20 Titles to Watch During LGBT History Month

Paris Is Burning (1990)

This documentary takes a look at the New York ball culture of the late '80s, and it's essential viewing.

Stonewall (1995)

This fictionalized story follows a group of young LGBTQ people in the weeks leading up to the infamous riots.

The Celluloid Closet (1995)

This documentary explores Hollywood's veiled depictions of LGBTQ people throughout history.

Boys Dont Cry (1999)

Based on the tragic true story of Brandon Teena, Hilary Swank stars as the young trans man who became the target of a transphobic crime in small town Nebraska.

Frida (2002)

This biopic stars Selma Hayek as artist Frida Kahlo, exploring her life, loves, and career.

Milk (2008)

Sean Penn stars as openly gay Harvey Milk, who made history when he became elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977, before his assassination.

How to Survive a Plague (2012)

This harrowing documentary follows the struggles of Act Up and other AIDS activists as they fight for awareness and a cure in the late '80s.

I Am Divine (2013)

This documentary pays tribute to the drag icon and John Waters' muse.

Pride (2014)

With a common enemy, gay and lesbian activists lend their support to striking miners in 1984 Wales.

The Imitation Game (2014)

Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) was a hero of WWII, cracking nearly-indecipherable Nazi codes. But in 1952, he was outed and sent to prison.

The Normal Heart (2014)

Based on the play of the same name, this miniseries from Ryan Murphy centers on writer Ned Weeks (Mark Ruffalo) as he attempts to expose the truth about the emerging AIDS crisis during the '80s.

Bessie (2015)

Queen Latifah stars as Bessie Smith, the legendary blues singer who rose to fame in the '20s and '30s.

Matt Shepard Is a Friend of Mine (2015)

This documentary offers memories of Matthew Shepard, victim of a notorious hate crime, from those who knew him best.

The Danish Girl (2015)

Eddie Redmayne stars as Lili Elbe, one of the first recipients of a gender confirmation surgery.

Happy Birthday, Marsha! (2016)

This fictional short imagines Marsha P Johnson (Mya Taylor) and Sylvia Rivera (Eve Lindley) in the hours leading up to the Stonewall Riots.

The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson (2017)

This documentary examines the circumstances surrounding the 1992 death of legendary trans activist, Marsha P Johnson.

Tom of Finland (2017)

Pekka Strang stars as Touko Laaksonen, as he returns home from WWII and becomes the artist known as Tom of Finland.

When We Rise (2017)

From EP, Dustin Lance Black comes this miniseries that chronicles the lives and fights of a group of LGBTQ activists throughout the decades.

Colette (2018)

Keira Knightley stars as Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, the literary icon whose stories about the sexually-fluid Claudine defined a generation of young women.

The Happy Prince (2018)

This film follows Rupert Everett as the witty and flamboyant author, Oscar Wilde in the last days of his life.