TV Discussion Homosexuality in Star Wars Television

I don't see how it's a politically correct thing, anymore so than a decision to portray any group over and other.

If I sit down and want to write a story and am deciding on the characters, what factors should go into deciding what sex, sexual orientation, race, religion, etc. should I take into account? I'm just supposed to make everyone a white, heterosexual male, because that's what I am? So I decide I want there to be a romantic subplot and decide that this is going to require I make a character a woman. But that's the thing, I don't HAVE to do that. I can have a romantic subplot with any combination of sexes.

When there was the decision to give Anakin a padawan, what factors do you suppose went into the decision to make her an alien? Diversity, I'd imagine. How about making the character a female? I'd imagine to give girls a hero figure they can identify with. I'm pretty sure Filoni and Ashley had pointed out on several occasions how great it was to see a strong female figure that woman could look up to in TCW. How is it any different than DC making a muslim Green Lantern? They made a black Spider-Man. They actually made the Earth-2 Green Lantern gay, I believe. They didn't HAVE to do it. But there was a demand for other groups to be represented when nearly every major Marvel and DC superhero has historically been a heterosexual caucasian. The entire cast of ANH was pretty much white. I can't imagine that if Lucas followed that trend in the casting of the rest of the OT and the PT that he'd be able to escape accusations of racism.

I'm pretty sure Ellen Ripley was originally supposed to be male and Ridley Scott somewhere along the line decided he wanted a strong female lead. And then Sigourney Weaver ends up being the lead in a series of horror/action films and a very iconic character all because Ridley Scott decided to be "politically correct." There was no story reason that demanded she be a woman. She could just have easily have been a guy. And IMO there's no harm in that same logic being applied to sexual orientation too. Granted representation of women will always be more common since they are like 50% of the population. And while people that identify as caucasian tend to dominate the wealthiest countries due to imperialism, I don't know what fraction of the global population they actually comprise. With homosexuals, usually I hear estimates ranging maybe around 5% of the population and I'm sure that's also a skewed estimate since there are social pressures for people to hide any kind of homosexual attraction, so they're probably never going to be a very widely represented group for that reason. But there's really no harm in a property as large and diverse as Star Wars establishing a small number of homosexual characters.

I mean, yeah there are the caricature homosexual characters in cartoons like American Dad and Archer. And while there are some individuals that fit that image, I grew up in a household that was involved in dog breeding and showing. And there were quite a few people involved in that - of both sexes - that were homosexual. And there was absolutely nothing about their appearance or behavior that would call their sexual orientation to mind, they didn't walk around talking about their sexual orientation, but when you meet two guys and one of them introduces the other as his boyfriend or domestic partner or what have you, it still can come up in a non-flamboyant, non "hey, I'm gay" way.

 

Well, its not even the matter of it breaking apart the chance of her and Ezra being together (though I would love to see Ezra stop hitting on her cause she's obviously not interested either way). I am Asexual myself but I still have a girlfriend and I still love her, I just won't... do "things" with her. Asexuals can still fall in love and still date, they just don't get intimate. Its people that are Aromantic who usually don't fall in love or don't date...

 

Since there won't be any sex in this kids show (and I don't think words such as "sexual attraction" will be brought up), if Sabine did hook up with Ezra, she would still be asexual, though everybody else (who doesn't know she already is asexual), would just see her as a heterosexual woman.

To avoid the whole "Sabine is just like most other women", I do think it is best to also make her Aromantic.

Perhaps if the topic of romance is brought up from Ezra to her, she could just say that she has never been interested at all in romance with other people, that it has never been her thing (she can mention she naturally sees herself living single throughout her life). It can imply asexuality (and Armonatic) without using those words (which may not even exist in star wars).

 

What?! Are you crazy?! Obviously, if there is any relationship other than a man/woman there needs to be banners and streamers, and a special interview with the makers of this show screaming" LOOK HOW DIVERSE WE ARE!!!".

 

I'm fine with Sabine being Asexual, but I really do think that interview should be taking with a grain of salt. FPJ is awesome but he is only a voice actor and they may have opinions, but they don't influence story or character decisions. If it was Filloni, that's a different story, but FPJ is not Word of God.

 

Not sure why this is SO freaking hard for folks to grasp. So often in this thread and pretty much wherever the subject of lgbt characters in SW crop up is the notion that same-sex attraction or relationships mean hard-core explicit scenes and outmoded stereotypes for everyone.

I've just been loving the handling of Kanan and Hera's are-they-or-aren't-they relationship. The subtlety, in many ways, is really what sells it.

 

I would like to see a gay person or a gay relationship in Rebels. Like many here I wouldn't want it to be an overt thing, but something ordinary and just a part of that person's life. Thinking about Sabine and the idea that she's asexual, it makes me wonder if she might be gay, but very quiet about it. I only say that because people thought was asexual until I came out.

 

Also asexual does not necessarily mean she would not form a relationship, just she is not interested in a sexual relationship.
Anyway, where does it say Sabine is asexual? Or where did you guys get that from, anyway?

 

I'd like them to introduce another female character similar to Sabine who Sabine bonds with. Later on she might have to leave her friend for some reasons and she could be shown sad about it.. Just make it so it subtly hints at her sexuality and I think that might be interesting to see

 

They did that with legend of Korea and we never saw Korra and Sami kiss only after the show did they tell us that they were gay.

 

From a radio interview with Kanan's voice actor.

 

The signs were there since the beginning of Book 3, man. They were subtle, but it wasn't like there was no build up to Korea and Salami having feelings for each other.

 

I don't watch LOK but isn't it more mature than Rebels like maybe on a TCW level
I could see that there but unfortunately not in Rebels..

 

Palpatine IS gay. So yes Gays have been in Star Wars.

 

While I can totally buy Palpatine as gay, I'd rather Star Wars introduce some gay characters that aren't, y'know, the embodiment of evil.

 

I've seen people joke about Palpatine being gay a few times, anyone know where that come from?

Obviously, EU stuff is hit and miss these days, but I recall he had a consorts at least and possibly sired children. Not that THAT necessarily precludes him being gay/bi but Star Wars tends to work in fairly broad strokes.

I worry that the joke or concept around it is more a perception of effeminacy in his mannerisms or the WAY overused trope of creepy, campy gay villain.

Like anakinfansince1983 said, making Space Hitler gay is far more politically blunt (and grossly overused) than a new character who just happens to be gay.

 

That is amazing. Damn what song is that? Anyone know.