The Ulfian (The Art of Ulf)

Warehouse 13 Adds Openly Gay Character For Third Season

19 July 2011
by Bridgette P. LaVictoire

I can imagine that groups like Focus on the Family, Family Research Council, and the rest are, right now, throwing a screaming fit because another character has come out of the closet. Steve Jinks, played by Aaron Ashmore, came out to Claudia Donovan, played by Allison Scagliotti, on last night’s Warehouse 13. The decision to make Jinks gay came from the network, apparently. Ashmore joined the series this season.

According to the star of the show, Jack Kenny, it was the network who pitched the idea, and according to Kenny “We were pitching this character and a couple of the execs are gay and said, ‘What if Steve was gay?’ We immediately jumped on the idea – but it’s just a part of who he is, it doesn’t define the character.”

Ashmore liked the idea, noting that romance isn’t a huge part of Warehouse 13. He said “[T]he show’s not really about romantic relationships. These people’s lives are crazy trying to save the world, so there’s not a lot of time for love. I think when he interacts with some people, in the back of my mind as an actor, I’ll decide that he thinks a guy is cute. But it doesn’t play into how he does his job.”

During the episode, according to OnTheTop:

Steve and Claudia collide over Claudia’s frequent references to being the senior agent on their investigation as they share the front seat of a car during a stakeout. Steve tells her to “relax” because it’s just the two of them on the mission, which Claudia takes as a come on.

“I felt it too, that crackling chemistry between us,” Claudia says. “It’s just that I really need to focus on my career right now. I don’t have a ton of bandwidth for other stuff. As attractive as that other stuff may be.”

“Oh my god, I’m not hitting on you, I’m gay,” Steve interrupts.

“You’re how now?” Claudia asks.

“Gay. You know when two people of the same sex find each other …”

The scene ends with the revelation taking the pair from adversaries to friends.

LGBT characters are popping up all over the place lately. This means that many people in the anti-gay movement are busy complaining about the ‘indoctrination of children’, after all, they want us to be obsessed with the children like the Roman Catholic Church. The anti-gay groups often attack Hollywood for portraying LGBT people as real people instead of the caricatures that they want to use instead. These are people who believe that LGBT people choose to be the way that they are.

It is good to see more positive LGBT characters on TV, especially when they are being treated as just part of the show rather than a lot being made over their orientation. It brings us one step closer to being seen as equal.

Aaron Ashmore being kissed by Mac Fyfe in: "Prom Queen"

I've rather liked this quirky SyFy show, now I have another reason to like it.

Ulf