In the early days of the LGBTQ rights movement, there were few openly LGBTQ people in the public eye. This was in part due to the fact that being out could lead to Job Loss, Social Isolation, or Even Violence. However, a few brave people did choose to come out and fight for their rights, and they helped to lay the groundwork for the movement that we have today.

The 1980s was a decade of liberation for the LGBTQ community. This was reflected in the movies of the era, which featured openly queer characters and storylines. One of the earliest and most popular of these films was "The Watermelon Woman", released in 1996.

The movie tells the story of Cheryl, a black lesbian filmmaker, and her search for her roots. It was ground-breaking in its depiction of queer characters and was widely praised by critics.

Other popular LGBTQ movies of the 1980s include "My Beautiful Laundrette" (1985), "Torch Song Trilogy" (1988), and "Happy Together" (1989). These films dealt with a variety of issues facing the LGBTQ community, from racism to relationships. They were all critical successes, and helped to further the acceptance of LGBTQ people in society