This is a list of gay characters in fiction, i.e. characters that either self-identify as gay or have been identified by outside parties to be gay, becoming part of gay media. Listed characters are either recurring characters, cameos, guest stars, or one-off characters, some of which may be gay icons. This page does not include gay characters in animation, feature films or television.
For fictional characters in other parts of the LGBTQ community, see the lists of trans, bisexual, lesbian, non-binary, pansexual, aromantic, asexual, and intersex characters.
The names are organized alphabetically by surname (i.e. last name), or by single name if the character does not have a surname. If more than two characters are in one entry, the last name of the first character is used.
Graphic novels
Characters Title Years Notes Country Corinthian 1989–2015 The Corinthian is a nightmare created by Dream. He has two additional mouths in place of his eyes, which he covers with sunglasses. In The Doll's House, he goes AWOL from the dreamscape and becomes a serial killer who invites men to have sexual relations with him, then murders them. Corinthian then removes the eyes of their victims and eats them using his eye-mouths. Neil Gaiman has stated that the Corinthian is homosexual in The Sandman Companion, wherein the first Corinthian consumed eyes only of boys. The second Corinthian is featured with a boyfriend as written by Caitlin R. Kiernan in the Dreaming. EnglandDads of Charlotte "Charlie" The Witch Boy 2017They are the dads of Charlie, a tomboy. They appear in all three graphic novels as recurring characters and are the only explicitly LGBTQ characters shown in the graphic novels. United States The Hidden Witch 2018 The Midwinter Witch 2019 Iceman All-New X-Men 2002–present All New X-Men #40 (2015) contains a pivotal moment where Iceman/Bobby Drake (as a younger version of himself) is informed by Jean Grey that his thoughts reveal his homosexuality. The scene plays out with Bobby wondering why his older self (the one in present-day X-Men comics) dated women for so long; he ponders bi-sexuality before being told, unequivocally, that he is in fact gay. United States Jayesh "Jay" Lucifer 2000–2006 Jay is a friend of Jill Presto. Jay is interested in a man named Karl, unaware that Karl is a homophobic neo-Nazi. Jay asks Karl out, after being encouraged by Jill. Afterwards, Karl and other men and beat Jay up in a dark alley. United Kingdom Kevin Keller Veronica 1989–2011 First appearance: Veronica #202 (2010). Kevin was first eyed by Veronica who did not realize he was gay. He has since become a part of the gang.United States Kid Juggernaut Marvel Comics 2024-present Justin Jin is a friendly and confident Korean-Canadian superhero with superhuman strength. He is a successor to the supervillain Juggernaut. He is also openly gay. Andy Lippincott Doonsbury 1970–present First appearance: 1976. Andy Lippincott was the first openly gay character to appear in a mainstream comic strip. MidnighterMidnighter & Midnighter2006–2008 & 2015–2016Midnighter is one of DC Comics' most prominent gay superheroes and his relationship with Apollo is one of the most prominent gay relationships in DC Comics. Apollo Northstar Uncanny X-Men 1963–2015 First appearance: Uncanny X-Men #120 (1979). Northstar was the first openly gay superhero in the Marvel Comics universe. Lawrence Poirier For Better or For Worse 1979–2008 In 1993, Lawrence Poirier's coming out generated controversy, with readers opposed to homosexuality threatening to cancel newspaper subscriptions. See also: For Better or For Worse#Lawrence comes out. Canada Arnie Roth Marvel comics 1982-present The oldest friend and mentor of Steve Rogers. United States Thomas WernerThomas no Shinzō1974–1975Set in a German boys boarding school, the story relates how, after Thomas' suicide, an upper classman, Yuri, finds a love letter Thomas wrote to him, and then meets a new student, Eric, who looks just like Thomas.Japan Julusmole Bayhan ("Juli" or "Yuli") Eric Fruehling Andrew Wells Buffy the Vampire Slayer comics 1998–present Andrew realizes he is gay in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Ten. United States Wiccan Marvel Comics 1986-present Wiccan is a superhero and the son of Scarlet Witch. He falls in love with and marries Hulkling. United States
Literature
Characters Work Author Year DescriptionAchilles The Song of AchillesMadeline Miller2011Achilles is gay, showing no interest in girls, while Patroclus is bisexual, saying he would fall in love with Briseis if not for Achilles. Assorted charactersTales of the City series1978–2014 While the original series featured gay and bisexual characters who "kissed on camera and had sex in bathhouses," in the Netflix adaption of this series, Shawna is "explicitly bisexual character." BrysenBlack Wings BeatingAlex London2018 Brysen is a teenager on a quest to hunt down a giant, monstrous black eagle. Throughout the book, he shows exclusive romantic interest in men. David Giovanni's Room 1956 David, a protagonist of the book, escapes death from the guillotine since his "homosexual urges were experimental in nature" while the narrator is cited as a gay character as well.Also see page 2 and Other gay characters include Giovanni, Jacques, and Guillaume. Dino The Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried Shaun David Hutchinson 2019 Dino is a curmudgeonly and bookish Puerto Rican teenager who discovers that his estranged best friend July has risen from the grave. Dino also has a boyfriend. Wylan Van Eck Six of Crows duology 2015–2016Jesper is bisexual, and Wylan is gay; they begin dating each other by the end of the duology, while Nina has also been confirmed to be pansexual. Alucard Emery Shades of Magic trilogy 2015–17 Rhy is bisexual while Alucard is gay. They had a fling three years prior the events of the books. Victoria Schwab actually stated multiple times that in her eyes none of the characters are straight, but that is not mentioned in the series.Jack ForsterWhat Happened to Mr. Forster?1989 A sixth-grade teacher who is fired for being gay.1995 Dorian GrayThe Picture of Dorian Gray1890 Dorian is ambivalent about his homosexuality, meeting with male prostitutes, and proposes to a woman in an effort to suppress his homosexuality. Basil Hallward In this novel, Basil has a "repressed homosexuality" while Dorian has his own ambivalence, meeting with male prostitutes, even proposing to Sybil Vane in an attempt to suppress his homosexual feelings.Basil Henderson Invisible Life1991 Basil leaves his fiancée Yancey at the altar and pursues a gay lifestyle. Just As I Am1995 Abide With Me1999 Any Way the Wind Blows2001 Joel Harrison Knox Other Voices, Other Rooms 1948 Joel is an "effeminate adolescent," with the narrative showing him have a desire for his cousin, Randolph. Oshima Kafka on the Shore 2002 Oshima is a 21-year-old intellectual gay trans man who is a librarian and owner of a cabin in the mountains near Komura Memorial Library. He becomes the mentor of Kafka as he guides him to the answers that he's seeking on his journey. Rafi The Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried Shaun David Hutchinson 2019 Rafi is a kind-hearted and handsome but deeply insecure Pakistani-American teenager. He is also transgender and has a boyfriend. Randolph Other Voices, Other Rooms 1948 Randolph is a cousin of Joel, and a person that Joel has romantic feelings for. RichardThe Hours1998In this novel, which has strong parallels with Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway, Clarissa rejects a relationship with Richard, a gay man, for the love of her life, Sally, who is invigorated by this love. Louis is also Richard's former lover, with Richard later taking his own life, while Clarissa comes to a full realization of her own identity. Louis Jack Twist "Brokeback Mountain" (short story)1997Jack and Ennis have a long term sexual and romantic relationship despite both being married to women and fathering children. Jack also has sexual relationships with other men and a woman, while Ennis does not. Critics have described both men as gay or variably Jack as bisexual and Ennis as heterosexual. Ennis del Mar Vanyel Arrows of the Queen 1987 Lackey, in making this book, took a stand, refusing the demand of an editor that Vanyel be "straight, or single, or not in the story," and, as such, he is a gay character.
Video games
Characters Series / Title Year Notes Developer Barnaby Billie Bust Up Upcoming The upcoming musical platformer Billie Bust Up features a kooky, ghostly owl named Barnaby. In an official Twitter post for pride month, Barnaby is illustrated with flags that reveal he is gay and on the asexual spectrum.Giddy Goat Games Damien Bloodmarch Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator 2017 In this visual novel and dating sim, Damien Bloodmarch is a gay trans man. Game Grumps Bubbles Angry Birds 2 2015 Bubbles is an optimistic young spot-breasted oriole who loves Halloween. Although incredibly small in stature, he has the ability to drastically increase in body size, similar to the defense mechanism of a pufferfish. In the pride-themed "Better Together" microtransaction, the player can buy him an outfit that includes a gay male pride flag balloon. Rovio Entertainment Gay cop The Longest Journey 1999 This computer game features Fiona and Mickey, a lesbian landlady and her long-time lover. The game also features and a gay cop, with gay characters seen as normal and well adjusted secondary characters. Funcom EladusGuild Wars 22012This MMORPG game includes the sylvari race of plant-like humanoids who don't reproduce sexually. As such, they do not base their relationships upon reproduction, but rather love, sensuality, and finding beauty in one another. Eladus and Dagdar are two young male sylvari in a gay relationship. The player is able to encounter and save Eladus and Dagdar from the Knight Bercilak the Green in an optional quest.ArenaNet Dagdar SaiedCircuit's Edge1989This DOS Interactive fiction and role-playing game includes a variety of gay and transgender characters, including a trans woman named Yasmin with a gay man named Saied alleged to be Yasmin's former lover.Westwood Studios Variety of charactersPercy Billie Bust Up Upcoming The upcoming musical platformer Billie Bust Up features a friendly shopkeeper cat named Percy. In an official Twitter post for pride month, he's illustrated waving a gay male pride flag.Giddy Goat Games Trevor Phantasmagoria 2: A Puzzle of Flesh In this interactive movie, point-and-click adventure, Curtis is the protagonist, who is a close friend with his gay co-worker, Trevor. The two almost kiss later in the game. Sierra On-Line
Webcomics
Characters Name of comic Years Notes Eric Bittle Check, Please! 2013–present This comic by Ngozi Ukazu centers around a gay protagonist on a college hockey team. Jo's dads Lumberjanes 2014–2020 Jo is a trans woman of color with two dads and acts as an "expert on what it means to be a Lumberjane" to the fellow campers. Multiple characters Unsounded 2010–Present This webcomic by Ashley Cope features multiple gay characters. Jeff Olsen Kyle's Bed & Breakfast1998–presentThis comic by Greg Fox covers controversial LGBT topics such as marriage equality, HIV/AIDS, body fascism and conversion therapy. This story features various LGBT characters, such as Jeff Olsen, a gay man with HIV, Mark Masterson, a gay scholar, and Kristian Janson, a Jamaican gay man. Mark Masterson Kristian Janson Other characters Dirk Strider Homestuck 2009-2016 In this webcomic by Andrew Hussie, Dirk Strider states he is only attracted to men. He also dates Jake English, a bisexual man, for a couple months. Rudy StrongwellRain2010–2022This comic by Jocelyn Samara and DiDomenick features a trans girl, Rain, as the main character and other LGBT characters, like a gay man named Rudy Strongwell, and a gay couple (Trevor Kurz and Frank Johnson). Trevor Kurz Frank Johnson
See also
Gay pulp fiction