queer coding

Queer coding is the practice of giving fictional characters traits that suggest they are gay, lesbian, or otherwise non-heterosexual without explicitly stating it.

Historically, this allowed creators to hint at queerness while avoiding censorship or social backlash—Disney villains with effeminate mannerisms, for instance, or the ambiguously close female companions in old Hollywood films.

The technique can be subversive representation or harmful stereotype, depending on execution and intent: Critics have noted the queer coding of villains reinforces negative associations.