high school musical is gay and i'm going to tell you why (Chad and Ryan, queer awakenings, & more)

instagram: elle.literacy
letterboxd: letterboxd.com/elleliteracy
business email: [e-mail]
faq:
-accent: lived in america when younger, ireland most of my life
-edit: final cut pro x
-study: English Lit & Film Studies, graduated in 2022

[@elleliteracy]

Click here bit.ly/3DfZ70b and use my code FILMFATALES for 50% off your first month! Channel your inner Sharpay Evans by buying something personalized with your name on it :)

[@mee4584]

@@RL-go2lp bro.

[@RL-go2lp]

@@mee4584 am I wrong

[@mee4584]

@@RL-go2lp probably but i’m not sure cause u deleted it 💀

[@thewhiterabbitchaser]

here's something gay for you about Kelsey, if all the diegetic music is serving queer coming of age allegory.... did we not remember which character composed and wrote those lyrics? Sappho in a page boy hat that's who

[@noodlez_art1]

The line "I'll show you how I swang" has no heterosexual explanation

[@aelvric7579]

That line exudes fruitiness, there's literally no other way for that line to be interpreted

[@BradenBest]

My favorite part was when the high school kid said "It's musical time" and totally music'd all over those guys

[@noodlez_art1]

Uh how does this have 1K LIKES ??!!

[@BradenBest]

@@noodlez_art1 Hello friend. It has 1K likes because 1K people clicked the like button. Hope that helps.

[@aquaarlest5821]

There are so many ways you can dissect this one frase And every single one of them is gay

[@KariTalks]

Ryan and Kelsi being paired together was an act of MLM and WLW solidarity

[@frankundercoverdragon6288]

They're each other's beards

[@alexrobi1176]

@@frankundercoverdragon6288 This is what I've been saying

[@ingridbjrnstad4763]

shes probably bi, at least in my mind

[@dinosaysrawr]

Precisely. That's how I read it, at least.

[@besupaaa]

ABSOLUTELY

[@bestiecon]

high school musical is an allegory for bisexuality and im being deadly serious. troy’s struggle feeling like he has to choose between sports and theatre …. that boy is bisexual

[@snazzy1325]

I’ve been thinking this for so long, even if it wasn’t intentional by the writers, the storyline represents bisexuality with the plot so much

[@Chase3163]

I was gonna say. Especially because in the end... Troy picks both.

[@kyliesmith521]

@@silversnow3186 it’s a movie, if bisexual people feel represented in the subtext/plot of this movie than let them. It’s just some fun i don’t know if you are joking or taking this persons comment and choosing to be That offended. As a bisexual person who grew up during the 2000s I didn’t see any actual representation so I found ways to relate to characters even if their sexuality wasn’t explicitly stated.

[@Chase3163]

@@silversnow3186 Uh... have you never watched Disney before??? Every character is a stereotype, ESPECIALLY the token gay characters. You're mad at the wrong people; we're just taking it as is. If you got a problem with stereotyping, take it up with Disney. :)

[@radish1662]

@@silversnow3186 She literally explains what queer coding is in the video. Troy, Ryan, and Chad aren't real people. They're characters in a movie.

[@otterzrkuhl]

I will never NEVER get over Chad saying "There's just one little thing that stops me every time" and then looking over to the rest of his team. NEVER.

[@peonyflower]

"i don't dance" is hsm for "i don't swing that way" and they are literally swinging bats the whole song

[@selectedshipper8282]

I’m pretty sure everyone just decided that Ryan and Kelsey were just each other’s beards

[@nereammc_99]

Ikr

[@thewhiterabbitchaser]

i didn't even know there were people who thought they weren't honestly like how could you possibly even watch hsm and not see ryan for who he is even as a wildly homophobic person, so in order to get to the kelsey ryan shoehorn you have to at least be on board with the overt gay god that is ryan so i guess i just assumed everyone was on the same page about their being each others dates

[@savedgirl309]

Ryan picking Kelsey actually still makes a lot of sense. There is stereotype of queer people picking a very safe/non-threatening partner before fully embracing or realizing their sexuality. I have few queer friends who exactly that in high school. But I also don’t want to fully dismiss possible bi-sexuality.

[@elleliteracy]

!!! that’s such a good point I didn’t even consider! thank you

[@dinosaysrawr]

Queers and neurodivergents instinctively seek each other out even before they have the language to understand and articulate themselves, in my experience!

[@EL-jq1sq]

@@elleliteracy Also, in relation to that cut scene, their nervousness also could be due to discomfort or embarrassment. They're put into this level of intimacy that at least Ryan (though I headcanon Kelsi as gay, too) isn't fully comfortable, in a public area, so I read their giggles as kind of a "ahahaaa I don't know what to do or what I'm doing here, but hey at least you're nice." So basically I don't think their subplot necessarily negates Ryan's queerness?

[@strawbeare]

Bearding

[@gregjayonnaise8314]

Also,Kelsey is pretty damn gay too, so I like to think they’re each other’s beards

[@besupaaa]

If you think analysing Ryan's hat is reaching: once Chad wore a razor charm on a necklace and, at least in my country, a razor means you "cut on both sides" and that was enough for me to believe Chad is bi.

[@taylorgayhart9497]

I was really confused when I saw the headlines about “Disney’s FIRST Gay Character” for the live action Beauty and the Beast, the first thing I said was, “UHM what about Ryan?!”

[@amycox5733]

I would like it but it’s at 69

[@basicboii]

We can't deny Chad and Ryan did not have chemistry in “I Don’t Dance”. It sent chills down my spine, and I LOVE IT!!

[@mangojelly23]

"what good is a degree in film if you don't use it to pick apart every single frame of a 16 y/o children's film franchise?" me

[@trinaq]

I remember being really confused as to why Chad and Ryan randomly changed clothes at the end of "I Don't Dance", and it was just never addressed in story?!

[@daydreams4232]

I swear they made Ryan and the piano girl get together because Disney saw the sheer homotension of I Don't Dance

[@daydreams4232]

That said, I like to think piano girl is a lesbian and so they're just good wlw/mlm solidarity being besties and maybe beards for each other

[@neobridgey]

DO NOT cal Kelsi “piano girl” 😊

[@elin2683]

a loose argument can be made for Kelsey's queerness in her hat accesories. a fashion statement she shares with ryan and how his entire being is queer coded

[@thewhiterabbitchaser]

i would like to float the concept that kelsey is ace but she and ryan are still queer solidarity beards

[@kezkai]

Kelsey and Ryan being paired together was a true beard moment

[@kiyotakasslay7717]

“I don't dance” is a direct parody of “i won't dance” where someone refuses to dance with their love interest in fear of falling in love with her, but ends up doing it anyway *and* falling in love with her.

[@dear_totheheart]

"Cats Don't Dance" to a T

[@surfpassion19]

As a Supernatural fan, I did not expect to be brutally attacked by this video

[@elleliteracy]

I was a supernatural fan back in the day so I’m right there with you

[@Chase3163]

To be fair, it's Supernatural who attacked us first. Now we just have PTSD.

[@solitairelyrics]

Same here. Kinda wanna rewatch it now lol

[@rabnerd28]

Love going to the videos for I Don't Dance and seeing every comment about how Chad and Ryan are gay.

[@zuzuthefirelord164]

I truly thought, that Ryan and Kelsey was paired up to be the "closeted gay best friends duo", like, yeah, the vibes was through the roof also, as a bi guy I read "I don't dance" sequence as portrayal of internal homophobia, at least I had exactly the same thought process (like chad's) as I was crushing so hard on one guy, but, yeah, sure "I don't dance"

[@l8ersk8er64]

Kelsey is 100% a lesbian, Kelsey and Ryan are the iconic Gay and Lesbian duo

[@WidthTomJones]

can't believe the fact that bisexual references often directly draw off of specifically _baseball_ metaphors didn't come up (swinging both ways, the term switch-hitter, etc)

[@morijohnson8910]

"Thats not how I swing" literally a euphemism for sexuality!!!

[@DC_let_the_Waynes_be_happy]

About kelsi: the girls that get it get it,the girls that don't don't, she just has the vibe,I see her she sees me

[@whitneyb7785]

kelsey never seemed straight to me!! her and ryan should have never went to the prom together it felt so weird bc they literally never showed any interest before the third movie

[@RachaelTheRed]

I always just assumed that neither of them was out publicly so they decided to go as friends/be each other's beards.

[@HM-debtfree]

I always thought they went as friends,do when the others paired up they could have dance partners too

[@denvertonrd]

I feel so vindicated by this video THANK you! Back in the day I wrote the longest essay about Ryan's hats and his dad straightening it - its nice to hear someone else talk about it!!

[@elleliteracy]

drop the essay!!!!

[@laurarowen6053]

Please, I would read that essay. Leave a link.

[@margoalex.]

oh my god please share the essay I’d love to read it

[@wonderlandisalanguage9646]

Please share the essay, my bisexual-homoromantic self would love to read it 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

[@teawithleia]

The chemistry between Chad and Ryan was insane! No wonder these two were my favourites. It all makes sense now. I thought I was making things up when I was a kid.

[@LindsayTVFilm]

I did have a crush on Kelsey back in the day. She's kind of in the shadows but you could debate some things just won't tick without her. Just because it is difficult to see if she's queer doesn't mean she could be neurodiverse

[@Mike_Neal]

I thought it was implied Kelsi ended up with Jason at the end of HSM 1? I only saw HSM 2 a couple of times and don't remember the plot completely and NEVER saw/wanted to see HSM 3

[@steamyvegetables1445]

24 frames of Nick made me realize that Chad and Ryan loved each other.

[@paulac.munoztorres]

Chad and ryan had amazing chemistry in I dont Dance, and it was an outstanding performance. I am happy we still have fanfiction, bless it, seriously. We are allowed to dream in paper, at least.

[@WinxMagicalHero]

We have fanfic? Let me run to AO3

[@skippycoulter]

"I've been taking the Omega 3 and the zinc" Oh I bet she has ADHD. "I have ADHD" Called it haha

[@elleliteracy]

omg

[@elleliteracy]

I’m too easy to read

[@GallifreyXFalling]

tbh kelsi and ryan reminded me of my middle school relationship (both of us are now queer and didn't know it at the time. we just vibed and people thought we should date so we did)

[@mahiganc8531]

9:00 lmao the fact they cancelled owl house cause the lead was bi in a wlw relationship doesn't help the limited series representation 🙃

[@lola.gs1]

this is especially relevant now that the new high school music series has been released. it features WLW and MLM relationships and a lot of the actors are on the lgbtqia+ spectrum.

[@panainpublic]

6:39 destiel jumpscare 😔😔💔💔 /j

[@elitettelbach4247]

I love a good queer reading of a formative franchise from my childhood! The extra film school context of queer coding and alternative ways of demonstrating intimacy were excellent additions to an already very well put together video!

[@saracafiero4643]

This is a video the whole world needed thank you for your service

[@clairefangloria]

i wish there were more content hinting at kelsi's closeted sexuality. maybe she is gay and wants to be closer to Gabriella and her way of doing that is by helping her get the part in the first movie and in the second movie write a song for her, idk this is something that crossed my mind as i was watching this

[@anony-missy]

I’m team Kelsey is bi or pan. I thought her and Sharpay had some like enemies to lovers tension especially in the first movie. And I could see her with multiple guys or girls tbh.

[@mooonblooom]

25:26 incidentally enough, that is extremely similar to what Nick says in Heartstopper when he talks to Imogen after rejecting her

[@lunalu2174]

hear me out, Chad having danced before, but not having a real musical duet with a man means that he had a crush on Troy, so he does dance, but he used to dance alone

[@tdf_worldkey6666]

Ngl I feel like Chad and Taylor were each other's beards. They give close allies because Chad has moments where he sidelines her for Troy and placed by Gabriella and Troy that's where most of their interactions come through. Plus Taylor gives sapphic girlboss. Kelsey however gives aroace. Ryan doesn't give closet he gives out but not necessarily showy about it. It's just him as is. But Chad definitely gives closet but homophobic closet who is overly dependent on his best friend who he is in love with

[@cornflakes-does-stuff]

I'm so glad you also made a video on Ryan and Chad and HSM being gay, thank you for the good food

[@shimpey2410]

whenever i watch hsm2 i always point out Mr. Evans and Ryan’s hat. It’s so interesting i’m glad you brought it up !

[@lisamujo287]

I Don’t Dance is one of the greatest moments in film ever. I still get goosebumps watching it, it’s SOOO good!

[@thisurldoesnotexist]

Kelsi may or may not be gay but that suit jacket she wore in the first movie definitely made some girls gay back in the early 2000s

[@lisamujo287]

I’ve been listening to a lot of Corbin Bleu’s music recently so this upload was a very nice surprise lol

[@BlueBlazeKing]

I would’ve had the thumbnail be “We’re all queer together”

[@JDM-is-my-name]

Me too, but I get the choice for "Queer all in this together" because it fits the music scheme, unlike "We're all queer together" unless you were to split "We're" into "We are" "We're all in this together" "Queer all in this together" "We're all queer together" I'm sure you know the tune, so I'm not going to do a breakdown on it, judt wanted to point it out :)

[@fangirlfiles3]

The best video to come home from work to.

[@35yoglenmckenna31]

I clicked so fast 😩 Also Alexander Avila talked about this couple on their amazing channel

[@senpais]

ryan and chad were iconic but troy and ryan have so much subtext too and so chyan can't stop me because i can read subtext and latch onto it more than blatant text

[@senpais]

also i'm part of a surprisingly popular tumblr post where i explained how ryan was basically confirmed to be gay by both the director, kenny ortega, and the actor, lucas grabeel

[@TheNewYear75]

asking the real questions

[@dotdotdotdotdotdotdottod]

me being gay: *-* aslo me: loving this movie having the dolls cds and even to this day i know all the korean lyrics to breaking free

[@FairyBogFather]

I love how Chad is supposed to be the biggest jock in the movie when Corbin Bleu is actually the best singer and dancer of everyone

[@Rebecca-zo3qg]

genius brilliant show-stopping

[@rinslife12]

Omg I did my whole NHD project on the Hays code 😂 giving me war flashbacks rn

[@smeebythesea]

I haven't even started watching this yet but I already know it's going to be absolutely spot on

[@gingergamer3270]

I always hoped that Kelsi was ace, but I don't really have anything to back that up with apart from the lack of pairing her off so she could still be a lesbian idk

[@audreylockhart90]

This was such a delightful video! 🫶🏻

[@alexhunter1220]

This is the third Lets Talk About I Don'T Dance video essay ive stumbled across and god it brings me so much joy. I loved this!! And the detail about straightening the hat was brilliant!

[@itsmeharperjacksons6633]

Of course it was gay, Kenny Ortega had a hand in it

[@lgarza9640]

I love this!!!

[@Shanspeare]

I love the folds in the flag

[@elleliteracy]

irons are homophobic sorry I don't make the rules

[@anaisnintuition]

God this is such an amazing video

[@mapmappampam8758]

Have you gone into the research of kenny ortega yet? He's such an interesting person and queer himself...

[@Nutriageek]

I love this! My first presentation for a power point party was exactly about this 💖🌈

[@duckysguidetoshipping8930]

I just discovered your channel and I absolutely adore it but I was thing from what you said about representation in Disney that on Disney it’s actually one of my favorite shows is the owl house!! It has so much open representation and it’s amazing with an open gay relationship and a non binary o

[@pineapplejester7191]

iconic video

[@ashlynnday9890]

I get the same vibe from Shark Tale but did not do the homework to figure out if that was the point

[@averybutdifferent5294]

If you want a queer reeding of Kelsey, then you could definitely make a case for her being trans or non-binary I’d say

[@whoknows6403]

Omg I love this video! could you make a video on why the bbc show merlin is gay?

[@peytonemma354]

"mutual understanding"

[@wriggleby]

This is so real

[@droidcat8358]

The SHEER amount of euphemisms in I don't dance is just- *SCREAMS*

[@alexbushman2148]

you forgot to mention that kelsi is a leabian (real and true just trust me)

[@oriannarashel]

I really hope Kenny Ortega watches this.

[@BUDan1995]

this is very good.

[@the_fandom_cookie9390]

You gave me a new ship and now my friends and family will suffer

[@Hryanw]

Now this is not a read but your voice sounds like Emma Watson in perks of being a wallflower and I love it

[@existentialpotato]

you: “and not to read too deeply into this…” me: do it. do it. say it. straightens his hat. straightens. say it. read into it. you know you want to. do it. we’re all thinking it. let it out. say it. do it.

[@PopcornEmma]

even the stuff with Chad and Troy feels queer to me. like what queer person didn’t have a really close best friend as a kid that didn’t reciprocate the intensity of their feelings and inevitably abandoned them for a romantic partner

[@mintycoolnessisrelevance]

unrelated really curious where ur accent is from? also love this vid

[@nikoblack1272]

if Troy can be read as queer ( and he can ), perhaps Gabriella can be read as a feminine trans guy, tho there's no strong supporting evidence of that reading😅

[@kahlilbt]

Hmm... Moves to a new school and wants to reinvent herself from the "freaky nerd girl"... 🤔 We can start there

[@MicahRion]

You are definitely not reading too much into the hat adjustments from his dad. As a kid, that happened to me all the time, with women family members adjusting my clothes to make me look more feminine. I was tryna express my transness by dressing like boys however I could. I couldn't pick my own clothes so I would do things like button my polos all the way up -- and it was repeatedly corrected.

[@AnneliesDeroy]

As someone who is on the ace spectrum & my fav was Kelsi growing up. I can see her as ace-coded. Also Zeke is such a cutie, definitely part of why I love fictional buff/sporty guys with creative hobbies like baking.

[@SearaChar]

It probably says a lot about me that my instinctual reaction to seeing the supernatural confession scene was “oh god what’s happened now”

[@beachbomb]

Just commenting for the clover pfp

[@flowerboi0_0]

How did u manage to be passive-positive?? I don't even know if that's a thing but u did it beautifully.😌👌✨️🌈

[@mandolen3317]

Ryan and Chad... interracial gay couple would steal all the spotlight from str8s

[@FairFeline]

Yes, this is the 6th video on this topic I have watched today.

[@benp3592]

WOAHH. I never thought of Chad as potentially queer/ bi. Now I totally see it, especially funny to realize as a bi guy.

[@marlin1486]

you have a fascinating accent

[@charlieelischer4192]

hi please please please tell me what movie that clip at 10:53 is from thanksss

[@marianospears3626]

Girl!!! I love it!!!! 🏳️‍🌈

[@29jgirl92]

Honestly the most shocking revelation of this video was that HSM is 16 years old!!!

[@Robin-234]

Not the supernatural scnene 💀🤚

[@freyab8633]

i will forever stand by the fact that taylor and kelsi were ryan and chads beards

[@KeepersD3N]

9:08 In good luck charlie one of the episodes charlie has a playdate where her friend has two moms

[@mayathefilmer4283]

The halo music when the pope came up needs to get appreciated lmaooo

[@slushied]

glee and hsm are so similar holy hell

[@bsharahourany154]

Ryan and Kelsey were each other’s beards