Soap featured Jodie Dallas, a groundbreaking openly gay character for 1970s television. While providing unprecedented visibility, his portrayal often relied on comedic stereotypes. Controversial storylines, such as his desire for a sex change, further complicated his identity, resulting in a mixed and ultimately neutral net impact on LGBTQ+ representation.

Soap featured Jodie Dallas, a gay character who explored gender identity and considered gender confirmation surgery, a groundbreaking storyline for its time. However, the resolution of his arc conflated gender identity with sexual orientation. Additionally, another trans character, Alice, was often depicted stereotypically, resulting in a portrayal that was neither strongly affirming nor degrading.

The series portrays a Catholic priest, Father Tim Flotsky, engaging in an affair with a married woman, Jessica Tate. This depiction satirizes hypocrisy within religious institutions and among its adherents, presenting a religious figure as failing to uphold his vows without significant counterbalancing positive portrayals from the narrative.