There's a new show on Netflix, and it's called Chewing Gum. It's a British show that originally aired on British television but made its way to Netflix recently, and I just finished watching the first season (the only season on Netflix so far). I feel like a completely new person after watching it, honestly. It's amazingly feminist, the cast is hilarious and diverse, and it stars the literal genius Michaela Coel. Michaela Coel is an actress and performance artist who wrote a mostly autobiographical stage play about her life growing up in Tower Hamlets with a devout Pentecostal mother and sister, and then that stage play (originally titled Chewing Gum Dreams) was made into a TV show about two years ago.

I recently discovered it on Netflix and fell in love instantly. The show revolves around Tracey, a 24-year-old woman still discovering a lot about dating, sex, relationships, and just life in general. She is surrounded by quirky friends who defy stereotypes about minorities like black people, families who struggle financially, religious people, LGBT folks, and starving artists. The life lessons taught in this show are super important and I think all young people who struggle with self esteem and loving themselves should definitely watch this show.

Without giving away too much of the plot, the general synopsis of the show is that the main character Tracey feels unsatisfied with her current life situation and decides to change it by working hard to achieve her dreams, leaving her abusive boyfriend, and trying new things. In just the six short episodes available on Netflix, the show Chewing Gum teaches us that a show starring a black, female lead who grew up religious, loves Beyonce, is smart and proud of it, and learns not to care what anyone thinks of her can be a fantastic show. In addition, Michaela Coel is the head writer, so all the jokes are coming straight from her.

This show is hilariously comical but also isn't afraid to get down and dirty to discuss the hard issues. It touches on interracial relationships, sex positivity, mental illness (not as a punchline), sensitive men, and being LGBT while religious, just to name a few.

Tracey is a funny and engaging main character who everyone can relate to, no matter your gender, race, or nationality. Sometimes she's wickedly smart, sometimes she's totally clueless, but either way, she's always awesome. I definitely recommend that everyone watches this show, especially before the second season comes out on Netflix!