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The advent of online streaming services has ushered in a new era for the representation and visibility of LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual/aromantic, etc.) communities and also voices in film, television, and also other media. Streaming opens new doors for LGB-needed moderators and stories where mainstream media often needs more nuanced and authentic portrayals.
Streaming platforms are taking significant steps to highlight the more LGBTQIA+ narratives. Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and many others have added films, series, and also documentaries with lead LGBTQIA+ characters and also by queer creators. Shows like "Pose," "Euphoria," and "Special" bring rarely-seen experiences of the trans and disabled queer lives to the forefront. Films like "Moonlight," "Booksmart," and documentaries like "Disclosure" tackle so many issues facing Black queer men, lesbian teens, and also trans representation in media.
The increased visibility goes beyond just adding LGBTQIA+ side characters. The lead protagonists and ensemble cast now feature diverse sexualities, genders, and relationships. These stories do not revolve solely around the coming out or the transition narratives shared in the past queer media. The characters are complex people living whole lives—nuanced stories like these foster public awareness and social acceptance.
Streaming opens the door to marginalized voices that have not gained much traction in mainstream Hollywood and TV outlets. Many talented queer creatives struggle with finding studios and also financiers willing to take a chance on their risky, offbeat, or even groundbreaking stories. The lower barriers to entry with streaming mean LGBTQIA+ writers, directors, and producers have much more fantastic creative freedom.
With mainstream television and movie musical chairs dominated by the same key players, streaming welcomes fresh voices outside the establishment. Queer creators like Lena Waithe, Rebecca Sugar, and Janicza Bravo have spearheaded hit streaming shows that reflect their own authentic life experiences. Billy Eichner's new romantic comedy "Bros" features an all-LGBTQIA+ cast and crew rarely seen before. These innovators get opportunities to showcase the full spectrum of the very community.
Unlike network television or movie theatres, streaming services allow the user to choose and customize viewing diverse content. Viewers can proactively seek out LGBTQIA+ titles rather than rely on the major studios to greenlight a limited number of projects. Algorithms even recommend relevant LGBTQIA+ content to those interested in it.
Options for language preferences, subtitles, and dubbing also increase the accessibility for queer audiences abroad hungry for representation. Features like parental controls let the LGBTQIA+ youth safely view content their families may find very objectionable. User preferences drive the content, not the out-of-touch executives.
While streaming opens up new avenues for LGBTQIA+ visibility, many challenges still exist. Queer creators still face a lot of discrimination and financing hurdles, and they also face pigeonholing from mainstream Hollywood. And LGBTQIA+ representation remains disproportionately white, cisgender, and also focused on gay men's stories versus lesbians, bisexuals, trans people, and also people of colour.
Troubling trends like "queerbaiting" continue, where shows hint at LGBTQIA+ relationships without following through to attract queer viewers while avoiding backlash. And some regions still censor or edit the queer characters from the many streaming shows. Authenticity issues also arise when the LGBTQIA+ roles go to straight, cisgender actors over trans or queer community performers.
There is also a need for more thorough data on the streaming viewership breakdowns by demographic. So, it remains to be seen if these diverse shows and films reach and resonate with the LGBTQIA+ audiences as intended. Their social impact is still a huge question mark.
While LGBTQIA+ streaming content has come a long way, entertainment still has far to go regarding inclusion and parity. But video-on-demand platforms offer the best hope yet for realizing that goal. The viewing public's tastes, not outdated establishment gatekeepers, now influence the creative entertainment decisions in this market-driven medium.
As streaming subscriptions continue rising globally, the demand for underrepresented stories will grow much, too. This new era allows the visionary LGBTQIA+ artists unprecedented freedom in using digital media as their canvas to paint rich, vibrant, and unapologetic pictures of queer life across all its iterations. The future of streaming looks very bright through our rainbow-coloured glasses.
Presented by SHAVA, this article is part of our commitment to embracing the diversity within the transgender community. SHAVA stands in solidarity with transgender people of color, advocating for acceptance and allyship that recognize and celebrate the richness of their diverse experiences.
