Often presented as corporate cash grabs meant to appease the hetero masses, rainbow capitalism has become a huge topic of contention. Momentous announcements like “First Openly Gay Disney Character” are treated with fanfare, but the actual executions usually leave a lot to be desired. Relegated to stereotypes like ‘the sassy best friend’ or ‘quirky flamboyant neighbor’ meant to serve as a punchline. Inclusive storytelling invites everyone in, shouldn’t that be the standard for Hollywood? It’s been an incredible responsibility fallen on the shoulders of queer creators to add their own perspectives. It’s often the writers and showrunner, not the network executives, that should be applauded for the little bites of genuine representation that grace our silver screens.

We’re living in a time where great but also terrible things are happening for the LGBTQIA+ community. The wins we gain always receive pushback from a generation that refuses to acknowledge empathy. Look to central New Jersey, where towns like Marlboro, Manalapan, and Middletown have adopted anti-trans policies that hurts students. I feel like celebrating and learning more about queer culture helps take bigots' power away, and these animated queer characters are the enemy of their ridiculous beliefs. 

Gay people and cartoons were tough to combine because the medium is already hard to break into. The sad truth is, big companies like HBO and Netflix want to rebuild IPs. not shell out money and hope on a new show with queer protagonists. We see so many authentically gay shows get the ax while Ridiculousness on MTV has over 500 episodes. Rebecca Sugar, creator of Steven Universe, credits their gay wedding episode as the reason her triumphant series was cut prematurely. This set two precedents for the queer creative animation community - your stories could be told, but a price would have to be paid. Kind people losing their jobs and livelihood to share authentic stories to audiences who are desperate for education is not justice. It’s restricting access to identity and that’s bullshit. 

Truth is, there’s a billion different ways to live authentically as a member of LGBTQIA+ community and tokenizing the most stereotypical, basic moments to be palatable for hetero audiences is not an equitable solution. For every thousand straight couples in tv and movies, there’s one queer character who deserves the spotlight. Here are some of my newer (and favorite) same-sex couples in modern cartoons.

Show: Avatar: The Legend of Korra

Queer Couple: Korra and Asami

While scared straights in charge may take away resources of representation or throw tantrums in Targets over Pride merch, you can always rely on these animated characters who are out and proud. Some of these same-sex character relationships led to shows being canceled in consequence of pursuing a gay-friendy story, and we need to note that a great effort on behalf of the passionate creators, writers, storyboarders, and more shouldn’t be minimized because top brass worked to minimize their impact. That’s why The Legend of Korra had a shaky second season and unveiling of their groundbreaking same-sex couple, Korra and Asami. 

This scene personally helped me on my journey in finding the confidence to embrace my queerness. After hardships like facing air-bending terrorists, villains who poisoned her to the brink of death, and the forced ripping her spiritual half out of her body, Korra finally deserved her happy ending. The whole world was against her at times, and she reflects that even through the pain of it all, she can still find wisdom in her suffering. That’s so powerful and brave and gay! After tying things up with her ex-boyfriend, Korra is joined by Asami to look toward the future. For what seems like the first time ever, Korra, the strongest person in their universe, is finally able to relax. She suggests going on vacation with Asami, and they agree it “sounds perfect.” Though not explicitly queer as a kiss on the lips (thanks 2014 homophobic network executives), the two join hands and enter a new adventure together. Asami is loyal, cares about Korra, and the two belong together. This scene changed the way animation and gay representation can be influential, especially to lil gay me.

Korra and Asami, or Korrasami as the internet dubbed them, came to fruition in literally the final seconds of the entire series. While many folks felt cheated out of seeing their relationship grow from friends to lovers, it’s crucial to note that this aired in 2014. Rewatching, you can tell the  writer’s wanted Korra and Asami to have more time bonding and learning to trust each other (after all, they both dated the same guy!). Knowing Avatar Korra, the strongest bender in her universe, felt the same way I did helped me in my coming out journey. And I’d like to think the little moments of Korra blushing at Asami’s letter at the start of season 3, or even Korra saying “I’ve never had a girl friend before” were all just little love notes from the creators to show Korra was more than just straight, to keep nosy executives from shutting it all down). And for those of you upset that Korra and Asami didn’t get their spirit world date- don't fret! Their journey picks up in the comics by Dark Horse, and even explores their romantic relationship, friend’s reactions to the news, and we see Korrasami gayer than ever. 

Show: Steven Universe

Queer Couples: Ruby and Sapphire (Garnet), Pearl and Rose, Stevonnie, Sadie and Shep.

Steven Universe is widely praised for advancing queer culture in animated western media and proved to doubtful executives that an audience can appreciate kid-friendly queer stories. Plus, it’s an amazing adventure about a bunch of gay oddballs recovering from generational trauma- and that’s honestly super gay.

As a recipient of a Peabody, GLAAD media award, and was conceptualized by non-binary creator Rebecca Sugar, Steven Universe solidified itself as one of the gayest shows to ever grace television. A colorful cast of Crystal Gems, intergalactic warriors that all present as female/non-binary, create a slew of exciting characters, couples, and fusions (when two gems literally merge and become one being) that, although out of this world, made for a very grounded queer story. The show introduces us to Steven and his three magical aunts, Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl.

In the season 1 finale, we find out that Garnet, the leader of the Crystal Gems voiced by Estelle of American Boy, is a fusion-composed of two female-identifying aliens, Sapphire and Ruby. We learn what makes Garnet herself, the literal embodiment of queer love, and she explains she’s a permanent fusion because of how much Ruby and Sapphire love each other. She’s existed alongside us all this time- and that’s fucking awesome! This reveal helps young Steven understand Garnet even more, how she’s something “entirely new” that their Homeworld did not approve of. And the show explores how a chosen family can overcome war, betrayal, loss by being stronger together. Garnet is a strong leader, imparting her wisdom on the audience in the form of cool one-liners and badass action. Season 5 includes a groundbreaking gay wedding between Garnet’s two parts, Ruby and Sapphire. This bold choice in the face of close-minded executives was said to be the final nail in SU’s coffin, even being banned in Russia and other countries. We owe the entire Steven Universe team a thank you for risking their jobs and livelihood to tell an authentic and beautiful story. 

I’d be roasted alive (or more accurately to the show's lore, speared) if I don’t bring up Pearl and Rose. To make a very Shakespearan story short, Pearl was in love with rebel leader Rose Quartz and was conditioned to be her unquestioning servant. Rose and Pearl were sent to colonize the Earth and strip it of its resources, but instead they found its freedom inspiring and decided to fight for it. Although Pearl was promised peace after the hard fought battle was won, she found herself fumbling after Rose who fell in love with a human- Steven’s Dad. Throughout the series, Pearl reminisces of her times with Rose fondly, but grows to learn that their relationship wasn’t exactly healthy. We learn that in the past, Pearl would proudly sacrifice herself over and over again to protect Rose in battle. Her devotion to Rose is put on blast in 'Rose’s Scabbard' and 'Single Pale Rose.' I should also note Rose's Scabbard is my favorite of the 152 episodes.

Steven Universe Future, the 20-episode sequel series with a more mature tone, shows the consequences of how loving someone unconditionally can be dangerous. Our Pearl meets another Pearl who was just as devoted to Rose, but at a time when Rose was unstable and childish. By reflecting on how they were treated by Rose, and the excuses they conjured to justify Rose’s toxic actions, both Pearls receive the entire story of Rose Quartz- and finally closure. The two are able to connect and understand the person they once put above all else was a complicated being with an immense capacity for love and ignorance. 

The entire show revolves around Rose’s consequences and we get the chance to see her character arc in reverse, proving she’s more than a hero or villain. Pearl’s arc, from lovesick devout servant to independent, self-assured badass we see at the end of the series, can inspire those in unequal relationships to reclaim their power. Her rose colored glasses (pun fully intended) for Rose is beautifully exemplified in the musical episode Mr. Greg. In the iconic song “It’s Over Isn’t It”, Pearl laments and resents Rose for leaving her for Steven’s father and giving up her form to create Steven. Pearl is a complex queer icon whose only crime was falling too hard in love.

Bonus relationship: An intersex character is introduced when Steven and his friend Connie fuse together. Shown in one of the show’s progressive ads made in partnership with the Dove Self Esteem project, the show broke ground confirming Stevonnie, their fusion, was intersex. 

Show: The Ghost and Molly McGee

Queer Couple: Jeff and Geoff

The Ghost and Molly McGee follows extremely peppy Molly McGee and her grumpy ghost BFF as they embrace ‘enhappification’ and spread joy throughout their Midwestern town. The show recently aired an important episode about Molly’s biracial identity as a Thai-American, offering an honest conversation among the various mixed family members talking about their experiences. 

The titular ghost of the show, Scratch, has a best friend named Geoff. G-E-O-F-F is as goofy and silly as his name is spelled. Geoff is sweetly clueless, extremely caring (he brings Scratch homemade soup when sick), and always offers a positive perspective. Although not a mainstay in the McGee household, season 2 has been giving us more Geoff and I love it. 

The episode ‘The (After) Life of the Party’ introduces Jeff, a super buff and confident ghost who invites Scratch to a party - on the same day as Geoff’s special party. The twist at the end of the episode is that Geoff and Jeff are hosting the same event! Geoff and Jeff are “after-life” partners, celebrating their love with a huge dance. Scratch learns to appreciate Geoff, hilariously underscored by Jeff menacingly threatening to mess Scratch up if he hurts ”my sweet Geoff ever again”. 

This episode sticks the landing, as Scratch isn’t surprised or shocked to find Geoff and Jeff are together. The central conflict is Scratch promising two friends he’d attend their parties, nothing to do with Geoff’s identity (a big sigh of relief from most coming-out story lines filled with raw trauma). There’s a scene in Disney/Pixar’s Onwards where the purple cyclops cop casually mentions her wife and the other character looks visibly confused and slightly uncomfortable. Lauded and overly marketed as one of the first gay characters, this random one-eyed lady has become a meme in the LGBTQ+ community for being so unimpressive and shallow, a perfect representation of rainbow capitalism. Disney is extremely guilty of that, but not in the case of The Ghost and Molly McGee. Geoff and Jeff continue to appear together throughout the series, even kissing briefly at the end of the episode. Don’t tell Ron DeSantis, but the House of Mouse has been making progress to queer-ify the animation space on the small screen (see also The Owl House) but it’s mainstream movies could use a little less undertones and a lot more blunt gayness. 

Show: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

Queer Couple: Adora and Catra

She-Ra and The Princesses of Power has a same-sex relationship at its forefront, albeit they go through so many ups and downs that a rollercoaster would be envious. Growing up as best friends but then finding themselves on opposite sides of a war, Adora and Catra spend all five seasons fighting and ultimately falling in love. 

The two have an incredibly iconic moment in the episode ‘Princess Prom’ that would have sent 2014 Tumblr into a rabid frenzy. Catra shows up at the dance and claws gender norms apart, serving **** in a crimson tux. Mind games are played, the lovers quarrel instead of communicating, and the two dance/fight in. While the show’s overarching plot is less about external love and mostly about self-acceptance, Adora and Catra are still shaking the fandom. 

While the tumultuous journey of ‘Catadora’ isn’t exactly #relationshipgoals, friends to enemies to lovers is a profound experience that honestly feels pretty queer. They prove that love isn’t easy and you don't have to give up on a loved one who makes mistakes.

Show: Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur

Queer Couple: Isaac and Antonio Goldberg-Calderon

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur follows 13-year-old super genius Lunella Lafayette, her dually adorable and menacing T-Rex partner, Devil, and their adventures protecting the Lower East Side. Their one-person PR team and best friend is Casey Goldberg-Calderon, an energetic and trustworthy member of the team. A fun twist on the ‘guy in the chair’, Casey sidesteps sidekick accusations by having a fully flushed out background, wants, needs, and goals. 

Always encouraging Lunella to embrace her uniqueness, Casey’s confidence may be attributed to the home she was raised in. A great example of a loving household with two same-sex parents, Casey Goldberg-Calderon is never afraid to boast about her dads. It’s awesome to see such positive familial representation from the view of the happy kid. It also does the unnecessary but sweet job of normalizing LGBTQ+ relationships for young folks to understand meaningfully. 

In a pivotal season 1 episode of the show, Casey is preparing for her Bat Mitzvah and her parents couldn’t be more proud of the young adult she’s become. We meet her supportive female rabbi with no shortage of Yiddish words, and get a beautifully strange song sounding straight out of Temple.

Shows like The Ghost and Molly McGee and Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur are doing extraordinary work pushing genuine Jewish narratives. The audience learns a little and laughs a lot, a great change of pace from those ‘special episodes’ living in our collective cringe consciousness. As someone raised Jewish, I can’t help but smile when watching shows with writers who spend time learning about my culture, traditions, and depict them accurately on screen. It makes me want to return that feeling!

It’s likely we’ll see more of Casey’s dads, Isaac and Antonio, in the new season. And the latter is even voiced by gay and Jewish icon Andy Cohen!

Show: The Owl House

Queer Couple: Luz Noceda and Amity Blight

Luz goes on an incredible journey in The Owl House, which culminated its run after its third season in early 2023. The fandom rejoiced with the incredibly satisfying ending, although the final season was deliberately reduced episode-wise by Disney executives. Show creator and outspoken legend Dana Terrace fought for her show to have authentic same-sex character relationships, and the price may have been TOH’s cancellation. Nevertheless, she persisted! 

Luz is a loveable misfit from the human world who is magically transported to The Boiling Isles. Amity is a stubborn witch-in-training, stressed to death pleasing her ruthless mom and staying at the top of her class. The two teens clash as Luz is a human learning magic, defying Amity’s expectations and proving that Luz’s determination is stronger than Amity’s disbelief. After reconciling, the two go on to become one of the most groundbreaking couples in animation. 

The Owl House is overflowing with magic and mystery, but queer love may be the strongest power the characters wield. Eda, the grouchy mom of the group, has a dating history with a non-binary witch, Raine Whispers. Luz meets Willow, a smart and sensitive girl with two loving dads. And finally, the core romantic relationship of the show is between Luz the human and Amity the witch. Although they start off with misunderstandings and some bumps in the road, the two eventually find more in common than apart. They even love the same book series, which has somehow traversed realms like Luz. Luz’s influence on Amity liberates her, as Amity begins to stand up to her abusive mom and even questions the unfair magic council that keeps folks like Luz and Eda in their crosshairs. Amity learns to love herself and then love Luz, and I think that’s really special. 

At their version of Prom, Luz pulls a Katniss Everdeen and volunteers to take Amity’s place as Grom queen. The innocent gesture turns into Luz facing Amity’s biggest fear - which the audience finds out was Luz rejecting her Grom invitation. Gay teen panic, the feeling that your same-sex crush will reject you- yeah The Owl House was real as fuck for that. The two dance and cast a spell together, cementing the night as a step towards ‘Lumity’ becoming official. 

When an evil colonist witch-hunter learns how to kill them all via time travel and a cursed spell (long story), Luz experiences severe depression and sadness. Amity’s constant support inspires Luz to fight for the worlds they love, and The Owl House ultimately represents a safe haven for queer folks. The finale of the show reveals that the god-like Titan doesn’t prefer ‘King or Queen’ and identifies as the “best of both."

Show: Hailey’s On It

Queer Couple: Jonathan and Thad, Becker and Kennedy, (potentially) Hailey and Becker

Disney’s new animated show starring Auli’i Cravalho, Hailey’s On It, is an absolute blast. When a visitor from the future tells 14-year-old Hailey Alohilani Banks she has to complete her to-do list as the first step in saving the world, she jumps into action alongside her jokester best friend, Scott (voiced by Manny Jacinto from the Good Place). Cravalho, the incredible voice of Disney’s Moana, came out as bisexual in 2020. Here’s hoping we get some bisexual storylines, as the show largely focuses on Hailey’s relationships with the eccentric inhabitants of her sunny city, Oceanside. While the series is brand new (6 episodes have come out as of June 2023), Hailey’s On It writer Kevin Yee took to twitter to share his excitement of including two gay characters to the story. Characters Jonathan and Thad are written in the script as “the cutest couple at Oceanside High School” and perform with everyone in a Cats-inspired parody musical- Hats. I trust the writers of Hailey’s On It to deliver more of Jonathan and Thad, hopefully giving them larger roles as the series events play out. 

In the episode ‘Catching Felines’, a clever pun for catching feelings, Hailey’s bucket-list goal is to make a female friend. She turns towards her best friend Scott’s younger sister, just a grade below them, named Becker. Becker is rambunctious and loves to explode things, she’s a star in her own right. The episode ends with Becker having an epiphany- she wants to kiss Hailey Alohilani Banks. Not only does this make a possible love triangle with Hailey and the two siblings, but the bi-representation is so real. She later fights (then falls) for a girl named Kennedy who is her exact opposite. It's sweet!

Movie: Nimona

Queer Couple: Ballister Boldheart and Ambrosius Goldenloin

Nimona is a fucking rockstar. Without giving too much away from the Netflix movie, Nimona lives in a world that mirrors our own. Excluding the medieval-meets-modern technology aesthetic, Nimona takes on personal issues all too-relatable to those who have been othered by society. A purely great trans allegory, as the creator ND Stevenson is trans, he made Nimona for those who want to feel free. Transness and shapeshifting are Nimona’s true superpowers, and unfortunately the kingdom dubs what they don’t understand as monstrous. 

An incredibly unsubtle gay couple is Ballister Boldheart and Ambrocious Goldenloin, two knights from opposite worlds who fell in love despite the odds against them. When Boldheart is framed for a tragic murder, Goldenloin struggles to reconcile with the man he loves despite his loyalty to the kingdom. Their against-the-odds relationship is a complex look at connection, trust, and how far society can corrupt how we think about those we love. While the kingdom declares Boldheart as evil, we see Goldenloin panic at the task of tracking down his runaway lover. Their friendship and relationship, torn by corrupt lies and rigid rulers, is beautifully explored in Nimona. They even share a kiss, hold hands, and deliver some extremely gay moments for the girlies at home to enjoy. You can tell that the story is overflowing with queer elements and that is so refreshing after decades of toned-down gay moments.

Key Relationship Episodes:

Show: The Legend of Korra

Creators: Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

Seasons: 4 (and comics!)

Episodes: 52

Gayest Episode(s): The Last Stand

Show: Steven Universe

Creators: Rebecca Sugar

Seasons: 5 (and a movie and sequel series)

Episodes: 160

Gayest Episode(s): Rose’s Scabbard, The Answer, Reunited 

Show: The Ghost and Molly McGee

Creators: Bill Motz and Bob Roth

Seasons: 2 (stream on Disney+ so they get a third!)

Episodes: 28 (ongoing)

Gayest Episode: 'The (After) Life of the Party'

Show: Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur

Creators: Steve Loter, Jeffrey M. Howard, Kate Kondell

Seasons: 1 (2 is on the way)

Episodes: 16 (ongoing)

Gayest Episode(s): 'Goodnight, Moon Girl' and 'Today, I Am a Woman'

Show: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power 

Creators: ND Stevenson

Seasons: 5

Episodes: 52

Gayest Episode(s): 'Princess Prom' and 'Heart'

Show: The Owl House

Creators: Dana Terrace

Seasons: 3

Episodes: 43

Gayest Episode(s): 'Enchanting Grom Night' and 'Knock Knock Knockin' on Hooty's Door'

Movie: Nimona

Creators: ND Stevenson