LGBTQ people have long been buried under tropes and unsubtle stereotypes in film and television. Still, from Sacha Baron Cohen’s fashion-obsessed Brüno to a Scream Queens character nicknamed Predatory Lez, we unfortunately continue to see it all. For marginalized groups, truthful representation in film is imperative, even lifesaving, and in today’s stormy political climate there’s an urgency for straight cisgender people to see LGBTQ characters portrayed accurately and unapologetically — and by people who actually know what LGBTQ life is like because they live it.

Luckily, hope is on the horizon: Although LGBTQ people used to be less visible than Sia’s face in a music video, more LGBTQ-identifying filmmakers, actors, producers, and directors than ever are being given the opportunity to tell their stories. So, ranging from a historic biopic about a gay rights activist to a cheesy 2000s rom-com that’ll turn even your worst mood around, here are 25 of the best LGBTQ movies you need to see — or see again.