24 Fictional Characters Who Helped People Realise They Were Queer

"I never watched WWE… but I knew that I wanted the Rock to put me in a full nelson, anytime."

We asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us which TV or film character helped them realise they were queer. Here are some of the best responses.

1. Xena, Xena: Warrior Princess

Getty Images / Renaissance Pictures

"The opening credits where she fondles her boobs had me hooked at 5."

Submitted by Olivia Smith, Facebook.

2. Kurt Hummel, Glee

FOX

"Kurt seemed so similar to my awkward adolescent self that I realized, Oh, I'm totally gay, that explains so much."

Submitted by William Eucker, Facebook.

3. Willow Rosenberg, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

20th Century Fox Television

"I remember thinking how I wanted a girl in long witchy skirts to hold my hand. (Not much has changed.)"

Submitted by Aine Freya, Facebook.

4. Jack McPhee, Dawson's Creek

Sony Pictures

"The moment when Jack is forced to read a homoerotic poem in front of his English class and he cries really got to me. The bravery with which Jack confronted this situation and used it to come out to his father made me so proud to also be gay!"

Submitted by Matty Cormie, Facebook.

5. Dana Scully, The X Files

20th Century Fox Television

"I hope Gillian Anderson knows how many people she helped. National freaking treasure, that woman."

Submitted by Stevo Kolison, Facebook.

6. Jareth the Goblin King, Labyrinth

Lucasfilm

"When I started planning my wedding to David Bowie and the life we would live together, my sexuality could not be denied."

Submitted by Ryan Wildgoose, Facebook.

7. Shane McCutcheon, The L Word

Showtime

"No other words needed except for: HOLY HOT DAMN."

Submitted by Jesse Bartelds, Facebook.

8. Spencer and Ashley, South of Nowhere

TeenNick

"It was watching Spencer and Ashley's relationship develop on South of Nowhere that made me realize that you can have relationships with other women and it's perfectly normal and amazing."

Submitted by Jamie Zaccaria, Facebook.

9. Jules Paxton, Bend It Like Beckham

Redbus Film Distribution / Fox Searchlight Pictures

"Jules was just so hot and so good at football and one of the reasons I actually begged my parents to let me start playing. Honestly this is one of my favourite movies for lesbian subtext, and in my head this film ended with Jules and Jess getting together."

Submitted by Saffron Mackie, Facebook

10. Brittany and Santana, Glee

FOX

"I feel like we went through a journey together because when Santana got married to Brittany, I finally started feeling comfortable with myself and came out to the people closest to me."

Submitted by jewelkitty.

11. Susanna Kaysen, Girl Interrupted

Columbia Pictures

"I realised how not into her relationship with Toby I was and how much I wanted Susanna and Lisa to, basically, do more kissing."

Submitted by hlspencer47.

12. The Rock, WWE

Getty Images / WWE

"My family were big fans off wrestling. I knew I was gay when all the women in my family cheered seeing The Rock/Dwayne Johnson come out in practically nothing and I secretly wanted to cheer too."

Submitted by bkyle.

13. Lara Croft, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

Paramount Pictures

"I’d always been curious about other girls, but this confirmed to me that I liked girls as well as boys. She just oozed confidence and strength and I wanted to be her! That gave me the confidence to be myself. My husband thinks it’s pretty cool that we had the same teenage crush!"

Submitted by ruthannee.

14. Megan and Graham, But I’m a Cheerleader

Lionsgate

"I sat two inches away from the screen with the sound on mute at 2am (this was in the dark ages before on-demand), and while I didn’t have all the words for it, I knew that Clea and I had more than a rocking bob in common."

Submitted by jessicah462ca9f51.

15. Jillian Holtzmann, Ghostbusters

Columbia Pictures

"Kate McKinnon in Ghostbusters makes me wish I was a sexually confused 9-year-old just figuring it out."

Submitted by littlemurrysparkles.

16. Lucy Diamond, D.E.B.S.

Screen Gems

"I still crush hard on her character to this day. I could watch her lip-synch 'A Little Respect' endlessly."

Submitted by arewethereyeti.

17. Emily and Naomi, Skins

E4

"The Naomi-and-Emily storyline in Skins took the wind right out of me – why couldn’t I stop thinking about this silly TV romance? I was randomly introduced to another fan who supported me through that short roller coaster of revelations. By chance, she turned out to be the absolute love of my life and if it wasn’t for that show and that storyline I wouldn’t be married to the most amazing woman. The past six years have been the best years of my life. Thanks to Skins. I owe Skins so much."

Submitted by carlap4b86797ee.

18. Jennifer, Jennifer's Body

20th Century Fox

"Literally anything with Megan Fox in it got me thinking, Well, maybe I’m bi, and here we are today."

Submitted by EGOfficial.

19. Alex Vause, Orange Is the New Black

Netlfix

"Watching that episode where she puts her glasses on top of her head and tells Doggett, 'I will fuck you' – I was all, 'Yes, please. Where do I sign up!'"

Submitted by rmccollum1189.

20. Callie and Arizona, Grey's Anatomy

ABC

"Arizona Robbins and Callie on Grey’s Anatomy. Don’t get me wrong, I guess I always kind of knew I was into girls, but seeing these two characters together kind of made it click for me. Forever my favourite couple on Grey’s."

Submitted by kezzygill.

21. Casper McFadden, Casper

Universal Pictures

"I was 9 years old when I saw Casper at the drive-in theater. As soon as Devon Sawa began to descend the staircase at the end of the movie, my little-boy heart skipped a beat and I had 'stirrings' I was not prepared for! I don’t know if it was the puffy white pirate-ish shirt or the quintessential '90s haircut that did it for me, but I knew in that very moment that I wanted to love that boy forever."

Submitted by tylerl4c031c2f7.

22. Missy Pantone, Bring It On

Universal Pictures

"I was like 5 years old when I saw it, and to this day, I still want her to bring it on.”

Submitted by kadijak2.

23. Stuart, Queer As Folk

Channel 4

"Stuart was sexy, confident, successful, and just so cool. That show really changed my life, and it helped teenage me accept myself."

Submitted by Sam Stuart Arthur Walker, Facebook.

24. Peter Pan, Peter Pan

Universal Pictures

"The year was 2003. I was about 12. I saw Jeremy Sumpter in Peter Pan and I fell in love for the first time. To this day I have an unreasoning dislike for Rachel Hurd-Wood. Bitch stole my boyfriend."

Submitted by Tzaph.

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Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.