List of soap operas with LGBT characters

EastEnders 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".^[25] 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.^[26] 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.^[27][28] Actor turned politician, Michael Cashman (Colin), believes the storyline started "the social change" in opinion towards homosexuals, which "happened alongside the legal reform" in the 1980s.^[29]

EastEnders has been at the centre of much controversy regarding its gay characters kissing on-screen. Aside from Colin giving Barry a chaste peck on the forehead in 1987, EastEnders screened the first mouth-to-mouth gay soap kiss in the UK in 1989 (Colin and Guido), leading some MPs to call for the programme to be banned.^[30] 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.^[31] This was followed by a "censored" kiss between Tony and Simon 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.^[32][33] In 2007, a lesbian kiss between bisexual Sonia and lesbian Naomi prompted 211 complaints to the BBC,^[34] and in 2008, a kiss between gay characters Christian and Lee 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."^[35]

In November 2012, the show's only remaining LGBT characters, Christian and Syed left the show and over the next two years, there was an increase of LGBT characters. Reintroduced was: Ben Mitchell, who now questioned his sexuality, and bisexual Danny Pennant and Sonia Fowler. Introduced were: lesbians Tina Carter and Tosh Mackintosh, closeted Johnny Carter who came out as gay in praised scenes and openly gay Gianluca Cavallo, with whom Johnny had his first sexual experience. However, Danny, Tosh, Johnny and Gianluca have since left. Tina and Tosh embarked on a domestic violence storyline, which was heavily praised.^[36] Ben began an affair with new character Paul Coker.^[37]

Always groundbreaking, particularly in the 1980s, Brookside was the first British soap to have an out and proud gay character in Gordon Collins. Middle class and well spoken, his sexuality was not the only thing that set him apart from his fellow residents on Brookside Close. Beth featured in the most famous Brookside storyline of all when she helped bury her father's body after her mother had killed him, however this character will be equally remembered for British television's first pre-watershed lesbian kiss. Viewers complained in droves, however it proved a turning point in the way gay relationships were handled on mainstream British television. Shelly arrived in 1999 and soon had a relationship with Lindsey Corkhill. Shelly would leave in 2001, after admitting she had feelings for Lindsey's mother Jackie.

On April 24, 2009, Rafe became Y&R's first gay character when Lily Winters attempted to set him up with Colleen Carlton, unaware that he is gay. Long-departed character Philip Chancellor briefly returned to Genoa City in July 2009 and came out to his family. On September 8, 2010, Billy introduced his brother Phillip to Rafe, but the characters never interacted again. Rafe continued to appear periodically for several years as counsel to other characters.

Ronnie Hale (2016-)

Paul was openly gay and had several relationships, one with bisexual binman Ivan. In the end Paul married Johnny Foster and left the village. Grayson was married to Perdita Hyde-Sinclair and believed to be straight until Paul rescued him from a homophobic attack. Grayson admitted to being bisexual. Aaron was first portrayed as a straight, angry teenager but soon he is revealed to be gay and is very self-loathing, but once he comes out, he entered into a relationship with Jackson Walsh, ending when Aaron agrees to Jackson's wish to euthanize him following a car accident making him tetraplegic. Aaron left the village in 2012 after taking the blame for a crime he didn't commit. In 2011, Ali Spencer and partner Ruby Haswell moved to the village. Ali had been married for 15 years and had several children before realizing she was a lesbian and settling into a relationship with Ruby, finally marrying in December 2014. Ruby was killed in a helicopter crash the next summer, and a grief-stricken Ali left the village for a new life. Vanessa Woodfield, Rhona Goskirkäs best friend, arrived to the village, and developed romantic feelings for her. After they remained as friends, Vanessa has been solely involved with male characters.

In 2013, Finn Barton was introduced as a gay young male. He eventually dates nurse Darren for several months. Robert Sugden returns to the village in 2014 after a 9-year absence, with fiancée Chrissie White. Having previously been known as a womaniser, he has discovered his bisexuality and begun an affair with Aaron Livesy, who had returned to the village several months earlier. Robert's father-in-law, Lawrence, had a relationship with another man many decades earlier, which led to his imprisonment due to homophobic laws. Afterward he only had relationships with women, although he sometimes felt attraction to men. He eventually admitted that while in prison he had been subjected to aversion therapy to try to "cure" his feelings for men, a process that did great damage to him psychologically. In 2016 Lawrence admitted to Chrissie that he had had an open marriage with her late mother, Ellen, and that he was not her biological father. Chrissie found a love letter from Ronnie and thought he could be her father. The letter was actually to Lawrence, and he and Ronnie had been lovers. Knowing that Lawrence would not leave his wife and child, Ronnie ended the relationship even though he loved him.

The character of Bianca, played by Eden Riegel, came out in late 2000, and after a very long time, her mother, Erica Kane, started to accept it. Bianca had a brief relationship with Sarah Livingston. In 2003, ratings rose nearly half a percentage point when news was leaked out that Riegel (Bianca) and Olga Sosnovska (Lena) were to share daytime's first lesbian kiss. Maggie Stone came to Pine Valley in 2002 following the murder of her twin sister Frankie, who also was a love interest for Bianca. Maggie and Bianca developed a close friendship with undercurrents of much deeper feelings. They left Pine Valley together in 2005 for Paris, where they became lovers, both admitting on the show that they were in love with each other.

Zarf is a female transgender character who fell in love with Bianca. Zarf, who was born Freddy Luper, has taken the female name Zoe. Bianca and Zoe left Pine Valley in April, 2007. Zoe returned to her home in London to record an album as a female rock star and complete her transition, Bianca, with her daughter Miranda, returned to Paris and their life there. Bianca returned, with partner Reese Williams. They married, in daytime's first same-sex wedding.^[38] After their split, Bianca eventually became involved with Marissa Chandler.

When AMC was revived in 2013, Reigel returned to the role after a number of years away (from 2010-2011 Bianca had been played by Christina Bennet Lind).^[39] Viewers learned that Marissa had been killed by gunfire and Bianca had spent the last five years mourning her, as well as being mother to Miranda and Gabby.

GH had a number of gay characters in supporting roles, but the first core character and first coming out story belonged to Lucas Jones, son of longtime characters Tony and Bobbie. Lucas struggled with disapproval from his mother, a brief foray into dating, and a gay-bashing before quietly leaving Port Charles.

Late 2012 saw the arrival of nurse Felix DuBois,^[43] eventually followed by scheming lab tech Brad, who had designs on Felix, as well as a number of other men in Port Charles.

Early 2016 includes a storyline in which Kristina Corinthos Davis (daughter of Sonny Corinthos and Alexis Davis) realizes that her sexuality is more complex than she had previously realized (in the past, she had only been attracted to men, but recently became very attracted to a woman). Kristina then comes out to her sister Molly Lansing. In speaking about her own sexuality, Kristina uses the word "bisexual" to describe herself at one point, and later says "my sexuality is fluid." Molly also suggested that Kristina might be pansexual. Kristina has not settled on any particular label for herself.^[44][45]

Todd was the first gay character in the show's 40+ year history. Previously paired with Candice Stowe (Nikki Sanderson) and Sarah Louise Platt (Tina O'Brien), Todd became very confused with his sexuality and kissed Sarah Lou's brother Nick; naysayers argue that the storyline was ill-formed and rewrites the character of Todd completely.
While involved with Sarah, Todd had an affair with nurse Karl Foster. Sean first appeared in the series as a friend of Todd. After Todd's departure, Sean moved in with Todd's family. The character is regularly slated by critics as being a stereotype and token character. Sean has had several stories involving being unlucky in love, including a relationship with a bisexual man named Sonny, who was dating one of his friends, Michelle Connor. Sean has had an on and off relationship with a sonographer, Marcus Dent. In 2012, Marcus began a heterosexual relationship with Maria Connor, but in 2014, he had an affair with Todd (who had returned with a new, very bitter personality) that ended his relationship with Maria. He soon left Weatherfield due to Todd cheating on him. In December 2014, Sean began a controversial relationship with vicar, Billy.^[48]

In 2010, Sophie Webster and her friend Sian became the soap's first lesbian couple. In 2011, Dev Alahan's daughter Amber returned to Weatherfield. Now bisexual, Amber showed interest in Sophie. In 2012 when a car accident put Sophie in the hospital, she met physiotherapist Jenna who she later started a relationship with. They split up and in early 2014, Sophie began a relationship with Maddie Heath.

Luke is the son of popular couple Holden and Lily and came out to his parents in May 2006. He had had a crush on his best friend, Kevin Davis, for a while, but Kevin initially rejected Luke once his sexuality came out. After Luke saved his life, however, Kevin decided to accept him, though their relationship remained strained. In 2007, Luke met another intern at WOAK named Noah, who initially started dating Maddie Coleman before coming out to be with Luke. The couple broke up in March 2010, and Luke becomes attracted to the doctor who saves Noah's eyesight. Reid is hit by a train following his car stalling at a railroad crossing. He dies in the hospital. Noah returns to comfort Luke but Noah decides to move to Los Angeles to pursue his directing career, while Luke decides to stay where he is despite being invited to Los Angeles by Noah.