Science fiction has always been a space for queer expression

Dark Horse Comics just gave us a very gay Star Wars story. Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures: The Wedding Spectacular was published on December 18, 2024, and the couple joined together in galactic matrimony was …

Lula Talisola and Zeen Mrala!

Yes! A lesbian wedding in canon Star Wars! The covers, illustrated by Cherriielle, Akinobu Hara, and Priscilla Bampoh, are beautiful and vibrant. They depict the two freedom fighters in poses that make it abundantly clear that they are not just “roommates.” When the covers were revealed, author Daniel José Older retweeted news of the announcement with much enthusiasm. He also gave us an interesting look into how the couple’s storyline was conceptualized and greenlit by Lucasfilm executive Pablo Hidalgo.

Star Wars comics are now refreshingly queer

While Star Wars has been slow to introduce queer characters on-screen, the comics give queer characters room to thrive. One of my absolute favorite characters in the Star Wars universe is Dr. Aphra. When fans were futilely shipping FinnPoe in the sequel film trilogy, the comics let the disaster lesbian and her antagonist-turned-lover, Magna Tolvan, kiss on the page. In my mind, this moment opened up so many possibilities for representation in a franchise that has always been tentative to explore LGBTQ+ identities.

That tentativeness continues, at least on screen. A romance between Poe and Finn never materialized, even though Oscar Isaac and John Boyega expressed interest. However, the progress made in the Star Wars comics and books has pushed the franchise in the right direction. In Andor, Vel Sartha and Cinta Kaz are unmistakably in a relationship, though class and politics become a hindrance. More recently, in The Acolyte, Mother Aniseya and Mother Koril parented Osha and Mae together.

In Star Wars publishing, creators have a lot more freedom to incorporate queer characters and storylines into this universe. It’s especially refreshing during a time when Disney is reportedly pulling back on representation in their visual media. Queer representation in Star Wars took off in 2021 with the introduction of The High Republic. Terec and Ceret are trans-nonbinary twins, Elzar Mann, Stellan Gios, and Avar Kriss are heavily implied to be in a polycule, and Vernestra Rwoh is asexual; there are other examples as well, even between young Jedi (read Escape from Valo by Daniel José Older and Alyssa Wong!).

If you’re interested in discovering more queer comics, Star Wars Queeries has a great thread on BlueSky covering Star Wars and Marvel history.

Science fiction has been gay longer than you think

Star Wars may be playing catch-up on representation, but science fiction fandom has been a safe space for queer expression since its modern beginnings. At the USC Fisher Museum of Art, an exhibition titled “Sci-Fi, Magick, Queer L.A.: Sexual Science and the Imagi-Nation” explores queer history in sci-fi, starting from the 1930s through to the 1960s. Art, literature, and other ephemera have been carefully curated by ONE Archives, the largest repository of LGBTQ+ materials in the world. According to Alexis Bard Johnson, the Curator at the ONE Archives and USC Libraries, the starting point for the exhibition came from noticing the sheer volume of science fiction material in the archive. Many of the items on display come from the collections of Lisa Ben and Jim Kepner. Both were queer activists who were heavily into sci-fi fandom and members of the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society.

It’s important to note that there are two ways of looking at the word queer. One way is a person of one gender who has attraction and desire for someone of the same gender. Another definition of queer is someone who exists outside of the mainstream. In the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, people with queer identities could inhabit both of those definitions. In this way, it became a space to fit in a little more comfortably when it was not very safe to be out.

Other worlds are possible

The other factor that made sci-fi fandom a haven at the time was the proliferation of fanzines. Lisa Ben and Jim Kepner learned how to produce fanzines during their time in the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society. The club even had printing machinery for members to use. Lisa Ben published the first lesbian publication in the U.S., Vice Versa. Jim Kepner had his own zine called Toward Tomorrow. Having a means of production for outsider ideas along with the community built through a love for science fiction was an incredibly powerful way for queer people to find each other.

The interesting thing about zines is that they didn’t need a specific focus. They were the equivalent of hopping online and creating a blog. You’d talk about whatever seemed pertinent to you at the time. While it would be incorrect to say that all of sci-fi-fandom was progressive, there were certainly enough people who pondered how to make the future better for everyone. In an issue of one of these zines, you may have encountered an essay about racism and civil rights in America next to reviews of the newest science fiction short stories.

Other worlds are visible

The text within sci-fi publications wasn’t the only outlet for queer expression during the mid-20th century. Sci-fi magazine and book covers were also where one would look to find subtle or sometimes overt depictions of queer imaginations. Lisa Ben was a fan of Weird Tales, a speculative fiction magazine published since 1922. In the USC exhibit, you can hear a recording of Ben reciting poetry from the magazine. You’ll also see some original pastel illustrations from Margaret Brundage. Though Brundage did not identify as queer herself, she drew some artwork for the magazine with sapphic appeal.

There are also science fiction illustrations from Jim Kepner’s collection which feature the work of Morris Scott Dollens, among others. Dollens was famous for his illustrations of planets and otherworldly landscapes. During the research for the exhibition, it was discovered that he was also an excellent darkroom photographer. He used his photography of muscular, male physiques in his collage work. Science fiction illustration, which has become highly popular and collectible, did not need to play by any rules of heteronormativity. All realities are possible in science fiction, which gave and still gives illustrators and artists space to examine their queer reality.

Other worlds are everywhere

These examples prove that there is a precedent for Star Wars’ new High Republic comic in the historical record. Queer community and queer joy are as much a part of science fiction and fantasy fandom legacies as spaceships and lightsabers. It’s lucky for generations to come that collecting is another time-honored activity that makes discovering these connections possible. In the coming years, it will be important to remember that creating new worlds in which to exist is something that queer people have always done.

“Sci-Fi, Magick, Queer L.A.: Sexual Science and the Imagi-Nation” will be exhibited at the USC Fisher Museum of Art through March 2025. If you cannot make it to Los Angeles to see the exhibit, a book with the same title includes related essays accompanied by photographs of items on view. Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures: Wedding Spectacular is available now.