Time to Spill the Tea! DISCOVERY+ to Premiere “The Book of Queer” for Pride Month

In celebration of Pride month, discovery+, the definitive non-fiction, real-life subscription streaming service, announced it will premiere THE BOOK OF QUEER on Thursday, June 2nd. The five-episode series, celebrating and recognizing the incredible history of the LGBTQ+ community, will be narrated by notable queer game changers including Dominique Jackson (“Pose”), Leslie Jordan (“American Horror Story,” “Will & Grace”), Ross Mathews (“The Drew Barrymore Show” and “RuPaul’s Drag Race”), Alex Newell (“Glee”) and previously announced Margart Cho (“The Flight Attendant,” “Fire Island”). The socially impactful series will be supported by an entirely queer ensemble cast, recreating some of history’s most notable moments, and over a dozen scholars of queer history. Capping off each episode, an original song and music video will be performed by queer artists including Betty Who, VINCINT, Shawnee Kish, Mila Jam and Kaleena Zanders.

“To celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, we are setting the historical record straight and introducing ‘The Book of Queer’ right at the top of Pride Month. We couldn’t be any more excited to have Margaret Cho, Leslie Jordan, Dominique Jackson, Alex Newell, Ross Matthews as well as an impressive and talented group of historians, actors and musicians spilling the tea alongside us,” said Howard Lee, President of TLC Streaming and Network Originals.

The series cast includes:

• Performers: Miss Vanjie, GOTTMIK, Kim, Chi, Chris Olsen, Tell Williams, Rob Anderson, Riley Westling, Alejandra Cejudo, Bennie Oldham, Donzell Lewis, Nikcoma Lee Mahkewa, Griffin Kelly, Jasmine Raphael, Dennis Renard, Nate Timmerman, Jill Bennett, Ryan Symantel, Gracie Cartier, Bri Giger, Marval Rex, Marlon Meikle, Ashlei Shyne, Sayrie, Juliana Joel, Lina Green, Sheena Georges and Eliza Blair
• Historians: Prof. Susan Stryker, Prof. Lillian Faderman, Prof. Jenn Jackson, Blair Imani, Prof. Michael Young, Prof. Stephanie Larson, Kevin Quin, Miriam Kamil, LZ Granderson, Prof. Mar Hicks, Prof. Kara Cooney, Souksavanh Keovorabouth, Dr. Christine Axen, Prof. Thomas Balcerski, Prof. Gary Ferguson, Prof. David Green

Each episode will pull the rainbow curtain back on a variety of historical figures:

• Episode #1 “Kings & Queens,” featuring stories about Abraham Lincoln, Eleanor Roosevelt, Akhenaten and Bayard Rustin. Narrated by Alex Newell. Premieres June 2, 2022.
• Episode #2 “Sashay It Forward,” featuring stories about Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Ma Rainey, Alan Turing, Sally Ride and Lynn Conway. Narrated by Margaret Cho. Premieres June 9, 2022.
• Episode #3 “Queens’ Work Makes the Team Work,” featuring stories about The Sacred Band of Thebes, Alexander the Great, Glenn Burke, the Rainbow Flag, Gilbert Baker, Harvey Milk and José Sarria. Narrated by Ross Mathews. Premieres June 16, 2022.
• Episode #4 “Gay to Z,” featuring stories about King James, Sappho, We’Wha and Harry Allen. Narrated by Leslie Jordan. Premieres June 23, 2022.
• Episode #5 “Pride or Die,” featuring stories about Josephine Baker, Joan of Arc, Stormé DeLarverie, Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson. Narrated by Dominique Jackson. Premieres June 30, 2022.

Visibility and representation are vital to affecting change, and THE BOOK OF QUEER series celebrates some of history’s most world-changing heroes, whose stories and contributions have been erased, marginalized or straightwashed throughout the years. The narratives will be curated by award-winning historian and Pulitzer Prize finalist Dr. Eric Cervini and other experts. Blending comedy with social impact, the series will use witty recreations to bring each of the stories to life with a modern tone and feature interviews with revered queer historians and experts who are as colorful as the rainbow flag.

For more information on discovery+, visit discoveryplus.com. Viewers can join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #bookofqueer and can follow discovery+ on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.