Brave Spaces explores courageous LGBTQ+ stories of triumph in spaces and because of them. Host Devin-Norelle (ze|zim) explores LGBTQ+ stories of triumph, transformation, and celebration in Brave Spaces. From book clubs and sports leagues to places of worship and the great outdoors, Devin-Norelle meets courageous heroes who, in the face of efforts to exclude Queer voices, are standing up to centuries of hate in order to shape a world where love always wins. The series is hosted by Devin-Norelle, a model, trans advocate and writer. See the series playlist above. The series is part of the PBS Voices collection in the PBS Digital Studios. Or on WXXI’s PBS Player site.
On-Demand
Casa Susanna On-Demand
American Experience: Casa Susanna: In the 1950s and ’60s, an underground network of transgender women and cross-dressing men found refuge at a house in the Catskills region of New York. Known as Casa Susanna, the house provided a safe place to express their true selves.
Available to watch on-demand through 6/26/26.
Little Richard: The King and Queen of Rock and Roll • On-Demand
Experience the meteoric rise and enduring legacy of Little Richard.
Watch On-Demand through 7/20/2024: American Masters – Little Richard: The King and Queen of Rock and Roll
American Masters – Little Richard: King and Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll explores the music icon’s influence and advocacy for the rights of Black artists and features interviews with Keith Richards, Ringo Starr, Big Freedia and more.
A fearless pioneer of rock ‘n’ roll who broke the color barrier in the 1950s with hits like “Tutti Frutti” and “Long Tall Sally,” Little Richard defined a genre and inspired generations by defying societal expectations. Charting the meteoric rise of the artist who counted The Beatles and the Rolling Stones as his opening acts, American Masters – Little Richard: King and Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll provides an intimate exploration of the renowned, electrifying and multifaceted individual.
Colorism in America On-Demand
Our Time: Colorism in America -Shade & Out of Our Heads: Racial stereotyping has a long and insidious history in the U.S. While gains in civil rights have increased significantly, younger generations continue to perpetuate harmful labels, often subtle ones, that undermine people of color. Filmmakers take on the current monikers of colorism and challenge white norms that pervade our society.
Available to watch by 5/26/25
Trans Youth in America On-Demand
One third of transgender youth in America have reported a suicide attempt last year. Behind this chilling statistic is a specter of trans representation in the media that veers from the pathological to the horrific. Filmmakers Amber Young (Transforming Media) and Delaney Mauve (Reframing) tackle trans representation in very personal stories, allowing families to talk openly about gender.
Available to watch by 5/19/25
Rock the Boat On-Demand
From Disco: Soundtrack of A Revolution Series: Rock the Boat explores the origin of a global music phenomenon born among gay and Black communities coming together in apartments and basement bars in 1970s New York, where dancefloors became a platform in their battle for visibility and inclusion.
Available to watch by 7/16/24
Our League On-Demand
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.
Available to watch by 6/15/27
Senior Prom On-Demand
For so many high-schoolers, prom is a rite of passage in all of its love-filled, well-coiffed, abundantly photographed glory. But for generations of LGBTQ+ youth, prom has been emblematic of an exclusion from a world they could not experience as their authentic selves.
Available to watch by 6/21/26