Line #15 Main/MagicalQueer


1	%% Image removed per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1388510275058450100
2	%% Please start a new thread if you'd like to suggest an image.
3	%%
4	->''"I'm your gay male friend! If Hollywood has taught us anything, it's that I'm naturally insightful!"''
5	-->-- '''Justin''', ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive''
6
7	In much the same way that people of African descent are made CloserToEarth with the MagicalNegro, UsefulNotes/{{LGBT}} individuals (but [[AlwaysMale most commonly gay men]], except in gay male fiction, in which they are most commonly lesbians) are made CloserToEarth by being a Magical Queer.
8
9	The Magical Queer has all of the wisdom in the world because they are gay, and has been persecuted because of it. If male, he is most often a CampGay or a DragQueen and can thus bring culture to his heterosexual brothers and sisters. The male Magical Gay tends to be an expert on heterosexual relationships, even though he's never been in any kind of romantic or sexual relationship with a woman, and even gay romance seems [[ButNotTooGay suspiciously absent]] from his life.
10
11	The Magical Queer, by virtue of their status as both CloserToEarth and [[TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth too good for it]], tends to succumb to BuryYourGays, even if it is to teach the straight characters or audience [[GayAesop an aesop about homosexuality]].
12
13	This trope runs into the same problems as ManicPixieDreamGirl (hence Creator/LindsayEllis's reference to "Manic Pixie Dream Gays" in her [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0qfFbtIj5w video]] criticising ''Theatre/{{RENT}}'') and MagicalNegro, because it can come off as more patronizing than honoring. Also, it depends on the validity of [[MenAreUncultured certain stereotypes]] which can be considered offensive to ''both'' heterosexuals and homosexuals. However, on the bright side, it's a less negative portrayal of homosexuals than [[DepravedHomosexual certain other tropes]].
14
15	If Creator/MorganFreeman is ''[[TropeCodifier the]]'' MagicalNegro and Creator/ZooeyDeschanel is ''the'' ManicPixieDreamGirl, then Creator/HarveyFierstein is ''this'' trope.
16
17	See also MagicalNativeAmerican (which is similar to the other various magical archetypes but tends to involve ''actual'' magic) and GayBestFriend (which it often overlaps with). Compare MentorInQueerness, when a gay character offers advice...to someone who has recently realized they are LGBT.
18
19	This trope [[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant isn't]] about a character who becomes [[HaveAGayOldTime weird]] as a result of having magic powers. We are using the more recent, imaged meaning of queer here. Has nothing to do with someone who [[GenderBender changes gender]] during [[SuperGenderBender superpower transformation sequence]].
20
21	[[noreallife]]
22	----
23	!!Examples:
24
25	[[foldercontrol]]
26
27	[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
28	* "Beautiful Queen" Leeron in ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'', though it's not said outright that he's gay, it's [[AllMenArePerverts heavily]] [[CampGay implied]]. He likes to help Yoko with her relationship problems while taunting the men. Not to mention after the TimeSkip, he was ''singlehandedly responsible for starting his planet's industrial revolution''.
29	* Kuranosuke of ''Manga/PrincessJellyfish''. He's a (straight) WholesomeCrossdresser who decides to teach a bunch of female {{Otaku}} to face the world.
30	* Franz of ''Anime/{{Gankutsuou}}'' seems to have attained a sort of enlightenment through suffering from his unrequited love for his [[UnluckyChildhoodFriend best friend]], Albert. After [[spoiler: his death]], he becomes the indisputable moral compass of the show.
31	* Nuriko of ''Manga/FushigiYuugi'' fame fits, even though [[spoiler: he's bi.]]
32	[[/folder]]
33
34	[[folder:Comic Books]]
35	* ''ComicBook/ScottPilgrim'':
36	** Scott's gay roommate, Wallace Wells, averts this. While on one occasion he responsibly ushered Scott in a healthy romantic direction, he did so through a verbal threat, and apparently only out of a responsibility to Scott's wrongfully betrayed younger girlfriend. Wallace himself is a flirtatious, often drunk, StraightGay and not beleaguered for his sexuality in the slightest (Scott once describes him as "boy crazy" and his response is "I'd take offense at that if it weren't so true"). Rather than being a magical pillar of emotional support and romantic advice for the flawed-but-lovable straight white lead, Wallace is just a guy.
37	** Wallace also plays this role during Ramona's fight with Envy, at least until he has to go to the bathroom. His homosexuality is a possible reason why he is not awed by Envy the way that most of the other male characters are and feels free to despise her for what she did to Scott.
38	** He also subverts the "Magical Queer Pep Talk" moment -- Wallace doesn't make the dramatic "Tell her you love her" speech, but instead the "Tell her you love her (and shack up with her)... because I just signed the apartment lease with my boyfriend and I need you to move out" speech.
39	[[/folder]]
40
41	[[folder:Film]]
42	* Zigzagged in ''Film/AsGoodAsItGets''; Melvin learns to be a better person by caring for his gay neighbor Simon after his life falls apart; when Simon offers tough-love advice to Melvin he snaps, "I thought you people were supposed to be sensitive and sharp!"
43	* Lola from ''Film/KinkyBoots'', who is in fact also a MagicalNegro, making them a [[TwoferTokenMinority Twofer]]. Averted in the play, where Lola is explicitly NOT gay and uses his crossdressing to attract women.
44	* Similarly, Hollywood (Meschach Taylor), from ''Film/{{Mannequin}}'' (1987) and ''Mannequin: On The Move'' (1991) is the Magical Queer Negro in spades.
45	* {{Drag Queen}}s Noxeema, Vida, and Chi-Chi from ''Film/ToWongFooThanksForEverythingJulieNewmar''. They find themselves stranded in a midwestern hick town and proceed to glam it up. Also, Noxie is Black and Chi-Chi is Latina making them [[TwoferTokenMinority Twofers]]
46	* Rupert Everett's character in ''Film/MyBestFriendsWedding''
47	* In ''Film/TakingWoodstock'', a friend of a friend of Tiber's shows up to be head of security, to bring Tiber's father out of himself, and to provide spiritual and moral guidance to Tiber himself. She is of course transgender.
48	* In ''Film/WilliamShakespearesRomeoAndJuliet'', Mercutio's sexuality is not made explicit, but he dresses up as a drag queen.
49	* ''Hamam'': Married guy discovers his homosexuality and dies in a way that encourages his wife to change her life for the better. He gets more screen time than her but the ending makes his life and death seem instrumental in hers.
50	* ''Film/NickAndNorahsInfinitePlaylist'' has an entire band full of {{Magical Queer}}s who exist to give relationship advice and ferry around the occasional HardDrinkingPartyGirl. Creator/MichaelCera is the [[ThisLoserIsYou put-upon]] token hetero-{{Muggle}} in a scene made up of happy, attractive, [[AllGaysArePromiscuous promiscuous]] gay dudes.
51	* In ''Film/{{Oyayubihime}}'', the strange man who sells Saeko the shrinking potion also becomes her genuine friend, has no life or problems of his own, is identified by Saeko as an "Okama", and is actually magical.
52	* In ''Film/DasepoSonyo'', Big Razor Sis, a cross-dressing loan shark, provides Poor Girl with a relatively healthy friendship that makes her feel better about the fact that Poverty literally clings to her.
53	* In ''Film/{{Bounce}}'', a gay character, Ron, convinces the main character Buddy that he needs to enroll in AA. There are other instances where Ron provides wisdom for Buddy in the movie.
54	* Thoroughly deconstructed in ''Film/{{Thelma}}''. While Thelma ''is'' magical and she ''is'' a lesbian, she is the protagonist and her powers bring her a combination of (frightening) liberation and total anarchy.
55	[[/folder]]
56
57	[[folder:Literature]]
58	* Played with in ''Literature/Blackbird1986''. When Randy starts having inexplicable premonitions, Crystal starts hinting to him that he may be this trope.
59	* ''Literature/OddlyEnough'': Literal and very self-aware version of this in "Am I Blue", with Melvin -- a gay fairy godfather/guardian angel. Also played for tragedy, since Melvin ended up that way because he was killed in a gay-bashing incident.
60	* The titular character of ''Literature/WhatHappenedToLaniGarver''. Subverted in that his sexual preference is never actually revealed, and is in fact probably asexual. He just [[{{Bishounen}} looks]] [[DudeLooksLikeALady androgynous]] and is therefore assumed to be gay. There's also his offhand comment that "I'm the one who has to live in a strange body and deal with it."
61	* The second of Jean Auel's ''Literature/EarthsChildren'' novels had a one-shot character with {{ambiguous gender}} who is also a shaman. In an odd twist, we never find out their gender identity (they're simply called "Shamud", as the generic term for a shaman of their people). Also, they are commonly referenced, and LGBT individuals are said to be almost always powerful shamans, able to draw on the powers of both men and women. This also reflects some real-life beliefs about LGBT people held by various cultures.
62	%%* Carlo in ''Literature/CaptainCorellisMandolin''. Poor, poor Carlo.
63	* Mercedes Lackey ''loves'' this trope. One of the key historical figures of her [[Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar land of Valdemar]] is [[Literature/LastHeraldMageTrilogy Vanyel]], a literal Magical Queer in that he's both gay and a mage.
64	** In the first book of his trilogy, Vanyel comes to terms with being gay after being taken to the Tayledras, a NonHeteronormativeSociety of {{Magical Native American}}s, where Moondance, an [[FamilyOfChoice adoptive Tayledras]] who was [[{{Gayngst}} cast out from his family for being gay]] relates it as a CommonalityConnection and shares how ''he'' came to terms with it.
65	%%* Magnus Bane is this for [[spoiler:Alec Lightwood]] in ''Literature/TheMortalInstruments''. Literally, since he's also a warlock.
66	* Patrick does this job for Charlie in ''Literature/ThePerksOfBeingAWallflower''. He is not the only character that guides Charlie, but is the first friend that Charlie does, mostly because Patrick doesn't judge him like all the other students, because, you know, everybody judges you when you are gay.
67	* In ''Literature/TalesOfTheCity'', Anna Madrigal has shades of this, constantly dispensing wisdom (and pot) to her "children" (tenants), although ''Sure of You'' subverts this; when Michael goes to her seeking advice on how to deal with a very serious problem, for a moment, he fully expects her to come up with a brilliant scheme to fix it, but she's got her own problems and her advice is rather boilerplate.
68	[[/folder]]
69
70	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
71	* The whole idea behind ''[[Series/QueerEye Queer Eye for the Straight Guy]]''.
72	* ''Series/AllyMcBeal'' had a VerySpecialEpisode guest-starring Creator/WilsonCruz from ''Series/MySoCalledLife'' as an AttractiveBentGender Magical Prostitute.
73	* Willow of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' is both gay and magical, but not particularly a MagicalGay. Tara is a more, for lack of a better term, straight example.
74	* Kurt is shaping up to fill this role on ''Series/{{Glee}}'', particularly for [[spoiler:Finn]]. Also subverted. During his time playing this role for Rachel [[spoiler: he was deliberately giving her bad advice to keep her and Finn apart because of his own crush.]]
75	** For most of the show, Blaine was this for Kurt. Subverted with Elliott, who tells Rachel off when she tries to make him into her new "gay BFF," and isn't interested in any of the drama.
76	* Robin in ''Series/DesperateHousewives'', though she was revealed as gay for an episode and a half.
77	* Lampshaded in ''Series/ModernFamily'', where Cam has an irresistible urge to help everyone around him.
78	* [[MeaningfulName Marco del Rossi]] on ''Series/DegrassiTheNextGeneration'' always knows about heterosexual relationships, even before having a true relationship. He had a beard, who he later experiments with. Marco is a bit of a hypocrite since when his friend Spinner tries to fix him up with Dylan, he asks Marco what it's like to be gay. Over his six seasons on the show, he helps out Ashley and Craig, Ellie and Sean, Paige and Spinner, Paige and Alex (justified in that Alex is a girl), and Ellie and Jesse. Magic abounds.
79	* Lampshaded in an episode of ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'' in which Wolowitz is visited by the spirits of George Takei and Katee Sackhoff (playing themselves), offering him relationship advice. Takei's advice actually works, but not before he gets grief for it:
80	-->'''Takei:''' A woman needs to be ''wooed.''\
81	'''Sackhoff:''' How would ''you'' know?\
82	'''Takei:''' (indignantly) I ''read''!!!
83	* ''Series/TheKidsInTheHall'':
84	** The Buddy Cole character frequently satirizes this trope, sometimes employing what seems to be actual magic.
85	** There's also a weird sketch called [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgZPlPdjrNU&feature=related "Running Faggot,"]] where the titular [[RefugeInAudacity "faggot"]] runs from place to place in UsefulNotes/DavyCrockett [[BraidsBeadsAndBuckskins attire]], giving advice to people he encounters. As a bonus, he [[InformedAttribute doesn't say or do anything "gay"]] at any point in the sketch.
86	* The [[http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/405794/january-11-2012/indecision-2012---commitment-to-mitt-romney January 11, 2012]] episode, of ''Series/TheColbertReport'' where Mitt Romney's winning the New Hampshire primary and Stephen's coming to the realization that he might just have to settle for him, parodies this, with Andy Cohen (host of a talk show on Bravo and the first openly gay talk show host) as the gay best friend who gives Stephen advice.
87	* On ''Series/{{Sisters}}'', a friendship with an [[ClicheStorm AIDS-stricken, cross-dressing,]] [[MagicalNegro black]], and yes, GAY man is enough to turn the spoiled and bratty daughter of eldest sister Alex into a compassionate young woman determined to turn her life around (she met him at the hospice where she was sentenced to do community service after being arrested for prostitution) and regain custody of her daughter (whom she ditched when she abruptly decided she no longer had any interest in being a wife and mother).
88	* Subverted in ''Series/{{Metrosexuality}}''. Max isn't compassionate and a decent problem-solver because he's gay. He's a problem-solver because his many life trials made him very experienced.
89	[[/folder]]
90
91	[[folder:Mythology]]
92	* In Norse mythology, {{Mana}} was replenished through contact with ejaculate. Odin was a wizard. This means exactly what you think it does. So only women, bisexuals, or gay men could be sorcerers; however, EveryoneIsBi in viking culture. Bottoming though was considered unmanly (as in Greek and Roman culture) so Odin had to sacrifice some honor (per Norse beliefs) to use magic.
93	* In Myth/MesopotamianMythology, the underworld goddess Ereshkigal cursed intersex and nonbinary people to be shunned by society, so Ishtar gifted them with healing and prophecy to make up for it. As Red from WebAnimation/OverlySarcasticProductions put it: "So the lesson of this particular legend is if you're gender non-binary, you're magic, Ishtar loves you, and even the queen of hell thinks you're hot."
94	[[/folder]]
95
96	[[folder:New Media]]
97	* Parodied in an ''Onion'' news article about the President appointing a gay man to the office of National Homosexual, whose sole function is to give heterosexuals relationship advice. See [[http://www.theonion.com/content/news/supportive_gay_friend_to_counsel Supportive Gay Friend here.]]
98	* Parodied in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnvgq8STMGM the internet video series]] ''WebVideo/SassyGayFriend'', in which various tragic female characters from the works of Shakespeare are saved from their fates by a flamboyantly gay man who both insults them but builds their confidence in themselves all at once. And after finishing with Shakespeare, he moved on to Charles Dickens characters, movie characters, ''Literature/TheGivingTree'', and now ''Literature/TheBible'' figures.
99	* In a similar vein, when [[Blog/MarkDoesStuff Mark Read]] ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', he came to the conclusion that every problem the fellowship faced could be resolved with one of these, played, of course, by himself.
100	* Another parody in ''WebVideo/TheCinemaSnob'' with Bear Ryan, Snob's magical gay friend who exists only to help straight women with their relationships. Problem is, his solution is to [[AxCrazy murder the husband with an axe.]]
101	* {{Discussed}} (like most other Tropes) in ''WebVideo/AfterHours'', though the setup is a bit... on the nose.
102	-->'''Soren''': What're we talking about?\
103	'''[[CloudCuckooLander Michael]]''': Gay people are magic!\
104	'''Soren''': Mm-mm. (''Proceeds to get up'') [[NoJustNoReaction Nope.]]
105	[[/folder]]
106
107	[[folder:Radio]]
108	* Doug Danger (Gay man, gay journalist) from ''ThePhilHendrieShow'' is a parody of this. While very unstereotypical and rarely discussing gay issues, he feels he has great insight into the topic of the day because he is a gay man, gay journalist. In some of the more absurd bits, he attributes superhuman powers to being a [[OverusedRunningGag gay man, gay journalist]]. All by having been out for three months.
109	[[/folder]]
110
111	[[folder:Stand-up Comedy]]
112	* {{Deconstructed\|Trope}} by Creator/PattonOswalt on his ''Finest Hour'' tour, where he discusses how he was asked to audition for a sassy gay friend role in a bad RomCom, before comparing the trope to a modern equivalent of {{blackface}} for being [[ModernMinstrelsy so stereotypical and dehumanizing]]. Noting his real gay friends are as dumb as his straight ones, he goes on to explain his condition for accepting the role was that he would do it down to the same sassy gay rhythms, albeit [[SubvertedTrope subverting]] it in that the character mustn't have anything helpful or intelligent to say:
113	-->''"I've seen that look before, sweety! You... you wanna... ha-- ...um.'' ({{beat}}) ''Do s-- uh.'' (beat, then resigned) ''Something with his cock? I guess? I dunno. Fuck, I'm tired."''\
114	''"You and your two friends! When the three of you get together, you guys are like The Thr--'' (long beat) ''What-- who are the guys with the muskets? What did they call those guys again?'' (beat) ''Are they called Musketeers?! Was I that close?!"''
115	[[/folder]]
116
117	%%[[folder:Theater]]
118	%%* Angel of ''Theatre/{{RENT}}''
119	%%[[/folder]]
120
121	[[folder:Webcomics]]
122	* Used literally in ''Webcomic/SoreThumbs'', where Flower gains certain magical powers simply from being gay (notably, being able to teleport on Oscar Night from party to party). He's too self-absorbed to really bother dispensing wisdom, though.
123	* Drezzer Wolf of ''Webcomic/TheSuburbanJungle''.
124	* Usually averted in ''Webcomic/GirlsWithSlingshots'', with a great deal of focus being on how gay people have the same kinds of relationship problems as straight ones ([=STIs=], infidelity, irresponsibility, romantic awkwardness, etc.). However, due to the comic's heavier focus on the female characters, Darren has less development and sometimes comes off as an advice-spouting gay.
125	* Despite providing the quote above, Justin from ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' usually averts this, as he needs as much advice as the other characters.
126	[[/folder]]
127
128	[[folder:Western Animation]]
129	* Clarence from ''WesternAnimation/CodeMonkeys'' is so magically queer he can actually fly and phase through locked doors. This ability is even referred to as his "gay magic".
130	* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark''.
131	** Big Gay Al was the first ''openly'' gay character to appear in the game. He even explains to Stan the origins of homosexuality.
132	** Mr. Slave too. While he isn't much of a {{Camp Gay}} (besides his accent), he has consistently been one of the sanest and most insightful characters in the show in spite of being completely sex-obsessed. Since Chef's departure, the kids have consulted him on numerous occasions.
133	** Apparently the boys view Brian Boitano as this.
134	* Homer's secretary Karl (voiced by Harvey Fierstein) on ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons.''
135	* ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'' had a subversion; Peggy makes a distraught speech to her [[MistakenForGay flamboyant hairdresser]] that takes it for granted that he's one of these. Then he turns out to be HappilyMarried to a woman, with no idea why Peggy would think otherwise.
136	** Another episode involved a DragQueen who helped Peggy work on her body issues (namely, feeling insecure about the less-than-feminine parts of her like her large feet). Said drag queen thought ''Peggy'' was also a drag queen though.
137	* Subverted with Bobby Panache from ''WesternAnimation/{{Glenn Martin DDS}}''. He is a [[MistakenForGay flamboyant stylist]] who seems to be gay, and several times it's hinted at him being gay. Subverted at the end when his 'fiancée' Penny drives up in a Corvette to pick him up, and Glenn makes a remark that says they knew he was straight all along.
138	[[/folder]]

Context Main / MagicalQueer