Pride Time Capsules: Gay Stories Through the Decades  

City of Night by John Rechy and read by Paul Boehmer (City of Night is also in eBook format) 

This 1963 classic gave an honest voice to an underground subculture never before shown in fiction, like hustlers and drag queens. Despite initial backlash, its unique style and raw look at a young hustler’s identity search pushed literary boundaries and permanently expanded the types of stories books could tell. 

The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith 

This 1952 cult classic follows a sales clerk and a divorcing homemaker who fall into a passionate road-trip romance. It stands out because author Patricia Highsmith actually treated her queer characters with sensitivity and depth, delivering a suspenseful, honest look at staying true to yourself when society forbids it. This book was the basis for the 2015 film Carol.  

My Favorite Thing Is Monsters written and illustrated by Emil Ferris 

Set up as the graphic diary of 10-year-old, horror-obsessed Karen Reyes, this story follows her attempt to solve the murder of her neighbor, a Holocaust survivor. Karen is a closeted, half-Mexican lesbian who copes with her identity by drawing herself as an ambiguously gendered werewolf. Her investigation flashes back to Nazi Germany, beautifully showing how the past, the present, and the political all collide. 

Little Richard – All-Time Greatest Hits  

Little Richard offered the blueprint for glam rock and directly inspired the gender-bending styles of David Bowie and Prince. He revolutionized music with his rock n’ roll hits, including “Tutti Frutti” and “Good Golly Miss Molly.” 

A Single Man (2009)  

Devastated by the loss of his partner, Jim, and ignored by Jim’s family, English professor George (Colin Firth) decides to end his life. But as he prepares for his final departure, a few encounters with people around Los Angeles cast his final day in a new light. Set in 1962 and based on the 1964 novel by Christopher Isherwood. 

Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown and read by Anna Paquin  

In bold, funny, and moving prose, this classic follows Molly Bolt, an adopted girl from a poor Southern family carving out her own path. Blessed with sharp wit and stunning looks, Molly effortlessly attracts women wherever she goes, and she absolutely refuses to apologize for loving them back. A landmark coming-of-age novel. 

Dancer from the Dance by Andrew Holleran  

Tired of living a lie, small-town lawyer Anthony Malone dives headfirst into the decadent, high-energy 1970s New York gay scene. Guided by the flamboyant, world-weary Sutherland, Malone chases wild nights and endless hookups, only to realize the true fulfillment he’s searching for can’t be found in the fast lane. 

Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin and Isabelle Bauthian, illustrated by Sandrine Revel 

Adapted from the landmark novel, this comic takes place at 28 Barbary Lane in San Francisco, where Anna Madrigal welcomes a lovable crew of misfits to her boarding house. The fun starts when naïve Mary Ann flees her dull Ohio hometown, settling in with a charismatic gay man, a total womanizer, and a free-spirited bisexual roommate. 

Elton John – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road 

All the hits are here: “Candle in the Wind,” “Bennie and the Jets,” and, of course, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” While living out loud as an unapologetic, massively successful superstar, Elton John didn’t just top the charts; he became a permanent, game-changing icon for LGBTQ+ visibility and pride. 

Cabaret  

Released just three years after Stonewall, the 1972 film Cabaret became a massive milestone for queer cinema. Director Bob Fosse put gender-fluid performance, bisexuality, and sexual liberation right at the center of the story, leaving a permanent mark on LGBTQ+ culture. 

My Government Means to Kill Me by Rasheed Newson and read by Jelani Alladin 

Ditching his wealthy family and their massive expectations, Trey runs away to New York with practically nothing. There, his life changes forever when he joins the activist group ACT UP, navigating personal trauma and family drama while trying to find meaning at the height of the AIDS crisis. 

The Color Purple by Alice Walker 

Growing up in rural Georgia, Celie survives years of constant abuse and family mistreatment by writing letters to God. Spanning two decades, her letters chart an incredible journey of self-discovery, finding her voice and power through her own unstoppable will and the help of a few strong women. Walker’s novel placed Black lesbian and queer love at the center of African-American literature. 

Oops…I Just Catharted! Fifty Years of Cathartic Comics written and illustrated by Rupert Kinnard 

This is the ultimate collection of Rupert Kinnard’s groundbreaking comic strip from the late ’70s to the ’90s. It’s famous for introducing the first-ever regular Black and queer comic characters, all brought to life with incredibly sharp political satire and social commentary. 

Culture Club – Colour by Numbers  

This legendary pop and new wave record was a massive hit, selling over 10 million copies worldwide. It perfectly captured the colorful, flamboyant spirit of ’80s music and instantly turned Boy George into a global pop culture icon. 

Blue Jean 

Set in 1988 England during the anti-gay Section 28 era, this drama follows a closeted gym teacher leading a double life. When a vulnerable student spots her at a local lesbian bar, Jean is forced to face the massive risk to her career and her own hidden identity. 

Chelsea Girls written and read by Eileen Myles 

In this inventive autobiographical novel published in 1994, Eileen Myles turns her life into art. Written in her signature bold voice, it pieces together memories of a rocky Catholic upbringing, her unapologetic lesbian identity, and her chaotic, drug-fueled survival as a young poet breaking free from rigid expectations in 1970s New York.  

Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z. Brite 

Escaping prison, serial killer Andrew Compton heads to the US to take his horrific “art” to new heights. He teams up with Jay Byrne, a wealthy playboy with even darker urges. Together, the twisted duo target a young Vietnamese American runaway named Tran, planning the ultimate, devastating crime. 

DC Pride: Better Together 

This anthology celebrates and expands on explicit LGBTQ+ representation in DC comics in the ‘90s. Grant Morrison returns for a cosmic Flashlight tale, Harley and Ivy’s getaway is crashed by Crush, and Jon Kent gets a dark magic lesson from John Constantine.  

Janet Jackson – The Velvet Rope 

This deeply personal album tackles depression, self-worth, and sexual exploration head-on. Jackson embraces her sexuality, diving into BDSM and same-sex relationships. The record also features the disco-inspired “Together Again,” a heartfelt tribute to friends she lost to AIDS. 

The Miseducation of Cameron Post (2018) 

Cameron Post (Chloë Grace Moretz) is caught with another girl on prom night. Her ultra-conservative guardians send her to a gay conversion therapy center, where she has to navigate a toxic environment to stay true to herself. Based on the book The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth. 

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides and read by Kristoffer Tabori 

In the spring of 1974, Michigan schoolgirl Callie falls for a classmate, sparking a realization that she’s different from other girls. The secret behind her identity traces back to a 1922 family escape from Greece, where a rare genetic mutation sets off a metamorphosis that will change everything. Eugenides’s novel was the winner of the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. 

Idlewild by James Frankie Thomas 

At an alternative Manhattan high school, 9/11 sparks an intense friendship between two outcasts, Fay and Nell. Bonding over a shared obsession with queer culture, they recruit two sexually ambiguous boys into their inner circle, starting a chain of messy, regrettable choices that alter their lives forever. 

Love Is Love by various writers and illustrators 

The comic industry unites to honor the victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando. Co-published by IDW and DC, this special comic features heartfelt work from top creators. It’s a moving tribute dedicated to mourning the victims, supporting survivors, celebrating the LGBTQ+ community, and exploring love in today’s world.

Scissor Sisters – Scissor Sisters 

Scissor Sisters’ 2004 debut is a queer pop bible. Born in NYC’s underground club scene, this glam-rock and nu-disco masterpiece packed anthems like “Filthy/Gorgeous.” It blended drag culture with mainstream pop, captured early 2000s queer life, and became the bestselling album of the year in the UK. 

Prayers for Bobby (2009) 

Devastated by her gay son’s suicide, a deeply religious mother (Sigourney Weaver) finds her entire faith shaken. Grappling with her grief and the rigid beliefs she always held, she undergoes a powerful transformation, ultimately channeling her heartbreak into becoming a fierce, outspoken champion for LGBTQ+ rights. 

It Rhymes with Takei  

No list of queer culture would be complete without George Takei’s graphic novel memoir, It Rhymes with Takei, which spans his life from the 1950s to the early 2000s. 

It’s a candid look at his life on both sides of the closet door; from conformity to global fame, he navigates the fear of exposure, the AIDS crisis, and finding true love, ultimately showing how far the fight for LGBTQ+ progress has come.