Happy Pride Month! June is a time to shine some extra light on the LGBTQIA+ community — and one way to do that is by celebrating LGBTQIA+ artists and stories. There are tons of incredible movies and TV series that feature queer characters, writers, directors and other artists behind the camera.
Watch With Us picked five essential titles for anyone hoping to expand their knowledge of LGBTQIA+ cinema. Whether you’re looking for heart-wrenching drama, gut-busting comedy or a TV show to watch with the whole family — there’s something for everyone on streamers like Hulu, Netflix, Peacock and Tubi.
‘Fire Island’ (2022)Loosely inspired by Pride and Prejudice, Fire Island opens with the novel’s famous first line: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” But as the film’s protagonist, Noah (Joel Kim Booster), tells the audience, not every man wants a wife — or even a woman — at all.
This opening is just the first example of the clever ways Fire Island adapts and subverts the Jane Austen classic, transforming the novel of manners into a story about a “family” of gay men vacationing on Fire Island together.
When Noah’s best friend, Howie (Bowen Yang), meets Charlie (James Scully), romance appears to be in the air — but Noah can’t stand Charlie’s friend Will (Conrad Ricamora). The snap judgments Will and Noah make — and ultimately unlearn — about each other show how social class and prejudice still shape modern dating — even if the idea of marrying for money feels outdated. It’s a smart, charming and very funny movie that’s as clever as it is cute.
Watch Fire Island on Hulu.
‘Pariah’ (2011)Writer and director Dee Rees tells a moving story of coming-of-age in Pariah, which follows Alike (Adepero Oduye), a 17-year-old exploring her lesbian identity in Brooklyn. As Alike experiences her first love and struggles to find acceptance among her friends and family, she learns to choose what kind of life she wants to live. Pariah is a powerful story about the journey of growing up and coming out that buzzes with an emotionally intelligent, gritty energy.
Pariah is frequently praised as a realistic and relatable reflection of the experience of Black lesbian women, a group who are depicted on screen all too rarely. Every element of the film, from the costume design to the music, reflects the shifting nature of Alike’s identity, and it’s beautiful to watch her come into her own.
Watch Pariah on Peacock.
‘Will & Harper’ (2024)Harper Steele, a writer who transitioned into a woman at the age of 61, is a longtime friend of Will Ferrell and worked with him during her tenure on Saturday Night Live. In this moving and inspirational documentary, the two old friends unite shortly after Harper comes out to Will and undertake a road trip across America.
As they travel, Will and Harper encounter differing attitudes towards transgender people, ranging from acceptance to discomfort to outright prejudice. But the friendship and support between them never wavers, and it’s a beautiful tribute to the evolution of a decades-long relationship. It’s a hopeful narrative that helps one believe that humor and friendship can overcome even the most surprising of differences.
Watch Will & Harper on Netflix.
‘Moonlight’ (2016)This Oscar-winning drama examines the life of a gay Black man in three parts — childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Chiron, played in turn by Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders and Trevante Rhodes, is the son of an addict (Naomie Harris). He finds an unlikely mentor in the form of drug dealer Juan (Mahershala Ali) and Juan’s girlfriend Teresa (Janelle Monáe) during his childhood in Miami. As he grows, Chiron deals with bullying and trauma surrounding his sexuality and his relationship with his mother. As the crack epidemic rages in Florida, he struggles to find safety and community in a world that seems unlikely to accept him.
Writer/director Barry Jenkins does an incredible job of using simple, quiet moments and excellent actors to depict this complicated coming-of-age story. It’s no wonder that Ali won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, or that the film won Best Picture. It’s a moving examination of Black masculinity that will leave you misty-eyed.
Watch Moonlight on Tubi.
‘Steven Universe’ (2013-2019)If you’re looking for a smart, sweet and clever series that introduces kids (and adults) to queer themes while keeping it PG, we highly recommend Steven Universe. This Cartoon Network series is about Steven (Zach Callison), a young boy who is half-human, half “Gem.” Steven is constantly discovering more about himself and his unconventional family — he lives with his late mother’s three best friends, Garnet (Estelle), Amethyst (Michaela Dietz) and Pearl (Deedee Magno Hall).
While never framing them as “a big deal,” the series features same-sex relationships and gender non-conforming people. Steven is a wildly lovable character, determined to do what’s right for his friends and family while fighting evil forces from beyond the stars, but he shows no concern for gender norms, joyfully embracing both “girly” and “boyish” things with the same level of passionate enthusiasm.
If all that weren’t enough, Steven Universe has genuinely great world-building, with captivating mysteries that grow more intense as the series matures. Steven’s mother, the mysterious Rose Quartz (Broadway star Susan Egan), kept her fair share of secrets, and many of them come back to Earth for Steven and the Gems to face. As Steven grows up, so does the show — and both kids and adults will enjoy growing along with him.
Watch Steven Universe on Hulu or Sling.
