It’s so refreshing to watch a show from years past and be thrilled with its handling of gay representation. So often we see LGBTQ+ characters exploited to the max, with sidekicks reduced to flamboyant stereotypes of gay best friends or other mostly offensive roles. We’ve evolved past the Gay Best Friend Trope, we can lead films. Jonathan Bailey is proving that as he’s rumored to be the new (stunning) face of the Jurassic Park series. Even now, with writers' rooms predominantly favoring white and cis nepo babies, there is a spectrum of how people are authentically portrayed on TV and things seem to be moving in better directions.

Griffin’s Going Great!

A great character is Griffin, introduced in season 2. He befriends Amy’s snarky and dry sister, Ashley, becoming her first-ever friend. How sweet! Griffin admits that he learned to fight after being bullied and now knows how to stand up for himself. He’s masculine and ‘straight-passing’, which is such a contrast to how gay characters were presented in 2009 at the time this was airing. Don’t get me wrong, who doesn’t love Eli from Girls, Andrew Rannells is an icon. But it was just a really pleasant surprise to see a character’s identity be more than what straight audiences/writers/executives often reduce us to. And sure there are flaws with how Griffin was on screen, like they never gave him a last name according to the show’s Wikipedia, but I commend the effort and want to talk about it.

Griffin appears in only a handful of episodes, but when he’s on the screen he spouts wisdom, kindness, and coolness. He’s played by a complex character who cares a lot about his friends. He offers advice, calls Ashley out when she’s thinking of sleeping with her sister’s baby daddy Ricky, and encourages the town’s growing up gay. He’s realizing that he wants a boyfriend, pursues relationships outside of school, and he becomes Ashley’s first real confidant. A well-rounded guy!

The Magic of Season 3 Episode 9

A great episode that tackles teen dating with Christian girl Grace is episode 9 of season 3. I have to interject and say Grace surprised me and has become my favorite character. She speaks her mind, goes through a crazy emotional journey, and always looks out for her friends. In this episode, she defies the bible pushing stereotype by totally supporting a double date with her new gay friend Griffin. Grace sets up Griffin with a guy in her church that she thinks is gay named Peter. When the two meet… the new guy insists he’s straight and you could hear a pin drop. They dissolve the double date and Grace, a character who’s grown from a mostly close-minded self-proclaimed WASP to an emotional anchor for others, gives the boys space to figure things out.

Peter admits to Griffin he’s seen him at the local gay bar and appreciates Griffin for not outing him to Grace. Griffin respects Peter’s position and offers the phone number of a counselor who helped him understand his sexual orientation. The two agree to go out sometime in the future and it’s a gentle start to something maybe special.

At the end of the episode, Peter returns home and his father says “Your mother and I just want you to be happy… We don’t want you to feel like you have anything to hide…”. They assure Peter they love him, nothing’s changed, and they “just want you to have a good life and be a good person”. The episode holds a mirror to the authentic coming out experience, a real moment the soapy show pulls off so well. After his father assures him everything is okay, and even that his mom encouraged Grace to set him up with a guy (#GraceIsNeverWrong) you can see the pure RELIEF on Peter’s face. A years’ long weight lifted off his tired shoulders.

Peter, Grace’s shy friend from church who never thought his parents would understand him, can live his life out and be proud. Albeit off-screen and doubt he’ll return, it’s a great C plot for a show known for tackling modern topics. The next episode has Peter trying to re-enter the closet and be ‘gay when he wants to be gay’ which is a wild statement but I guess everyone’s coming out journey is different. 

Relating To Now

Nicholas Galitzine, a new Hollywood heartthrob (or Twitter’s white boy of the month depending on who you ask), offered his take on the many gay roles he’s taken that helped propel his fame. With the announcement of ‘Red White and Royal Blue 2’, the sequel to 2019’s book-to-screen adaptation where Galitzine played one of the main gay leads, people are starting to question if those who identify as straight are taking gay roles. Galitzine says he feels guilty about taking up queer spaces, which is a nice statement but that’s kinda all it is? Just words. It’s a story told all too often, talented gays are passed up for the ‘straight-passing’ lead to appeal to midwestern folks and overseas audiences.  I commend him for commenting on the issue of taking gay roles, but it would mean a lot more if an action was done to elevate actual LGBTQ+ voices.

More Queer Characters in the Secret Life Series

It’s no secret that Shaleine Woodley’s character Amy Juergens has been on a rollercoaster ride since getting pregnant at 15. After months of putting off telling her parents, Amy admits her situation and her mom Anne (Molly Ringwald) gets right to work being supportive. Her father George (Mark Derwin) looks to have the baby adopted by a local family, and one of the major contenders is a gay couple, Donovan and Leon. Amy’s ecstatic about the adoption (at first…) and this storyline shined an important light on same-sex couples and the state of adoption. While they don’t adopt Amy’s baby, the duo continues to take in foster kids and prove gay couples are just as worthy of being parents- a television win in 2009!

Donovan has been name-dropped a few times in the series as George’s employee at the furniture store. George, who usually is blunt and spiky, always talks about Donovan in high regard. Though he starts the series not even knowing Leon’s name (he’s reminded they’ve been married for 13 years - “Is that even legal” George remarks to which Anne replies “Marriage is more than just a certificate.” It actually ties back to the theme of the show, that relationships take work! Donovan and Leon pop up every now and then to help George, proving to be loyal friends.

Griffin, Peter, Donovan, and Leon will live forever as fictional gay characters who deserved more screen time but made a positive impact with how they were written, represented, and played. Secret Life of the American Teenager is streaming on Hulu and Disney+ with some episodes mysteriously missing.

Update (and spoilers, as of season 3): Ricky’s mom returns and she’s gay! Ricky is pretty accepting of this. Ally!

UPDATE AGAIN,I just watched season 5 and there's a lot to discuss. Anne has a wonderful coming out story and bravely discovers she's gay. Sadly there's weird jokes about a gay gene and Amy thinks she may be gay just because her mom is, which causes crazy drama. There are a ton of funny lines about the Fourth of July being a 'gay' holiday that had me cackling at the end of season 4's shenanigans. Overall good, not great!