LGBTQ+ relationships in the media help to resonate with people who identify as such. It helps some people to become aware of their identity, and educates others on different ones.
Keep reading to learn about LGBTQ+ relationships in the media.
Heartstopper
Originally a webcomic published on Tapas and Tumblr, Heartstopper is a LGBTQ+ TV series that follows the relationship of Nick Nelson and Charlie Spring. At the start of the series, Charlie is seen in an unhealthy relationship with Ben. Ben is a closeted bisexual who hid his relationship with Charlie for fear of getting outed. Charlie himself got outed when people overheard his friend discussing his sexuality. Throughout their relationship, Ben avoids Charlie and ends up sexually harassing him by kissing him against his will. While seeing this, Nick intervenes, and it commences the beginning of their relationship. As the show progresses, Nick meets more of Charlie’s LGBTQ+ identifying friends, such as Tara and Darcy who are a lesbian couple, and Elle who is a transgender girl. Through them, they help Nick to discover his sexual orientation which was once heterosexual, to him proudly acknowledging himself as bisexual.
Sailor Moon
In Sailor Moon, characters Haruka Tenoh and Michiru Kaiou are depicted as a couple. Neither of the girl’s sexualities are explicitly stated, as well as their relationship due to censorship. However, it is implied. In the 1995 English version of Sailor Moon, the supposed couple were stated to be cousins. At the expense of this relation, it makes viewers question their familial bond in scenes when they are closer to each other than other characters. Regardless of this, due to their duties as Sailor Scouts, it strengthens their relationship as they rely on one another during battle. Outside of fighting, their relationship consists of closeness, light banter, and comfort in the presence of silence.
Adventure Time/Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake
Ruler of the Candy Kingdom, Princess Bubblegum and her girlfriend Marceline’s relationship transcends worlds, literally. In the final season of Adventure Time, their relationship was sealed with a kiss. Though neither of the girl’s sexualities were explicitly stated, their status as a couple shows itself in the show and Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake. In the show, Princess Bubblegum and Marceline’s genders were swapped, making them Gary Prince and Marshall Lee Abadeer. Through unlikely situations, the two manage to come together and date again, but this time as boyfriends.
Each LGBTQ+ relationship is different. People express or identify themselves differently than the next. Understanding why LGBTQ+ couples are important in media helps to normalize them and make progress in real life.
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