As our community spends more time at home during this necessary period of social isolation, GCN is here to help you fight the boredom with our GaylyPicks – top tips for how to keep yourself entertained during lockdown.
As well as our GaylyPicks, you can also keep connected to the community with GCN’s In And Out Digital Festival of LGBT+ Creativity on our socials!
TV: I Am Not Okay With This
Netflix’s darkly quirky show about a teen discovering her sexuality and superpowers at the same time is a true original.
Film: Booksmart
If you haven’t seen it already, Booksmart is a hilarious film about two uncool teenagers on a last big night out before college. Anyone who remembers those awkward years of beginning to discover your sexuality will instantly relate.
Series: Tiger King
Truth really is stranger than fiction in the Netflix true crime documentary series Tiger King. It’s best to know as little as possible going in to enjoy all the twists and turns, so sit back and take in Exotic Joe and his bizarre world of big cats.
Video Game: Life Is Strange
The gorgeous video game, Life is Strange, is a moving tale of friendship, love, tragedy and destiny. Player’s choices influence the story, which asks the question: if you could turn back time, how would you use your power?
Book: Paul Takes The Form Of A Mortal Girl
Looking for a good read? Non-binary author Andrea Lawlor’s award winning novel Paul Takes The Form Of A Mortal Girl is a sexy, playful and wonderfully queer story of love featuring a being who can shift genders at will journeying through 1990’s America.
Film: God’s Own Country
The 2017 film Gods Own Country, about a lonely young farmer who starts to develop feelings for the migrant worker he’s hired, might seem heavy going as it looks at rural isolation for gay men, but it’s also surprisingly sexy and romantic. Well worth a watch.
Theatre: How To Keep An Alien
The award-winning Rough Magic production of How to Keep an Alien is entertainment at its best. Written and performed by Sonya Kelly, it was filmed in September 2014 at Project Arts Centre as part of the Dublin Fringe Festival. Watch it here.
Podcast: United Ireland
Una Mullally and Andrea Horan’s podcast @UnitedIrelandPod acts as a sanctuary of calm and collected analysis for anyone feeling overwhelmed but wanting to remain informed.
Documentary: Moving Parts
Now available on Netflix, Moving Parts gives an honest insight into the world of drag performer Trixie Mattel at a pivotal time in her career. It also features some of Ireland’s finest drag talent as she visited The George on her European Tour, making it a must see!
Documentary: Paris Is Burning
No GaylyPicks could be complete without the unforgettable Paris Is Burning is a riveting portrait of NY’s ballroom scene, from fierce contests for trophies to house mothers offering solace from a world rampant with homophobia, transphobia, racism, AIDS, and poverty.
Book: Party Monster
Seen the film? Nothing can prepare you for the book. James St James’ Party Monster, originally titled Disco Bloodbath, is an insane, and insanely hilarious, look at New York’s original club kids. It has debauchery, horror and murder. And it’s all true.
Podcast: Throwing Shade
Heard the Throwing Shade podcast yet? Well, you’ve got a lot to catch up on! This supremely entertaining podcast featuring comedians Brian Safi and Erin Gibson is a perfect blend of comedy and insight as they discuss everything from pop culture to LGBT+ rights.
Film: Hedwig And The Angry Inch
Hedwig And The Angry Inch is a true queer classic. Featuring a killer soundtrack and a stunning central performance, this underground musical, about the victim of a botched sex change who becomes a rock star, needs to be seen.
TV: Looking
Often overlooked, this TV series about the lives of gay men in San Francisco deserves another watch. Looking was at times frustrating, romantic and messy, just like life. If you like this, check out creator Andrew Haigh’s gay film classic, Weekend.
For more GaylyPicks, check out GCN’s social media channels, and stay entertained while staying home.
© 2020 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.
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