Media in recent years have expanded for Queer representation, but mainly focused on the white racial majority. Shows like “Heartstopper”, “Love, Simon”, and “The L Word” are amazing representations for the white majority, but lack Black representation. Black queer representation has not been expanded on much in media. When there is representation, it is usually based on negative stereotypes. It is important that representation has depth, nuance, and is relatable to much of the Black queer experience. The media often expresses homophobia and racism that marginalize Black queer individuals. This blog will explore how meaningful representation in media can impact mental health, shape identity, and offer a sense of belonging that many have been denied.
Visibility vs Authentic Representation
People often lose what it means to experience visibility in the definition. Visibility doesn’t just let others see you; it allows them to understand, validate, and appreciate you. Our media should show authentic representation. It shows the full human experience of joy, struggle, family, history, and resilience. You can see this in shows such as “Ellen,” “Queer as Folk”, and so many others.
Dr. Melanie Kohen (Queer Representation, Visibility, and Race in American Film and Television: Screening the Closet) mentions how whiteness can be “crucial in filtering queer visibility.” Kohen mentions that Queer representation for white people tends to look at the individual as a white screen, only projecting the idea of queerness on the individual while forgetting there is a screen there in the first place. For Black queer representation, there is no screen available for an image to be projected on at all. Media forgets about Black queer stories.
When we think of representation, we only think of the aspect of what we see. We experience Black queer representation not only through what we see, but also through what we hear, feel, and think. Writers create this representation by giving Black queer characters interior lives, such as relationships, backstories, and futures that reflect real-world experiences. If there is a struggle with this authentic representation, it gives an opportunity for allowing Black queer writers, directors, and producers to be in the creative room. Being in the creative room allows them to craft stories from their lived experiences rather than have others speak for them. Black queer visibility includes scenes of love, resistance, joy, grief, family tension, spiritual questioning, and other aspects of the complex human experience. These qualities were historically denied to Black queer individuals, but through correct authenticity can spawn healing rather than harm.
The Impact of No Black Queer Representation
Media is a mirror, and the lack of Black queer representation causes Black queer people to be absent or distorted in that mirror. There are psychological consequences for such erasure. Limited or stereotyped portrayals can lead to internalized racism and homophobia. The Black queer youth can be most affected by this because they are still constructing their sense of identity. When media primarily shows white, cisgender men as the face of queerness, it can silently introduce an “othering” of everyone else in the community. This can leave Black queer individuals feeling isolated from the public eye by both the straight and LGBTQ+ communities.
Read more about LGBTQ mental health here.
The Harm of Erasure and Misrepresentation
People praised 2016’s Moonlight for depicting the complexity of being a Black queer individual navigating the standards of masculinity in the Black community. Though the movie showed love, grief, and family tension, it focused mainly on the pain of Black queer men. Themes such as these have been commonly portrayed in media when it comes to black queer representation.
Lack of representation reinforces societal myths that Black queerness is rare, unnatural, or unworthy of mainstream attention. There are times when misrepresentation is harmful. When Black queer characters are portrayed through only the lens of trauma, hypersexuality, criminality, or comic relief, it contributes to stigmatization. Tokenism in media shapes the public perceptions, leading to the reinforcement of systematic oppression. These acts are indirectly racial microaggressions that are disprop ortionately harmful to the Black queer community.
When Representation Gets it Right
There are times when representation is done thoughtfully and rightfully. Media such as Pose, Rafiki, and Noah’s Ark are powerful representations of Black queer stories that have broken barriers in presenting emotional honesty, cultural specificity, and romantic relatability. These stories resonate because they don’t dilute themselves for the appeal of the mass majority. It is important that media show unapologetic Black queer experiences that allow a space to breathe in authenticity.
Independently produced media have made strides in Black queer representation. There are many indie productions that focus on representing Black queer love that seek to strengthen the voices that were once silenced. Chasing: Reality is one source of media that was established to share Black queer LGBTQ perspectives. They navigate the triumphs, struggles, and realities of the community, disproving tokenism in the media. The care and consideration that is held while making this media becomes a form of cultural restoration. It allows Black queer individuals a mirror to see themselves fully and truthfully, which, for many, is their first time seeing it.
Real and authentic queer stories are more than representation; they are tools for healing, empathy, and power. Visibility matters, but the truth will always impact the authenticity of portrayals, allowing psychological depth, lived realities, and resilience of Black queer individuals. When media erases these stories, it causes harm, but when it’s done right, it can transform the lives of the viewers.
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What can allies do to support more authentic Black queer storytelling in the media? Join the conversation in the comments below!
- Tired of Tokenism: The Healing Power of Real Black Queer Representation - September 11, 2025