Vote Now for the Top 50 Lesbian/Bi TV, Film, and Web Series Characters!
Despite the bleak reality of the disappearing lesbians on primetime television last year, 2010 is already looking a little better, with a new crop of lesbian/bi characters turning up in starring and recurring roles. The same is true of lesbians on film, with some high-profile movies featuring lesbian characters already making the rounds at mainstream and LGBT film festivals this year.
That's why we think it's the perfect time to consider those lesbian/bi characters that have made a lasting impression on us all. Whether they were struggling to come to terms with their own sexuality, juggling too many women, or trying to figure out how to use their powers for good instead of evil, there have been many lesbian/bi characters in film, television, and even in web series, who have made us laugh, cry, scream, and, sometimes, scratch our heads wondering "What the hell just happened?"
When it comes to all of these scenarios, we're not naming names — but we hope you will.
In our first annual survey of the Top 50 Lesbian/Bi TV, Film, and Web Series Characters, we're asking you to name your favorite fictional characters of all time. So while you probably have your current favorites, please dig deep into your own personal pop culture vault and try to include even those who aren't currently on the air or big screen, and maybe even those who just seem to be in eternal syndication.
The characters you choose can be from any genre of scripted film, television or web series, and from US or international shows and films. Votes for reality stars or other "real" people won't be considered. We're strictly looking for your votes on the best fictional characters.
It's up to you to decide exactly what criteria you use to determine the "best." All we ask is that you limit your choices to female characters (we leave the men for the folks over at our brother site, AfterElton.com who are conducting their own poll here).
We suggest you ask yourself what characters have moved you in a significant way? What characters do you think changed the way viewers view lesbians and bi women &mdsah; or impacted subsequent TV portrayals of lesbians and bisexual women? Or maybe it's simply a question of what characters struck you as the most "real" and the most expertly written and performed?
You can enter up to 10 names in the form below but keep in mind a couple of rules. First, no ballot stuffing. Ballots with the same character name listed more than once will be discarded. Also, only one vote per ISP address will be permitted. Only the last form submission from an ISP address will be counted. Thiis poll is open to all of our readers. Feel free to encourage your Facebook friends and Twitter followers to weigh in too!
Voting has closed. Check back on the 15th for results.
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This should be interesting...
There are a lot of great lesbian/bisexual characters worth noting but when it comes to one whose moved me and who has change the was lesbian/bisexual women are viewed, I had to go with Eden Riegel as Bianca Montgomery on All My Children.
Certainly there's reason to bemoan the way that Bianca's storyline has been told recently, especially when compared to other same-sex storylines in daytime, but I still think Bianca is heads and shoulders above the rest--as evidenced by the viewers Riegel brings whenever she returns to the show.
Plus, it only seemed fitting that the reason I came to Afterellen in the first place (they did recaps!) be my first nominee for the Top 50.
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Justice consists not in being neutral between right and wrong, but in finding out the right and upholding it, wherever found, against the wrong. - Theodore Roosevelt
I agree.
!!
Ditto!
Alice is definitely my favourite.
Others being (of course) Xena and Gabrielle, Nan Astley, Dana, Vivian Bell, Hel (Bitch Slap), Rach IMU, Rusty etc.
a surprisingly tough choice
Battle of the 1990's Lez Films.
I Can't Think Straight
What?!!!
Curse you! How can you forget about Tala and Leyla? LOL
Lisa Ray and Sheetal Sheth top my list.
Me! :)
Me too! I'm glad to see that
Me too! I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one XD
I voted for Xena too ** She was my first L love XD
Lucy Lawless stole my heart...
Xena will always be my number one.
Anything you can do, I can do gayer.
And this is how I realize there aren't many lezzies/bis on TV...
Didn't even get to 10. And had to put 3 L Word ladies and I don't like the show that much... My list was:
1. Maud Lilly
2. Lucy Diamond
3. Emily Fitch
4. Tina Kennard
5. Olivia Spencer
6. Naomi Campbell
7. Bette Porter
8. Dana Fairbanks
9. Sam McPherson
Pretty sure I forgot a lot of stuff, but I guess I'm not a big fan of how we've been represented in the media so far...
as in..?
sam mcpherson? as in, from Popular?? she wasnt gay or bi was she...? or did i just miss that episode lol. fricken awesome show though!
(or there is another sam mcpherson that i dont know about and im making a fool of myself.)
It was rumored that Sam was supposed to come out
Skins<3
That was hard
I could have done 20 easily and I am sure I forgot someone
1. Luce - imagine Me and You - how she was single for all that time I have no idea
2. Corky - Bound
3. Bette Porter - L Word
4. Arizona Robbins - Greya Anatomy
5. Alice Pieszecki - L Word
6. Maud - Fingersmith
7. Willow Rosenberg - Buffy
8. Petra Soft - When Night Is Falling
9. Lucy Diamond - Debs
10. Mia - Love and Other Catastrophes
I forgot so many....
Ellen Morgan for one
Emily Fitch
Lana Turner
and some great web series characters too
oh yeah!
I forgot about some of those..
I have Graham and Megan from But I'm a Cheerleader and I put Violet from Bound. I also put Jenny Schecter, I know! I really liked her! I just didn't like the way she was written- like, her completely absurd character shifts. I would have put Nancy Turner/Nan King from Tipping the Velvet.
I also totally forgot both of the girls from Show Me Love.
my list for tv, web series and films
1.Willow Rosenberg (Buffy)
2.Emily Fitch (Skins)
3. Aster(Anyone but me)
4.ThelmaBates (Hex)
5. AlicePieszecki (The L word)
6.SpencerCarlin (South of nowhere)
7.Luce (Imagine Me & You)
8. Graham Eaton (But I'm a Cheerleader)
9. Xena(Xena)
10. Tara (buffy)
Good list. Mine will def
Good list.
Mine will def have WIllow and Emily at the top too.
I'l probs have Alice and Luce and Tara as well.. erm.. I guess if I get stuck I'll just add some more L word characters, haha. Erm.. Dana, Molly, Maybe Vivian in Anyone but Me.. Kim?/Saint? Ellen Morgan? Tosh.. Idgie,Melani/Lyndsey,Carol (friends), Nan?
edit. nooooooo. voting closed.. i thought voting ended on the 15th.. thats when results are =[
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My AfterEllen/Bridget Video Game
"there's always time for a burrow..."
"We're getting fired, fired, fired, fi..
Ack!
Callie Torres and Arizona
Callie Torres and Arizona Robbins were my first two. I love them :D
I also nominated Alice Pieszecki, Dana Fairbanks, Emily Fitch, Toshiko Sato, and Luce [Imagine Me & You], and Joey Collins.
my first and only choices i can think of right now:
Willow and Tara from Buffy the Vampire Slayer...best show ever!....also would you accept Buffy as bi?....she did have sex with the slayer Satsu in the s8 comics not once but twice! and she seemed to like it...If so, my other choice is Buffy!
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We Want Revolution Grrrl Style Now! -BIKINI KILL
Done done and done :).
Done done and done :).
Can't remember the exact order except for the first few but it went something as follows:
1. Willow Rosenberg (Buffy)
2. Spencer Carlin (SoN)
3. Tara Maclay (Buffy)
4. Ashley Davies (SoN)
5. Alice Pieszecki (The L Word)
6. Bette Porter (The L Word)
7. Emily Fitch (Skins)
8. Naomi Campbell (Skins)
9. Callie Torres (Greys)
10. Megan (But I'm a Cheerleader)
Yay fun!
Most of mine are the same,
Most of mine are the same, but I included Andrea from 3Way. Thought a web series deserved a mention!
I also put the Skins girls, Helena and Bette from the L Word, Lucy Diamond, Luce (IMAY), Calzona... Can't believe I forgot Willow :( Never mind.
Go here for my view on all things lesbian: http://allthingslesbeau.blogspot.com
Or how I realized I'm way too focused on TV series
1. Callie Torres (Grey's Anatomy)
2. Alice Pieszecki (the L Word)
3. Emily Fitch (Skins)
4. Vivian McMillan (Anyone But Me)
5. Kerry Weaver (ER)
6. Melanie Marcus (Queer as Folk)
7. Isabelle Hodes (Weeds)
8. Spencer Carlin (South Of Nowhere)
9. Bette Porter (the L Word)
10. Janis Hawk (Flashforward)
I wanted both supersuccessful queer women and struggling teens, because the former gives me hope and the latter helps me deal.
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http://riselikethetide.wordpress.com/
My list, and other suggestions
This was so hard to narrow down to ten! I had to leave Shane off the list. Shane! Anyway, these are my nominees -
1) Xena
2) Gabrielle
3) Tara Maclay - BtVS
4) Ellen Morgan - Ellen
5) Jessie Sammler - Once and Again
6) Kerry Weaver - ER
7) Bianca Montgomery - All My Children
8) Wil Pang - Saving Face
9) Randy Dean - Incredibly True Adventure of 2 Girls in Love
10) Evie Roy - Incredibly True Adventure of 2 Girls in Love
Others to consider:
Willow - BtVS
Spencer & Ashley - SoN
The L Word - a lot of people
Mel & Lindsay - QAF
Laurie - Ellen
Ellen Richmond - The Ellen Show
Everyone on Exes & Ohs
Regina Barnes - Out of Practice
Carol & Susan - Friends
Alex - Degrassi: TNG
Alex - The O.C.
Devin - Friday Night Lights
Katie - Once and Again
Maggie, Lena - All My Children
Kim Legaspi, Sandy Lopez, Maggie Doyle - ER
Camile - Stargate: Universe
Janis - FlashForward
Vivian - Saving Face
Megan & Graham - But I'm a Cheerleader
Rachel & Luce - Imagine Me & You
Corky & Violet - Bound
Claude & Lucy - All Over Me
Jane, Ms. Walcott - The Truth About Jane
Reena & Lisa - Chutney Popcorn
Rachel & Carla - What's Cooking
Nan, Kitty, Flo - Tipping the Velvet
Dont forget
You're forgetting Erika Hahn, from Greys Anatomy!
Also, Amina from The World Unseen.
And, theres this movie... The Gymnast. Has anyone seen it?
The character Jane is very inspiring to me. I recommend watching the movie, and then vote.
jessie sammler
Xena and Gabrielle
Do they count as being lesbian/bisexual, as their sexuality was never addressed or made explicit in the show? Don't get me wrong - I love them. And even Lucy Lawless said herself after the show had finished that they were 'married'!
1. Luce (Imagine Me and You)
2. Emily (Skins)
3. Alice (L Word)
4. Spencer (SON)
5. Ms Rain (Precious) (mmmm Paula Patton)
6. Annabelle (Loving Annabelle)
7. Elin (Show Me Love)
8. Isabelle (The Spanish Apartment)
9. Meaghan (But I'm a Cheerleader)
10. Nan (Tipping the Velvet)
I wanted to put Kitty because she is delicious. And swoon-worthy. But really, her character kind of sucked. Sorry Keely, I still love YOU.
Also considered the main character from Itty Bitty, Angelina as Gia, Carol and/or Susan from Friends (for the normalcy), Jane from The Truth About Jane...that was hard!
Wow that was harder than expected
1. Luce (Imagine Me and You)
2. Naomi (Skins)
3. Ruth (Fried Green Tomatoes)
4. Idgie (Fried Green Tomatoes)
5. Arizona (Grey's Anatomy)
6. Callie (Grey's Anatomy)
7. Cay (Desert Hearts)
8. Spencer (South of Nowhere)
9. Dana (The L Word)
10. Willow (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
I also considered: Bette and Helena (TLW),
Isabelle (The Spanish Apartment),
Tala and Leyla (I Can't Think Straight)
Pepa and Sylvia (Los Hombres de Paco)
Kim (ER)
Flo (Tipping the Velvet)
Chen An and Ming Li (Les Filles du Botaniste)
Layla (Kick)
Lucy and Amy (DEBS)
I'm still thinking about it...
.. but so far, this is my list
ahhh no i forgot Xena and
i put
1. Arizona
2. Luce
3. Graham
4. Corky
5. Thelma from Hex
6. Kim from Sugar Rush
7. Maureen from Rent
8.
9.Andrea from 3way
10. Chloe Sevignys character in if these walls could talk 2
and i hav no clue who i put for number 8 hahaha.
I wish i remembered Sofie from Carnivale.
Annabelle.
damm so many good ones!!!
Kim (Sugar Rush)!
Kim (Sugar Rush)!
Virginia Braithwaite (At Home with the Braithwaites)
Thelma Bates (Hex) (lesbian ghosts ftw)
Sue Trinder (Fingersmith)
Nan (Tipping the Velvet)
Luce (IM&Y)
and the lovely Emily Fitch (Skins). All great, multi-faceted characters, each brilliantly acted.
Virginia and Tamsin
o and i also forgot the girl
Lisa... played by Laura
Lisa... played by Laura Fraser... and she's Scottish in the movie and in life. She's also in Iron Jawed Angels.
I should have voted for her too. And dang I should have voted for one of Chloë Sevigny's characters...
wow. it's gonna be really
wow. it's gonna be really fun to make this list !
lucky me I have more time to think about it till I get home...'cause now I'm @ university.
Gabrielle. Bianca.
Gabrielle.
Bianca.
Naomily all day/night long
Gosh, I can´t believe I was waiting for this list for almost a year LOL since last year that Kathryn Prescott (Emily Fitch) & Lily Loveless (Naomi Campbell) made it on the top 30, I really wanted that they would do it again, those characters are right now the best portray about young love no matter gender or prejuices <3 I love the whole storyline and I expect they´ll make it on the top 10 of this list :D
Naomily FTW! <3
My list and whom I forgot, d*mn!
My top 10 top to bottom:
Spencer Carlin (South of Nowhere)
> Thank you, Spencer. For making things happen!
Emily Fitch (Skins)
> So hurt. The way her character developed, simply amazing.
Janis Hawk (Flash Forward)
> There are just not enough kick-ass lesbian characters like her, do not mind the pregnancy storyline as long as she's still a tough cookie.
Ellen Morgan (Ellen)
> The Puppy Episode. Wow, that's a long time ago, appreciate her braveness.
Erika Sander (Verbotene Liebe/Forbidden Love)
> Almost forgot about this German soap character, but one of the first lesbian story lines that I was closely examing! :)
Helen Stewart (Bad Girls)
> No explanation needed. Scottish badass!
Graham Eaton (But I'm a cheerleader)
> Do not remember a lot about this movie and her character but that her attitude. Great.
Dana Fairbanks (The L Word)
> She was superb, as long as she lived and resurfaced.
Naomi Campbell (Skins)
> Stalkable, yes. Stupid, yes. Hot, absolutely. Hope, she'll get a proper episode.
Amy Bradshaw (DEBS)
> Falling in love with Lucy Diamond, good choice!
Goodies I forgot (only realizing after checking on the comments):
Idgie Threadgoode&Ruth Jamison (Fried Green Tomatoes)
> First moyvie ever that I've seen in theatres. I didn't quite get the subtext, but was fascinated by the story of their lives. Idgie was kickass, yes!
B. J. Fletcher (B. J. Fletcher)
> Lock and Load, George, lock and Load! Great web series character, always made me smile. Looking forward to S3.
Xena&Gabrielle (Xena - Warrior Princess)
> Believe it or not, I was more interested in their friendship back then. Maybe it was all too subtle for me. ;)
Lots of TV women, not too from many movies... Some of the TV characters became important during special moments in my life, so there you go. Excited about the results.
Naomi doesn't get her own
Naomi doesn't get her own episode this series :( We're not even sure if Naomily are in this week's ep (Freddie) at all! Sad times.
Go here for my view on all things lesbian: http://allthingslesbeau.blogspot.com
Let's not forgot
about Bad Girls.
Nikki Wade and Helen Stewart were my numbers 1 and 2.
in no particular order, after Isabelle.
1) Isabelle (Cécile de France) ___The Spanish Apartment & Russian Dolls
Randy Dean (LaurelHolloman) ___ TheIncredibly True Adventure...
Idgie (MaryStuart Masterson)___ FriedGreen Tomatoes
Shane McCutcheon (KatherineMoennig)___ LWord
Helena Peabody (RachelShelley)___ LWord
Pauline Oster (PiperPerabo)___ Lostand Delirious
Isabelle Hodes (Allie Grant)____ Weeds
Lucy Diamond (Jordana Brewster) ____ Debs
Greta (PatriciaClarkson) ____ HighArt
Jaguar (MariaSchrader) _____ Aimeeand Jaguar
Petra (RachaelCrawford) ___ WhenNight is Falling
Rasha (RobinDalea) ____ TheReal Girl’s Guide to Everything Else
Easy
(1) Helen Stewart (Bad Girls)
(2) Willow Rosenberg (Buffy)
(3) Tara Maclay (Buffy)
(4) Thelma Bates (Hex)
(5) Cay Rivers (Desert Hearts)
(6) Vivian Bell (Desert Hearts)
(7) Corky (Bound)
(8) Ellen Morgan (Ellen)
(9) Lucy Diamond (DEBS)
(10) Nikki Wade (Bad Girls)
My Votes
I voted! This was so hard, but I ended up with:
Alice (L Word)
Helena (L Word)
Bette (L Word)
Saint (Sugar Rush)
Kim (Sugar Rush)
Luce (Image Me & You)
Spencer (SoN)
Lucy Diamond (DEBS)
Emily (Skins)
Naomi (Skins)
Wow
YFirst and formost I went with Binks from all my Children, She was the first for me and I will always have a special place in my heart for her and all things All my children. I also put Maggie in there if anyone was wondering.
I also went with Jessie and Katie from Once and Again because they made a huge impact on me at a fragile time in my life also.
I put Nancy from Roseanne - Because I think that is where I first understood the concept of being gay. It wasn't until AMC that i really became aware of positive L & B characters, but Nancy opened the door.
ou are responsible for your own happily ever after !
Great!!
Oh, this is great!
Gonna go with:
Ani from "Venice"(I'm just so in love with her,total Jessica Leccia fangirl),
and the Otalia girls.
And Pepsi, of course.(whoever put these beautiful actresses in a cop show and had them go sneak out strip clubs and illegal fighting..I love you!And no, didn't watch the shooting:-)
High Art's soandso Berliner(Gotta look that up,Lucy?)
Spencer from SoN.
Hmm...Tayla from "Kick"...
Arizona, yes,ma'm.
Now it's getting hard with the old faves:
Xena, Gabs, Willow,Tara,Dax(!!!), Susan Ivanova(!!),Ellen,Batwoman, Lucy Diamond..Oh boy.
I'll have to sleep on this!!
And research..yeah..poor me..
Mädchen in Uniform's "Manuela von Meinhardis" and "Elizabeth von Bernburg"..hmm..
"Have fun!"
"Don't have too much fun!!You'll end with one of those sexy transmission diseases!!"
out of "Kick"
Kick
If you are talking about the Australian SBS production series Kick, the lesbian character was Layla, not Tayla. Just thought I'd mention that so that your vote counts.
That was such a great show. Pity they never followed through with the planned second season. It would have been wonderful to find out what happened to those characters next.
Thanks!!
Freudian slip: Layla and Tala from "I Can't think Straight.."^^I'll go wit Layla, though, cause she was more realistic:-)
I loved "Kick":Even ordered the show from Australia in the small hope to show interest and get it picked up for a second season.
I think they were planning to go a little deeper on Layla's Gf's Jewish family background(I am really bad with names,obviously) in the second season..and I agree:Really would have wished a life for all the characters beyond Season1.That was one good show.Sigh.
From memory...
From memory I think the girlfriend's name was Jackie.
I agree with you, I thought the characters were very realistic. It was such a great show and such a great shame it didn't get a second season.