Trustpilot Pride & Allies: Our recommended resources

In recognition of our partnership with Copenhagen Pride 2022, Trustpilot’s Pride & Allies Committee has put together a list of some of our favorite books, TV shows, documentaries or movies exploring LGBTQI+ themes and issues – including how these stories have made a personal impact on some of Trustie members of Pride & Allies.

Heartstopper  / Love, Victor / Feel Good 

“Watching LGBTQ+ plotlines in movies / tv shows can be so joyous but also immensely triggering. On one hand you get to see yourself and your community represented and that can be a really great thing, but sometimes the way LGBTQ+ people are portrayed focuses on trauma and that’s really hard to watch.

You do need to include both though, because being LGBTQ+ is not easy and that needs to come through in the stories we watch on screen. LGBTQ+ people’s real lived experiences aren't just rainbows and celebrations. There can be a lot of deep rooted pain and trauma still experienced to this day. 

But there’s a shift happening, and even though that pain is often still covered in the shows I’m sharing in this list, there is SO much joy and happiness within the storylines of Heartstopper, Love Victor and Feel Good. This gives me optimism that the kids watching these shows today (or young adults in the case of Feel Good…) get to see that there’s light at the end of the tunnel, that you can be celebrated and you can find joy and love and happiness in being your beautiful, amazing gay, trans, bi, pan, asexual, queer, non binary selves!”

Available at:

• Heartstopper - Netflix

• Love, Victor - Hulu, Disney+

• Feel Good - Netflix

Queer Eye / We’re Here

“Coming out as a gay man in the later stages of my life meant that I lacked knowledge about LGBTQI+ culture and community. At first, watching and reading content about LGBTQI+ people and stories felt shameful as it was highly discriminated against by my family, and made me uncomfortable identifying as a gay man.

“One of the first interactions that started to change my perception was Queer Eye. Seeing people who identify as queer embrace their sexuality and help other people to feel more comfortable in their own skin really resonated with me. Watching Queer Eye then inspired me to take a big leap out of my comfort zone and watch RuPaul’s drag race, which opened my eyes for the first time to drag and the historic importance it has played for the LGBTQI+ community. This was also the first time I heard about Stonewall which sparked the liberation movement and fight for LGBTQI+ rights, not just in the US but across the globe.

“Since then, I’ve also started to watch We’re Here, which I would describe as a crossover of Rupaul’s Drag Race and Queer Eye diving deep into the roots of drag as an art and the importance it has on people’s lives. While it is fun to watch it does unveil daily struggles of queer people, especially for people coming from very religious backgrounds. It might be a short series but it has been a truly inspirational TV show for me personally, bringing faces to stories of people we tend to not interact with or see as much in mainstream culture.”

Available at:

• We’re Here - HBO Max

• Queer Eye - Netflix

It’s A Sin / Joe Bell / RuPaul’s Drag Race

“There are many tv series and movies related to the LGBTQ community that have made an impact on my life. Some of them are light-hearted and depict experiences of coming out and finding oneself (Call Me By Your Name, Heartstopper, Love Victor). Others are heavy and have educated me on the history of the community combating bigotry or HIV/AIDS (It’s A Sin, Joe Bell, The Normal Heart, Boy Erased). Then of course there are the fun, uplifting series centered around self-expression and community (RuPaul’s Drag Race).

“There are themes in all of these films that I could relate to as a gay man. They have helped improve my confidence and driven me to be more outspoken. I hope you get the chance to watch some of them.”

Available at:

• It’s A Sin - All4, Netflix 

• Joe Bell - Amazon Prime Video, Virgin TV Go

• RuPaul’s Drag Race - Paramount+ in the US and Netflix in the UK

Love, Simon / Love, Victor

“Watching LGBTQ+ storylines in TV shows/films can be so rewarding. It is so wonderful to see my community portrayed on the big screen, and be able to relate to them. However, sometimes the way in which we are portrayed can be triggering. It can be largely over-sexualised, and tends to focus on the trauma which our community or members go through. Take something like Queer as Folk, which largely focuses on the sex, drugs and partying scene of the community. Or even something like It's a Sin which explores the AIDs crisis. While these are aspects of our community and two shows I'd recommend for everyone watch, there are so many other parts of it which are beginning to be shown a lot more.

“Like Love Simon, both a wonderful book and film, and then the follow up TV series Love Victor, which are great coming of age stories. I particularly liked Love Victor for the way it handles topics such as religion and sexuality. Without giving too much away, Victor's mother struggles with how to love him after he comes out, as she is highly religious, something I can relate to. Eventually she comes round and challenges the religious authorities in her life with this line  "I am not giving up on God, I'm giving up on you". A lot of people from the LGBTQ+ community have a negative view of religion, so it was nice to see this relationship portrayed subverting my expectations.

“A top book recommendation would be Red, White and Royal Blue. It's a fantastic novel by Casey McQuiston which brings together the Royal Family of the UK, with the Presidential family of the US and explores a lot of interesting concepts like hiding your sexuality because of other peoples expectations, discovering who you are and then of course falling in love. I am excited to see how this gets portrayed in the TV series, coming soon.”

Available at:

• Both film are available on Hulu and Disney +

Tomorrow Will Be Different by Sarah McBride

“I read this book a few years ago and recommend it on a regular basis! It’s a coming of age memoir with a twist - Sarah McBride knew from an early age that she was transgender, and came out personally, and then very publicly, in a college article that went viral in her early 20s. 

“I loved reading this book because it brought to life her story in such a personal way that was so easy to empathise with, that it made me truly appreciate the ease of being born cis gendered, and the privilege of always feeling comfortable with my own gender. But she also went beyond her own life, and included the stories of trans people across America and the world. She recognised that as a child in a white, liberal, LGBTQ+ friendly family, her transitioning was more straightforward than is typical, and the facts and stories of other trans experiences woven through the book are eye opening, and often heartbreaking.

“I cried a lot whilst reading this book (including while travelling solo on a plane - it’s weird to cry on a plane) but as the title suggests, the book is also hopeful, and optimistic, about the improving future for trans people.

“Since the memoir came out in 2018, Sarah McBride has been elected to the Delaware State Senate in November 2020, becoming the highest-ranking transgender elected official in United States history. She’s literally helping to change the world for the trans people she wrote about - and that’s definitely an inspiring tale!”

Available on Amazon

Schitts Creek

“Whenever I speak to anyone who is feeling low, one of the first things I recommend is to watch Schitts Creek. I describe it as chicken soup for the soul TV; it’s impossible to watch and not feel lighter afterwards. 

“One of the reasons the Netflix show has stuck with me is its portrayal of LGBTQ+ people and relationships. In one episode, main protagonist David discusses his sexual preferences with his best friend, Stevie - you can watch the scene here. When David implies he is pansexual, it is clearly unfamiliar territory to Stevie but the nonchalance with which she accepts this new information is what makes the scene so profound. Stevie literally shrugs and moves on.

“Later in the series - I am loathe to share spoilers but in this instance I feel it’s worth it! - David falls in love and enters into a relationship with another man, Patrick. The unquestioning acceptance from David and Patrick’s friends and family upon hearing the news was incredibly moving, simply because it was, rightly, treated as completely normal.

“So many films and TV shows which explore sexuality and gender identities often tell negative stories of struggle and trauma. What makes Schitts Creek so profound and refreshing, is how it not only places an LGBTQ+ storyline at the heart of the show, but shows the relationship as healthy and full of warmth and love. I find myself smiling from ear to ear every time I watch it.”

Available on Netflix