Gentleman Jack portrays the life of Anne Lister, a 19th-century landowner who openly pursued relationships with women. The series depicts her complex character and her deep romantic connection with Ann Walker, celebrating their love and defiance against societal norms. It affirms the worth of LGBTQ+ lives and love, framing external prejudice as the primary challenge.

The narrative of Gentleman Jack celebrates a non-traditional same-sex partnership as a legitimate family unit, actively challenging conventional gender roles and societal norms surrounding marriage in the 19th century.

The series portrays Christianity as the pervasive social and moral framework of 19th-century England, often highlighting the hypocrisy and judgmental attitudes of characters who weaponize religious doctrine to condemn those who deviate from societal norms. The narrative consistently frames such bigotry as misguided, positioning the audience to sympathize with individuals like Anne Lister who face societal ostracization, thereby critiquing the misuse of faith rather than the faith itself.