We all know how the world we live in does not really like LGBT people to exist; or to be more precise, their homosexuality or the difference of gender to exist.

Yet somehow for ages we have grown up watching many such people on screen or on the playground or on the stage, we have loved them and called ourselves their fan – with or without the knowledge that they belong to the LGBT community.

When they have entertained, inspired and amused us without judging who we are, why should we not return the favour and like them any less?

Here are 5 LGBT TV actors who have broken the stereotype and ruled the television and our hearts:

• ANDREW SCOTT

Known to the entire world of TV Series fanatics as Jim Moriarty of BBC’s Sherlock, this man is no less a sensation than the lead actor, Benedict Cumberbatch himself, successfully transforming a so-called antagonistic character into a much-loved heartthrob of the younger generation. Over a casual interview while condemning the Russian president’s anti-gay legislations, he said that for him, it is not really an “issue” that needs a lot of attention. In the interview with pinknews.co.uk, he said:

“Mercifully, these days people don’t see being gay as a character flaw; but nor is it a virtue, like kindness, or a talent, like playing the banjo. It’s just a fact.”

• LAVERNE COX

An American transgender actress and LGBT activist, she is best known for her role of Sophia Burset on Netflix series, Orange is the New Black, for which she became the first openly transgender person to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in the acting category. She is also the first openly transgender woman to win a Daytime Emmy as an Executive Producer for her documentary Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word.

Adding to her list of first’s, in 2015, she became the first openly transgender person to have a wax figure of herself at Madame Tussauds and on June 9, 2014, she became the first openly transgender person to appear on the cover of Time magazine.

• NEIL PATRICK HARRIS

Harris confirmed that he is gay on November 4, 2006, by saying:

“I am happy to dispel any rumours or misconceptions and am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest and feel most fortunate to be working with wonderful people in the business I love.”

The cornerstone of popular TV Series How I Met Your Mother’s sense of humour and sarcasm, he is happily married to David Burtka since 8^th September 2014. The two became parents to twins Gideon and Harper in 2010.

• CYNTHIA NIXON

A very familiar face, thanks to all the reruns of the TV show Sex and the City as well as the two movies starring the same leading cast, Cynthia Nixon is an openly bisexual actress, married to long-time girlfriend, education activist Christine Marinoni with whom she has a son, Max. At some point in 2012, she got caught up in a controversy where she supposedly said that homosexuality is a choice. But later she clarified that she actually meant her being in a homosexual relationship to be a personal decision for herself and not being bisexual or gay.

“While I don’t often use the word, the technically precise term for my orientation is bisexual. I believe bisexuality is not a choice, it is a fact. What I have “chosen” is to be in a gay relationship.”

(Source: dailymail.co.uk)

• KRISTIAN NAIRN

Everybody’s beloved Hodor from the absolute fan-favourite, record-breaking TV Series Game of Thrones, Kristian Nairn came out as gay in an interview with WinterIsComing.net, a fan site for the show. He said:

“When you talk about ‘the gay community, you are talking about my community.”

He also added that he has never been secretive about his sexuality and it was just a lack of eventuality that it never came up during all the interviews. So even though we mourned his character’s horribly sad fate while holding a very dangerous door, we can be equally happy that he is not holding shut the door of any closet in real life.