Our flag means death gay
Avast! Gay Pirates! The Essential and Truthful Queerness of Our Flag Means Death
- Ella Gammel
- Sep 25, 2022
- 4 min read
**Warning: this article contains moderate spoilers for Our Flag Means Death.
“You were made to feel foolish by a bunch of shows — unintentionally, by and large, I reflect — but made to feel favor ‘maybe I’m going to be up there. Maybe that’ll be me in this story.’ And then at the end of it feeling like, ‘Aw. No, it’s not me. I’m not in this one.’” When The Verge interviewed David Jenkins, creator and showrunner of the 2022 HBO Max strike show, Our Flag Means Death, the show’s representation of queer characters took center stage in the discussion. Our Flag Means Death follows Stede Bonnet, a real experience British aristocrat who abandoned his wife, children, and cushy life to sail the 18th-century seas as a plunder. The show’s delightfully absurdist tone is owed to Bonnet and his eccentric crew, plus the ship’s surprise (and historically accurate) addition of Blackbeard himself. Our Flag Means Death (OFMD) is lauded for its realistic portrayal of queer people. Jenkins noted that the fandom’s shock and delight at OFMD’s accurate LGBTQ+ representat
Today we are discussing the final episode of Our Flag Means Death! Link us for our deep dive into season 2, episode 8, “Mermen.” You can watch this episode by joining our Patreon! The Patreon version of this episode contains bonus content about living in the middle of nowhere, SpongeBob squarepants, Ryan Gosling’s Oscars act, that one viral house listing, pie vs cake, and the world document holder for the most snake bites. Stick around, because we will be releasing more lgbtq+ pirate episodes from time to time! Thank you to everyone who has come on this journey with us, and especially to everyone who supports us on Patreon and/or our sticker club, because you all are the folks who generate this possible 🖤 Be sure to check out our Gay Pirate merch before it gets retired! Follow us on instagram for memes and stuff And of course, listen to our other podcasts!!! The Gayly Planet is about Star Trek: The Next Generation EsGAYpe From Life is about the Simon Snow series by Rainbow Rowell We Are The Gayers is about Buffy the Vampire Slayer Cheers, m’dears
This review contains some spoilers for the first three episodes of Our Flag Means Death season two.
I’ve always loved pirates. I was in high university during the height of the Pirates of the Caribbean craze, and we spent many a feature night watching and rewatching the first movie, quoting our favorite lines, and for me, wondering what that feeling in the pit of my stomach was every time Keira Knightley was on screen (Spoiler – it was the GayTM).
I’m not sure why, but pirates acquire always felt inherently lgbtq+ to me. Maybe it’s the adventure and the breaking of established societal rules. Maybe it’s the outfits. Whatever it is, you can count me in for most snatch media, especially when there are lady pirates. (RIP Black Sails; Justice for Eleanor Guthrie and Max!) Many of the pirate-themed movies and shows I’ve watched have hidden the queerness in subtext or blink-and-you-miss-it main text, so imagine my surprise and ensuing delight when Our Flag Means Death burst onto the scene last year with its overt queerness front and center.
I’ll admit, when the demonstrate was first pitched to me, I was wary, what with all the cis men, but honestly, Meg Jones Wall’s 10 queer reasons to w
Examining Queer Identity in “Our Flag Means Death”
While most might spot a show about pirates on the surface, a deeper dive shows that “Our Flag Means Death ” is more about the redefining of masculinity, and is a refreshing take on the type of LGTBQ stories present in modern media.
“Our Flag Means Death,” known endearingly as “the gay pirate show,” instantly captivated viewers with its lighthearted premise and emotional progression that leaves the audience distraught at its end. After the ultimate episode, I was sobbing on the couch, wondering how I came to care so much about middle-aged men living in the 18th century.
The show is driven by the offbeat humor and charming awkwardness indicative of executive producer Taika Waititi’s manner. While the playful humor takes the foreground, it’s the moments of tension that strengthen the connection between the show’s characters and viewers. The pilot episode begins with an introduction to a mishmash crew of pirates captained by Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby), a well-intended man who left his aristocratic life for piracy. Throughout the show, Stede searches for a sense of belonging at sea that he never found in domestic li