Dani and Jamie – The Haunting of Bly Manor

by Hope Docherty

I forced my girlfriend to watch the Netflix series, The Haunting of Bly Manor, much to her dismay, thinking it was just a horror series after being scared to watch it alone. The gothic LGBTQ+ relationship came as a surprise but of course then had us hooked. It was as if the relationship wasnÔÇÖt just there to satisfy a quota, finally. My girlfriend and I felt as though we were being truly represented on screen as the characters didnÔÇÖt adhere to the typical stereotypes given to lesbian and bisexual women. 

Dani and JamieÔÇÖs relationship exists without the fetishization normally depicted on screen, a beautiful love, similar to those in films such as The Notebook. The series showed normal, everyday life between two women that wanted to spend the rest of their lives with each other. I have never seen an elderly queer woman reminisce on a happy life with another woman on screen before — though we did have to watch Dani die (spoiler alert), unfortunately calling to mind the ÔÇ£bury your gaysÔÇØ trope. However, that representation is so important to young LGBTQ+ people everywhere. It lets them know that you can have a happy life even if you are not heterosexual.┬á

David & Patrick ÔÇô SchittÔÇÖs Creek

by Nicole Rees-Williams

David and Patrick from SchittÔÇÖs Creek are undeniably adorable together but on the whole, they are an incredibly ordinary couple. They go through fairly regular circumstances and the series finale ends upon their wedding. Since the relationship is such a regular storyline it may seem a bit odd that their relationship is my favourite, but David and PatrickÔÇÖs relationship is my favourite because itÔÇÖs so ordinary.

Before SchittÔÇÖs Creek, every time I had watched an on-screen LGBTQ+ storyline the relationship had been tainted in tragedy. Whether the pair had to deal with homophobia, a tragic coming out story or even death ÔÇô it seemed like gay couples couldnÔÇÖt have an on-screen storyline that wasnÔÇÖt clouded in sadness. Although these kinds of plots are so important, it is just as important to demonstrate LGBTQ+ couples simply being a couple!

With the only discussion of sexuality being DavidÔÇÖs now famous, ÔÇÿIÔÇÖm into the wine, not the label,ÔÇÖ line, it is so refreshing to see a gay couple integrated into small town society without their sexuality constantly being referred to. ItÔÇÖs sad that showing a gay couple simply being a couple IS so ground-breaking, but SchittÔÇÖs Creek is hopefully the first of many shows to take a step in the right direction towards LGBTQ+ representation on screen.

Casey and Izzie- Atypical

by Rahima Bhatti

For me, Casey and Izzie from NetflixÔÇÖs Atypical have a significant place in my heart as theyÔÇÖre my favourite LGBTQ+ romance on TV. As a queer person, it isnÔÇÖt often you watch something and feel so seen. 

In a landscape which is predominantly heteronormative, experiencing the snippets of beauty of a queer relationship, and watching the developing dynamic between two characters that is complex, raw, and authentic, makes you think ÔÇÿHey thatÔÇÖs me! ThatÔÇÖs how I feel!ÔÇÖ. And that is why itÔÇÖs so important and so special. 

You watch them sitting next to each other in the car, and you can feel the energy as the music builds, and when they touch you feel that butterfly feeling creeping up inside you , and itÔÇÖs exactly this which makes you feel all the feels. ItÔÇÖs really beautiful to see such an authentic moment of intimacy, specifically from a queer couple.

It resonates because we see heteronormativity in everything, and Atypical adds humanity and softness to a love which is so often sexualised or misrepresented. To see something and think, thatÔÇÖs how IÔÇÖve felt, thatÔÇÖs real, is refreshing and beautiful and I canÔÇÖt wait to see more of it as film and TV continues to diversify.

Marla and Fran- I Care a Lot

by Katherine Waldock

I Care a Lot only came out very recently on Amazon Prime*, but the second my girlfriend saw it advertised, we were excited to watch a film with the protagonists in a same-gender relationship. What struck me about the film is that the relationship between the two characters, Marla and Fran, isnÔÇÖt the centre of the plot, or even a side-line focus of the film. Their love is clear and passionate, but in the same way weÔÇÖve seen thousands of heterosexual love affairs grace our screens, Marla and FranÔÇÖs relationship was just one aspect of their characters. 

ItÔÇÖs a refreshing take, having an LGBTQ+ relationship just be, without the drama of coming out, or any kind of homophobia. Often it feels as though directors and scripts want to represent us without truly understanding what it is weÔÇÖd like to see. We want to see a vision of the future, where our love is allowed to live out in the open, without any barriers. We donÔÇÖt need to be reminded of homophobia, judgemental friends or disgusted elders. Many of us see that every single day already, so it was beautiful to see an LGBTQ+ relationship play out without the pain, even if those characters were shady at best. 

*Note: While I Care A Lot is out on Netflix in various countries worldwide, it is out on Amazon Prime here in the UK!