Was Joe MacMillan in "Halt and Catch Fire" gay, bi, or straight? Fans couldn't agree, even after the Episode 1.3 kiss

The title Halt and Catch Fire is misleading, evoking the gruesome deaths of soldiers in battle.but the series (2014-2017)  is not about war, and no actually catches fire. It's about software development in the 1980s, with Joe MacMillan (Lee Pace) trying to develop a new "personal computer." 

The episode synopses on wikipedia are so loaded with jargon that no one but an IT professional could possibly figure out what's going on.  Except when the plot veers away from coding problems to Joe's love life.  

Through nearly three seasons of The Righteous Gemstones, fans argued vociferously over whether Kelvin is gay or straight.  When he kissed his boyfriend Keefe in Episode 3.8, speculation ended.  A few holdouts didn't want to believe that he was gay, so they proposed some wild alternatives.  Maybe Kelvin is actually a transgender woman, or straight but kissing Keefe to mess with the family.   When Joe kisses a guy (Travis Smith) in Halt and Catch Fire Episode 1.3, paradoxically, speculation begins.

"WTF was that scene about?  Is Joe gay?" 

"He's not feminine, so he can't be gay."  

"Maybe he's bi?" 

"No, he's straight, but seducing  Travis to get something he wants."

"This is the 1980s! There weren't any gay people back then!"  

In Episode 1.7, Joe's ex-boyfriend  Simon (D.B. Woodside) shows up, hoping to rekindle the romance and threatening his relationship with his girlfriend Cameron. 

The two specify that they are ex-boyfriends, so Joe must be bisexual, right?  The safe sort of bisexual man who had one same-sex relationship in the distant past and spends the rest of the series pursuing the Woman of His Dreams. 

But the long-gone bisexual romance did not codify Joe as bi, at least not for many fans, who continued to assert that he must be straight. 

Gemstone connection (other than the kiss):  One of Gavin Munn's first tv appearances was in Halt and Catch Fire Episode 3.8 (2016). He played one of a trio of Halloween trick-or-treaters: a Hobo, a Witch, and Alf (from 1980s tv)

Nude Lee after the break

Lee Pace identifies as queer in real life and "admits to dating both men and women," according to a rather biphobic article.  Why would he agree to play a scheming, duplitious bisexual stereotype?  Unless his character was actually straight. 

Left:  Lee's butt from a naked fight scene in Foundation

A frontal from Angels in America, where his character is gay.

See also: Gavin Munn's Hunky Dad and Cousins.

Gavin Munn's Spring Break

Cory Chapman: Lots of male friends, some gay roles, a queer buddy, mude costars.  So where's the beef?