LGBT in TMNT

[wyze2099]

I have to ask: why is it suddenly "politics" and "forced" when LGBT characters are in stories? I've never understood that logic. LGBT people exist in real life as well as in stories. Likewise, I've seen plenty of "straight" relationships in media that seem a lot more forced than someone who happens to be gay or bi. That's an aspect of a character, but by no means a defining characteristic.

As examples from IDW: Lindsey Baker's a lesbian. That's an aspect of her character, but it didn't come up until her ex, a fellow scientist, re-entered the picture. There's more going on with the character than just that, such as her relationships with the Mutanimals, and the scientific breakthroughs she's made with mutagen that has resulted in the creation of most of the mutants seen in the series.

Jennika is bi, if her interactions with Sheena are any indication. That's an aspect of the character that's being played as low-key, and nowhere near the only aspect of her character. Her worth as a character is in her growth as a character, and in the dichotomy between being a fighter/killer and being a person with connections. She left behind a tough upbringing and a youth as a juvenile delinquent in favor of joining the Foot, and in the process she remade herself as a weapon. She's first seen trying to assassinate Splinter, and when he shows her compassion, that sets into motion a long character arc in which she has to find her place in the Foot, and figure out what to do with herself. She comes to see Master Splinter as a father figure (perhaps the first positive one she's had), and she begins letting people see her vulnerable, which is difficult for her. She's a conflicted character who's gone through a number of reinventions (some of them her choice, some not). I find that conflict interesting, as well as her attempts to assert agency over her own reinventions. It wasn't her choice to be mutated into a turtle, but this means she can try to form a sisterly bond with the Turtles and see how that works out. The Mutant Town situation definitely wasn't her choice, but she's making the most of it by exploring her interest in music and entering into a new relationship (and closing the door on some past relationships). The fact that this new relationship is with a woman isn't forced; it's part of the ongoing story of this conflicted character who's grown over time.

And those are just two examples. So yeah, the "forced" argument never made any sense to me. They're aspects of a character that happened because the writer(s) made choices. Just like any other part of a character.