Gay game of thrones characters

Bi-curiosity pops out of the screen.

It’s a bi-curiosity that Daenerys shows again five seasons later with the show’s fully-fledged Sapphic lover Yara Greyjoy – a potential ally with a much-needed navy – in a brilliant scene where flirtation and political consummation mingle inextricably.

Yara is such an attractive seductress that Ellaria Sands, another potential ally of Daenerys, also comes to find her hand between Yara’s legs at one point in the political assignations, while she purrs that she’s “developing a taste for it”.

Bisexuality is embodied not just by Ellaria Sands, but also by her male lover Oberyn Martell.

In most of Westeros, open same-sex desire is impossible.

So, what has happened to our queer cast? This Pride Month, let’s shine a light on five major gay or bisexual female characters whose queer identities were ignored or underdeveloped, robbing fans of deeper representation.

5Ellaria Sand

In George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, Ellaria Sand is attracted to women, having told Oberyn this fact rather casually.

She was later killed off-screen, which many believe is a textbook definition of the ‘Bury Your Gays’ trope.

4Nymeria Sand

Nymeria Sand, one of Oberyn’s Sand Snakes, was a bisexual warrior with a whip and a fiery spirit. Of course, one thing to keep in mind is that our modern lexicon of sexuality wouldn't have been translated into the world of Game of Thrones, so identification via labels like "gay" and "lesbian" wasn't available to the characters.

How GoT reflects sexuality and what lessons are implied is culturally important.

Loras’s characterisation is hotly contested. The pimp/host Olyvar simply replies that he’s “wildly expensive”. While Westeros had its share of queer moments, many were sidelined or brutally cut short, leaving rich stories untold. And these are homophobic times. He catered solely to male clientele and had run-ins with a number of notable characters throughout Game of Thrones, including Oberyn Martell.

Similar to Loras, some would argue that her portrayal of lesbianism is somewhat stereotyped as the "angry lesbian." Yara's relationship with Daenerys had many wondering if the two would unite and share The Iron Throne together, but that ultimately did not come to pass.

4 Oberyn Martell

Prince Oberyn Martell is a witty character, known for his keen intellect and his proclivity for duels.

And it matters.

It matters in terms of representation. Ellaria Sands, chained up with her daughter’s rotting corpse. As we enter the final season it looks like the central heterosexual characters will grab the focus. What's more, Game of Throneshas been named one of the best television series of all time by a number of critics and publications (via Screen Rant).

In addition to its world-building, intricate character arcs, and riveting narratives, one smaller, but no less significant, achievement by Game of Thrones is its LGBTQ+ representation, and how varied it was.

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