15 major LGBTQIA+ moments in pop culture in 2018

Gwilym Lee (Brian May) and Rami Malek (Freddie Mercury) star in Twentieth Century Fox’s BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY. Photo Credit: Alex Bailey TM & © 2018 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Bohemian Rhapsody

Bohemian Rhapsody is a bit of a debate in the queer community lately. After complaints from critics claimed that the film was trying to sanitize Freddie’s life by highlighting his relationship with women and not including his death from HIV complications, many worried if the long-awaited biopic about the Queen frontman would be a huge flop. It seems like those critiques didn’t keep people away, because it definitely didn’t flop.

Even though some people found it to be not queer enough, Mercury does seem shamelessly queer the entire film, even when in a relationship with a woman — Mary Austin, Mercury’s real-life ex-girlfriend and best friend. It does portray him coming out to Mary, shows him partying with drag queens and other gay men, and even shows him “cruising” at a truck stop, plus his relationships with multiple men. Whatever your feelings are about the film, it would still be considered an “LGBTQIA+” movie, and it’s also now officially the highest-grossing LGBTQIA+ film in history.

In just two months, the film raked in over $608 million worldwide, surpassing Straight Outta Compton as the highest grossing music biopic ever. $608 million for a movie about a queer man is unheard of, but Freddie Mercury was unlike any other. Though he was coy about his sexuality for years, he never tried to be anyone but himself, who was shamelessly flamboyant both onstage and off. That’s why he’s an icon, and that’s why people have been flooding to theatres to see Bohemian Rhapsody.

Those were some of the best LGBTQIA+ moments in pop culture of 2018. Here’s to looking for even more achievements in the community in 2019!