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Film LIST

We’re often asked for films, videos or Youtube channels that might be helpful in understanding LGBTQ issues.  Below is a list of what we found to be useful.  This not a full list because new films and videos are being created all the time.  If you have a suggestion on a film or Youtube channel, feel free to contact us at help@lghthotline.org .

Coming Out Films

The truth about jane
A high-school girl's struggle with realizing she is a lesbian and having to deal with her family. 

​(Movie cut into parts on Youtube)
Straight A
Struggling with maintaining his same-sex long term relationship a secret and keeping up with his image of being the perfect straight A son, Alex must face his father and tell him the truth about his sexuality.
Out to win
A documentary that examines the lives and careers of aspiring and professional LGBT athletes from all over the world. 
Out Late
Five LGBT individuals who came out later in life.
​Click here for more information on watching this film. ​

Gay 

Overcoming adversities as a gay Teen
Documentary telling the story of ten gay males ages ranging form 15-82. ​
The story of two gay men
A short documentary on the two openly gay men living very different lives, one in the city and one in the country.

Lesbian

Lesbian Angels
A look into the lives of young lesbians through interviews and poetry.
Searching for the last lesbian bars in america
A history of lesbian bars, the evolution of the culture and what's happening with lesbian bars in America today.
The same difference 
A documentary about lesbians dealing with discrimination based on gender roles.

Bisexual

Bisexuality: the Myths and medical truths
In the Life Media short documentary on bisexuality. 
bisexual revolution
French/German/English documentary with interviews from bisexual activists from San Francisco, San Diego, and New York. 
Bi the way, we exist
In this TEDx talk, Viet speaks about the complexities of coming out as bisexual and the positive and negative reactions that he received from his family and friends. While focusing on a group that is rarely talked about in LGBTQ+ rights, Viet explains how anyone can have a tangible impact on someone’s life by choosing to care. ​

Transgender

Transgeneration
Documentary on the lives of four transgender college students.
​Click here for more information on watching full film. 
Transmormon
A look at the life of Eri Hayward, transitioning, her family and her Mormon faith.
Real Stories - Transforming Gender
Transforming Gender explores what it’s like to be in conflict with the gender assigned to you. The battle over the rights and freedoms of transgender individuals is the first great civil rights struggle of the 21st century.  
My Prairie Home
A musical documentary about Rae Spoon, a transgender singer who embarks on a tour in Canada via bus.  Spoon's songs help illustrate their journey of self discovery.
Click here for more information on watching this film. 
Summer Camp
Bay Area's Rainbow Camp is a welcoming place where gender-diverse youth can come together, have fun, and feel a sense of gender identity pride.
Growing up Trans
Full movie and audiocast.  PBS's Frontline.  A journey inside the struggles facing transgender kids and their families. 

Click image to go to site to view.

​
Becoming Johanna


​BECOMING JOHANNA

Short film about Johanna, a 16 year old trans latina as she begins her transition, her life, her struggles and the support she finds.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO
To Be A man


​To Be A Man: A Transgender Story 



Full film.  The story about Levi who transitioned to his male self.  The story of him finding himself and the support from his mother.
NCAA Swimmer Schuyler Bailar
Short documentary on Schuyler Bailar, the first openly transgender athlete from Harvard University. 

The Olympic Committee does not allow us to embed this video on our website, click on the image to go to Youtube to watch video, or
CLICK HERE to open a new page to watch the video.
House Not Home
House Not Home is a firsthand account of Terran, an African American gender fluid teenager navigating bullying, violence and rejection from their father and peers before finding their courage and voice to come out. Written by Avery Edge, and directed by Joshua Butler. ​

NonBinary / Gender Fluid / Gender Expansive 

They, Them
A short documentary about Liz, a talented musician and artist who identifies as nonbinary. They have composed their own music and published a comic book called "Cat City". Liz talks about their experience being nonbinary and shares how they incorporate their identity into their art.
It's (Not) Just a Phase - The Experience of Nonbinary folks 30-70 years of age
Seven humans tell talk about their nonbinary identities and what it's like for them to be older than the nonbinary stereotypes.
What is a nonbinary gender?
5 non-binary people explain what non-binary means to them
Shamir Explains the history of the word 'Agender'

Religion & Spirituality

Owning our Faith
A short documentary of the lives of LGBT Catholics.    
A Jihad for love
A look at religion and sexuality in Muslim countries.
Click here for more information on watching this film. 
Trembling Before G-D
Personal stories of Hasidic and Orthodox Jews who are gay or lesbian.
Click here for more information on viewing this film.
Fish Out of water
A film that looks at Bible verses that have been used to condemn homosexuality.
Click here for more information on viewing this film.
Transmormon
A look at the life of Eri Hayward, transitioning, her family and her Mormon faith.

Senior

Mosaic
Four older couples discuss their relationships, civil partnerships and their views on spirituality, religion, love, and gay rights. 
Before you know it
Different approaches to living during retirement years.
Click here for more information this film. 
Windy City Times: Lambda Legal client fights discrimination
Marsha Wetzel fights discrimination and violence at a residential facility. 
Flying Solo: A transgender widow fights discrimination
At 92, Robina Astia, a WWII vet and pilot, tells her story and fight against discrimination. 
LGBT Seniors tell their stories
Ongoing oral history from the LA LGBT Center Senior Services Dept. 
OUt Late
Five LGBT individuals who came out later in life.
Click here for more information on watching this film. 
Gen Silent: LGBT elders go back in the closet in record numbers
For more information or to watch fully click here. 

Parents / Family

Parental Acceptance 
The impact of PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Gays and Lesbians) to the parents of two gay children.
 
in my shoes: stories of youth of lgbt parents
The lives of five young people who are children of LGBT parents.
Transparent
The experiences of 19 transgender parents.
Click here for more information on watching this film. 
Daddy & papa
Documentary on gay men who are raising families.
Click here for more information on watching this film. 
Queer Son
Portrait of parents coming to understand their children's sexual orientation.
on unconditional love



Asian Parents & Their LGBT Children: On Unconditional Love

Mother and daughter speak about coming-out, fear, shame, culture and unconditional love.
Anyone and Everyone

​Anyone and Everyone, a documentary by Susan Polis Schutz (a parent of a gay son) tells the stories of families of across the country coming to understand their the gay and lesbian children.  

The film features parents from a wide range of backgrounds.
Our Families: LGBT African American stories
A short to raise the visibility of LGBT people of color.
The Real Thing
Filmmaker Brandon Kelley wanted to set an example for parents for all kids.  A soldier returns home and shows respect and unconditional love to his child.

Youth

Interviewing LGBT High Schoolers
A short documentary at one school about how it is to be LGBT in high school.
Breaking the Silence: Gay Youth in an American Town
A documentary about the lives and struggles of LGBT youth in Tri-Cities, Washington and the allies that fight to give them hope. 
Gay Youth
A short film contrasting the lives of two gay youths, one who didn't find acceptance and support and one who did.
Click here for more information on viewing as a whole. 
Rainbow Camp
Full film. Documentary about transgender children who go to an accepting summer camp. 
It Gets Better Project
In 2010, journalist Dan Savage created the It Get's Better Project which archives messages of hope for the LGBT community.
​Click here to go to the Youtube channel.  
Click here to go to the It Get's Better website. 
Growing up trans
Full movie and audiocast.  PBS's Frontline.  A journey inside the struggles facing transgender kids and their families. 

Click image to go to site to view.
Understanding sexual orientation and gender identities


LGBTQ: Understanding Sexual Orientation and Gender Identities 



Short film from the Teen Line.  Hear from several youth in Los Angeles about their coming out process, support, and embracing their identities.

Click here for the TEEN LINE
A Day in Our Shoes - Homeless lgbt youth
A Day in Our Shoes - Homeless LGBT Youth

Short film on the life of LGBT youth on the streets.
Coming out to Immigrant Parents
Coming Out to Immigrant Parents

Short film. 
'Ask Me': What LGBTQ Students Want Their Professors to Know
Short film of interviews of college students talk about the challenges they face on their campus.
Queer Kids stuff
Queer Kid Stuff is a webs series to help educate kids on LGBTQ+ topics.  Creator/host Lindsay and Teddy explain LGBTQ+ topics  to younger viewers ages 3-7.  All videos can be found at www.queerkidstuff.com or on Youtube.  Below are just a sample.

Popular films / documentaries 

We were Here
Documentary by David Weissman. A reflective look at the arrival and impact of AIDS in San Francisco and how individuals rose to the occasion during the first years.
Click here for more information on watching this film. 
Before Stonewall
History of the LGBT movement before the Stonewall Riots.
Click here for more information on watching this film. 
After Stonewall
History of the LGBT movement from after the Stonewall Riots to 2000.
Click here for more information on watching this film.
The Life and Times of Harvey Milk
Documentary on this history of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay male city superintendent.
Click here for more information on watching this film.
How we got gay
History of the LGBT movement in the US.
The Celluloid Closet
History of LGBT people in movies and film.
Click here for more information on viewing this film. 
Screaming Queens: The riot at Compton's cafeteria
The history of the night San Francisco police raided a popular transgender hangout starting the Compton's Riot, a fight for human rights three years before the Stonewall Riots.
Just Between US

​JUST BETWEEN US is a documentary that was inspired by its creator and director Ken Jackson to educate the community about its own limitations of being a voice in American society. Jackson traveled the United States to meet the legends, the pioneers and the revolutionaries of the 21st Century in the African-American Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender community.
Punk Ass Queers
A look into the lives of some members of a subculture in the queer community. The intersection of punk and queerness in one of the world's biggest punk scenes.
What's it like to be latino and gay?
Seeking Asylum in the US to Escape Trans Discrimination
We're asian, gay & Proud: The story behind the photo
The cover of a 1980 issue of the "Gay Insurgent" journal prompts a cross-country search to learn about the Asian Americans who took part in the first National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. (Part 1 of 5, “Searching for Queer Asian Pacific America”)
LGBT History: Reel in the closet
Reel In The Closet is a feature-length documentary that reveals the real lives of LGBTQ people of the past through the best moments from hundreds of never before seen home movies dating back to the 1930s.
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