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A GIANT LIST OF MY FAVORITE QUEER MEDIA!!!!!

Film:

Big Eden (2000) - Super sweet romance, including a Native American character played by an actual Inuit actor. Mostly it’s just a really touching story of the main character’s community’s acceptance of him.

The Birdcage (1996) - Nathan Lane and Robin Williams are wonderful in this. It’s hilarious, moving, and maybe the most quotable movie on the list. Full of family and drag queens!

GBF (2013) - I call it the “gay Mean Girls.” It’s silly, but really fun and ultimately all about not treating people as accessories based on their sexual orientation.

I Love You, Phillip Morris (2009) - This movie is absolutely hilarious, but also manages to make you really care about the main romance despite the ridiculous circumstances and the fact that the main character is kind of a nightmare. Based on a true story.

In & Out (1997) - So it’s super 90′s and deeply flawed...... but I love it and you should all watch it. Kevin Kline is bae.

Latter Days (2003) - Gay LA man-slut seduces repressed gay mormon next door. The result is actually wonderful. 

Love is Strange (2014) - Beautiful, if sad, film. Nice to see an older gay couple. 

My Beautiful Laundrette (1985) - One of my favorite films of all time. Really beautiful interracial romance in London in the 80′s. 

Mysterious Skin (2004) - All the trigger warnings. All of them. That said, it’s a wonderful (and upsetting) movie. Young Joseph Gordon-Levitt is wonderful.

Philadelphia (1993) - A classic. Moves away from the romance this list has a lot of and more towards the political. About a man with AIDS suing his employers for firing him. Fantastic performances from Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington, and a shoutout to Antonio Banderas, who knew pretty much no English when he appeared in this.

Pride (2014) - Speaking of political, this one’s all about the UK Miner’s Strike in the 80′s and the support they received from a small group of queer Londoners. I could literally watch this film on repeat endlessly. I adore it with all of my heart. 

Rope (1948) - An absolute masterpiece of Alfred Hitchcock’s. The two main characters (a pair of murderous, sociopathic roommates) are absolutely drowning in gay subtext and just happen to be based off of two actual gay murderers. 

Shelter (2007) - Another favorite of mine. Deals with issues of class a lot, and also has lots of beautiful family stuff. Also I’m a tremendous sucker for the romance in this one, especially since there’s a kid involved.

The Skinny (2012) - Major rape trigger warnings on this one, but it’s honestly a really fun movie for most of it. A nice look at black queer culture and also just a nice film about a group of friends, which we don’t see enough.

The Way He Looks (2014) - A Brazilian coming-of-age story with a blind protagonist. Some of the best teenaged characters on the list.

Adolescence of Utena (1999) - Words cannot describe this. Watch the show first. It’s lower on the list.

But I’m a Cheerleader (1999) - Absolutely essential queer film, as well as the film that made all of us queer ladies fall head over heels for Clea DuVall and Natasha Lyonne.... Okay, maybe Natasha Lyonne wasn’t until OitNB, but she’s really wonderful in this. 

Chasing Amy (1997) - I’d be lying if I said this movie didn’t have... problematic elements. But it really tackles issues of fluid sexuality, and even if it doesn’t do it perfectly, it gets points for effort. Also generally just a fun movie. 

Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) - The lesbian subtext is so strong... I think we all just count it as text. Another classic.

Imagine Me & You (2005) - Adorable bride falls in love with the lesbian florist of her wedding. Awkward. So cute.

Joe + Belle (2011) - Lesbians. Murder. Road trip. Weird.

Pariah (2011) - I honestly don’t remember this one very well, but I remember loving it. Black lesbian protagonist. Coming-of-age sort of thing.

Saving Face (2004) - Asian American lesbian love story and also a lot about family. I’m all about interesting family relationships in movies. 

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994) - A kind of bizarre movie... Two drag queens and a transwoman go on a road trip... across Australia. There’s lots of ABBA.

Boys Don’t Cry (1999) - But I do. While watching this movie. About 30 times. That aside, this is a wonderful movie, and one of the few I’ve ever seen about a transman. 

Boy Meets Girl (2015) - Stars an actual real live trans actress! And addresses a lot about the fluidity of sexuality. 

Ma Vie en Rose (1997) - Baby french transgirl.

Tomboy (2011) - Baby french transboy.

Some Like It Hot (1959) - Another all time fav. Marlyn Monroe and her drag queen BFFs get up to shenanigans. All you need to know. 

Zerophilia (2005) - Included purely cause..... it’s so weird. The ultimate genderbender. If that’s your thing, then do check out this... bizarre piece of speculative fiction...

Books:

Annie on My Mind (Nancy Garden) - Lesbian classic. One of the first (maybe the first) queer books I ever read.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe (Benjamin Alire Sáenz) - Mexicans! Mexican characters! Yay! Also family stuff and beautiful writing. 

Beauty Queens (Libba Bray) - Feminist Lord of the Flies. With queers abounding. 

Carry On (Rainbow Rowell) - Gay Harry Potter. that’s it. That’s the story. 

Grasshopper Jungle (Andrew Smith) - Possibly my favorite on the list. Insect apocalypse plus bisexual awakening. Brilliant and hilarious. 

Hero (Perry Moore) - Gay teen superhero gets up to gay teen superhero stuff. 

The Letter Q (Various Authors) - Queer authors write letters to their younger selves. 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Stephen Chobsky) - I’d almost say an essential coming-of-age story for all teenagers, regardless of orientation, but especially good for queer and/or neauroatypical audiences. 

Twelfth Night (William Shakespeare) - Yes, I consider this queer as hell.

The Vorkosigan Saga (Lois McMaster Bujold) - Wonderful scifi series with various queer characters throughout and a disabled main character. 

Musicals:

Avenue Q (2003 Broadway) - Puppets dealing with life in NYC. One of them is gay. And a republican. 

Cabaret (1972 film) - A fantastic musical. The show and the movie have many differences, but they’re both wonderful, and both very queer. 

La Cage aux Folles (1983 Broadway) - See “The Birdcage” but with more drag and music. 

Camp (2003 film) - Queer theatre kids have drama and whatnot at Stagedoor Manor a generic theatre camp.

A Chorus Line (1975 Broadway) - One of my all time favorite musicals. All about dancers, many of whom are gay. 

Fun Home (2014 Broadway) - Basically the only lesbian musical. About Alison Bechdel. Wonderful.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001 film) - Both the film and the show are phenomenal, and deal beautifully with the title character’s complex gender identity and presentation. Makes me cry.  

Rent (1996 Broadway) - Full of characters of color, queer characters, and HIV+ characters in 1990 in NYC. Essential. The movie is garbage. 

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975 film) - A queer romp from start to finish. 

Spring Awakening (2006) - Not super gay, but a wonderful show that deals with sexuality in general a lot. Has some gay side characters. 

Television:

Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-   ) - Police sitcom. Delightful. The police captain is a gay black man and is also the funniest deadpan snarker of all time. 

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003) - First TV lesbians! Also my favorite show of all time. It’s about a girl who slays vampires. 

The First Shop of Coffee Prince (2007) - Genderbending K-Drama. 

House of Cards (2013-   ) - I describe this show as what would happen if Lady Macbeth and Richard III met up in modern day Washington DC, got married, and decided to take over... everything. Without spoiling anything, I’ll tell you that a major character is queer. 

Orange is the New Black (2013-   ) - Full of ladies! Queer ladies! Ladies of color! All sorts of ladies! In prison! Also Laverne Cox is an Amazonian Goddess. But you all knew that. 

Person of Interest (2011-2016) - Scifi. Starts off kind of a procedural, but changes a lot over it’s course. There’s an all-knowing machine. It’s complicated. But it’s wonderful, maybe my favorite show right now, and it has LESBIANS! 

Queer as Folk UK (1999-2000) - Gayest show ever. Watch the UK version if you want a good show; watch the US version if you want a guilty pleasure show to binge watch. I am ashamed to admit I’ve seen way more of the US show than the UK. 

Revolutionary Girl Utena (1997) - Still hard to describe. It’s like... all about growing up... but like everything is metaphorical... and like either made violent or sexual. And it has some incest... it’s weird. But AMAZING. 

Sirens (2014-2015) - Delightful sitcom about EMTs. Tragically short-lived. Has a canon asexual character!!!

Steven Universe (2013-   ) - I liked. This is much gayer than Queer as Folk. And is also hard to describe, but like... let’s just say it’s the best show ever and you just believe me and go watch it. 

Music: (not bothering with descriptions here. Go listen to them.)

Bi-Coastal (Peter Allen)

Billy Brown (Mika)

Cupcake (Nellie McKay)

Fever (Adam Lambert)

Father of a Son (The Ark)

Gay Bar (Electric Six)

Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy (Queen)

I Kissed a Girl (Jill Sobule)

James Bondage (Pansy Division)

Melody Dean (Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra)

Superstar (Tegan and Sara)

There’s a Girl (The Ditty Bops)

The Transgender Dysphoria Blues (Against Me!)

You Oughta Know (Jonathan Coulton)

Young James Dean (Girlyman)

Queer Media for Children:

And Tango Makes Three (Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell) - Adorable picture book about gay penguins.

Better Nate than Ever (Tim Federle) - Middle school boy of as yet undetermined sexual orientation runs away to NYC to audition for a musical. Really sweet. 

Cardcaptor Sakura (1998-2000) - Has various queers. My first anime. Really fun, but beware the dub. it’s all... straight. 

Drama (Raina Telgemeier) - Adorable graphic novel about middle school drama, both in the sense of interpersonal drama and theatrical drama. 

Gracefully Grayson (Ami Polonsky) - Really sweet book about a transgirl in middleschool. Super easy read. 

I Am Jazz (Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings) - For audiences too young for the above, this picture book is an autobiographical story of a transgirl.

Legend of Korra (2012-2014) - A sequel to the Avatar series. Full of awesome characters and ultimately ends with an interracial female-female couple, both of whom are bisexual.

Lumberjanes (Grace Ellis and Shannon Watters) - I have to admit, I haven’t read this yet. But it’s waiting on my shelf at home and I’ve heard only good things! It has a trans character!

Mulan (1998) - Our earliest crossdressing role model.

ParaNorman (2012) - Not my favorite, but gets major kudos for being the first mainstream children’s film with a canon gay character. 

Percy Jackson and the Olympians/The Heroes of Olympus (Rick Riordan) - A great series for middle schoolers who are interested in mythology. Towards the end of the series a major character comes out. 

The Road to El Dorado (2000) - Gay. Super gay. 

Sailor Moon (1995-2000) - An old favorite, though I haven’t watched it in ages. Beware the dub, which really awkwardly turns TREMENDOUS LESBIANS into the awkwardest cousins you’ve ever seen.

Steven Universe (2013-   ) - Still the best show ever. And now that we’re in the kids section I’ll add that it is a wonderful show for teaching young viewers self-love, the importance of healthy, supportive relationships, and lots of other just... great things. This show is the antithesis of toxic masculinity. 

Totally Joe (James Howe) - I don’t remember it well cause I read it when I was 12, but I loved it then. So yeah. Good middle school queer book. 

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[queereviews]

This looks cool! I’m very excited to check it out!

Hey everyone! My name is J.M. Bates. I am a humble humanoid from Chicago, working in a pharmacy during the day and writing at night. I am also a contributor for Fuck Yeah Feminists!

I have finished my first novel after six years of researching, writing, editing, revising, and polishing it to perfection.

Brilliant Shadows is a feminist fantasy novel about a young lesbian of color named Nattie who acquires magical abilities from an ethereal being known as a Shadow. Nattie discovers a whole new world, finds love, fights for justice, and meets her favorite comic book heroine.

If you’re looking for a fantasy novel with diverse, complicated characters interacting in believable yet interesting ways, look no further. Check out the first chapter, free of charge: http://brilliantshadows.tumblr.com/post/116666560638/brilliant-shadows-introduction

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The primary aim of this list is to bring together a group of books with no sex in them for younger teenagers or asexual teenagers who don’t want to read about sex. I’ve marked books which I know have skin colour/racial diversity with a ** if I’ve missed that in...

[queereviews]

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXDfaLzzoo8)

actual goosebumps 

[queereviews]

Beauty Queens (2014) Author: Libba Bray Rating: 4/5 Gayness: 3.5/5 Genre: Young Adult, Satire, Sci-Fi-ish, Dystopia-ish, Disaster, Survival Summary: When a plane full of Teen Dream Beauty Queens crashes on a seemingly deserted island, adventure, hilarity, and personal growth ensues. Playing off of tropes from Lord of the Flies and Lost, this satirical survival story is a comical feminist critique on sexism, consumerism, and modern culture in general. Notes: I have a lot to say about this book, so I’m gonna separate my critiques from my praise, just so it’s easier to swallow:

First, a critique: I’d like to start with an acknowledgment that this book does not represent the absolute pinnacle of intersectional feminism. It tackles issues of race, gender, sexuality, disability, classism, sex-positivity and safety, and, to a lesser extent, religion, and, to be clear, I think even attempting to take on so many issues is cause for praise. That said, Beauty Queens was written by a straight, cis, white woman, and therefore her depictions of certain characters’ experiences must be taken with a grain of salt. The places I felt most aware of her personal lack of experience with her subject matter were surrounding the trans* character and the possibly-bisexual character. In the case of Petra, the transgirl stranded on the island, I felt that some of Bray’s language was over-simplistic or outdated. She seems overly focused on surgery as what will eventually validate the character’s gender. There’s also a line that more or less goes “I’m too fabulous for one gender,” which feels out of character when the person saying it very clearly has only ever identified as one gender in her life: female. On the topic of Sosie, the bicurious, hearing-impaired dancer (who I honestly really like), I appreciate that Bray is trying to depict the difficulties and complexities of figuring out one’s sexuality, but I really wish the word “bisexual” had ever come up in the discussion. I’m also sure there are valid critiques to be made on Bray’s depictions of her two characters of color, but as a privileged, white-passing reader, I’ll leave those critiques for someone else to make. In addition to the qualms I have about a cis-het-white author tackling these issues, my last critique would be that the writing style is far from perfect, and I even noticed a few things that almost seemed like amateur typos once or twice. 

Second, the gushing: While I felt it was important to acknowledge the flaws of this book (which has been getting some slightly over-the-top praise, in my opinion), I’d like to make it perfectly clear that I really enjoyed this book! It may not be perfect, but, more than any other YA novel I’ve ever read, Beauty Queens is a celebration of all women. While a lot of the book is about the changes these characters undergo, just as much is about the ways in which they don’t change, but rather learn to own the ways that they are: The “dumb one” doesn’t turn out to be a secret genius at the end, but she is still treated as a complex character with feelings and valuable contributions to make; The one who is cynical about true love for valid reasons doesn’t find the perfect guy to prove her wrong and sweep her off her feet, because a reality is that “nice guys” can’t always be trusted; The hyper-competitive one may learn to soften up and let people in, but that doesn’t mean she looses her edge or her ambition. That is, more than anything, what I really loved about this book. It’s all about the limitless potential women can have and discover within themselves when freed from the pressures of a patriarchal society. AND THAT IS AWESOME. So even if I think certain things were lacking in the execution of the book, and not every issue was handled perfectly or in as much depth as it deserved, the spirit and intent of this book is something truly unique and important. It isn’t the pinnacle of intersectional feminism, but it sure as hell is a step in the right direction. 

Third, the actual story: It occurs to me I should maybe take a second to shed my genderqueer-bisexual-multiracial-feminist lens and actually talk about the story itself. Let’s be clear: the story is ridiculous. Everything is run by “The Corporation” and there’s a weird tiny country called the Republic of Chacha run by a dictator who dresses like Elvis and the format of the book includes actual commercial breaks complete with voice-overs, stage directions, and absurd made up products. If any of this seems ridiculous, implausible, or even incredibly obnoxious to you, believe me, it’s supposed to. It took a while for the book to grow on me, cause at first I was frustrated with the stereotypical characters, but as the story progresses, the characters stay stereotypes, but they also get awesome. One thing that got to me a bit was the point of view, which changed so often and suddenly I frequently felt as though I was getting literary whiplash, and it took about a third of the book for me to get used to it. That said, once you manage to comfortably suspend your disbelief to its breaking point and you adjust to the quirky style, it really is a fun read. You just need to go into it with an open mind. Yes, there will be pirates. Yes, there will be hallucinogenic berries. Yes, there will be weaponized beauty products. Just roll with it and you’ll probably have fun. 

Trigger Warnings: Death, bullying, violence, dub-con, self-harm, mental-illness, probably more

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Jesus Christ Superstar (Originally 1971) Director:

1971 Broadway: Tom O’Horgon 1973 Film: Norman Jewison 2000 Film: Gale Edwards and Nick Morris 2012 Broadway: Des McAnuff 2014 Boston: Stacey Stephens

Lyrics: Tim Rice

Music: Andrew Lloyd-Webber

Starring: 

1971 Broadway: Jeff Fenholt, Ben Vereen, Yvonne Ellimen 1973 Film: Ted Neeley, Carl Anderson, Yvonne Ellimen 2000 Film: Glen Carter, Jérôme Pradon, Renée Castle 2012 Broadway: Paul Nolan, Josh Young, Chilina Kennedy 2014 Boston: Justin Reeves, Devon Stone, Scott Caron

Rating: 4/5 Gayness: 2.5/5 (varies dramatically by production) Genre: Musical, Drama, Religion, Rock Opera Summary: This 1970′s rock opera tells the story of the last week of Jesus’ life and the events leading up to his crucifixion, focusing on his relationships with Judas and with Mary Magdalene. Notes: Let me start by putting all the cards on the table: yes, Webber basically just uses the same four or five tunes over and over again throughout the show and yes, Rice’s lyrics are, at times, well... garbage. But not really. I mean, yes really, but somehow the semi-awful lyrics work. But anyway, say what you will about Andrew Lloyd-Webber (I am literally constantly hating on Andrew Lloyd-Webber), but he definitely has a flair for the over-the-top and insanely dramatic, especially where larger-than-life historical or religious figures are involved. And this musical is by far his best (try and argue with me. I dare you.), not least of all because it focuses on such a compelling relationship. Ah, and now we come to the gay part. Jesus and Judas, no matter what production, are always at the very least a tiny bit gay. In fact, given that productions practically never show anyone, including Mary, kiss Jesus on the mouth, and that Judas always gets at least one love song reprise to sing mournfully, Judas and Mary are arguably tied for love-interest-status. But anyway, focusing on this relationship right as it (obviously) falls apart is heart-wrenching and beautiful and is entirely the heart of this musical. The characters are also done beautifully, with Mary being the one of the three main characters we get perhaps the least depth from. Judas’ inner struggle and attempts at justification are devastating and wonderful. Equally so are Jesus’ moments of exhaustion at the end of his life, after trying for three years which he says “feel like thirty.” Anyway, I wanted to talk briefly about a few productions because gayness and quality vary so much. Here goes:

1971 Broadway: Well.... I mean, I wasn’t born yet when this was on Broadway and I’ve never seen or heard a recording of it, so I have little to say about this one other than “Oh my God, I never knew Ben Vereen was the original Judas! Awesome!” So yeah... 1973 Film: This movie is wonderful. Carl Anderson is the perfect Judas, especially in how he really communicates his frustration. When he sings, you understand how much he really believes what he is doing is his only choice and how angry and devastated he is about it. Jesus is also wonderful, and his voice is beautiful. Everyone’s voices are beautiful. This is a beautiful movie. Oh, speaking of which, the costumes and visual choices in general are also really cool. Watch this movie. The other versions are great, but this is the only JCS you really need. I could say more, but I see no point. The movie is the best. (Available on itunes and here) 2000 Film: This is not a good film, but damn it all if I didn’t enjoy the hell out of it... Every single moment of it is overacted, Judas’ French accent is distracting, the roman guards look like Darth Vader, and Simon has gay boyband hair and crazy eyes. There are also awkwardly long periods of time where aparently Judas and Jesus were given no instructions other than “yeah... make eye-contact from wherever you are on stage, and just... hold it. Hold it until the next time you have to sing. And breath heavily and look like you’re in emotional turmoil. And just.... keep doing that. Great.” So.... this is the worst and gayest adaptation I’ve ever seen of this and... I mean... if you have two hours to kill, I’d definitely recommend it. (Available on youtube and here) 2012 Broadway: This tragically brief revival, which received mixed reviews but deserved nothing but raves, probably has the Jesus-Judas dynamic that touches me most. Every time they interact is so painfully tender and emotional. A big part of this is a) the actors’ physicality with one another and b) the choice to have some parts of Judas’ songs sung up close to Jesus almost like pleas for him to understand his point of view as opposed to the having them sung as outbursts from across a room or as kind of soliloquies apart from everyone else. Also Judas in this is just fantastic. I can’t even deal with it. I mean, no one could replace Carl Anderson, but Josh Young makes such different choices and has such a different voice that I can make room in my heart for both of them. Oh, also a thing I loved about this production was the choice to give Judas parts in the “Everything’s Alright (reprise)” and in “Could We Start Again Please.” Awesome. (Available on youtube) 2014 Boston: Despite the 2012 revival having the most absolutely in-love dynamic between Jesus and Judas, this unusual modern-day interpretation of the show wins the actual-queer-representation prize for having Mary be a trans-woman. Scott Caron did a lovely job portraying her. Also on the gay topic, Judas is a giant gay hot mess in this. They may not have quite the chemistry of the movie or 2012 Jesuses and Judases, but its a near thing, and either way Devon Stone more than makes up for it by being loudly and painfully and angstily obsessed and in love with his Jesus. It’s awesome, though his total anguish does get a little over the top in his reprise of “I Don’t Know How To Love Him,” which was constantly toeing the line between “amazing” and “vaguely painful to listen to or watch.” Anyway, this was an interesting production because it was set just post-9/11 and showed Jesus in a modern setting surrounded by modern media. It was cool, but my biggest complaint about their execution of this concept is that they didn’t really tie Jesus to any cause. There was no visible oppression he and his followers were standing up to, so it really reached a point where I was wondering what this modern Jesus was so famous for and if he ever actually, well, did anything. That aside, the modernization of the story was really cool and I always love seeing new takes on familiar shows. 

Trigger Warnings: Violence, Death

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Steven Universe (2013-?) Creator: Rebecca Sugar Starring: Zach Callison, Estelle, Michaela Dietz, Deedee Magno Hall Rating: 4/5 Gayness: 2.5/5 Genre: Fantasy, Childrens, Cartoon, Comedy, Adventure Summary: Steven Universe is a little boy who’s half gem--a type of alien, three of which live with him, raise him, and take him on adventures. It’s wonderful. Notes: This show is incredibly queer. Not just for a kids show--like, for any show. It’s full of characters that totally defy gender norms, it includes one canon lesbian couple and much more through subtext, and it’s about a little boy being raised essentially by three moms (he has a dad too. He’s cool. He’s not there much.). It’s also full of characters of color and is super feminist and is the first Cartoon Network show created solely by a woman. Also it’s just a lot of fun. It’s witty, it’s heartfelt, and really it’s surprisingly well-conceived. The characters are fleshed out and engaging, the relationships are well developed, and the overarching plot of the show (there’s like, backstory and history and um sort of an alien invasion) is super well done, especially given that it’s done in ten minute episodes and it’s done subtly enough that you can buy the 9-or-10-year-old main character’s total ignorance of the situation while still following everything yourself. Also Steven has a pet lion. 

Trigger Warnings: like, minor kids-show violence.  Available on: Here

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Boy Meets Girl (2014) Director: Eric Schaeffer Starring: Michelle Hendley, Alexandra Turshen, Michael Welch, Michael Galante Rating: 5/5 Gayness: 5/5 Genre: Drama, Romance, Comedey-ish Summary: Ricky, the delightfully blunt heroine of Boy Meets Girl, has always been very clear in her goals: 1) move to New York, 2) become a famous fashion designer, 3) find meaningful romance. Unfortunately for her, #1 and #2 require money, and #3 is a little hard when you’re a trans-woman living in a close-minded, republican, small town in middle-of-nowhere, Kentucky. But that doesn’t mean she won’t try. Notes: I could go on for hours about all the reasons you should watch this movie, so I’ll keep my reasons as brief and to the point as possible: 1) trans main character played by actual trans actress! 2) very sex-positive--includes adorable, responsible, hilarious, ACTUAL discussions about sex!!! 3) Represents sexual and romantic orientation as complex and changeable and not always something that people necessarily fully understand in themselves right away. 4) Sweet, well-developed characters, all of whom I care immensely about (the one exception would be David, who I find interesting but whose characterization feels a little messy to me). 5) FAMILY! SO MUCH FAMILY STUFF! 6) AND FRIENDSHIP! BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP! 7) Romantic and sexy and heartwarming! 8) Actually explores peoples misconceptions and identity crises and reasons for doing things. Like, people do bad things in this film, but it’s never black and white. 9) Mental disability representation! 10) Ricky’s sass is my favorite thing ever. 11) Just watch the goddamn movie. I can’t even.... deal with it. I loved it. So damn much.  Trigger Warnings: Sexual violence, violence, death, self-injury, suicide, racism, adultery Available on: Um... the website I watched it on like 2 minutes ago is messed up now... so..... nowhere that I can find at the moment?

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The Circle (2014) Director: Stefan Haupt Starring: Matthais Hungerbühler, Sven Schelker Rating: 4.5/5 Gayness: 5/5 Genre: Docudrama, Romance, Drama, Biopic, Foreign Language (German) Summary: This docudrama tells the true love story and history lesson of Ernst Ostertag and Röbi Rapp and their roles in the later years of the publication of Der Kreis, a gay magazine that was published in Europe and America from 1932 to 1967, including the years of World War II. The story is told through both interviews with the real Ernst and Röbi and other living contemporaries of theirs, and through beautifully acted portrayals of their young lives and romance back in the 50′s and 60′s.  Notes: When I sat down to watch this, I didn’t realize it was part documentary and I almost turned it off--not cause I dislike documentaries, but more because I was worried a subtitled historical documentary would be a little tedious for my sleepy state. As it turned out, this film is many things--romantic, heartbreaking, heartwarming, fascinating--but tedious it is not. I honestly enjoyed the “docu-” and the “-drama” equally in this film, and found myself drawn in both by the love story and the (previously unknown to me) chunk of queer history. Furthermore, the main two characters/people are still alive, and nothing makes me happier/more emotional than seeing people who have lived through all sorts of discrimination live to see a level of acceptance they never could have hoped for in their youth. So next time you’re in the mood for some history, some romance, or a bit of both, check this movie out. Trigger Warnings: Sexual violence, violence, death Available on: Netflix

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The Way He Looks (2014) Director: Daniel Ribeiro Starring: Ghilherme Lobo, Fabio Audi, Tess Amorim Rating: 4/5 Gayness: 4/5 Genre: Romance, Drama, Coming-of-Age, Foreign Language (Portuguese) Summary: A beautifully realistic depiction of adolescence, The Way He Looks tells the familiar stories of first love, damaged friendships, the desire for independence, and feeling like an outsider, all from the perspective of Leonardo, a blind teenage boy, and his two best friends. It opens with Giovanna, his childhood friend from whom he is inseparable, hoping aloud that the coming school year would bring their first romances, which Leo scoffs at. Things change soon after, however, when the handsome transfer student, Gabriel, walks into their lives, inadvertently shaking the foundations of the friendship as he falls in love with Leo.  Notes: This movie was originally a short film (I Don’t Want to Go Back Alone), which I saw online a couple years ago, and I was SO psyched it got made into a feature length film with the same actors! I finished watching it just now and I’m still a little overwhelmed by how sweet I found it. The romantic leads have such wonderful chemistry and awkward teenaged sexual tension and are just so tender towards each other. I’m really tired right now, so I’m having some difficulty writing anything particularly thoughtful about this movie, but rest assured, it is wonderful and heart-warming and good. Go watch it.  Trigger Warnings: Underage Drinking, Bullying  Available on: Netflix

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Grasshopper Jungle (2014) Author: Andrew Smith Rating: 4.5/5 Gayness: 4/5 Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi, Apocalypse, Action Summary: This is the self-recorded history of Austin Szerba, a Polish-American teenage boy from Ealing, Ohio whose job it is, as a historian, to tell the truth. Over the course of the novel, you learn about many subjects, just a few of which include antique urinals, the history of the Szerba (Formerly "Szczerba") family, sexual identity crises, Eden 5, and the end of the world. Also there are bugs; Bugs that only want two things, but you can read the book to find out what those are.  Notes: Usually a narrator that uses the word "horny" would exasperate, annoy, or disgust me, but frankly its frequent usage in this book is hilarious, not least of all because the horniness of the young protagonist is directed both at his girlfriend and best guy friend. Bisexuality is my reason for life. Horniness aside, this book is enjoyable from cover to cover. I could hardly put it down. The format and voice of the narrator are unique and compelling, and the apocalyptic subject matter is handled in a way I have never seen before. The apocalypse depicted here is both laugh-out-loud hilarious and, at times, legitimately chilling. The characters are flawed in totally believable teenage ways while still being likable for all their absurd quirks and for their relationships with one another. Basically if you like humor, sci-fi, bisexuals, interesting narrative styles, and apocalypses, this book is for you.  Trigger Warnings: Death, bullying, violence, dub-con, body horror, probably more, to be honest...

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Date and Switch (2014) Director: Chris Nelson Starring: Hunter Cope, Nicholas Braun, Dakota Johnson, and Zach Cregger

Rating: 4/5 Gayness: 3.5/5 Genre: Comedy, Dramedy, Romance, Bromance, Teen Sex Comedy Summary: Bored by their girlfriends who won't put out and disheartened by their perpetual virginity as the milestone of prom looms ever closer, best friends Matty and Michael vow to help get each other laid before the dance. Plans change slightly when Matty comes out as gay and Michael develops feelings for Matty's ex Em, and soon it becomes unclear if their lifelong friendship can withstand the strain of all this change and if they'll ever lose their virginity and earn the ultimate reward: celebratory pot brownies.  Notes: I freaking loved this movie. It was hilarious and touching at all the right moments, romantic and endearing as well as goofy and dorky. Above all, I loved that it was about a "gay dude"--one who didn't fit into any gay stereotypes or see know where he fit in the whole queer culture. It defies not only stereotypes about gay men, but about what gay film needs to be. This is not your average tragic gay love story or goofy flamboyantly camp comedy. No, this film's hodgepodge genre draws more from the goofiness of bromance stoner movies like "Pineapple Express" and the "Jump Street" films and teen sex comedies like "The To-Do List," as well as the touching cheesy aspects and melodramatic misunderstandings of highschool romances and romcoms like "10 Things I Hate About You" and "Say Anything," with just a bit of an indie film and thoughtfulness thrown in there. I love that it plays with genre and expectations and I love that it's primarily about a totally platonic friendship between a pair of dorky dude-bros, one of whom happens to be gay.  Trigger Warnings: Drug Use, Dubious Consent   Available on: iTunes and others

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Binder? (you can message me here, too.)

Unworn Small Velcro Half-Length Binder For Sale!!!

Dear FTM, Genderqueer, Drag King, Cosplaying, or otherwise-breast-binding readers,

I recently bought a binder from lesloveboat.com (see above)! This was very exciting for me, as I’ve wanted one for some time! Unfortunately, I’m an idiot and bought one at least a size too small. Oops. Anyway, to continue my idiocy, I procrastinated on exchanging it for the right size and now it is, in fact, too late to do so. 

So instead, because I want to get some of my money back so I can justify buying a new one that fits, I’m gonna sell it to one of you folks for, like, 40% off! 

The original price, with shipping and handling, was $53, but I’ll sell it for $32, with no additional cost for shipping!

The binder, like I said, is half-length, black, velcro, and made of a cotton mesh material. Also, since I physically cannot fit into it, it has literally never been worn, and is in perfect condition. The size is a Small, or 71-83cm chest size. To calculate your size, go to this page. If you’d like to see more information and reviews for this product, here’s the description on the site I bought it from.

Anyway, if you’re interested in buying, send me a message including your name, favorite type of pie, and E-mail address so we can further discuss the details. 

Much love,

The Waffle half of Waffle Meringue Productions AKA Periru3

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This is really cool! I didn't know about this site until I saw it in the list of resources at the back of Freakboy! Check it out!

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Gracefully Grayson (2014) Author: Ami Polonsky Rating: 4/5 Gayness: 4/5 Genre: Young Adult, Middle Reader Summary: Grayson, a sixth-grader who lives with his Aunt, Uncle, and two cousins, has always been a bit of a loner, afraid of letting people get close in case they realize he's different. He's never felt right in his own body, and as he grows up, it gets harder and harder for him to look in the mirror and pretend his deliberately baggy clothes are flowing gowns and skirts. This book tells the story of Grayson's sixth-grade year as he discovers two worlds of drama: one on stage and the much-scarier one of cliques in the lunchroom. Notes: For starters, I love that there is a book so accessible to young readers that's all about being trans! I don't know that I have much to say about this book other than that I found it incredibly charming. I loved the complicated family dynamics it dealt with. I also loved the combination of a really young, innocent perspective with a difficult subject matter that they managed not to sugar-coat. I also personally enjoy stories with cool teacher mentor characters, which this certainly has. Basically a super quick but enjoyable read, great for middle-schoolers and up.  Trigger Warnings: Death, bullying, violence

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Kinky Boots (2013) Director: Jerry Mitchell Script: Harvey Fierstein  Music: Cindy Lauper Starring: Billy Porter, Andy Kelso, and Jeanna De Waal Rating: 2.5/5 Gayness: 4/5 Genre: Musical, Comedy, Drama, Romance Summary: When the CEO of Price and Son (a mens' shoes factory in rural England) suddenly dies, it's up to his son to reluctantly take over the family business, ruining his fiancee's plans for them to move to London together. Once Charlie is in charge, it becomes apparent that business has been going poorly for quite some time and, unless some serious changes occur, the factory must close, leaving some of Charlie's closest friends and co-workers unemployed. It's then, faced with the possibility of losing his business, that Charlie meets Lola, an exuberant drag queen from London. With the help of Lola and Lauren, a girl he works with, Charlie completely redesigns his business to cater to a niche market: Draaag queeeeens!!! Notes: First things first: Matilda the Musical deserved that freaking Tony. No question. That said, I will concede that this is an enjoyable piece of theatre. Billy Porter earned the hell out of his Tony, the book is funny, and the drag queen numbers are super energetic and fun. My biggest complaint--sorry, Cindy--is that I did not like the music. Not one bit. I was worried about that when I saw the Tony's performance and was kind of like "...huh. Well that was a sort of... lifeless, unoriginal number, wasn't it?" And that's... sort of how I felt throughout the entire show. Like I said, the drag numbers were fun, and well choreographed and all, but none of the tunes were memorable, and every time Charles sang, I kind of rolled my eyes and just waited for it to be over. So yeah. This show's a good time, but for real, MATILDA DESERVED THAT FREAKING TONY! Trigger Warnings: Violence, abuse (sort of)