Pride on TV: Netflix’s Orange is the New Black, RuPaul’s Drag Race, DC Comics’ Supergirl, Ellen Degeneres’ 90s coming out and 16 more small screen wins for LGBT representation
- Celebrate Pride Month by looking back at LGBT moments on American TV since the 1970s, from Pose and Modern Family to Queer Eye and Queer as Folk
- When Joe Biden endorsed marriage equality in 2012, he even cited the influence of Primetime Emmy Award-winning NBC comedy Will & Grace
Less than 25 years ago in the US, the very idea of a TV star and her sitcom character identifying as lesbian was earth-shaking, as Ellen DeGeneres’ coming-out announcement became a major national story.
“The Puppy” episode of ABC’s Ellen, which aired in April 1997, was one of the biggest milestones in the recognition of LGBTQ+ actors, characters and storylines on television in the US.
In the years before and since, American TV has had a mixed record in portraying (and including) LGBTQ+ characters and actors.
Pride Month provides an important opportunity to focus on TV portrayals that helped viewers gain greater understanding of, or reflected the evolving attitudes of, the public.
TV’s increasing inclusivity is evidenced by series such as Fox’s 9-1-1: Lone Star, Hulu’s Love, Victor and Showtime’s Billions, and reflects the growing influence of prolific producers including Greg Berlanti, Ryan Murphy and Shonda Rhimes. Let’s have a look at the major milestones ...
All in the Family (1971-79)
Living up to its trailblazing reputation, Norman Lear’s legendary comedy became the first sitcom with a storyline featuring a gay character in 1971, as bigoted Archie has trouble believing an old buddy is gay. While many showrunners remained hesitant at the time, Lear introduced LGBTQ+ characters in his other shows too, including a gay couple on Hot L Baltimore (1975); a trans woman on The Jeffersons (1977); and a trans main character on the short-lived All That Glitters (1977).
That Certain Summer (1972)
Three years after the Stonewall Uprising in New York marked a turning point in the battle for LGBTQ+ rights, this ABC movie of the week offered what many consider the first compassionate portrayal of a same-sex couple (played by Hal Holbrook and Martin Sheen).
An American Family (1973)