10 LGBTQ+ shows you need to binge for Pride Month

Pride month is a time to celebrate who you are and what makes you special as an LGBTQ+ person. Not everyone gets the privilege of growing up in a supportive environment, and it often takes years for queer people to appreciate themselves even after coming out and sharing their sexuality with the world. Fortunately, media representation is really starting to pick up in the way of gay characters and storylines on TV. These LGBTQ shows are sure to warm your heart and help build confidence and community among queer folks all around the world. From coming-of-age shows to family sitcoms, the variety is sure to help anyone find a show they will be inspired by!

Heartstopper (2022)

Genre Drama

Cast Joe Locke, Kit Connor, William Gao

Created by Alice Oseman

watch on Netflix

One of the best romance shows on TV right now, this adaptation of the Alice Osman graphic novels is pure comfort food, but with substance. Nick and Charlie (Kit Connor and Joe Locke) are two curious and emotionally intelligent high-school-age boys who carefully navigate the confusing teenage love they are starting to feel bubbling toward the surface. With award-winning actress Olivia Coleman guest staring as Nick’s mother, you’re sure to be touched by this story. Sugary music and bright animations litter the senses throughout the series. The second season will premiere on Netflix in August of 2023.

Young Royals (2021)

Genre Drama

Cast Edvin Ryding, Omar Rudberg, Malte Gårdinger

Created by Lars Beckung, Lisa Ambjörn, Camilla Holter

watch on Netflix

This Swedish drama is the most underrated and overlooked show on this list by a wide margin. Young Royals isn’t afraid to tackle deep topics like classism and political homophobia, all while maintaining optimism for the future. Edvin Ryding and Omar Rudberg do an excellent job as two teenagers on opposite sides of the class divide, and they battle heteronormativity within the royal family of Sweden with a mature and inspiring sensibility. If subtitles are a bother, the English dub is a great alternative way of watching the show.

Sex Education (2019)

Genre Comedy, Drama

Cast Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Ncuti Gatwa

Created by Laurie Nunn

watch on Netflix

We all know many people have sex on the brain every second they’re awake. Sex Education hones in on this honest human truth by discussing relatable topics between their teenage characters — the students of Moordale Secondary School. What starts out as the story of one particular student, Otis, trying to help others with their sexual issues turns into a much more ensemble venture. The show has several queer characters, such as Adam Groff (Connor Swindells), Eric Effiong (Ncuti Gatwa), and Cal Bowman (Dua Saleh).

Euphoria (2019)

Genre Drama, Crime

Cast Zendaya, Hunter Schafer, Sydney Sweeney

Created by Sam Levinson

watch on HBO Max

Everyone has an opinion on HBO’s most risqué series, Euphoria. Creator Sam Levinson sometimes goes overboard in his depiction of adult themes and nudity, but the production values of the series are something to be in awe of. The vision behind the show is almost concrete and substantial, even if the execution of the ideas doesn’t pan out. Zendaya is the stand-out performer here, beautifully bringing life to the tragic and traumatic queer teenager, Rue Bennett. Drugs and sex are what people think about when Euphoria comes to mind, but the realism and attention to detail should also be at the forefront of your impressions.

Love, Victor (2020)

Genre Comedy, Drama

Cast Michael Cimino, George Sear, Anthony Turpel

Created by Isaac Aptaker, Elizabeth Berger

watch on Hulu

The most important attribute of this Love, Simon spinoff series is the way it paints LGBTQ+ Latino teens in a positive light. Too often gay TV shows focus on the white experience, so the diversity in Love, Victor is something we shouldn’t take for granted. Following Victor Salazar (Michael Cimino) in his journey toward coming out and then forming a positive romance with his crush, Benji (George Sear), the show takes a lot of tired tropes and breathes fresh life into them.

The Bisexual (2018)

Genre Comedy, Drama

Cast Desiree Akhavan, Maxine Peake, Brian Gleeson

Created by Desiree Akhavan, Rowan Riley

watch on Hulu

Many of the shows on this list are male-dominant simply because TV networks have dedicated much more programming to this demographic. This is why The Bisexual is such an important show to watch if you want a dose of same-sex female relationships. The show follows a woman named Leila who starts to discover she may be interested in dating men after previously believing she was a lesbian. Looking at the fluidity of sexuality from this angle, rather than the straight-to-queer one, is a refreshing and necessary one for all LGBTQ+ viewers. Unfortunately, the series only ran for one season and six episodes, but there’s plenty of great stuff packed into this small and mighty show.

Pose (2018)

Genre Drama

Cast Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Dominique Jackson, Billy Porter

Created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Steven Canals

watch on Hulu

Black and Latin representation is at an all-time high in this beautiful and haunting series about ball culture in 1980s New York. Important topics like trans rights and HIV are incorporated into the main plot of Pose. Billy Porter became the first gay black man to win an Emmy Award when he took home the trophy for his performance in 2018.

Modern Family (2009)

Genre Comedy

Cast Ed O'Neill, Sofía Vergara, Julie Bowen

Created by Christopher Lloyd, Steven Levitan

watch on Hulu

When Modern Family began on ABC in 2009, few people knew the series would become one of the most awarded sitcoms in history. This show was truly ahead of its time, showing the entire spectrum of American family life. The most revolutionary characters were Cameron and Mitchell, the gay couple portrayed with love, hilarity, and authenticity by Eric Stonestreet and Jesse Tyler Ferguson. The fact this show was able to represent gay couples with such normalcy rather than poking fun of or making LGBTQ+ people caricatures is still appreciated to this day.

Queer as Folk (1999)

Genre Drama

Cast Aidan Gillen, Charlie Hunnam, Craig Kelly

Created by Russell T Davies

watch on Amazon

Queer as Folk is a great example of a show that needed a little time to become widely accepted by its target audience. Following the sexual exploits of three men, the show gives a broad example of the lifestyle choices queer people make on a daily basis. Some of these decisions aren’t smart, such as Aiden Gillen’s character, Stuart, sleeping with teenager Nathan (played by Charlie Hunnam). As the years have passed, viewers have come to understand the show as an important piece of queer media, one that was revolutionary and stands the test of time. There have been two reboots of the show, one as recent as 2022 on Peacock.

Schitt's Creek (2015)

Genre Comedy

Cast Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Dan Levy

Created by Eugene Levy, Dan Levy

watch on Hulu

Schitt’s Creek is the ultimate comfort family sitcom that everyone needs in their life. Taking unlikable rich snobs like the Rose family and seeing how they evolve into better people after being knocked down a couple of class rungs is an ingenious idea executed very well. Those looking for LGBTQ+ representation will love David (Daniel Levy), the pansexual son of the family who is depicted with grace and accuracy. His relationship exploits help make it one of the best gay shows on any streaming service.

10 LGBTQ+ shows you need to binge for Pride Month

These gay shows will help you understand more about yourself this June!

Heartstopper (2022)

Young Royals (2021)

Sex Education (2019)

Euphoria (2019)

Love, Victor (2020)

The Bisexual (2018)

Pose (2018)

Modern Family (2009)

Queer as Folk (1999)

Schitt's Creek (2015)

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