The MCU has always had issues regarding LGBTQ+ representation, but the arrival of the X-Men can fix that. The franchise's critical influence over pop culture has encouraged Marvel Studios to prioritize inclusivity in the MCU. However, despite this newfound effort to make audiences feel represented, there is still an alarming lack of LGBTQ+ narratives, and with the few LGBTQ+ characters who have appeared in the MCU, their sexualities are always on the sidelines.

Thor: Ragnarok.

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With the planned introduction of the X-Men into the MCU, Marvel has an even greater opportunity to fix its problem with LGBTQ+ representation. The struggles of the X-Men have long been regarded as a parallel to the civil rights movement. As mutants, they are treated unfavorably by society compared to other superheroes. However, their storylines have gone on to cover a wide variety of societal issues in the comics outside of racism, ranging from ableism to homophobia. Unlike other Marvel heroes, the X-Men have centered their existence on fighting bigotry, highlighting major societal inequalities. One significant character within X-Men's stories of resilience is Iceman, who is famously gay in the comics. Therefore, Iceman's introduction into the MCU could see Marvel address their first-ever LGBTQ+ narrative on screen.

Coming Out As A Mutant, Iceman and Rogue

Iceman made his first live-action film debut in the original X-Men trilogy, portrayed by Shawn Ashmore. However, he was never explicitly stated as gay. In fact, he dates two separate characters across the trilogy: Rogue (Anna Paquin) and Kitty Pryde (Elliot Page). Despite this, director Bryan Singer hinted that there is a "queer subtext" there, with Iceman physically unable to touch Rogue due to her powers (via Entertainment Weekly). But subtext is not enough. LGBTQ+ narratives shouldn't be so small that they wouldn't affect the movie if they were to be cut. The LGBTQ+ community deserves to see strong, intelligent, and courageous superheroes on screen who are unapologetically gay and who they can identify with.

The MCU will have the opportunity to do what the original X-Men movies did not by accurately representing these storylines, with a wide variety of source material to work with. It would be interesting to see Iceman's coming-out story from the comics on the big screen, given its significance to his character development. The importance for young viewers to see an ired superhero struggle to balance being an X-Man with his sexual orientation, and receiving help from his loved ones, is severely undermined. This level of representation can go on to have groundbreaking effects in the future of filmmaking and could seriously shift how the LGBTQ+ community is portrayed across the industry.

There still remains the Disney LGBTQ+ representations problem, but they have the chance to show that they care more about representing their audience. While there has been no recent information regarding the full-on arrival of the X-Men in the MCU, their stories will always remain integral to amplifying societal issues and amplifying LGBTQ+ narratives. Ignoring this would be a devastating step backward for the MCU, so it's vital that the studio get it right.

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