History Main / FlyingUnderTheGaydar

* In the book, film, and theater versions of ''Film/TheBirdcage'', a man has to pass for straight to win over his son's new in-laws. It does not go well. However, his drag queen lover '''does''' pass for a straight ''woman''.

* An odd example in ''Series/{{Community}}'': Dean Pelton is asked to ''pretend to be gay'' so that the college can earn some good PR for diversity. For the dean, this is actually being asked to tone down his flamboyance (according to him, "gay" only covers about a fourth of his orientation).

* In the ''Disney/{{Frozen}}'' fanfic ''Fanfic/BecomingFree'', Freya has trouble hiding her more masculine mannerisms, such as bowing instead of curtsying. No one seems to notice her mishaps or her staring at women.

Needless to say, this is TruthInTelevision.

* On ''Series/WillAndGrace'', Jack overhears Will saying he wish he (Jack) weren't so "gay" (because Jack was being incredibly loud and campy around Will at a ''completely'' inappropriate time). Jack comes to the gym [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments acting like an equally obnoxious and stereotypically straight man, even remarking, "Nice rack," at a young woman working there]].

Needless to say this is TruthInTelevision.

[[folder: Fan Works]]

* ''Fanfic/InSottoVoce'': The bisexual Ruto downplays her interest in women around hylians because their culture is more homophobic than the zoras.

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[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

** Inverted. A fashion designer is actually straight, but plays up a flamboyant CampGay image so he can be taken seriously as a designer.

-->'''Betty''': Are these really the questions that are going to make your mom think you're straight?
-->'''Marc''': Straight guys Mystic Tan. Hello, Tom Cruise.

* Done in the original ''Series/GetSmart'' TV show after Max is punched out by a previously effeminate character who spoke in a falsetto because no one would believe a deep bass voice could design windows.

* Until a certain episode of ''Series/TheWarAtHome'', Kenny tries to hide his sexual orientation. The audience still know he's gay because of his [[InnerMonologue Inner Monologues]].

[[folder: Theater]]

[[folder: Webcomics]]

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[[folder: Western Animation]]

* Nathan Lane's character in ''Film/TheBirdcage'' is trained by his partner to act more masculine, with very mixed results. He can't even manage a manly strut.

* 'Fanfic/InSottoVoce'': The bisexual Ruto downplays her interest around hylians because their culture is more homophobic than the zoras.

* The fourth episode of ''Series/TheCoolKids'', "Sid Comes Out", has Sid's son Walt coming over to visit. Sid hasn't come out to him and he's afraid he'll hurt his son if he does, so Sid asks his friends to help him pass as straight. Unfortunately, he is very CampGay and his attempts at "seeming straight" are terrible. It gets worse when he has Margaret act his [[TheBeard Margaret]].

[[folder: Fan Works ]]

* In the ''Disney/{{Frozen}}'' fanfic ''Fanfic/BecomingFree'', Freya has trouble hiding her more masculine mannerisms such as bowing instead of curtsying. No one seems to notice her mishaps or her staring at women.

[[folder: Film ]]

[[folder: Literature ]]

[[folder: Theater ]]

[[folder: Webcomics ]]

[[folder: Multiple Media ]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* On ''Series/WillAndGrace'', Jack overhears Will saying he wish he (Jack) weren't so "gay" (because Jack was being incredibly loud and campy around Will at a ''completely'' inappropriate time). Jack comes to the gym [[CrowningMomentOfFunny acting like an equally obnoxious and stereotypically straight man, even remarking, "Nice rack," at a young woman working there]].

[[AC: FanWorks]]

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

* On ''Series/WillAndGrace'', Jack overhears Will saying he wish he (Jack) weren’t so ‘gay’ (because Jack was being incredibly loud and campy around Will at a ''completely'' inappropriate time). Jack comes to the gym [[CrowningMomentOfFunny acting like an equally obnoxious and stereotypically straight man, even remarking, ‘Nice rack,’ at a young woman working there]].

[[AC:{{Theater}}]]

[[AC: {{Webcomics}}]]

[[AC:Multiple Media]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

* In the ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' episode "Daddy Queerest," the Smiths' neighbor Terry needed to pretend to be straight because his intolerant father was coming to town for a few days. This resulted in Francine [[TheBeard pretending to be his live-in girlfriend]], forcing his actual partner Greg to stay with Stan.

* Until a certain episode of ''TheWarAtHome'', Kenny tries to hide his sexual orientation. The audience still know he's gay because of his [[InnerMonologue Inner Monologues]].

* Done in the original ''Series/Get Smart'' TV show after Max is punched out by a previously effeminate character who spoke in a falsetto because no one would believe a deep bass voice could design windows.

[[AC:Film]]

[[AC:Literature]]

[[AC:Theater]]
* Lampshaded in Theatre/AngelsInAmerica in a conversation between Louis and Prior. Prior remarks that Louis always introduces himself as "Lou" to his relatives--so they don't hear the sibilant ''s''.

[[AC: Webcomics]]

[[AC:Multiple media]]

* Inverted in ''UglyBetty''. A fashion designer is actually straight, but plays up a flamboyant CampGay image so he can be taken seriously as a designer.

* Nathan Lane's character in ''Film/TheBirdcage''.

* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' had an episode where the Smiths' neighbor Terry needed to pretend to be straight because his intolerant father was coming to town for a few days. This resulted in Francine [[TheBeard pretending to be his live-in girlfriend]], forcing his actual partner Greg to stay with Stan.

* Done in the original Get Smart TV show after Max is punched out by a previously effeminate character who spoke in a falsetto because no one would believe a deep bass voice could design windows.
* In ''Series/{{Glee}}'', Kurt gets caught by his dad dancing in a unitard with two girls to Beyonce's "Single Ladies" video. He claims he is [[BlatantLies practicing for his new position on the football team, which he had totally just joined and not made up on the spot.]] Later, when he ''does'' join the football team, he helps the team perfect their coordination and timing (and some psychological warfare on the other team) through learning the dance. In a later episode, when he feels that quarterback Finn is "stealing" his dad away from, Kurt begins dressing in flannel clothing and dating a woman in order to appear more manly and win back his father's affection.
* Bisexual {{Cross Dresser}} Kris from British Soap Opera Series/{{Hollyoaks}} did this at one point, stopping wearing make-up, skirts and hiding his bisexuality because his brother was visiting.

* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' had an episode where the Smiths' neighbor Terry needed to pretend to be straight because his intolerant father was coming to town for a few days. This resulted in Francine [[TheBeard pretending to be his live-in girlfriend]], forcing his actual partner Greg to stay with Stan.
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<<|QueerAsTropes|>>

* A similar inversion happens in ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'', with Francis helping out at a beauty contest and realizing the perks acting Camp can bring him.

* Lampshaded in AngelsInAmerica in a conversation between Louis and Prior. Prior remarks that Louis always introduces himself as "Lou" to his relatives--so they don't hear the sibilant ''s''.

* ''NoahsArc'': In an episode where Noah wants to go to a bar to meet Wade's friends, Wade gets Noah to tone down his normally feminine look for this purpose. Noah calls him out on it later.
* On ''WillAndGrace'', Jack overhears Will saying he wish he (Jack) weren’t so ‘gay’ (because Jack was being incredibly loud and campy around Will at a ''completely'' inappropriate time). Jack comes to the gym [[CrowningMomentOfFunny acting like an equally obnoxious and stereotypically straight man, even remarking, ‘Nice rack,’ at a young woman working there]].

* In the book, film, and theater versions of ''Film/TheBirdcage'', a man has to pass for straight to win over his son's new in-laws. It does not go well. However, his drag queen lover does pass for a straight ''woman'', however.