20 Netflix Shows With Awesome Gay Characters

Scroll To Top

20 Netflix Shows With Awesome Gay Characters

These LGBTQ+ characters are pretty fun to watch!

Netflix

If you need more gay characters in your life, Netflix is the answer! Here are 20 shows featuring gay men that you can stream right now. For shows featuring lesbian characters, check out this list.

Stranger Things

Netflix

Stranger Things generated a lot of buzz with the heartwarming moment when Will's feelings for Mike are finally revealed, and the way the writers handle the storyline is beautiful.

Élite

Netflix

Élite is a sexy Spanish show that lets everyone salivate over Manu Ríos (and others, as well, but damn, he's just sexy.)

Bonding

Netflix

Although Netflix controversially axed Bonding in 2021, it features Peter (Brendan Scannell) as the gay assistant to Tiff (Zoe Levin), who comes to terms with his exploration in sadomasichism.

AJ and the Queen

Netflix

AJ and the Queen is a one-season wonder featuring none other than RuPaul, who made her Netflix series debut on the show as Ruby Red, a drag queen traveling around America in a rundown RV with an orphan named AJ.

The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself

netflix

The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself features a queer main character in 16-year-old Nathan Byrn (Jay Lycurgo), who's on a perilous journey to end a war in this British coming-of-age story.

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

Netflix

Instead of the talking cat Salem, Netflix's The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina features Ambrose Spellman (Chance Perdomo) as a pansexual warlock in a show that celebrates queerness.

Heartstopper

Netflix

Heartstopper is a disgustingly adorable show that follows two teens, Charlie and Nick, as they navigate both high school and their ever-growing feelings for each other.

Special

Netflix

The Netflix series Special tells the story of Ryan, a gay man with cerebral palsy who decides to shed his victim mentality and go after the life he both wants and deserves.

That 90's Show

Netflix

When Netflix rebooted That 70's Show with the focus on the 90's decade, they introduced us to Ozzie, the witty and sarcastic openly gay teen next door.

Glamorous

Netflix

Kim Cattrall gave everybody life in her role as Madolyn Addison on Glamorous. The show also put Miss Benny on the map and the show is a lot of good fun.

Shameless

Netflix

Shameless explores the tense (and arguably inappropriate) relationship between closeted teen, Ian Gallagher, and his older boss, Kash, with a sensitivity that’s not always characteristic of the show.

How to Get Away With Murder

Fan favorite, Connor Walsh (Jack Falahee), is an openly gay law student. The show’s steamy sex scenes do not disappoint.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Netflix

Roommate of Kimmy Schmidt, Titus Andromedon, has been criticized for playing to gay male stereotypes. Still, Broadway star Titus Burgess brings a little depth and a lot of perfect comedic timing to the role.

The Flash

Netflix

The CW’s reboot of The Flash features Patrick Sabongui as sarcastic, hardboiled Central City Police Captain David Singh, who comes out in an off-hand comment.

Degrassi: The Next Class

netflix

Degrassi: Next Class handles LGBT storylines like it handles all Big Issue storylines—with all the subtlety of a peacock swallowing a live grenade. However, the show does feature two regular gay characters, Tristan and Vijay.

The Vampire Diaries

Netflix

You’ll have to get through (or skip through) the first four seasons of The Vampire Diaries to see the first major gay character, but Luke Parker (Chris Brochu) is worth the wait.

Gossip Girl

Netflix

Serena van der Woodsen’s little brother, Eric van der Woodson, comes out over the course of the show, though he rarely gets enough screen time.

House of Cards

Netflix

Though Frank Underwood and many of his male conquests (let’s not call them relationships) are bisexual, the Michael Corrigan storyline in Season Three is horrifying, heart wrenching, and completely worth the watch.

Sense8

Netflix

Though technically all of sensates are pansexual according to the show’s creators, closeted actor Lito and his boyfriend Hernando, who really knows how to do the glasses/beard thing, deserve a shout out.

Skins

Netflix

The first and second season of Skins gave us Maxxie Oliver, a gay young adult character who is actually popular, talented, and fairly well-adjusted. That shouldn’t be a big deal, but unfortunately, it kind of is.