Queer Coding, Then, Now & Still!

Hey y’all, it’s me, Peppermint, and on this episode of Queer 101, Hugh and I are ringing in the New Year the only way we know how: chatty, curious, and a little bit queerly chaotic.

We kick things off swapping New Year’s stories — who rested, who partied, who intended to journal but absolutely did not — and then get into the real question: Do queer people even do resolutions the same way? (Spoiler: yes, but gayer.)

From there, we dive headfirst into one of my favorite topics: queer coding in the media — aka all the gay stuff they didn’t teach us in school but definitely snuck into movies anyway. I get especially excited talking about Michael Koresky’s book Sick and Dirty, which peels back the glittery curtain on Hollywood from the 1930s–60s and shows how queer creators and characters survived under censorship by being clever, coded, and just a little scandalous.

Of course, we don’t stay in the past too long. We also discuss modern queer media, from buzzy shows like Heated Rivalry to the current state of queer visibility on TV. What’s working? What feels forced? And what makes us scream “FINALLY!” at our screens?

We also get real for a moment about the political climate and why representation still matters — especially when queer stories are often the first to be questioned, cut, or “rebranded.” But don’t worry, we balance the heaviness with joy, laughter, and personal reflections on the queer-coded characters that helped shape us before we even had the words for ourselves.

Before we wrap, we invite you into the conversation:
💬 What queer-coded characters did you clock way before everyone else?
📚 What should we read or watch next?
📺 What makes queer representation feel authentic to you?

Come for the media analysis, stay for the laughs, and leave knowing you’re part of a long, fabulous lineage of queer storytelling.