14 LGBTQ+ Characters Who Forged the Path For Representation on TV

Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Tara Maclay (Amber Benson) and Willow Rosenberg (Alyson Hannigan) were one of the first lesbian couples depicted on television and hold a special place in the hearts of the LGBTQ+ community. Despite Tara's tragic death — and the heated backlash from killing her off — their relationship undeniably laid the groundwork for greater onscreen representation.

Kurt Hummel is the first openly gay character introduced on the hit series Glee, a role that earned Chris Colfer a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor in 2011. Throughout the series, Kurt transforms from shy and closeted to outspoken and unapologetically queer, taking viewers with him on an emotional journey that includes coming out to his very masculine father, being relentlessly bullied at school, and in the end, finding love and acceptance.

While Orange Is the New Black has a wide array of LGBTQ+ characters, Sophia Burset's storyline is arguably the most compelling. Throughout the show's seven seasons, Sophia (Laverne Cox) struggles against transphobia from other inmates and a system that repeatedly fails to protect her. Despite these obstacles, Sophia always stands up for herself and never allows her womanhood to be questioned. It's a wrenching but necessary portrayal of what it's like to navigate the world as a Black transgender woman.

Dan Levy received multiple nominations for his role as David Rose and won the hearts of millions who fell in love with his snarky, yet sensitive, character. Among the more memorable moments on the show is David's "coming out" to Stevie, in which he explains that he likes "the wine and not the label." Outside of that casual conversation while shopping for wine, his pansexuality isn't central to the storyline. It's just one of the many ways that Schitt's Creek is truly exceptional.

With Billions, Asia Kate Dillon became the first nonbinary actor to be cast in a major television series. Their character, Taylor Mason, is also nonbinary, but notably, their storyline isn't focused on their gender identity. Taylor is a boss, they're powerful, and they certainly don't need anyone's approval — and that's what makes the character so successful.

Moira Strand (Samira Wiley) is a lesbian forced to hide her sexuality in order to avoid being branded a "gender traitor" and executed by Gilead, the oppressive and dystopian society at the center of The Handmaid's Tale. Though she eventually escapes and is able to live freely again, her story is a painful reminder of the fear LGBTQ+ folks around the world still live with every day — and why we can never take our rights for granted.

It's difficult to choose just one character from Pose, which set a new standard for trans and queer representation in the Black and Latinx communities. However, housemother Blanca Evangelista is quite certainly the heart of the show. She stands as a symbol of hope, showing audiences that if you stay true to yourself and keep your heart open, you can have everything you ever wanted — no matter who you are. This earth-shattering performance even earned Mj Rodriguez an Emmy nomination for outstanding lead actress in a drama series earlier this year, making her the first trans woman ever to receive a nomination in the category.

The first season of Loki confirms that the fan-favorite title character, played by Tom Hiddleston, is gender fluid and has had past relationships with both men and women. This open discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation is a major step forward for the Marvel universe and the superhero genre more generally, which has historically been heavily heteronormative.

Sex Education may be relatively new to the scene, but the show expertly navigates sexuality and gender identity. In the third season, audiences are introduced to Cal Bowman (Dua Saleh), a nonbinary Black student who, despite being new to Moordale High and quickly becoming a target of the headmistress, refuses to be anything other than their truest self.