The 8 Greatest LGBTQ Characters In Horror!
From Seducing Hermaphrodites To Persistent Lesbians: We’ve Got Them Covered!
BOO! Yes, it’s almost Halloween! One of the greatest times of the entire year. We all get a chance to show off the last of our summer bodies before we hibernate with revealing costumes or just the last chance to venture out to the bars without a jacket on. As I’ve previously shown examples, no one does Halloween quite like the LGBTQ community. When Hollywood isn’t being accused of sexual assault, there is a good chance they’re throwing together a fun Horror movie to watch on a Friday night.
Now more than ever, it’s riveting to see the amount of LGBTQ characters in television and film. While I wish I had more openly LGBTQ characters to admire when I was in my youth, I am absolutely proud to see there is more representation for my community in the more recent years. Especially in my favorite genre: Horror! Yes, we’re that recognized as you know, human beings, that we are now a horror film stereotype!
With LGBTQ Halloween weighing on my mind, let’s discuss television and film’s best LGBTQ characters in Horror. No, I’m not here to share with you my favorite stereotypical LGBTQ characters in this genre. Why waste time talking about the fodder characters who in no way are central to the plot. These LGBTQ people are thrown in the mix and are remembered throughout their run. So, let’s take a stab at it; shall we?
Please note: Severe spoilers are below!
The Axe Murders of Villisca | Denny (Gay)
Portrayed by: Jarrett Sleeper (Right)
As gay men, can we all agree that we've been in love with a straight guy at one point in our lives. The worse ones pay the price of that person being a friend. Enter Denny from The Axe Murders of Villisca. Played by the talented and sexy bro, Jarrett Sleeper – who follows me on Instagram (Heyyy!) – Denny spends the majority of Axe Murders trying to have a supernatural experience with his best guy friend. Denny does his best to cock block and even rescue his friend, becoming the knight in shining armor. Axe Murders gives us our first gay hero in a horror film- that I can recall. This movie is definitely one you need to add to your Netflix playlist.
MAY | Polly (Lesbian)
Portrayed by: Anna Faris
Before she was married Chris Pratt and her divorce brought sadness to many fans; the normally clumsy and adorable Anna Faris continued her horror movie streak after the success of the first two Scary Movie spoofs with the Indie hit, May. Her character, Polly, is definitely be described as a promiscuous and persistent lesbian. She refuses to give up her lust for the titular character, which ends up to her demise. If Polly wasn't such a socialite and flirt, perhaps May wouldn't want to make her very own best friend. Faris represents the ‘L’ in LGBTQ with a wink and a smile. She needs to get back into this realm, especially if it distracts from her marital problems.
American Horror Story: Freakshow | Desiree Dupree (Intersex)
Portrayed by: Angela Bassett
There is no one more fit enough to play a confident, sharp hermaphrodite than Angela Bassett. She was the sole reason any of the rubbish that was American Horror Story: Freakshow was worth watching. Bassett's Desiree Dupree charms a gay man into loving her with her large clitoris and keeps every viewer wanting more. Raised as a boy until she eventually grew three breasts, Desiree was the first representation of an Intersex character I've seen on television and she certainly won't be the last. Come through with breaking glass ceilings, Miss Bassett!
Cursed | Bo (Closeted Gay)
Portrayed by: Milo Ventimiglia (Left)
Who isn’t drooling over Milo Ventimiglia as the hot 70s daddy on This Is Us? While Ventimiglia has been in the spotlight since before I can remember, he took a curious turn in the werewolf horror film, Cursed. His character, Bo, plays the school bully who torments the main male character whom he thinks is gay. Throughout the film, Bo’s actions seem a tad suspect because like…why is this bully in this movie so damn much with his homophobia?! Well, as it usually turns out, Bo is secretly hiding his sexuality- crushing on the film’s main character. In an ideal fantasy, Bo gets his desired sex scene, but that fails to happen. Still, who doesn’t get a little hot and heavy knowing the brute jock secretly has a crush on the nerdy boy? Pardon me while I fan myself!
Buffy The Vampire Slayer | Willow Rosenberg (Bisexual)
Portrayed by: Alyson Hannigan
How can I leave Alyson Hannigan’s, Willow Rosenberg, off this list!? That’s right- I can’t! Willow became an overnight sensation with fans. She began as a bookish dork crushing on boys who was almost out of place within Sunnydale, Buffy’s town. That is until she began dating women and transformed into a confident, kick-ass character. While Willow remained a series lead throughout the show’s entire run; she’s also known for her same-sex relationship and on-air kiss with Amber Benson’s Tara Maclay. Eventually, Willow would become a force to reckon with. Literally, she becomes the show’s villain and threatens to destroy her town out of anger of the loss for her girlfriend. Talk about true love right? Regardless, fans love Willow and she’s still one of the most popular Buffy characters to date.
Planet Terror | Dakota Black (Bisexual)
Portrayed by: Marley Shelton
To my complete surprise, Marley Shelton stood her ground acting against the fabulous Rose McGowan. In all honesty, Shelton’s bisexual Dakota Block may be the best part of Planet Terror. Not only is she the terrorized ex-wife of the film’s big bad, she does her best at every turn to leave him. Block never plays victim throughout the film. She watches her son die, sees her lesbian lover torn to shreds, and goes throughout an entire night of a zombie apocalypse without the use of her hands. How did she end up surviving?! Not only is she ruthless as all hell, her character makes a cameo in another girl-powered horror film, Deathproof. There has to be fan fiction of Block somewhere continuing to annihilate zombies long after Planet Terror’s credits roll.
Sleepaway Camp | Angela Baker (Transsexual)
Portrayed by: Pamela Springsteen [Sleepaway Camp 2+3]
I will admit that the Sleepaway Camp franchise is definitely transphobic. However, what you cannot deny is the complete and utter plot twist in the first film. Angela Baker, who would later be played as an adult by Pamela Springsteen – Bruce Springsteen’s sister – is a forced-male-to-female teenager who is emotionally and mentally abused by an aunt forcing her to be a girl. Throughout the trilogy, Baker heads to summer camps to promote innocence. If someone is misbehaving, she punishes them with colorful deaths. The amount of gore, nudity, and different ways to die in the Sleepaway Camp franchise is endless. These films always make for a great laugh and will certainly make you cringe. I can safely say that if Baker was at any strictly LGBTQ summer camp – no one would walk out alive.
True Blood | Lafayette Reynolds (Gay)
Portrayed by: Nelsan Ellis
Lafayette Reynolds, famously played by the late Nelsan Ellis. Reynolds was arguably everyone’s favorite heartthrob on HBO’s True Blood. While we weren’t throwing our panties at him as we were with Anna Paquin’s lovers; we were certainly wishing we were him. Reynolds kept it real throughout his seven season run with the series. He spoke the truth, protected his loved ones, and got to play around with the supernatural when he discovers he can speak to dead people. Trust me, it’s a plotline that neither Reynolds or the audience asked for. In the late 00’s, society was more obsessed with vampires than ever, in large credit to the Twilight franchise. Reynolds gave us a reason to tune into True Blood each week. Weren’t we all believing he was the person with painted red toe nails found in the car during season one’s cliffhanger!? Thankfully, the character of Reynolds exceeded his time spent in the original novelization of the series. I bet we can thank Reynolds adoring fan base who kept him in.
Eden & Matilda from
Eden & Matilda from SPIDARLINGS (2016), coolest lesbian couple in a horror film ever!
Catherine Deveuve and Susas
Catherine Deveuve and Susas Sarandon in "The Hunger". Najarra Townsend in "Contracted". Every damn character in "Hellbent". The muscled dude in "2001 Maniacs". The super-muscled dude in "2001 Maniacs 2". Robert Rusler in "Elm Street 2". Monty and his brother in "Flexing with Monty". The main heroes of "ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction". Chris Sarandon and his vampire boo in "Fright Night". The closeted action hero in "I Survived a Zombie Holocaust". Johnny Messner in "Condemned". Two gay dudes in "Bite Marks". Angela Pleasence in "Symptoms". Main hero in "Pitchfork". And many, many more. There's a lot of LGBT characters in horror cinema.