You may think of Ross Lynch as just the star of the Disney Channel's gay-subtext
Austin & Allie, along with Calum Worthy (middle), who stars in this satiric
anti-straight marriage PSA.
Both appear on my list of
12 Unexpected Disney Channel Teen Hunks.But the talented actor and singer, born in Colorado in 1995, is just one of a whole family of performers. He is in the group R5, along with brothers, sister, and friend.
I can't figure out if they're gay-positive, heterosexist, or homophobic.
Riker, born in 1991 (left, with his brother Rocky), appears on the gay-positive
Glee as Jeff, a student at rival Dalton Academy and member of the Warblers singing group. His character is often assumed gay and is shipped with Nick (Curt Mega).
But both Riker and Rydel, the female member of R5, retweeted a tweet that complained that
Glee was "gay, gay, gay, gay, gay, gay." Sounds like they're a bit homophobic. But then...he stars in
Glee. Maybe it's commenting on the homophobia?
Rocky, born in 1994 (right), is deeply invested in the band, but he has also appeared on screen a few times, notably in
The Wedding Band, about four slackers who sing at weddings, including gay weddings.
Ellington Ratliffe, the drummer of the band, has appeared in
Victorious, Red Scare, Raising Hope, and
All You Need.
He tweeted to Riker that he was the "King of Swag," whereupon Riker told him that "Swag" means gay ("At least now you come out.") Ratliffe responded: "Swag is still cool." Homophobic or not?
So, how heterosexist are their songs? "Can't Get Enough of You" and "I Want You Bad" are loaded-down with "girl! girl! girl!", but "Without You" and "Look at Us Now" omit pronouns. And in "Never," the singer feels cold, so he gets his sweetheart's jacket wrapped around his shoulders. That sounds like a male sweetheart.
To be complete, I should include Ryland (born 1997). He's not in R5, but he stars in the Nickelodeon sitcom
The Fresh Beat Band (2009-) as Mini Twist, leader of a group that hero-worships the older Twist (Jon Beavers, who played a homophobic jock in
A Gaggle of Saints ). I think he's second from the left.
Homophobic, heterosexist, or gay-positive?
