With more under 21-year-olds signing up to popular streaming services, platforms like Netflix and Disney+ have released many shows young people can learn from. These shows are also becoming more diverse and inclusive, successfully representing the LGBTQ+ community and are perfect viewing for Pride Month and the rest of the year.
Following a 116% increase for the search term ‘educational shows’ over the past 12 months², youth-led community organisation Conscious Youth delve into the top LGBTQ+ shows for young people, and ‘Heartstopper’ tops the list:
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Heartstopper
With 8,100 average monthly searches, it’s safe to say that ‘Heartstopper’ is one of the most popular shows on TV right now. The hit show has scored an impressive 100% on Rotten Tomatoes as it tells a beautiful story of young love in a modern environment.
This series is based on two main characters, ‘Charlie’ and ‘Nick’, as they begin to develop feelings for each other. It successfully portrays LGBTQ+ relationships and the possible hurdles this community have to overcome.
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Sex Education
The hit Netflix series, ‘Sex Education’, scoring a staggering 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and having 40 million viewers, addresses many social issues such as sex and health education, LGTBQ+ issues and mental health.
The series is rated an 18+ for viewers and is centred around a high school character named ‘Otis’, a highly anxious teen with a therapist for a mother. Many young people face challenges around sexual health, identity and mental health daily, ‘Sex Education’ normalises these challenges and makes them feel less alone in their struggles.
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Atypical
‘Atypical’ is a heartwarming comedy series following a family with two children in high school, the main character being ‘Sam’, a teenager on the autism spectrum. The programme has four series and scores 87% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Autism is part of daily life for over 2.8 million people within the UK², with 1 in 100 people being on the spectrum³, ‘Atypical’ is a great show for those looking to understand autism more or for those with autism who want to see people like themselves on the big screen. The show also follows Sam’s outlook on life, including being part of his sister’s journey into discovering her sexuality.
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Its a Sin
‘It’s a Sin’ is a British television drama miniseries about a group of five friends growing up in London when their lives become shadowed by the AIDS pandemic in the 90s. It had great success when it aired, scoring a remarkable 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. The show was recently added to Netflix, increasing its popularity even further.
The heartwrenching drama shows the impact of the AIDS crisis in the UK in the 90s and raises awareness about how the illness still effects people today.
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Love, Victor
The Disney+ series, ‘Love, Victor’ follows the hit film ‘Love, Simon’, and is an American teen comedy centred around ‘Simon’, who is on his journey to finding happiness within himself and his sexuality. The show has a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has three series’ available. If you’re looking for a new show after finishing ‘Heartstopper’, this is definitely the one for you!
Sophie Simpson, Co-Founder and CEO of Conscious Youth, comments: “Our conscious girls and boys are TV obsessed and are noticing some apparent changes in the content they’re viewing. It’s great to hear about the inclusive and diverse shows that popular streaming services are producing. We love getting asked questions about specific topics that wouldn’t be taught in a traditional school curriculum.
“It’s crucial for young people to learn and ask questions about LGBTQ+ rights and history to ensure they have a complete understanding of the world around them. This allows them to shape educated and unbias thoughts rather than acting on stereotypes or stigmas, which are very common worldwide.
“We hope to see more TV shows and documentaries being released throughout 2022 that address important social issues so that young people can see storylines that are reflective of their own day-to-day experiences. Whilst we enjoy seeing Pride Month being celebrated, it is crucial that this education happens all year round, not just for this one specific month.”
To read more on the top ten shows young people can learn from, please visit: https://consciousyouth.co.uk/the-top-ten-netflix-shows-young-people-can-learn-from/
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