Over the years, we have seen the LGBTQIA+ community getting token representation in the media. They are generally relegated to side roles, comic relief, or cautionary tales. Thankfully, in the last few years, things have changed. We have seen people from the LGBTQIA+ community coming front and centre and telling their stories. There’s been a positive shift in the way the media portrays the community and that’s indicative of a new wave. Here are nine recent LGBTQIA+ shows and movies that you need to add to your weekend watchlist.

Related: Pride Month 2021: Here’s An LGBTQIA+ Watchlist That’s Truly Inclusive And Entertaining

1. Heartstopper (2022)

Heartstopper is based on the graphic novel series of the same name by Alice Oseman. The series follows teenagers Nick and Charlie as they discover an unlikely friendship that might be something more. This cute and endearing coming-of-age, youth story is a great addition to an LGBTQIA+ weekend watchlist.

Watch on Netflix

2. Badhaai Do (2022)

Starring Rajkummar Rao and Bhumi Pednekar, Badhaai Do deals with the concept of a lavender marriage. Shardul, a gay man, marries Suman, a lesbian woman, to appease their families. But when Suman’s girlfriend moves in with them, their lives get complicated.

Watch on Netflix

3. First Kill (2022)

Teenage romances are always fun to watch, especially if they are forbidden romances. First Kill brings a vampire, Juliette, and vampire hunter Calliope together. Both are ready to make the first kill, but what happens when they fall in love first?

Watch on Netflix

4. The Miracle of Teddy Bear (2022)

What happens when the teddy bear who has been your closest confidant suddenly turns human? Taohu is a giant white teddy bear who has been with Nut through thick and thin. Unlike regular teddy bears, Taohu has the ability to communicate with the other objects in the house. When he suddenly turns human, he can’t remember anything about himself. As Taohu tries to discover himself, he falls in love with Nut, the one person closest to him.

Watch on Netflix

5. Cobalt Blue (2022)

Set in a traditional Marathi family, things become topsy-turvy when an aspiring author and his free-spirited sister fall for the same guy, a paying guest at their home. This rocks the core of the family. The movie also depicts the fear and loneliness that comes with same-sex love.

Watch on Netflix

6. Bad Buddy (2021)

Pat and Pran come from warring, neighbouring families. Thanks to the enmity between Pat’s father and Pran’s mother, both boys have been pitted against each other since they were kids. Always competing for everything, Pat and Pran find themselves in warring departments, Engineering and Architecture, in college as well. As they start spending time together, they become friends and eventually more.

Watch on YouTube

7. Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui (2021)

Manu runs a gym that’s failing till Maanvi joins them as a Zumba instructor. Soon, the two of them engage in a passionate affair that comes to a halt when Manu learns of Maanvi’s secret. When Manu finds out Maanvi is a transwoman, he is confused and enraged, and things worsen when Manu’s family members get involved.

Watch on Netflix

8. Young Royals (2021)

Young Royals is set in the fictional elite boarding school, Hillerska. This Swedish teen drama revolves around the Prince of Sweden, Wilhelm, and his budding romance with a fellow student Simon Eriksson. One can imagine the drama that ensues when a prince falls in love with a boy.

Watch on Netflix

9. Operation Hyacinth (2021)

In 1985 Poland, a young communist officer is dissatisfied with the result of a murder investigation. So, he sets out to discover the truth on his own. This Polish movie is based on the true story of Operation Hyacinth, carried out from 1985 to 1987. The purpose of the operation was to create a national database of all Polish homosexuals.

Watch on Netflix

Featured Image Source

Related: Celebrating The Most Iconic LGBTQIA+ Characters Of 21st Century Television