Yelena Belova — from the Black Widow movie & a mcu character.
⿻ no spoilers in this post !! Mentions of the comics are down below … not sure if that would count as spoilers, so read/scroll at your own risk.
Eraser of asexual and aromantic representation. Yelena is canonly asexual ( ace ) and she is heavily aromantic coded in the comics. So, for those of you that head-canon/ interpret that Yelena is lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, etc know that is very harmful and you’re erasing the identities of many ace’s, aro’s & ace/aro orientations. The representation of both ace & aro is very important! Especially since there isn’t much representation of aro & ace’s that aren’t ignored, dismissed, changed, not developed as straight relationships, not talked about as much, and at the very least talked about maybe once. As someone who identifies with being ace + demiromantic — WE NEED THIS REPRESENTATION. Lesbians, bisexuals, and pansexuals all have their representation, even if it is shit. Straight relationships have the most privileged representation because it’s “right”.
I know a lot of people compare her with Natasha. So let’s get this part straight: Natasha is her own person, who has her own tactics with sexually seducing others. That’s all Natasha. It was not what the red room taught the young girls training to be black widows.
Yelena is one of my comfort characters. She’s someone I relate to with both her humour, her role as a female in a mans world, and her non relationship orientation. I’m going to be honest I haven’t read the comics, I plan to but as of right now, I haven’t read the comics but that doesn’t mean I don’t know things about the comics.
But for those of you who ship Yelena with other mcu characters — specifically Bucky, original characters ( oc’s ), etc are taking away her identity and representation.
Asexual — Someone who lacks sexual attraction to another. Nonsexual. & Asexuality is a spectrum, however, Yelena seems to fit and recognize she is asexual. Not grey-Asexual, demisexual, reciprosexual, etc.
Aromantic — someone who lacks, has no desire for a romantic relationship to anyone. Like asexuality, aromantic is also a spectrum.
“No I’m not a Lesbian, I’m not … anything.”
no because i’m damn right. and i can’t wrap my brain around that people actually ship her with others. & she’s representation for millions — I’m one of those millions.