8 of the Best LGBT Characters on TV

Clarke Griffin – 'The 100'

As the first bisexual lead character on not only The CW, but also a major cable network, The 100's Clarke Griffin entered the series with big shoes to fill, trekking ground that no other character on the network had before and providing representation that had previously been absent.

From her relationship with Finn to her relationship with Lexa, and any relationships to yet come, Clarke Griffin, portrayed by Eliza Taylor, has proven to be pivotal representation for so many fans, though the golden note of her representation lies in the fact that her sexuality has never been a plot point or even a subplot in the overarching storyline. Her sexuality has simply been an accepted part of who she is. No matter if she's with a man, a woman, or nobody at all, she's still the same Clarke Griffin that fans have come to know and love, and that her onscreen counterparts have come to love and respect.

Kat and Adena – 'The Bold Type'

A single interview set the path for a journey of sexual identity in Freeform's The Bold Type, which has brought fans the groundbreaking relationship of Kat, head of Scarlet magazine's Social Media department, and photographer Adena.

The series earned rave reviews during its debut season after showing the very real and very relatable story of Kat, who began to question her sexuality after meeting Adena. While she ultimately came to the conclusion in season 1 that she is in fact interested in women, particularly Adena, the second season is far from done with exploring her sexuality and the road to acceptance.

Adena, on the other hand, was introduced to the series as a self-proclaimed "proud Muslim lesbian artist" who was as confident about her sexuality as she was about her art.

Waverly Earp – 'Wynonna Earp'

She may be fighting revenants on a daily basis and trying to break an ages-old family curse, but Wynonna Earp showrunner Emily Andras still found a way to work in a heartfelt journey of self-discovery for Waverly Earp, leading to fan-favorite relationship Wayhaught.

Season 1 of the series, whose third season is set to premiere on July 20, saw an instant spark between Waverly and new Purgatory police officer Nicole Haught, though Waverly's sudden interest in a woman was not considered taboo, and the acceptance from her family and friends wasn't even questioned, it was immediate.

Even better, Waverly's very straightforward with Nicole has already endured and poked fun of several tropes (ahem, the bulletproof vest).

Elena Alvarez – 'One Day At A Time'

One Day At A Time tackles a number of social issues, including the coming out of 15-year-old Elena Alvarez.

Throughout the course of season 1, Elena is seen as a typical teenager dealing with every day high school problems on top of preparing for her quinceañera, though she is dealing with something much deeper, too: navigating her sexuality.

Her coming out story has resonated with hundreds of fans and been praised by critics as being authentic, along with her journey to self-acceptance and the many obstacles that she faces along the way, including the particular obstacles she faces as a queer female in a Latino family.

Mark – 'Roseanne'

Although ABC's Roseanne revival has been shrouded in controversy, including its recent cancellation, one character on the show was making headlines even before its premiere: Darlene's 9-year-old gender-fluid son, Mark.

A gender nonconforming character is rare to begin with, but having that represented in a child is even rarer, and much more difficult given that he lives in a politically conservative family, and something that, as GLAAD's vice president of programs Zeke Stokes pointed out, is crucial.

"Mark's feminine gender expression is embraced by his family and that's a critical message for millions of viewers to see," Stokes said. "Many LGBTQ viewers will separate the episode's theme of love and acceptance from Roseanne Barr's deeply troubling personal views."

Titus Andromedon – 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'

Titus Andromedon is "gay as a penguin" and proud.

Serving as Kimmy Schmidt's roommate and best friend as she adjusts to life in the 21st century following 15 years in a secret cult, Titus is confident, in love with life, and fully owning of his sexuality; his humor and self-love are just toppings on the cake.

Bringing about parodies of Beyonce's Lemonade album and songs like, "Pinot Noir," Titus quickly became a fan favorite and a pop culture sensation, and his journey is set to continue in the fourth and final season of The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

Buck Vu – 'The OA'

Among theoretical physics, cosmic visions, unexplained mysteries, and traveling to different dimensions, Netflix's The OA manages to offer key representation in the form of Buck Vu.

Buck, played by Ian Alexander, is a suburban teen who joins the ragtag group of people that Prairie puts together, and while he listens to Prairie's story, his own story is also told. Buck is an Asian-American transgender teen, though his representation transcends from the screen to real life, as Alexander is also an Asian-American transgender teen.

Throughout the series, which is currently in production for season 2, fans get brief glimpses into the struggles that Buck faces at home, ones that hit home for many, including his father struggling to accept his identity and choosing to use the wrong pronouns and first name.

Captain Raymond Holt – 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine'

There are plenty of reasons to applaud and watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and one of them just so happens to be Captain Raymond Holt.

Holt, portrayed by Andre Braugher, is the tough, masculine, and at times daunting Captain of the New York Police Department's 99th precinct, and he is also openly gay. Holt rose through the ranks despite a number of adversities, both for his race and his sexuality, that he faced, and he became a well-respected member of the NYPD, and one that his colleagues look up to, and his interracial same-sex marriage is shown in a "no questions asked, fully accepted" light.

Thankfully, fans can catch more of Captain Raymond Holt when Brooklyn Nine-Nine debuts on its new network home, NBC.