Queerbaiting to Queer Couples: The Evolution of Queerness in 21st Century Media

2023 has truly been a great year for LGBTQ+ representation in media. From movies like “Bottoms” to TV shows like “Heartstopper” and “Good Omens,” we are living in the very recent development of what Them calls “a golden era for LGBTQ+ representation.”

Commitments to Queerness: A Review of Netflix’s “XO, Kitty”

“XO, Kitty,” the spinoff of Netflix’s “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,” was released in May of this year with decent ratings; with a current Rotten Tomatoes score of 81% and an audience score of 58%, the show has started off on the right foot. That being said, with all the good aspects of the show, there are also bad ones. Let’s start with the good.

Queer Summer 2023 Favorites

Our OutWrite staff loves queer media! Here are some of our favorites from this summer:

Heartstopper Season 2: Grieving Something I Didn’t Know I Lost

When Season 1 of “Heartstopper” came out in April 2022, I was a senior in high school. I was coming out of yet another situationship with a straight guy. My story was classic: grow close to him, develop feelings, question whether or not he’s straight, confess. 

Scissor Me, Daddy Ass: Queerness, Homophobia and the Acclaimed

The queer messaging of the Acclaimed — the two tag team champions for the professional wrestling company All Elite Wrestling (AEW) — veers in enough different directions that it’s hard to pick out a unified message. The fictional world of wrestling, whose staged theatrics and over-the-top characters often shade towards campiness, complicates the real-world impact of that message even further.

Being the Gay Bachelor: Colton Underwood’s Past and Present 

You might know Colton Underwood as the first gay Bachelor. He was the token golden boy of “The Bachelor” Season 23 (2019). In the Netflix docuseries “Coming Out Colton,” the reality TV star revisits his time on the show, as well as his coming out journey, reliving the scrutiny that came from the spotlight.

Queer Identity and The Importance of Apologies in Netflix’s “Freeridge”

Netflix released the show “On My Block” nearly 5 years ago. The show follows an all-POC friend group (including characters of Black, Latinx, and Asian ethnicities) as they navigate high school, relationships, struggles at home, and a treasure hunt. While it had its fair share of cringy moments, the show was funny and interesting enough for me to watch the first three seasons, so when Netflix released a spin-off that included queer representation, I knew I had to watch it.

Best of 2022: Staff Picks for Queer TV

Enjoy our staff’s recommendations for 15 queer TV shows and seasons released in 2022 (in no particular order) and where to watch!

The Evolution of Bisexuals on TV Told in 6 Shows

Co-Written by Judah C (They/Them) and Maya Parra (She/Her) If you are bisexual, more often than not, you have struggled in the world of dating, whether on bisexual dating apps or in the everyday world. People are quick to make…

Velma Dinkley Just Came Out Of The Closet!

Still by Warner Bros. Animation “Scooby Doo” has been a long-running, popular children’s franchise since 1969. For around 50 years, Velma Dinkley has been the show’s token genius analyst. Her sexuality was questionable, often being paired with the show’s goofball,…