northstar, a creation of john byrne, is often cited as the quintessential gay superhero. while byrne initially intended for the character to come out a decade earlier in alpha flight, editorial resistance led to the subtle weaving of subtext into his narratives.
northstar embodies conventional masculinity, albeit with an appreciation for female pop stars, a playful nod to the notion that "real men wear pink." similarly, in ultimate x-men, colossus's homosexuality doesn't diminish his imposing strength or masculinity.
he's actually in a relationship with northstar. apollo from the authority is another example, perhaps leaning more towards a "straight gay" archetype with a slightly less exaggeratedly tough demeanor.
take bloke from x-force, for example: an avid bodybuilder and brutal vigilante.
although he has elements of "macho camp" - pink skin, refined taste in home decor, and romantic gestures towards his boyfriend - his primary identity is that of a powerful, strong man who happens to be gay. many characters in patrick fillion's gay porn superhero comics push these boundaries but are definitely nsfw.
examples from comics and beyond
shatterstar, another character from x-men comics, eventually had his sexuality explicitly confirmed in x-factor after a history of veiled references.
in top 10, steve trainor's partner, wulf, fits the bill as a burly, tough-talking former air ace. duncan and raven from clean room are presented as bearded, masculine men, with duncan portrayed as a veteran of numerous special forces operations.
consider also a character from a family aligned with the asgardian version of mountain men or marcher lords, often fancast as sean bean.
when temporarily transformed into an adult and fully realized viking god, he's described as towering at around two meters tall, sporting a rugged beard, and possessing a physique akin to a literal bear.
it doesn't get much more overtly masculine than that. many parodic depictions suggest that he-man embodies this trope.
during the early to mid-2000s, fan works centered on the characters thrall and rehgar from warcraft proliferated, spurred by the arguably unintentional homoerotic undertones present in their dialogue within world of warcraft and some related novels.
as an axe-wielding orc warrior and warchief, thrall would undoubtedly qualify for this trope if he were canonically homosexual.
rehgar, with his arguably campier mannerisms and healing abilities, might be seen as more of an agent peacock, making this a classic fanfiction gay pairing. a number of fans still believe these characters were bisexual and shared a relationship, although thrall's marriage to aggralan in the cataclysm expansion has largely dampened that theory.
moving to punch-out!!
messages for dad, ferrus manus stands out as the only gay primarch. within the established canon, he is portrayed as a legendary blacksmith capable of dismantling entire armies with his bare hands, and the undisputed leader of one of the most formidable legions, finding satisfaction in the prospect of leading ghostly warriors into battle in the afterlife.
in the realm of film, big stan, a burly biker who stan engages for advice on prison life, discusses committing prison rape, prompting shock from stan at the notion of individuals "turning gay" while incarcerated.
the biker then reveals he's always been gay, limiting his raping activities to inside of prison.
the scene culminates with the biker pointing out they're in a gay bar, where stan observes other burly, leather-clad men displaying affection towards one another. in braveheart, phillip, edward's apparent lover, is portrayed as more confident, outspoken, and assertive than edward, a characteristic that ultimately leads to his demise.
representation in film and other media
brokeback mountain showcases both ennis and jack as characters exhibiting extremely masculine mannerisms and appearances.
in other examples, a sardonic, tough private detective is depicted as considerably more masculine than his heterosexual associate, harry. alexander and hephaestion in alexander (based on historical accounts, suggesting that alexander was at least a manly bisexual) further reinforce this trope.
many characters featured in films by queer flick director bruce labruce embody this archetype, often depicted as punks or skinheads.
the gay actors portraying zombies in the film-within-a-film of otto; or up with dead people are portrayed as very butch skinheads. conversely, but i'm a cheerleader presented dolph as a very gay, very butch athlete.
the butch factor, a documentary film, examines the presence of masculinity within gay culture.
it presents compelling examples of masculine gay individuals, as well as so-called "straight-acting" and camp gays. it's available for viewing on logo. in another example, a character replies to a woman's invitation to a movie with the statement, "you're gonna love my boyfriend.
he's a chick-flick nut."
gheorghe, a romanian migrant farm worker, is hired to assist johnny, an emotionally withdrawn, alcoholic sheep farmer, during lambing season following johnny's father's stroke. in macgruber, two men considered for macgruber's team - both muscular and highly capable - are instantly dismissed when they begin kissing, serving as the punchline.
the car consequently explodes, to their detriment. guy in ted, along with his boyfriend rick in the sequel ted 2, offer further examples.
the film saint laurent depicts yves's relationship with the younger jacques de bascher, who is portrayed as both a dandy and an aggressively masculine gay man.
in legend, ronnie, a tall, burly, and explicitly masculine gangster, asserts his preference for "topping" with his lovers. he is a fearsome figure renowned for killing enemies with his bare hands, but also skilled in the use of blunt objects and firearms.
it has been claimed that gore vidal introduced this trope to modern gay literature.
forever and a death features luther, a gay character who is portrayed as a fit, brawny individual without any effeminate traits, experiencing an action hero moment during the climax.
the seventh book in the funjungle series reveals that pete thwacker is married to a man named ray who works as a carpenter, enjoys the outdoors, and has participated in running with the bulls in spain.
spike appears in robert b. parker's sunny randall books.
those who aren't [masculine gay men] are bisexual. burt shaw in mr blank embodies an old-school spy archetype. ringil eskiath from a land fit for heroes embodies the notion, as he says: "you don't go queer baiting when your victim has a reputation of chopping trained swordsmen into dogmeat at the drop of a hat."
exploring lesser-known examples
viktor balnikov and chang hi-tech are the most physically imposing scientists on the moon base, with chang specifically described as working out for four hours daily, sporting a mohawk and tattoos.
halfway through the third book, their romantic relationship is casually revealed, with chang's suspicious behavior around the greenhouse attributed to gathering flowers for viktor.
many protagonists in william s. burroughs's later novels align with this trope.
his leading characters are often depicted as tough or dangerous young men: private investigators, old west gunslingers, highwaymen, pirates, and the like. their brand of masculinity often overlaps with the he-man woman hater archetype, fueled by a belief that the presence of the opposite sex or effeminate homosexuals threatens to contaminate their masculinity.
lucrio in the novella a taste of honey exemplifies this archetype.
he's also portrayed as a hunk with a carpet of virility and the muscular physique of a professional soldier, comfortable with nudity and displaying his assets. in a world less visible, lykos possesses the ability to punch through steel and shatter boulders with his bare hands, initially rejecting his male lover for being too "soft".
matthias is characterized as a rugged specimen of virile manliness, although he subtly subverts this by possessing a soft side he generally avoids showing.
dev from out of position is a large, tough anthropomorphic tiger who also happens to be a talented football player. he lived as a straight man until he found himself falling for a male fox named lee. conversely, in the fictional gay newspaper the georgeport gayzette, being a manly gay individual is framed as "self-evidently bad".
many point to achilles, the most badass of all heroes, suspiciously bromantic relationship with patroclus.
red: what's manlier than two men? unlike camp gay tim linton and tsundere-like pete reston, leoncio is sexually aggressive in a very toxic way, driven to be on top and often threatening to "tame" other male characters who defy him , and publicly and rather luridly calling attention to the fact a confrontation with his rival alvin godfrey gave him a hard-on.
in the mangoverse, kaveh mistakes rivka as a tall, muscular queer male warrior; she is actually a woman presenting herself as a man, with isaac being her lover/husband.
in live-action tv series bones, one episode features a murder victim who was part of an all-gay football team, with the victim's ex-husband (not a member of the league) being a bow hunter.
in nemurin, monroe is characterized by a burly, muscular physique, insane super-strength, and a penchant for working out, coupled with affections for nakayama.
all in the family, a program known for breaking barriers and taboos, addressed the trope early in the season 1 episode "judging books by covers".
archie is annoyed by one of mike's outlandish friends, anthony geary (long before his role as luke on general hospital), who acts and dresses effeminately but is otherwise heterosexual; archie's irritation leads him to kelsey's bar (its first appearance in the series) to vent to his friends about gay people.
one participant in the conversation, a middle-aged man and former football player, embodies traditional "male" interests. although no male-on-male affection is displayed, archie learns that outward appearances don't necessarily indicate someone's sexual orientation.
contemporary portrayals
captain holt, the comically serious police chief from brooklyn nine-nine, lacks any overtly feminine traits, except perhaps his fondness for cute dogs.
he also appears to exclusively date men with similar personalities; and while his rather intellectual husband might not qualify as manly gay, his ex-boyfriend (played by nick offerman) certainly does.
spartacus: blood and sand features barca, a solid example, as a badass gladiator with a male lover.
his boyfriend, auctus, from the prequel, is also a gladiator. agron, a fierce german warrior, becomes involved with another male freed slave. omar from the wire, a smooth-talking, shotgun-toting bandit with an incorruptible code of honor and a complete lack of fear, makes a living robbing baltimore's drug dealers, instilling fear in them.
he is also openly gay and often includes his boyfriends in his heists.
vito from the sopranos is a tragically closeted example. his short-term lover, jim "johnny cakes" witowksi, is a burly fireman. six feet under features david fisher's long-term partner keith, a tough, macho cop who later works in private security after leaving the force.
at one point, david and keith have a threesome with someone called "sarge", a big muscular guy obsessed with paintballing.
glee features dave karofsky; the guys at the gay bar even call him a "bear cub." coach beiste, a conventionally masculine character, is revealed to be a gay, transgender man in season 6.
season 6 also introduces "post-gay" spencer, an athletic, masculine student who refuses to be defined by his sexual orientation. sam adama from caprica presents an interesting case, being considerably more stereotypically masculine than his straight brother and most other men on the show.
homosexuality is openly accepted in the colonial culture depicted in the show. bob hunter from desperate housewives, taller and slightly more muscular than his husband, lee mcdermott, can also be considered straight gay. the actor tuc watkins came out as gay, fitting the trope in real life as well.
wade and trey from noah's arc, particularly wade who emphasizes his masculinity, especially early on, fit the archetype.
riley from degrassi overlaps with straight gay. sam most certainly counts, though he only showed up for one episode and dylan, marco's boyfriend.
in the third season of the joe schmo show, the full bounty, lavernius embodies this trope and fits the stereotype of the token muscular black guy on reality shows.
when he revealed it to chase, the season's schmo, chase barely reacted and even agreed to form an alliance. timebomb from no heroics, in his inimitably sleazy fashion, also represents this trope. it is discussed in metrosexuality. everyone comments on jonno's masculinity, and jonno himself, a former serviceman, addresses the issue of manliness among gays, noting that his tough upbringing and army experience didn't make him "funky" or in touch with his feminine side, making him incompatible with the usual campiness of the london lgbt scene.
aaron livesy on emmerdale is a mechanic who watches football and drinks beer.
co piscatella from orange is the new black is a big, tall, burly man with a thick beard and a harsh, no-nonsense attitude. his sexuality is first mentioned when he casually recounts taking a guy to prom in a conversation with the main character. however, piscatella has photos showing a more camp side when off duty.
mac from it's always sunny in philadelphia is the self-appointed bodyguard of the bar he co-owns. he is all about being "badass" and hyper-masculine, using it as an excuse for staying in the closet for a long time.
the orville portrays moclan society in general, to the point of being a one-gender race with an intolerance towards heterosexuality.
they're nearly all large, muscular, gruff, and serious males with the vast majority desiring the same sex. bortus explains in "deflectors" that moclus is an inhospitable world and his people had to fight hard just to survive. it's truthful that many gay people in the bible belt engage in gay relationships without self-identifying as gay.
tiger king features joe exotic, a distillation of every larger-than-life deep south redneck stereotype imaginable.
his flamboyant fashion sense simultaneously fulfills the stereotypes of the flashily-dressed gay man and the good ol' boy who got rich and decided to live out his elvis fantasies. in the mentalist, one of the dea agents in the final season episode "green light" is a burly, somewhat gruff man with a notable presence during raids.
when questioned, he casually mentions having a husband, although the husband might be camp gay, as he works as a hair stylist.
modern interpretations
in shadowhunters, alec is as manly a shadowhunter as jace, making the reveal of his homosexuality surprising for those unfamiliar with the books.
achilles and, to a lesser extent, patroclus are fearsome warriors and lovers, also engaging in a threesome with briseis on the beach. ghosts uk features the captain, a strong, experienced army soldier who is the most physically strong of the ghosts. on yellowjackets, coach scott is conventionally attractive, well-built, and enjoys hunting and sports.
he is also closet gay due to the time period.
young misty quigley from the yellowjackets soccer team has a crush on him and is not pleased when he reveals the truth, breaking her heart. jimmy is surprised by this revelation at first. one of us is lying features cooper, a muscular baseball star who is secretly gay initially.
in house of the dragon, laenor velaryon is physically pretty but has delicate features and behaves gentlemanly but his interest in war and bar songs aren't unlike a stereotypical "man's man" like robert baratheon. he's secretly gay with a boyfriend.
intimate features leo, who buys into the philosophy of alpha and beta males, viewing himself as the former, and struggles with threats to his masculinity, such as bottoming during sex and being rejected by more feminine men.
the music video for electric six's "manly gay" includes appearances by abraham lincoln, who may have been an example if you combine the "shared a bed with a male bff" detail with the broadswords in a pit duel detail. black metal performer gaahl of gorgoroth is another example.
the village people were initially perceived as manly gay, but as their act aged and became more retroactively camp, it evolved into more passably macho camp.
they weren't always recognized as manly gay early on due to american culture being relatively more macho then. this misunderstanding allowed the u.s.
navy to initially use their songs in recruitment advertisements, before realizing the implications. by the time the village people's popularity peaked, they were better understood as manly gay, but their music had already entered pop culture. rammstein's "mann gegen mann" video features exceptionally manly men engaging in explicit acts.
ricky martin, the hunky and manly hispanic singer with a latin lover image, is gay.
queen's freddie mercury was a macho camp bisexual; even during his more effeminate period in the 70s, he had perma-stubble and a carpet of virility that rivaled sean connery's. his singing voice, a powerful, raspy baritone, and his stage outfits (jeans and t-shirts) emphasized his masculinity, although his lyrics were thoughtful and introspective.
pro wrestling, many professional wrestlers get accused of being manly gay.
the wwe tag team of billy and chuck had ambiguous manly gay as their gimmick until they came out during a heavily advertised gay wedding ceremony. their manager, rico, was very much not manly and maintained his flamboyant personality.
he later pursued a singles career, dressing in bedazzled spandex, wearing make-up, and kissing his male opponents. orlando jordan wanted to work his real-life sexuality into a storyline, portraying a plausible manly gay character with a girlfriend. unfortunately, he was fired before it could be implemented.
tna portrayed him differently, seemingly forgetting the "bi" part of "bisexual".
the psychology of masculinity within gay culture
even in video games like animal crossing, jock villagers in later installments seem to push the envelope. gay men in our culture appear to view masculinity the same way.
we only know masculinity by contrasting it with what is feminine because we only know masculinity from the outside, the way a boy does. perhaps we long for an internal, adult masculinity but have never had the mentoring we need to develop it.
on a gut level, we know something is missing, but this missing piece is so far outside our awareness that we project it onto others the way some gay bashers project their same-sex attraction.
instead of bashing our neglected masculinity, though, we want to merge with it through sex. what does adult masculinity look like, and how do we get it? i suspect adult masculinity protects through strength and service. a dominant adult masculinity is not macho or tyrannical.
boys are macho and tyrannical. adult masculinity dominates through a willingness to show up, play big and be fierce.
i show up when i participate with passion, speak my truth and present others with the real me instead of the version i want others to see.
i play big when i open myself to feeling the ecstasy of extravagant joy no matter who is watching. i am fierce when i face the demons that prevent me from living the life i want. once we tap into our adult masculinity, we know it to be valid. we feel it in our gut, in our heart and in our balls.
it requires active intervention with the support of a community of men. in tribal cultures today and throughout recorded history, men would come together to initiate boys into their adult masculinity.
initiated boys would learn how to receive emotional nourishment from other men.
they would learn how to experience their fierceness and wild energy as something capable of more than destruction. we have no such initiations in mainstream culture today. no masculine mentorship. we put our biological grandfathers in retirement homes, and we render our gay elders invisible because we have no sexual use for them.
even if we were in a relationship with them, they are likely just as separated from their adult masculinity as we are. to compensate, we gravitate towards substitutes. we join gangs and fraternities. we enter tribes united by steroids, meth or circuit djs. or perhaps we isolate ourselves, shut ourselves down emotionally or distract ourselves with addictive substances or behaviors.
i certainly need to.
once we become aware of what our hearts are yearning for, we can finally start nourishing ourselves. i believe one major area of our malnourishment is a connection to our healthy, whole, adult masculinity. it's crucial to find a therapist who understands these unique needs.
this topic resonates with many, highlighting the importance of moving beyond stereotypical images of masculinity and embracing one's authentic self. growing up outside of san francisco in the 90s, the author witnessed many masculine adult gay male friends passing away due to hiv.
later, they encountered a pressure to conform to specific kinks and fetishes, leading to a need to suppress their own interests until finding a partner who shared a similar rejection of labels.