Jessica Jones features Marvel TV’s first lesbian character

Netflix’s new web show is Marvel TV’s Jessica Jones, and it’s taking television by storm. But what’s more interesting is the show’s supporting character, a tough lawyer named Jeri Hogarth– who is also a lesbian.

Given that this is Netflix, it’s no surprise as they’re also behind the the prison TV series, Orange is the New Black, which had lesbian characters.

On the other hand, though some Marvel comic books feature LGBT characters, these are not so well-known, like Northstar of Alpha Flight and Moondragon of the Guardians of the Galaxy.

That’s why with Marvel making a big push into TV for a wider audience (as compared to comic books) via shows like Agents of SHIELD, Daredevil, and now Jessica Jones, having a lesbian character like Jeri Hogarth (played by Carrie-Anne Moss of The Matrix movies) is a big thing.

Jessica Jones, starring Jeri Hogarth

Jessica Jones’ main character is the eponymous superhero-turned-private detective played by Krysten Ritter. It also has a close ally in the lawyer Jeri Hogarth.

For comic fans, the name may not be familiar as the producers changed it from Jeryn Hogarth– who was also a guy.

“I think that was sort of an after-thought that didn’t really influence me at all, the fact that the name was a male name,” Moss told MTV News in an interview.

“I think more interesting to me is that I’m playing the first lesbian character in Marvel — although we have so much diversity in television so it’s not really that big a deal, but its always fun to play something that’s the first of something,” she added.

Jessica Jones, a.k.a. Lawyers in love

While Moss’ Jeri Hogarth may be an answer to a demand for more LGBT characters on TV, her story also features interesting twists to the character.

In the show, Jeri is a topnotch lawyer who falls for her young, sexy secretary at work. Unfortunately, though Jeri wants to leave her same-sex partner, she can’t as her wife refuses the sign the divorce papers.

Because they’re not divorced yet, Jeri’s new love interest won’t go to bed with her. Obviously, the story deals with what Jeri does in order to pressure her wife to sign the papers.

The darkness in Jessica Jones

Just like Orange is the New Black, the characters in Marvel TV’s Jessica Jones are shaped to be real, sometimes with a dark twist in their personalities.

With Jeri Hogarth playing a big role in Jessica Jones, we can now expect more diversity and real characters on television.