Have you seen Heated Rivalry?
Oh my god, ‘Heated Rivalry’ has taken over my mind!
I’m so obsessed with Shane and Ilya.
Every other scroll on my For You page showcases a review, analysis or edit of the recently released series, “Heated Rivalry.”
I can’t wait for season four of ‘Heartstopper.’
Byler is real. I’m so mad we didn’t get a kiss.
Representation of gay relationships has slowly become more streamlined and it’s rare to see a show that doesn’t showcase a queer man. Fandoms take to Reddit, TikTok, X, etc. to talk about their obsessions with these relationships, turning what once was an “honest” representation into the personification of exploiting the queer community for watchtime and relevance. The NHL, for instance, never expressed any sort of connection or support for the LGBTQ+ community, even going as far as to ban rainbow tape for their sticks. Until, they gained an audience searching for more gay hockey content after finishing ‘Heated Rivalry.’
I can’t name one show that has been solely based on a lesbian relationship that made it past two seasons. I can’t name one show that has showcased a lesbian relationship in the same positive and honest light that gay relationships are so often put under.
A reason for the severe difference in representation is the ignored influence of misogyny in the LGBTQ+ community, creating a space for men who have the inherent hatred of women that so many other men have to be put on a pedestal and express that hatred in a way that we regard as “acceptable.”
That misogyny spreads through the LGBTQ+ community in a silently violent manner, leaving the women in that community cut off from the core; misunderstood by the general population and unaddressed by the media.
This turns the queer community into a cash crop, for not only the company producing the media, but also for the main demographic consuming these shows, straight teenage girls.
In an article by The New York Times, the audience demographic was over 53% female just four days before the finale. And a week after the final episode aired, the demographic was over 2/3rds female.
Is this unconditional allyship or secret fetishization?
The solution to this shady representation of gay relationships and a lack of lesbian relationships is obvious: produce shows depicting authentic and meaningful queer relationships, not just Hollywood pornography sold to the highest bidder.
But that’s not where the money is. That’s not what our straight audiences want!
They want sex. They want a false depiction of queer love that showcases the only part of those relationships they value. They want what isn’t theirs.
So, while the lack of representation for lesbian relationships is frustrating, especially as shows like “Heated Rivalry” and “Heartstopper” explode into popularity, gay relationships are not to blame.
It is the straight audiences consuming media made for them, while they claim it supports queer love. It is the corporations turning love into another profit margin.
