TV Guide Criticizes Supernatural for Teasing Gay Audience

A recent article in TV Guide by Sadie Gennis, "Supernatural Has a Queerbaiting Problem That Needs to Stop," was a pretty strong article for a magazine that usually has nothing but nice things to say about the industry, including the Supernatural franchise (which her parent company produces).  

Her basic premise was that the writers of the series are not strong enough to have a bisexual lead, so they will only take Dean's teasing comments so far before pulling back.  She also states that Jensen Ackles and the whole production will crush any attempts to discuss his characters sexuality in the fan forums.  For instance:

But alas, all questions about sexuality are allegedly banned at conventions, a move which doesn't exactly incur the good faith of the LGBTQ community.  The most famous incident of the ban being put into action occurred at a New Jersey convention in 2013. A teenage girl was given the opportunity to ask the actors a question, but she got as far as mentioning the words "bisexual" (in relation to herself) and "subtext" (in relation to Dean) before getting cut off and booed, and Ackles eventually warned her not "ruin it for everybody."

I think Ms. Gennis is taking the horsing around on Supernatural too seriously.  The Winchester boys let a lot of comments fly about sexuality and pop culture all the time, and they do it with a wink.  That is what makes the show so much fun.   Homoerotic banter is pretty common in the everyday culture and Supernatural is putting it out there.  Whether some of the fan base runs with it is a separate affair.  And the very fact that the brothers acknowledge a fan base in the show and discuss the related slash they have generated is another big wink to the audience where they are almost telling us to behave because they are watching us watching them. 

Again, it is all in fun, and after 200 episodes I believe many would agree.  As Jensen would say, Ms. Gennis, don't ruin it for everybody.