Sergio Macedo

                  It’s a typical summer morning. On vacation and home alone all day long. That’s usually how I spend my summers since the moment I’ve been able to receive schooling. However, this one particular summer morning from last June was quite an interesting one. Instead of spending it by relaxing on my bed and playing video games until three in the morning, I decided to be more “productive” and spend some of my time watching programs on Netflix. Being a late majority to the streaming scene, I flip around to see what’s available to watch. Movies? Nah. Anime? Nope. Cartoons? Maybe, maybe not. And then, I saw it: Sherlock. I’ve always heard of the series through media and by word-of-mouth, as well as being told it’s considered to be a good series to watch. So, I told myself “what the hell,” and started to binge-watch it from season one to season three. After indulging myself with the series, I loved it and instantaneously became a fan. I would never have imagined that I would enjoy such a mind-numbing program where the audience do have to use their brain to even comprehend what’s happening.
                  However, there were a few details that I’ve always noticed within the series of Sherlock that sticks out quite well, the masculinity and sexuality of Holmes, and his relationship with John Watson. Granted, there’s a lot of mystery behind the high-functioning sociopath that many would love to learn about, especially his bond with his “partner in crime” as they display such a “Mario & Luigi” vibe. Perhaps, there’s more than meets the eye for our British detective.
Behind Sherlock
                  Sherlock is a British crime-drama series distributed by BBC that centers around the famous British detective, Sherlock Holmes. The series is created, written, and produced by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat. What’s quite interesting about one of the creators is Gatiss is homosexual and plays the brother of Sherlock, Mycroft Holmes.
The Mysterious Identity of a Sociopath
                  What’s quite interesting with Sherlock Holmes is the lack of identity on his sexuality. It’s never confirmed in the series if Sherlock is heterosexual or homosexual. However, in season one, episode one, Sherlock’s sexual orientation is played around when Watson asks him if he has a girlfriend, with Holmes responding to, “No, not really in my area.” As Watson is surprised by that response, he then asks Holmes if he has a boyfriend and adds the text, “which is fine, by the way.” Sherlocks confirms to Watson that he knows it’s fine, but when repeated the question again, he simply says, “no.”
                  So, Sherlock is neither heterosexual nor homosexual. Okay, so… what can he be considered? Well, actor Benedict Cumberbatch who plays the sociopath answers the question by stating Holmes is asexual due to his line of work as a detective in an interview with Vulture. “So to embroil himself where he might be enslaved through adoration or sexual desire or any kind of power or chemistry to do with love is too big a risk for him. That doesn't make him gay, and it doesn't make him asexual. It means he's purposely abstaining for the sake of his craft” (Vulture, 2014). So, the actor says Sherlock is asexual. So that means we can stop presuming his sexual identity, right? Well, no.
“I Don’t Shave for Sherlock Holmes”
                  Regardless that Sherlock Holmes is “considered” asexual by Cumberbatch, it cannot be denied how much of a bond Holmes has developed with Watson throughout the entire series, as if it was forming a strong “bromance,” if you will. There were many instances where viewers presumed the sexual identities of both characters due to their relationship and the examples of it portrayed, such as Watson trying to sacrifice himself to save Sherlock against antagonist Moriarty in season two, episode three, Watson weeping and grieving for Sherlock at his tombstone at the finale of season 2, Sherlock feeling sad and lonely when Watson gets married in season 3, episode 2, their emotional departure at the finale of season 3, and Watson coming to Sherlock’s aid against Moriarty in the special post-season three episode. From lecture, this follows under the fourth persona in queer media analysis, which is defined as “When a media creator inputs text or messages that only certain audience members will pick up on. This happens because the message is directed at said members who will understand” (Lecture). Though viewers may not know the sexual orientation between Sherlock and Watson, the fourth persona provides a message that there might be more between them than we realize (let those fanfictions fly like birds in the sky). However, Gatiss argues that “Sherlock is clearly capable of feeling emotion and of falling for someone, but that someone is not John Watson, despite his love and great affection for him." (Eonline, 2016) “Despite his love and great affection for him,” huh? What are you trying to say, Gatiss?
The Not-So Masculine Detective
                  “The leading male inhabitants of this mythical space may be plagued by angst but are not troubled by fundamental doubts about their status as men. The test they face is rather the need to demonstrate outstanding valor within the context of masculine honor” (Price, pg. 121) Yeah… can’t really agree on what the textbook states in terms of regarding it to Sherlock. Masculinity does not play a prominent role within the series, as the detective never does any sort of action to demonstrate his masculinity to his peers. From lecture, it’s stated that within media, “The term ‘man’ needed to be defined” and “Any attempt define ‘man’ must inevitably leak into ‘masculinity’” (Lecture). Sherlock Holmes does no such thing physically or anything to prove himself that “he’s a man.” Rather, he demonstrates more of his intelligence, critical thinking, and strategic planning than anything else since he is a detective, making it his forte, which helps him remove himself from stereotypical masculine traits.
                  We also continue to see the lack of stereotypical masculine traits with Sherlock not being known as a lady’s man. With so much focus on his work, Holmes is quite oblivious to women and their emotions, especially with secondary character with Molly Hooper, demonstrated examples of having feelings for Sherlock, but gave up due to him never even bothering to pay attention to her nor acknowledge them. Since Sherlock doesn’t follow a masculine stereotype, the character would be seen as feminine or homosexual as the book mentions about hegemonic masculinity, “They seize upon the slightest evidence that this or that trait, a failure to excel in sports or to have an adequate number of sexual encounters, an overabundance of adjectives in a sentence or a reluctance to consume red meat, signifies that they are veering dangerously close to becoming female or gay, and therefore reprehensible” (Dennis, pg. 111) You can’t really blame a man who is more in love with crime-solving than women.
Conclusion
                  Though we may not know who Sherlock Holmes truly is due to his mysterious figure within the series, we can consider that Sherlock does lack those stereotypical masculinity traits that our main character does not portray all too well, but it does provide multiple examples of LGBT elements between Holmes and Watson throughout the series as the detective has more “love” for his assistant than any woman he comes across. Though being considered a favorite series of mine, I would have never guessed all of these elements. To think, I just thought that Sherlock was just a show where you have to be smart to watch and be able to pay attention to the plot (believe me, there are a lot of details that can go over someone’s head the moment you try to blink). But, I can see that the series is more than just that. It even surprised me that one of the creators is homosexual, which I didn’t see coming. Perhaps there’s hope that good things might occur with season five.
 
References
Harnick, C. (2016, December 15). Could Sherlock and Watson Ever Be a Couple on Sherlock? Retrieved April 11, 2017, from http://www.eonline.com/news/816274/sherlock-co-creator-on-why-sherlock-and-watson-will-never-be-in-a-relationship

Yuan Follow @jadabird, J. (2014, December 29). The Wit and Wisdom of Benedict Cumberbatch. Retrieved April 11, 2017, from http://www.vulture.com/2014/12/wit-and-wisdom-of-benedict-cumberbatch.html

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