We’re three days into Pride Month and cannot wait to share a lot of new content to celebrate Pride here, at Best of Netflix.
The LGBTQ+ community have withstood all the storms that have tried to wear them down. From verbal abuse to physical assault and social exclusion, the community has managed to stand tall despite heartbreaking events, including the Stonewall riots, that led June to be declared as the Pride month when love will be celebrated in its rawest and most vulnerable form.
Hollywood has tried its level best to rival international cinema in their love and support for homosexuality. However, the blatant homophobia and entrenched heteronormativity have stood in the way of a film like Brokeback Mountain winning the Best Picture Award; Moonlight, however, avenged its predecessor years later, making history.
Netflix has been a pretty accepting platform that believes in inclusivity, representation and diversity.
Recently, their coming-of-age queer romance series Heartstopper, based on Alice Oseman’s graphic novel, received a rare 100 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes; people lauded the streaming giant and many even wished they had this show when they were younger as it helps start healthy and insightful conversations about gender and identity politics as well as sexuality.
The streamer has a pretty eclectic collection of queer films and series that are poignant and emotionally profound, some of which we discussed last year.
Here are five such queer shows you can now stream on Netflix to celebrate the beginning of Pride month:
The 5 best queer shows to watch on Netflix
5. Trinkets (Amy Andelson, Emily Meyer, Kirsten Smith, 2019)
Based on Kirsten ‘Kiwi’ Smith’s eponymous 2013 novel, the series revolves around three young women who become friends under unusual circumstances. United by their involvement in shoplifting, the series chronicles their lives in a quintessential teenage drama style.
Despite the cliched characters and overused narrative tropes, the brilliant representation throughout the series makes it pretty charming and relatable. Starring Brianna Hildebrand, Quintessa Swindell and Kiana Madeira, the short episodes and believable story make it a good watch.
4. Q-Force (Gabe Liedman, 2021)
Liedman is popular for Big Mouth and created an unabashed and unapologetic “gay James Bond”-like agent in the show which abounds in crude queer humour. It revolves around the titular band of LGBT spies who need to prove their worth in their field via various personal and professional endeavours.
The series stars Sean Hayes, Gary Cole, David Harbour, Laurie Metcalf, Patti Harrison and more in voice roles. The show subverts the tropes of masculinity which are quintessential to espionage films and has a brilliant representation of the LGBTQ+ community with all-queer voice actors and writer creatives which is still rare in TV.
3. Feel Good (Mae Martin, Joe Hampson, 2020)
With two seasons and twelve episodes, the British comedy series chronicles a semi-autobiographical romance between sexually fluid, recovering addict comedian Mae Martin and their girlfriend as they deal with various issues that threaten to disrupt their personal lives.
A brilliant representation of sexuality, mental health, sexual confusion and substance abuse, the intense and painful tale of relapse, rehab and relationships sees brilliant performances from Martin and Charlotte Ritchie. Between bouts of humour and introspection, the show is tender, fascinating and thought-provoking.
2. I Am Not Okay With This (Jonathan Entwistle, Christy Hall, 2020)
The show is based on Charles Forsman’s eponymous comic and chronicles the life of an awkward teen named Sydney Novak who is reeling under the trauma of her father’s tragic demise while grappling with new-found telekinetic powers and burgeoning sexuality and identity crisis.
As Novak tries to harness her powers and prevent destruction and chaos, the show focuses on the sheer awkwardness of adolescence. With a diverse cast, t focuses on her sexual awakening while handling grief, trauma, rejection and failure in a pretty heartwarming manner.
1. Heartstopper (Euros Lyn, 2022)
Based on Alice Oseman’s bestselling graphic novel, this coming-of-age queer teen dramedy has a rare 100 per cent Rotten Tomatoes rating and is one of Netflix’s finest creations. While touching on the complexities of identity and sexuality, it starts important conversations about inclusion and representation and has a diverse cast who play various roles on the spectrum.
Starring Kit Connor, Joe Locke, William Gao, Yasmin Finney, Corinna Brown and others, the show focuses on two teens, Nick and Charlie, forging an unlikely friendship that leads to blossoming feelings and unexpected romance. With heartwarming scenes and a brilliant Olivia Colman cameo, the show is a must-watch for all.
