Films
content warning: all of these films tackle the historical and current discrimination and violence that the queer community faces, and specifically discuss violence against QTBIPOC individuals.
The Times of Harvey Milk
1984
Documents the election of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California. In 1978, he, along with fellow San Francisco Board of Supervisor member Mayor George Moscone, were assassinated by a recently-resigned member of the board. The film showcases Milk's life leading up to his position as Board Member successfully representing San Francisco's gay community, and the community reaction to his murder.
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Where to Watch: various streaming services for rent
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson
2017
Victoria Cruz, with the Anti-Violence Project, investigates the death of Marsha P. Johnson, black gay rights activist and Stonewall veteran.
Documents the lives of Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, both prominent gay liberation activists, leaders in the transgender rights movement, and co-founders of "Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries" (STAR) in NYC.
Victoria Cruz, with the Anti-Violence Project, investigates the death of Marsha P. Johnson, black gay rights activist and Stonewall veteran. Initially ruled a suicide, the investigation considers the possibility that Marsha's death was murder and shows the modern-day threats and violence that trans folks face both in the outside world and continued in the "justice" system.
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Where to Watch: Netflix or here
The Archivettes
2019
Explores the impact that Deborah Edel and Joan Nestle, co-founders of the Lesbian Herstory Archives, have had on queer archival practices and the lesbian community in NYC. The Lesbian Herstory Archives is the world's largest collection of materials that are curated by lesbians the center the experiences and histories of lesbians. The film explores how Edel and Nestle "came together to combat lesbian invisibility and create a place that says yes," while also confronting the changing times, technology, and activist culture of the modern day.
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Where to Watch: Kanopy
Disclosure
2020
Discusses the lack of empowering trans*representation in early film, the impact that it has had on young trans and gender-non-conforming youth and the current push for more and better trans* representation in popular media. It features interviews with trans* folks involved in film and highlights the increased discrimination and violence that BIPOC trans people, especially trans women, face in media and the real-world implications of that normalization.
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Where to Watch: Netflix
Mustache Mondays
1984
Mustache Mondays follows the efforts of LA artists, DJs, promoters, etc,​ Ignacio "Nacho" Nava, Jr., along with DJ Josh Peace, Danny Gonzales and Dino Dinco, to create a queer nightlife scene devoted to whimsical creative expression and inclusivity. The film records the significant impact that Mustache Mondays had on the queer cultural scene of LA, as well as the supportive impact that Nacho had on his community before his passing.
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Where to Watch: https://www.kcet.org/shows/artbound/mustache-mondays-inclusive-nightlife-and-contemporary-art