Popular Culture Review Vol. 13, No. 1, January 2002 | Page 26

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Popular Culture Review

Gay Simpsons
When looking over the entire series, one is struck by just how prominent
the gay sensibility is on The Simpsons', there are abundant allusions to gay life and
sexual orientation, and numerous examples o f high camp. O f course, the
incorporation of a gay sensibility seems almost expected if one considers the career
of the show’s creator. Matt Groening. Groening first yoked the gay and cartoon
worlds together in his Life in Hell comic, in the form of Akbar and Jeff; the
camaraderie of these two characters was soon read by many as a gay relationship.
In response to being pointedly asked during an interview if Akbar and Jeff are
indeed gay, Groening said that he designed them as “a comment on all relationships”
(Sadownick 32). However, in this same interview, Groening made clear where his
sympathies lay. He was raised with what he calls the “good lefty politics” of the
1960s; he has many close gay friends, some of whom he has lost to AIDS over the
years; and he is “pissed off” at the lingering injustice he sees in America (32).
Although Groening concedes that there is a lack of representation for gay individuals
in the popular media, he emphasizes that there is even more of a lack for gay
couples; as he says, “gay men are starved for positive portrayals of lasting love”
(33). Hence, the creation of Akbar and Jeff, who provided a much needed palliative
for many.
It is thus no surprise that a gay sensibility is a large part of The Simpsons.
And, indeed, it has been there from the start. As the series develops, so too does the
gay sensibility, especially among the show’s male characters: although all are
strongly positioned as heterosexual, many of them frequently reference gay culture,
toy with the notion of same sex unions, freely hug and kiss, and rather casually
participate in drag. This is particularly true among the Simpson family males (Abe,
Homer, and Bart), who have each been central to numerous moments of camp and
one or more incidents of cross-dressing. For example, in “The Front” we are given
a sequence in which Grandpa (Abe) Simpson dreams of himself as “a Queen of the
Old West” who is tom between the love of two cowboys. More overtly, in “Lisa
the Beauty Queen,” Bart gives Lisa advice on how to compete in a local beauty
contest. Lisa, who cannot manage the victory walk in high heels, is ready to quit.
“There’s nothin’ to it,” Bart quips, “Gimme those heels.” As he proceeds to
demonstrate the posture, Lisa asks “Do you really think I can win?” With a swish
of the hip, Bart replies, “Hey, I’m starting to think I can win!” A similarly flexible
attitude toward sexuality is evident in “Last Exit to Springfield,” in which Homer
takes on the role of union representative and has to negotiate with Mr. Bums for a
dental plan. Homer, misreading Bums’ metaphors for unscmpulous negotiations
as come-on lines, says “Sorry, Mr. Bums, but I don’t go in for these backdoor
shenanigans. Sure, I’m flattered, maybe even a little curious, but the answer is no.”
By its fifth season. The Simpsons had moved beyond allusion to gay culture