What’s New & Queer on TV #23: Star Trek Starfleet Academy, Ponies & Suddenly Amish

Welcome to the weekly post where I discuss new additions to my 2025 & 2026 queer streaming guides.

Queer Streaming Guide 2026: Your complete list of new LGBTQ+ TV shows and where to find them

A full list of every new TV show that came out in 2026 on streaming with lesbian, gay, trans, bi, and other queer characters. See the 2025 list below! The Ultimate Guide of the Best Queer TV Shows From 2025A full list of every new TV show that came out

Queer or BaitAurelie Chazal

Disclaimer: All the shows listed below came out about one month ago because I've noticed that's how long it usually takes me to be able to confidently verify whether a show has queer representation. I'm not able to watch everything, but I'll only include shows that have proven queer characters as verified online through reputable sources.

Suddenly Amish • Season 1

TLC • Social Experiment Reality • 🇺🇸 United States • Fate Unknown

Queer-o-meter: 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

Type of queer representation: Black bisexual man

This is a "social experiment" type show by TLC where people try to live the Amish lifestyle. Between the premise and it being TLC, I already knew it was going to be ridiculous, but wait until you hear about the queer representation. This guy named Judah (yup), comes out in the final episode by dropping the line “My name is Judah…and I am bi.” during a game of Shabooya Roll Call. Jokes aside it's always nice to see some representation for bisexual men.

Read more about the show:

‘Suddenly Amish’ Cast Member Judah Comes Out as Bisexual

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy • Season 1

Paramount+ • Space SciFi • 🇺🇸 United States • Renewed

Queer-o-meter: 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

Type of queer representation: Lesbian and queer woman in a relationship, a bisexual man

I've never watched anything Star Trek, but it sounds like it's always been a pretty diverse universe. It's probably not a surprise then to see multiple queer characters on the latest installement. More specifically: Jett Reno (lesbian), Lura Thok (queer), and Darem Reymi (bisexual), whose identities are naturally integrated into the 32nd-century setting. Episode 3 serves as a major milestone, explicitly confirming a romantic relationship between Lura Thok and Jett.

Read more about the show:

‘Starfleet Academy’ reveals Tig Notaro and Gina Yashere as newest ‘Star Trek’ power couple: ‘It seemed organic that they would fall in love’

Tig Notaro and Gina Yashere are revealed to be in a relationship in Episode 3 of the Paramount+ series

Gold DerbyEthan Alter

Ponies • Season 1

Peacock • Wold War Drama • 🇺🇸 United States • Fate Unknown

Queer-o-meter: 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

Type of queer representation: Lesbian including a couple, a closeted gay man

I have this show on my list mostly for the great women lead duo. I wasn't expecting anything queer from it, but apparently there is a side lesbian romance plot where Twila figures out her attraction to local merchant Ivanna while they're on risky missions together. There's also a closeted gay man named Dane who deals with the constant stress of being a closeted gay guy in the CIA.

Read more about the show:

‘Ponies’ Delivers Sapphic Spies and Female Friendship

It’s nice to have a queer story that is about two adult women who aren’t tortured by their attraction to another woman.

AutostraddleValerie Anne

Other queer shows worth checking out

• Fear Factor: House of Fear • Season 1: Features Lance, an openly gay flight attendant as a contestant
• The Boyfriend • Season 2: This is a super cute gay dating show from Japan. It's already a miracle that it exists considering how little gay dating shows we have out there, but it even got renewed for a second season!