What with it being Pride Weekend, we thought we'd do a quick rundown of the best LGBT characters on TV today. Check it out!
5. THE SIMPSONS - Waylon Smithers
Like it or not, Waylon Smithers was probably the first LGBT character you were introduced to. Not only that, Smithers was on Irish television in a time when homosexuality was against the law. Yes, really. People forget that The Simpsons was far ahead of its time in bringing openly and not-so openly gay characters to the fore.
4. ELLEN - Ellen DeGeneres
If we're lucky enough to have time off during the week, we find ourselves plonked in front of the TV watching Ellen and munching Crunchy Nut Flakes at two in the afternoon. Ellen DeGeneres has broke many boundaries for lesbians in the media and is one of the most well-loved and respected TV personalities out there today.
3. GAME OF THRONES - Oberyn Martell
Game of Thrones is pretty much all we talk about nowadays, but one thing that Game of Thrones has done is put an openly bisexual character to the front of a series and never explained why. Prince Oberyn Martell simply was bisexual and that was the end of it. There was no need to develop that aspect any further other than he was a man who enjoyed all earthly pleasures.
2. GLEE - Kurt Hummel
Whatever your thoughts on Glee might have been, one thing is for certain. Glee was one of the first network TV shows in the US to not only regularly feature LGBT characters, they were a key part of the show's main cast. None more so than Kurt Hummel, the plucky young singer in the Glee Club.
1. ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK - Laverne Cox / Piper Chapman
It's rare enough to see a TV show like Orange Is The New Black; a show that is about women, made by women and starring women. As fans of the show will know, each episode of the series sees a new character have their backstory told as to how they ended up in Lichfield. While Piper Chapman's is the main arc of the story and her tumultuous relationship with Alex Vause, played by Laura Prepon, each story takes up an entire episode and gives an entirely new perspective on the story. Laverne Cox's character, Sophia, is a transgender woman who was formerly a firefighter. In one of the most intriguing and emotionally-fraught episodes, her story and transition is explained with great care and detail. Laverne Cox herself, as well as being a celebrated actress, is also a renowned LGBT activist.
