In honor of LGBT Pride month, here is a list of my favorite lesbian tv shows, movies, and entertainers.
1. "Black Mirror": "San Junipero"
In season three, episode four, the writers of "Black Mirror" took a step back from their usual dark, thought-provoking futuristic satire to create a thought-provoking story of lesbian romance and second chances. I've seen this episode countless times and never been tired of it.
2. "Carol"
I think I accidentally fell in love with Cate Blanchett while watching this. This is a wonderful romance with a glimpse into LGBTQ+ life of the past. I think it's a little cheesy that they meet in a department store, but I guess that was the HER app of the '50s.
3. "Fun Home"
Alison Bechdel is a lesbian cartoonist who lost her father to suicide. She wrote the graphic novel that was later made into a musical. I'm not suggesting you bootleg this... But there could be a traveling show somewhere. If you can't watch the show due to any triggering content, you can still listen to this song.
4. "The Handmaid's Tale"
Based on the '80s novel, this tv series dives deep into LGBTQ+ and women's rights. It's an important and insightful series, but it is not easy to watch. I cannot binge this series due to the intensity of the content. However, it opened my eyes to rights I took for granted.
5. "Orange is the New Black"
On a sort-of lighter note, prison. This Netflix original has great lesbian storylines. It will make you laugh and cry. It also touches on the issues of LGBTQ+ rights and the private industries behind American prisons.
6. "Fried Green Tomatoes"
So technically this isn't a lesbian movie, but the book is a lot gayer. I still saw lots of lesbian moments in the film even if it was pre-Ellen.
7. "Thelma & Louise"
Don't tell me these two don't have lesbian tendencies.
8. "Rent"
This musical has the BEST song to angry-sing in your car if you're mad at your girlfriend... Or so I've heard. Rent takes a different look at the AIDS crisis.
9. "Blue is the Warmest Color"
Be ready to read subtitles for three hours, because this one's in French. Don't worry, though. There are about an hour's worth of sex scenes in it, so that'll give your attention span a break.
10. "Easy": "Vegan Princess" & "Lady Cha Cha"
This series is really cool. It has ongoing love stories across seasons. The lesbian story starts with the episode "Vegan Princess," when these two meet. The second season has the episode "Lady Cha Cha," which looks at feminism and relationships.
11. "The L Word"
Confession time: I have not finished this series. It's a great lesbian drama, but I seriously can't get past the super 2000s intro sequence. At least it has Shane, who was the Ruby Rose of the early 2000s.
12. "American Horror Story": "Asylum" & "Cult"
Sarah Paulson is amazing in this series. In season two: "Asylum," Paulson plays Lana Winters, a lesbian reporter who goes undercover in an asylum. Season seven: "Cult" centers on a lesbian couple and their son.
13. "Glee"
I loved this show in high school. I was so deep in the closet that I didn't like that Santana was a lesbian. I went back and watched a few of the gayer episodes of the series, and it's still a great show — but a little more cringy than I remember. Also, I have to mention Jane Lynch is in the show. She's basically lesbian royalty.
14. Wanda Sykes: "I'ma Be Me"
Wanda Sykes is hilarious and also lesbian royalty. All of her stand-up specials are amazing. I really like the "I'ma Be Me" show specifically because she talks about coming out in a hilarious way that actually really helped me a lot when I struggled with my coming out.
15. The Standups: "Fortune Feimster"
Her bit about Chick-fil-a and the gays had me cackling. I think she is my new spirit animal.
16. Kate McKinnon: SNL Skits
It's no secret: I'm in love with Kate McKinnon. She's the first openly gay cast member on SNL. She is insanely talented and has some hilarious lesbian content all over Youtube like "Dyke & Fats", "Whiskers R We", "Themyscira", and a hilarious parody of "Carol". (with cameos from Wanda Sykes and Jane Lynch!)
17. Ellen DeGeneres
Last but not least, our queen: Ellen. She has her show and great HBO stand-up specials: "The Beginning" & "Here and Now." I would also recommend watching her interview with Oprah after she came out publicly. It really helped me when I began considering coming out to my parents.
Not lesbian but still great:
"Love, Simon" is an adorable romance for all ages that follows a gay high schooler.
"Queer Eye" is just a great gay show with feel-good stories.
"Sausage Party" has a hilarious lesbian character, Teressa del Taco.
"Philadelphia" is a movie about the homosexuality, homophobia, and the AIDS epidemic.
"Shameless" has a gay character, Ian, who happens to have one of my favorite gay love stories, and the show jokes about lesbians in college.
"Big Mouth" has an episode about exploring your gay side during puberty.
