These series and films need to be on your ‘to-watch’ list
TV series
1. Pose
If you’re someone who’s into fashion and a great storyline, Pose is perfect for you. The show focuses on the ballroom culture in New York. Beginning in the late-1980s and then the 1990s during its explosion in popularity due to Madonna’s “Vogue”. The first show to have multiple trans women of color as part of the main cast. Billy Porter, won an Emmy for his role of PrayTell last year, being the first openly gay black man to win in this category.
2. Sex Education
Otis, a teenage virgin who lives with his sex therapist mother teams up with a smart and edgy classmate Maeve, to start their own ‘health clinic’ giving sex advice for a small fee. Eric, Otis best friend, is a black gay boy and wonderful representation of black queer teen. The show has a complex variety of characters and the writers are not afraid to tackle hard topics. In it’s second season it sheds light on asexuality and pansexuelity, who are often left out in queer cinema. No matter your race, age, gender or sexuality Sex Education is likely to make good impression.
3. The Bold Type
Inspired by the life of the former Cosmopolitan editor in chief Joanna Coales. This drama about women who work at a feminist magazine in New York City features Kat Edison, one of the main characters, who slowly realises she’s not straight. This discovery leads a non-traditional interracial relationship between a pansexual black woman and a Muslim lesbian. Fans were really happy with the positive representation of queer WOC.
4. Killing Eve
Intelligence agent Eve Polastri hunts down female assassin Villanelle and the Twelve, the organization she works for. As she gets closer, Eve and Villanelle develop a mutual romantic obsession for each other. The show offers modern spin on the cat-and-mouse murder mystery trope, dry sense of humor and creative murders.
5. Euphoria
Euphoria follows the life of different highschool teenagers as they struggle with issues of love, drugs and violence. Protagonist Rue is this cool tomboy who’s madly in love with Jules, a manic pixie trans girl. Shout out to our girl Zendaya who just won an Emmy for her outstanding performance in this series.
Movies
- Moonlight
Moonlight tells the story of a young black boy, Chiron. Identified as gay by his peers before he understands what such a term means, Chiron does his best to keep his head above water, dodging bullies and even his own mother. As he grows older, Chiron develops a hard outer shell, following in the footsteps of his childhood father figure, Juan, a drug lord. As he finds his footing as a gangster, both hard and soft, he must come to term with his sexuality. Strong acting, beautiful cinematography and lyrical are a few reasons why deserving the Academy Award for Best Picture.
2. Rafiki
Rafiki is Swahili for ‘friend’. It is the only word that Kenyan girls Kena and Ziki can use to describe their relationship, which is prohibited by law in homophobic Kenya. In Rafiki, the dramatic and negative consequences of their mutual attraction are amply discussed. The taboo and and the fact that their sexuality is illegal was not the only problem they faced.
The protagonists share competing politician fathers, harsh mothers, and the
deep-seated jealousy of neighbors. Yet the film is above all a celebration of that love, and of a cheerful, young, colorful and vibrant Africa.
3. Milk
The real-life story of Harvey Milk, and his struggles as an American gay activist who fought for LGBTQ+ rights and became California’s first openly gay elected official. The movie focuses on the last 8 years of his life, celebrating both his personal love affairs and the activist efforts that would eventually lead to his assassination.
4. Philadelphia
Andrew Beckett, a gay man and a talented lawyer, is infected with AIDS. He gets fired because his colleagues are afraid of contracting AIDS from him. Andrew then hires a homophobic small time lawyer as the only willing advocate for a wrongful dismissal suit. With deep and emotional acting, by the lead actors Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington, the film also sends a powerful message.
5. Gewoon vrienden
Gewoon Vrienden (Just Friends) is the first Dutch gay romantic comedy. The tough Joris doesn’t come loose from his mother. Medical student Yad returns to his strict mother.
Yad works as a domestic help for the grandmother of Joris. There they meet and they fall in love immediately, but before they can surrender to their love, they first have to balance things with their mothers.
Documentaries
- The life and death of Marsha P Johnson
Friend and fellow trans rights activist Victoria re-examines the cold case of Marsha’s mysterious death. It also focuses on the life of another pioneer of the gay liberation movement, Sylvia Rivera. A true eye opener, seeing that sheds light on the real and dangerous life that many trans people, especially those of color have phased living in the US.
2. Disclosure
A Netflix documentary that centers around trans representation in Hollywood throughout history. Transgender actors and actresses, directors and writers look back through trans-themed movies and unpack the issue of inaccurate representation.
3. Circus of books
In Rachel Mason’s documentary about her parents’ bookstore, she explores what it meant for her “nice, straight Jewish parents” to own a gay porn and adult goods store in West Hollywood and become the biggest distributor of hardcore gay films in the United States during the height of the AIDS epidemic. Circus of Books offers a rare glimpse into an untold chapter of queer history.
