Has anyone seen this post?
So, I saw this post on twitter the other day. Now, I understand that head canons exist and that people are totally allowed to have them, but why is it so often that Dustin is seen as straight/aroace?
To be clear, Dustin Henderson has a condition called cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD). It affects the bone growth. That can result in having extra, less or crooked teeth. This also effects other parts of the body and can sometimes make people shorter than average.
Now, let's talk about the image and what I noticed. A really subtle way people exclude disabled characters is through how fandom treats their sexuality and attractiveness. In the stranger things fandom, people headcanon almost every character as queer or desirable in some way, but Dustin is almost always assumed to be straight or ace—and not in a neutral way.
Before people start coming at me, actually think before you type. What makes you think El, Mike, Lucas or max are gay? There's no 'evidence', it is purely what your mind makes up. So why does Dustin never receive the same treatment? It's a constant thing, in every video, he is always seen as straight or ace. This is very obviously intentional, and It often feels like people don’t see him as someone who could be gay, bi, or broadly desirable because they don’t find him attractive in the first place. That reflects a real-world pattern where disabled people are desexualized or seen as “less romantic,” so their identities are flattened to what others find palatable. It’s not loud hate; it’s quieter and more normalized, but it still shows who people subconsciously think is allowed to be desirable and complex.
If you think I'm wrong, feel free to debate me about it.
