15 LGBTQ+ TV Shows and Movies to Watch in July

The Summer of Queer Is Here

​While Pride month may be over, queer representation is in no shortage this month. Here are some of the LGBTQ+ movies, television shows, and specials we’re most looking forward to this July.

Some of the highlights this month are a Brandi Carlile concert special, the already iconic queer film Joy Ride, and, Kokomo City, a groundbreaking documentary focusing on the lives of Black transgender women sex workers.

You can also see the queer content you missed from June here.

Brandi Carlile: In the Canyon Haze - July 1

Earlier this year, lesbian music icon Brandi Carlile took home three Grammy Awards, including a trophy for her latest album, In These Silent Days. On July 1, HBO premiered a concert special where Carlile performs reimagined versions of songs from In These Silent Days in the style of early ‘70s canyon folk-rock. The special will also stream on Max.

Bad Girl Boogey - July 4

Who says you can’t make movies when you are young? Bad Girl Boogey is a queer horror film that was directed, produced, and co-written by trans filmmaker Alice Maio Mackay, who was just 17 years old at the time of production. This LGBTQ+ slasher features a cast of queer and trans actors and includes LGBTQ+ characters. It will be released digitally on July 4 and be screened in select theaters starting on July 7.

WHAM! - July 5

This Netflix documentary follows the rise of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley as WHAM! in the early 1980s. The duo took the world by storm and the band brought Michael superstardom. The documentary examines how the two reached those heights, thanks to new interviews and unseen archival footage. Catch it on Netflix starting July 5.

Joy Ride - July 7

Later this month, the highly anticipated studio comedy Joy Ride comes to theaters, which follows four Asian-American friends as they travel through Asia in search of one of their birth mothers. The film stars Sherry Cola and Stephanie Hsu, who are queer, and Sabrina Wu, who is nonbinary. Additionally, though Cola’s character is never explicitly named as queer, Cola recently said she wouldn’t be surprised if people read her character as gay.

Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York - July 9

The docuseries looks at the serial killer who preyed upon gay men in NYC during the rise of the AIDS crisis in the early 1990s. The series, which premieres on Max on July 9, also looks at the homophobia of the time and the biases found in the criminal justice system that helped the killer target such a marginalized group.

Survival Of The Thickest - July 13

In 2020, comedian Michelle Buteau released a book of essays called Survival of the Thickest, and this July, a television adaptation of the book is coming to Netflix. The show stars Buteau as Mavis Beaumont, an assistant stylist who must put the pieces of her life back together after she finds her partner cheating on her. Survival of the Thickest features a ton of queer characters. Trans icon and drag queen Peppermint also will appear on the show, which premieres on July 13.

FX's What We Do In The Shadows - July 13

On July 13, vampire comedy What We Do In The Shadows will enter its fifth season on FX, and you better believe it’s going to be queer. The show stars out gay actor Harvey Guillen, who appeared on The Advocate’s year-end cover in 2022. In season four, his character Guillermo Cruz came out as gay, unlike Guillen, who told The Advocate he never had a public coming out.

The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2 - July 14

Last July, Amazon Prime released a television adaptation of the YA novel, The Summer I Turned Pretty, and fans were thrilled when author and co-showrunner Jenny Han decided to make one of the characters sexually fluid. The Summer I Turned Pretty, which follows two brothers as they vie for the heart of a high school girl, will return for its second season on July 14.

Foundation - July 14

Foundation, which features out actor Lee Pace, is based on Isaac Asimov's award-winning novels. It follows a group of exiles as they attempt to save humanity while a Galatic Empire falls. The second season premieres on Apple TV+ on July 14.

Theater Camp - July 14

Earlier this year, the mockumentary comedy Theater Camp premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews. This LGBTQ-inclusive film stars Ben Platt, Molly Gordon, and Noah Galvin as the staff of a rundown theater camp in upstate New York, and follows their journey to save the camp from being destroyed. Theater Camp hits theaters on July 14.

Barbie - July 21

Everyone and their mother have been talking about the Barbie movie, and we cannot wait to see if it lives up to the hype. Though it’s unclear if any of the characters will be gay, transgender model and actress Hari Nef will play one of the Barbies. The film also stars out lesbian Kate McKinnon and queer actress Alexandra Shipp.

Harley Quinn - July 27

Season 3 of the animated show Harley Quinn was extremely gay and incredibly romantic, and we’re hoping that continues in Season 4. If the show’s Valentine’s Day special was any indication, we should be set, as it continued to explore the relationship between Harley Quinn and her girlfriend, Ivy. The fourth season of Harley Quinn returns to Max on July 27.

The Witcher - July 27

In December 2019, Netflix premiered The Witcher, a fantasy series based on a book series of the same name. According to interviews with the show’s executive producer and showrunner, the show’s third season will include a queer character named Philippa Eilhart, who is also part of the books. The final three episodes of the third season of The Witcher will premiere on Netflix on July 27.

Talk To Me - July 28

Queer horror films continue to be popular, with an upcoming horror flick called Talk to Me, which is the debut feature film of Australian twins RackaRacka. Talk to Me follows a group of friends who learn how to conjure spirits with an embalmed hand, until one of them goes too far. This LGBTQ-inclusive filmwill be released on July 28.

Kokomo City - July 28

Songwriter-producer D. Smith has had a successful career in the music industry, with two Grammy nominations for her work. Now, this transgender artist has directed, edited, and produced her first film, Kokomo City, a documentary about four Black trans sex workers in New York and Georgia. One of the subjects in the film, Koko Da Doll was murdered recently in Atlanta. Kokomo City will hit theaters on July 28.