Resources (Continuously Updating)

If you are a client with PSYNT or are familiar with our work in public speaking and mental health promotion, you know how much emphasis we place on good media representation and media resources in general for a specific population. Our main focus so far has been more on LGBTQ+ representation; however, over the course of our work we have continued to update our list of good resources we would recommend to clients from different backgrounds.

This list exists in part thanks to the amazing online community that feeds our media interests and in part thanks to our clients, who have recommended these resources to us. Note that we’re only including things we’ve seen/read/heard before or things that people have sworn by. As soon as we read/see/hear something new, we will put it on the list.

As more things come out, this list will keep updating!

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TV Shows

• Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (Mental Health, LGBTQ, POC, Musical)

• First Kill (LGBTQ, POC, Vampires, WLW)

• Gentleman Jack (LGBTQ, Historical, Based on True Story, “First Modern Lesbian”)

• Heartstopper (LGBTQ, coming of age, mental health)

• Nanette by Hannah Gadsby (Comedy, Social Commentary, LGBTQ, Trauma)

• Noah’s Ark (LGBTQ, POC)

• One Day at a Time (POC, LGBTQ, Immigration, Mental Health)

• Our Flag Means Death (LGBTQ, POC, Comedy)

• San Junipero (Black Mirror) (LGBTQ, WLW MC’s, Death)

• Sense8 (Mental Health, LGBTQ, POC, Trans MC’s, Sci-Fi)

• Set Free by Simon Amstell (Comedy, Social Commentary, LGBTQ, Psychology, Drug Use)

• She-Ra (Cartoon, LGBTQ, Mental Health, Uplifting Fluff)

• Special (LGBTQ, Disability, POC)

• Stephen Universe (Cartoon, LGBTQ, Mental Health, Uplifting Fluff)

• The Russel Howard Hour (News in an Uplifting Way, Comedy, Social Commentary, UK)

• Vida (LGBTQ, POC)

• Work in Progress (LGBTQ, Mental Health, Depression)

• Young Royals (LGBTQ, Teenagers, Class Issues, Drug Use)

Movies

• A Secret Love (LGBTQ, Documentary, History)

• Alex Strangelove (LGBTQ, High School)

• Booksmart (LGBTQ, High School)

• But I’m a Cheerleader (LGBTQ, Gender Roles, Conversion Therapy, Comedy)

• Love, Simon (LGBTQ, High School)

• Paris is Burning (LGBTQ, Documentary, Ballroom)

• Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (LGBTQ, Polyamory, Historical)

• RENT (LGBTQ, Musical, Social Commentary, AIDS Crisis)

• The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (LGBTQ, Drag Culture)

• Moonlight (POC, LGBTQ)

Music

• Bilal Hassani (LGBTQ Musician of Moroccan Descent, French and English)

• Grace Petrie (LGBTQ UK Musician, Butch Representation, Protest Singer)

• Hayley Kiyoko (LGBTQ Musician of Asian Descent, English)

• Janelle Monaé’s Dirty Computer (LGBTQ Musician, Black, Pansexual)

• Kehlani (LGBTQ Musician, Black, Queer)

• Mary Lambert (LGBTQ Musician, Lesbian, Christian)

• Stephanie Rice’s Pages (LGBTQ Musician, Christian)

• Todrick Hall (LGBTQ Musician, Gay, Drag)

Books (Non-Fiction)

• A Colorful Introduction to the Anatomy of the Human Brain by John P.J. Pinel (Neuroanatomy, Coloring Book)

• Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting, or Self-Involved Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson (Mental Health)

• Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst by Robert Sapolsky (Psychology)

• Beyond Invisible Walls: The Psychological Legacy of Soviet Trauma, East European Therapists and Their Patients by Jacob D. Lindy (Transgenerational Trauma, post-Soviet)

• Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski (Psychology, Feminism)

• Come as You Are by Emily Nagoski (Psychology, Sexuality)

• Dementia: The One-Stop Guide: Practical advice for families, professionals, and people living with dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease by June Andrews (Mental Health)

• Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson (Mental Health)

• Gender: A Graphic Guide by Meg-John Barker and Jules Scheele (LGBTQ)

• Girl Sex 101 by Allison Moon (Mental Health, LGBTQ, Relationships, Sexual Education)

• I Want To Be Where the Normal People Are by Rachel Bloom (Mental Health, Feminism, Autobiographical)

• More Than Two: A Practical Guide to Ethical Polyamory by Franklin Veaux, Eve Rickert, Tatiana Gill (Polyamory, Relationships, Mental Health)

• Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love by Jonathan van Ness (Mental Health, Autobiography, Homophobia, HIV)

• Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: America's Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing by Joy DeGruy (POC, Transgenerational Trauma, Healing)

• Sapphistries: A Global History of Love Between Women by Leila J. Rupp (LGBTQ, Lesbian, History)

• Seeing Gender: An Illustrated Guide to Identity and Expression by Iris Gottlieb (LGBTQ, Gender)

• Spectrums: Autistic Transgender People in Their Own Words by Maxfield Sparrow (LGBTQ, Neurodivergence)

• The Brain: The Story of You by David Eagleman (Psychology, Neurology)

• The Medium is the Massage: An Inventory of Effects by Marshall McLuhan and Quentin Fiore (Communication, Psychology)

• Trans+: Love, Sex, Romance, and Being You by Kathryn Gonzales, Karen Rayne (LGBTQ, Trans, Mental Health, Physical Health)

• Trans Like Me: A Journey for All of Us by C.N. Lester (LGBTQ, Trans Author, Mental Health)

• The Polyamorists Next Door: Inside Multiple-Partner Relationships and Families by Elisabeth Sheff (Polyamory, Relationships, Mental Health)

• Whipping Girl by Julia Serano (LGBTQ, Gender Identity, Politics, Feminism)

• White Innocence: Paradoxes of Colonialism and Race by Gloria Wekker (POC, Colonialism, Netherlands)

Books (Fiction)

• A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss (LGBTQ, Children’s)

• A Family Is a Family Is a Family by Sara O'Leary (LGBTQ, Different Families, Children’s)

• An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon (LGBTQ, POC, Sci-Fi)

• Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas (LGBTQ, POC, Trans MC, Brujería)

• Disobedience by Naomi Alderman (LGBTQ, Religion (Judaism), Homophobia)

• Dreadnought by April Daniels (LGBTQ, Trans MC, TERFism, YA)

• Not Your Sidekick by C. B. Lee (LGBTQ, POC, Bi, Ace/Demi, Superhero, YA)

• One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston (LGBTQ, Bi MC)

• So This is Ever After by T. K. Lutens (LGBTQ, Fantasy, YA)

• Peter Darling by Austin Chant (LGBTQ, Trans MC, Fairytale World)

• Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (LGBTQ, Bi MC, Escapism)

• Ship It by Britta Lundin (LGBTQ, Queer, YA)

• Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli (LGBTQ, Gay MC, YAl)

• Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives by David Eagleman (Death)

• The Black Tides of Heaven by J. Y. Yang (LGBTQ, NB Author, Silkpunk)

• They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera (LGBTQ, Death)

• Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan (LGBTQ, Gay and Trans Characters)

Online Resources

• Autostraddle (LGBTQ, Primarily WLW and NB Resource)

• LezWatchTV (LGBTQ, TV and Movie Recommendations)

Podcasts

• Bad Gays (LGBTQ, History, Politics)

• The Two Princes (LGBTQ, Feminism, Fantasy, YA)

YouTube

• Ask a Mortician (Death, Grief)

• Carmilla (Web Series, LGBTQ, Lesbian MC’s, NB Characters, Vampires)

• Hannah Hart (LGBTQ, Cooking, Lesbian YouTuber)

• Jammidodger (LGBTQ, FTM YouTuber, Mental Health)

• Jessica Kellgren-Fozard (LGBTQ, Disability, Lesbian YouTuber)

• Meemoeder (LGBTQ, Media, Lesbian Parenting)

• Roly (LGBTQ, Gay Youtuber, Body Modification, Foster System)

• Rose and Rosie (LGBTQ, WLW YouTubers)

• Rowan Ellis (LGBTQ, Media Analysis)

• Stef Sanjati (LGBTQ, MTF YouTuber, Mental Health)

• Superwoman (POC, LGBTQ, Social Commentary, Bi YouTuber)

• Thomas Sanders (LGBTQ, Music, Wholesome Content, Gay YouTuber)

• Ty Turner (LGBTQ, FTM YouTuber)

• Watts The Safeword (LGBTQ, BDSM, Gay YouTubers, Sex Work)

Miscellaneous

• Aqotas Sensory Toys (Sensory, Neurodivergence, Black-owned business)

• Deadname Remover (Chrome Extension, LGBTQ)

• Le jeu de 7 (vraies) famillies (Children’s Card Game, LGBTQ, POC, Family Diversity)

• MyFamilyBuilders (Children’s Game, Family Diversity)

• The Sims4 (Video Game, Diversity, LGBTQ, World Building)