With Pride week upon us, we decided to share some of our favourite LGBTQ characters and heroes with you. Some play LGBTQ characters, some are strong allies/members of the LGBTQ community and most importantly, some are both!
1. Derry Girls’ Clare Devlin
We don’t know who puts a smile on our face more, the adorable Derry Girls character, Clare Devlin or the bubbly Nicola Coughlan. Her character Clare, the “wee lesbian”, captured everyone’s hearts in season one thanks to her loveable personality and hilarious ways. Her courage to come out is a reason why Clare Devlin is one of our heroes. Nicola herself is a strong ally of the LGBTQ community, so it just makes sense to include her! In an interview with Digital Spy, our favourite Galway girl, Nicola mentioned “It wasn’t like, ‘she’s gay, so she’s the gay character.’ She’s a whole human being. And I think that’s where a lot of shows go wrong.”
2. Stephanie Beatriz
Next up is Stephanie Beatriz. Her and her Brooklyn Nine-Nine character, Rosa Diaz, are complete polar opposites. Literally the definition of night and day. However, these two amazing ladies have something in common. They both have come out as bisexual. Stephanie has spoken about working with the show’s producers and writers on her coming out episode. “I found that part super interesting, and it made the process of watching Rosa come out all the more personal” -Stephanie Beatriz.
3. Eilish O’Carroll
We can’t forget the amazing Eilish O’Carroll, best known for her role as Winnie McGoogan on Mrs. Brown’s Boys. Eilish is an actress, writer, and comedian from Dublin. Our hearts almost melted when Eilish and her partner appeared on the Valentine’s special of the Late Late Show in February to talk about finding love. We felt so proud to hear her story of coming out to her husband and finding who she really was. “….. I came back to Ireland and I hid. Then I stopped hiding. Loneliness outweighed the guilt. I said, ‘I need to find out who I really am’.” – Eilish O’Carroll.
4. Ruby Rose
Ruby Rose is an openly lesbian, genderfluid actor who played Kate Kane, a lesbian superhero, on Batwoman. As many fans of Ruby Rose know, this is not the first LQBTQ role she has played. She also appeared in Orange Is the New Black as inmate Stella Carlin, Piper Chapman’s new love interest on Season 3. “Only you know who you were born to be and you need to be free to be that person“. – Ruby Rose
5. Jamie Clayton
The inspiring Jamie Clayton is a transgender actress and model best known for her role as Nomi, another trans woman, in the Netflix series Sense8. Both Jamie and Nomi are strong, courageous, and know their worth. Jamie is a powerful figure and advocate for the trans community. Her work to normalise trans men and women in TV and movie roles is truly inspiring. “I love who I am” -Jamie Clayton.
6. Laverne Cox
Of course we had to include the gorgeous Laverne Cox. She is an American actress and LGBTQ advocate. She rose to prominence with her role as Sophia Burset on the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black. Both Cox and her character are transgender. A little known fact is that her real-life twin brother played her pre-transition, and the show used comedy throughout the series to bring light to her journey. “Your lives matter. Your voices matter. Your stories matter.” – Laverne Cox
If you have a story you would like to share, reach out to us on social media or at info@shona.ie
Here are some helpful supports 💜💙💚💛🧡💖
BELONGTO: Support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals in Ireland.
SPUN OUT: This is a one stop shop for all mental health issues. The articles are very matter of fact, helpful and all bases are covered.
TACKLE BULLYING: Lots of resources for kids, parents and teachers on dealing with bullying.
YOURMENTALHEALTH: Lots of information about Mental Health in Ireland.
