Recognition was given to the transgender community in the 1960s, but the actual awareness was spread after their introduction in the entertainment industry. They were moderately supported in TV shows, but in the era of OTT platforms, they are more supported and accepted. 

Shows like Orange is the New Black, Pose, Transparent and Euphoria have supported all the queer communities. In fact, these series have increased the “queerfandom” due to binge-watching and popularity. Sense 8, a show by Wachowski, is related to the interconnection among eight queer characters, which evokes the curiosity of the audience and compels them to binge-watch it. 

The show called Pose has introduced a new definition of feminism. The friendship and loveship between characters and the sense of family are the highlights of the show. As well as the Ball culture and transgender community. Bring many audiences into the world of Ball culture throughout the 1980s and 1990s, discovering shocking mistreatments and inequality happening then and reflecting on the current political status.

Transparent includes the transformation of a character called Mort into Maura. Maura belongs to the queer community, which highlights the series. Wollastan (2016) calls this as one of the best things available on TV for its representation of the trans community, which led to the acceptance of the same. Moreover, this show was also boycotted due to its Jewish background. 

Euphoria is an HBO series which has been hyped a lot in recent times. The concept of LGBTQ+ was highlighted in this series which was commendable (Horton, 2022). Binge-watching such shows create space for acceptance of the queer community in the minds of the younger generations. Allowing them to see and acknowledge the issues. Challenges like financial shortage and limited representation are faced in these shows, but eventually, the show has worked in a positive manner.

By Hongli Zeng (33657348)

References

Horton, A. (2022). How did Euphoria become the most loved and hated show on TV? [online] The Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/mar/02/euphoria-most-loved-hated-tv-show.

Opie, D. (2022). And Just Like That… fails to fix huge Sex and the City problem. [online] Digital Spy. Available at: https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a38683138/sex-and-the-city-just-like-that-fatphobia/ [Accessed 1 Dec. 2022].

Wollastan, S. (2016). Transparent review – the best thing on TV at the moment. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2016/sep/26/transparent-review-the-best-thing-on-tv-at-the-moment.