities of being openly gay in a high school setting devoid of other out students.
the protagonist becomes a focus of attention for several female classmates, who are surprised he doesn't conform to their preconceived notions of gay men. a more stereotypical example is found in his friend.
blue is the warmest color features Valentin, a supportive friend who defends and consoles Adèle against homophobic classmates.
tell no one presents a gender-flipped version with Helene, the lesbian best friend of protagonist Alexandre. Helene, who lives with her wife, provides crucial support to Alexandre, even hiring a lawyer for him when he's falsely accused of murder.
in the woman in red, Buddy is portrayed as a gay man and the best friend to Teddy, Joey, and Mikey.
he functions no differently from his friends and doesn't offer stereotypical advice. conversely, the living end features a gay protagonist, Jon, whose straight female best friend, Darcy, a quirky artist, is primarily involved in supporting him through relationship issues, at the expense of her own storyline.
life partners explores the evolving friendship between Sasha, a lesbian, and Paige, who is straight.
their bond is tested when Paige enters a serious relationship.
happiest season features John, a camp gay character who serves as a steadfast friend to the protagonist Abby. however, John is also a fully developed character, and Abby herself is a lesbian. in five feet apart, Poe is a supportive friend to Stella, though his role is largely comedic until his death, with his relationship status mentioned but not actively shown.
marry me includes Parker as the supplementary lesbian best friend to the male lead.
her romantic life is relegated to dialogue. in batman: the killing joke, Barbara Gordon confides in a gay male friend about her feelings for Batman. love in the villa portrays Rob, Julie's coworker and friend, as a gay man with a boyfriend who offers romantic advice but disappears midway through the film.
out at the wedding presents Jonathan as Alex's camp, sassy gay best friend who offers advice but has no onscreen romantic life.
the film adaptation of wicked reimagines Pfannee as a campy character who advises Galinda on fashion and expresses infatuation with Fiyero.
in literature, behind blue eyes by Anna Mocikat features Adriel, a guardian angel and close friend to the protagonist. his lack of romantic interest in her is attributed to incompatible orientation, and he stands out as one of the few characters without any shown romantic entanglements.
tina fey's memoir bossypants recounts her realization of viewing her gay male theater friends in this specific role, highlighting their lives beyond being supportive audience members to her "wisecracking precocious teen." the sentiment is compared to how straight teenage boys might perceive attractive girls.
live-action television
mr.
Humphries from are you being served? is a character whose sexuality is played for comedic effect through innuendo, though he is shown to have dated women. in the series cybill, a recurring camp gay waiter at a diner provides support to Cybill, demonstrating backbone and making self-respecting choices in his romantic life.
dark angel features Original Cindy, who discusses sex but is only shown with a girlfriend in one episode.
derry girls portrays James as a character onto whom the other characters project the GBF trope, despite his insistence on his heterosexuality. as it turns out, he is attracted to girls, and one of his female friends is a lesbian.
in devil in ohio, Isaac is a camp gay best friend to Jules, offering support for her romantic pursuits but lacking his own onscreen romantic life.
gil chesterton from frasier is initially an oblivious character who later becomes aware of his reputation and asserts his marital status. 'allo 'allo! averts the trope with Lieutenant Gruber, whose attraction to men, particularly Rene, is a source of humor but doesn't detract from his developed character.
in loot, Nicholas, a camp gay character, offers comfort to the protagonist after her divorce and critiques straight men.
his character arc extends beyond his GBF role, focusing on his friendship with a nerdy, straight man. in new tricks, a gay team member preemptively limits "girl talk" with his female boss, stating his lack of understanding of men mirrors hers. james from ugly betty serves as wilhelmina slater's GBF, an example of a close platonic friendship.
meanwhile, rachel's tendency to label kurt her "best gay" is met with his discomfort, as he feels it reduces him to a pet.
sex and the city featured two prominent GBFs: stanford blatch, carrie's friend, and anthony marentino, charlotte's. their relationship evolves from animosity to a romantic pairing.
scrubs subverts the trope when carla and elliot assume the todd is gay, intending to make him their GBF, only for him to act inappropriately. ashley's friend griffin on the secret life of the american teenager makes his gay identity a central focus, overshadowing other character aspects.
marco on degrassi: the next generation has male friends with underlying subtext, unlike his female friends, and frequently interacts with paige, ellie, and alex. alex serves as a distaff counterpart, initially part of a male-dominated social circle.
unbreakable kimmy schmidt employs a "sassy gay friend" to de-escalate a situation with a female terrorist.
maldwyn novello pughe in the bbc wales comedy grand slam is a camp gay character within a group of heterosexual rugby fans. while his character provides comedic relief, he is integrated into the group, subject to good-natured teasing, and fiercely protected by his friends.
the league of gentlemen deconstructs the trope through a "fag hag" character whose flippant descriptions of her gay friends contrast with their weariness.
a stage show further highlights this with a dramatic scene where a character breaks up with his boyfriend, leading to a confrontation with the fag hag. in warehouse 13, claudia repeatedly calls steve jinks her "gay bestie," a label jinks dislikes due to his aversion to gay stereotypes.
happy endings plays with the dynamic between penny and max; while they are close friends, max lacks stereotypical gay traits. penny's attempt to find a campy friend backfires, leading her to realize max is her closest "gay friend" despite her being straight.
it's all relative saw simon and phillip acting as GBFs to liz's mother, leading them to adopt liz.
simon later becomes a supportive friend to audrey, encouraging her independence. on izombie, lowell adopts the GBF persona after consuming a gay brain, offering liv insights into the queer experience. albert, on another period, is married to beatrice but is gay, leading to a platonic marital relationship.
albert is having an affair with his sister-in-law, while beatrice is having an affair with her twin brother.
kevin in archie comics is friends with betty and veronica, but the kevin from riverdale is a more prominent example. less camp than his comic counterpart, he is presented more in the GBF mold, with cheryl making a remark about the trope.
unlike some GBFs, kevin has an active sex life, though his boyfriend joaquin leaves. cheryl's sarcastic question, "is being a 'gay best friend' still a thing?" acknowledges the trope's prevalence.
the sketch have you heard about our john? parodies the trope, showing john, a straight man, being labeled the town's GBF.
despite his preference for football and beer, everyone projects gay stereotypes onto him, seeking fashion and decorating advice. the humor stems from the disconnect between john's reality and the town's assumptions.
in the designing women episode "killing all the right people," kendall dobbs, a kind gay man, helps mary jo with her garage.
he tragically dies of DS by the episode's end. schitt's creek explores the dynamic between david and stevie. stevie initially assumes david is gay, but he later comes out as pansexual. their attempt at a friends-with-benefits situation fails, leading to a strong platonic friendship.
david becomes stevie's romantic wingman, and stevie acts as a matchmaker for david and patrick, subverting the typical GBF dynamic.
tina fey's mean girls is highlighted as a groundbreaking film that shifted audience perception of queer characters, fostering laughter with rather than at them.
damian, a GBF character, is credited with inspiring confidence in many viewers. prior to damian, GBF characters were often one-dimensional, serving primarily to dispense advice and engage in stereotypical behaviors, with their own struggles relegated to offscreen narratives.
earlier portrayals, like rickie in the teen drama series my so-called life, played by openly gay actor wilson cruz, represented a significant step forward in the 90s.
mean girls signaled a call for better representation to screenwriters.
the character of damian is described as a complex individual whose relationships are as nuanced as those in real life. dan levy, creator of schitt's creek, further challenges expectations with his portrayal of john in happiest season, a gay best friend to a queer protagonist.
this kind of onscreen friendship is seen as more authentic than the trope of a gay man solely surrounded by heterosexual women.
while happiest season is commended for featuring a queer female protagonist, her GBF remains male. this observation raises a point about the industry's tendency to stereotype queer men while often erasing queer women.
the article questions whether this pattern is coincidence or indicative of underlying misogyny.
as of the early 2020s, the GBF trope is beginning to decline as the industry recognizes its potentially toxic nature. jack rooke's comedy series big boys is cited as an example of a show that spotlights a meaningful straight-gay friendship.
the dynamic between the characters starts with GBF-adjacent elements but evolves into a more progressive portrayal where both characters receive equal development.
the series love, victor is praised for its empathetic portrayal of the queer teen experience. while the protagonist victor faces homophobia, he receives support from his straight best friend felix and finds an ally in his basketball teammate andrew.