S.W.A.T. Takes on the Fraught Relationship Between LGBTQ People and Police

In a powerful episode this Friday, bisexual character Chris Alonso finds herself at odds with her team when protests at a gay rights rally go awry.

Tracy E. Gilchrist

Tracy E. Gilchrist is the VP of Editorial and Special Projects at equalpride. A media veteran, she writes about the intersections of LGBTQ+ equality and pop culture. Previously, she was the editor-in-chief of The Advocate and the first feminism editor for the 55-year-old brand. In 2017, she launched the company's first podcast, The Advocates. She is an experienced broadcast interviewer, panel moderator, and public speaker who has delivered her talk, "Pandora's Box to Pose: Game-changing Visibility in Film and TV," at universities throughout the country.

Read Full Bio

Tracy E. Gilchrist

February 22 2019 4:28 PM EST

May 31 2023 7:41 PM EST

Sorry to interrupt...
But we wanted to take a moment to thank you for reading. Your support makes original LGBTQ+ reporting possible. Help us hold Trump accountable.

One-time Monthly

$19.67 $50 Other

$5 $19.67 $50

CBS's S.W.A.T. has been quietly tackling queer storylines this year. In the fall, the show's bisexual character Christina (Chris) Alonso entered into a polyamorous relationship with an opposite-sex couple and the show broached issues around negotiating needs when poly.

On Thursday's episode of the Shemar Moore-led series, the S.W.A.T. team is called to an LGBTQ rights festival following the murder of a gay couple. Protests ensue, and one frustrated activist takes a far-right button-pushing media personality hostage at his studio.

While the idea of a queer activist going rogue may appear to paint activists in a purely reactionary light, the episode presciently delves into important issues like the traditionally fraught relationship of marginalized groups and the police.

During negotiations with the hostage taker, Chris (Lina Esco) talks down the perpetrator by revealing she's part of the LGBTQ community and sharing how much she relates to his frustration with inaction on the part of the authorities.