User:Fairyzizi/Queerbaiting

Lead
It comes from a larger history of LGBT discourse in media representation dating back to the 1970s from subtle marketing to LGBT people through commercials and books.

By engaging with queerbaiting, fans participate in a form of activism to call for a better form a representation in media.

Critiques
Critics of those who engage in queerbaiting discourse point to its similarity, and perhaps confusion by audiences, with subtext. Subtext became popular in media, especially in film, during the 1930's due to the Hay's Code which limited what can be shown on screen. The use of subtext has been a literary ploy to tell a variety of stories since. However, those who engage with queerbaiting discourse argue that LGBT representation no longer needs to be in the shadows of media. Instead of adding artistic value, queer fans view this tactic as perpetuating LGBT marginalization.