For gay people with gaydar: Does the gaydar work if the other person is straight-acting?

Question

There's this guy from Queer Eye, the food guy, who at least to me is straight-acting. I can't remember his name, but he wears glasses, has dark brown hair, fair skin, and beautiful blue eyes. He's sometimes a judge on Iron Chef America. He's openly gay, but you wouldn't know he's gay, at least not to me. I'm straight. Is it possible to pick out a gay person, even if they're straight-acting?

Answer 1

No one's gaydar is 100% accurate. Especially if someone is trying to pass. But I've noticed that more times than not, when you see someone is gay (even if they are acting straight) they will give you THE LOOK. I can't explain it, but when you look into their eyes for the first time, it's like a telepathic message saying, "Yeah, I'm gay too."

Answer 2

The term "Gaydar" often confuses people by making them think that the detection of homosexuality is a trait that can be picked up by some kind of extra, machine-like sense. This is a false impression, but that's not to say that gaydar does not exist. Homosexuality, as science is showing, is a trait that one is born with. However what science has yet to figure out is what causes it, which some people will look at as proof that sexuality is a choice, but the reason science has yet to find the source is because it seems to come from so many different roots (hormones are different, brian fnction is different, ect.), rather than an inability to find a root. A strong comparison could be drawn as to what makes a person straight. Just as the psychology and physical structure of a man and a woman differ, they differ between straight and gay also. For example, the hips of a man and woman differ, but the hips of a straight man and a gay man may also differ. Still, these kinds of subtle, small differences are difficult to notice, especial since so many homosexuals attempt to either disguise them or are just "straight-acting." Gaydar is simply an educated guess based on the observations taken from a persons behavior and actions. Sometimes these observations are noted sub-conciously thus leading to the belief that it is an extra sense. I can personally say that there is no character from QE4SG that I wouldn't assume to be gay, and often times, even within more straight acting people, there are clues that you can look for. If you are uncertain about a particular person though, it is best to assume that they are straight until they tell you otherwise. Since it might be rude to just ask them, it is best to try to work it into a conversation, like asking them about their most recent date, if their seeing anyone special, or giving them the option to pick out who they would most want to be with, from a group of both good-looking guys and girls, based on looks alone. It is important that you let them come out to you.

Answer 3

Ted Allen is the "food guy" in the Queer Eye gang.

I think gaydar is especially useful on the mainstream acting and looking guys. The ones who don't dress with any flamboyance, who don't have any voice inflections that are gay-ish, and who might be called "straight-acting." When I get gay vibes from one of these guy, I know what I'm getting.

On the other hand, when I get vibes from a guy who has other more stereotypical signs that he might be gay, my gaydar gets confused. I'm never certain whether I'm getting real gay vibes, or if I've been distracted by his uniquely gelled hair and change-color contact lenses.

Answer 4

The truth of the matter is that sooner or later, if you are around a person long enough and get to know them well, the non-heterosexual aspect of his or her life will come out. In other words, they slip -- and in the case of an otherwise straight-acting, masculine man who is hiding the fact that he is gay or even bisexual, things "start to happen" in your presence: staring at men a little too long; sometimes it's the way he dresses; talking about dating women but not really doing so; etc. I myself have actually repressed such observations I've made of people until even I can't deny the possibility that something about these men are "not exactly straight." We sometimes like to chastise ourselves over this type of thing we do (sensing someones orientation) but it's a very real ability that we have. And some people's ability to sense this is far more intense than the average person's. It's not just gay people either who have this. It's bisexual and straight people too. Sometimes people who are deeply in the closet will pull back from a friendship if they themselves sense that person is picking up a little too much about them.

Answer 5

GAYDAR is the ability to recognise another gay person EVEN IF HE ACT STRAIGHT. So yes, Gaydar works with straight acting guys, BUT OF COURSE it is easier if the guy ACTS gay.

Answer 6

A lot of it's in the eyes....how they look at you when you're talking to them says a lot. Most straight men don't look you eye to eye when you're talking. Also, you might catch them giving you the once over too but those would be the only tell tale signs I would notice but i don't have gaydar so I can't really honestly answer

Answer 7

Gaydar usually only works really well if the person is interested in you on some level...Gay people can turn off their gayday as well...to appear straight.

Answer 8

There's no such thing as "straight" acting, or "gay" acting. They don't "act" a different way, that's who they are!!

Yes it can be hard to find out, but that's why you ask someone if they're gay or not if you think they're interested in you!

Or go to gay bear bars, haha.

Answer 9

Well, I'm not real clear on what you're asking, but I can tell you my gaydar goes off on both straights and gays.

Answer 10

They could be gay and not have any signs of being gay at all. My brother's best friend is gay and I had a hard time believing it. I swore he had a crush on me, but he just really wanted someone to support him.