Velma Dinkley has been a queer icon ever since, and even before, Linda Cardellini strutted down the stairs in her red latex suit in Scooby-Doo: Monsters Unleashed. That scene was many people’s gay awakening (including mine!) and the franchise’s next instalment will finally see her getting the lesbian storyline she has always deserved.

Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! features our girl falling head over heels for Coco Diablo, the head of a notorious crime syndicate.

Velma is seen with foggy glasses as she encounters Coco for the first time in the new film. Coco flicks her long white hair as Velma mentally surveys the scene, taking notes about her budding crush: “Incredible glasses!”, “Amazing turtleneck!”, “Obviously brilliant!”, “Loves animals!”… It’s the queer cartoon storyline of dreams!

velma, canonically lesbianpic.twitter.com/bQJl1HgFNy

— sapphics like: (@sapphicslike) October 4, 2022

The confirmation of Velma’s queerness onscreen has been attempted many times over the years. Everyone remembers that legendary interview with Sarah Michelle Gellar (Daphne) and Linda Cardellini (Velma) where they said their kiss scene was cut from the movie’s final edit, right?

James Gunn, who directed the iconic live-action movies announced in since-deleted tweets that he pushed for her to be a lesbian. “In 2001, Velma was explicitly gay in my initial script,” he disclosed.

“But the studio just kept watering it down & watering it down, becoming ambiguous (the version shot), then nothing (the released version) & finally having a boyfriend (the sequel).”

Liza Minnelli has outlived waiting for Scooby Doo's Velma to come out as a lesbian. Clips from the new movie “Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo!,” confirm suspicions held by the “Scooby” fan base for decades.

— LizaMinnelliOutlives (@LiZaOutlives) October 4, 2022

Amongst the outpouring of support and excitement is none other than LGBTQ+ icon herself, Hayley Kiyoko.

Kiyoko famously portrayed the beloved role in two live-action Scooby-Doo movies and took to Twitter to say, “I remember booking Velma in 2008. It was my first big role in a movie. I also remember thinking ‘I wonder if they know they hired a lesbian as Velma’ here we are, 14 years later……? love you all so much”.

I remember booking Velma in 2008. It was my first big role in a movie. I also remember thinking ‘I wonder if they know they hired a lesbian as Velma’ here we are, 14 years later……? love you all so much

— Hayley Kiyoko (@HayleyKiyoko) October 4, 2022

Fans have noted the significance of this announcement being made in October saying, “lesbian velma finally becoming canon in october… halloween really is a gay people only event”.

lesbian velma finally becoming canon in october… halloween really is a gay people only event

— ria. tea’s wife (REAL) (@sapphcore) October 4, 2022

Another fan pointed out that “Daphne and Velma are the colors of the lesbian flag” – how convenient!

daphne and velma are the colors of the lesbian flag pic.twitter.com/0zb6PjzVzT

— sapphics like: (@sapphicslike) October 4, 2022

After all this time, Velma can finally be her true and authentic self in the franchise which has warmed the hearts of adoring fans across the globe.