Pride 2025: A Q+ Celebration!
June 6
Anything But Fine by Tobias Madden
This heartfelt Australian YA novel is a must-read for anyone who’s ever had their dreams derailed, and found something even better in the process. Anything But Fine follows Luca, a ballet prodigy whose future at the Australian Ballet School vanishes overnight after a freak injury. Left grieving the loss of his identity, Luca transfers to a new high school where he’s forced to start over, make new friends, and navigate a world without dance. But things get more complicated when he falls for the school’s golden boy, and realizes falling in love might be even scarier than falling on stage.
Tobias Madden’s debut novel is sweet, sincere, and filled with big queer feelings. It explores grief, resilience, and self-discovery with a light touch that still manages to pack an emotional punch. Luca’s journey isn’t just about romance; it’s about figuring out who you are when everything you thought defined you suddenly disappears. Plus, it’s got found family vibes, awkward crushes, and a gay protagonist who’s allowed to be messy, vulnerable, and still absolutely lovable.
Where to buy? Anything But Fine is available to purchase at all reputable booksellers.
Straight
Directed by Marcelo Tobar and based on the play by Scott Elmegreen and Drew Fornarola, Straight is a layered, emotionally charged exploration of sexuality, identity, and the roles we’re expected to play. The film centers on Roberto (Alejandro Speitzer), a successful banker who seems to have it all: a great career, a beautiful girlfriend (Bárbara López), and a life that checks every socially acceptable box. But everything begins to unravel when he meets Cris (Franco Masini), a charming and confident younger man who quietly—but powerfully—awakens something Roberto has spent his life trying to suppress.
What follows is a tense, intimate, and sometimes painful unraveling of a man who’s never truly asked himself what he wants, only what he’s supposed to want. The chemistry between Speitzer and Masini is electric, and the film never shies away from the discomfort of living in the in-between: between labels, between relationships, between the person you are and the one you’re afraid to become. There are no easy answers here, just the messy, human ones that will feel deeply familiar to anyone who’s ever navigated their queerness under the weight of expectation.
Straight doesn’t villainize its characters, nor does it present coming out as a clean, linear path. Instead, it paints a raw and tender portrait of a man torn between comfort and authenticity. And for a film that’s essentially about a love triangle, it’s beautifully quiet, introspective, and deeply resonant. If you’ve ever found yourself asking “Is this it?”, this one’s going to hit hard.
Where to watch? Straight is available to stream, rent or purchase on Prime Video (depends on the region).
The Sex Lives of College Girls
Mindy Kaling’s The Sex Lives of College Girls might sound like your typical campus comedy, but underneath the party montages and hookup chaos is one of the most refreshingly queer and emotionally honest shows on TV. Set at the fictional Essex College, the show follows four wildly different roommates as they navigate friendship, identity, academics, and, yes, sex—all with a hefty dose of humor and heart. What we love most? It gives queer characters space to be flawed, messy, and fun without ever making them tokens or tragic sidekicks.
From Leighton’s (Reneé Rapp) closeted rich-girl arc to the evolving crushes and situationships of her roommates, this series isn’t afraid to dive into the complexity of what it means to be young and queer today. It’s self-aware, inclusive, and packed with one-liners that’ll have you cackling and rewinding. But don’t let the jokes fool you—this show has real emotional weight, too. If you’ve ever wished Gossip Girl was gayer and less judgmental, or wanted Girls without the self-importance, this one’s for you.
Where to watch? The Sex Lives of College Girls is streaming on Max.
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Featured Image: Images Courtesy of Netflix, Max, Amazon MGM Studios, Focus Feature, Getty Images, Disney+, Apple TV.
