Salem Pride: A Look Back At Days of Our Lives’ LGBTQ Characters
Happy Pride Month, Days of Our Lives! Here’s a look back at the soap’s LGBTQ+ characters and storylines throughout the years, including a Salem supercouple who made daytime history.
WilSon
The most notable and most popular LGBTQ+ couple on DAYS was Will and Sonny – lovingly known by fans as WilSon. Before becoming a couple in 2012, their story began in 2011 when Sonny (ex-Freddie Smith) came to town as the show’s first openly gay character. Sonny’s arrival prompted a struggling Will (ex-Chandler Massey) to accept his sexuality and come out after breaking up with Gabi (ex-Camila Banus).
Although WilSon fell hard and fast, their relationship never came without drama, starting with Will cheating on Sonny with Gabi and getting her pregnant with their daughter. Lucky for Will, an unexpected daughter didn’t phase Sonny, and the two made daytime history in 2015 as the first male same-sex couple to get married on a soap.
Will (then-Guy Wilson) later cheated on Sonny again with Sonny’s ex, Paul (ex-Christopher Sean, who joined Season 2 of Beyond Salem), before he was killed by the Necktie Killer, Ben (Robert Scott Wilson). But even death couldn’t do them part when it was revealed Will was alive and well in 2017. Despite an attempted murder, a brain tumor, and adoption woes, Will and Sonny left Salem in 2020 happier than ever.
WilSon Walked So They Could Run
After Will and Sonny, DAYS showcased a thriving LGBTQ+ cast of character, starting with Paul, who played a crucial role not only as Sonny’s love interest during Will’s death, but for John (Drake Hogestyn) after learning he was his son. Paul even through a Pride Month party in Season 2 of Beyond Salem, where he met his current love interest, Shane’s (Charles Shaughnessy) son Andrew (Colton Little).
While the show primarily focused on gay men for a while – from Leo (Greg Rikaart) to Craig (ex-Kevin Spirtas) to Derrick (ex-Spencer Neville) – in 2020, DAYS introduced its first bisexual character, Allie (ex-Lindsay Arnold), and fluid character, Chanel (Raven Bowens). The two girls shared a short-lived romance before Chanel began falling for Allie’s twin brother, Johnny (Carson Boatman), with whom she’s about to have a baby.
Salem has also been a hotspot for the drag scene, with real-life drag queen Jackie Cox showing up in town from time to time, even dressing as former DAYS star Lisa Rinna for an episode.
Which LGBTQ+ DAYS character’s story has been your favorite to watch? Let us know in the comments.
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