Stereotypes - The 'Flamboyant' Gay and The 'Butch' Lesbian

Mean Girls:

In Mean Girls, Damian is portrayed as a stereotypical gay. Although he may not be seen as overly feminine in the way he dresses, his one-liners and personality makes the audience assume his sexuality due to stereotypes. Gay people are typically portrayed to be involved in drama and be very sassy. However, Damien mostly stays out of drama and even sticks to his curfew - his friend Janis begins to argue out his car window but he can not stop fully because he can't miss his curfew.

The one-liners he has are created by the writer to establish his character - an outspoken gay person. His line, "I WANT MY PINK SHIRT BACK!", reinforces a gay stereotype as usually the colour pink is seen as feminine and men do not often wear it so proudly. Also, he is shouting this line - showing his increased annoyance to the situation, people may see this as an overreaction and a 'girl thing' to do. Therefore, he will be seen as feminine and ultimately gay. Furthermore, according to his friend Janis, he is 'too gay to function'. The fact that he actually is gay in the storyline reinforces this stereotype as it continues to get more exposure in the media - people will continue to associate these personality traits with being gay.

Orange is the New Black:

Boo from Orange is the New Black shows the stereotypical appearance of a lesbian. The short hair with the shaved sides is automatically perceived is a 'lesbian thing'. Furthermore, the tattoos combine with the hair and creates a 'butch' image. The audience will instantly recognise this stereotype and it is an easy way for the producers to show their sexuality without exactly saying it.