These days gay characters can be found in a plethora of television series, proving that representation matters. Today we're looking back at the shows that introduced the world to gay male characters. These fellas elbowed their way into America's households, and we owe the current array of gay stories to these pioneers. Of course this is Mr. Man, so we're highlighting shows that delivered gay sex, and at the very least, a gay smooch. They're queers, they're pioneers, get used to it!
David The Gay Funeral Director Six Feet Under
The cult hit drama series Six Feet Under wasn't only a part of the first wave of Prestige Television, it also delivered one of early HBO's best gay characters - the mortician David Fisher (Michael C. Hall). David's struggles with his gay identity in season one were relatable to a generation of young gay men not used to seeing themselves on the small screen. Not to mention that when he gets with his sexy on-again off-again love interest Keith Charles (Matthew St. Patrick) it's fireworks.
The Graphic Gay Sex And Frontal Nudity In Oz
In an almost preemptive response to the neutered gays of network television (sorry Modern Family, but you know what you did!) the men of Oz aren't gay as much as they are sexual animals. Oz overlapped with Six Feet Under on HBO but offers a completely different take on male sexuality. The aggressive, machismo, and graphic sex here borders on pastiche (is this prison porn? Who knows!), but nonetheless brought gay sex into the mainstream, surely stirring some feelings under unsuspecting zippers across the nation.
The Complex Gay Relationships (And Sex!) In Queer As Folk
Here was a new offering - a well-budgeted series with great writing and acting geared toward gay audiences. HBO is on this list for the third time with Queer As Folk, which gave gays a compelling primetime soap of their own. Once again overlapping with Six Feet Under and Oz, Queer As Folks is almost a blending of the two - the relatable gay character arc of Six Feet Under with the graphic sex of Oz. What we got was a true television pioneer that can be seen reflected in shows released even to this day.
The Political Gay Kiss On Will Grace
Back in 2012, then Vice President Biden famously advocated for marriage equality by referencing Will Grace: "I think Will Grace did more to educate the American public - more than almost anything anybody has done so far. People fear that which is different. Now they’re beginning to understand.” Jack and Will made network television history with their political gay smooch in 2000. However, another series is credited with delivering the first "passionate" gay kiss...
The First "Passionate" Gay Kiss On Dawson’s Creek
And that would be Dawson's Creek! For all of the publicity that the men of Will Grace received, the first passionate gay kiss was on Dawson's Creek, also in 2000. Teen Jack McPhee (Kerr Smith) found a fitting love interest in Ethan (Adam Kaufman) and the two consummated their love with an almost unthinkable gay kiss. Women were presented kissing on previous network television shows, but this was the first time men did it. Plus Jack's character was nuanced and thoughtful, and, on a personal note, helped this writer come to terms with his homosexuality.
The Real Gay Men Of The Real World
Pedro Zamora was a proud gay man living with AIDS, and he entered the homes of Americans all of the way back in 1994 in The Real World. A man before his time, Zamora humanized the AIDS epidemic, and helped to destigmatize homosexuality during a fraught time. Before passing away at the tragically young age of 22 (he died hours after the final episode of his season aired), Zamora received a call from President Bill Clinton, who granted Zamora's dying wish by allowing his Cuban family to visit him in the hospital.
