But with no significant LGBT+ representation, why aren't queer films and actors gaining the recognition they deserve? ๐ณ๏ธโ๐
Letโs look back at pivotal moments in the long history of LGBT+ representation in cinema ๐๏ธ
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๐ Manslaughter (1922)
Although not an LGBT-themed film, Cecil B DeMille's American silent drama broke new ground in gay representation.
During a fantasy orgy scene in ancient Rome, two women can be seen kissing โ the first same-sex romantic kiss in cinema ๐ฉโโค๏ธโ๐โ๐ฉ
๐จโโค๏ธโ๐จ Victim (1961)
Groundbreaking in its own way, Basil Dearden's survey of gay life in '60s London was the first English-language film to use the word 'homosexual'.
Censored at the time, it was later credited with helping to decriminalise gay sex in the UK a few years later ๐งโโ๏ธ
๐น Funeral Parade of Roses (1969)
Loosely adapted from Sophoclesโ Oedipus Rex, Toshio Matsumoto's trans-centric underground classic examined queer subcultures in '60s Tokyo ๐ฏ๐ต
๐ฅ Paris is Burning (1990)
Filmed over seven years, this intimate portrait of New York's voguing scene shone a spotlight on a subculture that influences pop culture to this day
In the midst of the AIDS crisis, the film was a triumphant statement of freedom, love and creativity
๐ฉโโค๏ธโ๐ฉ Fire (1996)
One of the first mainstream films in Bollywood ๐ฎ๐ณ to explore homosexuality โ and the first with a lesbian relationship โ Deepa Mehta sparked conversations and controversy when she put intimacy between two women front and centre in her landmark film
๐งโโ๏ธ Philadelphia (1993)
@tomhanks won the first of his two #Oscars for his portrayal of a gay lawyer fired for being HIV+, making it the one of the first mainstream Hollywood films to tackle the HIV/AIDS crisis
๐จ๐ณ Farewell My Concubine (1993)
A Chinese classic, Chen Kaige's epic explored gender, performance and homosexuality in ways unseen before in Chinese film
The first Chinese movie to win the Palme d'Or in Cannes, it helped bring China's contemporary cinema to the world stage
โง๏ธ Boys Donโt Cry (1999)
Based on the real life, and tragic death, of Brandon Teena, Kimberly Peirce's film was the first mainstream film to focus on a trans man
Recently, it has faced criticism for casting cisgender actors, sparking a debate over trans representation in cinema
๐ฆ๐ท XXY (2007)
A rare depiction of intersex life in cinema ๐ฝ๏ธ, Lucia Puenzo's Spanish-language film tells the story of the challenges and decisions facing a teenager navigating gender binaries
๐ฉโโค๏ธโ๐โ๐ฉ Rafiki (2018)
@wanuri Kahiu tells the tale of two teenage girls' secret relationship, torn between love and the fear of being found out in anti-LGBT+ Kenya ๐ฐ๐ช
The film was banned in its native country due to its gay themes and "intent to promote lesbianism"
#OscarsSoWhite trended in 2015 after the academy nominated white actors to all 20 acting categories
With no LGBT+ actors nominated and no recognition for films like @Disclosure_Doc, should there be another shake-up to recognise the work of Hollywood's queer community? ๐ณ๏ธโ๐
There are so many other great LGBT+ ๐ films that deserve to be mentioned ๐ฝ๏ธ
Which are your favourites?
Tell us below ๐
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While politics and business get a lot of attention, the world of art is another area where lesbian and queer women often struggle to be seen. From painters ๐จ to photographers ๐ธ, here are 13 artists we think you'll enjoy.
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Lubaina Himid (b.1954)
The first Black woman to win the prestigious Turner Prize ๐, the Zanzibar-born artist blends art with activism, addressing racial politics and the legacy of slavery.
Himid also works as a curator, shining a needed light on underrepresented Black artists
Adejoke Tugbiyele (b.1977)
The US-based ๐บ๐ธ artist and advocate's work intertwines notions of sexuality, gender, class and economy, often exploring LGBT+ issues and her own identity.
She uses materials to disrupt how we view the world by mixing natural and artificial substances
Over the past 12 months, @Openly has shone a light on the lives of lesbians around the world.
From adoption rights to the right to marry, here are a few of our articles focusing on the issues facing women who love women ๐ฉโโค๏ธโ๐ฉ
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Nigeriaโs first film depicting women who love women went online to beat the censors
"It will bring immense joy to the hearts of many of us who would be seeing people like us centred in a Nigerian film for the first timeโ - @pamelaadie, producer of โIfeโ
The gender binaries of "male" and "female" aren't as universal as you think ๐
From Samoa ๐ผ๐ธ to Albania ๐ฆ๐ฑ, here are eight cultures throughout history showing that the concept of non-binary gender is far from new ๐งต๐
Two-spirit (North America) ๐
Identifying with masculinity and femininity, indigenous North American two-spirit people are often said to contain both male and female 'spirits'.
They're often revered in their communities, seen as a channel between the physical and spiritual
Faโafafine (Samoa) ๐ผ๐ธ
Identifying as a separate gender, faโafafines' roles in society move fluidly between the traditional male and female.
While they're assigned male at birth, Samoa also recognises faโafatama โ an equally fluid gender for those assigned female at birth
#OnThisDay in 2001, four same-sex couples๐ณ๏ธโ๐tied the knot in Amsterdam's city hall, making history as the Netherlands ๐ณ๐ฑ became the first country to legalise gay marriage๐
Gert Kasteel & Dolf Pasker were one of those couples๐คต๐คต
โIโm very proud that itโs possible,โ Gert said.
Before he could complete his sentence, Dolf added, โThat we could play a little part of it. We made history.โ
20 years after the first legal same-sex weddings in the Netherlands, gay marriage has taken off around the world๐
From Taiwan ๐น๐ผ to Brazil ๐ง๐ท, these are some of the trans politicians working to make the ๐ a better place for everyone, while creating visibility in places never seen before
In 2016, the lawyer was the first trans person to be elected to office in Venezuela ๐ป๐ช, and only the second in the Western hemisphere to be a member of a national legislature
Prior to her election, Adriรกn was already a prominent LGBT+ activist ๐ณ๏ธโ๐
In a year of both victories and defeats for trans people around the world, we take a look back at stories from the past 12 months that have covered their fight to be seen and heard.
"Everybody seems to think trans people don't think about having a family or the future. I want to show that the LGBT+ community are like anybody else."
Dao Minh Khang may be Vietnam's first trans father and wants acceptance for trans parents