During the past two years, physical Pride events haven’t existed. Our community have had to find other ways to feel connected. Equally, those who aren’t ‘out’ or do not wish to attend Pride events, find other ways to learn and celebrate. Thankfully, lots of charities and organisations made their own arrangements for Pride during the pandemic. But, there’s always room for more!
Our history is so important, although it’s often centred around the AIDS and HIV pandemic in the 1980s. But there is so much more to our community than the sorrow. In fact, our community has influenced a number of things throughout history. From fashion to music to art.
Regardless of whether you’re from the LGBTQ+ community or not, our history is both colourful and fascinating. Here are just a few of our favourite documentaries – if you’d like to recommend some more, feel free to leave a comment!
Recommended LGBTQ+ documentaries
The events surrounding the beginning of Stonewall are just a few moments that explore the dimensions of our rich and diverse history. Nowadays, there are stories detailing LGBTQ+ people in sport to LGBTQ+ owned business!
Just like the need for more LGBTQ+ films, I look forward to the day when we don’t exhaust LGBTQ+ documentaries in a matter of days. I also look forward to more diverse stories being told and ones that show every corner of our community.
A Secret Love
A Secret Love is a story that follows Terry & Pat, a lesbian couple who fell in love in the 1940s.
Terry, a profession baseball player (think A League of Their Own), and Pat embark on a journey through prejudice and secrecy, as well as family and heartache.
Follow them as they browse nursing homes, whilst contemplating leaving their life in Chicago to move to Canada where Terry’s family are.
This is a beautiful story, but with some surprising twists a long the way.
Watch A Secret Love on Netflix »
EMBED: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghv3-lpFOcc
Disclosure
Disclosure follows Hollywood’s depiction of transgender people in mainstream American media.
Using interviews with a variety of trans celebrities and activists, from Angelica Ross to Jamie Clayton, this documentary looks at the impact of trans stories across America and how trans people are often portrayed in the media.
It takes the audience through a history lesson using films and television shows to show how damaging and inaccurate the depiction and ideas of transgender people were displayed throughout, mostly, American cinema.
— Wikipedia
EMBED: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSgvWixY-ZQ
Circus of Books
Created by the daughter of the main subjects, Circus of Books follows two owners of a local Los Angeles ‘Book Shop’ that was also a Porn Shop and overall hub of activity for gay LA between the 1970s and 1990s.
Learn more about gay culture and history with this hilarious and equally emotional tale of what it was like in that time. The Jewish couple who ran the store also talk about allyship and what they faced during that period.
Watch Circus of Books on Netflix »
EMBED: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XijRv5g0QCA
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson
Marsha ‘Pay It No Mind’ Johnson was an LGBTQ+ activist before her suspicious death in 1992.
Director Victoria Cruz explores this, as well as Marsha’s life in The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson.
Using archival interviews with Johnson, and newly released interviews with Johnson’s family, friends and fellow activists, Cruz investigates their death and the circumstances around that.
Watch The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson on Netflix »
EMBED: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pADsuuPd79E
The Times of Harvey Milk
In 1978, two members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Harvey Milk and San Francisco Mayor, ‘George Moscone (I)’, were assassinated by recently resigned supervisor Dan White.
The Times of Harvey Milk follows Milk’s life leading up to his election, his successful campaigning to politically represent San Francisco’s gay community, and the city’s reaction to the assassinations.
Take an exclusive look at extensive news footage, as well as personal recollections and interviews.
EMBED: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jet-Ubwk5l8
Kiki
This 2016 film takes place in New York City and follows the ‘Vogue’ and ‘drag’ scene. Think real life Pose and the LGBTQ+ ballroom culture.
It’s considered as an unofficial sequel to the influential 1990 film Paris Is Burning
, covering other topics that affect the LGBTQ+ community, from homelessness, HIV/AIDS, and violence against LGBTQ+ youth.
As well as being allowed a rare insight into this fabulous community, Kiki also talks about activism and education. Focusing their attention to the young adults within the community – instead of older queer and transgender individuals.
EMBED: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHhs7GY5ft0
State of Pride
This is a true celebration of Pride and demonstrates its true meaning, as well as taking a look at its rich history and how it came about.
Follow people from a variety of small towns and large cities, across three different diverse communities within Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and Tuscaloosa, Alabama and watch (and learn) what Pride means to them.
A YouTube Original, State of Pride explores how Pride is both a party and a protest and how it means something different to each person.
Watch State of Pride on YouTube »
EMBED: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmFA0KnSs6Q
Paris is Burning
One of the very first ‘docu-films’ documenting LGBTQ+ culture, specifically the iconic New York drag scene in the 1980s.
Paris is Burning focuses on balls and ‘Voguing’, and explores the hopes, ambitions and dreams of those who lived through the era.
EMBED: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SqvD1-0odY
Before Stonewall
This is a 1984 documentary detailing the time before the Stonewall Riots. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1969 riots, the film was restored and re-released in 2019.
Labelled culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant
by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry, and using extensive archival film, movie clips and personal recollections and interviews, Before Stonewall is a must-watch for anyone interested in learning about our history.
EMBED: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtSVfgi8Xdg
All in My Family
This is a wonderfully heartfelt story about how a gay Chinese man, who has chosen to have children via surrogates, faces the dilemma of introducing his same-sex partner and their children to his deeply traditional parents and relatives in China.
This fascinating story shows the contrast between ‘modern family’ America, and ‘traditional’ family outside of that.
All in My Family is a wonderful story of acceptance.
Watch All in My Family on Netflix »
EMBED: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXiSr8I39fM
The Celluloid Closet
Based on the 1982 book The Celluloid Closet: Homosexuality in the Movies, in which author Vito Russo explored the history of how movies (especially Hollywood films) portray LGBTQ+ characters, The Celluloid Closet interviews various men and women connected to the Hollywood industry. They comment on various film clips and their own personal experiences with the treatment of LGBTQ+ characters in film. From the varying character portrayal and cruel stereotypes, to the censorship and the changes made in the early 1990s.
EMBED: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJjoFJH0wc4
Feature image credit: Netflix
