Queer Representation In The Riordanverse

[@applef1uffy]

We stan uncle Rick. He is a white, cis, straight man who tries so hard and succeeds with representation

[@Chrischi3TutorialLPs]

Ive read an interview earlier where he explains why he has this much representation. He states that every character in his books is to some degree based off of students he had in the past. This he said specifically in regard to Alex, because he had some students who were uncomfortable with their gender, and wishes that he had had the words and the understanding to help those students more than he did. On that note, can you imagine what it mustve been like to have Rick Riordan as your middle school teacher and one day see his book in stores?

[@applef1uffy]

@@Chrischi3TutorialLPs i wish

[@Chrischi3TutorialLPs]

@@thisaccountexists5545 Certainly on representation.

[@samuelbarber6177]

Also, he does it properly. Many franchises tend to think: “There... we got one.” And then kill the only LGBT character or they’re the villain, who most likely dies at the end,

[@maaheen.ghumman]

Yes. And I love it.

[@julianjanus6824]

Alex Fierro helped me to figure out my own gender, s/he was so unapologetic and about his/her gender, that I got the point where I just stopped for a moment and said "hey... I know what that feels like. I'm the same way." It took me years to have the guts to come out, and I don't think I would have been able to do it without Alex. Because of Rick I have the strength to say "I am non-binary/gender flux, and there is nothing wrong with me." Rick's characters have probably saved my life more then once. So yeah. Thank you uncle Rick.

[@proudgemini5653]

Yeah, Alex is pretty amazing.

[@moonlitwarrior513]

Alex is literally the best character

[@saturnisgay69]

@@proudgemini5653 yeah, alex helped me a lot as well

[@odysseyghost1207]

Same thing happened with me

[@C_razy_crow]

I really like Alex because I'm genderfluid

[@samuelbarber6177]

Rick: Makes Nico Gay. Homophobes: Ah, well, it’s not that important. Also Rick: Proceeds to make it really important.

[@TheDemigodLover]

Yes exactly why Rick is A KING.

[@samuelbarber6177]

@@TheDemigodLover it actually gives me a whole lot of respect for the guy, basically just saying that he doesn’t want homophobes enjoying his books and he doesn’t care wether that might cut his profits slightly

[@BuilderB08]

@@samuelbarber6177 yeah, he does not care that homophobes don’t like it

[@heyyallwasup2073]

"I've never understood why parents feel that they need to wait until their kids are a certain age to acknowledge that gay people exist." Lol my mom is a lesbian so I've known since I could talk.

[@heyyallwasup2073]

Plus I am bi-sexual myself so I completely agree with her

[@a.s.7129]

Same. I have two moms and it always confused me that people think it confuses kids. I don't remember there ever being a time in my life where I didn't understand it.

[@faexxii]

Nico has been my favorite character since house of hades and always will be. (That and Will, Reyna, and Thalia.) btw I just looked at the date and it was made on my b-day XD.

[@TheDemigodLover]

Same Nico's my fave character.

[@saturnisgay69]

@@TheDemigodLover sameeee, he’s literally 2/3 of my personality lmao

[@ninaarandomhunterofartemis962]

Nico all the way!!! We shall protect the ghost king with our lives!

[@rockassassin64]

I also love how Rick snuck in basically the protagonist of Magnus Chase being pansexual by at the very end him and Alex end up being endgame. Like it's a really good relationship that's actually developed throughout the entire story and I super love it and Alex is easily my favorite character she is the best but I love their second kiss when Magnus points out to himself that Alex was a guy so he just got kissed by a dude and he had to kind of quickly decide if he was okay with that and it came to the conclusion extremely quickly that you just kissed by Alex Fierro so he was ecstatic and I just loved it so much. Out of all of his books I want more Magnus Chase and Norse god stuff the most

[@TheDemigodLover]

Haha yeah I loved that too he was just like, "screw gender, Alex kissed me, how could I NOT be okay with it?"

[@poyrazcoskun]

@@TheDemigodLover Exactly😂

[@bethany8379]

Nico is my favorite character so I swear if Disney+ screws this up.....

[@TheDemigodLover]

If Disney+ even THINKS about erasing Nico's sexuality or screwing him up in any way I will judo-flip them into the primordial chaos.

[@ot7biasedmashups]

@@TheDemigodLover oh we know Rick would be the first one to punch them

[@TheDemigodLover]

@@ot7biasedmashups Yep definitely

[@ninaarandomhunterofartemis962]

@@TheDemigodLover I shall join you in judo-flippery (YES, i am suuurrrreee thats a word)

[@TheDemigodLover]

@@ninaarandomhunterofartemis962 Good! :D

[@zerotohero1483]

I was on the fence of whether or not I liked him as a character in the first series. Then he grew on me in Mark and House, but Blood really brought him to the top of my list of favorite characters. His being gay was really just window dressing on an already established character. My biggest complaint with gay characters in media is that their only defining character trait is that they are gay. Rick goes above and beyond in revealing Nico’s sexuality when it was thematically appropriate instead the lazy way of having someone tell us the character is gay instead of showing it

[@felix5151]

as a lesbian, this makes me so happy. thank you!

[@heartzstaars]

It’s so great isn’t it!

[@depresseddonut4293]

I feel like the fact that movie and publishing studios alike feel compelled to the fact that kids shouldn’t be exposed to queer content. However, in my opinion that could lead to some major difficulties. The only reason I found out about queer people and in the process finding out I’m queer myself was due to the many books I read. If kids aren’t shown this side of media then when they’ll eventually find out about the LGBTQ they will most likely be less accepting.

[@samuelbarber6177]

The best part about Nico’s coming out: Nico: I had a crush on you, but I’m over it. PERCY.EXE has stopped working.

[@TheDemigodLover]

Lol yeah he's like so confused.

[@samuelbarber6177]

@@TheDemigodLover I kinda think that sums him up for a good chunk of at least the original series if not his entire character

[@TheDemigodLover]

@@samuelbarber6177 Lol yeah

[@samuelbarber6177]

@@TheDemigodLover I don’t think I’ve ever read about a character so adorable but also so terrifying in battle as Percy.

[@TheDemigodLover]

@@samuelbarber6177 Lol yeah those characters are the best, just like, "I could definitely kill you instantly if I wanted to but I'm not going to cause I'm just a precious little bean."

[@ot7biasedmashups]

Waaaa I'm happy to see so many people who felt very comforted by Alex too! She's/he's such a great character.

[@CrazyGirl-wt2qz]

I read the House of Hades in Slovak, and there it was translated like: "ZAMILOVAL SOM SA do Percyho Jacksona" which literally means "I fell in love with Percy Jackson." (I'm still kinda mad at my cousin spoiling this part to me.)

[@linermusic4732]

Rick would throw kids in hell(not school) and call it a kids book But really i love the books

[@Icepetal01]

He is the only author I’ve heard of to get away with throwing 3 teenagers into literal hell (Tartarus) and have the books still be called kids books

[@stlouislil]

Zero dislikes. Just how it should be.

[@felix5151]

if you see this, could you please remind me what the first gay kiss in the riordanverse was? you said it was technically apollo and commodus, which makes me think that that kiss isn't was you were initially thinking of

[@TheDemigodLover]

Apollo and Commodus were (I think) the first gay kiss in a flashback but I was originally thinking of Alex and Magnus.

[@depresseddonut4293]

Yeah the only other ones I can think of is Magnus and Alex if you can even consider that gay. Nothing between Will and Nico yet. So the first was a flashback in the dark prophecy when Apollo and Commodus kiss.

[@ot7biasedmashups]

It's so sad that I way deeep in the closet when I first read the house of hades... I kind of felt like I could relate to Nico but I didn't know why. When I got to Magnus Chase I knew a bit more about my sexuality but my gender identity was just chilling in the corner yk. Alex was a great help for me to accept that I'm trans. For about 1 1/2 years I went by genderfluid before eventually realizing that I'm a dude and it made me very happy. Magnus was a big help too since he's most likely pansexual and I went by that for 3 years before eventually noticing that I'm actually omnisexual. Simultaneously there's also the Kane chronicles and it was very comforting to have a black (male) protagonist. I really love the Riordanverse.

[@ninaarandomhunterofartemis962]

Gods, I think we have the same brain....We share the same options on all of these topics.... When Nico was FORCED and BULLIED into admitting he had a crush on Percy, I was totally with him the whole way, and I felt just awful about him thinking he needed to hide who he truly is! I still cry when i read that scene..... and the amount of shock he felt at knowing that people who knew he was gay still accepting him was so sad!

[@TheDemigodLover]

I know right!!!!

[@hiddenechoes]

Thank you for making this video. Also, the intro at the beginning explaining WHY this representation is important thank you for making that explanation. So, it's gonna get deep real fast . . . I was born into a cult that basically set its members into a culture with expectations similar to the late 1800s but with all the modern technology. I avoided this aspect of it, but I'm talking the people who protest at pride and wanted to keep it legal to not hire people on the grounds that they aren't straight. Despite growing up in toxicity of that my family had a love of stories that gave me perspectives (that if I talked about inside the group resulted in my parents being punished by higher ups). Even though I was raised by some of the least hateful and most loving people in the group and grew up far enough away from the main areas so only at large conferences and camps did I have to conform to the groupthink... Without certain representation in media and understanding in part what people who aren't straight and white were going through the indoctrination would have stuck. Without this kind of representation done well there are kids all the time trapped into a mindset they were born in that will grow up without the lingering questions that were necessary to walk away from the indoctrination of hatred. (Not to be overly dramatic, but this shit matters.) I try not to judge the homophobic people who try to say "it's not great but let's not boycott" because for years I was that person in a sea of pitchforks and torches. Those people can eventually become people who understand the necessity of the representation. Changes come by degrees. If they don't change, at least their kids have the chance, especially if they read Rick Riordan. ❤️

[@TheDemigodLover]

Exactly, this representation is important for so many people or they might never know there are others like them who aren't straight. If they think they're the only people like this, they'll never learn it's okay.

[@hiddenechoes]

@@TheDemigodLover exactly! So many people from the group struggled to come out, and having a story like Nico's gives them that moment of being understood. He too was born in a time and place that didn't accept him. It illustrates the struggle in a meaningful way and gives the audience tools to understand themselves when no one else allows them access to those tools. 💛💚💙💜❤️

[@yakkothegoat2326]

This is the first video ever, that I have seen, that doesn't have any dislikes. As of yet, most probably.

[@ot7biasedmashups]

Still doesn't, as it should be😌

[@mooshrooms.]

I absolutely agree with everything you said :3

[@danner-casasolafamily6830]

Step 1: Read “The Trials of Apollo” Step 2: Then go to, SlapLeo.com to sign up for a place in line to Slap Leo Valdez. Step 3: If you hurry your wait time should only last to about in the next 5 years. (If you happen to have the name; Percy, Annabeth, Piper, Hazel, Frank, Nico, Will, or any other name in the Rick Riordan Hero’s of Olympus) you get a free VIP pass. Which means you get to slap Leo soon rather than later. Also, there many people waiting to slap Leo, and only one Leo, so it would not be permissible to sign up twice. - ‘Someone who rly wants to strangle Valdez’s scrawny neck😊)

[@TheDemigodLover]

Hunk Muffin earned it.

[@mayaberg6243]

... procedes to make a stand-alone book focusing on will and nicos relationship

[@TheDemigodLover]

Lol yup

[@frankyquilavafireblast895]

Do I even have to point out the Chinese Canadian Shapeshifter in the room who is also Roman also might have a Greek background, thank you Frank you are the best

[@TheDemigodLover]

Frank's awesome

[@percyjacksonboss259]

one of my friends who read the Pjo/HoO/ToA series is homophobic and he said "Nico idolized Percy he didnt really have a crush on him and Solangelo is just wrong" and Im like "I love the fact that Rick put in a gay couple"(mostly bc im bisexual) but I love Rick bc he includes me and my gay family

[@katev6263]

THIS IS AMAZING!!! HOW COULD I NOT KNOW THIS EXISTED!?

[@blumerina.]

I will be honest I was like 8 when I discovered the lgbtq+ community. I saw a boy kiss another boy on a tv show and asked my parents about it they said something like " some boys like boys and some girls like girls and that is ok" I was so confused cause being clueless me and thought people had to like girls if they were boys and boys if they were girls. Over time I found out there was a month for the lgbtq+ community and found out that there were more then just lesbians and gays.

[@TheDemigodLover]

Cool.

[@spino-ace]

completely same lmao I was so confused then

[@marvelismylife946]

I was like 11 or 12 when I read house of hades and when I read that line I was so happy that this fictional character could come out

[@adeleh571]

nico and will are my best cupol in the rirodenvers and nico is one of my faverit carister and allways will be.

[@TheDemigodLover]

Ikr

[@ThroughTheThornvine]

I love uncle rick sm for this The first series of his i ever read was Magnus Chase and when he introduced Alex..🥺like I’m not even gender fluid and I saw myself in them (a sarcastic bisexual teenager-) Alex is my absolute favorite I love them and I want to write like rick does

[@TheDemigodLover]

That's awesome XD (fyi Alex doesn't use they/them pronouns. It's she/her unless she says otherwise).

[@ThroughTheThornvine]

Oh shoot😅I guess it was just a habit I fell into whenever there was a gender fluid character in something i was into😂 i’d be talking about alex (or to a lesser extent, Sailor Uranus) and pause to try and remember which pronouns she was using in a certain chapter. Thanksssss

[@TheDemigodLover]

@@ThroughTheThornvine Np

[@waterstar3.144]

Hot take: Reyna and Piper should end up together. Based on their limited interaction in BoO it seemed like they had good chemistry and I just feel like they’d complement each other so well. Idk how that would work with Reyna being a hunter tho? Can hunters have relationships if it’s with a girl?

[@TheDemigodLover]

Nope they can't, we know this from Emmie and Josephine. I don't personally ship Reyna with anybody, but I guess Piper and Reyna do seem to have good chemistry.

[@justanotherfangirlontheint4084]

No, also I'm pretty sure Reyna is aro/ace

[@ttwilight_dragon]

@@justanotherfangirlontheint4084 I'm not sure about she being aro, since she seems to really like jason romantically but she does say it was because she felt like she should like him, so I don't know.

[@heartzstaars]

AND NOW WE HAVE PIPER X SHEL!!!!! EEKKKK!

[@dandelionhood4508]

That comment pretty much sums up my reaction when I was reading that part XD

[@ninaarandomhunterofartemis962]

When I read that part, half of me was like: GO PIPER!!!!!!! and the other part was: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE- go away Apollo, stop ruining the happiness!

[@katebellamy5987]

I don't understand the "talk" either the LGBTQIA+ representation just has always existed in my life since my uncle is gay and my aunt is lesbian. So I'm with you, its SUPER simple why do parents need to wait to tell kids about this stuff?

[@gunsandroses896]

Rick Riordan actually helped me somewhat with realising I'm trans. Also, about the whole "NiCo MaY hAvE hAd AdOrAtIoN fOr PeRcY", he literally gets into a relationship with Will at the end of HoO and start of ToA. They literlaly hold hands (scandalous). It's why he is one of my favourite characters, just behind Thalia and Alex because I love the idea of the Hunters of Artemis and Alex is just plain awesome.

[@TheDemigodLover]

Yeah the "it's not a real crush" thing only works until it doesn't. Besides idolizing someone and crushing on that person can go hand-in-hand, especially when you're a kid. And yeah Nico is one of my favourite characters too :D

[@gunsandroses896]

@@TheDemigodLover exactly. You can have one without the other (idolising a mentor or crushing on someone 1 or 2 years younger than you) but Nico literally says he loves Percy. It's like saying Poseidon is the god of laser technology or Hades is the god of the Sun.

[@TheDemigodLover]

@@gunsandroses896 Yeah, it's just like... no.

[@heartzstaars]

I love this video, also Alex said that she wants to be called She/Her unless told otherwise

[@TheDemigodLover]

Right, forgot about that.

[@heartzstaars]

@@TheDemigodLover it’s fine! Np

[@ninaarandomhunterofartemis962]

When was that?

[@heartzstaars]

@@ninaarandomhunterofartemis962 Sometime in the second book, close to when they first meet (I think haven’t read the book in a while) Magnus asked her about they/them pronouns and she said she prefers she/her unless she tells you otherwise

[@ninaarandomhunterofartemis962]

@@heartzstaars Ohhhhhh yeah. Since Alex usually identifys as female?

[@aronhalverson2115]

He writes them well, the relationships are built up over time, not shoved in our faces and forced down our throats

[@TheDemigodLover]

Yeah, they're written well and developed, just like any other romance, and treated as if they're just as normal, instead of seeming different and out of place.

[@aronhalverson2115]

@@TheDemigodLover exactly how they should be

[@TheDemigodLover]

@@aronhalverson2115 Yep

[@shelbymae_11]

“You can not lie about love to love god” Thank you for saying this seriously it is perfect (I know my quote wasn’t perfect I don’t have the best memory)

[@TheDemigodLover]

Lol you're welcome :P

[@rosieg6989]

Love riordan for being inclusive, mad at disney for its lack of representation, love Drama and have literally read it over 10 times.

[@TheDemigodLover]

Agree, agree, and agree!

[@fawkestheplotphoenix964]

I don’t think that the riotdan verse counts as child stories. It young adult. More geared to 10-16 than kids

[@TheDemigodLover]

To me, 10+ and mainly middle schoolers kind of counts as kids books but I guess you could consider it young adults too.

[@fawkestheplotphoenix964]

@@TheDemigodLover it’s really a matter of opinion and frankly an oversimplification to pretend that there is some magic birthday where your not a kid anymore, or that all kids mature at the same pace. But as an employee of a book store I can say that the policy at my store is 10- is kids, 10+ young adults. But that’s certainly not definitive

[@dabi332]

@@fawkestheplotphoenix964 My mom read the books to me the first time when I was around 7 so I think of it as a children's series but as a teen I still love the books.

[@lewismoger7272]

If us finding out that Nico is gay is not relevant, then children of Athena do not have Arachnephobia. Complete and utter bullsh*t that is.

[@TheDemigodLover]

True that.

[@wormeatendove]

I used to wonder why nico made so much sense and related to me.. My pfp explains it fully

[@wormeatendove]

And me identifying partially as gender fluid makes Alex really relatable to

[@williamwhite5594]

Me: Child of mine we need to have a talk My child: yes parent of mine Me: so you know how me and your dad love each other My child: yes Me: well Some people like the opposite sex yes that’s called heterosexuality Other dad: that’s completely fine love is love and you would never shame anyone for loving who they love Are Child: would you guys be OK with Like in the opposite gender? Other dad: yes me and your dad love you no matter who you love Other dad: OK now go play with your friends Me: when do you think we have to give them the talk?

[@TheDemigodLover]

😂 I can definitely imagine this conversation happening if I ever have a child (or maybe the child just won't know what romantic love is at all because I probably won't ever find a gf 😢)

[@poyrazcoskun]

@@TheDemigodLover Never stop searching, you’ll find your Annebeth at some point.

[@natsolace1499]

When I was VERY young I asked my mom about this type of stuff, she explained it in like a minute. I felt like it was weird at first, but I didn't think there was anything wrong with it.

[@TheDemigodLover]

Exactly why it's stupid to say kids should have to be "protected" from this stuff.

[@SkittlesStars]

This is your best video!

[@TheDemigodLover]

Thank you :D

[@samuelbarber6177]

It’s sad how few LGBT characters are in kids’ media. One of the few TV shows I can name that include LGBT characters that kids MAY have seen is Doctor Who and that tends to be more marketed to teens and adults. And there’s like two actually important ones. One of whom... is dead. The other is coming back on New Years’ Day. Wait, what did I start off talking about? Oh yes, I really don’t see how a Kid couldn’t understand same-sex relationships as well as do that of the opposite sexes... I don’t get it.

[@TheDemigodLover]

Exactly. If a child is old enough to learn about being straight, there's no reason why they'd be too young to learn about being gay.

[@ninaarandomhunterofartemis962]

Well, now there's SHE-Ra and Kipo, and Kinda Legend Of Korra, but still..

[@poyrazcoskun]

@@ninaarandomhunterofartemis962 LOK just cut at the end. It was really bad. Until I read the comics I didn‘t understand that they were supposed to be lesbian. I guess better than nothing though.

[@ninaarandomhunterofartemis962]

@@poyrazcoskun Yeah, I much prefer the new SHE-Ra and Kipo LGBTQIA+ stuff, but at least they kinda started it with korrasami. There's also so little LQBTQIA+ representation in kids or even young adults books. Like, I can think of some, but defiantly no more than 15 from different authors. All I can think of off the top of my head are Ink and Bone, The Girl of Hawthorne and Glass, some of the Rick Riordan Presents books, and Wings Of Fire. Considering how many books are in the world, that's sad.

[@justanotherfangirlontheint4084]

Percy Jackson has good representation, however if you're looking for sapphic relationships that get focus or like cartoons actually written by queer people. I would recommend The Owl House and She-Ra and The Princesses Of Power, as while it's important to recognize the representation in the Riordanverse, the gay relationships tend to be with guys. While there are some notable exceptions (I personally really like Lavinia) they came later.

[@TheDemigodLover]

I've never heard of either of those. Maybe I'll look into them.

[@Trim1013]

0:14 Owl house: *laughs*

[@TheDemigodLover]

Never heard of it. I guess it's also hella gay?

[@Trim1013]

@@TheDemigodLover yes. It’s Harry Potter but gay

[@TheDemigodLover]

@@Trim1013 Haha awesome

[@iHaveACrushOnPrincessDiana]

Sadly also Harry Potter but almost everyone needs therapy, like really, these poor children have experienced so much trauma

[@lelegus7732]

Wasn't the first same sex kiss in Rick Riordan series the final kiss between Magnus and Alex?

[@TheDemigodLover]

Apollo and Commodus were first I think.

[@lelegus7732]

👍

[@krisjustexists_]

A year??

[@AnnoyingPolarBear6471]

Something that the Rick Riordan presents series Aru Shah includes is the mention and fact that not all families are made up a mom, dad and child. All families are unique. Also one of the main characters, Brynne, is confirmed queer in book 2 and is noted to have 2 uncles that raised her.

[@TheDemigodLover]

I haven't read any of Rick Riordan Presents, but cool :)

[@nico_diangelo1957]

The only thing I didn’t really like about Nico’s story was how violent the scene in HoH was. Like I was in tears because of how intense it was. I feel like there would’ve been a different way to do it but I love Uncle Rick. I am queer so having Nico exist is so comforting.

[@TheDemigodLover]

I agree, I wish we had more positive coming out scenes in the Riordanverse. I don't necessarily think that forced outing scenes are bad (because they are a reality for many queer people, sadly) so long as the story condemns the act of forcing someone out of the closet. But we do need more positive coming out scenes with real emotion, since most of the canon ones (like Nico coming out to Percabeth) are lighthearted and humorous.

[@sol1hz]

I clicked faster then Annabeth fricking out because of a spider

[@gncgenz5829]

The only real problem I had with Nico’s coming out was that we got it from the perspective of the most priveleged character of the seven. Granted, that is a good way to introduce children to gay people. However something still irks me that we didn’t get it from Nico’s perspective, espeically since he gets chapters in the next book.

[@TheDemigodLover]

True, he does mention it at somepoint in BoO but the actual scene would've been more powerful from his point of view.

[@maaheen.ghumman]

I used to be homophobic. Then I read The House of Hades. I'm definitely not homophobic now. (my OTP: SOLANGELO)

[@purbasapanigrahi3389]

the only problem I had from Nico having a crush on Percy is that almost all the important characters into boys have a crush on Percy if he had a crush on any other random guy or less people had a crush on percy I would have no problem with it (I don't have a problem from it now either just a nit pick)

[@TheDemigodLover]

I see what you mean. I think his crush on Percy makes a lot of sense, but I see where you're coming from.

[@polariskamaboko5781]

What about Lavinia and Poison Oak- Or does that not count because all nymphs are female?

[@TheDemigodLover]

It definitely counts (and I think some nymphs are male, it's just that most are female).

[@firewingy]

In the Wings of Fire series by Tui T. Sutherland, there are LGBTQIA+ Characters (Spoilers ahead for book 13 and 5, 5 first) Sunny (as far as we know, I'll edit this if this changes) seems to be asexual, her friend Starflight had a huge crush on her but she did not seem to be sexually attracted to anyone Sundew and Willow (both female) are openly lesbian, Sundew never liked the male dragon she was assigned at birth and eventually Willow and Sundew actually became a couple

[@ninaarandomhunterofartemis962]

Thanks for mentioning this, I was gonna see weather anyone else mentioned it! Sundew and Willow for life!!!!!

[@firewingy]

@@ninaarandomhunterofartemis962 probably my favorite canon couple in the series

[@ninaarandomhunterofartemis962]

@@firewingy Yep, fierce Sundew gets all stammery around Willow and its so adorable! Also, Blue and Luna have 2 moms, and Umber had a crush on Quibli. (that is not how you spell those names...)

[@firewingy]

@@ninaarandomhunterofartemis962 I could tell who you meant

[@ninaarandomhunterofartemis962]

@@firewingy Ah good....I can read but not spell

[@蕭晴雅]

well, I'm ten years old, read all the Rick Riordan's books by the time I'm eight years old, and knew about gay people like, when I was FIVE. And my parents didn't have that "talk". there was this song we listened to about a movie about a gay couple breaking up, and they were arguing about which movie it was, and I asked some questions, BOOM. I knew about gay people.

[@TheDemigodLover]

Exactly. There isn't any "talk" that needs to be had, but a lot of parents feel like there is unfortunately.

[@kirbyfazendoummoonwalk9214]

Because of the Riordanverse i become more respectful to the Lgbt Comunity So i just have to say thanks to Uncle Rick

[@TheDemigodLover]

Yet another reason why the representation in Rick Riordan's books is amazing!

[@firewingy]

I didn’t know there were names for these people until I was nine but starting when I was a toddler I imagined girls liking girls and was wondering why I didn’t see a lot of that and then I realized that I am one of those people my tiny brain imagined and it seems like people are saying “well… things could change” and no. Things will not change that is a terrible thing to say! I’m not kidding or trying by making the first person protagonist (I can’t write second or third for the life of me) have an important diversity (mainly being lesbian because it reflects me)

[@TheDemigodLover]

Ikr! People saying things like "it's just a phase" is so annoying. It's none of their business anyway and it's so wrong to pretend that you know what a person is thinking or who they are better than they do.

[@firewingy]

@@TheDemigodLover the worst thing is is that I hear that targeted at me sometimes but I’ve never once heard it directed at a straight person

[@TheDemigodLover]

@@firewingy Yeah. When you think about it, way more people go through a "phase" of thinking they're straight than a "phase" of thinking they're gay, because almost everyone who isn't straight was raised with straight being considered the default.

[@firewingy]

@@TheDemigodLover can I also mention that the word for a heterosexual person (“straight”) seems like the closest word to “normal” people could think of without saying “normal”

[@TheDemigodLover]

@@firewingy Huh... I never thought about that... you are right though...

[@gayasheck6124]

Primarily aimed at kids my ass kids books don't make the chick who most people think can't cry bawl her eyes out for an hour

[@TheDemigodLover]

Fair enough, kids books usually don't make people cry so much.

[@gayasheck6124]

OMG YOU NOTICED ME

[@TheDemigodLover]

@@gayasheck6124 Lol yep

[@danielwinchester4642]

I don’t mean to be rude, but I just want to know how old you are.one half of me is saying in the 16-18 range,and another is saying your older but look younger.just interested, do not mean to offend.

[@TheDemigodLover]

I'm not offended don't worry, and I'm sixteen.

[@Lucas-gy5yr]

The nico part isn't in the romanian version ☹️

[@TheDemigodLover]

Oh no 😠

[@Lucas-gy5yr]

@@TheDemigodLover I found him bland and annoying, if I knew that he was gay I would've probably came out to myself earlier

[@TheDemigodLover]

@@Lucas-gy5yr Exactly why this kind of representation is important. I hate it when people erase it like that.

[@BestFriendsWhoLiveTogether]

It’s a scandal, girls! (Yes I have started watching this video just after finishing a luxeria video)

[@TheAutistcTheaterKid]

Nico and Will are such a cute couple Fr, I love Rick ;)

[@TheDemigodLover]

They are adorable

[@alexanonymous4429]

There’s a a few kids tv show with queer characters like the dragon prince ,shera and the princesses of power and adventure time .

[@TheDemigodLover]

Yeah, there are some, just not many.

[@potato5043]

the 5 dislikes are octavian on his 5 different accounts

[@BestFriendsWhoLiveTogether]

😂😂😂

[@arrowace21477]

if I remember correctly there were no straight romance introduced in TOA the straight couples were introduced in previous series

[@TheDemigodLover]

Mostly yeah XD

[@sapphirewings8638]

There are also LGBTQ+ characters in the Wings of Fire series by Tui T. Sutherland. For example: Anemone had a crush on Tamarin, making Anemone lesbian (idk Tamarin's sexuality yet, she could be bi for all i know) Willow and Sundew are both lesbian, and call each other girlfriends in the book Jambu and Pineapple are also in a relationship, making them gay There might be more but I'm not sure. These are just a few example that I felt I needed to include.

[@TheDemigodLover]

Nice :D

[@arrogantgodjealous]

Not much LGBT representation in kids media? Steven Universe would like to have a word with you!

[@TheDemigodLover]

True...

[@melamory80]

She Ra, The Owl House, The Legend of Korra: ...

[@poyrazcoskun]

@@melamory80 I think LOK was also a blink-and-you-ll-miss-it-moment. Edit: Only if you don’t count the comics of course.

[@hunterofartemis4436]

Is it just me or is she the best

[@ninaarandomhunterofartemis962]

YEP!

[@fastcheetah2788]

I am watching this on March 18 2021

[@Mr.wednesdayallfather]

Out of all the characters in Percy Jackson and the Olympians I've always found Nico to be the most charming even when I found out that he was gay I was like good for you Nico you go do you brother still say he should have at least got one date with Percy

[@TheDemigodLover]

I mean, I'm all for Nico getting what he wants, but .. I think that would've been so weirddddd... cause like Percy didn't even go on a date with Rachel and he was genuinely attracted to her. There's the scene at the beginning of TLO but he didn't even realize that was a date, so him going on a date w/ this guy he doesn't even see that way would very really strange.

[@analaurabarreraoliva2989]

Gracias a Rick pude dejar atrás pensamientos homofóbicos y transfobicos.

[@MaristellaRPT]

Honestly if Nico is gay ok I don’t mind it’s canon and And it’s Rick’s series he’s in charge but I hated Nico after the titans curse idk why but I did. Sry Nico fans but if Rick was going to make a queer character I wish it was someone I kinda liked

[@TheDemigodLover]

Nico is my fave character, but hey, it's not like it's just Nico. There are other LGBTQIA2S+ characters in the Riordanverse too.

[@MaristellaRPT]

@@TheDemigodLover I totally agree with you!!!

[@TheDemigodLover]

@@MaristellaRPT :D

[@EvieLyons-jz4bu]

Ok i get not wanting your kids to read books with sexual gay Relationships; its the same with straight ones but if its purely romantic like the rordainverse ships (at least the cannon ones) i really dont understand

[@DontDropThatCube]

I am a child, and I have never thought of LGBTQ+ people as different. I was explaining the book to my conservative relatives and I was like "why are you looking at me like that?"

[@TheDemigodLover]

Sad how some people still react that way to queer characters, like their kids have been exposed to something inappropriate 😞

[@emmathestonedspider8676]

Nico and Alex Fierro we're and are so important to me and a bisexual trans woman

[@TheDemigodLover]

Characters can matter to us in so many ways

[@alyssavon5246]

Although I think it is vert important to have LGBTQ representation, I don't think people should hate on a tv series or book for not having LGBTQ representation. It's certainly nice to have, but it shouldn't be required. Artists shouldn't have to be pressured into having representation. But I can't say anything because I am a sucker for LGBTQ romance.

[@TheDemigodLover]

I have never heard anyone say that people who don't include queer representation should be "hated on," I don't really think that happens. I have nothing against pieces of media that don't have any queer representation, but it is definitely far better when they do. Of course I don't think that "pressuring" artists is the right way to go, that just makes those artists angry & resentful, and perpetuates the idea that people who want queer representation are "forcing an agenda." But if someone is directly opposed to putting queer representation in their work because it makes them "uncomfortable" or something, that is queerphobia. I don't necessarily think that "hating on" those artists is helpful in that situation, but people who *explicitly don't want queer representation* in their work are most likely queerphobic.

[@alyssavon5246]

Thank you for the clarification. I noticed that some people have been "hating" on these artists and I decided to put my two cents into the discussion.

[@TheDemigodLover]

@@alyssavon5246 "hating" on them how? What have they been saying?

[@hunterofartemis4436]

It pronounced REY-NA TEL-GA-MER

[@TheDemigodLover]

Ah ok thx for telling me

[@hunterofartemis4436]

@@TheDemigodLover no problem!

[@minyeongyoon7200]

Im under age not(11)lerning about gay people was fine !!!😁