of Brandon ’ s death “ is [ also ] a reflection of Brandon ’ s lack of recognition as human ” ( Deylami 136 ) due to his homosexuality .
In the concluding scene of “ The Wire ,” McNulty escorts Omar to the coroner ’ s office to identify Brandon . Upon seeing Brandon ’ s mutilated corpse , Omar screams . Barksdale and other black characters in The Wire shun such forthright displays of emotion , as they believe it indicates effeminate weakness . Indeed , macho masculinity emphasizes “ the suppression of sensitivity or ‘ soft ’ or ‘ feminine ’ emotions ” ( Scharrer 618 ). However , Barksdale ’ s plan backfires by instead provoking Omar to target his lieutenants and safe houses , systematically dismantling his organization . While Barksdale , Stanfield and other drug kingpins tacitly acknowledge that Omar is a dangerous presence , they frequently address him by homophobic slurs , such as “ dick sucker ” and “ faggot ,” and mock his motivation of avenging Brandon . The purpose of these actions is to understate the threat Omar poses to their operations by delegitimizing his masculinity :
Since the means of signaling masculine behavior are governed by cultural norms , men tend to grant other masculine esteem only when they see behaviors that they already associate with masculinity . Manhood is thus a never-ending test of whether one ’ s behaviors measure up to the ideal form of manhood . ( Cooper 101 )
To the vast majority of black criminals in The Wire , homosexuality is aberrant behavior far outside the acceptable norms of masculinity . Because of this , Omar ’ s sexuality is a frequent source of ridicule from his peers in the drug trade , and in some cases results in extreme vilification . Notably , in the first season episode “ Old Cases ” ( 6 / 23 / 02 ), Barksdale , after placing a bounty on Omar , quickly doubles the reward after being informed of Omar ’ s homosexuality . While Omar ’ s criminal occupation makes him a rogue in greater American society , his homosexuality also makes him a rogue in African American society , contributing to his isolation and demonstrating the intersectionality of his identity . However , Omar is completely comfortable with his sexual identity and the show never depicts Omar coming out or questioning his sexual orientation in any way , further defying contemporaneous depictions of homosexuality in popular television . Unlike many other characters in The Wire ’ s vast ensemble , including McNulty , Omar is never motivated to validate his masculinity . Instead , Omar has already achieved self-actualization ( Maslow 382 ).
Further deviating from the masculine norms that his black peers adhere to , Omar also refuses to employ profanity in his speech or indulge in flamboyant displays of wealth , the latter
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