Is Batman still gay?

[SoylentGreen]

Story | Edmonton Journal

- One of the most infamous cases of superheroes being put on the couch was Fredric Wertham's 1954 tome Seduction of the Innocent......His longest tirade was aimed at Batman. His assertion was that the dynamic duo - two toned men living together in a sumptuous mansion, all the while sharing a double life that involved dressing up in masks and spandex - was a mentally unstable homosexual "wish dream" that could "stimulate children to homosexual fantasies." He also charged that comic books were implementing and re-enforcing homosexual thoughts because Robin was drawn with bare legs, that were often wide open, and that Robin seemed devoted and attached to only Batman. - According to Bart Beaty, a University of Calgary professor and comics historian ..., Wertham has gotten an unfairly hard ride over the past half-century for his gay-Batman assertions and his implied homophobia. For starters, says Beaty, it was not Wertham who read the gay subtext into the Batman and Robin storyline, but his young - and homosexual - patients. "It's almost impossible to deny the gay subtext to Batman, and not surprising it would arise in the context of Wertham's practice," he adds. "Wertham worked in a clinic for sex offenders, many of whom were actually just gay, but in the day homosexuality was still considered a mental disease, and would be until the 1970s. Wertham, very much in the psychological mainstream of the day, was still treating (homosexuality) as a disorder." Going even further, Beaty says the long-lasting and nearly universal overreaction to Wertham's gay-Batman comments owes much to the largely male and increasingly homosocial (and hence more-than-slightly oversensitive to gay-readings) comic-book fan-base who openly resented the doctor's breaking of the gay-dynamic-duo taboo.

It is an outdated study , but still interesting.
The question is , is batman still gay? And now that homosexuality is more socially accepted, should he come out.?
Were you as a gay person influenced by this.
Do you think that comic books are a bad influence on kids and is it creditable to suppose that Batman is a gay agenda to influence our kids?
Does this also mean that lesbianism was influenced by Wonder Woman?

[notworthabean]

I don't think he's gay in the "omg faboulsu" kind of way, but I can see there being a deep connection between batman and robin. Whether this amounts to a sexual relationship is unknown but I can see how a homosexual would imagine it so.

[Technosoul]

I'm not sure. The new superman movie has him shacking up with his co-worker from the newspaper.

Spiderman had a big love affair.

But he Bat is still hanging out in his cave with boy wonder. hmm?

Robin? what a name. does not sound very manish, they could have used hawk, eagle, or night owl. But no... the little red robin comes bob bob boppin along.

[Chaossaber314]

Dick Greyson does actually become Nightwing. That's significantly better.

[SoylentGreen]

Yes but look what happened. He changes his costume and his name and splits up with Batman. And now he is angst filled and depressed all the time, sounds like a lovers quarrel doesn't it.

[phoenix_fire]

Well, it's a sign of the times. Nowadays, not only would people read homosexuality into it, but the Internet would be (and probably is) littered with Batman/Robin yaoi fanfics and amvs. They do have a real seme-uke vibe going on.

[Nono]

Quote by: SG Is Batman still gay?

Is da pope still Catholic?

[SoylentGreen]

Why is we can't have one serious discussion about Batman without some one bringing religion into it

[HelioPrime]

Catwoman was a lesbian

[Technosoul]

Quote by: HelioPrime Catwoman was a lesbian

I don't care, I like Wonder Woman.

[Jack]

Why is we can't have one serious discussion about Batman without some one bringing religion into it

A line worthy of Steven Wright.
Again we face the behavior/orientation issue. Batman and Robin certainly exhibit all the outward manifestations of a committed gay couple, but have they ever consummated their relationship? Have they explored their feelings for one another, or do they function day to day, saving Gotham City, secretly wishing they were cast instead in Brokeback Mountain? Has Batman ever told Robin how good he looks in his tights?
And where does Albert fit into all this? Did he bring them together? Is he a deeply closeted gay who is living vicariously through B&R?
I doubt we'll ever know for sure. One can only hope, on those nights far from the public eye and beyond the pages of a comic book, they have been able to expose their deepest feelings to each other and at long last, Batman has been able to discover why his sidekick is called "The Boy Wonder".

[SoylentGreen]

Quote by: HelioPrime Catwoman was a lesbian

Can you quote source for that allegation?

[tinybear]

Batwoman's a lesbian. Catwoman? Nah, I think not.

[Chaossaber314]

Personally I always saw the B&R relationship as father and son. Particularly once Tim Drake became Robin. If there was something going on with that Robin at his age, homosexuality was the least of his issues.

[tinybear]

Yeah, I don't think there's anything between Batman & Robin. Still I wonder why Robin never dates anyone, and, let's face it, what sorta sissy name is "Robin"? :)

[Milton Bradley]

Quote by: tinybear and, let's face it, what sorta sissy name is "Robin"? :)

Um, British?

[Deraj]

I think the answer is clear: Batman is too angry and afraid of intimacy to experience sex in a proper and healthy way.

And Robin is as gay as the day is long.

An addendum...

The targeted adds for this "gay" thread are quite entertaining.

[Zinkovich]

Ha! I have the perfect image for this thread(Superman's the other dude in the bed, BTW):

[Chancellor]

Quote by: Isherwood A line worthy of Steven Wright. Again we face the behavior/orientation issue. Batman and Robin certainly exhibit all the outward manifestations of a committed gay couple, but have they ever consummated their relationship? Have they explored their feelings for one another, or do they function day to day, saving Gotham City, secretly wishing they were cast instead in Brokeback Mountain? Has Batman ever told Robin how good he looks in his tights? And where does Albert fit into all this? Did he bring them together? Is he a deeply closeted gay who is living vicariously through B&R? I doubt we'll ever know for sure. One can only hope, on those nights far from the public eye and beyond the pages of a comic book, they have been able to expose their deepest feelings to each other and at long last, Batman has been able to discover why his sidekick is called "The Boy Wonder".

One element of this that hasn't been brought up, but that does exist within the homosexual world, is the whole daddy-son thing. Remember that Robin's alter-ego was the ward of Batman's alter-ego.

Then again, this could be viewed more as a pederastic relationship than a homosexual one.

[Chancellor]

Quote by: tinybear Yeah, I don't think there's anything between Batman & Robin. Still I wonder why Robin never dates anyone, and, let's face it, what sorta sissy name is "Robin"? :)

British, Canadian. Much like naming a man Hope or Beverly.