From drag makeovers and renovations to the history of queer culture, this year’s nominees for Reality/Docu-series in the 2023 Queerties prove that real life is all the drama we need.
Voting for the 2023 Queerties is officially open.
Scroll down to learn more about each of nominee and, remember, voting runs through February 21. You can vote once per day per device in each category. Winners will be announced live at a special reception in Los Angeles on February 28 and on Queerty the following morning. Use hashtag #Queerties to share your votes and help promote your favorites.
Legendary
Before Madonna made voguing mainstream, Harlem’s ballroom scene brimmed with duckwalks, spins, and dips. Legendary returned the art form to its LGBTQ+ roots, and for three seasons, the world witnessed not only voguing’s moves but its spirit — along with Keke Palmer‘s fierce arrival as a judge for the show’s final season.
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Bargain Block
Our favorite Bargain Block homorenovators, gay couple Keith Bynum and Evan Thomas, are a vital part of Detroit’s continued revitalization, buying abandoned and dilapidated properties and flipping them into haute homes for first-time homebuyers. And who doesn’t love a man with a tool … belt?
Queer for Fear
Executive producer Bryan Fuller likes thrills and chills so much that he gathered some of the entertainment industry’s best for Queer for Fear, a four-part series that stitches together the LGBTQ+ history of one of our favorite genres. Guest commentary includes perspectives from, among others, Lea DeLaria, Alaska 5000 (nominated for Drag Royalty), and Bruce Vilanch.
The Big Brunch
Imagine if Top Chef and The Great British Baking Show created a fusion cuisine seasoned with Dan Levy‘s witty humor and limitless craft cocktails. Enter The Big Brunch, Netflix‘s latest foray into culinary competition TV. Levy is joined by dry-witted culinary expert Sohla El-Waylly and restaurateur Andrew Fried to determine what chef has the chops to serve up our favorite meal of the week.
Lesbian Bar Project
Just a few decades ago, there were more than 200 lesbian bars throughout the United States. Today, there are less than 25. Executive produced by Lea DeLaria (who owns The Club in Provincetown) and co-directed by Erica Rose and Elina Street, The Lesbian Bar Project takes an intimate look at these coveted spaces and the women fighting to preserve them.
The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Titans
Proving that audiences continue to crave drag’s dark side, The Boulet Brothers returned with a fourth season featuring “some of the most powerful drag monsters that have ever graced the silver screen.” Without giving away any spoilers, let’s just say it was a bloody good time, with 10 past competitors returning to claw their way to the top.
The Book of Queer
The library is now open. Who needs to read when you have hottie queer historian Eric Cervini and notable guest hosts like Dominique Jackson, Margaret Cho, and Ross Matthews guiding you through some of the most impactful people and moments of queer history? The Book of Queer‘s five-part series scrolls back the hands of time, from gay Roman emperors to trans women warriors.
The Andy Warhol Diaries
In 1968, Valerie Solanes shot Andy Warhol. The famous artist and cultural icon survived and began documenting his life through a series of diaries. The writings serve as inspiration for one of Ryan Murphy‘s latest Netflix projects, a six-part series that explores his work (The Warhol-Basquiat play The Collaboration is also Queerties-nominated), relationships, and the impact of HIV/AIDS.
Trixie Motel
Drag superstar and entrepreneur Trixie Mattel’s latest venture is a seven-room Palm Springs motel with enough color splash to send you into chromatic shock. The reno-adventure with partner David Silver was documented for Discovery+ in an eight-part series with a revolving door of guest appearances to keep things fresher than the wet paint on the walls, including past Queerties winners The Old Gays, country music star Orville Peck, and Gigi Gorgeous.
We’re Here
Queerties Drag Royalty nominee Eureka!, Shangela, and Bob the Drag Queen continue to canvass the country in We’re Here, proving that LGBTQ+ visibility and drag can have a powerful impact in small towns across America. Season 3 concludes with a powerful two-part visit to Florida, in which the queens connect with a Pulse survivor, a mom and her trans daughter, and a queer couple celebrating 50 years together. Bring out the tissues!
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CGesange
Many gay men have criticized the “The Book of Queer” for promoting hackneyed stereotypes, and many of its historical claims have been debunked by historians. E.g., it claims Joan of Arc was “non-binary” for wearing a soldier’s riding outfit; but historians have pointed out that her soldier’s clothing was given to her for practical reasons in the army; and several eyewitnesses said she told them she continued wearing this clothing in prison and kept it “securely laced and tied” together because lacing its long boots, trousers, and tunic together made it difficult for her guards to pull her clothing off when they tried to rape her. These are practical reasons for wearing soldier’s clothing, which has nothing to do with a “non-binary” identity. She always called herself “the maiden” (“la pucelle”) which definitely indicates a female identity;