#Still not cross tagging with milkvan because I am scared of straight people

[quinnick]

Okay, so I am bored and gonna write a little bit of a post to explain why this ship war between byler and Matcha latte shouldn’t exist from a queer perspective. And this isn’t going to be a post just saying “I am write and you are wrong” this is an explanation of how fucked it would be for the queer community if Stranger Things was queer baiting. Starting off with explaining queer baiting because straight people really think that queer baiting doesn’t exist unless they personally recognize a character as queer. Which would never happen because straight people still be out here pretending Robin could realistically get with Steve. Queer baiting is when a piece of media alludes to the idea of queer characters or plot lines without actually planning on having or using said queer identities. Basically, a show using queer identities as a form of a plot dressing. Now a days it is not as common to see queer identities alluded to and never fulfilled as in the case of BBC’s Sherlock or other shows. (In which case many jokes about the characters being gay was used as a way to basically poke fun at the queer communities that formed around these shows). But now, queer baiting is more shows promising and fulfilling queer characters only to treat them less then straight characters or just use their queerness as a way to dress up their show. Think Voltron promising a gay character only for people to find out that it was for half a second and then never talked about again. In this case Stranger Things would be more like the latter. I would say that Robin falls into a line of queer baiting but not? Kind of on the edge. Her character is a side character in a way (becoming more main character in S4) and she comes in later so a pre set up romance would not be as strong as any of the original characters plot lines. But her romantic subplot is pushed more to the back ground then an unnecessary love triangle and is just left with her being heartbroken and then maybe has a possibility with her? Again though, Robin didn’t get a love interest in the main cast which none of the straight characters got a love interest out side of the main cast (besides Dustin IG. But doesn’t isn’t really a minority so it doesn’t even it out). But this isn’t about Robin and my opinions of her may change in S5. This is about Byler. Now that we kind of understand queer baiting, let me explain why Byler not be cannon would fall under queerbaiting. We all know Will Byers is cannon gay. He kisses boys okay bro. No one needs to argue anymore because they let Noah Schnapp out of the basement to confirm it since some people don’t know how to watch a goddamn show. If Will Byers does not end up with Mike Wheeler (or any of the main cast but all other party members are well paired off so good luck with that) who he has a romantically coded relationship with or at least a vv obvious crush on, then that means this show has introduced to queer characters just to crush their hopes and dreams. And then on top of that, there is no way they are adding in new characters so that means Will’s whole romantic subplot will just be for this poor gay boy to go around being sad and lonely forever while watching all of his heterosexual friends get to be with their partners. AND even if they did add in another character, the romantic subplot will still not be satisfying as yet again queer characters are being written off as not deserving the light of day for a proper romance. They don’t get the main character. They don’t win. They didn’t have to make Will gay. If they made Will gay just to make queer people watch the show but never plan on fulfilling any of Will’s plotlines and leaving him to be reduced to the sad lonely gay, then that is queer baiting. That is shitty.  I get why people love microwave but it would be cruel for them to be endgame. I could support wanting it to be endgame more if the writers hadn’t already made Will gay. Because I can not support the possibility of a giant corporation using queer people to get their money and then tell them “lol, sorry but gay people don’t deserve love. You can’t be a hero. You are going to be alone forever, bye lmao”. No one should. So ship what you like, but please just understand that S4 has changed how you must approach your ship. You don’t have to like byler. You don’t have to stop liking Multiplex. But you must acknowledge that Stranger Things writers and Netflix are being homophobic pieces of shit if they only plan to promote the same message of “Must suck to be gay” when promising real representation.  In conclusion, have fun all you want with whoever you ship but at least understand queer history at least enough to know when queer people are being fucked over and not just gloat in their faces about it

#Byler #Anti mileven #kinda #TW homophobia #(Does it need TW for homophobia?) #Sorry if this made no sense #Just figured I'd write an essay because I am a nerd for Queer advocacy and hate that people are treating this just like any other ship war #I honestly don't care about ship wars #Just want people to stop thinking that it's something funny and cool to gloat about how their straight ship beat a queer ship #Like yay I have never seen that before #Really beating the odds #Sticking one to the man aren't you #Anyways sorry for typos or anything like that #Feel free to add on #Still not cross tagging with milkvan because I am scared of straight people #Not sure if I should but also don't really care #Just wanna write my essay