Game of Thrones is a fantasy TV show based on the book series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin. This HBO original revolves around the noble houses of Westeros and their struggle for power and the hold of the ever-coveted Iron Throne. The series brought record viewership to HBO and was subject to a great deal of critical praise for the overall quality of the series. Between the acting, the complex story, and the production value, the series earned a total of 59 Primetime Emmy Awards (per Harper's Bazaar). What's more, Game of Thrones has been named one of the best television series of all time by a number of critics and publications (via Screen Rant).
In addition to its world-building, intricate character arcs, and riveting narratives, one smaller, but no less significant, achievement by Game of Thrones is its LGBTQ+ representation, and how varied it was. Of course, one thing to keep in mind is that our modern lexicon of sexuality wouldn't have been translated into the world of Game of Thrones, so identification via labels like "gay" and "lesbian" wasn't available to the characters. Nonetheless, these LGBTQ+ characters (whether out and visible, or more nuanced and alluded to) still shined in the series in their own ways.
7 Loras Tyrell
Loras Tyrell was one of the most popular and skilled knights in Westeros, who suffered a great deal of prejudices and was forced to feign believing his sexuality was wrong in order to evade severe punishment. What places Loras at the bottom of the list is the fact that his whole character is defined by harmful gay stereotypes, especially considering he (and Renly) were the first LGBTQ+ characters in Game of Thrones we were introduced to. Between his more effeminate countenance — he was called the Knight of Flowers, after all — and his unhealthy obsession with sex, Loras would have been a better character if he were given other dimensions.
6 Olyvar
Olyvar was a spy and sex worker who worked for Littlefinger. He catered solely to male clientele and had run-ins with a number of notable characters throughout Game of Thrones, including Oberyn Martell. Olyvar's relationship with Loras begins with him posing as Loras' squire, which later leads the two to give in to their feelings for one another. One of the issues with Olyvar's character, however, is that he is hyper-sexual, however, considering his occupation, hypersexuality is bound to come with the territory. While not quite as stereotypical as Loras, Olyvar still has his moments and winds up turning on and presses charges against him.
5 Yara Greyjoy
Yara Greyjoy, the Lady of the Iron Islands, is a strong woman who courageously faces off against those with biases against her simply because she is a woman. Her determination to prove that she can do anything makes her quite intimidating to those around her. Yara is a fierce warrior who is not to be trifled with, not apologizing for doing what she has to do. Similar to Loras, some would argue that her portrayal of lesbianism is somewhat stereotyped as the "angry lesbian." Yara's relationship with Daenerys had many wondering if the two would unite and share The Iron Throne together, but that ultimately did not come to pass.
4 Oberyn Martell
Prince Oberyn Martell is a witty character, known for his keen intellect and his proclivity for duels. On top of this, his lustful personality led him to participate in a number of lascivious acts, including an orgy with Olyvar at his brothel. In terms of sexuality, Oberyn is openly fluid and mostly fits into the category of bisexual, caring more about pleasure than the gender of his sexual partners. He lives life on the edge, giving in to his carnal wants and needs. He and his love Ellaria have a polyamorous relationship as the two feel their love will survive any sexual activity with people outside their relationship.
3 Renly Baratheon
Renly Baratheon, the Lord of Storm's End, was overlooked because of his older brothers for most of his life until he fought the line of succession and declared himself King. While Renly was not the best on the battlefield, he had a talent for political moves, which is how he made his way towards the throne before it was his time. Renly is introduced as Loras' lover, but unlike Loras, who is more open about his sexual preferences, he is closeted and does not reveal his relationship with him to anyone else. As a stark contrast of gay representation to Loras, Renly serves to portray a very different LGBTQ+ experience for the viewers to potentially relate to on Game on Thrones.
2 Arya Stark
One of the more unique picks on this list is Arya Stark. After escaping the persecution of House Stark, she is trained to be a Faceless Man. Arya's desire for revenge helped us to see just how brutal she can truly be after she exterminated the whole Frey male line. In contrast to her sister Sansa, Arya never aspired to be seen as a proper lady and often was found being able to shift her appearance between both man and woman. While Arya does indeed identify as a woman, her level of comfort in dressing like a man makes her gender-nonconforming and perhaps even non-binary.
1 Daenerys Targaryen
One of the most popular characters on Game of Thrones is Queen Daenerys Targaryen, the Mother of Dragons. Polite and well-spoken, Daenerys struggled with her sense of self as a royal, but her time among the Dothraki gave her the confidence to become a great leader. In terms of sexuality, Daenerys fits into the bisexual category. Between her marriage to Drago and her many male lovers, she also flirts with a number of female characters, including Yara. While Yara's proposal of marriage to the Daenerys does not actually pan out, their relationship still manages to bring a new light to same-sex relationships within the Game of Thrones universe. Though, we can't help but wonder what we missed out on, especially since Martin's books explicitly portray Daenerys as bisexual.