Is Minrah Gay?

[Procyonpi]

I feel like there have been a few hints in that direction, but can't really put finger on it.

[Dire_Flumph]

I don't think anything directly stated, only that she has a secret that apparently is something that other dwarves may frown upon but Thor was cool with. The only loved one she mentioned meeting with before leaving was her mother.

[Sir_Norbert]

she has a secret that apparently is something that other dwarves may frown upon

...which, it should be noted, makes "gay" less likely, since the evidence suggests that dwarf culture is absolutely okay with same-sex relationships.

[CriticalFailure]

She probably likes trees.

[Dire_Flumph]

I realize there's nothing stated about any race in the strip being biased against homosexuals, just in our culture that would be one likely read for it.

Liking trees would be funny (Druid-curious?), but Minrah was pretty fast to defend Valhalla against the "attacking" trees, so probably not that either.

[Darth Paul]

Since there's no evidence one way or another, I guess we'll find out in Book VII (or maybe not at all).
You also have to consider the possibilities of Bi or Heteroflexible.

I get the impression that the dwarves consider such things nobody else's business, so I don't know as she would have to whisper it to Thor, whatever the case may be. Maybe she dreams of being a carpenter?

[Rogar Demonblud]

You mean hacking at the flesh of dead trees, perhaps as an after-effect of another cabinet making offensive? Not likely to be a problem. Maybe she has positive feelings about elves?

[RatElemental]

Minrah's secret is obviously that she...

*rolls a d20*

Doesn't like beer.

[CriticalFailure]

Wow, doesn’t like beer makes so much sense. Maybe she sneaks water into her cave and drinks it in secret.

[factotum]

Minrah's secret is obviously that she...

*rolls a d20*

Doesn't like beer.

A teetotal dwarf? Clearly she is a worse abomination than Xykon and should be put to the sword immediately!

[nintendoh]

Is there an actual dwarven ale on the market... That might make for a decent biz opp.

[RatElemental]

Is there an actual dwarven ale on the market... That might make for a decent biz opp.

At least one person is making a line of beers inspired by dwarves in fantasy. One of the types is named "The Strange Mood" as a nod to dwarf fortress.

[nintendoh]

Is it any good?

[RatElemental]

Is it any good?

Haven't the foggiest idea, I don't drink

[Mad Humanist]

I feel like there have been a few hints in that direction, but can't really put finger on it.

Maybe Minrah's secret was just the Giant's way of really messing with the forums. If so we will never find out what her secret is.

[DataNinja]

I honestly don't think we'll know, nor that it matters. The point was to show Thor's a cool god - he's chill with stuff.

[denthor]

She is into bathing and has a thing for water elements.

[Schroeswald]

I don’t see how people think we won’t learn Minrah’s secret. Like, this was the first character beat she got, its gonna be dealt with, especially since Rich reminded us of it pretty recently.

Also, where did we get the idea that Rich likes to troll the forums? Like every one and awhile there are some minor jokes about some of our more complex curated threads but nothing he’s done really feels like trolling.

[Draconi Redfir]

honestly i kinda figured it was some kinda fetish thing. Maybe she's really into some obscure kink that a lot of people would view as weird or something.

[DataNinja]

I don’t see how people think we won’t learn Minrah’s secret. Like, this was the first character beat she got, its gonna be dealt with, especially since Rich reminded us of it pretty recently.

I thought the first character beat we got was her being pretty feisty. Which she has proven time and time again.

[ijuinkun]

Is there an actual dwarven ale on the market... That might make for a decent biz opp.

Everybody knows that the best ale is made by an Imp named Vlad.

[woweedd]

I don't think so. Being Gay doesn't seem to bare much stigma in the OOTS-verse. Being Trans, maybe, if the GOMAF arc is any indication, and that's probably just Rich's immaturity at the time shining through. Granted, Haley repressed her Bisexuality, but, then, I wouldn't be surprised if Haley has suppressed ALL her romantic instincts, since, her dad doe ssem the type to teahc her that, as I once heard it jokingly put, "intimacy is nothing but a way of gathering future blackmail material".

[Grey Watcher]

It seems unlikely to me that dwarves have any particular bias against same-sex attraction and relationships. We have very few instances of it being commented upon, but in a flashback Sidgi says to a young Durkon that she just wants to see him settle down with a nice gal or fella, and there's no indication that this attitude is particularly unusual.

[Mad Humanist]

but, then, I wouldn't be surprised if Haley has suppressed ALL her romantic instincts, since, her dad doe ssem the type to teahc her that, as I once heard it jokingly put, "intimacy is nothing but a way of gathering future blackmail material".

That would cast the relationship between Haley's parents into a very odd light. Whilst I follow your logic, I suspect even Ian Starshine's paranoia has limits - at least on a Thursday.

[Grey Watcher]

That would cast the relationship between Haley's parents into a very odd light. Whilst I follow your logic, I suspect even Ian Starshine's paranoia has limits - at least on a Thursday.

I can see it as a reason why, in a world where it appears that homo- and biphobia aren't really things, Haley would be closeted even unto herself about being bi; there's a certain anonymity in being part of the majority. Being (or even pretending to be) openly bi or gay or asexual or whatever not-straight orientation makes you stand out just that little bit more than you otherwise would have. Ian explicitly telling her to take this tack would make him extremely unsympathetic, so I kinda doubt (hope?) that he didn't, but even without him saying so, it's something of a logical extrapolation from the mindset of the man who declared that admitting one's mother happened to be dead was giving away too much information.

[hroþila]

I don't think this is a universe where LGBT-phobia isn't a thing at all. If that was the case, Durkon wouldn't have felt the need to say 'inna strictly heterosexual "buddies" kinda way. Not tha there's anything wrong with tha alternative' when asked how much he loved Thor (the second bit makes very little sense in a universe where the alternative was never portrayed as bad, and the very urge to clarify something like that is telling), Belkar wouldn't have talked about being 'secure enough in [his] manhood' to hit on Roy (why would anyone think hitting on a male was a potential threat to anyone's manhood if it weren't for lingering internalized LGBT-phobia?), the Cliffport guard wouldn't have had any reason to "come out" as such, as he'd just have felt free to express his sexuality all along, and yes, I believe Haley wouldn't have suppressed her bisexuality either.

To me this suggest this is a universe that is pretty much analogous to the more progressive sectors of our own society: LGBT-phobia is not considered acceptable, especially overt LGBT-phobia, which pretty much only exists among bigots who would be ostracized for their views, but that doesn't mean subtler, internalized forms of LGBT-phobia don't still linger.

In that sense, I find it perfectly plausible that Minrah might be gay or bi and be perfectly fine with it from a rational point of view but still struggle with some hangups because of internalized attitudes. But I don't have any particular reason to believe this is what Thor was referring to.

[Dr.Zero]

{scrubbed}

Edit: I add that apparently religious people like paladins are supposed to have still some rule about other people sexual life (cfr. the Katos wanting to hide the fact that the bride is already pregnant from Hinjo, because he is a paladin).

[Rogar Demonblud]

Then again, it wasn't considered a thing for two female paladins to be dating.

[brian 333]

Until it comes up in comic I don't see how it matters. Ship it how you like it.

My personal headcanon is that she doesn't want children or wants to delay having them, which dwarves might see as a duty. This would explain her mother's attitude when Minrah went to visit her. Sigdi isn't the only dwarf mom who can use passive-aggressive guilt tripping to manipulate her offspring.

[Grey Watcher]

I don't think this is a universe where LGBT-phobia isn't a thing at all. If that was the case, Durkon wouldn't have felt the need to say 'inna strictly heterosexual "buddies" kinda way. Not tha there's anything wrong with tha alternative' when asked how much he loved Thor (the second bit makes very little sense in a universe where the alternative was never portrayed as bad, and the very urge to clarify something like that is telling), Belkar wouldn't have talked about being 'secure enough in [his] manhood' to hit on Roy (why would anyone think hitting on a male was a potential threat to anyone's manhood if it weren't for lingering internalized LGBT-phobia?), the Cliffport guard wouldn't have had any reason to "come out" as such, as he'd just have felt free to express his sexuality all along, and yes, I believe Haley wouldn't have suppressed her bisexuality either.

To me this suggest this is a universe that is pretty much analogous to the more progressive sectors of our own society: LGBT-phobia is not considered acceptable, especially overt LGBT-phobia, which pretty much only exists among bigots who would be ostracized for their views, but that doesn't mean subtler, internalized forms of LGBT-phobia don't still linger.

In that sense, I find it perfectly plausible that Minrah might be gay or bi and be perfectly fine with it from a rational point of view but still struggle with some hangups because of internalized attitudes. But I don't have any particular reason to believe this is what Thor was referring to.

NOTE: The following contains massive amounts of over-thinking various one-off gags. It's easier (and probably more accurate) to write off these various discrepancies and details as "Rich wasn't really thinking about world-building when he wrote that." But rabbit holes are fun, so down one I go.

I think your point is strongest, certainly in the case of Belkar's "security in his manhood" and Nale's anger about being possibly mistaken for gay/bi (while in disguise as someone he doesn't even like, no less) by Vaarsuvius. Though Younger Rich's insensitivity-born-of-naivete makes it a little less clear what bits should be taken at face value and what shouldn't.

Durkon's "heterosexual buddies" thing is less clear to me. Since the gag is sort of his backpedaling and then backpedaling on the backpedaling (he loves Thor, but not like that, but not that there'd be anything wrong if he did...) It doesn't strike me as (necessarily) an indication of lingering cultural homophobia to want to clarify one's (lack of) romantic feelings, despite the superficial similarity to the whole "no homo" thing. I mean, if a culture assumed that love was platonic unless proven otherwise, rather than the other way around, he wouldn't have to clarify, but he does. Not because there's anything shameful in thinking Thor is a smokin' hottie, but just that we anglophones* are really weird about the word "love" and it's various potential implications.

*No, I'm not getting into a discussion of whether or not that conversation was in Common or Dwarvish. That just gets way too esoteric even for me.

The sheer casualness of the Cliffport cop again suggests to me that it's not, and hasn't been in recent memory, a big deal. It's information that seems to carry no more weight than his age or his diet or relationship status or something.

I guess I think if LGBTQ-phobia vs. acceptance was closely analogous to the real-world, or even some part of the real-world, Miko and Tarquin would have much bigger problems with it. One of the book-only bonus strips has Miko pass over the idea of a same-sex date between two of her fellow Paladins with no comment whatsoever; she only yells at them over the restaurant they chose. Tarquin takes Roy's (phony) attraction to him in stride, and is mostly just flattered-but-not-interested. And a little concerned that his word choices might be sending mixed messages. They're two characters who lean a lot more towards a cultural conservatism (Miko's strict morals, Tarquin's insistence that traditional narrative roles be played absolutely straight) than anyone else, and even they just don't see same-sex attraction as worth any comment.

Of course, LGBTQ identities as we understand them are very much shaped by the... rocky history we've had (and in many places continue to have) in the real world. So I think if you had a world where that simply wasn't a thing to begin with, the LGBTQ experience (and possibly even the cis/straight one) would be borderline unrecognizable to us.

I dunno. Like I said, a lot of this is almost certainly overthinking a handful of jokes.