TV Discussion Homosexuality in Star Wars Television

To a certain point, I see what you're saying. There isn't any need to specifically announce a character's sexual orientation - for example, in the PT we know that Anakin is attracted to Padme (and therefore to women). He could also be bisexual, but there's no need within the narrative to confirm or deny that either way since it's never relevant to the story.

However. Star Wars frequently gives us information about character's orientations even when they aren't actively engaging in romantic relationships - we know Obi-Wan and Satine had a thing, there's Han and Leia, Luke at least shows enough interest in Leia early on that we can assume he's not gay, there's Lux and Steela and Ahsoka and so on. They didn't "go out of their way" to show us that these characters were straight, but they did give them storylines relating to their romantic orientations, so there's no reason to be cagey about a gay character's orientation.

Basically, it's a double standard not to include that information about gay characters, when it's confirmed for straight characters (even passively) all the time. It doesn't have to be "irrelevant to the story being told" unless the writers make it irrelevant. They make straight characters' romantic inclinations relevant to the story all the time!

And then finally on a more meta note of why it's particularly important to explicitly include that sort of information on a kids show: the CDC has found that of LGBT youth (middle and high-schoolers), 1 in 5 has been physically assaulted at school, and that they are more than twice as likely as their heterosexual peers to attempt suicide. Including LGBT characters at a rate closer to the real world in shows like Rebels can help these kids feel less like outsiders and reduce the stigma they face from their peers.

 

Except that, you know, he actually wasn't. He's a Hutt (single gender species) who uses male pronouns and was in a relationship with Sy Snootles, (*shudder*) who is female.

 

I'd rather my future kids have diversity on their kids shows then have them be ignorant and unaware of different types of people. It's better to show stuff like this, kissing; gay or straight for example when they are in an elementary school age and have them ask you, if you were a parent; about it.

There's no need to hide relationships, whether it is gay or straight. They'll be exposed to it sooner or later. And it's better that they know it's okay to be gay when they are young, before they might realize their orientation. This way they don't feel ostracized and un-normal. It'll be and is a normal thing whether in real life or on a TV show. I'd rather have them look up to say, a gay character and I'm going to use Sabine here for said example; then Miley Cyrus.

 

Why is it that so many people want Sabine specifically to be a lesbian?

And I ask this as somebody whose headcanon is going to be that she is unless it's explicitly proven wrong.

 

I agree! Star Wars shouldn't be about agendas. For example, the homophobic agenda that pushes for the exclusion of LGBT characters despite how unrealistic it is for everybody (or almost everybody) to be straight in a galaxy of trillions of people - let's throw that one out the window.

The problem with the "how the story is intended to be told" argument is that people can intend to tell homophobic stories. They can intend to tell sexist stories. They can intend to tell racist stories. The fact that their biases are part of their artistic expression doesn't make them immune to criticism. And it's not about PC-ness - it's about telling a realistic story with characters who are interesting and diverse. Personally, I'm more concerned with artistic expression being unduly influenced by prejudice than by PC-ness, especially when in this case PCness simply means equality and acknowledgement of existance. It's really not that high of a bar.

 

Kablob Oh, we talked about it a while back and thought she or Zeb were best suited. I don't even remember why; it just happened.

 

Well Kanan and Hera clearly have a thing for each other and Ezra has a crush on Sabine that she's totally ignoring. Obviously, he's not her type.

 

The more she turns him down, the more I'm convinced.

 

Now there's plenty of reasons that heterosexual girls would turn Ezra down.

 

Lol. Can you imagine him asking to take girls on a magical speeder ride?

I can show you the galaxy...

But seriously though, I'm totally expecting Sabine to punch him if he get's to annoying.

 

Hmm Zero is still pretty gay(anything based on TC has to be)

I just hope that they dont go totally overboard with the Political corectness thing.
Just from the new novel:
Empire having female other than white officers,thats totally fine thats how I pictured it being too.
.female stormtroopers,now thats pushing it..it does feel forced and is kind of silly,I cant imagine them without chuckling..maybe this is part of the old infantryman in me .. I feel females in positions such as officers is more believable as they are generally more resourceful, not down with the grunts especially really dumb grunts such as stormtroopers.

 

She'll have to get in line behind Zeb.

She doesn't seem to dislike him from what we've seen, she just ain't interested.

Well, that's because putting women in combat positions wasn't allowed in the military until a few years ago.

 

Just give her a few days. She'll be trying to push past Zeb to hit him.

Personally; I think she and Ezra will have a little brother-big sister relationship with each other. At least, once he stops hitting on her and realizing she isn't into him. Or boys.

 

I still say they missed the boat on throwing some male dancers in his penthouse.

 

Well to be honest, humanoid dancers of any kind are probably pretty non-standard for a Hutt.

I've always felt like the other Hutts thought Jabba had very odd taste. I liked how Jilliac or Durga (can't remember which) said something to the effect in the Han Solo Trilogy.

 

On a semi-related note, does anyone remember how they cut footage of female fighter pilots out of the final edit of RotJ? I'm glad it looks like they're moving away from that sort of thing.

I have to agree that I think (or I hope) Sabine and Ezra will have a sister-brother relationship. Aside from my hopes that she'll be a lesbian, I think they seem like they could have lots of fun interactions once he stops hitting on her...and she really, really doesn't seem interested.

 

I never knew that about the female fighter pilots before.

Let's face it, Ezra would be the one to reveal all her crushes. He's steal her holo-diary and start messaging the girls people she liked. You know, after he stops hitting on her.

 

Well, that's because putting women in combat positions wasn't allowed in the military until a few years ago.[/quote]
In the real world:
There still isnt any female 11B's,I do believe the USMC have some pilot project going on but nothing major..other militaries do however sometimes let females take on light infantry roles.
This is not because their not capable,I can vouch for that first hand..but there do exist a longstanding prejudice,and as we all know its hard to break trough.


On the topic of female stormtroopers,it doesn't really have anything to do with all that..It just doesnt feel right,then again I was always of the impression that they were clones..always..different templates but still dispensable human resources...I think it was a mistake to make them conscripts,seems forced and their voices in rebels sound kinda weird throw in female ones with a ridiculous white breastplate?sounds like perv costume fantasy),if they could make it tactful and organic..im all for it..but dont force it down our throat please

 

Who said anything about ridiculous breastplate armor? Stormtrooper armor looks like it could be fairly unisex to me. Maybe slightly different proportions, but that's it.

 

Well, the real-world prejudices don't necessarily apply to Star Wars. And even if all the stormtroopers were clones and not conscripts, there could still be some from female templates.

Not totally sure what you mean by "forcing it down our throats," though I do agree that I hope they get practical armor and not male-gaze-wish-fulfillment comic-book type "female armor." Like Kablob said, no reason why the stormtrooper armor we're familar with can't be unisex with maybe a couple of small alterations.

 

Watched Bounty recently, and I swear Latts Razzi is checking Ventress out a few times in the bar...

 

And then in Brothers they're drinking together and she's all like