The 33 Best LGBTQ+ Characters on Television, Period
I mean, if we HAVE to narrow it down.
It used to be that watching a character come out as LGBTQ+ on television, or be introduced as openly queer in any way, seemed rare. But in 2026, it would be frowned upon to turn on a show and discover that it only had heterosexual characters. In fact, there are some shows today where the focus on LGBTQ+ characters is at the forefront of the storyline (que Heated Rivalry soundtrack). 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 completely gone, obviously. We're slowly (but surely) 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 House of the Dragon 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!
Shane Hollander, 'Heated Rivalry'
Played by: Hudson Williams
And that’s Hollander to you! Shane Hollander took the hearts of fans nationwide with the release of Heated Rivalry this past December. His kind heart and charisma (not to mention his stunning lakeside cottage) help to tell the story of what it means to be gay and a professional athlete as well as the struggle that many face.
Scott Hunter, 'Heated Rivalry'
Played by: Francois Arnaud
Calling out everyone’s favorite New York Admirals player! Scott Hunter was the first hockey player in the show to come out as openly gay to both his teammates and the rest of the world. It is a pinnacle moment in the series.
Jules Logan, 'Off Campus'
Played by: Julia Sarah Stone
Jules Logan is John Logan’s younger sibling, who is non-binary. They help run the iconic social media account, Fifth Line, where they post constant updates about Briar University's hockey team, which includes their brother on the starting line.
Cyrus Beene, 'Scandal'
Played by: Jeff Perry
Cyrus is a pivotal member of the show Scandal and is known for being the first openly gay Chief of Staff and the first openly gay Vice President. He was at the forefront of the representation of queer characters in leading roles.
Charlie Spring, 'Heartstopper'
Played by: Joe Locke
Based on the books by Alice Oseman, the series shows the hardships Charlie Spring faces as a high schooler in the age of social media by having his identity ousted as a result of severe homophobic bullying.
Leighton Murray, 'The Sex Lives of College Girls'
Played by: Renee Rapp
A major part of Leighton’s story is that she enters college coming from an affluent, preppy, and heteronormative upbringing. Her journey with coming out as a lesbian is one that she grapples with in the series as she learns to expand the boundaries of the society she grew up with after settling in at school.
Emily Fields, 'Pretty Little Liars'
Played by: Shay Mitchell
One of the most beloved characters on “Pretty Little Liars.” Emily’s coming out story is one that is both realistic and empowering. Her friendships with the other “liars” show the way in which her sexuality was quickly embraced by many of those closest to her and without hesitation.
Cameron Tucker, 'Modern Family'
Played by: Eric Stonestreet
Or “Cam” as he is famously known—legendary, iconic, and the best of the best.
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.
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