M3GAN writer tried and failed to explain why the killer doll is such a gay icon
LGBTQ+ community spills real reason why M3GAN is a gay icon. (Universal Pictures)
Killer doll M3GAN is 2023’s foremost gay icon – but not for the reasons writer Akela Cooper thinks.
M3GAN follows nine-year-old Cady (Violet McGraw) who moves in with her aunt Gemma (Allison Williams) after being tragically orphaned.
Gemma finds herself unable to connect with her niece and since she works as a roboticist at a toy factory, decides to make Cady a friend. Enter AI doll M3GAN – whose attempts to protect Cady from harm result in horrific turns.
Since the first trailer for the film dropped, M3GAN has been hailed an unlikely gay icon.
Writer Akela Cooper explained how she asked her own gay friend why everyone is so obsessed.
“He was saying this set-up is actually found family,” Cooper told SFX magazine, “where this little girl has lost her family, and she has to go live with her aunt. Then this doll is also brought into the situation. That resonates for a lot of people in the gay community, the idea of found family.”
While the sentiment is nice and found family is definitely a concept that connects with the LGBTQ+ community, it doesn’t quite hit the nail on the head.
The girls, theys and gays took to social media to set the record straight, explaining that the true reason is actually far more basic than that.
“I’m crying at them trying to make it a deeper and more profound message when we just love a b***h who serves looks and dances on her haters,” one person wrote.
The real reason gays love her: pic.twitter.com/Lch0FTlAel
— Asham’Azza ❤️ (@whiskeyandmagic) January 10, 2023
And they are not wrong. M3GAN first went viral after a teaser trailer was released which showed her doing a camp little dance before murdering her terrified victim. Legend behaviour.
Not only has the dance cemented itself in meme history but everything we have learned about the demented doll since has only added to her icon status.
From the way she slays every outfit, to singing Sia’s “Titanium” as a creepy lullaby, to killing anyone who even glances wrong at Cady – is there anything she can’t do?
“Probably has more to do with the dancing while murdering her friend’s bullies,” another fan agreed.
As put by one Twitter user: “I’m begging you to learn the difference between gay people being drawn to relatable narratives and gay people enjoying camp.”
Gays: *stan an evil doll doing a c*nty dance*
— Tom Zohar (@TomZohar) January 10, 2023
Akela Cooper: pic.twitter.com/FCszvDj3GE
Sis it’s bc she’s the definition of camp
— six letters, three vowels (@JoshuaMcJohnson) January 10, 2023
The criteria for becoming a gay icon is extremely niche and never predictable. We need only look at The Traitors’ Amanda, who became an LGBTQ+ icon after threatening to turn into the dragon on the Welsh flag.
In short, the girls who get it, get it. The girls who don’t, don’t.
There are some who see where Cooper is coming from, given the amount of LGBTQ+ people who would have dreamt of a loyal defender from bullies when they were growing up.
“I never had anyone who would stand up for me. I have been beaten, bullied, harassed. While I kept my head down and tried to fit into my small town everyone said it was my fault. Would have loved for M3GAN to be my friend,” one person shared.
However, mostly the gays are turning up for her to slay (both literally and metaphorically).
M3GAN comes out in UK cinemas on Friday (13 January).
