Pride 2026: A Q+ Celebration
June 6
Palaver by Bryan Washington
Bryan Washington has built a reputation for writing beautifully about connection, distance, and the ways people struggle to communicate with one another, and Palaver may be one of his most intimate works yet. The novel follows a Jamaican-born mother who travels to Tokyo to visit her estranged son, whom she hasn’t truly connected with in years. Over the course of her visit, the two are forced to confront old wounds, misunderstandings, and the complicated history that has shaped their relationship.
Like much of Washington’s work, the novel is less interested in dramatic confrontations than in the small moments that reveal who people are. As mother and son navigate Tokyo together, memories of Jamaica, Toronto, and Houston gradually fill in the gaps between them. The son’s queer life in Japan exists alongside the family’s broader story of migration, identity, and belonging, creating a portrait of people trying to understand each other across cultures, generations, and emotional distances.
Tender, funny, and quietly devastating, Palaver is the kind of novel that rewards patience. Washington’s gift for dialogue and character shines throughout, creating a story that feels deeply human from beginning to end. It’s a beautiful reminder that sometimes the hardest conversations are the ones we have with the people we love most.
Where to buy? Palaver is available to purchase at all reputable booksellers.
Cherri
There aren’t nearly enough queer films willing to center characters we rarely get to see on screen, and that’s part of what makes Cherri feel so special. Set in Havana, the film follows Cherri (Juan Miguel Más), a plus-size gay dance instructor and antiques dealer whose life revolves around caring for his disabled husband, Luis (Roberto Díaz Gomar ✝︎). But when a young security guard named Tim (Noslen Sánchez) enters his orbit, Cherri finds himself confronting desires and possibilities he thought had long been left behind.
What follows isn’t a story about choosing one person over another. Instead, Cherri becomes a moving exploration of love in all its forms: romantic love, devotion, caregiving, longing, and the deeply human desire to be seen. The film approaches its protagonist with remarkable compassion, allowing him to be messy, hopeful, vulnerable, and flawed without ever judging him for it. At the same time, it challenges conventional ideas about beauty, aging, and whose stories are considered worthy of being told.
Quiet, poetic, and emotionally rich, Cherri is the kind of film that lingers long after it ends. Through dance, desire, and heartbreak, it tells a story about refusing to give up on connection, even when life has left its scars. It’s a beautiful reminder that queer love stories don’t end when people grow older, they simply become more complicated, and often, even more meaningful.
Where to watch? Cherri is available to rent or buy at Fandango at Home and Google Play Movies.
Big Mistakes
After redefining queer television with Schitt’s Creek, Dan Levy returned with something completely different. Big Mistakes follows Nicky (Dan Levy), a gay pastor, and his sister Morgan (Taylor Ortega), two deeply unqualified siblings who somehow find themselves blackmailed into the world of organized crime. What follows is a chaotic series of increasingly bad decisions, questionable plans, and desperate attempts to stay one step ahead of people who are far more dangerous than they are.
What makes the series work so well is its balance between absurd comedy and genuine heart. Levy’s Nicky is trying to maintain his values while being dragged deeper into criminal schemes he never asked for, while Morgan’s particular brand of chaos ensures that every situation somehow becomes even worse. The show understands that dysfunctional families often create the funniest stories, especially when they’re forced into circumstances they’re completely unequipped to handle.
Sharp, fast-paced, and packed with memorable performances, Big Mistakes feels like the kind of comedy that embraces messiness in all its forms. It’s a crime caper, a family comedy, and a queer-led series all rolled into one wildly entertaining package. If you’ve ever enjoyed watching lovable disasters stumble their way through impossible situations, this one’s for you.
Where to watch? Big Mistakes is available to stream on Netflix.
Happy Pride 2026! Follow us on X and Instagram for all queer stuff!
Featured Image: Images Courtesy of Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon MGM Studios, Focus Features, Getty Images, Disney+, Apple TV, Crave.
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