The signs were always there…
BY HEBE HANCOCK, IMAGE BY SHOWTIME
Before “representation” was a mainstream discussion, we had instinct. These were the women we couldn’t stop watching – smart, strong, stylish, or just undeniably magnetic. Some were queer. Some weren’t. All of them carved out space in our hearts (and helped a few of us crack open our closets).
Sporty Spice – Spice Girls
The tracksuits. The high kicks. The fact that she wasn’t trying to be sexy, but was anyway. For many queer women, Sporty was the first pop culture figure who didn’t perform femininity – and that was thrilling. She gave us permission to exist outside the expected.
Missy Elliott
Though she’s never labelled herself publicly, Missy’s presence has always felt boldly queer. Her fashion, swagger, and fearless creativity paved the way for gender non-conforming expression in hip-hop – and many queer women saw themselves in her confidence.
Velma Dinkley – Scooby-Doo
From the turtleneck to the sensible shoes, Velma was always our girl. Her intellect, deadpan delivery, and social awkwardness made her deeply relatable. Even before the official reboot confirmed it, we knew: Velma was family.
Lara Croft – Tomb Raider
Strong, solitary, and hyper-competent, Lara Croft felt more like a queer superhero than a straight male fantasy. Her strength wasn’t just physical – she had agency, control, and a sense of mystery that felt oddly familiar.
Santana Lopez – Glee
Sharp-tongued and unapologetically confident, Santana was both the girl we crushed on and the one we wanted to be. Her vulnerability under that armour made her storyline feel deeply personal – and her queerness, once it emerged, was game-changing.
Raven – Teen Titans
She was dark, brooding, emotionally complex, and not here for small talk. Raven had the mysterious energy of a crush you’d never tell anyone about – but would doodle in your notebook anyway. She made quiet girls feel powerful.
Jo March – Little Women
Jo was passionate, creative, rebellious – and uninterested in fitting into the feminine mould. Her resistance to marriage and obsession with writing made her a mirror for queer girls who never quite saw themselves in love stories.
Kristen Stewart – Twilight / Interviews / Everything
KStew’s evolution from shy teen idol to fashion-forward queer icon has been a pleasure to witness. Her aloof charm, understated coolness, and refusal to play nice with Hollywood norms gave her major queer appeal.
Xena – Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena wasn’t just strong—she was sensitive, moral, and deeply bonded with Gabrielle. She protected women, challenged injustice, and inspired fantasies of leather-clad liberation. If Xena was your childhood favourite, you weren’t alone.
Chloë Sevigny
Indie darling, style icon, and boundary-pusher, Chloë’s characters often embodied queer ambiguity. There’s a coolness to her that feels untouchable but magnetic. She wasn’t for the mainstream—and neither were we.
Elliot Page – Juno, Inception
Before his transition, Elliot played roles that many queer women connected with: witty, slightly awkward, resistant to conformity. Watching him figure out who he was, publicly and courageously, only deepened that connection.
Dana Scully – The X-Files
Smart, skeptical, and seriously cool under pressure, Scully had us questioning everything – including our sexuality. Her suits, her smirk, her science? Lesbian gold. Mulder may have had the alien theories, but we were laser-focused on Scully.
Shane – The L Word
Let’s be honest: even if you knew she was toxic, Shane was still the ultimate soft-butch fantasy. The swagger, the voice, the hair? You either dated a Shane, crushed on one, or were one.
DIVA magazine celebrates 31 years in print in 2025. If you like what we do, then get behind LGBTQIA media and keep us going for another generation. Your support is invaluable.
