Although some might argue that the bromance between Poe and Finn in The Force Awakens has some subtle queer undertones in its own right, GLAAD is calling for the franchise to introduce an openly non-heterosexual character.
According to Variety, the organization makes this suggestion “as part of [their] studio responsibility index, an annual survey of depictions of LGBT characters in major studio releases. Disney, which owns Star Wars creator LucasFilm, was one of two studios to feature no gay or lesbian characters in any of their films last year. The other was Paramount.”
And diversity won’t be achieved, GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis tells Variety, by writing in a one-dimensional queer character with a handful of lines. “It is not enough for LGBT characters to simply be present; rather, these characters must be crafted thoughtfully and better reflect the full diversity of the LGBT community,” she wrote in a statement. “Leaving LGBT people out of the picture—or including them only as a punchline—keeps old prejudices alive and creates an unsafe environment, not only here in America, but around the world where most audiences see these depictions.”
The Force Awakens was both lauded and widely criticized (by terrible people) for casting as leads a woman and a black British man; however, GLAAD’s asking for this diversity push to be “more expansive.”
Allegedly, Oscar Isaac is down with the possibility of a romance between his character and John Boyega’s Finn. What’s more, director J.J. Abrams has emphasized his plans to incorporate queer characters into the story. Perhaps subtext will become plot after all.
Image via Disney.
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