It’s a crime that there aren’t more lesbian Westerns. It seems like there should be dozens — after all, what’s not to love about women in chaps, riding horses, firing six-shooters, and just generally butching it up?
Last year’s The Abandons may not have been textually queer, but seeing both Gillian Anderson and Lena Headey in full western gear, staring venomously at one another from horseback, awakened something in us. That something? A desire for more sapphic westerns.
While they are shamefully scarce, there are a few — and all are worth checking out.
Deadwood
Deadwood
HBO
This fictionalized retelling of the mining town of Deadwood, South Dakota, in the 1870s, is packed with fascinating characters, drama, intrigue, and all the other things we’ve come to expect from our prestige TV. But let’s be honest — we’re here for the lesbians, and this show delivers, thanks to the sweet and unexpected love story between trick shooter Calamity Jane (Robin Weigert) and local madam Joanie Stubbs (Kim Dickens).
Where to watch: HBO
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
New Line Cinema
This surrealistic and underappreciated gem from director Gus Van Sant follows a young woman named Silssy (Uma Thurman), who is born with abnormally long thumbs, and her hitchhiking journey of self-discovery, which leads her to the Rubber Rose, where she meets and falls for a rebellious cowgirl named Bonanza Jellybean (Rain Phoenix).
Where to watch: Rent on Prime VideoCowgirl Up
Cowgirl Up
Tello Films
If you tend to avoid Westerns because they’re too serious, then Cowgirl Up is the answer. This microbudget web series from the writer and producer of South of Nowhere (Mandy Musgrave also stars) is a charming comedy set at the all-girl dude ranch, The Double D, where women can come live out their Western fantasies.
Where to watch: Tello
Wynonna Earp
Wynonna Earp
SYFY
If you’ve been looking for an excuse to get into this supernatural Western series, consider this your moment. The series follows Wynonna Earp (Melanie Scrofano), the great-great-granddaughter of the famed lawman, who returns home to discover that her legacy includes wielding a magical gun called the Peacemaker to keep the demons—and the spirits of the outlaws her ancestor dispatched—at bay.
Why is it gay? Well, her little sister Waverly (Dominique Provost-Chalkley) has a long-running and oh-so-sweet romance with local deputy Nicole Haught (Katherine Barrell).
Where to watch: TubiJohnny Guitar
Johnny Guitar
Republic Pictures
Talk about a movie that was ahead of its time! Johnny Guitar, despite the title, really focuses on Vienna (Joan Crawford), a former sex worker turned saloon owner who faces down a mob intent on revenge for a crime she didn’t commit. Why is it gay? Well, first of all, you have eyes — the coding is in plain sight. But there’s also the film’s teasing of her history and tension with the other major female character, Emma. Bisexual Western representation? We love to see it.
Where to watch: Rent on Prime Video
Bonus: The Abandons
Lena Headey and Gillian Anderson in The AbandonsNetflixSorry, we couldn’t resist including this series. While the show isn’t textually queer, when you put Lena Headey and Gillian Anderson on screen together as rivals—going head to head, exchanging barbs, and serving camp—it’s gay. I don’t make the rules.
The series follows the rivalry between two families: the wealthy and powerful Van Ness clan, led by matriarch Constance (Anderson), and a found family of outcasts led by Fiona Nolan (Headey). Simmering violence boils over after a tragic death, pitting these two women and their families against one another.
Where to watch: Netflix
