The past decade has ushered LGBTQ+ movies into a new era of representation both off and on the screen. While we’ve seen queer arcs in TV and film for years, most of those earlier projects hinged on problematic storytelling helmed by creatives outside of the community. The lack of LGBTQ+ involvement in those projects is palpable, as is the shift we’re beginning to see as the queer community gets more opportunities to tell their own stories.
This is particularly the case with movies on streaming services, which have provided a platform to feature more LGBTQ+ romantic comedies and other queer-centric films and TV shows than we’ve ever seen before. Of course, that’s not to say there aren’t brilliant examples of LGBTQ+ projects before the early aughts and recent years (like “But I’m a Cheerleader”). However, modern films and shows continue to move the needle toward the progress the queer community has been asking for for years. Between movies like “Red, White & Royal Blue” and “Love, Simon,” here are some of the best LGBTQ+ rom-coms to stream during Pride month.
'Love, Simon'
Even by 2018, we didn’t have much in the way of big blockbuster gay coming-of-age rom-coms — until “Love, Simon.” The movie allowed the genre to take a massive step forward, paving the way for future LGBTQ+ romantic comedies. Though we still primarily see these kinds of movies on streaming and TV shows, the stigma is dissipating and the queer community is finally getting more much-needed representation. The high school-based film centers on a gay teen named Simon as he navigates his identity, coming out (and getting outed), and his budding online relationship with an anonymous student at his high school.
Openly gay director Greg Berlanti helmed the project, ensuring the tactful execution of the storyline, which is sorely missing in other problematic queer blockbuster movies like “Brokeback Mountain” that failed to represent LGBTQ+ voices.
'Red, White & Royal Blue'
Who doesn’t love a good “enemies to lovers” and “forbidden romance” mashup — especially when it features a queer couple? So, what exactly would a relationship between the First Son of the United States and the Prince of England look like? Just ask Henry George Edward James Hanover-Stuart Fox and Alexander Gabriel Clairmont-Diaz in “Red, White & Royal Blue.”
The duo masks their obvious obsession with each other with animosity their feud lands them on the floor of Buckingham Palace during a Royal Wedding covered in a $75,000 cake. While they fake being besties during a damage control tour, Alex and Henry realize that they have quite a bit in common (including but not limited to their mutual desire to get back to that horizontal position sans cake, or maybe not).
Given that Alex’s mom is in a tough reelection campaign and Prince Henry has to contend with the Crown’s blatant homophobia and racism, it’s not exactly smooth sailing. The movie is arguably the most well-done, intimate, gripping, and beautifully shot queer rom-com in cinematic history teeming with representation on all fronts. Watching Alex and Henry fight for each other will make any marginalized community want to fight for themselves and the ones they love.
To boot, it’s always nice when writers let a bisexual character end up in a queer relationship rather than establishing their identity and only allowing them to date the opposite sex — a common cinematic trope. Additionally, the movie’s politics take center stage rather than being set decoration, providing a rich tapestry for the story to unfold. The quote, “The forced conformity of the closet cannot be answered with forced conformity in coming out of it” is one of the most powerful LGBTQ+ quotes in cinema to date.
The film’s authenticity is palpable, which makes sense, given that it’s largely helmed by LGBTQ+ creatives — between the novel’s OG writer Casey McQuiston and director Matthew López, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ted Malawer.
Watch on Prime Video
'But I’m a Cheerleader'
“Bring It On” fans who are still salty that the six movies in the franchise never featured a leading lesbian couple will be pleased to hear that the lesser-known 1999 movie “But I’m a Cheerleader” fills that void. The short but sweet satirical rom-com centers on a group of young LGBTQ+ kids forced into a homophobic conversion therapy camp. While the setup could have easily gone in an extremely problematic direction, the film was way before its time with the absurdist humor that balances the laughs with the movie’s serious subject matter in a way that just works.
Natasha Lyonne’s character Megan has her unexpected meet-cute with Clea DuVall’s Graham as they navigate being who they are with the awful expectations of their parents and “camp” employees. There’s an added layer of authenticity to the movie given that DuVall was only out to her friends and family at the time. She told the Independent about her character, “She’s very, very me. I put so much of myself into her, to make her a lesbian character more like the girls that we all know and not just this ‘idea’ of what a lesbian is like.”
A decade before RuPaul began “Drag Race,” he starred in the movie as Mike alongside actors like Michelle Williams (Kimberly), Mink Stole (Nancy), Bud Cort (Peter), and Cathy Moriarty (Mary Brown).
Watch on Paramount Plus
'Crush'
The 2022 Hulu movie “Crush” ranks pretty high among the most iconic (and hilarious) LGBTQ+ teen rom-coms we’ve gotten in the past few years through streaming services. Self-identified queer actor Rowan Blanchard helms the movie as the adorkable nerd Paige who has to decide if her popular crush is actually the girl she wants or if she’s been fixating on a fantasy and ignoring what’s right in front of her. The snappy comedy is just that — a comedy.
When it comes to queer-centric movies, they’re often plagued by rough coming-out stories and showcase a hefty amount of homophobia. Of course, those stories are vital to tell, but it’s just as important to feature fun and campy LGBTQ+ storylines that serve the drama in the same way as their status quo counterparts. “Crush” does just that during the runtime of this wholesome and campy rom-com that features both artsy and sporty storylines. Even better? Most of the main characters identify as LGBTQ+.
Watch on Hulu
'Happiest Season'
We love a good lesbian holiday rom-com helmed by a largely LGBTQ+ cast. “Happiest Season” fills the void we’ve long felt in the hundreds of straight holiday rom-coms we’ve gotten over the years. Mackenzie Davis’ character Harper gives her long-time girlfriend Abby (Kristen Stewart) quite the shock when they head to Harper’s family’s house for Christmas.
Unbeknownst to Abby, Harper has been lying to her family about her relationship with Abby and hasn’t yet come out to her family. That’s a lot to put on someone without a heads-up when said very not platonic girlfriend is crashing with Harper’s family. But there’s nothing like the festive season to up the family drama ante while Abby and Harper figure out if they can make their relationship work after all of the deception.
Lesbian actress Clea DuVall sat in the director’s chair of “Happiest Season,” which she co-wrote alongside Mary Holland. The movie features a slate of talented actors like Victor Garber (Ted), Aubrey Plaza (Riley Johnson), Alison Brie (Sloane), Mary Holland (Jane), Dan Levy (John), and Jake McDorman (Connor).
Watch on Hulu
