The Most Iconic Queer Characters Of The Last 5 Years

This is for the Editorial Fellowship. We sound off on some of the most iconic queer characters from your favorite television shows and films of the past five years. As the representation of queer people in media increases, we've seen some of the coolest, quirkiest, and most authentic characters to date. And it can only go up from here. Here we list off the moments that make them truly legendary.

Blanca Rodriguez-Evangelista from Pose (2018-present)

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Blanca Rodriguez-Evangelista's character from Pose, portrayed by M.J. Rodriguez, is one of the most iconic on the list because she represents and embodies a universal experience in the queer community—finding chosen family. Within the Black trans community, ball culture is a huge component of the queer experience. She begins her own house to compete in these balls, but most importantly to provide a space for young and vulnerable queer youth to express themselves. Rodriguez is the mother figure that most, if not all of the other queer characters on the show craved, providing shelter, encouragement, and solace to her children. She helps them stay clean, find job opportunities, and pushes them to pursue their passions despite their circumstances. And she does all of this while HIV-positive. Talk about a strong woman!

Honorable Mentions: Angel Evangelista and Pray Tell

Casey Gardner from Atypical (2017-present)

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It's rare to find adequate bisexual representation on television, the characters often falling into the tropes of being wishy-washy, indecisive cheaters, but Casey Gardner's androgynous character from Atypical is actively trying to figure out who she is and what she wants. But the catch is that she truly cares for both people that she is interested in (Izzie and Evan) and doesn't want to hurt either of them while trying to discover herself. It's also rare to find a queer character whose storyline doesn't center solely on their sexuality, but with Gardner, it also focuses on her relationships with her parents and her Autistic brother Sam along with her track star ambitions and the sports scholarship she needs to keep to stay at her private school. And a bonus: Gardner's character is portrayed by non-binary actor Brigette Lundy-Paine.

Elena Alvarez from One Day At A Time (2017-present)

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Elena Alverez, portrayed by Isabella Gomez, is a passionate activist, political aficionado, and a stickler for the rules. As a masculine-presenting gay Latinx woman, one of her most iconic moments was in an episode where she was conflicted about what to wear to her Quinceañera and decides upon a classic all-white suit for the big occasion. Feeling incredibly uncomfortable and unlike herself in the puffy gowns that her grandmother and mom initially insisted on, she decides to put her own personal twist on Latinx beauty standards and actively defies the norms by choosing to dress for herself despite the consequences. And if that doesn't make you love her, there's another entire episode where she and her partner spend copious amounts of time trying to find the perfect gender-neutral term of endearment for her non-binary partner Syd, ultimately deciding on "syd-nificant other." Clever, right?

Eric Effiong from Sex Education (2019-present)

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As a feminine presenting gay man, Effiong gets a lot of flack from his family and from his bullies, but ultimately does what he wants and dresses how he wants despite the criticism, harassment, and violence he faces. His most iconic moment centers around deciding to attend the school dance in an ornate suit, headwrap, and heels and bright glittery makeup after having experienced a horrendous discriminatory attack while wearing drag for an event he was supposed to attend with his best friend Otis. His father, though eventually accepting of his style choices and fashion sense, is worried about a secondary attack on his son and urges him not to wear the more feminine outfit to the dance, but after a heartfelt talk with Effiong, sharing his fears about fitting in in a foreign country and admitting to learning from his "brave son," he embraces him for who he is. And despite the attack, Effiong wears his style proudly, boldly, and confidently throughout the duration of the show's current two seasons.

Honorable Mentions: Ola Nyman, Lily Iglehart, and Adam Groff.

Marianne and Héloïse from Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

Portrait of a Lady on Fire / Via emilyvdw.substack.com

The tension between this pair is unbeatable. As a film that was written, directed, and acted out by queer people, you can feel the authenticity that went into making it. When watching this movie, you are drawn into the electricity of the relationship between Marianne and Héloïse, played by Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel respectively, and can feel the palpable passion between them. Despite the consequences, they embark on a beautiful love affair. Though you don't actually see the pair having sex, the intimacy is heavily implied. Their small secretive glances and gentle unobvious touches when other characters are present and their deep longing gazes and powerful embraces when they're alone, insinuate their ardent desire. These are feelings and actions that you don't typically see in WLW (women loving women) relationships presented in media as they are often they are fetishized and objectified. The title of the film says it all.