Top 5 LGBT Characters in Gaming

LGBT representation is as important in gaming as it is in any other media. This list explores some of the best LGBT characters gaming has given us.

[winter_hill]

What about Makoto? LMFAO! https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[SegaGamer]

This is crazy. Before i opened this thread, he was the first person that popped into my head. I didn't think the game was popular enough to be that well remembered XD

At least Makoto got a get more bearable when he was hiding his identity, i don't think i could have put up with him like that throughout the whole game.

I gotta give credit to the voice actor though, he clearly has a decent range to his voice. It's the same guy that does Gaara's voice in Naruto.

[DragonKnight]

Oh wow, someone else that actually played Enchanted Arms.

[Xerneas]

"LGBT representation is as important in gaming as it is in any other media."

Not important at all in other words.

[Princess_Pilfer]

IT's important for people to be made aware that who they are is ok. This is true of everyone of any race/sexuality, ect. It's doubly important when in much of the world, even in many of the more tolerant nations, that idea is publicly disputed by politicians and regular citizens alike on a regular basis, especially when such statements are coming from ones family and/or community, so media and support groups are the only place they're going to get that message.

So yeah, it actually is important.

[bluefox755]

You think that little of gay people that you believe they need validation from a video game? They're gay, not mentally ill.

[DragonKnight]

"It's important for people to be made aware that who they are is ok"

Why? Or more specifically, why should fiction be the arena for that?

"so media and support groups are the only place they're going to get that message."

In which most of the time the message is not sincere. It is done either because it is forced, or it is done to capitalize on a market. So the message is not what you think it is.

"So yeah, it actually is important."

Yeah, no. No it's not. No matter how many video games you play with LGBT characters, if you're surrounded by friends and family that hate them, games won't help you.

[2pacalypsenow]

"IT's important for people to be made aware that who they are is ok."

Pretty sure people can decide on their own if they accept that lifestyle, we don't need games telling us how it's "OK", people should make up their own minds.

Its bad enough it's shoved down our throats with movies and TV shows, we don't need that in our video games, just make it subtle and not shoved in your face, like it's currently done.

[MeteorPanda]

Oh boy, thanks for telling me l needed media to tell me as an arab being the #1 bad guy in media is my lot in life.

Top notch comment that didn't realize how hard that can backfire?

[EatCrow]

No its not. Sexuality preference has nothing to do with who a person is. You're telling me where you stick it defines you??? That's super shallow.

[Princess_Pilfer]

Tolerant people cannot be tolerant of intolerance. It's a crappy reality, but it's also the truth. If you're tolerant of bigorty, you enable bigotry. Obviously it can't be completely eliminated, but at the very least we can make it political/social suicide to admit it, while educating people with the actual facts instead of ascinine religious dogma to reduce it's prevolance.

[DragonKnight]

Princess_Pilfer: "To everyone who used the word "agenda...."

So you need to be over-represented (in terms of population, LGBT+ communities, even combined, don't make up even 10% of the population of even 1 country) in media in order to "stop being fired or kicked out of businesses or our own homes for being gay?" (First of all, none of that actually happens, and I would challenge you to find a factual example that it does, and you can't be kicked out of your home for being gay, you can be kicked out of someone else's home for it, but since it's not yours, then what you want is not relevant) Also, it is an agenda. There are LGBT activist groups everywhere. They have an agenda and they will tell you what their agenda is. They exist in all mediums and outside of mediums. To suggest there is not an agenda is to be willfully ignorant.

"For everyone else: Yes it does matter..."

No it doesn't. I assure you that the last thing that matters when you are surrounded by people who don't like what you are is for a video game to tell you that it's okay to be who you are. You will still face that reality every day when you're not playing games, and if you don't know people who are also like you, then no amount of games will help. You have to be okay with who you are based on your own self-worth, not an insincere, injected validation that will not help your situation. The characters are not real people, they do not go through real situations, and they do not experience real emotions. They are written characters, with scripted reactions who will never be able to relate to you. They are an approximation, a facsimile, and they will not improve your life.

"It's not patronizing..."

There are no games in which heterosexual people are included as part of a market strategy, or to pander to a group, or to reinforce a commitment to political correctness. But there are PLENTY of examples of games that include LGBT characters to do just that. Hell, there is a recent example that suggests that Nadine and Chloe from Uncharted Lost Legacy are gay for each other. No reason for that in the slightest, but it's not stopping Druckmann from doing it. Forced characterizations are insulting, and low quality.

"Assuming intent.."

So basically you're fine with LGBT being used then. You're fine being condescended to enough that your identity is nothing more than a marketing ploy. You don't care that the message is insincere, you want gay for gay's sake. Terrible.

"They can also be escapism from a shitty bigoted world "

Don't need gay characters, or even humans, for that.

"but at the very least we can make it political/social suicide to admit it"

You are a terrible person. Calling for someone's life to be ruined because they don't care for who or what you are, and don't want to have their entertainment experience ruined so that yours won't be, makes you a legitimately terrible person.

[Aenea]

Yikes, the disagrees you're getting, it's crazy!

[81BX]

No it's not.

[Princess_Pilfer]

Did I say lgbt people should be overrepresented? No, no I didn't. But outside like, Bioware games which heavily feature romance and so want to provide options for everyone, they aren't. Like, even a little. You name me 10 LGBT protagonists.

"The gay agenda" is notihing more than equal rights and equal protections. Yeah, some lgbt and non lgbt people want more, but claiming that's "the gay agenda" would be like me claiming Nazism is "the conservative agenda."

Maybe don't tell me what does and doesn't matter to me? Because let me tell you, when everyone seems to hate you, just about any source of *you're ok as you are* is very comforting. Enough to override all the BS? No, but it helps. Don't believe me? Here's a PHD psychologist specificially citing the influence media can have on self esteem https://www.psychologytoday...
Also, even assuming people coulnd't relate incredibly strongly to things that aren't real (which we already know they can) and that relationship couldn't be used to create specific emotions (which we already know it can) the *devlopers* are real people, and a piece of media either not judging or going out of the way to be accepting is still at least some of the developers being supportive, which makes a difference.

Are you high?
Kicked out of resturant for being gay
http://www.slate.com/blogs/...
Fired for being gay
https://williamsinstitute.l...
At least in some areas, 40% of homeless teenagers are lgbt despite being sub10% of the population (ie, they were thrown out.)
https://williamsinstitute.l...
Housing Descrimination
http://www.fhcmichigan.org/...

Like, 45 seconds on google. Yeah, this stuff happens.

Yeah, it's pure coincidence that so many protagonists are straight white guys, who also happen to be the single largest demographic that buys their products. No giant company ever though to research that, they aren't interested in maximizing profits by hitting the largest target audience possible. Oh wait.

I fundamentally reject the idea that you need a reason for a character to be lgbt. You don't need one for them to be straight, or japanese, or anything else. Is it better when it informs parts of their character or personal story arc? Sure, if it's well done, but should that be a requirement? No.

Pedantic non-argument is pedantic. There is 0 reason that an escapist fantasy can't take place in a world that's accepting of lgbt people, especially considering that doesn't even have to be the focus of the game. See: Kotor, Pillars of Eternity, Tyranny, Vampite the Masquerade Bloodlines, Skyrim, Divinity original sin, ect.

If someone has their experience with a game ruined by the presence (or lack) of LGBT characters (unless it's like, a dating sim) they're a moron. But if someone is going to be a bigot who thinks it's ok to descriminate and deny people equal rights based on things they can't control, they *absolutely* deserve to experience that same descrimination for the beleifs they *can* control.

[NohansenBoy]

No. LBGT representation by shoving it in your face isn't. This article is trying to do something completely unnecessary which of course is shoving something down people's throats and stuff like this is apart of why I can no longer be apart of and support the LGBT community. It's also annoying when an entire character's being is "I'm gay and a warrior, but don't forget I'm gay now!" or "I'm a strong independent woman who don't need no man." since both things is just shoving something down peoples throats. If you make a good character, then people will like that character. Despite having large breasts, Lara Croft from the old Tomb Raider games really was that strong independent woman type character without having to constantly remind the player that she is one. She was a badass adventurer. I can't think of a gay character right now, but that is harder to do and I for one really don't care if the protagonist of a piece of media is great. As long as they're a well written character, then great, but I doubt their sexual orientation will be the reason I'll end up liking them as a character.

People really need to stop making their own movement look like a joke by trying too hard to make a character solely to attack a certain social issue. It's just annoying and turns people off from having something shoved down their throats.

[d3nworth1]

It is not important. It is not the responsibility of the media to validate your existence.

[EatCrow]

"Are you high?
Kicked out of resturant for being gay
http://www.slate.com/blogs/...
Fired for being gay
https://williamsinstitute.l...
At least in some areas, 40% of homeless teenagers are lgbt despite being sub10% of the population (ie, they were thrown out.)
https://williamsinstitute.l...
Housing Descrimination
http://www.fhcmichigan.org/...

Wow now you cite things I can too, anyone could

gaurd fired over beliefs
http://www.foxnews.com/opin...
Teacher fired for teaching Catholicisim in a class about catholicism
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2...
Firefighter fired over his beliefs in a book he wrote
http://www.foxnews.com/opin...
Mozilla CEO forced to resign because of his beliefs. You tell me what beliefs have to do with creating one of the best web browsers.
https://www.usatoday.com/st...

LGBT people are not the only ones who suffer from being targeted.

And your percentages are incomplete. Choices and lifestyle have a lot to do with how you end up in life.

[Sayai jin]

It's always hilarious when someone calls someone else a snowflake....when they, themselves would probably flinch if they saw a fly.

Being a retired veteran, I think diversity in gaming is a good thing. Diverse games, characters, etc. Being retired at 42 years old...I have a lot of time to game!

[subtenko]

What does a fly and snowflake have to do anything with each other? What are you even saying?

[DragonKnight]

He's saying that he's a retired veteran, which means his experience in some war somewhere means he's more experienced to talk about Diversity because of how gay the military is.

[NohansenBoy]

As former LGBT myself, I agree. Stuff like this just drags the movement through the mud.

[DragonKnight]

This is a non-topic. Focusing on characteristics that no one chooses for themselves makes everyone who does it an awful person, including the author of this story.

Besides, everyone knows there is only one real winner for this.

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[Kabaneri]

TBOGT is probably the best $20 I ever spent on any expansion.

[showtimefolks]

Can we keep this out of the games please

Whatever your sexual preference is keep it to yourself like most others do. Please don't look for sympathy

This is the reason good developers don't get jobs because companies want to hire certain people to please a select few for positive PR

[Christopher]

Most people don't keep their sexual preference a secret. They openly go everywhere with their sexual partner.

[jcole97]

Who cares?

[gigoran]

If it were a top 5 worst one person would take all 5 slots

Patricia “the Horse” Hernandez

[MeteorPanda]

l mean. can't you get any character you play. make them gay in your mind and be happy? Link could be gay, crash bandicoot, every mmo character you make, every moba hero you play. just do it. gay them up. Fanart and fanfiction has put the gay on everything - no one is stopping you. Just cause they don't announce at the start of the game what side they bat for doesn't mean they're straight - it's open to interpretation.

[derkasan]

I thought Ellie's character was handled quite well in Left Behind.

[DualWielding]

no she wasn't, she was made look moronic, who the hell thinks playing loud music and careless dancing is a good idea in the middle of the zombie apocalypse

[thelaughingwiseman]

Commander Sheppard better be #1

[DualWielding]

Cortez from Mass Effect was a good one

[aaronaton]

Master chief for me

[OnDec76]

What no King: KOF , smhh, She's the best

[Cy]

While I like that you actually put a villain on the list, ( and mention that his sexuality has no bearing on his character, which should totally be the goal for almost all characters) you don't actually have a single gay character. Just a bunch of chicks and a bisexual dude. I wouldn't bother mentioning this, except you make a point to talk about how important "representation" is, and then completely forget to actually represent one of the letters in your alphabet soup. No Korosu Jun from Persona 2? No Sander Cohen from BioShock? No Kung Jin from Mortal Kombat? Not even *Gay Tony*? Come on.

[opinionated]

Sander Cohen isnt gay. He’s a just an eccentric artist. Ok yeah, he’s probably gay but that’s not proven!

[Cy]

https://twitter.com/levine/...

Confirmed outside the game, but it still counts.

[opinionated]

Interesting. That’s how it’s should be though, Cohen was a great character and it wasn’t because of his sexuality.

[Cy]

Exactly. Unless a character's sexuality matters to the plot or their own personal story it doesn't need to be brought up.

[Sweetbrandigirl]

I can't beleive the people who made this list put Ellie from TLOU on here but left off Bill from the same game. I think we need more LGBT characters in gaming since gaming should be a representative of life and society to some degree.

[Razzer]

I hope one day people can get over their damn labels and just be people.

[Perjoss]

I don't understand it, when i play games or watch movies I never feel like i need to be represented by race, gender or sexual alignment, in fact I rarely ever pick human when I have a choice to pick different races and I've sometimes played gay characters even though I'm straight.

Why does the lgbt crowd crave representation so badly?

[Eonjay]

I don't think acknowledging their existence is the same as craving representation. It's simple an attribute that people lose their mind about. For example we do character lists all the time. The criteria can be anything. But there is this attempt to say what we can and can't talk about. Attaching all of this extra stuff to it is something the reader does. Like saying that mentioning it is craving representation. You made that up. I don't understand how people get so stuck on the idea of homosexuality especially if they say they aren't. Do you think gay people get offended when the see straight people lol. No! That's insane.

[Cy]

" Do you think gay people get offended when the see straight people lol. No! That's insane."

You obviously haven't interacted with the "gay community" lately.

[Eonjay]

First, I don't believe anyone can claim dominion over an entire group of people. Women don't think an act the same. Black people don't think and act the same. Straight people don't think and act the same. The insane people that you are referring to are not the gay community. They are insane. Don't let them speak for all people. Also what is the deal with everyone being afraid that everyone else is trying to get them. I don't understand why everyone is so offended about everything else.

[dp5212]

The thing that is funny is that the authors of these articles only write this crap for personal gain to show others how righteous and just they are. Writing and talking does very little to help anyone. Mainly it just pisses off and annoys everyone.

[ibrake4naps]

There needs to be more sexy lesbians! For equality reasons

[Dixiedevil]

The four dudes from FF15 were pretty gay. Speaking of gay, the phone locking pop ups on this site are gay AF.