I like your take, and you're probably right. Maybe the line says more about the /show's/ gender politics than Jamal's. For me, both that and the "men don't cry" moment with the little boy took me back to the sort of overt displays of masculinity that always flummoxed me as a kid. I've just never thought in those terms.

Nooo, not my credibilityyyyyyy. I wouldn't think that describing a body part as "weird" is exactly equivalent to "making fun." (Who can forget Homeland's Captain Nick 'Tiny Mouth' Brody?) But I will admit that it's unrelated to my issues with the character and that it was kinda mean *and* that Jamal is quite handsome…

Meh. As a musically inclined black-gay myself (one who has dealt with his own issues of family acceptance and lack thereof), I have to agree with the author about that "very special episode" quality. I’ve found Jamal to be, by far, the most cringe-inducing character on the show. 1. He has a weird head. 2. His…

Other idea, and I may well be wrong: Toph was lying.