The concept of “coming out” has, in recent years, become somewhat of a divisive topic. On the one hand, there are those who, per Glamour, don’t feel a need to make a formal announcement about one’s queerness and, in fact, believe it is an outdated practice egged on by our heteronormative society. Oftentimes, the fundamental reason is that straight people don’t need to come out, so why do members of the LGBTQ+ community? However, on the other hand, per Allure, there are those who view their coming out as a valuable and needed personal experience — a declaration, and sometimes even a reclamation, of self.

Indeed, it takes great courage to stand up for yourself in a society that constantly works against you. That is one of the reasons why, across movies and TV shows, coming-out scenes are so heartwarming to watch. No matter the outcome, scenes like that shows us that it’s okay to be yourself. With that said, here are the nine best coming out scenes in TV shows.

9 Nick — Heartstopper

     See Saw Productions

This scene in Heartstopper when Nick comes out to his mother as bisexual is exactly why representation matters. Throughout the whole series, there’s a constant reminder that being closeted isn’t something bad. Nick’s boyfriend Charlie constantly reminds him that he shouldn’t feel the pressure to come out if he doesn’t want to or isn’t ready to. It’s one of the first times on TV when closeted people on-screen are treated with kindness, and we see their personal comfort put first. That Nick makes the choice to come out in his own time and on his own terms makes this moment all that more memorable.

8 Denise — Master Of None

     Netflix

Master of None is an American comedy-drama and the third season focuses on 37-year-old lesbian novelist Denise. In the eighth episode of season two, called “Thanksgiving”, Denise’s comes out to their mother. It’s both emotional and realistic: Denise has been hiding their sexual identity from their family all their life because, as they explained, “Black people tend to think that being gay is a choice.” Once they finally come out, it’s a shock for their mother, but her immediate concern is that Denise has somehow chosen to add another oppressed label to their name after “Black woman.” This whole episode should be talked about more, and we should give it up for Lena Waithe who has been holding it down for Black LGBTQ+ women representation.

7 Isak — Skam

     NRK1

If you haven’t seen the original Norwegian coming-of-age TV series Skam, just stop what you’re doing and get to it right now. The third season in particular focuses on Isak and his journey towards accepting his sexuality. The show is overall shot in a very realistic way; the script isn’t rushed and even feels like a real-life conversation, and the camera lingers on the actors’ faces, allowing for a sort of intimacy. Due to internalized homophobia, Isak is forced to come out at least three times. Each time it’s nerve-racking as ever, but once he comes out to his best friend Jonas, there isn’t even a slight change in his expression. The show refreshingly shows the brutal truth that, no, queer people aren’t suddenly woke and educated upon coming to terms with their sexuality.

6 Lito — Sense8

Sense8 centers on eight different characters from around the globe who are telepathically connected with each other. One of these characters is closeted Mexican actor Lito, who is secretly dating his boyfriend Hernando. Upon someone leaking a sex tape of him with his boyfriend, his sexual orientation is exposed without his permission. He instantly stars losing roles in movies due to Mexico’s predominantly homophobic attitude. However, the Brazil Pride Parade organizers invite him to speak at their event. It’s nerve-wrecking for Lito, but he stands in front of the whole world, proudly accepts who he is, and even seals it by kissing his loving boyfriend.

5 Emily — Pretty Little Liars

     Freeform

As for Emily from the cult classic Pretty Little Liars, her coming out represented a harsher reality that some queer people have to deal with. In comparison to her three best friends who accepted her wholeheartedly, Emily is afraid to tell her parents — and rightfully so. Once she comes out, her parents agree to pretend that it’s fine, but behind her back “it makes them sick to their stomach”. Emily eventually gets accepted, but watching her struggle reflects a piece of cruel reality for many LGBTQ+ folks.

4 Elena — One Day At A Time

​​​​​​​Elena is the lead character in the Netflix original family sitcom One Day at a Time, which centers around a Latinx family. She decides to come out to her family in the episode “Sex Talk”. The show approached her coming out story in such a good and healthy way that it’s become hard to top. All of her family members accept her as she is, but each of them needed a different time period to process it. Her mother, for example, goes out to a gay bar and has a heart-to-heart conversation with a woman there, which leads her to an epiphany. Elena’s grandmother Lydia, on the other hand, processes her queerness so quickly despite her Catholic beliefs, stating that “God doesn’t make mistakes, so she is gay.”

3 Alec — Shadowhunters

     Constantin Film

If you miss Shadowhunters, put your hands up! No, but Alec and Magnus’ relationship was such a comforting representation of LGBTQ+ people. Alec was a Shadowhunter, while Magnus was a warlock who usually helped out with the magical stuff when needed. To preserve a worthy bloodline, Alec is expected to marry a woman named Lydia, even though his heart doesn’t want to. A few seconds before he seals the deal, Magnus walks into the chapel and lets Alec decide what he wants just by standing there. What a dramatic way to come out, but Alec chooses to follow his heart and kisses his warlock boyfriend in front of everyone.

2 Rosa — Brooklyn Nine-Nine

     Fox

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a workplace comedy sitcom loved by many across the world for its acting performances and its humor. In season five, Rosa Diaz, one of the detectives, struggles with coming out to her parents and the people around her. Stephanie Beatriz herself, who identifies as bisexual, helped shape the character’s own bisexuality, and we only wish to see more Latinx bisexual representation like that. Although all her coming-out scenes are amazing, the one where she comes out to her colleagues is our favorite, given the laid-back nature of the situation.

1 Mickey — Shameless

     Showtime

Last, but not least, let us present to you a very underrated TV show: Shameless. This American comedy-drama is probably the rawest and realest piece of media out there in the last decade. The plot focuses on a white family from Chicago living in poverty and the multitude of obstacles they face. One of the family members is Ian Gallagher who is also gay and is dating the local gangster Mickey, who comes from a very conservative homophobic family. Mickey’s story presents the hardest parts of being gay in a close-minded hateful society. As soon as he publicly comes out as gay at a bar to his family, a bloody fight breaks out with his father, who ends up in prison.