Is Supergirl Gay in the TV Show or Is It Another Case of Queerbaiting?

The sixth season of Supergirl is its last, and while we’re sad to see it come to an end, there are a lot of questions we have about the main character. Supergirl, aka Kara Zor-El, proves herself to be so much more than just Superman's cousin in this series. She’s a fierce heroine all on her own, protecting innocent lives, fostering meaningful relationships, and even linking up with other superheroes every now and then.

One of the biggest questions people have about Supergirl is whether or not she’s gay, since there seems to be some questionable queerbaiting going on in the series.

The reason fans of Supergirl think her character might be gay is that they’ve pieced together clues from previous episodes in order to come to such a huge conclusion. The friendship between Kara and Lena Luthor blossomed in Season 2 after the two were introduced for the first time. They became besties, and fans of the show started hoping something romantic would come of it.

One user on Twitter named @CloiSupercorp wrote, “Lena is the one who makes Kara happy & hopeful because Supergirl is gay and in love with Lena Luthor." That same user also posted, “Supergirl is gay with Lena, her best friend & love interest. They’re the perfect description of Clark’s wedding vows.”

In reality, it doesn’t look like Supergirl is actually gay in the show. For those who don’t know what queerbaiting is, it’s what show creators do in an attempt to gain attention from queer audiences by sending out vibes that a queer relationship might be incorporated in the show without ever following through on it. It’s looking like that’s exactly what’s happening here.

The friendship between Kara and Lena seems to go way deeper than the two of them being platonic friends. Nevertheless, they’ve never actually gone any further than sharing a friendship with each other. On top of that, they’ve both only dated male partners in the past.

The writers of the show were very careful not to take things too far while also creating a very slim chance for viewers to remain hopeful about the possible ship between Kara and Lena. To fans of the show, this romantic union has been labeled “Supercorp.” Hoping Kara and Lena finally link up has been an ongoing wish among Supergirl fans for years now. It doesn’t seem like something that will ever come to fruition though.

The actress behind the role of Supergirl, Melissa Benoist, has spoken about her character's bond with Lena. According to Cinema Blend, she said in August 2021, “I think that Kara and Lena’s relationship is stronger than ever in the last season. Everything they went through in Season 5 I wouldn’t say is water under the bridge, but I do think it fortified their friendship, sisterhood, and alliance."

In other words, it seems like Melissa is making it pretty clear that Supercorp will never actually be a romantic thing. Kara and Lena are friends, allies, and, according to Melissa, sisters. That's the least romantic thing someone could say about a possible ship.