Since 2018, we have been putting together these annual TV awards as a way to document and celebrate LGBTQ+ storytelling and characters on television. The Autostraddle TV Awards were created as a direct response to the Emmys continually overlooking queer programming. We used to call them the Gay Emmys, in fact, nodding to our efforts to queer the Emmys and fill in glaring gaps in the shows institutionally championed by mainstream awards. The Emmys will air on Sunday, but today you can celebrate the best of queer and trans television with us, an act that feels increasingly necessary in the face of far too many queer television shows being deplatformed, canceled, or killed before ever making it to air. It’s difficult to divorce the decline in numbers of queer television series from the current political climate in which the right has renewed their efforts to erase LGBTQ+ identities from the classroom, history, public records and information, and more.

If you revisit past years, the Autostraddle TV Awards also act as a fascinating archive reflecting the general state of LGBTQ+ television from year-to-year. Progress has not been linear. Some years, like 2020, saw a huge boom in programming to the point of Riese adding a bunch of new categories, which were culled again in 2021.

As far as patterns go, this year’s slate of winners has Yellowjackets really rising to the top as a standout series, which has been true for every year the show has been eligible for the awards. Newcomer Agatha All Along and the second season of The Last of Us — which hasn’t been eligible since 2023 when it picked up a ton of wins in the 6th annual Autostraddle TV Awards — swept the Sci-Fi/Fantasy categories pretty handily. Rather than a couple series sweeping, we see a lot more different series represented in the comedy categories, which to me suggests the genre is a bit more exciting and varied in terms of LGBTQ+ representation. Instead of just a couple outstanding series rising to the top, we have several.

So without further ado, let’s celebrate the nominees and winners of the 8th annual Autostraddle TV Awards! At the bottom, you’ll also find the winners of our fan favorites categories, where it’s very apparent that one fandom showed UP to voting (I’ll give you a hint: buzz buzz). Congrats to the winners and to all the nominees!

---

Outstanding Drama Series: Yellowjackets

Nominees: Fifteen-Love, Criminal Minds: Evolution, Heartstopper, The Handmaid’s Tale, Matlock

To say season three of Yellowjackets took some big swings would be like calling ritualistic cannibalism a bit of lite human flesh tasting…as in, huge fucking understatement. In its third season, Yellowjackets blows up all expectations in its whirlwind of a seventh episode. But even leading up to and following that, the whole season feels built for combustion. And with the wrong scaffolding, that would bring a lesser show crumbling down, but Yellowjackets continues to back its twists and turns with compelling and evolving character work that holds it all together. It was a particular stellar season for Shauna in both timelines, the character barreling into full-on villain territory while also giving us some Shakespearean queer toxic romance. Liv Hewson and Lauren Ambrose also pushed their performances into new and thrilling territory, the lines between Van’s past and present merging. Big narrative swings were matched with bold acting choices, and it all coalesced into another delicious season of this beloved queer horror show. – Kayla

---

Outstanding Comedy Series: Abbott Elementary

Nominees: Hacks, No Good Deed, XO Kitty, Overcompensating, Poker Face, Somebody Somewhere

The most hilarious episode of Abbott Elementary fourth season — written by Brittani Nichols, natch— took the school’s teachers and staff outside their classrooms and into a karaoke bar for a night of revelry. Everyone gets their turn on the stage: Jeanine’s friend, Erika, and her recently-reunited boyfriend, Simon (from the district) sing along to Keyshia Cole’s “Love.” Barbara recruits them later for background vocals on “Never Would’ve Made It,” insisting that they both needed Jesus. Apparently Jesus was too busy to be worried about them because Simon and Erika break up again before the episode’s end.

Mr. Johnson sings “It’s Hard out Here for a Pimp” and Gregory leaves his shift as a rideshare driver early to join Jeanine for a duet of (fittingly) “Always on Time.” Then, after spotting his ex-boyfriend, Black Zach at the bar with a new boyfriend, Jacob’s anger boils over. Seething, he scream-sings along to Papa Roach’s “Last Resort” and it’s so visceral and so unexpected, you can’t stop yourself from bursting out laughing. Hell, I’m chuckling now, just thinking about it.

Then, because this episode exists at the nexus of what people of a certain age — my age, I’m people — find funny: The entire group, including Ava and her new beau, O’Shon, sing along to City High’s “What Would You Do?” And, of course, Barbara spends the entire song quietly appalled to learn the song’s lyrics…as one does.

Abbott is very good at bringing together the serious and the silly — this season, it tackled book bans, labor strikes, and gentrification, for example — but sometimes it reminds you, it can just be flat out funny…and when it does, it’s a joy to watch. – Natalie

---

Outstanding Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror Series: Agatha All Along

Nominees: Orphan Black: Echoes, Severance, The Last of Us, Sunny, What We Do in the Shadows, Wheel of Time

While it was obvious to most people who watched Wandavision that Kathryn Hahn’s character, Agatha Harkness, had some sapphic vibes, but with the MCU’s history of keeping anything queer on the more subtle side, none of us could have predicted how very unsubtly queer Agatha All Along would be. From explicitly discussing being exes with Rio, to amazing quips like “if you want a straight answer, ask a straight lady,” there was no denying it. The show overall was stunning, telling the story of a ragtag group of women (and one Teen) who have to come together to find their way through many miles of tricks and trials, to find their own power, to find their coven. It’s a beautiful journey — and a musical one, at that — and it’s extra lovely that queerness is so neatly woven into its witchy fabric. – Valerie

---

Outstanding Animated Series: Arcane

Nominees: Harley Quinn, season 5, The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy, The Legend of Vox Machina, #1 Happy Family USA, Big Mouth

Arcane ended months ago, and yet, I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s one of those shows that sinks its hooks into you and doesn’t let go. It’s about rebellion, magic vs science, power and responsibility, family (birth and chosen), and trauma. It’s a feat of animation at every turn, absolutely stunning visually, while also telling a very human and heartbreaking tale. At the center of the story are two sisters, and one of them just so happens to be very in lesbians with someone who, on paper, should have been her mortal enemy. It’s heartbreaking and beautiful to watch them push each other away and come together over and over, and it’s just one part of the overall story. Which is the kind of story that sticks with you long after it’s gone, and I’m not just talking about that one (fantastic) scene in the jail cell. – Valerie

---

Outstanding Reality Show: RuPaul’s Drag Race

Nominees: I Kissed a Girl, Top Chef, Southern Hospitality, Real Housewives of New York, The Traitors

RuPaul’s Drag Race has held pretty steady in this category through the years, and season 17 once again delivered. Against the backdrop of Trump’s second term, Drag Race once again felt like a needed reprieve, and the renewed popularity of in-person watch parties as this season was airing reflected that. Full of horny queens, big personalities, and twists, the season ran the usual gamut of emotions that comes with Drag Race. And Onya Nurve was a much deserved winner. – Kayla

---

Outstanding Lead Actor Playing an LGBTQ+ Character in a Drama Series: Jasmin Savoy Brown as Taissa Turner, Yellowjackets

Nominees: Tawny Cypress as Taissa Turner, Yellowjackets // Sophie Nélisse as Shauna, Yellowjackets // Melanie Lynskey as Shauna, Yellowjackets // Ella Lily Hyland as Justine Pierce, Fifteen-Love // Yasmin Finney as Elle Argent, Heartstopper

The acting across the board in Yellowjackets season three was stellar, and in particular, it has been great to see some of the younger actors really grow into these roles and challenges themselves from season to season. Jasmin Savoy Brown brought the heat this season, and I’ve been haunted by the look on her face as she aims her gun at coach Ben ever since I first saw it. – Kayla

---

Outstanding Supporting or Guest Actor Playing an LGBTQ+ Character in a Drama Series: Liv Hewson as Van Palmer, Yellowjackets

Nominees: Lauren Ambrose as Van, Yellowjackets // Midori Franis as Mika Yasuda, Grey’s Anatomy // Samira Wiley as Moira, The Handmaid’s Tale // Sarah Greene as Bibi Garvey, Bad Sisters // Laysla De Oliveira as Cruz Manuelos, Special Ops: Lioness

Look no further with the end-of-season interview I did with Liv Hewson to understand just how much depth and attention to detail they bring to their portrayal of young Van. Hewson has been stealing scenes and making a name for themself ever since the show began, and season three saw them rising to the challenge of having to portray the character’s past as Van’s present became so tragic. I also love that we get to present this non-gendered award to Hewson, who has taken themself out of the running for certain gendered acting awards as an urgent statement on the ways awards categories exclude so many gender nonconforming performers. – Kayla

---

Outstanding Lead Actor Playing an LGBTQ+ Character in a Comedy Series: Amrit Kaur as Bela Malhotra, Sex Lives of College Girls

Nominees: Hannah Einbinder as Ava, Hacks // Victoria Bazua as Kate, Land of Women // Linda Cardellini as Margo Starling, No Good Deed // Anna Catchcart as Kitty Song Covey, XO Kitty // Jerrie Johnson as Tye, Harlem

When we first meet Bela Malhotra (Amrit Kaur) in the first season of The Sex Lives of College Girls, her mind is fixed on two things. First, she is determined to become a staff writer of The Catullan, the Essex University humor magazine that launched the comedy careers of numerous alums. Her second fixation is sex — lots of it, almost indiscriminately — with the men of Essex.

But by her sophomore year, all the hook-ups start to feel vacuous. Bela decides wants a connection with the person who’s sharing her bed and ultimately, she finds it: unexpectedly, in the arms of a woman. It feels less like a surprise — those blazers were always a hint — and more like just a natural part of Bela’s maturation into the woman she’s supposed to be.

Among the core group on TSLOCG, Kaur has always had the most difficult role. Bela is a handful — a character who leaps without fully considering the consequences of her actions — and a character like that can be hard to cheer for. Thankfully, though, Kaur imbues Bela with an earnestness that makes you cheer for Bela in spite of her impulsiveness. Fully invested in the role after three seasons, Kaur’s ease makes Bela’s on-screen evolution, from failure to freshman adviser, feel plausible and authentic. – Natalie

---

Outstanding Supporting or Guest Actor Playing an LGBTQ+ Character in a Comedy Series: Ruby Cruz as Ash, Sex Lives of College Girls

Nominees: Robby Hoffman as Randi, Hacks // Regan Aliyah as Juliana, XO Kitty // Abbi Jacobson as Leslie Fisher, No Good Deed // Poppy Liu as Sarah Webber, No Good Deed // Kate Moennig as Gwen, No Good Deed

Ash doesn’t get nearly enough screen time in The Sex Lives of College Girls. She crosses paths with Taylor outside a queer speed dating event and almost immediately she’s ghosted. When we see her again, she encounters Taylor — fresh off being rebuffed by her straight crush — and Ash defends her from an attack by some homophobic frat boys. It’s a quick meeting that immediately endears Ash to Taylor and a romance blooms from there. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see nearly enough of their relationship on-screen, but to the extent that the relationship is plausible at all, it’s because it’s Ruby Cruz playing Ash.

Cruz is, in effect, a cheat code. Her reputation precedes her; Cruz’s past work — as Hazel in Bottoms and as Kit Tanthalos in Willow — allows writers to shortcut the characterization that we see on-screen. Of course, we’re invested in Ash as the supportive and sympathetic partner because we’ve seen her play that character before. That Ash would be so chivalrous, even in a drunken stupor, makes sense because Cruz has showcased that in past roles. And the idea that Taylor would abruptly leave her on-campus suite to move in with the girl she just met…yeah, that makes sense too, because it’s Ruby Cruz. Frankly, this is the kind of typecasting I can absolutely get behind. – Natalie

---

Outstanding Lead Actor Playing an LGBTQ+ Character in a Sci-Fi/Fantasy Series: Bella Ramsey as Ellie, The Last of Us

Nominees: Kathryn Hahn as Agatha, Agatha All Along // Rashida Jones as Suzie, Sunny // Krysten Ritter as Lucy / Young Dr. Eleanor Miller, Orphan Black: Echoes // Natasia Demetriou as Nadja, What We Do In the Shadows

You will never convince me that there is anyone else on this planet who was meant to be Ellie in live-action The Last of Us more than Bella Ramsey. They have embodied the spirit of this character, bringing her to life in such a familiar way to those of us who played the video game while also bringing their own unique touch to it. Outside of the confines of pixels and code, Bella Ramsey’s Ellie is a little softer, a little cheekier, and a lot gayer. Their facial expressions and one-liners always hit perfectly, and Bella has a way of making you feel deeply with Ellie as she experiences everything from fear and pain and rage to hope and softness and love. Hell, even Ellie’s adorable gay panic whenever Dina is around earlier in the season is clear to see and relatable as hell. In the second half of this season, Ellie’s tenderness for Dina is always front and center in a way that’s really beautiful and touching to watch. – Valerie

---

Outstanding Supporting or Guest Actor Playing an LGBTQ+ Character in a Sci-Fi/Fantasy Series: Isabela Merced as Dina, The Last of Us

Nominees: Aubrey Plaza as Rio/Death, Agatha All Along // Annie the Clumsy as Mixxy, Sunny // Babirye Bukilwa as Sammie, Domino Day // Sophie Okonedo as Siuan Sanche, Wheel of Time // Jen Tullock as Devon Scout-Hale, Severance

In the same way Bella Ramsey IS Ellie, Isabela Merced fully captures Game!Dina’s spirit while also infusing her own contagious energy and bringing new life to the character. Every time Isabela is on screen you can’t help but be fully dialed into her performance. One of my favorite experiences is going from giggling and kicking my feet one minute to wiping away tears the next. Whether she was delivering A+ puns and miming stabbing clickers or holding back tears while watching Bella’s portrayal of the “Take on Me” scene, Isabela made me feel exactly what Dina was feeling in those moments. Isabela has spoken about the guitar scene in particular and wanting to ensure that she properly conveyed the varied emotions Dina was feeling in that scene. You see it in every microexpression that crosses Isabela’s face. There’s so much lightheartedness to Dina which, in a world like The Last of Us, feels like a luxury. But she’s also experienced pain and tragedy and love, and is aware of how tenuous that line between optimism and realism is.

Isabela’s real-life queerness also helped to bring a level of authenticity to Dina that felt real and familiar, and deepened many of the scenes between her and Bella. Outside of her portrayal of Dina, Isabela is out here taking the DC world by storm as Hawkgirl and proving just how in tune with queer culture she is by making “hey mamas lesbians” jokes with Brittany Broski (a thing I did not know I needed). Isabela Merced is such a special talent, and I can’t wait to see what she does next. – Nic

---

Outstanding Performance by an Out LGBTQ+ Actor in a Drama: Ayo Edebiri in The Bear

Nominees: Jasmin Savoy Brown in Yellowjackets // Liv Hewson in Yellowjackets // Supriya Ganesh in The Pitt // Cherry Jones in The Handmaid’s Tale // Adelaide Kane in Grey’s Anatomy // Midori Francis in Grey’s Anatomy // Krys Marshall in Paradise

Since the day that he left New York, Carmy Berzatto’s been imagining what he’d say to the abusive boss he’d left behind. But, towards the end of season three, when he finally gets a chance, the words don’t come as easily as he imagined. Chef David is every bit the asshole he remembers: even as Carmy admits to suffering from ulcers, panic attacks, and nightmares, the Chef applauds himself for molding Carmy into an excellent chef. The ends — Carmy’s confidence, leadership, and ability — justify the means, David insists.

But as much as Carmy thinks about Chef David, at no point does he realize that he’s becoming the thing he’s always hated. Under the guise of turning Sydney from an okay chef to an excellent one, Carmy is being abusive: minimizing her skills, dismissing Sydney’s menu suggestions, gaslighting her with the promise of a partnership, while excluding her important decisions, and constantly asking forgiveness instead of permission. He’s slowly eating away at her confidence, leadership, and ability. To wit, the season ends with Sydney having her own panic attack.

It’s a slow build to that panic attack, but Ayo Edebiri carries us on that ride: bending but never breaking until the very end. The men on this show are so loud and it would be easy for another actor to get lost among them; but Edebiri stands out. She is, at once, bold and expressive — perhaps the worst poker face of all time — but Edebiri’s gift is taking advantage of the quiet. – Natalie

---

Outstanding Performance by an Out LGBTQ+ Actor in a Comedy: Cynthia Erivo in Poker Face

Nominees: Hannah Einbinder in Hacks // Mary Beth Barone in Overcompensating // Amrit Kaur in Sex Lives of College Girls // Renée Rapp in Sex Lives of College Girls // Megan Stalter in Hacks

In the season premiere of Poker Face this year, we get not just one Cynthia Erivo performance but five Cynthia Erivo performances. She delights as the dysfunctional band of quintuplets at the heart of the season’s first murder mystery and especially excels at playing the more unhinged among them. Tracking her performances not only as each sister but also as some of the sisters pretending to be other sisters might out-thrill even the howdunnit of it all. – Kayla

---

Outstanding LGBTQ+ Actor in a Sci-Fi/Fantasy Show: Aubrey Plaza in Agatha All Along

Nominees: Sasheer Zamata in Agatha All Along // Bella Ramsey in The Last of Us // Isabella Merced in The Last of Us // Jen Tullock in Severance // Amandla Stenberg in The Acolyte

Aubrey Plaza is an absolute force no matter what she’s in, so it’s no surprise that she’s our winner in this category. There’s a certain “what is she about to do?” quality that Aubrey brings to her roles that fits in perfectly with Agatha All Along‘s vibes. Rio Vidal is a little bit chaos, a little bit excitement, a little bit danger, and a whole lot of Feeling; all of which Aubrey masterfully conveys. She’s the perfect foil to Kathryn Hahn’s Agatha and their chemistry oozes off the screen. Jac Schaeffer knew exactly the power that Aubrey would bring to the role of Rio Vidal, aka Death, and knew she’d have to be careful “deploying” her; I, for one, am so grateful that she did. – Nic

---

Outstanding LGBTQ+ Director / Writer / Showrunner: Brittani Nichols

Nominees: Leslye Headland, Star Wars: The Acolyte // Emily St. James, Yellowjackets // Desiree Akhavan, Overcompensating // Clea Duvall, Poker Face // Nahnatchka Khan, Laid

Our winner for Outstanding Comedy this year — Abbott Elementary — of course would not be the cultural comedic sensation that it is without the brilliant queer minds that contribute to its depth and warmth, chief among them Brittani Nichols, who not only has written on the series since its inception but who made her directorial debut this season with the hilarious “Music Class.” Hopefully it was the first of several episodes directed by Brittani as the show goes on. And as Natalie pointed out, Brittani also wrote one of the best episodes of the season, “Karaoke.” – Kayla

---

Santana Lopez Legacy Award For Outstanding Queer Teen Character: Taissa, Yellowjackets

Nominees: Kate, Land of Women // Kitty Song Covey, XO Kitty // Van, Yellowjackets // Shauna, Yellowjackets // Elle Argent, Heartstopper

Teen Taissa’s arc throughout Yellowjackets so far is proof that young queer characters can have so much depth and excitement and so many more storylines than just one coming out story. Taissa’s queerness is intrinsic to her character and her story, especially as it relates to Van, without needing only one Very Special Episode. It’s everywhere all the time; it’s part of her you can’t ignore. And we love her for it. In fact, there’s lots to love about Taissa, from her sharp wit to her take-charge attitude, and her ability to stay relatively rational among very irrational circumstances and people. She’s calculating and smart and she’s going to do what it takes to survive, while also being imperfect and messy and real. (You know, besides the whole potentially-evil-alter-ego-who-eats-dirt thing.) It makes absolute sense to me that this is the second time she’s winning this award, because she’s excellent queer teen representation and deserves to be celebrated as such. – Valerie

---

Most Groundbreaking Representation: Agatha All Along

Nominees: Somebody Somewhere, Land of Women, XO Kitty, Orphan Black: Echoes, The Sex Lives of College Girls

It’s no secret that the MCU hasn’t always been the most diverse media franchise, but in recent years (and much to the chagrin of very loud online dissenters) it’s gotten both browner and gayer, with the queerness often relegated to subtext. That wasn’t enough for Agatha All Along‘s showrunner, Jac Shaeffer, who gave us the gift of the gayest thing the MCU has ever done! Queer people were always going to latch onto Agatha All Along; witches are inherently queer plus Kathryn Hahn and Aubrey Plaza were involved. I was ready to hunt for barely there glances and throwaway lines that could be references to characters’ ambiguous sexuality. And to be clear, I did all of those things! But in a time when queerness is under attack from seemingly every direction, I was shocked and delighted when Agatha made Agatha and Rio’s previous romantic relationship maintext. The chemistry between Kathryn and Aubrey was undeniable, and every queer person I yelled about this show with was like, “okay but THEY’RE EXES RIGHT?!” So to have it confirmed in front of our very eyes felt like a gift.

And not only did we get confirmation, we got it multiple times! In episode four when Rio joins the coven on the Witches’ Road, she refers to a former love as her scar (GAY!) and when she and Agatha have a moment alone, Agatha goes in for the kiss before Rio pulls away slightly to remind her that Teen isn’t hers. This would have been enough for me, to be honest, but later in the season Agatha said the quiet part out loud. “Hey, you want straight answers, ask a straight lady!” she quipped, and I swear my heart stopped. Did she just? SHE DID.

The Agathario relationship wasn’t the only queerness in the show either. Teen/Billy Maximoff (Joe Locke) has a whole “boyf”, and the way every member of that coven reacted to Rio bursting out of the ground?! I’m convinced every last one of them is “family.” In a perfect world, we would have gotten a bit more of Agatha and Rio’s love story, but I’m still holding out hope for a season 2 of this gay ass show. – Nic

---

Outstanding Performance by a Straight Actress in a Straight Role: Jean Smart, Hacks

Nominees: Bridget Everett as Sam, Somebody Somewhere // Catherine O’Hara as Patty Leigh, The Studio // Natasha Rothwell as Melissa, How to Die Alone // Sheryl Lee Ralph as Barbara Howard, Abbott Elementary // Jessica Williams as Gaby, Shrinking

It’s no secret Hacks wouldn’t work at all without the chemistry and comedic balance between its two leads. It has been incredible to watch Hannah Einbinder grow in her performance over the course of the series (and she received many well deserved nominations this year, even if she didn’t secure the wins), but it has also been incredible to watch a literal legend week to week on the show. Jean Smart has been making television audiences laugh for nearly four decades. Her character on Hacks has a rabid gay fanbase, and if my dyke group chats are any indication, the one and only Jean Smart does, too. Her chemistry with Einbinder continues even into the press tours, and I for one cannot get enough of their banter!!!! – Kayla

---

Outstanding Cis Male Character: Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal), The Last of Us

Nominees: Benito Skinner as Benny, Overcompensating // Noah Wyle as Dr. Rob, The Pitt // Sterling K Brown as Xavier Collins, Paradise // Lionel Boyce as Marcus Brooks in The Bear // Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Richie in The Bear

To know me is to know I do not care about cis men. I have what I call “male pattern blindness” because sometimes I’m paying so little attention to men on TV or in movies, I don’t recognize them when they come on screen even though they were literally there a few scenes ago. So you know if I’m here, not only talking about a man, but celebrating him with an award, that’s a good man. And Joel is a good man. He’s not a perfect man, not by a long shot. There are plenty of things he’s said or done that I’d like to have a Conversation with him about, but he is, at his core, good. He has so much love in his heart; for his daughter, for his brother, for Ellie, even for Dina. He is smart and kind and fiercely protective of his people. Also, perhaps most importantly, he’s willing to listen and learn and grow. With Ellie’s help, over the course of the two seasons, he truly opens up and is on the way to becoming the best version of himself. Or, at least, he was… – Valerie

---

Outstanding Hairstyling for an LGBTQ+ Character: Tawny Cypress, Yellowjackets

Nominees: Marley, Survival of the Thickest (Monique Gaffney) // Amrit Kaur, Sex Lives of College Girls // Agatha, Agatha All Along (Cindy Welles) // Mixxy, Sunny // Dina, The Last of Us

One thing about Adult Taissa, no matter what shenanigans she and her fellow Yellowjackets are getting into, her hair is on point. If I ever meet Tawny Cypress, after I wax poetic about her acting prowess, you better believe I’m asking her about her personal and on-set hair routines. As a Black girl who’s falling back in love with her curls, I love seeing the different styles Taissa wears. Part of the reason her hairstyling in particular stands out to me is because of the contrast between Teen and Adult Tai’s circumstances. When you’re in the wilderness focused on surviving, there really isn’t time for a deep conditioning treatment. My headcanon is that once Taissa got back home, one of the first comforts she indulged in was the longest, most luxurious wash day, a routine she then carried into adulthood. – Nic

---

Outstanding Costume Design for a Show with LGBTQ+ Characters: Keia Bounds, Survival of the Thickest

Nominees: Daniel Selon, Agatha All Along // Kathleen Felix-Hager, Hacks // Leah Katznelson, Poker Face // Sharon Gilham, The Wheel of Time // Marie Schley, Yellowjackets

Within the world that Survival of the Thickest inhabits, season one gave Keia Bounds enough to do. The show centers around Mavis Beaumont (Michelle Buteau), 38-year-old fashion assistant-turned-stylist, who leans on her friends — Kahlil (Tone Bell) and Marley (Tasha Smith) — after she discovers her boyfriend cheating on her with a skinnier version of herself. Mavis’ clients range from queens from her local drag bar and a former supermodel.

“Costume designer Keia Bounds stomped both her feet into Mavis’ looks,” Carmen wrote upon the show’s debut. “Bounds wins because she steps out of the shadow of what’s expected. Every inch of Michelle Buteau’s frame is draped with keen love and a sharp eye, and it shows.”

Outfitting that world was enough of a challenge but in its second Survival of the Thickest expands its world even more. Now Mavis isn’t just styling clients, she’s creating her own fashion line. She’s competing with and pushing back on another fashion line that claims to be making clothing for “oddie bodies” but isn’t. Khalil and Marley deal with their own issues and, at each step, their fits are a reflection of their circumstances. The season opens at Afropunk — a haven for black fashion decadence — and stops by Peppermint’s big fat queer wedding. There’s so much for Bounds to do in season two and at every turn, Bounds delivers. – Natalie

---

Fan Favorite Couple: Tai and Van, Yellowjackets

---

Fan Favorite Character: Van, Yellowjackets

---

Fan Favorite Out LGBTQ+ Actor: Liv Hewson

Well, well, well. Another month, another white queer person saying stupid shit into a microphone, with other queer white people standing around letting it happen. I am, of course, referring to Betty Who’s appearance on the Made It Out podcast with Mal Glowenke. Admittedly, this is the most I’ve ever heard of Betty Who, an Australian pop artist who has apparently been active in the music industry for quite some time and is best known for marketing her music to the sapphic community. Betty Who identifies with both the bisexual and non-binary labels, but it seems as though many listeners were under the impression that Betty Who is a lesbian and were surprised to hear her reveal on the aforementioned podcast that she is indeed married to a man she’s been with since 2014.

Conversations around labels and policing identity can get real murky real quick, so let me make a few things clear:

• A queer person is still a queer person even if she is currently dating someone of the “opposite sex.”
• A person’s labels are entirely up to them, and people should use labels that best help them move through this world.
• When we police someone’s identity — especially queer and trans folks — we are playing into conservative, right-wing playbooks, and we should do our best to avoid doing so.

With all of that out of the way, I’d like to focus specifically on the two things that Betty Who said in the podcast interview, which are the issues that many creators have pointed out in response videos.

Betty Who stated, “Now we’ve come so far, that our community is so strong, that now it’s like a crime to be straight.” This is obviously a preposterous statement to make at any given time, but especially as we bear witness to the stripping of LGBTQIA+ rights, including the threat of overturning Obergefell v. Hodges — aka federal marriage equality.

While speaking about her own experience falling in love with a man after identifying with the lesbian label, Betty Who made the dumbfounding decision to name Reneé Rapp by first and last name in a conversation in which she had not consented to be involved. “Reneé Rapp is like, ‘You’ll never catch me dating a man.’ It’s like, ‘Go off, queen! I love that for you! But I also hold space for her in 10 years if she goes, ‘Oops, I met the love of my life and it’s this man, I didn’t mean to.’” As many other writers and creators have pointed out, you have never — and will never — see a similar sentence be said about a gay man falling in love with a woman. It simply would not happen. The only way to view that quote is for what it is: lesbophobic.

Many creators have pointed out exactly what is wrong with Betty Who’s statements and, further, with Glowenke’s lack of intervention during or after the interview was recorded and shared. Many Black creators and creators of color have been correct in pointing out a glaring pattern with comments like Betty Who’s and where they take place: by, with, and in front of white people. This has created a much needed conversation around the sheer lack of representation of queer and trans people of color in podcasting. I share the same sentiment that I’ve seen many others post: something’s gotta give.

While Betty Who has since issued an apology statement to her Instagram, which lacks specific accountability for the lesbophobia and oddly omits Reneé Rapp’s name this time around, the issue remains the same and will likely continue to happen so long as we *only* platform white queer people.

As a white man with a podcast, I am overjoyed to share with you a list of podcasts (or similar formats) led by Black queer women and gender nonconforming folks, and queer and trans folks of color.

---

1. Afterlives: Marsha P Johnson

Hosted by Raquel Willis

This podcast celebrates and chronicles the life and legacy of Marsha P. Johnson.

2. Best Friends with Nicole Byer and Sasheer Zamata

Hosted by Nicole Byer and Sasheer Zamata

Best friends Nicole Byer (who doesn’t really use labels but has said in the past she is not straight) and Sasheer Zamata, who recently came out as a “late-in-life” lesbian, combine their superb comedy chops in this podcast where they talk about sorta everything.

3. Gender Spiral Podcast

Hosted by Babette Thomas and Ally Beardsley

Gender Spiral explores queer folks’ relationship with the gender binary and what it looks like to navigate the gendered world we live in.

4. Glass Closet

Hosted by Nia

Here’s a podcast about queerness, pop culture, NYC, and all the various things those touch.

5. Hoodrat to Headwrap: A Decolonized Podcast

Hosted by Ericka Hart and Ebony Donnley

Sexuality educator Ericka Hart and activist Ebony Donnley offer decolonial, queer, Black analyses of everything from pop culture to consumerism to voting, history, music, and more.

6. I‘m The Devil Podcast

Hosted by Sophia Wilson Pelton and Hannah Wakefield

Queer and trans comedian Sophia Wilson Pelton and their bisexual co-host Hannah Wakefield recap reality series Vanderpump Rules and other scandalous pop culture moments.

7. The Jade Fox Show

Hosted by Jade Fox

Jade Fox interviews and celebrates Black queer artists and creators.

8. The Lavender Menace

Hosted by Renaissance and Sunny

Two nonbinary lesbian communists of color offers their thoughts and takes on pop culture and media, and the show is broken into three acts.

9. Lemme Say This

Hosted by Hunter Harris and Peyton Dix

Celebrity and internet culture are at the heart of this podcast from two besties.

10. Normal Gossip

Hosted by Rachelle Hampton

Rachelle has taken over the wildly popular Normal Gossip podcast, where real-life gossip from people you’ll never know gets retold and dissected.

11. Purse First

Hosted by Sesali and Prince Piérre

This podcast is all about queer and woman-fronted hip-hop and includes music and video reviews, interviews with artists, commentary on the industry, and more.

12. The No Homo Show

Hosted by Boss Britt and DJ EXeL

Through interviews and topical conversations, The No Homo Show looks at the wide range of LGBTQ+ relationships, lived experiences, and communities.

13. Scam Goddess

Hosted by Laci Mosley

If you’re fascinated by scammers, you’ll want to check out this podcast all about wild fraud, robberies, scams, and capers from throughout history.

14. Sistas Who Kill

Hosted by MaRah and Taz

This weekly true crime podcast presents the stories of Black women who have killed.

15. The Strapdown

Hosted by Aurea Young and Sheria Mattis

The hilarious Black queer femme comedian co-hosts of this podcast cover dating, news, queer parties, and so much more and often have guests on for interviews, games, and humorous debates.

16. Today in Gay

Hosted by Nay Bever, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Vico Ortiz

The short-form daily news podcast rounds up joyful queer news.

17. Tunnel Wars The Podcast

Hosted by Ian Isiah and Lily Marotta

This podcast about basketball and fashion is for the WNBA gays.

18. Two Idiot Girls

Hosted by Deison Afualo and Drew Afualo

These co-hosts will talk about just about anything, from culture to advice and beyond.

19. Upstairs Neighbors Podcast

Hosted by Dom Roberts and Maya Umemoto Gorman

Another catchall conversational podcast, Upstairs Neighbors offers wild stories, chats about culture, and advice.

20. The Wellness Wives

Hosted by Ashley Tierra and Cortney

Love, entertainment, and wellness are the primary topics of this pod.

---

This may not be a perfect list of active podcasts — though, it never hurts to go back and listen — and it’s certainly not complete. Please leave a comment sharing your favorite podcast that you think folks should tune in to, and we can continue to add to this growing list.

There were two definitive points in my life when I remember Lewis having a huge impact on how I navigate this world. The first was as a little Black girl, watching her break down pop culture moments, discuss serious societal issues and interview some of my favorite celebrities. It was mesmerizing. Seeing her report, inform and entertain opened doors for so many coming up behind her. Of course, we had icons like Oprah Winfrey and the late Gwen Ifill making strides on-screen at the same time, but Lewis felt more accessible and relatable for millennials. 

The 2010s might have been the end of Saturday morning network cartoons, but it was also the dawn of a new age. Cartoons of the 2010s turned to cable and streaming. With fewer restraints, it was a chance to make cartoons capable of far more than selling some toys and cramming in a moral lesson.

Cartoons of this era could tell better stories, feature better animation, and provide better representation for marginalized groups such as the LGBTQ+ community. They were also genuinely entertaining for adults as much as kids. These are the cartoons that defined the 2010s and blazed a trail for the next generation.

10

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Released when Hasbro was retooling all their popular properties, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic exploded unexpectedly. Developed by Lauren Faust, who was one of the minds behind The Powerpuff Girls, the remake finds the curious Twilight Sparkle investigating the land of Ponyville. While trying to learn more about the world, she makes several charming friends, ranging from the athletic Rainbow Dash to the eccentric party girl Pinky Pie.

Friendship is Magic had snappy writing, colorful animation, and charming songs that transcended its kid demographic. An entire movement of adults clamored for the show, even holding a convention just for My Little Pony. The series lasted over 200 episodes and had a theatrical movie, extending beyond Hasbro’s Transformers and G.I. Joe cartoon revivals (two 1980 cartoon classics). With its dazzling depiction of moral lessons with ponies that can fly and shoot magical energy beams, it’s easy to see why it was so popular.

9

The Amazing World of Gumball

Watching The Amazing World of Gumball is like watching a collective of animators digging through a toy box of different techniques. While the adolescent anthropomorphic cat Gumball is animated as a 2D vector, he lives in a world of characters composed of CGI, puppets, and live-action mediums. Gumball and his fish brother Darwin get into some wacky adventures that often break the fourth wall as much as his world breaks dimensional limitations.

As one of the first Cartoon Network productions to come straight out of Britain, Gumball is a show exploding with colorful animation techniques and wild humor. The witty commentary on everything from gaming streamers to knock-off cartoons lifts the cartoon far beyond its typical suburban family setting, especially for one with the old trope of the doltish dad and straight-woman mother. Sure, it still has some DNA from shows like The Simpsons, but this is a suburban setting where the usual characters include ghosts, bananas, balloons, monkeys, and a T-Rex.

8

Tron: Uprising

Taking place between the two TRON movies, Uprising focuses on the digital world of the Grid being overtaken by the sinister forces of Clu. Seeking to rebel against this aggressive rule, the mechanic program Beck fights back against the invading General Tesler’s army. Aiding Beck’s fight is the injured hero Tron, who passes the torch (or disc) of heroism onto the next generation for the next revolution.

Coming out a few years after the sequel TRON: Legacy, this side-story cartoon retains much of the same sci-fi action tone, not merely because it features music from the same composer, Joseph Trapanese. The slick CGI contrasting deep blacks with crisp blues and heated reds looks eye-popping for TV animation. The story is also rather brutal, depicting digital casualties and fast-paced action. It is made all the more exciting with a voice cast that includes Elijah Wood, Mandy Moore, and Bruce Boxleitner reprising his role as Tron.

7

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

As a reboot of the classic 1980s cartoon, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power follows the adventures of Adora, wielder of the magic sword on the planet of Eternia. After escaping from the sinister armies of Hordak, known as the Horde, she makes new friends in her battle against evil. But she’ll also have to save her childhood friend Catra from being brainwashed by the Horde.

Developed by cartoonist ND Stevenson, this version of She-Ra presented a more engrossing and updated depiction of this fantasy hero. This goes beyond the anime-inspired influence and more intricate exploration of Eternia’s fantasy elements and politics. The series featured more earnest depictions of trauma and romance, where same-sex relationships were more of a common occurrence than a shocking reveal. This cartoon went the extra mile to inspire the next generation to be more honest and brave in more ways than one.

6

DuckTales

Although a reboot of DuckTales seems like another returning-to-the-well production for Disney, plenty of water is left to warrant a return. The show retains the same format of the 1980s cartoon, with the cantankerous mogul Scrooge (now voiced by David Tennant) still whisking his nephews away on globe-trotting adventures. But there’s more to explore this time in this ongoing story’s family drama, alien invasions, and criminal organizations, lifting plenty of material from the long-running comic book series.

Watching the new DuckTales feels like being a kid again with the classic sense of adventure and treasure hunting. What makes the show even more nostalgically engrossing is the many crossovers it shares with shows like TaleSpin, Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, Darkwing Duck, and Goof Troop. But even if you don’t have nostalgia for the Disney Afternoon block, the show is still fun and intriguing with its own unique blend of angular animation and clever humor, especially for the hilarious reveal of Donald Duck’s non-sputtering voice (you’ll never guess who voices him).

5

Regular Show

Akin to Rocko’s Modern Life, J. G. Quintel’s Regular Show found the absurdity in the lifestyle of twenty-something adults. The show centers around the blue jay Moredcai and raccoon Rigby working at a local park. Working under the direction of Benson, the easily-angered gumball machine, the two slackers would have been given typical jobs around the park, but end up in the oddest situations, like being transported to the moon or sucked into a video game dimension.

Cartoon Network clearly had a big focus on the prime-time slot, with Regular Show’s relatable vibe amid weird situations making for the perfect mix. It featured subversive sexual gags, weird and surreal realms, and an abundance of references only millennials would grasp, but it was also genuinely hilarious. Although rated just TV-PG, Regular Show has more in common with many adult animated shows, so it’s no wonder Quintel went on to create the TV-MA-rated Close Enough, a more adult cartoon about thirty-somethings.

4

Steven Universe

Created by Rebecca Sugar of Adventure Time fame, Steven Universe follows the adventures of the boy Steven after he learns he’s a half-breed of the Earth-defending Crystal Gems team. Working alongside the magical crystal guardians, Steven uses the gem powers within his belly button to save the world from mystical threats. As an underdog, Steven works relies on his earnest and thoughtful nature to prove himself to the more intelligent Crystal Gems.

Steven Universe became just as much of a Cartoon Network staple as Adventure Time because it was more daring in its emotional storytelling. Complex topics of family, friendship, and romance were addressed in a surprisingly nuanced manner. In addition, the cartoon was also a huge trailblazer for being more open with LGBTQ representation, showcasing one of the first same-sex weddings in a cartoon for kids. For its meaningful storytelling, the show continued for five seasons and an epilogue movie, and also won a prestigious Peabody Award.

3

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated

Scooby-Doo reboots have been a constant for decades, but Mystery Incorporated is far and away one of the best iterations of the long-running cartoon franchise. Set during the early days of the mystery-solving group, the teenagers and their dog Scooby solve mysteries in their hometown of Crystal Cove. The constant spooky schemes, however, reveal a greater conspiracy as the show continues.

Mystery Incorporated was a refreshing change of pace from the usual Scooby-Doo formula. In addition to the serialized story, there was also great character drama with Velma and Shaggy being a couple. While the show played with many of the conventions of Scooby-Doo (it’s hilarious how they treat Scrappy-Doo as a dark part of their past), it also had clever references to H. P. Lovecraft and Twin Peaks. There’s also a stellar voice cast, especially with Matthew Lillard taking on the role of Shaggy, who has previously played the character in live-action movies.

2

Gravity Falls

Perhaps the easiest way to describe Gravity Falls is that it’s Twin Peaks for kids. Siblings Dipper and Mabel spend the summer helping out at their great-uncle Stan’s tourist trap, The Mystery Shack. While Stan might peddle tall tales to make money, there are plenty of strange creatures and dark secrets that lurk in the woods of this small community. Dipper aims to learn all about them through a mysterious journal.

Gravity Falls combines sci-fi, horror, and coming-of-age elements into a clever animated adventure saga. The mystery of the woods was just as entertaining as the wry and absurd comedy, posed in familiar summer situations of county fairs and going fishing. Despite the long delay in the finale, the show has become revered for its writing, which won it multiple Emmy and Annie awards, garnering it a fandom following.

1

Adventure Time

If there’s one show that changed the entire landscape of cartoons in the 2010s, it has to be Adventure Time, a show that Nickelodeon likely kicked itself over passing on. Developed by Pendleton Ward, the Emmy-winning show features the heroic boy Finn and his stretchy dog Jake battling the evil Ice King and in a fantastical landscape as they try to rescue the Princess Bubblegum. The show has a charming sense of wonder but also features a great sense of world-building in how it continuously peels back the layers of what turns out to be a world formed after an apocalypse.

Adventure Time embraced the sweet and surreal with its cute character designs and thoughtful storytelling. The show was inspired by the geeky pillars of Dungeons & Dragons, retro video games, and anime. It was also responsible for inspiring many of the cartoons that followed, with Rebecca Sugar’s LGBTQ+ focus carrying over more overtly with Steven Universe and Pete Browngardt’s penchant for surreal comedy in Uncle Grandpa. The show lasted for 10 seasons and spawned a sequel and spin-off series.

---

The cartoons of the 2010s had undeniable freedom of expression. The levels of representation, animation quality, and mature writing seem almost alien when compared to the restrictions of the 1980s. With so many trails blazed, seeing what cartoons the next decade will bring will be exciting.