Happy Pride Month, everyone! Today’s post will be our first pride-related post in celebration. Remember to take this month to reflect on being more mindful, accepting, and open-minded in regards to the LGBTQIA+ community, no matter your own sexual orientation and gender preference. We can always learn from and grow with each other, regardless of how much we think we already know!

About ten years ago, just as I was entering high school, I’ll admit that I didn’t know much about anything outside the realm of heteronormativity. Part of the blame goes to heteronormative dominance in schools (particularly in sex education classes, in which homosexuality was barely discussed, let alone focused on) and popular media. The majority of blame goes to me, though, for not stepping outside my comfort zone or educating myself well enough. However, at the age of fourteen, things began to change. I stumbled onto a highly acclaimed, albeit somewhat obscure, American-Canadian show that was based on its U.K. predecessor. It was called Queer as Folk, and I didn’t know much about it because I didn’t know anyone who had seen it. I can tell you now that upon watching the first episode, I was immediately hooked – and five rapidly watched seasons later, my life was changed for the better.

Queer as Folk was the risqué, unapologetic, fearless show that I needed. Thoroughly uncensored and artistically ‘in your face’, the show’s premise revolves around an interconnected group of gay men, a lesbian couple, and some of the characters’ family members. I believe the show epitomizes the quintessence of diversity within the queer community, as each of the characters show the vast differences in their personality as well as personal beliefs, politics, and morality. While the show could be criticized for its disuse of any trans or bisexual characters, the way it dealt with its queer characters and the topics surrounding them were executed really well.

What I found most important about this show was that it did not glorify or glamorize serious issues, nor did it ever beat around the bush in the face of gravity. The show maintains a brilliant sense of humour, balancing out its more serious topics with its totally complex, flawed, hilarious, relatable, lovable characters.

In the most candid of ways, Queer as Folk dealt with sex, sexuality, love, relationships, marriage, dating, and the queer nightlife culture. As well, more contentious and grave topics were explored, such as workplace discrimination, stereotyping, coming out, bullying, homophobia, drug use and addiction, the pornography industry, STDs and STIs, prostitution, living with HIV/AIDs and the stigma that still surrounds it, anti-gay politics, and hate crimes.

Listing off the things that Queer as Folk delved into almost seems reductive, or ‘very special episode’-esque, but I assure you that each and every storyline was incredibly layered, well thought out, and well-written. Most importantly, the show always garnered a conversation both within itself and outside of itself, often about topics that were considered controversial or taboo. And while queer films, television, writing and art have been present for a long time, unfortunately the integration of queer media into mainstream media has still not happened fast enough. So considering the years that Queer as Folk was made, airing between 2000-2005 on popular network Showtime, the show made huge leaps in progress for queer representation. The show shattered the ‘politically correct’, heteronormatively controlled, sexless image of homosexuality and showed us what was real as opposed to society has taught us.

I learned so much through the show, and I learned about my own previous ignorance towards those things as well as the willful ignorance that societal norms around me implemented. Ultimately, Queer as Folk taught me the simplest and most important lesson of all: that love, no matter the person or gender, conquers all. Any previous embarrassment or personal shame I may have felt towards queer culture disappeared the moment I entered into the show; my eyes were opened, my heart full, my young self invested in the lives of the incredibly multifaceted characters I saw onscreen. Brian, Justin, Emmett, Ted, Michael, Ben, Melanie, Lindsay, Debbie, and all the other amazing characters never ceased to inspire me, and make me a braver, better person overall. Queer as Folk may have only lasted five seasons, but I will carry the lessons it taught me for the rest of my life.

~ Z ~