Not only is it known for its riveting heroics, but Miraculous: Tale of Ladybug & Cat Noir also provides viewers with a diverse cast of relatable characters. The phrase "something for everyone" aptly describes Miraculous Ladybug's array of superheroes and heroines. In addition to incorporating a wide variety of ethnicities and personalities, Miraculous offers inclusive LGBTQ+ representation.
As is common practice within fandoms, characters are given identities based on visual clues, mannerisms or interactions with other characters. When a fan theory is proposed and gains traction, sometimes it will be integrated the "canon" and is agreed upon by speculative fans.
Thomas Astruc, the creator of Miraculous Ladybug, represented the LGBTQ+ community either by basing certain characters on close friends who self-identify outside the binary or simply entertaining fan suggestions and confirming some as fact. Either way, here are all the confirmed LGBTQ+ characters in Miraculous Ladybug.
Marc Anciel - Androgynous/LGBTQ+
Thomas Astruc revealed on Twitter that Marc Anciel was based on a personal friend of his named Hope Morphin, who is genderfluid and bisexual. Marc himself is not confirmed genderfluid, but Astruc mentions androgyny and states that Marc is a member of the LGBTQ+ community, even if he has never specified his exact sexuality or whether the term "androgynous" refers to genderfluidity, transgenderism or another third-gender identity. This misconception is also clearly stated by Hope Morphin on Twitter.
Fans have tossed around the gay/bisexual label for Marc, given his fondness toward Nathaniel Kurtzberg. From what we have seen, Marc has not had had any romantic involvement with women, and in Hack-San, when Robostus commands a mind-controlled Marc to give him his most precious possession, the thing he sacrifices to the villain's digital prison is Nathaniel.
Nathaniel Kurtzberg - LGBTQ+
Astruc also announced on Twitter via a Q&A session that Nathaniel and Marc were an official couple. A curious fan posed the question, "What is your favorite ship, and Astruc replied, "I like all of them, it's hard to choose, but the most complex to create and also most interesting, is the one between Nathaniel and Marc."
Although Astruc has not yet released any word on Nathaniel's sexuality, Miraculous Ladybug speaks for itself. In the earlier seasons, Nathaniel had a crush on Ladybug, aka Marinette. However, when it came to light that Marinette had a crush on Adrien, Nathaniel gradually lost his interest in Ladybug. His attraction to at least two (or more) genders indicates that Nathaniel is part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Juleka Couffaine - Lesbian
Juleka Couffaine, twin sister to Luka Couffaine, has been an unsung fan favorite since Miraculous Ladybug first aired in 2015. She has failed to show romantic interest in any other character besides her classmate Rose Lavillant. It was assumed that Juleka identifies as lesbian and has been romantically involved with Rose for some time. This has since been confirmed as true in a tweet by Astruc in response to an enquiring majority. The tweet translates to, "If you see like that, it's pretty much obvious isn't it?"
Rose Lavillant - LGBTQ+
In "Guiltrip," it was revealed that Rose has had an unknown illness since early childhood. She has only told Juleka about it, demonstrating a strong bond of trust between the two. In "Princess Fragrance," Rose's obsession with a visitor by the name of Prince Ali leads to her akumatization into the titular villain. Both of these factors could suggest an attraction to multiple genders, which places Rose in the LGBTQ+ community under similar circumstances to Nathaniel.
Given the fury that arises upon being rejected by Prince Ali, it can be assumed that Rose had a crush on him -- or at least found him attractive. Fans have deduced that Rose is most likely bisexual. Astruc confirmed her relationship with Juleka but has yet to confirm her exact sexuality.
Alix Kubdel - Aromantic
On Twitter, Astruc confirmed that Alix Kubdel is aromantic, meaning she does not experience romantic attraction. When answering fan queries, he stated: "On va dire que Max est plutôt ace et Alix plutôt aro," translating to, "Let’s say that Max is kind of ace and Alix kind of aro..." The shortened term for aromantic is "aro," whereas the shortened term for asexual is "ace."
Additionally, the official Miraculous Ladybug website states that "above all, she (Alix) is a committed rebel who stands for gender equality." Although not confirmed, this statement could also hint at Alix having an identity outside of the gender binary.
Max Kanté - Asexual
In the same tweet that Astruc confirmed Alix to be aromantic, he also confirmed that Max Kanté was asexual, meaning that he does not experience sexual attraction. Max's characteristics do relate to some untrue stereotypes surrounding asexuals, including the "nerd" persona, which is commonly misjudged as an introverted and independent personality type. So far, Max has not shown any romantic inclinations toward any other Miraculous character.
