Heartlights

Hi all,

I'm sorry to add a new thread about this subject to a board that already seems flooded as it is. However, I really wish to add something a bit more personal which to me is important to just have said.

First of all, let me just state that Varus is not one of the champions I personally play, and as such I wasn't too familiar with his old lore. Therefore, I can't say that I have a deep connection with him or his previous story, and I dare not make comparisons to the direction Riot has chosen to take him in now. I will not come out either for or against the lore-update in this post, I feel a lot of posters have done so extensively already, both sides coming with very good arguments.

However, while reading a lot of posts, I noticed the same-sex relationship element in the new lore comes up frequently. Understandably, because it is the first time Riot explicitly chose to do this, but I hate it being a talking point and here I make an effort to explain why.

One argument I read a couple of times is that the gay element feels "forced", like Riot really wanted to show their progressiveness and open-mindedness. Maybe almost patting themselves on the back, "look how tolerant about diversity we are!"

This sentiment saddens me very deeply. As a gay guy, I cannot begin to describe how difficult is was for me to come out, right now about fifteen years ago, at age sixteen. I have known people, and still know people, who've had even harder times telling friends and family they don't conform to what's perceived to be the desired sexuality. The bottom line is often this, whatever the reaction of your social circle is about coming clean about your sexuality, there's almost no-one who doesn't feel out of place, like they're not normal, like they're not supposed to feel how they feel. We're feel encouraged to keep this fact about ourselves hidden, but if we choose not to, there's a good chance we're met with scrutiny, mockery, negativity, rejection, and sometimes much worse.

But why care so much about who we love? Isn't the matter of the heart a personal thing? And anyways, judge as you will, believe as you will, but in the end we're just as much born with our sexuality as we are with our color of eyes, the length of our feet or our preferred sense of humor.

I really hope to see a world one day, where a young boy could bring home his first boyfriend or a young girl could bring home her first girlfriend without first having to "come out". That it's just... normal. That the gender of your heartlight doesn't make any difference at all.

This is why I get sad reading about how people may have disliked Kai and Valmer being gay, whatever the reason behind that dislike may have been. I understand you were a lover of the old lore, and are upset because of the change. Or, I understand you didn't like the element of it being a couple that went into the well and Varus now being three entities in one body. I understand if you feel Varus didn't need new lore at all, or that maybe they should've expanded on his old lore. But, Riot chose this route and included a pair or lovers in this new story. It feels bad that it being two men stirred this community so much. Why does the gay-aspect of it need to even be a talking point. If it would've been a heterosexual couple you'd have the same gripes with the new lore as with Val and Kai as they are now, but no-one would make the argument about "how straight they are". It shouldn't matter if Riot chose man and woman, two women or in this case, two men. It's love, and it's just that.

I'm sorry if in this post I come across as belligerent, I really mean not to and I do believe everyone is entitled to their own opinions. I just really wanted to get it off my chest. Thanks for reading :) Peace!

[sg-ezreal]