It's pride month! A lot of TV shows and movies depict characters in the LGBTQ+ community now more than ever. But another thing that may be surprising to some people is that cartoons for kids and adults have a lot of LGBTQ+ characters, and you may not even realize it.
Representation is so important. We still have a long way to go, but the progress that has been made is substantial. It gives the new generation of young, queer kids the needed representation and visibility, despite some parents having a problem with it.
Most recently, Rugrats is one of the many shows getting a reboot, and it has been revealed that there will be a gay character in the upcoming series. The characters listed here are some of the best animated queer characters ever made. Some were known LGBTQ+ characters and others had their sexuality revealed later on or by creators.
10 'Rugrats'
If you're a '90s kid, you probably remember the original Rugrats on Nickelodeon. Now, Phil and Lil, Chuckie, Tommy and friends are back, but in CGI animation this time. Now streaming exclusively on Paramount+, Rugrats features its first gay character. The voice actors for the parents were changed and another noticeable change is that Phil and Lil's mom, Betty, is now out as a lesbian. Many of the cast and viewers of the original Rugrats thought Betty's sexuality was implied as gay or bi, but this was never confirmed until now.
9 'The Simpsons'
The Simpsons have had their fair share of LGBTQ+ characters over the years. Patty Bouvier is openly lesbian and almost got married to Veronica, but Veronica wound up marrying a man. Patty had been linked to men in the past before she was established as lesbian. Waylon Smithers has been referenced as gay on numerous occasions. It was confirmed in the episode "Flaming Moe" when he turns Moe's Tavern into a gay bar. These two are the biggest main characters that are in the LGBTQ+ community, but there have been other minor characters as well.
8 'Recess'
It has never been confirmed, but many fans believe Ashley Spinelli or "Spinelli" from the show Recess is a lesbian. From the beanie to the boots Spinelli might be a lesbian and just doesn't know it. Yes, she had a crush on TJ, but she was in fifth grade. She might not have known her sexuality yet. She was a tough tomboy who didn't take nonsense from anybody. Spinelli didn't conform to gender roles and is considered a gay icon.
7 'Onward'
Disney has become very progressive lately and subtly put gay characters into their movies, specifically Pixar movies. In the movie Onward, a cyclops police officer named Office Spector, voiced by Lena Waithe, who is actually gay, talks about being a stepparent to her girlfriend's daughter. That one line, which was delivered in passing, is the first verbal recognition of a character's gay relationship in an animated Disney film.
6 'Adventure Time'
Adventure Time is a fantasy animated TV series on Cartoon Network. In 2018, the show confirmed the relationship between characters Marceline the Vampire Queen and Princess Bubblegum in the series finale. The two had a complicated relationship over the 10 seasons of the series, but thanks to the creators Bubbline (their ship name) became cannon. They wrap in an embrace and kiss.
5 'Arthur'
"Hey! What a wonderful kind of day!" In 2019, Mr. Ratburn, Arthur and the rest of the kids' teacher, got married to another man, in the 22nd season premiere, titled "Mr. Ratburn and Someone Special," which got lots of approval from fans who grew up watching the show. It shocked many fans though. The episode also featured lesbian actress Jane Lynch, who plays Mr. Ratburn's sister. The children are shocked to find out teachers have a life outside of school.
4 'Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated'
Jinkies! Velma Dinkley is a lesbian, according to the Mystery Incorporated producer. Despite her crushing on Shaggy in past series, many fans shipped her with Daphne, assuming she was bisexual. The producers always intended her to be gay, but the studio kept watering it down, making it ambiguous and then making her have a boyfriend. In the MI series, she was crushing on Marcie.
3 'Finding Dory'
Another subtle hint from Disney. In the sequel to Finding Nemo, Finding Dory, when the octopus is disguised as a baby in a stroller and drops the bottle, viewers see two women walking by who pick it up. It sparked a lot of talk online about whether it was a lesbian couple. The director Anthony Stanton, neither confirmed nor denied it saying, "They can be whatever you want them to be." The scene was so fast that many people aren't sure.
2 'She-Ra And The Princesses Of Power'
She-Ra and the Princess of Power tells the tale of Adora, a teenager who can transform into the heroine She-Ra. In this series, many characters are thought to be on the LGBTQ+ spectrum, but some are not confirmed. The main character is a lesbian woman, who is in a relationship with Catra, despite them being enemies for a long time. There are other characters who are lesbians also. A confirmed gay couple is George and Lance. They are married with a child named Bow. The series also features characters who are bi, pan, non-binary and transgender.
1 'Duck Tales'
In the season 3 premiere of the Disney XD show, Duck Tales, rebooted from the '80s version, revealed the gay fathers of one of its characters. Violet Sabrewing has two gay dads. They are both shown cheering their daughter on in a competition and wearing an 'I'm with dad' t-shirt. The show was aiming to have more diversity, adding in a Latin character as well. Fans online were living for the revelation.