The Hunger Games is one of the most popular young adult series ever, and it dealt with many intense themes of war, inequality, violence, and entertainment. While the series did touch on many important issues, the romance elements of the story were very traditional.
The series only had heterosexual characters, and there was not a lot of diversity with the main characters at all. However, with a few simple changes, some of the characters could have easily been made LGBT.
Wiress
Wiress was one of the tributes from District 3 who participated in the Quarter Quell. She won the first Hunger Games she was in using her intellect and technology skills.
She was quite intelligent, but she had clearly been traumatized by her life experiences. It would have been a good choice that would have made sense if she had either been on the asexual spectrum or if she had had a female partner.
Haymitch Abernathy
Attitudes about LGBT+ people in Panem aren’t really explored that much, so it’s hard to say if it was accepted or not in the world of The Hunger Games. This also might have varied based on the district a person was from.
Haymitch is a character who could have easily been gay or bisexual as it was never really revealed whether or not he dated anyone of any gender. Having him be interested in men could have just been a simple mention that didn’t need to change much of the plot.
Johanna Mason
Johanna Mason is someone who is clearly comfortable using her sexuality and appeal to get ahead. She also probably dealt with a lot of issues surrounding this given what President Snow did to the attractive tributes.
She seems to have done her best to reclaim her bodily autonomy, and she doesn't have a lot of shame. Because of this, it’s easy to see how she could have relationships with people regardless of gender and not subscribe to more traditional views of relationships.
Cinna
Attitudes about queer people in The Cpaitoal aren’t really explored in the books, but it would make sense for Cinna to be a queer man. For one thing, he is a fashion designer and stylist.
While this doesn’t mean he couldn’t be heterosexual, he does seem comfortable with his feminine side and to not care what others think of him. This would have been a great choice that would have made Cinna’s impact on the story even more impactful.
Effie Trinket
The main reason why Effie is on this list is because of something that Elizabeth Banks had to say about this role. She said she viewed people in The Capitol as all being pansexual, and while this might be somewhat problematic of a statement given that they are seen as vapid and superficial, it’s an interesting comment.
She said that she believed that Effie was somewhere on the LGBT spectrum.
Caesar Flickerman
Caesar Flickerman is one of the more interesting characters from The Capitol. He hosted the interviews with the Hunger Games tributes for years, and he had a very positive, engaging, and entertaining personality.
While being LGBT doesn’t mean you have to act or look a certain way, it would make sense for him to be a queer man going off of our own society’s views of someone as flamboyant as him.
Cressida
Cressida is one of the coolest and edgiest members of the uprising against Snow. She is an expert filmmaker Many fans have imagined her to be bisexual or a lesbian because of the energy she puts out and because she is a more rebellious and artistic soul.
Also, given her appearance in the movies with a side shave, a staple haircut for many edgy queer women, it made even more sense.
Peeta Mellark
Peeta Mellark is clearly very in love with Katniss, but just because he’s interested in one person doesn’t mean he couldn’t be LGBT. He could easily be bisexual as who you fall in love with doesn’t change your sexuality.
Peeta is very open with his soft, sensitive side, and he doesn’t have many toxic masculinity traits. He seems like someone who would be very comfortable being affectionate with men or women.
Finnick Odair
Finnick Odair is a character that comes off as a player and overly sexual, but he is actually a romantic who is in love with one person. While he was subjected to a lot of trauma, he also seems like someone who naturally wouldn’t have any issues with falling in love with someone regardless of gender.
While he might have fallen in love with Annie, it’s easy to imagine that he could also have fallen in love with a man.
Katniss Everdeen
There are many ways to be LGBTQ+, and one identity that is often ignored is that of being asexual or aromantic. While Katniss does love people like Peeta and Gale, the way she relates to them is very different than how they relate to her.
She isn’t motivated by romance or intimacy in that way, and she usually uses things like kissing more to get something or to comfort others. It would make a lot of sense if she was on the ace spectrum.