20 awesome LGBTQ+ movies about high school

Want to see your own high school experience reflected?

High School is such an intense time — especially for queer kids. You learn so much about who you are and experience so many firsts. So, it's incredibly powerful and affirming to see these life experiences — and aspirational experiences — reflected on the big screen.

Whether you’re trying to make it through high school, or you just want to reflect on the time of your life you wouldn’t return to if someone paid you, these 15 movies about being an LGBTQ+ teenager are absolutely awesome.

Crush

This sweet high school rom-com features actors Rowan Blanchard and Auli'i Cravalho who are star-crossed lovers who find a surprising romance when they have to work together as partners on their track team.

Where to watch: Hulu

Alex Strangelove

Alex Truelove has it all figured out. He's got a great school life and girlfriend and is looking forward to his future. Then everything gets complicated and messy when Elliot enters his life. A charming gay kid Elliot awakens something in Alex that forces him to confront his own identity. It's sweet, hilarious, and moving.

Where to watch: Netflix

But I’m a Cheerleader

This 1999 satirical cult classic follows Megan Bloomfield (Natasha Lyonne), a high school cheerleader who is sent to a residential conversion camp to cure her lesbianism. At the camp, Megan falls in love with Graham (Clea Duvall) and embraces her sexual orientation. The supporting cast includes Melanie Lynskey, and RuPaul as the “ex-gay” Mike. The amazing soundtrack, camp set design, and awesome performances make this a must-see high school comedy.

Where to watch: Roku

Mean Girls (2024)

Obviously the original is a classic and queer inclusive, but the 2024 musical update is gay, gay, gay thanks to Auli'i Cravalho's out and proud take on Janis, Jaquel Spivey's scene stealing performance as Damaian and queen of the Sapphic's Reneé Rapp's turn as Regina George.

Where to watch: Prime Video

G.B.F.

In this 2013 comedy, three high school cliques led by Fawcett (PLL’s Sasha Pieterse), Caprice (Xosha Roquemore), and ‘Shley (Andrea Bowen) are at war. When Tanner (Michael J. Willett) is outed, he finds himself cast as a potential Gay Best Friend to the clique queens, who force Tanner to choose between popularity or true friends. Natasha Lyonne appears in a supporting role as a teacher, Ms. Hoegel.

Where to watch: Tubi

The Prom

Talk about wish fulfillment the movie! What queer kid in small town America wouldn't want Broadway stars to descend on their home town and turn it into a musical in support of thier gay love! But seriously this one is so cute.

Where to watch: Netflix

The Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls in Love

Before starring in The L Word as Tina Kennard, Laurel Holloman played 17-year-old Randy in this 1995 romantic drama. Randy is mocked by other students for her tomboyish appearance, works at a gas station, and lives with her lesbian aunt Rebecca and her girlfriend. Evie (Nicole Ari Parker) stops by in a Range Rover to get her tires serviced, and Randy recognizes her from school and talks to her. Evie lives with her cultured well-off mother, but despite their different circumstances, they fall in love.

Where to watch: The Criterion Channel

Prom Dates

Oof prom date drama, am I right? Jess and Hannah promised each other that they would have the PERFECT prom and everything was on track until the day before the big night they both get dumped. They have 24 hours to get their dream formal back on track.

Where to watch: Hulu

Anything's Possible

Based on a true story, this unbelievably sweet film follows trans high schooler Kelsa and her first love story with cutie classmate Khal.

Where to watch: Prime Video

Bottoms

After all who amongst us hasnt't tried starting an underground fight club to try and get laid by the cheerleaders?

Where to watch: Prime Video

Blackbird

This 2014 drama tells the story of Randy Rousseau, a gay teen in a small Baptist town. His younger sister has been missing for years, and his family feels like it’s unraveling. Mo’Nique and Isaiah Washington star as Randy’s parents.

Where to watch: Tubi

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

This 2014 coming-of-age drama based on the Stephen Chbosky novel of the same name follows Charlie (Logan Lerman), who is struggling with depression and uneasy about starting high school. Two seniors, Sam (Emma Watson), and her gay stepbrother Patrick (Ezra Miller) take him under their wing.

Where to watch: Hulu

Pariah

This 2011 drama written and directed by Dee Rees follows 17-year-old Alike (Adepero Oduye) who slowly comes to terms with her identity as a butch lesbian, and eventually comes out to her unaccepting parents.

Where to watch: Prime Video

The Way He Looks

This 2014 Brazilian romantic drama follows Leonardo, a blind high school student who struggles with independence and falls in love with a new student named Gabriel.

Where to watch: Kanopy

Geography Club

This comedy-drama based on the Brent Hartinger novel of the same name follows 16-year-old Russell (Cameron Deane Stewart), who is going on dates with girls while having a secret relationship with football quarterback Kevin, and will do anything to keep his secret from his teammates. He falls in with other LGBT students who form a secret support group that they call the Geography Club.

Where to watch: Tubi

 The Curiosity of Chance

This 2006 comedy is set in 1980s Europe at an international high school and follows gay student Chance Marquis who is bullied for his sexual orientation. When he discovers self-expression through drag, he realizes the only way he’ll ever fit in is by standing out.

Where to watch: Prime Video

Edge of Seventeen

This 1998 high school dramedy is set in Sandusky, Ohio in 1984. Eric is a Eurythmics-obsessed teenager who is coming to terms with his sexual orientation, and dreams of moving to New York after graduation.

Where to watch: Netflix

Love, Simon

The 2018 film (based off of Becky Albertalli's young adult novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda) follows the story of typical, suburban high school senior Simon Spier as he tries to navigate life after being blackmailed and threatened with outing by one of his classmates while also trying to figure out the identity of his anonymous, romantic, online pen pal named Blue.

Although there are serious themes and instances of casual homophobia throughout the movie, like most teen rom-coms, the ending is really sweet and gives the audience a feeling of hope for the titular character and his life as a newly-out, gay man.

Where to watch: Hulu

Booksmart

Olivia Wilde's 2019 feature directorial debut, Booksmart is a hilarious coming-of-age film that stars IRL queer actress/Lady Bird star Beanie Feldstein and Unbelievable's Kaitlyn Dever as smart-as-hell high school seniors Molly and Amy as they try to live it up on their last night as high schoolers. One of the storylines in the film centers around Amy (Dever), an out lesbian, trying to muster up the courage to tell her crush she likes her.

Where to watch: Vudu

Beautiful Thing (1996)

A British film based on a play of the same name, follows a teen who realizes he’s gay after he falls for a male classmate. The two boys discover each other and their sexualities to a soundtrack of Cass Elliot and The Mamas and the Papas.

Where to watch: Prime Video