Fans urge Marvel and Disney to give Captain America a boyfriend

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For the second time this month, fans are urging Disney to give the star of one of the studio’s films a same-sex partner.

In early May, Twitter users launched the #GiveElsaAGirlfriend campaign, asking the studio behindFrozento consider including a lesbian relationship in the musical’s upcoming sequel. Subsequently, on Tuesday, the hashtag #GiveCaptainAmericaABoyfriend started trending — this time requesting that the superhero in the Marvel franchise (which is owned by Disney) date someone of his own gender.

Over the weekend, Idina Menzel — who plays Princess Elsa inFrozen— endorsed the idea of the popular character having a female love interest.

“I think it’s great,” the actress toldEntertainment Weekly. “Disney’s just gotta contend with that. I’ll let them figure that out.”

Chris Evans, meanwhile, who stars as Captain America, has yet to weigh in on his preference for his character’s romantic future. InCaptain America: Civil War, which was released May 6, Evans’ Steve Rogers has a lacklustre relationship with Sharon Carter, played by Emily VanCamp. Previously, Captain America was involved with Hayley Atwell’s Peggy Carter — but her character then died.

So who does that leave for Evans to woo? According to fans: Bucky Barnes, played by Sebastian Stan, Cap’s loyal best friend who has frequently risked his life for his pal.

If Disney paid mind to either of the Twitter campaigns, it would mark a major shift for the studio, which GLAAD reported did not feature a single LGBT character in any of its major 2015 films.

“Of all the studios tracked in this report, Walt Disney Studios has the weakest historical record when it comes to LGBT-inclusive films,” the GLAAD report stated. “As recent successful animated films and TV programs have shown … LGBT people appearing in ‘all-ages’ programming — animated or not — is not the impossible notion it once was. LGBT people are already part of families and communities around the world, and film of all genres should reflect that.”

(SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST)