Joe Locke Sums Up Everything Wrong With Queer Representation in Media Today: “It’s quite a damaging trope to push”

Less than two weeks stands between us and the release of ‘Agatha All Along.’ The show sees Agatha Harkness escaping her imprisonment and returning to the world, powerless. She will have to gather a makeshift coven of witches to traverse the Witches Road, a highly dangerous place, and reclaim her powers.

The show has an interesting premise and a stellar cast. The cast for the upcoming show features Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness, Joe Locke as Billy Kaplan, and Sasheer Zamata as Jennifer Kale. Ali Ahn will play Alice Wu-Gulliver, while Maria Dizzia, Paul Adelstein, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, and Okwui Okpokwasili are set for roles yet to be confirmed. Debra Jo Rupp will appear as Sharon Davis, Patti LuPone as Lilia Calderu, and Aubrey Plaza as Rio Vidal/Green Witch.

Locke’s character hasn’t been confirmed yet, but he is most certainly playing Billy Kaplan aka Wiccan. In the last few weeks, Locke has talked extensively about his character and the fact that he will be gay in the MCU. The actor admitted that he has already received backlash for it.

But in the context of Wiccan, the character has always been gay in the comics, but it wasn’t a core part of his personality or character it was just there. This is something that Locke commented on in his latest interview for SFX Magazine.

Overly focusing on a character’s queerness can lead to that same queerness becoming the focal point of its story and personality, which is damaging to the character and the community:

“Having queer characters in Marvel projects as just a normal character, it doesn’t define them. I think a lot of queer characters in media today, that becomes their personality, almost. That’s a great thing, having queer characters, but it’s almost quite a damaging trope to push.”

Locke is correct in that aspect as he isn’t the first or the last gay character in the MCU. Most of the time, however, sexuality is only referenced and it’s not a focal point of stories. There’s also the fact that Aubrey Plaza and Kathryn Hahn teased a potential “charged relationship” between Rio Vidal and Agatha Harkness, so ‘Agatha All Along’ might be a treasure trove for proper representation. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!

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