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The 50 Lesbian and Bisexual TV and Film Characters With the Dyke-iest Swagger

The TV Team —
May 27, 2021

When our TV Team makes a list, we want guidelines, we want parameters, we want rubrics and precedents and clear explanations and examples. Do you mean X or do you mean Y? Are you talking about this or are you talking about that? What’s disqualifying, what’s a shoe-in, if you’re gonna add so-and-so, you gotta add such-and-such. Like Monica Gellar, we all firmly believe that RULES HELP CONTROL THE FUN. But last week, in her review of The Retreat, Drew wrote, “Tommie-Amber Pirie is a fully committed horror heroine and she carries the story with a dykey swagger.” And so Heather casually asked the TV Team if we wanted to make a list of lesbian and bisexual TV and film characters with the dyke-iest swagger. Within an hour, we had a list of 50 characters and not one single person asked for a definition. Dykey swagger is something you either have or you don’t, it’s something you either know or you don’t. It’s not really definable; it just is. Which is one of the things that makes it so alluring. And so:


The 50 Lesbian and Bisexual TV and Film Characters With the Dyke-iest Swagger

Cay Rivers, Desert Hearts

Cay Rivers, Desert Hearts

Coop, All American

Coop, All American

Quiet Ann, Claws

Quiet Ann, Claws

Cleo, Set It Off

Cleo, Set It Off

Emma and Nico, Vida

Emma and Nico, Vida

Hattie, Twenties

Hattie, Twenties

Callie Torres, Grey’s Anatomy

Callie Torres, Grey's Anatomy

Kalinda Sharma, The Good Wife

Kalinda Sharma, The Good Wife

Corky, Bound

Corky, Bound

Root and Shaw, Person of Interest

Root and Shaw, Person of Interest

Tasha Williams, The L Word

Tasha Williams, The L Word

Angelina Jolie’s Legs Sadovsky, Foxfire

Angelina Jolie's Legs Sadovsky, Foxfire

Betty McRae, Bomb Girls

Betty McRae, Bomb Girls

Poussey Washington, Orange Is the New Black

Poussey Washington, Orange Is the New Black

Bette Porter, The L Word

Bette Porter, The L Word

Anne Lister, Gentleman Jack

Anne Lister, Gentleman Jack

Rosa Diaz, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Rosa Diaz, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Kat Sandoval, Madam Secretary

Kat Sandoval, Madam Secretary

Nicky Nichols, Orange Is the New Black

Nicky Nichols, Orange Is the New Black

Shane McCutcheon, The L Word

Shane McCutcheon, The L Word

Paige McCullers, Pretty Little Liars

Paige McCullers, Pretty Little Liars

Abby and Riley, Happiest Season

Abby and Riley, Happiest Season

Valkyrie, MCUValkyrie, MCU

Garnet, Steven Universe

Garnet, Steven Universe

Sophie Moore, Batwoman

Sophie Moore, Batwoman

Peppermint Patty, Peanuts

Peppermint Patty, Peanuts

Santana Lopez, Glee

Santana Lopez, Glee

Dex, Stumptown

Dex, Stumptown

Jackie QuiƱones, Hightown

Jackie QuiƱones, Hightown

Stef, The Fosters

Stef, The Fosters

Xena, Xena: Warrior Princess

Xena, Xena: Warrior Princess

Pauline Hawthorne, Little Fires Everywhere

Pauline Hawthorne, Little Fires Everywhere

Snoop, The Wire

Snoop, The Wire

Amanita, Sense8

Amanita, Sense8

Lucy Diamond, DEBS

Lucy Diamond, DEBS

Diggy, Dope

Diggy, Dope

M-Chuck, Survivor’s Remorse

M-Chuck, Survivor's Remorse

Denise, Master of None

Denise, Master of None

Adena, The Bold Type

Adena, The Bold Type

Anissa and Grace, Black Lightning

Anissa and Grace, Black Lightning

Alex Danvers, Supergirl

Alex Danvers, Supergirl

Clea DuVall, But I’m a Cheerleader

Clea DuVall, But I'm a Cheerleader

Those Record Store Lesbians, Carol

Those Record Store Lesbians, Carol

Leila, The Bisexual

Leila, The Bisexual

Jasmine Rawlings, Suicide Kale

Jasmine Rawlings, Suicide Kale

Catra, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

Catra, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power