Celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month in June with KCET and PBS SoCal
KCET and PBS SoCal celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month in June with a compelling array of special programming, highlighting personal stories from the LGBTQ community and its forerunners and champions who continue to inspire today. From historical accounts of the pivotal event that started it all in "Stonewall Uprising: American Experience" to a 16-year-old transgender Latina navigating her identity in "Becoming Johanna," these poignant documentaries paint an insightful picture of the LGBTQ movement.
See the full line-up below.
Terrence McNally: American Masters Sunday, June 7 at 6 p.m. on PBS SoCal Wednesday, June 10 at 9 p.m. on KCET
Explore four-time Tony-winning playwright Terrence McNally's six groundbreaking decades in theater. Delve into McNally's pursuit of love and inspiration, LGBTQ activism, triumph over addiction and the power of the arts to transform society. Watch now.
Stonewall Uprising: American Experience Tuesday, June 9 at 9 p.m. on PBS SoCal
Examine the dramatic event that launched a worldwide rights movement. Hear from those who took part: drag queens and street hustlers, police detectives, journalists and a former mayor of New York City. Hunted and often entrapped by undercover police in their hometowns, gay people from around the U.S. fled to New York in search of a sanctuary. Hounded there still by an aggressive police force, they found refuge in a Mafia-run gay bar in Greenwich Village, the Stonewall Inn. When police raided Stonewall on June 28, 1969, gay men and women did something they had not done before: they fought back. As the streets of New York erupted into violent protests and street demonstrations, the collective anger announced that the gay rights movement had arrived. Watch now.
Prideland Tuesday, June 16 at 11 p.m. on PBS SoCal
Follow queer actor Dyllón Burnside on a journey across the South to meet diverse members of the LGBTQ community. From a lesbian rodeo champ in Texas to an African American mayor ally in Alabama, Burnside discovers how LGBTQ Americans are finding ways to live authentically and with Pride in the modern South. Watch now.
Penny: Champion of the Marginalized Wednesday, June 17 at 10:30 p.m. on KCET
"Penny" is a multi-dimensional portrait of Penny Cooper, a celebrated criminal defense attorney, art collector, supporter of female artists, and protector of the underdog. Cooper's life brims with stories mirroring the profound changes in our country from the 1940s to the present. In this revealing documentary, Cooper proves herself quite the raconteur with seemingly unlimited anecdotes. Her stories are engaging; sometimes funny, and sometimes distressing. The film is a collection of these moments as told by Cooper and the people who have been impacted by her dynamic spirit. The talented lawyer and art enthusiast offers a unique perspective on important social narratives such as criminal justice, the artists and collectors who generate today's global contemporary art market, gender equality, and more. Through it all, she has found herself at the center of dramatic social progress for women. A role model and pioneer, Cooper perhaps owes much of her success in transcending the glass ceiling to her unwavering resilience, fortitude and infamous humility. Watch a preview.
Becoming Johanna Tuesday, June 23 at 8:30 p.m. on KCET
When Johanna, a 16-year-old transgender Latina, begins her transition and gets kicked out of her home and school in Los Angeles, she finds a foster family who loves her and a supportive school principal who helps her graduate and thrive. Watch a preview.
To join a live, online Q&A session with "Becoming Johanna" director Jonathan Skurnik on June 23 at 9 p.m., click here to RSVP on Eventbrite.
In addition, if you're looking for ways to celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month from a safe, social distance, read this article for seven ways to do just that!