Well... I think it's illustrated pretty well from episode 1. I don't think John is necessarily homophobic. But Dean was born in the 1970s. The show premiered the same year brokeback mountain was released. And it was a freaking watershed movie in how people STARTED to think about homosexuality in men... it was considered a shameful secret, unmasculine, etc. Now. Look at episode two. A young boy was bullied and killed for being what? *small* and *weak* and *sensitive*... these are stereotype of homosexuality. So if you are repressing your homosexuality, this is likely you millionth time in your life you've gotten the message that gay=dead. Like ennis says in BBM... the things you know, can get you killed. And these kids of crimes did happen and they did terrorize people into staying closeted and repressed. John was terrible in a lot of ways, but it's speculative that he was homophobic. The truth that is not speculative is that the world that Dean grew up in WAS homophobic (and still largely is). So I feel like John is a scapegoat in this instance. If you watch closely with this in mind, you will see Dean getting certain messages from a young age. There is no room for weakness, or softenss in any form. If I love someone, they will die/be taken from me. Everything is my responsibility. Dean was like 4 years old when his mom died and he never got any healthy treatment and conversations about this... a young child will almost always blame himself for pretty much everything because we are the center of our own world and understanding at that age. And he never had a chance to process it. ALL of his emotions are repressed... not just his sexuality. Episode 1 sets us up for Dean's entire world view. "Protect your brother. Don't be soft. Everything is on you." And likely, like any child not specifically told otherwise, he internalized a feeling that "moms death is my fault." It's a punishment for something I did wrong or maybe just because I am wrong in some way... then you start to have these other feelings that no one talks about ("gay feelings") and your subconscious says... that's it. .. that's your sin that you were punished for. You don't deserve love. You don't deserve good things to happen to you. You don't deserve forgiveness or compassion. You don't deserve *God to care about you* ("If there is a God, why would he care about me?"), You're an aberration. Don't talk about it and dont think about it. [Cuz thoughts bring shame]. Just push it down, be a robot, follow orders.
@@ultravioletpisces3666 great analysis. one thing though... it was episode 3, not 2, where the young boy was bullied. I just did a rewatch of the first 3 episodes on the basis of this comment. it spoke to me ig.
@@loner844 oh you are right. Episode 2 was Windigo. That one has a lot of repressed bisexual energy as well. It's funny that when Dean turns on his charm towards women we see it as flirting, but when we see him do it with men, it doesn't register that way. But once I took the lens off and stopped just assuming he was heterosexual I was like... oh look at him flirting here here and here... and you notice a trend in who he flirts with too. (A lot of older male authority figures, he is either turning on the charisma and compliments or he's being bratty and sassy. But he comments on/checks out men's appearance and body parts quite a bit. You don't see Sam doing that at all, or if you do it's pretty rare.
love that you didnt use any castiel to point out dean is bi. Like he has been already bi long ago before cas came to the picture. And the final piece of bi's dean is him falling in love with that angel
For me the biggest pointer has always been Sam. It would have been so much easier to pick the man who's comfortable in his sexuality and doesn't even blink at 'gay' situations (the scene where he debates what his ship name with Cas would be falls to mind). They could've easily put him in all of Deans situations and the comedic value would've still been there. Even my husband (a straight man) pointed it out to me how dean seems like a curious and scared animal in these situations, because my husband has been in those and he's genuinely straight he'd just walk away or make it clear to all parties, but Dean seems like he treads the line of 'should I? Should I not?' a lot for someone who's so assertive in other things in his life. thank you for the video, really loved it!
As a queer icon, Dean as bisexual is extremely well-written cuz his sexuality isn't his personality, just one of the many facets that make up who he is as a person.
Honestly I agree, I am sad that they had a well written bi character RIGHT THERE, but didn't make it canon. Because it makes it feel like I'm a conspiracy theorist and everyone is so easily dismissive of the idea. Idk it still feels queerbaity in its execution, but yeah he's actually great rep in that sense!
@@francescapatti2934 yeah, the problem isn’t that there isn’t that there isn’t enough diversity in the world and we have to write it in, the problem is there is diversity and we just ignore and deny it, as a society at least. this show had a bi main character, but the show never made it explicit. that’s a problem broadly, not just in this show. people will do whatever they can to deny gays in shows across the board. it’s frustrating as hell.
It was legal before 2015 (in a couple states), it just wasn’t something priests really looked forward to + keep in mind a lot people are closeted. it didn’t happen a lot until 2015 (when it was legal as a whole country) then it became something that happened more frequently. (most of the things I said I got them out of the top of my head from some article so it might be wrong)
Also, in one of the official SPN novels, Dean was flirting with someone and Sam asks if he’s flirting with guys again, to which Dean responds “no, I got the girl this time” 👀 anyway~~
I can distinctly remember a few times in high school where I said "yeah, she's hot" followed by a raised eyebrow at me, and then me saying "What? I can't say she's aesthetically pleasing without it being a gay thing?" If I'd had Supernatural back then, there would have been a lightbulb moment a whole lot sooner, cause damn did I sound like Dean...
As a straight person, I'm slowly learning more and more about stuff I never learned/knew about growing up in a small, southern town. Thank you for these videos that are informative, smart, and engaging. I may be straight, but I don't want to be narrow. As for Dean in particular, I didn't pick up on the undertones or implications on my first watch through but the more I learn, the more I listen, the more I can absolutely see and agree that Dean is bi. And you know what? I'm here for it.
As a queer person also raised in a small southern community, I just want to thank you for choosing to broaden your worldview. I know how difficult that may have been to do. I hope you're doing well today!
I think Dean is a 1 on the Kinsey scale. It would explain his bicurious behavior, his crushes, and his fluster, but Dean doesn’t explore or act on his desires for all the reasons you mentioned: Marine father, living in conservative red states, ingrained homophobia, etc...Plus, Dean is often in survival mode. He doesn’t have the brain space to explore his true self. I think his relationship with Cas definitely blurs the line, but instead of stopping to wonder about his feelings, Dean chucks it up brotherly love because he can’t afford another complication. Realistically, the only way Cas and Dean could be a thing is if 1) someone forced them; made them kiss or acknowledge their romantic feelings or 2) Dean and Cas retire (ha!) and can finally focus on something other than surviving.
Thank you for going into the reasons a bi person might not be out. I once had a deeply awkward conversation with a co-worker wherin she was like "I went to college with a bunch of women who said they were bi, but they wound up straight." and I was like "How do you know?" and she was like "They married men." and I was like "Did you want them to marry one of each gender they're attracted to? Like wtf." I did go into some of the cultural shit around bisexuality with her but damn it's exhausting to have the same conversations all the time. Sorry - know I'm preaching to the choir, there.
A very reasoned and well thought out analysis of Dean's sexuality. What Castiel said in his goodbye speech to Dean was completely true. Dean did do everything for love. Dean, while rough around the edges showed great caring and compassion for many of the men in his life. He cared about his father despite their differences. He cared about his brother and tried to make sure he was safe. He cared about Cas and showed it time and again. Defending Cas and keeping him close. There was love in this show. I saw 15 years of love and dedication.
this take confuses me more than the interpretation of his sexuality. Dean is a possessive, abusive douchebag to everyone around him from the very beginning of the show to the very end.
@@Keira_Blackstone I think you missed a lot in this series. Your interpretation of his behavior is pretty limited. He again and again sacrifices himself for others and rescues and saves many people. I can't support your narrow view of his actions.
The first inkling i had of Deans bisexuality was in the Sirens episode. I wished the writers could have done the slow progression of Dean learning of what love for him meant instead of putting him in these vague situations. Alas, I feel WB had something to do with this.🙃
@@queenofcherrypie1811 he is not bi he would have to sleep with or at least date both Men and women to be bi I say women are pretty all the time that doesn’t make me bi
As an ally and a (mostly) hetero woman, Dean's progression from macho womanizer to a guy who just wants to be loved and had never really knew how be loved was wonderful watch. I don't find Dean any less attrractive because he's bi, I just enjoy him and his shade of purple. But as someone with gay folks in my life daily, I really wished a lot of things that were one the page (thank you, Bobo... you always wrote the subtext beautifully) had made it to the screen. I think it would have been an excellent opportunity to do some groundbreaking TV. Sad that WB was too chickensh*t because some people can't get their heads around the idea that they could (gasp) be attracted to someone who is bi/gay/other/differrent because that's not their fantasy. Once everyone realizes that everyone else is human and that our differences are beautiful and fascinating and maddening but we can still make room for all them? THAT'S when all the BS stops. There IS no script in life. We're all writing the best that we can. Dean is loveable as is and Hunny, he ain't straight. 💜 (Thus spake the straight girl)
@@marsicogodofwar9280 welcome to fandoms, where people have their own interpretations of the media- where it may not be explicitly said what someone's sexuality is & in such cases where it's up to someone's opinion of their identity based upon what they see in said media. maybe he is, maybe he isn't! people are allowed to interpret him as bisexual, just as you are allowed to not see him that way.
That's exactly what I thought, it would have been groundbreaking! Instead of the queerbaiting that really started growing heavy after the start of season 4, they could have given Dean such a beautiful character development, he could have stayed goofy and flirty but also with men, freely and openly, and maybe explore the timid nature of all that with Cas. And I have never, and I mean ever, been a Destiel-shipper :DDD
Honestly one of the best essays on his sexuality I've seen, and I love that you didn't use the small things or focus on Destiel, because those are the ones that the fans have been mocked over most by the homophobes. Whenever we've ever had to say "It's not because of just XYZ", this is exactly what all we are refering to!
I think this is the best video I’ve ever watched on Dean’s bisexuality; the phrasing is articulate, the video is comprehensive, and everything you say is always respectful of other viewpoints. I love it! Thank you for making it!
For me it's easy to see Dean as bi, I didn't even realise I was bi for a very long time. My wife is trans and when we met and even when we got married she was still closeted and presenting male. It was only after she came out that I had to reevaluate things. I'd always found women attractive but dating men was easy, plus there are way more men who like women than women who like women. I love my wife, she is beautiful and kind and cleaver and now looking at older pictures is weird because I don't see her in them. It's easy as a bi person to just live like your straight unless you meet someone worth coming out over.
Loved this video! One thing I also think is important that when talking about the references to Dean's group sex with both Crowley and Lee is that we never actually see or hear those women and they don't do anything to impact the plot or Dean's characterization. They exist solely as a narrative device to tell the audience that there's a sexual relationship between Dean and Crowley/Lee. So while in real life partaking in group sex with another man might not be gay, in these examples its entire purpose is to establish a sexual or at least intimate relationship between men, and therefore 100% a tick in the 'dean is bisexual' box narratively speaking.
Crowley. Loved Crowley. Apparently the actor got as sick of the writers’ shit as the more open minded fans did, so he left. What a waste. Gotta love that right leaning CW business model. Just like Ron DeSantis and Disney. Oh the potential that was squandered.
This is a really fantastic summary of the primary bi!dean evidence and interpretations from the show. I've seen these things in lists and gifsets on tumblr for years but its nice to see them outlined so clearly in video format. The one thing I did want to mention, just at the end where you refer to other elements of Dean's personality being used as bisexual evidence like him wearing womens underwear, being super toxic and damaging to actual queer men - wholeheartedly agree, though I think its worth mentioning that a lot of tumblr meta writers got stick for listing these things as part of their Dean analysis not as bisexual evidence, but as evidence of his performative toxic masculinity. We got a lot of shit from antis who purposely misinterpreted that analysis and used it to twist our words as if we were saying "cucumber water makes you bisexual". It was a whole issue. The true analysis was that there are many layers to Dean's character, including how he often performs a role of machismo where in truth he does enjoy things that he himself considers not masculine. Its not that un-masculine things makes him bi, but that Dean shouldnt be read only as this surface level facade he so often puts on (an infuriating reading of Dean that comes from a lot of straight male fans of the show). These examples are also used to remind people not to take Dean's words at face value - for example Dean says he "doesn't do shorts", and then we later see him wear shorts in several scenes, including in one of the later seasons, actual booty shorts. Not saying wearing shorts makes you bisexual because that would be ridiculous, but for Dean, wearing shorts is more evidence that he is a layered character who wears masculinity like a mask, when underneath he is far more complex. The only way we use these elements to further the bisexual reading, is to point out that if Dean is willing to hide these parts of himself to perform some archaic idea of masculinity, its not so far of a reach to also view Dean as hiding other aspects of himself that he might also consider not meeting his ideas of masculinity - such as being bisexual.
!!! This!!! I don't do shorts = I don't swing that way. The way he says these things so often, and is so consistently inconsistent with them is actually pretty awesome character writing! That is wonderful evidence that the show runners and CW and WB were just cowards to confirm it, meanwhile we've had the BEST male character on 2000's weekly tv be super interesting and also kinda queer. Ah and now I'm stuck in nostalgia
I always like that a solid case for dean's bisexuality can be made without even touching on Cas. It means that it's not just that people want to see Dean as bi to make a fan favoured ship work, which I think many people who insist on seeing Dean as straight are inclined to think. Dean can easily be read as bi AND (not because) there's this male presenting angel who he shares a very profound bond with (and is canonically in love with him)
The writers did this weird thing with Deans sexuality where they’d swear up and down he was straight, but then they purposely write him getting a boner when he saw doctor sexy and Cas (5x08 and 8x07.) He got flustered when Aaron hit on him, and never denied that he was into, then got annoyed when it turned out to be a joke (8x13.) When Sam says hotel workers might assume Deans overcompensating, he goes “yeah…heheh👀,” obviously directly implying that he’s into guys (2x11.) Him and Crowley canonically had an orgy/banged a lot when he was a demon (confirmed in 10x01 and 11x02.) I don’t know why they never confirmed it, or why they still say he’s straight, but Dean was obviously written to be into men.
I'm bisexual and I heavily relate to Dean so it's interesting to hear how his sexuality might be interpreted by a straight audience. On my first watch through it never occurred to me that he might be anything BUT bi since- as a fellow closet bi with homophobic parents- his covering seemed very obvious to me. I saw myself in every awkward moment or quickly changed subject. It's nice to hear an objective video-essay covering this. Thank you for your insight.
I LOVE YOU for pointing out things that Dean is INTERESTED in and the things that make him react emotionally and the things he says that make him queer rather than his fashion choices or his hobbies. 25:45 this section is SO important, and I've never heard this being put into words. Thank you so much. He could be doing all of those things and more and still not want to label himself in any way, either because he's felt safer in the closet for a long time and then got used to it, or because he really can't name it. He could settle for never calling it anything (I doubt that he would be able to reclaim any terminology for himself?)
I think Dean is bi for the fact he is based off of Dean Moriarty in the book "On the Road" written by Jack Kerouac. Dean is based off of Jack's real life friend Neal Cassidy and they are both subsequently bisexual. I feel Dean could be bisexual for that reason not to mention how alike the characters are.
I love thoughtfully written this is! I was expecting another compilation of Destiel moments/popular scenes people usually cite as evidence for Dean's bisexuality, making the same points that some fans drill over and over. I loved your introduction. That you explained your reasoning, for including certain moments over others, with more than just "the video would be too long." And especially the ending where you dismissed stereotypical appearance/behaviors as evidence of anything.
Love your take on this. In the last few years I’ve accepted the fact that I’m bi (raised in a religious evangelic family). Supernatural had been one of the things that kept me sane and actually made me kind of happy while I was wracked with anxiety over everything. Yeah Dean is definitely bi. Watching him is like looking into a mirror.
I will say I will never understand the "we are more than friends" scene at the spn convention being interpreted as dean being uncomfortable around queer people. It was two people who were dating roleplaying as him and his brother, that would freak me out too. This is however one of my favorite youtube videos ever and I watch it whenever I feel like I'm going insane and being gaslit by this show and fandom.
With the Siren episode, My personal opinion (for what that's worth) is it's less about the siren's motivations and more about what is more likely for Dean's character. Think it's far more likely that Dean is also into guys, than his 'deepest desire' is to get another Brother to replace Sam with
Wow! You managed to get so much information into this video! I have been waiting for your Dean/bisexual deep dive for a while and it was everything I was hoping for. I enjoyed your point at the beginning that there are many lenses through which the audience could view Dean depending on their experiences. In my view he is definitely bi. Thanks for the great video!
I'm bi and was completely sure you were wrong. Happily surprised. Best part is you didn't browbeat me, you just showed me. The best tactic in a debate when possible. Don't fight just show. Very nice my friend, very nice.
No, I'm straight and I saw Dean as bisexual too. Cause I think love is more than just sexual intercourse (that's all Dean had with women); they wrote Dean as unable to emotionally connect with a woman (from the 1000+ he had on the show), he was just trying to have the "wife + kids life" or he was using sex as a coping mechanism. The only actual love relationship he had was with Castiel. And he was living by his father's expectations so that's probably why he couldn't even think of living by his real feelings. Also we all saw him checking that guy's ass in that episode, lol. Edit: I've just remembered, in S10E16 Dean also confesses it to the priest. He says he wanted "something more/new" and he had already tried the wife + kids life with Lisa, so it couldn't be it. At first Dean criticizes his relationship with women: (quoting) "So the women. I let them think that we have more of a future than we do, you know? Ah, Gina. Well, now, don’t get me wrong. I mean, she was - it was good times. I mean, you know how it is - the sex, the lasagna - but I was not honest with her. And sometimes, I was seeing two, maybe three girls at the same time, sometimes in the same day. You get the picture. And it wasn’t just Gina. It was endless. It’s making me sick." Then Dean says: "there's things, there's people, feelings that I want to experience differently than I have before, or maybe even for the first time." And that's when I really really knew that Dean was bisexual.
Yes! For me, it's all about the emotional connection. The closest he came to that was in season 1, with Cassie. Physically, I think he is more attracted to women, but overall I see him as bisexual/homoromantic. And eventually, the physical stuff is not enough anymore. We don't even see him with a woman after season 12.
@@LM-bl3kh Ikr, I remember Cassie. When the main storyline ended in season 5 and we saw Dean going to Lisa's house I was like “who is she, why? what?” The Lisa one-episode was about Lisa’s kid, it wasn’t even about Dean and Lisa’s relationship LOL, so it was so random to me that Dean went there. I thought, if they had to pick some random girl from the one-girl-episodes that should have been Cassie. If I’m not mistaken (I don’t remember the details anymore) she was his first love and he really wanted to stay with her forever but she left him or something. That was way more than what he had with Lisa.
This. This exactly. The emotional connection. I liked Lisa a a character in and of herself but the emotional connection felt lacking. I always thought Ben was a possible “give Dean a son” in the future possibility on the writers part. Lisa said she had a blood test, not a dna test. 6 years later after their exit Ben would have been 18. Wouldn’t an “amnesiac” grown Ben have been just as good an addition as Jack? The confession to the priest sealed it for me, but I still remember thinking to myself way back in season two “wait a minute, is Dean supposed to be a little bit attracted to guys?” That wasn’t anything I ever read online. I had that thought all by myself, and I’m straight living in a ruby red Trump (bleeeech) loving state.
As a bisexual myself, I don't really read Dean as bisexual, but I do like your take on it. For me, I think the subtext points more to him being just a very positive version of masculinity, one that is actually pretty common in my own culture, but not so much in American culture or American media. He's sensitive, he's vulnerable, he's emotional, not just when talking to women but when talking to men. I feel that this is why some viewers perceive him as bisexual, because for most American men that kind of behaviour is only allowed within romantic partnerships. But for me, that's literally how all my male friends interact with each other, straight or queer.
I'm sitting in front of my computer and I'm clapping. Thank you so so much for making this essay. I've always seen myself in Dean. I truly wish the writers/network had allowed him to be out and happy with himself, but...I guess that's what fan fiction is for.
I'm a hetero woman, and i love Dean to be bisexual. I am a great Destiel shipper. And it was sad, that Dean had not the opportunity to respond to Castiels love confession.
Half an hour of informative, structured, impartial and engaging content. Dean's evolution as a character - more open and self-aware - was delightful to watch and your analysis of this process in reference to his sexuality is ::chef'skiss::. Thank you, Bob!
I always saw dean as a straight man. And it would get under my skin when people said he was gay because I grew up with the character (fyi I have nothing against lgbtq+ people) it was like forcing something that wasn’t there. Now after watching this video I can get by dean being bi
Thank you so much for adding in us ace people at roughly 7:25. Honestly, the hate i get sometimes is so awful that it means the world to me to see asexuality just included, like we belong. ❤ Awesome video as always x
The confession scene also nods towards his feelings “things, feelings I could have done differently” ie act on those crushes. Majority of the fan base do seem to agree he’s bi though, regardless of shipping, because as you said, it’s in those little moments that Jensen inserted. I don’t think Jensen himself is bi, but potentially he saw Dean that way even if he didn’t have the words for it
I personally am straight. When I first started watching this show, I assumed Dean was straight too. Then, two of my siblings came out: one is bisexual and nonbinary, and the other is lesbian and (I believe) nonbinary. This is helpful in 2 ways. One, I can ask questions about their experience and become more educated on the subject, and two, I can learn the proper ways to identify when somebody is LGBTQ+. All this to say, I fully believe that Dean is Bisexual. In fact, I am fairly certain that the writers and actors wanted Dean and Cas to be canonically in love by their own admittance in the final season (That's an opinion, I don't have any concrete proof of that). And I love this video for taking the time to highlight why Bob thinks he is bisexual. Thanks Bob
On the topic of Dean liking nice clothes : hunters don't have nice things, they're on the road all the time and can't hunt in silk if they don't want it ruined so when Dean can finally touch, use, wear nice things he enjoys it more than most. With his childhood having to take care of Sam and having to even steal presents for Christmas well... Dean only allows himself very little "luxuries" : his car, his burgers, his pies... And part of that is food, which is not a luxury. It's not hard to think he wouldn't allow himself the "luxury" of sleeping with dudes when it would be so much more complicated in his situation when seen through his lens. Really enjoyed your video, thank you for your content !
Thanks for the vid! Dean: “I don’t judge.” He really doesn’t. I think it’s interesting when Dean says he doesn’t “swing that way” was when he was talking to predatory characters or characters who would detain him. He doesn’t really say that to anyone else. To me, his radio frequency is demiromantic, not demisexual (as seems to be Sammy or Cas) so it can be more difficult to pick up on his romantic attractions, even more so with their hunter/secretive lifestyle, but to me, they’re there.
I am Indian and every time I told someone I am bisexual, they were very confused because I did not look like an intersex person. I don't look like an intersex person because I am NOT one. I am a WOMAN who is attracted to both MEN and WOMEN. Idiots.
Dean is someone I feel like I understand and relate to all too well with. And that includes the awkwardness with being bi. The things he said and did were the same things I did and said even now.
I feel like I want to say more, but I’m just going say was waiting for this one since first mentioning it, and am very satisfied. The one that bothers me the most is that bi stuff only happens after Kripke, which seems fully misinformed to me. Looking at the things happening on The Boys, which are fantastic.
26:00 Dude. I'm sure some people are focusing too much on the satin panties only as evidence of being bi. But the satin panties is just window dressing to the actual point of why it is evidence. He says, "She made us try on her panties.". No one can MAKE Dean Winchester do anything. He WANTED to try them on, but let her insistence be the catalyst. He knew at the time it would be socially unacceptable to want to wear satin or enjoy it. He was able to be himself without the weight of his father's disapproval for a few minutes. John's toxic masculinity was definitely forced into Dean, directly and indirectly. The scene you showed where Dean was in the bar about to hustle the college students. We know Dean loves food. And nachos are best when the cheese is hot and gooey. But he abandoned his plate to go teach a few dude bros a lesson. As he does so, he changes his hair style and winks at the male bartender. Why did he do that? It's unnecessary to change his appearance for them. Pretending to be more drunk than he was would have been more productive than changing his hair. Dean is a wonderful multilayered character. Part of the reason so many love him is his many facets being recognized in many people. Between the shape shifter that hinted at Dean's strange feelings about Sam to the demon Dean figment in 'Dream a Little Dream of Me', Dean is a jumble of emotions. But as the show went on, isn't became clearer and clearer that Dean wasn't one hundred percent straight. And that's okay. I look at the dog Miracle as a physical representation of Dean accepting the male loving side of his sexuality. Dean wasn't a fan of dogs. He was killed at least twice by two different dogs. He was able to tell Sam had had a dog in the car while he was stuck in Purgatory. But when god disappears the whole world, but misses the dog, Dean clings to it. He'd just lost Cas for the last time. He was vulnerable, but Dean of all people clinging to a dog he'd just met when Sam was the dog person of the two is important. Considering the near derision Dean had for dogs, his love of Miracle, the job application, I think he was really coming to terms with his sexuality.
Your explanation on bisexuality and the fact I went down the rabbit hole of fans seeing dean as bi really just struck a chord on me. Made me realize my own sexuality and things just kinda clicked. So thanks for the video it has helped me learned more about myself and gave me strength and knowledge to accept this part of myself.
Really enjoyed this video and even if there was some stuff I didn't agree with, I loved this bi-section of Dean. On the subject of dressing up being used as evidence, I'll say my thoughts on it have always been that Dean dressing up in costume like in LARP and the Real Girl or the suit in the Elliot Ness episode really feel like Dean getting a space to safely express himself in a way he normally can't in his day to day life. It's not the act of dressing up itself, but that it's a way for him to be more open about his interests and personality. That Charlie is also part of the LARP episode and is one of the few openly queer characters we see him interact with subatantially is also part of the episode kind of echoes this point to me.
This is a good analysis. So many potential ahas and the acting choices over definitely in the script uh-huh. It just confuses me sometimes. Yes, Dean is bi and no he's not acknowledged it out loud to anybody human. There are things guys do as friends that they just won't talk about after or even acknowledge.
Interesting theory. I've only seen 5 seasons so far, although I have watched various clips in other seasons. There's enough in what I saw to support Dean being bisexual, and firmly repressing it in the first few seasons, then becoming slightly more relaxed about it in the later seasons. After all, John Winchester raised his eldest son to be a MAN, and a hunter, and Dean would have done anything to make his father happy with him. Including ignoring any attraction towards another man, or pretending that he was just acting in order to gather information.
Look I’m as straight as possible and even i can see dean as bisexual. It’s subtle enough not to offend anyone who is against it. But it’s clear that dean is bi. His connection with Benny and cass and several others do seem closer than pure friendship. Dean is 70% straight and 30% bisexual. John was born in 1954 and likely would’ve had problems with queerness. Honestly it also makes sense seeing as Dean was born in 1978 and grew up in the 1980’s. By the late 90’s and early 2000’s it would be more acceptable to be bisexual.
I really liked the intro and especially the how things can be interpreted differently given your sexuality as I sometimes wondered if things that I as a bisexual interpret in a certain way can also be typical behavior in example between hetero man, bc I can't know as who I am. Also especially loved the fanboy section of this video which is one of the biggest things I thought about for years honestly. Having heard of fanboy experience of man over male actors I always wondered... are they gay / bi or just superfans ... can you have a fancrush on someone of the same gender without being bisexual or not.. (same for every gender obviously)...for Dean it is especially his way he was in front of Dr. Sexy as I every time when I watch it get the feeling, that he didn't watch the show for the women only but especially for the sexy doctor in cowboy boots ^_^ Into this the question, if someone can see that someone of the same gender as attractive if not being gay in any form (same for gay/lesbian ppl and the attraction to the opposite gender) also comes to my mind, bc I just can't answer this of my own. Thank you for putting in the whole facets of being bisexual - really thank you very much for pointing it out as I think many ppl aren't aware of it bc in TV bisexual character are often refereed to as gay or lesbian or hetero given what gender they date at the moment...(Ianto Jones from Torchwood was a good example for a bisexual man in this matter as he loved woman and stated for Jack 'it's only him' which shows the facets of bisexuality well (and I won't start about that he got killed of but until then the representation was good) while Willow from Buffy is bi ... but was later only refereed to as the Lesbian bc she dated only women later... and it felt like they forgot that she had been deeply in love with Oz too) Which also leads me to the point - it was a different time back than and for pointing out in which surroundings Dean grew up is one of my strong points for him being in the closet and his behavior in the earlier seasons. So well done. Regarding the variations of bisexuality also thanks for making clear that being bisexual does not exclude variants of genders - sometimes saw ppl get bashed on social media for being against transsexual or non binary ppl when saying they are bi... which always saddens me and does not make sense to me. Last but not least - stating that people shouldn't be judged after how they dress or look like and pressed into a certain gender or sexuality stereotype - YES - one of the tropes that is so common and so toxic I even had a class in University within the subject Ethnology about it - the specific one was about trans-sexuality and how ppl have 3 things they go after to literally proof they are a different gender to the body they are born in to our society bc they feel pressed to do so to legitimate it. The study talked about that people only feel accepted as who they are if others see them as who they are and this mess is a huge problem. People feel pressed to show certain behaviors bc the media taught the society that a gay man or a hetero woman or a bisexual person has to be like this or that to be seen as who they are and if you don't fall into one of the drawers you are not who you are... which is bullshit obviously but plays into it... okay but I'll stop myself now ... made my part of our radio show about how media influences the common knowledge and promote toxic tropes about bisexuality in tv and how we have to show in the media that influences all of us so much the reality, and stop the tropes to teach the next generations and ours too so they can raise their kids right and without false information. I am with you in this. Thank you very much for another amazing video and I hope you do not feel threatened by this word wall of a commy ^_^°
Good video! I really can see Dean as bisexual aromantic character (that's my headcanon actually. I see him aromantic because in the show, he always prioritizes his platonic relationships, mostly Sam and Cas and he never really fell in love except with Cassie + I really crave for aro representation 😭❤️ ). I wonder if perhaps you can do an essay on sam's queercoding as well ? I mean there are also a lot of evidence that this boy is not cishet xD (the allegory of the monster, him escaping his family to go in California, the fact that he summoned two male demons, sera Gamble wanting him to be bi or the fact that he uses gender neutral term to talk about his partners and that he never said he was straight etc). Being a bisexual myself who grew up in a Catholic family, I also really relate to his struggles with his family and his feeling of being the "different one" and the "monster". Again thank you for the video and sorry if my English is not very good, it's not my first language :)
See, the only comment that’s needed is “this show is plenty gay all on its own” says all that’s needed to be said, though it’s a shame no one clued the writers in that we could also see it, rendering the oft heard plaint that “that wasn’t what we meant” a little hollow.
Loved this video ! Your explanations are very efficient to tackle misconceptions. They are, I dare say, very bi-forward. Also you have a delightfully soothing voice. Thank you for stressing that there is no such thing as "acting gay" (aside from actions that can be linked to being attracted to the same gender) Stereotypes and reality are different things!
As another bisexual, I think this video really does a great job at highlighting the reasons for Dean being seen as bisexual even though it is never explicitly said. This video especially helped me see it more, as prior to watching I could see Dean as queer, but it never really stood out to me (and it usually stands out to me in pieces of media A LOT). I love how you didn’t rely on Destiel to make your point, because I think part of the reason I couldn’t see Dean as much of a bisexual before this was the common iteration that Cas was Dean’s gay awakening, and that never stuck with me as I personally didn’t see their relationship as anything close to lovers until the way later seasons. Amazing video!!
Simple economics. Dean isn’t portrayed as bi - the show would have died. Why haven’t the creators confirmed what is obvious to everyone with a brain SINCE the end of the show? Because they want to keep the possibility open of having the show return. And having the show return with a bisexual Dean is way too risky. You say - well what about Castiel? The possibility of Castiel returning from the Empty AGAIN is very small. And it’s likely that if he does return, he returns with amnesia of some kind so that they don’t have to deal with that.
Cas is not in the empty. It’s mentioned in the last episode that jack got him out and that they restored heaven together. Bringing him back shouldn’t be a problem
thread still going strong, I see. Mr. Wess, your content is still interesting and extremely thought provoking. I made my wistful Dan Levy comparison in my other post, so I may as well go for broke since it's along the same line of thinking. Tis a shame Dan Levy wasn't a writer for Supernatural, and oh my God, if Jensen had only a tenth of the open mindedness of Noah Reid about being a straight man portraying a gay/bi/queer character, that's it's NOTHING to get worked up about, Supernatural could have had such emotional impact. I listen to Jensen's responses at conventions now and in retrospect, (while he has many admirable qualities) , I can no longer deny that Jensen is seriously lacking in a certain type of courage.
I also fully believe it has alot to do with how and where you were raised and grew up, speaking of seeing others through your filter (gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual). I was raised in a small southern prodominitely christian town and was never really exposed to LGBTQIA+ people. It was only when i was grown and got more involved with the outside world via the internet and becoming more involved with others of the SPN fandom, who are mostly LGBTQIA, that i began to see Dean as anything other then straight. It really helps when you are able to remove the blinders put there be it by how you were raised or your own orientation that just because you don't personally see something a certain way doesn't mean thats not how it actually is or that others do
I think the writers were toying with the idea of him being bi for a long time which is why we get so many scenes with "tension" between Dean and another male character, but we also get scenes where Dean seems uncomfortable with the idea of homosexuality.
The main thing I learned from this video is that Jensen played Dean gayer than he was written. The lines might have been written for a laugh, but Jensen added a whole knew layer to the character and the writers and producers went with it in the future. Even if it was just for queerbaiting or still for laughs in the later seasons, I still love the show and of course Jensen for giving us the most iconic hunter ever. I'm not even mad they never made Dean's Bisexuality Canon, because if they had, we might not be talking about it years later.
such a great video. I've been watching your videos and I agree 100% with basically all the points you make. I hope you keep uploading because it's always so interesting to hear your take on spn!!
Great video! I would love to see a video about the sexist and homophobic early seasons, how Dean evolved and also how Sam did in that regard. I believe Sam would have had Dean's back, no matter who he had chosen as a partner, he seemed to be the least homophobic (not sure about the sexist part tho)
Too bad Dan Levy was never a writer for supernatural. Talk about a writer who can do biting humor, heartfelt love and the most tender genuine love story I have EVER had the pleasure to warch that just happened to be between two men with utmost respect. David Rose was pansexual. It can be done. Then again, that’s not the CW’s target demo is it? God bless the POP network.
I think For some stories writing a character to be of a sexuality different then heterosexual can be difficult for some writers/authors to not make it there characters whole identity or keep from relying on stereotypes and just dropping hints could make it easier incase the audience isn't on bored with the idea
This is a great video! I think I've seen it floating around for a while but never clicked cause I didn't really need to be convinced of this, however, I now just felt like seeing what you had to say and I think this covers it perfectly. I am a big Destiel fan, but 100% agree that that is not by a long shot the only evidence for Dean's queerness, as this video shows.
Love to see more videos about Bisexuality still feel like it’s a bit overshadowed topic even in the LGBTQIA+ community, I also agree fully with everything you have said in this video which to say the least is something I am not familiar with seeing when it comes to these sort of videos. So thank you for an amazing video and all the work you put into it! P.S. One time I did a rewatch of SPN and noted down any and all “gay” references in the show up to mid season 10 as my ADHD got distracted so need to complete it sometime but if anyone ever wants the list I made including the episodes each quote is from then just say so in a reply! Hope that can help anyone else doing a study that doesn’t have the time to go an rewatch the whole show again although in my opinion you should do anyway. 😝
Im straight, and i love SN and ive watched 1 time by myslef, 1 time with my girl, and im watching it now again, Ive always seen Dean and Cas as a very good friends, i have 4 very very close friends that i love and we joke with gay stuff, the basic gay jokes guys make with each other that have known each other for 16 years (and im 22 we are just friends since 1st grade). And ive always seen Cas and Dean the same way i see my friends and i. When he told Dean he loves him it was like for a guy to say to a guy he loves him he really means it. But then i started thinking, Cas is an angel he doesnt see people like people see them. And even tho im straight i really can appreciate a guy that looks good, some of them on the top of my head (Jensen, Jared, Misha, Ryan Reynolds, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ian Somerhalder, Paul Wesley, and i can go on and on). But the way you put things together in this video made me agree 99.9% with. Like damn at the end i was like, am i bi. xD
When I read the title of this video, I thought of that moment when Dean saw cas and then adjusted himself and looking flustered lol I’m going to check out some more of your videos
I think that, as a treat to yourself and us, you should do a video breaking down Dean's with other men who are not family (John, Bobby, Sam, and Jack).
Hi Bob, I am rewatching this video .... and going to jump on the bandwagon of some comments already posted here that touched on your narration about the scene at 23.15 mark, yeah that The Real Ghosbusters scene - Dean is not uncomfortable in the presence of queer men ... and this is supported by the Production Draft scribbled with Director's note. Referring to page 50/56 for that mentioned-said scene, the notes written there that was legible to me were "Not Gross" ... some comment I can't read, then "... Wow, huh. Strange to see." ... anyhoo, my point was, the stage direction for that particular scene was, "Dean takes this in. The sight of two guys dressed as Sam and Dean. It's a bit awkward (But still there's respect here)." So actually the incestuous vibes were the main factor of Dean's uncomfortableness ... not the queerness ... - refer to Superwiki Scripts and Casting Sides The Real Ghostbusters.
