History of LGBT characters in animation: 2020s
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/SDCC_2015-8451_%2819467990319%29.jpg/220px-SDCC_2015-8451_%2819467990319%29.jpg)
In the 2020s, representation became more pronounced than before in Western animation. This included shows like Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, Cleopatra in Space, The Owl House, The Hollow, Harley Quinn, Hoops, and Adventure Time: Distant Lands, with the promise of upcoming seasons of Hazbin Hotel, Helluva Boss, and gen:LOCK, RWBY, along with a variety of soon-to-come shows like Lumberjanes and DeadEndia. At the same time, series like She-Ra and the Princesses of Power and Steven Universe Future, both of which had various LGBTQ characters, came to an end in 2020.
Netflix and LGBTQ representation
Netflix had many LGBTQ characters present on shows available on the streaming service through the 2010s. This was connected to the fact that in 2017, the company committed to devoting more of its future spending toward "new and original anime" due to its huge popularity worldwide.[1] GLAAD would describe Netflix as a company making "impressive strides in viewership and impact," when it came to LGBTQ representation.[2] This would continue into the 2020s, when the representation would be enhanced, with animated series like Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts and the final season of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.
More Western animations with LGBTQ characters
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/26/Fisheye_Cosplay.jpg/220px-Fisheye_Cosplay.jpg)
While shows on Netflix led the way, other networks aired episodes with various LGBTQ characters. For instance, Indy and Ty were the guardians of Violet Sabrewing and the foster fathers of Lena Sabrewing, slated to be recurring characters in the show DuckTales,[3] with episodes broadcast on Disney XD and previously on the Disney Channel and in an episode of Nickelodeon's The Loud House, Lainey, one of Lynn's roller derby team, is dating a girl named Alice.[4][5] On January 1, another show, Magical Girl Friendship Squad: Origins entered the fray.[6] Six episodes of the adult animation, inspired by Sailor Moon and other magical girl animes, began airing on Syfy.[7][8] The series, written by Diana McCorry who created Human Kind Of,[9] features two women, Alex and Daisy, with the latter a lesbian who sleeps with a woman during the show. The series is set to appear in a new iteration on September 26, named Magical Girl Friendship Squad, with some new cast members and longer episodes.[7][10] In the latter show, Daisy is unambiguously queer as she has slept with "every barista" at the local coffee shop.[11] In the second and third episodes of the main show, "The Cool S" and "Agony Solstice", a sticker with the transgender pride flag is shown on Daisy's laptop. She is later shown to have an ex-girlfriend in the fourth episode, "Anti-Fungal Spit Skanks," a classic-style anime character, named Yolanda,[12][13] who works at urgent care center in the city. Additionally, in the episode "The Real World," Pansy, who calls herself Daisy's "monogamous live-in girlfriend" is introduced, but she only exists in the dimension created by Nut's sister, Gloriana. Then on November 1, 2020, Hallie Cantor, a writer for the show, responded to a question on whether Daisy is trans, stated that they hadn't yet "identified her as trans or cis,"[14] meaning that she could either be a cisgender lesbian or trans lesbian.
There were a number of other shows which also included lesbian characters. One of these was Cleopatra in Space. In the 18th episode of the series, the two moms of Akila, a friend of series protagonist, Cleopatra ("Cleo") are introduced.[15] These moms, Theoda and Pothina, work as scholars, use dated social expressions, and love their daughter. Also, an episode of Clifford the Big Red Dog, which aired on Amazon Prime Video and PBS Kids, titled "The Big Red Tomato/Dogbot", featured the two moms of the character Samantha Mulberry (Dr. and Ms. Mulberry).[16] And an episode of Disney Junior's T.O.T.S., "Seas the Day," a baby dolphin named Donny is adopted by a dolphin lesbian couple.[17] At the same time, on February 16, Duncanville began broadcasting on Fox. The show would feature the protagonist, Duncan, having a crush on his genderfluid classmate, Mia, who works at a pizzeria and sticks her finger in each pizza to "silently protest the company’s anti-gay stance."[18] On March 22, the show would reportedly have an unnamed gay couple in episode "Sister, Wife." One month earlier it has been reported that Michael Vogel, a gay development executive who worked on shows like Transformers Prime and My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, was working on a new 2D animated show for WildBrain titled Princess Alexander. The series would focus on themes of sexuality and gender while revolving around a young prince who finds out he has magical powers which "have traditionally been exclusive to princesses," even though he has "none of the natural skills that princes are supposed to have," leading to the entire kingdom and his family panicking at this discovery. Vogel said that this series targets those ages 6-9, serving as an allegory for acceptance of LGBTQ people, and that he is writing the "22-minute origin story pilot" while production was said to begin in summer 2020.[19] WildBrain’s EVP of content and current series Stephanie Betts was quoted as saying they want to "tell stories that appeal to everyone in the audience" while Vogel said that while many shows are doing a lot for diversity and inclusivity, to have a character "dealing with these issues front and center" is something he hasn't seen before. At the same time, in February 2020, My Pride: The Series premiered, following a "queer, disabled lioness" named Nothing who is trying to heal the world.[20] The series creator, Madeleine Patton, stated that it is important to tell diverse stories, and notes that the story deals with "ableism, queerness, feminism, womanhood and also, of course, lions."[21] The mate of Nothing is Hover, formerly named Longrun, as indicated in episode 7, "Hover," in September 2020.
More significant than the aforementioned series, in terms of representation, was a mature adult animated series titled Harley Quinn, broadcast on DC Universe. In the May 15 episode "There's No Place to Go But Down," Harley Quinn saved her partner-in-crime, Poison Ivy, both kissed each other after they escaped from prison.[22] The critic who reviewed the episode stated that Harley and Poison's romance is "slow burn" one, adding that this love affair could turn into a "more realistic exploration of how it feels to fall in love with a friend or to have an awkward hookup with a workmate." Another reviewer, Sophie Perry, writing for a lesbian lifestyle magazine, Curve, noted how queerbaiting has long endured in LGBTQ+ representation, noting how She-Ra and Harley Quinn both had same-sex kisses, happening within stories which could have turned out to be "typical queerbaiting" but did not.[23] Perry added that the "queer conclusion" of the show is thanks to Noelle Stevenson, describing it as very different from the conclusion of The Legend of Korra which confirmed Korra and Asami's relationship but left it "purposefully ambiguous" so it could air on a children's network. She concluded by calling She-Ra culturally significant, and added that as more creative queer people come to the fore, inevitably queerbaiting will "become a thing of the past." In another episode, Clayface, a member of Harley's villain crew, was revealed as gay character who had a crush on a crush on a male student.[24][25] Even more significant was the season 2 finale. In that episode, Poison Ivy had her wedding, which seemingly a lavender marriage, with Kite Man interrupted, and by the end of the episode, Harley Quinn and Poison realize their feelings for each other, kissing and "finally embracing that they're soul mates" as Renaldo Metadeen of Comic Book Resources put it.[26] Heather Hogan at Autostraddle added that the bisexual love of Poison and Harley is canon, calling the second season "one of the most gratifying gay seasons of television" she has ever watched.[27]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c6/Otakon_IMG_7479_%2828706480400%29.jpg/220px-Otakon_IMG_7479_%2828706480400%29.jpg)
The same year, on March 27, the four-part finale of its limited epilogue series of Steven Universe, Steven Universe Future, aired on Cartoon Network. Ideas about the series end dated back to drawings in 2013.[28] Sugar argued that the series made a point about shoune anime and kids cartoons, with the aftermath of victories generally not explored, stating that the series explores the aftermath of the victory in the Season 5 finale, with the protagonist, Steven, having to face his problems head-on.[28][29][30] The series showed a character, Bismuth, have a crush on another character (Pearl) in the episode "Bismuth Casual."[31] The same year, a storyboarder for the show stated that Peridot was asexual and aromantic,[32] despite her reservations that she is only a secondary creator on the show,[33] pleasing fans, even though she said that she didn't believe Peridot was autistic.[34][35] Before (and after this point) fans had shipped Peridot with various other characters, specifically Lapis Lazuli and Amethyst, some reviewers even seeing Peridot and Lapis in a "close, loving relationship" in 2018.[36]
When Steven Universe Future ended, Sugar said she would take a break from the characters,[37] with some saying that shows like She-Ra and the Princesses of Power would continue moving forward LGBTQ representation in animation.[38] For her part, the series creator of She-Ra, Noelle Stevenson, stated that she is interested in "telling central queer stories," with queer characters just as supporting characters, but having stories built around them, adding that there is still progress to go on that front, while acknowledging the strides are "in no small part due to Steven Universe."[38] Others hoped for "more queer-friendly animated shows" like Steven Universe in the future[39] and described Sugar as the "guiding force behind bringing LGBTQ+ visibility to children's cartoons" from 2010 to 2020.[40]
Not even a month after Steven Universe Future ended, another Cartoon Network show had a LGBTQ character. On April 17, the DC Super Hero Girls episode #HouseGuest premiered online, featuring the two mothers of Jessica Cruz, also known as Green Lantern, Wilhelmina and Siobhan When asked about this by Taimur Gur of ComicsBeat, series creator Lauren Faust said that everyone was "on board with this idea" and that she was glad it was approved.[41] The following month, Amber Leigh, a story revisionist for Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure revealed that Cassandra "Cass" was gay coded,[42] with sapphic looks toward the story's protagonist,[43] Rapunzel, and that some of these feelings are shown in the episode about memory loss.[44] She also said that there were many "queer women who boarded scenes [of] Cassandra," and that women-love-women vibes were ingrained in every drawing she did of the character.[45] These beliefs were also reflected by Klaudia Amenábar of The Mary Sue, calling Cass an "extremely gay-coded sword lesbian best friend" of Rapunzel.[46] Earlier in the year, the series creator of Tangled, Chris Sonnenberg, said he'd be willing to produce a spinoff show focusing on Cass, "if the call came."[47] The year before, in November, he called Cass a strong female character[48] and talked about the "real friendship bond" between her and Rapunzel in September of the same year.[49] The following month, in June, Batgirl, Wonder Woman and a number of other heroes from DC Comics appeared in an image posted on the Twitter account of DC Kids for pride month.[50]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f8/Ladies_Adventure_time.jpg/220px-Ladies_Adventure_time.jpg)
In the summer of 2020, the Adventure Time: Distant Lands series, the name for four hour-long streaming television specials based on the American animated television series Adventure Time, began streaming on HBO Max. On June 25, the first episode of that series dropped. This episode, titled "BMO," introduced Y5, an anthropomorphic rabbit and teenage scientist between age 11 and 13 who lives in The Drift.[51][52] Originally named "Y4", Y5 chooses her new name[53] with BMO's encouragement and eventually becomes the robot's "deputy."[54][55][56] Y5 struggles with managing the expectations of her parents (voiced by Tom Kenny and Michelle Wong, respectively), and finds herself forced to disobey them in order to save the Drift—all the while discovering her own identity.[55][57] Y5—with the titular robot's assistance—helps the citizens of the Drift defeat Hugo, and after their overlord is dethroned, she proposes a new form of social organization based on cooperation that will ideally allow the Drift to flourish.[58][59] Voice actress Glory Curda later argued that Y5's story has a lot of context and is representative of coming out into your own identity and defining yourself with whatever terms are comfortable for you.[60] Curda, in a Q&A on Reddit, said that after BMO left, Y5 grew and developed into "a leader and trailblazer to help save the drift,"[61] and noted that she was a big Adventure Time fan before getting the part.[62]
Then, on July 24, Michaela Dietz moderated a Comic-Con@Home panel about an the upcoming episode of Adventure Time: Distant Lands, "Obsidian", which focused on the relationship between Bonnibel "Bonnie" Bubblegum and Marceline "Marcy" Abadeer, with snapshots of their life, and what happens "after a big romantic moment" as they head to "the Glass Kingdom to prevent a catastrophe."[63][64] Adam Muto, the executive producer of Distant Lands, said that the episode came out a "few ideas for miniseries" and teased at possible future specials (or episodes) while Niki Yang, the voice of BMO said she was surprised by the ending of the first Distant Lands special, "BMO." Also part of the panel, Olivia Olson, the voice of Marcy, said that although Adventure Time's finale, Come Along With Me ended "perfectly," it opened a door to exploring the relationship between Bonnie and Marcy.[64] After the panel concluded, Olson played a song, titled "Monster," which will be featured in the episode.[65] Earlier that month, on July 11, on an episode of the podcast Talk CRWBY to Me, Miles Luna revealed writer Kiersi Burkhart originally joined Rooster Teeth to work on Season 2 of Nomad of Nowhere and the process went "pretty far along," but production was halted when it was decided continuing the series at the time was not advisable.[66] The timing of Season 2 pausing production, and Burkhart's subsequent move to RWBY Volume 7, suggests the controversy surrounding Gray Haddock and Georden Whitman's outspoken criticism of Rooster Teeth influenced the decision. It is not known if the series will be continued in the future.
On August 7, it was announced that A24 had picked up Hazbin Hotel as a full television series, but any information related to its production or release date remains unknown.[67] The same day, Matt Braly, the creator of Amphibia offered his support, calling it a "fantastic fucking step forward" and "great."[68]
Expanded representation in 2020 and beyond
There were hopeful signs in other animations in the 2020s. On May 8, Amanda Bruce talked about five of the best and five of the worst relationships in RWBY, noting that even though there is a continuing debate among fans if Yang and Blake are couple, she stated that "it’s fair to say they’re a couple until the show says otherwise."'[69] Later that month, on May 24, the voice actress for Blake Beladonna in RWBY, Arryn Zech, confirmed that Blake is bisexual, with the other cast members concurring with her assessment.[70] Apart from the fact she gets along with Yang, her teammate, she previously had a relationship with the abusive Adam Taurus,[71] which Ilia implied as romantic in the episode "Alone Together" even though these feelings have since faded away.[a] Additionally, on June 13, Nickelodeon promoted LGBTQ+ characters in their shows, highlighting SpongeBob SquarePants and The Legend of Korra.[72] While some said this "proved" that SpongeBob was gay, Stephen Hillenberg, back in 2005, said he considered SpongeBob to be asexual, with one writer for Out writing "it's important to realize that those who are asexual are queer as well and are just as welcome to dawn rainbows and celebrate Pride this month."[73] Later that month, GLAAD, partnering with Procter & Gamble, released the first-ever "LGBTQ Inclusion in Advertising and Media" study, showing that those who are LGBTQ+ are "very comfortable with seeing LGBTQ people, and LGBTQ families, in movies, films, and ads."[74]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/Otakon_IMG_5590_%282%29_%2820102352865%29.jpg/220px-Otakon_IMG_5590_%282%29_%2820102352865%29.jpg)
Then, on August 5, Paper Magazine published an interview with Noelle Stevenson and Rebecca Sugar, to bring them in conversation with each other. Sugar said that Steven Universe survived because of "support from fans," noted how only a few years before, a person's employment and ability to "make cartoons," could hinge on "their sexual orientation," calling this ridiculous and unfair, while stating there needs to be a shift in thinking.[75] She added that due to the lack of queer people are showrunners and content creators, that the studio "couldn't recognize a lot of the queer experience being expressed through the content," which she experienced at Cartoon Network, while noting how people recognize an individual based on their interactions with other people and feelings about themselves, while remaining exited about what is coming in the future. Stevenson noted that she felt that episodes like "Reunited" are important in terms of representation, noting that even subtle representation has value, saying she wants not just "clear straight-forward, incidental representation" but representation which involves "more complex, subtle, nuanced stories that play out over time." In the same interview, Sugar stated that she saw making art "as a conversation" while Stevenson argued that telling a romance between two lesbians is different from "telling a straight romance" because of different dynamics, with some branding such a relationship as two characters who were "sisters," calling it hurtful, and stating that sometimes young LGBT fans think getting representation in animated shows is "easier than it is," with a huge responsibility going forward for creating "stories for young queer kids." Building off that, Sugar argued that these stories are ones they deserve, noted that recent increase of "LGBTQIA content in animated and children's media," with very little LGBTQ+ content over the history of animation, and called those who claim there are enough lesbians in animation to be completely wrong and a form of bisexual erasure. Noelle also acknowledged that there is a "very real, legitimate conversation about the absence of gay male characters in animation," hoping for more "queer female showrunners of color, queer male showrunners of color and uplift those voices." Later in the interview, Stevenson and Sugar agreed that visibility and stories of queer characters should be expanded beyond sci-fi and fantasy genres, while they both talked about non-binary representation in media, with Sugar focusing on the importance of Stevonnie, while Stevenson talked about Double Trouble. Apart from this, Sugar pointed to the bisexual erasure in the Steven Universe fandom around 2015, Stevenson called Sugar an inspiration to her, while Sugar hoped that she would make LGBTQ+ content going forward.
August 2020 brought a number of developments when it came to inclusive storylines. On August 17, a queer writer, Taneka Scotts, who wrote 12 episodes of Steven Universe Future,[76] along with episodes for My Little Pony: Pony Life, Craig of the Creek, and other shows,[77] announced her role in an unannounced show on Twitter. She noted that she had become a story editor on a show with "great characters, upfront queerness, and big heart" which would premiere in 2022.[78][79] In a later back-and-forth with Molly Ostertag, she clarified that it would be an animated show,[80] and said that she wanted to be a showrunner on a future show down the road.[81] Then there was the news from creator Sara Eissa about the pitch for her show, Astur's Rebellion, an action-adventure which "follows the protagonist in her journey of rebellion and redemption,"[82] was rejected "due to bias against elements of diversity such as POC and LGBTQ+ main characters," implying that she was talking about Crunchyroll.[83] In her Eissa's Twitter thread on the subject, she talked about discourse around "diverse" in the animation industry, especially those pitching "future shows," referred to High Guardian Spice, [b] stating that the company (presumably Crunchyroll) would look at a show with "diversity" like people of color, female cast, brighter tones, and "not give it a chance" because it won't be profitable.[84] She further criticized "progressive looking white women" for ruining the chances of people of color to pitch shows and argued that they only hire other White people,[c] saying they are advertising diversity, not normalizing it, and stated that she will continue to work on Astur's Rebellion going forward. This series will feature Eissa as a writer, Anh (Ducanhart) doing greyscale environmental art, Christopher Mansing drawing logo art, and Collateral Damage Studios putting together concept art and illustrations.[85]
In September 2020 there was a setback, even worse than the rejection of the Astur's Rebellion pitch the previous month. The Venture Bros., which had been slated to be renewed for an eighth and final season,[86][87] was cancelled. On September 5, an illustrator for the show, Ken Plume, said he would be sorry if the show was cancelled,[88][89] which was confirmed by series creator Jackson Publick, with season 8 being axed.[90][91] Not long after, Adult Swim stated that they were working to "find another way to continue the Venture Bros. story"."[92] The show had featured LGBTQ characters like openly gay Colonel Horace Gentleman,[93] a lesbian character named Virginia "Ginnie" Dunne,[94] and a gay couple: The Alchemist and Shore Leave.[93] A number of creators weighed in on the decision. For instance, Owl House creator Dana Terrace criticized the cancellation, as did animator Bryan Brinkman, DuckTales producer Frank Angones, and other fans of the show.[95] On the other hand, where was positive news that month. On September 21, Yssa Badiola of Recorded by Arizal hosted a RTX panel with Christine Marie Cabanos, Joshua Kazemi, and Kdin Jenzen, the latter who moderated.[96] Toward the end of the panel, Jenzen asked about LGBTQ characters in the show. Badiola said that if there was a full season, while Arizal's sexuality (and gender) would be explored, and that there were a "lot" of LGBTQ characters in a "show proper" they originally pitched.[97] That wasn't all. On September 26, it was confirmed that gen:LOCK, which featured a genderfluid character, Val, would be returning for a second season.[98] Three days later, on September 29, Sam King, a writer for the Season 3 episode of DuckTales, "They Put a Moonlander On the Earth!", confirmed that Lieutenant Penumbra is a lesbian character.[99] However, King wished it had been more overt and said that people should continue to ask for better representation.[100]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ec/Brooke_Allen_%2814034980356%29.jpg/220px-Brooke_Allen_%2814034980356%29.jpg)
In October, there was more positive news. Early in the month, the creator of Star Trek: Lower Decks, Mike McMahan confirmed that Captain Amina Ramsey was Beckett Mariner's former lover at Starfleet Academy, even though it wasn't explicit, saying that "every Starfleet officer is probably at the baseline bisexual" in a sense, and that they did not "intentionally mean for anybody to be strictly heteronormative or straight or cis." However, he promised to do better in the show's second season, saying they would dig into it more, saying that the show could, in the future, more explicitly state "things that the writers always knew about Mariner."[101] The comic series, Lumberjanes would premiere as an animated series on HBO Max sometime in the future, having Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis, Brooklyn A. Allen and Noelle Stevenson as showrunners.[102][103][104] The original comic series is filled with LGBTQ characters, such as Jo, a trans female main character,[105][106] and two other female main characters who identify as either bisexual or lesbian, Molly and Mal (both of whom have requited crushes on each other).[107][108] After the announcement of the series, fellow animators, like Matt Braly of Amphibia, Rad Sechrist of Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, and Shadi Petosky of Twelve Forever and Danger & Eggs praised the development.[109] There were similar sentiments from voice actors Liam O'Brien, Sam Riegel, Aimee Carrero, Felicia Day, and Cissy Jones, comic artists Alex Z. Zhang and Victoria Ying, TV writers Shane Lynch and Benjamin Siemon, and comic writers Jackson Lanzing and Dan Slott, among others.[109] Then, on October 7, Stevenson told EW about the series, saying that her "interest in lifting up and exploring queer stories" is not going anywhere.[105] She added that she is interested in "telling central queer stories," having stories that are "built around" queer characters. The same EW story said that the series is in the "early development" stage with HBO Max.[105] The next day, it was announced that a full season of Helluva Boss, an animated web series which is in the same universe as Hazbin Hotel, would be released in fall 2021 on the YouTube channel of series creator Vivienne "Vivziepop" Medrano.[110] Helluva Boss has various LGBTQ characters, specifically two bisexual demons (Stolas and Moxie),[111] and a pansexual demon named Blitzo. Madrano also acted positively toward a fan who shared the idea of a sitcom set in an alternative universe where "Blitzo and Stolas are two single dads getting married" and explained that the season of Helluva Boss is being started in the fall, but the eight epieosdes of the first season won't drop at once, but over time.[112][113] The previous month, Medrano had expressed support in shipping two male characters in an animated short featuring characters from a webcomic she worked on,[114] titled Zoophobia, after Benjamin Diskin shipped them together.[115] Then, on October 15, Karen Fukuhara, the voice of Glimmer in She-Ra and Kipo in Kipo, said that it would be cool if She-Ra moved into "feature-length storytelling," with a movie focused on Bow and how he grew up with Glimmer.[116] She also hinted that a crossover between She-Ra and Kipo could happen because although they are stories on different worlds, they could cross paths if the She-Ra crew came to Earth, helping Kipo defeat a "greater evil," leading them to band together and fight.
6 days later, on October 21, two days after the DuckTales one-hour special entitled "Let's Get Dangerous!" aired, storyboard artist Diana Huh confirmed that one of the scenes she had worked on for the special, which included the characters Launchpad McQuack and Drake Mallard holding hands, with Drake looking fondly at Launchpad, was intended to be romantic in nature, while also admitting that she shipped the two characters together; although she did not elaborate as to whether the two were dating in-universe, or would eventually date in future episodes of the show, many fans interpreted this as their relationship being, or becoming, canon. Fellow DuckTales storyboard artist and writer Sam King, who had only a month ago conceded that another character in the series, Penumbra, was lesbian, responded by seemingly endorsing the pairing, furthering the notion of these two beings, or possibly getting, together.[117] Then on November 15, Bless the Harts episode "The McEntire Truth", Coach Fowler (voiced by Drew Tarver) has an unnamed husband.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2f/MarcelineCosplay.jpg/220px-MarcelineCosplay.jpg)
On November 19, 2020, "Obsidian," the second episode of Adventure Time: Distant Lands, with the first episode described earlier in this article, aired on HBO Max. It will bring together Marceline "Marcy" Abadeer, Bonnibel "Bonnie" Bubblegum, and Glassboy, the latter who is voiced by Michaela Dietz, who voiced Amethyst in Steven Universe.[118] In this special, Marcy, living with Bonnie, is anxious about revisiting the Glass Kingdom as it holds bad memories, but she and Bonnie are forced to confront this "rocky past" as they face off against an ancient, dangerous, and powerful dragon. Marcy is a confirmed bisexual character, as she dated male characters in the past, while Bonnie is more ambiguous, as her exact sexuality has not yet been confirmed. A few days before the premiere, Mey Rude described Bonnie and Marcy living a "happy, gay life together" which they always deserved, and predicted that the series would be full of "action, brand new songs, and classic Adventure Time weirdness and heart."[119] Before the episode even aired, writing for The A. V. Club, William Hughes gave this episode an A, calling it "fan service at its finest" with "plenty of the usual lovely Adventure Time touches".[120] Another reviewer hoped for on-screen romance, how Marcy and Bonnie broke up, how Bonnie got her shirt, Steven Universe references, and Marcy's mom.[121] At the same time, they hoped there wouldn't be rushed plot development, death, another break up, short songs, an anticlimax. After the episode aired, Rebecca Long also gave a positive review of the episode in Polygon. She wrote that the episode gives fans the "emotional payoff and answers" they have been yearning for and that the special uses the plot to explore Marceline's childhood trauma, her romantic history with Bubblegum, how the two are interconnected, and fills in gaps about her past.[122] Long also stated that while the special is not "as offbeat" as BMO, it is heavier in terms of emotional weight and plot, and making clear that "romantic subtext" in the original show has "always been straight-up text." At the same time, she states that not all interactions between Bubblegum and Marceline are loving, that the special has flaws due to a conventional structure and storytelling, even with some "inconsistencies in Princess Bubblegum’s character design," but is still heartfelt and effective, complete with new music, with Marceline and Bubblegum having "a shared future that feels real." Rosie Knight of IGN gave a similar assessment.[123] She writes that the special is a "perfect example" of why Adventure Time has a such a big impact, and is strongest in the fact at "how accessible it is to new viewers." She added that the special could be enjoyed by "hardcore fans" and by new viewers who wanted to "live their best lesbian cottagecore lives," with the special constructed allowing people who have little understanding of the characters able to come in to "enjoy this fantastical romp about aging, falling in love, and settling down." Knight further pointed out that the episode has a journey which results in Bubblegum and Marceline looking back at their relationship's ups and downs, along with a series of new songs, and delivers the message that Marceline's power comes from her love of Bubblegum and their relationship while having a song ("Monster") which she says is as iconic as "I'm Just Your Problem" and "Everything Stays the Same." She ends by saying that while the special could be called "fan service," it is "fan service of the highest order, a wonderful animated episode, and "a fitting addition to Adventure Time's legacy."
In early December, more LGBTQ series were noted. This included a 2D-animated series titled "Highlands Shadow," directed by Paula Boffo and produced by Ojo Raro, which will be eight episodes long, at Ventana Sur’s Animation![124] This series aims at a young adult audience, addresses "gender and LGBTIQ+ issues," by focusing on Juana, "a girl from Humahuaca whose sister Marisol has been captured by a human trafficking cartel," who allies with "two haunted machetes" and becomes a superheroine. On December 4, the fourth season of a mature animated series, Big Mouth dropped on Netflix. The season's first episode has the teens heading to a summer camp, with Matthew in his a relationship, Jay as bi, and a new character named Natalie, who is a trans female teenager, highlights "various, popular transphobic arguments," while giving her a supportive friend named Jessi, and another named Seth, who rejects her identity, who she rejects.[125] On December 12, a mature adult animation, Hoops was cancelled by Netflix after its first season received low ratings and negative reviews.[126][127] Hoops was described as "puerile comedy ... perfect for Trump's America,"[128] not funny,[129] and "crude, rude, and aimless."[130] On December 15, Petrana Radulovic of Polygon argued that 2020, when it came to all-ages animation, was a "glorious gay celebration that was unheard of just five years ago," including the love confession of Adora and Catra in the last episode of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Amity's romantic crush on Luz in The Owl House, the ending of Steven Universe, and the gay love story between Troy and Benson in Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, and the development of Marceline and Bubblegum's relationship in the "Obsidian" episode of Adventure Time: Distant Lands.[131] She specifically said that Obsidian was a "perfect end to this big gay year in animation," while noting that there is still work to do going forward. Similarly, David Opie, Deputy TV Editor of Digital Spy said that he saw himself reflected in the final episode of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, saying it was the first time he had "seen two lead characters enjoy queer domestic bliss so openly and without fear of reprisal," and said that he had long "settled for stories with ambiguous queer undertones" but this show went beyond that, part of an effort to create a better world.[132] On December 18, when asked if the colors of the librarian named Kaisa in Hilda were made to intentionally match the asexual flag, series creator Luke Pearson said that while he did not purposely make her colors match those of the aromantic flag in his rough design for the character, it was "not impossible" that her design, her hair and colors, matched the colors of the asexual flag because he did not draw the final design of the character in the show.[133] The character has purple hair, a black cape, a gray shirt with white sleeves, all of which are colors on the asexual flag. Earlier that month, on December 4, Krystal Downs, director for Magical Girl Friendship Squad confirmed that Daisy is lesbian in a tweet.[134] On December 21, A.H. Starlyng reviewed the series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, noting that the lines between good and evil are blurred, and said that the show's final season is the best in the show, including a redemption arc for Catra, with Adora trying to help Catra become a better person.[135] Starlyng also stated that the entire show has "romantic tension" between Adora and Catra, adding that the show explores many aspects that "everyone can relate to" while upping the "stakes for queer representation in animation" while calling Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts a "unique take on post-apocalypse." On December 30, 2020, Donnie Lopez published an article on Black Girl Nerds, lamenting the lack of an "animated gay Latino male superhero being the lead of his own show," saying that while there has been an increase in the number of "LGBT+ folks being presented on family animated superhero shows," this has mainly focused on lesbian and bisexual characters, without "gay male Latino/Hispanic superhero animated leads."[136] Lopez added that maintaining, popularizing, and creating gay characters can start to assuage harmful attitudes, noting that shows seldomly "give gay male POC characters the title roles" in children's animation, leading them to perpetrate the idea that "gay male characters cannot be standalone titular characters." Even so, he gives the example of Aqualad in Season Three of Young Justice who is a bisexual Black man, while qualifying this by saying that Aqualad is "not the principal character of the show" and noting that while Super Drags did make gay men the protagonists, it "reinforced negative stereotypes" and hoped that the "lack of gay representation" in these animations could be remedies in the future.
See also
- List of yuri anime and manga
- List of LGBT-related films by year
- Cross-dressing in film and television
- List of yuri works
- List of animated series with crossdressing characters
- List of anime by release date (1946–1959)
- List of animated films with LGBT characters
Notes
- ^ In this episode, Ilia said Blake was "too busy falling for Adam." In the episode "Best Day Ever," Blake as a sketch of him in her notebook, meaning she may still think of him, and in "Mountain Glenn" she calls Adam her partner, although more of a mentor. She further seems to have some remorse after killing Adam.
- ^ One of her tweets stated that the company she pitched to spilt tea "on how they produced a show that was "diverse" (body types, lgbt+, all girls) and instead of releasing a trailer for the show the creators talked about how "diverse" the show was and used it as a selling point," with this getting "immense backlash," which refers to the backlash over this show.
- ^ This may be a reference to the livestream controversy around She-Ra
References
Citations
- ^ Bardor, Ollie (October 18, 2017). "Netflix Is Currently Funding 30 Original Anime Productions". Forbes. Archived from the original on August 6, 2019. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; October 18, 2017 suggested (help) - ^ GLAAD 2013, p. 23.
- ^ Morrison, Matt (April 4, 2020). "DuckTales Season 3 Reveals Violet Has Two Dads". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on April 10, 2020. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
- ^ "45 Times Cartoons Absolutely Killed It When It Comes To LGBTQ Representation". BuzzFeed. June 24, 2020. Archived from the original on June 17, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
- ^ Crowley, Sammie [@SammieCrowley] (February 15, 2020). "Hope my Loud House fans enjoyed today's Valentine's Day episodes!! I am obsessed with how cute Lainey and Alice are! It was important to Karla and the whole writing team that in an episode about coupling up we had LGBTQ representation. It was definitely worth fighting for ❤️ 🌈" (Tweet). Archived from the original on February 15, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Magical Girl Friendship Squad: Origins [promo clip]". Syfy's Facebook page. January 9, 2020. Archived from the original on July 12, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
- ^ a b Petski, Diane (May 13, 2020). "'Magical Girl Friendship Squad': Quinta Brunson & Anna Akana Lead Ensemble Cast Of Syfy's TZGZ Anime-Inspired Comedy". Deadline. Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; June 1, 2020 suggested (help) - ^ Milligan, Mercedes (May 13, 2020). "SYFY Greenlights 'Devil May Care', 3 More Pilots for Adult Toon Block TZGZ". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on June 16, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
- ^ Bullard, Benjamin (June 16, 2020). "SYFY sets cackle-worthy cast for TZGZ's Magical Girl Friendship Squad". Syfy. Archived from the original on June 16, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
- ^ Oller, Jacob (August 20, 2020). "WIRE Buzz: TZGZ sets 2 new series premieres; Moonbase sci-fi comedy to Showtime; American Reaper". Syfy. Archived from the original on August 23, 2020. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
- ^ Hogan, Heather (October 7, 2020). ""Magical Girl Friendship Squad" Is a Queer Millennial "Sailor Moon" Meets "Broad City"". Autostraddle. Archived from the original on October 7, 2020. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
- ^ Downs, Krystal "K" [@kddaawwggg] (October 19, 2020). "Yolanda (:" (Tweet). Archived from the original on October 22, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Cowan, Marika [@MarikaCowan] (October 19, 2020). "@kelseynides might be able to answer this better than I can, but Yolanda was designed as a more cute, classic style anime female character. @afullertonart designed her, and the main references she used (if memory serves) were Usagi from sailor moon & Nurse Joy from Pokemon!" (Tweet). Archived from the original on October 22, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Cantor, Hallie [@halliecantor] (November 1, 2020). "As far as I know we haven't (yet!) identified her as trans or cis, @kelseynides who created her might have a diff answer" (Tweet). Archived from the original on November 3, 2020 – via Twitter.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; November 4, 2020 suggested (help) - ^ Wahlgren, Kari (June 17, 2020). "Such a great episode of "Cleopatra in Space." Loved playing Akila's mom Pothina with the lovely @cissyspeaks as mom Theoda. Families come in many forms, and I'm so glad this show chose to show that. Love is love. And dorky parents are universal". Instagram. Archived from the original on August 14, 2020. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
- ^ Kiley, Rachel (February 26, 2020). "One Million Moms Slams Clifford the Big Red Dog For Lesbian Moms". pride.com. Archived from the original on April 19, 2020. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
- ^ Rudolph, Diana (April 2, 2020). "Disney Junior's "T.O.T.S." Shows Two-Mom Family". Mombian. Dana B. Rudolph LLC. Archived from the original on April 29, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
- ^ Keller, Joel (February 16, 2020). "Stream It Or Skip It: 'Duncanville' On Fox, Where Amy Poehler Plays A 15-Year-Old Boy Who Finds It Tough Being A 15-Year-Old Boy". Decider. Archived from the original on July 10, 2020. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
- ^ Tuchow, Ryan (February 7, 2020). "WildBrain lines up new LGBTQ+ series". Kidscreen. Archived from the original on March 15, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
- ^ "About". Official My Pride The Series. November 24, 2020. Archived from the original on November 29, 2020. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
- ^ AnimationXpress Team (November 24, 2020). "LGBTQ+ web series, 'My Pride' surpasses two million views on YouTube". AnimationXpress. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
- ^ Knight, Rosie (May 15, 2020). "Harley Quinn Season 2 Episode 7 Review: There's No Place to Go But Down". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on May 16, 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
- ^ Perry, Sophia (May 22, 2020). "Is Queerbaiting Finally Being Put To Bed?". Curve. Archived from the original on May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
- ^ Matadeen, Renaldo (April 13, 2020). "DC Universe's Harley Quinn Reveals a Major Batman Villain Is Gay". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on April 14, 2020. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
- ^ West, Amy (April 14, 2020). "Harley Quinn series reveals major Batman villain is queer". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on April 15, 2020. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
- ^ Metadeen, Renaldo (June 29, 2020). "Harley Quinn Season 2's Ending, Explained". CBR. Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
- ^ Hogan, Heather (June 29, 2020). ""Harley Quinn" Season 2: Harley and Ivy Ride Off Into The Sunset in Canonical Bisexual Love". Autostraddle. Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
- ^ a b Baron, Reuben (March 27, 2020). "It's Over, Isn't It?: Rebecca Sugar on the End of Steven Universe". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on March 29, 2020. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
- ^ Brown, Tracy (March 27, 2020). "'What would Steven want?' Rebecca Sugar breaks down 'Steven Universe Future' finale". TVLine. Archived from the original on April 16, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
- ^ Duffy, Nick (January 17, 2020). "Netflix's new animated series Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts features a beautiful coming out moment". PinkNews. Archived from the original on January 27, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; January 17, 2020 suggested (help) - ^ Kelley, Shamus (March 6, 2020). "Steven Universe Future Episode 12 Review: Bismuth Casual". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on July 10, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- ^ Peterson, Maya [@rrn_tweet] (March 1, 2020). "Word of Saint Paul, I know, but if it hasn't been said by now, Peridot's sendoff episode, it probably never will be said. Peridot's interest in shipping and romance is anthropological, and she's not about fusion. She's the ace and aro rep" (Tweet). Archived from the original on May 14, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2020 – via Twitter.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; May 15, 2020 suggested (help); {{Cite tweet}}: |date= / |number= mismatch (help) - ^ Peterson, Maya [@rrn_tweet] (March 11, 2020). "It means whatever I say is not Word of God, the ultimate authority. As a secondary creator involved in the show, what I say is true of conversations I was in the room for and took part in, but can be negated or clarified by a higher authority" (Tweet). Archived from the original on May 14, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2020 – via Twitter.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; May 15, 2020 suggested (help) - ^ Peterson, Maya [@rr_tweet] (March 11, 2020). "I know many people read that in her, but not as far as I know. It doesn't mean she's not! Just that the topic hasn't ever come up in my period of employment. But then again, I would think it'd be an important point of discussion for this past ep" (Tweet). Archived from the original on May 14, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2020 – via Twitter.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; May 15, 2020 suggested (help) In response to the question "Since that's Peridot's send off, could you plz confirm if Peridot really is coded autistic as many fans have interpreted?" - ^ Baron, Reuben (March 14, 2020). "Steven Universe: A Crystal Gem Is Confirmed As Asexual". CBR. Archived from the original on March 15, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
- ^ Alptraum, Lux (July 9, 2018). "Steven Universe's message of love is emphatically queer". Polygon. Archived from the original on July 31, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
- ^ Robinson, Tasha (March 27, 2020). "The reason Rebecca Sugar made Steven Universe Future, and why it's the actual end". Polygon (website). Archived from the original on April 7, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
- ^ a b Romano, Nick (March 27, 2020). "The legacy of Steven Universe: How a hidden gem changed animation forever". EW. Archived from the original on March 28, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
- ^ Kirichanskaya, Michele (February 7, 2020). "Steven Universe, She-Ra, & Voltron: LGBTQIA+ Successes, Failures, and Hopes for the Future in Children's Animation". The Mary Sue. Archived from the original on March 21, 2020. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
- ^ Mention, Bry'onna (Winter 2020). "Rebecca Sugar Talks "Steven Universe" Success, Queer Visibility In Children's Cartoons, and Own Non-Binary Identity". Bust. Archived from the original on March 28, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
- ^ Faust, Lauren [@Fyre_flye] (May 11, 2020). "Everyone was so immediately on board with this idea I don't even remember who suggested it - I just said to write it in and cross fingers that it gets approved. It did!" (Tweet). Archived from the original on May 11, 2020. Retrieved September 5, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Leigh, Amber [@mbrleigh] (May 6, 2020). "im glad the gays can recognize how gay cass is like, that's the only job we wanted to be successful" (Tweet). Archived from the original on May 11, 2020. Retrieved September 13, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Leigh, Amber [@mbrleigh] (May 6, 2020). "I know at some point there was an unspoken creed w all the female board artists to just throw all the sapphic looks and shit in to cass because even if they can't explicitly state she's gay, you'll know sO THANK YOU 😔😔😔" (Tweet). Archived from the original on May 11, 2020. Retrieved September 13, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Leigh, Amber [@mbrleigh] (May 6, 2020). "THAT ONE,,,IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES,,,,, boarded by @banannerbread I am so glad :O( any time?? Sappho needs her word spread" (Tweet). Archived from the original on May 11, 2020. Retrieved September 13, 2020 – via Twitter. In a tweet below this, Anna Lencioni, who storyboarded the episode, called it one of her favorites.
- ^ Leigh, Amber (2019). "thank u for helping cassandra give out some of the gayest most lesbionic vibes in disney history i love her". Tumblr. Archived from the original on April 15, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
- ^ Amenábar, Klaudia (March 25, 2019). "Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure Is a Surprisingly Perfect Show for Millennials". The Mary Sue. Archived from the original on April 11, 2020. Retrieved September 13, 2020.
- ^ Sonnenberg, Chris [@BigPants] (March 3, 2020). "FOR THE RECORD, I am NOT developing a Cass Spin-Off at this time. But if the call came in..... I'd be down for it" (Tweet). Archived from the original on March 4, 2020. Retrieved September 13, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Sonnenberg, Chris [@BigPants] (November 9, 2019). "It really means so much to hear. I have been told many times that men have no way of writing strong women and all I can say is, when given the opportunity to write strong characters, I and the talented writers on the show chose to pull from the very strong women in our own lives" (Tweet). Archived from the original on November 10, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Sonnenberg, Chris [@BigPants] (September 15, 2019). "The name "Cassandra" came early into her creation. It's meaning and origin is very personal to me. I may speak about that at a later time, but ultimately her existence in the show had less to do with any romantic relationships and more about the two's very real friendship bond" (Tweet). Archived from the original on September 15, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Riddlehoover, John (June 18, 2020). "DC Kids Celebrates Pride Month With Animated Superheroes". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on September 5, 2020. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
- ^ Curda, Glory (June 26, 2020). "Sup! Somewhere between 11-13. -G". Reddit. Archived from the original on June 27, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020. This was part of a Reddit discussion titled "Adam, Glory and Niki here – ask us anything!" G stands for Glory Curda.
- ^ "Watch Adventure Time: Distant Lands". HBO Max. May 26, 2020. Archived from the original on May 26, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; May 29, 2020 suggested (help) - ^ In a Reddit Q&A, Curda considered this one of her favorite moments in the episode.
- ^ Z Li, Grace (June 25, 2020). "Adventure Time: Distant Lands Recap: BMO the Hero". Vulture. Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
- ^ a b Radulovic, Petrana (June 25, 2020). "HBO Max's BMO special is a powerful reminder of Adventure Time's big emotions". Polygon. Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
- ^ Lloyd, Robert (June 25, 2020). "'Adventure Time: Distant Lands' keeps the beloved cartoon's magic intact". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 27, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
- ^ Trumbore, Dave (June 25, 2020). "'Adventure Time: Distant Lands – BMO' Review: Come Along on a Far-Out New Story". Collider. Collider Cryptomedia, Inc. Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
- ^ Sowa, Alexander (June 26, 2020). "The Anti-Capitalist Message of Adventure Time: Distant Lands - BMO". CBR. Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
- ^ Matar, Joe (June 25, 2020). "Adventure Time: Distant Lands Episode 1 Review – BMO". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; June 27, 2020 suggested (help) - ^ Curda, Glory [@GloryCurda] (June 26, 2020). "yes!! this!! this is something that really stuck out to me in playing Y5. i think Y5's story has a lot of subtext and is very representative of that bigger act of coming out into your own + defining yourself in your own terms WHATEVER they may be. i really hope viewers feel that" (Tweet). Archived from the original on June 26, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Curda, Glory (June 26, 2020). "Especially after the impact BMO made and all they left behind, I think Y5 spent a lot of time growing and developing as a leader and trailblazer to help save the drift. There was a lot of work to do and I think Y5 never stopped trying to improve the lives of those in the Drift. I also like to think there was some well-deserved family time and some time to just be a kid in there too. Y5's probably either a head inventor or space traveler for the Drift now. -G". Reddit. Archived from the original on June 27, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020. This was part of a Reddit discussion titled "Adam, Glory and Niki here – ask us anything!" G stands for Glory Curda.
- ^ Cuda, Glory (June 26, 2020). "...I started reading it and i just remember my whole brain exploding, because I love adventure time. I had watched almost all of it at that point and had become really attached to it along with other CN shows throughout high school and some of middle school, so I was kind of in a state of disbelief". Reddit. Archived from the original on June 27, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020. This was part of a Reddit discussion titled "Adam, Glory and Niki here – ask us anything!" G stands for Glory Curda. Also see her comics about a possible Finn-Y5 relationship and how she relates to Y5.
- ^ Henderson, Taylor (July 24, 2020). "Our Fave Adventure Time Couple Returns for Distant Lands Obsidian". Pride.com. Archived from the original on July 27, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- ^ a b Bodden, Alejandra (July 24, 2020). "Adventure Time: Distant Lands SDCC Panel Previews Next Ep Obsidian". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on July 25, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- ^ "HBO Max and Cartoon Network Studios: Adventure Time: Distant Lands - Comic-Con@Home 2020". YouTube. Comic-Con International. July 24, 2020. Archived from the original on July 25, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2020. Olson's song begins at 35:08 and ends at 37:29
- ^ "Always Take Notes". Rooster Teeth. Talk CRWBY to Me. Archived from the original on September 3, 2020. Retrieved 30 July 2020. Here's the clip and an archived link.
- ^ Mercedes Miligan (August 7, 2020). "A24 Checks in to VivziePop's Hellish 'Hazbin Hotel'". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on August 14, 2020. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
- ^ Braly, Matt [@Radrappy] (August 7, 2020). "There have been some really bad vibes in the industry this week but I want to say this is a fantastic fucking step forward. Female driven adult animation backed by a major live action production company. This is great" (Tweet). Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved August 26, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Bruce, Amanda (June 12, 2020). "RWBY: 5 Best Relationships In The Series (& 5 Worst)". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on June 12, 2020. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
- ^ "Arryn Zech Confirms Blake is Bi??". The ModernCamEraGuy. YouTube. May 24, 2020. Archived from the original on May 25, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
- ^ "Rooster Teeth RWBY Interview: PAX East 2013". The ModernCamEraGuy. YouTube. March 29, 2013. Archived from the original on June 23, 2016. Retrieved May 25, 2020. See conversation beginning at 9:42 in this video. Also see the Volume 3 Directors Commentary at 2:26:40 where he is called a "crazy, abusive ex-boyfriend"
- ^ Nickelodeon [@Nickelodeon] (June 13, 2020). "Celebrating #Pride with the LGBTQ+ community and their allies this month and every month Rainbow (Artist palette: by @ramzymasri)" (Tweet). Archived from the original on June 13, 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Street, Mikelle (June 13, 2020). "This Tweet Is Why People Think SpongeBob Came Out as Gay". Out. Archived from the original on June 13, 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; June 14, 2020 suggested (help) - ^ GLAAD 2020, p. 2-3.
- ^ Moen, Matt (August 5, 2020). "In Conversation: Rebecca Sugar and Noelle Stevenson". Paper Magazine. Archived from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
- ^ Scotts, Taneka (2020). "Steven Universe Future". Taneka Scotts' Official Website. Archived from the original on August 17, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; August 18, 2020 suggested (help) - ^ Scotts, Taneka (2020). "About Me". Tanekta Scotts' Official Website. Archived from the original on August 17, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; August 18, 2020 suggested (help) - ^ Scotts, Taneka [@TanekaScotts] (August 17, 2020). "I started my new job today and this show is everything I've been wanting to write since Steven Universe Future: great characters, upfront queerness, and big heart. So I'll be heading offline again, but folx know how to reach me. Oh, and it's official, I'm a Story Editor now" (Tweet). Archived from the original on August 17, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Scotts, Taneka [@TanekaScotts] (August 17, 2020). "I was so shocked when I was hired. I wasn't sure if I was ready, but the team I'm working with is amazing and honestly, everyone just wants to make something fun and beautiful. I'm so proud to be part of it... AUGH I CAN'T WAIT TO SPILL IN 2 YEARS FROM NOW WHAT I'M DOING LOL" (Tweet). Archived from the original on August 17, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Scotts, Taneka [@TanekaScotts] (August 17, 2020). "Molly!!! ANIMATION IS AMAZING!!! We get to do our best and live our best... I'm so happy we're here :)" (Tweet). Archived from the original on August 17, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Scotts, Taneka [@TanekaScotts] (August 17, 2020). "I'm not trying to prematurely shoot my shot, but please know after this next show... I'mma pitch up a storm because next I wanna be a showrunner :)" (Tweet). Archived from the original on August 17, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Astur's Rebellion Official Twitter page". Twitter. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
- ^ Sarantos, Constance. "Crunchyroll - Now is the PERFECT Time to Release High Guardian Spice". CBR. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
- ^ Eissa, Sara [@TooncaveProd] (August 22, 2020). "THREAD [--] a while ago i announced on my twitter that i was excited to pitch to a huge company that produces animated shows. let me tell you why "diversity" discourse in animation is actually HURTING ppl behind the scenes that want to pitch future shows that look something like this" (Tweet). Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved November 16, 2020 – via Twitter. All tweets in this thread are listed below the first one.
- ^ "Astur's Rebellion -- The Story of Astur's Rebellion". Astur's Rebellion official website. WordPress. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
- ^ "The Venture Home News Facebook Page". Facebook. Archived from the original on September 30, 2017. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
- ^ Valdez, Nick (September 5, 2020). "Venture Bros. Art Book Author Says Show is Cancelled". The Mary Sue. Archived from the original on September 7, 2020. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
- ^ Ken Plume [@KenPlume] (September 5, 2020). "The Venture Bros" (Tweet). Archived from the original on September 5, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Llewellyn, Tom (September 7, 2020). "Has The Venture Bros been cancelled? Cryptic Tweet from author concerns fans". HITC. Archived from the original on September 7, 2020. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
- ^ Jackson Publick [@jacksonpublick] (September 7, 2020). "Unfortunately, it's true: #VentureBros has been canceled. We got the highly disappointing news a few months ago, while we were writing what would have been season 8. We thank you, our amazing fans, for 17 years of your kind (and patient) attention. And, as always, We Love You" (Tweet). Archived from the original on September 7, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Moreau, Jordan (2020-09-08). "'The Venture Bros.' Canceled at Adult Swim After Seven Seasons". Variety. Archived from the original on September 9, 2020. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
- ^ @AdultSwim (September 7, 2020). "We also want more Venture Bros. and have been working with Jackson and Doc to find another way to continue the Venture Bros. story" (Tweet). Archived from the original on September 9, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ a b Kevin Burra (July 11, 2012). "'Venture Bros.' Co-Creators From Adult Swim Talk Gay Characters, The Upcoming Season And Gay Sex". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on April 20, 2020. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; April 12, 2020 suggested (help) - ^ Reed, Phil (July 7, 2008). "The Venture Bros.: Dr. Quymn, Medicine Woman". Noise to Signal. Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- ^ Burton, Bonnie (September 7, 2020). "Adult Swim cancels The Venture Bros after 17 years". CNET. Archived from the original on September 8, 2020. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
- ^ Badiola, Yssa (August 29, 2020). "Hey gang, I'm Yssa 👋🏽 Creator & showrunner of Recorded By Arizal. And we have a panel for RTX!!! That's wild!". Rooster Teeth. Archived from the original on August 31, 2020. Retrieved July 27, 2020..
- ^ Badiola, Yssa; Cabanos, Christine Marie; Kazemi, Joshua; Jenzen, Kdin (September 21, 2020). "RTX - Recorded by Arizal". Rooster Teeth. Archived from the original on September 27, 2020. Retrieved September 27, 2020. See 44:58-47:11 for the question and Badiola's response. Alt URL.
- ^ Badiola, Yssa (September 23, 2020). "Rooster Teeth, New GM Levin Take Bite Out Of Pandemic With 10th-Year, 10-Day RTX At Home". Forbes. Archived from the original on September 24, 2020. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- ^ King, Samantha C. [@SamanthaCKing] (September 29, 2020). "Hey yeah! For clarity, I had certain constraints I had to work in to get this across, so believe me I'm the first to say I wish it was more overt. But yes, since Penny calls everything on Earth "Earth ---" her saying "Earth...Male" is specifically saying "Men". She's a lesbian" (Tweet). Archived from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ King, Samantha C. [@SamanthaCKing] (September 29, 2020). "I really appreciate that this means something to people and that so many people were able to catch the intention immediately!! But I also want to be clear, I want, and we should always continue to ask for, better. Let's all keep working for more!" (Tweet). Archived from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ McMahan, Mike (October 8, 2020). "'Star Trek: Lower Decks' EP Mike McMahan On That TNG Cameo and LGBTQ Characters in Season 2" (Online) (Interview). Interviewed by Adam B. Vary. Variety. Archived from the original on October 9, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
- ^ "SDCC '15: Shannon Watters Talks The Future Of Lumberjanes - Bleeding Cool News And Rumors". Bleeding Cool. 15 July 2015. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
- ^ Low, Elaine (October 6, 2020). "'Lumberjanes' Animated Adaptation in Development at HBO Max". Variety. Archived from the original on October 7, 2020. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (October 6, 2020). "'Lumberjanes' Animated TV Series Based On Boom! Comics From Noelle Stevenson Eyed By HBO Max". Deadline. Archived from the original on October 7, 2020. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
- ^ a b c Romano, Nick (October 7, 2020). "She-Ra creator sets next animated series, Lumberjanes, for HBO Max". EW. Archived from the original on October 7, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
- ^ Rude, Mey (August 26, 2015). "In Lumberjanes Issue #17, Jo Comes Out As Trans and It's So Awesome". EW. Archived from the original on June 10, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
- ^ Chappell, Caitlin (June 5, 2020). "The Best All Ages Comics for Pride, from Lumberjanes to The Backstagers". CBR. Archived from the original on June 2, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; July 2, 2020 suggested (help) - ^ Howard, Tini (December 16, 2015). "7 Comic Books with Badass LGBT Characters". Teen Vogue. Archived from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
- ^ a b "Lumberjanes, Noelle, & praise from fellow creatives on upcoming show". Twitter. October 7, 2020. Archived from the original on October 7, 2020. Retrieved October 7, 2020. Collects tweets from these creatives together.
- ^ Milligan, Mercedes (October 7, 2020). "'Hazbin Hotel' Creator Vivziepop Teams with Horseless Cowboy on Devilishly Twisted 'Helluva Boss' Series". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
- ^ Medrano, Vivienne [@VivziePop] (September 23, 2020). "Today has been nonstop so decided to make my break doodle somethin' tiny for Bi-day 💕" (Tweet). Archived from the original on September 24, 2020. Retrieved October 11, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Medrano, Vivienne [@VivziePop] (October 7, 2020). "A few quick #HelluvaBoss things- We are starting the season this fall but it won't drop at once! We are still working on it, and the first 8 episodes are the beginning of what's aimed to be a much grander season! This show is possible thanks to YOU GUYS. Thank you all 💕 🥰" (Tweet). Archived from the original on October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 11, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Medrano, Vivienne [@VivziePop] (October 7, 2020). "WEEPS" (Tweet). Archived from the original on October 11, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020 – via Twitter.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; October 12, 2020 suggested (help); {{Cite tweet}}: |date= / |number= mismatch (help) - ^ Medrano, Vivienne [@VivziePop] (September 30, 2020). "Our newest cartoon is out!! This one was very special, we have been working on it for a long time and it felt weird but wonderful to return to these characters that dominated my early years. We've come a long way Thank you to my amazing team for creating this with me. Enjoy!!" (Tweet). Archived from the original on October 2, 2020. Retrieved October 11, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Medrano, Vivienne [@VivziePop] (September 30, 2020). "Next one we doooo.... hehe 👀" (Tweet). Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved October 11, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Opie, David; Seddon, Dan (October 15, 2020). "She-Ra's Karen Fukuhara responds to movie rumours and talks Kipo crossover". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on October 17, 2020. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
- ^ Huh, Diana [@Diana_Huh] (October 21, 2020). "this was the most important thing to me tho, my ship" (Tweet). Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved October 24, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Prudom, Laura (November 9, 2020). "Adventure Time: Distant Lands - Obsidian: Exclusive Release Date and Trailer Reveal". IGN. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
- ^ Prudom, Laura (November 10, 2020). "Marceline & Bubblegum Are Back in Adventure Time: Obsidian". Pride.com. Archived from the original on November 10, 2020. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
- ^ Hughes, William (November 17, 2020). "Adventure Time: Distant Lands—Obsidian Is Fan Service at Its Finest". The A. V. Club. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
- ^ Cubillas, Sean (November 18, 2020). "Adventure Time: 5 Things Fans Want To See From Obsidian (& 5 They Don't)". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on November 19, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
- ^ Long, Rebecca (November 19, 2020). "The new Adventure Time special is the scary, sad, sweet payoff that fans demanded". Polygon. Archived from the original on November 20, 2020. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
- ^ Knight, Rosie (November 19, 2020). "HBO Max's Adventure Time: Distant Lands - Obsidian Review". IGN. Archived from the original on November 20, 2020. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
- ^ Mayorga, Emilio (December 4, 2020). "Ventana Sur's Women Animation Directors Mentoring Program Announces First Projects". Variety. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; December 6, 2020 suggested (help) - ^ Lewis, Rachel Charlene (December 4, 2020). "Netflix's 'Big Mouth' Season 4 makes up for past queer missteps in a rollicking return to form". NBC News. Archived from the original on December 7, 2020. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
- ^ Ausiello, Michael (December 12, 2020). "Hoops Cancelled at Netflix". TVLine. Archived from the original on December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
- ^ Otterson, Joe (December 12, 2020). "'Hoops' Canceled at Netflix After One Season (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on December 12, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; December 11, 2020 suggested (help) - ^ Jeffries, Stuart (21 August 2020). "Hoops review – puerile animation is perfect for Trump's America". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 31 August 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- ^ Framke, Caroline (August 20, 2020). "'Hoops' Review: Netflix's Unabashedly Ridiculous Cartoon Wastes Jake Johnson's Comedic Voice". Variety. Archived from the original on August 24, 2020. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
- ^ "Hoops: Season 1 (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
- ^ Radulovic, Petrana (December 15, 2020). "2020 was animation's biggest, gayest year so far". Polygon. Archived from the original on December 16, 2020. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
- ^ Opie, David (December 15, 2020). "Best TV of 2020 – from Normal People to David Tennant's Des". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on December 18, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
- ^ Pearson, Luke [@thatlukeperson] (December 18, 2020). "I'm afraid it was not intentional on my part. I don't know who exactly did her final design and made her hair purple though, so it's not impossible" (Tweet). Archived from the original on December 21, 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Downs, Krystal "K" [@kddaawwggg] (December 4, 2020). "Daisy is a lesbian [.]And that's canon lol" (Tweet). Archived from the original on December 4, 2020 – via Twitter.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; December 5, 2020 suggested (help) - ^ Starlyng, A.H. (December 21, 2020). "Review: 'She-Ra and the Princesses of Power' is an amazing show and a leap forward for queer representation". High School Insider. Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 25, 2020. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
{{cite web}}
:|archive-date=
/|archive-url=
timestamp mismatch; December 26, 2020 suggested (help) - ^ Lopez, Donnie (December 30, 2020). "Creating Gay Latino Animated Superhero Leads Still Seems to Be Hollywood's Kryptonite". Black Girl Nerds. Archived from the original on December 30, 2020. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
Sources
- LGBTQ Inclusion in Advertising and Media Executive Summary (PDF) (Report). GLAAD. June 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-06-20. Retrieved June 25, 2020.