With Twenty Bi-Teen on a roll, mainstream media is beginning to show more and more of the LGBTQ+ community. And frankly—it’s about damn time.
As recently as a few years ago, television and film didn’t exactly have the greatest reputation for being diverse. They were good at hiding it in minor characters or just completely keeping it off screen. However, I’m glad to say that that’s beginning to change.
For the first time, Disney had a character openly say they’re gay. DC has a show with a black lesbian superhero. A Netflix show has the largest transgender TV cast ever. All these new changes are allowing kids to know that they’re not alone, that it’s okay to be who they are and that’s the kind of future we should all look forward to.
So with LGBTQ+ shows making an appearance more and more frequently, I just gotta point out a couple that are a must-watch! Trust me, you won’t regret it.
- Killing Eve
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Now this one I can talk about for hours because holy crap, it is good. Having recently come out on 2018 and having only two seasons so far, it’s won a BAFTA award for Best Drama Series and has been nominated for a Golden Globe for the same category. Clearly, it’s considered a pretty popular show and honestly, I’m not surprised. It has so many thrills and mystery that the suspense will just kill you—in a good way. To summarize it without taking hours of your time (because trust me, I could and would talk about it for days), the show is about two female characters putting themselves into a crazy cat and mouse game, both largely obsessed with each other.
There’s Eve (played by the awesome Sandra Oh), a UK security officer who finds herself fascinated by Villanelle, a psychopathic assassin that always seems to get away without a trace. Both become entranced by the other and well, the rest is up to you. Can’t spoil it now, can I? But just as a side note, the woman who plays Villanelle, Jodie Comer, is very talented and definitely knows how to play the perfect psychopath. Her constantly changing facial expressions—incredible! Anyways, I very much recommend watching this show. You’ll soon find yourself becoming obsessed with it. You can watch the first season on Hulu and season 2 on amc.com with a TV Provider sign-in.
- Glee
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I just had to put a throwback in here, didn’t I? The 2009 musical TV show that had six seasons and a 2010 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series — Musical or Comedy definitely rose to become quite a success. Many of its songs were hits and the show even had a concert film, Glee: The 3D Concert Movie, based on the cast’s 2011 tour. The general plot of the show is the journey of several high school kids that are outcasts in their own way ending up together in their high school’s glee club led by Will Schuester, a Spanish teacher that once aspired to be on Broadway. Sue Sylvester, the school’s cheerleading coach, is constantly trying to destroy the club, but the kids try to keep the club running by winning competitions and hopefully going to nationals. I gotta say, the show is definitely a crazy rollercoaster, filled with messy and flawed characters that are definitely lovable, but will also make you want to give them a nice crisp slap to the face. It can be a love-hate relationship but I have to give the show props for showcasing many teenage issues at a time when differences weren’t as accepted as they are now. Some of those issues involved sexuality, especially when a transgender character was introduced in the later seasons. You can watch the whole show on Netflix.
- Queer Eye
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This show makes sure I’m either smiling, laughing, or crying at all times. How do I explain this marvelous show? Well, it’s basically about five gay men—the Fab Five!—coming into people’s lives and helping them have a better life by encouraging them to see their true potential. Honestly, it sounds simple but what they do is pretty life-changing. Each one of them has a role in what specific part of a person’s life they’re going to help with. Antoni helps to have both a healthier and delicious diet through his incredible cooking. Jonathan’s has the whole hair and face care going on and he’s definitely got the eye to make someone realize what they’ve been hiding all along. Karamo helps through teaching someone how to grow emotionally and realize that they can do anything. It all starts in the mind, right? Tan is the one to call for when you’re in dire need of fashion help (honestly, I need him with me on a daily basis) and he of course allows a person to pick what they’re comfortable in but also lets them feel confident. Then there’s Bobby! The man’s got crazy skills with interior design, never failing to make any house beautiful but also reflective of that person’s personality. With these five incredibly talented men, what can’t they do? Their show is perfect when you need a good laugh or a good tip on how to make better changes in your life. I’ve seen them truly touch people’s lives and that’s what really counts. So what are you waiting for? Go watch it! You can watch the show’s three seasons on Netflix.
- Wynonna Earp
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This show is another favorite of mine, unsurprisingly—I’m usually a sucker for Canadian shows. I just love how this show is completely unapologetic for being so brilliantly different. It never hides any of their LGBTQ+ characters, two of which are the main characters and another lovable one that comes along in the later seasons. The show is known to have a very passionate fan base, the writers giving them diversity that is rarely seen. Also, it’s an awesome supernatural show that’s just gotta be watched so what more do you need? Generally, it’s about a girl, Wynonna, that ends up being the Earp Heir. This means she has to send 77 demons (give or take) called Revenants back to hell in order to break a curse that was put on her family lineage many years ago. With the help of her friends, she’s determined to put every Revenant back into the ground and save her town. Overall, I can assure you the show has everything from comedy to suspense, and that’ll just make you want to watch more. I know I did, so I can guarantee Wynonna Earp won’t disappoint. Plus, there’s the fact that every Canadian show I’ve watched hasn’t disappointed me so far, so that’s gotta say something, right? You can watch the show’s first two seasons on Netflix and the third on platforms like Amazon Prime or Vudu.
- Pose
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I actually haven’t watched this show yet, but I have heard very positive reviews from friends. It’s on my soon-to-watch list but the show’s definitely quite the popular hit. It’s only had one season so far and it already has a Golden Globe nomination. If that isn’t impressive, I don’t know what is. The show follows Blanca, a woman who forms a House, meaning a place in which provides support for LGBTQ+ youth whose families rejected them. Set in the 1980’s, the housemates challenge each other in balls where they are judged in different categories like outfits, attitudes, or dancing. The show already sounds extraordinary, giving an insight to a hidden culture that’s never really been mentioned until now in mainstream media. Diverse characters come to life for the audience, giving the much needed representation the LGBTQ+ community deserves. I definitely plan to watch Pose very, very soon. You can watch the first season on Netflix.
There are so many more LBGTQ+ shows out there, including ones being made as we speak. So, don’t worry if you feel like you’ve watched every one already; just you wait. There’s plenty more just waiting to be put out into the world to be seen by everyone, whether you’re gay, transgender, bisexual, an ally, etc. These shows are made to represent the diversity found in this world and to be enjoyed by anyone and everyone. We all have our differences—it’s about time we learn to accept and celebrate them. And soon Hollywood may reflect that.