According to Writer Greg Rucka, DC REBIRTH’s Wonder Woman Is “Queer”

Living on an island populated solely by female warriors, one would think Diana, aka Wonder Woman, would have experienced same-sex relationships before accepting her ambassadorship to Matriarch’s world. This is a premise that’s been hinted at quite often in the past, and most recently in Grant Morrison’s neo-continuity epic, Wonder Woman: Earth One, but never before decreed so definitively by a creator. Greg Rucka, current writer of the DC REBIRTH Wonder Woman series, was asked by our good friends at Comicostity about Wonder Woman’s sexual preferences, specifically, “is she queer?”

First, Rucka needed the term “queer” clarified.

“You’re applying a term specifically and talking to an ostensibly cis male (and white to boot), so “queer” to me may not be the same as it is to an out gay man. So, tell me what queer is.”

The interviewer offered clarification.

“Fair enough. For the purposes of this conversation, I would define “queer” as involving, although not necessarily exclusively, romantic and/or sexual interest toward persons of the same gender. It’s not the full definition, but it’s the part I’m narrowing in on here.”

Rucka’s response?

“Then, yes. I think it’s more complicated though. This is inherently the problem with Diana: we’ve had a long history of people — for a variety of reasons, including sometimes pure titillation, which I think is the worst reason — say, “Ooo. Look. It’s the Amazons. They’re gay!”

Rucka elaborated, “And when you start to think about giving the concept of Themyscira its due, the answer is, ‘How can they not all be in same sex relationships?’ Right? It makes no logical sense otherwise. It’s supposed to be paradise. You’re supposed to be able to live happily. You’re supposed to be able — in a context where one can live happily, and part of what an individual needs for that happiness is to have a partner — to have a fulfilling, romantic and sexual relationship. And the only options are women.

But an Amazon doesn’t look at another Amazon and say, ‘You’re gay.’ They don’t. The concept doesn’t exist.

Now, are we saying Diana has been in love and had relationships with other women? As Nicola and I approach it, the answer is obviously yes.”

Although Rucka and artists Nicola Scott and Liam Sharp feel this way, it doesn’t necessarily mean the series, or DC editors, executives, or Warner Bros. representatives will echo those sentiments. And if they do, the announcement will certainly be more official than a singular interview conducted on a comic book blog.

Regardless, it’s nice to see creators respecting aspects of Wonder Woman that readers have assumed for decades.