Did you know the first Pride started as a riot?
That was back in 1970s New York, where the first Pride parades started as raucous gay liberation marches. What started as a protest against police brutality has, over time, grown into a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and spread worldwide. Now, Pride month takes place every June, and is an opportunity to recognise the continued struggles of the LGBTQ+ community, alongside the huge amount of achievements and milestones that have come since.
While gaming might not have started as the most inclusive of spaces, the video game industry is becoming increasingly queer, with Qweerty Gamers and GaymerX as just two examples of organisations leading the way. It can be hard to identify exactly how many people in the world identify as LGBTQ+ (as many might feel hesitant or fear openness still). However, in the UK for example, around 20% of the gaming industry identify as LGBTQ+, a significant increase from the 3,1% reported in the national census.
Filled with imagination and freedom from the confines of reality, it’s no surprise the gaming industries across the world are filled with more LGBTQ+ identifying people than most. And with more members of the community working in the industry, it also makes sense it’s one of the places you can find a growing amount of LGBTQ+ representation and inclusivity.
Here at nerdytec, that’s something we want to celebrate! So, let’s explore.
Famous LGBTQ+ characters to befriend
While Sonic the Hedgehog’s sexual orientation has yet to be confirmed or denied, here are some other famous LGBTQ+ characters you can check out in the meantime:
- Ellie - The Last Of Us (2013): The Last Of Us was turned into a TV series this year meaning Ellie just got even more popular. Complex and engaging, the game series is a captivating portrayal of character that has won so many hearts.
- Gay Tony - Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony (2009): Anthony "Tony" Prince, also known as Gay Tony, originally appeared as a minor character in Grand Theft Auto IV before becoming a star in his own two expansion packs.
- The Sims (2000-): Though not just one character, it would be wrong not to include The Sims in this list as pioneers of bisexual representation with the legendary kiss that changed video games, according to one New Yorker reporter in 2014.
Twitchy ones to watch
Twitch is obviously the place to be if you like gaming. Why not celebrate Pride with these top queer twitchers?
- Elix - 60.7K Followers: Tune in to see the antics of Mexican drag queen Elix, who was even featured on Twitch's Times Square billboard in New York City! As a Dead by Daylight partner, you can also stream her on games like Grand Theft Auto V.
- Eret - 1.2M followers: British, bisexual and popular - that's how we would describe this Twitch streamer. Eret streams iconic games like Minecraft and is best known for his rejection of gender norms and his fun and flashy outfits.
- minimal_gameplay- 2.1K followers: Life is Strange: True Colors, Raft, and Stream Raiders are just some of the games streamed by this hilarious variety streamer. The perfect stream for judgment-free mental health talk and LGBTQ+ culture celebration.
Games to look forward to
Keep an eye out for these yet-to-be-released games and their future-queer icons!
Flower Knight Hú Dié: an aesthetic beauty of a game with a seriously sapphic vibe set in the solar-punk city of Yánghuāchéng, Japan. Follow one of the city's resident magical girls as she looks for the truth behind her best friend's disappearance.
Paradiso Guardian: an ActionRPG game with eye-catching visual novel elements heavily influenced by the Castlevania series. Play as battle angel Lenga Valentine from the Paradiso Army, so you reclaim a floating castle invaded by unknown forces. .
HELLMALL: Make strategic enemies to save your soul and beat your enemies in this super late-stage capitalist tech dystopia. You’ll need to deploy all your strategic abilities and creativity in this colourful exploration of the digital afterlife.
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