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'Degrassi' - Getting its start in 1979, the Canadian drama franchise has featured various LGBTQ characters throughout its several series.

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'Tales of the City' - The miniseries 'Tales of the City' aired in 1993, followed by 'More Tales of the City' in 1998, and 'Further Tales of the City' in 2001. Based in San Francisco, 'Tales of the City' featured several LGBTQ characters. Netflix's new installment of the series aired in 2019.

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'Ellen' - Airing from 1994 to 1998, Ellen DeGeneres played the title character on this sitcom, who came out in the famous 'Puppy Episode.'

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'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' - During its run from 1997 to 2003, main character Willow Rosenberg (played by Alyson Hannigan, pictured) came out. Her relationship with Tara Maclay (Amber Benson) still remains one of the most popular lesbian love stories in television history.

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'Will & Grace' - Originally running from 1998 to 2006, 'Will & Grace' returned to television screens from September 2017 to April 2020. Main characters Will Truman (Eric McCormack, left) and Jack McFarland (Sean Hayes, right) are two of the most beloved gay characters around.

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'Queer as Folk' - The British (and original) version of the show ran from 1999 to 2000, whereas the American version aired from 2000 to 2005. On June 9, 2022, Peacock released a "reimagination" of the UK version.

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'Once and Again' - Airing from 1999 to 2002, 'Once and Again' saw a beautiful relationship develop between teens Jessie Sammler (Evan Rachel Wood, pictured) and Katie Singer (Mischa Barton).

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'Bad Girls' - Before 'Orange Is the New Black' and 'Wentworth,' there was the British prison drama 'Bad Girls.' The show featured several LGBTQ characters during its run from 1999 to 2006.

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'The L Word' - Showtime recently revived this show about a group of queer women in West Hollywood. Airing originally from 2004 to 2009 as 'The L Word,' 2019 saw the introduction of 'The L Word: Generation Q.'

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'Sugar Rush' - Another British gem, 'Sugar Rush' ran from 2005 to 2006, led by lesbian character Kim (Olivia Hallinan).

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'South of Nowhere' -

Ashley (Mandy Musgrave, left) and Spencer (Gabrielle Christian, right) were the protagonists of teen soap 'South of Nowhere,' and, consequently, a groundbreaking couple. The show aired from 2005 to 2008.

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'Grey’s Anatomy' - The medical drama, which premiered in 2005, has featured several LGBTQ characters. Callie (Sara Ramirez) and Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) were a fan-favorite couple for many years, and more recently there's been Schmitt (Jake Borelli, left) and Nico (Alex Landi, right).

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'Brothers & Sisters' - Kevin (Matthew Rhys, pictured) was married to Scotty (Luke Macfarlane) on 'Brothers & Sisters,' which ran from 2006 to 2011.

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'Skins' - The best version of 'Skins' is without a doubt the UK version, which ran from 2007 to 2013. Standout characters include couple Naomi (Lily Loveless, left) and Emily (Kathryn Prescott, right).

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'Glee' - Running from 2009 to 2015, the hugely popular 'Glee' featured several LGBTQ characters, including power couples Kurt (Chris Colfer) and Blaine (Darren Criss) and Santana (the late Naya Rivera, left) and Brittany (Heather Morris, right).

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'Lip Service' - Running from 2010 to 2012, this show followed a group of queer women in Glasgow, Scotland.

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'Modern Family' -

Premiering in 2009, the final episode of 'Modern Family' aired in April 2020. Cameron (Eric Stonestreet, left) and Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson, right) were possibly the most adorable couple on the show.

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'Lost Girl' - Bo (Anna Silk, left) and Lauren (Zoie Palmer, right) formed the "Doccubus" ship on this show with several other LGBTQ characters. 'Lost Girl' ran from 2010 to 2016.

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'Rookie Blue' -

Charlotte Sullivan played lesbian cop Gail Peck on 'Rookie Blue,' which ran from 2010 to 2015. 

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'Parenthood' - Airing from 2010 to 2015, 'Parenthood' saw Haddie (Sarah Ramos) dating a woman by its fifth season.

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'Pretty Little Liars' - Emily (Shay Mitchell, right) had a few girlfriends on 'Pretty Little Liars' since it premiered in 2010. But Alison (Sasha Pieterse, right) always seemed to loom around one way or another. The show ended in 2017, but sequel 'The Perfectionists,' with Alison as the lead, enjoyed one season in 2019. The latest news is that reboot 'Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin' will air on July 28, 2022 on HBO Max.

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'Teen Wolf' - Running from 2011 to 2017, 'Teen Wolf' featured several LGBTQ characters, including Ethan (Charlie Carver).

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'Saving Hope' - Airing from 2012 to 2017, 'Saving Hope' featured a few LGBTQ characters, including couple Maggie (Julia Chan, pictured) and Sydney (Stacey Farber).

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'Orphan Black' - This series, which ran from 2013 to 2017, featured several LGBTQ characters. Of the many clones Tatiana Maslany played on the show, there's lesbian character Cosima Niehaus and transgender character Tony Sawicki. In April 2022, it was announced that a planned sequel series, 'Orphan Black: Echoes,' is a go at AMC+.

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'Arrow' -

Since premiering in 2012, 'Arrow' featured several LGBTQ characters, including Sara (Caity Lotz, right) and Nyssa (Katrina Law, left). The show aired its last episode in January 2020.

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'The Fosters' - Running from 2013 to 2018, Stef (Teri Polo, left) and Lena (Sherri Saum, right) showed that parents are sexy too. 'The Fosters' also featured several other LGBTQ characters, and resulted in the spin-off show 'Good Trouble.'

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'The Originals' - A spin-off of 'The Vampire Diaries,' this show featured several LGBTQ characters, including couple Freya (Riley Voelkel, pictured) and Keelin (Christina Moses). The series aired from 2013 to 2018, and resulted in its own spin-off: 'Legacies.'

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'Wentworth' - The Australian prison drama featured several LGBTQ characters and beloved lesbian couples since premiering in 2013. The show wrapped in October 2021.

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'Please Like Me' - Josh Thomas played his namesake on this Australian series, which ran from 2013 to 2016. Josh had several male love interests during the show's run.

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'Orange Is the New Black' - There were several LGBTQ characters and lesbian couples on 'Orange is the New Black' since its premiere in 2013, but the relationship between Alex (Laura Prepon, left) and Piper (Taylor Schilling, right) ruled supreme. The show's final season aired in July 2019.

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'Looking' - 'Looking,' a show about a group of gay friends in San Francisco, ran from 2014 to 2015. 'Looking: The Movie' was released in 2016.

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'How to Get Away with Murder' - There were several LGBTQ characters on this legal drama, which premiered in 2014. Oliver (Conrad Ricamora, left) and Connor (Jack Falahee, right) were a popular couple. The show's final episode aired in May 2020.

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'Transparent' - Having premiered in 2014, 'Transparent' wrapped up in 2019. The show featured many LGBTQ characters, and several transgender actors.

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'Jane the Virgin' - Premiering in 2014 and with its final episode airing in July 2019, 'Jane the Virgin' featured several LGBTQ characters, including lovers Rose (Bridget Regan, left) and Luisa (Yara Martinez, right).

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'Sense8' - Nomi (Jamie Clayton) and Amanita (Freema Agyeman) were always couple goals on 'Sense8,' and likewise for the show's other gay couple, Lito (Miguel Ángel Silvestre) and Hernando (Alfonso Herrera). 'Sense8' ran from 2015 to 2018.

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'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt' - So very different, Mikey (Mike Carlsen, left) and Titus (Tituss Burgess, right) were also so very fun to watch on 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,' which ran from 2015 to 2019, and in 2020 included the interactive special 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend.'

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'Supergirl' - Premiering in 2015, the show saw Alex (Chyler Leigh, left) come out and romance Maggie (Floriana Lima, right) and other women, before falling in love with Kelly (Azie Tesfai). Since then, 'Supergirl' saw the addition of transgender superhero Nia Nal (Nicole Maines). The show's final season aired in 2021.

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'Schitt’s Creek' - Patrick (Noah Reid) and David (Dan Levy) proved to be quite the cute couple on 'Schitt's Creek,' which premiered in 2015 and featured other LGBTQ characters as well. The show wrapped up in 2020, a bittersweet year that also saw huge success at the Emmys.

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'The Real O’Neals' - Main character Kenny (Noah Galvin) is gay on this family sitcom, which ran from 2016 to 2017.

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'Legends of Tomorrow' - Since premiering in 2016, several LGBTQ characters were featured on this superhero show. The show ran for seven seasons, ending in March 2022.

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'Wynonna Earp' - Waverly (Dominique Provost-Chalkley, left) and Nicole (Katherine Barrell, right) justified their ship name—WayHaught—quickly after the show premiered in 2016. Jeremy (Varun Saranga) and Robin (Justin Kelly) also played a gay couple on the Canadian series. 'Wynonna Earp' wrapped in 2021.

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'Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments' -

Fans of 'Shadowhunters' went crazy over couple Magnus (Harry Shum Jr., left) and Alec (Matthew Daddario, right). Premiering in 2016, the show aired its final episode in May 2019.

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'One Day at a Time' - Syd (Sheridan Pierce) and Elena (Isabella Gomez, pictured) had an adorable relationship on 'One Day at a Time,' which premiered in 2017. Netflix announced in March 2019 that the show had been canceled, but fortunately it found a new home at Pop TV, where it ended with a final season in 2020.

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'Star Trek: Discovery' - Gay space couple, anyone? Try Hugh (Wilson Cruz, left) and Paul (Anthony Rapp, right) from 'Star Trek: Discovery,' which has been lighting up our screens since 2017.

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'Riverdale' - Premiering in 2017, the show has featured several LGBTQ characters, including couple Toni Topaz (Vanessa Morgan, left) and Cheryl Blossom (Madelaine Petsch, right). The show's seventh season will be its final, set to premiere in 2023.

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'Runaways' -

Nico (Lyrica Okano, left) and Karolina (Virginia Gardner, right) are teens with superpowers and equally strong feelings for each other on 'Runaways,' which premiered in 2017 and wrapped in December 2019.

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'Champions' -

Premiering in 2018 and lasting only one season, Josie Totah played gay teen Michael.

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'Black Lightning' - Nafessa Williams played Anissa Pierce/Thunder on 'Black Lightning.' She portrayed TV's first black lesbian superhero on this show that wrapped in 2021.

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'Pose' - Having premiered in 2018, 'Pose' was mostly made up of a cast of transgender and gay people of color (the characters and the actors). The show wrapped in 2021.

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'Vida' -

Premiering in 2018, 'Vida' featured several LGBTQ characters of Mexican-American heritage. Its series finale aired in May 2020.

See also: 30 Netflix original shows with LGBTQ characters

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