queerbaiting

[ kweer-bey-ting ]

noun

1. Slang. a marketing technique involving intentional homoeroticism or suggestions of LGBTQ+ themes intended to draw in an LGBTQ+ audience, without explicit inclusion of openly LGBTQ+ relationships, characters, or people:

   Television programs need to start openly depicting queer characters, because I'm tired of the queerbaiting.

2. Also queer-bait·ing. acts of anti-LGBTQ+ provocation, especially in speech and writing, including hate speech, threats, and other forms of harassment targeting the LGBTQ+ community.

Word History and Origins

Origin of queerbaiting¹

First recorded in 1955–60 queerbaiting fordef 2; 2010–15 queerbaiting fordef 1; queer ( def ) + -baiting ( def )

Example Sentences

But, in imagining Marvel Studios coming to the realization that Pride Month should really take place in spooky season and that holding out hope for brief, queerbaiting scenes in major studio releases is the equivalent of a mini-Snickers, in terms of satisfaction, "Agatha All Along" scratches an itch with the perfect thing . . . gay witches.

From Salon

However, LGBTQ+ fans criticized the song as a form of queerbaiting and fetishizing a gay man while Eilish uses them as a tool to get a guy she likes.

From Salon

Some even went as far as to accuse her of leading them on through queerbaiting.

From Salon

“Won't be staying up to listen. F**k that and f**k her for queerbaiting for a decade and then suddenly acting like it never happened,” wrote one angry fan on X. “Was it truly all narcissism to pull the biggest audience she could get?”

From Salon

Most recently the singer was accused of “queerbaiting” for a cryptic TikTok in October in which she seemingly came out as gay.

From Los Angeles Times