It has been over 50 years since the Stonewall riots and LGBTQIA + rights have come a long way, and June is a time when the community around the world celebrates the freedoms they enjoy today.

While there are no parades, concerts or parties this year due to COVID-19, we can still celebrate in true lockdown style, delivering great LGBTQIA + content.

The word I

The original series of The L Word ran from 2004 to 2009, following the intertwined lives of a group of lesbian and bisexual women living and loving in Los Angeles. The series touched on all kinds of topics, from dating and relationships to relationship culture and raising a family. The diverse cast included women from all walks of life and everyone had their favorites –– I’m still a Bette fan to this day.

The L Word: Generation Q takes place 10 years after the groundbreaking original series. You can join Bette, Shane and Alice as they face trials and tribulations in Los Angeles by airing it on NOW TV, while the original series is available for purchase on Amazon Prime Video.

Pose

Pose is a brilliant American series centered on the underworld of 1980s balloon culture. The series is set at the height of the AIDS epidemic and follows the exploits of Blanca Evangelista as she creates her own “home.” and turns her mother into a gifted dancer and sex worker.

Ryan Murphy’s drama FX shines a light on the ’80s ballroom scene, which drew a largely gay, largely black crowd and featured predominantly trans performers vying for titles and trophies while walking”. The vibe will be familiar to anyone who’s ever watched RuPaul’s Drag Race, and is a refreshing and different kind of queer TV show.

Filled with incredible performances and searing drama set against the backdrop of 1980s New York City, full of all the racism, sexism and transphobia of the era.

Season 1 of Pose airs on Netflix as part of its “ Black Lives Matter ” collection and is also available on BBC iPlayer.

Betty

Betty is based on Crystal Moselle’s 2018 film, Skate Kitchen, which takes place in the world of New York’s skate scene. Betty –– the derogatory term for a skater –– is both diverse and feminist in addition to being unabashedly queer.

The cast is made up of non-professional actors and real-life friends who have lived in the male-dominated world of urban skate culture, giving their performances a natural, layered feel.

The series also examines themes such as tackling darkness, homophobia, misogyny and gender-based violence, in a way that makes it real and accessible.

Stream all six episodes of Betty on NOW TV.

Small fires everywhere

While we love niche queer TV shows, it’s always a pleasure to find mainstream TV to watch with LGBTQIA + characters. Produced by and starring Kerry Washington and Reese Witherspoon, Little Fires Everywhere is a gripping drama that stars one of the main characters, teenage Izzy, traversing a bizarre coming-of-age story arc.

In the 90s, it is clear that so much has changed in a relatively short time. Given that teens accept queerness a lot more these days – and many identify themselves as queer in some form – it’s significant that the series explores a time when societal thinking was much narrower.

Little Fires Everywhere is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

Feel good

Not only does Feel Good announce Lisa Kudrow’s return to television, but this Netflix / Channel 4 crossover series is an LGBTQIA + love story that touches on a range of serious topics.

Mae Martin writes and stars as a Canadian actress who begins dating a repressed middle-class Englishwoman, George. As George grapples with addiction issues and opening up to his family about his relationship with Mae, there are some brilliant performances including Kudrow playing Mae’s mother.

Feel Good is available to stream on Netflix, All 4, and Amazon Prime.

Queer eye

No LGBTQIA + list would be complete without mentioning Queer Eye. In 5 seasons, Jonathan Van Ness, Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Karamo Brown and Bobby Berk have become household names helping people to “ start their lives over ” through a combination of grooming, styling, makeover homemade, positive thinking and avocado toast. .

Binge the entire show on Netflix.

The politician

The Politician is another show from Ryan Murphy –– creator of Glee and American Horror Story –– and is unique in that the gender identities of many of his characters are unlabeled. Ben Platt plays Payton, a student determined to be President of the United States who struggles to be elected student body president in high school.

In addition to the lost romance between Payton and River, there are plenty of other queer and quizzical characters as well as appearances from gay icons such as Jessica Lange and Bette Midler.

Sex education

In the bizarre world that sounds English but looks American, Sex Education is a shameless look at the insecurities and misinformation many teens face when it comes to sex.

While there are plenty of straight characters to choose from, Eric has quickly become a fan favorite as he hilariously navigates being a black gay teenager in the modern world.

This taboo-breaking show is available to binge on Netflix, but it’s probably best not to watch it with your parents.

LGBTQIA + Documentaries to Watch During Pride Month

If you want to learn more about the LGBTQIA + community and the history of Pride, then there are some fantastic documentaries out there that give a great insight into the community’s tumultuous past.

Paris Is Burning on Netflix served as the inspiration for Pose, combining interviews and performances from those involved in the scene.

The Death and Life of Oscar-nominated director David France’s Marsha P. Johnson explores the life of transgender activist and drag artist Marsha P. Johnson, who was instrumental in the LGBTQIA + rights movement.

Disclosure takes a very different approach and, rather than making the public feel bad about transgender portrayal in the past, it has raised awareness of the broader issues of problematic portrayal.

The Celluloid Closet is an iconic LGBTQIA + documentary from 1996. Narrated by Lily Tomlin, The Celluloid Closet is available for purchase on Amazon Prime Video and delves into the centuries-old history of gay men and women in Hollywood.