With February being LGBTQ+ history month, it’s both a time for vibrant celebration of the community and for education about past struggles and successes.
For those looking to start with their education around LGBTQ+ history, here are a selection of the best shows, podcasts, and books about the queer community’s culture and ongoing battle against bigotry.
TV Shows
In terms of series, there are a plethora available across multiple streaming platforms. Perhaps one lesser known is ‘The L Word’, consisting of six seasons filmed from 2004-2009. Following the lives of lesbian and bisexual women in Los Angeles, whilst also tackling issues of transphobia and biphobia within the LGBTQ+ community, the show takes a fairly colloquial stance. The characters are so endearing and relatable for queer women, and it is available to stream free of charge on both FreeVee and Amazon Prime.
Another informative show set in 1980s London is ‘It’s A Sin’, which surrounds the lives of three gay men during the AIDs epidemic. Made up of stellar acting from Years and Years lead, Olly Alexander, the series tackles serious issues of HIV and AIDs epidemic in the 80s, which took hundreds of thousands of innocent lives whilst being ignored by governments worldwide. From 1981 to 1990, 100,000 people were lost to HIV/AIDs in the US alone. Viewers get an education on the fight to understand HIV from a range of views, acknowledging the stigmas even within the community. The NTA award winning show is currently free to stream on the Channel 4 app.
Podcasts
Moving onto podcasts, the one-year-old show, ‘Exactly’, by queer author Florence Given is available on all streaming platforms including Spotify and Apple Music. It is a bubble-busting guide to modern-day feminism and explores topics surrounding queer sex, history, and body image in a way that makes listeners feel empowered whilst also being educated. She interviews a range of insightful people including Jameela Jamil, Instagram activist Matt Bernstein, Oprah’s Life Coach Martha Beck, trans activist Shon Faye, and many more. Episodes can be listened to in any order and each episode focuses on a specific topic, meaning those wanting to learn more about the community can hand-pick topics that interest them.
Another very informative podcast available across all streaming platforms is ‘Homo Sapiens’. It is hosted by Alan Cumming and Chris Sweeney, two gay men who interview a sparkling line-up of LGBTQ+ icons. They also tackle contemporary issues like the World Cup in Qatar and coming out in football. Specials, like episodes on Trans Awareness Week, also delve into the history of transgender culture with licensed specialists appearing as guest stars to inform listeners.
Novels
Finally, though this book is fictitious, ‘The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo’ by Taylor Jenkins Reid explores bisexuality, lesbianism, and gay lifestyles from 1930 to the present day. It is an interesting insight into how the LGBTQ+ community came together in a time when it was not accepted in mainstream society. The life of the main character, Evelyn Hugo, is described in great detail – exploring her loves and losses with an extremely saddening plotline. The book is set to have its film adaptation come to Netflix, with many hoping for actress Ana De Armas to play the lead. Jenkins’ book is unique as it features queer people of colour, a demographic often overlooked especially when talking about queer history in the 20th century. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is available to buy on Amazon and in Waterstones.
Another historical book which is based on a true story is The Price of Salt by queer author, Patricia Highsmith. A forbidden love story of two women in 1950s New York, people may know this book better by its film adaptation ‘Carol’, starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara. The film was nominated for six Oscars in 2016, but the book adds another layer that the film could not demonstrate through the eyes of protagonist Therese. The book is an intense example of lesbian romance at a time when it was a crime. The Price of Salt is available to buy on Amazon and ‘Carol’ is free to stream with Amazon Prime.
