Queer representation has become increasingly visible in mainstream media. Many streaming platforms regularly promote LGBTQ+ stories, and queer characters in shows are far less rare than they were 20 years ago.

Sex has long been a powerful selling point in entertainment, and queer media is no exception. This doesn’t make shows that play into this trope shallow or less important, but it does raise questions about what types of stories are most likely to succeed in the current media landscape.

The issue at hand is not the presence of sex, but a system that rewards these portrayals more than others, and willfully and knowingly continuing to play into this system.

The hockey TV series “Heated Rivalry,” adapted from the “Game Changers” book series by Rachel Reid, quickly became one of the most talked about queer shows in the months following its release in November 2025. The series has drawn praise for its enticing plot, seemingly ‘taboo’ relationships and intense chemistry between the leads. It does not shy away from depicting graphic sex scenes and intimate moments alike, which has been a drawing factor for many viewers. 

Still, the show’s popularity highlights the broader pattern of how queer stories are received and promoted. That pattern reflects broader trends in how media is produced and how it is impacted by public discourse.

One film and media scholar spoke to the broader trends of how media is produced and promoted in modern society in an interview.

“I wouldn’t say it’s the first time, in my opinion, that sex has kind of been used as a selling point for queer media,” they said.

There are many instances of queer media that have come out in the past few years that I feel like are either largely ignored or are just kind of written off as cringe.

For example, the book series turned TV show “Heartstopper,” tells the story of two high school boys “figuring out love for the first time.”

This helps to explain why a show like “Heated Rivalry” performs so well compared to less sexually explicit queer media. LGBTQ+ stories focused on everyday life or quieter forms of intimacy receive less attention by the mainstream, and some go as far as to explicitly call stories such as “Heartstopper” cringe.

That perception carries harsh consequences. When less provocative queer stories are dismissed, seemingly because they do not carry the same explicit and taboo themes as their mainstream counterparts, it sends the message that queerness itself must justify its presence through spectacle.

In this environment, content that generates immediate attention seems more likely to be promoted or renewed, which shapes what stories become most visible to more audiences.

Economic incentives lead to sensationalizing stories and experiences. Over time, this imbalance can make certain versions of queerness appear more “authentic” than others. 

The film scholar said that creators of media showcasing the storylines of minority groups like the LGBTQ+ community face an “undue burden.”

“Does every representation of gay sex have to be good?,” they said. “I would say a lot of the representation in ‘Heated Rivalry’ is highly shame and guilt coded … It’s about sneaking off and finding sex in these really surreptitious ways. I’m sure there’s a portion of the queer reception who find that really annoying. Like, ‘Why are we going back in the closet?’”

Media effects matter because viewers are influenced by the repeated patterns of visibility popularized and displayed to them. These patterns influence expectations that bleed into the expectations of and associations with queerness in the real world.

“If there’s something missing [from queer media], I think it would be a ‘queer mundane,’ where you have main characters who are queer, and their queerness is not the [main] storyline,” they said.

This does not mean that “Heated Rivalry” is a bad show or a net negative form of representation. The show doesn’t claim to represent all queer people, nor should it. 

Being mindful of this dynamic doesn’t require policing what an audience is allowed to enjoy. However, it does mean recognizing that what is popular is not the only representation of a social group.

If queer media is to thrive, it needs to be allowed to be diverse in identity and form. Shows like “Heated Rivalry” can coexist with less sexually-explicit narratives, but only if audiences and media producers intentionally make room for both.

Sex may sell, but it shouldn’t be the price of being seen.