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#REDIRECT [[LGBTQ themes in Western animation#2010s]]
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The depiction of LGBTQ characters in animated series in the 2010s changed significantly from the previous decade; especially in Western animation.<ref name="Adegoke" /> This included Rebecca Sugar's ''[[Steven Universe]]'' which aired on [[Cartoon Network]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Steele |first1=Amanda |title=10 of The Best LGBT Shows of the Past Decade |url=https://screenrant.com/best-lgbt-shows-decade/ |website=[[Screen Rant]] |access-date=March 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131193405/https://screenrant.com/best-lgbt-shows-decade/ |archive-date=January 31, 2020 |date=December 20, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> and praised for going "above and beyond when it comes to inclusive storytelling"<ref>{{cite report |date=2019 |title=Where We Are on TV Report: 2019-2020 |url=https://www.glaad.org/sites/default/files/GLAAD%20WHERE%20WE%20ARE%20ON%20TV%202019%202020.pdf |publisher=[[GLAAD]] |page=33 |access-date=March 25, 2020 |quote="Cartoon Network’s Steven Universe continues to go above and beyond when it comes to inclusive storytelling, so much so that it earned the GLAAD Media Award in Outstanding Kids and Family Programming at the 30th Annual GLAAD Media Awards."}}</ref> The 2010s also brought with it shows such as ''[[Adventure Time]]'', ''[[The Legend of Korra]]'', ''[[BoJack Horseman]]'', ''[[OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes]]'', ''[[Amphibia (TV series)|Amphibia]]'', ''[[She-Ra and the Princesses of Power]]'', and ''[[The Bravest Knight]]'', among others, all of which had strong LGBTQ characters.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Perkins |first1=Dennis |title=The Bravest Knight: Daniel Errico's quest for LGBTQ children's media |url=https://animationfromeveryangle.com/issue-01-november-2019/the-bravest-knight-daniel-errico-s-quest-for-lgbtq-children-s-media/ |website=Animation from Every Angle |access-date=April 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200318042826/https://animationfromeveryangle.com/issue-01-november-2019/the-bravest-knight-daniel-errico-s-quest-for-lgbtq-children-s-media/ |archive-date=March 18, 2020 |date=November 2019 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="watchokko" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Matadeen |first1=Renaldo |title=Netflix's She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Delivers on Its LGBTQ Promise |url=https://www.cbr.com/she-ra-princesses-of-power-lgbtq-promise/ |website=[[Comic Book Resources|CBR]] |access-date=March 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821135931/https://www.cbr.com/she-ra-princesses-of-power-lgbtq-promise/ |archive-date=August 21, 2019 |date=July 31, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> Representation of LGBTQ characters would only continue to grow [[History of LGBT characters in animation: 2020s|in the 2020s]].
{{R to section}}
==Trends==
In 2010, animation and popular culture scholar Jo Johnson argued that the medium of animation itself is being used to "represent prime-time sexuality and gender in a more progressive way than a live-action show."{{Sfn |Johnson | 2010 | p = 270}} She went on to say that progress made by animated shows has allowed audiences to laugh with, rather than at, queer characters.
In 2014, [[GLAAD]] would comment that "children's programming has been slow to reflect the diversity its audience is experiencing in its daily life."{{Sfn | GLAAD | 2014 | p = 23}} In 2015, [[GLAAD]] expanded their analysis to include LGBTQ+ characters on stream services like Amazon and Netflix for the first time. {{Sfn | GLAAD | 2015 | p = 3}} In 2016, GLAAD reported that the highest number of LGBTQ characters they had recorded yet had appeared in the 2016–2017 television season.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Glass |first1=Joe |title=LGBT characters on TV will make up a larger percentage than ever, study finds |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/nov/03/lgbt-characters-tv-largest-percent-glaad-study |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190803074638/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/nov/03/lgbt-characters-tv-largest-percent-glaad-study |archive-date=August 3, 2019 |date=November 3, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
In 2017, GLAAD praised the increase of LGBTQ+ characters on streaming services like Amazon, Netflix, and Hulu. {{Sfn | GLAAD | 2016 | p = 5, 10}} While GLAAD and others were praising the growth in the number of LGBTQ+ characters in broadcast, primetime television,<ref name="Mak2017">{{cite web |last1=Mak |first1=Philip |title=In a Heartbeat: Why we need more LGBTQ animation. |url=https://blog.toonboom.com/in-a-heartbeat-why-we-need-more-lgbtq-animation |website=[[Toon Boom Animation|Toon Boom]] |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200405025918/https://blog.toonboom.com/in-a-heartbeat-why-we-need-more-lgbtq-animation |archive-date=April 5, 2020 |date=June 21, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Jusino |first1=Teresa |title=Why I'll Be Holding onto These Five Nuanced and Inspiring Bisexual Characters for Dear Life This Pride |url=https://www.themarysue.com/nuanced-inspiring-bisexual-characters/ |website=[[Dan Abrams#The Mary Sue|The Mary Sue]] |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329231547/https://www.themarysue.com/nuanced-inspiring-bisexual-characters/ |archive-date=March 29, 2019 |date=June 2, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref>{{Sfn | Cook | 2018 | p = 7}} some reported that LGBTQ+ characters in animated television were somewhat rare.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Segal |first1=Cynthia |title=7 American Kids' Cartoons That Treat Their LGBTQ Characters With Respect |url=https://dotandline.net/lgbtq-american-cartoons-6b1557a4c846/ |website=[[The Dot and the Line#Legacy|The Dot and Line]] |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327045355/https://dotandline.net/lgbtq-american-cartoons-6b1557a4c846/ |archive-date=March 27, 2020 |date=June 30, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Sizer |first1=Artistaeus |title=We Need To Talk About LGBT Representation, Apparently |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/we-need-to-talk-about-lgbt-representation-apparently_b_5a3d4dede4b06cd2bd03da68 |website=[[HuffPost]] |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200419214106/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/we-need-to-talk-about-lgbt-representation-apparently_b_5a3d4dede4b06cd2bd03da68 |archive-date=April 19, 2020 |date=June 30, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> From 2017 to 2019, [[Insider (website)|Insider]] noted that according to their database of LGBTQ characters in children's animations, there was a "more than 200% spike in queer and gender-minority characters in children's animated TV shows."<ref name="insidersnydes" />
In 2018, GLAAD noted that while Netflix was featuring more LGBTQ+ people of colour,{{Sfn | GLAAD | 2017 | p = 10}} including CW Seed launching two shows with "queer heroes"{{Sfn | GLAAD | 2017 | p = 7}} and how ''[[Bojack Horseman]]'' expanding the story of Todd, the "only asexual character on streaming originals" as they described it.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/26/18028908/glaad-report-television-tv-2018-lgbtq-diversity-gay-bisexual-trans-media-representation|work=[[The Verge]]|title=2018 saw record growth in LGBTQ roles on television|last=Liao|first=Shannon|date=October 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200606083553/https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/26/18028908/glaad-report-television-tv-2018-lgbtq-diversity-gay-bisexual-trans-media-representation|archive-date=June 6, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2018 and 2019, [[GLAAD]] said that [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]], [[Hulu]], and Netflix, had increased LGBTQ representation in "daytime kids and family television."{{Sfn | GLAAD | 2018 | p = 5}}{{Sfn | GLAAD | 2019 | p = 5, 6, 12}}
In May 2019, Ashley Fetters and Natalie Escobar argued, in ''[[The Atlantic]]'' that the episode of ''[[Arthur (TV series)|Arthur]]'' where two male characters got married "marks a poignant moment in children's TV history," and that it feels "unremarkable."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fetters |first1=Ashley |last2=Escobar |first2=Natalie |title=How a Gay Character on Arthur Reflects Changing Norms in the U.S. |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2019/05/mr-ratburns-gay-wedding-on-arthur-was-quietly-profound/589462/ |website=[[The Atlantic]] |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200308122332/https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2019/05/mr-ratburns-gay-wedding-on-arthur-was-quietly-profound/589462/ |archive-date=March 8, 2020 |date=May 14, 2019 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> They said this is the case because you can "count on your fingers the number of kids’ shows that have depicted gay characters," including ''[[Adventure Time]]'', ''[[Steven Universe]]'', ''[[The Legend of Korra]]'', ''[[Gravity Falls]]'', ''[[Clarence (American TV series)|Clarence]]'', and ''[[The Loud House]]''. In July 2019, Leanne Italie argued that LGBTQ diversity on children's television was growing.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Italie |first1=Leanne |title=Bandwagon builds for LGBTQ diversity on children's TV |url=https://apnews.com/1d447480a16b4fdcb428cc5f99ec6603 |website=[[Associated Press]] |access-date=March 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200211234053/https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/bandwagon-builds-lgbtq-diversity-children-s-tv-n1037146 |archive-date=February 11, 2020 |date=July 31, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>
==Animation for adults==
The 2010s saw various animated series targeted primarily to adults on [[FXX]], [[Fox Broadcasting|Fox]], [[Comedy Central]], [[Netflix]], [[Adult Swim]], and other platforms.
===FXX and FOX===
{{see also|List of animated series with LGBT characters: 2010–2014}}
In February 2010, [[List of Archer characters#Ray Gillette|Ray Gillette]] first appeared in the episode "Honeypot" of ''[[Archer (2009 TV series)|Archer]]''. He would be an openly gay [[secret agent]], and a former [[Olympic Games|Olympic]] medalist in skiing.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lambe|first1=Stacy|title=10 Qs: With Archer's Ray Gillette on Sochi, Beyonce & Rent Boys|url=http://www.out.com/entertainment/popnography/2014/01/07/archer-ray-gillette-adam-reed-sochi-beyonce-rent-boys|website=[[Out (magazine)|Out]]|access-date=26 December 2014|date=January 7, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531155040/https://www.out.com/entertainment/popnography/2014/01/07/archer-ray-gillette-adam-reed-sochi-beyonce-rent-boys|archive-date=May 31, 2019}}</ref>{{Sfn | GLAAD | 2011 | p = 9}}
In May 2010, FOX's ''[[Family Guy]]'', introduced [[List of Family Guy characters#Quagmire family|Ida Davis]], a [[trans woman]], in the episode "Quagmire's Dad." However, she would be criticized for repeating tropes often associated with LGBTQ+ characters.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Browning |first1=Bill |title=History Repeating: Family Guy goes transphobic |url=http://bilerico.lgbtqnation.com/2010/05/history_repeating_family_guy_goes_transphobic.php |website=The Bilerico Project |access-date=March 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200330010424/http://bilerico.lgbtqnation.com/2010/05/history_repeating_family_guy_goes_transphobic.php |archive-date=March 30, 2020 |date=May 10, 2010 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> This argument was repeated by other critics in later years.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ridgeway |first1=Shannon |title=Stereotypes in Animated Sitcoms: Helpful or Harmful? |url=https://everydayfeminism.com/2013/11/stereotypes-in-animated-sitcoms/ |website=Everyday Feminism |access-date=March 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190626100335/https://everydayfeminism.com/2013/11/stereotypes-in-animated-sitcoms/ |archive-date=June 26, 2019 |date=November 20, 2013 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Davis would later become the "butt of many transmisogynistic and transphobic "jokes.""<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/05/10/family-guy-quagmires-dad-review|title=Family Guy: "Quagmire's Dad" Review|work=[[IGN]]|author=Isler, Ramsey|date=May 8, 2012|access-date=July 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170319024646/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/05/10/family-guy-quagmires-dad-review |archive-date=March 19, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.out.com/television/2019/10/07/family-guy-still-just-transphobic-ever|title='Family Guy' Is Still Just as Transphobic as Ever|work=[[Out (magazine)|Out]]|author=Rude, Mey|date=October 7, 2019|access-date=July 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008052447/https://www.out.com/television/2019/10/07/family-guy-still-just-transphobic-ever |archive-date=October 8, 2019}}</ref>
In the March 2011 episode of ''[[Bob's Burgers]]'', a FOX show, titled "Sheesh! Cab, Bob?" various LGBTQ characters would appear. This included a [[trans woman|trans female]] sex worker named [[List of Bob's Burgers characters#Other recurring characters|Marshmallow]],<ref>{{cite web |last1=Clifton |first1=Derrick |title=From Titus to Marshmallow: ranking TV's top five black LGBT characters |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2015/nov/23/us-tv-five-most-visible-black-lgbt-characters |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=October 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180808061702/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2015/nov/23/us-tv-five-most-visible-black-lgbt-characters |archive-date=August 8, 2018 |date=November 23, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> The show would later have other LGBTQ characters like a lesbian limousine driver named Nat Kinkle, whose ex-girlfriend runs an animal sanctuary,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Chappell |first1=Les |title=Nat the limo driver returns to take Bob's Burgers on a delightful road trip |url=https://tv.avclub.com/nat-the-limo-driver-returns-to-take-bobs-burgers-on-a-d-1842165805 |newspaper=[[The A.V. Club]] |access-date=August 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200426074110/https://tv.avclub.com/nat-the-limo-driver-returns-to-take-bobs-burgers-on-a-d-1842165805 |archive-date=April 26, 2020 |date=March 22, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Chappell |first1=Les |title=Nat the limo driver returns to take Bob's Burgers on a delightful road trip |url=https://tv.avclub.com/nat-the-limo-driver-returns-to-take-bobs-burgers-on-a-d-1842165805 |website=[[The A.V. Club]] |access-date=May 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200426091911/https://tv.avclub.com/nat-the-limo-driver-returns-to-take-bobs-burgers-on-a-d-1842165805 |archive-date=April 26, 2020 |date=March 22, 2020 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> and a gay character, Dalton Crespin, who had a boyfriend for a short period of time.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Steele |first1=Amanda |title=Bob's Burgers: 10 Characters That Could Be Bi |url=https://screenrant.com/bobs-burgers-bi-characters/ |newspaper=[[ScreenRant]] |access-date=August 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190927131356/https://screenrant.com/bobs-burgers-bi-characters/ |archive-date=September 27, 2019 |date=September 26, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> Some would also argue that one of the protagonists, [[Bob Belcher]], is a bisexual parent.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bi.org/en/bi-characters/bob-belcher|title=Bob Belcher|website=[[American Institute of Bisexuality|bi.org]]|access-date=May 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126050022/https://bi.org/en/bi-characters/bob-belcher|archive-date=November 26, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Nat Faxon July 14, 2014 (cropped).jpg|thumb|Nat Faxon in 2014; Faxon voiced Jeremy De Longpre in ''Allen Gregory'']]
From October to December 2011, ''[[Allen Gregory]]'', which aired on Fox, had various LGBTQ characters. This included a gay father of the protagonist, Richard De Longpre, and his husband, Jeremy, who previously had a wife and children.<ref name="Bianco">{{cite web|last1=Bianco|first1=Robert|title='Allen Gregory': Nasty, brutish and hopefully short-lived|url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/reviews/story/2011-10-27/allen-gregory-fox/50966052/1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120105040353/http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/reviews/story/2011-10-27/allen-gregory-fox/50966052/1|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 5, 2012|website=[[USA Today]]|date=October 28, 2011|access-date=December 16, 2019}}</ref>
In January 2014, Phillip "Chozen" Cullens, a white, gay, aspiring rap superstar premiered in the [[FX (TV channel)|FX]] series, ''[[Chozen]]''. He was in a relationship with fratboy-type Hunter, with their relationship developing throughout the series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newnownext.com/chozen-fx-review-big-gay-hit/12/2013/ |title="Chozen" is Going to Be a Big Gay Hit |publisher=[[NewNowNext]] |date=December 26, 2013 |access-date=August 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211235600/http://www.newnownext.com/chozen-fx-review-big-gay-hit/12/2013/ |archive-date=February 11, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>
On April 3, 2016, in ''The Simpsons'' episode of "[[The Burns Cage]]", [[Waylon Smithers]] came out, officially, as gay.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Holpuch |first1=Amanda |title=The Simpsons' Smithers to finally come out as gay, producer reveals |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/sep/28/smithers-mr-burns-assistant-simpsons-gay |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190815113229/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/sep/28/smithers-mr-burns-assistant-simpsons-gay |archive-date=August 15, 2019 |date=September 28, 2015 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Vincent |first1=Alice |title=Smithers will finally come out - thanks to Simpsons writer's gay son |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2016/04/03/smithers-will-finally-come-out---thanks-to-simpsons-writers-gay/ |website=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] |access-date=March 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327030946/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2016/04/03/smithers-will-finally-come-out---thanks-to-simpsons-writers-gay/ |archive-date=March 27, 2020 |date=April 3, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Although some called the episode disappointing,<ref name="thojun2016">{{cite web |last1=Thomas |first1=June |title=Why Won't The Simpsons Let Smithers Say, "I'm Gay"? |url=https://slate.com/human-interest/2016/04/the-simpsons-coming-out-episode-was-a-disappointment.html |website=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190310034344/https://slate.com/human-interest/2016/04/the-simpsons-coming-out-episode-was-a-disappointment.html |archive-date=March 10, 2019 |date=April 4, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> or critical of Smithers as a form of gay representation,<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=D'Addario |first1=Daniel |title=Waylon Smithers' Coming-Out on The Simpsons Shows How Toothless the Show Has Become |url=https://time.com/4280546/the-simpsons-smithers-comes-out-episode-review/ |magazine=[[TIME]] |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403004123/https://time.com/4280546/the-simpsons-smithers-comes-out-episode-review/ |archive-date=April 3, 2019 |date=April 4, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Leszkiewicz |first1=Anna |title=The Smithers question: why do we keep retrofitting progressive narratives in pop culture? |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/tv-radio/2016/04/smithers-question-why-do-we-keep-retrofitting-progressive-narratives-pop |website=[[New Statesman]] |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410112232/https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/tv-radio/2016/04/smithers-question-why-do-we-keep-retrofitting-progressive-narratives-pop |archive-date=April 10, 2019 |date=April 5, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> others cited it as an example of how LGBTQ+ characters in television had become more accepted.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Juntwait |first1=Kelsey |title=30 Characters Showcasing Positive LGBT Representation on TV Right Now |url=https://culturess.com/2016/10/10/30-characters-showcasing-positive-lgbt-representation-tv-right-now/ |website=[[Fansided]] |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161015194024/https://culturess.com/2016/10/10/30-characters-showcasing-positive-lgbt-representation-tv-right-now/ |archive-date=October 15, 2016 |date=October 10, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Brooks |first1=Grace |title=An LGBT history of Television |url=https://theboar.org/2016/02/lgbt-tv-history/ |website=[[The Boar (newspaper)|The Boar]] |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160224103927/https://theboar.org/2016/02/lgbt-tv-history/ |archive-date=February 24, 2016 |date=February 13, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Glass |first1=Joe |title=The LGBTQ Geek Year in Review At San Diego Comic-Con |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/lgbtq-geek-year-in-review-at-san-diego-comic-con/ |website=[[Bleeding Cool]] |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200419201802/https://bleedingcool.com/comics/lgbtq-geek-year-in-review-at-san-diego-comic-con/ |archive-date=April 19, 2020 |date=July 24, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> In November 2016, in another ''Simpsons'' episode, [[RuPaul]] gave Homer Simpson a drag makeover.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bollinger |first1=Alex |title=This is what Homer Simpson looks like after RuPaul's drag makeover |url=https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2018/11/homer-simpson-looks-like-rupauls-drag-makeover/ |website=LGBTQ Nation |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190505014301/https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2018/11/homer-simpson-looks-like-rupauls-drag-makeover/ |archive-date=May 5, 2019 |date=November 7, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
In November 2016, some news media outlets teased that [[Meg Griffin]], a protagonist in ''[[Family Guy]]'', was about to come out as lesbian.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/family-guys-meg-griffin-come-9344983|title=Family Guy's Meg Griffin to come out as lesbian|last=Newman|first=Vicki|date=November 27, 2016|website=[[Daily Mirror]]|access-date=July 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200621105141/https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/family-guys-meg-griffin-come-9344983|archive-date=June 21, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2016/11/meg-griffin-family-guy-come-lesbian/|title=Is Meg Griffin of 'Family Guy' about to come out as lesbian?|last=Ennis|first=Dawn|date=November 28, 2016|website=LGBTQ Nation|access-date=April 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622014753/https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2016/11/meg-griffin-family-guy-come-lesbian/|archive-date=June 22, 2020}}</ref> This was never shown in any episodes.
In January 2019, ''Family Guy!'' committed to phasing out jokes about the LGBTQ community.<ref name="jondam2019">{{cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Damian |title=Family Guy to 'phase out' jokes about the LGBTQ community |url=https://www.nme.com/news/family-guy-to-phase-out-jokes-about-the-lgbtq-community-2430998 |website=[[NME]] |access-date=January 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200401020226/https://www.nme.com/news/family-guy-to-phase-out-jokes-about-the-lgbtq-community-2430998 |archive-date=April 1, 2020 |date=January 14, 2019 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> During the ''Family Guy'' episode "[[Trump Guy]]" which premiered on January 13, 2019, Peter Griffin, was seen telling a cartoon [[Donald Trump|President Trump]] that the show was trying to "phase out" gay jokes. The change in direction was confirmed by the show's executive producers [[Alec Sulkin]] and [[Rich Appel]], along with creator [[Seth MacFarlane]], who stated that they wanted to better reflect the current climate in the show due to societal changes which have seen the jokes become frowned upon over time.<ref>[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/family-guy-will-phase-gay-jokes-1175975 "'Family Guy' Will Phase Out Gay Jokes"] from ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (January 14, 2019)</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/15/entertainment/family-guy-gay-jokes/index.html|title='Family Guy' phasing out gay jokes|last=France|first=Lisa Respers |website=CNN|date=15 January 2019|access-date=January 16, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-46878017|title=Should Family Guy 'phase out' gay jokes?|last=Rackham|first=Annabel|date=January 15, 2019|access-date=January 16, 2019|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/family-guy-is-trying-to-phase-out-gay-jokes/news-story/8bac5c52b5cc4f015d1b4355a11caa74|title=Family Guy: Comedy animation 'phasing out' gay jokes|website=www.news.com.au|access-date=January 16, 2019}}</ref> In the Season 18 episode "[[Disney's The Reboot]]" which premiered on October 20, 2019, when asked "I thought I read you guys were phasing out gay jokes?" Peter Griffin replies: "That quote was taken out of context and widely misunderstood.”<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/family-guy-gay-jokes-disneys-the-reboot-trump-guy-episode-a9166766.html|title = Family Guy might have just U-turned on its decision to 'phase out' gay jokes|website = [[Independent.co.uk]]|date = 22 October 2019}}</ref>
===Comedy Central===
On April 25, 2010, ''[[The Drawn Together Movie: The Movie!]]'', an [[adult animated]] [[comedy film]] was released. It would feature three LGBTQ characters: Captain Leslie Hero, Foxxy Love, and Xandir P. Whifflebottom who had appeared in the original ''[[Drawn Together]]'' animated series, which aired on [[Comedy Central]] from October 2004 to November 2007.
In July 2010, the ''[[Futurama]]'' episode, "[[Proposition Infinity]]" would air on [[Comedy Central]]. This episode would speak directly toward [[Proposition 8]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gandert |first1=Sean |title=Futurama Review: "Proposition Infinity" (1.4) |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/futurama/futurama-review-proposition-infinity-14/ |website=[[Paste (magazine)|Paste]] |access-date=August 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200828033926/https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/futurama/futurama-review-proposition-infinity-14/ |archive-date=August 28, 2020 |date=July 9, 2010 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> It would later be described as evidence of ''Futurama'''s "political and social commitment to its LGBT fans," along with the 2003 episode "[[Bend Her]]".<ref name="Diane">{{cite web |last1=Anderson-Minshall |first1=Diane |title=How Animated Shows Like Futurama Can Unite Us All |url=https://www.advocate.com/commentary/2013/06/18/op-ed-how-animated-shows-futurama-can-unite-us-all |website=[[The Advocate (LGBT magazine)|The Advocate]] |access-date=April 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312102656/http://www.advocate.com/commentary/2013/06/18/op-ed-how-animated-shows-futurama-can-unite-us-all |archive-date=March 12, 2016 |date=June 18, 2013 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
In September 2012, ''[[Brickleberry]]'', premiered on [[Comedy Central]]. The show would introduce a character named Constance Beatrice "Connie" Cunaman.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://comedycentral.tumblr.com/post/31864675389/countdown-to-brickleberry-meet-the-characters|title=Countdown to Brickleberry: Meet the Characters - Connie|date=September 19, 2012|website=Comedy Central [[tumblr]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811220421/https://comedycentral.tumblr.com/post/31864675389/countdown-to-brickleberry-meet-the-characters|archive-date=August 11, 2020}}</ref> She is a lesbian park ranger who challenged the homophobia of her parents and was obsessed with Ethel.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Glarum|first1=Silvert|url=https://www.cbr.com/reasons-paradise-pd-better-worse-brickleberry-vice-versa-netflix/|title=5 Reasons Why Paradise PD is Better than Brickleberry (& 5 Reasons Vice Versa)|work=[[Comic Book Resources|CBR]]|date=March 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200307160818/https://www.cbr.com/reasons-paradise-pd-better-worse-brickleberry-vice-versa-netflix/|archive-date=March 7, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Abercombie|first1=Chelsey|url=https://www.redandblack.com/variety/brickleberry-producers-miss-barberitos-among-other-athens-specialties/article_9018eaca-2b00-11e3-8840-0019bb30f31a.html|title='Brickleberry' producers miss Barberitos, among other Athens specialties|work=[[The Red & Black (University of Georgia)|The Red & Black]]|date=October 10, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181204065042/https://www.redandblack.com/variety/brickleberry-producers-miss-barberitos-among-other-athens-specialties/article_9018eaca-2b00-11e3-8840-0019bb30f31a.html|archive-date=December 4, 2018}}</ref> The show's creators confirmed this assessment in an interview.<ref>{{Cite comic | writer= Kate Leth | story=Brickleberry: A Joint Interview With Creators Waco O'Guin and Roger Black [column] | title=Vampirella | issue=3 | date=May 4, 2016 | page=24| publisher=Dynamite Entertainment | location=United States |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G8L7CwAAQBAJ&pg=PT24 }}</ref>
In October 2015, in the ''[[South Park]]'' episode, "[[Tweek x Craig]]", [[Craig Tucker]] and [[Tweek Tweak]] were confirmed as a gay couple.<ref name="Craig">{{cite web|url=http://wiki.southpark.cc.com/wiki/Craig_Tucker|title=Craig Tucker|publisher=Official South Park Studios Wiki|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200507072606/https://wiki.southpark.cc.com/wiki/Craig_Tucker|archive-date=May 7, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://wiki.southpark.cc.com/wiki/Tweek_Tweak|title=Tweek Tweak|publisher=Official South Park Studios Wiki|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191225110509/https://wiki.southpark.cc.com/wiki/Tweek_Tweak|archive-date=December 25, 2019}}</ref>
===''Bojack Horseman'', ''Big Mouth'', and ''Super Drags''===
{{see also|List of animated series with LGBT characters: 2015–2019}}
[[File:Aaron Paul (29734396088) (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|[[Aaron Paul]] in 2018; Paul voiced Todd Chavez in ''Bojack Horseman'']]
''[[Bojack Horseman]]'', airing from 2014 to 2020 on Netflix, featured a number of LGBTQ+ characters. For instance, Hollyhock, a female teenage horse and Bojack's sister, has eight adoptive fathers (Dashawn Manheim, Steve Mannheim, Jose Guerrero, Cupe Robinson III, Otto Zilberschlag, Arturo "Ice Man" Fonzerelli, Gregory Hsung, and Quackers McQuack) in a polyamorous gay relationship.<ref>{{cite news|last=Nickalls|first=Sammy|title=The Tricky Problem With Hollyhock in 'BoJack Horseman' Season 4|url=https://dotandline.net/hollyhock-bojack-horseman-season-4-456f9384f8b9/|newspaper=Dot and Line|date=September 21, 2017|access-date=July 31, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327045505/https://dotandline.net/hollyhock-bojack-horseman-season-4-456f9384f8b9/|archive-date=March 27, 2020}}</ref> [[Todd Chavez]] in the season 3 finale, "That Went Well," Todd confides in his friend Emily that he doesn't think he is either straight or gay, and in fact "might be nothing". He explores the identity further in season 4 and accepts his asexuality, while meeting others who share his orientation.<ref name="dotandline">{{cite web|last1=Nickalls|first1=Sammy|title=Todd Chavez Is TV's First Out-and-Proud Asexual Icon|url=https://dotandline.net/todd-chavez-asexual-bojack-horseman-season-4-8e426437c2b4|website=[[The Dot and the Line#Legacy|The Dot and Line]]|date=September 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190317201221/https://dotandline.net/todd-chavez-asexual-bojack-horseman-season-4-8e426437c2b4?gi=f191fc62949e|archive-date=March 17, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Nickalls |first1=Sammy |title=Todd Chavez Is TV's First Out-and-Proud Asexual Icon |url=https://dotandline.net/todd-chavez-asexual-bojack-horseman-season-4-8e426437c2b4 |website=[[The Dot and the Line#Legacy|The Dot and Line]] |access-date=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190317201221/https://dotandline.net/todd-chavez-asexual-bojack-horseman-season-4-8e426437c2b4?gi=f191fc62949e |archive-date=March 17, 2019 |date=September 8, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
In October 2018, a protagonist in ''[[Big Mouth (American TV series)|Big Mouth]]'', Jay Bilzerian, came out as bisexual.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Villarreal |first1=Daniel |title=One of the kids on Netflix's puberty comedy 'Big Mouth' came out as bi |url=https://www.queerty.com/one-kids-netflixs-puberty-comedy-big-mouth-came-bi-20181015/ |website=[[Queerty]] |access-date=May 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200324225709/https://www.queerty.com/one-kids-netflixs-puberty-comedy-big-mouth-came-bi-20181015 |archive-date=March 24, 2020 |date=October 15, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://bi.org/en/bi-characters/jay-bilzerian|title=Jay Bilzerian|website=[[American Institute of Bisexuality|bi.org]]|access-date=May 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122091108/https://bi.org/en/bi-characters/jay-bilzerian/|archive-date=January 22, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> The same year, Ali, a pansexual character, was introduced. Some criticized Ali's character as an oversimplification of the "relationship between private parts and gender identity," even as her existence was praised as putting the show ahead of "most television representations of sexual expression."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Stephen |first1=Emily L. |title=Big Mouth's third season is bigger and mouthier than ever |url=https://tv.avclub.com/big-mouth-is-bigger-and-mouthier-than-ever-and-even-mo-1838723434 |website=[[The A.V. Club]] |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200329113041/https://tv.avclub.com/big-mouth-is-bigger-and-mouthier-than-ever-and-even-mo-1838723434 |archive-date=March 29, 2020 |date=October 4, 2019 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> While some praised the show has talking "honestly about sexuality, puberty, and desire for all genders"<ref>{{cite web|last=House|first=Addissyn|url=https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/when-sex-ed-fails-we-turn-to-pop-culture|title=Better Than Sex Ed: Pop Culture Is Teaching Teens About Sex|website=[[Bitch (magazine)|Bitch]]|date=August 13, 2021|access-date=September 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210825070656/https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/when-sex-ed-fails-we-turn-to-pop-culture|archive-date=August 25, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> they also criticized the show for misrepresenting pansexuality.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Rachel Charlene|url=https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/big-mouth-season-three-bisexual-pansexual-representation|title="Big Mouth" Endlessly Explores Sexuality, but Still Stumbles on Queerness|website=[[Bitch (magazine)|Bitch]]|date=October 13, 2019|access-date=September 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210527050124/https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/big-mouth-season-three-bisexual-pansexual-representation|archive-date=May 27, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>
In November 2018, ''[[Super Drags]]'', a Brazilian show, was added to Netflix. The show focuses on Donizete, Patrick, and Ralph, three gay friends working in a department store,<ref>{{cite web |title=Super Drags |url=https://media.netflix.com/en/press-releases/super-drags |website=[[Netflix]] |access-date=July 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022153542/https://media.netflix.com/en/press-releases/super-drags |archive-date=October 22, 2018 |date=October 19, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> who are also [[drag queen]] superheroes, named Scarlet Carmesim, Lemon Chifon, and Safira Cyan are the Super Drags, and are responsible for protecting the LGBTQ community.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Adegoke |first1=Yomi |title=Netflix Unleashes Sassy 'Super Drags' Teaser |url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/top-stories/netflix-unleashes-sassy-super-drags-teaser/ |website=[[Animation Magazine]] |access-date=July 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190709042103/https://www.animationmagazine.net/top-stories/netflix-unleashes-sassy-super-drags-teaser/ |archive-date=July 9, 2019 |date=June 1, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>
===Adult Swim===
In June 2010, [[Mary Shelley's Frankenhole]] aired on [[Adult Swim]] featuring an openly gay character Professor Sanguinaire Polidori.
In June 2014, [[Adult Swim]] aired an episode of ''[[The Boondocks (2005 TV series)|The Boondocks]]'', featuring a number of gay characters like Gangstalicious, a [[Closeted|closet homosexual]] who goes to great lengths to keep his identity as a gay man hidden from the public.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Smith-Strickland |first1=Stephanie |title=Is Young Thug the Real Life Gangstalicious? |website=[[Highsnobiety]] |url=https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/young-thug-the-real-life-gangstalicious/ |access-date=July 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200720161649/https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/young-thug-the-real-life-gangstalicious/ |archive-date=July 20, 2020 |date=April 11, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>
Marquess of Queensbury, appeared on ''[[Mike Tyson Mysteries]]'', which started on October 27, 2014. Eric Thurm of ''[[The A.V. Club]]'' argued that Marquess was a gay character<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Thurm|first1=Eric|url=https://tv.avclub.com/mike-tyson-mysteries-the-end-1798181724|title=Mike Tyson Mysteries: "The End" [Review]|website=[[The A.V. Club]]|date=October 27, 2014|access-date=August 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609050708/https://tv.avclub.com/mike-tyson-mysteries-the-end-1798181724|archive-date=June 9, 2020}}</ref> and he was based on a man named John Douglas, the 9th [[Marquess of Queensberry]].
In July 2015, Justin Roiland, one of the show's creators and executive producers off ''[[Rick and Morty]]'', which aired on [[Adult Swim]], confirmed that [[Rick Sanchez]] is pansexual.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Thielman |first1=Sam |title=Rick and Morty at Comic Con: Adult Swim cult favorite is back and in-joking |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/jul/10/rick-and-morty-comic-con-adult-swim-second-season |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821031633/https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/jul/10/rick-and-morty-comic-con-adult-swim-second-season |archive-date=August 21, 2018 |date=July 10, 2015 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> This was shown in "Auto Erotic Assimilation", when Rick connects with Unity, an ex-lover who is a collective hive mind of assimilated individuals from the planet they occupy. Throughout the series, Rick's sexuality has also been alluded to, mostly in his backstory.
In the August 15, 2015 ''Rick and Morty'' episode "Total Rickall", Sleepy Gary is one of the dozens of aliens that alter the memories of Rick, Morty, Beth and Summer in order to pose as friends and family members.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/rick-and-morty-brain-parasite-sleepy-gary-is-snoozing-into-his-own-one-shot-comic|title=Rick and Morty: Brain parasite Sleepy Gary is snoozing into his own one-shot comic|first=Josh|last=Weiss|date=August 28, 2018|via=[[Syfy]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190516170804/https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/rick-and-morty-brain-parasite-sleepy-gary-is-snoozing-into-his-own-one-shot-comic|archive-date=May 16, 2019}}</ref> Because of the fake memories, Beth believes herself to be married with Sleepy Gary, and Jerry believes he is having a secret affair with him.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a30118487/rick-and-morty-comics-lgbtq-queer-representation/|title=Rick and Morty needs to learn this one big lesson from the comics|first=David|last=Opie|date=April 12, 2019|via=[[Digital Spy]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610211617/https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a30118487/rick-and-morty-comics-lgbtq-queer-representation/|archive-date=June 10, 2020}}</ref>
On August 19, 2019, ''[[Final Space]]'', which had begun broadcasting on [[Adult Swim]] earlier that summer, included representation of its own. In the August 19 episode, "The Closer You Get," Tribore tells Shannon that "he is in love with his other half" because his species flips gender twice a year. One reviewer calls this an amazing non-binary bit of the episode.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Aravind |first1=Ajay |title=10 Best Episodes Of Final Space, According To IMDb |url=https://screenrant.com/final-space-best-episodes-according-to-imdb-tbs-sci-fi/ |website=[[ScreenRant]] |access-date=August 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200816030003/https://screenrant.com/final-space-best-episodes-according-to-imdb-tbs-sci-fi/ |archive-date=August 16, 2020 |date=June 29, 2020 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
===Other adult animations===
The November 28, 2016 episode of ''[[Bee and PuppyCat]]'', entitled "Toast," introduced Toast, a [[wrestler]] who formerly wrestled with Cass and holds a grudge against her. In this debut episode for Toast, she mentions her unnamed [[ex-wife]], implying she is a lesbian.<ref>{{cite book |last=Mihailova |first=Mihaela |editor-last1=Perkins |editor-first1=Claire |editor-last2=Schreiber |editor-first2=Michele |date=2021 |chapter=Drawn (to) independence: female showrunners in contemporary American TV animation |title=Independent Women: From Film to Television |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jj4qEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT117 |location= [[Milton Park]], [[Abingdon-on-Thames]], [[Oxfordshire]], England, UK |publisher=[[Routledge]] |page=117 |isbn=978-1000402582}}</ref>
In March 2017, it was confirmed that characters on [[SuperMansion]] Black Saturn and The Groaner were bisexual, after being seen in relationships with various women and ultimately married to one another in the future. There are allusions to this Will They/Won't They relationship throughout seasons one through three and then canonically hooking up in the Halloween 2017 special 'Drag Me to Halloween'. As Black Saturn and The Groaner are parodies of [[DC Extended Universe|DC]] characters [[Batman]] and [[Joker (character)|the Joker]] respectively, this representation explores this long-held fan pairing.
From December 2017 to July 2018, ''[[Freedom Fighters: The Ray]]'' aired on [[CW Seed]]. The show would feature a gay superhero, [[Ray (Ray Terrill)|Ray]], and his gay friend, [[Black Condor|John]]. In an early episode, Ray would fail to ask a man on a date,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Roots|first1=Kimberly|title=Gay Superhero Show a Go at CW Seed, Arrow-verse Integration Eyed|url=http://tvline.com/2016/08/11/gay-superhero-freedom-fighters-the-ray-cw-seed-arrow/|website=TV Line|access-date=February 3, 2017|date=August 11, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161201080822/http://tvline.com/2016/08/11/gay-superhero-freedom-fighters-the-ray-cw-seed-arrow/|archive-date=December 1, 2016}}</ref> and would struggle in coming out to conservative parents,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Adams|first1=Tim|title=The Ray Battles Nazis in First Trailer For Animated Series|url=http://www.cbr.com/ray-animated-series-cw-trailer-sdcc-comic-con/|website=[[Comic Book Resources|CBR]]|access-date=July 25, 2017|date=July 23, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170729092104/http://www.cbr.com/ray-animated-series-cw-trailer-sdcc-comic-con/|archive-date=July 29, 2017}}</ref> and in a later episode, Jacob would become his lover.
===Young adult animation===
The 2010s saw various [[young adult animation|young adult animated]] series on [[Rooster Teeth]], [[YouTube]], and [[Netflix]].
====Rooster Teeth====
On October 2, 2016, Shannon McCormick, who voiced Agent Washington in ''[[Red vs. Blue]]'', confirmed that Agent Ohio and "Vera" and Sherry were a lesbian couple in the show.<ref>{{cite tweet |last=McCormick |first=Shannon |author-link=Shannon McCormick |user=sadogre |number=782679772572753920 |date=October 2, 2016 |title=in my mind, lesbian. |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=March 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200515013706/https://twitter.com/sadogre/status/782679772572753920 |archive-date=May 15, 2020 |url-status=live}}The whole tweet conversation: @pineappletime: "@sadogre Sherry/Vera new OTP," followed by @sadogre: "duh," and @pineappletime: "is Vera bi/pan or a lesbian? #writerquestions." He responded with "in my mind, lesbian." @pineappletime then asked "what about Sherry? Bi/pan or lesbian?" to which he responded "lesbian, too." @pinappletime ended the thread by saying "*claps gleefully*"</ref>
In a December 2017 [[RWBY]] episode, "Alone Together," Ilia Amitola confessed her feelings for Blake, her former-current-best friend, with Blake the best friend of Yang Xiao Long, her fellow teammate.<ref name="Bruce">{{cite web |last1=Bruce |first1=Amanda |title=RWBY: 5 Best Relationships In The Series (& 5 Worst) |url=https://www.cbr.com/rwby-best-vs-worst-relationships/ |website=[[Comic Book Resources|CBR]] |access-date=June 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819173928/https://www.cbr.com/rwby-best-vs-worst-relationships/ |archive-date=August 19, 2020 |date=June 12, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> Amitola was confirmed as a lesbian in a 2018 [[Reddit]] AMA by Miles Luna, a showrunner.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Luna|first1=Miles|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/RWBY/comments/7x3w4s/crwby_ama_w_miles_luna_kerry_shawcross_and_paula/ |title=CRWBY AMA w/ Miles Luna, Kerry Shawcross, and Paula Decanini |website=[[Reddit]] |date=12 February 2018 |access-date=February 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190516210625/https://www.reddit.com/r/RWBY/comments/7x3w4s/crwby_ama_w_miles_luna_kerry_shawcross_and_paula/|archive-date=May 16, 2019}} See her comment "Ilia is a lesbian!" in response to the question "What does Ilia identify as? Is she a lesbian? Bisexual? Something else?"</ref>
A series on [[Amazon Prime Video]], ''[[Pete the Cat (TV series)|Pete the Cat]]'' featured Syd and Sam, who first appeared in December 2017 in the New Years' special, as Sally Squirrel's fathers.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://epgn.com/2020/02/13/new-kids-lgbtq-inclusive-shows-books-and-music/ |title=New kids' LGBTQ-inclusive shows, books and music |last=Rudolph |first=Dana |date=February 13, 2020 |website=[[Philadelphia Gay News]] |access-date=January 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210124180530/https://epgn.com/2020/02/13/new-kids-lgbtq-inclusive-shows-books-and-music/ |archive-date=January 24, 2021 |url-status=live }}</ref> They are voiced by gay actors [[Jim Parsons]] and [[Jesse Tyler Ferguson]].
In December 2018, the seventh episode of the [[RWBY]]'s Volume 6, premiered. It featured a lesbian couple:Saphron and Terra Cotta-Arc, who have a son named Adrian.<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Jones |first=Lindsey |user=IAmLindsayJones |number=1092454608008556546 |date=February 4, 2019 |title=My friend, I said “certain parts” of the fan base, addressing a vocal minority. And that's my point: Saphron and her wife played such a small part in the show as a whole, so why would these people take their inclusion as the end all of RWBY's writing? |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=August 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814021534/https://twitter.com/IAmLindsayJones/status/1092454608008556546 |archive-date=August 14, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>
''[[Nomad of Nowhere]]'', released from March to September 2018, featured a lesbian protagonist named Skout, who had a crush on Captain Toth, her superior.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Luna |first1=Miles |title=Yup <3 [in response to a question titled "Is Skout a new LGBT character?"] |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/roosterteeth/comments/86lj67/is_skout_a_new_lgbt_character/dw63gy2/ |website=[[Reddit]] |access-date=February 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212034421/https://www.reddit.com/r/roosterteeth/comments/86lj67/is_skout_a_new_lgbt_character/dw63gy2/ |archive-date=February 12, 2020 |date=2019}}</ref> This crush has been officially confirmed.<ref name="drawing">{{cite web |author=<!--Not stated--> |title=Rooster Teeth Drawing Challenge |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDQw4neggoE |website=The Drawfree Channel |publisher=[[YouTube]] |access-date=May 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200503182635/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDQw4neggoE|archive-date=May 3, 2020 |date=March 17, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=War |first1=Hounds of |title=Skout is officially confirmed to have a crush on Toth |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/NomadOfNowhere/comments/87gpzb/skout_is_officially_confirmed_to_have_a_crush_on/ |website=[[Reddit]] |access-date=February 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212033855/https://www.reddit.com/r/NomadOfNowhere/comments/87gpzb/skout_is_officially_confirmed_to_have_a_crush_on/ |archive-date=February 12, 2020 |date=2019}}</ref> In the show, Skout often tries to inspire confidence in her superior, she is often the voice of reason for Toth, who is a rule-oriented and may like Skout too,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kaldor |first1=David |title=Season Review: Nomad of Nowhere Season One |url=https://www.bubbleblabber.com/season-review-nomad-of-nowhere-season-one/ |website=Bubble Blabber |access-date=February 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212034629/https://www.bubbleblabber.com/season-review-nomad-of-nowhere-season-one/ |archive-date=February 12, 2020 |date=2019}}</ref> even though she is occasionally dismissive, causing fissures in their relationship.
[[File:Meet Taylor Mason (Asia Kate Dillon) Billions Season 2.jpg|thumb|Asia Kate Dillon discusses the non-binary gender character Taylor Mason in Season 2 of Showtime cable TV series Billions; they also voiced Val/entina Romanyszyn in the series ''[[gen:LOCK]]'']]
In February 2019, in the fourth episode of ''[[gen:LOCK]]'', Val/entina Romanyszyn reveals they were [[genderfluid]].<ref name="comingsoon2019">{{cite web|url=https://www.comingsoon.net/tv/features/1037899-genlock-season-1-episode-4-recap|title=gen:LOCK Season 1 Episode 4 Recap|last1=Gustanski|first1=Tiffany|date=February 11, 2019|website=[[CraveOnline|ComingSoon]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190225200255/https://www.comingsoon.net/tv/features/1037899-genlock-season-1-episode-4-recap|archive-date=February 25, 2019|access-date=February 25, 2019|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The creators of the show originally approached [[Tatiana Maslany]] to voice the part, because she voiced lesbian and trans characters in ''[[Orphan Black]]''. However, Maslany told them that "trans actors should play trans parts." Due to her decision and encouragement to look for trans actors, leading [[Rooster Teeth]] to bring in [[Asia Kate Dillon]] instead, to voice Val.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/screens/2019-07-10/how-rooster-teeth-built-meaningful-diversity-into-genlock/|title=How Rooster Teeth Built Meaningful Diversity Into gen:LOCK|last1=Whitaker|first1=Richard|date=July 10, 2019|website=[[Austin Chronicle]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711143905/https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/screens/2019-07-10/how-rooster-teeth-built-meaningful-diversity-into-genlock/|archive-date=July 11, 2019|access-date=August 16, 2020|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
====YouTube and independent animations====
In January 2013, Plum, a bisexual character voiced by [[Tara Strong]], would first appear in the animated show, ''[[Bravest Warriors]]'', a show which aired on [[Cartoon Hangover]]'s [[YouTube]] channel. The show was made by ''[[Adventure Time]]'' creator [[Pendleton Ward]] and featuring [[Ian Jones-Quartey]], who voiced the character, Wallow, while he directed his own show, ''[[OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes]]'' which featured multiple LGBTQ+ characters. Although Plum had a crush on Chris, kissing him multiple times during the show, she is also madly in love with her doppelganger as shown in the comics<ref>{{Cite comic|writer=Joey Comeau|story=Shannon Watters, Adam Staffaroni, Kassandra Heller|title='''Catbug is Missing'''| volume= 1|issue=6|date= March 2013|publisher=KaBOOM!|location= 5670 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 450, Los Angeles, CA 90036|page=4|panel=5|id = }}</ref> and kisses Peach in another comic.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Rude|first1=Mey|title=Top 11 Times This Year Pop Culture Reminded Us Kids Are Queer and Trans Too|url=https://www.autostraddle.com/top-11-instances-of-queer-women-representation-in-all-ages-media-319624/|website=[[Autostraddle]]|date=December 14, 2015|access-date=August 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200410172324/https://www.autostraddle.com/top-11-instances-of-queer-women-representation-in-all-ages-media-319624/|archive-date=April 10, 2020}}</ref> Furthermore, on numerous occasions, she has identified as bisexual, confirmed by [[Kate Leth]], who wrote all three volumes of the Bravest Warriors comic, writing "Plum is bi and it's canon and I'm proud of her."<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Leth |first=Kate |author-link=Kate Leth |user=kateleth |number=1189586486259175424 |date=October 30, 2019 |title=Plum is bi and it's canon and I'm proud of her |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=August 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191030170910/https://twitter.com/kateleth/status/1189586486259175424 |archive-date=October 30, 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Wallow, one of the series protagonists, would be described as being loved by aliens, and preferring aliens "over other humans," meaning he could be [[wikt:xenosexual|xenosexual]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bi.org/en/bi-characters/wallow|title=Wallow|website=[[American Institute of Bisexuality|bi.org]]|access-date=May 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210508154831/https://bi.org/en/bi-characters/wallow|archive-date=May 8, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Sims|first=Chris|url=https://comicsalliance.com/pendleton-ward-bravest-warriors-art/|title='Adventure Time' Creator Pendleton Ward's Next Project, 'Bravest Warriors,' Looks Awesome|date=February 8, 2012|website=[[ComicsAlliance]]|access-date=May 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612214841/https://comicsalliance.com/pendleton-ward-bravest-warriors-art/|archive-date=June 12, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/creators-celebrate-catbug-in-bravest-warriors-2014-annual/|title=Creators Celebrate Catbug In "Bravest Warriors 2014 Annual"|website=[[Comic Book Resources|CBR]]|date=December 27, 2013|access-date=May 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125183928/https://www.cbr.com/creators-celebrate-catbug-in-bravest-warriors-2014-annual/|archive-date=January 25, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> In August 2014, [[Breehn Burns]], director of seasons 1 and 2 of ''Bravest Warriors'', said that "Wallow wishes he could love everyone equally," but that in the third season of the show, he "finds out how strong his feelings can be."<ref>{{cite interview |last=Burns |first=Breehn |interviewer=Robert Lloyd |title=Q&A: An interview with 'Bravest Warriors' director Breehn Burns |type= |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=May 30, 2014 |location=Los Angeles |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-breehn-burns-bravest-warriors-interview-20140530-column.html |format= |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204120422/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-breehn-burns-bravest-warriors-interview-20140530-column.html |archive-date=February 4, 2021 |access-date=May 9, 2021}}</ref>
On September 25, 2019, an episode of Nico Colaleo's animated web series, ''Too Loud'', was posted on [[YouTube]]. In the episode, "Slumber Party Sneak-In," Desiree plots with her sister, Sara, to dress up as a girl in order to go to a slumber party. The rest of the girls find this out, the console her, accepting, and deciding they like her no matter whether she is a trans girl named Desiree or as a closeted boy.<ref name="fishers">{{cite web|last1=Fisher|first1=Owl|last2=Fisher|first2=Fox|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/jun/30/it-takes-away-the-stigma-five-of-the-best-cartoons-with-transgender-characters|title='It takes away the stigma': five of the best cartoons with transgender characters|website=[[The Guardian]]|date=June 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210104182314/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/jun/30/it-takes-away-the-stigma-five-of-the-best-cartoons-with-transgender-characters|archive-date=January 4, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> Colaleo later called the episode important, described it as his favorite episode of the show's second season, and a "pro-transgender episode."<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Colaleo |first=Nico |user=NicoColaleo |number=1176935564861267969 |date=September 25, 2019 |title=TOO LOUD SEASON 2 continues with "SLUMBER PARTY"! This is my favorite episode of Season 2 - And a very important one. Our pro-transgender episode. ❤️ Tune in to this thread for production art and BTS! And please RT/Share! #TooLoudCartoon #TooLoudSeason2 |access-date=January 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925192350/https://twitter.com/NicoColaleo/status/1176935564861267969 |archive-date=September 25, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>{{efn|1=He [https://web.archive.org/web/20201202055423/https://twitter.com/NicoColaleo/status/1334012954417664001 later called] this a "pro-trans cartoon."}}
In October 2019, [[Vivienne Medrano|Vivienne "VivziePop" Medrano]] released an animated production with LGBTQ+ characters. The first of these productions was ''[[Hazbin Hotel]]'' which introduced a gay pornstar named Angel Dust, a bisexual character named Charlie, a lesbian character named Vaggie, and an asexual character named Alastor.<ref name="Medrano">{{cite tweet|last=Medrano|first=Vivienne|user=vivziepop|number=1050498176019353601|date=October 11, 2018|title=Angel and Alastor are old men who don't understand anything anymore 👍 I hope everyone on this #NationalComingOutDay2018 stays safe and stays proud 🥰|access-date=December 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200127093437/http://twitter.com/vivziepop/status/1050498176019353601|archive-date=January 27, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="milligan2019">{{Cite web |last1=Millgan |first1=Mercedes |title=News Bytes: 'Sarah & Duck' Quacks Back in US, Check in to 'Hazbin Hotel,' Tellys Get Immersive & More |url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/features/news-bytes-sarah-duck-quacks-back-in-us-check-in-to-hazbin-hotel-tellys-get-immersive-more/ |website=[[Animation Magazine]] |access-date=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200108020837/https://www.animationmagazine.net/features/news-bytes-sarah-duck-quacks-back-in-us-check-in-to-hazbin-hotel-tellys-get-immersive-more/ |archive-date=January 8, 2020 |date=October 30, 2019 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Rupnarine|first1=Nerissa|url=https://www.cbr.com/dr-stone-senku-asexual-anime-representation/|title=Dr. Stone's Senku Could Be Groundbreaking for Asexual Anime Representation|date=July 24, 2020|access-date=November 5, 2020|website=[[Comic Book Resources|CBR]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200916212025/https://www.cbr.com/dr-stone-senku-asexual-anime-representation/|archive-date=September 16, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> On November 25, the pilot episode of ''[[Helluva Boss]]'', set in the same universe as ''[[Hazbin Hotel]]'' was released on [[YouTube]].<ref name="Short">{{Cite web|last=Short|first=Dan|date=December 18, 2020|title=Helluva Boss|url=https://animatedviews.com/2020/helluva-boss/|website=Animated Views|access-date=April 25, 2021|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118103546/https://animatedviews.com/2020/helluva-boss/|archive-date=January 18, 2021}}</ref> The series would begin its first season in October 2020. It would also feature [[Helluva Boss#LGBTQ+ representation|various LGBTQ characters]].
On November 6, 2019, Colaleo, the creator of ''[[Ollie and Scoops]]'' confirmed two of the characters, Molly and Rachael, to be a lesbian couple.<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Colaleo |first=Nico |user=NicoColaleo |number=1192284077031739392 |date=November 6, 2019 |title=Adding production art to this thread! Fun tidbit: Back in Season 1 a bunch of fans liked to ship Rachael and Molly, and I thought it was so cute that I made it canon. Watch them throughout Season 2 - they are totally a couple :) |access-date=January 29, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191107034543/https://twitter.com/NicoColaleo/status/1192284077031739392 |archive-date=November 7, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>{{efn|1=This was in a scene that [https://web.archive.org/web/20210130193547/https://twitter.com/phuijl/status/1192384514695159809 Phui Jing Ling animated].}}
====Netflix====
{{see also|Netflix and LGBT representation in animation#2010s}}
In June 2018, ''[[The Hollow (TV series)|The Hollow]]'', began airing on Netflix, and would continue airing until its end in May 2020. It would feature various LGBTQ characters, who appeared in season 2.
In July 2019, ''[[Twelve Forever]]'' premiered on Netflix. Most prominent was Reggie Abbott, the protagonist. She has a crush on Conelly, a 13-year-old schoolmate with whom she shares the same taste in imagining and creating stories, as shown in the two-part episode, "Locked Out Forever." Due to the show's abrupt ending, [[Shadi Petosky]], one of the executive producers, stated they won't be able to further explore that aspect of the character/relationship.<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Petosky |first=Shadi |author-link=Shadi Petosky |user=shadipetosky |number=1174404144368517121 |date=September 18, 2019 |title=Our Netflix show Twelve Forever has a canon queer pre-teen main character. I am bummed we don't have future seasons to explore it, but we did it, and it's possible. |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=December 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190918200915/https:/twitter.com/shadipetosky/status/1174404144368517121 |archive-date=September 18, 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Also, the show featured Galaxander, a fellow inhabitant of Endless Island, who has an ex-boyfriend,<ref>{{cite tweet |author=Twelve Forever |author-link=Twelve Forever |user=NetflixTwelve |number=1158860738573635584 |date=August 6, 2019 |title=That awkward moment when you come across a picture of your ex... #Galaxander - An immediate fan favorite. #twelveforever #netflix |access-date=August 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814161531/https://twitter.com/NetflixTwelve/status/1158860738573635584 |archive-date=August 14, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> and a male couple, Mack and Beefhouse, who also live on Endless Island.<ref name="Romano">{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/tv/2019/09/06/bravest-knight-lgbtq-kids-programming/|title=How The Bravest Knight is turning the tide for LGBTQ kids programming|last1=Romano|first1=Nick|date=September 6, 2019|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly|EW]]|access-date=February 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200605144635/https://ew.com/tv/2019/09/06/bravest-knight-lgbtq-kids-programming/|archive-date=June 5, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>
On July 12, 2019, an episode of ''[[3Below: Tales of Arcadia]]'', titled "Asteroid Rage," included a lesbian kiss between two characters, Shannon Longhannon and Connie.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Matadeen |first1=Renaldo |title=3Below: Tales of Arcadia Introduces Its First LGBT Character |url=https://www.cbr.com/3below-tales-of-arcadia-lgbt-character/ |website=[[Comic Book Resources|CBR]] |access-date=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190719164634/https://www.cbr.com/3below-tales-of-arcadia-lgbt-character/ |archive-date=July 19, 2019 |date=July 18, 2019 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
==All-ages animation==
The 2010s saw the premiere of [[All-ages animation|all-ages]] animated series on [[Cartoon Network]], [[Nickelodeon]], [[Disney Channel]], [[Discovery Family]], [[Netflix]], and other platforms with LGBTQ characters.
===Cartoon Network===
{{see also|Cartoon Network and LGBT representation#2010s}}
[[File:Rebecca Sugar Speaking at New York Comic Con 2014 - Peter Dzubay (cropped).jpeg|left|thumb|[[Rebecca Sugar]] in 2014; she would first work on ''Adventure Time'' and would later create her own show, ''Steven Universe'']]
On April 5, 2010, ''[[Adventure Time]]'' began airing on [[Cartoon Network]]. The show introduced viewers to two queer characters: [[Marceline the Vampire Queen]] and [[Princess Bubblegum]], with [[Rebecca Sugar]] trying to foster the relationship between these two characters through her work on the show,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Costa |first1=Bo |title=Six Degrees of Rebecca Sugar: The Long Road to Bubbline and Beyond |url=https://www.thefandomentals.com/six-degrees-of-rebecca-sugar-the-long-road-to-bubbline-and-beyond/ |website=The Fandomentals |access-date=April 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412021810/https://www.thefandomentals.com/six-degrees-of-rebecca-sugar-the-long-road-to-bubbline-and-beyond/ |archive-date=April 12, 2020 |date=September 18, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> which also featured one genderfluid character (BMO).<ref name="Week 2012">{{Cite web |author=<!--Not stated--> |title=Character Facts of the Week: BMO from Adventure Time |url=http://www.cartoonnetwork.co.uk/blogs/character-facts-of-the-week-bmo-from-adventure-time |website=[[Cartoon Network (British and Irish TV channel)|Cartoon Network (UK and Ireland)]] |access-date=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729204359/http://www.cartoonnetwork.co.uk/blogs/character-facts-of-the-week-bmo-from-adventure-time |archive-date=July 29, 2013 |date=November 22, 2012 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Sugar would face pushback for years from the [[Cartoon Network Studio]] for having [[Marceline the Vampire Queen]] and [[Princess Bubblegum]] in ''[[Adventure Time]]'' together, as the studio was concerned about "distribution in countries where being gay or lesbian was censored in media and considered a crime."<ref name="insidersnydes" />
In 2011, ''[[Young Justice (TV series)|Young Justice]]'' writer, [[Greg Weisman]], confirmed two LGBTQ+ characters in the series: Marie Logan (lesbian or bisexual) and Kaldur'ahm (polysexual).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Weisman |first1=Greg |title=Question #15649 |url=https://www.s8.org/gargoyles/askgreg/search.php?qid=15649 |website=Ask Greg |access-date=July 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180720162251/https://www.s8.org/gargoyles/askgreg/search.php?qid=15649 |archive-date=July 20, 2018 |date=September 5, 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet |last=Weisman |first=Greg |author-link=Greg_Weisman |user=Greg_Weisman |number=1156264046762450944 |date=July 30, 2019 |title=From Kaldur's POV, he is - at minimum - polysexual, which is not to say that he isn't pansexual, but he's never YET fallen for anyone that didn't/doesn't identify as male or female. He tries not to label. (1 of 2) |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=April 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200515012854/https://twitter.com/Greg_Weisman/status/1156264046762450944 |archive-date=May 15, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> The show aired on [[Cartoon Network]] from 2010 to 2013, on [[DC Universe (streaming service)|DC Universe]] in 2019, and the fourth season will be on [[HBO Max]].
On September 26, 2011, ''Adventure Time'' began hinting at romantic subtext<ref name="nichbrit2011">{{cite web |last1=Nichols |first1=Brittani |title="Adventure Time"'s Animated Lesbian Subtext Is Too Hot for TV' |url=https://www.autostraddle.com/adventure-time-censored-for-exploring-lesbian-subtext-112941/ |website=[[Autostraddle]] |access-date=November 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200505050528/https://www.autostraddle.com/adventure-time-censored-for-exploring-lesbian-subtext-112941/ |archive-date=May 5, 2020 |date=September 30, 2011 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref><!--While there has been some debate about this source in the past, with users JSH-alive claiming it "doesn't fit Wikipedia's RS policy" or Fladrif declaring it is unreliable, as noted [[Wikipedia:Reliable sources/Noticeboard/Archive 145#Was that really notable outside the fandom?|here]] and [[Wikipedia:Reliable sources/Noticeboard/Archive 144#Was that really notable outside the fandom?|here]], it was stated in October 2011 in the [[Wikipedia:Reliable sources/Noticeboard/Archive 106#Sources cited in Adventure Time article|Sources cited in Adventure Time article]] section that "I believe autostraddle to be a decent, reliable and rather well-known source of news," with the other editor at the time agreeing with that belief. This article agrees with that assessment, in line with [[WP:RSPUSE]], which states that "Context matters tremendously when determining the reliability of sources, and their appropriate use on Wikipedia...other content may be merely opinion pieces, which mainly represent the personal views of the author, and depend on the author's personal reliability as a source...Consider also the weight of the claims you are supporting, which should be evaluated alongside the reliability of the sources cited. Mundane, uncontroversial details have the lowest burden of proof, while information related to biomedicine and living persons have the highest." I would say this source fulfills that burden.--> between two characters, Marcy and Bonnie, called "Bubbline" by fans, with the airing of the episode "[[What Was Missing]]".<ref name="Ewart">{{cite web |last1=Ewart |first1=Asia |title=Four cartoons that are leading the way in LGBT visibility |url=https://www.metro.us/entertainment/four-cartoons-that-are-leading-the-way-in-lgbt-visibility/ |website=[[Metro (Philadelphia newspaper)|Metro]] |access-date=April 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160704172142/http://www.metro.us/entertainment/four-cartoons-that-are-leading-the-way-in-lgbt-visibility/zsJogi---ekjB9tKntGMWg |archive-date=July 4, 2016 |date=July 10, 2015 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
In November 2013, ''[[Steven Universe]]'' began airing on [[Cartoon Network]]. The show would focus on a half-alien, half-Gem child named Steven Universe, who is raised by three non-binary space aliens:<ref name="Ewart"/> Pearl, Garnet (a fusion of Ruby and Sapphire), and Amethyst, which are female-presenting, using she/her pronouns, in a non-traditional family,<ref name="Michele">{{cite web |last1=Kirichanskaya |first1=Michele |title=Steven Universe, She-Ra, & Voltron: LGBTQIA+ Successes, Failures, and Hopes for the Future in Children's Animation |url=https://www.themarysue.com/steven-universe-she-ra-voltron-lgbtqia-rep/ |website=[[The Mary Sue]] |access-date=April 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200321095108/https://www.themarysue.com/steven-universe-she-ra-voltron-lgbtqia-rep/ |archive-date=March 21, 2020 |date=February 7, 2020 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> with a Steven's father, Greg, living in a van and running a car wash.
In September 2014, Spencer Rothbell, a writer, head of storywriting, for the show ''[[Clarence (American TV series)|Clarence]]'' said that they had to change a scene in the episode "Neighborhood Grill", which showed two gay characters after pushback from [[Cartoon Network]] executives.<ref name="Milligan 2014b">{{cite journal |author=Milligan, Mercedes |date=September 22, 2014 |url=http://www.animationmagazine.net/events/cartoon-network-plans-surprise-packed-nycc-panel/ |title=Cartoon Network Plans Surprise-Packed NYCC Panel |journal=[[Animation Magazine]] |issn=1041-617X |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006123416/http://www.animationmagazine.net/events/cartoon-network-plans-surprise-packed-nycc-panel/ |archive-date=October 6, 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Yahr |first1=Emily |title=Cartoon Network voice actor says series 'Clarence' had to change a scene with two men kissing |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2014/10/29/cartoon-network-voice-actor-says-series-clarence-had-to-change-a-scene-with-two-men-kissing/ |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |access-date=August 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180927145007/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2014/10/29/cartoon-network-voice-actor-says-series-clarence-had-to-change-a-scene-with-two-men-kissing/ |archive-date=September 27, 2018 |date=October 29, 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Manzella">{{cite web |last1=Manzella |first1=Sam |title=9 Cartoons That Were Censored For Being Too Gay |url=http://www.newnownext.com/gay-cartoons-censored/02/2018/ |website=[[Logo TV|NewNowNext]] |access-date=March 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200318042826/http://www.newnownext.com/gay-cartoons-censored/02/2018/ |archive-date=March 18, 2020 |date=February 27, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
While Rebecca Sugar had received direct notes about LGBTQ characters in her show, ''[[Steven Universe]]'' in previous years, in 2015, the studio executives told her that while she had a choice to make Ruby and Sapphire LGBTQ, some countries might pull back the series and the series itself could be cancelled.<ref name="insidersnydes" />
On January 15, 2015, EJ Randell and Sue Randell were introduced as Jeff's mothers in the ''Clarence'' episode "Jeff Wins."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Barquin|first1=Juan|url=http://www.yam-mag.com/blog/clarence-episode-jeff-wins-has-some-pretty-cool-queer-representation/|title=Clarence Episode "Jeff Wins" Has Some Pretty Cool Queer Representation |publisher=YAM Magazine|date=January 15, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412024225/https://www.yam-mag.com/blog/clarence-episode-jeff-wins-has-some-pretty-cool-queer-representation/|archive-date=April 12, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Ewart" /> In April 2015, a gay fairytale romance story, titled ''Prince Harry'', aimed at younger audiences, was released.<ref>{{cite web |title=Meet Prince Henry: A Gay Fairytale for Children |url=https://www.outofoffice.com/blog/meet-prince-henry-a-gay-fairytale-for-children/ |website=Out of Office |access-date=November 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201110012817/https://www.outofoffice.com/blog/meet-prince-henry-a-gay-fairytale-for-children/ |archive-date=November 10, 2020 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> In the film, Prince Henry's parents invite all the eligible princes and princesses in the land so that Henry may choose one of them to marry. However, Prince Henry is already in love with his servant Thomas. Class issues rather than sexuality prove discriminating factors.
In 2016, Sugar came out as bisexual at [[San Diego Comic-Con]] and started to speak more openly on LGBTQ issues in ''Steven Universe'' and in the industry. She later said she had to come out because it was hard for her to "try and make heteronormative art."<ref name="insidersnydes" /> As a result, Sugar began advocating more for her characters, and first in 2017, ''Steven Universe'' won a [[GLAAD Media Award]].
On August 1, 2017, ''[[OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes]]'' began airing on Cartoon Network. Series creator [[Ian Jones-Quartey]] hinted at LGBTQ characters in an interview with [[Den of Geek]] published a day before the first episode aired, saying those watching it would "be delighted" by the LGBTQ representation in the series.<ref name="watchokko">{{cite web|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/why-steven-universe-fans-need-to-watch-ok-ko/|title=Why Steven Universe Fans Need To Watch OK K.O.!|website=[[Den of Geek]]|date=July 31, 2017|access-date=May 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200405024823/https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/why-steven-universe-fans-need-to-watch-ok-ko/|archive-date=April 5, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> There were LGBTQ characters in the main cast, among supporting characters and other recurring characters. For instance, the series featured two married couples: Lord Boxman and Professor Venomous, two villains, and Joff and Nick Army, two recurring heroes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/when-will-cartoons-feature-gay-male-romances/|title=When Will Cartoons Put Gay Male Romances in the Spotlight?|website=[[Comic Book Resources|CBR]]|date=May 31, 2020|access-date=May 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200627194933/https://www.cbr.com/when-will-cartoons-feature-gay-male-romances/|archive-date=June 27, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> The series was noted as portraying Boxman and Venomous romantically.<ref name="peaste2019" /> They were not the only LGBTQ characters. Enid, a bisexual [[ninja]] and [[witch]],<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Jones |first=Toby |author-link=Toby Jones |user=tobytobyjones |number=1170056117684060160 |date=September 6, 2019 |title=Bi |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=March 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200313185115/https://twitter.com/tobytobyjones/status/1170056117684060160 |archive-date=March 13, 2020 |url-status=live}} In response to the question "Is Enid gay or bi?"</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://lezwatchtv.com/character/enid/|title=Enid|website=LezWatch.TV|access-date=May 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227185204/https://lezwatchtv.com/character/enid/|archive-date=February 27, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> and Red Action, a [[lesbian]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lezwatchtv.com/character/red-action/|title=Red Action|website=LezWatch.TV|access-date=May 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227190414/https://lezwatchtv.com/character/red-action/|archive-date=February 27, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> were recognized by [[GLAAD]] as a couple, and kissed in the episode "''Red Action 3: Grudgement Day''".{{Sfn | GLAAD | 2019 | p = 33}}<ref name="richardson2020" /><ref name="peaste2019" /><ref>{{cite web|last=Cleal|first=Sam|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/sam_cleal/lgbtq-cartoon-characters|title=45 Times Cartoons Absolutely Killed It When It Comes To LGBTQ Representation|website=[[BuzzFeed]]|date=June 17, 2020|access-date=May 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209130842/https://www.buzzfeed.com/sam_cleal/lgbtq-cartoon-characters|archive-date=February 9, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> It was later confirmed that Yellow was possibly Red's ex-girlfriend.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Jones-Quartey|first1=Ian|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSwitch/comments/9tmgdz/hi_im_ian_jonesquartey_creator_of_cartoon/e8xd6lo/ |title=Hi, I'm Ian Jones-Quartey, Creator of Cartoon Network's OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes and OK K.O.! Let's Play Heroes, now on Switch. AMA! |website=[[Reddit]] |date=2 November 2018|access-date=June 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200405030220/https://www.reddit.com/r/NintendoSwitch/comments/9tmgdz/hi_im_ian_jonesquartey_creator_of_cartoon/e8xd6lo/ |archive-date=April 5, 2020}} See his comment "True and True" in response to the question "I remember hearing somewhere on the web that Red Action's VA said she (Red Action) was gay. Is that true? And is Enid really bi? (I know she had a sticker of it on her helmet in one episode)"</ref><ref>{{cite tweet |author=Ian Jones-Quartey|author-link=Ian Jones-Quartey |user=ianjq |number=1170071379619659776 |date=September 6, 2019 |title=Unknown. But here's what we do know(from our character profiles): |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=March 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200313184646/https://twitter.com/ianjq/status/1170071379619659776 |archive-date=March 13, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>
In April 2018, two lesbian characters were confirmed in ''[[Craig of the Creek]]''.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}} In July 2018, ''[[Summer Camp Island]]'' introduced the two fathers of Ghost the Boy.<ref>{{cite web|last=Cleal|first=Sam|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/sam_cleal/lgbtq-cartoon-characters|title=45 Times Cartoons Absolutely Killed It When It Comes To LGBTQ Representation|website=[[BuzzFeed]]|date=June 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200705091123/https://www.buzzfeed.com/sam_cleal/lgbtq-cartoon-characters|archive-date=July 5, 2020|url-status=live|access-date=January 29, 2021}} Sam Cleal is part of the BuzzFeed Staff..</ref> The show also featured Puddle, a non-binary alien who uses they/them pronouns and their husband, Alien King, is the king of their planet.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Pulliam-Moore|first1=Charles|url=https://io9.gizmodo.com/bliss-out-to-10-episodes-of-summer-camp-island-1845571018|title=Bliss Out to 10 Episodes of Summer Camp Island|date=November 5, 2020|website=[[Gizmodo]]|access-date=January 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106050911/https://io9.gizmodo.com/bliss-out-to-10-episodes-of-summer-camp-island-1845571018|archive-date=November 6, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Mufson|first1=Beckett|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/43pwkj/cartoon-network-new-show-summer-camp-island-adventure-time-steven-universe-julia-pott|title=The New Show 'Summer Camp Island' Will Fill the 'Adventure Time'-Shaped Hole in Your Life|date=July 19, 2018|website=[[Vice News|Vice]]|access-date=January 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201222182151/https://www.vice.com/en/article/43pwkj/cartoon-network-new-show-summer-camp-island-adventure-time-steven-universe-julia-pott|archive-date=December 22, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>
In July 2018, ''Steven Universe'' episode, "[[Reunited (Steven Universe)|Reunited]]" aired, becoming the "first gay proposal and wedding episode," and making "kids' animation history."<ref name="insidersnydes" /> The episode was praised for its execution, focus on the show's core themes, and queer representation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/its-time-for-a-joyous-wedding-and-a-tense-family-reunio-1827261187|title=It's time for a joyous wedding and a tense family reunion as ''Steven Universe'' is "Reunited"|first=Eric|last=Thurm|work=The A.V. Club|date=July 6, 2018|accessdate=July 6, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/tv/2018/7/6/17543096/steven-universes-season-5-reunited-ending|title=Steven Universe's 'Reunited' prepares us for the end of the series|first=Palmer|last=Haasch|work=Polygon|date=July 6, 2018|accessdate=March 3, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/tv/2018/7/9/17549458/steven-universe-wedding-queer-love-ruby-sapphire|title=Steven Universe's message of love is emphatically queer|first=Lux|last=Alptraum|work=Polygon|date=July 9, 2018|accessdate=March 3, 2019}}</ref> At the [[71st Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards|2019 Creative Arts Emmy Awards]], the episode was nominated for [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Form Animated Program|Outstanding Short-Format Animated Program]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/shows/steven-universe|title = Steven Universe}}</ref>
On September 3, 2018, the season finale of ''[[Adventure Time]]'', "[[Come Along with Me (Adventure Time)|Come Along With Me]]" aired on [[Cartoon Network]], which confirmed Marcy and Bonnie as a couple, as they kissed in the episode.<ref name="Adegoke">{{cite web |last1=Adegoke |first1=Yomi |title=Move over, Disney! Meet the woman leading the LGBT cartoon revolution |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/oct/01/move-over-disney-meet-rebecca-sugar-the-woman-leading-the-lgbt-cartoon-revolution-steven-universe-adventure-time |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=March 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200307010029/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/oct/01/move-over-disney-meet-rebecca-sugar-the-woman-leading-the-lgbt-cartoon-revolution-steven-universe-adventure-time |archive-date=March 7, 2020 |date=October 1, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> After the episode aired, some would argue that the on-screen confirmation of the same-sex romance showed that the "cartoon landscape has changed during Adventure Time's run,"<ref name="Sava">{{cite web |last1=Sava |first1=Oliver |title=Adventure Time concludes with a celebration of what makes it so special |url=https://tv.avclub.com/adventure-time-concludes-with-a-celebration-of-what-mak-1828785830 |website=[[The A.V. Club]] |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220070929/https://tv.avclub.com/adventure-time-concludes-with-a-celebration-of-what-mak-1828785830 |archive-date=February 20, 2020 |date=September 3, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Some said the episode invited viewers to re-examine the past interactions of Bonnie and Marcy "through a queer lens" while impacting the animation world and TV industry.<ref name="Harris">{{cite web |last1=Harris |first1=Darrell |title=The Changing Representation of LGBTQ Cartoon Characters |url=https://csusaber.com/opinion/the-changing-representation-of-lgbtq-cartoon-characters/ |website=The Saber |publisher=[[Columbus State University]] |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327045352/https://csusaber.com/opinion/the-changing-representation-of-lgbtq-cartoon-characters/ |archive-date=March 27, 2020 |date=November 12, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> One reviewer, Mey Rude of ''.them'', argued that without the show, there would be no ''Steven Universe'', ''Clarence'', ''Summer Camp Island'', or ''Rick and Morty''.<ref name="Rude2018">{{cite web |last1=Rude |first1=Mey |title=Bubbline Is CANON: 7 Gayest Moments From Adventure Time's Cutest Relationship |url=https://www.them.us/story/bubbline-is-canon-adventure-time |website=[[Them (website)|THEM]] |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115180337/https://www.them.us/story/bubbline-is-canon-adventure-time |archive-date=November 15, 2019 |date=September 3, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Others praised the kiss between Marceline and Bubblegum, calling it "historic" and saying the finale was "more than [[queerbaiting]]" but rather a "true romantic relationship."<ref name="queernessshines"/><ref name="NBCUniversal">{{cite web |last1=Fleener |first1=S.E. |title=The Awesome and Unexpected Queering of Adventure Time |url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/the-awesome-and-unexpected-queering-of-adventure-time |website=[[Syfy]] |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190617202815/https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/the-awesome-and-unexpected-queering-of-adventure-time |archive-date=June 17, 2019 |date=June 17, 2019 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
In December 2018, a writer for ''[[Transformers: Cyberverse]]'' confirmed that a character named Acid Storm was [[genderqueer]], saying they like to switch between male and female genders.<ref name="Catt">{{cite tweet|last=Catt|first=Mae|user=MaeCatt|number=1076200426586877952|date=December 21, 2018|title=That's just something Acid Storm likes to do. #Cyberverse #AcidStorm |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=May 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200208084437/https://twitter.com/MaeCatt/status/1076200426586877952 |archive-date=February 8, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>
On April 27, 2019, the creator of ''[[The Amazing World of Gumball]]'', [[Ben Bocquelet]], said that Gumball "loves whoever he loves" in response to someone asking about the character's sexuality, implying that Gumball could either be bisexual or pansexual.<ref>{{cite tweet|last=Bocquelet|first=Ben|author-link=Ben Bocquelet|user=benbocquelet|number=1122226256978771968|date=April 27, 2019|title=I think I like Darwin the most if it was a Sophie's Choice kinda situation. And also, Gumball love whoever he loves, I love him anyway|access-date=May 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217154942/https://twitter.com/glamdoodle/status/1206695768930668544|archive-date=December 17, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
In July 2019, ''[[Young Justice (TV series)|Young Justice]]'' introduced Wyynde, a gay character<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Weisman |first=Greg |author-link=Greg_Weisman |user=Greg_Weisman |number=1156264882708176896 |date=July 30, 2019 |title=(2 of 3) To date, Kaldur has only ever been truly in love twice: with Tula and with Wyynde. He's dated other people, including Rocket. But he's only ever been in love the two times. So he's not defining his sexuality beyond the fact of these two people. |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=March 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200314142919/https://twitter.com/Greg_Weisman/status/1156264882708176896 |archive-date=March 14, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Harper Row]], a bisexual friend to [[Halo (DC Comics)|Violet Harper]] and [[Forager (comics)|Fred Bugg]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wyatt |first1=Cat |title=10 Bi Superheroes Marvel & DC Fans Forget Exist |url=https://screenrant.com/marvel-dc-comics-bisexual-superheroes-fans-forgot/ |publisher=[[ScreenRant]] |access-date=August 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609185751/https://screenrant.com/marvel-dc-comics-bisexual-superheroes-fans-forgot/ |archive-date=June 9, 2020 |date=May 27, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Adams |first1=Tim |title=Young Justice: A Hero Gets a Death Sentence - and a Possible Girlfriend |url=https://www.cbr.com/young-justice-outsiders-halo-dying-harper-row-girlfriend/ |publisher=[[Comic Book Resources|CBR]] |access-date=August 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717005232/https://www.cbr.com/young-justice-outsiders-halo-dying-harper-row-girlfriend/ |archive-date=July 17, 2019 |date=July 16, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Finley |first1=Sean |title=Batman's Sidekick BLUEBIRD is Returning To DC Comics |url=https://screenrant.com/batman-bluebird-harper-row-return/ |publisher=[[ScreenRant]] |access-date=August 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724093052/https://screenrant.com/batman-bluebird-harper-row-return/ |archive-date=July 24, 2020 |date=July 23, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Morrison |first1=Matt |title=Arrowverse's New Batwoman: Ryan Wilder Explained |url=https://screenrant.com/arrowverse-new-batwoman-ryan-wilder-comics-explained/ |publisher=[[ScreenRant]] |access-date=August 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200709133702/https://screenrant.com/arrowverse-new-batwoman-ryan-wilder-comics-explained/ |archive-date=July 9, 2020 |date=July 9, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[file:Ian Jones-Quartey at Comic Con 2014.png|thumb|Ian Jones-Quartey at a Comic-Con panel on April 15, 2014]]
On August 8, 2019, Jones-Quartey confirmed that ''OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes'' had been cancelled by [[Cartoon Network]], but would still air a final episode.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nerdbot.com/2019/08/09/ok-ko-lets-be-heroes-is-ending-creator-says-it-wasnt-his-decision/|title= OK KO! Let's Be Heroes is Ending Creator Says it Wasn't His Decision|website=Nerdbot|date=August 8, 2019|access-date=May 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301164746/https://nerdbot.com/2019/08/09/ok-ko-lets-be-heroes-is-ending-creator-says-it-wasnt-his-decision/|archive-date=March 1, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Pulliam-Moore|first=Charles|url=https://io9.gizmodo.com/ok-k-o-lets-be-heroes-has-been-cancelled-1837078836|title=OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes Has Been Cancelled|website=[[Gizmodo]]|date=August 8, 2019|access-date=May 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210323085829/https://io9.gizmodo.com/ok-k-o-lets-be-heroes-has-been-cancelled-1837078836|archive-date=March 23, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>
On September 6, 2019, the series finale, "Thank You for Watching the Show," of ''OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes'' aired. It included a [[same-sex marriage|same-sex]] [[wedding]] between Joff and Army in the series finale "Thank You for Watching the Show" on September 6, 2019.<ref name="peaste2019">{{cite web |last=Pearce |first=Steven |title=OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes |url=http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/ok_k_o_lets_be_heroes |magazine=[[The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction]] |access-date=August 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190508083552/http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/ok_k_o_lets_be_heroes |archive-date=May 8, 2019 |date=September 17, 2019 |url-status=live}} SP in the entry [http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/contributors stands for Steven Pearce]</ref><ref name="richardson2020">{{cite web|last=Richardson|first=Jack|url=https://impactnottingham.com/2020/09/lgbtq-representation-in-childrens-animation-an-ongoing-battle-part-2-5/|title= LGBTQ+ Representation In Children's Animation: An Ongoing Battle – Part 2/5|date=September 11, 2020|access-date=May 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201105153853/https://impactnottingham.com/2020/09/lgbtq-representation-in-childrens-animation-an-ongoing-battle-part-2-5/|archive-date=November 5, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> Before the episode aired, Jones-Quartey confirmed Army and Joff as a canon gay couple<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Jones-Quartey |first=Ian |author-link=Ian Jones-Quartey |user=ianjq |number=1167515175018123264 |date=August 30, 2019 |title=After several years of dating Joff and Nick live together. Surprisingly, Joff is kind of a slob and Nick doesn't mind cleaning up after him. |access-date=December 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200513202304/https://twitter.com/ianjq/status/1167515175018123264 |archive-date=May 13, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> and Gregg, a minor character, as non-binary,<ref name="IJQ">{{cite tweet|first=Ian|last=Jones-Quartey|author-link=Ian Jones-Quartey|user=ianjq|number=1167557619248091136|date=August 30, 2019|title=Gregg is NB for sure|website=[[Twitter]]|access-date=March 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200513205758/https://twitter.com/ianjq/status/1167557619248091136 |archive-date=May 13, 2020|url-status=live}} The question asked was: "Are Bobo and Gregg nonbinary?" While Bobo's gender identity is not outright confirmed, they are implied that they are not male nor female and uses they/them pronouns.</ref> while Bobo was implied to be [[agender]].
On the day of the series finale, Jones-Quartey confirmed Venomous as bisexual, but not non-binary,<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Jones-Quartey |first=Ian |author-link=Ian Jones-Quartey |user=ianjq |number=1170056007386419202 |date=September 6, 2019 |title=yes|access-date=December 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20191224230911/https://twitter.com/ianjq/status/1170056007386419202 |archive-date=December 24, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet |last=Jones-Quartey |first=Ian |author-link=Ian Jones-Quartey |user=ianjq |number=1170054601564835841 |date=September 6, 2019 |title=its possible we would have gone there as part of another Fink episode. PV is bi, but we never particularly made him NB. |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=December 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200313190631/https://twitter.com/ianjq/status/1170054601564835841 |archive-date=March 13, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> and said that The Hue Troop, which Red was once part of, are all LGBTQ characters.<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Jones-Quartey |first=Ian |author-link=Ian Jones-Quartey |user=ianjq |number=1170054953953415168 |date=September 6, 2019 |title=the entire Hue Troop |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=December 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200513211603/https://twitter.com/ianjq/status/1170054953953415168 |archive-date=May 13, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> The same day, Toby Jones, one of the supervising directors, confirmed Radicles "Rad" as [[genderfluid]]<ref>{{cite tweet|first=Toby|last=Jones|author-link=Toby Jones|user=tobytobyjones|number=1170062924146040832|date=September 6, 2019|title=Rad is pretty fluid and I think he understands that about himself|website=[[Twitter]]|access-date=March 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190921182355/http://twitter.com/tobytobyjones/status/1170062924146040832 |archive-date=September 21, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> and called Enid and Red a "committed couple," with Jones-Quartey saying the relationship developed "very naturally."<ref>{{cite tweet |author=Toby Jones|author-link=Toby Jones |user=tobytobyjones |number=1170054317035798531 |date=September 6, 2019 |title=Their first date was "Back in Red Action", they were dating casually for a while and became a more committed couple somewhere around "Red Action 2 the Future" |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=March 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200313181750/https://twitter.com/tobytobyjones/status/1170054317035798531 |archive-date=March 13, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet |author=Ian Jones-Quartey|author-link=Ian Jones-Quartey |user=ianjq |number=1170080826316345344 |date=September 6, 2019 |title=it happened very naturally. their first date was in "Back in Red Action" boarded by @miraongchua and @parkerrsimmons|access-date=March 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200313184020/https://twitter.com/ianjq/status/1170080826316345344 |archive-date=March 13, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> Some reviewers noted that Enid has possible romantic feelings toward Elodie.<ref>{{cite web|first=Sinclair|last=August|title=The Struggle to Get Queer Content in Cartoons|url=https://vrvblog.co/august/4071/the-struggle-to-get-queer-content-in-cartoons/|website=[[VRV]] blog|access-date=August 14, 2020|date=November 15, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200814125524/https://vrvblog.co/august/4071/the-struggle-to-get-queer-content-in-cartoons/|archive-date=August 14, 2020}}</ref>
Following the airing of the series finale, Jones-Quartey confirmed that Boxman was pansexual,<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Jones-Quartey |first=Ian |author-link=Ian Jones-Quartey |user=ianjq |number=1159996905692098560 |date=August 9, 2019 |title=nah he's pan |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=December 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20191224231151/https://twitter.com/ianjq/status/1159996905692098560 |archive-date=December 24, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> In October 2020, [[Ian Jones-Quartey]] confirmed that Professor Venomous and Lord Boxman of ''OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes'' were married at the end of the series.<ref>{{cite tweet |last1=Jones-Quartey |first1=Ian |author-link=Ian Jones-Quartey |user=ianjq |number=1316155169776701440 |date=October 13, 2020 |title=eh no, its canon and they got married (img by @killapede) |access-date=October 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201014032220/https://twitter.com/ianjq/status/1316155169776701440 |archive-date=October 14, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>{{efn|Also, on September 6, 2019, [https://web.archive.org/web/20190921182346/http://twitter.com/ianjq/status/1170068771664326656 Jones-Quartey] and Toby Jones [https://web.archive.org/web/20190921175314/http://twitter.com/tobytobyjones/status/1170055290550505473 confirmed] that Boxman and Venomous were a romantic couple.}} He further stated that Red Action and Enid, in the same episode, "run a dojo together and kiss."<ref>{{cite tweet |last1=Jones-Quartey |first1=Ian |author-link=Ian Jones-Quartey |user=ianjq |number=1316173413388435456 |date=October 13, 2020 |title=they run a dojo together and kiss |access-date=October 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201014032449/https://twitter.com/ianjq/status/1316173413388435456 |archive-date=October 14, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> The series was later recognized by [[Philadelphia Gay News]] and [[Out (magazine)|Out]] for its LGBTQ representation.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rudolph|first=Dana|url=https://epgn.com/2020/03/04/needing-more-than-a-moment-lgbtq-representation-in-childrens-media/|title=Needing More Than a Moment: LGBTQ Representation in Children's Media|website=[[Philadelphia Gay News]]|date=March 4, 2020|access-date=May 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200512042623/https://epgn.com/2020/03/04/needing-more-than-a-moment-lgbtq-representation-in-childrens-media/|archive-date=May 12, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Rude|first=Mey|url=https://www.out.com/television/2019/11/12/where-are-all-gays-disney|title=Where Are All the Gays on Disney+?|date=November 12, 2019|website=[[Out (magazine)|Out]]|access-date=May 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210211062521/https://www.out.com/television/2019/11/12/where-are-all-gays-disney|archive-date=February 11, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>
In December 2019, the limited epilogue series, ''[[Steven Universe Future]]'' began airing on [[Cartoon Network]]. The series included a one-time non-binary character named Shep (voiced by [[Indya Moore]]), the romantic interest of [[List of Steven Universe characters#Lars and Sadie|Sadie]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kelley |first1=Shamus |title=Steven Universe Future Episode 9 Review: Little Graduation|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/steven-universe-future-episode-9-review-little-graduation/ |website=[[Den of Geek]] |access-date=April 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200422024242/https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/steven-universe-future-episode-9-review-little-graduation/ |archive-date=April 22, 2020 |date=December 19, 2019 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> The same month, ''Craig of the Creek'' confirmed they had a non-binary character named Angel.<ref>{{cite tweet|last=Lorenzana|first=Angel|user=glamdoodle|number=1206695768930668544|date=December 16, 2019|title=Wasn't sure whether to speak on this until it aired on TV but yeah! Hi, hello, that's me! I voiced..myself? I'm agender (they/them) and my creeksona is Literally Me so I want it to be clear that they are too, lol|access-date=May 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217154942/https://twitter.com/glamdoodle/status/1206695768930668544|archive-date=December 17, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Sugar would later talk about the end of ''Steven Universe'' in an interview in March 2020.<ref name="Baron2020">{{cite web |last1=Baron |first1=Reuben |title=It's Over, Isn't It?: Rebecca Sugar on the End of Steven Universe |url=https://www.cbr.com/rebecca-sugar-interview-on-the-end-of-steven-universe/ |website=[[Comic Book Resources|CBR]] |access-date=April 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200329181307/https://www.cbr.com/rebecca-sugar-interview-on-the-end-of-steven-universe/ |archive-date=March 29, 2020 |date=March 27, 2020 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
===Nickelodeon===
On December 19, 2014, ''[[The Legend of Korra]]'', a [[Nickelodeon]] show, aired their season finale, which showed [[Korra]] and [[Asami Sato|Asami]] holding hands,<ref name="konbry2014">{{cite web |last1=Konietzko |first1=Bryan |title=Korrasami is canon. |url=https://bryankonietzko.tumblr.com/post/105916338157/korrasami-is-canon-you-can-celebrate-it-embrace |website=[[Tumblr]] |access-date=April 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200208061839/https://bryankonietzko.tumblr.com/post/105916338157/korrasami-is-canon-you-can-celebrate-it-embrace |archive-date=February 8, 2020 |date=December 22, 2014 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> showing they are in a relationship.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Chirdo |first1=Maggie |title=Feeling Sapphic: How Velma Shaped Lesbian Culture |url=https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/scooby-doo-velma-influenced-lesbian-culture |website=[[Bitch (magazine)|Bitch]] |access-date=September 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210914234648/https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/scooby-doo-velma-influenced-lesbian-culture |archive-date=September 14, 2021 |date=July 21, 2020 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref name="Mak">{{cite web |last1=Mak |first1=Philip |title=Five family-friendly LGBTQ animated series for Pride Month |url=https://blog.toonboom.com/lgbtq-family-friendly-animated-series-pride-month |website=Toon Boom |access-date=March 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713120757/https://blog.toonboom.com/lgbtq-family-friendly-animated-series-pride-month |archive-date=July 13, 2019 |date=March 26, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> As such, the show became one of the first western children's animation series to not only feature major LGBT characters, but also a lead LGBT character.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Robinson|first1=Joanna|title=How a Nickelodeon Cartoon Became One of the Most Powerful, Subversive Shows of 2014|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/vf-hollywood/2014/12/korra-series-finale-recap-gay-asami|access-date=19 December 2014|work=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]|date=19 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150712194716/http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2014/12/korra-series-finale-recap-gay-asami|archive-date=July 12, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=IGN Staff|title=THE LEGEND OF KORRA: IGN EDITORS REACT TO THE ENDING AND KORRASAMI|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/12/24/the-legend-of-korra-ign-editors-react-to-the-ending-and-korrasami|access-date=25 December 2014|work=[[IGN]]|date=24 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328132502/https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/12/24/the-legend-of-korra-ign-editors-react-to-the-ending-and-korrasami|archive-date=March 28, 2019}}</ref> One of the show creators, [[Michael Dante DiMartino]] confirmed Korra and Asami as having romantic feeling together, while the other show creator [[Bryan Konietzko]] said he was "very proud' of the ending, and that while he loved "how their relationship arc took its time," there was a limit to how much they could go with in the show. He also hoped that the show would move LGBTQ representation forward.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ehrhardt|first=Michelle|url=https://www.out.com/popnography/2014/12/23/understanding-legend-korras-queer-ending|title=Understanding Korra's Queer Ending|website=[[Out (magazine)|Out]]|date=December 23, 2014|access-date=September 28, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210810080437/https://www.out.com/popnography/2014/12/23/understanding-legend-korras-queer-ending|archive-date=August 10, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>
In the aftermath of series finale, which aired on Nickelodeon and [[Nick.com]], there were debates about "queer representation in children's media."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kang |first1=Aiyi |title=The effect of LGBT characters in our generation |url=https://sundial.csun.edu/88642/cultureclash-lifestyle/the-effect-of-lgbt-characters-in-our-generation/ |website=The Sundial |publisher=California State University Northridge |access-date=April 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200318042829/https://sundial.csun.edu/88642/cultureclash-lifestyle/the-effect-of-lgbt-characters-in-our-generation/ |archive-date=March 18, 2020 |date=March 4, 2015 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Some noted that while the relationship between two bisexual characters, Korra and Asami, was built up during the course of the series, the words "I love you" were never uttered, nor did the characters kiss.<ref name="RudeSU">{{cite web |last1=Rude |first1=Mey Valdivia |title="Steven Universe" and the Importance of All-Ages Queer Representation |url=https://www.autostraddle.com/steven-universe-and-the-importance-of-all-ages-queer-representation-281482/ |website=[[Autostraddle]]|access-date=April 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200408231750/https://www.autostraddle.com/steven-universe-and-the-importance-of-all-ages-queer-representation-281482/ |archive-date=April 8, 2020 |date=March 13, 2015 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Similarly, Kya of ''[[The Legend of Korra]]'' was shown to be lesbian in the graphic novel following the series finale.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=B |first1=Laura |title=Korra and Asami Are Getting Bi: Turf Wars Part 1 Review |url=http://thegeekiary.com/turf-wars-part-1-review/45424 |website=The Geekiary |access-date=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125162656/http://thegeekiary.com/turf-wars-part-1-review/45424 |archive-date=January 25, 2019 |date=August 15, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Some reviewers described the episode "a romantic ending for...a canon couple made up of two bisexual women": Korra and Asami, but criticized that while a kiss was implied, it was "not allowed on screen by Nickelodeon."<ref name="queernessshines"/>
On June 2, 2015, gay [[drag queen]] [[RuPaul]] guest starred as a snail in the episode "Costume Boxing!" of the series ''[[Bubble Guppies]]''.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last1=Rose Falcone |first1=Dana |title=RuPaul will voice a snail on Nickelodeon's 'Bubble Guppies' |url=https://ew.com/article/2015/06/01/rupaul-will-voice-snail-nickelodeons-bubble-guppies/ |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |access-date=August 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180226232224/https://ew.com/article/2015/06/01/rupaul-will-voice-snail-nickelodeons-bubble-guppies/ |archive-date=February 26, 2018 |date=July 1, 2015 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
Nickelodeon's ''[[Hey Arnold!]]'' was confirmed to have two gay characters in July 2016. [[Eugene Horowitz]] and Mr. Robert Simmons were confirmed as gay by the show's creator [[Craig Bartlett]], but not explicitly stated in the series.<ref name="heyarnold">{{cite web|last1=Flaherty|first1=Keely|title=At Long Last, We Know Arnold's Full Name On "Hey Arnold"|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/keelyflaherty/all-of-your-hey-arnold-questions-have-been-answered|website=BuzzFeed|date=26 July 2016 |access-date=18 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531103515/https://www.buzzfeed.com/keelyflaherty/all-of-your-hey-arnold-questions-have-been-answered|archive-date=May 31, 2019}}</ref>
On July 20, 2016, an interracial gay couple, [[Howard and Harold McBride]], was introduced in an episode of ''[[The Loud House]]'' titled "Overnight Success."<ref name="Romano2018">{{cite magazine |last1=Romano |first1=Nick |title=From Steven Universe to Voltron: The fight to bring LGBTQ characters to kids' shows |url=https://ew.com/tv/2018/08/22/steven-universe-voltron-kids-cartoons-lgbtq-characters/ |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |access-date=April 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190707040532/https://ew.com/tv/2018/08/22/steven-universe-voltron-kids-cartoons-lgbtq-characters/ |archive-date=July 7, 2019 |date=August 22, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> This couple was described by Michael Rubiner, executive producer of the show from 2018 to present, as only natural.<ref name="Romano2018" /> Even so, the latter was censored by a South African broadcaster, DStv,<ref name="Manzella" /> despite the fact that it was met with "overwhelmingly positive reaction."<ref name="Roshanian">{{cite web |last1=Roshanian |first1=Arya |title=Nickelodeon's 'Loud House' to Feature Married Gay Couple |url=https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/loud-house-gay-couple-nickelodeon-1201816592/ |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |access-date=October 27, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180712203651/https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/loud-house-gay-couple-nickelodeon-1201816592/ |archive-date=July 12, 2018 |date=July 18, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> They would be the first pair of married male characters to be depicted on a Nickelodeon series.<ref name="Roshanian" /><ref name="pinknews2016">{{cite web|url=http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2016/07/18/nickelodeon-makes-history-with-its-first-cartoon-gay-married-couple/ |title=Nickelodeon 'makes history' with its first cartoon gay married couple |publisher=[[PinkNews]] |date=July 18, 2016 |access-date=July 18, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200214121309/http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2016/07/18/nickelodeon-makes-history-with-its-first-cartoon-gay-married-couple/|archive-date=February 14, 2020}}</ref>{{Sfn | GLAAD | 2018 | p = 31}}
In the September 2017 ''Loud House'' episode "L is for Love," [[List of The Loud House and The Casagrandes characters#Luna Loud|Luna Loud]] would be revealed as a bisexual girl who sent a love letter to a girl named Sam Sharp.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Anne |first1=Valerie |title=I Have a Lesbian Crush on This "Loud House" Storyline About Girls Having Crushes on Girls |url=https://www.autostraddle.com/i-have-a-lesbian-crush-on-this-loud-house-storyline-about-girls-having-crushes-on-girls-383008/ |website=[[Autostraddle]] |access-date=July 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200104020312/https://www.autostraddle.com/i-have-a-lesbian-crush-on-this-loud-house-storyline-about-girls-having-crushes-on-girls-383008/ |archive-date=January 4, 2020 |date=June 16, 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Jewel Queen |title=We Need to Raise the Bar for LGBTQ+ Representation in Animated Shows |url=https://www.themarysue.com/raise-bar-for-lgbtq-representation-in-animation/ |website=[[The Mary Sue]] |access-date=July 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200422062912/https://www.themarysue.com/raise-bar-for-lgbtq-representation-in-animation/ |archive-date=April 22, 2020 |date=March 6, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>{{Sfn | GLAAD | 2018 | p = 31}} Later on, Sam seems to feel similarly about Luna and appears to reciprocate Luna's feelings in that episode and others, with Lori describing them as beginning to date in the episode "Racing Hearts," though neither character calls their excursion a date throughout the episode.{{Sfn | GLAAD | 2019 | p = 33}}<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jurado |first1=Peter |title=The Loud House VS Heteronormativity |url=https://comicsverse.com/the-loud-house-vs-heteronormativity/ |website=ComicsVerse |access-date=July 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180910200734/https://comicsverse.com/the-loud-house-vs-heteronormativity/ |archive-date=September 10, 2018 |date=June 24, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>{{Sfn | GLAAD | 2019 | p = 33}}
In October 2017 it was reported that a kiss between two female characters, Zarya Moonwolf and Kitty Boon, on the Nickelodeon show, ''[[Mysticons]]'', was in danger of being cut.<ref>{{cite web|first=Dylan|last=Hysen|title=Kiss Between Two Female Characters in "Mysticons" Might be Cut|url=http://www.overlyanimated.com/2017/10/23/kiss-between-two-female-characters-in-mysticons-might-be-cut/|website=Overly Animated|access-date=January 28, 2020|date=October 23, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200128170544/http://www.overlyanimated.com/2017/10/23/kiss-between-two-female-characters-in-mysticons-might-be-cut/|archive-date=January 28, 2020}}</ref> Despite this, the show showed the "development of a female-female romance," between Zarya, a main character, and her childhood friend, Kitty, known as "MoonBoon," culminating in romantic moments.<ref>{{cite web|first=Dylan|last=Hysen|title=10 Reasons to Drop Everything and Catch Up on "Mysticons"|url=http://www.overlyanimated.com/2017/11/01/10-reasons-to-drop-everything-and-catch-up-on-mysticons/|website=Overly Animated|access-date=August 24, 2020|date=November 1, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200221121217/http://www.overlyanimated.com/2017/11/01/10-reasons-to-drop-everything-and-catch-up-on-mysticons/|archive-date=February 21, 2020}}</ref>
In August 2018, the show's creator, Sean Jara, confirmed the two as a couple, noting that only one version of the episode was created and that the show's creative team fought for a kiss, but lost even though they managed "to keep the integrity of the love story."<ref name="SeanJaraTweets">{{cite web|author=<!--Not stated-->|title="MoonBoon" confirmed by Mysticons creator Sean Jara in August 2018|url=https://twitter.com/i/events/1258865711717507072|website=[[Twitter]]|access-date=May 8, 2020|date=May 8, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729154134/https://twitter.com/i/events/1258865711717507072|archive-date=July 29, 2020}} This consists of the tweet stream by Sean Jara, which seemed better to use than citing every individual tweet.</ref> In later tweets, Jara said there is a "beautiful love story" between Zarya and Kitty in the show, referring to the interactions between the two characters in episode 37 ("The Princess and the Pirate"), stated the importance of showing "love between LGBTQ characters on TV," and said that the kiss was cut from the episode because of "systemic homophobia" in the kids television industry, crediting [[Rebecca Sugar]] for making strides.<ref name="SeanJaraTweets" /> He then opined on the continual battle for more LGBTQ representation, cited an [[Entertainment Weekly]] article about LGBTQ representation in cartoons,{{efn|Specifically an article titled "From Steven Universe to Voltron: The fight to bring LGBTQ characters to kids' shows" by Nick Romano.}} and praised the battles for more representation which go on behind the scenes. He said this saying that Nick did not pick up the show for more than 40 episodes<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Jara |first=Sean |user=NovaTerron |number=1032997223301140480 |date=August 24, 2018 |title=Sadly no. We would have loved to continue the adventure, but Nick didn't pick us up for more than 40, so our epic journey will come to an end very soon. We're proud of our show, though, and I look forward to the day when a young kid who watched this grows up and reboots it. |access-date=August 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501023729/https://twitter.com/NovaTerron/status/1032997223301140480 |archive-date=May 1, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> and, once again, confirmed Kitty and Zarya as a lesbian couple.<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Jara |first=Sean |user=NovaTerron |number=1039857276553555968 |date=September 11, 2018 |title=Yes |access-date=August 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200824134218/https://twitter.com/NovaTerron/status/1039857276553555968 |archive-date=August 24, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> In September, Jara said that they treated the Kitty and Zarya relationship "like all the other relationships in the show."<ref>{{cite web|first=Beatriz|last=Mourad|title=Sean Jara & Matt Ferguson Interview – Mysticons|url=http://www.overlyanimated.com/2018/09/26/sean-jara-matt-ferguson-interview-mysticons/|website=Overly Animated|access-date=August 24, 2020|date=September 26, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200122155239/http://www.overlyanimated.com/2018/09/26/sean-jara-matt-ferguson-interview-mysticons/|archive-date=January 22, 2020}}</ref> He added that while he was nervous and aware of possible roadblocks, Matt Ferguson, the show's director, supported it, as did his writing team, with Ferguson adding that pushback came from not from people who were "evil" but rather from those who were "trying to do the best job at their particular job."
Abbey White of [[Insider (website)|Insider]] reported that when the show's studio changed the series to center on four teenage girls, Jara brought in more women and queer writers to the show's writing team, who were "responsible for building out an arc between lesbian characters Zarya Moonwolf and Kitty Boon," which fans gave the shipping name of "MoonBoon."<ref name="whiabb2021">{{cite web|last=White|first=Abbey|url=https://www.insider.com/why-tv-lacks-lgbtq-inclusion-according-to-experts-2021-6|title=TV animators were forced to scrap LGBTQ-inclusive storylines due to a culture of fear. Experts say fans are changing that.|website=[[Insider (website)|Insider]]|date=June 15, 2021|access-date=June 16, 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210616194517/https://www.insider.com/why-tv-lacks-lgbtq-inclusion-according-to-experts-2021-6|archive-date=June 16, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> Jara recalled that he sent in the script for a kiss of the two character to the show's studios, and Nickeleodon, and fellow producers working on the show, but the moment never aired, despite support from Nickeledon, because a partner was concerned that the storyline was not "age-appropriate" for young viewers. As a result, despite Jara's attempts to convince the partner, the creative team had to scrap the kiss, and almost had to unravel the whole love story between Zarya and Kitty, but Jara fought for that to be included. In the article, Nelvana confirmed in a statement that the decision to remove the kiss made during production of the show's Season Two, and said that they are committed to having "creative storytelling with diversity and inclusion at the forefront" when it comes to [[BIPOC]] and [[LGBTQ]] representation.
In September 2019, the animated [[miniseries]] ''[[Middle School Moguls]]'' began airing on [[Nickelodeon]]. One of the characters was a non-binary fashion mogul named Wren.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Darwish |first1=Meaghan |title=First Look at Jane Lynch & Tim Gunn's 'Middle School Moguls' Characters (PHOTOS) |url=https://www.tvinsider.com/gallery/middle-school-moguls-nickelodeon-jane-lynch-tim-gunn-characters/ |website=[[TV Guide#TV Insider]] |access-date=May 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190826154054/https://www.tvinsider.com/gallery/middle-school-moguls-nickelodeon-jane-lynch-tim-gunn-characters/ |archive-date=August 26, 2019 |date=October 30, 2019 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> One character, Yuna, in the main cast, had two moms, who appeared in two episodes as secondary characters who give Yuna moral support, giving her the inspiration to finish her fashion designs.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.presstelegram.com/2019/09/13/local-sisters-new-nickelodeon-show-aims-to-shape-young-entrepreneurs/ |title= Local sisters' new Nickelodeon show aims to shape young entrepreneurs |last=Schuster |first=Kat |date=September 13, 2019 |website=Press Telegram |access-date=January 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191010150004/https://www.presstelegram.com/2019/09/13/local-sisters-new-nickelodeon-show-aims-to-shape-young-entrepreneurs/ |archive-date=October 10, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>
===Disney===
On February 15, 2016, series finale of ''[[Gravity Falls]]'', aired on the [[Disney Channel]] featured Sheriff Blubs and Deputy Durland confirmed as a gay couple.<ref name="Blade">{{Cite web |last1=Cooper |first1=Mariah |title=Disney cartoon 'Gravity Falls' introduces gay couple |url=http://www.washingtonblade.com/2016/02/18/disney-cartoon-gravity-falls-introduces-gay-couple/ |website=[[Washington Blade]] |access-date=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181020063618/http://www.washingtonblade.com/2016/02/18/disney-cartoon-gravity-falls-introduces-gay-couple/ |archive-date=October 20, 2018 |date=February 18, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref name="IBTimes">{{cite web|url=http://www.ibtimes.com.au/disneys-gravity-falls-reveals-gay-couple-1505525|title=Disney's 'Gravity Falls' reveals gay couple|author=Tecson, Karla|date=21 February 2016|work=International Business Times|access-date=28 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191122040927/https://www.ibtimes.com.au/disneys-gravity-falls-reveals-gay-couple-1505525|archive-date=November 22, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Pink">{{cite web|url=http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2016/02/18/disney-cartoon-gravity-falls-confirms-gay-romance/|title=Disney cartoon Gravity Falls confirms gay romance|author=Duffy, Nick|date=February 18, 2016|publisher=Pink News|access-date=28 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200707044147/https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2016/02/18/disney-cartoon-gravity-falls-confirms-gay-romance/|archive-date=July 7, 2020}}</ref>
In March 2017, ''[[Star vs. the Forces of Evil]]'' would make headlines with an episode entitled "Just Friends." The episode featured characters attending a concert and later concert-goers starting to kiss, "including several same-sex couples...in the background."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wolfe |first1=Jennifer |title= 'Star vs. the Forces of Evil' Unleashes First-Ever Gay Kiss from Disney |url=https://www.awn.com/news/star-vs-forces-evil-unleashes-first-ever-gay-kiss-disney |website=[[Animation World Network]] |access-date=December 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170324104024/https://www.awn.com/news/star-vs-forces-evil-unleashes-first-ever-gay-kiss-disney |archive-date=March 24, 2017 |date=March 1, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
In August 2017, ''[[Doc McStuffins]]'', featured a lesbian (and interracial) married couple, Thea and Edie, voiced by lesbian actresses [[Wanda Sykes]] and [[Portia de Rossi]] respectively.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Joho |first1=Jess |title=Disney Channel features interracial lesbian couple and other networks should catch up already |url=https://mashable.com/2017/08/07/disney-interracial-lesbian-couple-doc-mcstuffins/#8uUdqOEbBOqR |website=[[Mashable]] |access-date=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200515014042/https://mashable.com/2017/08/07/disney-interracial-lesbian-couple-doc-mcstuffins/ |archive-date=May 15, 2020 |date=August 7, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Oh |first1=Rebecca |title=Disney Show 'Doc McStuffins' Features Interracial Lesbian Moms |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/disney-show-doc-mcstuffins-features-interracial-lesbian-moms-n791901 |website=[[NBC News]] |access-date=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190922094141/https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/disney-show-doc-mcstuffins-features-interracial-lesbian-moms-n791901 |archive-date=September 22, 2019 |date=August 14, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Some, like Jeremy Blacklow, GLAAD director of entertainment media, would argue that this episode would be a turning point for executives who fears boycotts from conservative groups like [[The Family Research Council]] and [[One Million Moms]], calling the episode a "major win for both Disney and preschool series," showing that LGBTQ characters could appears in shows aimed at younger viewers without retaliation or crisis.<ref name="whiabb2021" />
''[[Star Wars Resistance]]'', which aired from October 2018 to January 2020 on the [[Disney Channel]] and [[Disney XD]], featured LGBTQ characters. In this animation, Orka and Flix run the Office of Acquisitions on the ''Colossus'', with Orka doing the negotiations.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Baver |first1=Kirsten |title=Designing Star Wars: Star Wars Resistance |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/designing-star-wars-resistance |publisher=Official Star Wars website |access-date=August 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200228141234/https://www.starwars.com/news/designing-star-wars-resistance |archive-date=February 28, 2020 |date=October 31, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> Justin Ridge, an executive producer for the show, said that it's safe to call them a couple, adding "they're absolutely a gay couple and we're proud of that" on the ''Coffee With Kenobi'' podcast.<ref name="Ridge & Auman Interview">{{Cite web|url=https://www.coffeewithkenobi.com/cwk-show-298-star-wars-resistance-season-two-press-day-coverage/|title=CWK Show #298: Star Wars Resistance Season Two Press Day Coverage|access-date=August 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001213059/https://www.coffeewithkenobi.com/cwk-show-298-star-wars-resistance-season-two-press-day-coverage/|archive-date=October 1, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Convery |first1=Stephanie |title=Out of space: Star Wars Resistance has gay characters, Disney says |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/oct/01/out-of-space-star-wars-resistance-has-openly-gay-characters-disney-says |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=August 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200214194923/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/oct/01/out-of-space-star-wars-resistance-has-openly-gay-characters-disney-says |archive-date=February 14, 2020 |date=September 30, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> Some said that they didn't see themselves in the show because they were only confirmed outside of the show's universe by the show's creators.<ref name="queernessshines" />
In December 2018, the creator of ''[[Big City Greens]]'', Chris Houghton, confirmed, on [[Tumblr]], that Alexander and Terry are a couple,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://chrishoughton.tumblr.com/post/180830849052/would-you-ever-consider-making-an-lgbt-mainside|last=Houghton|first=Chris|title=would you ever consider making an LGBT main/side character for Big City Greens? a lot of similar cartoons have gay/lesbian couples and i would love to see them represented in your lovely show|website=[[Tumblr]]|date=December 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190319235951/https://chrishoughton.tumblr.com/post/180830849052/would-you-ever-consider-making-an-lgbt-mainside|archive-date=March 19, 2019|url-status=live|access-date=January 3, 2021}}</ref> although protagonist Cricket Green does not seem to realize that they are gay throughout the series. Alexander is loud, rather [[Effeminacy|effeminate]] and bossy, and Terry is silent and an introvert. They both appear to be hanging out with each other in a few episodes, such as "Gridlocked", "Fill Bill", "Barry Cuda", and "Trailer Trouble". Alexander is voiced by [[John Early (comedian)|John Early]], a gay actor.
In April 2019, it was shown that Jackie Lynn Thomas, a character in ''[[Star vs. the Forces of Evil]]'', is bisexual. This was because she dated a male character but ended that relationship due to his feelings for the protagonist.<ref>{{cite web |author=Sofi Terracota |title=Disney presenta a su primer personaje bisexual en Star vs. Las Fuerzas del Mal |trans-title=Disney introduces its first bisexual character in Star vs. The Forces of Evil |website={{ill|Tomatazos|es}} |url=https://www.tomatazos.com/noticias/376102/Disney-presenta-a-su-primer-personaje-bisexual-en-Star-vs-Las-Fuerzas-del-Mal |access-date=August 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190914190841/https://www.tomatazos.com/noticias/376102/Disney-presenta-a-su-primer-personaje-bisexual-en-Star-vs-Las-Fuerzas-del-Mal |archive-date=September 14, 2019 |date=May 27, 2019 |url-status=live |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite podcast |host=Dylan Hysen and Delaney Stovall |title=Bon Bon the Birthday Clown (Star vs. the Forces of Evil) |website=Overly Animated |publisher=Overly Animated Podcast |date=November 21, 2016 |url=https://www.overlyanimated.com/2016/11/21/bon-bon-the-birthday-clown-star-vs-the-forces-of-evil-overly-animated-podcast-280/ |time=6:02-8:23 |access-date=July 14, 2021}}</ref> Then, in the April 2019 episode "Britta's Tacos", it is revealed that Jackie has a relationship with a French girl named Chloé. As such, it is clear that Jackie is bisexual.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Morgan |first1=Cassandra |title=Jackie Lynn Thomas, el primer personaje bisexual de Disney |website=[[TN (TV channel)|TN]] |url=https://tn.com.ar/show/basicas/jackie-lynn-thomas-el-primer-personaje-bisexual-de-disney_966150 |access-date=August 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200819014425/https://tn.com.ar/show/basicas/jackie-lynn-thomas-el-primer-personaje-bisexual-de-disney_966150 |archive-date=August 19, 2020 |date=May 29, 2019 |url-status=live |language=es}}</ref><ref name="buzzfeed.com">{{cite web |last1=Martinez |first1=Kelly |title=15 Examples Of LGBT Characters On Kids' Shows, Because Sometimes TV Does Good Things |website=[[BuzzFeed]] |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/kellymartinez/15-examples-of-lgbt-characters-on-kids-shows-because |access-date=August 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191105050812/https://www.buzzfeed.com/kellymartinez/15-examples-of-lgbt-characters-on-kids-shows-because |archive-date=November 5, 2019 |date=November 5, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>
===''My Little Pony'' franchise===
[[File:LaurenFaustSPFF.png|thumb|right|Lauren Faust 2014 with SPFF Figures; Faust was the creator of ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic]]''; Equestria Girls was a spinoff of this series]]
In May 2013, the official European Spanish ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic]]'' Facebook page referred to Big McIntosh as Cheerilee's [[wikt:Special:Search/querido|querido]].<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.facebook.com/MyLittlePonyEspana/photos/a.191334657603218.48194.169793256424025/506307076105973/ | title = ¡Cherilee es una profesora maravillosa! Se preocupa por todas y cada una de sus estudiantes pony y le encanta ayudarles a aprender y a crecer. Las buenas amigas siempre están juntas — como pony Cherilee y su adorable caracol. Peina su precioso pelo rosa con el cepillo, para que esté guapísima en todas vuestras aventuras y, por si se cruza a su querido Big Macintosh, el hermano mayor de Applejack. |trans-title=Cherilee is a wonderful teacher! She cares about each and every one of her pony students and loves helping them learn and grow. Good friends are always together – like pony Cherilee and her adorable snail. She combs her beautiful pink hair with the brush, so that she is gorgeous in all your adventures and, in case she crosses her beloved Big Macintosh, Applejack's older brother. | date = May 8, 2013 | access-date = September 10, 2020 | work = Official [[Facebook]] page of My Little Pony (European Spanish) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200911025626/https://www.facebook.com/MyLittlePonyEspana/photos/a.191334657603218.48194.169793256424025/506307076105973/ |archive-date=September 11, 2020 }}</ref> In June 2013, in the ''[[My Little Pony: Equestria Girls (film)|My Little Pony: Equestria Girls]]'' film, Curly Winds and Wiz Kid would be shown as a gay romantic couple.<ref>{{cite tweet |last1=Thiessen |first1=Jayson |authorlink=Jayson Thiessen |user=goldenrusset |number=1155182294274936832 |date=July 27, 2019 |title=It was a subtle-not-subtle 🌈 moment. |accessdate=September 10, 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200911021421/https://twitter.com/goldenrusset/status/1155182294274936832 |archivedate=September 11, 2020 |url-status=live}} The tweets of Vogel and Rudell are listed above the one by Thiessen.</ref> Other media of the franchise shows them sitting together, including in the film ''[[My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks]]'', the song "Coinky-Dink World" in ''[[My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Summertime Shorts]]'', the episode "Queen of Clubs" of ''[[My Little Pony: Equestria Girls (web series)|My Little Pony: Equestria Girls]]'', ''[[My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Rollercoaster of Friendship|My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rollercoaster of Friendship]]'' and ''[[My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Sunset's Backstage Pass|My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Sunset's Backstage Pass]]''. In the Rainbow Rocks DVD/Blu-ray audio commentary, Michael Vogel refers to "Curly Winds" and "Wiz Kid" as a "couple" during their shot singing together in Welcome to the Show.
In March 2016, [[Lauren Faust]] confirmed that one character in season 1 of ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic]]'' was trans, but never specified which character she was talking about.<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Faust |first=Lauren |author-link-Lauren Faust |user=Fyre_flye |number=714219950676684800 |date=March 27, 2016 |title=For reals one S1 character is trans. |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=September 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131221959/https://twitter.com/Fyre_flye/status/714219950676684800 |archive-date=January 31, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet |last=Faust |first=Lauren |author-link-Lauren Faust |user=Fyre_flye |number=714299656633585664 |date=March 27, 2016 |title=Ok, that one was. At least in MY head. |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=September 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200911013227/https://twitter.com/Fyre_flye/status/714299656633585664 |archive-date=September 11, 2020 |url-status=live}} Screenshot of tweet she is responding to is [https://www.equestriadaily.com/2016/03/who-do-you-think-trans-pony-in-season.html here].</ref>
Also in April 2019, King Sombra in ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic]]'' was confirmed by series writers Michael Vogel and Josh Haber as bisexual<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Vogel |first=Michael |user=mktoon |number=1114562521317294080 |date=April 6, 2019 |title=I'm ALL about fighting bi-erasure so Im more than happy to classify Sombra as a bi-icon. ;-) EVERYone deserves that dulcet voice. |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=March 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200313195120/https://twitter.com/mktoon/status/1114562521317294080 |archive-date=March 13, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> The same year, Aunt Holiday and Auntie Lofty were shown as aunts to the young pegasus Scootaloo and are her guardians while Scootaloo's parents are away.{{Sfn | GLAAD | 2019 | p = 33}} The pair were identified as a lesbian couple by one of the show runners, Michael Vogel. According to Vogel, he and writers Nicole Dubac and Josh Haber agreed to establish the two in their first appearance in the book as a lesbian couple, though without explicitly stating as such, so that they could establish this within the shown itself. Vogel stated they felt they could show that what elements make up a family is only determined by love, and not traditional roles.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/laurenstrapagiel/my-little-pony-lesbian-couple-pride | title = There's Going To Be A Lesbian Couple On "My Little Pony" | first = Lauren | last = Strapagil | date = June 12, 2019 | access-date = June 12, 2019 | work = [[BuzzFeed]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200405042420/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/laurenstrapagiel/my-little-pony-lesbian-couple-pride |archive-date=April 5, 2020 }}</ref> Additionally, epilogue of the final episode hints that Rainbow Dash and Apple Jack are a domestic couple. Animation writer John Haber, producer Michael Vogel, and storyboarder Jim Miller said that it is up to fans interpret whether they are in a relationship, but hinted at it as a possibility.<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Haber |first=Josh |user=joshhaber |number=1183264416709529601 |date=October 13, 2019 |title=Could beee |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=September 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191013071602/https://twitter.com/joshhaber/status/1183264416709529601 |archive-date=October 13, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet |last=Vogel |first=Michael |user=mktoon |number=1184218527789535232 |date=October 15, 2019 |title=I think we both said we weren't saying anything and that it's up to everyone to interpret on their own now. We have handed over the keys. Take them and make of Equestria what you will :-) |access-date=September 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200911010251/https://twitter.com/mktoon/status/1184218527789535232 |archive-date=September 11, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet |last=Miller |first=Jim |user=TheBiggestJim |number=1186076358876655616 |date=October 20, 2019 |title=Cool!! |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=September 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021023855/https://twitter.com/TheBiggestJim/status/1186076358876655616 |archive-date=October 21, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>
In May 2019, storyboarder, and show director of ''[[My Little Pony: Equestria Girls (web series)|My Little Pony: Equestria Girls]]'', Katrina Hadley, expressed her support for "Appledash".<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Hadley |first=Katrina |user=isitlunchyet_t |number=1132677190925996033 |date=May 25, 2019 |title=Still valid |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=September 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200911023853/https://twitter.com/isitlunchyet_t/status/1132677190925996033 |archive-date=September 11, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> A few months later, a storyboarder and co-director of the original ''My Little Pony'' series, Jim Miller, confirmed that Marble Pie found a special "somepony" for herself.<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Miller |first=Jim |user=TheBiggestJim |number=1183446004776890368 |date=October 13, 2019 |title=Im sure she did. Shes a nice girl. |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=September 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191013191633/https://twitter.com/TheBiggestJim/status/1183446004776890368 |archive-date=October 13, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>
In late 2019, a lesbian relationship in ''[[My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic]]'' on [[Discovery Family]] was confirmed. Lyra Heartstrings and Sweetie Drops, who propose to one another in the season 9 episode "The Big Mac Question," and in the series finale, "The Last Problem," they are shown as married in a newspaper clipping.<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Shandro |first=Morgan |user=MorganShandro |number=1180611436487180288 |date=October 5, 2019 |title=I'm so happy so many people noticed the #Lyrabon proposal scene I posed in today's #MLPSeason9 episode!! We knew we wanted to add it in the ep about marriage and I had the idea to make it a double proposal. I hope it made a lot of other people happy to see too! |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=August 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191005223240/https://twitter.com/MorganShandro/status/1180611436487180288 |archive-date=October 5, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Olsen |first1=Carly |title=My Little Pony: 10 Best Pairings In The Entire Series |url=https://screenrant.com/my-little-pony-best-pairings-ever/ |publisher=[[ScreenRant]] |access-date=August 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200630045951/https://screenrant.com/my-little-pony-best-pairings-ever/ |archive-date=June 30, 2020 |date=November 27, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>
===''Voltron'' and ''The Dragon Prince''===
''[[Voltron: Legendary Defender]]'' aired on Netflix from June 2016 to December 2018. It featured three gay characters, Shrio and Adam, who broke up, with Adam dying several years later, but at the end of eighth and final season, Shiro is married to Curtis, a background character introduced in Season 8. The series was fraught with criticism for its LGBTQ representation, especially for killing off a gay character,<ref name="Romano2018" /><ref name="Sava"/> with some saying the show was following a stereotype known as "[[Media portrayal of LGBT people#Habitual death of lesbian or gay characters in media|burying that gay]]", leading showrunner Joaquim Dos Santos to apologize to fans.<ref name="orourke">{{cite web |last1=O'Rourke |first1=Jill |title=The Erasure Of LGBTQ Characters In Children's Media Goes Beyond Bert And Ernie |url=https://articles.aplus.com/film-forward/lgbtq-erasure-kids-shows-animation |website=[[A Plus (aplus.com)|A Plus]] |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328204911/https://articles.aplus.com/film-forward/lgbtq-erasure-kids-shows-animation |archive-date=March 28, 2020 |date=October 11, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="Haasch">{{cite web |last1=Haasch |first1=Palmer |title=Voltron creator addresses fans over season 7's queerbaiting controversy |url=https://www.polygon.com/tv/2018/8/16/17698024/voltron-adam-controversy-netflix-queerbaiting-dos-santos-letter |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190615134146/https://www.polygon.com/tv/2018/8/16/17698024/voltron-adam-controversy-netflix-queerbaiting-dos-santos-letter |archive-date=June 15, 2019 |date=August 16, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> The fact that Shiro's partner was killed off in the same episode he was introduced "played into negative tropes and didn't sit well with fans."<ref name="insidersnydes" />
In November 2019, the official [[Twitter]] account for ''[[The Dragon Prince]]'' revealed that Kazi was [[genderqueer]] and used they/them pronouns.<ref>{{cite tweet|author=The Dragon Prince|author-link=The Dragon Prince|user=thedragonprince|number=1197930063066324992|date=November 22, 2019|title=Their name is Kazi.|website=[[Twitter]]|access-date=December 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191122173621/http://twitter.com/thedragonprince/status/1197930063066324992|archive-date=November 22, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet|author=The Dragon Prince|author-link=The Dragon Prince|user=thedragonprince|number=1197954019899015168|date=November 22, 2019|title=1) they/them! 2) KAH-zee!|access-date=March 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191122191938/http://twitter.com/thedragonprince/status/1197954019899015168|archive-date=November 22, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Later, it was revealed that Runaan, the leader of the assassins and father figure to Rayla, was married to a male elf named Ethari.<ref>{{cite web |title=May Character Birthday: Runaan |url=https://thedragonprince.com/runaan-birthday/ |website=Official Dragon Prince website |access-date=August 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200511054153/https://thedragonprince.com/runaan-birthday/ |archive-date=May 11, 2020 |date=2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>
===Other all-ages animations===
In the 2010 update of Scooby-Doo, ''[[Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated|Mystery Incorporated]]'', which aired from 2010 to 2013, Velma, who was long read as gay, was officially written as a lesbian.<ref name="insidersnydes">{{cite web|last1=Snyder|first1=Chris|last2=Desiderio|first2=Kyle|url=https://www.insider.com/the-evolution-of-queer-characters-in-kids-animated-tv-shows-2021-6|title=The evolution of queer characters in children's animation|website=[[Insider (website)|Insider]]|date=June 29, 2021|access-date=July 1, 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210701050407/https://www.insider.com/the-evolution-of-queer-characters-in-kids-animated-tv-shows-2021-6|archive-date=July 1, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> Specifically, the producer of this series, Tony Cervone, confirmed that Velma is a lesbian while James Gunn, who wrote the screenplays of ''[[Scooby-Doo (film)|Scooby-Doo]]'' and ''[[Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed]]'', she was "explicitly gay."<ref>{{cite web|last=Ankers|first=Adele|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/scooby-doo-velma-lesbian-confirms-james-gunn-mystery-inc-producer|title=Scooby-Doo's Velma Is a Lesbian, James Gunn and Mystery Incorporated Producer Confirm|website=[[IGN]]|date=July 14, 2020|access-date=July 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116152727/https://www.ign.com/articles/scooby-doo-velma-lesbian-confirms-james-gunn-mystery-inc-producer|archive-date=January 16, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> In this series, Velma has feelings for Marcie "Hot Dog Water" Fleach.<ref>{{cite web|last=Padgett|first=Donald|url=https://www.out.com/television/2020/7/13/yes-velma-lesbian-scooby-doo-mystery-incorporated|title=Yes, Velma is a Lesbian in 'Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated'|website=[[Out (magazine)|Out]]|date=July 13, 2020|access-date=June 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210211233946/https://www.out.com/television/2020/7/13/yes-velma-lesbian-scooby-doo-mystery-incorporated|archive-date=February 11, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>
In a February 2010 episode of [[6teen]], a Canadian animated series, a guest character, Connie, asks their co-worker if she is trying to "find out" if she is gay.<ref name="whiabb2021" /> The show's co-creator, Jennifer Pertsch, told Insider when it came to representation in the show, they did what they "could get away with." Connie, a drummer in Wyatt's band, also who appears in a few other episodes: "Snow Job," "Selling Out To The Burger Man," later going with Jean to the Sadie Hawkins Day Dance.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lezwatchtv.com/character/connie-6teen/|title=Connie|website=LezWatch.TV|archive-date=February 25, 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210225225649/https://lezwatchtv.com/character/connie-6teen/|access-date=February 25, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://lezwatchtv.com/character/jean-6teen/|title=Jean|website=LezWatch.TV|archive-date=February 25, 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210225230002/https://lezwatchtv.com/character/jean-6teen/|access-date=February 25, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> Jean is the third gay character to be featured on the show, she's the only one who's outright stated to be so, with the others being a possibly gay cowboy and Kevin as gay.
During BotCon 2011, in June 2011, the writers suggested that Knock Out in ''[[Transformers: Prime]]'', a series on [[Discovery Family#As Hub Network (2010–2014)|The Hub Network]], is gay, though they also argued that Cybertronians likely don't have designations for sexual orientation the way humans do, and the Decepticons follow a "[[don't ask, don't tell]]" policy.<ref name="BotCon 2011 - Knock Out Gay">{{cite AV media |people=Peanutchan |date=June 11, 2011 |title=Is Knockout Gay |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFFOXNnRhVA&t |access-date=March 12, 2021 |via=[[YouTube]] }} [https://archive.org/details/is-knockout-gay Alt URL]</ref>
In June 2015, ''[[Hey Duggee]]'', a UK animated series, had gay characters. Mr. John Crab and his mute husband Nigel Crab first appeared in the series 1 episode "The Sandcastle Badge".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rowles |first1=Charlotte |title=Dominic Cummings got it wrong. Hey Duggee is the kids' show we need to watch |url=https://www.bigissue.com/culture/film-tv-radio/dominic-cummings-got-it-wrong-hey-duggee-is-the-kids-show-we-need-to-watch/ |website=Big Issue |access-date=January 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111080727/https://www.bigissue.com/culture/film-tv-radio/dominic-cummings-got-it-wrong-hey-duggee-is-the-kids-show-we-need-to-watch/ |archive-date=January 11, 2021 |date=February 25, 2020 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Jonze |first1=Tim |title=Hey Duggee: how a cult CBeebies show became the surprise TV smash of lockdown |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/aug/05/hey-duggee-how-a-cult-cbeebies-show-became-the-most-surprising-tv-smash-hit-of-lockdown |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=January 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814030010/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/aug/05/hey-duggee-how-a-cult-cbeebies-show-became-the-most-surprising-tv-smash-hit-of-lockdown |archive-date=August 14, 2020 |date=August 5, 2020 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
In June 2017, [[Amazon Video]] premiered the animated video series ''[[Danger & Eggs]]'', for what would become its only season.<ref name="comicsbeat">{{Cite web |last1=Lodge |first1=Daniel |title=SDCC '17: Danger and Eggs represents LGBTQ community both on and off screen |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/sdcc-17-danger-and-eggs-represents-lgbtq-community-both-on-and-off-screen/ |website=[[Heidi MacDonald|Comics Beat]] |access-date=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170920144902/http://www.comicsbeat.com/sdcc-17-danger-and-eggs-represents-lgbtq-community-both-on-and-off-screen/ |archive-date=September 20, 2017 |date=July 27, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref name="advocate2017">{{Cite web |last1=Guerrero |first1=Desirée |title=Wait, You Never Heard of Danger and Eggs? |url=https://www.advocate.com/current-issue/2017/11/21/wait-you-never-heard-danger-and-eggs |website=[[The Advocate (LGBT magazine)|The Advocate]] |access-date=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212185718/https://www.advocate.com/current-issue/2017/11/21/wait-you-never-heard-danger-and-eggs |archive-date=February 12, 2020 |date=November 21, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Even so, it would break barriers with the amount of representation. The show, co-created by a trans woman named [[Shadi Petosky]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.dailydot.com/upstream/amazon-danger-eggs-review/|title='Danger & Eggs' is a groundbreaking milestone in queer representation—and it's hilarious|date=2017-07-04|work=The Daily Dot|access-date=2018-10-13|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200324223850/https://www.dailydot.com/upstream/amazon-danger-eggs-review/|archive-date=March 24, 2020}}</ref> was filled with LGBTQ+ characters: a [[femme]] "brown-skinned energetic creative" named Reina,<ref name="Rude2017">{{Cite web |last1=Rude |first1=Mey |title=The Cast and Crew of "Danger & Eggs" Chat About Their Super Weird, Super Queer Kids Show |url=https://www.autostraddle.com/the-queer-and-trans-cast-of-danger-eggs-a-385688/ |website=[[Autostraddle]] |access-date=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528125217/https://www.autostraddle.com/the-queer-and-trans-cast-of-danger-eggs-a-385688/ |archive-date=May 28, 2019 |date=July 24, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> a genderqueer character named Milo, who uses they/them pronouns<ref name="themarysue">{{Cite web |last1=Jusino |first1=Teresa |url=https://www.themarysue.com/danger-and-eggs-awesome-for-lgbtqia-representation/ |title=Why Amazon's Danger and Eggs Is One of the Best Things to Happen to LGBTQIA Representation |website=[[Dan Abrams#The Mary Sue|The Mary Sue]] |access-date=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200212185718/https://www.themarysue.com/danger-and-eggs-awesome-for-lgbtqia-representation/ |archive-date=February 12, 2020 |date=July 18, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Rude |first1=Mey |title="Danger & Eggs" Is The Greatest Weirdest Queer-and-Trans Inclusive Kids Show Ever |url=https://www.autostraddle.com/danger-and-eggs-is-the-greatest-weirdest-queer-and-trans-inclusive-kids-show-ever-382906/ |website=[[Autostraddle]] |access-date=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200413233519/https://www.autostraddle.com/danger-and-eggs-is-the-greatest-weirdest-queer-and-trans-inclusive-kids-show-ever-382906/ |archive-date=April 13, 2020 |date=July 1, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Furthermore, the voice of Milo, an [[agender]] model named [[Tyler Ford]] said their character is an "accurate representation" of them.<ref name="Rude2017" /> The show's final episode introduced the dads of Corporate Raider Jim,<ref name="themarysue" /> and a new trans teen, Zadie, who sings about acceptance and helps the series protagonists understand the meaning of a chosen family.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Bendix |first1=Trish |title="Danger And Eggs" Is The Queer Cartoon We've Been Waiting For |url=http://www.newnownext.com/danger-and-eggs-cartoon-amazon-kids/07/2017/ |website=[[Logo TV#Online|NewNowNext]] |access-date=April 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191007034642/http://www.newnownext.com/danger-and-eggs-cartoon-amazon-kids/07/2017/ |archive-date=October 7, 2019 |date=July 3, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Unfortunately, by February 2018, the future of ''Danger and Eggs'' was uncertain. As Petosky put it at the time, she felt that the show was in limbo, with the loss of the crew, without "much concern or enthusiasm" about the show, saying it "just slipped through the cracks."<ref name="arthur">{{Cite web |last1=Arthur |first1=Kate |title=Show Creator Says Amazon Told Her To "Tone It Down" About Politics On Twitter |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/kateaurthur/show-creator-says-amazon-told-her-to-tone-it-down-about |website=[[BuzzFeed]] |access-date=September 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190301053026/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/kateaurthur/show-creator-says-amazon-told-her-to-tone-it-down-about |archive-date=March 1, 2019 |date=February 27, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> She lamented that the show's fate is up the new executive team on the show and predicted the show would probably be cancelled as a result. In later years, Milo was highlighted as one of the only non-binary characters of color in animation.<ref>{{cite podcast |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/hollywood-remixed-billions-asia-kate-dillon-1235012146/ |title=‘Hollywood Remixed’: ‘Billions’ Star Asia Kate Dillon on How Non-Binary Representation Changes Lives |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |publisher=The Hollywood Reporter, LLC |host=Rebecca Sun |date=September 11, 2021 |time= |access-date=September 12, 2021}}</ref>{{efn|Another example of a non-binary character not mentioned in the podcast was Kazi in ''[[The Dragon Prince]]''}}
In September 2018, John Hart of ''Gays With Kids'', wrote about how ''[[16 Hudson]]'' featured episodes with a character who had two dads.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hart |first1=John |title="16 Hudson," a New Animated Show for Preschoolers, Features Two Gay Dads |url=https://www.gayswithkids.com/16-hudson-2599780028.html |website=Gays With Kids |access-date=May 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200324223850/https://www.gayswithkids.com/16-hudson-2599780028.html |archive-date=March 24, 2020 |date=September 5, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
In May 2019, PBS aired an ''[[Arthur (TV series)|Arthur]]'' episode titled “Mr. Ratburn and the Special Someone”, the Season 22 premiere, which featured Mr. Ratburn and Patrick marrying each other.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fetters |first1=Ashley |last2=Escobar |first2=Natalie |title=How a Gay Character on Arthur Reflects Changing Norms in the U.S. |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2019/05/mr-ratburns-gay-wedding-on-arthur-was-quietly-profound/589462/ |website=[[The Atlantic]] |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200308122332/https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2019/05/mr-ratburns-gay-wedding-on-arthur-was-quietly-profound/589462/ |archive-date=March 8, 2020 |date=May 14, 2019 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-48266870|title=US cartoon's gay wedding praised|last=Ryder|first=Sherie|date=May 14, 2019|access-date=May 15, 2019|language=en-GB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603102510/https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-48266870|archive-date=June 3, 2019}}</ref> He and his husband are the first LGBT characters in the series.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/arthur-same-sex-marraige-gay-character-1203213875/|title='Arthur' Character Comes Out as Gay and Gets Married in Season 22 Premiere|first1=Dano|last1=Nissen|date=May 14, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200123230830/https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/arthur-same-sex-marraige-gay-character-1203213875/|archive-date=January 23, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a27462491/arthur-reveals-mr-ratburn-lgbtq/|title=Classic animated show Arthur reveals one of its main characters is LGBTQ+|last=Warner|first=Sam|date=May 14, 2019|website=Digital Spy|language=en-GB|access-date=May 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531103521/https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a27462491/arthur-mr-ratburn-wedding-episode-lgbtq/|archive-date=May 31, 2019}}</ref> Later, the episode was banned by some Alabama broadcasters.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Iati|first1=Marisa|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2019/05/21/alabamas-pbs-station-refused-air-arthur-same-sex-wedding-episode/|title='Arthur' showed children a same-sex wedding. Alabama stations refused to air it.|date=May 21, 2019|newspaper=[[Washington Post]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190817215732/https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2019/05/21/alabamas-pbs-station-refused-air-arthur-same-sex-wedding-episode/|archive-date=August 17, 2019|access-date=August 17, 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, some criticized Ratburn, describing him as a background gay character."<ref name="queernessshines">{{cite web|last=Dean|first=Lena|url=https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/history-of-queer-representation-in-cartoons-she-ra-korra|title=Queerness Shines in "She-Ra" and Other Animated Shows|website=[[Bitch (magazine)|Bitch]]|date=August 10, 2020|access-date=September 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121010754/https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/history-of-queer-representation-in-cartoons-she-ra-korra|archive-date=January 21, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>
In September 2019, ''[[My Little Pony: Equestria Girls (web series)|My Little Pony: Equestria Girls]]'' began airing on [[YouTube]]. The show featured Sunset Shimmer, who has an ex-boyfriend, Flash Sentry, and crushes on Twilight Sparkle in the human world. Katrina Hadley, storyboarder, assistant director on ''My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Legend of Everfree'' and co-director of ''Equestria Girls'' specials, said it was "pretty obvious"<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Hadley |first=Katrina |user=isitlunchyet_t |number=1176912630914506753 |date=September 25, 2019 |title=We thought it was pretty obvious. |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=September 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925174745/https://twitter.com/isitlunchyet_t/status/1176912630914506753 |archive-date=September 25, 2019 |url-status=live}} In the [https://web.archive.org/web/20190925173809/https://twitter.com/isitlunchyet_t/status/1176911375286714368 previous tweet] he said "Sunset is bi. So there, haters."</ref> Apart from Shimmer, Rarity and Applejack were said to be on the edge of becoming a couple. Hadley described their conflict as a "little like a lovers quarrel" and that internally the staff were shipping both characters, opening the door for a romantic reading of both characters.<ref>{{cite tweet |last=Hadley |first=Katrina |user=isitlunchyet_t |number=1132381233244073987 |date=May 25, 2019 |title=We thought their conflict felt a little like a lovers quarrel rather than a friend fight as written. So we played it that way, but rode the line so the viewer could interpret it as either type of relationship. But internally, yeah, we were Rairjack shipping. |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=September 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200911023012/https://twitter.com/isitlunchyet_t/status/1132381233244073987 |archive-date=September 11, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet |last=Hadley |first=Katrina |user=isitlunchyet_t |number=1132609539323248640 |date=May 25, 2019 |title=Nope |website=[[Twitter]] |access-date=September 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200911023513/https://twitter.com/isitlunchyet_t/status/1132609539323248640 |archive-date=September 11, 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>
==Animated films==
In 2010, the [[Illumination (company)|Illumination]] film ''[[Despicable Me]]'' was released. The film, and its sequels and spin-offs, feature the [[Minions (Despicable Me)|Minions]], a race of small yellow-skinned creatures that work for the franchise's main character, Felonious Gru. In 2015, during an interview promoting the Minions' [[Minions (film)|spin-off film]], director and Minions voice actor [[Pierre Coffin]] confirmed all Minions to be male; the first film features two Minions kissing each other in a crowd scene, while two Minions flirt with each other in the sequel whereas one falls in love with human female Lucy, and the third film shows two Minions sharing a bed, indicating the species as a whole to be non-heteronormative.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-07-21 |title=Minions creator: they're all male because they're 'dumb and stupid' |url=http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/21/minions-creator-theyre-all-male-because-theyre-dumb-and-stupid |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-30 |title=Why All Of The Minions Are Male |url=https://screenrant.com/why-minions-are-all-male-no-females/ |access-date=2022-07-30 |website=ScreenRant |language=en-US}}</ref>
[[File:Tara Strong Portrait.jpg|thumb|Tara Strong in 2012; Strong voiced Naia in ''Strange Frame''. She also voiced Plum in ''Bravest Warriors''.]]
On May 3, 2012, ''[[Strange Frame]]'', a [[romance film|romantic]] [[science fiction film|science fiction]] [[comedy-drama]] film, was released at [[Sci-Fi-London]]. In the film, set in the distant future, two women fall in love, but when Parker is taken away and enslaved by greedy businessmen, the Naia must save her, in this film which has been praised for its "hybrid of cut out and CGI animation"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sci-fi-london.com/festival/2012/programme/feature/strange-frame-love-sax|title=Strange Frame: Love & Sax|website=Sci-fi London|date=March 25, 2012|access-date=November 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306003423/http://sci-fi-london.com/festival/2012/programme/feature/strange-frame-love-sax|archive-date=March 6, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> and has been described as possibly "the trippiest lesbian film ever made."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Riendeau|first1=Danielle|url=https://afterellen.com/2013/01/review-strange-frame-trippiest-lesbian-movie-ever-made?xrs=synd_twitter_ellen/|title= "Strange Frame": The trippiest lesbian movie ever made|website=[[AfterEllen]]|date=January 22, 2013|access-date=November 9, 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130215114315/http://www.afterellen.com/2013/01/review-strange-frame-trippiest-lesbian-movie-ever-made?xrs=synd_twitter_ellen/|archive-date=February 15, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> Others called it the world's first [[animation|animated]] [[lesbian]]-themed sci-fi film.<ref name=HP>{{cite news|last=staff|title=G.B. Hajim and Shelley Doty's 'Strange Frame,' The World's First Animated Lesbian Sci-Fi Film|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/26/strange-frame-the-worlds-first-lesbian-film_n_1114162.html|access-date=February 18, 2012|newspaper=[[Huffington Post]]|date=November 11, 2011}}</ref><ref name=Queerty>{{cite news|last=Villarreal|first=Daniel|title=Strange Frame: Quite Possibly The World's First Lesbian Animated Film|url=http://www.queerty.com/strange-frame-quite-possibly-the-worlds-first-lesbian-animated-film-20111125/|access-date=April 27, 2012|newspaper=[[Queerty]]|date=November 25, 2011}}</ref><ref name=TMS>{{cite web|last=Frevele|first=Jamie|title=How Would You Like to Help ''Strange Frame'' Finish Production?|url=http://www.themarysue.com/strange-frame-kickstarter/|date=November 5, 2011|publisher=[[The Mary Sue]]|access-date=February 18, 2012}}</ref>
In August 2012, ''[[ParaNorman]]'', a [[stop-motion]] [[Animation|animated]] [[dark fantasy]] [[comedy horror|comedy horror film]], would be released in the United States. In the film, Courtney has a crush on Mitch Downe and invites him to watch a [[Horror film|horror movie]]. She, however, discovers that he is gay and already in a relationship when he says, "You know, you're gonna love my boyfriend. He's like a total [[chick flick]] nut!"<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.nationalreview.com/home-front/314665/paranorman-has-gay-sub-plot-nancy-french | title=''ParaNorman'' Has Gay Sub-Plot | first= Nancy | last= French | work=[[National Review]] | date =August 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220125654/http://www.nationalreview.com/home-front/314665/paranorman-has-gay-sub-plot-nancy-french |archive-date=December 20, 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ryan/paranorman-the-movie-you-should-see_b_1773721.html | title='ParaNorman': The Movie You May Not Be Planning To See, Though You Should | first=Mike |last= Ryan | work= [[The Huffington Post]] | date=August 13, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305084439/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ryan/paranorman-the-movie-you-should-see_b_1773721.html |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> Co-director [[Chris Butler (filmmaker)|Chris Butler]] said that the character's sexual orientation was explicitly connected with the film's message: "If we're saying to anyone that watches this movie don't judge other people, then we've got to have the strength of our convictions."<ref>{{cite web|title=The Film Strip: 'ParaNorman' Says You Can be Weird but Bullying is Not Ok.|url=http://www.eurweb.com/2012/08/the-film-strip-paranorman-says-you-can-be-weird-but-bullying-is-not-ok/|publisher=Eurweb.com|access-date=January 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170811185400/http://www.eurweb.com/2012/08/the-film-strip-paranorman-says-you-can-be-weird-but-bullying-is-not-ok/ |archive-date=August 11, 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
On June 13, 2014, ''[[How to Train Your Dragon 2]]'' was released in U.S. theaters. In the film, the voice actor for Gobber the Belch, [[Craig Ferguson]] ad-libbed a line in the [[How To Train Your Dragon 2|second film]] in which he mentions that he never got married for an undisclosed reason. Ferguson and director [[Dean DeBlois]] have confirmed that this was in reference to the character's homosexuality.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Wong|first1=Curtis M.|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/19/how-to-train-your-dragon-gay-character-_n_5352702.html|title='How To Train Your Dragon 2' Character Gobber The Belch Will Come Out As Gay|work=[[The Huffington Post]]|date=19 May 2014|access-date=26 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305044035/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/19/how-to-train-your-dragon-gay-character-_n_5352702.html|archive-date=March 5, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://insidemovies.ew.com/2014/06/15/how-to-train-your-dragon-2-gobber-gay/|title='How to Train Your Dragon 2': Is Gobber really gay? – SPOILERS|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|access-date=26 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150118201457/http://insidemovies.ew.com/2014/06/15/how-to-train-your-dragon-2-gobber-gay/|archive-date=January 18, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> His sexuality was also hinted at again in the [[How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World|third film]], in 2019, where he seems to fall for Eret.
On January 20, 2016, ''[[Batman: Bad Blood]]'', a [[direct-to-video]] animated superhero film, was release digitally on [[iTunes]] and the Google Play Store. The lesbian superheroine, [[Batwoman]], has a major role in this film. This is the first time she is openly shown as a lesbian woman in animated media.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newnownext.com/batwoman-batman-bad-blood-dvd/02/2016/|title=Badass Lesbian Batwoman Makes Her Animated Debut In "Batman: Bad Blood" DVD|date=February 2, 2016|access-date=December 17, 2017|author=snicks|publisher=[[NewNowNext]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331204423/http://www.newnownext.com/batwoman-batman-bad-blood-dvd/02/2016/|archive-date=March 31, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.themarysue.com/batwoman-animated-lesbian/|title=Batwoman Actually Gets to Be a Lesbian Openly in New Animated Film Batman: Bad Blood|date=February 15, 2016|access-date=December 17, 2017|first=Teresa|last=Jusino|publisher=[[The Mary Sue]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191102052925/https://www.themarysue.com/batwoman-animated-lesbian/|archive-date=November 2, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> She is seen flirting with the lesbian detective [[Renee Montoya]]. Kate's father, Colonel Jacob Kane, is supportive of her sexual orientation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.autostraddle.com/batwoman-makes-her-surprisingly-gay-and-surprisingly-great-animated-debut-in-batman-bad-blood-328199/|title=Batwoman Makes Her Surprisingly Gay (And Surprisingly Great) Animated Debut in "Batman: Bad Blood"|date=February 15, 2016|access-date=December 17, 2017|first=Heather|last=Hogan|publisher=[[Autostraddle]]|archive-date=July 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200719040304/https://www.autostraddle.com/batwoman-makes-her-surprisingly-gay-and-surprisingly-great-animated-debut-in-batman-bad-blood-328199/|url-status=live}}</ref>
On March 4, 2016, ''[[Zootopia]]'', [[Computer animation|computer-animated]] [[buddy cop film]], was released in the United States. In the film, Bucky Oryx-Antlerson and Pronk Oryx-Antlerson are an [[Anthropomorphism|anthropomorphic]] [[kudu]] and [[oryx]], respectively, who are loud and argumentative neighbors to main protagonist Judy Hopps. Given their differing species and sharing a hyphenated surname, viewers and fans speculated the pair were a married same-sex couple. This was later confirmed by co-director [[Jared Bush]].<ref>{{cite tweet |last1=Bush |first1=Jared |authorlink=Jared Bush |user=thejaredbush |number=803836679425556480 |date=November 30, 2016 |title=They are a gay married couple. But they don't yell at each other because they're gay, they yell because they're real. ;) |access-date=September 18, 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729121545/https://twitter.com/thejaredbush/status/803836679425556480 |archivedate=July 29, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>
In August 2016, ''[[Sausage Party]]'', an [[Adult animation|adult]] [[computer-animated]] [[comedy film]], began showing in theaters in the United States. In the film, Teresa Del Taco is a Mexican lesbian [[taco]] who has a crush on Brenda,<ref name=ColliderRogenNeighbors>{{cite web|last=Wintraub|first=Steve|title=Seth Rogen Talks ''Neighbors'', Expanding Rose Byrne's Role, the R-rated Animated Comedy ''Sausage Party'', ''The Interview'', ''Preacher'', and More|url=https://collider.com/the-interview-seth-rogen-preacher-neighbors/|publisher=[[Collider (website)|Collider]]|access-date=November 10, 2020|date=May 7, 2014|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140507161402/http://collider.com/the-interview-seth-rogen-preacher-neighbors/|archive-date=May 7, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Salma>{{cite news|last=Yamato|first=Jen|title=Salma Hayek Invited To Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg's 'Sausage Party'|url=https://www.deadline.com/2014/04/salma-hayek-invited-to-seth-rogen-evan-goldbergs-sausage-party/|access-date=November 10, 2020|website=[[Deadline Hollywood|Deadline]]|date=April 9, 2014|archive-date=November 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201110150420/https://deadline.com/2014/04/salma-hayek-invited-to-seth-rogen-evan-goldbergs-sausage-party-712237/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Williams|first1=Joe|url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2016/08/11/salma-hayek-opens-up-about-playing-a-lesbian-taco-in-sausage-party-video/|title=Salma Hayek opens up about playing a lesbian taco in Sausage Party (VIDEO)|website=[[PinkNews]]|date=11 August 2016|access-date=November 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200214110940/https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2016/08/11/salma-hayek-opens-up-about-playing-a-lesbian-taco-in-sausage-party-video/|archive-date=February 14, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> a [[hot dog bun]] from an eight-bun package of Glamour Buns who is Frank's love interest.<ref name="Zane">{{cite web|last1=Zane|first1=Zachary|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sausage-partys-depiction-of-bisexuality-is-actually_b_57d98c4ee4b0d93d17700fd0|title=Sausage Party's Depiction of Bisexuality is Actually Brilliant|website=[[HuffPost]]|date=14 September 2016|access-date=November 9, 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201110151736/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sausage-partys-depiction-of-bisexuality-is-actually_b_57d98c4ee4b0d93d17700fd0?error=login_required&error_description=login_required|archive-date=November 10, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> Additionally, though [[Arab–Israeli conflict|enemies at first]] and implied to be Muslim,<ref name=ColliderPixarApart>{{cite web|last=Goldberg|first=Matt|title=Writer Evan Goldberg and Executive Producer James Weaver Talk R-Rated Animated Film SAUSAGE PARTY; Pixar Movies Will Get "Ripped Apart"|url=https://collider.com/sausage-party-story-details-evan-goldberg/|publisher=[[Collider (website)|Collider]]|access-date=November 10, 2020|date=May 6, 2014}}</ref><ref name=ColliderRogenNeighbors /><ref name=thewrap-casting>{{cite news|last=Sneider|first=Jeff|title=Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Kristen Wiig Lead 'Sausage Party' Voice Cast|url=https://www.thewrap.com/seth-rogen-james-franco-jonah-hill-kristen-wiig-sausage-party|access-date=November 10, 2020|publisher=[[The Wrap]]|date=January 28, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191118004721/https://www.thewrap.com/seth-rogen-james-franco-jonah-hill-kristen-wiig-sausage-party/|archive-date=November 18, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Kareem Abdul Lavash and Sammy Bagel Jr. eventually form a relationship.<ref name="Zane" />
In the September 2016 film, ''[[Storks (film)|Storks]]'', there are various lesbian couples shown. Near the end of the film, the storks deliver babies to straight, lesbian and gay couples, and single parents.<ref>{{cite tweet |author=GLAAD |authorlink=GLAAD |user=glaad |number=867767809568276481 |date=May 25, 2017 |title=It's refreshing to see a “family” oriented film like Storks be so casually inclusive of same-sex couples. |access-date=November 10, 2020 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20201110153234/https://twitter.com/glaad/status/867767809568276481 |archivedate=November 10, 2020 |url-status=live|ref=none}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Anderson|first1=Tre’vell|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-glaad-lgbtq-movies-20170524-htmlstory.html|title=Here's how major Hollywood studios stack up on LGBTQ representation|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=25 May 2017|access-date=November 10, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200121015640/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-glaad-lgbtq-movies-20170524-htmlstory.html|archive-date=January 21, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>
In July 2017, ''[[In a Heartbeat (film)|In a Heartbeat]]'', a [[computer animation|computer-animated]] [[short film]] produced by [[Ringling College of Art and Design]] and funded through [[Kickstarter]], was released.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slashfilm.com/short-film-in-a-heartbeat/|title=LGBT Animated Short 'In A Heartbeat' is a Tender Love Story That Could Rival Pixar Shorts|last=Bui|first=Hoai-Tran|website=[[/Film]]|date=August 2, 2017|access-date=August 5, 2017}}</ref> The short film concerns a closeted gay boy, Sherwin who has a crush on another boy named Jonathan and his heart desires to be with him.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pant |first1=Priyanka |title='In A Heartbeat': Over 14 Million Views For This Animated Short Film |url=https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/in-a-heartbeat-over-14-million-views-for-this-animated-short-film-1733616 |website=[[NDTV]] |access-date=September 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327101950/https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/in-a-heartbeat-over-14-million-views-for-this-animated-short-film-1733616 |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |date=August 14, 2017 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Since its launch, the film has received numerous awards and has been shown at numerous LGBT events and film festivals.<ref>{{cite web|title=In a Heartbeat: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know|date=August 2017|url=http://heavy.com/entertainment/2017/08/in-a-heartbeat-film-lgbt-animated-short-kickstarter/|access-date=10 August 2017}}</ref> It got shortlisted at the [[Academy Awards]] for [[Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film|Best Animated Short Film]],<ref name="auto2">{{cite web|url=http://bestanimatedshort.blogspot.com/2017/12/best-animated-short-2017-shortlist.html|title=Best Animated Short: Best Animated Short 2017 – The Shortlist|last=陳朗|date=4 December 2017|publisher=}}</ref> but did not get a nomination. The short was also included in [[The animation Showcase]] 2017 world touring screening that premiered it in London 25 July 2017 in [[Soho House (club)|Soho House]].
In September 2017, a Canadian [[animated short]], ''[[Soggy Flakes]]'', featured two LGBTQ characters. One is Dr. Bird Berry, a [[trans woman]], the mascot of Berry Delicious before she got a Ph.D. and transitioned.<ref name=storyhive>{{cite web|url=https://www.storyhive.com/projects/1793#project_pitch|title=Soggy Flakes|date=2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200625083925/https://www.storyhive.com/projects/1793|archive-date=June 25, 2020|access-date=January 31, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> Another is Captain Kale, the mascot of Kale Flakes, and was in a relationship with Dr. Bird Berry before Bird Berry transitioned.<ref name=storyhive />
Also releasing in December 2017 was a 13 minute [[animated short]] titled ''[[Manivald]]''. The titular protagonist of this short is a gay fox in his early 30s who is trying to find love.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ricker|first=Ko|url=https://www.awn.com/animationworld/human-after-all-social-satire-chintis-lundgrens-manivald|title=Human After All: The Social Satire of Chintis Lundgren's 'Manivald'|date=December 13, 2017|website=[[Animation World Network]]|access-date=February 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200115152820/https://www.awn.com/animationworld/human-after-all-social-satire-chintis-lundgrens-manivald|archive-date=January 15, 2020}}</ref> Another character, Toomas, is a wolf repairman and the object of Manivald and his mother's affections. However, it is revealed that he is married to a woman named Vivi and they have two kids with a third one on the way. This is expanded upon in the 2019 follow-up film ''Toomas Beneath the Valley of the Wild Wolves'' in which he becomes a gigolo after getting fired from his job but he hides it from his family.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.awn.com/blog/animation-pimp-deviated-preverts-or-making-toomas-beneath-valley-wild-wolves|title=The Animation Pimp: Deviated Preverts or Making 'Toomas Beneath the Valley of the Wild Wolves'|date=January 27, 2021|website=[[Animation World Network]]|access-date=February 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204020706/https://www.awn.com/blog/animation-pimp-deviated-preverts-or-making-toomas-beneath-valley-wild-wolves|archive-date=February 4, 2021}}</ref>
On March 27, 2018, ''[[Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay]]'', an adult animated [[superhero film]], was released digitally. In the film, [[Scandal Savage]] and [[Knockout (DC Comics)|Knockout]], prominent characters in the film,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cecchini |first1=Mike |title=Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay is Better Than the DCEU Movie |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/suicide-squad-hell-to-pay-review-better-than-the-dceu-movie/ |website=[[Den of Geek]] |access-date=November 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200703173115/https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/suicide-squad-hell-to-pay-review-better-than-the-dceu-movie/ |archive-date=July 3, 2020 |date=April 10, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> are displayed as lovers.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Zachary |first1=Brandon |title=Secret Six: How DC's Other Suicide Squad Almost Took Over Hell |url=https://www.cbr.com/secret-six-bane-deadshot-hell-lords/ |website=[[Comic Book Resources|CBR]] |access-date=November 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201102104154/https://www.cbr.com/secret-six-bane-deadshot-hell-lords/ |archive-date=November 2, 2020 |date=October 2, 2020 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=<!--Not stated--> |title=DC Universe Animated Original Movies (Part 31): Suicide Squad: Hell To Pay |url=https://casualcomixcritique.com/2018/06/30/dc-universe-animated-original-movies-part-31-suicide-squad-hell-to-pay/ |website=Casual Comix Critique |access-date=November 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811213452/https://casualcomixcritique.com/2018/06/30/dc-universe-animated-original-movies-part-31-suicide-squad-hell-to-pay/ |archive-date=August 11, 2020 |date=June 30, 2018 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Knockout first appears alongside Scandal breaking through [[Professor Pyg]]'s lair and taking him hostage to their apartment. She is later seen in the hospital in critical condition after being shot, but with a concerned Scandal by her side. At one point in the film, Savage and Knockout share a kiss, while Knockout is shown fully nude at one point.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schonfeld |first1=Renee |title=Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay [Review] |url=https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/suicide-squad-hell-to-pay |website=[[Common Sense Media]] |access-date=November 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729230425/https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/suicide-squad-hell-to-pay |archive-date=July 29, 2020 |date=November 15, 2019 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
[[File:Cierra Ramirez 7th Annual Television Academy Honors (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Cierra Ramirez]] in 2014; Ramirez voiced Chavez in the animated film ''Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors'' and throughout the '' Marvel Rising'' [[media franchise]].]]
On September 30, 2018, ''[[Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors]]'' aired on the [[Disney Channel]] and [[Disney XD]]. The team included [[Miss America (America Chavez)|America Chavez]], the first [[Latinas|Latina]], and lesbian, superhero in the [[Marvel Cinematic Universe]], who had already appeared in animated shorts titled "[[Marvel Rising#Initiation|Marvel Rising: Initiation]]".<ref>{{cite web|last=Free|first=Jakob|url=http://www.newnownext.com/marvel-rising-america-chavez/12/2017/|title=New Cartoon Will Feature Marvel's First Animated Lesbian Superhero|date=December 18, 2017|access-date=May 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204080732/http://www.newnownext.com/marvel-rising-america-chavez/12/2017/|archive-date=December 4, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://remezcla.com/film/cierra-ramirez-america-chavez-latina-superhero-marvel-rising-secret-warriors/|title=Cierra Ramirez to Voice America Chavez, Marvel's First Queer Latina Superhero|date=December 11, 2017|access-date=May 9, 2021|website=[[Remezcla]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190730054708/http://remezcla.com/film/cierra-ramirez-america-chavez-latina-superhero-marvel-rising-secret-warriors/|archive-date=July 30, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> [[GLAAD]] expressed hope that the film would allow Chavez to be represented accurately, and "serve as an introduction of America and further queer characters to the Marvel Cinematic Universe."<ref>{{cite web|last=Deerwater|first=Raina|url=https://www.glaad.org/blog/must-see-lgbtq-tv-marvel-rising-secret-warriors-versailles-final-season-return-will-grace|title=Must-See LGBTQ TV: 'Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors,' 'Versailles' final season, return of 'Will & Grace,' 'Superstore,' plus Alyssa Edwards' 'Dancing Queen'|date=September 30, 2018|access-date=May 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510032836/https://www.glaad.org/blog/must-see-lgbtq-tv-marvel-rising-secret-warriors-versailles-final-season-return-will-grace|archive-date=May 10, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> The film was later described as "a superhero tale with diversity oozing out of every animated frame," with note of Chavez having two mothers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/marvel-rising-secret-warriors-review-heroes-of-all-kinds-take-spotlight/|title=Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors tackles diversity without breaking a sweat|website=[[CNET]]|date=September 30, 2018|access-date=May 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128042707/https://www.cnet.com/news/marvel-rising-secret-warriors-review-heroes-of-all-kinds-take-spotlight/|archive-date=January 28, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>
In August 2019, Nickelodeon released ''[[Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling]]'', a [[television film]] and sequel to their 1993 series ''[[Rocko's Modern Life]]'' through Netflix. The producers worked with GLAAD to endure that the transgender character, in the form of cartoonist frog Rachel Bighead (known as Ralph Bighead in the original series) as well as a plotline involving her coming out to her parents, Ed and Bev Bighead, was respectful to the LGBTQ+ community and fit within the show itself.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last1=Romano |first1=Nick |title=''Rocko's Modern Life'' Netflix movie will feature prominent trans story arc |url=https://ew.com/tv/2019/08/07/rockos-modern-life-movie-trans-rachel/ |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly|EW]] |access-date=May 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200404212846/https://ew.com/tv/2019/08/07/rockos-modern-life-movie-trans-rachel/ |archive-date=April 4, 2020 |date=August 7, 2019 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The same month, the voice actor for Dana Dufresne, Maddie Taylor, revealed that her ''Loud House'' character had transitioned from a man to a trans woman, like herself, and said that the character would return in another episode within season 4.<ref>{{cite tweet|first=Maddie|last=Taylor|author-link=Maddie Taylor|user=MaddieTaylor418|number=1159555234701537280|date=August 8, 2019|title=Figured I'd let you all know. @Nickelodeon is doing good stuff in trans and LGBT representation. Very proud of this. #TransIsBeautiful #transpride #Nickelodeon #loudhouse #animation |access-date=April 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190831013737/https://twitter.com/MaddieTaylor418/status/1159555234701537280 |archive-date=August 31, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> However, Season 4 concluded on July 23, 2020 and no such episode or even appearance of Dana was shown.
On September 2, 2019, ''[[Steven Universe: The Movie]]'' premiered on [[Cartoon Network]]. It included [[Garnet (Steven Universe)|Ruby]], [[Garnet (Steven Universe)|Sapphire]], and [[Pearl (Steven Universe)|Pearl]], lesbian characters from the original ''[[Steven Universe]]'' series. In the film, after Spinel rides in to Earth on a planet-destroying weapons and attacks [[Steven Universe (character)|Steven Universe]] and the other three Crystal Gems (Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst),<ref name="Holloway">{{cite web |last1=Holloway |first1=Daniel |title='Steven Universe' Creator Looks Back on Her Groundbreaking Series as It Comes to a Close |url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/features/rebecca-sugar-cartoon-network-steven-universe-1203537231/ |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |access-date=April 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200405040853/https://variety.com/2020/tv/features/rebecca-sugar-cartoon-network-steven-universe-1203537231/ |archive-date=April 5, 2020 |date=March 18, 2020 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> causing all them to be "rejuvenated" into their original forms.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Zachary |first1=Brandon |title=Steven Universe: The Movie Features the Scariest (and Most Tragic) Gem Ever |url=https://www.cbr.com/steven-universe-the-movie-scariest-villain-spinel/ |website=[[Comic Book Resources|CBR]] |access-date=September 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190920211555/https://www.cbr.com/steven-universe-the-movie-scariest-villain-spinel/ |archive-date=September 20, 2019 |date=September 4, 2019 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> As Pearl and Amethyst are left with a sort of amnesia, Garnet splits into her component pieces: Ruby and Sapphire.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pulliam-Moore |first1=Charles |title=Steven Universe: The Movie's New Fusion Is Remixed Storytelling At Its Best |url=https://www.kotaku.com.au/2019/09/steven-universe-the-movies-new-fusion-is-remixed-storytelling-at-its-best/ |website=[[Kotaku]] |access-date=September 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200325220839/https://www.kotaku.com.au/2019/09/steven-universe-the-movies-new-fusion-is-remixed-storytelling-at-its-best/ |archive-date=March 25, 2020 |date=September 4, 2019 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> While Steven works with his friends to bring back the memories of Pearl and Amethyst, he also recreates the moment which brought Ruby and Sapphire together into Garnet, and is successful in restoring Garnet first to "cotton candy" form, then to her original self. Garnet also sings a song about love, titled "Isn't It Love?".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pulliam-Moore |first1=Charles |last2=Whitbrook |first2=James |title=io9 Discusses the Musical Delights of Steven Universe: The Movie's Killer Soundtrack |url=https://io9.gizmodo.com/io9-discusses-the-musical-delights-of-steven-universe-1837942363 |website=[[Gizmodo]] |access-date=September 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819084359/https://io9.gizmodo.com/io9-discusses-the-musical-delights-of-steven-universe-1837942363 |archive-date=August 19, 2020 |date=September 10, 2019 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Furthermore, in the process of getting Pearl's memories back,
Amethyst and Steven work together to get her memories back, including Amethyst transforming into Rose, who she calls Pearl's "love of her life."<ref>{{cite AV media |people=Rebecca Sugar (director); Jackie Buscarino; Zach Callison; Estelle; Michaela Dietz |date=September 2, 2019 |title=Steven Universe: The Movie |medium=Animation |language=en |format=film |time=45:11-45:16 |location=Burbank, California |url=https://www.amazon.com/Cartoon-Network-Steven-Universe-Movie/dp/B07W8HR413/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Steven+Universe%3A+The+Movie&qid=1620497823&sr=8-1 |publisher=[[Warner Bros.]] |id= |asin=B07W47BBKC |oclc=1241811834 |quote=You know, her original boss? The love of her life? The reason she rebelled in the first place! }}</ref> While this is not successful, Steven later succeeds by fusing with his father, into Steg, causing Pearl to come back to her original self.
On September 25, 2019, ''[[Shannon Amen]]'', a Canadian [[animated short]], premiered at the [[Ottawa International Animation Festival]]. The film is a tribute to Shannon Jamieson, a friend and creative collaborator of the filmmaker who committed suicide after being unable to accept her sexuality.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lewis |first1=Philip |title=Shannon Amen: Chris Dainty's Animated Elegy |url=https://blog.nfb.ca/blog/2019/07/17/shannon-amen-chris-daintys-animated-elegy/ |website=[[National Film Board of Canada|NFB]] |access-date=November 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808210915/https://blog.nfb.ca/blog/2019/07/17/shannon-amen-chris-daintys-animated-elegy/ |archive-date=August 8, 2020 |date=July 17, 2019 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite interview |last=Dainty |first=Chris |title=Festival du Nouveau Cinema 2019 – Shannon Amen |url=http://www.wearemovingstories.com/we-are-moving-stories-films/2019/1/17/shannon-amen |work=We Are Moving Stories |date=October 2019 |access-date=November 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191102153140/http://www.wearemovingstories.com/we-are-moving-stories-films/2019/1/17/shannon-amen |archive-date=November 2, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>
In October 2019, ''[[Wonder Woman: Bloodlines]]'', [[direct-to-video]] animated [[superhero film]] was released. In the film, [[Etta Candy]] appears as an openly lesbian African-American, voiced by [[Adrienne C. Moore]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Anderson |first1=Matthew |title=Wonder Woman Bloodlines Gets Synopsis, Art, Voice Cast |url=https://www.cbr.com/wonder-woman-bloodlines-synopsis-art-cast/ |website=[[Comic Book Resources|CBR]] |access-date=September 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190730154843/https://www.cbr.com/wonder-woman-bloodlines-synopsis-art-cast/ |archive-date=July 30, 2019 |date=July 29, 2019 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
==Timeline of key events==
* September 26, 2011: The ''[[Adventure Time]]'' episode "[[What Was Missing]]" shows on [[Cartoon Network]]. The episode begins hints at romantic subtext between [[Princess Bubblegum]] and [[Marceline the Vampire Queen]].<ref name="nichbrit2011" />
* November 4, 2013: ''[[Steven Universe]]'' airs its first episode on [[Cartoon Network]].<ref name="Cartoon Network 2013-10-03">{{cite press release |date=October 3, 2013 |title=Steven Universe |url=http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/PR/pr-stevenuniverse/ |publisher=[[Cartoon Network]] |quote=''Steven Universe'' will premier Monday, November 4 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005004735/http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/PR/pr-stevenuniverse/ |archive-date=October 5, 2013 }}</ref>
* December 19, 2014: The series finale of ''[[The Legend of Korra]]'' airs, confirming [[Korra]] and [[Asami Sato|Asami]] as a romantic couple.<ref name="konbry2014" />
* April 3, 2016: [[Waylon Smithers]], a character in ''[[The Simpsons]]'', came out, officially, as gay.<ref name="thojun2016" />
* July 20, 2016: [[Howard and Harold McBride]] appear in ''[[The Loud House]]'', becoming the first pair of married male characters to be depicted on a Nickelodeon series.<ref name="pinknews2016" />
* July 22, 2016: In the Season 3 finale of ''[[Bojack Horseman]]'', [[Todd Chavez]] comes out as asexual.<ref name="dotandline" />
* June 30, 2017: The series ''[[Danger & Eggs]]'' is released on [[Amazon Video]]. It features various LGBTQ characters.<ref name="comicsbeat" />
* September 3, 2018: In the series finale of ''[[Adventure Time]]'', Bubblegum and Marceline are confirmed as a couple, as they kiss during the episode, and begin leaving together.<ref name="Adegoke" />
* January 14, 2019: ''Family Guy'' commits to phasing out jokes about the LGBTQ community.<ref name="jondam2019" />
* February 9, 2019: Val/entina Romanyszyn reveals they were [[genderfluid]] in the fourth episode of ''[[gen:LOCK]]''.<ref name="comingsoon2019" />
* October 28, 2019: The [[television pilot|pilot]] episode of ''[[Hazbin Hotel]]'' premieres on [[YouTube]], featuring various LGBTQ characters.<ref name="milligan2019" />
* November 25, 2019: Pilot episode of ''[[Helluva Boss]]'', set in the same universe as ''[[Hazbin Hotel]]'' was released on [[YouTube]].<ref name="Short"/>
==See also==
* [[LGBT children's television programming]]
* [[List of animated series with LGBTQ characters]]
* [[History of homosexuality in American film]]
* [[History of anime]]
* [[Media portrayals of bisexuality]]
* [[Media portrayal of lesbianism]]
* [[List of LGBT-related films by year]]
* [[Cross-dressing in film and television]]
* [[List of animated series with crossdressing characters]]
* [[List of anime by release date (1946–1959)]]
==Notes==
{{notelist}}
==References==
===Citations===
{{reflist}}
===Sources===
* {{cite thesis |last=Cook |first=Carson |date=May 2018 |title=A content analysis of LGBT representation on broadcast and streaming television streaming television |type=Honors |chapter=A History of LGBT Representation on TV |publisher=University of Tennessee at Chattanooga |chapter-url=https://scholar.utc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1133&context=honors-theses |access-date=March 28, 2020}}
* {{Cite book|title = Queers in American Popular Culture Volume 1: Film and television|last = Johnson|first = Jo|publisher = Praeger|year = 2010|isbn = 9780313354571|location = Santa Barbara, California|chapter-url = https://archive.org/details/queersinamerican0000unse/page/246/mode/2up |access-date = September 23, 2021|editor-last = Elledge|editor-first = Jim|volume = 1|chapter = "We'll Have A Gay Old Time!": Queer Representation in American Prime-Time Television from the Cartoon Short to the Family Sitcom |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/queersinamerican0000unse/mode/2up }}
* {{cite report |ref={{sfnref|GLAAD|2010}} |date=2010 |title=Where We Are on TV Report: 2010-2011 |url=https://www.glaad.org/sites/default/files/whereweareontv2010-2011.pdf |publisher=[[GLAAD]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328155614/https://www.glaad.org/sites/default/files/whereweareontv2010-2011.pdf |access-date=April 11, 2020 |archive-date=2020-03-28 }}
* {{cite web |ref={{sfnref|GLAAD|2011}} |title=Where We Are on TV Report: 2011-2012 Characters List |url=https://www.glaad.org/publications/whereweareontv11/characters |website=GLAAD |publisher=GLAAD |access-date=April 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904143057/https://www.glaad.org/publications/whereweareontv11/characters |archive-date=September 4, 2019 |date=2012 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}} See the overview page [https://web.archive.org/web/20190321192308/https://www.glaad.org/publications/whereweareontv11/overview here].
* {{cite report |ref={{sfnref|GLAAD|2012}} |date=2012 |title=Where We Are on TV Report: 2012–2013 |url=https://www.glaad.org/files/whereweareontv12.pdf |publisher=[[GLAAD]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200326013027/https://www.glaad.org/files/whereweareontv12.pdf |access-date=March 11, 2020 |archive-date=2020-03-26 }}
* {{cite report |ref={{sfnref|GLAAD|2013}} |date=2013 |title=Where We Are on TV Report: 2013-2014 |url=https://www.glaad.org/files/2013WWATV.pdf |publisher=[[GLAAD]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328155604/https://www.glaad.org/files/2013WWATV.pdf |access-date=April 11, 2020 |archive-date=2020-03-28 }}
* {{cite report |ref={{sfnref|GLAAD|2014}} |date=2014 |title=Where We Are on TV Report: 2014-2015 |url=https://www.glaad.org/files/GLAAD-2014-WWAT.pdf |publisher=[[GLAAD]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328155604/https://www.glaad.org/files/GLAAD-2014-WWAT.pdf |access-date=April 11, 2020 |archive-date=2020-03-28 }}
* {{cite report |ref={{sfnref|GLAAD|2015}} |date=June 2015 |title=Where We Are on TV Report: 2015-2016 |url=https://www.glaad.org/files/GLAAD-2015-WWAT.pdf |publisher=[[GLAAD]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215012605/https://www.glaad.org/files/GLAAD-2015-WWAT.pdf |access-date=April 15, 2020 |archive-date=2020-02-15 }}
* {{cite report |ref={{sfnref|GLAAD|2016}} |date=November 2016 |title=Where We Are on TV Report: 2016-2017 |url=https://glaad.org/files/WWAT/WWAT_GLAAD_2016-2017.pdf |publisher=[[GLAAD]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101081939/https://glaad.org/files/WWAT/WWAT_GLAAD_2016-2017.pdf |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-date=2020-01-01 }}
* {{cite report |ref={{sfnref|GLAAD|2017}} |date=2017 |title=Where We Are on TV Report: 2017-2018 |url=https://glaad.org/files/WWAT/WWAT_GLAAD_2017-2018.pdf |publisher=[[GLAAD]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200405160821/https://glaad.org/files/WWAT/WWAT_GLAAD_2017-2018.pdf |access-date=April 19, 2020 |archive-date=2020-04-05 }}
* {{cite report |ref={{sfnref|GLAAD|2018}} |date=2018 |title=Where We Are on TV Report: 2018-2019 |url=https://glaad.org/files/WWAT/WWAT_GLAAD_2018-2019.pdf |publisher=[[GLAAD]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200410224649/https://glaad.org/files/WWAT/WWAT_GLAAD_2018-2019.pdf |access-date=April 21, 2020 |archive-date=2020-04-10 }}
* {{cite report |ref={{sfnref|GLAAD|2019}}|date=2019 |title=Where We Are on TV Report: 2019-2020 |url=https://www.glaad.org/sites/default/files/GLAAD%20WHERE%20WE%20ARE%20ON%20TV%202019%202020.pdf |publisher=[[GLAAD]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200408124019/https://www.glaad.org/sites/default/files/GLAAD%20WHERE%20WE%20ARE%20ON%20TV%202019%202020.pdf |access-date=April 21, 2020 |archive-date=2020-04-08 }}
{{LGBT fiction}}
[[Category:2010s animated television series]]
[[Category:Animated television series]]
[[Category:LGBT portrayals in mass media]]
[[Category:2010s timelines|LGBT characters in animation]]
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