Part 6/13:
This emphasis on LGBTQ+ representation is seen by some as a form of virtue signaling, or worse, ideological pandering, rather than a natural part of storytelling. Additionally, the casting and characterization further add to this perception. Bella Ramsey, who in real life identifies as non-binary, plays Ellie, a female character. The show depicts Ellie as "going to be a dad," which critics find perplexing—she is biologically female and not capable of being a father, leading to questions about how gender identity and biological sex are handled.