LGBTQIA+ Documentaries

Media marked with this indicator (👋) have Deaf themes and characters. Titles link to family reviews at Common Sense Media or IMDB.

A young blonde boy on a swing is looking up and smiling at camera. Title reads Raising Ryland "I Am A Boy".

👋 Raising Ryland

(2015)
The short focuses on the transgender experience as lived by Ryland Whittington and his two loving parents, Hillary and Jeff.

Run time: 14m

Man standing on beach, hands in pockets looking out at water. Title reads Austin Unbound, the first documentary about a man who is Deaf and Trans

👋Austin Unbound

(2011)
Austin is deaf and transgender, but identifies as a straight man. After top-surgery, he will stop binding and breathe freely. His journey is an inspiration to many, his self awareness, humor, and personality long recognized and honored in his community.

Run time: 44m

👋 The Sign For Love

(2017)
Growing up deaf and gay in a family of hearing people, Cohen never felt at home and always felt alone. Clips from Cohen’s childhood are interspersed with footage of family members and friends and his day-to-day life. As new parents, he and his partner soon realize the naïveté in their expectations about bringing up a baby together. Their journey reveals the challenges of parenting, the bias against deaf individuals and the intricacies of human relationships.

Run time: 75m


A cartoon profile of George Takei with stars in background. Title reads To Be Takei: A Star's Trek for Life, Liberty and Love

To Be Takei

(2014)
A look at the many roles played by eclectic gay actor/activist George Takei, whose wit, humor and grace have helped him to become an internationally beloved figure and Internet phenomenon with 7-million Facebook fans and counting.

Run time: 1h 34m

White background. Top title reads "The Times of Harvey Milk". There is a black and white picture underneath title of Harvey Milk and American flag. Other text too small to read.

The Times of Harvey Milk

(1984)
A documentary of the successful career and assassination of San Francisco's first elected gay city supervisor.

Run time: 1h 30min

Blue background with clouds. Title fills entire page and reads in yellow letters "Real Boy". Small figure of a boy wearing a cap and playing a guitar is sitting on the letter "o" in Boy.

Real Boy

(2016)
As 19-year-old Bennett Wallace navigates early sobriety, late adolescence, and the evolution of his gender identity, his mother makes her own transformation from resistance to acceptance of her trans son. Along the way, both mother and son find support in their communities, reminding us that families are not only given, but chosen.

Run time: 1h 12m

Black and white picture of a person from the nose down; they are sticking out their tongue. The tongue is rainbow colors. The title on the bottom is in pink and black, reading "Do I Sound Gay?". Other text on page too small to read.

Do I Sound Gay?

(2014)
A documentary about the stereotype of the gay voice.

Run time: 1h 17m

White background. Blue profile photo of Matt Shepard. In the silhouette of his hair is a collage of other people's photos. Title on bottom reads "Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine". Other text on page too small to read.

Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine

(2013)
Friends and family reflect on the life and death of 21-year-old Matthew Shepard, who was murdered in a targeted homophobic attack in Wyoming in 1998.

Run time: 1h 29m

Black and white photo of black drag queen, Marsha P. Johnson. She is wearing heels, a dress and a wig, and walking a dog on the street. Title at top of page is yellow and reads "The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson"; Other text on page too small to read.

The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson

(2017)
Victoria Cruz investigates the mysterious 1992 death of black gay rights activist and Stonewall veteran, Marsha P. Johnson.

Run time: 1h 45m

Black background with 6 white silhouettes of figures holding hands. The second silhouette from the right is wearing red clothing. The title on the bottom reads "How to Survive a Plague". All words are white except the word survive, which is red.

How to Survive a Plague

(2012)
The story of two coalitions -- ACT UP and TAG (Treatment Action Group) -- whose activism and innovation turned AIDS from a death sentence into a manageable condition.

Run time: 2h

Picture of a young white, blonde girl from the next up, floating in a pool of water. The title at the top reads "Youtube Red". Underneath that title is "This is Everything: Gigi Gorgeous". The date February 8 is under the title.

This Is Everything: Gigi Gorgeous

(2017)
Are there limits to your love for your family? One family's acceptance is tested when a champion diver, destined for the Olympics, announces they're transitioning from male to female and invites their YouTube followers along for every moment. It's a story about unconditional love and finding the courage to be yourself.

Run time: 1h 31m

A collage cartoon background with cloudy sky on top and green hills on bottom. Middle of page has photo of 3 people, a black person, a white blonde girl with red flower in her hair, and the profile of a brunette woman. Title at top of page reads "Beautiful Daughters"

Beautiful Daughters

(2006)
In February, 2004, with the help of Eve Ensler and Jane Fonda, a group of transgender women put on the first all-transgender production of "The Vagina Monologues", including a new monologue written by Ensler from their own experiences.

Run time: 46m

Black and White photo of 4 people walking up the steps to the White House capitol. The title in middle of page reads "The Case Against 8". The letters are black and the number 8 is in red. On bottom of page in red reads "Battles are Won Because We Fight Them", "HBO".

The Case Against 8

(2014)
A behind-the-scenes look inside the case to overturn California's ban on same-sex marriage. Shot over five years, the film follows the unlikely team that took the first federal marriage equality lawsuit to the U.S. Supreme Court

Run time: 1h 52m

Black background with 16 squares of different photos of people and historical events. Middle of page, title in white letters reads "The Making of a Gay and Lesbian Community Before Stonewall"

Before Stonewall

(1984)
The history of the Gay and Lesbian community before the Stonewall riots began the major gay rights movement.

Run time: 1h 27m

A sepia picture of a wooden door. Painted on the door is an American flag with 50 stars in upper left hand corner. There are only 6 stripes on the flag in rainbow order. Title on top of page reads "Small Town Gay Bar"

Small Town Gay Bar

(2006)
The story of community in the Deep South that is forced to deal with the struggles of ignorance, hypocrisy and oppression. Interviews with regular patrons portray both bars as islands of acceptance in an ocean of prejudice, exemplified by the derision of customers at nearby straight bars and the cutting homophobia of anti-gay preacher Fred Phelps.

Run time: 1h 21m

A black background with a white photograph of a Caucasian family. The two parents are in the middle; a teenage son is standing next to his dad on the left. Two younger children are standing in front of parents to the right. Title on bottom reads "for the Bible tells me so". All letters are white except the word Bible, which is yellow.

For the Bible Tells Me So

(2007)
An exploration of the intersection between religion and homosexuality in the U.S. and how the religious right has used its interpretation of the Bible to stigmatize the gay community.

Run time: 1h 38m

Background is a rainbow mosaic of black and African-American individuals. There is a white box with title that reads "The New Black". New is underlined and the word Black is in rainbow colors. Title on bottom of page reads in white letters "Family, Faith and the Fight for Equality"

The New Black

(2013)
A documentary that tells the story of how the African-American community is grappling with the gay rights issue in light of the recent gay marriage movement and the fight over civil rights.

Run time: 2h

Picture is a bird's eye view of an Israeli city. There are two Caucasian men in each other's arms. The man on the left is wearing an orthodox hat and suit. The man on the right has glasses, is wearing a tan shirt and is wearing a Kippah. Text across top of picture reads "The Hidden Lives of Gay and Lesbian Orthodox and Hasidic Jews". The text to the left of the men are reviews in blue: Reviews read: "Unforgettable! Provactive!" Next review: "Fascinating". Next Review: "Powerful". Next review: "Surprisingly funny". The title on the bottom below the photo reads in yellow and white: "The Film That's Changing Lives". Title of Movie reads: Trembling Before G-d.

Trembling Before G-d

(2001)
A cinematic portrait of various gay Orthodox Jews who struggle to reconcile their faith and their sexual orientation.

Run time: 1h 34m

Amidst a cloudy background are black and white silhouettes carrying a large rainbow flag waving in the breeze. Title on top of page reads in black letters: "Beyond Gay" with white subtitle "The Politics of Pride".

Beyond Gay: The Politics of Pride

(2009)
A parade director for the Vancouver Pride Society travels to gay pride celebrations around the world to bring attention to the issue of LGBT rights.

Run time: 1h 25m

National Geographic cover with yellow border around photo. A picture of a Caucasian girl wearing pink shirt and pink flowers on her pants with pink hair is sitting on the arm of a sofa chair. Titles on photo are all white. Top title reads "Making a Man, the Science of Gender, Girls at Risk, National Geographic". Underneath reads "Special Issue: Gender Revolution". Title on bottom of page reads "The best thing about being a girl is, now I don't have to pretend to be a boy. January 2017."

Gender Revolution

(2017)
Katie Couric sets out to explore the rapidly evolving complexities of gender identity.

Run time: 1h 35m

A white background with a picture of two people. On the left is a girl with shoulder length hair wearing a blue shirt. On the right is a picture of a man with short hair wearing a red shirt. The title on the top is in all capitals and reads "Red without Blue". Other text on page too small to read.

Red Without Blue

(2007)
The intimate bond between two identical twin brothers is challenged when one decides to transition from male to female; this is the story of their evolving relationship, and the resurrection of their family from a darker past.

Run time: 1h 16m

There is a girl and a boy standing in front of a light blue background. The girl is on the left and is looking off to the left, wearing a black shirt and jeans, with her hands interlaced in front of her. The boy is on the right wearing a black shirt, a tie and blue jeans, hands in pockets and gaze looking down. Title across top reads "New Release with Bonus Features Including Special Deleted Scenes". Text below that between the two people reads "Guaranteed to be the most compelling DIY, Gender bending, feel good film directed by a transsexual lesbian you've seen all year". Title of movie is in red black letters in middle of page reads "She's A Boy I Knew" with subtitle "A film by Gwen Haworth". On bottom of page are two reviews in white. First review reads: "Honest, Intelligant, and absolutely clear-eyed" by Variety Magazine. Second review reads "Witty, Brave and vulnerable, Haworth gave us the most affecting and memorable documentary of the year" by Vancouver Magazine.

She's A Boy I Knew

(2007)
The film documents Haworth's process of coming out as transgender and undergoing gender transition, using a combination of interviews, home video footage, short animation clips and interviews with her friends and family about its impact on them.

Run time: 1h 10m

There are six squares with different cartoon people in each square. Upper left square is a woman with blonde hair and flower in hair. Upper right is an African-American woman with hoop earrings. Middle left is a latino woman with dark brown hair. Middle right is an Asian woman with light brown hair and banks. Bottom left is a woman with dark brown hair and red lips. Bottom right is a white square with name of movie" What's the T?"

What's the T?

(2013)
The challenges, successes and lives of five transgender and transsexual women.

Run time: 10m

Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word

(2014)
The hour-long documentary follows the lives of seven transgender youths. They hail from New York, New Orleans and Baltimore and range in age from 12 to 24 years old, but they share common obstacles and joys.

Run time: 42m

Tab Hunter Confidential

(2015)
In the 1950s, Tab Hunter was a Hollywood golden boy and matinee idol, but his life as a closeted homosexual threatened to bring it all crashing down. John Waters, George Takei, Connie Stevens and Debbie Reynolds are among those interviewed.

Run time: 1h 30m

A Fish Out Of Water

(2009)
A documentary that faces down the controversies between homosexuality and religion, examining Bible verses quoted as condemnatory and discussing alternative meanings.

Run time: 1h

Background is the upper right blue eye of a young person. Face is pink. Title reads "Growing up Coy".

Growing Up Coy

(2016)
A Colorado family is thrust into the international media spotlight when they fight for the rights of their 6-year-old transgender daughter in a landmark civil rights case.

Run time: 1h 26m