Watch Equal

TV-MA
2020
1 Season
7.5 (270)

Equal is a four-part series from HBO Max, directed and produced by Stephen Kijak. It explores the lives of queer pioneers who fought for their rights in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. The show employs a unique blend of documentary footage and dramatic reenactments to bring the stories of these courageous men and women to life.

The show is anchored by a star-studded cast, including Billy Porter, Anne Ramsay, Cheyenne Jackson, and Anthony Rapp. Each of these actors assumes the role of an historical figure and delivers a powerful performance that packs an emotional punch. Porter, in particular, shines as Bayard Rustin, a key strategist in the civil rights movement who was also gay.

Equal is a powerful and moving tribute to the brave souls who paved the way for LGBTQ+ people today. It highlights the achievements of figures like Rustin, Harry Hay, and JosÃ© Sarria, who were once relegated to the margins of society but are now recognized as pioneers. However, the show doesn't shy away from the many obstacles these heroes had to overcome, including a hostile legal system, police brutality, and societal stigma.

Equal tells these stories through a variety of techniques, including archival footage, interviews with experts, and dramatic reenactments. The latter are particularly well-done, thanks to strong performances from the cast and clever staging. For example, a scene in which Burnside's Tavern, a 1950s gay bar, is raided by police is expertly rendered with a mix of live-action and animation that evokes the era's comic book style.

The show's production values are top-notch, with a strong attention to detail in the costumes, sets, and music. The opening credits, scored by the electronic music artist Felix da Housecat, are particularly impressive, setting an energetic and rebellious tone for the series.

Overall, Equal is a must-watch for anyone interested in LGBTQ+ history or civil rights more broadly. It's a moving, informative, and visually stunning series that does justice to the struggles and triumphs of its subjects. Whether you're familiar with the history or not, the stories told in these four episodes will inspire and educate you, and leave you feeling a deep sense of gratitude for those who came before.

Equal is a series that ran for 1 seasons (4 episodes) between October 22, 2020 and on HBO Max

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Seasons

4. Stonewall: From Rebellion to Liberation

October 22, 2020

Police brutality towards patrons of the Stonewall Inn on June 28, 1969 sets off an uprising that rages for days and inspires the first-ever Pride marches. Activists and icons who were involved in that historic night share their stories, including: Latina trans rights pioneer Sylvia Rivera; founder of the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop Craig Rodwell; journalist Mark Segal; gay civil rights leader and entertainer Storm? DeLarverie; Village Voice reporter Howard Smith; and Dick Leitsch, president of the Mattachine Society in the 1960s.

3. Black is Beautiful, Gay is Good!

October 22, 2020

At the height of the 1960s civil rights movement, three activists' complex lives epitomize the intersection of the personal and political. Lorraine Hansberry--a lesbian revolutionary hiding in plain sight, radical voice for civil rights, and author of "A Raisin in the Sun"--wrote extensively about her sexuality under pseudonyms. The March on Washington's intrepid organizer Bayard Rustin worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King and lived openly and proudly as a gay man, even though his sexuality was viewed as a threat to the movement. And in San Francisco, Jos? Sarria, best known for performing comic operas in drag at The Black Cat, made a run for county supervisor years before Harvey Milk would eventually hold the seat.

2. Transgender Pioneers

October 22, 2020

August 1966. Trans trailblazers rise up against police harassment at their San Francisco safe haven: Compton's Cafeteria. Helping to shed light on this pre-Stonewall milestone are the stories of three pioneers who shattered social norms and boldly lived as they chose: Prohibition-era entrepreneur Lucy Hicks Anderson, one of the first documented Black trans people in the U.S.; Jack Starr, a turn-of-the-century enigma who made headlines for gender nonconformity; and Christine Jorgensen, the 1950s global phenomenon famous for using her celebrity to educate and entertain.

1. The Birth of a Movement

October 22, 2020

Out of the 1950s' repressive shadows, the Mattachine Society and Daughters of Bilitis emerge. Founded in Los Angeles by Harry Hay, Mattachine is galvanized by Hay's gay rights manifesto "The Call"--and by the arrest and trial of member Dale Jennings. Meanwhile, tired of lesbian bars constantly being raided by police, Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon create the Daughters of Bilitis as a support system for their San Francisco sisters. As these two groups shift from secret societies to national organizations demanding political and social change, they pave the way for a new generation of activists.

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Where to Watch Equal

Equal is available for streaming on the HBO Max website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch Equal on demand at Max, Amazon Prime and Hulu.