Director J.J. Abrams went on a whirlwind press tour to promote the first gay kiss in all of Star Wars. While he may have been right about the on-screen inclusion being the first representation in the series, the Star Wars extended universe has been serving up some kick ass LGBTQ+ hotties since 2009.
The choices may be small, but there are plenty of actors who have taken the time to include queer characters in the Star Wars Galaxy. Even Mark Hamill has encouraged fans to see his beloved Luke Skywalker through a lens that empowers them. Some of the greatest video game contributions have been made by recent comic books and novels.
Commander Larma D'Arcy and Wrobie Tyce
The kiss between pilot Wrobie Tyce and Commander Larma D'arcy, which was initially criticized at this time, is undisputed. It was a major moment for Star Wars. While the inclusion was significant to many conservatives, it was also too brief to affect much of the mainstream public.
Flix and Orka
Flix and Orka are a fully canonical gay couple from the lesser-known Star Wars: Resistance series. In an interview with Coffee With Kenobi, producer Justin Ridge proudly revealed the couple's romantic interests. Orka, a pig-like Chadra-Fan, is the shop's sales manager. They often clash like old friends as they work.
Dr. Chelli Lona Aphra is a doctor at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Aphra makes her first appearance in the Darth Vader comic series. She is a morally dubious archeologist and mechanic who enjoys murderous droids and getting into trouble. Aphra helps Vader discover the true identity of the death-star-destroying pilot, Luke Skywalker, before betraying his intentions to Emperor Palpatine. Aphra disappears into the unknown.
Aphra has romanced two different women throughout her tenure: Canonically lesbian, Aphra is at odds with Magna Tolvan, an imperial turned rebel, and Sana Starros, a no-nonsense smuggler with a decent heart and a good aim. Their misadventures result in the three women overlapping in a glorious hate/love triangle.
Sana Starros is a Spanish author.
Sana Starros, who was initially introduced as Han Solo's illegitimate wife, quickly establishes herself as a powerful smuggler to the Millennium Falcon's crew. After joining them (and rescuing them) on several quests, she meets Aphra, whom she quickly shoots.
Juhani
Juhani is a cat-like humanoid character that first appeared in the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic video game in 2009. Juhani is one of the first openly gay characters (that weren't retconned) in the Star Wars universe. If the player chooses to kill her former lover, a young female Jedi named Belaya will track them down in an effort to retaliate for her past lover.
Bio-ware, the creator of the series, had to slash a substantial portion of Juhani's narrative. The only indication of her sexual orientation was a special line of dialogue that players could access regardless of gender; the line led players to believe Juhani was bisexual initially, but it was later corrected by Bio-ware, who confirmed her status as a lesbian icon and removed any romantic potential with male characters.
Sinjir Rath Velus is a British author.
Sinjir Rath Velus is introduced into the Star Wars: Aftermath series. He is a wisecracking alcoholic trapped in a swamp of self-loathing; Sinjir is an ex-Imperial Officer who joins the rebellion and becomes a close advisor to Mon Mothma. His romance with his near antithesis, Conder Kyl, is simply too sweet to miss.
Kyl, Conder
Conder Kyl is one of the New Republic's best slicers, similar to a hacker but somewhat more hardcore, and one of Princess Leia's go-to guys. Conder is kind and measured, described as a big-armed, barrel-chested guy, and they have a romance that is more developed than many Star Wars couples.
Rae Sloane, Grand Admiral of the United States, has been re-named.
Grand Admiral Sloane joined the Empire in its early days and became a member of the New Order when it was defeated. She has even thwarted assassination attempts on Vader and Palpatine, and has served on Gallius Rax's shadow council. Sloane has revealed that she intends to wed someday.
Eleodie Maracavanya
Eleodie, a non-bianary human space pirate, uses the Zhe/Zher pronouns in Aftermath: Life and Debt, and she returns in the last Aftermath book. Maracavanya is a versatile politician who has used the ship to create an armada of pirates in which they wage war against the Imperial Empire. Despite Star Wars' slew of prominent aliens, Eleodie is the first canonically non-binary character.
Keo Venzee
Keo Venzee, the second non-binary person to grace the list, uses the they/them pronouns. They first appeared in Star Wars: Squadrons and pursued their passion for starship racing until they were able to escape the dangerous outer rim. They were later joined by General Hera Syndulla, who used their talents to great advantage during even the worst dog fights.