Is America Chavez gay? ‘Doctor Strange 2’ character’s sexuality explained

America Chavez, otherwise known as Miss America, is a well-known Marvel comic book superhero who is officially on her way to becoming the next big MCU character. Known for her super speed, incredible strength, and inter-dimensional powers that allow her to fly and punch portals, America is no unassuming teen superhero.

And what better way to introduce a character who can travel through the multiverse than with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness? When word of America’s appearance in the new film was announced, LGBTQ fans everywhere went wild with excitement because not only is America a mega-powerful superhero, but she’s also a queer Latina.

She isn’t the first openly gay character to make an appearance in the MCU, though. That title goes to Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry) from Eternals. Understandably, fans were still excited that America would be joining the MCU, but some of that excitement was tempered when it was discovered that fourteen-year-old actress, Xochitl Gomez had been cast in the role. That’s much younger than how the character is portrayed in the comics, and some wonder if she will still have a friendship with Kate Bishop from Disney Plus’ Hawkeye like she does in the comics.

In regard to how much of America’s sexuality made it into Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness — Kevin Feige said in a press conference (via The Direct), “As Xochitl said, she’s a 14-year-old girl figuring out this very traumatic element of her life, which is not the LGBTQ+ issue, it’s the fact that she keeps being tossed around the multiverse multiple, multiple times.”

Essentially, America will have much bigger fish to fry than filling people in on her sexuality. For instance, battling all the evil variants she, Wanda, and Strange are sure to come up against. Still, even with little to no mention of Chavez’s sexuality, the movie came under fire in multiple countries for the representation of an openly lesbian superhero. In addition, Gomez herself has been the subject of hate speech for representing an LGBTQ character, which did not go over well with one of the movie’s stars.

All that to say, LGBTQ representation in a film like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is nothing to bat an eye at, and hopefully indicates a future for more LGBTQ superheroes to emerge. Until then, we can get acquainted with America’s inter-dimensional superpowers in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which is now in theaters.