Shows That Get Us Animated: 17 Must-Watch Gay Cartoons

Growing up gay often means searching for scraps of representation on screen to see yourself in. A sideways glance. A handhold. Anything that might make you think, “Oh, those characters are like me!” In the ’90s and early 2000s, gay kids were lucky to get so much as a suggestion that even a sidekick might possibly be anything but straight — especially in cartoons. 

Cartoons, after all, are only for kids. And queer content is, after all, only for adults. Right? Wrong, Mary!

Animation is an art form for people of all ages, and no matter what Fox News would have you believe, people don’t just turn gay after seeing two cartoon characters kiss. Queer kids need representation, too — which is why it’s been amazing to see so many openly gay cartoon characters and LGBTQ cartoons pop up all over the place these days. 

From gay reboots of classic kids shows to gay anime shows for tweens and teens to more risque cartoons for the adults in the room, there’s no shortage of gay animation these days. Whether you’re looking for nostalgic favs or something a little newer, here are 17 LGBTQ cartoons you don’t want to miss.

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17 iconic LGBTQ cartoons

Presented in no particular order, here are 17 gay cartoons to make you laugh, cry, and lose yourself in another world. Some have been canceled, some are ongoing, but all are worth a watch.

1. Harley Quinn

Harley Quinn is bi, Poison Ivy is a lesbian, and all is wrong in the world in this kooky and chaotic LGBTQ cartoon starring the ultimate comic book power couple. Quinn ditches the Joker and finds herself (and lots of carnage) along the way. Watch it on HBO Max, and thank us later. 

2. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

Who says reboots are no good? In She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, pretty much every main character is either gay, bi, trans, nonbinary, or queer — and there’s even some poly representation thrown in there. The show’s creator, ND Stevenson, is transmasculine and bigender, meaning the show is queer from the inside out. The series ended after five seasons, but you can still binge it on Netflix.

3. Steven Universe

Saving the universe? Cool. But Steven Universe also saved (and changed) animation. Creator Rebecca Sugar, who is nonbinary and bisexual, was also responsible for groundbreaking gay representation on Adventure Time (more on that later).

With iconic LGBTQ storylines and more nonbinary superheroes than you can shake a crystal gem at, Steven Universe is packed with love, inclusivity, and queer joy. And honey, we need it (and you can find it on Max or Hulu). 

4. Tuca & Bertie

Momentarily canceled before being brought back to life on Adult Swim, Tuca & Bertie is like the bizarre animated cousin of Broad City, where bird women navigate adulthood, weird dreams, and casual queerness. Tuca (voiced by Tiffany Haddish) and Bertie (Ali Wong) flutter through a world filled with queer subplots and colorful gay characters.

5. Revolutionary Girl Utena

Think sword fights, roses, and some seriously trippy queer plotlines. Utena wants to be a prince, and her relationship with Anthy, a princess, broke the anime mold and blew the top off traditional gender roles. It’s been off the air since the ’90s but is available on YouTube.

6. Sailor Moon

Fighting evil by moonlight, winning love by daylight, and casually dropping one of anime’s earliest same-sex couples. Sure, they tried to censor it in the U.S., but we all knew Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune were lesbians, not cousins. You can see it for yourself on Hulu.

7. BoJack Horseman

A dark comedy about a horse-man grappling with the realities of adult life. What’s not to love? Sure, BoJack has a lot going on, but the show also offered us one of the few asexual characters on TV, Todd Chavez. The show’s done, but you can still gallop through it on Netflix.

8. Arcane

Streaming on Netflix, this animated League of Legends spinoff features a sapphic almost-romance between Vi and Caitlyn, two of League’s aforementioned legends. It’s still too early to tell if Arcane is doing that late ’90s gay-implication thing or just offering a slow-burn love story, but fans are hopeful the second season will make it official.

9. Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts

Honey, the apocalypse never looked so gay. In Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, Benson is an out-and-proud teen. He might be Kipo’s sidekick, but he’s openly gay from the very beginning — very cool! All three seasons are available on Netflix. 

10. SpongeBob SquarePants

A list of LGBTQ cartoons couldn’t exist without at least one mention of Bikini Bottom’s favorite bottom (we assume…). Sure, SpongeBob isn’t canonically queer (in fact, his creator said he might be asexual), but let’s be real. If you need a refresher on the most flamboyant sponge under the sea, you can watch it on Paramount+.

11. The Legend of Korra

This Avatar: The Last Airbender spinoff finally gave us the bisexual-women-of-color love story we deserved. Sure, it wasn’t until the end of The Legend of Korra, but Korra and Asami holding hands and walking into the Spirit World in the finale was worth the wait. Yes, the show is over, but you can see their romance bloom all over again on Netflix or Paramount+.

12. Adventure Time

Princess Bubblegum and Marceline, the Vampire Queen — name a more iconic duo. Who doesn’t love a friends-to-enemies-to-friends-to-enemies-to-lovers story? Sure, it took a while, but Adventure Time finally gave us the Marceline and Princess Bubblegum kiss we were waiting for. You can relive it again and again on Max and Hulu.

13. Big Mouth

Ayo Edebiri and Brandon Kyle Goodman, both queer, bring authenticity to the characters they voice on this truly outrageous Netflix show. It’s gay, it’s gross, and it’s got Maya Rudolph as a bawdy, singing hormone monster. What more do you need? 

14. The Owl House

Magic, adventure, and bisexual witches? Yes, please. The show’s bi creator, Dana Terrace, made sure this Disney show didn’t shy away from LGBTQ representation. The show was canceled because it “did not fit the Disney brand” (shocker), but you can still catch The Owl House on Disney+.

15. Q-Force

Sean Hayes, Patti Harrison, Matt Rogers, Wanda Sykes, Niecy Nash, Dan Levy, Fortune Feimster — has there ever been a gayer cartoon show cast? A big “boo!” to Netflix for canceling the show after one season, but if you’re into gay secret agents doing spy stuff with campy flair, it’s still streaming there now.

16. Human Resources

A spinoff of Big Mouth, this animated series explores the sexy, messy parts of being human, with LGBTQ characters sprinkled throughout. Get ready to laugh, cringe, and laugh again on Netflix.

17. The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder

This reboot brought back the beloved Proud Family with a modern twist — including Michael Collins, a gender-nonconforming gay character voiced by the openly gay EJ Johnson. It’s still airing on Disney+, and it’s just as fun as you remember.

Drawn to you

Need a buddy to Netflix and chill with? Surely, someone on Grindr is into what you’re into, too. Download the Grindr app and find the perfect person to watch a new show with.