The Star Wars franchise has started to introduce more and more diversity into its films. The Force Awakens had a diverse cast including John Boyega and Lupita Nyong'o and became the highest grossing film ever. And the upcoming movie, Rogue One, features a female protagonist. Clearly, things are changing in a galaxy far, far away.
Now, Star Wars might get its very first LGBTQ character — if this petition gains enough momentum, that is.
Joshua Yehl launched a petition to honor his friend Drew Leinonen, who was killed in the Orlando shooting on June 12, 2016. In a letter to Kathleen Kennedy (president of Lucasfilm) and Bob Iger (CEO of Disney), Yehl describes their close friendship, saying that “[Drew] and I bonded over many things, but nothing brought us together like Star Wars. To be honest, we were actually pretty unbearable to be around when we got to talking about that galaxy far, far away.”
Joshua goes on to request that Drew be honored by using him as inspiration for the first LGBTQ character in the Star Wars franchise. He suggests, “How this is done – using his likeness, running his name through one of those Star Wars Name Generators, etc. – is totally up to you. You are all masters of your craft, so I know that whatever you come up with will be marvelous. This character will not only honor Drew but all of the other victims at Pulse in Orlando, including his boyfriend Juan Ramon Guerrero, and every LGBTQ person to ever lose their life to hate.”
In addition to talking about the loss of his friend, Joshua adds that “It’s vitally important that LGBTQ people are included in mainstream media because it will show that we don’t need to be feared or hated or hidden. We can be part of the rebellion and we can fight evil, and we can do it while being who we are with pride.”
The petition has amassed over 3,500 signatures and is gaining rapid attention over social media, with the hashtag #PutDrewInStarWars.
Related: It's Time Movies Featured a Queer Hero
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