Okay, my turn. Let's talk about character analysis through the lens of lesbian Cameron. And let's do it by talking about... Wilson.
I think there's some confusion going around on what "analysis" and "interpretation" mean in the fandom sense. Not to call out someone else's anon, but I found this quote absolutely fascinating:
"...you prefer like to take direct interpretations of house instead of thinking deeper and infering [sic] and thsts alright but..."
Because of course, anon was using it to suggest that a headcanon based less on canon ("inferring") was better than one based "directly" on canon (not thinking deeper; shallow). And so that's making me wonder: what do people think analysis is?
So, let's talk about Wilson and his relationships.
In the show, what we see and what we are told about him, is:
He has been married three times, and divorced three times.
He avoids his wife through most of S1-2; we hear allusions to them having problems ("I would [spend time with her]... if she were speaking to me") but never the specifics of what those issues are.
Wilson is shown flirting with other women while married, and is both accused of being a serial cheater by House, and admits to having had affairs. He specifically tells Cameron he liked the rush and infatuation.
In S3, we meet one of his ex-wives, and are informed that Wilson comes on very strong, wants to "save" his wives and be their friends, but rapidly loses interest after the initial rush. We also learn that he was quite emotionally unavailable, and always prioritized House over his wife.
With Amber, we see that Wilson is a people pleaser who turns himself into a passive "good boyfriend" who will do whatever his partner wants, rather than what he wants.
In S8, when given the chance at fatherhood, he is openly uncomfortable and relieved that it isn't true.
So, what does this mean? The surface level, basic read, is what the show tells us: Wilson likes the idea and infatuation stage of relationships, but loses interest / looks for it elsewhere when that fades. We are told, by him and House, that he loved his wives, but that never made him a good partner. It is suggested, vis-à-vis Amber, that perhaps Wilson has been involved in people "wrong" for him; that if he was with a better match, someone more assertive and pushy instead of a woman he needed to "rescue," he would have been happier.
It does not suggest anything about his sexuality, interest in House, etc. All we know is that Wilson pursues relationships with women and is usually unhappy in them. Right? Right. That is the surface level read.
Thinking deeper and analysis is what comes next: When we start to ask what do these actions imply? Why does Wilson pursue relationships if he doesn't seem particularly to enjoy being in relationships? What is it about the rush of infatuation that draws him in? Why does he prioritize House? Is it because he's closeted and in love with House? Is he simply trapped in a heteronormative cycle, would rather be single, but doesn't believe that's an option? Is he aromantic? How can these actions be interpreted? We're told: no, he's straight, just a bad partner. But why is he a bad partner? Is he a bad person? We're told he's deeply caring and empathic, so why is he so bad at this?
Or, we can use other lenses. Taub is also married, and a serial cheater. But unlike Wilson, we see that Taub is motivated to maintain his marriage, and prioritizes his wife: he changes careers for her, and consistently chooses his marriage over his ease and comfort. We don't see this behavior from Wilson. Does Wilson love his wives? Is he self-sabotaging?
Obviously, the popular answer is "he's gay and in love with House," but that is just one way to read all this. Maybe Wilson is straight, but would genuinely prefer to be single. But of course the point is that we can look at this pile of facts and analyze them: question what they mean or what they could mean. I could probably write a whole thing about how Wilson is performing heterosexuality because of comphet and can only sustain it through the infatuation phase because he's aro, and that's neither more or less correct than someone else taking the same set of facts and saying he's gay.
We are inferring based on evidence. The surface level read would be "Wilson loves his wives a lot, which is why he keeps getting married! Nothing more to see here!"
When it comes to Cameron -- any character -- there are certain base level facts. There's no interpretation by themselves: they are facts that we have all seen; her actions and words on the show. She sleeps with Chase and later marries him; she has a crush on House; she doesn't like sports.
Interpretation is how you fill in the lines between these facts. Why did she give up on House? Was it because she wasn't really interested? Because he rejected her? Did she actually never give up on him? Why did she sleep with Chase in Hunting -- why didn't she call someone else? Why did she call him specifically? You could even say: "maybe she didn't want to sleep with him at all, but got high and had sex to prove something to herself." Of course, you would then need to ask and answer: how does this fit with her other actions? (Propositioning him again, etc.)
If I wanted to say "Cameron is a lesbian," I'd need to look at the canon facts, the surface level actions, for things that could support that claim. With Wilson, it's easy: he doesn't treat his wives well or have interest in them, he doesn't enjoy relationships, What Does It Mean. Does Cameron enjoy her relationships? Is she motivated to make them work? Is she a good partner? Sometimes she isn't! But she always rushes to fix things. What does that mean?
Wilson prioritizes House over his wives. Does this mean he's in love with House? That he just doesn't like his wives much? Both? Neither? Let's discuss it. Let's interpret! Where are examples of Cameron showing apathy towards her relationships? In fact, we actually see she tends to be incredibly proactive and invested in them. Is this overcompensation? Where are the clues?
Inferring does not mean mind reading. It means taking evidence presented and drawing a conclusion. It isn't a "deeper read" to go "Cameron doesn't enjoy sex because some closeted women sleep with men without enjoying it," unless you can back it up with, say, examples of her not enjoying or wanting sex with men. Thinking deeply about canon is fun! It's my hobby too! But if you're making a case that relies on ignoring, rewriting, or cherry picking ("Cameron says she never loved Chase", when she in fact, never says that; "Cameron is emotionally unavailable," when all she does in S1-6 is be incredibly emotionally available and honest once pushed past her anxieties), you're not doing media analysis, you're not inferring or analyzing, you're... making things up.
To say "I want to HC Cameron as a lesbian" is fun. To claim it's canon means you need to cite your reasons for the interpretation. The shallow, direct interpretation is the one that ignores canon and context and doesn't engage with the text: "deep interpretation" is understanding the canon and building your argument around what's actually there.
