Top 10 Groundbreaking Moments for LGBTQ Characters on TV

Trans performers playing trans characters in media have unfortunately been few and far between. But when “Orange Is the New Black” became an instant hit in 2013, Laverne Cox made a major breakthrough. Her sympathetic and lovable portrayal of Sophia, a trans woman struggling to continue connecting with her family, earned her a well-deserved Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. Since then, her career has taken off, and in addition to an array of fantastic performances, she continues to be a major trans advocate, helping to make huge leaps forward for the transgender community.

Billy Crystal’s Jodie Dallas was among the first gay characters on television, and one of the most prominent among them. The character wasn’t entirely well-received by LGBTQ+ groups, generally due to the fact that his sexuality was mostly in the background and he considered a sex change, despite being gay and not transgender. Nevertheless, he fostered a child with Carol after a one-night stand, making him one of television’s first gay fathers. Though initially Carol took custody of his daughter, Jodie grows throughout this storyline, learning how to become a father and ultimately winning custody. Audiences were able to see a gay character raising a child, which is what differentiates it from our next entry.

In addition to providing some of the best musical moments on television in recent memory, Glee broke crucial ground in pop culture by portraying a wide variety of same-sex relationships in a positive and realistic way. The beloved Kurt went from battling hatred and homophobia to embracing his identity, eventually finding a loving partner in Blaine. We also witnessed the journey of Santana and Brittany, who initially had trouble coming to terms with their own sexuality. The couple’s experience provided important insights into the confusing and emotional journey young people often face when seeking their true identity. Both couples united in what would be one of the most memorable embraces of same-sex relationships on television.

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Only eight episodes into its run, “Roc” made history when it aired a wedding for Roc’s uncle. The episode introduces Russell, who reveals he is to marry his male lover. The family deals with the news in various ways, ultimately deciding to hold the wedding at their house. In 1991, activism for gay marriage was just getting off the ground, and “Roc” managed to be on the cutting edge of the gay rights movement, despite not featuring any regular gay themes. Also worth noting is the 1996 wedding of Susan and Carol on “Friends,” which was the first lesbian wedding on television.

One could easily make an argument that “Will & Grace” is the biggest show ever with an LGBTQ+ focus. With an original run of eight seasons and a revival in 2017, the show is a television icon, and was even featured in a Smithsonian LGBT history collection. The sitcom follows best friends Will Truman, a gay man, and Grace Adler, a straight woman as they navigate their thirties with the help of their kookier friends Karen (who is bisexual) and Jack (who is gay). With three quarters of the main cast identifying as LGBT, it was a useful tool to bring these themes and cultures to the mainstream with its irresistible charm.

HBO adapted Tony Kushner’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play into a six-hour miniseries, garnering critical acclaim and a truckload of awards. Starring some high-profile actors like Al Pacino, Emma Thompson, and Meryl Streep, the story blends together several storylines of characters dealing with HIV/AIDS and closeted homosexuality in different ways in 1985. The HIV epidemic wasn’t necessarily new in 2003, but it was rare to see it represented in the media. “Angels in America” displayed these issues in a creative and artistic way, not only providing an improvement in representation, but also helping HBO establish its ever-expanding brand in the twenty-first century.

“Modern Family” lived up to his name when it premiered, presenting an extended non-nuclear family, which included gay dads Cameron and Mitchell, who adopt their daughter, Lily, in the pilot. The comedy was an instant hit, garnering critical acclaim, awards, and audience adoration. As a couple, Cam and Mitchell face typical suburban parental issues, as well as issues that are particular to gay couples. With genuine writing and sincere performances from Eric Stonestreet and Jesse Tyler Ferguson, the show managed to turn the traditional sitcom on its head and redefine what it means to be a television family.

In 2007, Candis Cayne became the first transgender actress to play a recurring transgender character on primetime. She played Carmelita Rainer, with whom Patrick was having an affair throughout the series. What’s most interesting about the character is that though her gender identity was major to her character, it wasn’t her defining feature. Rather, Patrick loved her in spite of his family’s ideas of her. Despite fighting fiercely for her love, her storyline comes to a tragic end near the end of the series. Though neither Carmelita, nor the series itself found a happy ending, the show has found its placed in history with its historic storyline.

Norman Lear’s iconic sitcom never strayed away from satirizing controversial topics. Archie Bunker, everyone’s favorite bigot, assumes that his daughter’s flamboyant friend is gay, using some pretty archaic slurs to refer to him. The episode plays on stereotypes, though, by making the flamboyant character straight, but revealing that Archie’s masculine bar buddy, Steve, is actually gay. He only appeared in a single episode, but it was an early sympathetic portrayal of a gay man who defied common stereotypes about gay men, while also condemning Archie’s homophobia and ideas about masculinity.


Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honourable mentions.


First Lesbian-Centric Show
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“The L Word” (2004-09)


First Gender Non-Binary Character
“Billions” (2016-)

Throughout the mid-90s, Ellen Degeneres faced a huge amount of gay rumors, which she played coy with on her sitcom. In 1997, she decided to publicly come out as gay on the cover of Time, and to later have the title character, Ellen Morgan, reveal her sexuality. The whole ordeal was hugely controversial and she faced a large amount of opposition, but the comedienne came out on top with a huge ratings bump and a Primetime Emmy for writing. Though the sitcom only lasted one more season, Ellen’s career only took off from there. It just goes to show that despite the dissenters, there is always room for LGBTQ+ people in pop culture.