16 LGBT superheroes who forever changed comics

June is Pride Month, an annual celebration for LGBT folks.Although equality in the UShas a long way to go, things are getting better.One good signis the range of identities represented bysuperheroes in comics and movies.A numberof superheroes have recently come out of the closet. In 2014, Marvel confirmed that Iceman is gay, and lastyear,DC Comics clarified that Catwoman is bisexual. Earlier this year, Ryan Reynolds playedDeadpool, the first pansexual superhero, in Marvel's film.From gay martial arts mastersto lesbian detectives, queer superheroes in comics actually havea long history of kicking butt.Ramzi Fawaz, a professor of queer studies atthe University of Wisconsin-Madison,says comic books featured LGBT superheroes as early as the 1950s. Although early queercharacters didn't explicitly come out, fans knew their heroes hadfluid sexualities."When you associate characters with a heroic action, it shows that everyone has the power to make an impact in some way," Fawaztells Tech Insider. "It trains readers to see our differences as sources of strength and that we can use themto transform the world for the better."Here are 16 superheroes who are diversifying comics and embodying the spirit of Pride.Green Lantern.Powers:energy creation and projection, flight, teleportation, interstellar travel, super strength.Weapon of choice:his Power Ring, which creates whatever the Green Lantern imagines.Secret identity:Alan Scott.The Green Lantern fights evil with the help of his magic ring, which gives him extraordinary powers.The character first appeared in a 1940issue of "All American Comics," but was later rewritten as an openly gay character in 2012.Catwoman.Powers:acrobatics, stealth, disguise, thievery.Weapon of choice:hand-to-hand combat.Secret identity: Selina Kyle.This DCantiheroinehas the senses and speed of a cat. Introduced in 1940, fans have long speculated that Catwoman isbisexual. Thankfully, writerGenevieve Valentine confirmeditearlier this year.Miss America.Powers:flight, superhuman strength, speed, and durability.Weapon of choice:hand-to-hand combat.Secret identity:Madeline Joyce Frank and laterAmerica Chavez.Marvel first introduced its Miss America comicsaround the same time as Wonder Woman, in 1943. In 2011, the character was later revamped as America Chavez, a queer, latina teen.Beginning in 2015, Chavez has appeared in The AvengersUltimates series as part of the "All-New, All-Different Marvel,"a new Marvel universe.See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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