May 16, 2010 Comments (14) Views: 7744 Television

Are They, Or Aren’t They: Stewie Griffin

Welcome to the first installment of “Are they, or aren’t they?” Here, we look at various characters in pop culture and pose the question of whether or not they are gay (bisexual in some cases). I will be providing examples of things that might tip the scales in favor of both sides of sexuality. I will also list reasons why they should or shouldn’t be outed. Our first subject is none other then the matricidal baby from Family Guy, Stewie Griffin.

I know, I know. You see this guy and instantly think “Oh, there’s no denial here. Stewie’s a flaming homo.” It’s very easy to dismiss him as the gay stereotype, but let’s look at a couple of things before we come to a final conclusion shall we?

Why he might be gay: Over the course of the show, Stewie has evolved from diabolical genius, into a sexually confused character. He has an odd relationship with Brian. Yeah, they are best friends, but Stewie takes it to an awkward place every now and then. Then, there’s this clip of Stewie and Brian’s son, which is pretty hard to argue with. Seems like an open and shut case, no?

Why he might not be: The only woman he really seems to have issue with is his mother, Lois. You could make the argument that this is the root of his homosexuality, but it seems like a bit of a stretch. Also, there have been episodes with Stewie being flirty with other women (like this clip where he tries to impress a babysitter).

Why he should be gay: Let’s face it, Stewie Griffin is a pop culture icon. Where everyone wore Bart Simpson t-shirts in the 90’s, you see people sporting Stewie’s mug on clothes today. If he was outed, it would be a pretty big deal. A lot of people that normally wouldn’t dare associate with a gay dude are out there, quoting a well-known homosexual. It would also be a big deal for Family Guy in general. Since its inception, there have not been many occasions for character growth or advancement. Stewie coming out would definitely open some new doors for plot and development for the show’s gags (Seeing Stewie get a boyfriend and rub it in Meg’s face would be pretty funny, for starters).

Why he should stay in the closet: You would think this would be obvious. He’s a baby. There are social issues you could bring up with having a gay baby on the show. That being said, this IS the same cartoon that has a talking dog dating a human female, so most big taboos are already thrown out the window. It could backfire as well. Those same people that own Stewie shirts may take issue with their favorite character “suddenly” turning gay. Honestly, I doubt losing a few viewers would hurt the show, but you can never tell.