Dude, She's A Lesbian - Television Tropes & Idioms

Real subtle Rudy.

He starts talking to me and eventually is trying to get me to go up to his hotel room with him, and I was like, “No, dude, no.” And finally I was like, “Look, dude, I’m a lesbian,” and he goes, “I give really good head.” [Laughs] I was like, Eww!

— Guinevere Turner, talking about James Woods.

One night, at a party, Casanova Bob meets his match with Alice. In spite of his flirting, charms, and a good romantic track record, she seems uninterested, and doesn't want to go out for a drink right after. He is confused, but he won't back down...

...Until Carl kindly walks over and whispers to Bob, "Dude, She's a Lesbian."

Dude, She's a Lesbian is when one person attempts to hit on another person, and a third person informs him or her of his Incompatible Orientation. This could lead to some awkwardness.

Besides the person informing of the Incompatible Orientation being different, there are several differences between the trope Sorry, I'm Gay. First of all, this could be said after Alice, a lesbian, walks away from Bob. Also, Alice could be in the closet, and only Carl knows her secret. Or also, Alice is a Transparent Closet.

Obviously related to Sorry, I'm Gay. Could overlap with All The Good Men Are Gay. Compare "You're Not My Type", for situations that don't involve sexual orientation.

Examples:

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Comic Books

The Norwegian comic Pondus has many examples of this. In one strip, a fat, ugly bus-driver who is notoriously unlucky in love is sitting in a bar. Suddenly he realizes that the woman to his left and the woman to his right are both looking his way in a really flirty manner. He exclaims "There Is A God!" as they start moving towards him. ...And then he finishes his sentence with "...and he doesn't like me" as both women pass him by and kiss each other.
Done in Wildstorm's six-issue Friday the 13th miniseries, where one of the Final Girl's friends tells a guy showing interest in her that Final Girl is a lesbian. It later turns out she was lying for no real reason, though.

Film

In Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Dwight tells Peter that his lawyer/crush Kate has to be a lesbian. In the end, Kate's girlfriend shows up and they make out, confirming the trope but then subverting it as it turns out Kate is bisexual and makes out with Peter.

Live Action TV

In an episode of Hustle, Danny is completely mystified by the lack of response the hotel receptionist has to his flirting and worries that he is losing his mojo with the opposite sex. He is delighted at the end of the episode to learn that she is a lesbian.
In White Collar during the pilot episode, Neal flirts with Diana and brags to Peter that she's digging the cool hat he's wearing. Peter informs him that she'd rather be wearing the hat, thus launching one of the least sexualized lesbians ever.
Subverted in an early episode of Glee; Mercedes seemed perfectly aware of Kurt's sexuality until the Cheerios took advantage of her loneliness and basically told her, "Dude, he's not gay." When she takes the opportunity to ask him out, however, it is Kurt who sets her straight.
In an episode of Night Court, Christine discovers that a woman she recently met was actually a romance novelist...and a lesbian. Later, when Harry tries to seduce her, Christine writes him a note proclaiming the woman's orientation with multiple exclamation points.
The Wire: McNulty upon meeting Greggs is intrigued by the no-nonsense detective, and tries to chat her up. Gregg's informant Bubbles is amused:
Bubble: Are you a dog McNulty? Cos you barking up the wrong pussy.

Video Games

Mass Effect 3 - if you re-recruit Gabby and Ken, the Greek Chorus engineers from the previous game, they have this exchange regarding Gay Option Samantha Traynor.

Webcomic

In Rain, this situation happens with Maria and Gavin. Their faux relationship to cover up her orientation started when Maria rejects him. When he refuses to give up, Maria's brother, Rudy, tells him, "Dude, she's a lesbian."

Web Original

"Anyone But Me" uses this when Jonathan's friend begins pursuing Vivian, only to be told by Jonathan that she is a lesbian. In this case, he continues his pursuit hoping to 'change' her.

Western Animation

Subverted in Justice League, when The Flash is admiring his newest crush, Fire, from afar as she converses with her gal-pal Ice. Hawkgirl notices.
"Why don't you just go talk to her?"
"Who, me? Talk to her? No way."
"Yeah, you'd probably be wasting your time anyway. I hear she's, y'know..." (Flash looks worried) "Brazilian."
"Ha-ha."

Drag Queen

Queer as Tropes

Everyone is Bi

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