Pride Month : Watch + Listen

TV and Film:

: Girl Picture
Girl Picture is a Finnish coming-of-age film directed by Alli Haapasalo from a screenplay by Ilona Ahti and Daniela Hakulinen. It premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival where it won the Audience Award in the World Dramatic Competition.

: Heartstopper
A coming-of-age romcom in which two teenage boys fall in love for the first time. This has become an instant hit with many Millennials who never experienced the innocence of teenage love while at school. Perfect for all the family, helping to raise the conversation of homosexuality with teenagers. 

: It's a Sin
Set in London during the 1980s gay scene as the AIDS crisis emerges, this series will make you laugh, sob and smile about your 20s spent on the dance floor. La.

: The Boys in the Band
A film based on the 1968 play by Mart Crowley featuring an all-gay, all-star cast. Beautifully shot, this is the queer answer to Abigail’s Party.

: The Prom
Making camp even camper (if this is even possible!), The Prom is the perfect Saturday night film. Directed by Ryan Murphy, the film stars some familiar faces including Meryl Streep, James Corden and Nicole Kidman – an odd combination I know, but it works. I PROMise (tehehe).

: Boy Erased 
A true story about Christian conversion therapy in America. This is partially pertinent as the UK recently banned conversion therapy, but shockingly decided to exclude those affected from the trans community.

Documentaries:

: Disclosure
A brilliant documentary which looks at the portrayal of trans and gender non-conforming people in mainstream media throughout history.

: Framing Agnes
After discovering case files from the UCLA gender clinic from the 1950s, a group of trans actors confronts the legacy of young trans women being forced to choose between honesty and access.

: A Secret Love
This documentary illustrates a same-sex couple’s 65-year relationship and the courage both women displayed throughout their lives together. A heart-warming and brave account of how their relationship has lasted seven decades and of shifting social attitudes.

: Pray Away
Five evangelicals in the 1970s break away and form Exodus International, a group that claims that gay people can become straight through prayer and conversion therapy.

‘[It is] helping to raise the conversation of homosexuality with teenagers.’

Podcasts:

: Making Gay History
This is a brilliant podcast! Each episode is based around an original interview from the hosts’ past 50 years of documenting queer history. A personal favourite is an interview with Ellen DeGeneres. The interview takes place in the late 1990s shortly after Ellen came out on her prime time show. The show faced a huge backlash, losing its advertisers, leading to the show’s eventual axing. A then blacklisted Ellen talks openly about her experiences, facing homophobia on a global public stage.

: Queer AF
QueerAF is the award-winning one-of-a-kind podcast with beyond the binary stories about queerness, sexuality, gender and identity.

: Bad Gays
This one has a small budget, but the premise is great and therefore worth a go. The podcast sets out to rewrite the very one-note/stereotypical view we have of gay men in history and highlights some of history’s bad guys who also happened to be gay. This challenges our views not only about history but also about what it is to be gay.

: LGBTQ&A
Weekly interviews with the most interesting LGBTQ+ people in the world. Recent guests include Laverne Cox, Pete Buttigieg, Roxane Gay, and Brandi Carlile.

Books:

: Non-Binary Lives: An Anthology of Intersecting Identities
Edited by Meg-John Barker, Kat Gupta, Jos Twist and Benjamin Vincent – a collection of essays that unpacks the breadth of non-binary lives across the boundaries of race, class, age, sexuality and faiths.

: Gears for Queers by Abigail Melton and Lilith Cooper 
A memoir by gay couple Melton and Cooper, written as they cycle across Europe, pushing themselves and their relationship to its limits.

: I’m Afraid of Men by Vivek Shraya
Shraya discusses the changes she faces as a trans woman of colour.

: She Gets the Girl by Alyson Derrick and Rachael Lippincott
She’s All That meets What If It’s Us in this swoon-worthy hate-to-love YA romantic comedy from #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of Five Feet Apart Rachael Lippincott and debut writer Alyson Derrick.

TED Talks

School can be an awkward time for nearly everyone, but for queer students, it can be particularly nightmarish. In a heartfelt and personal talk, Coby Everton shares their experiences of isolation in academic environments and explains why allies are essential in these spaces.

You can watch Everton's TED talk here.

The myths of gay adoption – Lynne Elvins candidly shares the experience of adopting a son with her partner Emma, and what it can teach us about authenticity and advocacy. Lynne and her partner were the first openly gay couple to be approved to adopt in Bristol back in 2004.

You can watch Elvin's TED talk here.

‘This challenges our views not only about history but also about what it is to be gay.’

LGBTQIA+ Resources

: The LGBT Foundation
The LGBT Foundation provides sexual health advice on a variety of topics regarding sexual health for LGBTQ+ people. 

: The Terrence Higgins Trust: Together We Can
The Terrence Higgins Trust is a charity in England and Wales that supplies LGBTQ+ individuals with physical and mental health resources. 

: Mildline Trans+ National Helpline
Mildline Trans+ is a non-judgmental UK helpline organized for trans, non-binary, and gender fluid individuals who are seeking emotional support. If you are in need of support or advice, dial 0300 330 5468 to reach their service. 

: Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Teens: Facts for Teens and Their Parentsexternal icon
Many teens today often struggle with their sexual identity and this challenge often impacts themselves and those around them. For parents and friends dealing with a loved one who may be questioning if they are gay, lesbian, or bisexual, it's important to be well educated on how you can be there for them emotionally. 

: Genders & Sexualities Alliance Network
GSA is a network of organizations that unite LGBTQ+ youth to provide them with a safe space to positively impact their schools and their community. 

For more helpful resources, please visit the CDC LGBT Health page.