Fans petition 'Star Wars' to include first gay character

Image
Press Trust of India Los Angeles
Last Updated : Jun 30 2016 | 10:28 AM IST
More than three thousand people have rallied to make Drew Leinonen the first gay character in "Star Wars" universe.
The petition has been posted on Change.Org by Joshua Yehl along with headline "Make Orlando Victim Drew Leinonen the First LGBT Star Wars Movie Character" following the Orlando massacre on June 11, reported Ace Showbiz.
Addressed to Kathleen Kennedy (President of Lucasfilm), Bob Iger (CEO of The Walt Disney Company) and all of the crew behind the "Star Wars" films, the message read, "I'm writing this letter to request that Drew's passing be honored by using him as inspiration for the first-ever LGBT Star Wars character to appear in a movie.
"How this is done - using his likeness, running his name through one of those Star Wars Name Generators, etc. This character will not only honor Drew but all of the other victims at Pulse in Orlando, including his boyfriend Juan Ramon Guerrero, and every LGBT person to ever lose their life to hate."
Yehl recounted Drew's passion for the franchise.
Through the message, he also made an appeal for "Star Wars" to include gay character as a hero alongside the other protagonists.
Therefore, people will be able to see LGBT people as no different from the straight ones.
He also quoted "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" director JJ Abrams on the message, "'Star Wars' has never had a gay character appear on screen before, but as 'The Force Awakens' director JJ Abrams recently said on the topic, 'The fun of 'Star Wars' is the glory of possibility.
"So it seems insanely narrow-minded and counter-intuitive to say that there wouldn't be a homosexual character in that world.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jun 30 2016 | 10:28 AM IST

Next Story