For a significant amount of time, many viewers did not see themselves represented on television, as straight white relationships dominated most, if not all, shows.
However, the TV landscape has changed quite a bit in the last couple decades, with shows finally telling queer stories. And with today, Oct. 11, being National Coming Out Day, we felt it was only right to highlight some of these incredible programs.
First up? NBC’s Will & Grace. Though the show had some problematic stereotypes at the heart of it, we just can’t compile a list about groundbreaking LGBTQ+ shows without including Will & Grace. This is mainly because the sitcom was one of the first mainstream shows to have gay characters at the forefront.
The multi-award-winning comedy hit proved that gay characters were just as compelling as their straight counterparts—and opened the door for mature cable shows like The L Word and Queer as Folk.