Queer representation in TV has always been few and far between, and has historically traded in tired stereotypes, tragedy and overused coming-out narratives. However, the last few years have seen a surge in LGBTQ-centered shows that showcase the joy, beauty and diversity of the LGBTQ community.
All month, Celeb Secrets is celebrating Pride with breaking news, interviews, and fun pride-themed posts, and today, we’re rounding up five shows to stream this June that celebrate queer joy, art, and how truly fun it is to be gay.
Keep scrolling below to see which shows make the cut and let us know which ones are your favorite by sending us a tweet at @celebsecrets.
The L Word: Generation Q
The original L Word, which aired from 2004 to 2009, cemented its place in queer cannon by being one of the first shows from a major network to center sapphic lives and relationships. Fans of the original and newcomers alike can enjoy the L Word: Generation Q, which takes off 10 years after the events of the original series. Gen Q features the return of characters like Bette, Alice and Shane, as well as a new ensemble that embodies the progress that has been made both societally and within the queer community in the last decade. Don’t worry; there’s plenty of talking, laughing, loving, breathing etc. to go around. Season two is reportedly set to premiere in August 2021, so get caught up while you can!
Where to watch: stream season one on Amazon Prime Video or Hulu (with Showtime add-on).
Pose
Set in the midst of 1980-‘90s AIDS crisis, Pose doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities the show’s Black and Latin queer characters face, while also celebrating the love, joy and found-family forged out of New York City’s drag ball scene. Featuring excellent performances from MJ Rodriguez, Dominique Jackson, Indya Moore, and, of course, Billy Porter.
Where to watch: stream seasons one and two on Netflix, and catch the third and final season now on FX.
Legendary
While Pose is a fictional look at the drag ball scene of the last century, this reality TV competition showcases the ballroom culture of today. Legendary pits real ballroom Houses against each other as they vogue, walk the runway, perform choreographed numbers and more to win a $100,000 cash prize and the title of “Legendary.”Jameela Jamil, Law Roach, Leiomy Lamdonado and Megan Thee Stallion host.
Where to watch: stream season one and two (currently in progress) on HBO Max.
Schitt’s Creek
The Emmy-sweeping Canadian sitcom created by Dan and Eugene Levy made waves for its grounded portrayal of character David Rose’s pansexuality. In the show’s last four seasons, David’s evolving relationship with his business partner Patrick became the emotional core of Schitt’s Creek in a storyline that is “simply the best.”
Where to watch: stream seasons one through six on Netflix or Amazon Prime.
The Boulet Brothers Dragula
Fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race will live for this horror-inspired take on a drag reality competition that celebrates all the rough and weird edges of queer expression. Drag performers compete in a series of spooky runway and performance challenges to win a cash prize and the title of “America’s Next Drag Supermonster.” In lieu of lip synching for their lives, each episode’s Bottom Two must compete in a Fear Factor-esque “Extermination Challenge” that could be anything from eating pig intestines to jumping out of a plane. The show is notable for featuring one of the first Drag Kings in a televised drag competition with Landon Cider’s season three run.
Where to watch: stream seasons two and three on Netflix, and keep your eyes peeled for season four, set to stream of horror platform Shudder at a to-be-determined date.
