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Is there such thing as gaydar?
Results so far:
| Yes | 45% | 190 votes | Total: 424 votes | |
| No | 55% | 234 votes |
Yes
by Dan Keizer
Created on: June 05, 2010 Last Updated: June 06, 2010
Gaydar is a term that came into common use in the 1990's, when open homosexuality became more common and accepted in society. As one would assume, gaydar is a person's ability to detect gayness in another individual.
This talent or insight is more than identifying traits in an individual that are commonly associated with stereotypes in gay culture. It goes to a deeper level than simply seeing short hair and a Polo shirt on a woman, or frosted tips and sandals on a male.
In theory, a person claiming they possess gaydar is able to detect homosexuality even if these stereotypes are absent. People with gaydar can spot a gay male even if that guy is attending a football game while swinging a girl on his arm. They can spot a "switch hitter" even a particular female is sitting in a salon reading an old copy of Family Circle.
Questioning the validity of gaydar is understandable. Many people who claim they can spot a homosexual of any type are also the type to slap the gay label on anybody and only afterwards recognize cases where they have been proved right. On the other hand there are people out there who swear they can always identify a gay or lesbian, but will claim that a friend with a lisp and an equality sticker on the back of his car is straight.
But the fact that there are people out there who are always right, even when there is contrary evidence and the popular consensus is otherwise. Whenever there is a shocking case of a celebrity, family member or close friend coming out of the closet, there always seems to be one or two people around who are proved right on what they had been saying for years.
Gaydar is most likely just a hypersensitivity to the same things that the average person looks for in spotting a gay man or a lesbian. While a homosexual whose status is "in the closet" is certainly not going to be wearing rainbow suspenders at a Sarah McLachlan concert, they will likely betray little habits or signals occasionally which can be picked up by a watchful eye.
While the typical person looks for gay-associated stereotypes, the true possessor of gaydar looks for miniscule details in appearance, actions or personality tics. Along with huge red flags in gayness, gaydar will detect things in a gay subject like aversion to certain topics regarding females, a feminine but dominating or coldly objective manner in prospective lesbians, or changes in personality when a person has been drinking for example.
Everybody has certain talents or proficiencies. Some people can tell what region of the country their strawberries came from just by looking, and there are individuals out there that are not surprised to find out that George Peppard was a gay man. It is a very real thing.
Learn more about this author, Dan Keizer.
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No
by Freyda Tartak
Created on: October 26, 2009
Gaydar, a term used for some people's intuitive ability to detect other people's propensity for being attracted to the same sex, is nothing more than a best guess. The term is meant to sound mechanical, like radar. But, radar is much more fool proof.
In actuality, if a person is gay and has not sworn themselves to a life of celibacy, they have to be willing to put out some clues. Those individuals that gift themselves with the power of "gaydar" are simply trying to say that they are better at pin pointing subtle hints than most of the other people they know.
Due to the delicate nature of sexuality, and society's sometimes complete aversion to homosexuality, some people are much more shy about the clues they make available. Subtlety is their best defence against prejudice and adverse reactions from their peers. After all, letting the wrong people know of a person's sexual orientation could impact their ability to not only earn a living but, also stay away from physical harm. Just look at what happened on Jenny Jones.
Some people are fearless, and some are defiant. Those that are really out there, or flaming, have gay written all over them and no amount of metro sexuality will cover it up. They are the ones that were assless chaps on top of the gay pride floats. Others, wear suits and ties to their jobs as CEO's of Fortune 500 companies and work toward curing childhood diabetes. Others still work as education professionals helping sculpt young minds. For those people, it would be career suicide to be so open about their personal choices. Still, everybody wants to be loved and has certain physical needs.
The other side of the coin is that it really does take one to know one. If we, ourselves, possess certain qualities, these are easier to detect in others. We know what to look for. A Polish person can spot another Pole from across a crowded room while staring at the back of their head. This is true for any group that is closely linked into their personal identity. This is no more a function of any sort of radar than an ability to be at peace with oneself and see in others mutually shared qualities. Those that profess to have "gaydar" are just looking for bragging rights and false attention. They are also the ones most likely to get beat to a pulp in a dark alley when their "gaydar" malfunctions at the wrong time, and in the wrong place.
Learn more about this author, Freyda Tartak.
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