The LGBTQQIA (the "A" is for Asexual NOT ally) community just got some much needed diversity in comics when it was revealed that Archie Comics' Jughead (arguably the character most associated with the comic next to Archie himself) is asexual. This is the fulfillment of a promise made by the writer, Chip Zdarsky, to the fans at last year's New York Comic Con.
This is an important move for queer representation in comics. Asexuality might be the least understood identity of the spectrum. It is definitely one of the most underrepresented in comics specifically and pop culture generally.
As is to be expected, this news did not please everyone. Once again, fans who can only imagine characters as straight, white and cis cried foul. More pandering. More ignoring of canon (even though the writer confirmed that Jughead being asexual is basically just putting a label on what there wasn't a word for when Archie was born). More forced diversity. Alas, haters are going to hate.
Here's Comic Book Resources' article with comments from Zdarsky and the panels themselves.
Do you think there's a chance the live action show coming to the CW will be brave enough to make Jughead ace, too, giving us much needed representation on TV, or will he once again be the presumed straight character who is more interested in food than he's ever been interested in any girl (or boy)?
