Looking for more LGBTQ+ shows? I don't know about you, but I love getting sucked into a beautifully messy dating TV show every so often. Though, I can understand why this genre of TV hasn’t felt inclusive to everyone. Over the years, romance in reality shows has long been very much dominated by heterosexual couples, and severely been lacking in POC representation. I mean it took The Bachelorette 21 seasons to give audiences its first Asian-American leading lady with Jenn Tran! Thankfully, if you’re looking to get into a dating show with LGBTQ+ couples, there are more options that have been produced for streaming in the past few years that can be watched on some of the best streaming services to subscribe to.
Check out this list of shows that feature and celebrate queer love (in a myriad of ways) and decide for yourself which one you’ll be giving a rose to this summer. And spoiler alert, they are all great contenders if you’re looking to heat up your television viewing.
The Boyfriend
The latest LGBTQ+ dating show to arrive on Netflix is The Boyfriend. Not only is the series breaking the mold by being Japan’s first reality romance series about same-sex couples, it’s also a genuinely sweet series about love and friendship alike among queer men that really sets itself apart in the reality TV space. The series takes place in a luxury beach house in Tokyo where a group of 10 men come together for a month to find boyfriends. Unlike the other series on this list, The Boyfriend sets itself apart because Japan has yet to legalize same-sex marriage.
Stream The Boyfriend on Netflix.
The Ultimatum: Queer Love
After Netflix launched its original series The Ultimatum: Marry Or Move on, an LGBTQ+ spinoff was released in 2023 with The Ultimatum: Queer Love. The premise is that a batch of couples who have been together for a number of years has one among each pair who is ready to get married and is issuing an “ultimatum” to get that ring on their finger.
In the experiment, each person chooses a new partner to pair up with and over the matter of eight weeks they decide whether they will stay with who they came with or move on (perhaps even with their new match). Queer Love has already been renewed for a second season, per The Hollywood Reporter, so get ready to meet a new set of couples in the near future!
Stream The Ultimatum: Queer Love on Netflix.
Couple To Throuple
Earlier this year, Peacock put out their own LGBTQ+ dating series with the first season of Couple To Throuple. As the title implies, the series explores polyamory by bringing a set of four established couples to a resort alongside a ton of single people. As the show unfolds with steamy moments and all the drama, there’s also some solid discussions to be had about the communication necessary when adding a third to a dynamic. Couple To Throuple is a fun and original series that will appease viewers who are over every dating show pursuing marriage in a crazy short amount of time!
Stream Couple To Throuple on Peacock.
Love Allways
Last summer, Paramount+ put out their first LGBTQ+ friendly original dating show with Love Allways. The series focuses on a pansexual bachelorette, 19-year-old Lexi Paloma, who is looking for love regardless of gender. This is an odd one becuase most of the matches are around Lexi’s age (under 21). Plus, the whole thing feels very Gen Z, especially considering Lexi is a viral TikTok creator. That being said, it’s a chaotic ride if you want to turn your brain off and enjoy the rare The Bachelor-type series that doesn’t adhere to the gender binary.
Stream Love Allways on Paramount+.
I Kissed A Boy
If you’re looking for a fabulously queer take on Love Island, look no further than I Kissed A Boy. The series, which premiered last year on BBC, is actually the first British dating show to be all about men dating men. It follows 10 men who go to an Italian country house to meet the matches they are paired up with based on compatibility. However, the way they meet is unconventional. They are asked to kiss without talking at all first or exchanging a single message. There’s also a spinoff called I Kissed A Girl, but it’s not available to stream.
Stream I Kissed A Boy on Hulu.
Are You The One? (Season 8)
MTV’s dating series, Are You The One?, changed things up for the eighth season, when for the first time ever it cast an entirely bisexual cast of singles to try finding their “perfect matches” for the prize of $1 million together while staying in Kona, Hawaii. Because there are no gender limitations for the contestants, it really shakes up the format, but it also makes for some A+ reality TV show viewing that balances heartwarming moments with mess in a great way.
Stream Are You The One? on Hulu.
Stream Are You The One? on Paramount+.
Dating Around
This is the first series on the list that’s not exclusively about queer relationships, but Dating Around’s premise alone is worth your time (and you can skip to the queer episodes if you’d like) since each episode focuses on one person. Every episode follows a single person going on five first (blind) dates in hopes of simply finding a person they want to go on a second date with. It’s a sweet and simple concept for those looking for reality TV romance without the drama. Check out the episodes “Lex” and “Mila” in Season 1 and “Deva” and “Brandon” in Season 2!
Stream Dating Around on Netflix.
Love On The Spectrum (Season 2)
Lastly, if you’re looking for a super innocent and sweet representation of queer dating that also feels like the antithesis to other reality TV, I recommend the new season of Love On The Spectrum! While the series does primarily focus on people with autism looking for love in the opposite sex, in Season 2, the series introduces Journey, an 18-year-old queer woman who gets to experience a date thanks to the show’s matchmaking skills. It opens up a great conversation about dating in the LGBTQ+ community amongst those with autism, and I hope Journey will return for Season 3 for more dates!
Stream Love On The Spectrum on Netflix.
While more and more queer romances are certainly making their way into the mainstream, such as through the recent reveal at the end of Bridgerton Season 3, I’m here for more and more LGBTQ+ dating shows being around to represent different dynamics in love (messiness and all)!
