**TL;DR- Queerbaiting is the term used to describe ‘authors, writers, or showrunners attempting to attract an LGBTQ+ audience by hinting at same-sex relationships between characters, though they’re never actually consummated’ [1]. Among other things, (such as using it to make money) one reason why queerbaiting is not okay is because it denies healthy queer representation.** Media representation is important because seeing someone like yourself on TV and in films etc is a validating experience, and gives a greater sense of inclusivity to said piece of media, so it should definitely be encouraged. Yet contrary to what many people believe, subtextually queer characters do not count as healthy LGBTQ+ representation, despite the fact that many franchises use queerbaiting as an excuse to say that they do have queer representation, only subtextually. However, for proper representation to exist, this subtext has to become text, not something left up to the consumer’s imagination. LGBTQ+ people are only one of the many underrepresented groups in film and TV, with data showing us that in the 2017-2018 TV season, ‘there were 901 main characters on broadcast scripted primetime programming’ and just over 6% were identified as LGBTQ+ [2]. Even where there is queer representation, the character is often either killed off, sexualised, or portrayed through stereotypes, such as James Corden’s recent golden-globe nominated role of a stereotypical gay man in *The Prom*. Many people found this somewhat offensive, and many more would say that this is not healthy representation. Queerbaiting also denies proper queer representation as it mocks LGBTQ+ people as well as potential queer relationships, reducing them to nothing more than jokes among the showrunners. This is evident in one of the most recent and famous queerbait relationships between Dean Winchester and Castiel in the CW’s *Supernatural*, which the producers have also ‘undoubtedly profited from’ [3]. In this case, some *Supernatural* showrunners would ‘consistently use offensive gay jokes in storylines or have the men care for each other but reinforce the “no homo” mold after each semi-romantic gesture’ [4]. Many fans are rightfully annoyed by this because the LGBTQ+ community deserve actual representation, not the crumbs and mockery which devalue queer relationships in the media. In conclusion, one reason why queerbaiting is not okay is because LGBTQ+ people deserve proper representation, and queerbaiting does not count as this. As Uma Dodd states in *Rife Magazine*: > ‘Queerbaiting denies LGBT representation, and not only tells LGBT people that they are not worth the unimaginably miniscule effort of writing in an LGBT character, but also that we, as a group of people, are not important enough for our existence on screen to be considered as anything more than fan-service’ [5]. [1 & 2] Bea Mitchell in *Pink News*, February 26, 2018 [https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/02/26/what-is-queerbaiting-everything-you-need-to-know/] [3] Sadie Gennis in *TV Guide*, November 17, 2014 [https://www.tvguide.com/news/supernatural-queerbaiting-destiel-1089286/] [4] Caroline Fenyo in *Affinity Magazine*, March 9, 2017 [http://affinitymagazine.us/2017/03/09/queerbaiting-in-the-media/] [5] Uma Dodd in *Rife Magazine*, November 28, 2017 [https://www.rifemagazine.co.uk/2017/11/queerbaiting-and-the-issue-of-lgbt-representation-in-the-media/]