Pride Month has been celebrated since 1970, though it wasn’t officially recognised in the United States until 1999. Over the years, it has become more inclusive and now represents any identity across the LGBTQ+ spectrum.
Companies around the world now also mark Pride, sometimes to criticism. Some have been accused of “rainbow-washing”, which is when a brand supports the queer community for clout or to make money, rather than out of actual activism.
But Pride is also a time to hear new stories from this community. These films, now streaming on Netflix, are a good way to be both entertained and educated.
7 LGBTQ+ movies to watch in celebration of Pride Month
1. Nimona
In Nimona, viewers are introduced to a neo-medieval society where two knights can be boyfriends, and no one blinks an eye.
But the trans representation is more subtle. The titular character, Nimona, is a shape-shifter who chooses the form of a teenage girl. As Business Insider’s Palmer Haasch noted, many have read Nimona’s identity as a trans allegory.
The film was nominated for best animated feature at the 2024 Oscars.
2. The Half of It
Released in 2020, the film features social outcast Ellie is hired by her neighbour Paul to help him woo Aster, a fellow student on whom Ellie also has a crush.
Inspired by the play Cyrano de Bergerac, Ellie and Aster begin a letters- and texts-only relationship, with Aster thinking she’s corresponding with Paul.
Not only is this a story about Ellie and Aster, but it also is the story of Paul and Ellie’s friendship as his friendship with Ellie challenges his beliefs.
3. A Secret Love
The 2020 documentary is about a relationship between two women that remained a secret for almost 70 years.
Terry Donahue, a player in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, and Pat Henschel were in a relationship for 72 years after meeting the 1940s.
But somehow, they were able to keep their relationship a secret for almost 70 of those years, before telling their grandnephew (and director) Chris Bolan. The film tells the story of their love, and how they kept it hidden.
4. Rustin
Released in 2023, the movie tells the story of Bayard Rustin, a civil rights activist. He was a major figure in planning the historic March on Washington in 1963, the site of Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
Rustin was also gay, which meant his efforts went largely under the radar until much later – he was effectively unknown for decades.
5. Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen
Released by Netflix in 2020, the film features interviews with trans celebrities like Laverne Cox, Michaela Antonia Jaé Rodriguez, Chaz Bono, Alexandra Billings, Elliot Fletcher, and more.
In addition to hearing from these voices, Disclosure also examines how transgender people have been portrayed in the media over the last 60 years.
Content may not be suitable for young audiences.
6. Alex Strangelove
In this 2018 teen romcom, Alex is a high school student who, in a rush to lose his virginity, decides to have sex with his best friend, Claire. However, when he meets Elliot, a gay classmate, Alex begins to think more about who he’s attracted to and who he really is.
Content may not be suitable for young audiences.
