GLAAD Pushes for LGBT Characters in Star Wars: Episode VIII

Who says Star Wars can't have LGBT characters?

The release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens saw a new and diverse cast of characters introduced into the space opera series. However, there's a high chance that fans might witness a more diverse Star Wars come Episode VIII.

In this year's annual Studio Responsibility Index report by the GLAAD, the organization is urging Star Wars to introduce gay and lesbian characters into Episode VIII. The report gave Disney a failing grade from over 11 films it has released in 2015.

The report read:

For the first time since beginning this report, GLAAD did not find any LGBT-inclusive content among Disney's yearly slate of films.

As recent successful animated films and TV programs have shown (Oscar-nominated ParaNorman, Cartoon Network's Steven Universe), LGBT people appearing in ‘all-ages' programming — animated or not — is not the impossible notion it once was. LGBT people are already part of families and communities around the world, and film of all genres should reflect that.

However, according to the report, Disney's failing grade could change with the Star Wars universe. The report continues as follows:

As sci-fi projects have the special opportunity to create unique worlds whose advanced societies can serve as a commentary on our own, the most obvious place where Disney could include LGBT characters is in the upcoming eighth ‘Star Wars' film.

2015's ‘The Force Awakens' has introduced a new and diverse central trio, which allows the creators opportunity to tell fresh stories as they develop their backstory. Recent official novels in the franchise featured lesbian and gay characters that could also be easily written into the stories.

While The Force Awakens has shown a diverse set of characters, lacking in representation are LGBT people. In recent months however, Star Wars fans, as well as the cast and crew of The Force Awakens have support for an LGBT relationship within the franchise has grown, specifically with the relationship of Poe Dameron and Finn.

Actor John Boyega did say previouslythat a romance between Finn and Poe could happen. Mark Hamill also expressed his openness towards his character, Luke Skywalker, being gay.

Director J.J. Abrams himself has also been a champion of diversity. Back in February, the director claimed that Star Wars without gay characters is "insanely narrow-minded and counterintuitive."He and his production company, Bad Robot, have also placed a strategic hiring systems within the company to improve diversity in Hollywood.

It's also worth noting that last month, Marvel and Disney have taken proactive measures to support the LGBT community when they released a statement saying it will stop production in Georgia if the anti-gay bill in the state gets passed.

I believe it's highly possible that Disney would be introducing LGBT characters into one of its films sometime in the future. There have been rumors that Elsa from Frozen is lesbian anyway.

Personally, I don't think it would be such a bad idea if LGBT characters would be introduced into the saga. Come to think of it, most characters' sexualities from previous Episodes have been specified before. As long as the studios can still come up with great stories, I don't see why LGBT can't be shown as part of Star Wars, or any other Disney film for that matter.

How about you? Would you want LGBT characters introduced to the galaxy far, far away?

Star Wars: Episode VIII is slated for release on December 15, 2017.

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