Early on in its ten-season run, The Walking Dead came under fire not only for a lack of diversity but for disproportionately killing off people of color. However and in the intervening years, The Walking Dead learned from its mistakes, and it has become groundbreaking in its diversity, particularly for what has been the most popular cable series of the last decade. The series now has a strong record of diversity both in front of and behind the camera.
The same can also be said of its LGBTQ+ representation, and what has been doubly remarkable about The Walking Dead is how it has never made a big deal out of its LGBTQ+ characters, from Aaron to Tara to Denise to Jesus to Magna to Yumiko on The Walking Dead to, more recently, Will and Felix in The Walking Dead: The World Beyond. Their relationships have never been characterized as “gay” or “lesbian” relationships. They are just relationships.
Recently on The Talking Dead podcast, Jelani Alladin (who plays Will on The World Beyond) spoke to that very issue. Speaking about the relationship with Felix, Alladin said, “It’s two men that happen to be in love. Period. There was no kind of need to explain anything further. I love that The Walking Dead is putting that forward. That the LGBTQ relationships are nothing different than any other kind of relationship.”
“They have the same struggles, they have the same complexities, they get mad at each other, they love each other just as hard,” Alladin declared.
Despite its long history with LGBTQ+ characters in the universe, those comments nevertheless came under fire from a few on social media. A viewer, for instance, criticized the series for how it “introduced them in the series. It’s like you forcing them in your series just to bring lbgt supporters.”
That particular comment brought a response from the official The Walking Dead Twitter account, which rightfully took umbrage with the criticism.
Hi, hello. If LGBTQ+ characters on television (or anywhere) make you uncomfortable or angry, please unfollow us. While we also encourage you to look within and be more accepting, know that there is no place in our fandom for hateful discrimination or willful ignorance. Thank you.
— The Walking Dead (@TheWalkingDead) January 26, 2021
Another fan, meanwhile, offered the perfect response, writing, “Straight characters don’t need any type of special introduction to be accepted. Why do queer characters need to be introduced so carefully to be realistic???”
Exactly.
The Walking Dead will return on February 28th. AMC also announced this week that Fear the Walking Dead would return with the back half of Season 6 on April 11th. The World Beyond will return later this year.
(Via Out & The Talking Dead podcast)