Queer Representation in Fantasy: Breaking Tropes and Building New Myths
🌟 Why Representation in Fantasy Matters
Fantasy has long been a place where we escape the mundane and imagine new worlds. But for many LGBTQIA+ players and creators, those imagined worlds too often mirror the same limitations, stereotypes, or outright exclusions found in the real one.
Representation isn’t just about ticking boxes—it’s about expanding the kinds of stories we tell. When queer people see themselves as heroic, complex, magical, and real in a fantasy world, it validates their stories in this one.
“When we are not reflected in the stories we love, we learn to imagine ourselves as invisible.” – Kacen Callender, author of Queen of the Conquered
🧙♀️ Breaking the Mold: Moving Beyond Queer Tropes
Traditional fantasy has frequently leaned on harmful or lazy tropes when representing queer identities—if they were represented at all. Some of the most common include:
- The tragic queer: A character whose only arc is pain or death.
- The flamboyant stereotype: Often reduced to comic relief.
- The "secretly queer" twist: Used for shock or subversion, not story.
We can do better. In your world, queer characters can:
- Lead revolutions
- Wield divine magic
- Fall in love with joy
- Wrestle with complex moral dilemmas
- Be funny, awkward, brave, broken—and whole
D&D gives us the tools to create full, vibrant characters with nuance and narrative weight. It’s time to use them.
🏳️⚧️ How to Build Better Queer Characters
When crafting LGBTQIA+ characters in your campaigns—whether you're a player or a DM—ask yourself:
- Is their identity part of their story, not the whole story?
- Do they have wants, flaws, relationships, and arcs?
- Are they celebrated, not just tolerated, by the world around them?
Try including:
- A nonbinary elven enchanter whose gender fluidity is tied to the moon cycle
- A trans orc paladin who was exiled by their warband but found faith in a goddess of renewal
- A lesbian archmage couple who run a magical academy together
These characters don’t need to be exceptional because they’re queer. They should be exceptional and queer.
🧾 Real-World Resources for Inspiration
Need help building inclusive stories? Check these out:
- The TTRPG Safety Toolkit – Start safe and stay safe at the table
- Monte Cook's Consent in Gaming PDF – Free guide to respectful gameplay
- Uncaged Anthology – A D&D 5e anthology that features inclusive myths and diverse creators
- Adventuring with Pride – LGBTQ+ themed adventures and characters for 5e
Also, follow queer TTRPG creators like:
- @SaltySweetGames (Twitch)
- @Dimension20Show (especially Misfits & Magic and A Court of Fey & Flowers)
- @UrsulaV and @JeeyonSh (TTRPG writers who do brilliant narrative design)
đź’ Final Thoughts: The Magic of New Myths
When we break old tropes and write new legends, we create room for everyone at the table. Queer heroes, found families, and love that transcends gender—all of it deserves a place in the stories we tell. And in telling those stories, we do something powerful:
We reshape fantasy into a space where no one has to imagine themselves invisible ever again.
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