Support NeoGAF

[Morrigan Stark]

While LGBT representation is great and I'm all for it, straight female playable protagonists with male love interests are somehow even rarer (seems like they're either gay or asexual), so I'd be totally cool with her hooking up with some dude in TLoU2, if only to make some manbabies squirm.

 

[Skilletor]

‏@sapphicgeek

This is beautiful.

Thank you for sharing it.

Would be cool, but also wouldn't be a big deal if it weren't.

Honestly if they gave her a partner throughout the whole game it would probably lead to a lot of infighting and melodramatic moments that might wear the plot down.

Maybe just relegate her to a past love lost or a potential partner for the end of the game.

Sounds exactly like Uncharted.

But that makes it a bad thing if it's a lesbian couple?

 

[Briarios]

How did I know when I saw the thread title that we'd immediately have low post juniors discounting it?

Why is it important? Because there are people out there killing themselves over their orientation -- positive media portrayals matter, normalizing who they are matters. It's not like it has to be the focus of the game or they story - but it just being part of her character matters.

Here's a recent example of why:

http://www.vox.com/identities/2016/12/5/13834432/lgbtq-representation-media-supergirl

 

[Mesoian]

Jeol being straight was a huge plot point in the first one

I can see why you would say that.

But

Spoiler

Bill

being gay was also pretty big. It made that entire scene make so much more sense.

 

[pantsmith]

They handled everything else well, theres no reason to think they wont do their characters justice here too.

 

[Pattycakes]

I don't know about "super gay." There's a fine line between mentioning an aspect of a character or part of a character's identity and shoving it in a person's face every chance possible, essentially defining the character. I don't think Ellie has ever been a character that has been defined primarily by her sexual identity, and I highly doubt Naughty Dog is a studio that would succumb to the temptation of making her so.

 

[chillybright]

I agree. I want good GAMEPLAY over anything else.

Wrong game, buddy.

 

[synce]

I see Ellie with Joel over another woman, she's bi at most. It's stupid to focus on that stuff in a game though, leave it to the players imagination.

 

[Bronx-Man]

I really have a feeling that someone killed Ellie's partner, and in their messed up world finding someone for her was harder than it would be for a straight person.

This could be interesting. Almost like Ellie trying to find a surrogate for Riley like Joel saw Ellie as a surrogate for Sarah.

 

[Auctopus]

Seeing as it's the basis of this article, I'm assuming Neil came out (forgive the pun) and said that Ellie was gay?

Because I thought that Left Behind was left pretty open for interpretation.

 

[ahoyhoy]

While LGBT representation is great and I'm all for it, straight female playable protagonists with male love interests are somehow even rarer (seems like they're either gay or asexual), so I'd be totally cool with her hooking up with some dude in TLoU2, if only to make some manbabies squirm.

Oh yes, it would be great to have the the player character hitting on some cute dude. Homophobes would probably boycott it just because they don't want even want their avatars to touch male flesh.

 

[GIANKRATOS]

Naughty Dog was great with gay characters in The Last of Us. Bill was another great character who was gay but not overtly defined or styled in stereotypical mannerisms and such. He was just a gruff man living a hard life alone in a crazy shitty world who happened to be gay.

Haha i loved Bill.

 

[HStallion]

I see Ellie with Joel over another woman, she's bi at most. It's stupid to focus on that stuff in a game though, leave it to the players imagination.

What? Joel sees her like a surrogate daughter and vice versa. They are not romantically involved and there was never any hint there of anything of the sorts.

 

[Servbot24]

It would be cool if it fits into the story, though that's kind of hard to picture based on what we know so far.

 

[EdibleExplosives]

I see Ellie with Joel over another woman, she's bi at most. It's stupid to focus on that stuff in a game though, leave it to the players imagination.

bi at most, says who? We've only seen her with 1 person, and that was a girl. And I'm assuming by 'with' Joel you don't mean with.

I agree. I want good GAMEPLAY over anything else.

Why does this even Matter?

wahhhhh

 

[Kilau]

NOW I can relate.

 

[Mesoian]

I see Ellie with Joel over another woman, she's bi at most. It's stupid to focus on that stuff in a game though, leave it to the players imagination.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH let's try to avoid the manga version of Usagi Drop please...

 

[TheOohChild]

I found Ellie being a lesbian cool because it was subtle and not a big deal.

If it becomes a focus point of the second game it would be disappointing I think.

I hope it's like an episode of The L Word but with fucked up spore zombies trying to kill you.

 

[SirMossyBloke]

What the hell is super gay?

Gay and wears a cape.

 

[Briarios]

I see Ellie with Joel over another woman, she's bi at most. It's stupid to focus on that stuff in a game though, leave it to the players imagination.

Gross!

 

[Skilletor]

I see Ellie with Joel over another woman, she's bi at most. It's stupid to focus on that stuff in a game though, leave it to the players imagination.

LOL

 

[Bronx-Man]

Hmmm....

I knew someone was gonna find the bingo card!

 

[Shaanyboi]

Why does this even Matter?

Because the gay community finally has a lead character in a big AAA game, and don't want that aspect of her personality to be swept under a rug?

 

[Lunafreya Nox Fleuret]

I see Ellie with Joel over another woman, she's bi at most. It's stupid to focus on that stuff in a game though, leave it to the players imagination.

So did you even play the game or what?

 

[Arkeband]

How many power levels is Super Gay below Super Gay God Super Gay?

 

[NateDrake]

I thought I read that Ellie was bi rather than lesbian.

The context of the kiss from Left Behind has been a topic of conversation for a while. Some think it is just the purity of the two and a quick moment of expression that didn't mean anything except a friendly kiss, while others find it more symbolic about Ellie's sexuality. I think ND expanded on the scene in an interview.

 

[GravityInsanity]

I see Ellie with Joel over another woman, she's bi at most. It's stupid to focus on that stuff in a game though, leave it to the players imagination.

 

[KZXcellent]

There's no need to worry if Ellie's homosexuality will be "handled well" in TLoU2. Naughty Dog has already proven they can make engaging well written characters that aren't just attempts at checking boxes. I'm excited to see how Ellie's character has developed in the new game.

 

[Astral Dog]

Ugh people already saying "please dont make it too Gay" at the first page.

 

[Perfect Blue]

I really have a feeling that someone killed Ellie's partner, and in their messed up world finding someone for her was harder than it would be for a straight person.

I'd be down with this idea if we see the partner's death or it's built up someway, similar to Joel and his daughter in the first game. I won't care as much if the death happens off screen and I don't know who she was.

 

[funkystudent]

Talking about Ellie's sexuality already creeps me out. Its like when your younger sibling or family member finally starts dating and you still think they are a kid.



The handling of sexuality in games is so bad that I think a female lead that just likes men would be a first in of itself.

I wonder if some video game creators think their female lead characters have to be a lesbian or at least bi because they think the male audience cant handle a lead female character who just likes men.

 

[HStallion]

How many power levels is Super Gay below Super Gay God Super Gay?

There is Super Gayain, Super Gayain 2, Super Gayain 3, Super Gaiyan Blue, Super Gaiyan Crimson. Its a wide spectrum.

 

[Glass Rebel]

remember kids, representation of any minority is welcome "as long as it makes sense"

now please excuse me while I try to find my eyes that rolled out of their sockets

While LGBT representation is great and I'm all for it, straight female playable protagonists with male love interests are somehow even rarer (seems like they're either gay or asexual), so I'd be totally cool with her hooking up with some dude in TLoU2, if only to make some manbabies squirm.

what a confusing post

 

[SolidSnakex]

I thought I read that Ellie was bi rather than lesbian.

Nah

Is Ellie gay?

Druckmann: “Now when I was writing it I was writing it I was writing it with the idea that Ellie is gay, and when the actresses were working they were definitely working with the idea that they’re both attracted to each other. That was the subtext and intention that they were playing with from the opening cinematic when they’re holding each other’s hands for too long, or when Riley bites her on the neck; there’s that chemistry there from the get go that was important for us so that we earned that moment when they kissed each other. So that it wasn’t just out of the blue but also wasn’t so overt that you’re like “Oh of course. Just get on with it.”

 

[Ran rp]

I see Ellie with Joel over another woman, she's bi at most. It's stupid to focus on that stuff in a game though, leave it to the players imagination.

the hell?

 

[crowphoenix]

If this is Ellie hunting the people that killed her wife, that would be pretty cool.

 

[Catvoca]

Gaming side not disappointing with the usual "I don't mind you being represented, just don't throw a big part of your identity in my face, geez" that always comes up whenever a Dev dares to include anyone but straight white dudes.

 

[Karak]

Hmmm....

To be fair one of those needs to be a picture of the bingo card lol

 

[ahoyhoy]

Sounds exactly like Uncharted.

But that makes it a bad thing if it's a lesbian couple?

No, and I would levy the same crisicism of Uncharted too.

TLOU was touching because of the unique adopted father-daughter relationship.

I suppose as a person in a Same Sex relationship I don't see just having a lesbian relationship be a cornerstone of a games plot as a unique thing in of itself and would rather have some other plot to carry things forward.

 

[DrunkShogun]

As I say for most narrative focused media, if it makes sense narratively and not forced then I'm all for it. Romance seems to be a odd when the theme is hate unless the partner is already there which would make it easier.

 

[EdibleExplosives]

The context of the kiss from Left Behind has been a topic of conversation for a while. Some think it is just the purity of the two and a quick moment of expression that didn't mean anything except a friendly kiss, while others find it more symbolic about Ellie's sexuality.

It was a romantic kiss, there's not much to interpret from it.

 

[Orayn]

I see Ellie with Joel over another woman, she's bi at most. It's stupid to focus on that stuff in a game though, leave it to the players imagination.

Young woman with a man who's almost old enough to be her grandpa, normal and good.

Young woman with another woman, outlandish.

 

[Enduin]

Sure, go for it. If it's well done what do I care.

 

[Complicated]

Representation of male heterosexual relationships with women in games is so out-and-out awful they can make it whatever they want and it literally couldn't be any worse.

 

[Zeyphersan]

Young woman with a man who's almost old enough to be her grandpa, normal and good.

Young woman with another woman, outlandish.

Seriously blows my fucking mind, I was about to make the same post

 

[NateDrake]

It was a romantic kiss, there's not much to interpret from it.

All I'm saying is that when the DLC released it was viewed in multiple ways by folks. Not everyone took it to be romantic.

 

[RoKKeR]

I found Ellie being a lesbian cool because it was subtle and not a big deal.

If it becomes a focus point of the second game it would be disappointing I think.

++++++++++++++++++++++

Very much this.

 

[Kaako]

Do whatever you like, ND. You've deserved that much. You are the creators and I will be 100% fine whichever direction you take this as long as the respect for the craft is there. You can tackle any issue I feel as long as the love and respect for the craft is there. And ND have proven time after time again their love, dedication, and true respect for what they do with their softwares. Make it as gay as possible or not, you'll have my full support because you've done right by me so far!

 

[GIANKRATOS]

I see Ellie with Joel over another woman, she's bi at most. It's stupid to focus on that stuff in a game though, leave it to the players imagination.

 

[EdibleExplosives]

All I'm saying is that when the DLC released it was viewed in multiple ways by folks. Not everyone took it to be romantic.

Sure, and those people are wrong. If it was kiss between Ellie and some dude, there wouldn't even be a discussion over whether or not it was romantic.