You Know Mike Is Gonna Say Some Dumb Shit When He Puts On The Yellow Button-up

“queerbaiting” vs “straight-baiting”

with all the recent “controversy” surrounding the whole “mike likes el” thing, i just want to say this so that people don’t get in over themselves. 

as others have said before, doubt is important for both sides to stay engaged. they need us to remain hooked in so we’ll watch s5 and generate revenue and blah blah blah. 

but just remember (looking at u heteros) queerbaiting is a very real thing, and “straight-baiting” does not exist. like at all. 

queerbaiting is a term used to describe our very real exclusion from mainstream media. it’s honestly quite malicious, because showrunners and filmmakers use queer audiences as a pawn. they never intend to represent us, they just want to lure us in so they can maximise their views and profits. 

which just means, yet again, that mainstream media will invariably pander to the GA, which is why “straight-baiting” can’t exist. ur already the majority, everything is already made for u. why would mainstream media need to hook u in, when u already make up a significant portion of their viewership anyway?

like lets not forget that stranger things currently has a 0:4 ratio of leading queer couples and leading het couples. they currently have a 2:12 ratio of explicitly leading queer characters and leading het characters. 

this means that yes, if byler doesn’t happen, it will be queerbaiting. why? queer audiences do not have rich, complex, fully developed relationships in this show otherwise. sure, we have will, who is indubitably a complex and rich character, with seasons-worth of development, but… 1:12? is this really the type of representation that queer audiences deserve? and if byler does happen, that’ll change the ratio to 1:3, which really isn’t that significant because yet again, u are the majority. 

u cannot be baited with rich, complex, fully developed representation pouring out the show for u. u cannot just use a term that is rooted in our historical prohibition from media, just because the ship u want isn’t canon. ur personal disappointment cannot even begin to mirror the collective betrayal and rejection that is felt when queer audiences are intentionally mislead and cast to the side. 

come get your medals everyone

“i hate will because he cries too much” girl stfu i’ll give you something to cry about

I’ve never been one for saying ‘I told you so’ but I cannot lie..

I am so looking forward to say I told you so to the Michigan Minion shippers when Byler is canon and they can’t do anything about it

I think Noah and Finn have said everything they can about byler. They're locked away now

*sobbing* eddie munson would have loved the byers twins *back to sobbing*

I LOVE CINEMA

I love Matthew hes so funny

“Byler is endgame” I say into the microphone. The crowd boos. They aren’t impressed. Suddenly, a spotlight shines down on the back of the room.

“No, they’re right.” It’s Nick Runyeard, from 8flix.

“Yeah, what he said.” Suddenly Noah Schnapp emerges from the shadows, followed by Finn Wolfhard.

“Will likes somebody else in the friend group, and that person likes him back.” David Harbour says ominously as he sidles into the spotlight.

“Love is love and byler is in love.” It’s Brett Gelman. He’s covered head to toe in rainbow clothing.

“Yas queen slay the house down.” Matthew Modine bursts into the room simultaneously wielding every single pride flag known to mankind.

Dead Boy Detectives is honestly really fucking good and you guys need to watch it. It's queer, yeah, but most importantly it's camp as hell. I'm talking weird, spooky, Halloween-type vibes. Witches who walk around with spider necklaces and most of their tits exposed. Insane cat gods. Cartoonishly large magnifying glasses. A spider made of baby heads. A man who used to be a walrus. Genuinely we are so fucking back with goofy insane media that makes you bite at the bars of your enclosure.

stranger things if it were british:

mates don't fib