Episode 3, titled "#CheckYourPrivilege," has Frankie Hollingsworth organize a diversity mixer after a racist incident involving a rival team; she faces direct accusations of racism from teammates like Shay, gets kicked off the volleyball team, and must confront her privilege, with the plot explicitly using the term and structure around accountability for systemic bias. Parallel protest and suspension storylines in episode 5 tie directly to racial tensions at an alumni event.

The creators have stressed their intent to reflect Gen Z diversity and current social issues like privilege and identity in the teen drama format, elevating these themes to central drivers of subplots rather than background details. LGBTQ+ arcs receive sustained focus, including Miles and Tristan's gay relationship as it navigates commitment issues, and Zoe Rivas's storyline of hiding and exploring her homosexual feelings. Yael Baron's early arc questions gender norms, building toward a later non-binary identification. These elements shape character development and conflicts across the season.