5 LGBTQ+ Movies You Should See

2015 has been a big year for the LGBTQ+ movement. This summer the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that gay marriage is legal in all 50 states, Caitlyn Jenner became a trans icon and chronicled her transition in the TV series, I Am Cait, and last weekend Miley Cyrus ended the MTV Video Music Awards with a performance featuring more than 30 drag queens. While these strides are great, there is still a lot of work to be done to gain equal rights in the LGBTQ+ community. Interestingly enough, one thing that appears to be a positive part of the movement actually is not. The movie Stonewall, which comes out next month, supposedly documents the time leading up to the Stonewall Riots in 1969. Unfortunately, the protagonist in this movie is a white, cis-gendered man, and the movie seems to imply that this historical movement was led by him or men like him. In reality, the leaders of the Stonewall Riots were two drag queens and trans women of color, Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. In the movie, Johnson is a minor role portrayed by a cis-gendered, white man, and Rivera is not at all featured in the movie. Whether or not you see Stonewall is up to you, but please brush up a little on the true history of the Stonewall Riots (and inform your friends!) In the mean time, here are 5 movies that I'd recommend to anyone interested in the LGBTQ+ movement and its history.

1. Paris is Burning

Paris is Burning chronicles the ball subculture in New York City in the 1980s, filled with Hispanic and black gay men, drag queens, and transgender women. Interviews with key figures in the scene go into discussions about race, class, wealth, gender, beauty standards, and the terminology of the scene. Much of the slang we hear in the movie has worked its way into popular culture and our everyday language today. "I don't tell you you're ugly, but I don't have to tell you because you know you're ugly... and that's shade."

2. Milk

Milk tells the story of Harvey Milk, California's first openly gay elected politician, as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. The film shows Milk's various political and personal relationships, as well as his battle to become elected and his defense of the gay community.

Note! The Times of Harvey Milk is also a worth a watch. This documentary uses original interviews, archival footage, and news reports to tell the story of Milk's political career.

3. Southern Comfort

Southern Comfort documents the final year in the life of Robert Eads, a trans-man who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. He was turned down for treatment by two dozen doctors who feared that treating such a patient would hurt their reputations. By the time Eads received treatment, the cancer was too advanced to save his life.

4. The Celluloid Closet

This documentary examines the portrayal of LGBTQ+ persons through film and popular culture, and the attitudes behind these depictions. This documentary shows us how film and media shape our views as a culture.

5. The Committee

This documentary, created by UCF staff and students, chronicles how the Florida Legislative Investigation Committee (a.k.a. "The Johns Committee") perecuted LGBTQ+ communities throughout Florida in the 1950s and '60s, and how some of the effects of the committee's subversive activities are still felt today. This film has received many accolades, including Suncoast Emmy for a Historical Documentary. Stay tuned for a possible screening through VUCF and ABP!