is Lola in Kinky Boots gay or straight?- Page 2

[PattyO'Furniture]

Posted: 12/8/15 at 5:59pm

Assuming you consider the following paraphrases to be acceptable: 

Gay - biological male who identifies authentically as male, not female, and is sexually/romantically attracted to men who generally identify as male themselves.

Transgender female - an individual born biologically male who identifies wholly as female and is attracted to men, both sexually and romantically, are authentically men

*I know - the problem: "Who says what a man is?  What makes a man?  Girls can play football, too."  I'm going with the common sense, million-years-old hunter/gatherer framing device - the one we each use everyday of our lives.    

Since the musical never really goes into Lola's sexual or romantic life, I know I cannot say to whom she is attracted (in either capacity); however, I fell like I can say with confidence that Lola identifies as female (she does not just perform as female - she goes to the factory that way, as well).  It's just not possible (as several others have noted) to pin down a clinical definition of her in this regard.  If you subscribe to the usually-true walks-like-a-talks-like-a ideology, I think you'd have to venture that she is a transgender female.  As Terrance...Mann notes, I like that it's never addressed.  

I also agree it's odd that (I believe) at some point Lola references/implies/allows the inference that she is straight - it's easy to jump the gun and think, Oh - a straight male.  Lola says that, I believe, because (instead of the Frankenstenian term "transgender female" she identifies as a straight female.   

[RaiseYouUp]

Posted: 12/8/15 at 10:00pm

PattyO'Furniture said: "

Since the musical never really goes into Lola's sexual or romantic life, I know I cannot say to whom she is attracted (in either capacity); however, I fell like I can say with confidence that Lola identifies as female (she does not just perform as female - she goes to the factory that way, as well).

"

So, are you saying she is transgender? That thought never crossed my mind, but now that you say it, it maybe makes sense. But again, a lot of the gender/sexuality of Lola is truly contingent upon what any particular actor decides for the role. I know that Billy's Lola had a different sexuality and gender identity than Wayne Brady's Lola. 

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 12/8/15 at 11:35pm

Personally I think we are reading too much into this (not to dissuade anyone else's opinion for sure).

But I think Lola is and should be representing everyone...So the idea that we don't know if she is gay or straight or  transgender or part of "those who have yet to make up their minds" is best because then Lola can mean more to a wider range of people.

[kdogg36]

Posted: 12/9/15 at 12:46pm

Transgender female - an individual born biologically male who identifies wholly as female and is attracted to men

Just to be precise, you're describing a straight transgender female. Transwomen can be lesbians as well.

[PattyO'Furniture]

Posted: 12/9/15 at 4:40pm

kdogg36 said: "Transgender female - an individual born biologically male who identifies wholly as female and is attracted to men

 

Just to be precise, you're describing a straight transgender female. Transwomen can be lesbians as well.

Yes, very good point - Caitlyn Jenner, in example.  But that person would not be straight if she is attracted to women and identifies as woman, and Lola says she is "straight".  I'm not being funny or facetious, but I think Billy Porter is a transgender female rather than a gay man (a person ID'ing as male liking male - I don't see anything male about his manner, affect, carriage, constitution, nothing) - of course, no one can determine how Billy identifies but him and there's the vaporous definition of male/female, and his gender identity is moot in relation to a character he portrayed, but I think the pondering about Lola shows how interestingly the production team handled her as a character.  I really like that they don't "say it" when they so easily could've.   

 

[jpbran]

Posted: 12/9/15 at 5:06pm

"Only Charlie's sexuality is defined."

I don't know about that... Seems like almost every character's is. Lauren (is that right?) pines for Charlie... Charlie's dad mentions Charlie's mother. Don is a self-professed ladies man. Lots of the factory ladies sing about what they want in a man... etc etc etc. 

I have to wonder if Lola's lack of specificity is due to the creators not knowing which would sit better with the audience. Him being attracted to women might be confusing to some (yeah, I know...) and his liking men would just be "too obvious" maybe. And there could have been worry about him expressing any romantic or sexual interest in men in BOTH semi-safe crowd-pleasing endeavors: 1. the big budget Broadway show that needs to placate the tourist crowd, and 2. the Miramax/Touchstone movie that was also designed as a safe arthouse popcorn movie. 

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 12/9/15 at 5:19pm

I find the assertion that a non-masculine man is a transgender woman to be in the extremest of poor taste.

[RaiseYouUp]

Posted: 12/9/15 at 5:36pm

PattyO'Furniture said: "kdogg36 said: " Lola says she is "straight".  I'm not being funny or facetious, but I think Billy Porter is a transgender female rather than a gay man (a person ID'ing as male liking male - I don't see anything male about his manner, affect, carriage, constitution, nothing) - of course, no one can determine how Billy identifies..."

Ok, a couple things.

1) Lola never says she is "straight". She has a couple lines at the top of act 2 that could be interpreted as revealing her heterosexuality. Once again, they CAN be interpreted that way. They could just as easily be interpreted a different way. Nothing is explicitly stated about Lola's sexuality.

2) I'm confused. Are you saying that you think Billy's interpretation of Lola is a transgender female...or are you saying that you think Billy Porter, the actor, is a transgender female? Because I can assure you, he is not. 

[darquegk]

Posted: 12/9/15 at 5:47pm

I will always refer, in my mind, to John Caroll Lynch on "The Drew Carey Show," saying something to the extent of, "I'm a heterosexual man, but at the same time, I make one hell of a woman, Drew."

 

Not that culty 90s sitcoms are the barometer of cultural matters such as this, but it's some point of pop cultural reference for those moments where quoting Bechdel or bell hooks won't cut it.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 12/9/15 at 11:06pm

jpbran said: ""Only Charlie's sexuality is defined."

 

I don't know about that... Seems like almost every character's is. Lauren (is that right?) pines for Charlie... Charlie's dad mentions Charlie's mother. Don is a self-professed ladies man. Lots of the factory ladies sing about what they want in a man... etc etc etc. 

 

I have to wonder if Lola's lack of specificity is due to the creators not knowing which would sit better with the audience. Him being attracted to women might be confusing to some (yeah, I know...) and his liking men would just be "too obvious" maybe. And there could have been worry about him expressing any romantic or sexual interest in men in BOTH semi-safe crowd-pleasing endeavors: 1. the big budget Broadway show that needs to placate the tourist crowd, and 2. the Miramax/Touchstone movie that was also designed as a safe arthouse popcorn movie. 

 

Sorry..I wasn't clear. I meant with regards to the two leads... but obviously I needed to write that, not just think it in my mind.

 

[RaiseYouUp]

Posted: 12/10/15 at 12:16am

jpbran said: "

I have to wonder if Lola's lack of specificity is due to the creators not knowing which would sit better with the audience.

 

"

I don't think it's because of how the audience would interpret it. I doubt anyone would have objected to Lola being explicitly gay, and I think audiences are smart enough to handle him being explicitly straight as well. I think it was just them staying in tradition with the movie. Lola's sexuality is also hinted at possibly being straight in the movie, though it is not explicit there either. It's just part of the show, but it ultimately does not have a bearing on the story, as it does not revolve around Lola being in a romantic relationship. It wouldn't have added anything meaningful to the show if they had spelled out his sexuality.