18 Awesome LGBT Characters

By Joshua Yehl, Miranda Sanchez and Steve Butts

June is National LGBT Pride Month, plus gay marriage was made legal in the United States last week, so we are celebrating by listing off our favorite LGBT characters from movies, television, comics, and video games. Take a look at our list, then let us know your favorites in the comments.

Why It Matters if a Fictional Character Is Gay

The shape-shifting Mystique has been intimate with several male characters -- Wolverine, Forge, and even Professor X -- but her one true love is Irene Adler aka Destiny. While Mystique often uses her sexuality to get what she wants, her relationship with Destiny always stuck out as the one true romance in her life. Mystique is a fighter for mutant rights and is the poster child for accepting yourself for who you are no matter what you look like -- and if anyone has a problem with that, she has the skills of an elite assassin to back her up.

The headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is as old as he is powerful, yet his quiet and humorous demeanor would never let you think he’s the one person that Voldemort is truly afraid of. While author J.K. Rowling never explicitly said that Dumbledore was gay in the books, she implied it by describing a deep relationship with the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald and then later confirmed it during a fan Q&A. In the end, Dumbledore is a great example of how a character can be a fan-favorite due to his brilliant mind and extraordinary skills, with his sexuality being just another attribute of his character, like his long beard or half-moon glasses.

There were a number of LGBT characters in Sailor Moon, including the Fisheye, Zoisite and Kunzite, and Sailor Star Fighter, but the most recognizable couple is easily Sailor Neptune (Michiru) and Sailor Uranus (Haruka). The original Sailor Moon English translation by DiC tried to write off Michiru and Haruka as affectionate cousins, but it was pretty obvious that they had a romantic relationship -- one that is arguably more pure and supportive than Usagi and Mamoru’s relationship. Michiru and Haruka are almost always seen together and are very protective of one another to the point where they are willing to betray their allies. Even though it’s difficult to think of one without the other, especially because their relationship feels so natural and well-presented, Michiru and Haruka also stand out individually as well for their refined personalities.

The standout character of Season 4 of Game of Thrones is Dorne’s favorite son, Prince Oberyn Martell. He came into King’s Landing with confidence and swagger, getting what he wanted in court and also in the bedroom. It wasn’t a shock to see Oberyn indulge in both men and women; in fact, it made sense that a man who led such a cavalier life to not let a thing like gender stop him from living to the fullest. That “sword-swallowing” was condemnable in King’s Landing yet he made no attempt to hide it made him all the more badass.

A skilled spear-fighter with acrobatic skills impressive enough to make Darth Maul jealous, the Red Viper proved that he could defeat the juggernaut known as the Mountain in single combat… but because he delayed the killing blow, his head wound up like so many grapes.

A landmark moment for LGBT nerdom came when Northstar came out of the closet in 1992, paving the way for gay characters to actually acknowledge their sexuality instead of only hint at it. A mutant member of the Canadian superhero team Alpha Flight along with his sister Aurora, he can fly, move a super speed, endure heavy damage, and manipulate light.

Now lets be frank about one thing, Northstar can be kind of a jerk. While always on the side of the heroes, he’s quick to anger and can be as aggressive to his teammates as he is his enemies. Although we have to cut him some slack -- mutants are hated and feared as it is, but he has to deal with prejudice against gay people on top of that. But there must be some charm to the guy; his longtime boyfriend Kyle Jinadu married him in 2012, setting yet another landmark with the first-ever gay wedding in a Marvel comic book.

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