These lists of television programs with LGBT characters include:
LGBT themes in speculative fiction include lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) themes in science fiction, fantasy, horror fiction and related genres. Such elements may include an LGBT character as the protagonist or a major character, or explorations of sexuality or gender that deviate from the heteronormative.
The large amount of lists of LGBT characters and media within the scope of "fiction and myth", which has been divided into the following:
Byron P. Howard is an American animator, character designer, story artist, film director, film producer, and screenwriter. He is best known as the director of the Walt Disney Animation Studios films Bolt (2008), Tangled (2010), Zootopia (2016), and Encanto (2021). He is the first LGBT director to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature twice for his work of Zootopia and Encanto.
Historically, the portrayal of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in media have been negative, reflecting the cultural intolerance of LGBT individuals; however, from the 1990s to present day, there has been an increase in the depictions of LGBT people, issues, and concerns within mainstream media in North America. The LGBT communities have taken an increasingly proactive stand in defining their own culture, with a primary goal of achieving an affirmative visibility in mainstream media. The positive portrayal or increased presence of the LGBT communities in media has served to increase acceptance and support for LGBT communities, establish LGBT communities as a norm, and provide information on the topic.
Gay media refers to media that predominantly targets a gay, lesbian or LGBTQ+ allied audience. The primary target market for gay media may also more broadly be considered to include members of an LGBTQ+ community. Secondary targets are LGBTQ+ allies, and in some instances those who oppose gay rights may be targeted as a form of activism to change their minds. There are many types of gay media, and the type is determined by the purpose of the media presented. Gay or queer media can also be defined as web sites, films, magazines and other cultural products that were created by queer individuals, or groups that are typically out, meaning that they are public or open about their identity. Gay creators do not always include gay themes or issues in their productions but there is usually at least subtle references to queerness or acceptance in this media.
Since the transition into the modern-day gay rights movement, homosexuality has appeared more frequently in American film and cinema.
The following outline offers an overview and guide to LGBT topics.
The depiction of LGBTQ characters in animated series in the 2010s changed significantly from the previous decade; especially in Western animation. One of the shows cited as being the most influential for this change in representation is Steven Universe, created by Rebecca Sugar and aired on Cartoon Network. As GLAAD put it in their 2019-2020 report, the show continues to "go above and beyond when it comes to inclusive storytelling." The 2010s also brought with it shows such as Adventure Time, The Legend of Korra, and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, all of which had strong LGBTQ characters.
The depiction of LGBTQ characters in animated series in the 2000s changed significantly from the previous decade. In 1999, Simpsons and The Critic producer Mike Reiss who hoped to do something "good for the gay audience" produced Queer Duck, the first animated TV series with homosexuality as a predominant theme. The show became relatively influential after premiering online on Icebox.com, then later shown on Showtime starting in 2000, and was received well by some in the LGBTQ community. While LGBTQ characters appeared in shows such as The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, Red vs. Blue, and The Boondocks, the ongoing show, American Dad, which premiered in 2005, had an LGBTQ character as a protagonist, Roger. While the gay news anchors Greg Corbin and Terry Bates were recurring characters in the show, Roger, a space alien who lives with the Smith family, has an ambiguous sexuality.
The depiction of LGBTQ characters in animated series in the 1990s changed significantly from those in previous decades. Some of the most prominent series during this decade which featured LGBTQ characters were Sailor Moon, South Park, King of the Hill, Cardcaptor Sakura and Futurama. However, Revolutionary Girl Utena stood apart, with prominent LGBTQ characters, which some called one of the most important anime of the 1990s. It heavily influenced the creator of Steven Universe, Rebecca Sugar, calling a series which "plays with the semiotics of gender" which really stuck with her. Additionally, during this decade, Family Guy and SpongeBob SquarePants premiered, with LGBTQ protagonists in both shows, although it was only implied in the latter show.
For many years, LGBT representation increased on animated series and animated films. In the 1990s, LGBT characters were depicted in animated series like South Park, The Ambiguously Gay Duo, and The Simpsons. In the early 2000s, LGBT representation increased in Western animation, culminating in GLAAD's "Where We Are in TV" report in 2005, even as representation in such animation was scattered and disparate. In the 2000s, series like Queer Duck, The Oblongs, The Venture Bros., Drawn Together, and Archer would air. It would not be until the advent of shows like Steven Universe, The Legend of Korra, and Adventure Time in the 2010s, that LGBT characters in animation would gain more of a prominent role, leading to shows such as She-Ra and the Princesses of Power in 2018 and Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts in 2020, along with other series in the 2020s. This page will show this progress by building off the lists of animated series which contain these characters and explain the History of LGBT characters in animation. It does not focus on LGBT characters in anime series or films, which is examined on the LGBT themes in anime and manga page.
This is an index list of various lists of LGBT films split by decade, storyline and those made-for-television. Films directed by women, animated films as well as an alphabetical list of such movies are also included.
The depiction of LGBT characters in animated series in the 2020s changed from the 2010s, accelerating like never seen before, especially when it came to Western animation. The Owl House featured some of the first LGBTQ protagonists in a Disney show, while Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts had a prominent gay relationship not previously seen in animation. In adult animation, Magical Girl Friendship Squad and Helluva Boss broke ground, the former with a lesbian protagonist and the latter with two bisexual characters and one pansexual character. However, in 2020, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power and Steven Universe Future, both of which had various LGBTQ characters, ended. In anime, LGBTQ characters appeared in various productions, such as Adachi and Shimamura, Assault Lily Bouquet, and My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!.