It’s Pride Month, y’all, and you know what that means.
As companies around the globe try to buy our favor with rainbow-colored products and vapid, meaningless slogans, actual gay people gather to celebrate everything that makes us who we are. Like those soulless, money-grubbing companies, the media still has a long way to go in order to fully encapsulate the LGBTQ+ experience, but there’s no denying how much progress has been made.
Many depictions of LGBTQ+ relationships in the media are…lackluster, to say the least. We’ve seen every possible interpretation of the Exact. Same. Gay. Man across dozens of tired, repetitive releases that try to cash in on the “gay craze” without actually putting any thought — or heart — into it. But, as the landscape continues to evolve, so too do the offerings cropping up on our television screens and in cinematic releases. Every now and then, there comes along an LGBTQ+ relationship so impactful, so poignant, so moving that it stays with us forever.
Those are the ones we’re here to highlight.
Lito and Hernando — Sense8
Where to stream: Netflix
Deciding on which Sense8 couple to highlight in this entry was a real trial, but I landed on Lito and Hernando because, without fail, they represent something I find too rare in LGBTQ+ representation: they make me smile. Their relationship is still fraught, to be sure, and they suffer plenty in their attempts to be together, but they also fit together in the same flawless way I fit with my fiancée. They are easy, when they’re with each other, and the introduction of Daniela only elevates their relationship further.
Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love Nomi and Amanita, but their relationship just doesn’t hit me in the feels the way Lito and Hernando’s does. They edge into poly territory, in their own unique way, with Daniela’s gradual inclusion into their relationship, but the connection between Lito and Hernando is a constant. Even as they suffer fallout from Lito’s changing connections with his cluster and the strife caused by living a life in the closet, they are a relief every time they come on screen. Even strife looks good on these two — I mean honestly, what wouldn’t? — but it is their heart and genuine, relatable, beautiful connection that makes me love Lito and Hernando more than any other pairing on the Wachowskis’ wacky sci-fi series. — Nahila Bonfiglio
T.K. and Carlos — 911: Lone Star
Where to stream: Hulu
Although there’s still so much progress to be made for LGBTQ+ representation in media, the first time I stumbled upon Carlos and T.K. from 911: Lone Star, I couldn’t help but recognize just how far we’ve come. Here you have a Latino police officer and a Jewish firefighter/paramedic falling in love on prime-time television amidst emotional twists and turns that have nothing to do with either character struggling to come out. And to top it off, their family and friends are actually accepting of them, their queerness, and their oh-so-very-gay relationship. In fact, they never bat an eye (gasp!). In all seriousness, this everyday, run-of-the-mill romance between first responders is the kind of gay love story lacking in media; sometimes gay love can be ordinary; sometimes two guys meet, fall in love, and choose to stay that way. But that doesn’t make it any less beautiful. Don’t let its ordinariness fool you, though — it’s spicy as heck.
The show holds a special place in my heart for several reasons, but mainly because the love between Carlos and T.K. looks like mine, something I never imagined would be represented on TV, let alone celebrated. As a white guy who is happily married to an ordinary, down-to-earth, intelligent, kind, and yes, handsome Latino man, it’s hard to put into words just how emotional and impactful it’s been to see a love story like ours reflected back at us on national television. — Cody Raschella
Patrick and David — Schitt’s Creek
Where to stream: Hulu and also available to rent/buy on Vudu, Prime Video, and Apple TV
“I like the wine and not the label” might just be one of the most iconic lines on feelgood sitcom Schitt’s Creek, which explored pansexuality through David Schitt (Dan Levy). And, in his eventual partner Patrick (Noah Reid), he found a bottle worth uncorking. Their slow-burn love story covered all aspects of queer relationships that can sometimes be hard to navigate, from one partner having vastly more experience in the dating world than the other, to struggles with opening a relationship (something more common in LGBTQ+ partnerships, but still not a given), to the stress of coming out in a small town – even one as welcoming as the titular Schitt’s Creek. Throughout the ups and downs, we saw the cutest bond develop, and saw the pair bring out the best in each other. And who could forget that Tina Turner scene? The joy of Schitt’s Creek isn’t tension or drama, but giving you that warm, fuzzy feeling inside, and Patrick and David certainly did that, proving to a wide audience that everybody and anybody can find – and deserves – love. — Sandeep Sandhu
Robert and Aaron — Emmerdale
Where to stream: BritBox or ITVX (or just soak up Robert and Aaron via their specific playlists on YouTube)
If the first step to great queer representation in media was getting a foot in the door, the natural evolution has been to strive for LGBTQ+ characters and relationships that feel real. That includes the best sides of us, but also the worst, coming together to create fictional characters that feel every bit as human as our very own flawed, frustrated, yet passionate attempts at love (and self-love).
Across every television show and movie I’ve watched and obsessed over through the years (and, trust me, the list is long), no other couple or, indeed, characters have fulfilled this standard quite like Robert Sugden and Aaron Dingle (Robron) from British soap opera Emmerdale. Yes, a soap might feel a little out of place among this rundown of the best queer media, which makes it all the more fascinating that, out of all the possible places, that’s where I found everything I had been looking for.
I could easily call myself a professional shipper — if there even is such a thing. I crave romance in the media I consume, especially if I’m lucky enough to find a queer version of it. I’ve latched on to a favorite couple (or one true pairing) in virtually everything I’ve been a fan of, but my attachment has never been as great as with Robron.
With a storyline that spans five years (plus additional long years of background stories for each character), made up of daily episodes that aired all year on ITV, the experience of following Robert and Aaron’s love arc was insanely immersive. The actors’ chemistry was unlike anything I’d seen before and — although the writing wasn’t always pitch-perfect (it’s a soap) — as a whole their evolution together and individually was breathtaking. From broken and vindictive to self-sacrificing and strong, Robert and Aaron redefined what queer love can achieve. — Francisca Tinoco
Margot and Jake — Tales of the City
Where to stream: Netflix
The pairing of Margot and Jake from Netflix’s 2019 miniseries Tales of the City is a unique one; for a straight couple who are on the verge of breaking up at the show’s opening, they encapsulate the essence of queer love better than any duo I’ve ever seen.
When we’re first introduced to Margot, a lesbian, and Jake, a transgender man who was dating Margot before he transitioned, the former begins to have misgivings about continuing the relationship, as she’s not attracted to men despite loving Jake, which is further complicated by Jake’s desire to explore his newfound attraction to other men. By the end of the series, the two have long since broken up, but still love each other as friends.
The beauty of Jake and Margot lies in the revolutionary nature of their love, which not only goes beyond their romance, but is essential to the nature of queer love as a whole. In a world obsessed with the idea of disliking your exes and defining sexuality by which genitals you prefer, it’s infinitely refreshing to see someone like Margot stay true to her sexuality based on the appearance of her partner rather than what’s in their pants, as well as seeing two young people still managing to love each other despite having outgrown one another.
Quirky romps about cisgender lesbians are all good and fine, but Tales of the City dared to tell meaty queer stories about people of all shapes, sizes, bodies, colors, and perspectives, and the story of Jake and Margot is among the most special of the bunch. — Charlotte Simmons
Nick and Charlie — Heartstopper
Where to stream: Netflix
After hearing nothing but positive buzzings about Heartstopper when the show first arrived on Netflix, I had a sneaking suspicion that I was about to become an instant fan along with everyone else. What I was not prepared for was the onslaught of uncontrollable sobbing I’d soon be experiencing on an episodic basis. Heartstopper gorgeously captures what it’s like to be a young man questioning his sexuality amidst the rigors of high school, with Joe Locke and Kit Connor’s authentic portrayals lending Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson some of the most beautiful humanity in all of queer television. Charlie and Nick’s journey isn’t confined to the same five-act structure as the numerous network dramas that had previously tackled gay relationships, giving them plenty of room to explore the nuances of young love without any clichéd melodrama sneaking in.
This, combined with their ability to convey so many complex emotions with a single word ⏤ “Hi” ⏤ is enough to reduce anyone to a rainbow-swirled puddle. I wept watching this show, not only because it unearthed things I haven’t felt since my own coming-out experience, but because of the hope these two characters gave me that our world will continue to grow into a safe place for stories like this to be told and love like this to flourish. Charlie and Nick represent the best kind of love, the one I would argue most gay men want: life-altering, butterfly-inducing, and, ultimately, heart-stopping. — Josh Conrad
Brittany and Santana — Glee
Where to stream: Hulu and also available to rent/buy on Vudu, Prime Video, and Apple TV
There are plenty of couples to choose from when it comes to Ryan Murphy’s hit show Glee, but I have to give my kudos to Brittany and Santana. Initially starting out as a running gag (two cheerleaders sleeping together — as Miranda Priestly would say, “groundbreaking”), the two became a full-fledged couple during the show, even getting married in a joint wedding with Blaine and Kurt, no less. Despite going through a distance-induced breakup when Santana heads to college, the two have one of the steadiest and healthiest relationships on the show, filled with love, cuddles, and that signature Glee humor. It wouldn’t be Glee if the two didn’t have some memorable musical moments, and I guarantee their performance of Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie” is one of the best to come from the show. — Staci White
Emily and Sue — Dickinson
Where to stream: Apple TV Plus
Apple TV Plus’ reimagining of Emily Dickinson’s life is one of the best and most underrated shows of the streaming era, but it sadly never attracted the viral sort of following it deserved.
Nevertheless, creator Alena Smith was thankfully allowed to produce three near-perfect seasons of Dickinson, headlined by a phenomenal Hailee Steinfeld in the role of the celebrated 19th century poet.
The show never claims to be completely biographical, but more so an interpretation of the life of an icon through the perspective of the art she made – and a lot of Emily’s art just happened to be about Sue (played by a meticulous Ella Hunt). Dickinson is utterly unapologetic in its representation of Emily and Sue’s romance, and refreshingly rejects any queerbaiting with all its might.
The result is a beautiful love story between two best friends who are each other’s biggest admirers and muses. It’s passionate, and gentle, and angsty, and a lot of fun. Steinfeld and Hunt’s chemistry is scintillating and, although the path isn’t always easy for the two (they’re living in the 19th century after all), the journey is still incredibly satisfying. — Francisca Tinoco
Stede and Edward — Our Flag Means Death
Where to stream: Max
Our Flag Means Death has a few lovely queer relationships to choose from, but the most compelling has to be the budding romance between Stede Bonnet and Edward “Blackbeard” Teach. The two come from starkly different realities — one being history’s most fearsome pirate, and the other a wealthy man fumbling through life at sea — however, that simple fact does nothing to prevent a warm friendship, and later romance, from flourishing. Time and again, Ed and Stede find ways to meet in the middle, making themselves vulnerable and guiding each other through new experiences. In doing so, they build a relationship on mutual understanding and care, the foundations of any great partnership.
Above all else, there’s an inherent gentleness to the pirates’ dynamic, a comfort that comes from seeing the best in someone else and being seen in return. In finding each other, these two middle-aged men find themselves, discovering for the very first time how easy love can be. Easy as breathing. — Rafaela Coimbra
Korra and Asami — The Last Airbender: The Legend of Korra
Where to stream: Netflix
Though Nickelodeon ultimately chose to omit the infamous lesbian kiss that should have ended this series (and been the first queer snog on a kid’s cartoon), the idea that the Avatar and Asami were about to enter a romantic relationship was well-accepted by the Legend of Korra fandom, and very much planned by the show writers. The reaction the series’ ending also undoubtedly had an impact on the acceptability of displaying queer love on-screen, as conservative-minded execs realized watchers wouldn’t be put off by queer storylines, and were in fact keen for them. Thankfully, we have the Korra comics (and mountains of fan fiction) to show us what Nickelodeon tried to take away, so animated television’s first lesbian couple have lived enough lives to make up for that deleted scene. A watershed moment without actually being a moment, this could have been a seismic kiss, but instead did what so many other LGBTQ+ folks had to: walk, so others could run. — Sandeep Sandhu
Bill and Frank — The Last of Us
Where to stream: Max
This past Spring, the talk of the town has been HBO’s The Last of Us live-action adaptation, which saw Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal bring our beloved Ellie and Joel to life. The series has everything you could ever want from a zombie apocalypse drama, including, well… zombies, near-death experiences, heartache, and a whole lot of loss. But for all the hard-hitting moments that have us bawling at the screen, there are some truly tender and emotional scenes that tug at our heartstrings.
Episode three, which focuses entirely on the relationship between Bill and Frank, couldn’t be more tender. In celebration of Pride Month, I’m naming Bill and Frank as The Last of Us’ best LGBTQ+ couple, mostly for the sole reason that Ellie x Dina doesn’t exist yet (we’ll have to wait until season two for that). There’s something magical about watching Bill and Frank go from strangers to husbands over the course of an episode. They taught us what true love really is. And love doesn’t discriminate, not even in the middle of a pandemic. — Chynna Wilkinson
Nicky and Lorna — Orange is the New Black
Where to stream: Netflix
Yep, I already know what you’re thinking: “This spot belongs to Vauseman!” Well, listen, as enticing as the relationship between Piper Chapman and Alex Vause is (was? If you know, you know), there’s no denying the ever-popular dynamic between fan-favorite characters Nicky Nichols and Lorna Morello in Orange is the New Black. The love-crazed, borderline obsession between the two women undoubtedly kept viewers coming back each season with the hopes that the duo would become endgame. They didn’t, sadly, but from having sex in the prison chapel to Nicky straight-up telling Lorna that she loves her, it’s hard to discount that these two shared an out-of-this-world connection absolutely rooted in love and trust — making it one of the best ever on television. — Taylor Mansfield
Vi and Cait— Arcane
Where to stream: Netflix
There are so many queer-baiting shows on the market, its refreshing to see a series that follows the same tired tropes of flirtatious interactions and suggestive body language through with an actual romance. Arcane is a gorgeously realized and intriguing dystopian-like world filled with magic and science, and, if the art and score aren’t enough to keep viewers hooked, then its fledgling romance should be. With only a single season under its belt, the romance between Violet and Caitlyn hasn’t quite reached its zenith (or really gotten anywhere near it) but the series is taking those subtle salacious hints at romance and is building them into something with the potential to be magical. By episode 5 you’ll be rooting for these badass ladies to just kiss already! — Ash Martinez
Adora and Catra – She-Ra and the Princesses of Power
Where to stream: Netflix
How many times has a fandom passionately believed that the hero and the villain are secretly in love with each other? Well, in She-Ra and the Princesses of Power that subtext is literally, um, text.
What really helps ND Stevenson’s reboot rise far above the original 1980s cartoon, and even its own cutesy title, is both the show’s commitment to complex character development and being thoroughly and unapologetically queer. There are LGBTQ+ supporting characters throughout the show — highlights include married lesbian couple Spinnerella and Netossa, and genderfluid shapeshifter Double Trouble — but She-Ra’s greatest achievement has to be the complicated love story between Adora and Catra, who don’t just go from friends-to-enemies or enemies-to-lovers, but best-friends-to-mortal-enemies-to-girlfriends over five seasons of animated excellence.
For much of the series’ run, Adora and Catra have a wholly unhealthy relationship, and yet the end of their journey makes it worthwhile. Their story ultimately becomes one of two young women who are able to shake off the trauma of a corrupted world that has tried to impress uniformity and rob them of their individuality, using the realization of their love to defeat the personification of this repression forever.
As one YouTube comment I once saw and will never forget memorably put it, they save the day with gay. Save the day with gay yourself by watching She-Ra on Netflix.— Christian Bone
Wylan and Jesper — Shadow and Bone
Where to stream — Netflix
Alina and Mal look good together, Alina and the Darkling are even better with all those pining, unresolved grievances, and the thinning line between right and wrong. But what would entice my inner romantic to re-binge the second season of Shadow and Bone (and eagerly look forward to the third) is the swoon-worthy romance of Jesper and Wylan. Wesper!!
This was the one love story I was the most hyped about and the chemistry between Jack Wolfe’s Wylan — who is the latest addition to the Crows — and Kit Young’s Jesper more than exceeded the sky-high expectations of my lovesick heart.
Of course, with peril dogging their very shadows, it isn’t a happily ever after right off the bat. Also, there is a lot the duo, who are opposites of each other in so many ways, have to accept about themselves before embracing each other. So, it takes time for the two to reach the point where Jesper calls Wylan “my man” — my heart, already all mushy over their antics together, literally skipped a beat there. — Apeksha Bagchi
Arizona and Callie — Grey’s Anatomy
Where to stream — Netflix
There are few love stories like that of Arizona Robbins and Callie Torres from the medical drama that we still can’t get enough of, Grey’s Anatomy. From their first kiss at Joe’s Bar to the last time we saw Arizona on screen, there was something there that was inescapable, no matter how often life threw a wrench in their plans — and it happened a lot — they found their way back to one another.
Callie and Arizona didn’t have the fairytale love story, per se, and while that’s what most of us grew up dreaming of, there was something authentic and genuine about their connection that kept audiences enthralled from day one. I, for one, am a hopeless romantic — but I also have a special place in my heart for the kind of love stories that aren’t picture-perfect. Callie and Arizona had the it-factor, Arizona wore her heart on her sleeve where Callie was concerned, and while it took a little longer for Callie to let her guard down (rightfully so), it was so worth it when she did.
As I said above, this doesn’t mean the couple never saw adversity — from unsupportive parents to infidelity and heart-wrenching loss — for as much love as they gave one another, they also provided each other with a lot of heartache — albeit sometimes inadvertently. Callie knew no pain like that from Arizona, but she also knew no love.
One of the most beautiful things about them as a couple was their vulnerability and openness, Callie didn’t have it all figured out when Arizona walked into her life, but she was willing to try to get there if it meant being with the woman she loved: Arizona sure had obstacles in the road to figure out, but Callie was enough for her to do her best to get through them.
Now, with the mention of infidelity and distrust, you may wonder why we included them at all. Don’t dream couples get through the hard times without stepping out or causing immeasurable pain? In a perfect world, the answer would be yes — but as I also said above, their world wasn’t perfect. We may have seen them in absolutely despicable moments, but we also saw them in their most pure and beautiful: together.
Their story was left open-ended in the series, with Arizona moving to be near Callie and their daughter with hope for a new love between them; maybe the rekindling of the best life is a better way to say it. No matter what, the playing field they were moving onto gave them both one thing — forgiveness.
That same playing field gave viewers a few things, too; the reminder that sometimes love is enough, the recognition that loving who you love and being who you are is enough, and the realization that sometimes your best love story isn’t the one you saw coming — and that’s what makes it so magnificent. — Ashley Marie