rebecca black

Black History Month is that time of year when the achievements and courage of people of African descent are acknowledged and celebrated. However, for decades now, Black History Month has not once acknowledged or celebrated the contributions of its lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities. Along with the pantheon of noted black heterosexual leaders who will lauded this month, I want to personally celebrate one of my queer and crossover sheroes, renown writer and poet Alice Walker for giving black women everywhere on the globe a new name we all can embrace - "womanist."

Enter Rebecca Walker and her book One Big Happy Family: 18 Writers Talk About Polyamory, Open Adoption, Mixed Marriage, Househusbandry, Single Motherhood, and Other Realities of Truly Modern Love. Rebecca's been a person to know since Time Magazine named her one of the World's 25 Most Influential Leaders. But long before that, she was making headlines, editing the quintessential book on feminism for those of us who came after burning bras, To Be Real, and travelling the world on the "Rock the Vote" tour bus for the Clinton's registering voters or starting the Third Wave Foundation.

If you're not watching, your missing out.

Greek's Dilshad Vasaria goes lesbian for a hot minute. Olivia Wilde, House's resident bisexual, strips down for GQ. Jane Lynch rocks several Adidas track suit in Glee. Sopranos' star Edie Falco gives a lot of little pricks in Nurse Jackie. And Mary Louise Parker is back as America's favorite weed-peddling MILF.

There's plenty to enjoy in films you may have overlooked because of their age or genre, or because they vanished so quickly from cinemas. Some offer top actresses as out-and-proud lesbians, some have same-sex desire simmering under the radar, and some simply depict solid female bonding that makes you want the characters to take it up a notch.