Being stuck in a house, away from my friends and paramour is hard. Like all people, when bored I decide to go and watch something. To my amazement, watching multiple Netflix TV shows I am seeing so many queer people finally being represented in a positive way. As messy humans who like people of the same sex and aren't afraid to enjoy it.
Let's start off with the Netflix series Hollywood. Y'all, binge watching this series really made me go in my feels. For those who don't know, Hollywood is a limited series that reimagines the Golden Age of Hollywood. In this series, they touch upon people of color, women, and LGBTQ+ folks during this era and make these characters prevail. The best relationship is between Rock Hudson and his lover Archie.
Of course, the series effectively dumbs down, fails to address sexual assault, and makes Rock appear to be a bad actor, but it also gives him the opportunity to openly fall in love with a man and live happily with him. As an old movies fan, I know Rock Hudson films. I know he was a closeted gay man who died of AIDS and who deserved better. Through this series, Hudson stands up to his abusive agent, and gets to be with the man he loves, being free to be himself.
In fact, the series makes certain that all the closeted gay men (believe me there are quite a few) have the ability to be open, live with their partners, and actually be happy. Viewers see the whole experience- from watching these men alone and wracked with shame ultimately have their Hollywood ending.
Every queer person can relate to that feeling- to repressing, to shame, to guilt, to isolation, to finally coming out, and being happy. It makes you want to love on your partner or if you are single, have a special someone right away. Either way, it is one of those series that makes you want to feel good at seeing revised history and allows you to escape in a way that helps.
Next has got to be Schitt's Creek. Dudes, this is some good gay quality TV. It follows the incredibly funny wealthy family that moves to the title of the series after discovering that they have no more money.
Seeing a flamboyant pansexual character stumble through conquering his insecurities and be so funny in navigating his new normal is such a treat.
It normalizes pansexuality in a way that doesn't make it seem to be a joke or some extra diversity characteristic. It is a part of who David is, and he is not ashamed of it. Of course pansexuality is never the same for any person who identifies with that label and the whole scene of using wine to explain genders isn't completely okay, but the show does a great job on seemlessly fitting in some good gay quality and humor.
Y'all have probably picked up on the fact that most of these couples are men. Unfortunately, it is so much easier to find good gay male representation than it is for queer women and other genders.
Although- TV show Dead to Me did a fantastic job spinning one of their main characters into a queer relationship with a woman. The character is quite femme and does give off some queer vibes, but I assumed that was just me projecting. Until Season 2 with her bonding over crystals, astrology, weed, and good food. Classic lesbian maneuver.
I enjoyed how the show fluidly adapted to this new love interest. The other characters didn't really care about her orientation, and the character was genuinely happy. I also appreciated how she didn't have to have a long drawn out coming out scene, because she is just who she is.
There are more LGBTQ+ shows and of course dozens of films, but these are the ones that warmed my heart and felt they represented queer folk and their relationships the healthiest to me. Oh quarantine, how queer you make me feel.
