Studios Should Out These 3 Awesome Superheroes

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It’s time for the studios behind blockbuster superhero films to reach out to the LGBT community.

These studios have become more inclusive of late. We’ve seen them open their minds to leading ladies in Marvel’s Jessica Jones series and through DC’s introduction of Wonder Woman – who will have her own feature film in the near future – in Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice. In May’s Captain America: Civil War we’ll see Marvel introduce Black Panther, who’s to become the first black superhero to headline his own film. But while this sort of progress is commendable, we have yet to see the studios present an openly gay relationship featuring superheroes.

But that’s not to say it can’t – or won’t – happen! Last summer, Moviepilot quoted Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige as saying there’s no reason it couldn’t happen soon. But who would such an on-screen relationship involve? Well, here are three superheroes that already exist on the big screen who could be revealed as gay or bisexual.

Jessica Jones

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Where You’ve Seen Her: Krysten Ritter played the character in the 2015 Netflix series Jessica Jones.

Why She May Be LGBT: There’s actually less indication in the comics that Jessica Jones could be gay or bisexual than with some other characters. However, at a few points during the first season of the Netflix show, it was hinted at. As pointed out by Indiewire, the main suggestion is that she and best friend Trish Walker may have a history.

Why It’s A Good Idea: Jessica Jones was an absolute powerhouse of boldly inclusive themes for Marvel. Not only was Jessica Jones herself by far the strongest female character we’ve seen from Marvel, but the show itself was seemingly unafraid to address anything, from lesbian relationships to drug abuse (not to equate the two, of course). Marvel simply covered a lot of ground they hadn’t covered before. After Ellen rightfully called it a “queer-inclusive, feminist” show. For these reasons, the option to put Jessica Jones in an openly bisexual situation (she’s clearly attracted to men, so lesbian would be a stretch at this point) is on a platter for Marvel. The show already has a reputation in this regard thanks to its inclusion of the first openly gay relationship in Marvel, and the studio may not have a better opportunity for some time to take the leap.

Wonder Woman

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Where You’ve Seen Her: Gal Gadot just debuted as the character in Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice.

Why She May Be LGBT: It’s not commonly discussed, but there are actually instances in the comics in which Wonder Woman clarifies that she doesn’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend, implying that either would be an option for her.

Why It’s A Good Idea: Despite having only just made her cinematic debut (and being the best part of Dawn Of Justice), Wonder Woman is a character who’s already popularly referenced and looked up to by women all over the world. In fact, her name is almost more of a symbol of pride than a superhero moniker. Earlier this year, for instance, Oddee posted a list of eight “real life Wonder Woman” stories that influenced the character. And in a more modern context, we sometimes see accomplished or heroic women referred to in similar terms. Just recently, Gala Bingo added a significant partnership with the 52 Lives organisation to its range of promotions, helping that organisation to reach more people who might donate to its charitable causes. And just a few years ago, when that humble organisation was getting off the ground, its founder was referred to as Superwoman (but depicted by Wonder Woman in a photo). Needless to say, she’s come a long way! This is the sort of accomplishment and heroism people associate with the name, and if the cinematic Wonder Woman were to be bisexual in addition to heroic it would be a major statement for LGBT rights.

Colossus

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Where You’ve Seen Him: Colossus has been played by multiple actors over the course of five of the 20th Century Fox X-Men films, most recently Deadpool.

Why He May Be LGBT: Colossus is known to be gay in the Ultimate comics, and at various points is in a relationship with a fellow X-Men character named Northstar.

Why It’s A Good Idea: He may not be one of the primary X-Men characters, but he’s been one of the more consistent ones in terms of appearances. Fans have had a chance to grow comfortable with Colossus, which could make the transition a little bit easier if he were to suddenly be revealed as a member of the LGBT community. It’s a shame that it’s an issue, but studios will likely need to measure the shock factor of introducing a gay hero, and doing it through a minor but well-known character may be the easiest route for them to take.

© 2016 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.

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