The conversation surrounding LGBTQ+ characters in animation is always evolving, especially as studios have strived to include — or touted the significance of — certain “firsts” within that landscape. Along the way, many fans have operated with certain headcanons or hopes regarding characters who can be interpreted as part of the LGBTQ+ community, but aren’t necessarily confirmed as so in canon. This week, one of those longest-running instances of subtext was made text, when the new movie Trick-or-Treat, Scooby-Doo! confirmed that Velma Dinkley is a lesbian. The Internet has absolutely latched on to the confirmation (especially after years of theories about Velma’s sexuality) — and it looks like Google is even getting in on the celebration. If you google “Velma” or “Velma Dinkley”, the resulting webpage becomes flooded with confetti of the lesbian and LGBTQ+ flags.
