StockPhrase title: Sorry Im Gay

Discuss.

This was brought up in the Stock Phrases topic as a random example, but let's take the usual steps first:

• Needs A Redirect, to name the situation it occurs in (character claims to be gay*
  ^{said claim doesn't actually have to be true}
  to avoid getting hit on by the opposite sex).
• Check wikilinks for any misuse of the phrase as a phrase instead of the trope.

Hmm ... giving the wikilinks a cursory scan, I'm seeing a minority of wikilinks where Sorry, I'm Gay is linked to identify that a character is actually gay, rather than the definition as stated (using it as an excuse).

edited 9th Jul '11 4:33:59 PM by Stratadrake

An Ear Worm is like a Rickroll: It is never going to give you up.

Question, does it have to be claiming to be claiming to be gay?

Sexuality Based Brush Off?

Fight smart, not fair.

Boom! And the better titles come right out.

Goal: Clear, Concise and Witty

Question - in the trope description, it says "regardless of his actual sexuality". So, if a gay guy says "I'm gay" to rebuff a woman's advances, is that the same as a straight guy claiming to be gay to rebuff her advances? Because they (obviously, I think) have different implications.

That was my question as well. I mean, the ability to use it is the same, but there might be different results based on whether the claim is to be gay or straight.

Fight smart, not fair.

Faked Incompatible Orientation? Not perfect, but meh.

Nope. When Sorry, I'm Gay is used, the person saying the phrase is usually telling the truth.

I figure I should chime in since I brought it up and I just cleaned up the page.

It's about a character claiming Incompatible Orientation to avoid attention whether or not that's true. Bad examples were based primarily on:

• Similar excuses not involving orientation (actually You're Not My Type, the supertrope)
• A character claiming (sometimes accurately, sometimes not) that they are gay in order to assuage fears that they'll try something (or perhaps for some other reason)
• A gay character claiming lack of interest for other (often unspecified) reasons, sometimes to avoid outing themselves

I'm bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be than me.

I think the definition should be changed to refer only to situations where a character lies about their sexuality to dissuade other characters' advances, because, as is said in the last paragraph of the trope, Incompatible Orientation is when the character is really telling the truth.

Currently reading a Sci-Fi Dystopian Murder Mystery Forbidden Romance Adventure Thriller In Space. Your argument is invalid.

I read Incompatible Orientation as when a character loves another character that doesn't swing that way. Basically, a sub-trope of Unrequited Love.

edited 17th Oct '11 2:21:42 PM by chihuahua0

So, is there a reason why this is up for a rename? If there's not much nisuse and the title is about as descriptive as it gets, what's the problem?

I know it's dialogue but I think the name is incredibly clear.

SPATULA, Supporters of Page Altering To Urgently Lead to Amelioration (supports not going through TRS for tweaks and minor improvements.)

I like Sexuality Based Brush Off myself.

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I don't. It's less clear as to the situation it's talking about.

Reality is that, which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. -Philip K. Dick

Attempted "Sorry I'm Gay" Copout?

Sparkling and glittering! Jan-Ken-Pon!

Is there any misuse? I think we should leave this.

SPATULA, Supporters of Page Altering To Urgently Lead to Amelioration (supports not going through TRS for tweaks and minor improvements.)

Sexuality Based Brush Off sounds like characters opinions and feelings not mattering because they're gay. Very homophobic and common in certain types of media.

Reality is that, which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. -Philip K. Dick

Isn't this trope only for when the person is lying? I mean, if they're telling the truth, it's Incompatible Orientation. Thus, apart from being a line of dialogue, the name is misleading due to not being specific enough.

No, it's for when a character uses the excuse that they are gay not to go out with someone regardless of their actual orientation, they could be telling the truth or lying. Incompatible Orientation is just when someone likes someone who they are incompatible with, it doesn't necessarily involve anyone asking anyone out. They are totally different.

edited 23rd Dec '11 3:16:01 AM by NoirGrimoir

SPATULA, Supporters of Page Altering To Urgently Lead to Amelioration (supports not going through TRS for tweaks and minor improvements.)

And, mind, it doesn't count if the person being asked is gay, but uses a different excuse—I had to clean up a bit of misuse in that regard.

I'm bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be than me.

That seems a little too broad a trope.

"The Daily Show has to be right 100% of the time; FOX News only has to be right once." - Jon Stewart

Broad tropes are good. Narrow nitpicky tropes lead to misuse. This way the trope isn't split over multiple tropes depending on what the character's sexuality may or may not be. The important bit of the trope is the event of them turning someone down because they're gay.

Reality is that, which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. -Philip K. Dick

The general feeling seems to be that the trope is fine as it is. I set up a crowner here.