The problems with Riverdale’s depiction of gay characters

While Riverdale’s handling of gay characters has long been a debated issue, it has reached a boiling point this season with the introduction of new pairing Cheryl and Toni (aka Choni).

Let me start out by stating that I am a huge fan of CW’s Riverdale. While the show is often cheesy and ridiculous, I thoroughly enjoy it on a weekly basis. That said, there is a pretty big problem with the show’s depiction of gay characters and it is not one that I feel I can stay silent on any longer.

For all the talk of Riverdale being a subversive teen drama it appears the show is perfectly happy not subverting any of the tropes or problems that entertainment has regarding LGBTQ+ representation.

Before we dive into the sophomore season’s coming-out story for Cheryl Blossom and the handling of her pairing with Toni Topaz, let’s start at the beginning of the series with its first gay character: Kevin Keller.

The Gay Best Friend

Kevin Keller (Casey Cott) was introduced in one of the first scenes of the series as Betty Cooper’s best friend. He was instantly a fan-favorite due to his innate likability and his capacity for a killer one-liner. As the season went on, many fans criticized the show for not allowing Kevin to be more than the tired Gay Best Friend trope. He had a side-plot in one episode, but was almost completely reserved to popping up to throw out a sassy, quotable remark and to serve as a glorified prop to Betty’s character.

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At first, I was actually one of the few people actively defending Riverdale and it’s depiction of Kevin Keller. I offered that Kevin would certainly get more to do in the expanded second season as Cott, who had started as a guest star, had been promoted to a series regular. The promotion had to mean deeper storylines for Kevin, right?

Unfortunately, that promotion didn’t seem to have any effect on the character. When the second season did give Kevin an episode, it focused on his venturing into the woods to hook up with other gay teens and ended with him getting shamed by Betty. Since then, Kevin hasn’t had a single relevant plot all season long.

I know you may be thinking that he has had his moments in the second season, but he really hasn’t. There is a difference between being used by the plot (directing Carrie the musical) or used by another character (namely Betty using him to catfish Chic) and giving him his own character moments and motivations.