The gay best friend

The character was supposed to be fired by Wilhelmina early on, but he was so popular with viewers that he lasted the entire series. A lot of the time, Kurt was following Rachel along, but as he got older, he started chasing some dreams of his own, becoming a more rounded out character.

The most recent entry on our list, Julien is keeping the GBF trope alive and well today! Perhaps the earliest example of the classic Gay Best Friend character is in movie The Woman in Red, a Gene Wilder comedy about a married man who becomes obsessed with a model (Kelly LeBrock.

While straight people haven't always been supportive of our rights, there's nothing they want more than a sassy and stylish gay best. He's fashionable, witty, charming, and understands women, making him the perfect GBF.

Played by out actor Mario Cantone, he was always ready with a quip, and eventually married Stanford Blatch, making the GBF power couple of our dreams. Andrew Rannells brought this GBF to life, and actually made him into one of the more likable characters on Girls.

By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. TV loves a gay best friend! Mey Rude is a journalist and cultural critic who has been covering queer news for a decade. While Rickie Vasquez can fit into this trope, he does ring differently than your average GBF, and that's because of the authentic and terrific performance by Wilson Cruz.

Kurt, played by Chris Colfer, actually had a lot of character growth over the series, but still, for much of it, he was basically Rachel's gay best friend.

The Gay Best Friend : The term ‘gay best friend’ (GBF) is inherently microaggressive

He is initially standoffish with Emily, calling her La Plouc the hickbut after she fires a jab back at him, he decides he likes her and soon becomes her main source for office gossip. Thanks to her sassy and wise GBF, she's ready to face the modern world.

And while the trope was already old and used up at this time, the show did help a whole segment of America become more comfortable with gay people, even if Will was played by a straight actor. While straight people haven't always been supportive of our rights, there's nothing they want more than a sassy and stylish gay best friend to give them advice, read them when necessary, and never be afraid to speak the truth.

The Gay Best Friend is a trope as old as homosexuality itself. While the trope gets old fast, it has given big roles to some truly talented queer actors. But it's been reclaimed recently. Because of this, the GBF has been a common trope both in movies and in TV, going back decades and continuing on until today.

Another character who was able to flip the trope on its head sometimes, Tituss Burgess' Titus Andromedon was the perfect GBF for Kimmy Schmidt as she learned about the outside world after she got out of the bunker. Whether he was with one of his numerous boyfriends or dropping quippy one-liners, Hannah's sometimes-roommate was a GBF to remember.

For years, the "gay best friend" trope existed in television as a stereotypical and offensive form of representation. Nelsan Ellis played this iconic True Blood character who was a no-nonsense cook and drug and vampire blood dealer.

The Gay Best Friend is a trope as old as homosexuality itself. Email Newsletter Subscribe Subscriber Services. Lafayette served as the GBF for whoever needed him, whether it was Tara or Sookie, and always stood up for himself. Cruz became the first out gay actor to play a lead gay character on American TV when he played Vasquez, forever changing gay Hollywood history.

Here's a look back at some of the sassiest GBFs in television history.