Basic Trope: A character uses homosexuality as an excuse for not wanting to date another character of the opposite sex.
- Straight: Alice flirts with Bob, but Bob, who is straight, says "Sorry, I'm gay".
- Exaggerated:
- Bob is not really gay, but pretends to make up with his "boyfriend" Charlie so Alice won't flirt with him.
- Bob is gay, and he gives his actual boyfriend Charlie a kiss when he comes by.
- Downplayed: Bob says "I'm not interested", and then looks lustfully at Charlie, indicating that he is Ambiguously Gay.
- Justified:
- Bob is not above lying and not interested, and he doesn't want to hurt Alice's feelings.
- Bob really is gay.
- Bob is fixated on Alice, because he is jealous that Charlie likes her. Alice mistakes this obsession for attraction.
- Inverted: When Charlie, who is gay or bi, flirts with Bob, he says "Sorry, I'm straight."
- Subverted: Bob considers saying he is gay, but he is straight and decides he must not lie.
- Double Subverted: But lies anyway.
- Parodied: ???
- Zig Zagged:
- Bob says "Sorry, I'm gay", but isn't known for being a liar, .... and the way he looked at Charlie...
- Bob says "Sorry, I'm gay", but when Charlie flirts with Bob, he says "Sorry, I'm straight", which confuses both Charlie and Alice.
- Averted: Nobody on this set uses sexuality as an excuse, or there is No Hugging, No Kissing.
- Enforced: Bob is gay, and the writers want to find a way to introduce a gay character.
- Lampshaded: "Are you really gay or just not interested?"
- Invoked: Alice walks up to Bob, who is gay, and begins flirting with him.
- Exploited: ???
- Defied: All of the characters are straight, and refuse to lie.
- Discussed: "This guy I flirted with told me he was gay. Is he or was he just making an excuse?".
- Conversed: "Is this character really gay? Saying that, sorry, you're gay, is Ho Yay fuel."
- Deconstructed:
- Bob is not really gay, but Charlie, who is, ends up flirting with him, or Bob is gay, but none of the gay men believe it, so he has a bad love life.
- Alice finds out Bob isn't gay and is beyond pissed he lied to her.
- Reconstructed: Bob is bi, or Charlie finds out Bob is gay and they end up in a relationship.
Back to Sorry, I'm Gay
