Jennifer Hale reflects on the queer representation of the Mass Effect franchise, and how we can thank BioWare's Canadian roots for creating it in the first place.
Speaking to TheGamer, Hale says that the romance between female Commander Shepard and Liara in the first Mass Effect was “really risky” at the time, but she wasn't deterred by the backlash from Fox News. In fact, she wants the fact that BioWare persisted despite that backlash to be remembered as we fight bigotry today.
Mass Effect pushed queer romance into the noughties, and Jennifer Hale says it's a Canadian thing
“If you're 30 now, you're like, what? What's the deal?” Hale tells me. That speaks to the success of what we did.”
But it was clearly a big deal back in 2007. “Fox News got so pissed they wouldn't stop talking about Liara and the femshep romance. I'm like cute! Free publicity. Let's go,” she continues. “We've lived in a time where we could feel that the representation was right. And I hope we hold tight to that reminder as we go through this time we're in right now.”
Unfortunately, Mass Effect 2 cut back on its queer representation. Jack was supposed to be pansexual, but this was apparently scrapped due to the Fox News controversy. However, this was a minor setback as the Dragon Age series only upped the ante, and then Mass Effect 3 gave us queer romances once again.
“I think you can't underestimate the fact that BioWare is a Canadian company, and Canada does things a little bit differently,” Hale explains. “I've lived in the US most of my life, but I've been back in Canada for five and a half years now. Fairness and representation are deeply ingrained in the Canadian ethos.
“It was a very Canadian thing to do, and it was very Canadian to do it quietly and matter-of-factly and not make a big deal out of it and let everyone else freak out. We just do what we do.”
By the time of Mass Effect 3, queer guys and girls had two romance options to choose from each (or three for the ladies, if you connected with Kelly Chambers in Mass Effect 2). Meanwhile, Dragon Age had a couple of bisexual characters in its first game, and continued that trend throughout, even in the face of increased attacks by the time of Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
Much has changed and improved over the years as well. For example, while Hale was “honored” to play Krem, a transgender man, in Dragon Age: Inquisition, she says she would turn down the role if asked now, in favor of a trans actor playing the role.
- Released
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November 20, 2007
- ESRB
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M for adults 17+ due to blood, language, partial nudity, sexual themes, violence
- Engine
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Unreal Engine 3
- Cross-platform play
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does not have cross-play between PC and consoles,
- Cross Save
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yes
