Representation is important. It is therefore all the more gratifying that series and films are increasingly dealing with the realities of life for gays, lesbians, queers and trans people. We are introducing you to six films and series that are particularly recommended if you are interested in the topic or just want to deal with it. Here we go!
1. Film “Pride”
“Pride” is a wonderful film that focuses on one thing that we all too rarely discuss today: Solidarity between marginalized groups. The film is based on real events. In 1984 British miners went on strike under the government of Margaret Thatcher. You get support from an unexpected group. Activist Mark Ashton founds the group “Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners”. He travels with his comrades to the Welsh village of Onllwyn and joins their movement there.
After the first dislikes between these groups, it finally comes to a glamorous-drunken solidarity. Pride is cheesy, tragic and certainly smooths the history a bit. But at a time when the labor movement (if that still exists today) usually doesn’t want to know much about intellectual, queer city dwellers (and vice versa), “Pride” shows us where the journey might have to go again: to solidarity. Available on Amazon.
2. Series: “Queer Eye”
Queer Eye is the serial phenomenon of the last few years. In the makeover show, five queer beauty and lifestyle experts, the Fab Five, meet people whom they want to help to express their personalities even more strongly. In contrast to other formats, Queer Eye exudes an incredible positivity.
That starts with them Fab Five that you simply have to love for their lively manner and goes further with the candidates, who are really thrown together from all walks of life, from pastors to pianists. The impressive thing about this is that the show is too social grievances such as racism, homophobia and trans-hostility appeals to. 5. Seasons on Netflix.
3rd film: “Moonlight”
Some people may still remember Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight as the film that caused great confusion at the 2017 Oscars: the wrong name was read out on stage and “La La Land” was prematurely named “Best Picture”. The envelopes had been swapped. This has insanely empathetic film even without this mishap, it deserves a place in the history books. Because it’s the first film with one LGBTQ protagonistswho received this Oscar.
In Moonlight we accompany Chiron through three time levels, as a child, teenager and adult man. If he was bullied as a child, he played himself off as a teenager to become quite a gangster as an adult. What we notice more and more: The hard exterior is only compensation for the internal problems. Chiron can hardly admit his homosexuality due to social circumstances, which only changes when he meets an old school friend again. Moonlight is a great example of this intersectional storytellingbecause this is not just about identity as a gay, but also as a black man in today’s USA. Available on Netflix.
4th series: “Bonding”
That series is becoming more and more mature and relaxed many different sexualities, identities and preferences bypass, proves bonding. This plot would probably not have been implemented twenty years ago because several marginalized topics are addressed here too, especially sex work. In the series, gay Peter meets his old high school girlfriend Tiff, with whom he has a sexual history. She now works as a dominatrix and he helps her with his work.
The great short episodes (approx. 15 minutes) are funny and incredibly positive. “Bonding” shows us a world in which sexual preferences are never met with suspicion, but it is emphasized again and again that it is okay who we love and how we want to do it. In a pleasant way, the series never tries to problematize that. Anyone who has never dealt with BDSM can start here. A season on Netflix.
5. Film: “Tangerine”
Sean Baker is one of the most interesting directors of our time. This applies not only to the content of the films, but also to the form. The trans comedy “Tangerine” was for example complete with iPhones turned.
This film is also about sex work. The two trans sex workers Alexandra and Sin-Dee spend a day and a night together on the streets of Los Angeles. Sin-Dee has just been released from prison and learns that her friend and pimp Chester has cheated on her. At the same time we accompany the Armenian taxi driver Razmik, who keeps his bisexuality a secret from his ideal family world. At some point the paths of these characters cross and an explosive mix goes up.
Tangerine is incredibly contemporary. Loud trap music pops out of the loudspeakers, there is shouting, cursing, and whistles are distributed. Looking at it makes you feel so intoxicated that you almost forget what an incredible thing diverse and clever story the story is told here because everything feels so real and shows a completely different side of LA. Even before the Addressing trans-hostility The film does not shy away from it and still never turns into a depressing “problem film”. Available on Amazon.
6th series: “Gentleman Jack”
Many would hardly have thought that we would get a series about a lesbian main character set in 1832. Finally was Homosexuality was strictly taboo at this time. “Gentleman Jack” now shows that it is possible and that is due to diaries. At that time, Anne Lister wrote down four million words in which she told (encrypted by a secret code) about her lesbian sexuality. That is why it is now called by some first modern lesbian woman Roger that.
The series tells of theirs Antics and it’s incredibly refreshing to see her perform so confidently. Nevertheless, “Gentleman Jack” never degenerates into school and her main character does not become a saint. She is caught in the mindsets of her time and speaks derogatory about the poor and workers: inside. That there is such a complex series that looks like Jane Austen, but politically so red-hot is is really great. Available on Amazon.
All examples show what has developed and what can be done if we are only open and ready to accept new and different things. The films also document the Zeitgeist, which shows that being different is not a bad thing and we should meet each other as an open society with the courage to be open and accept.
Learn more about the #weltverbesserer
More #weltverbessern:
- Framing: These are the things you should know
- 7 series that reveal a lot about society
- Where does stigmatization actually begin?
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