Video: Fans want LGBT Star Wars character for Orlando victim

  • 30/06/2016
Video: Fans want LGBT Star Wars character for Orlando victim

Star Wars fans are petitioning the films' makers to create the first LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender) character, in honour of an Orlando gay nightclub shooting victim.

Christopher Andrew "Drew" Leinonen was a passionate Star Wars fan. However, he was killed in the Pulse gay nightclub shooting where 49 people were gunned down by 29-year-old Omar Mateen.

The Change.org petition asks that "Drew's passing be honoured by using him as inspiration for the first-ever LGBT Star Wars character to appear in a movie."

They quote The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams, who said: "The fun of Star Wars is the glory of possibility. So it seems insanely narrow-minded and counterintuitive to say that there wouldn't be a homosexual character in that world."

"This tragedy happened because of hate, but Star Wars is something that unites people," says Joshua Yehl, a friend of Mr Leinone's who started the petition.

"It's vitally important that LGBT people are included in mainstream media because it will show that we don't need to be feared or hated or hidden," Mr Yehl wrote in the petition.

"We can be part of the rebellion and we can fight evil, and we can do it while being who we are with pride."

Newshub.