by Cookie N Screen
What a good day to be gay! The sun is beaming down as thousands of LGBT people and supporters take to the streets to show case their sexuality, spirituality and gender in all its fluidity. Today is about love and identity, being true to who you are and expressing it without being persecuted. We are also celebrating America’s legalisation of gay marriage in all fifty states and are feeling just generally gayl.
For many of us, we’re unique and today is about rejoicing away from the backlash we usually get. So to raise our hands up high, marching for our continuous rights and equality that isn’t fully received yet, let’s take a look at some of our favourite LBGT characters in geek culture.
What a good day to be gay! The sun is beaming down as thousands of LGBT people and supporters take to the streets to show case their sexuality, spirituality and gender in all its fluidity. Today is about love and identity, being true to who you are and expressing it without being persecuted. We are also celebrating America’s legalisation of gay marriage in all fifty states and are feeling just generally gayl.
For many of us, we’re unique and today is about rejoicing away from the backlash we usually get. So to raise our hands up high, marching for our continuous rights and equality that isn’t fully received yet, let’s take a look at some of our favourite LBGT characters in geek culture.
Sherlock Holmes
If you didn’t know, the most accurate incarnation of the LGBT acronym has an A at the end of it. This doesn’t represent Ally, it’s for asexuality. And for those who don’t know what that means, in a very generalised definition, it’s for people who don’t have any sexual desires. Whilst finding a truly asexual character in fiction is tricky, and certainly the idea of the famed detective being asexual boggles some people so much that he is forced into relationships usually with Irene Adler, Sherlock Holmes is canonically asexual. Instead of repressing his feelings, he doesn’t have them and it is better stated with this quote, “emotions, and that one particularly, were abhorrent to his cold, precise but admirably balanced mind” -which proves unarguably that the icy cool super-sleuth simply doesn’t have those emotions.
Poussey Washington - Orange is the New Black
Orange is the New Black is one of the best shows that brings us clear and full characters of every gender, race and sexuality. So it’s hard to rich in and pick out just one - but we’re going to try. Poussey Washington, played by the gorgeously talented Samira Wiley, is gifted with the most beautiful smile and energy. Though she has had difficult times on the show, actively against Vee’s reign of terror and feeling alone inside the prison (because apparently the writers haven’t seen Wiley and haven’t hooked her up with someone who deserves her). One of the defining moments for Poussey is when she threatens her father’s boss, who is trying to separate her from her girlfriend. As she is calmed down by her Dad, the boss turns and says, “They can fix her” to which her father replies “There’s nothing wrong with her.”
Jamal Lyon - Empire
Empire is one of the best shows on at the moment and it’s a shame we’re watching it several months after it aired in the USA. Provocative but diverse, Empire’s biggest tragedy is Lucious’ homophobia against his second oldest son Jamal. Bullied by his father’s misunderstanding, Jamal struggles with his identity and pop career but learns to embrace it when his mother Cookie is released from jail and starts managing his career. Jamal comes out during a concert in a massive “fuck you” to his father when he changes the lyrics of Lucious’ song “You’re so Beautiful” to “makes a man love a man.” As his sexuality is accepted by the whole world, it still takes a while for Lucious to accept his son as gay.
Catwoman - Batman
Of all the recent announcements of characters, Catwoman seemed to piss the entire world off who had spent so long trying to pair up Batman and Catwoman. But the seductive criminal is so complex that it is impossible to see her as anything other than bisexual. It just makes sense. Genevive Valentine pointed out on her blog that Selina Kyle is canon bisexual. And there is literally no more we can say other than her sexuality was pretty obvious by the way she acted and it’s nice to have a famed supervillain (or hero) come out as anything other than straight or gay because bisexuality still matters.
Damien Franzese - Mean Girls
God, this entry is almost too gay to function. Damien is the bitchy drama dork who instantly befriends Cady alongside his best friend Janis. Aspiring, in some ways, to be popular, Damien considers himself to be an active member of the school’s society, helping sort out the prom and the committee. Having some of the funniest lines, especially when he sneaks into the workshop after the entire girl population goes wild (“she doesn’t even go here,”) Damien is an assured character. Confident in his skin and personality, he is hilarious and wonderful to watch.
Tara Maclay - Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Alongside her long-time girlfriend Willow, Tara became the second part of our favourite witchy lesbians. Kind natured and sweet, her arrival into the world of Sunnydale proved her a natural sorceress and found her a new family after the death of her parents and the abuse of her cousins who took her in. Tara is passionate and despite her “wallflower” nature, she is fiercely determined, especially when standing by her convictions. Unafraid to confront Willow and leave when things get tough in order for Willow to grow without her, we were all full of joy when Tara came back and the pair were reunited. That is until Joss Whedon stripped us away from her again like the soul destroyer he is…
Sophia Burset - Orange Is The New Black
Ok. Yes. So I’m talking about another Orange is the New Black character. It’s really hard not to talk about Sophia Burset who is played wonderfully by iconic hero Laverne Cox. Being the only trans-woman in Litchfield, it seemed that she was generally accepted and treated with kindness. Veracious and kind but with a fierce nature when confronted, Sophia had issues but generally kept herself in the salon and in the seat of gossip. Only, when she accidently pushes Gloria with more force than expected, the prison turns against her and attacks her in an example of transphobic violence. Hopefully. Sophia will be back and in a better place come season four.
Nomi Marks - Sense8
Sense8 had its issues but it wasn’t without it’s fully fleshed diverse characters. Nomi Marks is a trans-woman character played by trans-woman actress Jamie Clayton. And do you know what? Despite the conflict with her awful mother, her transgenderism isn’t the focal point of the character. Neither is her sexuality as she is in one of our favourite couples with Freema Aygeman’s Amanita. Wickedly smart as a political blogger or hacker, Nomi is one of the first to put together what is happening with the cluster and quickly connects with those around her. Incredibly realised, Nomi is a spectacular character that has broken the barrier between audience and their stereotypes with transgenderism.
Ben and George - Love Is Strange
With the announcement of legal marriage in all fifty states, it feels silly not to look at a film that start off with a long-term relationship getting married. Ben and George are a lot better than a whole bunch of married people - including yours - and are so committed to one another that when Ben is fired from his job in a Catholic school, the pair have to live apart and cannot cope with the separation. Mixing comedy with tragedy, it’s really Ben and George’s love that enthuses this drama with a powerful arc.
Albus Dumbledore - Harry Potter
Not explicitly said in the books for whatever reason, the world was shocked and thrilled to learn that Albus Dumbledore was homosexual. Announced by JK Rowling after the books had ended, you may have a funny feeling over his sexuality reveal. After all, why didn’t she infuse it somewhere in the books? Why not have some actual representation? Then again, you could look at it in this way - his sexuality was normalised and you had to make an assumption on his revered, if somewhat unhinged, personality rather than whether he was gay or not. And does his homosexuality change his persona or how we feel about him? Hell to the motherfucking no!
Frank - N - Furter - Rocky Horror Picture Show
“He’s just a sweet transvestite from transsexual, Transylvania.”
By today’s standards, you could argue that the brilliant Tim Curry strutting around in suspenders and a bra is worrying representation. But Rocky Horror Picture Show was so much more to the outside community that it’s over the top craziness is a rite of passage for some. The movie sees Frank-N-Furter strut around his home, getting up to all kinds of mischief. Unashamed of who he is, he prefers dressing up in drag and would sleep with both genders because he is attracted to them all. He is the most complex character of the whole show and whilst he does seem like the villain, there is an ache underneath him that Curry unearths.
By today’s standards, you could argue that the brilliant Tim Curry strutting around in suspenders and a bra is worrying representation. But Rocky Horror Picture Show was so much more to the outside community that it’s over the top craziness is a rite of passage for some. The movie sees Frank-N-Furter strut around his home, getting up to all kinds of mischief. Unashamed of who he is, he prefers dressing up in drag and would sleep with both genders because he is attracted to them all. He is the most complex character of the whole show and whilst he does seem like the villain, there is an ache underneath him that Curry unearths.
Bobby Drake - Iceman
Similarly to Catwoman, Bobby Drake recently came out as a homosexual and, unlike Catwoman, was quickly accepted as such. Though he had past relationships with Rogue and Kitty Pryde, Bobby’s sexuality was confirmed in the All-New X-Men comics. Whilst his “outing” wasn’t as grand as the newspaper rabble afterwards was, Brian Bendis did something important - he made one of the main heroes of a phenomenal franchise gay. And that’s almost as cool as Bobby’s icicle powers. Almost. Hopefully, this will flow into the films. But that is a hope that Marvel probably won’t do, as evidenced in Steve Rogers’ supposed bisexuality.
Axton - Borderlands
It’s really hard to explicitly splice LGBT characters into games, it seems. But the creators of Borderlands 2, Anthony Burch, has admitted to creating touch soldier Axton as bisexual. Though there is little evidence in the game, he does eventually admit that he’d spend his money on “guns and ladies and sometimes dude.” Though not explicitly clear, the macho character’s admission is highly real and normalised into the game so youdon’t realise or it doesn’t matter to who Axton is as a person. Which is how most portrayals should be.
Ellie - The Last Of Us
Ok. So. Ellie’s homosexuality is never really firmly stated within the game but it is definitely“heavily implied.” But creator Neil Druckmann has stated that he wrote Ellie with that certain sexuality in mind. One of the biggest surprises was the closeness between her friend Riley and Ellie including a scene where the girls kiss to an Etta James love song. Without drenching her in stereotypes, the creators still made her a heroine to invest in and her revealed sexuality was just a plus for all the game players.
Naomily - Skins
Talking about this television show the other day and I remarked that it’s excessive use of drug use was the most unreal aspect. Especially for 17 year old. Or maybe there was a part of the college scene I completely bypassed being the nerd I am. Anyway, regardless of the premise, one of the fiercely evocative and realistic relationships was between Naomi and Emily. As they explored their sexuality together and love for one another, tentative at a young age, it was beautiful captured by the writers and the performers Kathryn Prescott and Lily Loveless. Spectacularly popular, the ladies were definitely favourites and continue to be so.
Megan Bloomfield - But, I'm a Cheerleader
Natasha Lyonne is a LGBT hero in everything she does. Much more famed now for her sardonic character Nichols in Orange Is The New Black, Lyonne’s Megan has become a cult icon for anyone going through the coming out process. Sent to conversion therapy to cure her lesbianism, Megan actually finds home and acceptance despite her parent’s protests. And she finds love too. I mean, who didn’t weep for joy when she falls in love with Graham (a girl, by the way)? Despite being critically panned, But I’m A Cheerleader is a quirky and tender look at young lesbianism.
Lexa - The 100
Though not explicitly said, The 100 showrunners have done everything to hint at her sexuality. After seeing someone close to her, a possible girlfriend, brutally killed - she shut down her emotions. That is until The 100 leader Clarke finds her and Lexa rekindles her feelings that Clarke somewhat exploits. Powerful, Lexa is the badass leader of The Grounders who would do anything to save her culture. Whilst they are violent and savage, she is a lot more reasonable but unafraid to do anything to ensure their survival.
Kieren Walker - In The Flesh
In The Flesh was one of the best television shows and breathed (ironically) with originality. It revolved around a cure for zombies that brought people partially back from the disease and, subsequently, from the dead. However, as with most exterior groups, Partially Deceased Syndrome sufferers are fighting against the prejudices they have. Kieren Walker is admittedly a pansexual and the main character of the series played delicately well by Luke Newberry. Though Kieren attempts to hide all of his different identities, he eventually learns to accept them. He is also part of one of the most glorious couples on television with Simon Monroe.
Mark Ashton - Pride
Any figure in the British comedy could be consider for this entry but the real life figure Mark Ashton is definitely the ferociousness of the film. Openly gay and unapologetically so, Ashton leads the charge of Pride marchers and helps raise funds for his community. But his generosity and fighting spirit doesn’t end there as he reaches out to the miners who are currently going through bleak times thanks to the stranglehold of Maggie Thatcher’s parliament. Ashton is an activist and comes to the aid of anyone who he feels is discriminated against - rallying around his team to help. Though he can be spiteful, he is kind-hearted and the film was a testament to Ashton who, unfortunately passed away aged 27.
Captain Jack Harkness - Doctor Who/Torchwood
Perhaps the most famed example of bisexuality though one could actually argue that the character is pansexual because he is basically attracted to everyone and every sex that he comes across. Played by the cheeky John Barrowman, Harkness was introduced in the first season of NuWho and quickly become a fan favourite with his rambunctiousness and flirtation. He was so popular that the BBC ordered a spin off series called Torchwood which explored his bisexuality a lot more than Doctor Who did. Especially with his relationship with Ianto Jones.
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