diff --git a/adafruit_bitmap_font/bdf.py b/adafruit_bitmap_font/bdf.py
index e38283d..9f89566 100644
--- a/adafruit_bitmap_font/bdf.py
+++ b/adafruit_bitmap_font/bdf.py
@@ -92,6 +92,10 @@ def load_glyphs(self, code_points):
         if isinstance(code_points, int):
             remaining = set()
             remaining.add(code_points)
+        elif isinstance(code_points, str):
+            remaining = set(ord(c) for c in code_points)
+        elif isinstance(code_points, set):
+            remaining = code_points
         else:
             remaining = set(code_points)
         for code_point in remaining: