Hey y’all! It’s that time of year again, the time when I’m full to the brim with hope for humanity and also ready to swing at any bozo that tries me. (Just like a superhero eh?)
That’s right, it’s PRIDE MONTH here in America, and possibly around the world idk. This is a time of year when we—those who don’t conform to a binary model of love or gender or identity—celebrate ourselves and the acts of courage that have led us to today. We give thanks for those who gave their lives so we could live better ones, and we strive forward because the work isn’t done yet!
So, in order to celebrate with my fellow DC fans, I wanted to open a discussion! It’s difficult for people to write from the perspective of someone different sometimes, simply because if you didn’t live it, how would you know the moment to moment of that life? What better way to learn than to discuss our lives? How do you think it would be living in any DC world, in the DC universe, as the person you are? What potential is there in queering the narratives we see or want to see?
So I open the floor to you, both queer and lgbtq+ and straight people alike. This will be a place to discuss both pre-existing lgbtq+ narrative devices, storylines, and characters, and ones you’d like to see! Where could queerness be lurking in the world that already exists? Where is there potential for additions to this universe? What sort of representation is desperately needed? And for those of you that like that sort of thing, what thematic reverberations ring queer to you?
One of the things I always want to see is a hero who stands for Pride. There is a common line of thought that a gay character shouldn’t be all about being gay, and I agree that there’s more to gay people than their sexuality. However, as someone who is active in the LGBTQ+ community, I know that there are people who dedicate their lives to helping others who have suffered like them. The poverty rate, the suicide rate, the rate of alcoholism and drug use—these are all much higher when one is LGBTQ+.
And often when I’m scared in a place where people might hate me for who I am, I wish there was a person who would stand in front of me and shield me from hateful eyes and blows. Someone who stood up and said, “I am powerful, I am with you, and no one can hurt you when I’m around.”
It’s okay, if a series has more than one gay character so it is not representative of the every gay people, for a character to make their identity a big part of their lives!
Seeing as 2019 marks the 50th anniversary of Stonewall. I think DC should introduce a character, probably in the “vigilante” vein, called Stonewall. I think of someone who can do an almost “Bane-like” transformation, but, trigged by a meta-gene rather than venom. Talk about someone who can kick butt, take names, give them the post-butt kicking line from the Stonewall riots. “We’re here. We’re queer. And we’re not taking it anymore.”
The character could be gay, lesbian, trans, or gender fluid. Any could work.
I think it’s a way to have that “I am powerful, I am with you, and no one can hurt you when I’m around”, and also pay homage to a critical moment (arguably the most critical moment) in LBGTQ history.
I like that idea of Stonewall, that’s a cool name for a superhero, especially an LGBT one.
…In fact, now that I think about it, I wonder if that was in mind when Scott Lobdell created Bunker. After all, his power often manifests in the form of brick/stone looking walls and constructs.
If you have been following recent news, you may have heard that an educational program for teens titled Drag 101 offered through the Delaware (Ohio) County District Library was cancelled due to death threats from some frightened bigots. In response to the cancellation, Kelly and Laura McFarland owners of Secret Identity Comics in Delaware volunteered the use of their shop so the event could proceed as scheduled. While there has been a tremendous outpouring of positive response from the community, there are always those that feel the need to spew hate, and the shop has suffered some social media attacks. I am urging all members of the LGBTQ community, and their allies to check out the shop and throw some support their way.
Times change the world changes we have come along way from a time when sins wear decreed as such their for it’s not a sin to be PROUD of who you are as an individual it’s now and always been a strength aka why it was feared in that area we are who we are embrace it love it and be it
Even though I am not lgbt ( I’m a straight guy ) , and as a Christian, I am also someone who does not believe people should be gay or queer, but don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not some religious goody two shoes that tries to dictate everything you do and say. I say be yourselves, even if I may not agree with it. Everyone makes their own choices, and that’s fine. Hopefully here, people won’t get mad at me for voicing my beliefs, just as they voice theirs.
I honestly don’t care about the sexual orientation of others, it holds no bearing on the ongoings or outcomes of anything I take interest in.
I only care about your personality and essentially whatever you do that makes you, you.
Whatever you do with your partner whether same sex or not should not be determining factor in how you’re approached outside of that topic.
It is though, not the case with others and due to that many have suffered. With that said, always be prideful of who you are and nothing less. It still is an ignorant world out there but thanks to the internet it seems to be getting better.
As a gay man and a lover of all things DC it would make me feel very touched if our beloved heroes like Superman, Batman, and Wonderwoman would acknowledge the horrors of what is happening to LGBTQ + community all over the world, especially whats happening to the gay identifying citizens of Chechnya. Murder and imprisonment no different than what occured during the Holocaust is happening today, right now. Just because tragedy on that scale isn’t happening in your hometown or country doesn’t mean you can’t stand up and call out the evils for what they are. It would be so important for children all over the world to see such icons stand up and fight against these types of monstrosities.
This is a wonderful topic and although I’m not gay myself I think kids growing up who are would love to see it in the Titans. That’s what a kid wants to see, a hero in general will make me change my whole damn life style lol if I saw Nightwing I’d lose my , but if I were gay it would be the Titans because I would think that they can relate more cause of their age and because if I was gay and saw Nightwing omfg I’ll be the happiest kid on Earth. Great topic for discussion I love when people just talk about being in a world but this was great.
I think some more trans rep would be great! As for existing LGBT characters in DC that I know, I really love Larry Trainor from the Doom Patrol show and Renee Montoya from 52. Them being gay certainly was some part of them, but it wasn’t their whole character. I also really enjoyed their friendships with Rita and Charlie, respectively. I am a sucker for wholesome platonic opposite sex friendships. As for existing characters that aren’t LGBT, but could be, I think that Booster Gold and Ted Kord have a great foundation for a comedic/tragic romance, although they are great as friends as well.
Scandal Savage in secret Secret Six,Villains United, and Birds of Prey is amazing and her relationships with the rest of her team who support her as friends is , it’s just a shame we never got to fully see a Bi-Catman that’s a quintuple date I’d like to be a part of
) , and as a Christian, I am also someone who does not believe people should be gay or queer, but don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not some religious goody two shoes that tries to dictate everything you do and say. I say be yourselves, even if I may not agree with it. Everyone makes their own choices, and that’s fine. Hopefully here, people won’t get mad at me for voicing my beliefs, just as they voice theirs.
, but if I were gay it would be the Titans because I would think that they can relate more cause of their age and because if I was gay and saw Nightwing omfg I’ll be the happiest kid on Earth. Great topic for discussion I love when people just talk about being in a world 
but this was great.