The science fiction and fantasy genres have always been popular in media due to their abilities to build new worlds, create intriguing characters, and go far beyond the realms of reality. In universes and situations so different from what fans know, fantasy shows have pioneered inclusivity, especially when it comes to LGBTQ+ representation.
In a world where LGBTQ+ audiences have struggled to find relatable characters in media, the science fiction and fantasy genres help represent characters and their sexualities, gender identities, and relationships. Audiences can suspend their disbelief when it comes to aliens, magic, and superpowers, so including LGBTQ+ characters should be no hard task. There are many great fantasy or sci-fi TV shows that include important LGBTQ+ representation.
Updated on December 26, 2022 by Mayra García: Representation matters now more than ever. When it comes to fantasy and sci-fi shows, there are many examples of series that include LGBTQ+ main characters. We updated this list with more series available to watch with proper gender and sexually diverse representation.
15 The Wilds' Lesbian Couple Blossoms In The Middle Of Chaos
Amazon Prime's The Wilds sees a group of teenagers stranded on a desert island. As it becomes obvious that their plane accident was staged and they are now subject to a social experiment, the girls do their best at survival while also exploring their own traumas from before the crash.
Among the many storylines of The Wilds, the series follows the romance between Toni, an openly lesbian girl, and Shelby, a closeted Christian from a bigoted family. As of 2022, the series has been canceled, but it charmed viewers with this wholesome story in the middle of a much more dramatic arc.
14 Buffy The Vampire Slayer's Lesbian Characters Were Groundbreaking
In terms of LGBTQ+ representation, Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a groundbreaking series. Willow Rosenberg was a popular character from the beginning, and that didn't change when she began a relationship with fellow witch Tara Maclay in season four. When season four aired in 2001, it was almost unheard of for an LGBTQ+ character to have such a prominent storyline, let alone have a fan-favorite main character come out as gay.
Buffy is cited as featuring one of the first kisses between a lesbian couple on US television. Willow's relationship ended due to one of the saddest deaths of the series, with the overused 'bury your gays' trope. However, Willow and Tara are still loved by audiences to this day.
13 Paper Girls Is Peak Queer Rep Both In Comics & In TV
Based on a comic by Brian K. Vaughan and Cliff Chiang, Paper Girls tells the story of Erin, MacKenzie, Tiffany, and KJ. The four newspaper delivery girls with very different backgrounds all end up in the middle of a time-traveling war. Throughout their time traveling, the four girls have to confront their own futures.
Both the Paper Girls series and comics have a whole arc that focuses on KJ as she comes to terms with her own sexuality. In the comics, she shares a small love story with Mac, while the series mostly deals with her self-discovery journey. Paper Girls is a wholesome story that will resonate with any LGBTQ+ viewer. The book is also a great option for readers looking for comics with LGBTQ+ representation.
12 Motherland: Fort Salem Is Led By Sapphic Witches
Set in a world where witches have become their own branch of the US military, Motherland: Fort Salem boasts a cast of diverse, well-rounded female characters. The central relationship of the series is between young witches Raelle Collar and Scylla Ramshorn.
Despite having to deal with the horrors of both their pasts, poor decisions, and a witch's duty to continue their family tree, Raelle and Scylla's sexualities are never questioned and are completely accepted by their friends and families. Since their relationship first started, Raelle and Scylla became fan favorites. Although Motherland is over, fans still miss their story.
11 Shadow & Bone Is Based On A Book Series Beloved In The LGBTQ+ Community
Based on the novel series The Grishaverse by Leigh Bardugo, Netflix's brilliant fantasy drama Shadow and Bone is popular for its diverse cast. Two fan-favorite characters, Jesper Fahey and Nina Zenik, play huge roles in the progression of the narrative and are well-developed bisexual characters.
While the first season of Shadow and Bone has yet to explore the main relationships that Nina and Jesper pursue in the books, the cast has wrapped season two, which is expected to premiere in March 2023. Fans are especially excited to see the introduction of Wylan Van Eck, Jesper's love interest, who will be played by Jack Wolfe.
10 Stranger Things Has Added More Diverse Characters Since Season One
From the beginning of Stranger Things, it has been implied that Will Byers might be uninterested in pursuing relationships with girls in the same way that his friends are, which led many to believe he might be gay. As of 2022, the series hasn't made his attraction to Mike explicit, but it seems that it will be explored in future installments.
Even if Will isn't an explicitly queer character, Robin Buckley made her first appearance in season three. It appeared that she had been introduced as a love interest for Steve Harrington, but she trusted Steve enough to confide in him about her sexuality. By the end of the fourth season of Stranger Things, she even got a new love interest in Vickie. Fans hope they will see their relationship develop in the future.
9 The Owl House Has A Lot Of Queer Characters
When Luz Noceda, a wishful teenage girl who loves fantasy books, ends up in a portal to the Boiling Isles, she becomes friends with an eccentric witch named Eda Clawthorne and her pet, King. Together with her new friends, Luz discovers a whole new reality, full of interesting characters, many of which are part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Throughout the three seasons, Luz, who happens to be bisexual develops a beautiful relationship with Amity, the former mean girl of Hexside and a lesbian. Having a sapphic romance between the two main characters is just the tip of the iceberg. The third season of Owl House reveals that Eda had a queer relationship with Raine, a non-binary lover from her past. Besides, Eda's sister Lilith is a confirmed aromantic, asexual woman. When it comes to queer representation, The Owl House truly delivers.
8 Wynonna Earp Gained A Passionate Fanbase Thanks To Wayhaught
Supernatural Western horror series Wynonna Earp was relatively unknown when its first season began, but by the end, it had gained a hugely passionate fanbase. Wynonna Earp followed the titular character, the great-great-granddaughter of Wyatt Earp, as she was tasked with sending revenants back to Hell.
The most constant relationship throughout Wynonna Earp was that of Wynonna's sister Waverly and police officer Nicole Haught. Due to the nature of the series, the two had a somewhat rocky relationship. Nevertheless, Nicole and Waverly always found their way back to each other and got married in the season finale.
7 First Kill Reimagines Romeo And Juliet In A Sapphic Way
Based on the story by V.E. Schwab, First Kill is a Romeo and Juliet-inspired story set in an American high school. The show follows a vampire, Juliette Fairmont, and a monster hunter, Calliope Burns, who fall in love despite their families' generations-long feud.
Despite some negative reviews about the show's budget, First Kill has become popular and gathered a committed fanbase, especially on social media. Fans were keen to see Juliette and Calliope delve further into their family histories and continue fighting their beliefs and their desires to be together. Unfortunately, Netflix canceled the series.
6 Supergirl Features The First DC Trans Hero On TV
One of the first Arrowverse series, Supergirl, follows Kara Danvers, Superman's cousin, living in National City. Here, the Girl of Steel fights different threats from the DC Universe together with her allies, the Super Friends. Several members of this team are queer. For example, Supergirl's adoptive sister Alex comes out as a lesbian in the second season. Throughout the series, she has two different serious relationships.
Additionally, the fourth season of the show marks the debut of Nia "Dreamer" Nal, a transgender woman portrayed by transgender actor Nicole Maines. An original DC character, Nia helps Kara protect National City, but her storylines also revolve around the struggle that comes with being transgender. The character became so popular that she made her way to the comics in 2021. Fans are still hopeful they will see her again in the Arrowverse.
5 Sense8's Had Plenty Of Representation, So Fans Fought For It
Created by the Wachowskis, Netflix's Sense8 is a sci-fi drama that follows a group of people from across the globe who become mentally and emotionally linked. The show celebrates its trans and gay characters, with an iconic scene being filmed during a Pride parade. Due to worldwide filming, Sense8 was extremely expensive to produce and Netflix canceled the show after two seasons.
Millions of fans signed online petitions that called for Sense8 to return, which led to Netflix producing a final feature-length episode to wrap up the story. The audience's reaction definitely showed just how important Sense8's representation was to its fans.
4 Marvel's Runaways Follows A Diverse Group Of Teens
Aimed at a teenage audience, Marvel's Runaways is sometimes forgotten by fans, but it lasted for three incredibly enjoyable seasons. Packed with sci-fi elements and action, the show follows a group of teens who run away from home and attempt to harness their abilities after discovering that their parents are supervillains.
Wiccan Nico Minoru and alien-human hybrid Karolina Dean find common ground and begin to develop feelings for each other. Over the three seasons, they battle against everything the world throws at them and overcome their hardships together.
3 The Umbrella Academy Celebrates Its LGBTQ+ Cast
Netflix's popular superhero series The Umbrella Academy is based on the comic book series by Gerard Way. The series follows a group of siblings with extraordinary powers who reunite in an attempt to stop the apocalypse and keep their family intact.
After actor Elliot Page came out as transgender, his character Viktor Hargreeves was also written as a trans man, something audiences rejoiced at. Viktor's sibling Klaus is also openly pansexual, speaking confidently of his relationships with men in the past.
2 The Haunting Of Bly Manor Is A Love Story At Its Core
An adaptation of The Turn of The Screw, The Haunting of Bly Manor centers on Dani Clayton, an au pair hired to work in a house plagued with apparitions. Dani quickly makes community with the other workers of the house, especially Jamie the gardener, who becomes her love interest.
At first glance, The Haunting of Bly Manor is a gothic tale. However, it's also a lesbian romance. Dani's struggle with her own sexuality together with her wholesome relationship with Jamie will touch anyone's heart. Their love story soon became a fan favorite in queer television.
1 Doctor Who Explores A Wide Array Of LGBTQ+ Characters
Led by a Time Lord who has regenerated into many forms, Doctor Who has never shied away from portraying a diverse group of characters. Over the years, many prominent characters from this series have identified as LGBTQ+, including beloved companions Bill Potts and Clara Oswald, River Song, Jack Harkness, and Yasmin Khan.
For instance, Yaz and the 13th Doctor, a female-presenting character, expressed romantic feelings toward each other. If this wasn't enough, the fact that the Doctor presents as both male and female may suggest that the Doctor could be labeled gender-fluid.