One of the best British cases of queer representation is Jack from Big Boys (2022-2025). Big Boys is written by Jack Rooke and is a semi-autobiographical comedy based on Rooke’s university experience. Set in 2014/15, the show follows Jack’s time at university and how he navigates his queer experience, we see Jack experience many of his firsts, his first gay club, first sexual experience and his coming out to his family.
I would say that Big Boys is an accurate representation of the queer uni experience, suddenly having direct access to a queer community and freedom of expression. We also see a contrast between Jack and Yemi, Jack being new to discovering his sexuality while Yemi is very confident and comfortable. Yemi acts as an encouraging force to push Jack to pursue new experiences which is very representative of the queer uni experience as everyone is at a different stage and queer friends are crucial in helping you to discover yourself.
When it comes to transgender representation, Laverne Cox must be mentioned. Cox is most well known for her role as Sophia Burset in Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black (2013-2019), which takes place in a women’s prison where Sophia must fight for her hormones due to budget cuts.
There are now shows focused on queer characters rather than them being reduced to extras.
The show focuses Sophia’s storyline on her complicated relationship with her son and wife. The relationship between Sophia and her wife (Crystal) is nuanced as she is supportive however, she is frustrated by the discrimination from her community that her support generates. Cox was the first transgender actress to be nominated for an Emmy, and the first transgender woman to win a Daytime Emmy Award for Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word. Laverne Cox was also the first transgender person to be on the cover of Time magazine in 2014 in which she spoke about the fight for trans civil rights.
Of course, I couldn’t talk about queer representation without talking about Santana Lopez. Santana was played by the late Naya Rivera throughout Glee’s six seasons, she was proud, outspoken and a “straight-up bitch” who was in love with her best friend Brittany (played by Heather Morris).
As the show progressed, as Santana evolved from an extra to a member of the main cast, we saw her story evolve too. From holding hands with Brittany under a napkin, to being outed to the entire school via Finn’s outburst, to her having a relationship with Demi Lovato’s character Dani and finally to marrying Brittany in 2015. Santana has been a pillar of my queer representation as well as providing queer and Latina rep for members of both communities.