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OUTOUT

A Timeline of (Nearly) Every LGBTQ Couple in TV History

By Out.com Editors
A Timeline of (Nearly) Every LGBTQ Couple in TV History
A Timeline of (Nearly) Every LGBTQ Couple in TV History

I remember how exciting it was whenever a gay TV character A) existed, and B.) got into a relationship. My earliest memory was probably Doug and Clayton on The Golden Girls. Blanche's gay brother Clayton was back in town and getting married to a hot, mustachioed cop named Doug. Blanche, who had previously dealt with Clayton's coming out a few seasons prior, still had trouble wrapping her head around the whole gay thing. Naturally, she came around by the end of the episode, and Doug and Clayton presumably lived happily ever after. And I wondered what they did after they left Miami, what their life was like, if they were happy, if Blanche and the girls ever visited. It was as much and as real a relationship for me as if I had experienced it myself. I waited in front of my TV for other same-sex couples to validate the feelings I had but could not vocalize, to show me that it was possible to find love and be happy as a gay man. But they were few and far between. 

Now, there are more LGBTQ couples on TV than I can keep track of—there are over 100 in this slideshow alone, and that's not even including British shows (I got tired). I was surprised, and more than a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of queer couplings, some I had never heard of from shows I had never watched. It was also incredibly heartening to see how far visibility has come and how varied, honest, and diverse depictions of LGBTQ couples have become.

Couples went from being platonic friends who rarely touched, let alone kissed one another, to fully realized people with passions and hurts that, rather importantly, had sex. Just like straight couples on TV have been doing since Lucy and Ricky pushed their beds together. 

So what defines a couple? Well, if I knew that, I wouldn't be single. But in terms of this slideshow, a relationship means not an affair and more than just a hook-up (for so speaketh Beyoncé: ashes to ashes, dust to sidechicks). A one-off appearance is fine, just as long as it's established that the couple in question has been together before or will continue to be together after their appearance. 

I'm sure I've missed some couples here and there, because there's just too much LGBTQ love on TV—who knew that could ever be a (bad) thing?—so let me know if I've omitted anyone in the comments below. 

Click through the gallery for a definitive timeline of LGBTQ couples in TV history!

— Les Fabian Brathwaite

 

Jodie and Dennis,
Jodie and Dennis, "Soap" (1977)
Steven and Luke,
Steven and Luke, "Dynasty" (1984)
Clayton and Doug,
Clayton and Doug, "The Golden Girls" (1991)
Nancy and Marla,
Nancy and Marla, "Roseanne" (1992)
Nancy and Sharon,
Nancy and Sharon, "Roseanne" (1994)
Susan and Carol,
Susan and Carol, "Friends" (1994)
Leon and Scott,
Leon and Scott, "Roseanne" (1995)
Ellen and Laurie,
Ellen and Laurie, "Ellen" (1997)
Chuck and Geoffrey,
Chuck and Geoffrey, "Strangers with Candy" (1999)
Willow and Tara,
Willow and Tara, "Buffy" (2000)
Will and Matt,
Will and Matt, "Will and Grace" (2000)
David and Michael,
David and Michael, "Queer as Folk" (2000)
Lindsay and Melanie,
Lindsay and Melanie, "Queer as Folk" (2000)
Jack and Ethan,
Jack and Ethan, "Dawson's Creek" (2000)
Justin and Brian,
Justin and Brian, "Queer as Folk" (2000)
David and Keith,
David and Keith, "Six Feet Under" (2001)
Jack and Tobey,
Jack and Tobey, "Dawson’s Creek" (2001)
Ted and Blake,
Ted and Blake, "Queer as Folk" (2001)
Samantha and Maria,
Samantha and Maria, "Sex and the City" (2001)
Ethan and Justin,
Ethan and Justin, "Queer as Folk" (2002)
Stanford and Marcus,
Stanford and Marcus, "Sex and the City" (2002)
Jack and David,
Jack and David, "Dawson’s Creek" (2002)
Omar and Brandon,
Omar and Brandon, "The Wire" (2002)
Ben and Michael,
Ben and Michael, "Queer as Folk" (2002)
Mr. Garrison and Mr. Slave,
Mr. Garrison and Mr. Slave, "South Park" (2002)
Jack and Doug,
Jack and Doug, "Dawson’s Creek" (2003)
Ted and Emmett,
Ted and Emmett, "Queer as Folk" (2003)
Willow and Kennedy,
Willow and Kennedy, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (2003)
Omar and Dante,
Omar and Dante, "The Wire" (2003)
Bette and Tina,
Bette and Tina, "The L Word" (2004)
Emmett and Drew,
Emmett and Drew, "Queer as Folk" (2004)
Jack and Stuart,
Jack and Stuart, "Will & Grace" (2004)
Will and Vince,
Will and Vince, "Will and Grace" (2004)
Jenny and Marina,
Jenny and Marina, "The L Word" (2004)
Dana and Alice,
Dana and Alice, "The L Word" (2004)
Marco and Dylan,
Marco and Dylan, "Degrassi: The Next Generation" (2004)
Marissa and Alex,
Marissa and Alex, "The OC" (2005)
Greg and Terry,
Greg and Terry, "American Dad" (2005)
Alex and Trey,
Alex and Trey, "Noah's Arc" (2005)
Chance and Eddie,
Chance and Eddie, "Noah's Arc" (2005)
Noah and Wade,
Noah and Wade, "Noah's Arc" (2005)
Shane and Carmen,
Shane and Carmen, "The L Word" (2005)
Ricky and Junito,
Ricky and Junito, "Noah's Arc" (2005)
Big Gay Al and Mr. Slave,
Big Gay Al and Mr. Slave, "South Park" (2005)
Oscar and Gil,
Oscar and Gil, "The Office" (2006)
Will and James,
Will and James, "Will and Grace" (2006)
Paige and Alex,
Paige and Alex, "Degrassi: The Next Generation" (2006)
Omar and Renaldo,
Omar and Renaldo, "The Wire" (2006)
Kevin and Scotty,
Kevin and Scotty, "Brothers and Sisters" (2006)
Tasha and Alice,
Tasha and Alice, "The L Word" (2007)
Brian and Steve,
Brian and Steve, "The Sarah Silverman Program" (2007)
Kevin and Jason,
Kevin and Jason, "Brothers and Sisters" (2007)
Rick and Steve,
Rick and Steve, "Rick and Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in All the World" (2007)
Calvin and Heath,
Calvin and Heath, "Greek" (2007)
Marc and Cliff,
Marc and Cliff, "Ugly Betty" (2007)
Eric and Jonathan,
Eric and Jonathan, "Gossip Girl" (2008)
Callie and Arizona,
Callie and Arizona, "Grey’s Anatomy" (2009)
Marc and Troy,
Marc and Troy, "Ugly Betty" (2009)
Mitch and Cam,
Mitch and Cam, "Modern Family" (2009)
April, Ben, and Derek,
April, Ben, and Derek, "Parks and Recreation" (2009)
Emily and Maya,
Emily and Maya, "Pretty Little Liars" (2010)
Sam and Larry,
Sam and Larry, "Caprica" (2010)
Adrianna and Gia,
Adrianna and Gia, "90210" (2010)
Justin and Austin,
Justin and Austin, "Ugly Betty" (2010)
Marshall and Lionel,
Marshall and Lionel, "United States of Tara" (2010)
Lafayette and Jesus,
Lafayette and Jesus, "True Blood" (2010)
Kurt and Blaine,
Kurt and Blaine, "Glee" (2011)
Marshall and Noah,
Marshall and Noah, "United States of Tara" (2011)
Patrick and Chad,
Patrick and Chad, "American Horror Story: Murder House" (2011)
Loras and Renly,
Loras and Renly, "Game of Thrones" (2011)
James and Tom,
James and Tom, "How I Met Your Mother" (2011)
Brittany and Santana,
Brittany and Santana, "Glee" (2011)
Max and Grant,
Max and Grant, "Happy Endings" (2012)
Agron and Nasir,
Agron and Nasir, "Spartacus: Vengeance" (2012)
Ian and Mickey,
Ian and Mickey, "Shameless" (2012)
Oscar and Robert,
Oscar and Robert, "The Office" (2012)
Cyrus and James,
Cyrus and James, "Scandal" (2012)
Elijah and George,
Elijah and George, "Girls" (2012)
Paige and Emily,
Paige and Emily, "Pretty Little Liars" (2012)
Tara and Pam,
Tara and Pam, "True Blood" (2012)
Wendy and Lana,
Wendy and Lana, "American Horror Story: Asylum" (2012)
Bryan and David,
Bryan and David, "The New Normal" (2012)
Cosima and Delphine,
Cosima and Delphine, "Orphan Black" (2013)
Adam and Kurt,
Adam and Kurt, "Glee" (2013)
Stef and Lena,
Stef and Lena, "The Fosters" (2013)
Danny and Ethan,
Danny and Ethan, "Teen Wolf" (2013)
Piper and Alex,
Piper and Alex, "Orange Is the New Black" (2013)
Nolan and Patrick,
Nolan and Patrick, "Revenge" (2013)
Santana and Dani,
Santana and Dani, "Glee" (2013)
Walt and Bennett,
Walt and Bennett, "The Carrie Diaries" (2013)
Nicky and Lorna,
Nicky and Lorna, "Orange is the New Black" (2013)
Patrick and Richie,
Patrick and Richie, "Looking" (2014)
Agustín and Frank,
Agustín and Frank, "Looking" (2014)
Cheryl and Susan,
Cheryl and Susan, "Good Luck Charlie" (2014)
Ray and Kevin,
Ray and Kevin, "Brooklyn 99" (2014)
Shane and Pablo,
Shane and Pablo, "Faking It" (2014)
Elijah and Pal,
Elijah and Pal, "Girls" (2014)
Alison and Emily,
Alison and Emily, "Pretty Little Liars" (2014)
Jude and Zero,
Jude and Zero, "Hit the Floor" (2014)
Brenna and Greer,
Brenna and Greer, "Chasing Life" (2014)
Betty and Helen,
Betty and Helen, "Masters of Sex" (2014)
Sarah and Tammy,
Sarah and Tammy, "Transparent" (2014)
Ali and Dale,
Ali and Dale, "Transparent" (2014)
Luisa and Rose,
Luisa and Rose, "Jane the Virgin" (2014)
Connor and Oliver,
Connor and Oliver, "How to Get Away with Murder" (2014)
Cyrus and Michael,
Cyrus and Michael, "Scandal" (2014)
Shane and Duke,
Shane and Duke, "Faking It" (2014)
Amy and Reagan,
Amy and Reagan, "Faking It" (2014)
Clarke and Lexa,
Clarke and Lexa, "The 100" (2014)

See more LGBTQ TV couples from 2014 to today here.

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A Timeline of (Nearly) Every LGBTQ Couple in TV History
Jodie and Dennis,
Steven and Luke,
Clayton and Doug,
Nancy and Marla,
Nancy and Sharon,
Susan and Carol,
Leon and Scott,
Ellen and Laurie,
Chuck and Geoffrey,
Willow and Tara,
Will and Matt,
David and Michael,
Lindsay and Melanie,
Jack and Ethan,
Justin and Brian,
David and Keith,
Jack and Tobey,
Ted and Blake,
Samantha and Maria,
Ethan and Justin,
Stanford and Marcus,
Jack and David,
Omar and Brandon,
Ben and Michael,
Mr. Garrison and Mr. Slave,
Jack and Doug,
Ted and Emmett,
Willow and Kennedy,
Omar and Dante,
Bette and Tina,
Emmett and Drew,
Jack and Stuart,
Will and Vince,
Jenny and Marina,
Dana and Alice,
Marco and Dylan,
Marissa and Alex,
Greg and Terry,
Alex and Trey,
Chance and Eddie,
Noah and Wade,
Shane and Carmen,
Ricky and Junito,
Big Gay Al and Mr. Slave,
Oscar and Gil,
Will and James,
Paige and Alex,
Omar and Renaldo,
Kevin and Scotty,
Tasha and Alice,
Brian and Steve,
Kevin and Jason,
Rick and Steve,
Calvin and Heath,
Marc and Cliff,
Eric and Jonathan,
Callie and Arizona,
Marc and Troy,
Mitch and Cam,
April, Ben, and Derek,
Emily and Maya,
Sam and Larry,
Adrianna and Gia,
Justin and Austin,
Marshall and Lionel,
Lafayette and Jesus,
Kurt and Blaine,
Marshall and Noah,
Patrick and Chad,
Loras and Renly,
James and Tom,
Brittany and Santana,
Max and Grant,
Agron and Nasir,
Ian and Mickey,
Oscar and Robert,
Cyrus and James,
Elijah and George,
Paige and Emily,
Tara and Pam,
Wendy and Lana,
Bryan and David,
Cosima and Delphine,
Adam and Kurt,
Stef and Lena,
Danny and Ethan,
Piper and Alex,
Nolan and Patrick,
Santana and Dani,
Walt and Bennett,
Nicky and Lorna,
Patrick and Richie,
Agustín and Frank,
Cheryl and Susan,
Ray and Kevin,
Shane and Pablo,
Elijah and Pal,
Alison and Emily,
Jude and Zero,
Brenna and Greer,
Betty and Helen,
Sarah and Tammy,
Ali and Dale,
Luisa and Rose,
Connor and Oliver,
Cyrus and Michael,
Shane and Duke,
Amy and Reagan,
Clarke and Lexa,
Tags: Television, Popnography