Marvel Studios Boss Reportedly Confirms Trans Superheroes Are Coming: 'Absolutely, Yes'
Ladies and gentlemen, the moment none of you have been waiting for has finally arrived.
One of Hollywood’s biggest film studios is preparing to bring a transgender character into the fold in its beloved franchises.
According to U.K. LGBT news outlet PinkNews, Marvel Studios president and producer Kevin Feige told audiences at a New York Film Academy question-and-answer event last month that openly gay and transgender characters will “absolutely yes” be introduced into the widely loved Marvel Cinematic Universe.
In fact, Feige told the audience such diversity “was always the plan” and LGBT characters are apparently slated to make their first appearances “very soon, in a movie that [the studio is] shooting right now.”
Marvel President Kevin Feige Seems To Confirm That The First Trans Character Is Coming To The MCU https://t.co/KcxTPkRMA8
— BuzzFeed LGBTQ (@BuzzFeedLGBT) December 31, 2019
Judging from an announcement that “The Eternals” will include in its sizable cast of characters the gay superhero Phastos, as well as Marvel’s more recent July 2019 casting call for a younger “trans woman of any ethnicity,” The Daily Wire reports, it is likely diversity will be a focal point of the cinematic universe’s upcoming fourth phase of installments.
Marvel Studios first toyed with introducing openly gay characters in “Avengers: Endgame” — the highest-grossing film of all time and closing chapter of its phase three story — when a supporting character credited as “Grieving Man” confides in protagonist Steve Rogers at the outset of the film about a man he has been dating.
The decision to introduce the so-called Grieving Man was not, however, enough to appease the social justice left.
In fact, popular culture journalists — if you can even call them that — claimed it was a “missed opportunity” and a clear “afterthought,” if not an outright slap in the face.
“As disappointing as [previous] missed opportunities for queer representation were, none of them stung anywhere nearly as much as the Grieving Man’s introduction inadvertently does,” Gizmodo reporter Charles Pulliam-Moore wrote.
“His presence comes across like an inconsequential afterthought, and it doesn’t help matters that the Russos and Marvel appear to be quite pleased with the creative decision,” the writer added.
‘Avengers: Endgame’ features the first openly gay person in a Marvel film. But background character “Grieving Man” is hardly worth getting excited about: https://t.co/UPY6xtwEoI pic.twitter.com/QClZ1db6kj
— Metro Weekly (@metroweekly) April 30, 2019
Statements like this make one thing abundantly clear: despite constant conversation surrounding “diversity” and “inclusion” in popular culture, what the left really wants is spotlight — spotlight for the “marginalized” communities and ignored “identities” of their choosing.
A one-off, throwaway line of dialogue is simply not enough. A single character who happens to be of a certain race, ethnicity, color, creed or sexual orientation is not enough.
A massive floodlight must be shown on that specific trait or identity. And the character who possesses it must embody it at all times. They must be defined by it.
No matter who is making the concessions and no matter how much ground is given, an honest effort to appease the social justice left is never enough.
In fact, nine times out of 10, such efforts are met with a slap in the face.
And anyone who knows this much should find it absolutely mind-blowing that Marvel Studios — and that the film industry as a whole — is still willing to bend over backwards with massive plans to appease the incredibly vocal minority of people making these demands.
Do studio executives truly believe that Feige’s recently announced intentions to move the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the direction of increased diversity will be met with anything other than further complaints?
Because, if they do, I would happily bet against them.
When these movies hit the silver screen, we will undoubtedly be seeing headlines and editorials attacking Marvel Studios for not giving its newly introduced gay and transgender characters enough of the spotlight or weaving a strong enough social message into the films they star in.
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