gbfqueerstudies

[gbfqueerstudies]

The treacherous culture that surrounds the “GBF” leads to a slew of viral images/memes that, without a doubt, stunt the growth of the LGBTQUIAA+ community as a whole. 

My sexuality should not determine my value to you as a friend. 

[gbfqueerstudies]

REPEAT OFFENDER:

Stanley Tucci plays GBF to both stars of “Silkwood” (1983) in “The Devil Wears Prada” (2006) and “Burlesque” (2010)

This is a case of straight-playing-queer that I simply cannot critique due to Stanley Tucci’s pure charisma, specifically with these women. 

#The devil wears prada #burlesque #silkwood

[gbfqueerstudies]

“The flash-forward at the end [....] but the idea that a gay man could be attracted to a woman if she plays her cards right is a bit uncomfortable.”

The Advocate explains the obvious truth of Paul Rudd playing a gay man alongside a strangely doting Jennifer Aniston in “The Object of My Affection.” (1998)

https://www.advocate.com/media/2020/11/20/history-gay-best-friend-film-and-tv#media-gallery-media-10

[gbfqueerstudies]

What's problematic is the assumption that gay men are always "simple, fun and easy," not to mention "fabulous."

https://www.mic.com/articles/111308/why-it-s-time-to-rename-the-gay-best-friend

Although it’s important to recognize every member of queer culture, it is rather detrimental to society as a whole to perpetuate a seemingly never-ending stereotype. 

[gbfqueerstudies]

With the fresh, exponential use of queer actors in queer roles, the conversation on the “Gay Best Friend” trope has sparked conversation once again, after remaining relatively untouched in recent years. This is all credited to television shows like “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (2015-2019) and recent films such as “Happiest Season” (2020), who have casted queer actors who are also exquisitely trained actors as supporting leads/leads. A modern take on the GBF, can’t help but lead to the question, “Could this negative morph into a positive?” Maybe. The biting history (and continuance) of misrepresentation is still in the air of the industry. 

#unbreakable kimmy schmidt #happiest season

[gbfqueerstudies]

Although some of us are very happily “disco-dancing, Oscar Wilde-reading, Streisand ticket-holding Friends of Dorothy,” this stereotypical line implemented in Clueless (1995) is a problematic lumping of “The Gays” into a singular, broad category. It does not assist with the fact of the matter that the actor playing said “Friend of Dorothy,” is heterosexual. 

#Clueless GBF

[gbfqueerstudies]

“A role that was meant to make me feel accepted and loved gradually turned out to be a pretty hard gig.“

What is the “Gay Best Friend,” and why is it so harmful to queer individuals as a whole?

#Cosmopolitan #GBF