In its 2020–2021 “Where We Are on TV” report, GLAAD noted the importance of Bly Manor, writing that it wasn’t only a “recent breakout hit,” but that the show could usher in “more content for a primed passionate audience ready to tune in and support series tell nuanced and in-depth stories queer women.” It offers an authenticity and complexity rarely afforded to on-screen lesbian couples. It’s no surprise, then, that more than a year after the premiere, Dani and Jamie’s love story is still regarded with such warmth. Dani even proposes to Jamie in a heartfelt scene, though there’s the bittersweet undercurrent of knowing they weren’t able to legally marry in the ’90s. While their love story could’ve been confined to their workplace bond, we instead follow their love for more than a decade, with the finale chronicling a great deal of their 13-year relationship.īefore ( spoiler alert) Dani sacrifices herself to the Lady of the Lake, she and Jamie co-own a flower shop and share a home big enough to include their love. Instead, we watch Dani and Jamie helping each other cope with the unexpected horrors they encounter. Bly Manor doesn’t include a coming-out storyline or a ton of queer-based trauma. They have a playful banter, support each other and develop an unmistakable emotional depth.
Yet we see Jamie and Dani growing closer through each episode. The attraction is instant, with the narration simply stating that Jamie acting as if Dani had “always been there” made the others assume so, too.ĭuring the scene, my friend and I sent the same message at the same time: “That’s gay.” Though Bly Manor’s creator, Mike Flanagan, said the show would be more of a love story than a ghost story, it wasn’t marketed as a lesbian romance. Though they don’t speak, Dani stares at Jamie and becomes a little flustered by what she’s seeing. We were both stunned when the gardener, Jamie (Amelia Eve), walks into the manor for the first time and exchanges a look with Dani (Victoria Pedretti), the new American au pair for the children who reside at Bly. It premiered during the second, maybe third, wave of the pandemic, so my friend and I broke down scenes over the phone and through the Netflix Party chat (now called Teleparty). I distinctly remember watching The Haunting of Bly Manor when it was released in October 2020. So if you’re searching for a few lesbian or sapphic shows and movies to get into this Valentine’s Day, here are our top picks streaming on Netflix right now.
That’s changing a bit now, especially for queer women who’ve been getting a little love in holiday movies, including Let It Snow, A New York Christmas Wedding and Happiest Season. Most iconic romance films don’t even include queer characters, let alone treat them as the protagonist. No matter how much we love romance movies, however, one thing remains constant: There’s a shared straightness. It can even be the impetus for a villain origin story. Enjoy these picks all year-round.Who doesn’t love a good romance film? After all, romance itself can function as a plot device, a plot twist or even a sweet sidebar to the main arc. And remember-even when Pride Month ends, there is still a wealth of LGBTQ cinema to explore. In an effort to celebrate these films, the team at Men's Health has put together a list of iconic LGBTQ movies currently available for streaming on major platforms, including Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. That's just to say, there's something for everyone who wants to celebrate the power of the LGBTQ+ community. The racial identities of queer characters have changed, too-look at Moonlight, which won multiple Academy awards and became the first film in history with an all-Black cast to win Best Picture. We've come a long way from many of the queer tropes that used to plague television and movies, and there's a substantial amount of content championing the beauty of queer relationships, and embracing one's gender identity.Īnd for the past half-century, LGBTQ+ media has made major strides, ranging from the 1985 love story, Desert Hearts, to the recent critical success of The Portrait of a Lady On Fire.
Anytime is the perfect to catch up iconic queer film and television, a glimpse into the stories of LGBTQ characters falling in love, coming to terms with their sexual identity or simple celebrating what it means to be queer in this day and age, be it fictional or based on real moments in history. Although Pride Month is the designated time to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, you can watch queer media any day of the year.