The Sassy Gay Friend: The New Magical Stereotype

The Magical Negro is a powerful figure in American fiction. He’s had a constant presence in cinema and television from the beginning. From little Ms. Temple’s dear friend Bojangles to the honkies’ saving grace Michael Clark Duncan in The Green Mile, the Magical Negro has been featured as one of the more prominent stereotypes in our media. Author Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu, however, outlines the problem: It is the subordination of a minority figure masked as the empowerment of one. This disguised denigration has been protested and lambasted, notably by African-American filmmaker Spike Lee, and has seen less prominence in the public forum. But it did not leave without finding a replacement: the Sassy Gay Friend.

The Sassy Gay Friend is a perfect heir to the throne as a minority striving for acceptance by secretly subordinating itself. Okorafor-Mbachu identifies what he calls the “5 Points of the Magical Negro” as the following most common attributes:

1. He or she is a person of color, typically black, often Native American, in a story about predominantly white characters.
2. He or she seems to have nothing better to do than help the white protagonist, who is often a stranger to the Magical Negro at first.
3. He or she disappears, dies, or sacrifices something of great value after or while helping the white protagonist.
4. He or she is uneducated, mentally handicapped, at a low position in life, or all of the above.
5. He or she is wise, patient, and spiritually in touch. Closer to the earth, one might say. He or she often literally has magical powers.

Each of theses 5 attributes can be found within the Sassy Gay Friend with little modification other than replacing each minority and majority with its proper parallel. Modeled after Okorafor-Mbachu’s own points, the “5 Points of the Sassy Gay Friend” would be as follows:

1. He or she is a homosexual, possibly bisexual, in a story about predominantly heterosexual characters.
2. He or she seems to have nothing better to do than help the straight protagonist, who is his or her close friend. He or she acts as the protagonist’s confidant.
3. He or she disappears, dies, or sacrifices something of great value after or while helping the straight protagonist.
4. He or she is intelligent, witty, campy or all of the above. He or she is identified by these archetypal traits as opposed to developed characterizations.
5. He or she is wise, patient, and spiritually in touch. He or she often literally has magical powers, or powers and abilities the heterosexual characters do not and cannot possess.

Each stereotype has its prejudiced parallels. While the Magical Negro would be pigeonholed into a working class or poverty level circumstance (point number 3) the Sassy Gay Friend will be found privileged in a stereotypically gay profession: designer, decorator, artist of some type, etc. Each mystical character will come from society’s stereotype of where they should be: the black man below the white; the gay man ironically distanced and culturally above the straight.

Homosexual characters in television and film are increasing as the years pass. This would be a positive step forward if it weren’t for the fact that the majority of these characters are relegated to being the Sassy Gay Friend. The character is used for comedic effect, is secondary to the heterosexual characters, and is used seriously only when advice, solace or comfort is needed. Take, for example, Rupert Everett’s character in the Julia Roberts romantic comedy My Best Friend’s Wedding. He is a perfect example of the Sassy Gay Friend stereotype. The character is Julia Roberts’ confidant. He is there only when needed as a wise sage figure, or as a deus ex machina. He exists solely to guide the straight protagonist safely through her journey using nothing but witty repartee, the occasional bon mot and well-coiffed hair.

Or, look at the recent ABC sitcom Modern Family. Praised for its portrayal of a functional, loving homosexual couple, Modern Family often finds itself guilty of utilizing the stereotype of the Sassy Gay Friend. It makes the mistake already cited from Okorafor-Mbachu of appearing to empower the homosexual while truly subordinating it. The straight couples carry the largest dramatic weight on the show, whereas the homosexual couple is relegated to comedic relief. An undercurrent of “how can two stereotypical homosexual men fulfill the gender roles of a traditional heterosexual couple?” weakens any attempt at dramatic weight for the homosexual couple. This dichotomy allows for much humor, but very little progress for the homosexual. These are characters defined solely by their sexuality – and not just their sexuality alone – but their sexuality as a stereotype. While heterosexual characters may have varied interests and hobbies, the gay characters’ interests and hobbies are limited to “being gay.” While Finn on Glee may enjoy singing and football and Rachel is Jewish, loves musical theatre and being a diva; Kurt will always just be “the gay kid.”

The use of the Sassy Gay Friend places the homosexual at a safe distance from both the heterosexual character and the heterosexual viewer. Because the Sassy Gay Friend is there solely for entertainment and sage advice when needed, it allows the heterosexual to be left unharmed by the gayness of the Sassy Gay Friend. Rather than understanding the homosexual, the heterosexual viewer is able to point to the Sassy Gay Friend and say “I want one of those,” much like one would say about a new pair of Ferragamo shoes. A shopping decision surely made at the behest of your new gay best friend, who is great at helping you shop.