Rainbow by the Universe: LGBT+ scenes in sci-fi and fantasy

Happy Pride Month, sunflowers and iron oaks! Let's be a little brave and see what happens when we combine the waving of magic wands with space travel, and let the whole thing vibrate at the frequency of the rainbow. This is the month we celebrate love in all its forms, and what better way to do so than by immersing ourselves in sci-fi and fantasy worlds as diverse as the rainbow itself.

Fantasy and sci-fi are like universal languages ​​that tell stories of love, hope, adventure and courage. And yes, there are all kinds of characters in these stories, including LGBT+ characters. We don't have to look very far to find LGBT+ themes in fantasy and sci-fi. They've been around since the first pen touched paper (or the first finger touched a touchscreen, depending on which timeline we live in).

Our first stop is the "Doctor Who" episode "The Witchfinders". In this episode, the 13th Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and his companions meet the famous author, and equally famous witch hunter, King James I, who, as we're clearly shown, is just as smitten with Ryan (Tosin Cole) as we are.

Next, we travel to Ursula K. Le Guin's "Ice Planet" book. This masterpiece, which is as much a sociological treatise as a sci-fi book, takes us to a planet where gender is as changeable and malleable as snow.

We continue our journey and arrive at the "Jail Break" episode of the "Steven Universe" series. In this episode, we see Garnet, a combination of Ruby and Sapphire, who is just as simply and beautifully the embodiment of love. This episode reminds us that love is love, no matter the shape or color.

But what would this list be without a mention of the Netflix series 'Sense8', each episode of which is a celebration of LGBT+ themes. Take, for example, the episode "I Am Also A We", which includes the Pride speech of the beautiful trans character Nomi Marks (Jamie Clayton).

Although we've had to make quick visits to these worlds, it's clear that sci-fi and fantasy are ready to welcome all readers and viewers with open arms. They are not only genres, they are open books filled with all kinds of stories and all kinds of people.

So, friends, the next time you read one of these stories, remember to look at it under the rainbow. You can find more colors than you think.