June is Pride Month, the time when across the U.S and the world there are celebrations and commemorations to recognize all who identify as LGBTQ and their allies.

Daytime soap operas have had a rocky road when it comes to the representation of same-sex couples.  The soaps have been at one time leaders in portraying key social issues of our time, as well as treading lightly on other subjects, as to its concerns to ‘turn-off’ its core audiences.

When you look back at the groundbreaking first same-sex weddings, and the first gay kiss, the soaps have come far in some ways in their representations of gay characters, but there is always work to be done to serve and to shed light on the under-represented.

As we reflect back to the then and the now, which LGBTQ soap supercouple remains your favorite and had made a lasting impact? Let’s take a look at four duos who captivated many viewers.

Nuke  – Luke Snyder and Noah Mayer – As the World Turns

Van Hansis (Luke) and Joel Silbermann (Noah) were a key part of the evolution of, and representation of LGBTQ character on the soaps.  ‘Nuke’, as they were known as, became the first gay male soap couple to share an on-screen kiss back in 2007.  ATWT also became known as the first soap to depict a fully realized romantic male couple as an integral part of the show.  There was plenty of backlash along the way for the long-awaited kiss to happen, but when it did, the show moved forward to tell their love story.

Otalia – Olivia Spencer and Natalia Rivera Aitoro – Guiding Light

When Crystal Chappell (Olivia) and Jessica Leccia (Natalia) began to play the love story of Otalia, they had to show their affection by a kiss on the head, or holding hands.  It took quite some time for GL to move forward to have two women, two moms, no less, share a lip lock. The complicated love story featured Natalia being conflicted to face her true romantic feelings for Olivia, because of her value system and religions upbringing, and that made this all the more riveting and frustrating at the same time.  In the end, the rabid fan base for this duo was so great that Chappell wound up creating her own series, Venice, to honor and serve them, remaining one of the LGBTQ communities greatest allies.

Kish – Kyle Lewis and Oliver Fish – One Life to Live

In 2009, One Life to Live’s Kyle Lewis (Brett Claywell) was an out lab tech in Llanview, who back in college had a relationship with Officer Oliver Fish (Scott Evans).  It imploded when Oliver denied he was gay.  For years, Oliver remained in the closet, before finally coming out to himself and Kyle.

Kish had been a big success with the media and One Life’s gay audience. LGBTQ-advocacy groups honored the couple and the story.  However, Kish was cut short when the network felt that the data showed that the storyline was not resonating with the show’s core audience.

WilSon – Will Horton and Sonny Kiriakis – Days of our Lives

Days of our Lives delivered daytime’s first-ever gay male wedding in 2014, between Will (then played by Guy Wilson) and Sonny (then played by Freddie Smith).

In an interview with EW, Days of our Lives executive producer, Ken Corday shared on the union, “Will and Sonny have been together for a while and it was the natural progression of their love story. We didn’t feel like there was anything we could or couldn’t do, we treated them like any other couple on the canvas and continued to grow their romance as such.”

In addition, the coming out story of Will Horton was critically praised and noteworthy for the performances of Chandler Massey, who won three Daytime Emmys for his work in the Outstanding Younger Actor category 2012, 2013 and 2014.  Freddie Smith also won in the same category in 2015.  Will has been played over the years by Chandler Massey and Guy Wilson, while Sonny has been portrayed by Freddie Smith and Zach Tinker.

There have been several other key LGBTQ couples throughout the course of daytime history including All My Children’s Bianca (Eden Riegel) and Reese (Tamara Braun). These two characters were involved in the first same-sex lesbian wedding on daytime. Problem was … Reese kissed Zach (Thorsten Kaye) before the wedding, making this infuriating for viewers at home.

Other notable LGBTQ couples through the years have included: Bianca and Maggie on All My Children, Mariah and Tessa of The Young and the Restless played bv Camryn Grimes and Cait Fairbanks, Maya and Rick on The Bold and the Beautiful, Lucas and Brad on General Hospital and others.

Which couple do you think has had the most lasting impact on the history of LGBTQ representation on daytime soap operas? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

UPDATED: Monday, the soap world was saddened by the loss of one of the most respected actress ever in the genre, when the news broke of the death of Daytime Emmy-winner, Elizabeth Hubbard.

This powerhouse performer who was best known for her work as Dr. Althea Davis on The Doctors, and as Lucinda Walsh on As the World Turns, died this past Saturday at her home in Connecticut from cancer.

Throughout this afternoon, several of Hubbard’s former As the World Turns castmates took to social media to share their reactions on the passing of this beloved daytime icon.  In addition, Retro TV, which has been airing vintage episodes of The Doctors, also paid tribute to Hubbard.

Photo: CBS

Martha Byrne (ex-Lily, ATWT) shared on her Instagram: As many of you are finding out this morning, Elizabeth Hubbard passed away. First and foremost I want everyone to know I made sure she was aware of how much everyone loved her. I would share your comments from social media, videos and your fond memories of her as Lucinda, Althea, every time I saw her. She loved the audience and fought like HELL to bring truth and honesty to her performances. On a personal level there aren’t words to describe how much she meant to me. Only feelings, which override words in so many cases when it comes to love. I will be sharing more so we can all grieve together but here are our last words together only just a few days ago. I said, “Liz, do you know how much you have done for me?” She said, “You can do more.” Because of what she has done for me over the last 38 years, the strength and fearless nature in how she lived her life, she is right, I can AND WILL do more. I look forward to sharing more about her life, which encompasses so much more than her INCREDIBLE career on daytime television. She also said to me when I told her how much the fans loved her…”I tried.” She more than tried. She left it all on the screen. I’ll miss her every day but grateful the universe gifted me with such a force of nature, of which the world will not see the likes of again. ❤️”

Photo: NBC

Photo: CBS

 

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We are saddened to hear of soap-opera legend Elizabeth Hubbard’s passing at age 89. A force to be reckoned with, Hubbard stole our hearts with her portrayal of Althea Davis on The Doctors. Please share your favorite memories with us as we remember the beloved Elizabeth Hubbard. pic.twitter.com/Ctb020q6bw

— Watch The Doctors (@watch_doctors) April 10, 2023

One of daytime drama’s most beloved and revered actresses, Elizabeth Hubbard, has passed away. The legendary Daytime Emmy-winning star was best known for her performances as Dr. Althea Davis on The Doctors and Lucinda Walsh on As the World Turns.

Elizabeth’s son, Jeremy Bennett, broke the heartbreaking news via his Facebook page, sharing, “I’m sorry to say with a broken heart mi mum passed over the weekend. Thank you for being an unmovable rock that guided me through life. I will try to honour your memory for as long as I live.”

Photo: NBC

Hubbard received 11 Daytime Emmy nominations throughout her career on the soaps. Of her 11 Daytime Emmy nods, Hubbard earned eight for her towering work as Lucinda Walsh on CBS’ As the World Turns, a role she played from 1984 till the the beloved soap went off the air in September of 2010.

However, Liz was the very first actress to win the Outstanding Lead Actress award in 1974 for her star-turn as Dr. Althea Davis on NBC’s The Doctors.  She followed that two years later winning a Daytime Emmy for the TV movie, First Ladies Dairies: Edith Wilson.

Liz was born to be an actress and graduated from the distinguished Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, England,  She got her soap start with roles on Guiding Light, then Edge of Night, and eventually joined The Doctors as Althea.  She played the role from 1964-1969, then again from 1970-1978 and one last time from 1981-1982.  After The Doctors was cancelled, she went over to One Life to Live for a short run in the role of Estelle Chadwick.

Photo: JPI

Later, everything changed in Oakdale when As the World Turns wisely cast Hubbard as Lucinda Walsh, a defining role in her career.  Lucinda was a tough-as-nails corporate business woman with a past, who guarded her heart, and carried on tumultuous relationships with her children and the men in her life.

Photo: JPI

Elizabeth’s final appearance on-screen was in the web series Anacostia in 2015 that reunited Hubbard with her ATWT on-screen adopted daughter, Lily, played by her dear friend, Martha Byrne.

We will continue to provide updates and reactions in the soap community on the death of Elizabeth Hubbard in the days ahead.

Share your condolences and remembrances for the great Elizabeth Hubbard vis the comment section.  But first, we share the last times we had the opportunity to connect with Liz.  One, on the red carpet at the Daytime Emmys along with Martha Bryne in 2018, and her participation as one of our ‘Doctors’ alums during our pandemic game show, ‘Soap-Opera-Know-It-All’, where she was gracious enough to be a part of the episode.

❤️ https://t.co/n9T45hgECf

— Martha Byrne (@MarthaByrne10) April 10, 2023