Tilda Swinton is soon to appear as The Eternal in the new Marvel film, Doctor Strange, has said she is hoping that Marvel will soon give us a gay superhero.
During an interview with Out Magazine, Swinton discusses some of the criticism Doctor Strange has received, especially around the fact that her character was changed from an Asian comic book character.
Swinton said her message to these critics is simple:
Anyone speaking up for a greater accuracy in the representation of the diversity of the world we live in has me right beside them. As someone who has worked from the beginning as an artist within a queer aesthetic, the urgency of that voice is always going to be welcome.”
Swinton goes on to talk about Marvels own commitment to diversity.
I believe in Marvel’s wholehearted commitment to creating a diverse and vibrant universe, avoiding stereotype and cliché wherever possible in a determination to keep things fresh and lively. We are also still looking forward to our first gay Marvel superhero, naturally. Let’s hope that’s only a matter of time.”
During the interview in Swinton also discusses ‘the nature of queerness’ and expresses this view:
I have lived for my entire adult life closely integrated into a queer aesthetic, occasionally in situations where I may have been—for months at a time – either the only cis woman present or the only person in a heterosexual relationship, without particularly questioning why it might be strange for me to be included. The issue of sexuality is a secondary one to the issue of spirit. My analysis is, as my grandmother would say, ‘Horses for courses,’ meaning, each to their own.”
She also has strong opinions on attitudes to queerness and how these attitudes can unite.
Queerness is an attitude that, when acknowledged as shared, can bring more people together than could ever be divided by it being used as a term of rejection.”
Tilda is very open and proud about her own attitude to queerness and continued by saying:
I think this attitude is what I carry above my head, without any effort or influence. I think it is a form of semaphore that my colleagues recognize as a homing beacon—and I am proud to say I think it was probably blinking away even in my cradle.”
Swinton is a very positive voice for the queer community and it’s an honour to have her speak up for us in such a vocal way.
Let’s hope she gets her wish and Marvel will indeed give us our first ever gay Marvel Superhero.
