Pride 2026
IPM Celebrates Pride Month 2026
From our sprawling fields to our urban centers, central Illinois is home to a rich tapestry of culture — and Illinois Public Media treasures that. We hope you enjoy the collection of Queer programming we curated to honor this month-long celebration. Wishing the whole region a month of festivities and Pride!
Janis Ian: Breaking Silence from American Masters
Available Starting June 12
Discover the life of singer-songwriter Janis Ian and how she rose as a folk icon and gay rights advocate. She broke ground with “Society’s Child” (1966), a bold take on interracial love, and “At Seventeen” (1975), a searing anthem about bullying.
Mama Bears from Independent Lens
Available Until June 14
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.
Our League from Independent Lens
Available Until June 15
Following an extended hiatus, Michelle Guzowski takes a risk by returning to her favorite local bowling alley in the Ohio Rust Belt, after coming out to fellow bowlers as a trans woman. While the alley's new owners made it seem a welcoming space, the changes are hard for old-school bowlers.
When I'm Her from Independent Lens
Available Until June 20
A former ballet prodigy finds refuge in his alter ego, a Russian ballet instructor.
Assembly from Independent Lens
Available Starting June 22
Vogue, AI, and identity collide as an artist creates an exhibition honoring Black and Queer culture.
Breaking the News from Independent Lens
Available Until 6/30
Who decides which stories get told? A scrappy group of women and LGBTQ+ journalists buck the white male-dominated status quo, banding together to launch The 19th*, a digital news startup aiming to combat misinformation. A story of an America in flux, and the voices often left out of the narrative, the documentary Breaking the News shows change doesn’t come easy.
America's Gay Christian Sweetheart from Independent Lens
Available Until 2029
Legendary Atlanta comic Ian Aber takes the stage with jokes about growing up Queer in the South.
Best of: LGBTQ Spaces In a Challenging Political Climate from The 21st Show
Available Now
For generations, gays and lesbians often found community in bars. That’s changed in recent years, but political events — and the corporate pullback from pride — have LGBTQ Americans thinking more about separate places they can be themselves.
Under the Trans Umbrella:
Available Now
A documentary focusing on the experience of transgender people in the state of Missouri.
A message from Nicky Neeley (he/him), Digital Fundraising Manager
Every community contributes to the rich cultural fabric that makes central Illinois such a special place to call home. This month we celebrate the LGBTQ+ communities that help give our region its character, its creativity, and its heart. Happy Pride Month from Illinois Public Media!
