Growing up in the 2010s, it felt like TV was finally giving us permission to be ourselves. I remember being totally swept up in shows that just radiated positivity and encouraged you to embrace who you were. From the pure joy of Glee to the honest and sometimes messy portrayals of women in Girls and Fleabag, those shows really helped me figure out my own identity. It was like they were saying, ‘It’s okay to be different,’ and honestly, that meant the world to me.
Ten years later, the hope of openly and confidently living as LGBTQ+ can still feel distant for many, remaining something seen more in stories than in real life.
Channel 4’s new drama, Tip Toe, offers a surprisingly hopeful perspective on today’s divided society. It avoids the typical tropes of feel-good musicals or simplistic self-help messages, instead directly addressing the real experiences and meaning of being LGBTQ+ right now.
I approached the first two episodes of Russell T. Davies’s new series with some hesitation. Lately, LGBTQ+ stories often fall into one of two patterns: either they focus intensely on painful experiences, or they depict idealized coming-of-age stories. You often see either the most difficult parts of being queer, or two young people discovering themselves and their community in a way that feels almost too good to be true – shows like Euphoria and Heartstopper are good examples of this.
While both sources are valuable for their target groups, they often don’t fully reflect the everyday experiences of LGBTQ+ people in the UK, such as difficulties at work, or personal and family issues.
Want to see this content?
This page includes videos from YouTube. We need your permission to load them because YouTube uses cookies and similar technologies. If you want to watch the videos, please select ‘Accept and continue’ to allow YouTube to function.
While those shows are valuable, they frequently reach only LGBTQ+ viewers, and not necessarily the people who could benefit from them the most.
But if anyone can bridge that divide, it’s Russell T Davies.
He’s known for handling LGBTQ+ themes with sensitivity and truthfulness, as demonstrated in shows like It’s A Sin, Banana/Tofu, and Queer As Folk.
Something Davies said after a screening of Tip Toe at the BFI really hit home for me. He pointed out that this story isn’t about one specific identity; it’s a universal feeling. He said you could easily reimagine it with Jewish characters, or a story centered around disability, or told from a woman’s perspective. What struck me most was his observation that even straight, white men – people who often feel like they have all the power – can experience that sense of being on the outside, of being marginalized.
What makes Tip Toe special isn’t just its focus on the LGBTQ+ community through the character of Leo, brilliantly portrayed by Alan Cumming. It’s also how the show uses Leo’s perspective to show how we all experience a lot of different viewpoints daily, and the feeling of being disconnected that can come with it.
As a real cinema fan, one thing that really struck me about this show is how it portrays everyday life. Whether it’s the playful arguments between the main character and his neighbour Clive (David Morrissey is brilliant, by the way!), or just seeing him hanging out with his friends at his club, it reminds you that everyone has their own perspective. It feels incredibly relatable – like looking around on the street or just scrolling through social media while you’re waiting for something. It’s a great reflection of the world we live in, with all its different viewpoints.
Looking back to when I first came out as non-binary in the late 2010s, I realize how much I struggled with those who just didn’t get it. It wasn’t just disagreement, it felt personal. I was loud and proud within activist circles, but stepping outside that bubble was brutal. I’d face everything from ridiculous questions – like being asked if I wanted to identify as an object – to outright disrespect when friends correctly used my pronouns. Honestly, the thought that some people actively disliked me for simply being myself was too much to handle, so I retreated and pretended those opinions didn’t exist.
As I’ve gotten older, it’s become harder to miss how much more fractured the world feels. In the UK, transgender and non-binary people report an average life satisfaction score of 5.5, significantly lower than the 7.7 reported by the general population. Plus, the increasingly extreme nature of online platforms like X means that negativity and hostility are much more direct and unavoidable.
Over time, I’ve realized that avoiding difficult conversations about our differences only isolates us and makes it harder to find common ground. Simply ignoring viewpoints we strongly disagree with isn’t a solution I can support anymore.
Tip Toe excels at showing the diverse realities of life in modern Britain. It doesn’t suggest one group is superior, but rather illustrates how different experiences can clash and the harmful results of not truly hearing each other out.
I find something relatable in every character, even those I initially disagree with, and that’s precisely why everyone should be watching.
Want to see this content?
This page uses a security feature called Google reCAPTCHA. Before it loads, we need your permission because it may use cookies and similar technologies. If you choose ‘Accept and continue’, you’ll allow reCAPTCHA to work and help keep the site secure.
I’ve never felt so understood by a show as I do with Tip Toe. It’s not just that it honestly portrays what it’s like to be openly queer and trans today, but it also reflects the everyday struggles so many of us are facing – things like rising costs, financial worries, and the constant fear of conflict. It sees me not just as a young queer person experiencing prejudice, but as a person dealing with the same anxieties as everyone else right now.
While shows in the 2010s helped me accept myself and explore my identity, programs like Tip Toe are a powerful reminder to stand up for justice and honor the strong political history of the LGBTQ+ community.
Shows like Tip Toe remind me that being different is something to celebrate. They highlight how, even with difficulties, a strong sense of community is what truly matters.
When LGBTQ+ people see themselves reflected in shows created by queer storytellers like Davies and Cumming, it’s incredibly validating. It’s not about flawless representation, but about honestly portraying our experiences—even the difficult ones. While some moments might feel harsh, it’s also comforting to know we’re not alone in facing these challenges. Simply feeling understood can be a powerful reminder of that.
With increasing violence and harmful anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment spreading online and in our communities – often driven by false information – our unity and resilience, combined with our willingness to understand different perspectives, offer a path forward. Seeing this reflected in television programming is encouraging.
The third episode of Tip Toe airs on Channel 4 at 9pm on June 7th. You can already watch the first two episodes online at Channel 4.
Authors
Read More
- Gold Rate Forecast
- 10 Most Powerful Versions of Superman, Ranked
- GBP CNY PREDICTION
- 007 First Light: Release Date, Story, Gameplay, Cast, Editions, and Platforms
- Forza Horizon 6 Car List So Far: Confirmed Highlights, Cover Cars, DLC, and Rewards
- DOGE PREDICTION. DOGE cryptocurrency
- EUR CNY PREDICTION
- PI PREDICTION. PI cryptocurrency
- Superman’s 7 Best Power-Ups, Ranked
- Fishbowl Is a Charming and Heartfelt Indie You Won’t Want to Miss (Review)
2026-06-02 20:05