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"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" Officially Gains a Gay Character

Posted by
Michael Jensen
, Editor on October 19, 2009

***Spoiler warning!*** Stop reading if you don't want to learn the identity of the gay character on NBC's Law and Order: Special Victim's Unit.

Wednesday night's episode of Law & Order: SVU titled "Hardwired" and featuring Rosie Perez is sure to be controversial given it deals with pedophiles who claim their interest in children is an orientation like heterosexuality, bisexuality, and homosexuality. 

But gay viewers will be especially interested as the episode also finally confirms what many fans of the show have long suspected — that Special Agent George Huang, M.D. played by B.D. Wong is in fact a gay man. 

The information is revealed when Huang becomes upset that a child molester is trying to argue that being a pedophile is no different than being gay or straight and that criminalizing pedophilia is akin to domonizing gays and lesbians. This prompts Huang to say it "insults his humanity as a gay man."

Many viewers have long suspected that Huang is gay (in fact naming him as the 22nd best gay character on television), but a publicist for the show confirmed this is the first time the show has confirmed Huang's sexuality or referenced it on the show. While the news isn't exactlly a surprise for many of us, it's still nice to have it confirmed and in such a positive way.

We'll have more on the episode tomorrow including a short interview with Wong. While discussing this news in the comments please do not reveal the information in your subject line. 

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Pantzini's picture

I remember quite distinctly

Posted by
Pantzini (538 points) (123 posts)
on October 19, 2009 at 03:07pm
I remember quite distinctly that he said he was gay some seasons ago...?! Whether I'm wrong or the publicists don't watch their own show?
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Michael Jensen's picture

I'm pretty sure not. We looked into this extensively

Posted by
Admin
Michael Jensen (2510 points) (8156 posts)
on October 19, 2009 at 03:12pm
when we did the top 25 gay characters and could find no place where George mentioned he's gay.
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dennis.hkcs213's picture

I’m impressed, you know

Posted by
dennis.hkcs213 (5 points) (1 post)
on March 26, 2010 at 09:43am

I’m impressed, you know what you’re talking about

 

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Chris's picture

No, he's never stated he was

Posted by
Chris (125 points) (24 posts)
on October 19, 2009 at 03:19pm
No, he's never stated he was gay on the show.  Ever.
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Pantzini's picture

I must have confused the

Posted by
Pantzini (538 points) (123 posts)
on October 20, 2009 at 05:52pm

I must have confused the character and the actor's real life, then. Though I watched the Italian dubbed edition of the show-- but I couldn't imagine the adapters making a character gay. If anything, gay characters become straight XD

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db's picture

Law & Order SVU

Posted by
db (6008 points) (1246 posts)
on October 19, 2009 at 07:17pm
I believe BD did once say in an interview that the character was gay and it was going to be explored in the show but then it wasn't.  But it could all be a fever dream I had.
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link's picture

The twenty-five participants

Posted by
link (5 points) (1 post)
on July 27, 2010 at 09:16am
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aden.richards's picture

I wanted to thank you for

Posted by
aden.richards (10 points) (2 posts)
on September 07, 2010 at 07:10am
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joeyhegele's picture

I remember the exact opposite

Posted by
joeyhegele (1732 points) (498 posts)
on October 19, 2009 at 03:14pm

I have not seen every episode of L&O: SVU, but I seem to remember in episodes dealing with gay people Dr. Huang referring to gay people and the gay community in the third person ("them," "they," "gay people"). He probably was just being professional since it was not about him, but I always found that interesting.

It is good to have an out gay hero on that show since it so much of it deals with the ugly side of sexuality. Also, considering the two leads just got raises, there is probably little chance of the show being cancelled mid-season like so many other shows this year with gay characters.

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Darrien's picture

LOL I remember quite distinctly

Posted by
Darrien (3494 points) (726 posts)
on October 19, 2009 at 03:15pm
an interview with Wong where he said that he didn't think his character was gay. The publicists obviously don't read the interviews with their talent, either, lol.
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Chris's picture

What does this have to do

Posted by
Chris (125 points) (24 posts)
on October 19, 2009 at 03:20pm
What does this have to do with the publicists reading the interviews?  The writers of the show are the ones who decided to make the character proclaim his sexuality, the publicists are just telling that to the press.  Obviously Wong was wrong.
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Darrien's picture

nah

Posted by
Darrien (3494 points) (726 posts)
on October 19, 2009 at 06:22pm
The publicists set up the interviews. If they don't bother reading the interviews they set up, they're crap professionals.
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Randy's picture

B.D. Wong

Posted by
Randy (669 points) (133 posts)
on October 20, 2009 at 02:29am
Isn't B.D. Wong gay in real life. I remember reading it here on AfterElton some time ago. Please confirm this. Live Long and Prosper
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's picture

Yes he is openly gay in real life

Posted by
Anonymous
on October 20, 2009 at 03:45am

He and his ex had a son together.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000703/bio

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RJ's picture

B.D. Wong was on the inaugural Hot 100 list

Posted by
RJ (4109 points) (887 posts)
on October 20, 2009 at 04:09am

B.D. Wong made the first AfterElton Hot 100 list at #81.

He's been out for a long time. I remember reading articles about him and his ex-partner conceiving a baby through surrogacy. They ended up having twin sons. 

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dcjeepguy's picture

He is not the first

Posted by
dcjeepguy (50 points) (11 posts)
on October 20, 2009 at 03:33pm
He is not the first character in the Law and Order franchise to come out. Years ago, A.D.A. Serena Southerlyn came out on her last appearance on the show. They never hinted at her being gay before and it was intricate to the case they had just concluded. The actress thought is was a unnecessary for the story and the character.
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dgchgo's picture

Nothing intricate about it

Posted by
dgchgo (1589 points) (303 posts)
on October 20, 2009 at 05:02pm
There was nothing intricate about Serena's lesbian confession or the case they were on. It may have been integral -- I don't remember.
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Distingué Traces's picture

I've often wondered...

Posted by
Distingué Traces (417 points) (92 posts)
on October 21, 2009 at 12:43am

Aha! I've actually drafted an "Ask the Flying Monkey" letter about this very thing, but never sent it. BD Wong is so out that it was easy to just extend the assumption to the character as well. Nice to get it clear.

 

No, not "distant gay traces" -- it's distingué traces!

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Law

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on May 07, 2010 at 08:40am
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