Over this summer and pride month I’ve been reading and watching a lot of queer/lgbtqia+ media. What I’ve found, and what a lot of other people have found, is that a whole bunch of queer of media is unrelentingly sad, miserable or pessimistic. We’re all haunted by the ‘bury your gays’ trope that pervades all media and finding something where everyone’s happy and alive at the end is difficult. So I wanted to make a handy list of wholesome nice queer media for those of you that experience the same struggle.
But I’m A Cheerleader (Gay & Lesbian) is a funny and fun loving movie that will make you laugh and fill your stomach with bubbling butterflies. It’s a light comedy about teenagers who are sent to the strangest conversion camp there is, the kids rebel and break free with the help of a few gay adults. The cast is fun, but the star of the show is the popping block colour set design and cinematography that has a sense of humour. Overall, just a really fun movie that most will enjoy.
Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour (Lesbian) is a joyous book that manages to capture the essence of the golden era of Hollywood, a genre noir style mystery and a teenage love story all in one book. It’s a really easy read, I could hardly put this book down because I just needed to know what happened next. The twists and turns are exciting and you get heavily invested in these characters that you end up rooting for them from the second chapter. It will leave you warm inside with a longing for a California that only exists in movies.
Handsome Devil (Gay) is a movie filled with great acting and a genuine story that will give you flashbacks to school. This movie is about two boys in an Irish boarding school and is filled with the usual fare that you would expect. Andrew Scott and Fionn O’Shea really shine. The shot style and storytelling is very grounded, and while it does get a little sad it ends up being quite uplifting. It certainly left me smiling.
Go For It, Nakamura! (Ganbare, Nakamura!) (Gay) is possibly my favourite piece of queer media I’ve devoured all year. It’s a manga about a gay boy in high school who has a crush on his classmate and it’s the most precious and cute thing you will read all year. The art style is soft and really adds to the whole feel. It’s funny, adorable and extremely relatable. Please read about Nakamura being an awkward teenager who wants to be noticed by his crush and somehow manages to get octopus ink all over himself instead, I promise it will leave you with the biggest smile on your face.
I hope you enjoy these recommendations and the rest of your summer.
The Captive Returns 