Bless the great goddess Sappho in Elysium, you sure as hell can!
Stardew Valley is an easygoing RPG where you inherit yourself a farm in an idyllic small town with lovely scenery, weird neighbors, magical happenings, and sexy single folk.
With plenty of in-game goals to keep you interested and propel the game forward, it’s also just a serene walkabout where you get to spend your days as you like, grow some crops, dig up some diamonds, and woo the single of your choice.
Of course, that wouldn’t be true for us gay’uns if the game allowed hetero-wooing only.
But “single of your choice” means single of your choice. You can romance any of the twelve bachelors and bachelorettes in Stardew Valley. The sex of your Player doesn’t factor in.
Can You Be a Lesbian in Stardew Valley?
Yes! See above! Your lady-loving-lady Player can woo any single lady she so desires. Or all of them!
Just don’t be a real player and go breaking their hearts.
Are There Different Dialogues for Same-Sex Romances in Stardew Valley?
Not a whole lot of them, but there are a handful.
For the most part, the dialogue in Heart Events (cutscenes that indicate growing friendship) in Stardew Valley is already fairly inclusive.
These cutscene dialogues are largely generalized, referring to your Player as “You” or by name, but they are the same dialogues regardless of your Player’s gender.
Haley will still ask you to open the jar she can’t open.
Her sister Emily will still do her special dance “just for you.”
And, uh… it’s pretty gay.
As your friendships with the citizens of Stardew Valley deepen, many of the dialogues take on vaguely romantic undertones.
That said, there are a few small changes throughout.
In an early heart event, Leah will refer to her ex by the same gender as your Player.
Once you reach romance heart levels, a few characters do have altered dialogues. Most of these dialogues are of the “I didn’t know I liked girls…,” “I’ve never felt this way about a guy…” variety.
If you’re a guy romancing Alex, you’ll also have to deal with a little minor homophobia from Grandpa George and how he didn’t used to believe in gay marriage.
Are There Any Problems With Being Gay in Stardew Valley?
There are no problems with being gay in Stardew Valley, but there are a few minor irritations.
First, while it’s nice to be included in a meaningful way (single characters of your gender DO show romantic interest in you), the game isn’t actually inclusive.
There are no other gay people in town. Everyone in any sort of relationship is either married to, having a secret affair with, or trying to romance someone of the opposite sex.
Basically, you and whoever you choose to romance/marry will be the only gay/queer/bi/whatever people in town.
Most of the altered dialogue for same-sex relationships focuses on the character you romance never having had gay feelings before. That’s otherizing as hell.
Some of the unaltered dialogue is also a bit gendered. Several of the ladies comment on how strong you are. I’ll take a sexy dance over being complimented on my muscles any day.
Then, there’s Alex and George. Who’s got any desire to deal with homophobia (even in a simplistic, passing fashion) in a game?
Conclusion: Is Stardew Valley LGBTQ-friendly?
Yes. Despite its flaws, Stardew Valley is still a refreshingly gay-friendly RPG.
The interactions between your Player and the single characters are reasonably interchangeable, and it’s nice that same-sex singles show obvious romantic interest in your Player without your Player having to show romantic interest in them first. (Just reaching higher levels of friendship start their googly-eyes googling.)
If you’re gay, lesbian, bi, or otherwise-non-heterosexually-inclined, Stardew Valley is an RPG worth checking out. Not perfect, but still a pretty darn nice way to spend some leisure time.
Our other Stardew Valley articles you might enjoy:
- Can You Get Stuck In Stardew Valley? (Trapped By Villagers!)
- Stardew Valley Guide: Shane
- Stardew Valley Favorite Thing: What Does It Do?
- In Stardew Valley Does Food Go Bad?
- Can Crops Die In Stardew Valley?