2023 has seen the release of many films, books and TV shows highlighting and celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. Ahead of pride month 2023, here are the best releases and upcoming media which uplift the community.
Heartstopper Season Two
Netflix’s queer romance series Heartstopper is set to launch season two on Netflix on August 11. The series follows the relationship of high school students Nick and Charlie and tackles identity, family and young love. The entire Heartstopper book series, written by Alice Osman, is available to read now ahead of the season’s release.
Red, White and Royal Blue
Ahead of the release of the Red, White and Royal Blue movie on August 3 via Amazon Prime, the novel of the same title is available to read. Written in 2019 by Casey McQuinston, the storyline centres around the romance between the son of the US president and Britain’s Prince Henry, as they try to navigate their sexualities on the world stage.
The Ultimatum: Queer Love
Netflix’s reality dating show, The Ultimatum, followed unsure couples at relationship crossroads as they experimented with other people while deciding the next step in their marriage. Its new iteration, The Ultimatum: Queer Love, is made up exclusively of women and non-binary people who are navigating their relationships. The final two episodes are set to premiere on June 7.
The Last of Us
Based on the hit videogame, The Last of Us was released as a TV drama adaptation from HBO in January 2023, and has since been renewed for a second season. The series was spotlighted for its gripping storyline and LGBTQ+ representation, featuring a queer lead in protagonist Ellie, with actor Bella Ramsay confirming that the character’s sexuality is set to be explored further in the next season. The show also features a trans character and another gay couple, making it well ahead in the game in terms of championing representation.
XO, Kitty
A spin-off from the well-loved Netflix trilogy and Jenny Han book series, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, XO, Kitty explores American-born Kitty Song Covey transferring to the fictional Korean International School of Seoul. Initially going to surprise her long-distance boyfriend Dae, and feel closer to her late mother who also attended the school, she ends up realising that she has feelings for her female frenemy Yuri, making the show an exploration of her feelings, identity in Korea and sexuality. The whole series is available to watch on Netflix now.
My Soft Machine – Arlo Parks
Arlo Parks has been commended for blazing a path for black queer musicians and released her second album My Soft Machine on May 26. Well received by the public, the album exploring love reached number one on the UK Record Store Chart and is an example of one of the many music releases by queer artists this summer.