Originally Posted by
Drops Of Venus
I'm fine with either approach, as long as the writer doesn't create a double standard on how they treat LGBTQ characters vs how they treat cis-het characters. For instance, if a writer spends a lot of time writing a heterosexual relationship, they're in no position to say they don't write gay relationships because ''a character shouldn't be defined by their sexuality.'' Like, no, that's bullshit. I agree with MasterOfMagnetism: there's a lot of people that hide their discomfort with queer themes by using the excuse that they just want to ''normalize'' them by not addressing them. So the secret is pretty much to treat your LGBTQ characters the same way you treat your cis-het characters, while also keeping in mind that LGBTQ characters go through specific life experiences that not everybody else go through, and while you are not OBLIGATED to write about those experiences, it can be good storytelling to explore them. Like, if you're writing a trans superhero, you can choose to not focus on their gender identity, and that's ok, but the story can gain so much substance and layers if you're not afraid to show how the life of a trans person looks like and all of the things they go through BECAUSE of their gender identity. People who write Moon Knight don't always have to bring up his personality disorder, but it's clearly a popular theme among his writers because they see a storyline potential there that's not very common in mainstream superhero stories, so why not make that character stand out? There's nothing wrong with that, specially when you consider the overwhelming number of superhero stories that are published and how that sometimes creates the need for more variety of themes within those stories.
Those are some damn good points. A lot of people don't realize that if we dismissed the sexuality of straight characters the same way they want to dismiss the sexuality of non-straight characters, there's a LOT of important storylines that they would lose. I won't ever understand a fandom that criticizes Marvel for promoting a gay wedding while acting like a married Spider-Man is the center of their world and comics won't ever be enjoyable again until that is restored.