General Hospital Stars Who Are Proud Members Of The LGBTQIA Community

Even in this entertainment-glutted era of reality shows, hit Netflix series, and pretty much everything streaming on demand, it's nice to know there's still a place for soap operas. The cliffhanger daytime dramas have kept fans enthralled for nearly a century, with soaps beginning on radio in the 1930s before making the jump to television in 1949 with "These Are My Children." The genre's endurance is due in part to its ability to reflect the times; for instance, "General Hospital" has changed considerably over the years. What began as a simple medical drama has evolved to address issues such as breast cancer awareness, AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, and PTSD in veterans. 

The show also broke ground by introducing LGBTQIA characters as something other than comic relief or tragic figures. The first openly gay character on "General Hospital," Jon Hanley, appeared in 1994; more than a decade later, the show introduced a story arc featuring Lucas Jones and his efforts to be accepted by his family. This paved the way for more gay characters in the years that followed, with storylines that centered around issues other than their sexuality.

Some gay characters in "General Hospital" have been played by cis actors — such as Jacqueline Grace Lopez, who played Alison "Blaze" Rogers — while some memorable straight roles have been portrayed by actors who are queer. Others have been gay roles played by queer actors. Among the celebrities who have appeared on "General Hospital" in featured roles are out-and-proud performers such as George Takei, Ricky Martin, and the late Richard Simmons. So, let's pay tribute to some members of the LGBTQIA community, past and present, who have made the town of Port Charles and its hospital corridors a lot prouder in more ways than one.

The death of Anthony Geary at age 78 in 2025 marked a huge loss both for "GH" and the LGBTQIA community. For 40 years, Geary and Genie Francis won millions of hearts as Luke and Laura Spencer (despite their problematic relationship storyline). Their TV wedding smashed viewership records and proved yet again that a gay actor can convincingly play a cis role. Following his retirement, Geary lived quietly in the Netherlands with his husband, Claudio Gama.

For one shining year, Adrian Anchando played the openly gay "General Hospital" character Marco Rios. "It just felt so important to be seen and represented, and I couldn't believe the amount of messages I received from fans just thanking me for showing multi dimensions in a queer character," he told TV Insider. Marco was killed off in March 2026, but Anchando left with good memories, not to mention a new boyfriend: fellow soap star Colton Little. On Instagram, Anchando called the "Days of our Lives" actor "the man of my dreams."

Queer "General Hospital" character Dr. Lucas Jones has been played by a number of actors over the years, currently by Van Hansis, best known for "As the World Turns." On the show, Lucas was involved with Marco Rios before Marco's murder; in real life, Hansis is happily partnered with Broadway choreographer Tyler Hanes. "I am so proud to be a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Queer people are the best people," he once wrote on Instagram. 

In 2018, "General Hospital" made soap opera history by casting trans actor Cassandra James in the part of Dr. Terry Randolph, also a trans woman. James, who played the character until 2025, is well aware of the importance of her role. "[I]t's so important to show young trans people that there are so many things that you can become," she once told Soap Opera Digest. "To have Terry be accepted by the audience is really exciting to me. There are wonderful, amazing things happening for our community and we just keep fighting."

Marc Anthony Samuel enjoyed a long run on "General Hospital" as Felix DuBois, a nurse who is gay, though his dad was hesitant at first. "[He said], 'I'm happy that you got this job, but I want to make sure that you're not playing a stereotype,'" Samuel told Windy City Times. "'I wouldn't want you to do it as a Black man and I wouldn't want you to do it for the LGBT community. It has to be an honest representation.'" Samuel's other credits include the Netflix Christmas movie "The Merry Gentlemen."

Conniving butler Pascal Leveque was one of those "General Hospital" villains everyone loved to hate. In one memorable episode, Pascal revealed to Lucas that he, too, had been in love with Marco (gasp!). The character was written off the show shortly afterward. Offscreen, French-Canadian actor and film producer Marc Forget leads a much less dramatic life in California with his longtime partner. His Instagram account occasionally features photos of Pride events, including one of a parade float representing a group called Égalité (Equality). "And the name is French! C'est merveilleux!" he cheered.

One of the most recent characters on "General Hospital" just happens to also be one of the Hallmark leading men who make us sweat! In May 2026, Jonathan Bennett made his Port Charles debut as detective Joe Fitzpatrick. It's not his first soap role — he's an "All My Children" alum — but fans are delighted to see him return to daytime TV. Bennett, of course, is also a vocal member of the gay community who married fellow actor Jaymes Vaughn in 2022.