Blizzard has been telling us for weeks now that LGBT characters will be confirmed soon. That confirmation came today in the form of Overwatch's "Reflections" comic that showed Tracer in fact has a girlfriend – or at least a woman with whom she is romantically involved.
This comes on page 8 of the new comic, and the panel is as follows, after Tracer and her presumptive girlfriend Emily exchange gifts.
In the comic, Tracer is struggling to find a last-minute Christmas gift for Emily – a blue/green scarf – but she feels guilty and gives the last one to another patron at the store. Fortunately, the holiday spirit works in her favor when a young girl bestows the exact same scarf unto Tracer just in time for her to bring it home.
Tracer's exact sexuality is still unclear, as far is if she is a lesbian, bisexual or some other identity in the LGBT spectrum, but I doubt that much will be explicitly confirmed.
Mixed Reaction
Tracery's newly announced sexuality has been met with mixed reaction. Many are wondering if this is merely perpetuating the "hot lesbian" trope. Basically, the argument is that Blizzard is taking a shortcut to LGBT representation by using the identity that is most accessible to straight men, who often fetishize lesbian relationships.
With this route, it doesn't truly challenge the paradigm of representation because everyone who is pro-LGBT will applaud while everyone who is anti-LGBT – so the argument goes – can still get off to it. Overwatch's bustling porn industry cannot be understated, and anyone trolling Rule 34 threads are sure to see an uptick in Tracer Lesbian porn.
And, there's something to be said for understating someone's sexuality, the way The Last of Us did with Bill – a character who just so happened to be gay, but it was never made into "a thing."
Some have also argued that a more challenging paradigm shift would be the inclusion of gay male characters – some have even suggested elevating the bromance of Roadhog and Junkrat, two male characters that emphasize hyper-masculinity. While this would be an interesting addition, it shouldn't come at the cost of female LGBT representation, which is disproportionately low compared to male LGBT representation.
Top 5 LGBT Video Game Characters
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5. Leonardo Da Vinci - Assassin\'s Creed Brotherhood
Leonoardo Da Vinci has long been theorized to have been homosexual, by many different historical researchers. Assassin's Creed Brotherhood decided to join the chorus with their interpretation of the famous artist.
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rnEzio, at one point, confronts Da Vinci on his relationship with his student, saying "You do not need to lie to me." -
4. Kung Jin - Mortal Kombat X
Kung Jin - the cousin of popular Mortal Kombat character Kung Lao - debuted it Mortal Kombat X and is consoled by Raiden in a moment of self-doubt.
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rnKung Jin fears the Shaolin will never accept someone like him, to which Raiden responds "They care only about what is in your heart - not whom your heart desires."
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rnHe also tells Tanya that she is "barking up the wrong tree" after she comes on to him in pre-fight dialogue. -
2. Matthew and Watler - The Walking Dead Season 2
Matthew and Walter are two pre-apocalypse regulars of the Moonstar Lodge, where Celmentine and the gang hole up in Season 2. They are remarked as selfless and helpful, providing aid to people when it would be dangerous to do so.
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rnIn the 'House Divided" chapter, they refer to one another as partners, confirming their romantic relationship. -
3. Tracer - Overwatch
Tracer's confirmation came in a surprise comic-book announcement, buried in the pages. Blizzard really could have plastered it all over their Tweets and other social media posts "TRACER HAS A GIRLFRIEND," but the developer has more class than that.
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rnHer reveal is much more quiet, billed as one woman's desperate last-minute search for a holiday gift for her girlfriend Emily, who bestows a kiss upon Tracer as a reward. -
1. Bill - The Last of Us
While a lot of people like to point to Ellie as the shining example of an LGBT character in video games, with her reveal in The Last of Us: Left Behind, I have to give the nod to Bill.
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rnWhat Bill has over all of these other characters it that he just so happens to be gay - the game never made a huge deal out of it, and if you don't pick up a note that reveals he had a husband, you would never know.
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rnIt's like what Barack Obama said was the best part about Russell Wilson becoming only the second African-American Quarterback to win a Super Bowl: the fact that no one talked about it. When you don't have to draw attention to something, that means it's becoming normalized, and The Last of Us did that perfectly with Bill. -
Top 5 LGBT Video Game Characters #6
