GLAAD praises Deadpool 2’s LGBTQ characters
Deadpool 2 is one of the first superhero films to feature an LGBTQ relationship on screen
The president of GLAAD has praised R-rated superhero film Deadpool 2 for its inclusion of an LGBTQ relationship.
Spoiler Warning: Character details follow.
The sequel to 2016’s blockbuster hit features two members of Deadpool’s team in a lesbian relationship: Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand) and Yukio (Shiolo Kutsuna).
What’s more, it’s not an implied relationship — they openly state that they are girlfriends, a rarity in a genre that usually lacks gay representation, or outright erases LGBTQ narratives from film adaptations.
GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis praised Deadpool 2 for the visibility that the relationship provides.
“20th Century Fox and Marvel have finally given countless moviegoers around the world what they’ve longed to see — LGBTQ superheroes in a relationship who protect the world together,” Ellis said. “Negasonic and Yukio’s storyline is a milestone in a genre that too often renders LGBTQ people invisible, and should send a message to other studios to follow this example of inclusive and smart storytelling.”
Deadpool’s LGBTQ characters are a bold move in the superhero world, where such characters or storylines are often cut in the jump from comic to cinema. Earlier this year, Black Panther co-writer Joe Robert Cole had to address rumors that Marvel edited out a lesbian romance between two characters, while last year’s Thor: Ragnarok edited out a scene that would have depicted a key character’s bisexuality.
Deadpool 2 hits theatres on May 18th.
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