Queer media had a big year of representation across the spectrum of LGBTQ+ identities. In 2023 from TV/Film to books to music, queer experiences were baked neatly into the cultural zeitgeist. While this is by no means an exhaustive list, here are some of our favorite queer media that kept us engaged and feeling seen.

Kokomo City

In 2023, Grammy-nominated producer turned director D. Smith made her film debut with Kokomo City. The documentary swept the festival circuit, pulling back the layers of Black trans women and their relationship with the broader Black community. A few months after the film’s success at Sundance, one of the subjects, Rasheeda Williams, aka Koko Da Doll, was murdered, and Kokomo City became an homage to her memory and the complex life as a Black trans woman.

Rustin

Netflix’s Rustin, starring Colman Domingo as civil rights icon Bayard Rustin, tells the story of the man behind orchestrating the 1963 march on Washington and his experiences as a gay black man in the 60s. Domingo portrays Rustin’s passion for freedom and unapologetic queerness in the liberation space. The film’s breakneck pacing doesn’t miss a beat but leaves you wanting to know more about Black queer folks’ lives in past eras.

Bottoms

Bottoms, with its highly queer title, follows lesbian best friends at the bottom of the social hierarchy of their high school who start a fight club to seem cool and get girls to like them. It’s a cult classic-style teen movie and a hilarious, gritty, authentic portrayal of sapphic angst. The cast features Rachel Sennott, Ayo Edebiri, and Marshawn Lynch, who have great comedic timing while keeping the film’s humanity and heart present.

We See Each Other

In the world of publishing, queer authors took over the bookshelves in 2023. One of those was Tre’vell Anderson’s novel We See Each Other: A Black, Trans Journey Through TV and Film, which offered a streamlined canon of Black trans representation in TV and film. It’s an interactive novel using visual elements, recommended viewing guides at the end of each chapter and a catalog of transcestors throughout history. Whether you are cisgender or trans, We See Each Other is for everyone. It provides tools to expand one’s knowledge and allows trans folks to embrace the power of our trancestors.

The Age of Pleasure

Another nonbinary creator, Janelle Monáe, gifted us a now Grammy-nominated album in 2023. The Age of Pleasure is a project that embodies freedom, exploration, and Monáe’s embracing of their queer identity. From tracks like “Lipstick Lover” to “Float,” the nonbinary musician entranced us to love and live life to the fullest. Their album was received so well that it sparked a significant shift for inclusion in the R&B/Soul music space when BET renamed its Lady of Soul award to the Spirit of Soul award to honor Monáe’s nonbinary identity.

Monica

Another film that garnered critical acclaim was Trace Lysette’s Monica. The movie tells the story of a trans woman who returns home after decades of estrangement from her dying mother. Lysette’s heartfelt performance added to the canon of trans stories on-screen, making history as the first-ever film led by a transgender actor to debut at the Venice Film Festival in its nearly 80-year history. Lysette also received a nomination for Best Lead Performance in Monica from the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards, making her the fifth trans actor nominated for a Spirit Award.

Gen V

Genre television had a great year, and the superhero category was flipped on its head with Prime original Gen V. The Boys spinoff Gen V blends superheroes, crass humor, and an ensemble cast that works well together. But what makes it the best queer media of 2023 is its Asian nonbinary character, Jordan (London Thor & Derek Luh), and their romance with the main character, a Black woman named Marie (Jaz Sinclair). While these supes juggle college, uncovering conspiracy plots and saving the world, they still find time for romance. Gen V offers a very queer enemies-to-lovers story where Marie and Jordan duke it out for the top-class ranking and eventually act on their feelings for each other. Also, the depiction of the main character with a nonbinary love interest expands the realm of queerness for people of color, providing possibility models for viewers to feel seen.