When The Fosters premiered in 2013, I suspected it was going to give us one of the best treatments of a two-mom family we’ve seen on TV. What I didn’t predict was that, parenting aside, it would be groundbreaking in its representation of queer teens as well.
Last night’s episode (spoiler alert) saw Aaron, a transgender boy, struggle with acceptance by his family. When his parents “deadnamed” him, calling him by the female name they’d given him at birth, Callie, the daughter of moms Stef and Lena, spoke up. That was terrific enough—but subsequent scenes when Aaron and Callie kiss are even better. Callie doesn’t flinch or hesitate one bit because Aaron is trans. He’s the person she’s falling for and that’s all that matters. (Last year, they kissed before she knew he was trans. She was fine when she found out, but had also been dating someone else, so their relationship didn’t go anywhere at the time.)
I’m guessing that future episodes will bring up obstacles to their relationship, and some may be related to Aaron’s identity (or, more precisely, to how people have been socialized to think about trans identities), because television drama always makes relationships hard—but to have the initial relationship be so lovely and romantic and uncomplicated (and to have Aaron be post transition and secure in his identity) feels like a step forward in portrayals of trans people. TV Guide tells us “It’s the first time a lead heroine of a teen drama has entered into a romantic relationship with a transgender character.” I hope it isn’t the last.
Even more impressive is that Elliot Fletcher, who plays Aaron, is trans in real life—and he’s the second trans actor to appear on the show; Tom Phelan played trans teen boy Cole in an earlier season. Given that most high-visibility trans people on television tend to be glamorous trans women (Laverne Cox, Janet Mock, Candis Cayne, Caitlyn Jenner), seeing two down-to-earth trans boys feels refreshing and needed (even as I’d also unequivocally say we need more trans and nonbinary people of all genders and ages and levels of glamour on our screens).
Another plotline for this season involves Stef and Lena’s gay son Jude. In 2015, Jude gave us the youngest-ever same-sex kiss on television. Now he’s a little older and starting to explore his sexuality. When Lena learns that his school’s sex ed class isn’t discussing issues specific to LGBTQ teens, and that Jude is risking his safety to try and hook up with a stranger he met online, she organizes an off-campus class for interested students. Kudos to the show for reminding us that some schools still aren’t providing this necessary information to students, and that the costs can be dangerous if not deadly.
The show doesn’t shy away from broader issues of teen sexuality, either. Their older, straight son Jesus is recovering from a brain injury, and had to ask his moms if it was safe for him to have sex. Lena and Stef showed the hesitancy that many parents feel when it comes to their kids and sex, but Lena finally called the doctor so she could give Jesus accurate and safe recommendations. She and Stef also decided to allow him and his girlfriend to have sex in their house, rather than force them to find a location that would be less comfortable and safe. While the brain injury added a complicating dimension, the moms also generally modeled how parents can discuss issues of their teens’ sexuality and find ways for them to be safe, rather than simply to ban all sexual activity (a tough proposition with many older teens).
Side note: Tweeting along with the show last night was StayTeen.org, an LGBTQ-inclusive website about sex and relationships, aimed at teens, from The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. If you have teens, check it out.
The Fosters manages to inform viewers about serious issues and social justice without making every week into a Very Special Episode—a credit to writers, directors, and actors alike, who bring enough humor and teenage angst to keep the show from cloying. At the same time, what started out as the most sustained look at a two-mom family on television has turned into one of the most informative and empowering for queer teens as well (and not just because some might imagine themselves as Stef or Lena in the future).
The Fosters wraps up its fourth season in two more episodes, but has just started shooting its fifth season, to premiere in July and push the show past the 100-episode mark. Both queer parents and teens (not to mention friends and classmates) should be excited.