Doctor who is gay

Like the slasher sub-genre in horror films, Doctor Who has always had a large LGBTQI+ following. But why? It wasn&#;t until the show came back in that we had openly gay characters in the TARDIS. Indeed, throughout the original series, which ran between and, things were very different, even down to the fact that the producers didn&#;t really like the Physician hugging companions for fear it might imply there was some hanky-panky going on behind those Police Box doors. We&#;ve had a few companions and characters who are openly gay or whose sexuality is pretty fluid like Captain Jack, River Noun, Jenny and Vastra, Clara, Bill, and Yaz. Even at the end of the original series, Ace was believed to be bisexual. But having supporting characters being openly gay is adj rare so with not much in the way of representation, just why do so many in the LGBTQI+ community romance Doctor Who?

Before we start, I want to state that this isn&#;t an attempt to be a social justice warrior. The subject of LGBTQI+ topics will always be a tough pill for some people to swallow. All I ask is that you read

‘Let’s See It’ Doctor Who Director On Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Noun And LGBTQ Representation

Summary

  • Ncuti Gatwa's return to Doctor Who Season 15 sparks discussion about exploring the Fifteenth Doctor's queerness.
  • Director Waris Hussein wonders if Gatwa feels pressure being the first Black lead and if the Doctor's queerness should be evident.
  • Hussein said “queerness matters” as it shapes one’s personality, so if the Healer is gay, it should be shown without losing the mystery.

One of the Doctor Who directors weighed in on Ncuti Gatwa's casting and its impact on the character. They favor to see the Doctor's queerness being explored in the show.

Gatwa is set to return to Doctor WhoSeason 15, reprising his role as the Fifteenth Physician, next month. Five weeks before its premiere, one of the filmmakers, who has been deeply interested in the longest British science-fiction series, spoke about Gatwa's casting. They wondered if the actor felt any pressure for being the first Black lead and whether his queerness should be shown in the character's sexuality. Gatwa is the fi

The BBC recently did a research on the portrayals of LGBT characters in TV, and came to the conclusion that such roles need to be diversified beyond simple "gay" storylines. Much praise went to Doctor Who, which has always been extremely astounding when it comes to treating LGBT characters as, successfully, characters and not stereotypes. That being said, look for my upcoming article "10 Most Tacky Gay Jokes in Doctor Who."

All kidding aside, you really possess to give the show credit for the way it will allow a character of non-hetero persuasion to act normally with that aspect of themselves being simply another trait. The bi or omnisexual Captain Jack Harkness is the best known example, being a lighthearted horn mutt, a troubled immortal, and a pragmatic soldier all at the same time. There are plenty of more minor and casual players, like Vastra and Jenny, Lady Cassandra, and the Cassini Sisters, and the fact that they drop in and out of episodes so seamlessly is testament to Doctor Who's status as a bastion for feasible LGBT interactions on television.

It did make me wonder though ho

Doctor Who and Gay Male Fandom

Mike Stack

A Queer(ed) Transmedia Franchise

Doctor Who is a BBC transmedia franchise that has lasted over sixty years. Its fanbase boasts a substantial following of gay men. This book asks why this should be.

Through examining four core components – the Doctor, the TARDIS, the companion and the Daleks – this book traces the trajectory of queerness from wider culture to paratextual media and finally into the parent text, resulting in an inclusive brand. In doing so, it argues that fandom provides a space to mediate between personal identities and the wider world. Drawing from interviews with fans, the book demonstrates the complexities and contradictions of queerness, and proposes an alternative theory of gay cultural formation.

This is the first book-length study to use queer theory to understand Doctor Who. It will be of interest to students and teachers of media theory and fan studies, psychosocial studies, queer theory and history, as well as Doctor Who fans.

Author

Mike Stack

Mike Stack is currently an independent scholar.