Race and Sexuality in True Blood

c.w. use of a gay slur in dialogue

True Blood is one of the classic vampire TV shows. Created in 2008, it’s set in a fictional small town in southern Louisiana and revolves around Sookie, a telepathic waitress. While not necessarily current, it remains relevant today. In many ways, the show was progressive for its time, yet watching it now, one is also reminded of its many flaws. This scene focuses on an interaction between the character of Lafayette and three restaurant customers. Lafayette is a black gay man who is open about his sexuality. He works as a cook at the restaurant, as well as in construction, and as a dealer of V (vampire blood is an illegal drug in this tv universe). Lafayette is unique as an on screen queer character. He is never shown in a stereotypical, hyper-feminine way, nor an aggressively repressed masculine manner. He is almost always portrayed as both loudly feminine and masculine. In the scene below, there is a clear juxtaposition between his more feminine outfit, jewelry, and makeup, and his aggressive style of confrontation and his ability to best three men in a physical altercation. 

The scene opens with a view from within the kitchen facing out towards the window into the dining area. We see Lafayette stirring something on the stove as Arlene, one of the waitresses, brings a plate up to the window. Lafayette asks if there’s a problem with the burger. Arlene responds by attempting to brush it off, saying “it’s just a couple of drunk rednecks.” Lafayette seems to sense it’s more than that, presses again, asking what the problem is. Arlene tries to say that it’s not worth it. As they speak, the camera flips back and forth between them. Lafayette continues to ask Arlene what the issue with the burger is. She eventually tells him. As she begins to tell him, the camera briefly flashes over the group of men, then back to Arlene. The men’s issue with the burger becomes apparent when Arlene says that they told her that “the burger might have AIDS.” As she says this, Lafayette develops a serious expression. He pulls off his clip-on earrings and his apron, clearly preparing for confrontation. As he does this, the music gets louder. As we see him leave the kitchen, Arlene begins to look nervous. 

Lafayette walks out into the dining area carrying the plate that had been returned. He saunters up to the table and asks, “Scuse me, who ordered the hamburger *pause* with AIDS?” The men at the table begin to snicker. The camera moves shakily onto a white, blond man wearing a camo shirt who claims that he ordered the hamburger deluxe. Lafayette responds, getting louder as he goes, “In this restaurant, a hamburger deluxe come with French fries, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and AIDS.” Shouting, he continues, asking the whole restaurant, “do anyone got a problem with that?” The man he was speaking to responds that yes, he does have a problem, because he’s “an American, and [he] got a say in who makes [his] food.” 

Lafayette responds, telling the man, “Well, baby, it’s too late for that. Faggots been breeding your cows, raising your chickens, even brewing your beer long before I walked my sexy ass up in this motherfucker. Everything on your goddamn table got AIDS.” As he says the word beer, the camera flashes to one of the other men drinking his beer and then slowly putting it down as he hears what Lafayette is saying. The camera then returns its focus to Lafayette as the man still says he won’t eat “no AIDS burger.” Lafayette then leans down and says softly, “Well, all you gotta do is say hold the AIDS. Here.” He then licks the bun and shoves it in the man’s face, saying, “Eat it.” Another one of the men gets up to try and punch Lafayette, but Lafayette is faster, and knocks two of them down before they can get to him. The men stop trying to attack Lafayette and sit back in their booth as he says “Bitch, you come in my house, you gonna eat my food the way I FUCKING MAKE IT! Do you understand me?” He then softly tells them to tip their waitress and walks away. As Lafayette walks back into the kitchen, he high-fives Jason, another customer at the restaurant. 

In this scene, we see several complicated dynamics. Lafayette’s character stands up to men who seem to have an automatic association between gay men and AIDS. This group of men assumes that food made by a gay man will have AIDS. Lafayette doesn’t tell them they’re wrong; he leans in, pushing them to be even more uncomfortable. In his assertion of dominance over this group of straight men, he challenges and subverts the norms expected of gay men. He is not trying to change anyone’s minds, he’s not trying to be gentle, or kind. And that is significant in itself. Gay men are not often shown as non-sexual aggressors. Lafayette is loud and physical in his aggression, but his aggressiveness is not sexual. 

In this scene, and many others, Lafayette is portrayed as hot-headed and confrontational. In this way, the character also plays into existing stereotypes of black men as aggressors. Lafayette is one of two black leading characters, the other being his cousin Tara, and the only black man. In this scene, which puts one black man against three white men, his race, while not meant to be the identity in focus, is evident. The viewer assumes, likely accurately, that the group of men he is interacting with is racist as well as homophobic (given the setting and previous scenes on the show). His race and sexuality together inform how he is seen and treated by the customers.