Photo: Courtesy of AMC.Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman revealed today that character Daryl Dixon could be gay, saying viewers shouldn't count out the possibility. "All I can say is that it's been discussed. We have very specific ideas about Daryl's sexuality, or the seeming lack thereof, and if there's ever a quiet period in the show where he's not consistently distracted by crossbowing, we'll tackle it in the show," Kirkman told Comicbook.com in response to a fan letter.
Questions about Daryl's sexuality come from two camps. Comic loyalists (the show was inspired by an illustrated series) point to the parallels between the character Jesus — a gay man in the comics — and Daryl's on-screen persona. Both are badass, desirable people. On the other hand, some viewers simply point to Daryl's lack of sexuality on the show as evidence he won't have a black-and-white romantic experience. He's forged close friendships with Carol and Beth, but neither has felt very sexual.
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The show hasn't shied away from other homosexual relationships. (Tara and Alicia had a brief romance.) And, Kirkman was emphatic that the show's producers "absolutely would" allow for this character development for Daryl. Norman Reedus' rep had no comment from the actor on this issue.
It may not seem like a big deal to you if Daryl ends up being gay. Or, maybe it does. On one hand, it shouldn't even matter. After all, sexual preference shouldn't necessarily be a plot point. But, on the other hand, having a character like Daryl identify as gay would be a major moment for both the gay community and television itself. We don't see many characters like Daryl on TV — universally celebrated, hyper-masculine gay men who hail from an economically marginalized community.
There's also the chance that we'll never see Daryl in a sexual setting at all. He's pretty busy with the zombie apocalypse, and living in a sea of rotting, reanimated corpses isn't exactly a turn on. It's possible his character simply doesn't prioritize sex — even though many viewers place him among the most desirable men on television. (ComicBook.com)
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