Gay Mean Girls


Gay Mean Girls is a Canadian teen dramedy anthology web series created and directed by Heyishi Zhang, produced by Maddy Falle and co-producer Hayley Wong. Both seasons premiered in June 2019, and January 2023 at TIFF Next Wave to a sold-out audience. The second season received over 30 accolades internationally before it was nominated for 3 Canadian Screen Awards. Both seasons air on Shaftebury's KindaTV YouTube Channel and Season One airs on Revry.
Gay Mean Girls examines issues within the LGBTQ+ community through coming of age stories about queer racialized teens. It is based on a viral short film that amassed over 3.5 million views on YouTube.

Plot

Season 1

The series follows the events of the short film while expanding on characters, themes, and other events. Prom committee member Lucy Ching seeks to establish Gay Prom Royalty to impress her best friend Miranda, feminist, lesbian beauty guru on YouTube. In the midst of questioning her sexuality, Lucy struggles to fit in with the white gay community. As she gains confidence in her leadership, she realizes that she cannot relate to Miranda's brand of white feminism, and forms allies with other characters who share her struggles.

Season 2

The second season expands on the themes of season one while following a different group of students and takes place the following school year. When student journalist Savannah Lin becomes embroiled in the complicated dynamics of a social justice "safe space", she must choose between protecting her community or the integrity of her voice in the wake of a betrayal. The season addresses themes of corruption within social justice spaces and the fight for narrative control.

Cast

Main (Season 1)

  • Vicky Li as Lucy Ching, an unpopular member of the prom committee hoping to better understand herself and her sexuality.
  • Hannah Raine as Miranda Hayes, an outgoing lesbian YouTuber and Lucy's best friend.
  • Jordan Li as Jamie, the school's cool, non-binary drug dealer and friend of Lucy.
  • Lane Webber as Anita, the enthusiastic president of the school's Gay Straight Alliance.
  • Jensen Porter as Clara, an uptight straight-girl and president of the prom committee.

Main (Season 2)

  • Jenna Phoa as Savannah Lin, an ambitious but insecure journalist determined to win a scholarship to escape her parent's control.
  • Robyn Matuto as Jenn, the free spirited leader of Exhausted Not Exotic, a community arts safe space for queer and trans youth.
  • Vicky To as Skye, a popular member of Exhausted Not Exotic who believes they know what's best for others.
  • Lydia Lowe as Amy, Savannah's mom who defends her family's image at all costs.
  • Kat Khan as Katie, Savannah's best friend in the school's AV club who struggles with boundaries.

Production

Season One

The first season of Gay Mean Girls was funded by the Bell Fund and Telefilm's Talent to Watch Program. Principal photography began October 2018. The season premiered at TIFF NextWave in 2019 to a sold-out audience. On Global News, creator Heyishi Zhang says she drew inspiration for season one from her own high school relationships as well as her political awakening in university.
During the time of filming, Vicky Li was only fifteen years old. The rest of the cast was also relatively young, with Lane Webber and Jordan Li both being eighteen and members of the GSA at the high school where the series was shot.
As a series that explores feminism, intersectionality and the experience of racialized teens, all key creatives are the show are women, with the writer's room being composed entirely of queer women of colour. The team also spoke with a non-binary consultant when writing Jamie's character.

Season Two

Season two of Gay Mean Girls was funded by the Bell Fund, Ontario Creates, the Canadian Media Fund and Shaw Rocket Fund.
The writing room was composed entirely of queer women of colour, as was the majority of the cast and crew. Many of the season's themes, including corruption within social justice spaces, are based on Zhang's personal experiences. In a 2023 interview, Zhang told CanCulture Magazine: "onestly, it was really hard…. I think for me, the show is a way for me to organize my memories. And my memories are not that pleasant…... So I had to dig in. I think that I had to really try to understand not only my environment, and the social rules of my environment… ut also, I have to seek to understand the people around me, and that included the people who have hurt me as well."
While casting for season 2, Robyn Matuto, who plays Jenn, was an immediate standout and was the first person to be cast. For Savannah's role, Zhang believed that the actor playing Savannah would first audition for Jenn; she was proven right when Jenna Phoa initially auditioned for Matuto's role.
Principal photography for season two began March 2022 and took 18 days with 2 days of re-shoots.
The second season premiered at the TIFF Next Wave in January 2023.

Reception

Gay Mean Girls has been praised for its candid exploration of intersectionality and the problematization of "white queerness" within the queer community. Critics have noted the show's subversion of stereotypes typical of queer romance, such as being in love with a best friend, having a white protagonist, and focusing solely on romantic love. Speaking on its modern, unapologetic nature, the online magazine starrymag points out, "ou don't see a lot of shows bringing up topics like gaslighting and heteronormativity from the first episode and I was pleasantly surprised to see it discussed in such a raw and natural way, that's still entertaining." Bella Media Channel compares Gay Mean Girls to other niche, queer series such as Carmilla and Barbelle.
In 2019, Gay Mean Girls was featured on Elle Canada's Pop Culture Radar.
Season two was praised for its vibrant visuals and inclusion of physical media. It was also touted for its thoughtful portrayal of complex issues such as weaponization of social justice language, betrayal, and its critique of safe spaces.  The series challenges typical tropes and power dynamics, acting as a strong "deconstruction of chosen families."
The Toronto Guardian praised the series for its authenticity, noting that director "Heyishi Zhang brings a lot of herself into these stories and creates an incredibly layered, raw and honest portrayal of intersectional issues within the queer community… brings these issues to the forefront while also creating something fun, vibrant, and sarcastic that's a joy to watch."
CanCulture Magazine says the second season "challenges what family means to young, marginalized communities and how it can change as you learn to be true to yourself."