Xander gay??

[bradlee]

I am not sure if this has been mentioned yet, but I was listening to a commentary and I heard Joss and co say that they were originally going to make Xander gay. Do you think that it would have been a totally different take on things? If anything, I think we coulda gotten some more comedy out of it, but I also don't think that it would have been worlds away from what Willow and Tara had.

I dunno, what do you guys think??

[ILLYRIAN]

Well, he did ask Willow to gay him up, after that demon tried to open the seal with his blood.
But he was gay before that, I mean he went out with Anya didn't he. Or don't you mean happy - gay?

[Edmund Blackadder]

I am not sure if this has been mentioned yet, but I was listening to a commentary and I heard Joss and co say that they were originally going to make Xander gay. Do you think that it would have been a totally different take on things? If anything, I think we coulda gotten some more comedy out of it, but I also don't think that it would have been worlds away from what Willow and Tara had.

I dunno, what do you guys think??

This has been discussed alot, but I don't think it has its own thread.

For a start, Joss wanted to take the whole 'gay' story seriously, so if he had used Xander, far from it having 'more comedy' getting taken out of it, I think it would have grown Xander up quicker. He'd have been given this intense and interesting story.
I don't think Xander would have been less funny, but I think he'd have been like Xander season 7 a few years early.

One of my biggest gripes about the gay storyline is that Joss didn't go for Xander.
I love Willow and Tara is my favourite Buffyverse character and I know that 'gay' in the States for either man or woman is a tough subject, but still, I think Joss chose the easier option (no offense to the lesbians on this board - I'm not saying YOU have it easy), I'm saying that while Joss wanted to do the gay storyline, a lesbian is far easier to be accepted than a gay.

Which of these are 'red blooded American' men going to prefer.

Two attractive ladies kissing or two attractive chaps?

Although there are ladies out there that prefer one over the other, generally woman are more forgiving (we all know this is true) about stuff like this and can appreciate it more. Joss played it kinda safe.

I mean, Joss was all about breaking the traditional rules, and I liked that, but this once, I felt he played by them and was a little disappointed...until Restless:)

I wrote in another thread what I believed was a good outline for the seasons had they chosen Xander as the gay character....let me see if I can find it.

[sosa lola]

I remember reading a lovely fic where it was Xander who came out instead of Willow. You're right, Bored of the Dead, it was an experience that made his character develop faster.

[Rowan Hawthorn]

IIRC, the decision as to whether Xander or Willow was going to be gay was pretty much made for ME when Seth Green decided to leave the show. With Willow in college, it gave them the opening for her "experimentation" that turned into the real thing.

[Hello Cutie]

All I could think when I read this thread was 'ahh, well that explains alot', with regards to his hatred towards Spike... there was wanton sexual desire behind it the whole time!! :P

But seriously, I think BotD was right when he said that the Willow/Tara relationship was the easier option- people are more accepting, because it's seen as 'normal' for girls to experiement etc, whereas for guys, it just isnt (despite the fact that they can get as confused about their sexuality as women), and of course, the majority of people would rather see two girls in bed than two guys- that goes without saying.

Equally, I can understand why Joss took that easier option at the end of the day- okay so he wanted more serious thought put into the gay relationship thing, but look at the outrage Willow-Tara caused, and triple it if it had been Xander and another man... it might not have been what Joss wanted to, but at the end of the day, I believe it was the more feasible option to allow his programme to continue being aired!

[Lily]

The storylines touched on Xander's sexuality and his freak out at any reference to possibly homosexuality enough times that it wouldn't be hard at all to see how he could have been the gay character in the bunch. But those of you that mentioned the seriousness that Joss wanted to treat the scenario with just suited the character of Willow more, but it would have been really interesting to see it play out with Xander and how it would have matured him and changed his views on the world etc.

[bradlee]

Who do you imagine would have been his Tara??

I picture someone a little shorter than Xan, maybe with lighter hair and a quick wit. Almost like a mix of Anya and Dawn.

[IdiotJed]

I think they needed a male, human male, that viewers could identify with. You know, being friends with incredibly sexy and cute girls and dealing with growing up and being in a relationship with a woman, the fear of the future: things that a straight male has to deal with. Besides, there's all that women power on the show. Straight guys need someone to relate to.

[UlaGan]

Welll, Xander did outmentioned to Spike how "yummy and biteable" he was, and also told Spike not to forget that. How's that for straight man?
Joss loves to play with all those little hints.

[Fake Shemp]

lines of gender and sexuality just isnt that simple

[bob6666]

I beliveing have xander gay would be bad.

it would bring out a few interesting question,
xander love of buffy did he really want her or just wanted every body to think that he did.

was he more then friends with Jease is that why he hate vampires so much.
how much was just a act, the funny clothes, the joke, let play strip poker joke all the time. maybe he was afraid that they would not like the real him.

i read a good story, the sence with buffy danceing with xander (you know the oun) it was from angle point of view. Angel know that buffy would throw xander away if angel asked her to dance, xander know it to as soon as he saw angel but here is the cool part part of angel wanted xander what would have happen if angel wound have gone after xander have buffy broke his heart.

[The Chosen]

IIRC, the decision as to whether Xander or Willow was going to be gay was pretty much made for ME when Seth Green decided to leave the show. With Willow in college, it gave them the opening for her "experimentation" that turned into the real thing.

Didn't Joss say that the decision was made for him as well when Seth left the show? I don't think it was originally planned, Seth leaving the show. And then he did, and then Willow's gay, and then she was brushing her hair and drinking fruit punch and no one will explain to me why! (No just kidding. :p)

[RogueHunter]

Larry the football player.

[Spuffy is true love]

LOL, larry the football player, that would have been good if he wasn't dead. lol.

I think that although it might have been the safer route, Joss has always been about women empowerment and probably the strongest and most stable relationship on Buffy was the one of Willow and Tara. Nothing caused more heartache than when Willow and Tara broke up and nothing caused more Joy than when Willow and Tara got back together (however brief it was) I think that it was perfect how he did it. I don't think he took the easy route b/c lesbians still get shit anyways, no matter how hot it can be ;)

Also, they make a lot of homoerotic comments in Xanders arena. I mean "butt monkey" comeon. I think they were kinda toying with the idea of Xander being gay but they found it much funnier for him to make those sort of innuendos. That's Xanders charecter, funny. wouldn't have it any other way.

[TabulaRasa]

As we have learned, no he's not. But I always felt like he was a little. Maybe cause they had plans to make him that way.

[The Ferg]

I think it would SUCK! Just imo, but if Xander was gay, it would be WAY to girl-scentric. I realize that's what the whole show is all about, but Xander is... just... great! It's would be horrible if he was gay. (Besides if he was, there PROBABLY wouldn't've been Tara/Willow)

[kiben]

What was that line Xander had in the kitchen.... "I'll pump him for information" ? LOL

I think making Willow gay only furthered the strong-heroine focus of the show.

[littlewilly]

ive got to agree with the Ferg, im glad they didnt make Xander gay.
I mean, ive read things like Spike and angel, and Ethan and Giles maybe had a sexual relationship back in the days.
and now Buffy and Satsu.
Whats the writers big obsession with characters being gay or at least trying it?

[vampireczarina]

They were going to make Xander gay. Holy crap. I didn't know that, glad they didn't. Everyone doesn't need to be gay on that show.

[The Kinslayer]

They were going to make Xander gay. Holy crap. I didn't know that, glad they didn't. Everyone doesn't need to be gay on that show.
It´s was either Xander or Willow so it hadn´t made any difference. I don´t think Tara would be a character if Willow hadn´t turned gay. I know I´ve already written my thought on the matter somewhere. I´ll see if I can find it.


edit: I know that they thought of turning Xander gay, but I´m glad they didn´t. Not because I´m a guy and rather see girls kiss. Even if that would be an easy conclusion. No it´s because he´s surrounded by girls all of the time and for me it would be the easy way to go, in the sence that beeing aorund girls all the time = you get girlish hence start liking men. An idiotic conclusion I know, but I see it everythere and even have had it thrown at me a couple of times. So I´m just pretty tired of it. Xander is better of missing male friends, it makes for some good lines.

[Buffanator]

Who do you imagine would have been his Tara??

I picture someone a little shorter than Xan, maybe with lighter hair and a quick wit. Almost like a mix of Anya and Dawn.


Heh. Andrew. After all, he did admire Xander's handy work at fixing the broken window so many times... :D

[Grami]

I could never really see it working tbh. Xander was always harping on about women and was one of those typical hormone fueled high school boys. I mean I get that somebody can obviously change sexual prefrences later in life etc but I just could never picture him gay [as much as I'd have liked to see it]. I do think it would';ve worked in maturing the character and sort of giving us a different perspective of him as I often felt like he didn't really have a lot of exciting stuff to get his teeth around not like Buffy and Willow.

Though I'm glad Willow was gay as shows always tend to tackle the gay angle from the point of view of a male and rarely from a female.

Edit:

Heh. Andrew. After all, he did admire Xander's handy work at fixing the broken window so many times... :D

That would've been great :O
Do you think Andrew actually had a crush or some sort of mixed love feelings for Xander? I just always remember the scene in 'Storyteller' where he speaks Anya's parts on the video camera and I fcan never get if he's doing that because he idolises Anya so much, wants Xander or if he is just making some fantasised drama for himself.

[Kemy]

Since the GLBT scene is not what Buffy is about, there should still be the same hetero/homo/bi diversity you find in real life.

So having one emerging bi character (Willow) finding a gay character (Tara) is not unlikely. Also experimentation amongst still rather young people (Buffy) is common enough.

Having everyone in the cast go bi or gay? not very likely at all. And lets be honest the Andrew thing was never answered and the Lindsey thread is speculation at best.

Xander should simply remain straight since theres no reason to have him be anything else.

[Lindsey McDonald]

Since the GLBT scene is not what Buffy is about, there should still be the same hetero/homo/bi diversity you find in real life.

So having one emerging bi character (Willow) finding a gay character (Tara) is not unlikely. Also experimentation amongst still rather young people (Buffy) is common enough.

Having everyone in the cast go bi or gay? not very likely at all. And lets be honest the Andrew thing was never answered and the Lindsey thread is speculation at best.

Xander should simply remain straight since theres no reason to have him be anything else.

Unless Willow stayed straight and Tara never appeared. But I get your point.

I think Tillow was the better choice. I can follow through Willow's growth as a person easily enough, but Xander? I just don't think it would have been at all consistent. If they had gone down that road, I think he could only ever have been Bi without me feeling like it was forced in. With Willow, that wasn't so much of a problem for me.

Another thing, Joss was wanting to make a serious statement, and it may have been slightly compromised by choosing Willow, yes. But think about it. How hard did they have to fight the Networks to get Willow and Tara in bed? How long did it take? Now, imagine he tried to do the same with something that doesn't appeal to the majority of straight males. He wouldn't have gotten nearly as far, and so I think his message would have been compromised even more. Not that showing them in bed was at all important, but the Networks' attitudes were.


And Lindsey is totally into Angel. :silly:

[Tranquillity]

Didn't Joss say at the Dr Horrible panel at Comic Con this year that this was just a rumor and they never considered making Xander gay? I could be wrong but i'm sure i heard this somewhere recently...

[pernilleborup]

Xander being gay sure opens up to the whole Spander ship XD

Or maybe Xander and Andrew could have given it a shot :P

[Lindsey McDonald]

Didn't Joss say at the Dr Horrible panel at Comic Con this year that this was just a rumor and they never considered making Xander gay? I could be wrong but i'm sure i heard this somewhere recently...

I thought the original thing came from a commentary though?

[Blackloliita]

It's good he isn't gay, I mean come on the seriousity of the show would have been waaaay more lower than. It'd be not drama/comedy anymore but only comedy almost imo.

[pernilleborup]

It's good he isn't gay, I mean come on the seriousity of the show would have been waaaay more lower than. It'd be not drama/comedy anymore but only comedy almost imo.


Plus there would be a serious theme of gay people : The guy who picks on Xander, willow, Tara, Kennedy, Andrew(Clearly gay!), and Buffy(she has it in her, but we sure hope she doesn't walk the line)