This one time in the early 2000s, Peyton Sawyer rocked a flannel over her Ramones tee and queer fashion has never been the same since. This week, Leigh (@lshfoster) and Ellie (@elliebrigida) hang out with tv writer Layne Morgan (@laynemorgan) to talk about the early aughts teen drama sensation One Tree Hill. This show is 9 full seasons of total chaos and we dive into all of them to discuss how much better things would have been if everybody had been gay. Ellie and Layne explain the gist of the entire show to Leigh, who has never seen a single episode, and quickly realize that Brooke and Peyton walked so Quinn and Rachel could run. 

Peyton is so queer-coded it’s actually wild that our baby selves ever saw her as straight. Her and Brooke have a friends to enemies to lovers thing going on that we are suckers for. You may think Brooke’s deeply homoerotic friendship with Peyton is the gayest thing about her, but it honestly does not even make the top 10 gayest things. First of all, Brooke is played by Sophia Bush (need we even say more?). Her whole brand is about choosing herself over boys and attempting to honor her “hoes before bros” policy in spite of literally always being in a love triangle. In true early aughts fashion Peyton and Brooke are in a love triangle with Lucas, played by lesbian-stand-in Chad Michael Murray. Peyton couldn't care less about Lucas until he starts dating Brooke, and it’s so obvious that they are both displacing their feelings for one another onto him. 

In addition to Peyton and Brooke having one of the gayest relationships we’ve ever seen, Ellie and Layne are also absolute trash for Haley and big time himbo Nathan (also played by Chad Michael Murry). Although Haley and Brooke have a fun ‘and they were roommates’ thing going on that we could totally get behind, we actually are totally here for Naley’s representation of healthy communication within a couple. It’s not often that we see a healthy relationship on tv, so we’ll keep this one even though it’s straight. 

We know one thing for sure, One Tree Hill Should’ve Been Gay. Follow along on Twitter: Lez Hang Out (@lezhangoutpod) and answer our Q & Gay at the end of every episode. Leigh Holmes Foster (@lshfoster) and Ellie Brigida (@elliebrigida). You can also join us on Facebook.com/lezhangoutpod and follow along on Instagram (@lezhangoutpod). 

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