LGBTQIA+ Stories of Joy, Courage and Resilience

This month, we celebrate the LGBTQIA+ innovators, visionaries and trailblazers who have broken barriers to help create a more inclusive world. Stories include a profile of a gender-fluid rock ‘n’ roll legend who defied societal expectations and a documentary about evangelical mothers who risk it all to advocate for their LGBTQ+ children. This diverse collection of stories strives to broaden our understanding of the past, celebrate our differences and renew our commitment to shaping a more just and equitable society for all.

Little Richard: King and Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll

Experience the meteoric rise and enduring legacy of Little Richard. This portrait of the “King and Queen of Rock and Roll” explores his far-reaching influence as well as his advocacy for the rights of Black artists in the music industry.

Premiering Friday, 6/2, 9 PM on PBS NC & the PBS App.

Mama Bears

They call one another “mama bears” because of the ferocity with which they fight for their children’s rights. Although they grew up as fundamentalist, evangelical Christians praying for the souls of LGTBQ+ people, these mothers are now willing to risk losing friends, family and faith communities to champion their kids—even if it challenges their belief systems and rips apart their worlds.

Premiering Tuesday, 6/20, 10 PM on PBS NC & the PBS App.

Casa Susanna

Visit the Catskills hideaway where, in the 1950s and 60s, an underground network of transgender women and cross-dressing men found refuge. A moving look inside a secret world where the persecuted found freedom and acceptance.

Premiering Tuesday, 6/27, 9 PM on PBS NC & the PBS App.

Who's On Top?

Four members of the LGBTQ+ community challenge stereotypes and share their unique journeys in overcoming literal and figurative obstacles while climbing Mount Hood in Oregon. Narrated by actor and activist George Takei (Star Trek). 

Premiering Thursday, 6/22, 9 PM on PBS NC & the PBS App.

Proper Pronouns

Follow four transgender ministers as they navigate the challenges of living their authentic selves in the Bible Belt of North Carolina. 

Watch Proper Pronouns Thursday, 6/1, 10 PM on PBS NC & streaming now on the PBS App.

The Ties That Bind

Director Diana Newton documents her journey toward acceptance alongside her sister Christine, a transgender woman navigating the emotional and physical perils of coming out. A devastatingly personal family portrait nearly fourteen years in the making, The Ties That Bind examines the challenges of living authentically in an environment historically hostile to difference.

Watch The Ties That Bind Thursday, 6/29, 9:30 PM on PBS NC & streaming now on the PBS App. 

Prideland

Follow queer actor Dyllón Burnside on a journey to discover how LGBTQ+ Americans are finding ways to live authentically and with pride in the modern South.

Watch Prideland Tuesday, 6/20, 9 PM on PBS NC and streaming now on the PBS App only with PBS NC Passport.

The people, culture, landscape and history of the South both captivate and bewilder. In the cherished tradition of Southern storytelling, Reel South reveals the South's proud yet complicated heritage, as told by a diversity of voices and perspectives.