Thor 4, Batwoman and Jessica Jones: LGBTQ Characters Take Over The Silver Screen And Television

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Remember Valkyrie, the demi-goddess aka warrior who stole hearts with her unwavering spirit and bravery? Marvel fans were elated when the fourth movie of the Thor series was announced last weekend. But, little did they know, a surprise was waiting for them in Thor: Love and Thunder.

Kevin Feige, the president of the Marvel Studios, recently confirmed that Valkyrie will represent MCU's first-ever openly LGBTQ superhero. When asked about it, Feige answered io9 on Saturday, "The answer is yes. How that impacts the story remains to be seen with that level of representation you'll see across our films, not in just Thor 4."

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Tessa Thompson is all set to create magic on the big screen with her powerful portrayal of Valkyrie. "First of all, as new King [of Asgard], she needs to find her queen, so that will be her first order of business," - Thompson dropped a hint about Valkyrie's game plan during the Marvel panel. "She has some ideas. Keep you posted."

Though Valkyrie was already well-known as bisexual among the Marvel fans, Thompson first confirmed the same on social media in 2017. Her Twitter post read, "She's bi. And yes, she cares very little about what men think of her. What a joy to play!"

She’s bi. And yes, she cares very little about what men think of her. What a joy to play! https://t.co/d0LZKTHCfL

— Tessa Thompson (@TessaThompson_x) 21 October 2017

Avengers:Endgame also witnessed a cameo of director Joe Russo as an openly gay character. He played a man in a support group run by Steve Rogers dealing with the fallout of Thanos' snap. It has set the stage for the debut of Valkyrie as an openly LGBTQ lead character.
On the other hand, Marvel TV'S web series Jessica Jones, too, had joined the waves of change in 2015, when a lesbian character named Jeri Hogarth was featured in the series. Shows like Agents of SHIELD and Daredevil proved to be game-changers for Marvel and attracted more audiences from the ever-growing LGBTQ community.
Moreover, Pune born Indian-American actor Aneesh Sheth will be the first one to play a transgender character in Jessica Jones season 3. This openly trans actress has been roped in to play the role of Gillian, an assistant in Jessica's detective agency.

However, the major breakthrough came this May , when CW network released the first trailer for its new Batwoman series. The show will witness Ruby Rose playing Batwoman, the first openly gay superhero.

The Australian actor took to instagram to express how "thrilled and honored" she felt upon this opportunity. "This is something I would have died to have seen on TV when I was a young member of the LGBT community who never felt represented on tv and felt alone and different. Thank you everyone. Thank you god," - a proud Ruby wrote on her post.

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The Bat is out of the bag and I am beyond thrilled and honored. I’m also an emotional wreck.. because this is a childhood dream. This is something I would have died to have seen on TV when I was a young member of the LGBT community who never felt represented on tv and felt alone and different. Thank you everyone. Thank you god.

A post shared by Ruby Rose (@rubyrose) on Aug 7, 2018 at 10:53am PDT

Batwoman, whose actual name is Kate Kane, is a trained street fighter who dreams of bringing social justice and equality. The storyline of this upcoming show will delve into the lives of Kane and her girlfriend Sophie Moore. Fans welcomed the trailer with loads of cheer and are already rooting for the success of this legendary series. Batwoman is scheduled to premier in December.
Straight relationships have mostly been the norm when it comes to superhero stories. It will be interesting to see how characters like Valkyrie and batwoman evolve as inspirations for the fans who can identify with their favourite superheroes.