Netflix's New Hit Show 'Bridgerton' Criticized for 'Queerbaiting'

"Bridgerton," Netflix's latest hit, is being accused of "queerbaiting," The Independent reports.

Trailers for the series have included allusions to LGBTQ main characters and storylines, even a teaser for a gay sex scene, and yet there appear be none beyond a few minor characters and subplots. This is particularly odd, given that "Bridgerton" is produced by Shonda Rhimes, the mastermind behind "How to Get Away With Murder" and that show's unabashedly gay content.

Fans on Twitter have praised the show while critiquing the lack of LGBTQ content. One fan said, "if your trailer is 30 seconds long and you devote several of those precious seconds to guys fucking you can be damn sure I expect a plotline or heck at least a substantial amount of peripheral homo-ballyhoo."

Gay pop singer Perfume Genius tweeted, "Eveybody is gay on Bridgerton and yet...." to which a fan jokingly replied "So it's Glee."

Spoiler alert: "Bridgerton" has also been criticized for its inclusion of a nonconsensual sex scene, in which after their marriage, Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings (played by Rege-Jean Page) tells main character Daphne Bridgerton (played by Phoebe Dynevor) he "cannot" have children, though in truth he doesn't want to have children, and employs the pulling-out method while the two have sex.

The controversial scene appears after Daphne becomes suspicious of Simon, positioning herself during sex with in a way that Simon cannot pull out before climax – despite that Simon pleads twice for her to stop. Furthermore, controversy has also arisen from the fact that the show focuses on Daphne's dismay over Simon not wanting to have children instead of Simon's shock over Daphne having essentially committed marital rape.