The way the LGBTQ+ community has been portrayed in popular culture has come a long, long way in recent years. Although there's still a lot of work to be done, so many creative queer folks have been making awesome and inclusive movies, music, TV shows, and more that better represents our lives and our stories, so in honor of Pride Month, we're taking the time to honor 25 of these inspiring people! This is the 2019 #PRIDE25!
One of those inspiring queer creatives is Noelle Stevenson, showrunner and executive producer of Netflix and Dreamworks Animation's She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (one of our new fave shows!!). A reboot of the classic '80s series, She-Ra is currently in its second season, filled to the brim with big gay energy, and is super empowering and inclusive, something young queer audiences need.
PRIDE got the chance to speak with Noelle about her work and why LGBTQ representation is so important!
Why is queer representation, especially in media and in the arts, important to you?
I grew up in a very conservative environment where I didn't know any gay people as a child and didn't have access to any media representation of gay people, much less positive representation. The result of that was clear: being gay was not an option. Once I got a little older, gay content was something that was "adult" and "edgy," and the characters usually ended up dead. But I remember the first time I saw a gay character and thought, "That's me, I think that's me." It was transformative. So for my part, I want to give queer viewers, especially young queer viewers, their own feeling of being seen, to be able to imagine a positive future for themselves and a world where they belong. And for viewers who aren't queer, to see being queer as a normal and positive thing.
In the industry you currently work in, did you have any queer role models you could look up to? If yes, who? If not, did you wish you had one?
My first queer role model was Shannon Watters, who's one of my co-creators on Lumberjanes. She was my boss when I was an intern. Seeing an out gay woman in a creative field was huge for me, and I wasn't even out yet. I wouldn't come out for a while after that, but I think some part of me knew that I wanted what she had.
What’s it like knowing a young LGBTQ person could look at your work and have you be their role model?
It's incredible! I hope that I can show that you can tell the stories that you're passionate about while being true to yourself. I hope that I can show that you can have a future as a queer person.
What advice do you have for young, queer creatives who want to break into the entertainment industry?
Tell the stories that only you can tell and don't be afraid. Push past what you might think is the "acceptable" way to tell a story or to be a creator. You might have to fight for it, but the fight is worth it.
Many, many years from now, what do you want the legacy of your work to be? And what do you hope to be remembered by?
I want to be remembered not just for the stories I tell, but for the life I lived. I want to last. I want to grow old. And I want to help others do the same. For me, seeing a queer person being happy, being creatively fulfilled, just living their life, it's so precious to me every time. I hope that I can be that for others.
Season 3 of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power drops on Netflix on August 2! In the meantime, binge Seasons 1 & 2 here!
And check out more of the 2019 #PRIDE25 honorees here!
