Top 10 LGBTQ+ TV Characters Who Were Ahead of Their Time
#10: Edie Stokes “The Jeffersons” (1975-85)
This family sitcom was created by Norman Lear as a spinoff of the hugely successful “All in the Family.” Known for exploring topics not often represented on TV, the show featured one of the earliest trans characters on the small screen in a 1977 episode. Jefferson patriarch George meets up with a friend from his military days, only to find that she has come out as a trans woman named Edie. Given the show’s time period, it’s unfortunately no surprise that the handling of this character isn’t always respectful or sensitive. However, Edie’s discussion of her identity and gender affirmation marked an undeniably groundbreaking moment for LGBTQ+ representation.
#9: Brian Kinney “Queer as Folk” (2000-05)
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This racy series based on the U.K. show of the same name made history as the first hour-long US drama focusing on queer people. While the series explored multiple characters’ romantic and sexual exploits in and around Pittsburgh, it particularly centered on the free-spirited and wise-cracking Brian. With a staunch position against gays assimilating into lives of monogamy and same-sex marriage, the character represented an important point-of-view within LGBTQ+ communities. Not ashamed about his sexuality or his politics, Brian boldly resisted expectations of what gay people and relationships should look like on TV.
#8: Willow Rosenberg & Tara Maclay “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (1997-2003)
This supernatural drama series is remembered for its fantastical exploration of teen issues, including sexual identity. Beginning in Season 4, “Buffy” featured a long-term lesbian relationship when these were rare on TV. When burgeoning witch Willow met Tara at a wiccan group at UC Sunnydale, a romance quickly blossomed between the pair. While both characters had been shy types, their power and confidence grew alongside their love - and it was touching to watch. The tragic end to their relationship was criticized by some as an all-too-common instance of queer characters being treated as expendable. Even so, as women navigating a committed same-gender relationship, Willow and Tara made for a truly magical couple.
#7: Will Truman “Will & Grace” (1998-2006; 2017-20)
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This NBC sitcom garnered huge ratings across its original run - and its 2017 revival - while featuring not one but two gay main characters. Although Sean Hayes’s Jack McFarland often stole the show with wacky antics and quippy dialogue, leading man Will was just as important. A successful lawyer with some hilariously neurotic tendencies, he kept up a BFF bond with roommate Grace and romantic relationships with long-term boyfriends Michael and Vince. While Will was the kind of main character that many viewers were used to seeing on primetime, his openness about his sexuality was absolutely novel. He even initiated one of the first gay kisses in network TV history when he gave Jack a protest smooch on the “Today” show.
#6: Omar Little “The Wire” (2002-08)
At the time of his introduction on this acclaimed crime drama series, there were few characters like Omar on TV. A brilliant strategist and ruthless robber, he was known for prowling the streets of Baltimore and sticking up low-level dealers in the drug trade. Despite his fearsome reputation, Omar’s moral compass saw him never endangering civilians, kids, and seniors. While acting as a caretaker for his grandmother and giving back to his neighbors, Omar maintained a loving relationship with boyfriend Brandon in Season 1. Although he was partly based on real-life stickup artist Donnie Andrews, Omar was a one-of-a-kind presence on the small screen.
#5: Sophia Burset “Orange Is the New Black” (2013-19)
Laverne Cox is known as a trailblazing actor and educator, and she came to prominence with her role as a caring hairstylist incarcerated in Litchfield Penitentiary. Although not the first trans actor with a recurring role on a major TV series, Cox and her character on the comedy-drama drew attention to the struggles of Black trans women in prison. With Sophia’s access to medical care threatened and her relationship with her son on the rocks, viewers witnessed the beauty expert survive through serious hardship. Sophia’s plotlines highlighted not only the dearth of Black trans representation on TV, but also importantly opened doors for more stories to be told.
#4: Enrique "Rickie" Vasquez “My So-Called Life” (1994-95)
This teen drama series may have only aired for one season, but it made strides for LGBTQ+ representation thanks to a beloved secondary character. Whether as a loyal friend to Claire Danes’s Angela Chase or a youth navigating crushes and an unaccepting family, Rickie’s sexuality was only one integral part of his identity. Always boasting the cutest ‘90s fashion, he was a sympathetic and multi-dimensional figure at a time when such representations weren’t common. If that weren’t enough, he was the first openly gay character on network TV to be portrayed by an openly gay actor. For this fact alone, Rickie and Wilson Cruz (who portrayed him) are bonafide legends.
#3: Ellen Morgan “Ellen” (1994-98)
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It’s no secret that the star of this eponymous hit sitcom broke major ground for LGBTQ+ visibility. With Season 4’s “The Puppy Episode,” the show’s protagonist came out - and the real-life Ellen DeGeneres did the same on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” Ellen Morgan made history as one of American TV’s first-ever gay main characters, and the series’s award-winning coming-out episode drew massive attention and acclaim. Even though DeGeneres and co-star Laura Dern would speak out about the backlash they faced for the then-controversial storyline, the moment is remembered as absolutely monumental. For her game-changing contribution to primetime, this leading lady deserves her status as a gay icon.
#2: Doug Salter “That Certain Summer” (1972)
Suffice to say, gay characters weren’t a common sight on the small screen at the time this TV movie aired. It was even more notable, then, for this drama to feature a sympathetic portrayal of gay life relatively free from stigma and stereotyping. Hal Holbrook stars as Doug Salter, a divorcé attempting to hide his long-term relationship with a man from his visiting son. Depicting the difficulties of fathering a straight child as an LGBTQ+ parent with remarkable sensitivity, the film broke ground as the first TV program with gay themes to take home an Emmy. Doug may not be as well-known as other queer characters in television history, but his emotional storyline is one for the books. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Taylor Mason, “Billions” (2016-) North American TV’s First Non-Binary Main Character Bianca Montgomery, “All My Children” (1970-2011; 2013) When Erica Kane’s Daughter Came Out, a Soap Opera Star Was Born Steven Carrington, “Dynasty” (1981-89) One of the Earliest Gay Main Characters on Prime Time Was the Son of Oil Baron Blake Carrington Steve, “All in the Family” (1971-79) For Standing Up to the Notoriously Homophobic Bunker Patriarch Jack McPhee, “Dawson’s Creek” (1998-2003) This Character Was Responsible for the First Romantic Gay Kiss on American Prime Time TV
#1: Jodie Dallas “SOAP” (1977-81)
This ABC sitcom featured an openly gay regular character played by a soon-to-be bonafide star, and unsurprisingly attracted all kinds of controversy for it. Billy Crystal’s portrayal of the TV commercial director, the son of leading lady Mary Campbell, was notable for being both comedic and multifaceted. Jodie navigated romantic relationships, gay fatherhood, and gender identity, with some storylines drawing flack from some religious groups and gay organizations. Even though he wasn’t the very first example of LGBTQ representation on TV, this iconic character was a true lightning rod for conversations around queer visibility and identity.
