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Champ with uncommon Sex/Gender/Sexual orientation?

patmax17··7 votes·5,013 views

I was wondering, is it possible that Riot ever makes a champ who is not a "standard" sex/gender/orientation?

for those who don't know what I'm talking about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXAoG8vAyzI

I'm thinking of a trans champ, or a gay/lesbian/bisexual... I think it would be an interesting addition to the variety of LoL champs, but I'm not sure how the community would react (internet lately has been more and more full of homophobia and other forms of immaturity, harassment and discrimination :(). Also, Riot would have to be very careful on how they treat the champ, especially because of how much attention this topic has gotten lately, and how difficult it is to misrepresent it, or to be offensive (even if unintentionally) Has Riot ever considered this? I got the idea because Taric is getting a complete overhaul, and one of his identities is "gay man" (not sure if I'd like that take on Taric himself, though...)

ps: if you are about to comment with something offensive or homophobic, consider not posting at all, for the sake of a positive discussion here :)

EDIT1: I know Taric's "gayness" is a meme invented by fans because of his pink skin (<3) EDIT2: there are some very intelligent comments in this topic, thanks to you all :)

36 Comments

TeemoJenkins10 votes

OP can you help me understand why we need to make a deliberately LGBT champ? I don't recall sexual orientation of champions being a large part of any champions lore, so why do we need to make it a part of one champ specifically? If we want to celebrate diversity and equality wouldn't we want to avoid pidgeon holing people into "gender roles"?

redniwediS2 votes

To add to this there are actually very few champions who's sexual orientation is known. People assume they are all "standard" when really we have no idea.

EDIT: Sharjo said it first, and far better.

Dextix LT2 votes

I think we need it because you need to put every race every minority and every gender and sexual orentation in every piece of art because Interned Communist Party (ICP) wants to have "equality" for everyone.

patmax172 votes

I agree. I'm not saying it should be something that identifies the champ, as much as Lucian's or Ekko's skin color don't identify them. Still, they make interesting additions to the game, making the champion roster more varied. The same could be true with a non cis/straight champ. Riot succeeded in making non stereotypical black champions. I trust them that they can make a non stereotypical LGBT champ.

Of course, LoL would function perfectly even without such champ, mine is not a request to Riot, I was just wondering if they evere considered it, and what it would mean for the game (not sure myself what all the consequences could be)

thanks for posting ^^

Xulsigae2 votes

Physiognomy (how someone looks) and what their likes and dislikes are not necessarily defining for characters in stories, but they can certainly help. If gender, race, looks etc. doesn't matter, then why aren't all the champions the same in their looks, voices and such? At some point it does matter and makes the character and world more interesting. Characters shouldn't be token for the sake of diversity, but neither should they be all the same because 'it doesn't matter.'

We could have 200+ champions that are named Champion I, 2, 3, 4 and so on. They could all be blobs of pixels that are only distinguished by the number above their heads. Their spell effects would just be damage numbers without spell names. Just 'Ability 1- does damage and slows. Ability 2- prevents damage for 3 seconds. Ability 3- moves champion fast. Ability 4- does more damage.'

This would be a boring game even though the mechanics would be the same. Details in costume and lore make a game and story more appealing. The more thought put into a game's visuals, lore and characters the more engaging it becomes. A character's sexuality matters in the sense that it makes them deeper and more than just an extra in a story. If done properly it adds to them without making a mockery of them. It can provide the impetus for story arcs and character interactions. If a character is bisexual, he or she (or it) can have different interactions with different genders that they otherwise might not have. If a character is asexual (and/or a romantic) he or she (or it) can have different interactions again. Say Eve or Ahri try to seduce them and fail. Done right, character details don't negatively define or stereotype but instead fill out a character and make them more interesting, even if they don't matter in the larger plot.

patmax171 votes

I agree. What I mean is not that these are traits that are not important, but that a champion should not be defined by his/her gender or sexuality. It can make a champion more interesting, it should not make a champion.

TeaWrecked9 votes

Why does this matter?

TeaWrecked5 votes

I mean, no current champs say in lore that they're any orientation because it doesn't matter.

Sharjo4 votes

You're right, it doesn't. While people like being represented champions are people to, and their orientation is really none of our business. A character isn't made or broken by whether they like the D, the V, both, neither or something else.

NemeBro2 votes

{quoted}

I mean, no current champs say in lore that they're any orientation because it doesn't matter.

Ezreal and Lux are implied to be dating.

Nidalee had a boyfriend.

Garen is all but outright stated to be attracted to Katarina

Rumble has a crush on Tristana

Ashe and Tryndamere are married.

So yeah, there are plenty of confirmed heterosexual champions.

edit: Fuck, I should really read the whole thread before I respond and say redundant shit. Fuck I'm tired.

Caitlyn x Vi will always be canon to me, fight me irl.

SaltyToplaneGoat8 votes

If you create a champ only to have a certain sexuality in the game, you gonna have a bad time. The result would be a carricature and would be more discriminating than anything.

Also we barely know shit about champion's sexuality. Katarina could be bisexual, Graves could be gay, Ahri could be a lesbian deep down and we would never know - mostly BECAUSE THAT IS NOT DEFINING FOR A CHARACTER.

Sexuality is more of the things you learn about when you get really close to a person, and then it's more like a "nice to know" instead of a "this changes everything" thing...

patmax171 votes

I agree with you. Summoner Sharjo said something similar, if you want to read what I answered to him :)

Deep Terror Nami6 votes

Bard

Sharjo6 votes

The thing is Riot's actually hasn't gone out on a limb and been like "This is this character's sexual orientation confirmed 100%." all that often, and even if champions are in or were in relationships they've never said "this character is straight. Anything else is wrong". The ones I can bring to mind who have shown who they swing for are:

Ashe and Tryndamere - these two are married and even though it was political there's been hints that it goes deeper than that. Azir was married to a woman and had two kids. She was also heavily pregnant with a third upon her death when Xerath did what he did. Diana was implied to have some feelings for Leona, but the exact feelings aren't clear since the two have never interacted in the lore in a manner we know about. Garen and Katarina is a ship that will sail forever, but it's not completely confirmed or anything. Ezreal and Lux are probably dating. I guarantee. Janna went out with a dude in the JoJ but that's not canon anymore. Either way at some point she digged men. Kassadin is said to have had a daughter, so it's implied he had a wife, although she could've been adopted. Lucian was married to Senna, who is now of course dead, and according to Lucian "she was everything to me." Rumble has a crush on Tristana. Even though it's just a crush it still counts.

And that's all that I can remember. So the fact is that we actually know jack-diddly squat about the sexual orientation of a metric crap ton of champions. Any champion could be straight, gay, A, bi, trans or whatever. I mean a bunch of the ones I just mentioned are tenuous at best to bring up.

Taric is a champion who is very sweet toned and charming, but he's never been said to be gay. His identity as being gay is something that the community put to him, along with Ezreal x Taric.

So in short, we actually don't know the orientations of the majority of the cast of this game, and that's not a bad thing. Characters shouldn't be defined by their sexuality and orientation but by the merits of their character.

Ebonmaw Dragon1 votes

{quoted}

Janna went out with a dude in the JoJ but that's not canon anymore. Either way at some point she digged men.

You forgot Nidalee that was also dating with Bob.

And TwistedFate having a relationship with Evelynn , even if she broke up with him.

Oh.... and lest not forget about Rammus and his chlorophiliatic(that is the correct word?) relationship with a Cactus. That IS an uncommon sexual orientation.

Sharjo2 votes

Oh shoot, how could I forget them! Fuck I'm such a moron. Brb going to commit senpukku.

On a serious note I feel like TF and Eve's relationship's gonna get axed. Maybe I'm wrong, I dunno, just got a feeling.

Also I hate that Rammus got paired off with a cactus. RAMMUS DESERVES BETTER. Cacti are still cool though.

patmax171 votes

Your post has a point. I myself am not completely sure if it's something needed, or if it would change anything. Also, it's very difficult for me to explain what I think without sounding rude, or like an idiot :(

Many things are going through my mind, for example: Xulsigae pointed out how Lucian is black without being stereotypical, he's not defined by his skin color. I appreciate his addition to LoL, because it increases variety. Maybe he also helps black people find someone they can more easily identify with (I know a black man who said his daughter was extremely happy that the main character of Disney's Home is a black girl: http://www.mumforfun.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/home-picture.png ) Same could be true for a non cis/straight champ, maybe? The big difference of course is that you can have a gay champ without ever telling he's gay, but it's much more difficult to have a black champ without it being obvious to anyone at first look (unless you can't see his skin).

DrCyanide pointed out that we're more in need of an "old hag" champ than a gay champ. That's another thing i strongly agree with, and there's also not much body shape variety in female champs (at least compared to male champs).

So I don't know, I have no clear idea myself about this topic. But I saw a few very intelligent comments in this thread, and that at least gives me faith in this game's community :)

IcyPepper5 votes

A champion should not be defined by their sexuality, their sexuality should be a part of them.

Take Neil Patrick Harris, for instance. You think people are going to point at him and go "Hey it's that gay guy." Neil Patrick Harris isn't hired to act for his sexuality, he's hired to act for his acting. Also he has an amazing singing voice as well.

Besides, this game has nothing to do with sexuality. The best you'd see of that would be in lore or champion quotes, and only if it's relevant. Ezreal has a crush on Lux (maybe?), Vi has some flirty lines with Caitlyn in-game, and Taric has that one amazing skin. Even I, a guy who ships Piltover's Finest to the extreme, wouldn't care for it if Riot shoved it down my throat. Let the champions have their own private lives, and maybe Riot will give us the occasional peek (don't take that the wrong way).

Xulsigae5 votes

Hence why it doesn't need to be their defining trait or rely on stereotypes. Little details help fill out a champion without needed to make them token or only defined by them. I wouldn't mind a mention of say Xin having unrequited love for Garen and Quinn if it was an aside. It wouldn't change his character as a warrior that has suffered and is totally loyal to his king if he was bisexual. Just because a detail doesn't matter to the greater story or character doesn't make it not worth having. If a character likes cake but isn't defined by it, the detail is still appreciated (by me at least). I'll take a more detailed character than one that is only a _________.

Dextix LT2 votes

JarvanIV x XinZhao Noone dare to ship it any other way.

Xulsigae3 votes

I think it would be just fine if a champion was described as having a lover or spouse with a name that was gendered to be the same as them. 'The champion Dennis fights to support his husband John.' He wouldn't be stereotypical (flamboyant, pink, high pitched voices etc) but just another character who loves someone. Similar to Lucien's skin color- he's black but it's not stereotypical. Having characters with various gender or physical traits doesn't have to define them or be waved around to make them different. A character should be a person first. Giving them genders doesn't pidgeon hole them necessarily. Poor writing and reliance on stereotypes does that.

patmax172 votes

The example you make of Lucian (Ekko works too, for the matter) is something I thought of, too. Thanks for pointing out!

Variks the Loyal3 votes

The issue is, we don't want a Dumbledore situation, where "this character is gay just because." That's crappy characterization.

If they're gay, it needs to actually impact their characterization. Being straight does - Garen is straight, and he's in love with Katarina. And vice versa. But you can't have a character who is just gay. Moreover, we don't have characters who are just straight. You can't tell me Grave's sexual preferences, because it's never stated nor does he ever gain a partner. So being straight/gay doesn't effect his characterization, and, unless he gets a partner or, say he's gay, is prosecuted or insulted for his homosexuality, it never would.

Think of Dorian from DA:I. His homosexuality actually added to his character, rather than just being there and... Existing.

Cenobite Azaziel3 votes

I guess that won't be a thing. The majority of lol players are the same of COD with poor racist/sexist vocabulary. Put a trans champions and you'll have to create a new server only for the "prisioner's island".

DrCyanide2 votes

"Gay man" Taric is a joke about his Armor of the Fifth Age. Let's not forget that Ezreal is also clasified by many in this community as a "gay man" despite his love intrest in Lux actually being lore.

There's a bigger need for an "Old Hag" champion in League than for a champion that goes on about their love intrests.

patmax171 votes

I completely agree with the "old hag" champion, thanks for pointing that out :)

SomethingUnknown2 votes

Caitlyn and Vi have been hinted at being lesbians ( Poor Jayce, he probably tried to hit on them, but got Vi's item 3025 instead.

Krizalid2 votes

Even a stronger/weaker types of male/female are a rare thing for league (except Ezreal or TF, who seem to be skinny), while it's pretty common for every other modern game out there. So this game needs at least to ruin the "no fragile man/no strong women" barrier first. But personally I think that we don't need sexual themes. Champion can look like gay, act like gay, talk like gay, but I think that the best decision for LoL is to stay asexual which means that there shouldn't be any hetero/homo relationships being canon.

Krigjer2 votes

If you create a champion that is gay, bi, whatever, you're making their sexual orientation part of their identity. That's kind of the opposite of what we want to be happening.

RogueWill1 votes

well they sorta exist already...

Kayle Morgana both are angels which are Hermaphrodite in most popular folklor.

Then we have Vi Sejuani which are a tad too tomboy for their own good

Count Zubat1 votes

Gems... gems are trully outrageous... trully, trully... outrageous... Taric

For now, that's the closest we're gonna get.

GreenLore1 votes

I think the problem with that is that league is international and some countries aren't really open to this kind of stuff.

However I guess that it could be done via word of gay http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WordOfGay In that the sexuality is never really mentioned and only confirmed through a rioter.

Smug Shaco Main1 votes

Taric Ezreal Vi

Stars Shaper1 votes

Should it even matter?

Are you here for sexual culture or to play a game with carsimatic characters that fight for a reason?

GreenLore1 votes

I guess there are actually several champions who are asexual(not sure if that counts as uncommon).Bard Brand Aatrox(do darkin have genders?)Galio Malphite and most likely many more.

BurakkuHishou1 votes

subjects like this are a bit on the awkward side when dealing with relationships in video games. One reason is, people play video games, and i mean ALL kinds of people play games. Even if it's a heterosexual relationship it feels very awkward to be presented with that and be forced to like it. Also whether or not people like it, the supreme court decision recently in the united states have not changed anybody's hearts that were against it, and I'm sure they're a few of them playing this game. Relationships are always a very awkward line to ride for game designers. Besides, most of the ships were just taken by and run by the community, with the exception of a few like Ez x lux and Ashe x tryndamere.

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