A common experience in many gay (and queer) people’s lives is the lack of key teenage milestones like dating.
Many, especially in the past, came out later in their lives, missing out on the teenage butterflies of first love.
Thankfully the world is changing and more queer kids are experiencing these things.
TV, for the longest time, has been a way for many of us to live vicariously as we watch others like us have what we could never have.
It helps us visualize what could have been, and while it’s enjoyable, sometimes some jealousy crops up, and we wish that it were us.
There aren’t that many gay teen couples compared to their straight counterparts, but those in this list have more than earned it.
They make us wish time travel were real and we lived in their world.
Victor and Benji – Love, Victor
Love, Victor, the spinoff series from Love, Simon, offered the show’s universe and opportunity to explore its characters more than the movie ever could.
Viewers met Victor Salazar (Michael Cimino), a gay kid in the process of coming out to his family and those around him.
While Victor would have been gay anyway, Benji (George Sear) was a huge part of his decision to embrace his sexuality fully.
Their first meeting had all the hallmarks of falling in love at first sight.
Throughout the three-season run of the show, #Venji went through a lot, breaking up at some point as each dealt with personal problems.
However, most of their relationship was a dream.
From falling in love to first declaration of love, merging friend groups, and sex, Victor and Benji experienced life together, and their bond became unbreakable.
It was no surprise that they ended up being each other’s endgame, and in our minds, they’re married by now.
Isak and Even – Skam
The power of Isak (Tarjei Sandvik Moe) and Even (Henrik Holm) was so great that it made a little-known Norwegian show, Skam, a global phenomenon and inspired numerous iterations.
Like many characters in this list, Isak was coming to terms with his sexuality, and meeting Even was a massive part of his journey.
#Evak was the couple who were in different stages in life individually, but their love for each other put them on the same path.
From falling in love and first dates to meeting each other’s friends and happily ever after, the duo went through it all together.
Like any relationship, Evak had its ups and downs, but that’s part of the process. How else would Isak have met the man of his dreams?
They were one of the few couples in the show who persevered, and we would like to think they’re married by now.
Kurt and Blaine – Glee
Glee was a cultural phenomenon, and part of that was due to the relationship between Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer) and Blaine Anderson (Darren Criss).
The Glee club gave Kurt a place to be himself without judgment, just as it did for many other members, but it also introduced him to the love of his life.
#Klaine’s relationship was a revelation for many queer kids who watched the show from all corners of the world, as it affirmed their existence.
It encouraged us that no matter how rough everything seems, there’s a whole life ahead, and high school is just a minor stop.
Kurt and Blaine’s relationship was also a rocky one, but with how much they’d been through together, their bond only got stronger.
They’re one of the few high school sweethearts on this list who got married. We want to think they’re still together to this day.
Sam and Grizz – The Society
It’s rare for a couple who appeared in a show that lasted only one season to have such a significant impact.
Maybe it’s the promise of what could have been had it continued that keeps us rooting for #Grizzam.
The queer community is one of the most diverse communities, and sometimes, the intersectionality of this diversity is not well portrayed.
Sam Eliot (Sean Berdy) and Grizz (Jack Mulhern) were opposite in many ways, but their differences could not stop their attraction.
We rarely see deaf gay characters, and Sam was a welcome addition to the community’s diversity.
While dealing with an unexplainable phenomenon, Sam and Grizz also tackled what being queer meant to them now that they were removed from their restrictive environments.
The Society failed to proceed past the first season, but in our minds, Sam and Grizz found their happy ever after and are raising some chickens.
Mickey and Ian – Shameless
Mickey Milkovich’s (Noel Fisher) and Ian Gallagher’s (Cameron Monaghan) love story is one for the ages.
It persevered everything and is one of the best gay relationships ever on TV.
Mickey and Ian met relatively young, barely teenagers, fell in love, and went through a lot of highs and lows.
Coming from poor families in Chicago, the odds were stacked against them, but they overcame them all, and their love story blossomed.
#Gallavich is one of the few couples in this list to get canonically married and no one deserves it more.
Throughout Shameless‘ ten-season run, the characters fell in love, grew up, grew apart, grew together, and ultimately found their happily ever after.
We’re unsure if they ever stopped arguing and fighting, but we’re sure that they never left each other’s side after getting married.
Simon and Wilhelm – Young Royals
A love story that is almost like a fairy tale, Simon (Omar Rudberg) and Wilhelm’s (Edvin Ryding) love story has never been seen on TV.
When was the last time a TV show followed a queer prince who falls in love with a regular boy?
Heteronormativity had us all convinced that the love stories worth telling were between princes and princesses.
#Wilmon never stood a chance if their love was not as strong as it was.
Coming from vastly different words and living different lives as queer people, the odds seemed insurmountable.
Yet they worked through them all, and in a world that would have them choose differently, they chose each other.
Young Royals and Wilmon’s impact was so significant that it compelled the real-world Swedish royal family to respond.
There is no doubt that they’re still together, and Wilhelm never misses Simon’s performances, who is now a big-time music star.
Nick and Charlie – Heartstopper
Nick Nelson (Kit Connor) and Charlie Spring’s (Joe Locke) love story took over the world by storm.
It was so wholesome that when you drop by a wholesome gay couple’s Instagram post, you will likely see them compared to Nick and Charlie.
Heartstopper explored a teenage gay love story in the modern world in a manner that few shows have done.
Utterly upbeat, bright, and optimistic, Heartstopper proved that not all love stories need to be full of pain and tears.
Despite being from opposite sides of their school’s social tribes, their attraction was instant, and they did everything to win the favor of their romantic interest.
It was sometimes cringeworthy and painful to watch, but that was the allure. The cringe and pain made us feel something we had never seen before.
Here’s to Nick and Charlie forever being the Nick and Charlie to each other. They are that couple.
Honorable Mentions
Corey and Mason – Teen Wolf
Teen Wolf allowed us to live our supernatural fantasy through Corey (Michael Johnston) and Mason (Khylin Rhambo), even after they denied us Stiles and Derek.
Corey and Mason’s love language was words of affirmation, and it got us every time. They were one of the few couples to survive Beacon Hills, and that couldn’t have happened if they didn’t care so much for each other.
They refused death, and we stan.
Jake and Devon – Chucky
A couple that fights evil in a killer doll together, stays together.
Jake Wheeler (Zackary Arthur) and Devon (Bjorgvin Arnarnson) were nothing like what TV usually presents to us. They were a reminder that queer kids exist and they also deserve great love stories, even those marred by constant death on account of the doll.
Chucky may have been canceled, but we’re confident that Jake and Devon weren’t.
Ari and Temo – El Corazon Nunca Se Equivoca
Ari (Emilio Osorio) and Temo’s (Joaquin Bondoni) connection was so big that it inspired a brand-new show.
Originally secondary characters from the Mexican soap opera Mi Marido Tiene Familia, #Aristemo’s love story won viewers around the world, and their love story was explored in a stand-alone show.
Challenging societal notions is hard, but together they proved that the heart is never wrong. Their dedication to each other was admirable and makes us wish we had someone like that.
Who is your favorite teen couple on TV? Did we miss an important one?