queer subtext

Queer subtext refers to hints of same-sex attraction or gender nonconformity embedded in a work without being stated explicitly.

Writers, filmmakers, and artists have used it to evade censorship or social disapproval while still communicating to audiences who recognize the signs: The queer subtext in those old Hollywood films is unmistakable once you see it.

The term often implies the creator intended the reading, distinguishing it from purely interpretive queer readings.