This article was downloaded by: [Universidad de Puerto Rico, Sistema de Bibliotecas

UPRRP]
On: 04 September 2014, At: 00:19
Publisher: Routledge
Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered
office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK
Journal of Homosexuality
Publication details, including instructions for authors and
subscription information:
http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/wjhm20
The Boy Who Would Be Queen: Hints and
Closets on Children's Television
Jeffery P. Dennis PhD
a
a
Department of Sociology , SUNY Oneonta , Oneonta, New York, USA
Published online: 04 Aug 2009.
To cite this article: Jeffery P. Dennis PhD (2009) The Boy Who Would Be Queen: Hints and Closets on
Children's Television, Journal of Homosexuality, 56:6, 738-756, DOI: 10.1080/00918360903054210
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00918360903054210
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE
Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the
Content) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis,
our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to
the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions
and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors,
and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content
should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources
of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims,
proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or
howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising
out of the use of the Content.
This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any
substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing,
systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms &
Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-
and-conditions
738
Journal of Homosexuality, 56:738756, 2009
Copyright Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
ISSN: 0091-8369 print/1540-3602 online
DOI: 10.1080/00918360903054210
WJHM 0091-8369 1540-3602 Journal of Homosexuality, Vol. 56, No. 6, June 2009: pp. 130 Journal of Homosexuality
The Boy Who Would Be Queen: Hints
and Closets on Childrens Television
The Boy Who Would Be Queen J. P. Dennis
JEFFERY P. DENNIS, PhD
Department of Sociology, SUNY Oneonta, Oneonta, New York, USA
Although American television programs targeted at children and
adolescents posit universal heterosexuality and never openly
allude to LGBT persons, a content analysis of 102 episodes of 25
contemporary childrens programs revealed many examples of
resistance to the heteronormative ideology: intimate same-sex
friendships; inclusive statements or stage business; scenes that hint
at the existence of same-sex desire; gender-transgressive or otherwise
gay-stereotyped characters; and jokes and references that require a
knowledge of gay culture. The impact of this resistance on viewers is
analyzed through fan fiction and artwork, and potential explanations
are examined.
KEYWORDS adolescence, children, gay men, heteronormativity,
homosexuality, mass media, stereotypes, television, youth
During the last two decades, gay men and lesbians have become increas-
ingly common across the spectrum of television programming (Capsuto,
2000; Raley & Lucas, 2006; Smith, 1991). Home makeover programs target
same-sex couples nearly as often as malefemale couples; gay or lesbian
contestants regularly win reality show competitions; even staid network sit-
coms occasionally feature gay or lesbian stereotypes. However, programs
targeted to children and adolescents remain utterly silent about gay poten-
tial, either because the writers, directors, and actors believe that children
must not be aware that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT)
people exist, or because they fear public disapprobation. In 2005, the rumor
that a video starring undersea denizen Spongebob Squarepants would
include a plea for tolerance of gay people prompted hysterical protests from
Address correspondence to Jeffery P. Dennis, Department of Sociology, SUNY Oneonta,
Oneonta, NY 13820. E-mail: dennisjp@oneonta.edu
D
o
w
n
l
o
a
d
e
d

b
y

[
U
n
i
v
e
r
s
i
d
a
d

d
e

P
u
e
r
t
o

R
i
c
o
,

S
i
s
t
e
m
a

d
e

B
i
b
l
i
o
t
e
c
a
s

U
P
R
R
P
]

a
t

0
0
:
1
9

0
4

S
e
p
t
e
m
b
e
r

2
0
1
4

The Boy Who Would Be Queen 739
watchdog groups and aghast denials from producers. Any hour of evening
programming on the three major childrens networks, Nickelodeon, the Dis-
ney Channel, and Cartoon Network, will portray boys and girls of every
age, from toddlers to teenagers, swooning over persons of the other sex,
having boyfriends and girlfriends, going steady, falling in and out of love,
but never a word suggesting that heterosexual experience is not universal
human experience.
Yet, in that same hour of evening programming, there will be a dozen
hints and signals, references that make no sense without an awareness of
gay culture, jokes that subtly acknowledge same-sex desire or practice,
intimate friendships that would be instantly ravaged by watchdog groups if
they used the word gay, and exhortations that nobody can tell you who to
love. Queering, locating undertows of same-sex desire between putatively
heterosexual characters (Doty, 1993), is actually easier in programs targeted
to children and adolescents than those targeted to adults.
Several scholars have analyzed the potential of childrens television,
particularly the animated cartoon, to both maintain and disrupt dominant
ideologies (Davies, 1995; Dennis, 2003; Dines, 1995), but few have
commented on apparent paradox of staunch heteronormativity (Warner,
1993) coexisting with winking asides; indeed, most fail to acknowledge the
existence of LGBT people at all (e.g., Bryant, 2006; Buckingham, 1996;
Gunther, 1997; Lemish, 2006). This study will investigate the disruptions of
heteronormativity in a sample of current television programs aimed at
children and adolescents, and argue that they are used by LGBT viewers to
actively resist the ideological attempt to erase their desires and practices
from conscious thought.
METHOD
For this study, the population of television programs was limited to three
childrens networks available in most basic cable packages in the United
States and via satellite in other countries: the Cartoon Network, the Disney
Channel, and Nickelodeon. To avoid the adult-oriented Nick at Nite on
Nickelodeon and Adult Swim on the Cartoon Network, the population
was further narrowed to include only programs airing during the early
evening hours, between 6:00 and 9:00 p.m. Eastern time. Only programs
produced in the United States or Canada were included to avoid the cultural
difficulties of deciphering same-sex desire in Japanese anime. Finally,
programs featuring only nonhumans, such as Spongebob Squarepants and
Camp Lazlo, were excluded. Twenty-five programs remained, eight on the
Cartoon Network, nine on the Disney Channel, and eight on Nickelodeon.
During March and April 2007, a total of 102 episodes were analyzed,
including a systematic sample of between one and five episodes per
D
o
w
n
l
o
a
d
e
d

b
y

[
U
n
i
v
e
r
s
i
d
a
d

d
e

P
u
e
r
t
o

R
i
c
o
,

S
i
s
t
e
m
a

d
e

B
i
b
l
i
o
t
e
c
a
s

U
P
R
R
P
]

a
t

0
0
:
1
9

0
4

S
e
p
t
e
m
b
e
r

2
0
1
4

740 J. P. Dennis
program, depending on the network rotation (Lafayette, 2004; Schmuckler,
2006), plus a purposive sample of additional episodes of series judged
particularly likely to disrupt heteronormativity. Viewer responses were
analyzed through the forums on tv.com and Nickelodeon.com, fan fiction
uploaded to the Web site FanFiction.net, and fan artwork uploaded to Fan-
ArtCentral.net and DeviantArt.com.
Three independent variables were measured: format, live action or
animation; age, child or adolescent protagonists; and fantasy, the degree to
which the program departed from film conventions for staging mundane
reality. Fifteen of the programs, slightly more than half, were animated; 12
of these featured children in primary roles, and only 3 featured adolescents
(American Dragon: Jake Long, The Emperors New School, Kim Possible).
Eight of the 10 live-action programs featured adolescents, usually in middle
school or the first year of high school; only 2 (The Naked Brothers Band,
The Suite Life of Zack and Cody) featured children (see Appendix 1). No
doubt this pattern reflects the intended audiences: animation is directed
primarily at older children (912 years old), and live-action is directed
primarily at younger teenagers (1215 years old), though both types of
programs draw viewers from other age groups, including a significant number
of adults.
The live action programs targeted at younger teenagers, like programs
targeted to older teenagers and adults (M. White, 1992; Wilson, 1993),
tended to be strictly naturalistic, depicting a stereotypic normal life with a
minimum of science fiction or paranormal conventions, although a few,
such as Neds Declassified School Survival Guide, had surreal elements. The
animated series tended to have an equally naturalistic frame: The children
live in nuclear families, in stereotypical American suburbs, attend school,
and are concerned with homework, tests, sports, and bullies. However,
animated stories always moved beyond the everyday: On Fairly Oddpar-
ents, misapplied wishes send Timmy Turner and his fairy godparents into a
bewildering array of alternative universes, while The Grim Adventures of
Billy and Mandy might involve a tour of the underworld or an encounter
with Eris, the Goddess of Discord.
Six dependent variables were measured. Intimate friendships were
same-sex friendships of particular intensity and intimacy, which could be
read (or misread) as depictions of homoerotic bonds. Inclusivity appeared
in statements that failed to universalize heterosexual desire (When you like
someone rather than When a boy and a girl like each other), as well as
stage business that failed to universalize heterosexual practice (a male teen
idol has fans of both sexes rather than only girls). Hints, suggestions that
same-sex desire or practice exists, were measured through explicit same-sex
practices (dancing, dating, kissing), even if presented as a mistake or a joke.
Stereotypes included gender-transgressive interests or activities (a boy who
studies ballet, a girl in shop class), even if presented as unremarkable or
D
o
w
n
l
o
a
d
e
d

b
y

[
U
n
i
v
e
r
s
i
d
a
d

d
e

P
u
e
r
t
o

R
i
c
o
,

S
i
s
t
e
m
a

d
e

B
i
b
l
i
o
t
e
c
a
s

U
P
R
R
P
]

a
t

0
0
:
1
9

0
4

S
e
p
t
e
m
b
e
r

2
0
1
4

The Boy Who Would Be Queen 741
praiseworthy; transvestism, even if presented as a mistake or a joke; and
male characters with feminine affect, or female characters with masculine
affect. References were jokes, statements, titles, or character names that
demonstrate an awareness of gay culture. Finally, physicality referred to
depictions of masculine beauty, which might subvert the heterosexual male
gaze and provide a space for awareness of male same-sex attraction; such
depictions could be adolescents or adults, or preteen boys subjected to magi-
cal transformations (e.g., in the introductory montage of Fairly Oddparents,
Timmy Turner wishes for and receives a buff bod). Female physicality was
not measured because it was ubiquitous.
INTIMATE FRIENDSHIPS
Many same-sex friendships in mass media texts are sufficiently intense and
intimate to be queered, read or misread as tacit validations of same-sex
experience. However, the childrens programs examined for this study seem
almost deliberately designed to forestall queering. In 12 shows, the primary
relationship was a boygirl pair, either platonic friends or brother and sister,
and in 7, friends came in trios or groups, so no special same-sex intimacy
could be distinguished. Six programs did feature same-sex pairs in primary
roles, but the possibility that the characters might have an unstated
homoerotic bond was minimized by making them brothers (The Suite Life of
Zack and Cody) or foster brothers (Drake and Josh), or by making one of
the partners nonhuman, a sort of sentient pet (Fosters Home for Imaginary
Friends, My Gym Partners a Monkey, Squirrel Boy).
Two episodes depicted primary characters developing an instant,
intense crush on someone of the same sex, but these bonds were only
temporary. On Hannah Montana, teenage Jackson (Jason Earles) meets
celebrity hanger-on Stavros (Daniel Booko), who leers at him, says
awesome in appreciation of his beauty, and bluntly asks him out. A subse-
quent montage shows the boys delighted in each others company and
ignoring pop star Hannah; but Stavros turns out to be shallow and drops
Jackson when a better opportunity arises. On The Suite Life of Zack and
Cody, visiting teen idol Jesse McCarthy, playing himself, ignores the girls
fawning over him and eagerly courts Zack (Dylan Sprouse); his enthusiasm
surprises everyone and suggests an emotional investment that cannot easily
be explained as male bonding.
Although primary characters were forever forming intimate bonds with
the other sex, secondary characters often came in male same-sex pairs.
Chester and A.J. on Fairly Oddparents do everything together, including
dance together at parties; when A.J. expresses a temporary interest in a girl,
Chester yells Ive lost him! On Drake and Josh, the nerds Eric (Scott
Halberstadt) and Craig (Alec Medlock) bicker, finish each others sentences,
D
o
w
n
l
o
a
d
e
d

b
y

[
U
n
i
v
e
r
s
i
d
a
d

d
e

P
u
e
r
t
o

R
i
c
o
,

S
i
s
t
e
m
a

d
e

B
i
b
l
i
o
t
e
c
a
s

U
P
R
R
P
]

a
t

0
0
:
1
9

0
4

S
e
p
t
e
m
b
e
r

2
0
1
4

742 J. P. Dennis
make in-jokes, and refer to long-past experiences, precisely like a romantic
couple. They are distraught over losing the photos from their trip to Niagara
Falls, a stereotypic honeymoon destination; they dance together at a friends
wedding; Craig reaches out as if to take Erics hand (but the camera shifts
upward, obscuring the gesture). In one episode, they break up, realize how
much they care for each other, and reconcile (while Drake sings Beautiful
Dreamer).
On Neds Declassified School Survival Guide, the bully Loomer (Kyle
Swann) and his sidekick Crony (Teo Olivares) hang on each other in a
manner that would elsewhere signify romantic attachment and high-five
each other obsessively, for any reason and for no reason at all except that it
allows them to momentarily clasp hands. In one episode, Crony struggles to
come out to the other students about his gender-transgressive interest in
fashion design, a veiled metaphor for coming out as gay; he is particularly
apprehensive about telling Loomer for fear that the revelation might destroy
their friendship.
INCLUSIVITY
Television nearly always reproduces an ideology of heteronormativity,
where gender and sexual desire are inextricably linked, so boys by definition
like girls, and girls by definition like boys (Briggs, 2006; C. White & Preston,
2005). Childrens programming is no exception: When a boy is interested in
someone, he is invariably asked Whats her name?, and a girl is invari-
ably asked if she has begun to notice boys, as if heterosexual interest
were an inevitable part of growing up. On Ed, Edd, and Eddy, all five male
characters swoon in unison when an attractive girl passes. On Fairly
Oddparents, disgruntled teacher Mr. Crocker and wisecracking genie Norm
join forces to get revenge on their enemy, Timmy Turner. Norm ridicules
each of Crockers elaborate schemes through reference to failed heterosexual
practice: I bet that works on the ladies every time!; Hunchback of Never-
Dated-a-Dame!; Seriously, have you ever even talked to a girl? His jibes
would make no sense if Crockeror any manmight be gay, but in his
world, every male, human, fairy, or genie, can be judged on his proficiency
at talking to girls.
Among live-action programs, only Neds Declassified was inclusive in
nearly every episode, regularly advising viewers, When you like someone,
not When a boy likes a girl, and depicting a school dance full of groups
and trios rather than boygirl couples. The Suite Life also depicted a dance
full of groups and trios, as well as two boys quite obviously dancing
together, without female partners. On Drake and Josh, when the nerd Eric
suddenly becomes popular, he is surrounded by new friends of both sexes,
and he goes out to dinner with one girl and three boys.
D
o
w
n
l
o
a
d
e
d

b
y

[
U
n
i
v
e
r
s
i
d
a
d

d
e

P
u
e
r
t
o

R
i
c
o
,

S
i
s
t
e
m
a

d
e

B
i
b
l
i
o
t
e
c
a
s

U
P
R
R
P
]

a
t

0
0
:
1
9

0
4

S
e
p
t
e
m
b
e
r

2
0
1
4

The Boy Who Would Be Queen 743
Two animated series displayed inclusivity, but on Fairy Oddparents, it
appeared sporadically, at the whim of the animator. Teen idol Chip Skylark
has only female fans in one episode, fans of both sexes in another. When
space alien Mark Chang enrolls in Timmy Turners school, disguised as a
dreamy Earth boy, he rejects displays of affection as inappropriate for his
macho, warlike culture. In one episode, only girls are trying to hug him,
and in another, boys and girls both.
The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy expressed inclusivity more
often, but more subtly, through depiction of unconventional heterosexual
romance. Irwins mother turns out to be a decaying, 5,000-year-old Egyptian
mummy; his father advises that no one can tell you who to fall in love
with. Santa Claus turns out to be married to a female vampire, who has
bitten him several times over the years. You cant control who you love,
he explains. Although these relationships both pair male and female
creatures, they tacitly validate same-sex bonds, which certainly would be far
more conventional.
HINTS
Every live action program, without exception, depicted every central
character as obsessed with heterosexual practice. In 100% of the live action
episodes analyzed, a boy expressed an interest in the honeys, or a girl
tried to get a dreamy boy to notice her. Being preteen was no excuse: On
The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, the 12-year old twins dated girls in three of
the episodes analyzed and expressed hetero-horniness in all of the others.
On The Naked Brothers Band, a 10-year old rock star was assigned to kiss a
girl in his new music video, and bragged about the many times he had
gotten busy previously.
However, hints of same-sex practice, usually male, were relatively
common. On Zoey 101, a boy is mistakenly paired with another boy for a
school dance. On Cory in the House, Cory believes that he is being asked
out by another boy, and responds Youre not my type. On The Suite Life,
Zack asks Cody to come along on his date with a popular girl, but Cody
believes that he has an ulterior motive: Im not dating her creepy sister, or
her brotheror her dog. The pause before dog and the subsequent
laughter suggest that it is the punchline, the only absurdity, that Zack might
indeed expect Cody to date a boy.
Neds Declassified devoted an entire episode to a very blatant hint.
Jennifer (Lindsey Shaw) has a crush on school hunk Seth (Alex Black), and
begs her buddy Ned (Devon Werkheiser) to ask him out for her. Seth
believes that Ned wants the date, and replies Sure, but just as friends. I like
you, Ned, but not in that way. The statement rather boldly implies that being
gay is unremarkable at Polk Middle School; Seth could only misinterpret
D
o
w
n
l
o
a
d
e
d

b
y

[
U
n
i
v
e
r
s
i
d
a
d

d
e

P
u
e
r
t
o

R
i
c
o
,

S
i
s
t
e
m
a

d
e

B
i
b
l
i
o
t
e
c
a
s

U
P
R
R
P
]

a
t

0
0
:
1
9

0
4

S
e
p
t
e
m
b
e
r

2
0
1
4

744 J. P. Dennis
Neds intentand respond so nonchalantlyif he is familiar with the
phenomenon of same-sex dating.
Seth does eventually agree to a date with Jennifer, but he spends the
episode behaving as if he does indeed like Ned in that way, grinning at
him, hugging him, and accidentally sabotaging his attempt to get a date
with a girl. In the last scene he tells Ned, Ill pick you up around seven
tonight. Well catch a flick and get a corn dog. Ned starts to protest, but
when Jennifer assures him that she doesnt mind, he shrugs and acquiesces:
a date is a date. The scene fades with the three friends walking away, Seth
trying to put his arm around a squirming Ned.
In another episode, Ned tries to cheer up a depressed boy, Marc
Downer (Ronald Patrick). Reasoning that opposites attract, he introduces
Downer to the cheerful Martin Qwerly (Tylor Chase). They fail to hit it off,
so Ned tries again, this time with a Goth girl. The two downers fall in love
instantly and walk away, happily discussing the meaninglessness of life.
Although a heterosexual relationship was effective, Ned tried matching
Downer with a boy first and obviously considers same-sex relationships
equally valid.
Animated series did not depict universal heterosexual desire in such
rapacious excess, but still, boys swooned over girls, or girls over boys, in
most of the episodes analyzed, and dating, dancing, crushes, and kisses
were standard plot devices. Each of the main characters on The Grim
Adventures of Billy and Mandy, the sinister Mandy, the dopey Billy, and the
Grim Reaper, had at least one heterosexual crush during the episodes
analyzed. On Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends, both 8-year old Mac and
his imaginary friend Bloo became interested in Frankie, the female manager
of the foster home. Only Ben 10 was excused entirely from expressions of
heterosexual desire.
In spite of the heteronormative background, hints were common in
animated series, and particularly in the series with a high degree of fantasy.
Fairly Oddparents hinted in nearly every episode, but always as offhand
comments, never essential to the plots. When Timmy Turner morphs into a
muscular teenager, his friends Chester and A.J. both swoon over him. When
Timmys father wins the Miss Dimmesdale beauty contest, judge Catman
(Adam West) wants to date him, even after discovering that he is a man.
Fairy Godparent Cosmo sees two attractive, popular boys and muses
Maybe I should date them. When they are watching a film, Timmys pal
Sanjay enthusiastically describes the stars muscular, oiled chest; his friends
stare at him in surprise, and he protests, What? Am I the only one who
noticed?
Fosters Home frequently used romantic imagery and language to
describe the relationship between imaginary friends and their creators. In
one episode, Mac accepts a date with a dreamy boy, even though he
must skip his regular afterschool visit to Bloo. The date turns out to be a
D
o
w
n
l
o
a
d
e
d

b
y

[
U
n
i
v
e
r
s
i
d
a
d

d
e

P
u
e
r
t
o

R
i
c
o
,

S
i
s
t
e
m
a

d
e

B
i
b
l
i
o
t
e
c
a
s

U
P
R
R
P
]

a
t

0
0
:
1
9

0
4

S
e
p
t
e
m
b
e
r

2
0
1
4

The Boy Who Would Be Queen 745
dudthe boy doesnt want to do anything fun, like climb rocks or draw
with chalkso Mac returns to Bloo, who may not be attractive but is always
up for a good time. In another episode, Mac becomes infatuated with the
superhero Imaginary Man, who asks him to become his sidekick by kneeling
and proffering a jewelry box, as if he is proposing marriage. The jealous
Bloo becomes a super-villain, Uniscorn (because Mac has scorned him),
and wears a broken-heart pendant.
Hints occur in three of nine episodes of My Gym Partners a Monkey,
about a human boy, Adam Lyon, mistakenly enrolled in a middle school for
animals. In Kerry to Dance, Jake Spidermonkey asks Adam to the school
dance. Adam refuses; he wants to bring a girl. Jake fumes with jealousy and
tries to sabotage the date, so they can spend at least part of the evening
together. They end up fighting; the principal thinks they are dancing and
cautions No touching your partner!, again implying that same-sex dates
are perfectly ordinary. Later, the two boys are photographed as a couple,
and Adam looks dismayed as Jakes long tale curves into the shape of a
heart.
A more subtle hint occurs when a secondary character named Lupe
Toucan mistakes the nonsentient parrot Orlandos chirp of Pretty bird for
a compliment, and becomes his girlfriend. Later Lupe hears Orlando
saying Pretty bird from inside the boys restroom and concludes that he
has dropped her for another bird! He is actually addressing a mirror, but
since no girl would be in the boys restroom, Lupe obviously finds it
unremarkable that a boy would want to date another boy.
The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy hinted regularly, in 7 of the
10 episodes analyzed. When Billy gets a girlfriend, his father yells to his
mother, Hey, Gladys, Billy is in lovewith a girl! You owe me five
dollars!, suggesting that there has been some good-natured speculation in
the household about the boys sexuality. In a Lord of the Rings parody, a fey
elf is overcome with lust as he praises a dwarfs thick, sinewy muscles,
and bulging, compact thighs, and a scene at the end of the episode shows
tables full of same-sex elf-dwarf couples listening to Billy sing.
Two episodes go even farther, to an open display of same-sex practice.
In a Harry Potter parody set at a sorcery academy modeled on Hogwarts, a
misdirected potion makes Dean Toadblatt (John Vernon) fall in love with
one of the male teachers, the human-sized Squid Hat (Weird Al Yankovic),
who eagerly returns his interest. In the next scene, they graphically kiss,
then ride away on a broom decorated with tin cans and a Just Married
banner, while the students cheer.
In another episode, the same-sex practice is essential to the plot. The
secondary character Nergal, Jr. rejects a girls offer to walk him home from
school, suggesting a lack of interest in preteen heterosexual practice; but he
is delighted to befriend Irwin. Later he agrees to ask Mandy out for Irwin,
and of course ends up with the date, whereupon Irwin angrily breaks off
D
o
w
n
l
o
a
d
e
d

b
y

[
U
n
i
v
e
r
s
i
d
a
d

d
e

P
u
e
r
t
o

R
i
c
o
,

S
i
s
t
e
m
a

d
e

B
i
b
l
i
o
t
e
c
a
s

U
P
R
R
P
]

a
t

0
0
:
1
9

0
4

S
e
p
t
e
m
b
e
r

2
0
1
4

746 J. P. Dennis
the friendship. Nergal is heartbroken, and he doesnt like Mandy that way
in the first place, but he cant call off the date and disappoint his unaccount-
ably enthusiastic father (perhaps Nergals parents have been speculating
about his sexual identity, like Billys parents, but with less nonchalance).
At the dance, Nergal and Irwin fight, and Mandy rejects them both.
They look at each other. Nergal says So this is what love is? Irwin nods.
They begin to slow dance, holding each other closely as the camera pans
out. Nergal was never interested in Mandy, or in any girl, so his statement
makes no sense unless he is referring to Irwin. The dance may be intended
as a humorous depiction of the two boys consoling each other, but it drops
a strong hint that they are in love.
STEREOTYPES
Gender-transgressive interests and activity appeared frequently in live action
programs, usually as unremarkable parts of lifeboys cook, girls play
football; on The Suite Life, Zack and Cody become partners for a ballroom
dance competition, with no eyebrows raised. However, sometimes the
gender-transgression is associated with hints of same-sex interest, intensifying
the potential for locating homoerotic desire beneath same-sex friendships.
On Neds Declassified, the possibility that Loomer and Crony are more than
friends is intensified by Cronys interest in fashion design. On My Gym Partners
A Monkey, Jake dotes on a female teen idol, is an expert at cheerleading, and
completes a parenting assignment by becoming a stereotypic housewife,
thus adding intensity to the episodes in which he appears to express a
romantic interest in Adam.
Nearly every program, live action or animated, had a gay or lesbian
stereotype teaching drama or gym, but no child or adolescent character was
consistently portrayed with stereotypic mannerisms. Transvestism occurred
frequently as a disguise to allow boys and girls to participate in each others
activities (e.g., a girl dons a motorcycle jacket so she can use the boys
restroom), with few negative reactions; in fact, when Cookie on Neds
Declassified is beat up while in drag, his assailant carefully explains that the
drag is not the reason. However, it appeared in connection with same-sex
practice only once in the episodes analyzed. On Drake and Josh, Josh is
selected to appear on a room-makeover program; in his excitement, he
grabs and kisses the nearest girl. She says Congratulations, man, in a
deep voice, both the voice and the vocabulary signifying maleness. As she
walks away, Josh exclaims in horror, I wasnt chewing gum!
In animated program, transvestism was fairly common, particularly on
Fairly Oddparents, but usually used for humiliation or shock. Timmy Turner
is forced to do housework in drag; he is physically transformed into a girl;
he sees a picture of his teacher, Mr. Crocker, in drag on the Internet (his
D
o
w
n
l
o
a
d
e
d

b
y

[
U
n
i
v
e
r
s
i
d
a
d

d
e

P
u
e
r
t
o

R
i
c
o
,

S
i
s
t
e
m
a

d
e

B
i
b
l
i
o
t
e
c
a
s

U
P
R
R
P
]

a
t

0
0
:
1
9

0
4

S
e
p
t
e
m
b
e
r

2
0
1
4

The Boy Who Would Be Queen 747
father angrily tells him, Youre not supposed to be looking at that kind of
Web site!). When lemonade spiked with fairy juice, begins to grant every-
ones unconscious wishes, a fat, hairy man is shown in a bikini, while a
sound effect shrieks its disgust.
GAY REFERENCES
Titles of episodes may simply describe the plot (Eric Hits Drake), but in
animated series, they often involve puns on the titles of movies or television
programs (My Fair Mandy; Guess Whats Coming for Dinner; The Two
Jakes). Usually there is some thematic connection between the episode
and the mass media object referenced, but several episodes disrupt the
association and make no sense without a comprehension of gay culture. On
Fairly Oddparents, the episode in which Timmy Turner becomes a girl is
entitled The Boy Who Would Be Queen. There is no connection with the
movie The Man Who Would Be King; the pun requires the association of
queen, gender-transgression, and gay. Several male characters express
an attraction to teen idol Chip Skylark in an episode entitled The Boy in
the Band; the plot has no connection to the movie The Boys in the Band,
other than that it depicted gay men. On The Grim Adventures, Billys
parents speculate about his sexual identity in The Love That Dare Not
Speak Its Name, a well-known euphemism for same-sex love. Dad Day
Afternoon, a play on Dog Day Afternoon, has nothing to do with bank
robbery, but the plot about Grim hiding his grim-reaper career from his
father for many years might be read as a parable for a closeted gay identity,
like that of the primary pair in the movie.
Two character names referenced gay culture. On Neds Declassified,
life-science teacher Mr. Monroe is played by Jim J. Bullock, the gay actor
who played a gay-vague adolescent named Monroe on the 1980s sitcom
Too Close for Comfort. On Fosters Home, a minor imaginary friend is named
Sunset Junction, after the gay neighborhood and pride festival in Los Angeles,
for no discernable reason except a desire to include a gay reference.
Other references to gay culture were rare, but when they appeared,
they were surprisingly blatant. On Fosters Home, Mac finds two imaginary
friends hiding in a closet and convinces them to reject the tyranny of the
closet and acknowledge their true identity. On The Suite Life, the episode
Kept Man has Zack being courted by a rich boy, who tries to buy his
affection; in some gay circles, the term Kept Boy refers to a young man
who receives gifts and money in exchange for sex. On Hannah Montana,
the episode in which Jackson pretends to date the pop star Hannah
includes several echoes of gay celebrities pretending to be involved in
heterosexual relationships. In one scene, Jackson appears on a talk show
and proclaims I love Hannah! while jumping on a couch, parodying Tom
D
o
w
n
l
o
a
d
e
d

b
y

[
U
n
i
v
e
r
s
i
d
a
d

d
e

P
u
e
r
t
o

R
i
c
o
,

S
i
s
t
e
m
a

d
e

B
i
b
l
i
o
t
e
c
a
s

U
P
R
R
P
]

a
t

0
0
:
1
9

0
4

S
e
p
t
e
m
b
e
r

2
0
1
4

748 J. P. Dennis
Cruises well-publicized exploit on the Oprah Winfrey Show, and inviting
the same speculation about his sexual identity. Later, Jackson fuels the spec-
ulation further by admitting that he loves Hannah, but like a sister.
PHYSICALITY
In live-action series, physicality was rare. Although the main afterschool
hangout for Hannah Montana and her friends is on the beach, no one is
ever shown in a swimsuit. In one episode of Neds Declassified, Seth briefly
wears a Tarzan-style loincloth, and in one episode of Drake and Josh, Drake
emerges from a hot tub wearing Speedos, but otherwise male (and female)
actors were fully clothed throughout. Zoey 101 displayed the male physique
in most of the episodes analyzed, but only with one character, the self-
absorbed Logan (Matthew Underwood).
Animated series were far more likely to depict male beauty, even
though it required the animators to transgress their usual humorous drawing
style. On My Gym Partners a Monkey, Adam and Jake morph into muscular
teenagers in their underwear; on Grim Adventures, both Irwin and Nergal Jr.
develop bodybuilders physiques. Fairly Oddparents seemed obsessed with
beefcake images. Schwarzenegger-parody Jorgen Von Strangle rarely wears a
shirt. Fabio-parody Juandissimo is always flexing his sexy muscles. Timmy
and other child characters constantly morph into muscular, shirtless adults,
and superheroes appear frequently out of uniform.
When all of the variables were measured, 4 of the 10 live-action
programs were found to disrupt heteronormative ideology, Drake and Josh
and Neds Declassified School Survival Guide regularly, and Hannah
Montana and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody occasionally. Five of the 15
animated series were found to disrupt heteronormative ideology, Fairly
Oddparents and The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy regularly and Ben
10, Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends, and My Gym Partners a Monkey
occasionally.
VIEWER REACTION
Most of the fans who wrote into the message boards on tv.com and
nickelodeon.com ignored the disruptions, or explained them: Josh didnt
really kiss a transvestite (Lots of girls have deep voices), and Dean Toadblatt
didnt really marry a male teacher (How do you know that the Squid Hat is
male?). When a fan asked if Jake of My Gym Partner is into Adam, he
was summarily dismissed: Its just a cartoongrow up! When a fan asked
if Jackson of Hannah Montana might be gay, he was all but crucified on
the spot.
D
o
w
n
l
o
a
d
e
d

b
y

[
U
n
i
v
e
r
s
i
d
a
d

d
e

P
u
e
r
t
o

R
i
c
o
,

S
i
s
t
e
m
a

d
e

B
i
b
l
i
o
t
e
c
a
s

U
P
R
R
P
]

a
t

0
0
:
1
9

0
4

S
e
p
t
e
m
b
e
r

2
0
1
4

The Boy Who Would Be Queen 749
However, these are the responses of only a few fansheterosexual
and probably homophobic. What about those who do not write in to fan
boards, to avoid being dismissed or shouted down? What about the LGBT
viewers? The question of whether they catch the hints, inclusivity, and
references may be too simplistic: Viewers are not passive recipients of
media ideology; they create their own meanings through interacting with the
texts and with each other, misreading, queering, ignoring some elements and
fixating on others (Fiske, 1992; Jenkins, 1992). However, a correlation
between the gay imagery and the programs popularity among gay fans may
suggest an response to the disruptions. For instance, on the teenage Web
site myspace.com, over 10% of the profiles that list Fairly Oddparents
among their interests identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual, but virtually none
of the profiles that list Zoey 101 do so.
Fan investment into the fictional worlds is also measurable through fan
fiction, produced without payment and without the producers permission,
and published only for other fans, in newsletters or more recently on Web
sites. A number of scholars have investigated slash, fictional depictions of
homoerotic romances between media characters, usually male, who are not
officially identified as gay (Falzone, 2005; Scodari, 2003). The scholars usually
presume that the writers are women (e.g., heterosexual women), envisioning
a fantasy of two men together without female competition; however, the
profiles on fanfiction.net reveal that one third or more are male, probably
gay male adolescents or young adults, envisioning a homoerotic fantasy
without heterosexual intrusion. Whatever their sexual identity or motive in
writing, presumably the hints, intimacies, and references provide inspiration,
so those programs with the highest degree of disruption of heteronormativity
should inspire the largest percentage of slash stories.
On fanfiction.net, live action programs were noticeably lacking in
slash: A keyword search revealed that same-sex romance accounted for
only about 2% of 3,336 romance stories written about characters in the live-
action programs (see Appendix 2); there were probably more, since some
homoerotic stories do not use the slash keyword. As expected, the
programs that regularly disrupted heteronormativity were better repre-
sented. Less than 1% of 688 Zoey 101 romances paired two of the boys or
two of the girls, in spite of Matthew Underwoods beefcake shots; of the 522
Phil of the Future romances, not one paired Phil with another boy. However,
22% of the 99 Drake and Josh romances involved the stepbrothers falling in
love with each other or with other male characters, and 16% of the 61 Neds
Declassified romances paired Ned with Seth, his date in Asking Someone
Out, or Jennifer with a female character. 3% of 460 The Suite Life romances
paired a teenage Zack and another boy, sometimes even Cody, though the
relationship would be incestuous. The only anomaly was Hannah
Montana, where less than 1% of 996 romances paired Jackson with a boy,
and none paired Hannah and her best friend Lily.
D
o
w
n
l
o
a
d
e
d

b
y

[
U
n
i
v
e
r
s
i
d
a
d

d
e

P
u
e
r
t
o

R
i
c
o
,

S
i
s
t
e
m
a

d
e

B
i
b
l
i
o
t
e
c
a
s

U
P
R
R
P
]

a
t

0
0
:
1
9

0
4

S
e
p
t
e
m
b
e
r

2
0
1
4

750 J. P. Dennis
Of the 3,537 romance stories inspired by the animated programs in the
study, about 8% involved same-sex relationships (with child characters aged
into late adolescence or adulthood), suggesting that heteronormativity is
more easily rejected in venues far from the everyday experiences of the
viewers. Again, the programs that failed to disrupt heteronormativity were
underrepresented (2% of 203 Jake Long stories, less than 1% of 652 Jimmy
Neutron stories), and those that disrupted most, overrepresented: 14% of 36
Ben 10 romances, usually pairing Ben with Kevin 11, his occasional antago-
nist; 13% of 109 Fosters Home romances, pairing a teenage Mac with his
imaginary friend Bloo or with a human boy; 8% of 248 Fairly Oddparents
romances, pairing Timmy Turner with a bewildering assortment of other
boys: Chester, A.J., his Fairy Godparent Cosmo, his antagonist Nega-Timmy, the fairy
Juandissimo, even characters from other series. There were several anomalies, how-
ever: only 1% of 70 Grim Adventure romances involved slash. Also, two programs
not found disruptive nevertheless inspired many slash stories: 3% of the 1,244 Kim
Possible romances paired the teenage secret agent with her female antagonist,
Sheego, or sidekick Ron with a male character; and an amazing 53% of the 121 Ed,
Edd, & Eddy romances, uploaded by several different authors, paired two of the Eds
or other characters.
Another difficulty in stories related to both live-action and animated
programs was the near-total absence of slash related to existing intimate
friends. No slash stories paired Loomer and Crony from Neds Declassified,
or Irwin and Nergal, Jr. from The Grim Adventures; only one paired Chester
and A.J. from Fairly Oddparents, and another had a teenage Chester self-
identifying as gay but then, to his surprise, falling in love with a girl. This
may indicate a lack of ability or desire to locate homoerotic subtexts, or it
may simply indicate that minor characters are of little interest to slash
writers. When they stray from the stars of the show (Drake/Josh, Mac/Bloo),
they prefer to pair antagonists, who can provide an emotional heat as they
grudgingly begin to recognize their attraction.
Fan art was available only for the animated programs, but again, a
substantial level of disruption led to more depictions of same-sex pairings.
On Fanartcentral.net, none of the 230 images inspired by Ed, Edd, and
Eddy, and less than 1% of 224 images inspired by Code Name: Kids Next
Door depicted same-sex couples, but 15% of 526 images inspired by Fairly
Oddparents put Timmy Turner into the arms of Cosmo, Mark Chang, Chester,
or Juandissimo, all transformed into muscular adults or the teenage pretty
boys of Japanese yaoi. The only anomalies were Fosters Home, with only
1% of 559 images pairing Mac and Bloo (both transformed into muscular
adults); and American Dragon: Jake Long, where 7% of 171 images, by a
single artist, paired Jake with Ron from Kim Possible.
DeviantArt.com contained too many images to count (10,474 inspired
by Kim Possible alone), but an analysis of the most recent 48 for each program
revealed a preference for disruptive programs in same-sex pairings: 27% of
D
o
w
n
l
o
a
d
e
d

b
y

[
U
n
i
v
e
r
s
i
d
a
d

d
e

P
u
e
r
t
o

R
i
c
o
,

S
i
s
t
e
m
a

d
e

B
i
b
l
i
o
t
e
c
a
s

U
P
R
R
P
]

a
t

0
0
:
1
9

0
4

S
e
p
t
e
m
b
e
r

2
0
1
4

The Boy Who Would Be Queen 751
the Ben 10 images, 15% of the Fairly Oddparents, 10% of the Fosters Home,
and 6% of the My Gym Partner, but none of the Jimmy Neutron or Code
Name: Kids Next Door. Again, same-sex pairings were absent from The Grim
Adventures, though many images paired the Grim Reaper with a grown-up,
nightgown-clad Mandy.
DISCUSSION
It has been established that heteronormativity is disrupted with some
frequency in childrens programming, somewhat more often in the
animated than in the live-action programs, and that viewers, at least those
who produce fan fiction and fan art, select homoerotic themes and images
to a great extent on the disruption of heteronormativity that they find on
screen. However, the question still remains, why do depictions of same-sex
desire and practice occur at all, particularly in a political climate where the
slightest accusation of intentional portrayal would result in howls of
outrage and probable cancellation?
One possibility is that the writers, directors, or actors are introducing
the homoerotic themes deliberately, as a subtle political strategy. Fan
boards have occasionally speculated that some of the stars of the live-action
series, especially Jason Earles of Hannah Montana and Devon Werkheiser
of Neds Declassified, might be gay; but even if the speculations are true (no
public statements have appeared), teenage actors surely do not have the
authority to incorporate hints about gay identity into the scripts. Most of
the creators of the programs appear to be in conventional heterosexual
marriages, though Maxwell Atoms, creator of The Grim Adventures, com-
plains on his Internet blog that his grandmother believes him to be gay.
However, it is no doubt significant that Teo Olivares played gay on both
Neds Declassified and Zoey 101, and that Scott Fellows was head writer
for Fairly Oddparents as well as the creator of Neds Declassified. Proactive
straight people, called gay allies, can often work behind the scenes more
effectively than LGBT people themselves, ensuring that Ned is nonchalant
about same-sex dating, or that Mark Chang is beset-upon by both male
and female admirers, or that Craig and Eric are almostbut not quite
shown holding hands.
Another explanation is that the homoerotic themes are deliberate, but not
political strategies; they are jokes for adult viewers, never meant to be under-
stood by children or adolescents. Many of the programs feature nods at adult
viewers. Ten-year old are unlikely to catch the references to H. P. Lovecrafts
Cthulhu Mythos on The Grim Adventures, parodies of comedians Billy Crystal
and Jerry Seinfeld on Fairly Oddparents, or the in-joke of Mr. Monroe on
Neds Declassified being played by Monroe of Too Close for Comfort.
However, even adult heterosexuals are unlikely to tease out the
D
o
w
n
l
o
a
d
e
d

b
y

[
U
n
i
v
e
r
s
i
d
a
d

d
e

P
u
e
r
t
o

R
i
c
o
,

S
i
s
t
e
m
a

d
e

B
i
b
l
i
o
t
e
c
a
s

U
P
R
R
P
]

a
t

0
0
:
1
9

0
4

S
e
p
t
e
m
b
e
r

2
0
1
4

752 J. P. Dennis
references to kept boys and Sunset Junction, and children as well as
adults can easily comprehend boys asking each other out or dancing
together at parties.
A third explanation is that the disruption is, as the producers would no
doubt claim, purely unintentional: the intimate friendships are a simple
misreading, and the inclusivity the result of writers trying to come up with
new ways to discuss boys and girls liking each other, never intending to
suggest any validity to same-sex pairings, or even the possibility that such
pairings exist. However, many of the stereotypes, hints, and references
suggest conscious design, and after all authorial intention is not required for
viewers to create meanings from mass media texts.
Whatever the explanation, this study demonstrates that gay potential
appears in the most arid of heterosexist wastelandsprogramming targeting
children and adolescents. It does not appear in every program or in every
episode of the programs where it exists, but it appears often enough for
some viewers, especially LGBT viewers, to notice, and to find a momentary
escape from the tyranny of everyday heterosexism.
REFERENCES
Briggs, M. (2006). Beyond the audience. European Journal of Cultural Studies, 9(4),
441460.
Bryant, J. A. (Ed.). (2006). The childrens television community. New York: Erlbaum,
2006.
Buckingham, D. (1996). Moving images: Understanding childrens responses to
television. Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press.
Capsuto, S. (2000). Alternate Channels: The uncensored stow of gay and lesbian
images on radio and television, 1930s to the present. New York: Ballantine.
Davies, L. J. (1995). The multidimensional language of the cartoon: A Study in
aesthetics, popular culture, and symbolic interaction. Semiotica, 104(12),
165211.
Dennis, J. P. (2003). The same thing we do every night: Signifying same-sex
desire in television cartoons. Journal of Popular Film and Television, 31(1),
132140.
Dines, G. (1995). Toward a critical sociological analysis of cartoons. Humor, 8(3),
237255.
Doty, A. (1993). Making things perfectly queer: Interpreting mass culture. Minneapolis:
University of Minnesota Press.
Gunther, B. (1997). Children and television. New York: Routledge.
Falzone, P. J. (2005). The final frontier is queer: Aberrancy, archetype and audience
generated folklore in K/S slashfiction. Western Folklore, 64.(34), 243261.
Fiske, J. (1992). The cultural economy of fandom. In L. Lewis (Ed.), The adoring
audience (pp. 3049). New York: Routledge.
Jenkins, H. (1992). Textual poachers: Television fans and participatory culture.
New York: Routledge.
D
o
w
n
l
o
a
d
e
d

b
y

[
U
n
i
v
e
r
s
i
d
a
d

d
e

P
u
e
r
t
o

R
i
c
o
,

S
i
s
t
e
m
a

d
e

B
i
b
l
i
o
t
e
c
a
s

U
P
R
R
P
]

a
t

0
0
:
1
9

0
4

S
e
p
t
e
m
b
e
r

2
0
1
4

The Boy Who Would Be Queen 753
Lafayette, J. (2004). What kids watch. Television Week, 23(15), 5860.
Lemish, D. (2006). Children and television: A global perspective. London:
Blackwell.
Raley, A. B., & Lucas, J. L. (2006). Stereotype or success? Prime-time televisions por-
trayals of gay male, lesbian, and bisexual characters. Journal of Homosexuality,
51(2), 1938.
Schmuckler, E. (2006). Three way split. MediaWeek, 16(19), 2226.
Scodari, C. (2003). Resistance re-examined: Gender, fan practices, and science
fiction television. Popular Communication, 1(2), 111130.
Smith, C. (1991). Sex and genre on prime time. Journal of Homosexuality, 21(12),
119138.
Warner, M. (1993). Introduction. In M. Warner (Ed.), Fear of a queer planet: Queer
politics and social theory (pp. viixxxi). Minneapolis: University of Minnesota
Press.
White, C., & Preston, E. H. (2005). The spaces of childrens programming. Critical
Studies in Media Communication, 22(3), 239255.
White, M. (1992). Ideological analysis and television. In R. Allen (Ed.), Channels of
discourse, reassembled (pp. 160202). Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina
Press.
Wilson, T. (1993). Watching television: Hermeneutics, recognition, and popular
culture. Cambridge, UK: Polity.
APPENDIX 1 Episodes Analyzed
Program
Episode
Original
air date
American Dragon: Jake Long A Befuddled Mind 9/9/06
Homecoming 3/10/07
Ben 10 Benwolf 2/17/07
Game Over 2/24/07
Under Wraps 3/10/07
The Return 4/07/07
Class of 3000 Devil and Lil D 12/15/06
Code Name: Kids Next Door Operation: E.N.G.L.A.N.D. 8/06/06
Corey in the House Everybody Loves Meena 1/26/07
Beat the Press 3/23/07
Mall of Confusion 4/13/07
Drake and Josh Dune Buggy 1/18/04
Mean Teacher 9/26/04
Drew & Jerry 10/24/04
Helens Surgery 6/11/05
I Love Sushi 11/26/06
Tree House 1/21/07
Josh is Done 2/11/07
Eric Punches Drake 2/18/07
Ed Edd & Eddy Run for Your Ed/Hand Me Down Ed 2/13/04
Take This Ed and Shove It 11/05/04
All Edds Are Off/Smile for the Ed 4/13/07
(Continued)
D
o
w
n
l
o
a
d
e
d

b
y

[
U
n
i
v
e
r
s
i
d
a
d

d
e

P
u
e
r
t
o

R
i
c
o
,

S
i
s
t
e
m
a

d
e

B
i
b
l
i
o
t
e
c
a
s

U
P
R
R
P
]

a
t

0
0
:
1
9

0
4

S
e
p
t
e
m
b
e
r

2
0
1
4

754 J. P. Dennis
APPENDIX 1 (Continued)
Program Episode
Original
air date
The Emperors New School Kronk Moves In 7/15/06
Fairly Oddparents Foul Balled/The Boy Who Would Be Queen 6/07/02
Fairy Fairy Quite Contrary/Nectar of the Odds 9/13/02
Miss Dimmsdale/Mind over Magic 11/07/03
Chip Off the Old Chip/Snow Bound 11/21/03
Blondas Have More Fun/Five Days of F.L.A.R.G. 4/02/04
Fairy Friends & Neighbors/Just the Two of Us 11/27/04
Back to Norm/Teeth for Two 1/17/05
Nega-Timmy/Love at First Height 2/15/05
Oh, Brother/Whats the Difference 10/04/05
Smart Attack/Operation F.U.N 10/05/05
Fosters Home/Imaginary Dinner is Swerved 9/10/04
World Wide Wabbit 9/17/04
Frankie My Dear 3/18/05
Mac Daddy 5/06/05
Bye-Bye, Nerdy 7/01/05
Challenge of the Superfriends 4/28/06
I Only Have Surprise for You 7/27/06
Bus the Two of Us 8/01/06
Make Believe or Not 11/17/06
Grim Adventures/Billy & Mandy Billy Boogie/Here Thar Be Dwarves 7/23/04
Attack of the Clowns/Complete & Utter Chaos 10/15/04
Thats My Mummy/Toys will be Toys 11/12/04
My Fair Mandy 7/29/05
One Crazy Summoner/Guess Whats Coming 8/05/05
Billy & Mandy Save Christmas 12/02/05
The Love That Dares Not Speak Its Name 1/20/06
Dad Day Afternoon/Scary Poppins 6/05/06
Nergals Pizza/Hey, Water You Doing? 3/09/07
Most Greatest Love Story Ever Told 4/09/07
Hannah Montana New Kid in School 8/18/06
More Than a Zombie to Me 9/8/06
We Are Family 1/7/07
My Boyfriends Jackson 1/07/07
School Bully 1/19/07
Bad Moose Rising 3/30/07
Jimmy Neutron The Trouble with Clones 1/25/06
Just Jordan Fists of Funny 3/18/07
Kim Possible The Cupid Effect 2/10/07
Clothes Minded 3/17/07
Fashion Victim 4/14/07
Life with Derek Male Code Blue 1/22/06
My Gym Partners a Monkey Kerry to Dance? 5/26/06
Cheer Pressure/Basic Jake 6/19/06
Leaf of Absence/The Poop Scoop 8/08/06
Aint Too Proud to Egg/The Two Jakes 8/21/06
Lupe in Love/Jakes Day Off 8/31/06
Pranks for the Memories/Talking Teddy 11/17/06
Sick Day/The Cuddlemuffins 1/12/07
Diplomatic Insanity/Sidekicked 1/26/07
Gorilla My Dreams/Prince and the Pooper 2/09/07
(Continued)
D
o
w
n
l
o
a
d
e
d

b
y

[
U
n
i
v
e
r
s
i
d
a
d

d
e

P
u
e
r
t
o

R
i
c
o
,

S
i
s
t
e
m
a

d
e

B
i
b
l
i
o
t
e
c
a
s

U
P
R
R
P
]

a
t

0
0
:
1
9

0
4

S
e
p
t
e
m
b
e
r

2
0
1
4

The Boy Who Would Be Queen 755
APPENDIX 2 Slash in Fan Fiction
APPENDIX 1 (Continued)
Program Episode
Original
air date
Naked Brothers Band First Kiss 4/07/07
Neds Declassified School Cheaters/Bullies 2/12/05
The New Semester/Electives 10/01/05
Dares/Bad Habits 1/14/06
Asking Someone Out/Recycling 3/04/06
Dismissal/The School Play 10/22/06
The Bus/Bad Hair Days 11/26/06
Positives & Negatives/Parties 4/08/07
Phil of the Future Back to the Future 8/18/06
The Replacements Boyzrog/Ball Hogs 4/08/07
Squirrel Boy Islands in the Street 8/18/06
Stranger than Friction/Dont Cross Here 4/13/07
Suite Life of Zack and Cody Rock Star in the House 9/18/05
Kept Man 5/19/06
The Suite Smell of Excess 6/2/06
Going for the Gold 6/10/06
Have a Nice Trip 7/07/06
Lost in Translation 8/19/06
Loosely Ballroom 9/22/06
Scary Movie 10/13/06
Club Twin 1/07/07
Miniature Golf 3/2/07
Unfabulous The Perfect Couple 1/22/06
Zoey 101 The Play 2/20/05
School Dance 4/17/05
Little Beach Party 5/1/05
Time Capsule 9/18/05
The Election 10/9/05
Girls Will Be Boys 1/29/06
Wrestling 3/04/07
Chases Grandma 3/18/07
Program Type Romance Slash %
Ben 10 Animated 36 5 13.9%
Code Name Animated 854 21 2.5%
Drake & Josh Live 99 21 21.2%
Ed, Edd, & Eddy Animated 121 64 52.9%
Fairly Oddparents Animated 248 22 8.5%
Fosters Home Animated 109 14 12.8%
Grim Adventures Animated 70 1 1.4%
Hannah Montana Live 996 6 0.6%
Jake Long Animated 203 4 2.0%
Jimmy Neutron Animated 652 4 0.6%
Kim Possible Animated 1244 38 3.1%
Life with Derek Live 510 8 1.6%
(Continued)
D
o
w
n
l
o
a
d
e
d

b
y

[
U
n
i
v
e
r
s
i
d
a
d

d
e

P
u
e
r
t
o

R
i
c
o
,

S
i
s
t
e
m
a

d
e

B
i
b
l
i
o
t
e
c
a
s

U
P
R
R
P
]

a
t

0
0
:
1
9

0
4

S
e
p
t
e
m
b
e
r

2
0
1
4

756 J. P. Dennis
APPENDIX 2 (Continued)
Program Type Romance Slash %
My Gym Partner Animated 0
Neds Declassified Live 61 10 16.0%
Phil of the Future Live 522 0 0.0%
Suite Life Live 460 14 3.0%
Unfabulous Live 0
Zoey 101 Live 688 3 0.4%
D
o
w
n
l
o
a
d
e
d

b
y

[
U
n
i
v
e
r
s
i
d
a
d

d
e

P
u
e
r
t
o

R
i
c
o
,

S
i
s
t
e
m
a

d
e

B
i
b
l
i
o
t
e
c
a
s

U
P
R
R
P
]

a
t

0
0
:
1
9

0
4

S
e
p
t
e
m
b
e
r

2
0
1
4