Even though it sometimes gets a reputation for not being as substantive as other genres, the truth is that reality television often can address social issues in a way that is different from yet as important as other types of TV. In particular, reality TV has contended with various concerns that are of interest to the LGBT+ community.
Thus, it makes sense that GLAAD, the organization with a mission to work against the defamation of that group, would have an entire category devoted to recognizing the contributions of such influential series.
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (2003-2007) - Not Streaming
There are few Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. As its title suggests, it focuses on a group of gay men who give a makeover to a straight man, focusing on various aspects of his personal life, ranging from clothing to cooking.
Though it had a light touch, there were also times when the series addressed more serious issues, and it was also the case that it interrogated the nature of masculinity and the way that it is expressed.
The Real World: Philadelphia (2004-2005) - Streaming on Paramount+
The Real World is one of those reality TV franchises that is remarkable simply for its longevity. The 2004-2005 season involved, as the form dictated, a group of strangers living together in the same house. What makes this particular season so notable, however, is the fact that it is the first to have two gay men as part of the cast (though other seasons included both gay and bisexual people).
One of them, Karamo Brown, would go on to become a notable activist for various LGBT causes and star in the reboot of Queer Eye.
30 Days: Gay/Straight (2005-2008) - Not Streaming
Like the best reality series, 30 Days strove to mix the dramatics associated with the genre with incisive social commentary. In this case, it does so by having someone live a life very different from their own for the titular thirty days. The episode that earned the series its GLAAD award focused on a conservative Christian who went to live in San Francisco.
The episode is notable not only for how it interrogated not only the man’s assumptions but also for how it showed how gay culture itself has its structures and logic.
Project Runway (2004-present) - Various Services
how long it has managed to stay on the air. As the title suggests, it is all about fashion, and various contestants compete with one another to avoid being eliminated. The series is well-known for its inclusivity.
It’s especially notable for one of its mentors, Tim Gunn, who had a personality and a way of engaging with the contestants that was unique and that made him immediately recognizable.
Kathy Griffin: My Life On The D-List (2005-2010) - Not Streaming
Kathy Griffin is one of those celebrities who has a very mixed reputation, due in part to her tendency to engage in outlandish behavior. However, what’s especially notable is the fact that she is very self-reflexive about her career and her (lack of) success when it comes to achieving superstardom.
All of this is distilled into the series My Life on the D-List, which was exceptional for the degree to which it involved gay storylines, focusing in particular on Griffin’s advocacy and her gay best friends.
RuPaul’s Drag Race (2009-present) - Various Services
During its long run, RuPaul’s Drag Race has shown time and again that it knows how to e. Each season has allowed various drag performers to showcase their skills and talents, while also creating the types of cattiness, drama, and feuds that make it such exciting viewing.
However, the series is also notable for the ways that it has consistently worked to broaden its inclusivity, showing how vibrant the LGBT+ community has been and remains.
Transamerican Love Story (2008)
In the history of reality television, there have been several dating shows, many of which have been quite good. For the most part, however, they have almost always included straight, cisgender people. That’s what makes Transamerican Love Story such an exceptional offering, in that it focuses specifically on a transgender woman and her search for love.
Fortunately, the series also eschewed a sensationalist approach, which allowed it to address issues of concern to the transgender community without forcing them to become a spectacle.
I Am Cait (2015-2016) - Streaming on Hulu
Few transgender women are quite as high-profile as Caitlyn Jenner. Her widely-covered transition made her something of a household name, and so it was inevitable that she would receive her television series. Fortunately, I Am Cait largely avoids a paparazzi approach and is, instead, very warm, moving, and informative, allowing the viewer to see the way that Jenner’s transition has changed her relationships with her family and loved ones.
What’s more, it also allows for a richer understanding of the various issues facing the broader transgender community.
Strut (2016) - Not Streaming
The 2010s was a rather remarkable decade for transgender visibility, and several movies and TV shows emerged that shed light on this element of the LGBT+ community. One of these was Strut which, as the title suggests, was about a group of transgender models struggling to achieve success in the business.
What allows it to be such an extraordinary reality TV show, however, is how deftly it weaves together the personal lives of these women with their broader role as role models for the community.
I Am Jazz (2015-present) - Streaming on Discovery+
While I Am Cait focused on a transgender woman who transitioned once she was already an adult, I Am Jazz focuses on a young girl as she navigates both her family life and the struggles of being a transgender teen in the United States.
As with other great reality TV shows that focus on a marginalized community, the series allows the viewer to understand and feel for Jazz and her family as they contend with the contemporary transgender American experience.