X-Men Tackle Teen LGBTQ Suicide
October 28, 2011
Fans of the X-Men comic series, which debuted in 1963, might know that the mutants struggle against anti-mutant sentiment has been called a metaphor for the civil rights movement. The series has recently begun addressing the struggle for LGBTQ equality in the X-Men series, Generation Hope.
Commentators have pointed out the connections that can be drawn between gay teens and the X-Men. The X-Men come into their powers during puberty, and many LGBTQ people accept and embrace their identity during their teen years. And both groups feel ostracized for their differences.
Generation Hope #9, which came out this summer, even discussed the issue of gay teens who die by suicide. This is a sensitive issue, which has been in the national spotlight since the death of Tyler Clementi last year. Check out the comic for yourself to determine how well X-Men writers handle this difficult topic.
