Identity: how can gay men use an article about Kate Middleton's cancer diagnosis to construct a complex identity?

• The royal focus of this article indicates a working class audience is being targeted. Therefore, the gay target audience can pick and mix a patriotic and working class identity 
• While Middleton is a heterosexual woman, the story of Middleton’s illness has provoked widespread speculation and provoked a moral panic. The queer target audience will undoubtedly have some experience of people speculating about their personal life and will identify with Middleton’s struggle. Therefore closeted gay men can take inspiration from this unlikely 
• The article presents a break from the otherwise exclusive queer coverage, and therefore provides audiences with a varied source of news, reinforcing a diverse identity 
• While the story features the cancer diagnosis of a straight woman, there are elements to this narrative which may appeal to gay male audiences, and even allow them to pick and mix certain ideological perspectives. 
• The ‘disappearance’ of Kate Middleton prompted widespread moral panic, and the story fuelled many conspiracy theories. 
• Stereotypically, gay men are perceived to enjoy gossip, and there are elements of gay subculture which are based around bitchiness and gossiping. This therefore may appeal to certain gay audiences
• The target audience are British, and working class. Therefore by featuring this storing, the potentially patriotic working class audience can be targeted
• Kate and William Cambridge are portrayed as accepting allies, and therefore generally more agreeable among the gay community 
• Gay audiences may identify with Middleton, as her life has been scrutinised and there have been many theories as to her true nature and to the nature of her illness. This unwelcome attention may unfortunately be familiar to many gay audiences, who will therefore identify with Kate Middleton