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25 reasons Queer as Folk is essential LGBTQIA+ viewing today

By Marco Saveriano

MIAMI - MARCH 26: (L-R) Actors Randy Harrison, Scott Lowell, Michelle Clunie, Hal Sparks, Robert Gant, Sharon Gless and Thea Gill pose for a photo at the "Queer As Folk" fourth season premiere at the Delano Hotel March 26, 2004 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)
MIAMI - MARCH 26: (L-R) Actors Randy Harrison, Scott Lowell, Michelle Clunie, Hal Sparks, Robert Gant, Sharon Gless and Thea Gill pose for a photo at the "Queer As Folk" fourth season premiere at the Delano Hotel March 26, 2004 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images) /
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Portrayal of violent hate crimes against LGBTQIA+ characters

Even though they’re very different shows, it helps to compare Queer as Folk and it’s predecessor Will & Grace. Though it didn’t get the same mainstream praise on a network like NBC, that actually worked in favor of QAF, because it allowed them to tackle the serious issues without shying away from the gory details, and that included violent hate crimes.

Early in the series, we’re introduced to Chris Hobbs, a bully from Justin’s school who always picks on him. Justin gives him a “helping hand” (wink wink) in detention one day, but later we find out that Chris is actually extremely homophobic. You don’t really realize the extent of his hatefulness until the first season’s finale.

Justin goes to his high school prom, where the unexpected happens in more ways than one. His (much older) lover Brian makes an appearance and dances with him in front of everyone, making it a truly magical moment for Justin to proudly display his gay relationship. If this was another show, it may have ended there, but Queer as Folk wasn’t afraid to show the gritty reality of being a gay teen.

When they’re walking to Brian’s car, they get a little visit from Chris Hobbs, who goes up behind Justin and — just as Brian notices what’s about to happen — hits him across the head with a baseball bat. Justin struggles to regain a lot of his motor functions in season 2, which puts a damper on his art school plans, and Chris manages to get off with just community service, because of course he does.

You might think that we’re better than that in 2019, but unfortunately, we haven’t come far enough. According to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs’ “Crisis of Hate” report released in January 2018, last year was the deadliest in recent history for LGBTQIA+ people in the United States, averaging around one reported anti-LGBTQIA+ homicide every week. An overwhelming number of these hate crimes happen against transgender women and queer, bisexual, or gay men — with 71 percent of the victims being people of color. And those are just the people who died from the attack.

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