LGBTQ in Tolkien's Middle-earth?

Door Jam: August 3, 2024

The Door Jam is a place to squeeze in relevant articles written about C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, their work, adaptations of their fantasy worlds, and other potentially interesting news, information, and articles. Unless otherwise stated, I’m not necessarily endorsing (or criticizing) any of these, merely sharing them with you.

It’s more Tolkien at the top this week. Other stories highlight Lewis, including a Lewis-heavy library in Texas. The “holy grail” of Tolkien letters is up for sale. Plus, San Diego Comic Con brings lots of news on The Rings of Power and other nerd franchises.

Top story

I’ll have more to say about this later, but I wanted to share this now. When asked at Comic Con if an LGBTQ character could appear in The Rings of Power, showrunner Patrick McKay said, “Maybe you have already.”

I hope McKay was simply trying to placate an LGBTQ fan catching him in a difficult spot by asking that question in a public setting. I recognize the balancing act involved here. The Lord of the Rings has a wide range of fans. The show’s creators don’t want to alienate potential viewers.

But, regardless of any of our personal feelings about the matter, an openly LGBTQ character in Middle-earth demonstrates a complete disregard for the creator of that fantasy world. On Wednesday, I’ll explain why, outside of one even more controversial option, this would be contradictory to Tolkien’s ideals.

C.S. Lewis articles

Browse This Oxford-Inspired Library in Houston — Texas Highways

The non-circulating library (meaning books can’t be checked out) cost an estimated $10 million plus to build. It boasts an expansive catalog, but the space also features notable and museum-worthy artifacts and exhibits, such as the largest C.S. Lewis collection in the United States with first-edition books and handwritten letters; primitive oil lamps and their evolution over time; exact replicas of the Dead Sea Scrolls; and two King James Bibles from the 1600s.