Activism, complicated sexualities, and rural Oklahoma: what to stream this Pride Month

The Conversation Pride Month takes place in June each year, prompting increased attention on the LGBTQIA+ community, key issues affecting us and our stories. Some streaming services have previously curated prominent Pride Month categories, although these saw a downturn in 2025 . Queer “storyworlds” – television series that emphasise the social connections between LGBTQIA+ people – first emerged in the 1990s. These queer series were often products of experimentation in response to disruption, such as the proliferation of cable television. In new research , we explore how queer storyworlds use the serial nature of television to present complex and nuanced portrayals of queer identities, experiences and community. These storyworlds emphasise queer social connection, through friends and relationships. They move away from representations of the lone queer character in an otherwise straight world, who may occasionally have a love interest. And they use distinctly queer settings that include the spaces where community is formed, both in public – bars, cafes, nightclubs – and private homes. Whether the 1990s or the 2020s, centrally queer stories on television remain revolutionary. They offer a glimpse into the ways we create liveable lives despite the dominance of heterocentric society. And for that, they remain a powerful and radical source of meaning making for our community. We have found more than 70 queer storyworlds since the 1990s, created in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada, but there are more queer storyworlds to explore. Here is just a small selection you should be streaming this June. Queer as Folk Prime Video Russel T. Davies’ Queer as Folk (1999–2000) was the first fully queer storyworld in mainstream television. It centres the lives of gay men, and a few lesbians, in Manchester, and the scene on the infamous nightclub strip, Canal Street. This bold, sexy series is also highly political. It critiques the UK’s oppressive Section 28 laws , which suppressed open discussion of homosexuality for those under 18 from 1988–2003 (2001 in Scotland). The first episode features a 15-year-old Nathan Maloney (Charlie Hunnam) seeking and finding his first sexual experience on Canal Street, in a UK where it was also illegal for him to explore such desires with someone his own age in 1999. The L Word Stan (Australia), Prime Video (NZ and Australia) Ilene Chaiken’s The L Word (2004–09) is the first all-lesbian (and bisexual woman) storyworld. It gained worldwide popularity early in its run, and is likely one of the most seen series on this list. The L Word is sexy, dramatic and unafraid to tackle complex issues around relationships, infidelity, family and identity. As a central setting, the cafe/bar The Planet showcases a site of lesbian community-building. In Our Blood ABC iview and Stan In recent years, period dramas have been a key feature of queer storyworlds. Australia’s own powerful contribution is In Our Blood (2023). The miniseries focuses on queer community activist and government responses to the AIDS Epidemic in Australia. It highlights the diversity of Australia’s LGBTQIA+ community and the vital role of lesbians who led activism and care movements. Importantly, In Our Blood has moments of levity, where the community comes together. Whether to celebrate progress towards their cause or to mourn loss, they are able to use spaces such as Oxford Street to find connection and joy. Read more: The ABC’s In Our Blood shines a light on lesbian activism during the AIDS crisis – but there’s more to their story Pose Disney+ Another period drama, Pose (2018–21) celebrates the Black and Hispanic trans and queer voices at the centre of New York’s infamous ball culture in the 1980s and 1990s. The series is groundbreaking for its casting of out trans and queer actors, the depth of storytelling, and the unflinching look at the impact of the AIDS epidemic on the community. Pose boasts outstanding performances, and Dominique Jackson’s iconic reads – the act of throwing out witty, dismissive insults that originated on this scene – have become the subject of cultural listicle articles . With 26 episodes over three seasons, Pose gives space to stories often overlooked in mainstream distribution. Sort Of ABC iview and Stan Sort Of (2021–23) is a smart, funny series centring on non-binary Pakistani-Canadian Sabi (Bilal Baig), as they navigate between queer and non-queer spaces. With three seasons and 24 episodes, Sort Of gives space to explore the complexity of trans and non-binary identity, including bisexual/pansexual attraction. Sort Of also provides some hard hitting moments as Sabi finds a way to forge a liveable life. Throughout the series, they learn how to understand and be understood by their family, how to be a good friend and how to make choices that are best for them. But the series is about more