The subject of diversity in comics doesn't just come in the shape of race or gender, sometimes there is a subject which covers both those shapes as well as many more. Marvel comic's X-Men have expressed this large field of diversity with their characters. These X-Men as well as their foes are classified as Mutants and they struggle with subject matter all people must face: Being different.
"Homo Superior" is the believed subspecies mutants are categorized as, being said to be the next evolution of human beings. In the Marvel universe, a mutant is anyone with a genetic mutation who receives superpowers around the time of puberty. When mutants were first revealed to the public of Marvel's universe, they often suffered from racism, fear and judgement because of their gifts. At the time of the X-Men's founding, the only other superheroes people knew about were the Fantastic Four. The difference being that the FF weren't born with their powers and that their identities were public knowledge. In this sense, mutants can be compared to African-Americans and immigrants of 1960's. Seen by the public to either be lesser people or non-people. This also relates to how mutants viewed their challenged rights. Leader of the X-Men, Charles Xaiver, believed both humans and mutants should live among each other in peace, mirroring Dr. Martin Luther King's stance. Whilst his former friend Magneto believes equality (or, more likely, a mutant uprising) could only be achieved by force. This comparing Magneto to Malcolm X. To add to the mutant diversity topic, members of the X-Men are often from other parts of the world. The second class of mutants invited to Professor X's school for mutants were from countries like Germany, Japan, Canada, Russia, Africa and so on. Along with homosexuals and bisexuals. the X-Men have also recruited mutants from other planets and of different species, further showing that mutants represent all people of all races. Similar to homosexuals, mutants have also been under attack from religion groups who believe mutants to be unnatural abominations to the Lord. Despite this, devout Catholic Nightcrawler and known Muslim Dust both stay loyal to their respective faiths. There is a group of mutants-The Morlocks-who live below cities in sewers, in a community cut off from human civilization. They hide below the surface because the anti-mutant world above casted them out, making them feel like disgusting monsters. To show how even mutants can rebel against each other, The Morlocks first despised the X-Men because the X-Men had not been so harshly judged over their powers and appearances. Another example of how mutants often differ in beliefs over how they and humans should live amongst each other comes with the formally mentioned Professor X and Magneto. During the event, "Avengers vs X-Men" Professor X's first student Cyclops becomes infused with the power needed to literally reshape the world. In trying to convince him otherwise, Professor X is killed by Cyclops. In the aftermath of his death, Cyclops claims with Professor X gone and with fellow mutant Wolverine standing for Xaiver's dream, Cyclops can now be "the man who does what's necessary". After years of being feared and suppressed by people he swore to protect, Cyclops had finally refused to believe in Xaiver's dream and come to terms with the reality that people will always fear what's different.
Stan Lee created the X-Men as well as the modern mutant to be relatable people that've been amongst us since the 60's and earlier. People of other race, sexuality, religion and citizenship will always face adversity. I'm thankful we live in a more accepting world, that the population of supremacists is slowly shrinking by the day and equality is still in our grasp. Characters like the X-Men help people accept their world for what it is and assure them that as isolated they may feel being segregated and judged, they are never alone. Never voiceless. Never forgotten.
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