Are the minions gay Minions (/ ˈmɪnjənz /) are a fictional all-male species of yellow creatures that appear in Illumination 's Despicable Me franchise. They are characterized by their comedic behavior and their language, which is largely unintelligible. [a] The Minions serve as the official mascots for Illumination and have also been described by The New York Times as "corporate icons" for Comcast in the years.