Fortunately, times are changing. After many years of unfair erasure, LGBTQ+ representation has finally become an essential part of the mainstream media. Whether it's in movies, TV, literature, or comics, new audiences rightfully expect to see positive examples of gender and sexual diversity.
Although Marvel took a while to give its LGBTQ+ fans their deserved representation, the company has made up for the lost time in its most recent stories. In the last 10 years, Marvel has included new diverse characters whose sexual orientation and gender identity help the fans to understand themselves better. Because of these, many of these LGBTQ+ characters have become fan favorites immediately.
10 Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Features A Lesbian Archeologist
After Star Wars (2015) was published as a reboot for the original Star Wars series created in the 1970s, many other tie-in stories followed up, focusing on certain characters from the central story. For example, Star Wars: Doctor Aphra, by Kieron Gillen and Simon Spurrier, depicts the story of Doctor Chelli Lona Aphra, a rogue archeologist who previously worked for Darth Vader.
When asked about Doctor Aphra's sexuality, Kieron Gillen explained she's a lesbian. The Star Wars: Doctor Aphra and other Star Wars comics feature several romantic interests for Aphra, such as Sana Starros, whose heart Aphra's broke, or Magna Tolvan, a lieutenant who served in the Galactic Empire and with whom Aphra has a complicated relationship.
9 The Marauders Series Has Gay & Bisexual Characters
Marauders, by Gerry Duggan and Matteo Lolli, tells the story of the Marauders' seventh roster. Led by Captain Kate Pryde, a group of former X-Men — Bishop, Iceman, Pyro, Lockheed, Storm, among others — help mutants living in countries that don't recognize the mutant nation to move into Krakoa, the living island, so they live peaceful lives.
In addition to tackling very important issues related to refugees and their problems, Marauders makes sure to include LGBTQ+ representation. Iceman, who remains with the team until the twentieth issue, came out as gay in 2015. Besides, in Marauders #12, Kate Pryde embraces her bisexuality and kisses a female tattoo artist.
8 Mystique & Destiny Got What They Deserve In The History of the Marvel Universe
Irene Adler first appeared in The Uncanny X-Men #141 in January 1981. She was a woman with precognitive abilities who hired Mystique to help her understand her visions. Although they fell in love in the 80s and even created a family with Rogue as their adoptive daughter, their relationship wasn't explicitly stated as romantic until 2019.
In Mark Waid's The History of the Marvel Universe #2 — 30 years after Irene disappeared from the Marvel continuity — both women share an on-screen kiss. Although Destiny hasn't returned to the comics in a while, fans are hopeful after her 2019 appearance, she will return soon.
7 Colossus & Northstar Share A Love Story In Ultimate X-Men
Piotr "Colossus" Rasputin and Jean-Paul "Northstar" Beaubier met in Ultimate X-Men #47 after Northstar was shot by Mr. Sinister and Colossus watched over him in the hospital. However, it wasn't until some time later that Jean-Paul asked Piotr to attend his school's homecoming dance with him, which ignited a spark between them.
This would be the beginning of a healthy relationship between both mutants. Their story didn't really end, but as the Ultimate Universe itself ended, it wasn't mentioned again. The last time the Marvel readers saw Earth 1610's Piotr and Jean-Paul they were staring at the sunset together in an intimate moment.
6 Children Of The Atom Includes Gender, Sexuality, & Race Diversity
Out of the five Children of the Atom members, two belong to the LGBTQ+ community. Cyclops-Lass, their leader, is a gender-fluid character whose mutant power is modeled after Cyclops. Gimmick is a Latinx lesbian with shapeshifting abilities who happens to have the biggest crush on Cyclops-Lass.
The good news is that Cyclops-Lass and Gimmick end up together. The bad news is Children of the Atom, by Vita Ayala and Bernard Chang, was canceled after only 6 issues. Regardless, it provided healthy representation for the LGBTQ+ community and POC while it lasted.
5 X-Factor Gave The Fans An Asexual Character
While Rictor has had romances with both men and women, Shatterstar isn't even human, but an alien native from the planet Mojoworld. This means he understands sexuality differently and doesn't feel sexual attraction. Regardless of this distinction, both men develop a romantic relationship during Peter David's X-Factor run after spending some time as friends while they were both X-Force members.
Their relationship — groundbreaking for its time — created the space for the first male-male kiss between two mainstream characters in Marvel. This earned Peter David a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comic Book thanks to its asexual representation, which tends to lack in popular media.
4 Runaways' Nico & Karolina Share A Will They, Won't They From The Beginning
After escaping their homes, Nico and Karolina become members of the Runaways, a teenage superteam looking to defeat the Pride, a criminal organization founded by their own parents. While their romance doesn't start until Runaways' fifth volume, Karolina's crush on Nico is obvious from the beginning. However, it isn't until the majesdanian leaves with Xavin that Nico realizes her own feelings.
Regardless of their feelings for each other, Nico and Karolina spend some time apart. They begin to date after the Runaways are reformed, but soon they realize their relationship is dangerous for the group's stability, so they decide to wait for each other and be together in the future. Although their relationship has some lows, Nico Minoru and Karolina Dean provide some of the healthiest sapphic representation in the Marvel Universe.
3 America Chavez Is One Of The Most Diverse Marvel Characters
Originally a member of the Young Avengers, America Chavez got to start in her own ongoing series, America, by Gabby Rivera and Joe Quinones, in 2017. The story, in which America balances her college life and her superhero duty, showcases the heroine's identity as a Latin-American lesbian character.
Even though the series only lasted for 12 numbers, America's impact was such that the character is still around. She received a new solo series, America Chavez: Made in the USA, by Kalinda Vazquez and Carlos Gomez. What's more, she is soon to become a part of the MCU in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, played by Xochitl Gomez.
2 Young Avengers Has Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Characters
Created by Allan Heinberg, a gay man himself, Young Avengers is one of the Marvel superteams with the biggest LGBTQ+ representation. Its first roster includes Hulkling and Wiccan, two young gay boys who soon become one of Marvel's most stable relationships.
In addition to this, the first Young Avengers' reincarnation expands on its representation by bringing to the team America Chavez — the first Latin-American lesbian character to receive a solo series —, as well as Noh-Varr, a known bisexual Kree superhero. Considering these four characters comprise half of the team, there's no doubt Kate Bishop was right to ask if she was the only straight person on the team.
1 X-Men Is The Ultimate Diversity Comic
Since they were first created in 1963, the X-Men have been considered to be an allegory to social minorities. This is why it isn't surprising that they're one of the most inclusive superteams in the whole Marvel history. There have been several LGBTQ+ superheroes in the X-Men roster, such as Bobby Drake, a gay man, Magik, a bisexual woman, or even Jessie Drake, a transgender girl, among many others.
The list is way too long to mention them all, but the X-Men comics have always included many non-heterosexual characters throughout their whole history. Luckily for the fans, this isn't going to stop anytime soon.