As the 1990s approached, films began to offer more positive portrayals of LGBTQ people, often as the loyal best friend, with characters beginning to be more fleshed out, having lives rooted in their sexuality but not necessarily ruled only by it.

It is hard to narrow the discourse to just a handful of TV shows over so many years and hundreds of columns, but here are some of the LGBTQ stories that spurred controversy or altered the landscape.

It wasn't until the third issue of the 'Bay Area Reporter' in 1971 that the rationale for having a film section was revealed by its first critic. 100s of film reviews since then have catalogued the rise of indie and mainstream cinematic LGBT depiction.

There's an unintended poignancy to 'Pretend It's A City,' the new limited-series documentary on Netflix, showcasing author, public speaker, and humorist Fran Lebowitz. Filmed in 2019, it portrays a vibrant Manhattan chock full of people.

Singer-songwriter Aretha Franklin's life and career is dramatized in National Geographic's five-part series, which also serves as a testament to Franklin's talent and determination amid decades of civil rights inroads for Black culture and women in music.

The multi-award-winning 'Pose' will end after Season 3; 'For All Mankind' features a lesbian astronaut; 'Clarice' quotes Audre Lorde; news media's taken to task for under-reporting the murder of trans women.

In 'Call Me Kat,' her first sitcom following the end of the long-running 'Big Bang Theory,' Mayim Bialik plays Kat, the single and sassy owner of a Louisville cat café, with costars Cheyenne Jackson, Leslie Jordan and several cats.

Patrick Liu's film 'Your Name Engraved Herein,' which just started streaming on Netflix this month, profiles a longterm romance between two teens, while reflecting on Taiwan's political changes that led to same-sex marriage legalization.

In his newly published memoir, 'American Exxxtasy: My 30-Year Search for a Happy Ending,' gay filmmaker Amero recalls those bygone days with wit, humor and heart.

Set in Colombo, Sri Lanka during the mid-1970s and early 1980s, 'Funny Boy,' based on Shyam Selvadurai's acclaimed novel, is timely for a variety of reasons.

'Soul of a Nation' explores Black stories, 'It's a Sin' sears with '80s UK gay and AIDS stories, plus 'Tell Me Your Secrets' and 'Men in Kilts' tempt your television time.

In Mike Mosallam's affectionate Ramadan rom-com 'Breaking Fast,' Mo (out actor Haaz Sleiman) is a devout, disciplined Muslim doctor who has reconciled his religious dedication with his queer sexuality.

'One Night in Miami...' is a fictional dramatization inspired by true events that bring together four men from different backgrounds whose contributions to Black culture continues to resonate to the present day.

'Two of Us,' the French entry for Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards, is a deeply sensual tale of textured, long-standing love and desire between two women.