Why League of Legends should make an LGBTQ+ Character - and why it shouldn't be Taric

I was just reading the discussion about Taric, and the conversation of sexual orientation was one of the main points of the discussion. While a lot of people were really supportive of the idea of an openly gay character in League, there were more than a few people who held the opinion that LoL is just a game, and there is no reason to disclose any character's sexuality at all. It's a valid point of conversation, one that I think warrants it's own thread. I understand that those opinions aren't necessarily fueled by homophobia, but there are a few things to consider.

The gaming industry is already riddled with sexuality, and League of Legends is no exception. We just don't notice it anymore because we're so accustomed to seeing it. I'm talking, of course, of heterosexuality. Most games have at least a romantic subplot, and oftentimes the main reward for the hero for completing his quest is a smooch from the damsel (see Mario and Peach). In terms of League, straight relationships are established for some characters. Ashe is married to Tryndamere, Lucian is avenging his girlfriend who is trapped in Thresh's lantern, etc. Likewise, while they aren't necessarily canon, there are heterosexual situations that make it into skins and promotional art. Pool Party Lee Sin is flirting with Nidalee, Mundo made a Valentine's card for Heartseeker Vayne, Tango Evelyn is dancing with Tango Twisted Fate, etc.

The way it stands now, there is a double standard in terms of which orientations are acceptable to display overtly, and which ones are up to the players to decipher for themselves. This creates an environment where every character is assumed to be straight (with one glaring exception that I will get to in a moment), and that's a problem. Many of the people who play this game are teenagers, and not all of them are living is areas where homosexuality is accepted. The media in general doesn't have enough positive representations of LGBTQ+ characters, and the gaming industry in particular is doing an exceptionally poor job of it. Kids look to the media for role models, and gay role models are in short supply. It makes kids struggling with their sexual and/or gender identities feel like outsiders, and contributes to the disproportionately high suicide rates of LGBTQ+ youth. When you create a world where heterosexuality is the only accepted sexuality to display openly, it promotes the idea that minority sexualities aren't wanted, and that's a real shame from a company as progressive as Riot.

I grew up in an environment where there were no gay role models for me to look up to (I wasn't aware of Will & Grace until the show ended). There was one openly gay teacher at my school, and the entire student body cracked jokes at his expense. I struggled tremendously with my sexual identity and didn't accept myself as gay until well past high school. I couldn't imagine myself in the context of a gay relationship because I've never seen one in a movie, tv show, or video game. I hadn't even seen a gay character that wasn't a punchline. These days, gay characters have more visibility, but there certainly isn't much in the way of variety, especially in terms of how gay men are portrayed. They are typically very effeminate, flamboyant, and vain*. I don't possess these traits, so even in the modern era, I struggle to find gay characters in the media that I relate to.

Which is precisely why I think Taric is the wrong choice for the first gay character in the League. I mentioned earlier that there is an exception to the "everyone is presumed straight" rule, and it's the gem knight. Unfortunately, everyone assumes he's gay for all the wrong reasons. They see a male character with feminine qualities, and they figure he must be gay, because that's how gay men act. Taric has become a punchline. If he were to be the first gay character in League of Legends, that would only reinforce the stereotypes that plague the gay community.

What the gay community desperately needs is gay characters that break stereotypes. Gay kids need to see that being gay doesn't mean they have to break out their pink feather boas (or legwarmers) and buy a subscription to Vogue. Sexual identity is but one facet of who you are; it doesn't have to define you. I love Taric, but he's the wrong champion for that message. It's actually be nice if Taric was confirmed straight so people can see that straight guys can possess feminine qualities too, and it's perfectly fine.

Champions I think would make excellent candidates for an openly gay or lesbian character are: Fiora, Graves, Irelia, Jayce, Kayle, Lee Sin, Leona, Pantheon, Riven, Shen, Talon, and Yasuo. The reason I think these are exceptional choices is because there is nothing about them that screams gay or straight. They're just people.

Thanks for your time. We know you have a choice of topics to discuss, and we want to thank you for discussing with us.

*There is nothing wrong with a gay character being flamboyant, effeminate, and/or vain. There is a problem when that is the only type of gay character we are exposed to.

Edit: I removed Twisted Fate and Quinn from the suggested characters list. I'm not interested in retconning characters with established sexual orientations. It's still possible that they could be bi, though.