The 25 Best LGBTQ+ Characters on Television, Period
I mean, if we HAVE to narrow it down.
It wasn't so long ago that watching a character come out as LGBTQ+ on television, or be introduced as openly queer in any way, seemed rare. But in 2020, it would be frowned upon to turn on a show and discover that it only had heterosexual characters. That's progress, y'all! Here's a look at some of the best LGBTQ+ characters on television.
That doesn't mean the representation issues on television are gone, obviously. We're slowly (but not quickly enough) moving out of a period in pop culture where it feels like every LGBTQ+ character is defined by some kind of trauma or tragedy. There's also the "Bury Your Gays" trope that still lurks in the shadows—for those unfamiliar, that is an unsettling trend that shows like The Walking Dead, The 100, and Doctor Who furthered in which characters are revealed as queer and then quickly killed off. The trend is not only traumatic for the viewer, but it sends a message that television producers have the guts to really engage with these characters and tell their stories.
So for this list, we're going to focus not only on the characters that broke LGBTQ+ ground on television and captured the hearts of viewers everywhere, but try to shine a spotlight on characters that don't exist solely to suffer on screen. Enjoy!
Callie Tores, 'Grey’s Anatomy'
Played by: Sara Ramirez
At this point in Grey's history, Callie is as beloved and as central to this show as Meredith and Bailey. Coming out stories are a dime a dozen now, but in 2006 it was also cool to see a coming out story from someone who wasn't a teenager.
Max Bloom, 'Happy Endings'
Played by: Adam Pally
At a time when society had to invent the obnoxious term “metrosexual” to justify straight men’s rights (not a thing) to carry bags and use products, Happy Endings dared to dream that a gay man could be a slob.
David Rose, 'Schitt’s Creek'
Played by: Dan Levy
Sometimes I see fictional characters, particularly in science fiction and fantasy, described as "pansexual" and wonder if the writers really know what that means or just think it sounds more whimsical than bisexual—but Schitt's Creek describes David's pansexuality quite well with his wine metaphor scene, and with all the empathy and kindness we expect from the series.
Rue, 'Euphoria'
Played by: Zendaya
That's Emmy-winner Zendaya to you, peasants. While Euphoria is only a year old, Rue is quickly becoming one of the most memorable TV characters of all time, and people are obsessed with her and Jules' relationship.
Oliver Hampton, 'How To Get Away With Murder'
Played by: Conrad Ricamora
Not only was Connor and Oliver's love story the angstiest OTP of HTGAWM, but Oliver's criminal descent in the Shonda Rhimes series was epic. Oliver is also a modern-day character living with HIV and managing it just fine, which is important to see on screen.
Theo, 'The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina'
Played by: Lachlan Watson
Sabrina Spellman's friends are used to dealing with magic and demons — so of course they have no problem accepting Theo's new name and pronouns.
Emily, 'The Handmaid’s Tale'
Played by: Alexis Bledel
It's honestly difficult to choose one queer character or "gender traitor" (ugh) from this horrifying series. Samira Wiley's Moira is also an incredible character with a compelling story. But the way Bledel delivers emotional gut punches on this show is pretty stunning.
Eliot, 'The Magicians'
Played by: Hale Appleman
Eliot and Margot are the millennial answer to stereotypical GBF relationships inspired by the likes of Will and Grace. They also have depth and complex storylines outside of their power friendship. If you're annoyed that Harry Potter never had out LGBTQ+ characters in the books, and J.K. Rowling's transphobic remarks on top of that, The Magicians is for you.
Angel Evangelista, 'Pose'
Played by: Indya Moore
It's difficult to pick one stand-out character from Pose, so I'm just going to be selfish and go with my personal favorite.
Eric Effiong, 'Sex Education'
Played by: Ncuti Gatwa
Are you Team Adam or Team Rahim? Are you FTFO that there's an honest to goodness love triangle a gay characters? Same.
Adam Torres, 'Degrassi: The Next Generation'
Played by: Jordan Todosey
On one hand, Adam was the first trans character to be a series regular on a scripted show, according to GLAAD. On the other hand, [spoiler alert] the character died in a car crash while texting and driving. Welp. Degrassi’s gonna Degrassi.
Ricky Vasquez, 'My So-Called Life'
Played by: Wilson Cruz
The show and the character are Gen X icons. While there is some tragedy in Ricky’s storyline—queue up the Christmas and New Year's episodes if you'd like a good cry—it has a happy ending, I promise.
Shane McCutcheon, 'The L Word'
Played by: Katherine Moennig
One must pay tribute to the formative series, and the character who is pretty much everyone's favorite.
Emily Dickinson, 'Dickinson'
Played by: Hailee Steinfeld
Lit majors everywhere love to tell you that the poet wrote love letters to a woman named Sue, and the AppleTV+ show decided to roll with that and dramatize it! Dickinson is also a great exploration of female genius, which there is not enough of on television.
Michael Guerin, 'Roswell: New Mexico'
Played by: Michael Vlamis
The update of this soapy science fiction series about alien siblings decided that Michael is bisexual and actually engages with that — which is weirdly rare for male characters on television.
Josh, 'Please Like Me'
Played by: Josh Thomas
This Australian series is a hidden gem if you're in the United States—but if you're looking for a light romantic comedy with a gay protagonist it's a must-watch. Bonus: Hannah Gadsby is also in it!
Willow Rosenberg, 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer'
Played by: Alyson Hannigan
Personally, I think the Buffy writers should have written Willow as bi—her coming out in college reads very much like they think she "turned gay" and feels like bi-erasure in retrospect... but everyone's different, even fictional characters.
Elena Alvarez, 'One Day at a Time'
Played by: Isabella Gomez
This (unfortunately canceled too soon) sitcom was great at dealing with serious subject matters in a way that was joyful and supportive. The show also has adorkable nonbinary representation in Syd, Elena's SO.
Sophia Burset, 'Orange is the New Black'
Played by: Laverne Cox
Because of OITNB's popularity, Sophia is one of the first trans fictional characters that many people were exposed to. The show also shed light on the specific health care issues trans women face, especially when incarcerated.
Villanelle, 'Killing Eve'
Played by: Jodie Comer
Killing Eve is basically a romantic comedy. Girl meets girl. Girl tries to murder girl. Girl is obsessed with girl. An international chase ensues. It's a tale as old as time!
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