Why all your favorite pop culture robots are gay

Robots are gay. If you thought otherwise, we regret to inform you that they are, in fact, members of the LGBTQ+ community. Actually, we don’t regret it, just like these electronic members of our community aren’t afraid to show us their authentic selves on screen, unapologetically and without needing exposition to establish them as out, proud machines.

From camp queens to eco-dykes, to service bottoms and bisexual icons, these mechanical marvels exist and have existed in pop culture for decades, and while some have caught the subtle clues — in some cases their literal self identification — it’s only natural that us humans might need some help clocking familiar firmware. To help, we’ve selected some of the most famous (or should we say gaymous?) robots ever to grace a screen and provided notes on how to spot their fabulous traits. Trust us, you’ll probably be surprised by a few — and may never look at some the same way again!

Editor's note: This is all in good fun. No actual robots were outed in the creation of this story. So save your thumbs, don’t at us!

Johnny 5 - ‘Short Circuit’

This robo-twink is the class clown of the robots. He’s also obsessed with The Bee Gees, El DeBarge, and getting as much, ahem, “input” as he can. Gay.

Wall-E & Eve in ‘Wall-E’

We know what you're thinking: “But they’re a couple!” That’s called bi-erasure. Shame on you. They’re just a couple of theater gays that found love in a hopeless place. Oh, and obviously Eve is the top.

Maschinenmensch - ‘Metropolis’

This turn of the century automaton was the original robo-genderbender.

Ava - ‘Ex Machina’

Maschinenmensch shuffled awkwardly so that Ava could run. Ava was created to be the ultimate fantasy by Oscar Issac’s tech bro Nathan; the casting of Alicia Vikander meant the bis in the audience were winning. Besides, we know a pan queen when we see one.

Roz - ‘The Wild Robot’

Eco-dyke. Next.

C-3PO - ‘Star Wars’

It doesn't get any more fussy gay than this protocol droid. She is fancy and camp and the queen of the glass closet.

Dot Matrix - ‘Space Balls’

Joan Rivers voices this femme robot in Spaceballs that is just a little too obsessed with Princess Vespa’s maintaining of her virginity. You know, like your best friend in college who you definitely weren't gay for, but every one of her boyfriends needed to be destroyed? Yeah, that energy. Dyke.

Rosey the Robot - ‘The Jetsons’

Retrofuturistic butch representation. We love to see it. Also definitely a service top, because, well, she lives to “servo.” If Alice from The Brady Bunch was a robot, it would be this robo-lesbo.

Murderbot - ‘Murderbot’

Murderbot is a enby ace icon. Don’t argue, it's canon. They may have no interest in gender binary or doing the horizontal robo-boogie, but murdering, sure!

Hal 9000 - ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’

Queer coded villains have existed as long as cinema has — and we love to see mean gay representation in robo-form, too. And damn, they nailed it. The last time someone was cold and sociopathic was when the mean gay waiter judged my brunch order. Gay.

Bender - ‘Futurama’

Um, it’s literally in the name. Pansexual, but he especially worships the dolls.

Robby the Robot - ‘Forbidden Planet’

This queen is known for his dry wit — it's giving robo-Oscar Wilde.

Nightshade Malto - ‘Transformers: EarthSpark’

Sometimes Nightshade Malto is a robot, sometimes they’re a robot owl. But what they always are is nonbinary. The first officially nonbinary Transformer in the franchise's history, in fact.

Bubo - ‘Clash of the Titans’

You’re saying, “But he’s an owl.” First of all, stop misgendering Bubo, she is indeed an O.W.L. — an Older, Wiser, Lesbian. So, put some respect on her name.

Ash - ‘Alien’

Not to stereotype, but, yeah, we know an imperious, evil gay when we spot one in the wild.

Bishop - ‘Aliens’

Aw, we love Bishop. Loyal to a fault and willing to be torn apart limb from limb and get his back broken by another queen just for the sake of their loved ones? He’s the ultimate service bottom.

Call - ‘Alien: Resurrection’

Is this movie good? By no means. But do we watch it anyway for the age and species gap love story between Ripley and Call? Yes. Yes we do.

David - ‘Prometheus’ & ‘Alien: Covenant’

All the androids in the Alien franchise are queer, but David, played by Michael Fassbender, takes the rainbow layer cake. From his obsession with a young and swarthy(ish) Peter O’Toole in Prometheus, to that flute and gay makeout (with a clone of himself — no time to unpack this today, Freud) in Covenant, oh yeah, he gay.

All of the Fembots - ‘The Bionic Woman’ & ‘Austin Powers’

All of them. Every single one is queer. They may identify across the sapphic spectrum, but they’re RSVPing to every slumber party for the pillow fight and truth or dare portion of the night.

Dolores Abernathy - ‘Westworld’

I mean, it’s Evan Rachel Wood. Auto gay.

Tik-Tok - ‘Return to Oz’

Look at this queen and his precious little mustache and sparkly blue eyes. This movie is gay in so many ways. Don't get us started on the Nome King and his cross-dressing or Princess Mombi and her cadre of lady heads. But it also taught us the very important lesson that robots come in bear form too.

M3GAN - ‘M3GAN’

This robotic baby dyke may not even be out to themselves yet, but no one is this obsessed with their bestie if there isn’t a little sugar in the fuel cells.

Maximillian - ‘The Black Hole’

If you’ve ever wondered if a robot can be a power bottom, look no further than The Black Hole’s Maximillian, who serves as the robotic sidekick to the film’s also camp AF villain Dr. Hans Reinhardt. The only thing this power sub is missing is a leather hat and harness.

V.I.N.cent - ‘The Black Hole’

Well, for one thing, this robo is voiced by out actor Roddy McDowell, so already he’s fam. But he’s also witty, camp, and emotionally intelligent — and always hanging around Anothony Perkins. Gay.

Arthur - ‘Passengers’

Oh, what we wouldn't give for a robot with Michael Sheen’s face who “lives to serve” and knows how to be discreet. Aromantic.

Gigalo Joe - ‘A.I. Artificial Intelligence’

Gigalo Joe may not be textually gay, but come on! Gurl. *Unconvinced noises* We deserve nice, handsome things, so we claim him regardless. I mean, look at her.

Twiki - ‘Buck Rogers’

Do we really have to spell it out? Just look at this robo-twink.

Tom Servo - ‘Mystery Science Theater 3000’

Remember that time Tom Servo wanted to make out with Crow, described it in detail, and sent his friend into a full-on gay panic? We do. Ghey.

Bumblebee - ‘Bumblebee’

Our sweet little emo twunk who speaks exclusively through music.

Kryten - ‘Red Dwarf’

Anyone this obsessed with ‘smeg’ is gay. Sorry, not sorry. Gay recognize gay.