8 LGBTQ+ Couples That Left An Impact In Television 

8 LGBTQ+ Couples That Left An Impact In Television 

By: Abbie Overdorf 

When watching a television series, whether that's a sitcom or a drama, romance is often a significant aspect. Up until recently, LGBTQ+ couples weren’t generally present. Having representation is very important so that everyone who watches can relate in one way or another. From Santana and Brittany on Glee to David and Patrick on Schitt’s Creek, there are many LGBTQ+ couples in the media that have left an impact. 

1. Santana and Brittany - Glee 

With Glee being a musical comedy-drama in 2009, airing on FOX Network, one would think Santana and Brittany’s relationship would be seen as comedic relief. While the couple did have a few humorous moments, they also had an amazing development arc. Their love was realistic, with no unnecessary drama. Both characters took their time to figure out their feelings and embrace their sexuality, as they didn’t get together until season three. 

While Santana was figuring out her sexuality, she would often lash out at anyone to keep herself and her identity protected. She was afraid of how the world would treat her, and we, as the viewers, could feel the anger and anxiety she was dealing with. When Santana came out to her very conservative Latino grandmother, it was a very sad, yet powerful and relatable scene. Santana’s coming out scene shows us the struggles of coming out to a family member. We can feel how hopeful she is to tell her grandmother, only for her to be told she should have kept it a secret. This scene, and many other moments, provided members of the queer community with a relatable occurrence—coming out to one’s family—as well as the confidence to come out. 

Throughout the show, it was always hinted at from the start that Brittany was a part of the LGBTQ+ community. In season one, episode thirteen, Brittany joked, “If sex was dating, Santana and I would be dating.” Even though Brittany didn’t have a coming out scene like Santana, watchers can see her feelings for Santana unfold as the series goes on. Brittany might have been with a few guys throughout the show, but she would always end up with Santana in the end. 

Santana and Brittany were two consistent and regular female characters who were a part of the LGBTQ+ community. The couple explored very common and difficult situations that many teens go through. Santana’s journey came with fear and confusion as well as honesty and realness. Their sweet love was felt through screens all around the world, leaving an impact like no other. 

2. Kurt and Blaine - Glee 

Glee was one of the first TV shows to have LGBTQ+ representation, one being Santana and Brittany and another being Kurt and Blaine. Kurt’s journey was nothing but humor and hurt as he struggled with being bullied. 

Blaine wasn’t brought onto the series until season two and ultimately had the best introduction, as he is the first person Kurt meets when transferring to his new school, Dalton Academy, in season two, episode six. In this scene, everyone’s rushing to a room, waiting for the Warblers—Dalton’s glee club—to break out in song. Blaine goes on to tell Kurt that the members of the Warblers are considered important, unlike at his old school. Blaine and Kurt had an instant connection when they first met that viewers could feel through the screen as we watched them run down the hallway to see the impromptu performance. Later in that episode, Kurt asks Blaine, along with two other students, if everyone in the glee club is gay. With only two of them having girlfriends, Blaine has no problem telling Kurt he is gay. Blaine was like a breath of fresh air to the series, as we were able to see how secure he was in his sexuality. 

Kurt and Blaine gave the queer community strength and courage as we watched them transition from teenagers to adulthood. Both characters had loved ones who accepted and supported them. Watching Kurt stand up to his bully and never once change himself was very impactful. Their relationship was a bit rocky at some points, as both characters did cheat on each other, but they always found their way back to each other, overcoming whatever struggle they faced.

3. Stef and Lena - The Fosters 

In 2013, Stef and Lena quickly became the on-screen mothers everyone loved. The Fosters was one of the first shows to have same-sex parents being the sole focus of a drama and not a sitcom. The series, airing on ABC Family (later Freeform), showed the couple doing the same everyday activities and having normal discussions as if they were any other couple. 

The Fosters never shied away from a difficult topic. Viewers watched the complications Stef and Lena’s one adopted child, Jesus, experienced when his girlfriend’s parents had a problem with him having two moms. Since his girlfriend’s parents were Catholic, their beliefs clashed with Stef and Lena’s sexual orientation. Not only was it a learning situation for each set of parents, it brought a realness to the series, showing what could happen when couples come from families with different values. 

Stef and Lena presented a positive representation of families with different backgrounds, sexualities, and ethnicities. They set appropriate rules for their children as well as suitable consequences. Viewers can argue that the couple's dynamic was a bit stereotypical, with Stef being the more masculine one and Lena being the more feminine one. Either way, their portrayal built confidence and self-respect among others with same-sex parents.

4. David and Patrick - Schitt’s Creek 

When the Rose family suddenly lost all their money and assets, forcing them to move to a town they bought as a joke, their son, David Rose, never thought he would find love. That was until Patrick came along and stole his heart.

David and Patrick are one of the healthiest gay couples on television. Their love has made watchers of the 2015 show empathetic and understanding. In the series, we see the couple facing normal relationship struggles, like introducing a significant other to the family and making tough decisions about their future. Unlike in Glee with Kurt and Blaine, there is no storyline about homophobia or being unliked by the townspeople. With this support from the town, David and Patrick are not viewed as the “gay couple,” but treated as a non-standout thing. They’re a couple that everyone roots for. 

The acceptance that is shown on screen is very reassuring for the LGBTQ+ community. There is no hint of negativity in their relationship, as they communicate and learn to understand each other, which is rare in TV shows. David and Patrick are just two guys who love each other very much. Their fondness for each other is natural, and full of warmth and love that we can feel through our screens. 

5. Willow and Tara - Buffy The Vampire Slayer 

There is no doubt that Willow and Tara charmed their way into our hearts as the first lesbian couple to appear on screen in the late 90s and early 2000s. Their relationship was built on angst, pining, and tons of metaphors until seasons four and five of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, where we were able to see their love story begin openly. 

Even though their relationship was built on metaphors since the couple could not kiss or hold hands due to The WB and UPN (later The CW) censors, their love was taken seriously. They weren’t looked at as comedic relief between their friends but were accepted by them. Their connection was spiritual before physical, making their transition to being a couple seamless. We watched as Tara was the first to see Willow's true power. Before Willow introduced Tara to her friend group in season four, they had a touching moment about how Willow isn’t ready to share Tara, wanting to have something that is just hers. Tara goes on to say, “I am, you know. Yours.” When sharing their first kiss, it wasn’t made out to be some big moment that overshadowed the entire episode. It was looked at as normal. 

Willow and Tara have made people of the LGBTQ+ community feel accepted, normal, and as though they could love whoever they want to love. They were normalized from the beginning and at a time when there was little representation. Their love will forever live in our hearts. 

6. Nick and Charlie - Heartstopper 

Nick and Charlie from Heartstopper have captured what it feels like to have a teen crush in the year 2022. Their slow-burn relationship is portrayed in a sensitive, but realistic way. We watch as Nick starts to figure out his sexuality when he becomes closer to Charlie, who is already out. The normalities of this shows viewers that we’re allowed to have normal teenage developmental milestones and a supportive self-discovery journey. 

Through Nick’s journey, we watch as he has a difficult time at first when embracing his sexuality because he is the stereotypical jock. He tries to restore the friendship with his rugby teammates and still be with Charlie. With this, it shows that the LGBTQ+ community still faces a lot of rejection, not just from society but as well as certain groups within society.  

Nick and Charlie portray the early days of sincere, sweet young love. They balance real-life issues, like being outed to the entire school, as well as their romance together without making it a big deal. Their romance is important, but the foundation of how they get to it is equally as important. This shows that it’s not always easy, especially with young love. Viewers can connect to them through their struggles as well as being able to see love as wholesome and gentle. 

7. Elena and Syd - One Day At A Time 

One Day At A Time is a TV show from 2017 inspired by the 1975 series of the same name. This series hits on all different types of topics and themes, one being Elena disclosing her sexuality to her family. At first, we see Elena dating a boy, which makes her question her sexuality. When she finally comes to terms with the fact that she’s a lesbian, Elena has a hard time telling her Cuban-American family. Elena’s mom embraces her after she comes out, but her father dismisses her. When she tells her grandmother, who is extremely Catholic, she processes her coming out in less than ten seconds before choosing her granddaughter over her conservative values. 

Elena and Syd are two peas in a pod. In season two, episode three, Syd reveals that she is gay after asking Elena if she wants to split a cookie, which in return has Elena confessing she’s gay too. With Elena being a lesbian and Syd being nonbinary, Elena’s family doesn’t fully understand it all but still supports her anyway. As we watch Elena and Syd move further with their relationship, more and more fears arise in Elena. One Day At A Time did an amazing job of representing how messy it is to navigate sex, love, and consent as a teen. Syd’s response to Elena’s fears about intimacy is not only reassuring to her but shows that Syd is in the relationship for who Elena is. They keep their sexual history to themself so that Elena doesn’t feel pressured to be intimate.

Throughout the series, Syd’s pronouns, they/them, are shown clearly when talking about them. However, Syd is also referred to as Elena’s “girlfriend” by the grandmother and mom. Justina Machado (Penelope) and Isabella Gomez (Elena) have talked about how using that term felt like the right choice. After season two premiered there was a bit of backlash as well as positivity about the term. A nonbinary fan reached out, saying, “Hey, I have a girlfriend and she calls me her girlfriend and that’s just what we do.” Syd’s portrayal of being nonbinary, along with Elena’s family’s reaction, is realistic in the sense that the Alvarez family is doing their best as well as representing nonbinary people everywhere. 

Elena and Syd show us what openness and compassion look like in a queer relationship. We can feel the anxieties Elena is going through as she prepares herself to come out to her family. Her emotions are raw and real when coming out to her dad, especially when he dismisses her. The relationship between Elena and Syd is great for teens to show them that they are not alone with their issues surrounding coming out to family members. 

8. Mitch and Cam - Modern Family 

From the start of the series in 2009, Mitch and Cam are already seen in a loving, committed, long-term relationship. They were the first gay household featured on a hit sitcom, having an adopted daughter. Up until season five, Mitch and Cam had not been married. Their wedding episode aired in 2014, a year after same-sex marriage was legalized in California. 

Mitch and Cam are the stereotypical queer couple: they’re flamboyant and feminine, obsessed with decorating and Broadway shows. They’re highly emotional as well as uncoordinated and disinterested in sports. It’s clear that they love the lifestyle they live, and it lets viewers know that it’s not necessarily a bad thing to be like them or live how they live. You don’t have to be the stereotypical queer character in your life, but if you are, Mitch and Cam show us that it’s okay to be. They’re themselves in their own way, making us love them even more. 

Even though some of Cam’s family was homophobic, making them pretend to be friends at family gatherings for their safety, Mitch and Cam still gave us a positive representation of an LGBTQ+ family. They have made a family of their own, showing us how they overcome issues that people in the queer community actually experience. 

These couples are just eight of many LGBTQ+ couples featured in TV shows today. As more series come out, more characters that represent the queer community are featured, even becoming main characters. These couples listed have become queer icons for the LGBTQ+ community. To be able to see yourself and the struggles you face on screen is impactful. Representation is important, and normalizing these relationships can have a touching effect on the younger generations.