In this day and age, representation in media is important to so many different types of people. Whether it be race, religion, sexuality, or identity, everyone wants to be able to see themselves in their favorite shows and movies. Being able to relate to a character means you are not alone and that is something that all people crave in life. Finding a show that accurately portrays queerness is incredibly hard to find. Most depictions of LGBTQ+ people end with them being the butt of a joke or they are painted in a way that is not accurate to what it is really like. It is shows like Our Flag Means Death, created by David Jenkins, that truly resonate with the queer experience that help people come to terms with who they are. Patches Chance mentions in his 2023 article that, “Many fans found the comfort and safety to question their own queer identity or embrace aspects of ourselves we’d once kept hidden.”

Media often uses a technique called queer baiting to attract a wider audience to their content by hinting at LGBTQ+ representation but not actually depicting it. This leaves a lot of unfilled space in television that had seemingly promised queer characterization to viewers. BBC’s mystery series, Sherlock, is one of many shows that lead its fans on. Fans of the series had fallen in love with the show and had expected it to end with main characters, John Watson and Sherlock Holmes, finally ending up together which is not how it concluded. Groovy Mutant wrote an article in 2019 bringing to light the impact of queerbaiting, “It’s simply hurtful and disappointing that Sherlock will be remembered by many people as that show, which not only got bad beyond imagination, but blatantly queerbaited its fanbase.”

Shows that help others see themselves in a positive way are extremely impactful. Our Flag Means Death represents queer lives in a way that isn’t fake. The show has created a massive community of fans who are so grateful to finally have a silly show that represents who they are in an accurate way. For once, the LGBTQ+ community has a show that is honest and makes them feel seen. It has opened a place for people to be true to themselves and feel safe doing so. Even the actors a part of it have felt they were able to be more true to themselves as a result of the show. During a panel at Florida Supercon, actor Con O’Neill talked about how the show has changed him and how he liked to keep his life private. “I’ve found that this show has kicked the doors off that and I’m honored to be a part of your community…please don’t feel that at any point in your life that you have to announce yourself until you are ready ‘cause when you’re ready, you’re ready, and I’m ready and I’m blessed and I love you all and thank you for being part of my community.” 

Following the recent announcement that HBO Max won’t be renewing Our Flag Means Death for a third season, fans have been doing everything in their power to convince Max to reverse their decision. A campaign called “Renew as a Crew” was created by a group of dedicated fans in order to help gain the attention of HBO to show how much support the show has. Over the past few months they have used their social media platforms to prompt fans to sign their petition on Change.org, comment on posts, call/email Max headquarters, keep hashtags related to the show trending, leave reviews on sites such as IMDb, and even creating a collaborative art project for fans to contribute to that is still in the works. They even raised funds to pay for a billboard in Times Square that reads “Save Our Flag Means Death.” A fanbase this strong clearly shows how much the show has impacted its viewers. In creator David Jenkins’ Instagram post informing the public of Max’s decision on renewal, his caption praises supporters of the show. “The second season was made possible by the enthusiasm of one of the most likable fan communities in the history of this medium. Your voices made a difference, your art made a difference, your viewership made a difference in securing more OUR FLAG” (@dvidjenkins). 

A show where being queer isn’t the defining feature of the plot, like Our Flag Means Death is so valuable to queer people. A main story line that is something other than homophobia or struggling with acceptance because of queerness. A show that isn’t based on queer fear. A show where characters get to be who they are and not have to explain themselves to everyone around them. Twitter user @IZZYTRANSS posted, “Fact is Our Flag Means Death was important because it showed a whole generation of people that queerness does not have to start in your teenage years – that finding yourself, at any age, will always be a beautiful and wondrous thing.”