Gay movies for teens

Growing Up Queer Thoughtful : Shows like Degrassi: Next Class and Love, Victor explore coming out, relationships, and identity within the LGBTQ+ community

Not only does the film have a nuanced depiction of a lesbian love story, but it was also the first lesbian-themed feature film written and directed by a woman. While there may be some stereotypical characters, it showed gay men on screen at a time and focused on gay topics at a time when that was unheard of.

Synopsis: This comedy follows a Australian drag queens played by Terrence Stamp, Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce as they travel on a bus named Priscilla to a gig in the Outback and get into hijinks along the way. When she is 14 she becomes pregnant by her father, she's then married off to an abusive and uncaring man, and then forms a close relationship with a woman named Shug.

Synopsis: Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes, and John Leguizamo star as drag queens who travel cross-country until their car breaks down, leaving them stranded in a small town. Why it's important: While the film is never explicitly queer it's partially set in the '20s, after allit quickly became a lesbian classic because of the love story between Idgie and Ruth.

Synopsis: Notorious Baltimore criminal Divine goes up against a sleazy married couple who attempt to humiliate her and seize her title as "The Filthiest Person Alive.

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Synopsis: While waiting for her divorce papers, a repressed professor of literature is unexpectedly seduced by a carefree, spirited young lesbian. While their physical relationship is relegated to a single seen in this Stephen Spielberg-directed film, at the time, people were still incensed that it was included at all.

LGBTQ+ coming-of-age films from But I'm a Cheerleader to Moonlight help us remember that coming into a queer identity is a journey. Ninny recounts the exploits of her free-spirited sister-in-law Idgie Mary Stuart Masterson in the 's, and the bond Idgie shared with her friend Ruth Mary-Louise Parker.

By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Seminal queer cinema Alamy; Gramercy Pictures. Why it's important: The film was a surprise worldwide hit with mainstream audiences and broke boundaries because it showed gay men in drag as opposed to straight men cross-dressing like had been done in the past.

Why it's important: Made by out lesbian director Donna Deitch, at a time when few women were directing movies at all, let alone queer ones, this seminal lesbian film is one of the most romantic queer movies ever made. In some countries, LGBTQ movies have faced censorship and bans, including films like Disney’s Onward and Lightyear for referencing LGBTQ relationships.

Synopsis: A group of something gay men gather to celebrate the birthday of their friend Harold, who is a self-hating gay man, but one of their straight friends crashes the party. These films provide representation and visibility to LGBTQ+ teens, helping them see themselves in the characters and narratives on screen.

Synopsis: Based on the novel by Alice Walker, spans 40 years and tells the story of Celie, a Black woman living in the South who survives incredible abuse and bigotry. Synopsis: Corky, a lesbian ex con hired to work in an apartment as a plumber, meets neighbors Caesar, who launders money for the Mafia, and his girlfriend Violet.

Movies have the power to create empathy where none existed before, show the general public a segment of society that was largely ignored, and make marginalized groups feel seen and accepted. It was daring in the mid-'90s to make such a sexy, erotic movie focused on a lesbian couple.

Synopsis: This documentary chronicles the New York drag scene in the s, focusing on balls, voguing and the ambitions and dreams of the queer community. Their love story is sweet and sad, and although the words gay or lesbian aren't used to describe them, even their small town recognizes what the two women are to each other.

Why it's important: Starring Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly and directed by the Wachowski sisters, who had yet to come out as trans, this low-budget erotic thriller borrowed from noirs of the past but made the hero a woman, and her love interest another woman.

Why it's important: Although there have been other adaptations since the Whoopi Goldberg starring version remains iconic. Synopsis: A psychiatrist tells the stories of a transvestite named Glen or Glenda and a pseudohermaphrodite named Alan or Anne.

It celebrated queer culture and serves as a time capsule and intimate look at the pageant and ballroom scene of that era and the discrimination queer Black youth faced every day. Synopsis: A musical that follows a newly engaged couple who break down in an isolated area and must seek shelter at the bizarre residence of Dr.

Why it's important: Not only does The Rocky Horror Picture Show feature a whole spectrum of queer characters — including Frank-N-Furter, Riff Raff, and Magenta, who all come from the planet Transsexual — and was super campy, but it became a cult classic at midnight theaters with audience interaction and on-stage performances that became a haven for queer youth to express themselves.

Why it's important: The '90s was still a rough time to be queer and gay characters in movies were still few and far between. What are the best teen gay movies? The genre of teen gay movies has grown significantly, offering heartfelt and authentic stories that resonate with audiences of all backgrounds.