5 queer sex scenes to celebrate pride
Happy Pride, Real Talk community! Just as pride has become cemented into our culture, so has queer romance in the media, from first loves to fiery affairs. Whether you’re busy obsessing over Chappell Roan’s tiny desk concert or attending your city’s parade, here are some of our favorite queer sex scenes to celebrate (in no particular order).
But I’m A Cheerleader (Paramount+)
In But I’m A Cheerleader, picture-perfect teen Megan (Natasha Lyonne) is sent to a conversion camp, where she falls in love with Graham (Clea DuVall). This has become beloved by Millenial and Gen Z queer people alike. Full of gorgeous pink hues cast under the moonlight, this cult classic delivers peak intimacy as we see Megan and Graham have sex for the first time. It’s sweet, it’s personal, and yes, we’re still thinking about that little nose kiss Graham gives Megan.
Challengers (Amazon Prime)
This movie has been dominating our social media feeds (and our minds), proving that the most erotic experience doesn’t have to actually include sex. In the film, longtime best friends Art (Mike Faist) and Patrick (Josh O’Connor) join in their lust for tennis star Tashi (Zendaya), eventually (spoiler alert) sharing a kiss of their own as the throuple makes out. Director Luca Guadanino has proven time and again that he’s an expert at capturing lust, and his portrayal of these homoerotic friends is no exception. *cue the dick-slap scene*
Bound (Hulu)
Before the “mafia wife” trend, Bound had us thirsting over the romance between Violet, the glamorous wife of a mafia money launderer, and Corky, an ex-con renovating the apartment neighboring Violet’s. Shortly after meeting, Violet seduces Corky, leading to an unabashed explosion of passion as they have sex for the first time, despite having been walked in on by Violet’s husband earlier. Violet’s whisper of “I’m trying to seduce you” will, in fact, be burned in my mind. Forever.
Moonlight (Max)
Moonlight is one of the best—arguably the best—movies to depict queer love in recent years, and this sentiment extends to its depiction of sex. Following Chiron, a young Black man growing up in Miami, it grapples with themes of sexuality, masculinity, and vulnerability. The beach scene shared by Chiron and Kevin is sweet and full of the awkwardness of first-time sexual encounters. As a viewer, the intimacy of the moment helps to understand why this event is so formative for Chiron.
The Handmaiden (Vudu)
Blending the historical fiction and thrilled genres, the scene between Lady Hideko, an heiress, and Sook-hee, hired by a con-man to persuade Hideko into marriage in hopes of stealing her inheritance, takes the “there was only one bed” trope to the extreme during their first encounter. While some have criticized the film for being over-eroticized, others have applauded both the many steamy scenes and the piece as a whole.
While we could include many more stolen gazes and caresses on the hand, for this pride month we’d love to see more scenes such as these—unapologetically queer, unapologetically sexy.
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