As part of AIPT's X-Men Monday series, author Eve L. Ewing answered questions about Exceptional X-Men #2 – which features a story by Ewing, alongside art by Carmen Carnero – and touched on how Kitty came to realize her queer identity.

In the issue Kitty Pryde is living in Chicago and trying to return to a normal life after the devastating loss of the mutant nation of Krakoa, and part of that includes getting back into dating. Kitty is seen going on date with a woman named Nina, giving fans the long-anticipated confirmation that Kitty Pryde identifies as bisexual.

Marvel Writer Eva L. Ewing Finally Confirms Kitty Pryde’s Status As A Member of the LGBTQ+ Community

Exception X-Men #2 – Written By Eve L. Ewing; Art By Carmen Carnero; Color By Nolan Woodard; Lettering By Travis Lanham; Cover Art By Carmen Carnero & Nolan Woodard

Throughout X-Men comics, Kitty Pryde has had clear moments that have suggested her queer identity, but this is one of the first instances it has been openly confirmed and illustrated by Marvel, marking a promising development in Kitty’s personal growth. As Kitty distances herself from the X-Men and hero work, she is beginning to connect with other parts of herself. In Eva Ewing’s AIPT interview, one fan gave their positive reaction to Kitty’s budding romance with new character Nina, and asked, “when do you think Kitty really realized she was queer?” To this inquiry, Ewing replied:

They’re so cute, aren’t they?! I also love Carmen’s character design for Nina. She’s adorable. I think Kitty probably always knew, but compulsory heterosexuality and the lack of some of that language being available — queerness in particular as kind of an expansive way to encapsulate how she’s felt toward a lot of the female relationships we’ve seen her have over the course of her life — would have held her back a bit. Also, she had a very weird adolescence! I’d like to think that Bobby’s journey gave her a new lens on things, and since she’s starting a new life right now anyway, why not go all in on trying things out with a great new person? As we know, cute, healthy couples in comics always last forever and nothing bad ever happens to them, so I’m sure things will work out just fine!

Hints of Kitty’s queer identity have been depicted before; however, previous instances teasing her sexuality have never been further developed. Ewing notes that Kitty is experiencing a new era in her life, so she now has the space to start relationships with new people and explore a part of her she has always known about. Kitty is also returning to her role as a teacher as she mentors young mutants on understanding their powers, paralleling Kitty’s growth in accepting this new chapter of her life.

Kitty Pryde’s New Era Is Marked By Embracing Her Identity & Learning To Live Genuinely In Times Of Uncertainty

A New Stage Of The Fan-Favorite Mutant's Life