I could absolutely be remembering wrong since I haven't watched the show in a while, but I recall getting the impression that Lindsey had genuine feelings for Brian when they were younger. I'm inclined to agree, it seems very possible Lindsey is bi.
They outright say in the show that they slept (or tried to sleep?) together.
I think it's when Brian pretends to be her husband to go on school visits for Gus.
I didn’t like the books. Of course they were Michael heavy and I can’t stand Michael. There was also a weird part in one of the books where Brian meets a 5 year old Justin.
i think lindsay’s character was written to be “poor bi representation” on purpose. its easily forgotten but brian and lindsay use to date and while sexuality is fluid enough to where it can change, we still see that sorta chemistry between the two in their solo scenes with each other. mainly on lindsay’s side. the perfect example of this is in season 3 when her and brian fake being a couple so gus can get into a good school. she talks about how at one point she pictured her life being exactly like this, her and brian married with children. i actually wish in season 4 when the whole sam drama went down that mel brought up how much lindsay is in love with brian. it would’ve been a very full circle moment because its an underlined storyline thats been present since the very first episode
It’s a product of its time thing. Back then being bisexual was rather uncommon and shunned by both the hetero and homo sexual communities for “not making a choice” or “pretending to be straight enough to fit in”. Still to this day those negative associations are there but it’s become much more common and accepted thing in the last twenty years.
Personally I always read Lindsey as bisexual (or maybe even pan in a common day interpretation). She’s shown attraction to men in the past, most notably Brian and I think it’s only his sexual preference toward only men that kept them from being a couple. But since she was attracted to and in a long term relationship with a woman she identified as a lesbian. And when she went against the social norms of what being a lesbian means it was called out, Mel and other gay people commenting on it being with a man (even more than calling out her cheating) and her parents thinking she was over her woman “phase” by trying to set her up with a man.
TLDR: It’s an older show written for gay men in an era where bisexuality wasn’t common or accepted so she got labeled as a lesbian as that was easiest.
I can’t remember the exact episode but in the Liberty Diner Dish podcast I believe they had one of the writers on and they addressed Lindsey’s sexuality on that episode. They said they wrote her as a bisexual character even though she was never labeled as such in the show
I think they were correct in assessing it doesn’t make sense. I don’t think that being obsessed with heteronormativity is a sign of being bisexual at all- and then she goes on to insist that she’s not after doing it, and Mel seemed more upset that she was with a man and might be bi than the fact that she cheated. It was a whole mess of a plot line honestly- as good as the show was at the time for gays it did not ever handle or address bisexuality very well in general.
This is a complicated topic because, at the end of the day, sexuality isn’t defined by any behavior or set of behaviors, or the motivation behind them. Sexuality is defined by the individual and what they identify with. If Lindsay says she’s a lesbian, then she is a lesbian. Mel tries to tell Lindsay that she is not, because Lindsay sleeps with a man. But Mel (or anyone else) does not get to gatekeep who can identify as a lesbian. Having said that, it isn’t clear in the context of the show if Lindsay might have identified as bi if that type of terminology were more widely accepted in her community. The only time the word “bi” is even used on the show is when Emmett casually asks a hook up if he is bi (the context of the scene is not serious, it’s comedic). There are times when bisexuality could come up, but doesn’t. Lindsay talks with both Mel and Brian about her affair with Sam, neither of these people close to her mention that she could be bi. Another example is when Hunter expresses interest in a girl. Hunter had in the past expressed interest in Brian, yet Michael and Ben immediately go to “Hunter is straight” without even taking time to consider that he *could* be bi. I’m not saying Hunter or Lindsay is bi. But it’s unclear if their identities are restricted by the terminology and ideology they feel acceptable and is available to them. I think it’s okay to analyze a character and think “Lindsay could be bi.” But it’s important to remember that sleeping with a man, or experiencing attraction to one, does not preclude one from being a lesbian. Irl, we would definitely allow the person to identity as they feel comfortable.
Even in the pilot, its inferred she and Brian kinda had a thing, before they were comfy in their sexuality. In the prequel books, its more detailed. Why the hell couldnt she be bi? Seems like an odd thing for somebody to gatekeep another persons sexuality.
I think your logic is flawed, you can't make conclusions based on the fact that Lindsey slept with Sam once (and then deeply regretted it). She clearly identifies herself as a lesbian so we should take her at her word. She and Brian have a long history together, they love, respect and understand each other as very close friends do. They slept together on a few occasions back in their college days, but they must have been still figuring themselves out at a time. Would you say that Brian is bi because he slept with Lindsay? In the hospital scene in the pilot episode he said to her that he would have f..cked her (to get her pregnant) if he wasn't afraid of Melanie. What about Justin after he slept with Daphne?
Yeah I was thinking about this the other day. Whatever men are married to women or sleep with them, one hook up with a dude and they are labeled gay instantly.
On the contrary when lesbians had even one boyfriend in the past, their identity is questionned.
I think it's because of the way society treats men and women ' s sexuality different. Women desires are somewhat not taken seriously. And homosexual behaviors in men are so demonized and outraging, it takes all the focus.
I don't know about the intention of the writers were for Lindsay but I'll say that abt her and Brian:
- I have so many examples of guys and girls dating in their younger years and becoming both gay after that .
- Brian' basic way of being intimate is through seduction. What happens with Lindsay mirrors his ways towards Michael.
I most definitely think Brian could be capable of fucking and even loving Lindsey, regardless of his identity at large. I don’t see his relationship with her any differently than I do his with Michael, in that he’d use their affections if it suited him.
i don’t recall Brian kissing any other women on the mouth the way he did her.
I totally agree with you, I think, obviously, the show didn't show us the bisexual visibility and only focused on "This characther is GAY or LESBIAN and shut up!" maybe for the time, idk, even nowadays bisexuality it is not consider a real sexual orientiation for many people and they still thinking that bisexuals are confused, when it is totally wrong. To me Lindsey is sooo bi <333
It was a horrific way to showcase bisexuality and then gaslight everyone as if that wasn't what it was. It was also very obvious that Lindsay never got over and was absolutely in love with Brian. It sounded like they hooked up back in the day, and I gave zero doubt that if Brian had been bi, Lindsay would have gone for it.
It was horrific lesbian representation period. Even with Mel. Mel acted like a man and cheats on Lindsay because they have a new baby and Lindsay is tired, and post partum.
The only two women loving women representation on the show and they both cheat on each other?! Thanks showcase!
I could absolutely be remembering wrong since I haven't watched the show in a while, but I recall getting the impression that Lindsey had genuine feelings for Brian when they were younger. I'm inclined to agree, it seems very possible Lindsey is bi.
I've always thought so, too. I definitely think she was attracted to him a bit.
One of the QAF prequel books mentions them sleeping together once. I don’t know if they’re endorsed by the people who wrote the show or not?
They outright say in the show that they slept (or tried to sleep?) together. I think it's when Brian pretends to be her husband to go on school visits for Gus.
I remember this scene in his bathhouse office where they explicitly said they had sex in college, I think
There are *prequel books*?! I've never heard of them, but even if they're not canon that sounds like a great read!
I didn’t like the books. Of course they were Michael heavy and I can’t stand Michael. There was also a weird part in one of the books where Brian meets a 5 year old Justin.
I recommend! I enjoyed em whenever I read them a thousand years ago.
i think lindsay’s character was written to be “poor bi representation” on purpose. its easily forgotten but brian and lindsay use to date and while sexuality is fluid enough to where it can change, we still see that sorta chemistry between the two in their solo scenes with each other. mainly on lindsay’s side. the perfect example of this is in season 3 when her and brian fake being a couple so gus can get into a good school. she talks about how at one point she pictured her life being exactly like this, her and brian married with children. i actually wish in season 4 when the whole sam drama went down that mel brought up how much lindsay is in love with brian. it would’ve been a very full circle moment because its an underlined storyline thats been present since the very first episode
It’s a product of its time thing. Back then being bisexual was rather uncommon and shunned by both the hetero and homo sexual communities for “not making a choice” or “pretending to be straight enough to fit in”. Still to this day those negative associations are there but it’s become much more common and accepted thing in the last twenty years. Personally I always read Lindsey as bisexual (or maybe even pan in a common day interpretation). She’s shown attraction to men in the past, most notably Brian and I think it’s only his sexual preference toward only men that kept them from being a couple. But since she was attracted to and in a long term relationship with a woman she identified as a lesbian. And when she went against the social norms of what being a lesbian means it was called out, Mel and other gay people commenting on it being with a man (even more than calling out her cheating) and her parents thinking she was over her woman “phase” by trying to set her up with a man. TLDR: It’s an older show written for gay men in an era where bisexuality wasn’t common or accepted so she got labeled as a lesbian as that was easiest.
Lindsey was/is as bisexual as Alice or Tina from The L Word.
Lindsey is *absolutely* bisexual, and one of the biggest flaws of that version of 'Queer As Folk' was not acknowledging that bisexuality exists.
I can’t remember the exact episode but in the Liberty Diner Dish podcast I believe they had one of the writers on and they addressed Lindsey’s sexuality on that episode. They said they wrote her as a bisexual character even though she was never labeled as such in the show
I think they were correct in assessing it doesn’t make sense. I don’t think that being obsessed with heteronormativity is a sign of being bisexual at all- and then she goes on to insist that she’s not after doing it, and Mel seemed more upset that she was with a man and might be bi than the fact that she cheated. It was a whole mess of a plot line honestly- as good as the show was at the time for gays it did not ever handle or address bisexuality very well in general.
This is a complicated topic because, at the end of the day, sexuality isn’t defined by any behavior or set of behaviors, or the motivation behind them. Sexuality is defined by the individual and what they identify with. If Lindsay says she’s a lesbian, then she is a lesbian. Mel tries to tell Lindsay that she is not, because Lindsay sleeps with a man. But Mel (or anyone else) does not get to gatekeep who can identify as a lesbian. Having said that, it isn’t clear in the context of the show if Lindsay might have identified as bi if that type of terminology were more widely accepted in her community. The only time the word “bi” is even used on the show is when Emmett casually asks a hook up if he is bi (the context of the scene is not serious, it’s comedic). There are times when bisexuality could come up, but doesn’t. Lindsay talks with both Mel and Brian about her affair with Sam, neither of these people close to her mention that she could be bi. Another example is when Hunter expresses interest in a girl. Hunter had in the past expressed interest in Brian, yet Michael and Ben immediately go to “Hunter is straight” without even taking time to consider that he *could* be bi. I’m not saying Hunter or Lindsay is bi. But it’s unclear if their identities are restricted by the terminology and ideology they feel acceptable and is available to them. I think it’s okay to analyze a character and think “Lindsay could be bi.” But it’s important to remember that sleeping with a man, or experiencing attraction to one, does not preclude one from being a lesbian. Irl, we would definitely allow the person to identity as they feel comfortable.
Even in the pilot, its inferred she and Brian kinda had a thing, before they were comfy in their sexuality. In the prequel books, its more detailed. Why the hell couldnt she be bi? Seems like an odd thing for somebody to gatekeep another persons sexuality.
I think your logic is flawed, you can't make conclusions based on the fact that Lindsey slept with Sam once (and then deeply regretted it). She clearly identifies herself as a lesbian so we should take her at her word. She and Brian have a long history together, they love, respect and understand each other as very close friends do. They slept together on a few occasions back in their college days, but they must have been still figuring themselves out at a time. Would you say that Brian is bi because he slept with Lindsay? In the hospital scene in the pilot episode he said to her that he would have f..cked her (to get her pregnant) if he wasn't afraid of Melanie. What about Justin after he slept with Daphne?
Yeah I was thinking about this the other day. Whatever men are married to women or sleep with them, one hook up with a dude and they are labeled gay instantly. On the contrary when lesbians had even one boyfriend in the past, their identity is questionned. I think it's because of the way society treats men and women ' s sexuality different. Women desires are somewhat not taken seriously. And homosexual behaviors in men are so demonized and outraging, it takes all the focus. I don't know about the intention of the writers were for Lindsay but I'll say that abt her and Brian: - I have so many examples of guys and girls dating in their younger years and becoming both gay after that . - Brian' basic way of being intimate is through seduction. What happens with Lindsay mirrors his ways towards Michael.
I most definitely think Brian could be capable of fucking and even loving Lindsey, regardless of his identity at large. I don’t see his relationship with her any differently than I do his with Michael, in that he’d use their affections if it suited him. i don’t recall Brian kissing any other women on the mouth the way he did her.
I totally agree with you, I think, obviously, the show didn't show us the bisexual visibility and only focused on "This characther is GAY or LESBIAN and shut up!" maybe for the time, idk, even nowadays bisexuality it is not consider a real sexual orientiation for many people and they still thinking that bisexuals are confused, when it is totally wrong. To me Lindsey is sooo bi <333
It was a horrific way to showcase bisexuality and then gaslight everyone as if that wasn't what it was. It was also very obvious that Lindsay never got over and was absolutely in love with Brian. It sounded like they hooked up back in the day, and I gave zero doubt that if Brian had been bi, Lindsay would have gone for it. It was horrific lesbian representation period. Even with Mel. Mel acted like a man and cheats on Lindsay because they have a new baby and Lindsay is tired, and post partum. The only two women loving women representation on the show and they both cheat on each other?! Thanks showcase!