List of fictional gay characters explained

This is a list of gay characters in fiction, i.e. characters that either self-identify as gay or have been identified by outside parties to be gay, becoming part of gay media. Listed characters are either recurring characters, cameos, guest stars, or one-off characters, some of which may be gay icons. This page does not include gay characters in anime, Western animation, feature films or television.

For fictional characters in other parts of the LGBTQ community, see the lists of trans, bisexual, lesbian, non-binary, pansexual, asexual, and intersex characters.

The names are organized alphabetically by surname (i.e. last name), or by single name if the character does not have a surname. If more than two characters are in one entry, the last name of the first character is used.

Graphic novels

See main article: article and List of graphic art works with LGBT characters.

CharactersTitleYearsNotesCountry
Corinthian1989–2015The Corinthian is a nightmare created by Dream. He has two additional mouths in place of his eyes, which he covers with sunglasses. In The Doll's House, he goes AWOL from the dreamscape and becomes a serial killer who invites men to have sexual relations with him, then murders them. Corinthian then removes the eyes of their victims and eats them using his eye-mouths. Neil Gaiman has stated that the Corinthian is homosexual in The Sandman Companion, wherein the first Corinthian consumed eyes only of boys. The second Corinthian is featured with a boyfriend as written by Caitlin R. Kiernan in the Dreaming.England
Dads of Charlotte "Charlie"The Witch Boy 2017They are the dads of Charlie, a tomboy.[1] [2] They appear in all three graphic novels as recurring characters[3] and are the only explicitly LGBTQ characters shown in the graphic novels.[4] [5] [6] United States
The Hidden Witch2018
The Midwinter Witch2019
IcemanAll-New X-Men2002–presentAll New X-Men #40 (2015) contains the pivotal moment where Iceman/Bobby Drake (as a younger version of himself) is informed by Jean Grey that his thoughts reveal his homosexuality. The scene plays out with Bobby wondering why his older self (the one in present-day X-Men comics) dated women for so long; he ponders bi-sexuality before being told, unequivocally, that he is in fact gay.[7] United States
Jayesh "Jay"Lucifer2000–2006Jay is a friend of Jill Presto. Jay is interested in a man named Karl, unaware that Karl is a homophobic neo-Nazi.[8] Jay asks Karl out, after being encouraged by Jill. Afterwards, Karl and other men and beat Jay up in a dark alley.[9] United Kingdom
Kevin KellerVeronica1989–2011First appearance: Veronica #202 (2010). Kevin was first eyed by Veronica who did not realize he was gay. He has since become a part of the gang.[10] United States
Andy LippincottDoonsbury1970–presentFirst appearance: 1976. Andy Lippincott was the first openly gay character to appear in a mainstream comic strip.[11]
MidnighterMidnighter & Midnighter2006–2008 & 2015–2016Midnighter is one of DC Comics' most prominent gay superheroes and his relationship with Apollo is one of the most prominent gay relationships in DC Comics.[12]
Apollo
NorthstarUncanny X-Men1963–2015First appearance: Uncanny X-Men #120 (1979). Northstar was the first openly gay superhero in the Marvel Comics universe.[13]
Lawrence PoirierFor Better or For Worse1979–2008In 1993, Lawrence Poirier's coming out generated controversy, with readers opposed to homosexuality threatening to cancel newspaper subscriptions.[14] See also: For Better or For Worse#Lawrence comes out.Canada
Thomas WernerThomas no Shinzō1974–1975Set in a German boys boarding school, the story relates how, after Thomas' suicide, an upper classman, Yuri, finds a love letter Thomas wrote to him, and then meets a new student, Eric, who looks just like Thomas.[15] Japan
Julusmole Bayhan ("Juli" or "Yuli")
Eric Fruehling
Andrew WellsBuffy the Vampire Slayer comics1998–presentAndrew realizes he is gay in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Ten.[16] United States

Literature

See main article: article and List of LGBT characters in modern written fiction.

CharactersWorkAuthorYearDescription
Achilles The Song of AchillesMadeline Miller2011Achilles is gay, showing no interest in girls, while Patroclus is bisexual, saying he would fall in love with Briseis if not for Achilles.[17]
Assorted charactersTales of the City series1978–2014While the original series featured gay and bisexual characters who "kissed on camera and had sex in bathhouses,"[18] in the Netflix adaption of this series, Shawna is "explicitly bisexual character."[19]
DavidGiovanni's Room1956David, a protagonist of the book, escapes death from the guillotine since his "homosexual urges were experimental in nature" while the narrator is cited as a gay character as well.[20] Other gay characters include Giovanni, Jacques, and Guillaume.
Wylan Van EckSix of Crows duology2015–2016Jesper is bisexual, and Wylan is gay; they begin dating each other by the end of the duology, while Nina has also been confirmed to be pansexual.[21]
Alucard EmeryShades of Magic trilogy2015–17Rhy is bisexual while Alucard is gay. They had a fling three years prior the events of the books. Victoria Schwab actually stated multiple times that in her eyes none of the characters are straight, but that is not mentioned in the series.[22] [23]
Jack ForsterWhat Happened to Mr. Forster?1989 A sixth-grade teacher who is fired for being gay.[24]
1995
Dorian GrayThe Picture of Dorian Gray1890Dorian is ambivalent about his homosexuality, meeting with male prostitutes, and proposes to a woman in an effort to suppress his homosexuality.
Basil HallwardIn this novel, Basil has a "repressed homosexuality" while Dorian has his own ambivalence, meeting with male prostitutes, even proposing to Sybil Vane in an attempt to suppress his homosexual feelings.[25] [26]
Basil HendersonInvisible Life1991 Basil leaves his fiancée Yancey at the altar and pursues a gay lifestyle.
Just As I Am1995
Abide With Me1999
Any Way the Wind Blows2001
Joel Harrison Knox Other Voices, Other Rooms1948Joel is an "effeminate adolescent," with the narrative showing him have a desire for his cousin, Randolph.[27]
OshimaKafka on the Shore2002Oshima is a 21-year-old intellectual gay trans man who is a librarian and owner of a cabin in the mountains near Komura Memorial Library.[28] He becomes the mentor of Kafka as he guides him to the answers that he's seeking on his journey.
Randolph Other Voices, Other Rooms1948Randolph is a cousin of Joel, and a person that Joel has romantic feelings for.
RichardThe Hours1998In this novel, which has strong parallels with Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway, Clarissa rejects a relationship with Richard, a gay man, for the love of her life, Sally, who is invigorated by this love.[29] Louis is also Richard's former lover, with Richard later taking his own life, while Clarissa comes to a full realization of her own identity.
Louis
Jack Twist "Brokeback Mountain" (short story)1997Jack and Ennis have a long term sexual and romantic relationship despite both being married to women and fathering children. Jack also has sexual relationships with other men and a woman, while Ennis does not. Critics have described both men as gay or variably Jack as bisexual and Ennis as heterosexual.[30] [31]
Ennis del Mar
VanyelArrows of the Queen1987Lackey, in making this book, took a stand, refusing the demand of an editor that Vanyel be "straight, or single, or not in the story," and, as such, he is a gay character.[32]

Video games

See main article: article and List of video games with LGBT characters.

CharactersSeries / TitleYearNotesDeveloper
Damien Bloodmarch2017In this visual novel and dating sim, Damien Bloodmarch is a gay trans man.[33] Game Grumps
Gay copThe Longest Journey1999This computer game features Fiona and Mickey, a lesbian landlady and her long-time lover. The game also features and a gay cop, with gay characters seen as normal and well adjusted secondary characters.[34] Funcom
EladusGuild Wars 22012This MMORPG game includes the sylvari race of plant-like humanoids who don't reproduce sexually. As such, they do not base their relationships upon reproduction, but rather love, sensuality, and finding beauty in one another.[35] Eladus and Dagdar are two young male sylvari in a gay relationship. The player is able to encounter and save Eladus and Dagdar from the Knight Bercilak the Green in an optional quest.ArenaNet
Dagdar
SaiedCircuit's Edge1989This DOS Interactive fiction and role-playing game includes a variety of gay and transgender characters,[36] including a trans woman named Yasmin with a gay man named Saied alleged to be Yasmin's former lover.[37] Westwood Studios
Variety of characters
TrevorPhantasmagoria 2: A Puzzle of FleshIn this interactive movie, point-and-click adventure, Curtis is the protagonist, who is a close friend with his gay co-worker, Trevor. The two almost kiss later in the game.[38] [39] Sierra On-Line

Webcomics

See also: List of webcomics with LGBT characters and Gay Comix.

CharactersName of comicYearsNotes
Gay protagonistCheck, Please!2013 - presentThis comic by Ngozi Ukazu centers around a gay protagonist on a college hockey team.[40]
Jo's dadsLumberjanes2014–2020Jo is a trans woman of color with two dads and acts as an "expert on what it means to be a Lumberjane" to the fellow campers.[41] [42]
Multiple charactersUnsounded2010–PresentThis webcomic by Ashley Cope features multiple gay characters.
Jeff OlsenKyle's Bed & Breakfast1998 - presentThis comic by Greg Fox covers controversial LGBT topics such as marriage equality, HIV/AIDS, body fascism and conversion therapy.[43] [44] This story features various LGBT characters, such as Jeff Olsen, a gay man with HIV, Mark Masterson, a gay scholar, and Kristian Janson, a Jamaican gay man.[45]
Mark Masterson
Kristian Janson
Other characters
Dirk StriderHomestuck2009-2016In this webcomic by Andrew Hussie, Dirk Strider states he is only attracted to guys.[46] He also dates Jake English, a bisexual guy, for a couple months.
Rudy StrongwellRain2010 - 2022This comic by Jocelyn Samara and DiDomenick features a trans girl, Rain, as the main character and other LGBT characters,[47] like a gay man named Rudy Strongwell, and a gay couple (Trevor Kurz and Frank Johnson).[48]
Trevor Kurz
Frank Johnson

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Labrise . Megan . Molly Knox Ostertag . November 2, 2017 . . November 4, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201104161454/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/news-and-features/articles/molly-knox-ostertag/ . November 4, 2020 . live.
  2. Ostertag . Molly . Alex Dueben . Halloween Q&A: Molly Ostertag on 'The Witch Boy' . Online . SmashPages . October 30, 2017 . November 4, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180412005731/http://smashpages.net/2017/10/30/halloween-qa-molly-ostertag-on-the-witch-boy/ . April 12, 2018 . live .
  3. . The Witch Boy . 2017 . . United States . 147 . 3 .
  4. Web site: The Hidden Witch [Review] ]. September 2, 2018 . . November 4, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191028203012/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/molly-knox-ostertag/the-hidden-witch/ . October 28, 2019 . live . Ostertag’s sophomore effort is every bit as wonderful as its predecessor....its approachable and diverse cast that...[includes] same-sex relationships. .
  5. Web site: Pennington . Latonya . The Witch Boy Is a Heroic Tale That Proves Magic Has No Gender . May 17, 2018 . . November 4, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200619070244/https://www.pride.com/geek/2018/5/17/witch-boy-heroic-tale-proves-magic-has-no-gender . June 19, 2020 . live . Furthermore, the world of The Witch Boy casually mentions that a secondary character [Charlie] has two dads, so it's possible for other queer characters to exist. .
  6. Web site: Cardno . Anthony . The Hidden Witch by Molly Ostertag [Review] ]. August 5, 2019 . . November 4, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200926094814/http://strangehorizons.com/non-fiction/reviews/the-hidden-witch-by-molly-ostertag/ . September 26, 2020 . live.
  7. Web site: Original X-Men Member Comes Out As Gay In New Marvel Comic. ComicBook.com. April 21, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20200701020735/https://comicbook.com/news/original-x-men-member-comes-out-as-gay-in-new-marvel-comic/. July 1, 2020. live. December 17, 2020.
  8. Book: Carey, Mike. June 2000. Lucifer. 1. Vertigo.
  9. Book: Carey, Mike. July 2000. Lucifer. 2. Vertigo.
  10. Web site: Kevin Keller. Archie Comics. https://web.archive.org/web/20200107025531/http://archiecomics.com/characters/kevin-keller/. January 7, 2020. live. December 17, 2020.
  11. Book: Booker, M. Keith. Encyclopedia of Comic Books and Graphic Novels [2 volumes]

    [Two Volumes]]

    . 2 January 2015. 2010-05-11. ABC-CLIO. 9780313357473. 246–.
  12. Web site: Midnighter is The Best Portrayal of a Gay Superhero in Mainstream Comics. io9. July 1, 2015. James. Whitbrook. September 21, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200921153325/https://io9.gizmodo.com/midnighter-is-the-best-portrayal-of-a-gay-superhero-in-1715225013. live. December 17, 2020.
  13. Book: Misiroglu, Gina. The Superhero Book: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Comic-Book Icons and Hollywood Heroes. 1 January 2015. 2012-04-01. Visible Ink Press. 9781578593958. 112–.
  14. Web site: The Lynn Johnston Interview, Hogan's Alley #1, 1994 . 1994 . December 17, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130619191408/http://cartoonician.com/the-lynn-johnston-interview/ . June 19, 2013 . dead .
  15. Book: Duggan, Anne E.. Queer Enchantments: Gender, Sexuality, and Class in the Fairy-Tale Cinema of Jacques Demy. 31 December 2014. 2013-10-15. Wayne State University Press. 9780814338544. 115–.
  16. Gage, Christos. Nicholas Brendon. Megan Levens. January 21, 2015. Love Dares You, Part I. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Ten. 11. Dark Horse Comics.
  17. Web site: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller – review. Natalie. Haynes. September 29, 2011. The Guardian. https://web.archive.org/web/20201209004426/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/sep/29/song-of-achilles-miller-review. December 9, 2020. December 17, 2020. live.
  18. Web site: The original Tales of the City was a gay rights trailblazer. Robert. Rorke. The New York Post. May 9, 2019. November 7, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20201125100046/https://nypost.com/2019/05/09/the-original-tales-of-the-city-was-a-gay-rights-trailblazer/. November 25, 2020. live.
  19. Web site: How Netflix's new series Tales of the City gets being queer so right. Paisley. Gilmour. June 10, 2019. Cosmopolitan. November 7, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20200728052355/https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/love-sex/relationships/a27879640/tales-of-the-city/. July 28, 2020. live.
  20. Web site: Influential Gay Characters in Literature . https://web.archive.org/web/20080107122304/http://www.afterelton.com/print/2007/9/groundbreakinggaycharacters?page=0%2C2 . Kilian . Meloy . September 24, 2007 . June 17, 2014 . January 7, 2008 . . dead . Also see page 2 and
  21. Web site: Six of Crows (Six of Crows #1). December 10, 2017. Queer Books for Teens. https://web.archive.org/web/20200929010616/http://queerbooksforteens.com/2017/12/10/six-of-crows/. September 29, 2020. December 17, 2020. live.
  22. Web site: Authors voice fury at Russian publisher cutting gay scene from novel. Alison. Flood. August 16, 2017. The Guardian. https://web.archive.org/web/20201111192202/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/aug/16/authors-fury-russian-censorship-gay-scene-schwab-shades-magic. November 11, 2020. live. December 17, 2020.
  23. Web site: Russian Publisher Cuts Gay Love Scene Out Of Best-Selling Novel. Trish. Bendix. August 16, 2017. NewNowNext. https://web.archive.org/web/20170817020100/http://www.newnownext.com/shades-of-magic-gay-censorship-russia/08/2017/. August 17, 2017. December 17, 2020. live.
  24. Homosexuality in Young Adult Fiction and Nonfiction: An Annotated Bibliography . Webunder. Dave . Sarah Woodard . The ALAN Review . Winter 1996 . 23. 2. 10.21061/alan.v23i2.a.7. 2007-05-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200318054241/http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN/winter96/webunder.html . March 18, 2020 . live .
  25. Book: Horan, Patrick M. . The Importance of Being Paradoxical: Maternal Presence in the Works of Oscar Wilde . Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. 1997 . 978-0-8386-3733-3 . 88.
  26. Book: Garber, Eric . Lyn Paleo . Uranian Worlds: A Guide to Alternative Sexuality in Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror . https://archive.org/details/uranianworldsgui0000garb . registration . The Picture of Dorian Gray . G. K. Hall. 1983 . 978-0-8161-1832-8 . 226.
  27. Book: Richards, Gary . Lovers And Beloveds: Sexual Otherness In Southern Fiction, 1936–1961 . LSU Press . 2005 . 978-0-8071-3051-3 . 31.
  28. Web site: Mitchell . David. Kill me or the cat gets it. The Guardian. January 8, 2005. January 28, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20201108093408/http://www.theguardian.com/books/2005/jan/08/fiction.harukimurakami. November 8, 2020. live.
  29. Book: Young, Tory . Michael Cunningham's The Hours: A Reader's Guide . Continuum International Publishing Group . 2003 . registration . 978-0-8264-1476-2 . 37-40.
  30. Book: Phillips, Richard . Diane Watt . De-Centering Sexualities: Politics and Representations Beyond the Metropolis . . 2000 . 2–5 . 978-0-415-19465-5.
  31. Book: Rood, Karen Lane . Understanding Annie Proulx . University of South Carolina Press . 2001 . 187–190 . 978-1-57003-402-2 .
  32. Web site: Cheeseman-Meyer . Ellen . Follow Your Arrow: Let's Talk about Vanyel . . November 3, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200604011717/https://www.tor.com/2014/11/03/heralds-of-valdemar-reread-arrows-of-the-queen-chapters-1-and-2/ . dead . June 4, 2020 . June 20, 2020.
  33. graylish . 888316619168006144 . Gray . Leighton . yes! . 21 July 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170815170923/https://twitter.com/graylish/status/888316619168006144. August 15, 2017. December 17, 2020. live.
  34. Web site: From a pink dinosaur to "Gay Tony": The evolution of LGBT video game characters . Luke . Winkie . . April 18, 2014 . August 25, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180817121714/https://www.salon.com/2014/04/18/from_a_pink_dinosaur_to_gay_tony_the_evolution_of_lgbt_video_game_characters/ . August 17, 2018 . live.
  35. Web site: ArenaNet: The Sylvari Soul – Angel McCoy on Writing the Sylvari - Page 2 - News, Interviews & Articles - Guild Wars 2 Guru - Page 2 . https://archive.today/20130125114931/http://www.guildwars2guru.com/forum/showpost.php?p=839307&postcount=60 . dead . January 25, 2013 . Guild Wars 2 Guru . November 14, 2012.
  36. Web site: Sexuality and gender in Circuit's Edge. Shaw. Adrienne. August 29, 2015. LGBTQ Video Game Archive. en. March 24, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20200920150638/https://lgbtqgamearchive.com/2015/08/29/sexuality-and-gender-in-circuits-edge/. September 20, 2020. live.
  37. Web site: Flanagan . Jack . The complete history of LGBT video game characters . . March 14, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181003014445/https://www.dailydot.com/parsec/gay-characters-video-games-history/ . October 3, 2018 . May 16, 2014 . live.
  38. Web site: Shannon . Lorelai . Phantasmagoria 2 Overview Memorial . Anthony Larme . April 6, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190929054316/http://anthonylarme.tripod.com/phantas/p2intls.html . September 29, 2019 . 1997 . live.
  39. Cobbett . Richard . They did it first . . . April 6, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180614021402/https://www.pcgamer.com/they-did-it-first/ . June 14, 2018 . February 20, 2011 . live.
  40. News: Baking, Bros And Beyonce: Should You Be Reading 'Check, Please'? . . Lawson . Emma . April 6, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160413023635/http://comicsalliance.com/check-please-readers-guide/ . April 13, 2016 . live.
  41. Web site: The Most Intriguing LGBT Characters of 2015 . . GLAAD's Entertainment Media Team . December 25, 2015 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20181103012941/https://www.glaad.org/blog/most-intriguing-lgbt-characters-2015 . November 3, 2018 .
  42. Web site: In Lumberjanes Issue #17, Jo Comes Out As Trans and It's So Awesome . . Rude . Mey . August 26, 2015 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200608190735/https://www.autostraddle.com/lumberjanes-issue-17-continues-positive-representation-as-jo-talks-about-being-trans-303008/ . June 8, 2020 .
  43. Web site: Gay Comics 101 . . 3 . Palmer . Joe . October 16, 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071015095150/http://afterelton.com/print/2006/10/gaycomics.html?page=0%2C2 . October 15, 2007 . dead .
  44. Strip Tease: 7 Queer Web Comics You Should Be Reading. Queerty. Grabowy. TJ. 2012-09-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304113703/http://www.queerty.com/strip-tease-7-queer-web-comics-you-should-be-reading-20120917. March 4, 2016. live.
  45. News: Meet the Cast of Kyle's B n B !!! . Kyle's Bed & Breakfast by Grey Fox. June 16, 2020. July 3, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200616234429/https://kylesbnb.blogspot.com/p/meet-cast-of-kyles-b.html. June 16, 2020. live.
  46. Web site:

    >

    >

    . Homestuck. https://web.archive.org/web/20200810221632/https://www.homestuck.com/story/5798. 2020-08-10. live.
  47. Web site: Kirichanskaya. Michele. 10 Must-Read LGBTQIA+ Webcomics. ComicsVerse. April 10, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170701011523/https://comicsverse.com/love-is-love-top-ten-lgbtqia-webcomics/. July 1, 2017. live.
  48. Web site: Samara D.. Jocelyn. Characters. Rain webcomic official site. June 20, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20200128144427/http://rain.thecomicseries.com/characters/. January 28, 2020. live.

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