Film & TV Recs: LGBT Teen Shows

Even when you’re an adult, sometimes what you really wanna do is watch teens being dramatic. There’s something very soothing about it. And it’s great to see them finally figure their life out and be at peace, so you can feel like a proud parent for a moment.

With that in mind, I compiled a list of ten TV shows about teenagers. There are quite a few genres here, so you should be able to choose something for yourself. Have fun!

Degrassi: Next Class (2016-2017)

cr. Linda Schuyler, Yan Moore, Stephen Stohn, Sarah Glinski & Matt Huether
IMDb
Rep: bi mc, lesbian mc, gay mc, Indian gay mc, Syrian lesbian mc, genderqueer mc, Korean sapphic mc, m/f/f polyamourous relationship

Why Should I Watch It?

First things first, don’t feel intimidated. You do not have watch all the previous seasons of Degrassi, to enjoy those four (I didn’t…). They provide enough context and new characters to understand everything. Now. This show has my favourite lesbian of all time, so just for Rasha, please watch it. And it might be one of the most diverse shows I have watched in years.

The Get Down (2016-2017)

cr. Baz Luhrmann & Stephen Adly Guirgis
IMDb
Rep: mlm characters, almost all Black, Afro-Latinx, Latinx cast
TW: violence, blood, sexual abuse

Why Should I Watch It?

Another show that was taken from us too soon. If you like good stories, period, then definitely go for it. And then come back, so we can cry about Shaolin Fantastic and the fact that we won’t get to see him getting comfortable with himself.

Class (2016)

cr. Patrick Ness
IMDb
Rep: mlm mc, Polish gay mc

Why Should I Watch It?

Side note, but it’s spelled Mateusz in Polish and I really don’t understand how they couldn’t be bothered to check that. The show is a spin-off of Doctor Who, but you don’t need to know anything about that. The Doctor shows up for like five minutes and that’s it. But you do get a gay alien prince, the purest of heart boy alive (Ram, a Sikh with a prosthetic leg who wants to protect everyone), and so much more.

Betty (2020)

cr. Crystal Moselle
IMDb
Rep: lesbian mc, Black sapphic mc, lesbian side character
TW: sexual assault, drugs

Why Should I Watch It?

The characters here are a little bit older, more end of high school/early college, but let’s not focus on that. The show is about girls who skate and how they deal with the men dominated world of skateboarding. It’s also super gay. It has this very lowkey vibe, like you’re just hanging out with friends. Truly a gem. Also, I would die for Indigo and her blonde eyebrows.

Sex Education (2019-)

cr. Laurie Nunn
IMDb
Rep: Ghanaian-Nigerian-British gay character, poc gay character, bisexual character, French poc gay character, Black pansexual character, sapphic characters, sapphic parents, lesbian character
TW: homophobia, sexual harassment, bullying

Why Should I Watch It?

Let me preface this by saying that I absolutely hate how Rahim was treated by the end of the new season. And the use of the “homophobic bully is secretly gay” trope. Other than that, though, it’s a very fun show which talks very openly about sex. And female friendships here are really a work of art.

Anne with an E (2017-2019)

cr. Moira Walley-Beckett
IMDb
Rep: lesbian character, gay characters
TW: bullying, child abuse, guns, internalised homophobia

Why Should I Watch It?

I mean, I had to include it, even if the gay characters aren’t exactly among the main cast. They still feel huge and influence others. And really, just seeing an Anne of Green Gables adaptation openly admitting that yeah, Aunt Josephine was totally a lesbian, you were right reading it like that as a child…

Derry Girls (2018-)

dir. Lisa McGee
IMDb
Rep: lesbian mc

Why Should I Watch It?

A whole show just about girls? All of them allowed to be real and messy, and strong? Name another show like this, I can wait, I have a whole day…

And on top of that, it’s just a very funny comedy! What’s not to love.

I Am Not Okay with This (2020)

cr. Jonathan Entwistle & Christy Hall
IMDb
Rep: lesbian mc

Why Should I Watch It?

If you saw the trailer, you know this a show about a teenage girl who suddenly possess a super-power. But more importantly than that, she also comes to terms with being a lesbian. As much as we’re over coming out stories, it’s really great to see one about a lesbian. Especially one that explicitly deals with compulsory heterosexuality.

Everything Sucks! (2018)

cr. Ben York Jones & Michael Mohan
IMDb
Rep: lesbian mc, sapphic character

Why Should I Watch It?

If you have ever seen Freaks & Geeks, this has a very similar vibe. And yes, I realise I just recced the previous show on the premise of the main character figuring out she’s a lesbian, but here me out: we can have more than one. The similarities between the two shows end here, though.

Anyway, I need to make one thing clear: Kate is played by Peyton Kennedy, who was 14 at the time, and her love interest is played by Sydney Sweeney, who was 20, & the show does absolutely nothing to make that age gap appear to be smaller.

Get Even (2020-)

cr. Holly Phillips
IMDb
Rep: lesbian mc, Black sapphic character, gay character

Why Should I Watch It?

From the viewer’s perspective, Olivia is clearly and obviously a lesbian. The poor girls does take a long time to admit that and the show doesn’t focus on it much. Not because it’s viewed as unimportant, but because this is literally a crime story and there’s a murderer on the loose and the girls do have some more urgent things to deal with. I’m hoping for more on the sapphic front in the future, though.

What are you favourite LGBT shows about teens?