What to Watch for Pride Month
The month of June is known as Pride Month, a celebration of LGBTQ+ livelihood throughout the world. In recognition of Pride Month, we have gathered a number of programs that feature LGBTQ+ individuals and their stories. You can watch these programs on the PBS App or via pbs.org.
In this hour-long documentary featuring Frankie Gonzales-Wolfe, viewers receive an inside look at the difficulties faced by a transgender individual running for office. A Run for More provides a diverse account of American politics through the lens of an LGBTQ+ official.
Growing up, Frankie Gonzales-Wolfe learned to be a fighter but never imagined having a chance to make history as the first openly elected transgender official in Texas. Unfolding amidst an onslaught of legal attacks against the trans community, A Run for More immerses viewers in Frankie’s journey as she finds her voice, questions her relationship with the community, and tries to win an election.
American Masters: Keith Haring: Street Art Boy
Keith Haring: Street Art Boy provides an in-depth look at the artwork and life story of Keith Haring, an LGBTQ+ artist who lived through the 1980s AIDS crisis in New York. Haring was well-known for making artwork that addressed the political climate at the time, specifically in relation to the AIDS crisis.
Explore the definitive story of international art sensation Keith Haring, who blazed a trail through the art scene of '80s New York and revolutionized the worlds of pop culture and fine art. The film features previously unheard interviews with Haring.
PBS Short Film Festival: Senior Prom
Senior Prom takes on a whole new meaning in this short documentary, highlighting a special event put on by an LGBTQ+ retirement home. This retirement community aims to give LGBTQ+ seniors a second chance at prom, throwing a dance specifically catered to them.
For so many high-schoolers, prom is a rite of passage in all of its love-filled, well-coiffed, abundantly photographed glory. But for generations of LGBTQ+ youth, prom has been emblematic of an exclusion from a world they could not experience as their authentic selves.
Take a look at this documentary to experience an event that highlights queer joy in all its grandeur.
PBS Digital Studios: Prideland
Dyllón Burnside leads a number of episodes on queer livelihood in the South, featuring topics such as LGBTQ+ healthcare, same-sex adoption, and allyship.
Follow queer actor Dyllón Burnside on a journey to discover how LGBTQ+ Americans are finding ways to live authentically and with pride in the modern South.
All Arts Artist in Residence: Daytripper
Daytripper highlights an LGBTQ+ love story featuring stunning choreography and dance performances.
This modern silent film tells the story of two men serendipitously falling in love at Fire Island Pines. A film by James Whiteside and Kylie Juggert, with choreography by Whiteside, features performances by dancers Jake Tribus and Lloyd Knight.
American Masters: Little Richard: The King and Queen of Rock and Roll
Little Richard is a music legend from the 1950s, primarily known for his role in the development of Rock and Roll. However, he is much more than a Rock Star. Little Richard stood up for equal rights in the music industry, advocating for proper credit to be given to black artists during the 1950s.
Experience the meteoric rise and enduring legacy of LGBTQ+ star Little Richard. This portrait of the "King and Queen of Rock and Roll" explores his far-reaching influence as well as his advocacy for the rights of black artists in the music industry.
American Experience: Stonewall Uprising
The Stonewall Riots serve as an important moment in U.S. history - one defined by the strength and perseverance of the LGBTQ+ community. This documentary reflects on the significance of the protests that occurred in New York in 1969.
When police raided the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in the Greenwich Village section of New York City on June 28, 1969, the street erupted into violent protests that lasted for the next six days. The Stonewall riots, as they came to be known, marked a major turning point in the modern gay civil rights movement in the United States and around the world.
Independent Lens: Mama Bears (premieres June 20)
Mama Bears takes a dive into the lives of deeply Christian, conservative mothers whose lives are turned upside down after their children come out as queer.
They call one another “mama bears'' because of the ferocity with which they fight for their children’s rights. Although they grew up as fundamentalist, evangelical Christians praying for the souls of LGTBQ+ people, these mothers are now willing to risk losing friends, family, and faith communities to champion their kids—even if it challenges their belief systems and rips apart their worlds.
America Reframed: Before You Know It
Before You Know It features three gay senior citizens who reflect on their experiences as LGBTQ+ individuals throughout different moments in their lives.
Dennis, Ty and Robert are pioneers in an "out" generation. They are also among the estimated 2.4 million LGBT Americans over the age of 55. Before You Know It celebrates the lives of active gay senior citizens who have witnessed unbelievable change in their lifetimes: from the Stonewall Riots to the HIV/AIDS pandemic and gay marriage rights.
American Experience: Casa Susanna
This documentary highlights the story of Casa Susanna, a home in New York that served as a safe space for transgender individuals at the time.
In the 1950s and ’60s, an underground network of transgender women and cross-dressing men found refuge at a modest house in the Catskills region of New York. Known as Casa Susanna, the house provided a safe place to express their true selves and live for a few days as they had always dreamed—dressed as and living as women without fear of being incarcerated or institutionalized for their self-expression. Told through the memories of those who visited the house, the film provides a moving look back at a secret world where the persecuted and frightened found freedom, acceptance and, often, the courage to live out of the shadows.