Queer short films appropriate for teens
August 2, 2016 11:42 AM   Subscribe

I facilitate an LGBTQ+ teen support group that meets weekly, and next week we're renting a space with an auditorium and projector so that we can watch a short film and chat about it afterwards. What do we watch?

The kids are mostly trans and gender non-conforming, ages 13-18, and we're only meeting for an hour and a half. So, nothing rated R, and no feature-length films. Any discussion-worthy queer TV episodes, documentary shorts, short films, etc you can recommend? I'll be asking them for their own input when we meet up tonight, but for the moment I'm stumped.
posted by libraritarian to Media & Arts (5 answers total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: You can look through the "youth" films on Frameline's Voices site and see if any of them might appeal - they're mostly shorts.
posted by rtha at 11:59 AM on August 2, 2016


Best answer: I recently used this video from buzzfeed to talk about relationships. I don't know if you could do a full hour long discussion on it (probably education on health relationships +discussion is more realistic).

At another meeting (we had 3 hours) we watched American Experience: Stonewall Uprising by PBS (I found it on YouTube). It was an interesting discussion about why we still need Pride celebrations, the history behind them, and what new battles are on the horizon. The movie itself is over an hour but clips may be of use.

Clips from Major! may also be interesting but I haven't gotten to see it myself.
posted by raccoon409 at 12:33 PM on August 2, 2016


Best answer: If time weren't an issue, I'd suggest Chelsea Mullen's feature documentary about Rae Spoon, My Prairie Home. Instead, your group might enjoy Spoon's 100% teen appropriate music video for "I Hear Them Calling," which features LGBTQ teens having a dance party in a public restroom (previously on the blue).

The Gender Tag Project (YouTube) might be interesting. You can read about it at Ashley Wylde's website here. She did a TED Talk about the project, which is here (and YouTube suggests a bunch of other TED Talks about gender when I look at that video). Over 600 people have contributed videos to the tag; you might find a few among them that would appeal to your group.

There's a reality tv/documentary series about Jazz Jennings's life: I am Jazz. Episodes are about 40 min.
posted by bibliotropic at 3:52 PM on August 2, 2016


Best answer: I don't know if you can get your hands on it, but the Infamous T is really quite good and avoids the "actually for straight cis people" tone that a lot of documentaries have going on.
posted by hoyland at 4:11 PM on August 2, 2016 [1 favorite]


Best answer: The Fosters! It's on Netflix and has several transgender characters, as well as the main family, which has two moms, and five adopted children, one of whom comes out as gay. It's one of the most positive portrayal of LGBT issues on TV today and it is genuinely enjoyable, even for my partner and I (we are in our mid-30's).
posted by guster4lovers at 6:27 PM on August 2, 2016 [1 favorite]


« Older Family negativity   |   Talked to Financial Counselor. He told me to stop... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.