We all love to watch a little romance on television, but one major demographic that has always lacked TV representation is the LGBTQIA+ community. As years have passed and society has shifted its thinking, we finally developed more shows representing the community and showing people that love is love, no matter what it looks like. As an ally, seeing more and more shows representing LGBTQIA+ characters and romance has been so uplifting and exciting. I love to see the community being recognized on the big screen! That’s why I’m happy to grace your queue with a few shows that are great at representing queer romance. I even threw in one of my personal favorites as a fan of Asian dramas to show even more diversity, and a LGBTQIA+ romance from a global perspective. So without further ado, these are the shows we need more of in 2021, and in the years to come!
Related: Study Finds There Are A Record-High Number of LGBTQ Characters On TV & It’s About Time
- Love, Victor
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Love, Victor is the spin-off series from the book and movie Love, Simon. In Love, Victor, we follow Victor in his exploration of his sexuality whilst also struggling with his family and friend circles.
My LGBTQIA+ friend Angelo loves the series for a number of reasons, including that the main character is a person of color. “As a person of color myself, I definitely felt the representation, and could resonate with everything Victor experiences in his high-school experience.”
No journey of self discovery is complete without its share of bumps in the road, but it’s authentic in that it represents one perspective of what it is like to come out to your family and peers while learning to accept a part of your identity. One of the best parts of the show is that Victor actually communicates with Simon. It’s refreshing to have Victor receive advice from someone who’s gone through a similar experience. It’s a great way to connect the two stories, and show us another perspective of the high school LGBTQ+ experience. While you don’t necessarily have to watch Love, Simon to understand Love, Victor, I encourage you to watch it for your fill of more LGBTQ stories!
Watch On: Hulu
- Schitt’s Creek
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I’m sure that at some point throughout quarantine, this show has popped into your social media feed. Schitt’s Creek is an amazing show – one that provides great acting and big laughs, while also positively dipicting an LGBTQIA+ couple. The show follows the upheaved life of the Rose family. After being conned out of their rich lifestyle, they move to a town called Schitt’s Creek, which Johnny, the father, purchased as a joke years ago.
David Rose is the only son of the Rose family, and his character arc is filled with plenty of growth. Not too far into the show, David openly identifies as pansexual. He goes through a string of romances until coming up on one later in the show which becomes a beautiful and heartwarming relationship. I won’t spoil it for you, but it’s such a highlight in the show, and only adds to the heart the show truly has. Highly recommended!
Watch on: Netflix
- The Untamed
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For those who love fantasy and/or Chinese culture, look no further than The Untamed. This show is a live adaption of the book Mo Dao Zu Shi (The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, in English), written by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu, who is known for her boy-love novels.
While China has very strict laws on LGBTQIA+ representation on screen, Chinese entertainment companies have found ways to adapt this story into one that doesn’t take away from the themes of love that it was meant to portray. My two Chinese LGBTQIA+ friends August and Michelle are huge supporters of the show, and both consider it groundbreaking in the context of LGBTQIA+ representation in Chinese culture.
The Untamed tells the story of two soulmates who are spiritual cultivators; they solve mysteries together that link to tragic events from their pasts. Although there aren’t any romance scenes, the creators were able to reference parts of the original novel that make it clear that it is still a love story. Though it may sounds like it is, it’s not queerbaiting. The symbolism and actions between the two soulmates are enough to explain their true relationship without a single “I love you.”
August says, “The couple in the show portray the metaphorical example of a situation where the couple must handle the toxic and non-toxic parts of known stereotypes seen today.” Those toxic parts include possessiveness, miscommunication, aversion to sexual identity, and trauma. Despite all of that, the characters are able to show affection for one another, even though they’re initially oblivious to the other’s feelings.
My friend Michelle agrees, and was eager to add, “Although the creators couldn’t stay completely true to the story due to censorship laws, small references throughout the show helped keep the true essence of the story alive. In a political climate where being queer is not accepted, I admire this show for it’s story but also the lengths the cast and crew went to maintain the fact that this is a love story where love goes beyond saying 我爱你 (Wǒ ài nǐ, or ‘I love you’). The highest form of love is truly knowing, understanding, and recognizing the person for what they mean to you, and this couple represents that.”
It’s a show in which love is depicted through actions, rather than words.
Watch on: Netflix
- Pose
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This show is everything you want in a queer television show, with drama, romance, fashion, diversity and fun wrapped into one. If you haven’t heard about this Netflix spectacular, please add it to your watch list immediately. Pose is an amazing show that tells the stories of African-American and Latinx LGBTQIA+ people who participated in the underground ballroom scene of the 80s. The ballroom scene is the ultimate form of performance and fashion, with contestants competing for trophies and recognition.
It’s been nominated for a number of awards, including a Golden Globe for Best Television Series – Drama and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series. It’s spectacular in its performances and visuals, and it also made headlines because director Ryan Murphy actually cast transgender actresses and actors as transgender characters, while also employing LGBTQIA+ crew members.
Angelo attests to its brilliance in representation. “It’s great that it explores more of the conflicts that the transgender community have to go through,” he says. “Since this is set in the 1980s, we get to see the progression of trans/LGBTQIA+ rights. There was so much controversy back then that it makes me thankful in comparison to where we are today with LGBTQIA+ rights.”
With stars like MJ Rodriguez and award winning LGBTQ actor Billy Porter bringing all the fun into the mix, you know you’re in for a good show. Following journeys of self-discovery, acceptance, and expression during a time of extreme oppression, this show is eye opening to multiple perspectives, while analyzing the complexities of being queer and African-American or Latinx. Truly groundbreaking.
Watch On: Netflix
As an advocate for diversity in the film and television industry, quarantine has been a great excuse for me to discover new shows with so much more representation than we have seen in the past. I admire these directors and producers who see that the way we have portrayed love as being strictly heterosexual on screen is no longer acceptable, as love takes on many forms and has no blueprint. With these suggestions, I hope you enjoy seeing new perspectives on love and sexuality, but also have a new show that you’ll want to watch over and over again.