20 of the best LGBTQIA+ works of science fiction

4. O Human Star

Speaking of artificial intelligence, what if a robot created by a human inventor turned out to have some very different ideas about its assigned gender? In many cases, that old argument about biological determinism influencing gender, therefore, doesn’t apply. If a being is created through entirely synthetic means, then how exactly would they navigate gender while living with humans?

That’s the central question of O Human Star, a long-running webcomic by artist and writer Blue Delliquanti. Of course, it’s not the only question. Delliquanti’s work also heavily features LGBTQIA+ characters in a future that remains both familiar and odd to today’s readers.

The story begins with the sudden death of Alastair Sterling. He’s the brilliant inventor who first introduced advanced robotics into human society. Sixteen years after his death, he’s resurrected into a robot body, complete with copied-over memories and emotions. In this new world, advanced robots and humans live side by side.

Al decides to track down Brendan Pinsky, who was both his business and romantic partner. Brendan has become a capable inventor in his own right. He’s even created the first robot meant to replicate a human being. No, it’s not the current Alastair; rather, it’s Sulla Pinsky.

See, Sulla was created to be a copy of Alastair, down to the male gender. However, as Sulla grew and gained more experiences, she wished to present herself as female. She’s also brilliant and brave and ready to experience as much life as possible.

The way this central trio negotiates their familial relationships forms the heart of this series. Meanwhile, several secondary characters are also queer or otherwise part of the LGBTQIA+ community. It’s an extraordinarily bright and positive portrayal of LGBTQIA+ people in science fiction.