12 LGBTQ artists releasing new music in 2019

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Halfway through 2019, we’ve already been blessed with new singles from several of our favourite LGBTQ artists including Sam Smith, King Princess, Leo Kalyan, Halsey, Tove Lo, Zolita, Aaron Porter, Dodie, Girl in Red, Conan Gray, Christine and the Queens, MNEK, Gia Woods and Hayley Kiyoko. Even better, we’ve been treated to new albums from Kehlani, The Japanese House, Lizzo, Melissa Etheridge, Aurora, Willow Smith and Kim Petras. Meanwhile, rising star Lil Nas X has come out as gay, making chart topper Old Town Road the longest-running No. 1 single by an openly queer artist in history.

Finally, though she is straight herself, Taylor Swift celebrated Pride month this year by dropping divisive ‘pride anthem’ You Need to Calm Down. References to the LGBT community within the lyrics were accompanied by a star studded music video featuring queer icons such as Ellen Degeneres, Adam Lambert, Laverne Cox and of course, Lesbian Jesus herself. There has been fierce debate over the single, with some dismissing it as an exploititive example of rainbow capitalism, while others in the community have praised Swift for her public support and the song’s positive message. Either way, it’s clear that within the mainstream music industry being LGBTQ is more accepted than ever before, paving the way for a new generation of queer artists.

But the year’s not over yet and there’s plenty of queer content to look forward to! So without further ado here are 12 of my most anticipated albums of 2019 from LGBTQ artists.

King Princess – Cheap Queen

Having been steadily seeping more and more into the collective queer consciousness over the past few years with unapologetically gay songs such as 1950 – inspired by Patricia Highsmith’s lesbian romance novel The Price of Salt – and Pussy is God – a joyful ode to lesbian sex, King Princess is finally releasing her much anticipated debut album Cheap Queen (following up from the excellent EP Make My Bed)

Discussing the process that led to its creation she explains that as a teenager “I began to seek out and enjoy content that was queer, and I was curating the shit that I was watching and reading to be queer only. It became obvious to me that my life’s work was to make that same content, but in my medium.”

There’s no word yet on a release date for the record (described by its creator as “best consumed stoned and sad”) but with two tracks from the album already out (lead single Prophet and the titular Cheap Queen), the new release is expected to come out sometime this Autumn.

Mika – My Name is Michael Holbrook

Four years since the release of his fourth album No Place in Heaven Lebanese-English singer Mika is back with Ice Cream, the debut single from his upcoming album My Name is Michael Holbrook.

Describing the inspiration behind the track, the 35 year old has explained that it was “written on a day of extreme heat” when he wanted to “run away to the sea” but was left instead with “all the discomforts of summer heat. Sweat, work deadlines, bee stings, and all this with no AC.”

The album title hints at a more honest and vulnerable offering than we’ve seen from him before, an impression supported by comments from the artist that the album confronts “personal, serious and at times painful issues.” However, rest assured, if lead single Ice Cream and its accompanying music video is anything to go by we can still expect plenty of Mika’s particular brand of campy, feelgood fun in his next release.

My Name is Michael Holbrook will be out on the 4th of October and is available to pre-order now.

Tove Lo – Sunshine Kitty

Described in Out Magazine as “the world’s most brutally honest pop star“, the Swedish singer known professionally as Tove Lo has never shied away from taboo topics in her music, with songs like bitches, disco tits and habits exploring a seedy world of casual sex, hard drugs and plenty of swearing.

As with all her records, upcoming album Sunshine Kitty is based on the 30-year-old’s personal experiences, though its positive tone is an unexpected departure from her previous work (she’s said previously that she’s “hopeless” at writing songs with a happier tone.) Discussing how the new record compares with her previous releases she explains that “there’s the same sort of cheekiness but a happier tone on the new record in general,” because “I’m in a good place in my life. I’m in love and happy.”

As of yet there’s no official release date but lead single Glad he’s Gone is out now.

Tegan and Sara – Hey, I’m Just Like You

Pop duo Tegan and Sara are going back in time for their ninth studio album Hey, I’m just like you. While working on their upcoming memoir ‘High School’, the two sisters uncovered a trove of cassette tapes full of original songs written between the ages of 15 and 17. Recognizing the tapes as “an essential part of [their] high school story” Hey I’m just like you is made up entirely of reworked and re-corded songs from the collection.

This album is also notable for its all-female production team including Carla Azar, Catherine Hiltz, Alex Hope, Rachael Findlen, Annie Kennedy, Beatriz Artola, Emily Lazar and, of course, the twins themselves.

Hey, I’m just like you is out on the 27th of September but until then you can listen to lead single I’ll be back someday on Spotify, YouTube and Apple Music.

Adam Lambert – Velvet

A decade after he first rose to fame as a contestant on reality talent show American Idol, seven years since he became the first openly gay artist to top the album charts and four years since his last solo album The Original High, Adam Lambert is back and better than ever.

New single New Eyes is the lead track from his upcoming album Velvet and its sound, music video and cover art suggest a 70s inspired glam rock theme for the new album, which Lambert describes as “a new beginning and a new era” with “classic and truly musical influences.”

As of yet Lambert hasn’t revealed when exactly Velvet will be released but he has reassured fans that the wait won’t be for much longer.

Marika Hackman – Any Human Friend

Drawing inspiration from her recently ended relationship with Japanese House singer Amber Bain, indie singer-songwriter Marika Hackman has described the lyrical content of her upcoming third album as “quite sexual” and “blunt, but not offensive”, explaining that she wanted to write about sexuality in a “unifying and sexy” way, in contrast to sexual lyrics that objectify the subject.

Lead single i’m not where you are and follow up track the one are available now, complete with quirky and darkly funny music videos. Any Human Friend will be out on the 9th of August.

Shura – Forevher

Three years after her 2016 debut Nothing’s Real, British electro-pop artist Shura is back with Forevher, an album of 11 tracks that looks to be her gayest offering yet. Inspired by Auguste Rodin’s ‘The Kiss’, the album’s cover art features a hazy blue image of two women embracing each other and the album title is a cleverly constructed portmanteau of the words ‘forever’ and ‘her’, erasing any possible doubt of the sapphic nature of the new record.

Centered around the long-distance relationship between her and her girlfriend, Shura’s describes Forevher as something “specific to my experience of being a queer woman that anyone of any gender or sexuality could look at and think ‘yeah, I understand’’”

She’s already released two songs from the album; BKLYNLDN (alternatively titled Brooklyn to London) and religion (u can lay your hands on me), complete with wonderfully sapphic music videos. Check them out now on YouTube, Spotify or Apple Music.

Forevher will be out on August 16th.

Ezra Furman – Twelve Nudes

Following up from last year’s Transangelic Exodus, musician Ezra Furman’s upcoming album Twelve Nudes has been described in press releases as a “‘spiritually queer’ punk record”

Furman himself has described the highly political album as “the sound of me struggling to admit that I’m not okay with the current state of human civilization … Once you admit how bad it feels to live in a broken society, you can start to resist it, and imagine a better one.”

Lead single Calm Down (AKA I should not be alone) is out now on Spotify, YouTube and Apple Music and the full album is due for release on the 30th of August.

MUNA – Saves the World

All-queer electro-pop band MUNA gained attention in 2017 with hit single I know a place, which was featured in, not one, but two LGBT feature films (The Carmilla Movie – a companion to the popular Carmilla webseries – and Netflix’s Alex Strangelove.)

Described by critics as “an unflinching and unapologetic record of the lives of queer women”, their debut album About U spoke to LGBTQ audiences in ways that popular music rarely does, and their newest project looks set to do the same.

The trio describe lead single Number One Fan as “a song about recognizing the negative voices in your head and learning to speak back to them … just as we can all be our own biggest haters, we can also decide to be our own biggest fans”

Saves the World will be out on the 6th of September.

Mary Lambert – Grief Creature

Best known for her collaboration with hip-hop artist Macklemore on pro-LGBT hit Same Love, Mary Lambert is back with her most vulnerable record yet, described by the 30 year old singer as her “life’s work” and “the best thing I’ve ever made.”

Having departed from record label Capitol Records in order to pursue her artistic goals with as much freedom as possible, the funds for new self-produced album Grief Creature were raised through crowdfunding site Kickstarter, where Lambert has posted regular updates about the album’s progress.

The album, which Lambert describes as “super heavy and depressing” and “the saddest fucking thing I’ve ever made” will provide an in-depth insight into Lambert’s struggles with bipolar disorder and will feature collaborations with other artists including Macklemore and Julien Baker.

No songs from the album have been released yet but you can find out more about the upcoming record from an album preview posted on Lambert’s YouTube channel and from the album’s kickstarter campaign. Grief Creature is planned for release sometime this December.

Lauren Jauregui – TBA

Lauren Jauregui made headlines in 2017 with the release of Strangers, a collaboration with fellow pop artist Halsey. A romantic duet between two openly bisexual women, the track marked a significant step forward for the representation of queer women in mainstream pop music.

Praised by critics for the “spontaneous passion” and “lovesick desperation” conveyed in her vocal performance, Jauregui demonstrated a talent for soulful and emotional expression through her music not previously seen in her collaborative work with Fifth Harmony.

Best known as a member of aforementioned girl band Fifth Harmony, Jauregui made her solo debut last year with the appropriately titled Expectations. Accompanied by a film-noir inspired black and white music video that perfectly compliments the singer’s sultry vocals, it offered a promising insight into her upcoming album.

Followed by the equally excellent More than That (and its gorgeous music video) Jauregui has proven she is more than capable of holding her own without the support of her bandmates.

The title and exact release date of Jauregui’s solo debut have yet to be announced but the record is expected to come out sometime before the end of the year.

Halsey – TBA

Although she hasn’t released a new album since 2017’s Hopeless Fountain Kingdom, Halsey has remained a staple presence in the pop charts with a steady stream of standalone singles and collaborations with other artists including East Side (ft Khalid), Him & I (ft G-Eazy), Boy with Luv (ft BTS), Without Me and 11 minutes.

Nightmare, her most recent release and the lead single for her upcoming album has been described my many as a “feminist anthem” for its biting social commentary and empowering message. It also hints at a significant change in direction for Halsey’s next release, showcasing an alternative rock sound previously unheard in her music.

However, this looks to be just a small glimpse of a wildly eclectic body of work, which according to Halsey consists of “hip-hop, rock, country, f—ing everything — because it’s so manic,”. Indeed, apparently written entirely over the course of a manic episode (a symptom of Halsey’s bipolar disorder) the 24 year old singer has described the new record as “sooooo manic. It’s literally just, like, whatever the f— I felt like making; there was no reason I couldn’t make it”.

There’s no word yet on an official title or release date but Halsey has reassured fans that the new record will be out before the end of 2019 (with a suspected October release). And though it hasn’t been confirmed by the woman herself fans have speculated that the new album will be titled Manic due to the circumstances under which it was penned and a number of possible easter eggs in the Nightmare music video. Listen to Nightmare now on YouTube, Spotify or iTunes.

So there we have it, 12 LGBTQ artists to look out for over the next few months. Which one are you most looking forward to?

Be sure to check out this blog in December to find out my picks for Top 10 LGBTQ albums of 2019, but in the meantime have a listen to this playlist of this year’s best queer releases so far.

Who will be in the next team of Avengers? (My theories)

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Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for Avengers: Endgame.

The recent release of Avengers: Endgame marked the end of an era for the multi-million dollar franchise. After 10 years and 22 films, the hugely ambitious story arc being referred to as ‘The Infinity Saga’ has finally been completed. Providing a respectful send-off to its original group of heroes, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s latest instalment has paved the way for a new generation of heroes. The question is, who will replace them in the new Avengers team?

With that question in mind, I’ve thought long and hard about the different options presented to us and the conclusion I came to breaks down like this:

As you can see I’ve put waaay too much thought into this…

The original MCU Avengers team comprised of Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark (Iron Man), Chris Evans as Steve Rogers (Captain America), Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner (The Hulk), Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow), Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton (Hawkeye) and Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Iron Man, Thor and Captain America each had a trilogy of solo films which sometimes featured the remaining three Avengers in supporting roles.

It is unclear whether Marvel will adopt a similar strategy with their new team of Avengers but I think it’s a safe bet that at least a couple of the new members will have supplementary solo films like their predecessors.

The least likely contenders

With two of the six original team members dead, one officially retired, one disabled and one off in space somewhere, it looks unlikely that they’ll be rejoining the Avengers any time soon. That rules out Tony, Steve, Thor, Bruce and Natasha. Similarly, the deaths of once-Avengers Vision (Paul Bettany) and Pietro (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) in Infinity War and Age of Ultron respectively makes them unlikely candidates for the new team.

Given that they are already part of a superhero team of their own it’s also unlikely that any of the six members of the Guardians of the Galaxy (7 including Thor?) will step in, though having escaped death via jumping into a new timeline in Endgame, Gamora (Zoe Saldana) remains a bit of a wild-card, as does cyborg villain-turned-hero Nebula (Karen Gillan).

Supporting characters Okoye (Danai Gurira), Wong (Benedict Wong) and Sif (Jaimie Alexander) are also unlikely candidates. Okoye and Wong are very much presented as extensions of Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) respectively and I find it difficult to picture them working independently. Meanwhile Asgardian warrior Sif disappeared 14 films ago and hasn’t been seen in the MCU since. If she were to return she would make a worthy replacement for her close friend Thor but as of yet there’s no indication of her making a reappearance any time soon.

Endgame saw Tony’s wife Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow) don a super-suit of her own for the final battle against Thanos, potentially setting her up as Tony’s replacement. However, as a now-single mother to a young daughter it’s unlikely she could spare the time, or that she would be willing to risk making her daughter an orphan.

Steve’s former love interest Sharon/Agent 13 (Emily Vancamp) is another potential option, having proved her ability to work as part of a superhero team in Captain America: Civil War. That said, given her lack of superpowers, unpopularity among fans and pointed absence from Endgame I’d put her fairly low down on the list.

So who does that leave?

Well, Brie Larson’s Carol Danvers is a strong contender, having won over audiences worldwide in her recent solo debut Captain Marvel. As the person who inspired Fury (Samuel L Jackson) to form the Avengers in the first place, she is widely considered to be the unofficial first Avenger and her brief appearance in Endgame shows that she is well-suited to working in a team. With Tony’s unshakeable confidence, Steve’s knack for leadership and Thor’s otherworldly abilities, she’s an obvious choice to fill their shoes. Most likely she will take on Steve’s role as leader of the group.

Following his death at the end of Endgame, Tony left several potential heroes to fill his shoes. Having fought alongside Tony on numerous occasions in a technologically advanced super-suit of his own, Don Cheadle’s Rhodey is the most obvious contender for a new Iron Man, should Marvel wish to go down that route. However Tony’s mentorship of the teenage Peter Parker (Tom Holland) over the past few films indicates that he is Tony’s chosen successor. With a solo movie already under his belt and another on the way, he is well loved by audiences and comic fans alike thanks to his adorkable personality and witty one-liners. With his expertise in science and technology it is possible he will replace Tony as the tech wizard of the group or Bruce as the resident scientist.

The final minutes of Endgame left Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang (Ant-Man) and Evangeline Lily’s Hope Van Dyne (The Wasp) in a better position than most to potentially join the Avengers; that is, alive and on Earth. In addition, their ability to change size while retaining their strength makes them a unique asset to the team without being overpowered.

The 2018 release Ant-Man and The Wasp established the duo as a team so it’s unlikely that one would join without the other. Furthermore, in the comics on which the movies are based, Ant-Man and the Wasp were part of the original Avengers team alongside Iron Man, Thor and The Hulk (though in the comics they were the alter egos of Hope’s parents Hank Pim and Janet Van Dyne) so it’s fitting that the movies would follow suit.

Fan-Art by Aiko Aiham of Sam Wilson as Captain America

Endgame showed an elderly Cap passing on his shield – and by extension the title of Captain America – to his close friend Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), formerly known as Falcon, naturally positioning him to take Cap’s place on the Avengers team. However, Sam’s role in upcoming Disney+ series Falcon and the Winter Soldier makes his (and Bucky’s) involvement in future MCU films somewhat uncertain.

Age of Ultron heroes Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision will also feature on Disney’s upcoming streaming service in the imaginatively titled WandaVision. Given Vision’s death in Infinity War is seems most likely that the series will be set before the events of Endgame. However, if Wanda possesses the same reality-warping abilities as she does in the comics then the possibility of Vision being resurrected isn’t out of the question.

As Steve passed the mantle of Captain America to Sam, demigod Thor bestowed his title as King of Asgard onto friend and ally Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson). If her responsibilities on New Asgard don’t occupy too much of her time, this makes her a strong candidate for the new team of Avengers.

T’challa (Black Panther) is in a similar position. As the King of Wakanda he has responsibilities that could potentially prevent him from committing to a role in the Avengers team. However, it could also work the other way round, with T’challa considering the protection of Earth one of his Kingly duties.

Another strong candidate is Doctor Strange. He has little connection to the previous Avengers in comparison to some of the other options and he’s potentially somewhat overpowered. However, in both Infinity War and Endgame he was quick to answer the call when the Earth was in danger and his mysterious magical abilities would bring something fresh and original to the Avengers.

Finally there’s always the possibility that the MCU will introduce new characters to join the team. So who might they choose?

Popular choices among comic fans include intergalactic hero Nova, the mythically inspired Hercules, bisexual space monk Moondragon or Bruce Banner’s cousin Jennifer as She-Hulk.

Who do you think/hope will be in the new Avengers line-up? Let me know in the comments!

5 LGBT TV shows to watch on Netflix before they get cancelled

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Much has been said about Netflix’s recent trend of axing all its most diverse and inclusive shows – particularly those with a strong focus on LGBTQ characters and storylines. The cancellation of beloved and often critically acclaimed Netflix Originals such as Sense8, The Get Down, Shadowhunters and One Day at a Time have inspired major social media campaigns pushing to get them renewed or picked up by other streaming sites. And the aforementioned shows are far from a comprehensive list of the unlucky programmes affected by this trend.

Netflix has claimed that the cancellation of these programmes has nothing to do with their LGBT themes and content; rather, they simply weren’t racking up enough views. While Netflix’s refusal to release official viewer metrics makes it impossible to either confirm or deny this, many disgruntled fans have theorised that a lack of marketing and promotion may be responsible for their purportedly low viewership.

Whereas Netflix Originals such as 13 Reasons Why, Stranger Things and recent hit The Umbrella Academy have all enjoyed major marketing campaigns, many of Netflix’s cancelled shows were barely advertised on their own site. While these other shows have featured heavily in magazine spreads, on chat shows, on billboards and across social media, I’ve heard scarcely a whisper about their more diverse counterparts.

In light of this, I’ve compiled a list (in no particular order) of 5 must-see Netflix Originals that have suffered from this dearth of promotion. These are all ongoing programmes so make sure to check them out on Netflix! (lest they meet the same fate as so many others)

1. You Me Her

Izzy (left), Emma (middle) and Jack (right) laughing in bed together

Billed at television’s first “polyamorous romantic comedy”, You Me Her centres on the relationship between suburban couple Jack (Greg Poehler) and Emma (Rachel Blanchard) and adventurous college student Izzy (Priscilla Faia). While the series begins in a pretty contrived way, with Izzy working as an escort to pay her tuition and Emma and Jack hiring her to spice up their relationship, it quickly evolves into a heartwarming and hilarious love story between three people trying to make polyamory work in a monogamous world.

Characters Izzy and Emma are proudly bisexual (and actually use the B word!) and their relationship isn’t sexualised as you might expect. The show offers a respectful and (at least from my experience) fairly accurate portrayal of polyamory, touching on common issues in polyamorous relationships such as communication, boundaries and dealing with jealousy.

The first three seasons are all available on Netflix and season 4 is coming soon! You can watch a trailer for season 1 here or on Netflix.

2. Special

Lead character Ryan (left) and love interest Carey (right) also laughing bed together

In this 8-part comedy, writer and lead actor Ryan O’Connell draws from his own personal experiences to tell the story of a gay man with cerebral palsy (also called Ryan) who, after getting hit by a car, decides to throw himself headfirst into all the adult experiences he’s been delaying due to his disability. We watch him struggle with living on his own for the first time, trying to fit in with his colleagues as an intern at media company ‘Eggwoke’ and navigating the awkwardness of losing his virginity at 30.

It’s a heartfelt and quirky comedy reminiscent of Australian sitcom Please Like Me or the cult classic webseries The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo (whose lead actor Brian Jordan Alvarez actually guest stars in Special as a male sex worker). Packed with charm and relatable awkwardness, it’s one of very few programmes which offer insight into disability from the perspective of a disabled protagonist, as well as exploring the intersection of being gay and disabled.

As a recent release there’s no word yet on whether a second season is on the cards, but if you like the show make sure to spread the word so it can get those all-important ratings!

Watch the trailer here or on Netflix.

3. Elite

The cast of Elite lying in a sexy cuddle puddle and looking decidedly unamused

Spanish teen drama Elite follows the students of an elite secondary school, including working class students Samuel, Nadia and Christian, who are there on scholarships following the collapse of their school due to poor construction.

Of the large ensemble cast (pictured above) four are canonically LGBT. Omar Ayuso plays Nadia’s brother (also named Omar), a closeted gay muslim who deals drugs to the rich students of the school in the hopes of raising enough to move away from his homophobic family. Ander (Arón Piper) also struggles with the expectations of his family who are determined for him to become a professional tennis player. After Ander buys drugs from Omar and subsequently ends up talking to him on Grindr the two form an unlikely romance. Meanwhile new kid Christian (Miguel Herrán) catches the eye of the beautiful and mysterious Carla (Ester Expósito) – and that of her boyfriend; the equally beautiful and almost as mysterious Polo (Álvaro Rico). The three of them strike up a complicated sexual relationship which is about as fascinating as it is deeply unhealthy.

Elite has already been renewed for a second season so there’s no need to worry about it getting cancelled any time soon, but give it a watch if you enjoy queer psycho-sexual dramas about morally dubious rich teens.

The trailer is available with English subtitles here or on Netflix.

4. She-Ra And The Princesses of Power

“Two girls chilling in a hot-tub… zero feet apart ’cause they’re both gay”
Adora (left) and Glimmer (right)

A reboot of the short-lived 80’s series She-Ra: Princess of Power, this family friendly animated series was developed by queer comic book writer Noelle Stevenson. Though there are only a handful of canonically LGBT characters in the show so far (which is already notable given this is a programme targeted at children), pretty much every character is queer-coded to some degree (unsurprisingly given that Noelle is famously quoted as saying that none of the characters she writes are straight).

The show follows Adora (Aimee Carrero), a soldier for a military organisation known as ‘The Horde’, whose life is changed when she finds a magical sword, allowing her to transform into the mythical ‘She-Ra’. With help from rebels Glimmer (Karen Fukuhara) and Bow (Marcus Scribner) she discovers the evil nature of the Horde’s plans and joins the fight against them. In doing so she is forced to leave behind childhood friend Catra (AJ Michalka), whose feelings of hurt and abandonment turn her against her former lover friend and the complex relationship between the two women is the emotional core of the series.

Working to normalise same gender relationships and alternative gender expression on both a literal and metaphorical level, She-Ra is a truly groundbreaking show that needs and deserves all the support it can get.

Watch the season one trailer here or on Netflix.

5. Queer Eye

(From left to right) Bobby Berk, design expert; Karamo Brown, culture expert; Antoni Porowski, food expert; Jonathan Van Ness, grooming expert and Tan France, fashion expert

A re-imagining of Bravo series Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (2003), this popular reboot brings together five gay men known collectively as ‘The Fab Five’, each with a special talent that allows them to provide a much-needed makeover to struggling straights.

While the premise is reliant on outdated stereotypes about gay men being more cultured and sophisticated than their straight counterparts, don’t let that put you off. This show is quick to dismantle assumptions that the talents of these men are simply byproducts of their homosexuality and the role they play amounts to more than a group of sassy, gay best friends.

As the tagline explains, the Fab Five offer “more than a makeover” and the nuanced way with which they look past superficial problems to the deeper issues underlying them is what separates the reboot from the original and makes it truly remarkable. While they do offer advice on clothes, hair, diet and lifestyle, they use their expertise as a tool for tackling toxic masculinity and providing a fresh perspective to those who need it most. Makeovers aside, their real goal is to open minds and inspire confidence.

The first 3 seasons are available on Netflix but whether a fourth season is on the cards is yet to be determined. Watch the trailer here or on Netflix.

Honourable Mentions

When I set out to write this I thought it would be pretty straightforward. unfortunately, I was dismayed to find that half of the Netflix Originals I had planned to talk about have already been cancelled. Champions, Everything Sucks! and Degrassi: Next Class have all been axed, leaving only a handful of options left. The titles I chose to include are all programmes I whole-heartedly recommend, each with prominent LGBT characters and themes.

However, there were a handful of titles which, while not quite LGBT-focused enough for the main list are still diverse and inclusive programmes worthy of your support.

Dear White People

Lionel (left) and love interest Silvio (right)

Stirring controversy since its conception due to its inflammatory title, Dear White People is based on Justin Simien’s 2014 film of the same name. Following several black students at an Ivy League university, this comedy drama explores the racial tensions that continue to inform the experiences of African Americans in a supposedly ‘post-racial’ society.

It features DeRon Horton as Lionel Higgins, a timid journalism student who struggles to navigate university life as a gay, black man, feeling out of place amidst black and white peers alike. His queerness is an important aspect of his character without dominating his storyline, and while he spends most of the first season pining hopelessly after his straight roommate, season two offers a more nuanced and complex exploration of his sexuality.

Sex Education

Eric, dressed in drag for his birthday celebrations

Sex Education is a raunchy British comedy about Otis, an awkward teenager who uses knowledge picked up from his sex therapist mother to help his peers with their own sexual problems – for a fee, of course.

At Otis’ side is his best friend Eric, one of only two openly gay male students at their school. He deals with the same sexual frustration as his straight peers – only his dating pool is considerably smaller. However, he is also forced to endure homophobia, intolerance and abuse, as he is bullied by his peers, assaulted by strangers and neglected by his friends. His father, though supportive, struggles to understand his son’s flamboyant expression of his sexuality and fears for his safety.

As proud of his Ghanian heritage as he is of his sexuality, Eric is an inspiring example of a character who dares to be unapologetically himself.

Black Lightning

Black Lightning is a superhero television drama series developed by Salim Akil, based on the DC Comics character of the same name. It follows Jefferson (Cress Williams), a long retired superhero who is inspired to revisit his old alter-ego ‘Black Lightning’ when rising gang violence in his area threatens the safety of the neighbourhood.

With impressive powers of her own, daughter Anissa (Nafessa Williams) is a superhero in her own right and the first black, lesbian superhero on network television. Her sexuality is an important aspect of her character that is neither downplayed nor made to dominate her storyline.

Check out Black Lightning on Netflix to see this beloved and groundbreaking character in action.

The harmful inaccuracies of Netflix’s ‘Bonding’

Lowri Tanner2 Comments
“Say hi to your friendly neighbourhood Doms”

Netflix’s newest original title offers a promising set-up. An aspiring stand-up comic makes ends meet by taking on a job as a assistant to a Dominatrix. It’s a premise that’s well-suited for Netflix; a classic fish out of water comedy with a taboo twist.

The problem is that the ‘BDSM’ in Bonding might as well stand for Badly Deciphered Subject Matter, given its alarming number of troubling inaccuracies, miles away from the BDSM community’s mantra of ‘Safe, Sane and Consensual.’

For many real life practitioners of BDSM, the lack of research that went into this show was apparent from the moment Dominatrix ‘Mistress May’ appeared on screen. From her ill-fitting corset (it should be much tighter) to the o-ring collar around her neck (as a symbol of ownership, collars are typically worn by submissives) to the carpeted floors of her dungeon (wildly impractical) the inaccuracies are glaring – and that’s before she’s even opened her mouth. 

These minor details, though significant, could be forgiven if BDSM (or sex work in general) was handled thoughtfully and realistically through the rest of the show. Unfortunately (spoiler alert) it isn’t. 

“What do you mean ‘this isn’t how BDSM works?'”

To its credit the show does make a… lukewarm attempt to de-stigmatise BDSM and sex work. It attempts to re-frame BDSM as a form of therapy that empowers those involved and allows them to work through personal issues in a healthy way. Dominatrix Tiff (Zoey Levin) describes it as “liberation from shame”, claiming that “masculinity is inherently constricting; men come to me to escape this prison.” It’s an interesting take on BDSM, though not necessarily an accurate one. Unfortunately her words not only aren’t supported by research, they’re not even reflected in her own behaviour. For all that she claims to be providing a valuable service to men, she consistently disregards the comfort and safety of both her assistant Pete (Brendan Scannell) and her numerous male clients.

Let me explain.

The show opens with Pete meeting Tiff at her place of work, a seedy commercial dungeon. He has no idea what she does for a living or why she has asked to meet him until she greets him, whip in hand, wearing a tight-fitting latex dress and a self satisfied smirk. She hurriedly explains that she is a professional Dominatrix and that she wants to hire him as her bodyguard/assistant. He is given approximately 30 seconds to mull this over before her next client is due to arrive and barely gets a word out before she starts undressing him. Then the client walks in and Pete is thrust into the the world of BDSM without any time to process what he’s just reluctantly agreed to.

This rushed exchange where consent is barely an afterthought sets the tone for the rest of the series. Pete takes on the role of Dominatrix’s Assistant without any real idea of what’s expected of him and no prior discussion of the confidentiality, safety or legality of what they’re doing. Worse, neither his or the client’s limits and boundaries are discussed in advance and whenever Pete expresses discomfort he is consistently bullied and ignored. Tiff explains that she keeps him in the dark about the requirements of his job because she knows that if she told him in advance he would never agree. This demonstrates a lack of professionalism and a flagrant and troubling disregard for informed consent that only gets worse as the series progresses.

When he originally agrees (reluctantly and under a lot of pressure from Tiff) to take the job, Pete is told that his role will consist of helping Tiff with set-up and clean-up and to act as a bodyguard in the event that any clients become violent. However, Tiff apparently has different ideas.

During their second session together Pete is assisting Tiff with set-up as planned when a client asks him to participate in the scene with them; Pete politely declines. What should have ended there escalates into a full blown argument when Tiff decides to verbally berate Pete in an attempt to bully him into complying. She yells at him, insults him and reveals personal details about his life in front of a client. In fact, the whole thing is so clearly off-script that the client mistakes them for a couple having a lover’s tiff. Pete repeatedly refuses to give in to Tiff’s harassment, even pointedly stating that “No means no” but Tiff insistently badgers him until the client says his safeword – which the supposedly in-demand ‘Mistress May’ doesn’t even hear because she’s so caught up in arguing. The whole thing is deeply unethical and appallingly unprofessional.

This worrying trend continues into their next session when the same client wants Pete to urinate on him. The client in question (who manages to be considerably more professional than the supposed Dominatrix) informs Pete of this in advance, giving him time to mull it over and prepare. Pete takes the next few days to think about before deciding that this is not something he’s comfortable with. He tells Tiff this repeatedly up until the day of the session only to have his concerns ignored every time. Once again, the scene devolves into Tiff shouting at him until he agrees to do as she says.

Unfortunately Tiff’s lack of professionalism doesn’t stop there. One scene shows her meeting with potential client Daphne (played by The Good Place‘s D’Arcy Carden) in the dungeon playroom where she carries out her work. In the real world, professional Dommes typically meet with potential clients in plain clothes in a neutral, public environment before committing to anything and this scene perfectly illustrates why. Daphne is visibly uncomfortable from the moment she appears onscreen, commenting nervously on the intimidating array of sex toys and bondage gear arranged on the wall behind her. Ensuring the comfort of clients is not only generally good business practice, but is an essential part of professional BDSM that is all but absent from Bonding.

The face of instant regret

There is also no sign or mention of aftercare throughout the series. In the BDSM world, aftercare refers to the comfort and attention given to partners after an intense sexual experience. It also establishes an end to any roleplay and acts as a sort of debrief where the submissive can see their Domme out of character. Aftercare is an essential part of BDSM and it can be deeply harmful to practice BDSM without it.

For all that Tiff defends roleplay as psychologically beneficial, she doesn’t seem to have a clear understanding of what it entails. Mistress May is supposed to be a character that Tiff performs for the enjoyment of her clients but there is zero discernible difference between her Dominatrix alter-ego and her day to day personality. Both are cold, blunt and quite frankly rude. Both swear excessively and treat everyone around them as property.

If all of these issues weren’t bad enough, Tiff just isn’t very good at her job. She is said to be “one of the best” in the New York BDSM scene but even ignoring her unprofessionalism, lack of communication and general disregard for consent, her idea of domination seems to consist mostly of intermittently yelling at people and ignoring them. For a character supposedly motivated by a strong desire for control, she comes off less as a stern authority figure and more as a child throwing a tantrum.

Professional Dominatrix Mistress May playing Batman with her friends

These inaccuracies are not only frustrating, they are actively harmful. In addition to encouraging unhealthy and abusive behaviour disguised as kinky fun, they contribute to the already significant stigma surrounding sex work and BDSM. Worse, there is a strong implication in the show that Tiff’s cold, unfriendly attitude and her interest in BDSM are the result of trauma from being sexually assaulted. The idea that people who engage in BDSM and/or sex work are victims of abuse and trauma is a myth frequently perpetuated in mainstream depictions of BDSM that has no basis in fact.

To rub salt in the wound, the show’s marketing strategy of having a twitter account run by the fictional ‘Mistress May’ as if she were a real life Dominatrix advertising her services is in poor taste given that real professional sex workers are frequently banned from sites like Twitter, their accounts deleted and their business majorly disrupted.

To hear what real professionals in the world of BDSM thought of Bonding check out this Rolling Stone article and this post on Motherboard which give a platform to the voices of real sex workers and professional BDSM practitioners.

For a more authentic and well-researched alternative to Bonding check out webseries Mercy Mistress on YouTube. The show features a diverse cast and is made by and for sex workers with real experience in professional BDSM.

Mercy Mistress’ response to harmful and inaccurate portrayals of BDSM and sex work