Jinkies! Velma is offically gay

‘Scooby-Doo’ takes a step in the right direction  for LGBTQ+ representation

Maria Simpson / Opinion Editor / The USD Vista

National Coming Out Day was last week, and in perfect timing, one very beloved character just came out: Velma Dinkley from the classic “Scooby-Doo” franchise. In a new “Scooby-Doo” movie titled “Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo!” a villain by the name of Coco Diablo is introduced, and Velma turns bright red at the sight of her. If that wasn’t proof enough, in a later scene she exclaims “I’m crushing big time, Daphne. What do I do? What do I say?”

This is a huge moment for many fans, and this representation is inexplicably important to the LGBTQ+ community. However, there has also been lots of backlash, mostly from older conservative individuals, arguing that officially deeming Velma as gay is inappropriate and outrageous. In reality, it is their responses that are outrageous, ridiculous and distracting us from an uplifting moment in television history.

“Scooby-Doo” is an American cartoon franchise revolving around four teenagers and their loyal dog, Scooby-Doo, who make up Mystery Inc., more often referred to as simply “the gang.” They take on various hauntings and mysteries, working hard to solve the case amid hilarious antics that get in the way. The original series, “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” first aired in 1969, and since then, quite literally dozens of versions of “Scooby-Doo” were made, in the form of spin-off shows, live action movies and short films.

The characters are loved across many generations, which is a part of what makes Velma’s newly confirmed sexuality so special. This is not a newly created character for younger generations to look up to; this is a character that has been loved for a long time, and it is amazing that the creators,  director and screenwriter Audie Harrison and screenwriters Laura Pollak and Daniel McLellan, finally decided to display Velma’s long suspected lesbian identity as canon in their new direct-to-video film, “Trick or Treat Scooby Doo!” which is available on various streaming platforms such as HBO Max and Amazon Prime Video.

I say “long suspected,” and it is certainly true. Many LGBTQ+ individuals have held Velma as a queer icon for years, and lots of fans have assumed her to be a lesbian due to hints from the show itself. Velma was never portrayed as “boy-crazy” and, although fitting very much into a stereotype which is not always true by any means, Velma sports a short bob haircut, wears no makeup and dons a shapeless sweater.

This strongly contrasts Daphne, the other female lead in the franchise, with her long red hair, short form-fitting dress, and long-standing romance with Fred, one of the boys in the gang. However, these little hints are not the only evidence. Several writers for various “Scooby-Doo” movies and shows have confirmed that they always pictured Velma as being gay, however it is only now that they were finally able to push that identity into the open.

According to the Washington Post, James Gunn, the screenwriter for two of the live-action adaptations of “Scooby-Doo,” tweeted in 2020 that in his 2001 script, Velma was originally written as openly gay, “But the studio just kept watering it down & watering it down, becoming ambiguous (the version shot), then nothing (the released version) & finally having a boyfriend (the sequel).” Gunn has since deleted that tweet. Also in 2020, Tony Cervone, one of the creators of the Cartoon Network television series “Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated,” posted an image of Velma standing in front of a pride flag on Instagram and wrote, “I obviously don’t represent every version of Velma Dinkley, but I am one of the key people that represents this one. We made our intentions as clear as we could ten years ago. Most of our fans got it. To those that didn’t, I suggest you look closer. There’s no new news here.”

Revealing Velma as a confirmed lesbian is great for representation for members LGBTQ+ community. It is incredibly important to have this representation in the media, especially for kids to see growing up. It helps normalize relationships other than heterosexual relationships and allows LGBTQ+ individuals (in this particular case, lesbian individuals) to see themselves and their relationships in media, which is empowering as it encourages self acceptance and healthy relationships for those people.

Unfortunately, this long-awaited confirmation was met with ridiculous responses from homophobic individuals. Many are claiming that this is an inappropriate exposure of kids to sexualization, but this is a poor excuse. Daphne and Fred have been allowed to go on dates, kiss and display physical affection towards each other since the franchise’s inception, so why is it inappropriate to simply show Velma blushing at her crush? This case is in fact, much less “sexual” than the straight relationships in the show, so the argument of sexualization  is a poor cover-up for blatant homophobia.

If these people were truly concerned about characters in the show being sexualized then they would be complaining about how Daphne has been sexualized as the ideal woman (long legs, tiny waist, shots panning over her body as she reveals a bikini) for decades. But that fact is, this doesn’t concern those individuals at all. They just don’t want the LGBTQ+ community to have fair representation in the media, due to their own political beliefs.

Several conservative anchors on Fox News have addressed Velma’s newly confirmed sexuality and have made sickening remarks. On the segment, The Ingraham Angle, Fox News contributor Raymond Arroyo stated, “I’m waiting for them to tell us that Scooby and Shaggy shared more than just a Scooby Snack in that Mystery Mobile,” alluding to the utterly disgusting idea that beastiality equates to homosexuality. This comment suggests that LGBTQ+ identity is unnatural and animalistic, and I am appalled that even in 2022, someone can voice such ridiculous and horrific notions on national television. Others such as conservative podcaster Steven Crowder and Fox News commentor Tucker Carlson have complained that the “woke mob” has “made” Velma gay, as if (as previously discussed) she has not held that identity the whole time.

It is appalling that this hate and homophobia is still tolerated, but I hope “Scooby-Doo” fans and as many individuals as possible can focus on the positives of this situation and celebrate that Velma has finally been deemed undeniably gay after years of trying to open up her sexuality. Children’s shows are making great strides in recent years in representing more sexualities, gender identities and races. Hopefully, this representation will continue, and children and adults can see themselves in the media however they identify. Everyone no matter their sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, etc. should feel seen and heard.

Media like movies and television shows should display various identities so that viewers can have a hero like them to look up to. Velma is smart, witty and a wonderful friend. Lesbian viewers deseserve to have that character to look up to, especially young women who want to see themselves as smart and empowered.
This representation is necessary, and the “Scooby-Doo” franchise has taken an important step forward for the LGBTQ+ community.