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This is a list of soap opera characters who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, and the live action television and radio soap operas which feature them. Characters who are pansexual, asexual, non-binary and intersex are also included. Character orientation and gender identity can be portrayed on-screen, described in the dialogue or mentioned. Characters are listed by soap opera, and soap operas by country of origin. The history of LGBT characters that feature in soap operas begins in Australia, with Don Finlayson, portrayed by Joe Hasham, who appeared in the Australian television soap opera Number 96 between 1972 and 1977. [1]
Sos mi hombre is an Argentine telenovela, which aired on El Trece between August 2012 and June 2013. [2]
Las Estrellas is an Argentine soap opera produced by Pol-Ka Producciones for El Trece between May 2017 and January 2018. [4] Starring Celeste Cid, Marcela Kloosterboer, Natalie Pérez, Violeta Urtizberea, Justina Bustos, and co-starring, Esteban Lamothe, Gonzalo Valenzuela, Luciano Castro, Nicolás Riera, Nicolás Francella and Julieta Nair Calvo.
The Box is an Australian soap opera produced by Crawford Productions and broadcast by The 0-10 Network, which aired between February 1974 and October 1977.
Home and Away is an Australian television soap opera broadcast by Seven Network, which began airing in January 1988.
Neighbours was an Australian television soap opera, originally broadcast by Seven Network. The network dropped the show and it was picked up by Network Ten, which later aired it on Eleven. The serial began airing in March 1985. [8] The show went on a year-long hiatus from 28 July 2022, following a cancellation, but was revived a few months later commissioned by Amazon, with the show airing locally on 10.
Number 96 is an Australian television soap opera broadcast by The 0-10 Network, which aired between March 1972 and August 1977.
Prisoner is an Australian television soap opera produced by Grundy's and broadcast by Network Ten, which aired between February 1979 and December 1986.
América is a Brazilian telenovela broadcast by Rede Globo between March 2005 and November 2005.
Em Família is a Brazilian primetime telenovela broadcast by Rede Globo, which aired between February 2014 and July 2014.
Malhação a Brazilian soap opera broadcast by Rede Globo, which has aired since April 1995.
Paradise Falls is a Canadian soap opera broadcast by Showcase, which began airing in June 2001 and ceased airing in September 2008.
Kotikatu (Home street) was a Finnish semi soap opera/drama series and broadcast by Yle TV1. It aired in years 1995-2012.
Rantabaari (Beach bar) is a Finnish daily soap opera/drama series broadcast by MTV Sub, which has aired since September 2019. The titular beach bar (later pizzeria) called Trissa is located in Taivallahti in Helsinki. It takes place in the same universe as Salatut elämät.
Salatut elämät (Secret Lives) is a Finnish daily soap opera broadcast by MTV3, which has aired since January 1999.
Uusi Päivä (Brand New Day) was a Finnish soap opera/drama series shown from Monday to Wednesday and broadcast by Yle. It aired in years 2010–2018. Show take place in a fictional town somewhere in Kanta-Häme called Virtaus (means "flow" in Finnish) and Tampere. It takes place in same universe as Kotikatu.
Plus belle la vie is a French television soap opera broadcast by France 3, which has aired since August 2004. [26]
Demain nous appartient is a French television soap opera broadcast by TF1, which has aired since July 2017.
Ici tout Commence is a French television soap opera broadcast by TF1, which has aired since November 2020. It takes place in the same universe as Demain nous Appartient.
Alles was zählt is a German soap opera, airing on RTL since 2006. The show revolves around a fictional sports and wellness centre in Essen, initially focusing on ice skating with other sports being added to the repertoire throughout the show's run.
Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten is a long-running German television soap opera, first broadcast on RTL in 1992. The program concerns the lives of a fictional neighborhood in Germany's capital city Berlin.
Hand aufs Herz is a German television soap opera broadcast by Sat.1 until June 2011 and by sixx thereafter. [27] It began airing in October 2010 and ceased airing in September 2011.
Lindenstraße is a German soap opera broadcast by Das Erste, which has aired since December 1985. [28]
Marienhof is a German soap opera broadcast by Das Erste, which aired between October 1992 and June 2011. [29]
Schloss Einstein is a German soap opera for kids about a boarding school broadcast by KiKa. It started airing in 1998. [30]
Sturm der Liebe is a German television soap opera broadcast by Das Erste, which began airing in September 2005.
Unter uns is the second oldest German daily soap opera, that debuted on RTL in 1994. The show focusses on the characters that live in the same multi-family building at the fictional Schillerstaße 10 in urban Cologne. After the show had been heavily criticized for completely disregarding and non-inclusion of LGBT issues and characters, especially for being set in Cologne, one of Germany's most gay-friendly cities, changes were made in 2013.
Verbotene Liebe is a German television soap opera broadcast by Das Erste, which aired between January 1995 and June 2015. [31]
Fair City is an Irish television soap opera broadcast by RTÉ One, which has aired since September 1989. [32] In 1996, three years after homosexuality was decriminalised in Ireland, two male characters moved in for a clinch - only to be interrupted. It would have been the first gay kiss on Irish television. [33]
Ros na Rún is a long-running Irish soap opera broadcast on TG4, which has aired since November 1996. [35] The soap opera was the first Irish soap to feature an openly gay couple and screened the first gay kiss and the first lesbian kiss shown on Irish television.
Botan to Bara is a Japanese television soap opera broadcast by Tōkai Television Broadcasting, which has aired since January 2004. [36]
Uruwashiki Oni is a Japanese television soap opera broadcast by Tōkai Television Broadcasting, which has aired since April 2007. [37]
Shin Botan to Bara is a Japanese television soap opera, remade from Botan to Bara, broadcast by Tōkai Television Broadcasting, which has aired since November 2015. [38]
Antes muerta que Lichita is a Mexican telenovela broadcast by Canal de las Estrellas, which aired between August 2015 and February 2016. [39]
Volver a empezar is a Mexican telenovela broadcast by Canal de las Estrellas, which aired between July 1994 and February 1995. [41]
Amar a muerte is a Mexican telenovela written by Leonardo Padrón, produced by W Studios in collaboration with lemon studios for Televisa and Univision, it was broadcast from October 29 of 2018 to March 3 of 2019.
Shortland Street is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera broadcast by TVNZ 2, which began airing in May 1992. The show featured the first same-sex kiss on New Zealand television.
Hotel Cæsar is a Norwegian soap opera broadcast by TV 2, which began airing in October 1998.
Santa Bárbara is a Portuguese telenovela broadcast by Televisão Independente, which aired between September 2015 and October 2015. [42]
Valor da Vida is a Portuguese telenovela broadcast by Televisão Independente, which aired between September 30, 2018, and May 20, 2019. [43]
Generations is a South African soap opera broadcast by SABC 1, which aired between February 1994 and September 2014. [44] In 2013, it was speculated that the show had received pressure to write out its homosexual characters. [45]
Isidingo is a South African soap opera, which features English dialogue. It began airing on SABC 3 in July 1998, when it was known as Isidingo: The Need, a title used until 2001. [47]
Life Is Beautiful is a South Korean television soap opera broadcast by SBS TV, which has aired since November 2010. [48] [49] [50] [51] [52]
Amar en tiempos revueltos is a Spanish soap opera broadcast by La 1 and TVE Internacional from 2005 to 2012, and by Antena 3 since 2013.
Seis Hermanas is a Spanish soap opera broadcast by La 1, which began airing in April 2015 and ceased airing in April 2017. [56]
Ordinary Love is a Taiwanese television soap opera broadcast by SET Taiwan, which has aired since November 2013. [57]
Brookside is a British soap opera broadcast by Channel 4, which aired between November 1982 and November 2003. [58]
Coronation Street is a British soap opera broadcast by ITV, which has aired since 9 December 1960. [59]
Doctors is a British soap opera broadcast on BBC One which has aired since March 2000. The serial is broadcast in the daytime, with the current slot of 1:45 pm.
EastEnders is a British soap opera broadcast on BBC One, which has aired since 19 February 1985. The show has used various homosexual characters to highlight gay issues since the 1980s, including homophobia, bisexuality, age of sexual consent, and HIV/AIDS among others. [80] It was the first UK soap to screen a gay kiss in 1987, prompting outrage from viewers and the media who branded the programme "filth" and dubbed it "EastBenders". [81] There were even questions in Parliament about whether it was appropriate to have gay men in a family show when AIDS was sweeping the country. [82] Despite initial negativity, the characters had a powerful impact on public attitudes, and the show's handling of Colin and Barry's relationship was deemed by many gay activists as something of a breakthrough. [83] [84] Actor turned politician Michael Cashman believes the storyline started "the social change" in opinion towards homosexuals, which "happened alongside the legal reform" in the 1980s. [85]
The show has been at the centre of much controversy regarding its gay characters kissing on-screen. It screened the first mouth-to-mouth gay soap kiss in the UK in 1989, leading some MPs to call for the programme to be banned. [86] EastEnders' first regular lesbian characters provided the soap with its first lesbian kiss in 1994, provoking more complaints than any other UK television programme that year. [87] This was followed by a "censored" homosexual kiss in 1996, which infuriated gay activists after the BBC cut the kiss from its original two seconds to a half-second, so they would not "startle" viewers. [88] [89] In 2007, a lesbian kiss prompted 211 complaints to the BBC, [90] and in 2008, a kiss between two gay characters prompted 145 complaints from viewers who were "appalled by the display of homosexual kissing before the watershed [...] whilst young children are watching". The BBC released a statement saying: "We approach our portrayal of homosexual relationships in the same way as we do heterosexual relationships. In this instance, Christian is enjoying the first flush of romance and we've shown him being affectionate with his new boyfriend in the same way any couple would." [91]
Emmerdale , previously known as Emmerdale Farm, is a British soap opera broadcast by ITV, which has aired since 16 October 1972. Emmerdale has featured numerous LGBT characters, including the first permanent lesbian character (Zoe Tate) in a British soap opera. [103] [104] It also featured the first civil partnership (between Paul Lambert and Jonny Foster) in a prime time British soap opera in 2008. [105]
Family Affairs is a British television soap opera broadcast by Channel 5 from March 1997 until December 2005.
Hollyoaks is a British soap opera broadcast by Channel 4 and E4 simultaneously. It began airing on 23 October 1995.
Pobol y Cwm is a Welsh-language television soap opera broadcast by S4C, which has aired since October 1974. [140]
All My Children is an American television soap opera broadcast by the American Broadcasting Company, which aired between January 1970 and September 2011.
As the World Turns is an American television soap opera broadcast by CBS, which aired between April 1956 and September 2010. [142]
The Bold and the Beautiful is an American television soap opera broadcast by CBS, which has aired since March 1987.
Dante's Cove is an American LGBT-oriented supernatural soap opera broadcast by here!, which aired between October 2005 and December 2007.
Days of Our Lives is an American daytime soap opera broadcast by NBC, which has aired since November 1965.
Dynasty is an American prime time television soap opera broadcast by the American Broadcasting Company, which aired between January 1981 and May 1989. [186] The show was rebooted in 2017 on The CW. [187]
General Hospital is the longest-running American soap opera in production, premiering in 1963. It is also the second longest-running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light .
Guiding Light (also known as The Guiding Light) is an American television soap opera broadcast by NBC Radio, followed by CBS Radio and then CBS Television, which aired between January 1937 and September 2009.
The Haves and the Have Nots is an American prime time television soap opera created, executive produced, written, and directed by Tyler Perry. [195] [196] It began airing on the Oprah Winfrey Network from 28 May 2013.
Melrose Place is an American primetime soap opera broadcast by Fox, which aired between July 1992 and May 1999. The show never featured any LGBT characters in sexual scenes, with the scene featuring Matt kissing another man cut.
One Life to Live is an American soap opera broadcast by the American Broadcasting Company, which aired between July 1968 and January 2012.
Passions is an American television soap opera broadcast by NBC between July 1999 and September 2007, and The 101 Network from September 2007 until August 2008. [198]
Santa Barbara is an American television soap opera broadcast by NBC, which aired between July 1984 and January 1993.
El Señor de los Cielos is an American telenovela broadcast by Telemundo, which has aired since 15 April 2013.
The Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera broadcast by CBS, which has aired since March 1973. [201]
A lesbian is a homosexual woman or girl. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate nouns with female homosexuality or same-sex attraction. The concept of "lesbian" to differentiate women with a shared sexual orientation evolved in the 20th century. Throughout history, women have not had the same freedom or independence as men to pursue homosexual relationships, but neither have they met the same harsh punishment as gay men in some societies. Instead, lesbian relationships have often been regarded as harmless, unless a participant attempts to assert privileges traditionally enjoyed by men. As a result, little in history was documented to give an accurate description of how female homosexuality was expressed. When early sexologists in the late 19th century began to categorize and describe homosexual behavior, hampered by a lack of knowledge about homosexuality or women's sexuality, they distinguished lesbians as women who did not adhere to female gender roles. They classified them as mentally ill—a designation which has been reversed since the late 20th century in the global scientific community.
A supercouple or super couple is a popular and/or wealthy pairing that intrigues and fascinates the public in an intense or obsessive fashion. The term originated in the United States, and it was coined in the early 1980s when intense public interest in fictional soap opera couple Luke Spencer and Laura Webber, from General Hospital, made the pair a popular culture phenomenon.
Sexuality has been a significant theme in the various Star Trek television and motion-picture series. Sexual relationships in Star Trek have mostly been depicted as heteronormative in nature. There have been depictions of bisexual relationships, but always with a twist. In Star Trek Discovery, there are two same-sex marriages, while in Star Trek Enterprise a polyamorous character, Phlox, has three wives, who have three husbands each, the marriages being depicted as open to romantic and sexual relationships with others.
Bianca Montgomery is a fictional character from the American daytime drama All My Children. Until Eden Riegel assumed the role, portraying the character from July 2000 to January 2010, the character was portrayed solely by child actresses: Lacey Chabert, Nathalie Paulding, Gina Gallagher, Caroline Wilde and Jessica Leigh Falborn. When Riegel decided to permanently exit the role, plans to recast were confirmed; in June 2010, Christina Bennett Lind replaced Riegel, and remained on the series through the original television finale episode, which aired September 23, 2011. In February 2013, it was announced that Riegel would be reprising her role as Bianca in a guest-arc on Prospect Park's continuation of All My Children.
Simone Russell is a fictional character on the American soap opera Passions, which aired on NBC from 1999 to 2007 and on DirecTV in 2007–08. A member of Passions' Russell family, Simone is introduced as the youngest daughter of Eve Russell and T. C. Russell, and the younger sister of Whitney Russell. Her early appearances center on her love triangle with Chad Harris-Crane and her sister Whitney; the character later gains more prominence on the show through her experience coming out as a lesbian to her family, and her relationship with Rae Thomas. The network defended the show's treatment of Simone's sexuality as a serious commentary on the topic.
Simon Raymond is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Andrew Lynford. Simon is introduced in 1996 as the homosexual brother of Tiffany Mitchell. His relationship with the bisexual character Tony Hills featured a gay kiss that caused controversy in the UK; numerous complaints were made because of its broadcasting. Simon remained in the serial until 1999, at which time it was mutually agreed between Lynford and executive producer Matthew Robinson, that the character had run its course. The character was given a happy ending, reuniting with his former boyfriend Tony to travel Europe.
Maggie Stone is a fictional character from the American daytime drama All My Children. She was portrayed by actress Elizabeth Hendrickson, who also portrayed Maggie's identical twin sister Frankie Stone. The character came to Pine Valley in 2002 after Frankie's death, and befriended Bianca Montgomery whilst investigating her sister's murder. The series portrayed Bianca as having fallen in love with Maggie, with Maggie initially maintaining that she is only interested in men. The series featured her dating several men, taking a few of them to bed, sometimes out of confusion and other times out of a clear attempt to dispel her growing romantic attraction to Bianca. The two eventually become girlfriends, though heartbreak follows.
Colin Russell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michael Cashman. The character appears between 5 August 1986 and 23 February 1989 and on 8 and 9 September 2016. Colin is originally portrayed as a middle-class yuppie with a kind heart. The character is Walford's first on-screen gay resident and he featured in the UK's first homosexual kiss on a soap opera, which caused controversy in the British press. Cashman reprised the role of Colin for the funeral of Dot Cotton for two episodes broadcast on 12 and 13 December 2022.
Binnie Roberts is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Sophie Langham from 9 June 1994 until 16 May 1995. Binnie is an out and proud lesbian, which is in stark contrast to her shy and retiring girlfriend, Della Alexander.
Margaret Clemence is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Brookside, played by Nicola Stephenson. The character debuted on-screen during the episode broadcast on 14 September 1990. Margaret is characterised as a college drop-out unsure about her future. She leaves her home town of Oldham to escape her ex-boyfriend, Kieran, and relocates to Liverpool. She takes a job working as a nanny for Max and Patricia Farnham and becomes their lodger. Stephenson has described Margaret as a domestic and organised character but when it comes to romance she is confused and unstable.
Della Alexander is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders played by Michelle Joseph from 1 March 1994 until 16 May 1995. Della is the first lesbian character to be featured on the show.
Chad Harris-Crane is a fictional character on the American soap opera Passions, which aired on NBC from 1999 to 2007 and on DirecTV in 2007–08. Developed by the soap's creator and head writer James E. Reilly, Chad was portrayed by two actors over the course of the show: Donn Swaby and Charles Divins. Swaby left the show to pursue roles outside daytime television and was replaced by Divins. The role was the first time that either actor had worked on a television series.
Bianca Montgomery and Maggie Stone are fictional characters and a supercouple from the American daytime drama All My Children. Bianca was portrayed by Eden Riegel, and Maggie was portrayed by Elizabeth Hendrickson.
Luke Snyder and Noah Mayer are fictional characters and a supercouple from the American CBS daytime drama As the World Turns. Luke was portrayed by Van Hansis, and Noah was portrayed by Jake Silbermann. On Internet message boards, the couple is referred to by the portmanteau "Nuke". They are notable for being one of American daytime television's first gay male couples.
Lesbian portrayal in media is generally in relation to feminism, love and sexual relationships, marriage and parenting. Some writers have stated that lesbians have often been depicted as exploitative and unjustified plot devices. Common representations of lesbians in the media include butch or femme lesbians and lesbian parents. "Butch" lesbian comes from the idea of a lesbian expressing themselves as masculine by dressing masculine, behaving masculinely, or liking things that are deemed masculine, while "femme" lesbian comes from the idea of a lesbian expressing themselves as feminine by dressing feminine, behaving femininely, or liking things that are deemed feminine.
Reese Williams and Bianca Montgomery are fictional characters and a lesbian couple from the ABC daytime drama All My Children. Reese was portrayed by Tamara Braun, and Bianca was portrayed by Eden Riegel. On Internet message boards, the pairing is commonly referred to by the portmanteaus "Rianca" and "Breese". The couple debuted in October 2008 and is groundbreaking for featuring the first same-sex marriage proposal, as well as the first legal same-sex wedding and marriage, on an American soap opera. In addition, the pairing's family is the first onscreen family made up of same-sex parents in the history of American daytime television.
Lena Kundera and Bianca Montgomery are fictional characters from the American daytime drama All My Children. Commonly referred to by the portmanteau "Lianca", they were the first lesbian couple on an American soap opera. Lena was portrayed by Olga Sosnovska, and Bianca was portrayed by Eden Riegel. Lena and Bianca's romance "quickly became a hit with viewers" and regularly surpassed older more established heterosexual couples for the number 1 spot on Internet and soap opera magazine readers' polls. The characters are the first to share a same-sex kiss in American soap opera history.
Matthew Fielding, Jr. is a fictional character in the American television series Melrose Place, portrayed by Doug Savant. Matt was an openly gay man working as a social worker in Los Angeles. Initially Matt was not the focus of ongoing storylines, a situation that would not substantially change until the series became a serial drama in its second season. Matt Fielding appeared as a regular character from 1992 until 1997, when he moved to San Francisco. He was later killed off-screen in a car crash.
Ivan Jones is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Emmerdale, played by Daniel Brocklebank. He appeared in the series from 5 May 2005 until 2 August 2006. Ivan was originally introduced to participate in a storyline about the character of Jarvis Skelton and only meant to feature in three episodes. The serial's producers were impressed with Brocklebank and made Ivan a regular character. The character is a Geordie, which required the actor to adopt the accent. Ivan is characterised as a "good-humoured" and "charming" dustman, while Brocklebank described him as having "quite a few" love interests and stated that he has "slept his way around the village".
"He's a Crowd" is a 1991 episode of the American legal drama L.A. Law. In it, attorney Michael Kuzak defends a man with multiple personalities accused of murder, attorney Rosalind Shays helps her lover Leland McKenzie help a client, attorney Arnie Becker's divorce proceeds and attorneys Abby Perkins and C.J. Lamb work together to raise Abby's profile at the firm and find themselves sharing an intimate moment. It is the 12th episode of season 5 and was written by David E. Kelley.
Three years after homosexuality is decriminalised in Ireland, two gay characters come face-to-face in 'Fair City'. Ireland gets its first-ever on-screen gay kiss. .nearly
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