GAY TIMES Magazine

17 September 2021

For this new digital issue of GAY TIMES Magazine, we are celebrating some of the incredible new LGBTQ+ TV stars repping the queer agenda on the small screen today. This year’s runaway hit TV series Hacks has been nominated for a deservedly huge 15 Emmy Awards at this month’s ceremony. The HBO Max series follows a legendary comic in Las Vegas (played by Jean Smart) who is paired with an up-and-coming Gen Z comedy writer (played by Hannah Einbinder) to help revive her career. The show is sharp-witted and intelligent, but it’s how it presents the queer experience that is refreshing. “To get a queer character is one thing, but to have them honoured is totally different,” Einbinder tells Hacks co-star and internet sensation Megan “Hi Gay” Stalter for their GAY TIMES cover story. “It’s a whole different bag, and I couldn’t believe it existed because I had never seen it before. I’d seen it in various films, not on TV and not as a lead character.” Elsewhere we sit down with rising star Dua Saleh in this special TV themed issue. The musician has hopped over to television for their acting debut in the third season of Sex Education. As one of Netflix’s leading shows, the teen drama has thrived with its diverse cast brimming with queer representation. As a Muslim trans non-binary person, Dua is more than aware of how powerful their new role will be for others like them. And as an actor, they explain how the show made sure the representation was positioned correctly. “We had non-binary consultants and non-binary people in the writing rooms who talked to me,” Dua told us. “We had an intimacy coordinator and a non-binary consultant to ask us questions that a cis person wouldn’t necessarily ask.” Positive change is happening. There’s still some way to go, but in a streaming era where television content is more accessible than ever, it’s heartening to see so many LGBTQ+ stories and characters leading the charge. Less frequently are we reduced to sensationalised storylines or stereotypical side characters, and queer creators and performers are edging that door open ever more. Now when a young queer person sees themselves in the characters on screen for the first time, there’s hope they’ll feel a little more safe in the knowledge that they are not alone.