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Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for March 16, 2012
Transcript:
Gunther: "I think Rosa wants to be... y'know... romantic. That scares me to death!" Luann: "Maybe you're gay, Gunther. An only child, raised by your mom, into sewing..." Gunther: "I thought of that, But - well, there's a part of me that knows" Luann: "Ah. So you are attracted to Rosa" Gunther: "Yes! But she's well traveled, speaks 5 languages.... I bet she has all kinds of....experience" Luann: "Gunther, you kissed me a few times and did great! Want me to write you a reference letter?"
FatTonyBalducci almost 13 years ago
finally it comes outâŠâŠâŠwhen will he come out??
Bogy Premium Member almost 13 years ago
THAT question is settled!
ComicLaff almost 13 years ago
He lacks confidence. A SERIOUS lack of confidence. Yeah, Luann, write him a reference letter.
wiselad almost 13 years ago
I am almost sure that Rosa will end up being someone waiting for the âright manâ and not one to âtake opportunities to gain experienceâ
Corey Karvonen-Lee Premium Member almost 13 years ago
Aw Luann, you are really sweet!
TubaDave almost 13 years ago
What difference does it make if Gunther is an only child, raised by his mother? That doesnât make him any more or less likely to be gay.
Tue Elung-Jensen almost 13 years ago
He did say a âpartâ of me is knowing â so guess what part of him is knowing that.
gibson22varcelone almost 13 years ago
Man, if the woman I had carried a torch for years and years just up and openly questioned my sexuality like that⊠Also, I agree with @Nabuquduriuzhur. Just because you arenât a Casanova with women when you are a teenager doesnât mean you are gay. Interesting character development plotâŠbut the way that Luann brought something like that up was reallyâŠsudden.
kfccanada almost 13 years ago
@darth geekboyâŠ.
Weâre reading about characters who are just 16..17 years old. NO teenager that age is planning on settling down with the first âloveâ of their life. Rosa is attracted to Gunther at this point in time and may simply change her mind about him for any reason at all.
Gunther is NOT gay; he is simply a studious fellow who has spent his time volunteering and taking part in school activities and actually doing his schoolwork. He is a âfriendâ to all and had not yet found a girl who brought him out of his shell. He is not gayâŠheâs simply still a vâŠâŠ who doubts his abilities. He will most likely hook up with a lovely girl who also happens to be nerdy.
beyondnow777 almost 13 years ago
you are also forgetting that a month in real time is like a couple days in Luann time.
BellsAndMotley almost 13 years ago
Everyone knows that guys turn out to be gay by being too close to their mothers and having no strong male role model at home. Thank you, Mr. Evans, for stoking the fires of ignorance.
(In fairness, I should also note that Luann sees nothing wrong with someone being gay.)
Sisyphos almost 13 years ago
A letter of reference! That just might help give Gunther the confidence he needs to be able to approach Rosa on terms that will suit her. Do it, Luann (even if you meant it initially as a joke)!
dobbsm almost 13 years ago
So a guy being an only child raised by a mother and liking to sew means heâs gay? SERIOUSLY?!
BeretDude almost 13 years ago
I worry about people that want to analyze a cartoon. lol
tigre1 almost 13 years ago
I LOVE smart womenâŠ
wiselad almost 13 years ago
Greg today made fun of the posters who kept saying Gunther is gay because he sews, and indirectly also to those who in the past said same thing about Q because he dances
TheRealWildWilson almost 13 years ago
a letter of reference â ha! I saw yesterday in the news that we men are always going goofy around women that we are attracted to.
SHW almost 13 years ago
Iâve worked with teenagers for over 21 years. Sometimes they can be that open and direct with their questions to each other, so I didnât find her comment that out of the ordinary. What I didnât care for was Luannâs suggestion that, b/c Gunther was raised by women and likes sewing, he may be gay. But, then again, I could see my students making those connections too⊠Overall â Iâm glad they âwent thereâ today. Kind of refreshing.
SwimsWithSharks almost 13 years ago
Iâm thinking Gunther should at least get to 3rd base before Luann writes that letter of reference.
ekw555 almost 13 years ago
I get the impression some of you just read this comic to complain about the topics, arcs & pacing.perhaps you would be happier elsewhere.
perhaps not, as you seem happiest while complaining.
Kim Roberts almost 13 years ago
@ trekman58I teach freshmen in high school. Iâve taught twenty-five years in one of the most conservative states in the country. Trust me on this one: yes, they are that forward. Not only will they question someoneâs orientation, theyâll openly announce their suspicion to the entire classâusually in the middle of an assignment or lecture (and in an attempt to discomfit the teacher and disrupt the class).
Any action or situation they dislike is dismissed with the comment âthatâs so gayâ.
I enjoy this strip because itâs a pleasant escape from the harsh realities of my work. My âGuntherâ, a gifted computer expert 14 year old, turns in no classwork and will be a father next month. The first day of class he showed me a sonogram of the baby.
Thatâs the reality of high school today.
Tinyman almost 13 years ago
Maybe he needs a written invitation
Mordock999 almost 13 years ago
No, No, Gunther.
You Donât Need EXPERIENCE.
You Just NEED PRACTICE..
Lu just said Youâre a GREAT Kisser, and indicated that She Enjoyed it.
So you just need keep KISSING Luann Over and Over again until SHE Comes to HER Senses!
START NOWâŠ.,
bearcat666 almost 13 years ago
Gunther is not gay. In fact I predict a big kiss between he and Luann tomorrow which will lead to more confusion and teenage angst . . . .
bagbalm almost 13 years ago
Hmm â Luann and Quill and Rosa and Gunther all together for a lazy afternoon and explore these questionsâŠ
fruegade almost 13 years ago
Di-dah di-dah. A guy telling us âwhat women are likeâ? Hate to break it to you kid, we are just human beings, and as such, just as different as the other half of humanity.
ArtCreator almost 13 years ago
Well, what counts is that he ISNâT gay.
joslharris almost 13 years ago
oh brotherâŠ
rangerlg almost 13 years ago
Is it wrong about what I thought when Gunther said Rosa was âwell traveledâ?
sacqueboutier almost 13 years ago
Gay doesnât fit. All the guys I knew to be gay in high school were totally comfortable around girls. They hung around them like they were best budsâŠand this was way back in the 70s. Gunther likes girls, but doesnât know how to act around them. That doesnât fit the gay storyline.
cork almost 13 years ago
I teach at an inner city high school. Every couple that is dating, gay or straight, think that their âloveâ is special and will last forever. And they are that forward, come right out and ask if you are gay. Its very cool though, very diverse school, 20 languages, different cultures, gay kids out and open. Very different than the military Catholic school I attended. If a character is going to come out, I vote for KnuteâŠjust saying.
Pickles 5202 almost 13 years ago
will Rosa reallly read a referencs letter???!!!!!
rlpniew almost 13 years ago
Iâm glad they dealt with the issue and, in my opinion, settled it honestly. I was really afraid theyâd go into âFunky Winkerbeanâ type preachiness.
sjsczurek almost 13 years ago
And the real meaning of âgayâ is happy, not homosexual.
georgiiii almost 13 years ago
When I was in the Air Force a few of the guys over the years treated me like a big sister, so I heard about their doubts and fears. This isnât as unrealistic as you might think. The Gunther thread reminds me of one in particular who was frustrated that the cute young women his age werenât interested in him âthat wayâ. I told him to look at the older women. Sure enough, he ended up with a women who had come out of a bad marriage and could appreciate a very nice, responsible, smart nerd.
Chuck373 almost 13 years ago
I canât believe Luann just popped that out as if she was talking about the weather.
Lawrence Stetz Premium Member almost 13 years ago
Okay, youâre not gay. Youâre intimidated by a smart competent girl.
ACTIVIST1234 almost 13 years ago
Darth, my friend, you forget that above being attractive, Rosa is SMART. Sheâs an intellectualâ well versed at least in literature.So what other boys at Pitts High are available to an intellectual girl? Knute?
Chuck373 almost 13 years ago
I donât believe I ever saw Gunther kiss Luann. I DID see Luann kiss Gunther on the cheek. That was enough to make him weak in the knees. I saw Tiff kiss Gunther on the lips, but she caught him by surprise.
sdtexnyc almost 13 years ago
Being an only child raised by his mother doesnât have anything to do do with sexual orientation.
dfowensby almost 13 years ago
lesseeâŠshe likes his mind, considers his kissing good, and knows what he looks like naked. this had better not turn into another 4-week long lamer thread like itâs been so farâŠ.
MeGoNow Premium Member almost 13 years ago
His closet doorâs just jammed.
timebear Premium Member almost 13 years ago
Luann bases the question off of stereotypes that many people have. The important thing is the fact that Luann asks the question with no negativity and no accusatory feel to it. She is a friend trying to help Gunther find himself whether that means he is straight or gay.
froglunch almost 13 years ago
Wow. I love this comic because of days like today. Teens actually thinking through their lives and decisions, trying to find who they are and what they are capable of. This is why Luann is so great.
btsnboy almost 13 years ago
So help me, if they donât start a NEW storyline WITHOUT Gunther next week Iâll screamâŠ.ENOUGH alreadyâŠ..
simon winthrop almost 13 years ago
Itâs good that the subject of the Gay experience is being explored in this comic strip, but why in doing so is it necessary to perpetuate a false stereotype? There is no cause-effect relationship in being gay. The habits of oneâs mother, a bad or non-existent relationship with a father, interest in traditionally non-male activities, none of these factors âcauseâ someone to be Gay, nor are the absence of such factors an indication that one will be âstraightâ. The important subject can be introduced and explored without any sympathetic character repeating silly stereotypes.
The Old Wolf almost 13 years ago
Iâm not seeing any indication that Gunther is gay. Heâs smart, so heâs aware of his awkwardness around girls. Heâs culturally aware, so itâs not surprising he would have asked himself the question. And heâs decided he likes girls, having previously been attracted to Luann, and now to Rosa. As for âexperience,â being a geek doesnât mean you live under a rock. Heâs playing mental chess, and thinking 19 moves aheadâŠ
phlash almost 13 years ago
âan only child, raised by your mom, into sewingâŠâ None of these are causes or indicators of homosexuality.
violinrules almost 13 years ago
Well, at least Luann isnât thinking about herself for once!
JohnEtx almost 13 years ago
This story arc would be a lot better if it consisted of Gunther asking for advice on 4chanâs /adv/ section.
JimT8 almost 13 years ago
Nobody has commented on Rosaâs body language the last time we saw herâfolded armsâshe may have given up on him already. And she may be just too much woman for him.
moonwatcher13 almost 13 years ago
The idea that being an only child makes you gay is ridiculously wrong. Actually, men are more likely to be gay the more older brothers they have.
coldsooner almost 13 years ago
Guntherâs act is getting a little old. He either needs to be gay, or let his hormones go amok. Or maybe establish heâs a Christian who wants to wait until the right one comes along. Nah, that would be controversialâŠ..
Petemejia77 almost 13 years ago
HOLY CRAP!! Didnât see this coming!!!
gretchennoel almost 13 years ago
I guess I must be outgrowing this strip.. there are a couple of story lines on here that I donât even bother readingâŠ.
raster44 almost 13 years ago
Gay? Thatâs a funny comment? Where did that come from? Gunther chasing after Luann all these years and now heâs gay? Gunther is smart and has talents beyond a normal male and undoubtedly been influenced by his Mother, but to put that in terms of being GAY? Heck, the best womenâs clothes designers are Men. I learned how to use my Motherâs sewing machine just because I liked the mechanics of the process and the finished work. I also liked to make furniture but That makes me Gay? Get a Life!
hippogriff almost 13 years ago
Legaleagle: Actually closer to a century. It emerged in the gay community in the 1920s, was in the dictionaries by the 1930s, and had totally wiped out the âfrivolously happyâ meaning by the 1950s.
leesa54 almost 13 years ago
Actually I think Luann just said that to force him to admit he likes Rosa. To me it comes off as rather âtongue in cheekâ
da11a5 almost 13 years ago
Gunther KISSED Luann!?!?where can I sign up for That!? â=]
Mitchtheone almost 13 years ago
trekman58 I agree with Kim Roberts teens are that forward..
Airman almost 13 years ago
Iâll be the first to admit that I have no contact with teenagers, therefore I donât know how they think. But, maybe Gunther realizes that a romantic involvement makes a lot of demands on your time and energy. He canât be a serious student and a âboyfriendâ at the same time. Heâd be more comfortable if Rosa decided to âteachâ him Spanish and the two of them spent time together working on that. Slowly heâd become more at ease with her and if romance is meant to be, it will just happen naturally.
2nist almost 13 years ago
If, after being clearly told the opposite by the stripâs artist, you still think Gunther is gay, then you may have an agenda. If you didnât know that, then you might want to explore further within your own status.
JoeStoppinghem Premium Member almost 13 years ago
Iâm surprised on how people want to put others in a slot and say, yup, thatâs what he/she is alright..Heâs just scared, everything is amplified at that age. If I mess this up just once, Iâm doomed for the rest of my life..Gunther needs to take her out on a date and at the end take a deep breath, exhale and move in closer. If she moved closer too then he, then she⊠when they run out of space, there you go.
Faux Real almost 13 years ago
Any chance Luann will try boosting Guntherâs confidence with a practice kiss â that Rosa walks in on?
wild0409 almost 13 years ago
Ok, this tells me a lot about Greg Evans. He seems to believe that being Gay is a product of your environment growing up rather than biological⊠Born that way. So heâs wrong there. Being an only child raised by his mother, with no males present, may make him a bit on the feminine side, but not gay. And by the age of 16-17 and past puberty, you know. There is no question by then unless youâve been hammered down by religion making you confused. The only test one needs is to ask yourself: âWhat sex would you like to see naked?â. Pretty cut and dried if you ask me. I knew in the 5th grade that I wanted to see Gigi Thorton naked! Bad!
Ottodesu almost 13 years ago
Greg just disabused us of the idea that ALL seamsters are Gay!He just demolished that stereotype, why are people complaining?
Ottodesu almost 13 years ago
Re censorship and King Shark: nicely said. The same thing happens when bullies complain about abuse. Not saying Bill the Butcher is a bully, but being abusive does not automatically give anyone the right to express it.
Airman almost 13 years ago
From my own impression, most gay guys are ok & fun to be around, but most lesbians scare the crap out of me.
mojitobaby almost 13 years ago
Oh please â put away the cloak of martyrdom you;re wrapping yourself in. Censorship doesnât âalways target the uncomfortable truthâ â itâs often applied to the deliberately annoying, the troll and those who have a one-note axe to grind. .Gregâs made it very plain he doesnât care who says what here. Heâs sure no Brooke McEldowney, as heâs stated before that he feels a free exchange of ideas is a good thing. So to get all paranoid and think your comments represent some sort of significant threat to him is really being more than a bit egotastic. The image of Greg, hovering in fear over the board waiting to delete you is pretty silly â surely by now youâve realize that the multiple flagging option which leads to deletion is deployed by your fellow posters? .I also think community censorship isnât a good thing because I think criticism and dissent thatâs not part of your earning your troll merit badge is valuable, but if many others think youâre abusing your posting privileges here, thatâs how the site parameters are set up.
yuggib almost 13 years ago
Iâm sorry! You folks commenting on Gunther say âGayâ like thatâs a bad thing. Since when. So what if Gunth is? Does it affect any of us personally? My take when a friend came out of the closet to me. So frigginâ what? Does that change a friendship? No it does not. None of us has to engage in sexual activity we do not wish to, in that (and only that) homo- or hetero-suxuality is a âchoice.â As for Rosa, maybe she also suspects that Gunth is/might be gay. Ask some of the ladies around you how safe they feel with (if they have any) their Gay Friends. It might supprise you.
kfccanada almost 13 years ago
Yes. Gunther could possibly realize Luann is hie soul mate later on in life. Teenage years are all about exploring options and taking chances. Gunther may turn out to be the owner of a theatrical costume firm and be married with six kiddoes. I donât think he has any doubts about his orientationâŠhe just has doubts about how he should approach a girl who seems to be the epimone of perfection. Gunther is extremely shy.
PocketNaomi almost 13 years ago
I think itâs great that theyâre showing a male character in comics who isnât gay but has some stereotypically effeminate interests. The âcharacter you already know comes out as gayâ storyline has been done to death, and not only is it boring, but if Gunther came out as gay it would reinforce all the stereotypes. Itâs better to move on and try to teach boys and men that they can have any hobbies they like, and it has nothing to do with their sexuality.
dobbsm almost 13 years ago
Um, yeah, you do think about it. When you realise your orientation might be, or is, different, you think a lot about it.
Tyge almost 6 years ago
Always with the âgayâ thing. Greg has already made it clear in interviews: âGunther is not gay.â Sorry. Get over it.