The body and the mind share an eternal waltz with destiny. The brain is firmly in charge, but it is beholden to the mortal coil of skin, bones, and vulnerability in which it is encased.
While your body is quarantined in the confines of your work-from-home sanctuary, your imagination is still free to roam. Explore other galaxies, ignite a new romance, and unleash your creativity, all from the comfort of your shelter.
The San Diego County Library offers Overdrive, a digital collection of eBooks and Kindle titles to feed your curiosity. Immerse yourself in “Tales of the City” by Armistead Maupin or delve deeper into our cultural cache with Oscar Wilde as your guide. His classics like “The Picture of Dorian Gray” and “The Importance of Being Earnest” evoke limitless grandeur, even as you stare at the same four walls.
If you have little ones climbing up those aforementioned four walls due to school closures, take heed: Overdrive has a kids’ library packed with nature, wonder, and excitement. Turn your breakfast nook into a Nook nook and transform your tablet into a smorgasbord of free content. There is no need to face the uncertainty of assembling at a physical library when the virtual stacks await your eager fingertips. And best of all: you can return your selections online with those same nimble fingertips. No late fees, no crowds, no worries!
If streaming entertainment is what you crave, then save some room for Hulu. This pinnacle of pixels puts the “you” in LGBTQ. Hulu’s gay content includes edgy new gems like “Midnight Kiss,” a dangerous foray into fetish and calamity. Rediscover heartbreaking classics like “Brokeback Mountain” or lighten up with “Will & Grace” (either version)! There is also the flirtatious new hit series “The Bisexual,” which excavates the awkwardness and triumphs of the modern dating scene. And let’s not forget the charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Binge on past seasons while wearing your fave faux fur (nobody’s watching — just do it)!
Speaking of the “yas kween” herself, RuPaul also stars in the Netflix series “AJ and the Queen.” Join her on a road trip to self-discovery! Dig into the bleached roots of drag/trans supremacy by re-watching “Paris Is Burning” or “The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson,” also available on Netflix. Oscar winners “Philadelphia” and “Moonlight” are streaming their legendary narratives for all to behold. Dry those tears with the comedy series “Bonding,” about a hapless New York twink who gets embroiled in his roommate’s bondage biz. If you simply can’t get bogged down in a fully involved series, enjoy the bite-size frivolity of “Special.” This collection of vignettes explores the life, love, and exasperation of a young gay man who refuses to let cerebral palsy get in the way of his brilliantly bitchy lifestyle. Truly, Netflix’s LGBTQ+ menu is the place to chill.
Not to be outdone (or out-gayed), Amazon Prime’s queer content features the lush lesbian fantasy “Raven’s Touch,” the tongue-in-cheek titillation of “Eating Out,” and the title that speaks volumes: “Ticked Off Trannies with Knives.”
Amazon also teams up with Audible to bring you such tales as “Bathhouse Confessions” and “Gay Girl, Good God.” When screen time overwhelms your eyes, give your ears a chance to play. Audiobooks can elevate your quarantine into a landscape of listening pleasure.
Keep the good vibes streaming with free music and additional content from San Diego’s own Z90.3 app. Even when the rest of the world slows down, the pop won’t stop! To expand your audio horizons, catch up with queer musicians like Dizzy Fae or Faze. Just plug their names into Spotify and bathe yourself in a rainbow of healing harmonies.
No journey through the jungles of free content would be complete without a trip to YouTube. The godmother of all digital video curators boasts millions of hours of entertainment, so click “Skip Ad” and join us in the revelry! “Her Story” charts the ups, downs, and sunny complexities of SoCal life for its two transgender lead characters. “The Gay and Wondrous Life of Caleb Gallo” upends stereotypes while embracing the liberating absurdity of auditioning while queer. If you just want — nay, NEED — a blast of catty realness injected into your consciousness, revisit the scarf-flipping fun of “Sassy Gay Friend.” “What, what, what are you doing?”
To delve into specialty fare, consider the boutique app Dekoo. The LGBTQ digital hotspot offers scintillating series such as “The Third” and action-infused pulp thrillers, a la “Hot Guys with Guns.” Revry.tv perks up your playlist with original series like “Kappa Force,” a campy sorority slapstick superheroine romp that puts jokes in a blender and mixes them into a fine daiquiri of deliriousness. And for some reel grrrl power, check out Here TV, home of homo hits like “I Can’t Think Straight” and “Nina’s Heavenly Delights.”
The LGBTQ story is one of connection in the face of adversity. Despite the unprecedented challenges we face in the age of the coronavirus, we can stay connected to our community, to our imagination, and to ourselves. Enjoy the sights, sounds, and stories of the free content outlined above, and look forward to a time when we can reenact their loving examples in person. Stay healthy.
