Hunting Wives, Hot Milk, & sapphic longing: How 2025 became the unlikely year of the lesbian

Let’s be real: 2025 has been a banner year for enemies of the LGBTQ+ community. We’ve suffered transphobic attacks, threats to gay marriage, and a host of other problems aimed at the most vulnerable parts of our community, specifically queer and trans women.

And how did queer women respond? By still making their mark in entertainment, despite the plague of erasure that threatened to wipe them off the map. This year saw a record number of miserable lesbians on TV, some steamy kisses taking place under the noses of the MAGA, and a general embarrassment of sapphic riches on the big and small screen. Here are some of the highlights.

The Ultimatum: Queer Love

Netflix may have started its foray into original content with the messy lesbian drama Orange is the New Black, but little did we know what heights of sapphic mess the platform would reach in 2023 with the release of The Ultimatum: Queer Love. The show’s first season was messy boots, but the second—and final—season was so, so much worse. We got to see gaslighting, DARVO, hot butches, and the desperately unhinged femmes that love them, but don’t quite want to marry them yet. The second season ended with a bang, and the show’s cancellation left the community reeling…but honestly, maybe it’s for the best. We’re still catching our breath from the season finale!

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The “Ultimatum: Queer Love” drama keeps unfolding & it’s messier than ever
This show is messy boots