With Pride Month coming to a close and some good news in high demand for the LGBTQ community, the staff of PopWire decided to mark the occasion by compiling a list of our all time favorite characters on the LGBTQ spectrum. Representation matters, and those shows proved it, so let’s stick it to a certain governor who shall remain nameless and get our pride on!
Bradley’s List:
Titus Andromedon, He/Him – “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (Netflix) | To describe Titus, played by Tituss Burgess, I will use his own words: “I’m pretty but tough, like a diamond, or beef jerky in a ballgown.” The fabulous aspiring superstar may be short on money, but is high on talent, as his music video for “Pino Noir” shows. He can also bolt out Boyz 2 Men hits like there’s no tomorrow, earning him an inclusion on this list.
Nico Minoru, She/Her and Karolina Dean, She/Her – “Runaways” (Hulu) | Despite “Runaways” being recently erased from streaming, the fact that it gave us two queer female superheroes will always be remembered. Karolina’s (Virginia Gardner) pining for her best friend Nico (Lyrica Okano) finally paid off in the show’s ninth episode, leading to one of Marvel’s best LGBTQ romances. Not only are they a powerful and sweet couple by any standard, but the fact that the show treats them as the main love story and gives them the respect they deserve makes this a miracle of a romance.
The Entire Cast of “Pose” (FX) | When it comes to representation, FX’s “Pose” tells all other shows, “Hold my beer, watch this.” An almost entirely Black cast is one thing, an almost entirely queer cast is another, a whopping FIVE transgender women in the cast all played by authentically trans actresses is pretty phenomenal- but this show has ALL of those in one. Whether it’s Michaela Jae Rodriguez’s motherly Blanca, Billy Porter’s fabulous but troubled Pray Tell, or the drama queen that is Dominique Jackson as Elektra, “Pose” had representation for all kinds of people and was a damn good show to boot. The category is… making history.
Leighton Murray, She/Her – “The Sex Lives of College Girls” (Max) | Let’s be honest, spoiled queen bee Leighton Murray (Renee Rapp) is far from the archetype that comes to mind when you picture the LGBTQ community. She’s stuck up, surprisingly good at math, stubborn and literally buys her roommates’ friendship. Which makes it all the more important to put her on this list, since even someone as picture perfect as Leighton can turn out to have lots of baggage and even a panic attack after coming out to her roommate. The LGBTQ community takes many forms and watching Leighton go from stuck up rich girl to openly gay feminist is just one of the many journeys queer people can take.
Christina’s List:
When it comes to iconic queer TV characters, Xena: Warrior Princess immediately comes to mind for me. I vividly remember being a mesmerized 3-year-old, utterly captivated by Xena and Gabrielle. Back then, I couldn’t articulate why I was so drawn to them, but I was completely obsessed with their friendship and made sure not to miss a single episode. Looking back as an adult, I realize one significant reason why I connected so deeply with Xena and Gabrielle: they represented a dynamic between two women that I had never seen before. Their relationship set a standard for female friendship and romance that still resonates with me today.
The next queer television characters I want to highlight are Spencer and Ashley, AKA Spashley, from South of Nowhere. Gabrielle Christian and Mandy Musgrave’s characters navigate adolescence, offering a nuanced exploration of self-discovery and acceptance. Their relationship defies stereotypes, depicting intimacy, friendship, and personal growth with authenticity. South of Nowhere revolutionized mainstream teen drama by presenting a same-sex relationship, resonating profoundly with LGBTQ+ audiences and highlighting the power of inclusive storytelling in shaping societal perceptions of love and acceptance. I discovered the show one day when I was 15, while flipping through TV channels. I came across the episode where Spencer’s mother found out about her and Ashley and freaked out. Immediately, I went to my friend’s house and asked her to record all the episodes for me, since my family didn’t have TiVo, so I could binge-watch them without my family knowing. The show depicted teenagers my age discovering their sexuality in a very authentic way, which I had never seen before. It meant a lot to me as a teen, and I still rewatch the series at least once a year.
Another significant queer television character for me is Lexa Kom Trikru from The 100. Despite appearing in only a handful of episodes, Lexa made a lasting impact on the show. Tragically, her character fell victim to the 2017 “Bury Your Gays” trope that affected several TV series. Lexa’s death reverberated deeply within the queer community, prompting numerous campaigns and even a dedicated queer convention. Personally, I still cherish my Lexa poster hanging on my wall, a daily reminder of the profound impact she had on me.
WayHaught, the relationship between Waverly Earp and Officer Nicole Haught on Wynonna Earp, is pivotal for its authentic portrayal of LGBTQ+ love. Their storyline challenges stereotypes, showcasing a healthy and supportive queer relationship without sensationalism. WayHaught has fostered a passionate fanbase and serves as a beacon of positive representation in television, contributing significantly to LGBTQ+ visibility and empowerment in media.
Dani’s List:
Raelle Collar (she/her/hers) – “Motherland: Fort Salem” (Prime Video) | Goddess, Fixer, and Scylla Simp, Raelle (Taylor Hickson) was born to change tradition. As a “half-breed” daughter to a witch woman and civilian man, Rae grew to become a bridge between witches and non-witches during the uprising of a witch-hating terrorist group seeking to wipe her community from the world. The walking Witchbomb did not stop there. Even within a matriarchal and inherently queer community of witches, Rae was expected to fulfil certain heterosexual “duties” to pass on the Collar bloodline, a family of courageous women historically recognized for their contributions as Fixers, or healers, to the United States Army on the frontlines of gruesome battles. Raelle refused. In the world of Motherland: Fort Salem, LGBTQIA+ labels do not exist, but Rae is unapologetically sapphic, marrying the love of her life Scylla Ramshorn (Amalia Holm). Rae’s witch sister and fellow cadet Abigail Bellweather (Ashley Nicole Williams), affectionately calls her “shitbird”, a nickname only fitting for a woman who is fierce, loyal and stubborn in the face of adversity and danger, especially when it means protecting those she loves.
Villanelle (she/her/hers) – “Killing Eve” (Netflix) | Villanelle (Jodie Comer) is an intelligent, badass bisexual who just so happens to also be an assassin for a nefarious organization called The Twelve. While fearless, a skilled marksman and profound linguist, many see Villanelle as an obsessive, serial-killing psychopath (and they are not wrong). However, by the end of the Killing Eve series, Villanelle evolves to be the apodeme of an anti-hero (admittedly leaning heavily towards the “anti-“) when she single-handedly annihilates her employers and puts an end to The Twelve’s reign of corruption and terror. That is a hero in my book – “Sorry, [not sorry] Baby x”.