The Devil Is Queer

For those who haven't seen Lucifer, the show is currently almost done with its third season and has had many implied, mentioned, and shown LGBT scenarios.

Quick background: Lucifer Morningstar was previously in charge of running Hell, which he considered a punishment from his father. He comes to Earth and has taken a liking to Los Angeles, but of course, he doesn't want to go back to running Hell. When a friend of his is murdered however, he ends up partnering with the police to find her killer and there starts his friendship with detective Decker (the female lead).

Lucifer, played by Tom Ellis, and Mazikeen, his first hand devil, played by Lesley-Ann Brandt, have been on Earth for almost five years at this point and from season one we've known they aren't completely hetero.

Now I've often heard the term "queerbaiting" used to describe shows that include LGBT characters, not for representation, but ultimately to draw in a larger audience. This might have been what Fox has done, but opposed to other queerbaiting shows, Lucifer is not often advertised in commercials or previews as having MLM* relationships. And if you watch the show and understand how him and Mazikeen think, then it makes sense that they would be queer rather than other main characters on the show. (This is also why it's never implied that being gay/lesbian or queer in any way is in any way a sin.) Lucifer and Mazikeen are confirmed as pansexual* by the creators and actors, although, Lucifer has admittedly shown a preference for women, and this is simply because they are very open with their sexuality. Lucifer's whole shtick in this show is that you should follow your desires, therefore it just makes sense and it would be a lot less of a show if he wasn't pan.

Without giving away too much, some things that have happened over the course of the series so far are:

When doing a flash-through of different past sexual partners Lucifer has had, there are many women, then all of a sudden, a man. This scene was one of the first glimpses we got of Lucifer's sexuality, and although it was played for laughs, it can also be considered a foot in the door.

• Mazikeen and detective Decker have pretended to be a lesbian couple for a sting (Mazikeen even kissed her).
• Lucifer and another male officer (possibly aromantic/asexual) have had to not only pretend to be a couple, but pretend to be married and live together for a couple days. This did end with Lucifer kissing the officer.
• Mazikeen was shown to have and enjoy intimacy with a woman when also tracking down a fugitive.
• Mazikeen developed a small crush on a woman because they 'smelt' like torture and despair.
• Lucifer says, "I'm so good at flipping men, they call me 'The Skillet.'"

Don't get the wrong idea, this show isn't one of the best LGBT shows, but it deserves a mention because while no LGBT relationship has lasted longer than one episode, at the very least this show isn't running the community through the mud like others do. Aside from lack of representation, I don't recall seeing any misrepresentation, and I'm satisfied for now.

That being said, for the future I hope to see more representation in Lucifer, specifically: a queer relationship that lasts longer than one episode, a trans character, and even maybe someone aromantic/asexual who stumps Lucifer.

(Don't even get me started on who I ship! Okay, I'll tell you anyway. Definitely Mazikeen and the therapist, also Lucifer and lieutenant Pierce, or I'll settle for the detective instead, I suppose.)

*MLM: Men (who) Love Men or Man Loves Man

*Pansexual: not limited in sexual choice with regard to biological sex, gender, or gender identity