Outward

Ask a Homo: Musical Theater and Gay Men

Noted gay Neil Patrick Harris wins a Tony award for Hedwig and the Angry Inch. 

Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions

Welcome back to Ask a Homo, a judgment-free zone where the gays of Outward answer questions about LGBTQ politics, culture, etiquette, language, and other queer conundrums. Aside from discovering a nascent love of both men and New York City in the movie version of Rent, my personal affiliation with musical theater is pretty weak. But there are plenty of gay men who truly adore Broadway. This week, we explore the history and motivations of that great gay archetype, the musical theater queen. 

If there are questions you’ve been dying to ask a member of the real rainbow coalition, this is your chance. Send your queries—for publication—to slateoutward@gmail.com, and please put “ASK A HOMO” in the subject line. Note that questions may be edited.

Other Questions Asked of Homos:

What was the best time in history to be gay?
Is it OK for heterosexual women to use the term “girl crush”? 
Do lesbian couples always reflect a butch-femme dynamic?
Why is bitchiness encouraged among gay men?
What do lesbians think of LUGs—lesbians until graduation?
Why do gay people call themselves queer?
Are gay weddings different from straight ceremonies?
Why do gay men sometimes call each other she?
What’s the deal with tops and bottoms?
Why do lesbians wear so much flannel? 
What’s the deal with the gay lisp? 
Should a straight person frequent a gay bar?