Queer Representation in 'The Chi': A Review of the Latest Season's Inclusivity

The first episode of season six of The Chi was the highest rated of the show’s entire existence. It appears that the loyal fans of the hit TV drama couldn’t wait to see how their favorite characters were fairing. More importantly, they wanted to see whether there were any new additions to the character roster — and how they fit into the overall storyline.

The show’s creators did not disappoint, introducing a new gay couple, Deondray and Quincy. This continued the show’s trend of ensuring LGBTQ+ representation and inclusivity.

The Chi is a fictional drama set in Chicago’s Southside. The show follows the lives of a group of residents whose lives appear to be linked together curiously. Furthermore, all the characters appear to be seeking some sort of connection. While continuing to follow the lives of previous characters, like Douda, Kiesha, and Emmett, the show also ventures into new territory with the addition of new characters – Quincy and Deondray – in the sixth season.

The gay couple joins the growing list of LGBTQ+ characters that have been featured in the trailblazing show, including Fatima (a transgender character played by L'lerrét Jazelle) and lesbian couple Dre and Nina.

The new gay couple was introduced as a response to the lack of masculine queer characters on television. The two are named after the Gossfields, a real-life gay couple that pushed for masculine queer representation in the show. The couple stated that the representation of the characters in the show is designed to push back against stereotypes peddled about the LGBTQIA community in shows.

In an interview with GLAAD, Deondray Gossfield stated, “We wanted to see open, gay Black men living and thriving within their community as not just wallpaper but valued, needed, and respected people,” when asked about the conversation (with Lena Waithe) behind the introduction of the first-ever principal gay characters on the show.

After agreeing to the idea, Lena Waithe suggested that the new characters be named after the producer-director couple. In the show, Quincy (Thomas Mackie) and Deondray (Jabari Redd) are engaged. The former is a highly qualified real estate broker who handles the property dealings of one of the show’s gangsters. The latter is part of Victor “Trig” Taylor’s push for political office, working as his campaign manager.

In one of the latest episodes of the show, Quincy introduces his partner (fiancée) to part of the group. While it is yet to be decided, the producer-director duo sees the possibility of the show’s gay couple getting married in the future. When asked about the future of the new gay characters in the show, Deondray Gossfield responded by saying that the men are likely to be caught up in the intricate web weaved by Douda — just like the other characters in the show. In the GLAAD interview, he continued to say that as the show follows the story of the new characters, he expects to see how they show up for each other and the community as a whole.