With an entertainment industry that’s dominated by a very particular demographic (we’re looking at you, upper/middle class, able-bodied, heterosexual, cisgender white men!), it can be hard to find movies you identify with or that express any aspect of your identity at all. Her Campus is here to remedy that discrepancy!
While we may not be able to spin LGBTQ+-friendly movies out of thin air (if that were possible, we’d be all over it), hopefully this list of our top 10 favorite films that will make you proud to be queer will get the ball rolling.
1. Paris Is Burning
This must-see documentary tells the story of multiple gender-variant New York City inhabitants and their participation in competitive ball culture. Paris Is Burning also gets extra points for having a female director and focusing on African-American and Latino individuals!
2. But I’m a Cheerleader
But I’m a Cheerleader comedically chronicles the attempted conversion therapy of Megan, played by everyone’s favorite Natasha Lyonne (à la Orange Is the New Black and American Pie). Megan’s senior year has the perfect setup: she’s a star cheerleader dating a handsome football player. She’s set up to have a picture perfect life, until she realizes she doesn’t like kissing her boyfriend. Can you guess what happens next?
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3. The Kids Are All Right
This film does a fantastic job of portraying the realities of same-sex parenthood as well as the difficulties of a complicated family structure. When the two children of artificially-inseminated parentage (whose mothers are Julianne Moore and Annette Bening) want to meet their biological father (Mark Ruffalo), family strain is inevitable.
4. Boys Don’t Cry
Brandon Teena (Hilary Swank) arrives in a new town determined to be one of the guys. Before long, it is revealed that Brandon was actually born female, and the repercussions are harsh. For her performance in the film, Hilary Swank won an Oscar for Best Actress!
5. My Beautiful Laundrette
This pick gives you a taste of comedy as well as suspense, and Daniel Day-Lewis and Gordon Warnecke explore the nuances of gay love in the Thatcher era while also facing obstacles because of Warnecke’s character’s Pakistani heritage against Day-Lewis’s character’s whiteness. Both characters are forced to confront difficult aspects of their own personal beliefs, and both clash with their families and communities who saw the main characters’ lives going differently.
6. Hedwig and the Angry Inch
This movie is adapted from the Broadway musical, and illustrates a trans woman named Hedwig’s sordid tale of love with an American army sergeant that does not go according to plan. The movie includes the musical’s original hits, so if you’re a fan of movie-musicals, this one’s for you.
7. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
While this choice might not traditionally be thought of as an LGBTQ+ film, as that isn’t quite its focus, Rocky Horror is most definitely queer-friendly. This movie-musical bridges gaps between comedy, horror and drama all at once, and is a bonafide favorite among all film buffs. Rocky Horror is one of few popular films to portray a transvestite in a genuine form.
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8. Milk
An obvious feature on this list, Milk portrays the life and accomplishments of Harvey Milk, a gay rights activist during the 70s. Milk’s story is unique because he was able to bridge so many traditionally-contradicting identity politic gaps. Sean Penn (who won a Best Actor Oscar for this work) plays the eponymous activist, and James Franco stars alongside him.
9. A Summer Dress
This French short film tells the candid story of a gay couple experiencing a lull in their relationship. In a classic case of a vacation gone wrong, A Summer Dress is earnest and dreamy. Its reliably-great premise sustains a complicated, thought-provoking series of events in the plot.
10. Beautiful Thing
Beautiful Thing offers a twist on the quintessential coming-of-age story. Two British boys explore their possible homosexuality together, with the help of their families and neighbors. The mix of characters involved in this identity exploration makes for a very funny movie viewing, while also remaining sincere and reflective with regard to LGBTQ+ realities.
Do you have any favorites that should have made this list? Share in the comments and on social media and let us know what you think of these pics! Happy binge watching!