Skip Navigation

Music & movies for Pride Month 2023

A black and white up-close picture of Little Richard performing in 1976.
Little Richard in 1976, from the new American Masters documentary, Little Richard: King and Queen of Rock and Roll. (Credit: PBS)

June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate LGBTQIA+ contributions, history and lives. Enjoy these Pride 2023 documentaries on KERA TV. (Or jump to the end for a playlist of Pride-power songs picked out by our friends at sister station KXT.)

▸ Many of the documentaries on this list can also be streamed in our video portal or on the PBS app. Some are free to watch and others are available using the Passport member benefit. Learn more about Passport.

Friday, June 2 at 8 p.m. & Monday, June 5 at 10 p.m.

Little Richard: The King and Queen of Rock and Roll | American Masters

Experience the meteoric rise and enduring legacy of Little Richard. This portrait explores his far-reaching influence as well as his advocacy for the rights of Black artists in the music industry.

Tuesday, June 20 at 9 p.m.

Mama Bears | Independent Lens

They call one another “mama bears” because of the ferocity with which they fight for their children’s rights. Although they grew up as fundamentalist, evangelical Christians praying for the souls of LGTBQ people, these mothers are now willing to risk losing friends, family, and faith communities to champion their kids — even if it challenges their belief systems and rips apart their worlds.

Tuesday, June 20 at 10:30 p.m.

Joe Papp in Five Acts | American Masters

Joe Papp, founder of The Public Theater and Free Shakespeare in the Park and producer of groundbreaking plays like Hair, A Chorus Line and for colored girls, created a “theater of inclusion” based on the belief that great art is for everyone.

Friday, June 23 at 10 p.m.

Austin City Limits: Brandi Carlile

A black and white up-close picture of Little Richard performing in 1976.
Brandi Carlile, winner of the awards for best rock song for “Broken Horses,” best Americana album for In These Silent Days and best rock performance for “Broken Horses,” poses in the press room at the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 5, 2023, in Los Angeles. (Credit: Jae C. Hong / Associated Press)

Celebrate six-time Grammy-winning Americana singer/songwriter Brandi Carlile. She will raise the roof for a full hour of passionate and powerful songs from her acclaimed album In These Silent Days.

Monday, June 26 at 10:30 p.m.

James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket | American Masters

Using rarely-seen archival footage from nine different countries, the film melds intimate interviews and eloquent public speeches with cinéma vérité glimpses of Baldwin and original scenes from his extraordinary funeral service in December 1987.

Tuesday, June 27 at 8 p.m. & Wednesday, June 28 at 10 p.m.

Casa Susanna | American Experience

This inspiring and essential slice of queer history is the story of pioneers the 1950s and ’60s. An underground network of transgender women and cross-dressing men found refuge at a modest house in the Catskills. Known as Casa Susanna, the house provided a safe place to express their true selves and live for a few days as they had always dreamed — dressed as and living as women without fear of being incarcerated or institutionalized. Told through the memories of those who visited the house, this film provides a moving look back at a secret world where the persecuted and frightened found freedom, acceptance and, often, the courage to live out of the shadows.

▸ Watch anytime

Check out PBS’s Pride Month collection of videos, like these:

Prideland

Follow queer actor Dyllón Burnside on an episodic journey of LGBTQIA+ discovery across the South.

Subcultured: How Is the Gay Rodeo Different?

Host Josef Lorenzo talks to Cowboy Frank about the origins of the gay rodeo and how it was formed out of necessity. Today the gay rodeo’s challenge is bringing young folks into the rodeo. Josef talks to all-star cowboy Greg Begay about the fierce competition at the gay rodeo. Lastly, Jade Fauver shares her experience as a young woman in the rodeo and her aspirations for the gay rodeo’s future.

If Cities Could Dance: LGBTQ+ Choreographer Amit Patel

Dancer Amit Patel is reinventing Bollywood dance and making space for queer expression in the South Asian community. At 10, he began Bollywood dance training and later started contemporary dance. He realized he could express himself outside of Bollywood’s traditional male roles. Today, he teaches “Bollywood Heels,” a mix of Kathak gestures and jazz performed in 5-inch heels.

▸ Listen!

Check out this playlist of songs picked by staff at our sister station KXT:

More

Explore Texas Newsroom coverage of LGBTQIA life and legislation on KERA News

Watch more Pride videos from PBS’s collection of documentaries, clips and Q&A videos

▸ Educators — access PBS LearningMedia’s teaching resources on gender in humans

▸ Listen to KERA Think podcasts about identity and race

▸ Read about KERA’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion