‘Queer As Folk’ Creator Russell T Davies Calls Out ‘Loki’ For Its ‘Feeble Gesture’ At Telling An LGBTQ+ Story

In the most Doctor Who-ish episode of Loki, Tom Hiddleston’s Loki of Asgard became the first openly queer lead character in Marvel Cinematic Universe canon. But an actual Doctor Who writer has criticized the Disney+ series for its “feeble gesture” at inclusion.

“I think huge, cleaning warning bells are ringing as the giants rise up with Netflix and Disney Plus especially,” Russell T Davies, who created Queer as Folk and It’s a Sin (one of the best shows of 2021) and served as showrunner for the Doctor Who revival from 2005–2010, said during a virtual Pride month panel for Swansea University. “I think that’s a very great worry. Loki makes one reference to being bisexual once, and everyone’s like, ‘Oh my god, it’s like a pansexual show.’ It’s like one word. He said the word ‘prince,’ and we’re meant to go, ‘Thank you, Disney! Aren’t you marvelous?’ It’s a ridiculous, craven, feeble gesture towards the vital politics and the stories that should be told.”

In the scene, Sylvie asks Loki (who is gender fluid) about his love life and whether he’s been involved with any “would-be princesses, or perhaps another prince.” He replies, “A bit of both. I suspect the same as you.” Davies is concerned that streaming shows will “damn us” with “their condescension in the end” when it comes to LGBTQ+ stories. But Loki director Kate Herron, who called it her goal “to acknowledge Loki was bisexual,” hopes the MCU will continue to explore the character’s bisexuality in the future.

“I don’t know plans for the future with Loki — I’m so focused on this story. But I would say that part of my thinking was, well, if it’s canon and it’s acknowledged, then yeah I hope there’s obviously more road to travel with that aspect of his personality. And I hope it has opened the door to more stories, definitely,” she told Collider.

(Via Pink News)