Why is M3GAN a gay icon?

Fits the tradition of strong females
Her appeal runs deeper than just being fashionable
The moment that cemented her status

M3GAN has cemented herself as a gay icon Credit: Universal Pictures

When M3GAN hit screens in 2023, she was more than just a killer AI doll – she was a star. The horror-comedy film about an intelligent robot companion who takes a dark turn became a cultural sensation. Among the LGBTQ+ community, M3GAN became an instant gay icon with her camp appeal, fierce independence, and viral dance moves.

M3GAN fits the tradition of strong females who are idolised by LGBTQ+ audiences for unapologetically being themselves, similar to the likes of Lady Gaga, Madonna and Cher. Her confidence is on full display in the first movie. With perfect blonde hair and a chic dress sense, she executes a dance sequence before murdering and eerily sings Sia’s Titanium as a bedtime lullaby. She owns every moment.

It’s not just her strength as a female character, but her independence and the fact that she doesn’t rely on anyone for validation is appealing to fans.

M3GAN Offers Found Family

Looking fabulous and killer dance moves is one thing, but her appeal runs deeper, perhaps even on a subconscious level. M3GAN writer Akela Cooper, spoke with SFX Magazine about the doll resonating with LGBTQ+ audiences. As reported by CBR, Cooper told SFX “I actually asked one of my friends who is a gay man about that and he was saying this set-up is actually found family, where this little girl has lost her family, and she has to go live with her aunt. Then this doll is also brought into the situation. That resonates for a lot of people in the gay community, the idea of found family.”

Many LGBTQ+ people growing up can feel lonely or like an outsider, and they seek found family for love and support. M3GAN’s relationship with her human companion, Cady, mirrors this. Cady, feeling emotionally vulnerable after losing her parents in a car accident, struggles to connect with her Aunt Gemma. M3GAN is the one who provides her with protection and support. It’s the notion that love and loyalty matters more than blood.

The Dance Sequence

It’s arguably the moment that cemented her gay icon status. M3GAN struts her stuff, twirling and flipping, before hunting down her creator’s boss, David and stabbing him in the back with a large blade. She performs like a diva taking center stage, completely unfazed. She slays.

The slightly deranged dance sequence has become an iconic scene. It blew up on TikTok, inspiring over 123 million posts of people copying the dance under the hashtag #M3gandance. Drag queens in particular were drawn to M3GAN’s over-the-top, villainous persona, which is so often portrayed in drag shows. Queens incorporated her choreography into lip-syncs and other social media content, such as Halloween dress-ups.

At the 2025 Grammy Awards, a teaser trailer for M3GAN 2.0 played shortly after Chappell Roan’s performance of the track Pink Pony Club. Roan, who identifies as lesbian, also expresses herself through the art of drag. In the trailer, the silhouette of M3GAN is seen body-rolling to Roan’s Femininomenon in the glow of bright pink lights. It ends with her saying “miss me?” followed by a wink. It’s no wonder the LGBTQ+ community claims her as one of their own.