The topic of sexual orientation has been in the spotlight lately, no thanks to some Senators who think that cross-dressing can lead to crimes.  In an age when all the information one could ever want or need (indeed, even the ones they don’t want or need) are readily available, there are some who choose to deny, and even condemn, the existence of gays and lesbians. But essentially what it all comes down to is the love that exists between people, regardless of their sexual orientation.

Here we round up some LGBT films that accurately portray the people in this community: as fellow human beings.

Love is Strange

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What do you do if you’re forced to separate from your significant other after  your wedding because of financial difficulty? Love is Strange explores that dilemma between newly-wed partners, Ben and George, who are forced to deal with the capricious family dynamics they find themselves in.

Weekend

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The Weekend tells the story of a weekend where leads Russell and Glen, after a hook-up, find themselves immersed in discussions about life, love, sex, careers and gay rights. It’s a film about self-discovery as much as it is a love story.

Carol

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Carol explores the ups and down of two women: Carol, a woman struggling through a complicated divorce, and Therese, a young woman aspiring to be a photographer. And in the process, both women find themselves falling in love while dealing with their own personal problems.

Brokeback Mountain

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Brokeback Mountain was one of the most popular films about gay romantic love. It’s about a forbidden relationship between two cowboys, Jack and Ennis, whose love is tested by the dynamics of a traditional family setup.

Happy Together

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A film divided into five sections, Happy Together delves into breakups, abuse, destruction, and reconciliation between leads Ho Po-wing and Lai Yiu-fai. How does one deal with a turbulent relationship? This film answers that.

Circumstance

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Circumstance is a story about two young Iranian girls, Atafeh and Shireen—who both develop an attraction for one another, eventually falling in love with each other. The fact that the society they live in considers their love forbidden makes for a thought-provoking film.

Blue is the Warmest Colour

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This is a film about young love between Emma, an open lesbian and Adele, a girl who slowly discovers her preference for women.

Pride

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Pride is about the getting together of UK gay and lesbian activists with the mission of helping miners through their strike of the National Union of Mineworkers in the summer of 1984.

What’s your favorite LGBT film? What is it and why?