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{{Short description|Implicit representation of LGBT characters}}
{{Unreliable sources|date=July 2021}}
'''Queer coding''' (also written without a space: '''queercoding''') is the attribution of stereotypically [[queer]] traits to [[Character (arts)|fictional characters]] without explicitly stating their gender and sexual identity.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Piluso |first=Francesco |date=2023-11-27 |title=Above the heteronormative narrative: looking up the place of Disney's villains |url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/sem-2023-0168/html |journal=Semiotica |language=en |volume=2023 |issue=255 |pages=131–148 |doi=10.1515/sem-2023-0168 |issn=0037-1998|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
Queer coding may have had a negative impact on perceptions of queerness in media as villains are often queer-coded.
Queer coding is a concept both in the discussion of [[media portrayal of LGBT people]] and academic research involving [[queer theory]] or [[gender studies]].
==History==
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In 1930, the [[Hays Code]] was established, which regulated the content of films and prohibited the portrayal of homosexuality.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Billheimer |first1=John |title=Hitchcock and the Censors |publisher=University Press of Kentucky |year=2019 |isbn=9780813177427 |pages=9–23 |chapter=Origins of the Code |doi=10.2307/j.ctvfjcx5v.4 |jstor=j.ctvfjcx5v.4 |s2cid=214143884}}</ref>
In animation, cartoon artists were able to portray the gender of characters in androgynous, asexual, and gender-fluid ways. Paul Wells and Patrick Brion argue that Jerry from the ''[[Tom & Jerry]]'' cartoons
In the late 1980s, villains in Disney films which were "queer coded" began to appear.<ref name="insidersnydes">{{cite web|last1=Snyder|first1=Chris|last2=Desiderio|first2=Kyle|url=https://www.insider.com/the-evolution-of-queer-characters-in-kids-animated-tv-shows-2021-6|title=The evolution of queer characters in children's animation|website=[[Insider (website)|Insider]]|date=June 29, 2021|access-date=July 1, 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210701050407/https://www.insider.com/the-evolution-of-queer-characters-in-kids-animated-tv-shows-2021-6|archive-date=July 1, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> Commentary on the treatment of LGBT+ characters in film is made in the 1995 documentary ''[[The Celluloid Closet (film)|The Celluloid Closet]]'', and is one of the first instances in which the idea of queer coding is presented to the public.<ref>{{Cite book|jstor = 10.3366/j.ctt1bgzbtn.12|doi = |chapter = Youth, Realism and Form|last1 = Pullen|first1 = Christopher|title = Straight Girls and Queer Guys|year = 2016|pages = 147–168|isbn = 9780748694846}}</ref>
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===Villains===
{{anchor|Sissy villain}}
{{further|Sissy|Disney villains}}
[[File:Divine-by-origa.jpg|thumb|[[Ursula (The Little Mermaid)|Ursula]]'s character in ''[[The Little Mermaid (1989 film)|The Little Mermaid]]'' was inspired by the [[drag queen]] [[Divine (performer)|Divine]].<ref>{{Cite journal|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=pdCrF4JxKDIC |title = From Mouse to Mermaid: The Politics of Film, Gender, and Culture |journal = Indiana University Press |language = en |year = 1995|isbn = 0253209781 }}</ref>]]
Because of the Hays Code, positive portrayals of homosexual characters were barred, and the only characters in fiction that could be perceived as homosexuals had evil roles and were punished throughout the work.<ref>{{Cite journal|url = https://filmicmag.com/2015/08/01/from-sissies-to-secrecy-the-evolution-of-the-hays-code-queer/ |title = From Sissies to Secrecy: The Evolution of the Hays Code Queer |journal = Filmic Magazine |language = en |date = 1 August 2015}}</ref> Thus, [[villain]]s became noted in particular to have [[Effeminacy|effeminate]] characteristics, behaviors or gestures that could be perceived as [[LGBT|LGBTQ]].<ref>{{Cite journal|url = http://www.periodicos.ulbra.br/index.php/txra/article/view/1181 |title = O vilão desviante: Uma leitura sociocultural pela perspectiva de gênero de Scar em O Rei Leão |journal = Revista de Educação e Letras |language = pt |year = 2014|volume = 16 |issue = 32 |last1 = Santos |first1 = Caynnã de Camargo }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |url = https://www.gaymer.es/es/2018/10/villano-afeminado/ |title = La problemática del villano afeminado |journal = Gaymer |language = es |date = 13 October 2018 |archive-date = 6 May 2021 |access-date = 10 November 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210506090942/https://www.gaymer.es/es/2018/10/villano-afeminado/ |url-status = dead }}</ref> Disney characters have attracted attention because their films are popular among children.<ref>{{Cite journal|url = https://thetempest.co/2020/06/04/entertainment/disney-villains-gay-queer-coding/ |title = Wait a second, are all Disney villains gay? |journal = The Tempest |language = en |date = 4 June 2020}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite journal|url = https://elpais.com/babelia/2021-05-28/los-villanos-de-disney-salen-del-armario.html |title = Los villanos de Disney salen del armario |journal = El País |language = es |date = 28 May 2021}}</ref> Examples include:
* [[John Ratcliffe (governor)#In popular culture|Governor Ratcliffe]] in ''[[Pocahontas (1995 film)|Pocahontas]]'', who is the only male character with makeup, braided hair and bows, and wears pink
* [[Ursula (The Little Mermaid)|Ursula]] in ''[[The Little Mermaid (1989 film)|The Little Mermaid]]'' was inspired by the [[drag queen]] [[Divine (performer)|Divine]]
* [[Captain Hook]] in ''[[Peter Pan (1953 film)|Peter Pan]]''
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While many examples can be pulled from Disney, the trend of queer coding villains in prominent media and film extends beyond the corporation. Some examples include:
* The character
* The Red Guy, a personification of [[the Devil]] from ''[[Cow and Chicken]]'' and ''[[I Am Weasel]]''. Being openly effeminate and naked most of the time, he uses a lot of costumes to assume numerous roles, most prominently female ones while crossdressing.
* The primary antagonist [[Rumpelstiltskin]] in ''[[Shrek Forever After]]''.
* The lethal duo of Billy Loomis and Stu Macher in ''[[Scream (1996 film)|Scream]]'', who are based on murderers [[Leopold and Loeb|Nathan Freudenthal Leopold Jr. and Richard Albert Loeb]] according to the screenwriter of Scream, [[Kevin Williamson (screenwriter)|Kevin Williamson]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-12 |title='Scream' Screenwriter Kevin Williamson Confirms Billy and Stu's Queer-Coded Relationship Was Based on Real Gay Killers |url=https://pridesource.com/article/billyandstu |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=Pride Source |language=en}}</ref>
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* Larry 3000 in the Cartoon Network program ''[[Time Squad]]'', who has been interpreted to be gay.<ref>{{cite web |title=039 – Mark Hamill on Talkin Toons with Rob Paulsen – Weekly Voice Acting and Voice Over Tips |url=http://techjives.net/2012/05/04/039-mark-hamill-on-talkin-toons-with-rob-paulsen-weekly-voice-acting-and-voice-over-tips/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200319040214/http://techjives.net/2012/05/04/039-mark-hamill-on-talkin-toons-with-rob-paulsen-weekly-voice-acting-and-voice-over-tips/ |archive-date=2020-03-19 |access-date=18 March 2020 |website=Tech Jives Network}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Hamill |first=Mark |title=Love Unique Deadpan No-Nonsense #Skips but #Larry3000 of #TimeSquad was Fierce-Flamboyant & more Crazy-Fun to play! |url=https://twitter.com/HamillHimself/status/733579727215042560 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200319034956/https://twitter.com/HamillHimself/status/733579727215042560 |archive-date=March 19, 2020 |access-date=March 18, 2020 |website=[[Twitter]]}}</ref>
* The ''Scream'' movies, which screenwriter [[Kevin Williamson (screenwriter)|Kevin Williamson]] has described as being "coded in gay survival".<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2021-12-06 |title=Kevin Williamson interview: 'The Scream movies are coded in gay survival' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/kevin-williamson-scream-interview-b1968631.html |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-01-10 |title=A Survivor to Scream About: Neve Campbell on 'Scream' Queer Theories (Yes, Billy and Stu), and How Sidney Still Inspires the LGBTQ+ Community |url=https://pridesource.com/article/neve-campbell |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=Pride Source |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Xerxes I|King Xerxes]] of [[Achaemenid Empire|Persia]] in ''[[300 (film)|300]]'' was intentionally depicted as effeminate to "scare" young heterosexual men in the audience.
==Impact==
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[[Gaston (Disney)|Gaston]] and LeFou in the 1991 film ''[[Beauty and the Beast (1991 film)|Beauty and the Beast]]'' and [[List of Disney's Aladdin characters|Jafar]] from the 1992 film ''[[Aladdin (1992 Disney film)|Aladdin]]'' were created by an openly gay animator named [[Andreas Deja]],<ref name="craig2000">{{cite magazine | first=Craig | last=Seymour | title=Yep, They're Gay | url=https://ew.com/article/2000/10/06/yep-theyre-gay/ | date=6 October 2000 | magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]| url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110135751/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,277857_2,00.html|archive-date=November 10, 2011}}</ref> and sang music by [[Howard Ashman]], who was also openly gay. The fact that Deja had also worked on [[Scar (The Lion King)|Scar]] in ''[[The Lion King]]'' and the titular character in ''[[Hercules (1997 film)|Hercules]]'', for example, has been discussed as an influence on the development of some Disney characters.<ref>{{cite book | first1=Gail | last1=Dines | first2=Jean | last2=McMahon Humez | title=Gender, Race, and Class in Media: A Text-reader | page=[https://archive.org/details/genderraceclassi0000unse/page/209 209] | date=August 2002 | publisher=Sage Publications | isbn=978-0-7619-2261-2 | url=https://archive.org/details/genderraceclassi0000unse/page/209 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | first=Peter | last=Schweizer | title=The Mouse Betrayed | page=[https://archive.org/details/disneymousebetra00schw/page/148 148] | publisher=Regnery Publishing | date=September 1998 | isbn=0-89526-387-4 | url=https://archive.org/details/disneymousebetra00schw/page/148 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | first=Tom | last=Provenzano | title=The Lion in Summer | journal=The Advocate | page=66 | date=28 June 1994}}</ref>
Queer coding has led to some networks not wanting to show overt representation. Animator [[Rebecca Sugar]] argued that it is "really heavy" for a kid to only exist "as a villain or a joke" in an animated series.<ref name="insidersnydes" /> In 2011, Deja told [[news.com.au]] that Disney would have a "family that has two dads or two mums" if they find the "right kind of story with that kind of concept."<ref>{{cite journal | first=Daniela | last=Elser | title=Gay families in Disney movies only a matter of time, says Lion King animator Andreas Deja | url=http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/movies/mickey-has-two-dads/story-e6frfmvr-1226015944009 | date=March 4, 2011 | journal=[[news.com.au]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807101046/http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/movies/mickey-has-two-dads/story-e6frfmvr-1226015944009|archive-date=August 7, 2011|url-status=live|access-date=September 27, 2011}}</ref> However, critics regarded such queer-coded villains as contributing to "homophobic discourse" and equating queerness with evil itself.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gates |first1=Meggie |title=Once Again, Disney Attempts to Co-opt Pride Month |url=https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/disney-rebrands-pride-no-lgbtq-support |website=[[Bitch (magazine)|Bitch]] |access-date=September 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712054914/https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/disney-rebrands-pride-no-lgbtq-support |archive-date=July 12, 2021 |date=July 18, 2021 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Weir |first1=John |title=FILM; Gay-Bashing, Villainy and the Oscars |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/29/movies/film-gay-bashing-villainy-and-the-oscars.html |website=[[New York Times]] |access-date=September 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122220051/https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/29/movies/film-gay-bashing-villainy-and-the-oscars.html |archive-date=January 22, 2021 |date=March 29, 1992 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Other critics have claimed that this attribution can lead to a negative association between queerness and immoral, licentious behavior.<ref>{{Cite web|first=Inés|last=
In February 2021, producer [[Ralph Farquhar]] said that in ''[[The Proud Family]]'', which aired on the [[Disney Channel]] from 2001 to 2005, they had to use "code to talk about if Michael was gay, to talk about sexuality" and to be "sort of underhanded about it." He said this changed with ''[[The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder]]'' with the biggest changes to the show are "gender identity, obviously racial identity and quote-unquote [[woke]]ness," and said that sexuality can be "sort of in your face with it a lot more," manifesting itself in the storytelling.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wolfe|first=Jennifer|url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/streaming/the-proud-family-returns-to-screens-louder-prouder-even-more-authentic/|title='The Proud Family' Returns to Screens Louder, Prouder & Even More Authentic!|website=[[Animation Magazine]]|date=February 4, 2022|access-date=February 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220204183522/https://www.animationmagazine.net/streaming/the-proud-family-returns-to-screens-louder-prouder-even-more-authentic/|archive-date=February 4, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref>
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