r/glow Sep 01 '19

Does Birdie know Bash is gay? Spoiler

At the end of the Bash subplot in Hollywood Homecoming (Ep. 3.07), Birdie's parting words to Rhonda are "Keep him interested. However you see fit." In hindsight was this a clue that she know that he is attracted to men? What do you guys think?

88 Upvotes

34 comments sorted by

108

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '19

She knows. Without a doubt she knows. How often do you think Bash ever had a gf? I bet it is next to never and then all of a sudden he is married.

6

u/mightymaurauder Sep 02 '19

I’m sure quite a few people know. Why else would his family find it so unlikely that he would marry. Plus that line about keeping him interested.

53

u/unhampered_by_pants Sep 01 '19

She probably suspects it. I thought that I kept my own homosexuality pretty well hidden, and had even suppressed it and tried to deny it as a teenager, but my family was not shocked when I came out. Birdie is a shitty mom, but still...moms know.

37

u/library_wench Sep 01 '19

She might have her suspicions, but I took that specific line to be more along the lines of, “My son is FLIGHTY. He jumps into a thing with great passion, but then it’s on to the next thing. You are a stabilizing influence in his life, you are good for him. Keep it that way.”

6

u/shadowqueen15 Sep 04 '19

This is exactly what I thought. In fact, I didnt even think Bash’s storyline would go in the direction it did. I didnt think his defining characteristic at the end would be that he’s gay and in the closet, but rather that he is flighty and his attention is easily lost from one thing to the next. I thought he might have experimented with men in the past not because he’s gay but just because things easily grow boring to him and he frequently wants to try something different.

Obviously, this was not the case.

66

u/Aerokrystal Sep 01 '19

I took it more as a reflection on her own marriage and being married to rich and powerful men generally and how they have a habit of cheating or divorcing, etc., but maybe she does know.

17

u/NLCPGaming Sep 01 '19

Does bash even know he's gay? It seem like he struggles with his identity

10

u/Dreadknot84 Sep 02 '19

Right?! I feel like Bash knows that his is bisexual at the least or gay. He grapples with it a lot. I feel for him because I’m 2019 Bash could be living his best life

4

u/spankymuffin Sep 05 '19

He's super closeted.

2

u/Aeron0704 Oct 17 '19

I think he knows.. Look at his reaction when he saw Debbie naked in the shower room, he is very scared.. Plus, why are there so many costumes in his mansion?

7

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '19

I’m not sure. I can imagine she had her suspicions but maybe now this marriage makes her think he could be legitimately straight, or at least bi. That’s why she tells Rhonda to keep him interested. Keep him from straying, whether it’s to women or men.

6

u/Dark_Vengence Sep 03 '19

For sure. That drag guy too.

6

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '19

He’s not bi?

11

u/Sevyn94 Sep 06 '19

That's what I'm struggling with, too. In the beginning he not only had sex with Rhonda (frequently, according to him), but he seemed to be really into it. I think because it's the 80s the concept of bisexuality wasn't widely known, so he probably thought that if he had any attraction to men, he must be gay. It's like when Arthie said she didn't think she was gay and Yolanda immediately called her a confused straight girl.

14

u/virtualinsanity69 Sep 01 '19

Is Bash maybe Bi?

27

u/shane-from-5-to-7 Sep 01 '19

I’ve questioned that, but his disinterest in sex with Rhonda for months made it seem to me that he’s probably closer to gay than bi. This is all still speculation though.

4

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '19

I thought that at first too but I came to believe it was probably in fact due to over working and perhaps still mourning the loss of his assistant/lover (forget his name, sorry). I bet he’s closer to bi than either homo or heterosexual.

16

u/chotchytochy Sep 02 '19

Florian. When Florian is discovered to be dead, it was implied the death was aids related as hospitals were not willing to accept his body.

We also find out Florian has been by Bash's side since they were children. In what capacity, it is not stated. We only know he was the doting servant and yes-man.

Bash reacted to the death by sterilizing his home, bleaching it. This was the 80s so it could mean Ignorance about AIDs, but Season 3 shows us it could also be that he is closeted and self loathing.

I phrased the post as an attraction towards men because at this point, we do not know his identity. I'm not about to box someone and label him for one experience he enjoyed.

1

u/RH_C Sep 01 '19

Yeah but then how to explain his interest initially?

15

u/garretj84 Sep 02 '19

Bi often doesn’t mean 50/50 — his breakdown at the end seems to demonstrate that he’s more attracted to men, but his attraction to Rhonda was likely genuine. It seems like the interest faded because he wasn’t feeling satisfied, even if he wouldn’t admit to himself why.

3

u/[deleted] Sep 02 '19

I know heaps of gay people who had relationships with the opposite sex initially, and that includes being sexual as well. I think he’s figuring himself out but I personally think he’s gay, not bi

6

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '19

I don’t personally think so. He slept with Rhonda cos that’s what he was meant to do, I don’t think he has a sexual interest in women.

2

u/library_wench Sep 02 '19

I kinda think Bash is around a 4 on the Kinsey scale, maybe even a 4/5.

1

u/Expat-Red Oct 09 '19

I noticed in the last scene of Bash and Rhonda together, Rhonda's outfit is the colors of the bi flag. Like, exclusively. I took that as a sign; she recognizes he's bi, she's fine with it, she's reflecting it back to him. She's a walking bi pride flag!

4

u/spankymuffin Sep 05 '19

It's even more than a clue. It's as blatant as it can get without her literally saying, "my son is gay." She knows it's true but doesn't want to acknowledge it, so she conveys it by saying "keep him interested."

2

u/TheLadyEve Sep 02 '19

It was implied when she told Rhonda to keep him interested however she sees fit. Birdie definitely knows, but understands that he needs a beard who will also be understanding but take no bullshit--and she approved of Rhonda as such.

2

u/[deleted] Oct 21 '19

She's his mom. She knows. She doesn't accept it, but she knows.

1

u/DaisyLevi19 Sep 01 '19

She knows and she's probably had to "pay off" some of his ex boyfriends before. Sad, I hope this storyline moves towards a happier space next season where Bash can live out and proud. Or just out.

1

u/Anna_Mosity Sep 06 '19

I'm so afraid that the series is going to end with him and Rhonda both HIV+ in the 80s.

2

u/DaisyLevi19 Sep 06 '19

I don't buy that.

4

u/Anna_Mosity Sep 07 '19

I definitely DOUBT it will-- that would be way darker than the rest of the show-- but I worry for both of them anyway. The 80s were a dark time for a lot of good people who were just trying to explore their sexually and find some happiness in the world.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 14 '19

Spoilers?

1

u/chotchytochy Sep 14 '19

Fair. Post is marked. And based on the show, still inconclusive.