LGBTQ2S+ Characters on the Small Screen
I'm pleased to say that LGBTQ2S+ characters are no longer a complete rarity on television. It's true that there's still a long way to go. There are still too many people not seeing characters like themselves on TV. There are still so many stories left untold. But the world of television is developing a collection of shows that prominently and positively represent members of the LGBTQ2S+ community. Shows like Pose, Sex Education and Special.
Unfortunately, many of these great shows exist only on streaming platforms like Netflix or Amazon Prime. If they aren't released on DVD, we can't consider adding them to the library collection. But fear not, we've still got lots of TV shows with LGBTQ2S+ content for you to choose from. Of course, we have well-known series like Schitt's Creek, but we also have other shows that aren't as well known. Here are just a few of your options.
Billions might not be the most well-known show on TV but it will forever have a place in LGBTQ2S+ pop culture history. Season two of the show introduced the first non-binary main character on North American'television, played by non-binary actor Asia Kate Dillon. The series focuses on the big-money world of a hedge fund manager in New York, and the United States Attorney working to bring him to justice. Dillon plays a talented financial analyst climbing the ranks in the company.
Bojack Horseman. Season one & two
This adult animated sitcom follows a washed up 1990s sitcom actor, who also happens to be a sort of human-horse hybrid. Among the list of oddball characters is Todd Chavez, who is one of the only open asexual characters on television.
The Expanse is a sci-fi thriller set in a future when humans have colonized the solar system. With a darker tone than many other sci-fi shows, The Expanse successfully combines political conspiracies with compelling plotlines about the realities of being a human in space. The LGBTQ2S+ representation is more subtle in the first season but in later seasons we are introduced to several characters in queer and polyamorous relationships.
Steven Universe. The complete first season
As Cartoon Network's first show created solely by a woman, Steven Universe was significant before the show even aired its first episode. It follows the title character as he goes on adventures with his friends, a group of magical aliens called Crystal Gems. The show has been praised for its portrayal of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations. It even features what is reportedly the first same-sex marriage proposal in a children's animated show.
What We Do in the Shadows. The complete first season
Based on the 2014 film of the same name, this offbeat horror mockumentary series follows a group of vampire roommates living in modern day Staten Island, New York. The show prominently depicts a variety of queer and polyamorous relationships. In fact, executive producer Paul Simms has said that all of the characters are "completely pansexual."
Star Trek Discovery. Season one
Set approximately 10 years before Star Trek: The Original Series, Discovery documents the war between the Klingons and the United Federation of Planets. The show is the first series in the Star Trek franchise to include an openly gay couple. The third season also introduced the franchise's first non-binary and trans characters.
The Bold Type is loosely based on the life of a former editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine. It follows three millennial women living in New York City as they navigate friendship, romance and their careers at a fictional women's magazine. Though its later seasons were not as well received, The Bold Type's first season was celebrated for its deception of queer Black and Muslim women.
Well, I'm off to binge What We Do in the Shadows. What about you? Did your "Must Watch" list just get a little longer? Who are your favourite LGBTQ2S+ characters on TV?
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