straightwashing
Denying character's sexuality
Straightwashing is the practice of portraying historical figures or fictional characters as heterosexual when evidence suggests they were gay, bisexual, or otherwise queer.
The term mirrors whitewashing—erasing identity to fit a dominant norm.
It most often describes film adaptations that downplay or remove same-sex relationships from source material: The biopic straightwashed her by turning her female lover into a male friend.
Strong negative reaction
- outrageFierce moral indignation
- controversyProlonged public disagreement
- boycottOrganized economic protest
- activismDirect effort for reform
protest · hashtag · callout · discourse · fandom · criticism · accountability · awareness
Implying queerness for profit
- representationDepiction or likeness
- misrepresentationFalse or misleading statement
- sanitizationCleaning to remove pathogens
- invisibilizationMaking something unseen
marginalization · silencing · exclusion · tokenism · assimilation · homogenization · decontextualization · oversimplification
Fitting to new conditions
- reinterpretationNew understanding of something
- castingShaping through liquid form
- HollywoodAmerican film industry center
- remakeNew version created
retcon · fanfiction · headcanon · canon · portrayal · biopic · filmmaking · television
Assumed universal straightness
- binaryConsisting of two parts
- conformityAdherence to norms
- patriarchyMale-dominated social order
- privilegeExclusive right or benefit
backlash
Strong negative reaction
- outrageFierce moral indignation
- controversyProlonged public disagreement
- boycottOrganized economic protest
activism · protest · hashtag · callout · discourse · fandom · criticism · accountability · awareness · allyship
queerbaiting
Implying queerness for profit
- representationDepiction or likeness
- misrepresentationFalse or misleading statement
- sanitizationCleaning to remove pathogens
invisibilization · marginalization · silencing · exclusion · tokenism · assimilation · homogenization · decontextualization · oversimplification · stereotyping
adaptation
Fitting to new conditions
- reinterpretationNew understanding of something
- castingShaping through liquid form
- HollywoodAmerican film industry center
remake · retcon · fanfiction · headcanon · canon · portrayal · biopic · filmmaking · television · streaming
heteronormativity
Assumed universal straightness
- binaryConsisting of two parts
- conformityAdherence to norms
- patriarchyMale-dominated social order
straightwashingqueer representation
Depicting non-heterosexual identities in media
straightwashingfaithful adaptation
Version preserving original's essence
straight, wash, washing, washed, washer, washers, washes, straighter, straightest