Summary
- LGBTQ+ characters from popular media can be recreated in The Sims 4 using mods for inclusive gameplay.
- Sims featuring characters like Santana Lopez, Captain Holt, and Ellie Williams offer diverse representation.
- Players can download LGBTQ+ Sims like Willow Rosenberg and Rue Bennett for a more inclusive gaming experience.
Pride Month is a time of year when members of the LGBTQ+ community come together to celebrate their identities and recognize their struggle for equal rights. As the years have progressed, more and more LGBTQ+ characters have become part of mainstream media and fiction, which has led to the creation of tons of fantastic individuals in films, television and video games.
The Sims 4: 15 Best LGBTQ+ Mods
Players who want to give the LGBTQ+ community a wider role in The Sims 4 should consider the following mods.
As is often the case with popular fiction, plenty of these LGBTQ+ characters have been remade by players in The Sims 4. Here are some of the best fictional LGBTQ+ characters in the gallery that can be downloaded and added to a Sims 4 game.
8 Santana Lopez
A Charismatic Cheerleader
- Created by KarmaElektra.
- From the Glee television series.
- Expansions required: City Living and Get Together.
- Gallery link.
Santana was a secondary character in the television show Glee, but her character was so popular that she soon became part of the main cast. Although initially a mean girl stereotype, Santana’s self-discovery storyline where she came to terms with her sexuality, dealt with homophobia from her family, and accepted her love for her best friend, Brittany, was a highlight in the show.
This Santana Sim is excellently made, perfectly recreating the facial features of the late Naya Rivera, who played the character. This Sim is a must for Glee fans and also for those who enjoyed Santana’s engaging story.
7 Captain Raymond Holt with Kevin and Cheddar
Dad Vibes
- Created by miahatch.
- From the Brooklyn Nine-Nine television series.
- Expansions required: Seasons, Cats & Dog s, City Living, and Get Together.
- Game packs required: Parenthood, Dine Out, Spa Day, and Outdoor Retreat.
- Gallery link.
Captain Raymond Holt was part of the ensemble cast of the sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and his character is incredibly significant when it comes to subverting stereotypes. Holt’s intelligence, stoicism, and commanding nature are the main elements of his personality, with his sexuality being a minor aspect that doesn’t define him. Played by the late Andre Braugher, Captain Holt is an iconic sitcom character whose role as a black gay man in a position of authority was a casual yet boundary-breaking representation.
This Sim family includes Holt along with his husband Kevin and their pet Corgi Cheddar, all of whom look great and make for a fun family to play around with. When downloaded, players can even combine them with some other Brooklyn Nine-Nine characters to enjoy some sitcom shenanigans.
6 Ellie Williams
An Iconic Survivor
- Created by Noctunyx.
- From the Last of Us video game series
- The only required pack is the free Holiday Celebration pack.
- Gallery link.
The Last of Us is a critically and commercially acclaimed video game, and that's for good reason. Not only is its story and world engaging and harrowing, but the main characters–Joel and Ellie–are well-written, proving to be multifaceted and flawed yet still likable. Ellie is a child in the first game, but in the prequel DLC, she is shown to have feelings for her female best friend Riley. Her sexuality is later expanded upon when she is 19 in the second game, as her romantic relationship with her friend Dina becomes a major part of the narrative.
Ellie being a lesbian means very little in the grander scheme of the post-apocalyptic Last of Us world, but it is still a good thing to see such representation in a triple-A video game franchise that is beloved by so many people around the world. This Ellie Sim is a great addition to a Sims 4 game for those who like the character and The Last of Us in general. One can even pair her with a Joel Sim and play out the father/daughter happy family life that they deserved in the game.
5 Will Byers
An Upside Down Escapee
- Created by Morfborf.
- From the Stranger Things television series.
- Expansions required: Cats & Dogs.
- Gallery link.
Will Byers is similar to Ellie in that he was a child when the popular Netflix show Stranger Things first began. Viewers watched him grow into an adult, and while certain elements of his sexuality were hinted at, nothing was canon until later on. Will was confirmed to be gay by Noah Schnapp, who plays him in the show. He is also in love with his best friend Mike, offering a bittersweet yet realistic struggle of unrequited love.
This Will Sim is particularly impressive, as it looks just like the character but doesn’t require a huge number of expansions or other packs to create. Players will only need the Cats & Dogs expansion to download this Will Sim.
4 Loki
Mischief Mastered
- Created by TheSimEmporium.
- From the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
- Expansions required: Get Famous and City Living.
- Game packs required: Realm of Magic, Vampires, Spa Day, and Outdoor Retreat.
- Gallery link.
Loki was confirmed to be bisexual in the Loki television series, after a comment from a Sylvie–a female variant of himself–asks him if he had romantic interests in would-be princesses or princes. Loki confirms that he is interested in both, and this was confirmed to be canonical. This was a big step for LGBTQ+ representation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
There are other characters in the MCU who are part of this community, but Loki is a major player who has had a prominent role in the most significant eras of the MCU, making it a particularly significant milestone. This Loki Sim captures Tom Hiddleston’s likeness brilliantly, particularly his refined bone structure. There are also tons of other Sims that can be downloaded and paired with him, such as his brother Thor.
3 Chloe Price, Max Caulfield, and Rachel Amber
A Happier Ending
- Created by SimplyAnjuta.
- From the Life is Strange video game series.
- Expansions required: City Living and Get To Work.
- Game packs required: Dine Out.
- Stuff packs required: Movie Hangout.
- Gallery link.
The Life is Strange video game series is well known for featuring significant and varied LGBTQ+ representation, including its main characters. Max, the player character, is bisexual, as players can choose a male or female romance option in the latest game. She also seems to have some romantic attraction to her best friend Chloe and another friend called Warren in the first game. Chloe tends to be considered lesbian, while Rachel is bisexual or sometimes interpreted as pansexual.
The Sims 4: Best LGBTQ+ Icons in the Gallery
For those looking to celebrate Pride Month in The Sims 4, here are some of the best LGBTQ+ icons available in the Gallery.
This Sim family includes all three characters, allowing Simmers to download them into a game and let them have a happier ending than the ones that they get in Life in Strange.
2 Willow Rosenberg
The Witching Hour
- Created by fred2579.
- From the Buffy the Vampire Slayer television series.
- Expansions required: Get Together and Get To Work.
- Game packs required: Dine Out and Outdoor Retreat.
- Gallery link.
Buffy’s witch bestie, Willow, was a main character in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and her sexuality was pivotal in mainstream television. Though originally dating a man named Oz, Willow meets a fellow witch named Tara whom she falls in love with. Seeing an openly lesbian couple on television in the late 90s and early 00s was significant, especially a couple that had a healthy, normal relationship that wasn’t exaggerated or stereotypical.
There are a few Willow Sims in The Sims 4 gallery, but this one captures Alyson Hannigan’s features the best as well as Willow’s general aesthetic. This Willow Sim would work well with other Buffy characters, too, especially Tara, Buffy, or Xander.
1 Rue Bennett and Jules Vaughn
Angsty Teen Romance
- Created by xarah1.
- From the Euphoria television series.
- Expansions required: Island Living, Get Famous, Seasons, City Living, Get Together, and Get To Work.
- Game Packs required: Jungle Adventure, Spa Day, and Outdoor Retreat.
- Stuff packs required: Fitness, Backyard, Romantic Garden, Movie Hangout, Spooky, and Perfect Patio.
- Gallery link.
Hunter Schafer’s Jules and Zendaya's Rue from the show Euphoria are excellent examples of recent LGBTQ+ representation in fiction. Jules is transgender, as is Schafer who plays her, and both she and Rue have a complicated attraction to one another.
Labels aren’t tossed around in Euphoria, which is the way it should be. There are no big revelations. The two of them simply exist and form a complex attachment, which is incredibly refreshing. Hunter Schafer and Zendaya’s likenesses are recreated very well with these Sims, as are the two completely different styles that each character has.
The Sims 4
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 70 /100 Critics Rec: 26%
- Released
- September 2, 2014
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Crude Humor, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Maxis
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- Cross-Platform Play
- Xbox, PlayStation, and computer versions of Sims 4 are all separate games incompatible with each other
- Cross Save
- no
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
