How to Watch 'Queer as Folk,' 'The L Word' and More Free LGBTQ Content on Showtime

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Showtime Pride
Showtime

In honor of Pride Month, Showtime is making over 50 hours of LGBTQ+ content available for free throughout June.

In honor of Pride Month, Showtime is making over 50 hours of LGBTQ+ content available to watch or stream for free throughout the entire month of June. Among the titles included are the first seasons of the groundbreaking series The L Word and Queer as Folk

A remake of the British original created by Russell T. Davies, Queer as Folk became the first hourlong American drama to depict the lives of gay men. Over 15 years after it went off the air, a revival series is now in the works. Meanwhile, The L Word became the first major series to feature an ensemble cast of lesbian, bisexual and transgender women, and returned in 2019 with a sequel series, The L Word: Generation Q.  

Other programming includes Couples Therapy, Work in Progress, documentaries Same Sex America, Semper Fi and XY Chelsea, and select episodes of Desus & Mero. See the full lineup below.

Scripted:

The L Word (Season 1)

Mia Kirshner, Jennifer Beals, Pam Grier, Laurel Holloman, Erin Daniels, Leisha Hailey and Katherine Moennig star in the acclaimed drama about a group of lesbian friends struggling with romance and careers in Los Angeles.

The L Word: Generation Q (Season 1)

Set over 10 years after the original series, Jennifer Beals, Kate Moennig and Leisha Hailey all return as their original characters alongside a new ensemble of diverse characters while trying to navigate love, heartbreak, sex, setbacks, personal growth and success in Los Angeles.

Queer as Folk (Season 1)

The ensemble series offers an unapologetic look at modern, urban gay and lesbian people living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, while addressing the most critical health and political issues affecting the community. 

Work in Progress (Season 1)

Co-created by and starring Chicago improv mainstay Abby McEnany, the comedy series follows a 45-year-old self-identified fat, queer dyke whose misfortune and despair unexpectedly lead her to a vibrantly transformative relationship. 

Unscripted:

Couples Therapy (Season 1)

The docuseries brings viewers inside the authentic and visceral experience of weekly therapy sessions as four couples sit down with world-class therapist Dr. Orna Guralnik.

Same Sex America

The 2005 documentary chronicles the battle over gay marriage in Massachusetts, the first U.S. state to sanction same-sex civil unions, by charting the journey of seven gay and lesbian couples navigating a combative political landscape in an effort to win a basic human right.

Beyond the Opposite Sex

This documentary picks up the respective stories of Rene and Jamie, 13 years after their gender confirmation surgeries as they show how their lives have changed. But as the film shows, their surgeries, which had been lifelong goals, were far from the finish line of their journeys.

L Word Mississippi: Hate the Sin

Produced by Ilene Chaiken (The L Word, Law & Order: Organized Crime), this provocative and moving documentary explores the lives of gay women living in the conservative, religious deep South and the unique hardships, bigotry, bullying, sexism and racism they endure.

Semper Fi

The 2007 documentary tells the true story of a Marine who served in Iraq while hiding his homosexuality, until his experiences there inspired him to speak out about the war and travel the country with an acclaimed one-man show based on his personal journals.

XY Chelsea

Shot over two years, the film picks up on the momentous day in May when whistle-blower Chelsea Manning leaves prison after President Obama commuted her 35-year sentence, and follows her through her journey of discovery, while also examining her place in the conversation on national security and the fight for transgender rights and visibility.

Late Night:

Desus & Mero (Select Episodes)

With a new season returning soon, catch up on the late-night series hosted by Desus Nice and The Kid Mero, who offer a unique mix of comedy and freestyle commentary on current events, pop culture and politics combined with interviews with megastar guests.  

 

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