BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » Sherlock’s Sexuality: An In-Depth Contemplation and Study

Schmiezi · May 24, 2014 10:42 am

besleybean wrote:
Yes, I think we're all fairly fully appraised of John's romantic history...

So we know he dates, but not if he ever maganged to get to the thrid base. Or is there a hint I am missing in S1 and 2?

besleybean · May 24, 2014 10:44 am

It's never completely made clear.
Except with Sarah, I don't think he even makes it to the end of her bed...

Schmiezi · May 24, 2014 10:46 am

Okay, let me sum it up. We don't know if John had sex (in S1 and 2) but asume that he had, because he dates. We don't know if Sherlock had sex in S1 and 2 but asume that he does not.

Why? Because he does not date?

besleybean · May 24, 2014 11:40 am

Yes...or because we don't see him going to prostitutes etc.

MahnSherlolly03 · May 24, 2014 3:37 pm

Schmiezi wrote:
MahnSherlolly03 wrote:
Other than that, I'm fine with just about anything; nothing seems to far-fetched. He could be asexual, homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual, polysexual, or pansexual, and I could also accept him being genderqueer.

If he is sexually interested, I think he's either bi, poly, or pan, and I think he's very sapiosexual.
Wow, I've just learned so many new words.
(And I wish we would live in a world where you can be "sexually interested" or not, full stop, without the need to be labeled.)

I'm glad. It's good to know knew words.

(I agree.)

Schmiezi wrote:
Poor him. I hope not.

Um. There are actual people who are asexual and would not be happy to hear you say something like this. Just as there is nothing wrong with having sex or wanting to have sex, there is nothing wrong with not having sex, and people who aren't interested in an activity cannot be said to be "missing out" or lacking in any way, because they are not interested.

besleybean · May 24, 2014 3:51 pm

Apart from that, it's not exactly ground breaking news that Sherlock Holmes has long been considered one of the most famous asexual figures.

ancientsgate · May 24, 2014 6:28 pm

tobeornot221b wrote:
....the fact that it isn't specifically pointed out doesn't mean his interest in sexuality doesn't exist at all. Or do you think since we never see Sherlock brush his teeth he would never do it?

bwahahahahaha! Love the comparison to brushing his teeth. There are, in fact, loads of things we've never seen him do. Loads. In fact, I didn't know he ever bathed, until that scene with Janine where she went into the bathroom to join him in the tub or whatever it was they were getting up to. And we saw him getting shaved this season, too--- and gee, I thought his facial hair just magically didn't appear, just for us. heh

Of course he has a sexuality.I believe everyone has one, just like everyone has to breathe in and out several times a minute. Sexuality can be repressed, of course, and/or used in appropriate ways, etc, but why would such a normal-looking and (basically) normal-functioning man in the prime of his life simply *not* have a sexual identity?

besleybean · May 24, 2014 6:34 pm

But we at least know he has a bathroom.
And we know he shaves, precisely because his facial hair doesn't grow.
So you don't believe in asexuality?
Not that I'm 100% positive Sherlock is.
But it's not terribly supportive of the asexual community, to tell them they don't exist.
That's almost like telling a gay man he just hasn't met the right woman yet.

Last edited by besleybean (May 24, 2014 6:34 pm)

ancientsgate · May 24, 2014 6:34 pm

besleybean wrote:
Yes...or because we don't see him going to prostitutes etc.

We don't see him put his socks on and take them off again, either. But presumably he does both. As tobe said, he brushes his teeth, and we don't see it or hear about it in dialogue. The *implication* is that Sherlock doesn't indulge in sex because his body is simply transport and nothing else (same reason why he doesn't eat enough to keep a flea alive), but no one's actually come right out and said that. The virgin comment by Mycroft could simply have been a brother's teasing or a sharp verbal jab; we don't know if it was true or not. Surely Mycroft doesn't know *everything* about how Sherlock spends his 24/7!

besleybean · May 24, 2014 6:39 pm

I do sometmes wonder if some people on here just read too much crime.
Why would the writers want to hide any relationship of Sherlock's when they show or refer to every other characater's?!
Not everything in life is cloak and dagger.
Have you never even heard the theory of Sherlock being asexual?
I think it's even alluded to on the PINK commentary.

Last edited by besleybean (May 24, 2014 6:41 pm)

ancientsgate · May 24, 2014 6:43 pm

besleybean wrote:
But we at least know he has a bathroom.
And we know he shaves, precisely because his facial hair doesn't grow.
So you don't believe in asexuality?
Not that I'm 100% positive Sherlock is.
But it's not terribly supportive of the asexual community, to tell them they don't exist.
That's almost like telling a gay man he just hasn't met the right woman yet.

Yes, we knew he had a bathroom before Janine-- we saw John coming out of it in a robe with a towel around his neck at least once. But we were never given any indication that Sherlock ever used it. I mean, he looks clean, shaved, etc, so obviously he's using it, but still and all, no one ever showed us, and no one ever mentioned it.

I frankly don't mind whatever he is or isn't; it's all fine. Interesting to chat about, but you know what? We'll never know anything about any of it for sure, not until TPTB decide to let us in on the great big secret, whatever the hell it is.

SusiGo · May 24, 2014 6:47 pm

Well, he has a bathroom. And a body. ;-)

Seriously - denying that Sherlock is asexual does not mean denying the existence of asexuality. This is fiction, after all.

Last edited by SusiGo (May 24, 2014 6:49 pm)

besleybean · May 24, 2014 6:52 pm

I felt the comment I was referring to went a bit beyond denying Sherlock was asexual, but I am happy to read what AG has to say.

LoveIsAViciousMotivator · May 24, 2014 7:58 pm

I have noticed how people seem too quick to denounce Sherlock is asexual. Moffat even wants to see him as celibrate and says asexuals are not that interesting. Why would asexuals be boring? Why? Becomes they don't have sex? From what I researched, Asexuals just don't have sexual attraction or if they do, it's very little. Also, doesn't mean they don't have sex either. Some asexuals (from what I gathered anyway) do because they either do it for their partner or other reasons. I'm not an expect but for what I researched, nothing to get upset about it or be threatened by it. I just don't see why some are too easy to jump and say "No, he isn't"

I have been watching BBC Sherlock for awhile now, I can actually see Sherlock as an asexual as well as demi-sexual, homosexual, sapisexual and maybe even bi. He could be a combination of those as well.

I like to see him as bi-demi-sapisexual. Because I see Sherlock as a person who doesn't care about anyone's gender nor do I think he gets turned on right away by anyone's body or something. Sherlock seems to be interested and focused on everything that is about the mind and intellecutual.

I think, though, we can all agree that Sherlock isn't straight. XD

Last edited by LoveIsAViciousMotivator (May 24, 2014 8:00 pm)

besleybean · May 24, 2014 8:01 pm

I certainly agree on the latter.
Brainy is the new sexy!

tonnaree · May 24, 2014 8:46 pm

*runs through the thread in nothing but a sheet singing*

Let's talk about sex baby.................let's talk about you and me...............

SusiGo · May 24, 2014 8:47 pm

besleybean · May 24, 2014 8:49 pm

Well yeah, that's the title of the thread...

Schmiezi · May 24, 2014 8:51 pm

tonnaree wrote:
*runs through the thread in nothing but a sheet singing*

Let's talk about sex baby.................let's talk about you and me...............

I think I love you.

ancientsgate · May 25, 2014 12:37 am

LoveIsAViciousMotivator wrote:
I have noticed how people seem too quick to denounce Sherlock is asexual.

I didn't notice anyone denouncing anyone or anything here, at least not today. We who are sexual may find asexuality curious, and maybe we don't come close to understanding the asexual experience, but that's not denouncing anything. Everyone is free to live their lives any way they like, long as they're not breaking the law, after all.

Moffat even wants to see him as celibrate and says asexuals are not that interesting. Why would asexuals be boring? Why?

I presume because if a character is asexual, he then can't write about their intimate relationships, since they don't have any. And let's face it, if it weren't for love/sex/dating/marriage plot lines, most TV and movie drama would cease to be. I don't think celebate and asexual are necessarily different things.

My computer dictionary defines asexual as not having or involving sex. Now, there are all kinds of reasons why someone might not have sex-- maybe they're confused about their orientation. Maybe they've had some painful, dreadful experiences in the past and cannot "go there" with another human being at the present. Maybe they just don't feel the urge to merge (extremely low libido). Maybe people in general scare the bejesus out of them, even with their clothes on, and the thought of dealing with one of those frightening people naked is just too too too much for them to deal with. Maybe (like Sherlock) they consider the body only good for "transport", and they feel stronger, more in control of their life, and more on top of things if they deny the physical and live inside their own minds.

And none of that is wrong or right. It just is what it is.

My point earlier was simply that, like brushing his teeth and putting his socks on and taking them off, the showrunners simply haven't given us anything much to work on-- we haven't seen hardly anything, and we haven't been given any concrete clues about his sexuality. Maybe he feels he has a calling on his life, much like a monk or a Catholic priest or nun does; they are "wed" to what they feel is a higher calling, and they've chosen a life of celebacy in order to focus on that callling. Perhaps Sherlock's "work", his casework, is his calling, and he simply has no interest or energy left over to direct at his sexuality.

I think, though, we can all agree that Sherlock isn't straight. XD

We haven't been shown him having one iota of actual sexual interest in anyone but women. The thing with Moriarty was someone's fantasy, so it didn't really happen. The thing with John is a bunch of looks exchanged and a deep friendship and cameraderie that the writers and actors never show us anything deeper about. Why couldn't he be straight? Not saying he is, 'cause after all, we don't know what in hell he is or isn't, do we, which is the point of this thread, I believe.