So this is a clip from Role/Play, an otherwise forgettable film, but it really captures the essence of why I decided to do this. I hope these past 30 days have helped expose everyone to more gay musicians, writers, and directors. I didn't focus on directors quite as much as I did on the plots of the movies themselves, but I still wanted to highlight the people behind these stories whenever I could.

Anyway, this was a great experience for me. I actually discovered a few new pieces of media while trying to fit different themes, so I got to discover new artists, books, and films right alongside the rest of you! I really hope these past 30 days encourage some of you to seek out works by gay creators because there is so much incredible material out there. As a parting gift, here are several lists containing everything I shared this month, along with a few extras at the end.

Movie Watchlist

This list could have gone on forever, so I decided to stick to the 30 daily recommendations, the bonus selections, and a handful of additional films I really wanted to include but couldn't fit before the end of the month. The bonus and extra films are listed after the original 30 recommendations.

Booklist

Like the movie list, I included a few additional authors at the end that I wanted to cover but didn't have the opportunity to feature. I also considered adding some women and straight male authors whose works I think are worth reading, and I may still do that after posting this to highlight some of the excellent stories they've contributed as well.

Youtube Song Playlist

A few artists I didn't get the chance to properly introduce include Grant Knoche, Rod Gator, Matt Terry, and Hercules & Love Affair. I limited myself to one song per artist, but I encourage you to explore more of their music if you enjoy what you hear.

Songs by Allies Playlist

I focused primarily on songs with queer themes or elements, though I also included a few well-known anthems. I may continue expanding this playlist in the future. One song I really wanted to note was Boys in the Street by Greg Holden because I found it too late too feature it as a bonus this month. This is the kind of music I think of when I think ally.

Gay Short Films

I have a much larger private playlist containing all of the gay films, songs, and skits I've come across over the years, but I decided to put together this smaller playlist specifically highlighting the gay short films available on YouTube. I briefly considered filtering out the ones I enjoyed less, but ultimately decided against it. Something that didn't resonate with me might be exactly what someone else is looking for. There is a wide variety of films here spanning different genres, age groups, and topics. I still update this playlist regularly, so don't be surprised if more films are added in the future.

I also thought about including TV series and notable LGBTQ+ storylines in existing shows as part of this wrap-up, but I figured that might be a little too much for one post. Maybe next year.

Link to Day 30

Director: Gregg Araki        Film: The Living End      Genre: Crime Drama

I’ve been tormenting myself over what movie to pick as my final choice for a while now, particularly because I already used my favorite films and there are still so many influential and popular ones left to choose from. Ultimately, I decided to go with The Living End because it offers something a little different from another romance, and because I wanted to touch on HIV before the month was over. This film is deeply nihilistic and reflects the feelings of hopelessness and dread experienced by many during the height of the AIDS crisis. Thankfully, HIV has become far more manageable (if you have access to affordable healthcare anyway) and its transmission much easier to prevent than it once was, but these characters are living in the middle of the epidemic and have none of those advantages. As a result, they lash out: robbing, killing, and fucking until it all comes crashing down around them.

Available on: Amazon (with Strand Releasing)

Author: David Levithan     Book: Two Boys Kissing     Genre: YA Fiction

For the final book of the month, I decided to go with David Levithan’s Two Boys Kissing because of the constant bans and challenges it has faced over the years. You would think, given the level of controversy surrounding this book in school libraries, that it would be something akin to Lolita or depict graphic, inappropriate content. Well, according to its critics, a picture of two boys kissing on the cover falls into that latter category. It’s sad, but it highlights the struggles we still face simply to be treated with the same level of respect and normalcy afforded to our straight counterparts. This book has even been labeled pornographic despite its actual content being anything but. Its narrative touches on many familiar topics—coming out, gender identity, and relationships—while following two boys attempting to set the world record for the longest kiss. An additional note is that the novel is narrated by a Greek chorus of gay men from across generations who died from AIDS-related complications.

Here is the Goodreads link.

Musician: Leonard Bernstein     Song: Somewhere (There's a Place for Us)        Genre: Classical

So I have not touched on classical music yet, of which there quite a few gay composers to choose from: Berstein, Tchaikovsky, Britten… Ultimately, though, I decided to go with Bernstein. Leonard Bernstein compiled an extraordinary body of work throughout the twentieth century, but he also spoke out on social issues, including criticizing the Reagan administration’s response to the AIDS crisis. Though he was married to Felicia Montealegre, he had relationships with men throughout his life, and Montealegre herself referred to him as a homosexual in private correspondence. Exactly how Bernstein would have identified today is something only he could have answered, but after his wife's death he continued to have relationships with men until his own passing. As for the music selection today, I have decided to go with Somewhere from the West Side Story musical. I specifically picked the instrumental version so we can appreciate Bernstein's composition on its own, though the lyrical version carries a message of hope and belonging that I believe resonates with us all.

Available on: Youtube

Link to Conclusion

Link to Day 29

Director: John Butler      Film: Handsome Devil    Genre: Coming-of-Age

Handsome Devil is another coming-of-age film, this time centered around a boarding school and its rugby team. In a movie like this, you would generally expect the main character and the secondary character to become the main couple, but in actuality, Ned (the main character) is straight. Instead, we look at the journey of Conor, a closeted rugby player, from the outside. I like that the film challenges expectations by making the nerdier, more meek kid straight while the more stereotypically "bro" character is gay, reminding us why we shouldn't make assumptions like that. Throughout the film, Conor is offered different advice and perspectives on how to navigate being gay in his world, and we get to see the differing viewpoints of multiple generations and how homophobia is taught and perpetuated.

Available on: Youtube

Author:  Bill Konigsberg     Book: Out of the Pocket    Genre: YA Fiction/Romance

If you were hoping for a steamy MM romance for today's sports book, sorry to disappoint, but I've gone with something a little more heartfelt. Bill Konigsberg was a sports journalist before he started writing fiction, so he actually puts genuine emphasis on the football in this novel rather than treating it as an afterthought like so many other "sports" romances do. At any rate, the book follows a young quarterback named Bobby who shows tremendous potential to make it to the pros but is unfortunately outed by someone he thought was a friend. The novel goes on to explore the ramifications of being an outed athlete, as well as football culture and the heavy expectations placed upon young players with genuine promise.

Here is the Goodreads link.

Musician: Jake Giles     Song: Quarterback          Genre: Pop

Very much a lesser-known artist, I stumbled across Jake Giles through his song Cold Body, which I really enjoyed, and then found out he was gay. I chose Quarterback today for obvious reasons, but definitely check out Cold Body as well if you're looking for a different vibe. There are a couple of other artists in my library with a much larger audience, but I decided to highlight another smaller name today. That and I unfortunately already used a couple of artist that have written songs about sports and I don’t want to do repeats since the main focus here is exposure. However, you could also check out Football Song by Matt Fishel if you want a song by a slightly more known artist haha.

Available on: Youtube

Link to Day 30

Link to Day 28

Director: Keli’i Grace       Film: My Partner      Genre: Romantic Drama

This is a tough point in the month where there are still so many movies left that I want to talk about but not enough time. I was trying to strike a balance between well-known and lesser-known titles, and now that I'm here, I feel like I should have just skipped the blockbusters, haha. Anyway, I decided to go with My Partner since it's still fresh in my mind. The film explores the cultural tensions between Native Hawaiians and Filipino immigrants and, in my opinion, does a great job of portraying both sides of the conflict with maturity. Typical of many Boys' Love films (or at least the ones I've watched), the romance itself is fairly understated, with much of it conveyed through lingering looks and quiet moments of proximity rather than overt displays of affection. Even so, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Available on: Youtube

Author: E.M. Forster        Book: Maurice         Genre: Classic

It's sad to think that E. M. Forster waited until after his death to have this novel published, having remained publicly closeted throughout his life. He believed a happy ending for two gay men was essentially unpublishable during his lifetime, which is why he chose to leave the novel unpublished until after his death. Maurice is a widely acclaimed novel that has since been adapted several times, most famously into the 1987 film starring James Wilby, Hugh Grant, and Rupert Graves. I watched the film myself and have yet to read the book, but it’s less than 300 pages so I am definitely planning to read it sometime in the future. The titular Maurice comes to terms with his sexuality during the same era in which Forster himself lived. We first see him experience an emotionally intimate but unconsummated relationship before eventually finding a more complete and fulfilling one later in the story. While the novel primarily explores his sexuality, it also offers thoughtful commentary on class divisions and the rigid social expectations of the era. If you don’t feel like reading the book, you should certainly at least check out the movie as I believe the adaptation is fairly close.

Here is the Goodreads link.

Musician: Tom Goss        Song: Bears        Genre: Pop

In contrast to films, I've started to run out of musicians to showcase, haha. Today I'm going with Tom Goss and his song Bears. There's no particular reason—it doesn't really match the themes of either today's film or book—but I think it's a fun song celebrating one of the gay community's most recognizable archetypes. Maybe I can find a song about Twinks to showcase tomorrow lol.

Available on: Youtube

Link to Day 29

Link to Day 27

Director: Alan Ball      Film: Uncle Frank       Genre: Comedy Drama

Between American Beauty, True Blood, and Six Feet Under, chances are you've seen or at least heard of some of Alan Ball's work. In Uncle Frank, we experience the titular character's story through the perspective of his niece, interwoven with flashbacks to his past. Frank has been something of an outcast within his family ever since his father caught him in bed with another boy, and he returns home following that same father's death. I think seeing Frank through the eyes of his compassionate and accepting niece, contrasted with the family that rejected him, makes for a powerful story and highlights how attitudes toward the LGBT community have changed across generations.

Available on: Amazon

Author: John Boyne      Book: The Heart’s Invisible Furies    Genre: Historical Fiction

This is one of those books I haven't read yet but have had on my reading list for quite a while. John Boyne is best known for The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, a novel that was translated into dozens of languages and adapted into a feature film following its success. If you haven't read it yet, it's a must. Since it's already so well known, however, I decided to highlight one of his other acclaimed novels instead: The Heart's Invisible Furies. The story begins in 1940s Ireland with Cyril Avery, who is adopted by a wealthy couple who never quite make him feel like he belongs. From there, the novel follows him across several decades as he struggles with identity, home, love, and what it truly means to belong.

Here is the Goodreads link.

Musician: Matt Fishel     Song: Radio-Friendly Pop Song     Genre: Pop

Matt Fishel has been making music since around 2010, so it's disappointing to me that he still feels relatively unknown, even within the gay community. I decided to pick a song from his debut album, Not Thinking Straight, because it perfectly captures the difficulty of breaking into the mainstream while writing explicitly gay-themed music. Absolutely no subtlety in his lyrics here, just an in your face song about how radio doesn’t want to hear you talking about girls loving girls or boys loving boys, just stick to how it has “always been”. Matt has often described his goal as simply writing pop music where the pronouns aren't changed to hide that he's singing about men.

Available on: Youtube

Link to Day 26

Director: Isaac Julien    : Young Soul Rebels   Genre: Thriller/Coming-of-Age

Young Soul Rebels is an amalgamation of several different genres: coming-of-age drama, murder mystery, youth culture, and racial relations. Yeah, they don’t shy away from tackling London in the late 1970s and all of the complex issues that surrounded it. The plot is set in motion by the death of a mutual friend of Chris and Caz, who is killed while cruising in a park at night. Their differing reactions create tension between them. Caz (who is also gay) wants to do something about it, while Chris wants to focus on promoting soul music. Their fallout and eventual reconciliation play heavily into the narrative, but there are also the ongoing romances between their respective love interests and the cultural clash between punk and soul music as well as the people who identify with each scene.

Available on: Amazon (Strand Releasing)

Author: Perry Moore     Book: Hero     Genre: Fantasy

While not in the traditional comic book format, Perry Moore’s Hero is very much a superhero story and follows its main character on his quest to join this universe’s version of the Justice League. To do so, he joins a group of misfits in an effort to prove himself worthy and redeem his family name after his father was disgraced and left the superhero business. Along the way, we learn more about both his father's past and their strained relationship. Part of that tension comes from the fact that his father doesn’t want Thom to become a superhero, but another major factor is that Thom is hiding a different secret: he’s gay. The novel leans heavily into the parallel between having a secret identity and being closeted, and the burden of hiding both—especially from his father—is one of the story’s central conflicts. There is also a larger superhero plot unfolding alongside a romantic subplot because, at the end of the day, it is still a superhero novel. Perry Moore worked as a producer on several The Chronicles of Narnia films and wrote Hero in part because he wanted the kind of openly gay superhero story that didn't exist when he was growing up.

Here is the GoodReads link.

Musician: Blue Hamilton     Song: Joe Exotic      Genre: Pop Rap

Pano Tsaklas (also known by the monikers Blue Hamition and Panopancakes) doesn’t have a particularly large music catalog, but I enjoy his work enough that I wanted to include him anyway. He is (or perhaps was?) a YouTube personality who spoke about his experiences as a gay man and also has a couple of low-budget films to his name. There really isn’t much more I can say about either him or his music, so just give it a listen and see what you think. Joe Exotic was the song choice today and though I never watched Tiger King, the song really isn’t about him and just uses the name as a funny hook for the chorus.

Available on: Youtube

Link to Day 27

Link to Day 25

Director: Paul Etheredge-Ouzts      Film: Hellbent                      Genre: Horror

So Leviticus is out this month but I still haven’t watched it yet so I decided to throw in a gay horror film I have watched before the month is up. N Now, I’m going to be honest here: slashers are among my least favorite horror subgenres. Short of Scream, I often find myself bored watching them. That said, the novelty of a gay slasher was enough to get me to check out Hellbent, and it ended up being just as run-of-the-mill as any straight one could hope to be, lol. Still, there’s some charm to it, and it deserves some credit for being the first gay slasher film to receive a theatrical release in the US. If you want some gay horror to add to your lineup this Halloween season, consider checking out Hellbent.

Available on: Youtube

Author: Clive Barker        Book: Books of Blood    Genre: Horror

Some of you may recognize this name as the writer and director of the original Hellraiser. Others may know him as the creator of Candyman, having written the short story The Forbidden, which inspired the film adaptation. Yes, Clive Barker has worked on a number of films, but he is also a prolific writer with a long list of novels, short stories, plays, poems… you get it. This man cannot seem to stretch himself thin enough because he has also gone on to write for several video games, something I was unaware of until I was trying to decide what book of his to choose. Speaking of which, I decided to go with Books of Blood, a collection of horror and dark fantasy short stories. Several of these stories feature gay main characters, like Barker himself, with widely varying themes but you can expect to be unsettled reading any of them.

Here is the Goodreads link.

Musician: Adam Lambert      Song:  Evil in the Night    Genre: Synth-Pop

Not many openly gay artists have songs that fit neatly into a horror-themed playlist, but Adam Lambert managed it. If you grew up during the American Idol era, you probably know him as the Season 8 runner-up who went on to have a very successful career anyway. He also has another album projected for release next month so there is something to look forward to in the near future. For today, I picked Evil in the Night, a dark, theatrical pop song filled with monsters, temptation, and things that go bump in the night. It isn't exactly horror, but it's about as close as you're going to get without me recommending an actual Halloween soundtrack.

Available on: Youtube

Link to Day 26

Link to Day 24

Director: Sebastián Silva   Film: Rotting in the Sun        Genre: Black Comedy Thriller

I don't want to say too much about this movie because I don't want to spoil what it's doing, but if you're looking for gratuitous nudity, you'll certainly find it here. Director Sebastian Silva seemed more than happy to include an abundance of sex scenes, some of which I personally felt served little narrative purpose. Still, give the people what they want, though I think its satirizing of social culture also helped check off some boxes. Beyond that, however, there's a surprisingly engaging story here, one that I genuinely did not see coming based on how the film begins. If you want more substance than just an endless parade of full-frontal shots, there's absolutely something here for you as well.

Available on: Mubi/Amazon  

Author: Edmund White, Charles Silverstein, Felice Picano   Book: The Joy of Gay Sex Genre: Nonfiction

Haha, yes, I'm sure that title got your attention. Inspired by The Joy of Sex, Edmund White and Charles Silverstein wrote this book as a guide for men who have sex with men. Many of us went through sex education classes that were woefully unprepared to discuss anything other than heterosexual relationships (and even that was often handled poorly). As a result, a lot of gay men were left without reliable information about what their romantic and sexual lives might look like. Enter White and Silverstein, who decided not only to address sex but also topics such as coming out, relationships, and life within the gay community. Edmund White has an extensive bibliography worth exploring in addition to this book, so definitely check out some of his fiction if you're looking for a narrative afterward. Charles Silverstein also published several nonfiction works related to homosexuality and later released The New Joy of Gay Sex alongside Felice Picano, another prolific gay author. So today you get three authors for the price of one—check them all out after you're done exploring the joys of gay sex.

Here is the Goodreads link.

Musician: Mike Taveira     Song: Sujo      Genre: Pop

Mike Taveira is a relatively new singer-songwriter on the scene, so I don’t have much at all to say about him. I haven't been able to find much biographical information about him. What I can say is that if you enjoy Sujo, it's worth checking out the rest of his music. The song felt like a fitting choice to pair with today's movie and book, both because of its subject matter and because it showcases the blend of vulnerability and sensuality that appears throughout a lot of his work. Mike often incorporates queer themes into both his lyrics and music videos, which frequently feature both men and women as romantic interests. I think there is promise here and I’m not just saying that because he likes to lean on his sex appeal in his music videos (certainly helps though).

Available on: Youtube

Link to Day 25

Link to Day 23

Director : Jon Garcia       Film: The Falls        Genre: Drama

The Falls is the first film in a trilogy that chronicles the lives and relationship of two Mormon men. In the first movie, they are serving their missions when they gradually fall in love and must deal with the ramifications of those feelings in a deeply conservative environment. While I enjoyed all three films, I felt the strongest emotional connection to the first, so it has stayed with me the longest. I do recommend checking out the entire trilogy, however, to see how their story concludes, and I don't want to spoil how it all turns out. Instead of treating coming out or falling in love as the finish line, it explores what happens afterward and how those choices continue to shape the characters' lives which is what I think makes this series worth the watch.

Available on: TubiTV

Author: Armistead Maupin    Book: Tales of the City      Genre: Fiction

This book series has inspired two television miniseries, both of which are worth exploring in their own right. Tales of the City was initially published as a newspaper serial before being collected into a novel following its success, with the first book sharing the same title. The series begins by following Mary Ann Singleton, a woman living in an apartment complex in San Francisco filled with residents of various sexual orientations, gender identities, and backgrounds. Due to its serialized format, Armistead Maupin was able to keep the story topical and responsive to contemporary events. One interesting note is that Maupin has spoken about being conscious of how much LGBT content he included in the early installments, fearing backlash from publishers and readers. He reportedly tried to maintain a balance among the characters, though this concern seemed to diminish as the series grew in popularity and he became more confident in the work.

Here is the Goodreads link.

Musician: Years & Years (Olly Alexander)    Song: If You’re Over Me       Genre: Electropop

Ever been in a relationship with someone who couldn't figure out what they wanted and kept playing games? That's what I hear when I listen to "If You're Over Me." Years & Years was the electropop band that launched Olly Alexander's career as its lead singer. Since then, Alexander has gone on to release solo music and appear in various films, television series, and stage productions. I haven't listened to a huge portion of the band's catalog, but I really enjoy this song and thought it was worth sharing today.

Available on: Youtube

Link to Day 24

Link to Day 22

Director: Basil Dearden    Film: Victim      Genre: Neo-Noir

Victim is about a blackmail ring targeting gay men, and since the police seem largely uninterested (with the exception of one homophobic chief) in solving the problem, the closeted main character takes matters into his own hands. Victim was the first British film to portray gay men and homosexuality in a sympathetic and unapologetic manner at a time when such depictions were virtually unheard of. The film faced significant backlash and censorship, but its release is often cited as an important step in the broader conversation that eventually led to the decriminalization of homosexuality in Great Britain. An additional layer to the story is that the lead actor, Dirk Bogarde, was widely rumored to be gay at the time, though he never publicly came out. By taking the role, he risked both his career and public reputation, yet chose to do so anyway.

Available on: Youtube

Author: Thomas Mallon      Book: Fellow Travelers         Genre: Historical Fiction

The Lavender Scare affected both sides of the Atlantic, with governments in both the United States and the United Kingdom attempting to identify and remove LGBT people from positions of public service. Although both countries have since acknowledged and apologized for aspects of these policies, the damage done cannot simply be undone with an apology. Thomas Mallon's Fellow Travelers, which has since been adapted into both an opera and a television miniseries, explores the lives of people caught up in the moral panic of the Cold War era. I've linked the miniseries as well since I haven't personally read the novel, but I can attest that the television adaptation was exceptionally well done. Starring Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey, the series begins during the height of McCarthyism and eventually expands to cover later periods of American history, including the Vietnam War and the AIDS crisis. This extension from the novel shows how just because the McCarthyism era was over, it didn’t suddenly mean its impact was suddenly erased from the lives it touched.

Here is the Goodreads link.Here is a link to the TV Series.

Artist: Mashrou’ Leila  (Hamed Sinno)      Song: Tayf (Ghost)     Genre: Indie Rock

Mashrou' Leila was a Lebanese indie rock band fronted by the openly gay singer Hamed Sinno. The group became highly controversial throughout parts of the Middle East and ultimately disbanded in 2022 after years of increasing hostility, threats, and political pressure. During their time together, they spoke openly about issues such as homophobia, misogyny, sectarianism, and government corruption. "Tayf" was written in response to authorities shutting down a gay-friendly nightclub in Beirut during a police raid. Although the band is no longer active, their catalog remains well worth exploring for anyone interested in queer music from outside the Western mainstream.

Available on: Youtube

Link to Day 23

Link to Day 21

Director: Luca Guadagnino   Film: Call Me By Your Name    Genre: Romance

Call Me by Your Name is one of those rare examples of a film adaptation w here many readers of the book actually prefer the movie. If you're unfamiliar with this coming-of-age story, it follows Elio, a seventeen-year-old, as he develops an attraction to Oliver, a twenty-four-year-old graduate student working with his father. What begins as fascination gradually develops into a romance between the two with Elio pushing and Oliver resisting at first before going along with Elio’s advances. It is a slow-moving story, dealing with Elio coming to terms with not only his sexuality but his attraction to an older man, a rather common experience among gay youths (and hell, straight people too). The novel and film differ somewhat in their delivery and in how optimistic they feel about the relationship, but they ultimately follow the same major story beats.

Available on: TubiTV

Author: Christopher Isherwood    Book: A Single Man    Genre: Fiction

While this book also has a film adaptation, I decided to focus on the novel instead. Why? Because the author, Christopher Isherwood, lived the experience of a considerable age gap (40 years!) relationship with his partner, Don Barchardy. Isherwood wrote A Single Man in part as an exploration of grief, loneliness, and the fear of losing someone you love. According to Don, Chris got the idea during a “domestic crisis” where Chris felt Don pulling away and wrote this story as a way to imagine what life would be like without him. When the story begins, the main character is coping with the recent death of his partner while trying to navigate the routines of everyday life. There are some substantial differences between the novel and the film adaptation, so if you've only experienced one version, it's worth checking out the other for comparison. Fortunately, unlike the story, Don did not die before Christopher. The two remained together until Isherwood's death from prostate cancer in 1986, and Don Bachardy, now in his nineties, continues to preserve their shared legacy.

Here is the Goodreads link.

Artist: Sakima     Song: Daddy    Genre: Electronic Pop

I haven't featured much electronic music this month since it's not a genre I listen to very often, but this song immediately came to mind when I started thinking about something cheeky to include for Father's Day. Sakima is an openly gay artist who blends electronic and alternative pop with distinctly queer perspectives. His discography isn't particularly extensive, but I wanted to highlight a lesser-known artist today and save a more recognizable name for the bonus recommendation. Part of the point of these posts is introducing people to gay artists and media they may not have encountered before. As for the song itself, the title leaves very little room for interpretation. "Daddy" plays directly with the attraction to older men and the power dynamics often associated with the archetype.

Available on: Youtube

Link to Day 22

Link to Day 20

Director: Andrew Haigh     Film: Weekend        Genre: Romantic Drama

Between Weekend, All of Us Strangers, and Looking, Andrew Haigh has contributed multiple beloved works to the gay community. Beyond that, he has also achieved significant critical success with those projects and many others, proving he is far from a one-note filmmaker. I decided to highlight Weekend today. Maybe I'll bring up some of his other works in the days remaining, but this felt like the best choice. Weekend begins with two men hooking up but evolves into a frank discussion about gay relationships and the expectations surrounding them. Both characters have very different perspectives on romance and love, though it becomes clear that at least part of that difference stems from the ways they each struggle with aspects of their own identities. One character is still semi-closeted and has not fully embraced their sexuality while the other is dealing with past heartbreak and homophobia that has closed them off to romance. While their relationship is limited to just the weekend, that small time together helps both characters embrace themselves and their desires more readily.

Available on: PlutoTV

Author: Alexis Hall       Book: Boyfriend Material    Genre: Romantic Comedy

Boyfriend Material is the first installment in what is now a trilogy. This story follows Luc, the son of a former rock star, who begins fake-dating a barrister in an effort to clean up his public image. Normally, you might assume the fake-dating trope means someone is in the closet, but that's not the case here. His problem is that he has developed a reputation for being unstable and irresponsible, so he turns to Oliver in hopes of presenting himself as a respectable adult with a stable relationship. What begins as a transactional arrangement—with both men benefiting from the appearance of a relationship—eventually develops into a genuine romance as they realize they are both looking for something real. T he series continues with Husband Material and the recently released Father Material, each exploring different stages of long-term relationships and the expectations that come with them. lexis Hall has a substantial bibliography, and I have only checked out this series so far so I cannot speak to everything, but I definitely recommend the first book if this genre suits you and maybe even if it usually doesn’t.

Here is the Goodreads link.

Artist: Pansy Division   Song: Luv Luv Luv     Genre: Queercore/Punk

Here we have Pansy Division, a band that describes its music as "queercore." Queercore is a movement within punk culture that emerged in the 1980s as a response to the marginalization of LGBT people, combining queer identity with punk's rebellious spirit. Pansy Division, in particular, formed as an openly gay rock band to challenge the stereotype that gay men only listen to pop divas and show tunes, a stereotype I’m sure we all are aware of. Looking through some of their song titles, I can't help but think they occasionally set out to be as outrageous as possible, which, to be fair, is very much in keeping with punk traditions. Titles like "Dick of Death" and "The Cocksucker Club" don't leave much room for interpretation, you know exactly what you are getting. I decided to go with something a little tamer and, somewhat ironically, a little more pop-oriented: Luv Luv Luv. The song is about idealized expectations of romance and what people believe love should look like, which makes it a good fit alongside today's other selections.

Available on: Youtube

Link to Day 21

Link to Day 19

Director: Barry Jenkins        Film: Moonlight       Genre: Drama

Like Chiron, I am a Black kid of Jamaican descent who grew up in Miami, which gave me an immediate connection to the premise of Moonlight. Fortunately, my family situation was never as dire as Chiron's. He has to deal with an abusive mother who is too consumed by addiction to properly care for him. Where I do find common ground, however, is in the film's exploration of Black masculinity, the need for a father figure, and the fear of one's sexuality being discovered by peers. This movie has three acts as we follow Chiron through his life and I will be blunt and say that while I loved the first two acts, I personally found the final act to be lacking. I would love to hear how others felt about the film, and the third act in particular. Maybe your interpretations can help me connect with the ending more.

Available on: HBOMAX

Author: Brandon Taylor      Book: Real Life       Genre:  Fiction

Brandon Taylor wrote the book Real Life by drawing a lot from, well, his own real life experiences. We follow Wallace, the first Black graduate student enrolled in a predominantly White Midwestern university's biochemistry program. he story unfolds over just a weekend, but it tackles a wide range of issues: sexuality, prejudice, abuse, family, and ignorance, among others. While Wallace spends much of the novel reacting to the actions of those around him, he is also forced to reflect on the ways he contributes to his own problems and the problems of others. I think that added layer is important because it's easy to focus solely on our own struggles while overlooking the fact that we may also be ignoring—or even contributing to—the struggles faced by other people.

Here is the Goodreads link.

Musician: Kevin Abstract   Song: Empty      Genre: Hip-Hop

I only recently learned of Kevin Abstract, which is surprising considering he came out publicly in 2016 and had already been making music for several years by then. As a result, I don't know much of his catalog yet, but I do know I can recommend this one as a good start. Empty is accompanied by a music video centered on a closeted football player who is caught in a sexual encounter with another boy when his girlfriend walks in on them. To me, the lyrics describe someone who feels disconnected from both their life and the people around them. Paired with the music video, I interpret that emptiness as stemming from the inability to live openly and honestly. That along with his family problems (he repeatedly speaks of hating his mom) has left him feeling isolated and unfulfilled. But that’s how I see it, maybe you will hear something different.

Available on: Youtube

Link to Day 20

Link to Day 18

Director: Rainer Werner Fassbinder       Film: Querelle        Genre: Erotic Arthouse

As you can tell from the very unsubtle poster, Querelle is a pretty sexually charged movie. That said, there isn't actually much nudity from what I can recall, so don't get your hopes up if that's what you're looking for. Rainer Werner Fassbinder, an unapologetically bisexual filmmaker, based the movie on Jean Genet's novel Querelle of Brest, whose titular character is also bisexual. In both the novel and the film, Querelle views sex less as an act of love and more as one of power, domination, and submission, which fits with the violence, crime, and murder that follow him throughout the story. The film takes place in a port town where sailors wait for clearance to leave, spending their downtime in bars, brothels, and various other establishments. Querelle uses this opportunity to sell drugs, have sex, commit murder, and start fights—just normal everyday activities, nothing worth writing home about.

 Available on: TubiTV

Author: Marshall Thornton        Book: Boystown Series    Genre: MM Crime Romance

I find Marhsall’s writing style to be really fun, I was first introduced to his work through the Pinx Mystery series. Today, however, I want to bring up his longest running series: Boystown. Set in Chicago's Boystown neighborhood, the series blends murder mystery, romance, and erotic fiction to keep readers both engaged and... excited. I've only read the first book myself, but there are more than a dozen entries in the series for anyone who finds themselves hooked. They're also relatively short novels, usually around 200 pages, which makes them very quick reads. If you've ever wanted to explore MM romance written by gay men, this is a great series to check out.

Here is the Goodreads link.

Artist: Frankie Goes to Hollywood        Song: Relax      Genre: New Wave

"Welcome to the Pleasuredome," so says Frankie Goes to Hollywood. The song and music video for "Relax" fully embrace leather culture and homoerotic imagery, something that predictably caused quite a bit of controversy when the song was released. The song was actually banned by the BBC in the UK which only helped it soar in ratings, good job. The music video is set in an S&M-themed gay nightclub, and the band's promotional campaign was hardly subtle either. One advertisement featured Paul Rutherford in a sailor cap alongside the slogan "ALL THE NICE BOYS LOVE SEA MEN," absolute mad man. The main vocalist for this band (Holly Johnson and Paul Rutherford) were openly gay and made it a point to be very forthcoming about it in their music and their performances. This would inevitably lead to them getting themselves banned and censored at some points throughout their career with their more provocative themes. Worth it!

Available on: Youtube

Link to Day 19

Link to Day 17

Director: Jeo Baby     Film: Kaathal: The Core    Genre: Courtroom Drama

Coming out later in life can strain all of your relationships and throw your entire life into turmoil. In this Kaathal: The Core, it wasn't even a decision made by the main character himself; his wife took matters into her own hands and began divorce proceedings while he was attempting to run for office. Mathew was forced into a marriage with Omana and, though he treated her with respect and raised their child as a devoted father, the arrangement obviously left them both unfulfilled. What I appreciate about this film is that it doesn't try to paint either the husband or the wife as a villain. Instead, it sympathizes with both of them and the difficult situation imposed upon them by a society unwilling to accept his sexuality.

Available On: Daily Motion (So yeah, no streaming service that I could find)

Author:  Matt Cain   Book: The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle   Genre: Romance

In Albert Entwistle's case, it took until retirement and his sixty-fifth birthday for him to finally come out and begin looking for love. Faced with the prospect of growing old alone after never building close friendships or finding a lasting relationship, he decides to search for a man he loved many years ago but never pursued. This is both a story about coming out later in life and a story about romance in one's later years, the latter of which I don't see represented very often in gay media.

Here is the Goodreads link.

Musician: MIKA     Song: Billy Brown       Genre: Pop

Another example of someone not fully discovering himself until he already has a wife and children. Billy Brown is, at its core, a song about infidelity. Sure, Billy realizes he's in love with another man, and maybe you can sympathize with the possibility that he's a closeted gay man finally coming to terms with himself. Then he runs off with that man and abandons his family, which is bad enough on its own. But then he one-ups himself by leaving that man for an entirely different woman, so maybe he's just a jerk lol. Perhaps if society had given him the freedom to explore his identity without judgment, none of this would have happened—but who knows? Maybe he's simply a serial cheater. As for the singer, Mika publicly came out in 2012 after years of speculation and repeated questions about his sexuality.

Available on: Youtube

Link to Day 18

Link to Day 16

Creator: Richard O'Brien    Move: Rocky Horror Picture Show    Genre: Comedy/Horror Musical

Well, there was no way I could avoid mentioning Rocky Horror, it’s the quintessential queer cult musical. There are so many themes here to unpack, from gender identity and sexuality to the celebration of horror itself, that I couldn't settle on a single one for today's theme. Rocky Horror can basically be summed up as: what if Dr. Frankenstein was a flamboyant, alien mad scientist and incredibly horny? Enter Dr. Frank-N-Furter, who creates his own version of Frankenstein's monster largely because he wants a beautiful man all to himself. Totally reasonable. For the uninitiated, this film has an enormous cult following, and many theaters still host interactive screenings where audience participation is encouraged. From what I’m told, this is the best way to experience the story so consider going to one of those viewings instead for your first time.

Available on: Uhh… Broadway HD? Sorry, I could not find anything for this one sadly.

Author:  Chuck Tingle     Book: Bury Your Gays     Genre: Sci-Fi Horror

I only learned about Chuck Tingle a month or two ago, and what I initially heard about his books was... questionable, to say the least lol. Be careful when venturing beyond this recommendation, because some of the titles alone are enough to make you do a double take. However, Chuck does apparently also create books that aren't outright absurdist parodies such as this title, Bury Your Gays. The plot of this book kicks off when a scriptwriter is pressured by executives to kill off one of his gay characters. Like Rocky Horror, the novel leans more toward campy horror than genuine scares but it also takes time out to have genuine commentary. Naturally, the book also comments on the infamous "Bury Your Gays" trope, where LGBT characters are disproportionately killed off in fiction. I decided to link to the TVTropes article on the subject as there was no book article on Wikipedia. Give it a read if you'd like to see just how many examples of this trope have appeared over the years.

Here is the Goodreads link.

Musician: Superfruit   Song: GUY.exe         Genre: Pop

Can you believe it? Two different works about a gay Dr. Frankenstein creating life so he can date it. Superfruit is a duo made up of Scott Hoying and Mitch Grassi from the a cappella group Pentatonix. They only released one album together, Future Friends, so there isn't a huge catalog of songs to choose from, but I thought "GUY.exe" was a lot of fun and paired perfectly with Rocky Horror. The music video follows a mad scientist working tirelessly to create the perfect boyfriend, carrying much the same energy as Dr. Frank-N-Furter. The premise is ridiculous, the song is catchy, and sometimes that's all you really need.

Available on: Youtube

Link to Day 17

Link to Day 15

Director: Troy Duffy     Film: Boondock Saints   Genre: Action Thriller

Okay, so this is kind of cheating, but it's basically impossible to find a gay action film (trust me, I've tried), and I wanted to put at least one on the list that isn't a low-budget indie. The lead detective in The Boondock Saints, played by Willem Dafoe, is explicitly gay—and unfortunately pretty homophobic (though some level of that is to get under the skins of his fellow officers). Despite some people within the department having misgivings about his sexuality, he is far too competent at his job for them to seriously challenge him. While the titular Boondock Saints are technically the main characters, Dafoe's character is just as important to the story and receives a comparable amount of screen time as he pursues them throughout the film. Honestly, I just want more badass gay protagonists, and I'll take them wherever I can get them.

Available on: TubiTV

Author: Steve Orlando    Book: Midnighter & Apollo       Genre: Superheroes

There have been LGBTQ characters throughout comic book history, though they have often been relegated to supporting roles with limited page time. Enter Midnighter: an out-and-proud psycho—err, hero—and suddenly gay readers had an original character who could headline his own stories. Midnighter was originally created by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch for Stormwatch before later becoming a member of The Authority, a superhero team (and I use that term loosely). Eventually, he received his own solo series written by Steve Orlando, an openly bisexual comic book writer. Apollo, Midnighter's longtime partner, also appeared in Stormwatch and The Authority, though he never received a solo series of his own. Midnighter and Apollo follows the adventures of the couple as they navigate both superheroics and a journey into the underworld. Ever wanted to see a crime-fighting gay couple? This is the comic for you.

Here is the Goodreads link.

Artist: Lil Nas X     Song: Industry Baby     Genre: Hip-Hop

So there actually are a couple of gay hip-hop artists out there, and I think music is one medium where we have a decent amount of variety compared to some others. Still, I decided to include Lil Nas X today anyway. Now when picking a song, I had some trouble because I couldn’t decide on a subject matter. I settled on Industry Baby in the end for the novelty of how unapologetically gay it is. A bunch of naked men dancing in the background is very atypical for rap music video and it's great to see Lil Nas X embrace that without compromise. Industry Baby itself is about him clapping back at the people who said he would just be a one hit wonder and those who attempted to discredit him as a rapper. Well, he proved them wrong by dropping another series of bangers in this album. Of course, it has been a couple of years since Montero was released, so here's hoping we get another album soon.

Available on: Youtube

Link to Day 16

Link to Day 14

Director: Jonah Markowitz     Title: Shelter     Genre: Drama

This was the first gay film I ever watched. I still remember working at Blockbuster not long after I came out and being blindsided by the cover art featuring two men lying in bed together. I remember the trepidation I felt when I went up to the counter with it and handed it to a coworker to checkout for me all those years ago. But I had to do it, and I’m glad I did  because it opened me up to a world I really had not thought was even a possibility even a month before. I won't deny that this is probably a big reason why I love Shelter so much, but I genuinely think it's a great movie regardless. We've got gay surfers, class differences, family obligations, and, most importantly, learning to love and let yourself be loved. The fact that this is one of the rare (at the time) movies with a wholly happy ending also endears it to me, and likely to many of the others who have watched it.

Available on: Youtube

Author: Benjamin Alire Sáenz      Book: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe    Genre: YA Romance

After coming out late in life, Benjamin Alire Sáenz began to incorporate the LGBT experience into more of his works which mainly dealt with the Mexican-American experience beforehand. While I haven’t read any of his books yet, I have come across a couple that interested me and decided to include this one as it is his most popular work on Goodreads. All I can really provide here is a summary of the synopsis, so I would suggest reading the full description yourself if you want to know more. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe follows the budding relationship between two teenagers, Aristotle and Dante. Their journey explores self-acceptance, social expectations, masculinity, and learning to be vulnerable with another person. It is only through that vulnerability that they are truly able to connect with and love one another. With all of the awards and praise it has gotten in the LGBT YA Novel circuit, I’m hoping it lives up to the hype!

Here is the Goodreads link.

Musician: Irrepressibles       Song: Two Men in Love      Genre: Alternative

This song spoke to me from the very first listen and has remained one of my favorites ever since. The Irrepressibles is primarily the project of Jamie McDermott, who serves as the main songwriter and vocalist while collaborating with a rotating cast of musicians and backing vocalists. Two Men in Love perfectly fits today's theme. I hear it as a song about vulnerability, acceptance, and opening yourself up to another person. The lyrics beautifully convey the feeling of two men falling deeply in love as they get to know each other on a more intimate level. I never get tired of hearing it, and I hope it resonates with some of you as much as it has with me. There are also quite a few other songs I really enjoyed from them as well so move onto the rest of their discography if you find yourself enjoying Two Men in Love.

Available on: Youtube

Link to Day 15

Link to Day 13

Director: Francis Lee   Title: God’s Own Country    Genre: Drama

This was once again a really difficult choice between my two main contenders for today's theme: Brokeback Mountain and God's Own Country. Ultimately, I decided to go with God's Own Country because its director, Francis Lee, is also gay and wrote the film as a loose reflection of his own experiences growing up on a farm. While the narrative revolves around the budding romance between a young farmer and a migrant worker he hires, it also explores the protagonist's relationship with his family and the expectations placed upon him. Unlike many stories set in rural communities, this one presents a family that is largely accepting without feeling unrealistically idealized, offering hope that it is possible to build a happy life in that environment.

Available on: TubiTV

Author: Will Fellows   Title: Farm Boys: Lives of Gay Men from the Rural Midwest  Genre: Nonfiction

This book is a collection of real-life experiences, happy and sad, of what life is like for gay men in rural Midwestern America. It tackles identity, hardship, relationships, and the very different worldview that can emerge from growing up in a rural community rather than a city. There are many aspects of these men's lives that often go unseen when Hollywood or other writers portray rural gay experiences, so I think this book does an excellent job of fostering empathy while presenting its subjects with honesty and heart. The unfortunate reality is that many of these accounts are now decades old, so it would be interesting to see how much has changed since then—hopefully for the better.

Here is the Goodreads link.

Artist: Orville Peck & Willie Nelson   Title: Cowboys are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other    Genre: Country

I was considering using one of Orville Peck's original songs, and honestly Dead of Night could have fit today's theme as well, but this title was simply too perfect to pass up. Orville Peck is arguably the most recognizable face of modern gay country music, to the point that even gays who dislike country music have probably heard of him or listened to one of his songs. Alongside his original work, he has recorded several covers and collaborated with a number of legendary artists, including Willie Nelson (a staunch LGBT ally) in this song.  The title isn’t subtle, so no need to delve into what it’s about but definitely check out the article to see the history behind it. Cowboys are basically a staple of the gay community at this point, so is there any surprise there would be a song about it? Willie Nelson has recorded this song alone original, but this version with both him and Orville Peck singing is definitely my preferred listening.

Available on: Youtube

Link to Day 14

Link to Day 12