Growing up, queer representation was sparse. Only a few popular shows—The L Word, Queer as Folk, and Will and Grace, among a few others—were unapologetically queer. But that didn’t stop us from finding our own queer heroes in unlikely places.
It also makes it harder when we lose those heroes unexpectedly.
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“There is a cultural reckoning unfolding before us,” influencer Noah Miller said in a TikTok with 2.9 million views.
Grief is a heartbreaking and uncharted sentiment for many of us, especially as we begin to lose so many of the childhood favorites that were there for us growing up. It’s important to note that grief is not linear, and it’s a lifelong process to digest and accept. We go through this process aided by memories and the legacies of our favorite people, which makes it a little easier.
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Here are three noteworthy deceased figures who tended to our inner child and changed the queer community forever.
Shannen Doherty
Shannen Doherty, known for her bubbly and loveable spirit, portrayed characters like Prue Halliwell from Charmed and Brenda Walsh from Beverly Hills 90210. Prue was a character of strength, intelligence, and power who taught us about boundaries, cute fashion, and honing our passions. Doherty’s role in Charmed meant so much to the community, and her IRL allyship made us feel loved and safe.
Janice Burgess
Janice Burgess was a one-of-a-kind talent who poured her love and dedication into her work. She’s mostly known for her excellent kid’s show, The Backyardigans, which has fire soundtracks that social media still raves about today. The character Uniqua was a fierce pink creature with strong leadership skills and big ideas. Many fans saw her as a queer-coded figure since she didn’t have a species like the other Backyardigans.
Tony Todd
Tony Todd’s passing last year hit home for the horror queer fans who loved his intense, stoic, captivating well-known roles in Final Destination and Candyman. His performances were always an experience and informed how we felt about fear. We’re so grateful to have been scared by him in our youth, because we have stories that’ll live with us forever about his influence on the horror genre.
While these influential people are no longer with us, we have their work to reflect on and continuously share their legacy with love.
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