Check out these empowering LGBTQIA+ characters that we all love

LGBTQIA representation on TV has made huge strides in recent years, where many sitcoms chose to elevate the community from playing just side roles to making their mark in the lead cast. Shows like "Queer as Folk," "The L Word," and "Will & Grace," helped break down boundaries and paved the path for non-straight characters to shine on more in recent series like "Glee," "Riverdale" and "Orange Is the New Black." With the ongoing Pride month, we take a tour through the various shows that have represented the Queer community in a way that has not only broken the societal taboo that being queer is a disease but also established a normalcy of their presence in the society.

Here are 7 of our favourite characters from these shows that have broken the norm and made us fall in love with them:

1. Captain Holt from Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Captain Holt, an openly gay, black police officer, never let his homosexuality come in his way. His passion, untimely sense of humour and his equation with his husband, Kevin is always a delight to watch. The squad at the ninety ninth precinct love him for his vigor, strong sense of compassion towards his work and his warm and subtle advices. He's just another perfect example of how you should never stop being yourself. Catch him bashing all stereotypes on comedy Central, Monday to Friday at 9 pm.

2. Ilana Wexler from Broad City

Ilana, half of the dynamic duo on "Broad City," was a queer icon from the get-go. She is best known for rejecting labels and focusing entirely on what feels right in the moment. Her queer – ness never took away from the crux of the show which is her friendship with Abby but complemented it beautifully. Check out the classic best friend show and its twists only on Voot Select.

3. Cheryl Blossom from Riverdale

Riverdale's characters are just like everyday teens who are constantly learning about themselves with a twist of solving murders. In season two, one of the main characters, Cheryl Blossom comes out as a bisexual character post which she starts her journey to realizing that she is a lesbian. Seeing her revelations from straight to bisexual to a lesbian, is enlightening for those who struggle to figure out which definition they fall under. Join her in her path to finding out who she is on Colors Infinity, Monday to Friday at noon.

4. Callie Torres from Grey's Anatomy

"Grey's Anatomy" has always featured prominent LGBTQ characters and story lines, but Callie Torres maintains a special place in many fans' hearts. When Callie realized she wasn't straight on season four, she became one of the first prominent bisexual TV characters and not only that, her portrayal was overwhelmingly positive which encouraged so many young queers scared of coming out too early. Watch her journey of coming out on Amazon Prime Video.

5. Will Truemen from Will and Grace

When "Will & Grace," first made an appearance in 1998, the show that largely focused on two gay men, became so popular, that it was revived 20 years later. Debra Messing, who plays Grace, told TheWrap that she originally saw their gay lead as the most "revolutionary" aspect of the show. The show, featuring two different gay men who were vastly different from one another helped challenge the stereotypes that still plague gay men to this day. Watch how the characters paved the way for future series on Comedy Central, every Saturday and Sunday at 9pm.

6. Sammy Jo from Dynasty

One of most positive things about the reboot of the classic series is how Blake does not have a homophobic attitude towards his son Steven and his partner Sammy Jo (the first Cristal's nephew). Sammy undergoes a lot of development in the 3 seasons of the show in the most non – stereotypical way possible. The Netflix show features how he is one of the best friends (especially in season 3) and makes us want to befriend him.

7. Kate Kane in Batwoman

As people living in a world that often does not take kindly to those who are different, both superheroes and queer folks deal with the stress of keeping their identities secret. While Batwoman originally decides to remain mum about her sexuality on the show under the fear of being identified, she comes out for the sake of the queer youth who want to connect better to Superheroes but think they can't cause of their sexuality. Catch the 1st season of the remarkable show on Colors Infinity.

Celebrate this Pride month with your friends and family and catch these characters as they befriend you virtually through these Brilliant shows.