History Main / LGBTFanbase

* ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' anyone? The [[BandOfBrothers all-male cast]] has lead to a variety of shipping opportunities, a surprising chunk of which involve the [[GrandmaWhatMassiveHotnessYouHave 40 or 50-something]] Medic and the [[BigBeautifulMan big]] [[BaraGenre bulky]] Heavy.

* ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' anyone? The [[BandOfBrothers all-male cast]] has lead to a variety of shipping opportunities, a surprising chunk of which involve the [[GrandmaWhatMassiveHotnessYouHave 40 or 50-something]] Medic and the [[StoutStrength bu]][[{{Kevlard}} lky]] [[BoisterousBruiser Heavy]].

[[quoteright:260:[[Literature/TheBible http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/David_and_Jonathan.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:260:Even TheMiddleAges were gay for David and Jonathan.]]

** Famously with AbrahamLincoln, believed by [[GayConservative Log Cabin Republicans]] to have been possibly the first gay President of the United States.
*** Either that, or Buchanan.

** On a similar note, many [[FurryFandom Furries]] are also a fan of [[BigBad Frieza]], mostly for his tail and [[FootFocus prehensile feet.]]

** ''Series/DoctorWho'' had attracted a large LGBT fanbase during the original series as well, as ShowRunner RussellTDavies had repeatedly referenced on his previous show ''QueerAsFolk'' ("Oh my God, you've got ''Genesis of the Daleks''!"). This is commonly ascribed to the show's long-time NoHuggingNoKissing policy, which made the Doctor one of the few TV protagonists whose heterosexuality wasn't rammed down the audience's throat.

** ''Series/DoctorWho'' had attracted a large LGBT fanbase during the original series as well, as ShowRunner RussellTDavies had repeatedly referenced on his previous show ''QueerAsFolk'' ("Oh my God, you've got ''Genesis of the Daleks''!").

* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. Particularly revolving around Willow and Tara's canon relationship, but the fans also leap upon the (occasionally intentional) HoYay between other characters.

* ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'', especially ''Anime/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaStrikerS'', is popular amongst lesbian and bisexual anime fans for depicting what's essentially a happy, successful, lesbian couple that then becomes [[HasTwoMommies a happy, successful family unit]], something that's exceedingly rare even in {{yuri}} anime and manga (which tends to end after the courting stage). In fact, Okazu, a blog by {{Yuricon}} founder Erica Friedman that focuses on {{Yuri}} for the LGBT demographic, [[http://okazu.yuricon.com/2007/12/22/top-ten-yuri-anime-of-2007/ listed it as her number 1 yuri anime of 2007]].

* ''[[Disney/Mulan]]'' has ''quite'' the following among young trans men (especially on {{Tumblr}}) who grew up wanting to be Ping and saw themselves in both "Reflection" and "I'll Make A Man Out Of You."

* ''[[Disney/{Mulan]]'' has ''quite'' the following among young trans men (especially on {{Tumblr}}) who grew up wanting to be Ping and saw themselves in both "Reflection" and "I'll Make A Man Out Of You."

* ''[[Disney/{{Mulan}}]]'' has ''quite'' the following among young trans men (especially on {{Tumblr}}) who grew up wanting to be Ping and saw themselves in both "Reflection" and "I'll Make A Man Out Of You."

* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime''. Marceline/Bubblegum had quite a bit of [[YuriGenre fanart]]. But thanks to the "What Was Missing" episode and the Recap video, the pairing has garnered a huge following with lots of fanart. Natasha Allegri, the show's character designer, made suggestive art of the two as well. They now star in a comic book series together.

** Not to mention, co-stars KatieMcGrath and AngelCoulby both appear to ship both Arthur/Merlin and Morgana/Gwen, at least going by the DVD commentary.

* ''Webcomic/VinciAndArty'' is a FurryWebcomic about a canonically gay couple living together, and as such gets a fair bit of interest from the LGBT portion of the FurryFandom.

* ''Webcomic/VinciAndArty''.

Fan Yay tends to manifest itself not just in FanArt and FanFiction (not to mention the ubiquitous RuleThirtyFour), but occasionally also in BrokenBase, UnpleasableFanbase or InternetBackdraft. HoYay can be considered a subtrope of Fan Yay when the fans are gay, but YaoiFangirls and {{Yuri Fan}}s do that too. Whichever way you put it, the fans are here, and the fans are queer.

When editing examples, keep in mind that '''Fan Yay doesn't have to be unintentional'''. Also, HoYay by gay fans should go in that article, unless there's more that the gay fanbase especially likes besides just the Ho Yay.

!!The following works have developed a definite Fan Yay:

* ''PrettyCure'' Providing Fan Yay Since 2004!

* JojosBizarreAdventure is like a Fan Yay assortment for different audiences:

* ''VideoGame/{{Battletoads}}''. This now-obscure 1990s video game franchise used a PaperThinDisguise ExcusePlot about [[SaveThePrincess saving a girl]] to unleash one of the single most [[HoYay homo]][[FetishFuel erotic]] video games in existence. For some reason, in particular, Big Blag the LightningBruiser LeatherMan has a Fan Yay quotient as potent as [[{{Mario}} Bowser]], except not nearly as well known. All this from the same game that gave us [[MsFanservice The Dark Queen]].

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda''. There's something about Ganondorf that makes him quite the Fan Yay bait.

** [[ActionGirl Ashley Williams]] and [[HitmanWithAHeart Thane Krios]], the other two love interests who could have potentially been an option for both genders, also enjoy some Fan Yay, but not nearly as much as Tali or Kaidan.
** The release of ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' also triggered a spike in Fan Yay directed at [[MrFanservice James Vega]].

* ''VideoGame/StarFox''. In Japan, the [[FanPreferredCouple most common fan-pairing]] is Fox with Falco, in both [[AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther tame romance]] and in RuleThirtyFour. (Even Fox and Krystal are [[HetIsEw not paired as often]] overall.) Other popular Fan Yay pairings include Fox with Wolf, James with Peppy, Wolf with Leon, or [[TriangRelations Wolf with Leon and Panther]]. In the West, all the above also are paired to some degree, but have long been utterly eclipsed in popularity by non-Fan Yay pairing of Fox with [[MsFanservice Krystal]]. Krystal [[AmericansHateTingle hasn't had quite the popularity]] in Japan she's had in the West, and even the writers have been [[TheArtifact increasingly unkind to her]].

** ''VGCats'' [[http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=221 illustrates the Star Fox Fan Yay angle effectively]].

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' is already known for its large [[PeripheryDemographic adult male fanbase]] ({{Fan Nickname}}d "bronies"). But there is a particular Fan Yay for Big Macintosh. RuleThirtyFour of him is also abundant, including as a [[PettingZooPeople Petting Zoo Person]] and even {{Race Lift}}ed as a human male.

** A lot of Fan Yay either has them being [[BiTheWay bi]], or only [[HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday pretending to be straight]].

The reason for this is not always known. Maybe it's intentional {{Fanservice}}, maybe it's merely unintentional FetishFuel, or maybe just relatable CharacterDevelopment of an AudienceSurrogate (whether intentional or not). Not all FanYay is unintentional; quite a bit revolves around canon gay or bi characters or relationships. It could be "acceptable" HomoeroticSubtext by creators who are otherwise straight, as with ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack''. It could even have started unintentionally but later have been made official to please the acknowledged fans, as famously happened with ''Series/XenaWarriorPrincess''.

* ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' is also prone to bara FanYay, being an anime about giant muscle-bound men and filled with bromance. It's just oozing testosterone. Nappa is the most common candidate, being giant dumb beefcake. Since Goku is naive as a brick, many fantasize that they could lure him to bed with promise of candy.
** The FurryFandom FanYay seems fond of Giran.

* ''Film/ThreeHundred''. Blatant FanYay bait.

* ''Series/DegrassiTheNextGeneration''. Marco's storyline is blatant FanYay bait.

** Brittany and Santana's relationship went from background [[HoYay LesYay]] to throwaway joke to full story arc due in no small part to the FanYay [[PortmanteauCoupleName Brittana]] attracted.

* The ''BreathOfFire'' series, which almost seemed to be a foregone conclusion considering it was already very popular in the FurryFandom. The greatest FanYay seems to go to Garr and Rei from ''BreathOfFireIII'' and to Cray from ''BreathOfFireIV''.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI''. [[RatedMForManly Sabin René Figaro]] occasionally shows up in BaraGenre. [[GrandmaWhatMassiveHotnessYouHave Cyan Garamonde]] would also seem like a good candidate, but FanYay of him is surprisingly [[AvertedTrope scarce]](which may related to him being married man).

* ''GearsOfWar''. All the main leads are so very, very buff and manly that it pretty much invites FanYay.

** It's the source of a fair amount of FanYay, which is perhaps not surprising, since Solid Snake and Big Boss are both handsome, muscular military men who get involved in a lot of HoYay. It's basically what {{Wolverine}} is to Westerners.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}''. Goliath, Brooklyn and Broadway are all FanYay favorites, and to a lesser extent even Hudson is featured. But Lexington, the only actual WordOfGay character, is too much of TheTwink for the BaraGenre crowd.

* Many [[HotMenAtWork job occupations]] have earned the FanYay of gay men everywhere, especially the [[BaraGenre manliest]], [[ManlyGay most rugged]] and [[FetishFuel hottest-looking]] careers. [[BadassBiker Bikers]], [[PecFlex bodybuilders]], construction workers, [[GayCowboy cowboys]], [[FiremenAreHot fire fighters]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_wrestling oil wrestlers]], [[FairCop police]], [[HelloSailor sailors]], soldiers...the list goes on. Scores points if someone can be [[ShirtlessScene barechested]] or [[HellBentForLeather wear leather]]. The gay appeal of TheVillagePeople should be crystal clear. Certain careers have since been additionally glamorized in FanYay because of either a famous [[TruthInTelevision gay person]] or a person who otherwise achieved gay icon status -- for example, divers, after the fame of gay American diver Greg [[SignificantName Louganis]].

* Sometimes the HotMenAtWork don't have to be from modern times, but can be from occupations OlderThanDirt. Warriors, hunters, athletes, gladiators, blacksmiths and even fishermen, farmers and artisans from non-recent historical times have long [[FetishFuel captured the imagination]] of men for centuries, if they are perceived in modern times to have been particularly HotMenAtWork back then, and most especially if they are [[NationalGeographicNudity naked]]. Interests may also feature any combination of BaraGenre (you think all those Greek pottery paintings were just documentative?), BodyPaint, BoysLove (yeah...), CarpetOfVirility ([[FridgeBrilliance men had hair back then, didn't they?]]), FullFrontalAssault (because I'm brave!...and too poor to afford armor), GayBravado, GoingCommando (underpants weren't always fashionable yet), HellBentForLeather (not everyone has sheep for wool!), HeroicBuild ([[RuleOfSexy a requirement]]), HoYay (of course), MaleFrontalNudity (or get pneumonia while net-fishing?), NakedApron (or let blacksmiths burn themselves without it?), PecFlex, RatedMForManly, WalkingShirtlessScene (shirt? what's a shirt?)... It [[CoconutEffect doesn't always have to be]] perfectly accurate TruthInTelevision, [[RuleOfSexy as long as it's hot]]. Overlaps somewhat with {{Mythology}} FanYay.

* Female pop musicians (tragic personal lives optional) with gay followings has nearly become a cliche, though it's only recently that said musicians actually comment on it or come out themselves. Examples include Music/LadyGaga, (the most famous case, and a bisexual herself), Music/KylieMinogue, {{Robyn}} and Music/MarinaAndTheDiamonds. Also JudyGarland and Music/BarbraStreisand.

* TheWhiteStripes cover of "Jolene". Jack White didn't change the gender of the song (originally sung by DollyParton, a woman), so the song becomes about a relationship between a gay man and his bisexual lover in which the latter is going to leave him for a woman. Unsurprisingly this song earned them a huge amount of controversy, but won them a great deal of gay fans in the process.

The reason for this is not always known. Maybe it's intentional {{Fanservice}}, maybe it's merely unintentional FetishFuel, or maybe just relatable CharacterDevelopment of an AudienceSurrogate (whether intentional or not). Not all {{LGBT Demographic}}s are unintentional; quite a bit revolves around canon gay or bi characters or relationships. It could be "acceptable" HomoeroticSubtext by creators who are otherwise straight, as with ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack''. It could even have started unintentionally but later have been made official to please the acknowledged fans, as famously happened with ''Series/XenaWarriorPrincess''.

LGBTDemographic tends to manifest itself not just in FanArt and FanFiction (not to mention the ubiquitous RuleThirtyFour), but occasionally also in BrokenBase, UnpleasableFanbase or InternetBackdraft. HoYay can be considered a subtrope of LGBTDemographic when the fans are gay, but YaoiFangirls and {{Yuri Fan}}s do that too. Whichever way you put it, the fans are here, and the fans are queer.

When editing examples, keep in mind that '''LGBTDemographic doesn't have to be unintentional'''. Also, HoYay by gay fans should go in that article, unless there's more that the gay fanbase especially likes besides just the Ho Yay.

!!The following works have developed a definite LGBTDemographic:

* ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' is also prone to bara {{LGBT Demographic}}s, being an anime about giant muscle-bound men and filled with bromance. It's just oozing testosterone. Nappa is the most common candidate, being giant dumb beefcake. Since Goku is naive as a brick, many fantasize that they could lure him to bed with promise of candy.
** The FurryFandom LGBTDemographic seems fond of Giran.

* ''PrettyCure'' Providing LGBTDemographic Since 2004!

* JojosBizarreAdventure is like a LGBTDemographic assortment for different audiences:

* ''Film/ThreeHundred''. Blatant LGBTDemographic bait.

* ''Series/DegrassiTheNextGeneration''. Marco's storyline is blatant LGBTDemographic bait.

** Brittany and Santana's relationship went from background [[HoYay LesYay]] to throwaway joke to full story arc due in no small part to the LGBTDemographic [[PortmanteauCoupleName Brittana]] attracted.

* ''VideoGame/{{Battletoads}}''. This now-obscure 1990s video game franchise used a PaperThinDisguise ExcusePlot about [[SaveThePrincess saving a girl]] to unleash one of the single most [[HoYay homo]][[FetishFuel erotic]] video games in existence. For some reason, in particular, Big Blag the LightningBruiser LeatherMan has a LGBTDemographic quotient as potent as [[{{Mario}} Bowser]], except not nearly as well known. All this from the same game that gave us [[MsFanservice The Dark Queen]].
* The ''BreathOfFire'' series, which almost seemed to be a foregone conclusion considering it was already very popular in the FurryFandom. The greatest LGBTDemographic seems to go to Garr and Rei from ''BreathOfFireIII'' and to Cray from ''BreathOfFireIV''.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVI''. [[RatedMForManly Sabin René Figaro]] occasionally shows up in BaraGenre. [[GrandmaWhatMassiveHotnessYouHave Cyan Garamonde]] would also seem like a good candidate, but LGBTDemographic of him is surprisingly [[AvertedTrope scarce]](which may related to him being married man).

* ''GearsOfWar''. All the main leads are so very, very buff and manly that it pretty much invites LGBTDempgraphic.

* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda''. There's something about Ganondorf that makes him quite the LGBTDemographic bait.

** [[ActionGirl Ashley Williams]] and [[HitmanWithAHeart Thane Krios]], the other two love interests who could have potentially been an option for both genders, also enjoy some LGBTDemographic, but not nearly as much as Tali or Kaidan.
** The release of ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' also triggered a spike in LGBTDemographic directed at [[MrFanservice James Vega]].

** It's the source of a fair amount of LGBTDemographic, which is perhaps not surprising, since Solid Snake and Big Boss are both handsome, muscular military men who get involved in a lot of HoYay. It's basically what {{Wolverine}} is to Westerners.

* ''VideoGame/StarFox''. In Japan, the [[FanPreferredCouple most common fan-pairing]] is Fox with Falco, in both [[AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther tame romance]] and in RuleThirtyFour. (Even Fox and Krystal are [[HetIsEw not paired as often]] overall.) Other popular LGBTDemographic pairings include Fox with Wolf, James with Peppy, Wolf with Leon, or [[TriangRelations Wolf with Leon and Panther]]. In the West, all the above also are paired to some degree, but have long been utterly eclipsed in popularity by non-LGBT pairing of Fox with [[MsFanservice Krystal]]. Krystal [[AmericansHateTingle hasn't had quite the popularity]] in Japan she's had in the West, and even the writers have been [[TheArtifact increasingly unkind to her]].

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}''. Goliath, Brooklyn and Broadway are all LGBTDemographic favorites, and to a lesser extent even Hudson is featured. But Lexington, the only actual WordOfGay character, is too much of TheTwink for the BaraGenre crowd.

* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' is already known for its large [[PeripheryDemographic adult male fanbase]] ({{Fan Nickname}}d "bronies"). But there is a particular LGBTDemographic for Big Macintosh. RuleThirtyFour of him is also abundant, including as a [[PettingZooPeople Petting Zoo Person]] and even {{Race Lift}}ed as a human male.

** A lot of LGBTDemographic either has them being [[BiTheWay bi]], or only [[HaveIMentionedIAmHeterosexualToday pretending to be straight]].

* Many [[HotMenAtWork job occupations]] have earned the LGBTDemographic of gay men everywhere, especially the [[BaraGenre manliest]], [[ManlyGay most rugged]] and [[FetishFuel hottest-looking]] careers. [[BadassBiker Bikers]], [[PecFlex bodybuilders]], construction workers, [[GayCowboy cowboys]], [[FiremenAreHot fire fighters]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_wrestling oil wrestlers]], [[FairCop police]], [[HelloSailor sailors]], soldiers...the list goes on. Scores points if someone can be [[ShirtlessScene barechested]] or [[HellBentForLeather wear leather]]. The gay appeal of TheVillagePeople should be crystal clear. Certain careers have since been additionally glamorized in LGBTDemographic because of either a famous [[TruthInTelevision gay person]] or a person who otherwise achieved gay icon status -- for example, divers, after the fame of gay American diver Greg [[SignificantName Louganis]].

* Sometimes the HotMenAtWork don't have to be from modern times, but can be from occupations OlderThanDirt. Warriors, hunters, athletes, gladiators, blacksmiths and even fishermen, farmers and artisans from non-recent historical times have long [[FetishFuel captured the imagination]] of men for centuries, if they are perceived in modern times to have been particularly HotMenAtWork back then, and most especially if they are [[NationalGeographicNudity naked]]. Interests may also feature any combination of BaraGenre (you think all those Greek pottery paintings were just documentative?), BodyPaint, BoysLove (yeah...), CarpetOfVirility ([[FridgeBrilliance men had hair back then, didn't they?]]), FullFrontalAssault (because I'm brave!...and too poor to afford armor), GayBravado, GoingCommando (underpants weren't always fashionable yet), HellBentForLeather (not everyone has sheep for wool!), HeroicBuild ([[RuleOfSexy a requirement]]), HoYay (of course), MaleFrontalNudity (or get pneumonia while net-fishing?), NakedApron (or let blacksmiths burn themselves without it?), PecFlex, RatedMForManly, WalkingShirtlessScene (shirt? what's a shirt?)... It [[CoconutEffect doesn't always have to be]] perfectly accurate TruthInTelevision, [[RuleOfSexy as long as it's hot]]. Overlaps somewhat with {{Mythology}} LGBTDemographic.

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