PAPER CODE : JN-1

"LGBTQ Stories" on Netflix: Mapping Negotiations by Younger Generation

Audiences in India

Abstract

In the last few years, video streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video etc. have been
gaining significant popularity among young urban audiences in India, often offering spaces for
diverse genres and innovative storytelling strategies. In this paper, we focus on the recent
popular English – language Netflix teen web series, which significantly represent queer
characters like Sex Education (Creator: Laurie Nunn, 2019 - ) and Heartstopper (Creator: Euros
Lyn, 2022 - ), and how the young Indian audiences receive these shows. The paper attempts to
explore whether these queer teen Netflix shows manage to connect with younger generation of
viewers about the narratives of LGBTQIA+ characters or there are noteworthy constrains in the
imagination of queerness because of the commercial logic of these mainstream web series.
Through focus group discussions and intensive interview methods, the paper dissects the Indian
viewers’ negotiation of the contemporary queer teen web series on Netflix.

Keywords: Queer, Teen shows, Netflix, Web series, Sex Education

In the recent times, several OTT platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video have
gained prominence, especially among urban Indian audiences. With Indian language films and
shows, these platforms also offer significant number of International web series. A noteworthy
genre of international web series is shows focusing on queer characters. Just to give an example,
Netflix categorizes its’ wide range of queer contents into diverse sub-genres like “LGBTQ TV
Shows”, “LGBTQ+ Teen Romance”, “LGBTQ+ Stories for Families” etc. The sudden
proliferation of
queer web series also brings forward the question of reception by local audiences and what kind of
conversations these works can probably stimulate.

Queer Community through the Lens of the Media

Through the early twentieth century, portrayals of homosexuality in media were

uncommon, however, when represented it was often used as a comic device. Early depictions of
homosexuals were mostly child molesters, victims of violence, or drag queens (Raley et al.,
2006). In 1969, a series of spontaneous uprisings in New York called the Stonewall Riots took
place as a resistance to the discrimination that queer people faced, thus marking the beginning of
the modern LGBTQ+ movement that had taken an increasingly proactive stand in defining the
same, specifically in mainstream media. Activists began confronting repressive laws, police
harassment, and discrimination. Hollywood was being pressurized to end its consistent negative
portrayals of homosexuality. Responding to the movement, growing visibility of queer characters
in media began to emerge. In the 1970s and 80s, some shows attempted to show gay characters
in a more positive light, but always for a single episode, not as a recurring character (Netzley et
al., 2010). In these occurrences, the character’s homosexuality was presented as the problem of
the episode, rather than just an aspect of that character, and the story was contextualized
primarily by how it affected the lives of the heterosexual characters (Dow et al., 2001).

A significant rise in media with queer content was later observed in the late 1990s;
notable representations include Ellen DeGeneres's coming out as a Lesbian both on her self-titled
sitcom and in reality in 1997, and the launch of the sitcom Will & Grace in 1998, which features
the life of a gay lawyer and his female best friend and roommate. As Avila-Saavedra(2009)
mentions, 2003 onwards saw the appearance of more audacious gay male characters and the
release of cable TV channels LOGO and HereTV solely dedicated to LGBTQ+ programs. LOGO
is well known for launching RuPaul’s Drag Race, while HereTV features shows like Dante’s
Cove and Judas Kiss1. Later on came the rise of LGBTQ+ Over-the-top (OTT) channels - cable
television channels that would also broadcast their content online, examples being Revry and
Happi TV. In recent

1
HereTV's highly popular shows Dante’s Cove is a story of lovers Kevin and Toby whose bond is threatened by
supernatural forces, and Judas Kiss is about a failed filmmaker and his encounter with his supposedly younger self.
times, we have popular streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Disney+
with their extensive collection of queer dramas and films (Himberg, 2023).

A recent trend in LGBTQ+ representation followed by the transnational cinema

platforms is their transcendence from standard norms of media production to appeal to a diverse
global audience. For instance, Netflix, an SVOD service has adopted a “diversity strategy” which
Axelle Asmar et al. (2022) describe as a method by which media platforms appeal to a global
audience by including diverse cultural elements in media. For instance, during a press conference
for the release of the third season of Sex Education, Dua Saleh, the actor playing the role of the
non-binary character, Cal, remarks: “I want people to feel validated. Cal is a non-binary, Black
character, and I want people to think, "Oh, my gosh, I can believe I've seen myself on this series.
I can believe I've seen myself represented in mainstream media." That’s what I want the most.”
(Netflix Staff, 2021).

However, scholars have also questioned the use of the “diversity strategy” by Netflix for
profitability and to gain competitive advantages over other platforms (Asmar et al., 2022).
According to Asmar, Netflix uses the branding strategy of tying its content to global societal
issues which allows it to create affinities with audiences across demographic, geographical, and
cultural differences. Asmar argues: “Being a commercial platform, Netflix’s diversity strategy is
guided by economic motives…we consider the tensions that arise from attempting to
amalgamate identity categories with corporate interests.”(p. 13).

Arlene Davila (2001) also points out that when cultural identities become addressed as
market segments, misrepresentation inevitably ensues as corporations will tend only to promote
the most marketable aspects of a culture. The growing attention to inclusion and diversity
certainly contributes to a positive change in the global entertainment industry. Still, because the
interest in representation proceeds from commercial interests, it is likely to fluctuate, raising thus
the uncomfortable question of the extent to which (structural) change within the television
industry is indeed upon us.
The evolution of transnational media (Havens and Stoldt, 2022), to include the
diffusion of various issues on-screen, such as gender and sexual identities, opens up space to
discuss the reception and how the audience negotiates with the content. Furthermore, it is also
imperative to study the influence of global media and its ramifications for regional politics due to
the ever-growing accessibility to transnational media content by audiences even in remote areas
of the world.
Audience behavior of streaming platforms and their consecutive reception are not widely
explored areas, with only a few academic interventions catering to these sections of study.
Sidneyve Matrix (2014), in her study of the rise of teenage binge-watching, coined the term “The
Netflix Effect” - and elaborates on active viewership, content discovery, and curating. There is
also the mention of the rise of "just-in-time" fandom communities that indirectly compels
teenagers to watch for fear of missing out on the latest conversations and trends. In this paper,
the study of the audience of newer Netflix dramas is due to a probably similar premise - the need
for adolescents to fit in with their peer groups by following what is fashionable and trending.
If we consider the audience reception, especially for queer shows and characters, it is
found to be varied and complex. Stefany Boisvert (2020) makes a comparison between Netflix
drama Sense8 (2015-2018) and Showtime drama Billions (2016 - ) that disclose the difference in
the responses by its audiences: Fans of Sense8 praised the show for its "display of humanistic
values of love, diversity, compassion, and inclusivity" and its promotion of sexual and gender
diversity with its distinct set of characters, especially referencing to the transgender woman
protagonist. In contrast, critics claimed the show to be political propaganda against a Trump-led
state. Supporters retorted back to the critics with the words "Don't like, don't watch",
constructing polarized audience opinions. On the other hand, when a major non-binary character
(the first on television) was introduced, viewers of Billions began a detailed discussion of gender
identities. Viewers’ acceptance or discomfort with gender non-conformity and deviant sexual
preferences (non-heterosexual ones) led to heated online debates.
Hence, it is evident that the representation of queer characters along with the “diversity
strategies” employed in films and web series has reverberations for the audience interpretation
even at the regional level. It is important to produce literature on such negotiations to analyze the
influence of media in the politics of gender and sexuality.

Focus Group Analysis

Drawing from the theoretical interventions, as part of data collection, three focus group
discussions were conducted to understand the opinions of younger generation of audiences on
different contemporary queer teen English – language shows streaming on Netflix. Focus group
interviews are done to collect preliminary information and allow flexibility in the series of
questions and follow-ups asked. In the first focus group, there were five female participants. In
the second, four male and two female respondents participated. The third focus group had six
female participants. All the participants were from the age group of 18-21 and they were familiar
with at least one series falling under the purview of this study. Through these three focus groups,
participants discussed about queer teen shows they have watched, their opinions on them, the
representation of queer characters, any knowledge they gained through the shows, and if they
further looked up about these shows beyond Netflix. These discussions helped us to understand
the varying viewpoints of the audiences.
When asked about what queer teen shows they have watched, our participants came up
with multiple names. Sex Education was named recurrently, a British comedy-drama series is
created by Laurie Nunn centered around the life of a teenage boy who sets up a sex therapy clinic
in high school. Other Netflix shows mentioned were Atypical (Creator: Robia Rashid, 2017 –
2021) and Heartstopper. Atypical narrates the story of 18 year old Sam and his venture into
dating, and Heartstopper revolves around the budding romance between teenage boys Nick and
Charlie. Participants also mentioned shows that did not fall under the category we were studying.
2
There were also shows mentioned that are not streamed on Netflix, or produced in a different
language.3 Friends' suggestions and the buzz surrounding the series on social media were the
main
ways that the majority of participants discovered these shows. A male participant also mentioned
that they discovered these series while searching for shows with queer representation on Google:

When I was discovering about myself...I never used to talk about it...so I used to type a lot many
things on Google to get something which is basically something that I feel. because all I saw was
heterosexual representation everywhere. So I wanted something which was a bit gay…

2
Responses include the shows like First Kill and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
3
Shows of a different language include Elite, Mismatched, Young Royals, Nevertheless, shows on different platforms
include Modern Family, Made in Heaven, and Downtown Abbey.
 Further discussion made it clear that the engagement with these Netflix series extended
beyond the shows. Some of the participants followed the actors as well. For instance, the
previously mentioned male participant responded:

I watched this Netflix show called Heartstopper So I follow the actors … somewhere it helped
me to know the person more because sometimes these actors who actually represent the character
in the series can also be the part of the community. So I like to explore that...

Participants showed a trend towards following up after watching these shows. Four
participants said they read up online about the actors and directors involved in the shows. One
female participant claimed to read the graphic novels, Heartstopper is based on after finishing
her watch. Another female participant said that she read the comics of the shows she watched as
well. One of the female participants followed an Instagram page featuring these shows for
awareness, while another read up on the director as well as their journal. Opposite to these
responses, there are also some participants who did not feel the need to follow the shows ahead.
Some of the participants remarked that they found these shows "cute", "chill" and
"heartwarming". Viewers of Sex Education felt the series did a remarkable job of introducing
content on sexuality and felt more at ease discussing such subjects. For instance, one of the
female participants said:

Before coming to Delhi, I didn't encounter many people who represent LGBTQ community After
watching Sex Education I could see the world (of the queer community), what kind of problems
they encounter … how they are different.

In addition, another male participant described how these shows had normalized the
discussion surrounding the LGBTQIA+ community. At the same time, it was clearly noticeable
that the participants were doubtful of the content of these shows. One of the participants
elaborated, for instance:

I have mixed feelings towards everything (views on Netflix shows with queer representation)
....sometimes the representation is really good, sometimes it's stereotypical.
 The discussion also went on to highlight how significant issues, including adolescence
and eating disorders, were portrayed.
Participants also discussed that they learned and discovered new information while
watching queer teen shows on Netflix. Two participants from the first focus group stated that
they learned about how people discover their sexual orientation and the discrimination faced
after watching Heartstopper. A female participant from the second focus group stated that she
was made aware of bisexuality and asexuality through the show Sex Education. Another female
participant from the third focus group also remarked that she learned the difference between
intersex and transgender from Sex Education. According to several participants across the three
focus groups, Sex Education has helped them to understand healthy sexual relationships, and
have agreed that the series has helped them, to learn about different sexualities.
The participants provided varying opinions on the representation they have seen on these
shows. A common response received was about "breaking stereotypes of traditional gender
norms" in these shows. Contrary to this, one male participant felt that the depiction of queer
characters was still presented stereotypically. Some believed the on-screen representation of
queer characters is a "marketing gimmick" on behalf of Netflix only for making a profit out of
gaining approval from the audience. One female participant stated that while the shows portray
queer people, they lack plot and characters overall. Other participants felt that it helped in
normalizing queerness, exploring one's sexuality, spreading knowledge about the community and
the issues they face.
The most watched show by participants of the focus groups was Sex Education, which
also happens to be significantly informative in terms of introducing the questions around
queerness. Participants gained interest in these web series after being suggested so by friends and
social media, and only few of them followed the shows further beyond the streaming platforms.
To most of the respondents, these shows did a comprehensive job introducing narratives around
LGBTIQA+ community. But few participants also believed that these shows portrayed the queer
characters rather stereotypically; as part of profit making strategy of Netflix.

Intensive Interviews
Intensive interviews are in-depth interviews that collect data from a small sample group.
To analyze the reception of Netflix queer teen shows, we have conducted intensive interviews
with
14 individuals. Out of 14 individuals, there were 10 female respondents and 4 male respondents.
The age range of the respondents was 18-22. All participants had watched at least one series
covered in this study i.e., Sex Education, Heartstopper, and Atypical. We asked questions related
to content watched on OTT platforms, thoughts on the representation of queer characters in the
content watched, changes in perspective after watching the web series, if any, and any discussion
that took place. While conducting the interviews, we faced the limitations of not finding
adequate number of male respondents.
Sex Education and Heartstopper were well appreciated by the respondents of intensive
interviews because of multiple reasons. Apart from these shows the study focuses on,
respondents have also watched Class, Modern Family, Brooklyn 99, and some Korean dramas
which significantly represent queer characters.

Sex Education
Sex Education is a 2019 Netflix original series currently running up to three seasons. Set
up around the lives of students in a fictional British High School, the series touches upon various
elements like sex, sexuality, and coming of age, amongst others.
Several respondents had positively reviewed the series for being an “easy watch” and “cuteness”.
The series was also appreciated for addressing various issues such as teen life, sex education, etc.
A twenty-one-year-old respondent commented:

I really appreciate that show’s (Sex Education) creativity in approaching more young teen
problems, like somebody who is around the age bracket of 12 to 15 (years old) or who is just
started with puberty, the series deals with audience of that age...who have all of these questions
in their mind…about their bodies, what do to and whom to approach and talk about these
things…

However, for the respondents, the representation of queer community did not take center
stage in the web series. But it is also important to note that they were affirmative of the influence
of the show in terms of debunking myths surrounding the LGBTQ+ community as well as
reaching a wider audience.
A 20-year-old respondent who identified as bisexual mentioned that having a sex
therapist in the show also helped in making a positive influence as it acted as an indicator that
whatever is
being said by the character cannot be ignored. Another 20-year-old male respondent stated that
4
the portrayal Adam’s character in the series as a “manly and macho” as opposed to the
stereotypical “soft and feminine” queer male in many mainstream films was also refreshing.
Another respondent commented:

It (representation) has become a fad…that this community should be represented in this way or
form and so on… it ruins the show if one chases it in a series as the plot takes a backseat along
with the intention of telling the story. But I think that Sex Education has not done that… it had a
lot of different characters with different personalities...like the protagonist with a mom who is a
therapist, a gay best friend who is chirpy, someone is shy, and so on …

Sex Education was appreciated by most of the respondents for mainly being a light–
hearted series representing various issues faced by the current generation of teenagers. In
contrast, a 21- year-old male respondent finds this approach of showing mature content along
with “cheesy corny elements” in the show as a “sense of immaturity in directorship”. Some of
the respondents also showed concern about little relatability of the content with the Indian
audience. A twenty-one- year-old male respondent remarked:

We are currently here in India...the situation here is much more different than it could be for an
average American in college or school…these shows are very Americanized in that sense and it
would not appeal to every type of adolescent or teen…cultures differ a lot..

Similarly, another 20-year-old male respondent commented on Season 3 of Sex

Education being more “commercialized” as they felt it was introducing characters hurriedly and
twisting the show to pull more audience towards the web series.
No male respondent had actively followed the conversations created by the series beyond
Netflix. While few respondents did follow actors and actresses like Emma Mackey 5 and Asa
Butterfield6 on Instagram, it was only for their excellence in acting and entertainment purposes.

4
A character in Sex Education portrayed by actor Connor Swindells. He is the former headmaster's son who struggles
with a tense relationship with his father, bullying as well as his sexuality in later parts of the series.
5
Actress who played one of the main characters of Sex Education - Maive Wiley.
6
An English Actor who played the role of the protagonist, Otis Milburn.
 Specifically on the queer representation in the series, most of the respondents were
critical. The reasons for the same were any including the main character, Otis Milburn being
normatively heterosexual, and the stereotypical representation of gay black friend, Eric Effiong 7,
as a funny character. Furthermore, some respondents criticized for dealing with queer issues
superficially. To quote a twenty-year-old respondent:

Netflix has this tendency to introduce a certain character which either belongs to the LGBTQ
space, like a gay black friend…so sometimes there is a mockery made out of LGBTQ people… it
has become more of cash grab, you know like by jumping on the topics of current times…things
8
can be done more tastefully and there are better cinemas out there like Bohemian Rhapsody
doing so…

For respondents, Sex Education also created a space beyond Netflix for conversing about
various issues with the peer groups. However, the same cannot be said for family members.
There is still a gap between the acceptance of these issues among parents and creating a safe
space at home.

Heartstopper
Heartstopper is a 2022 coming of age romantic Netflix drama based on the lives of teens
Charlie and Nick as they become friends and suspect that there's more to their relationship than it
seems. Praised by the several respondents to be “cute” and “heartwarming”, Heartstopper as an
18 year old respondent puts it, “a breath of fresh air” in the realm of LGBTQ+ content.
A 19 year old female respondent remarked that the show did a good job describing the
inner turmoil of figuring one's sexual orientation. Another female respondent also mentioned that
she appreciated Charlie's mother being supportive of her son's sexuality as well as the depiction
of Elle's9 dating life. One of the female respondent also pointed out: "....I like how the characters'
sexual preferences match with their actors in real life." Respondents broadly agreed that

7
One of the main characters in the Sex Education series, played by actor Ncuti Gatwa, as a high school student
battling with issues as a gay black teenager.
8
A 2018 biographical musical drama film that focuses on the life of Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of the British
rock band Queen.
9
Transgender character and friend of Charlie and Nick in Heartstopper.
Heartstopper played a significant role in raising awareness about the LGBTQ identities,
struggles, and perspectives, along with widening their horizons.
However, some respondents were skeptical about the show's intentions as an LGBTQ+
series. An 18 year old female respondent believed that show was too “cutesy” too “fluffy” and
made for the “straight gaze”10, in order to make it as a successful commercial venture.
In terms of following the show beyond the streaming platform, two female respondents
commented on following Kit Conner11 on Instagram. Both showed sympathy to his plight on
being forced to come out as bisexual because of netizens' constant allegations of him
queerbaiting12 them.

Another queer teen show mentioned by respondents was Atypical, which is on the life of
18 year old Sam who falls on the autism spectrum and decides to step out in the world of dating
despite his mother's concerns. Few respondents were appreciative of this show as well. Apart
from these web series, respondents also mentioned other shows that were not falling under out
category of contemporary English queer teen shows on Netflix but were still relevant to the
overall theme of the paper.13

A significant point recurrently mentioned by participants, which is beyond the scope of

this study, was the lack of appropriate queer representation in Hindi cinema. Respondents were
disappointed by the stereotypical imagination of queer characters, often as “victims”, also on the
rare occasion they get screen time. On the other hand, several respondents were enthusiastic
about the presence of intriguing queer characters in popular shows like Brooklyn Nine Nine and
Modern Family. If the scope of this study is broadened, we can probably further investigate how
web series can play a significant role in filling the vacuum of imagination of queer characters in
mainstream Hindi films.
Before we conclude, it is important to note the question of access to these web series, and
how the audiences are primarily concentrated in urban settings. Furthermore, these shows often
demand a prerequisite proficiency and openness to understand intricate questions on gender and

10
Attempt of queer shows to appease to the sensibilities of heterosexual people.
11
Plays the role of Nick in Heartstopper.
12
The incorporation of apparently gay characters or same-sex relationships into a film, television show, etc. as a
means of appealing to gay and bisexual audiences while maintaining ambiguity about the characters' sexuality.
13
Shows include Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Modern Family, Elite, Class, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Orange is the New Black
and Young Royals.
sexuality. We have also seen the stark imbalance between female and male audiences of these
shows, the former being in more significant numbers than the latter.
To sum up our discussion, the younger generation audiences’ negotiations with Netflix
queer teen English language web series such as Sex Education and Heartstopper is riddled with
contradictions. On one hand, most of the respondents find these entertainment shows gratifying
as well as educative. The popularity of these shows also allowed them to initiate conversation
amongst their peer groups. On the other hand, respondents also questioned the stereotypical
representation of the queer characters and shows’ relatability with local audiences.

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