11 Times Queer Narratives Enlisted the Military

This week, Netflix released it's latest gay-themed series Boots, starring Miles Heizer as a bullied gay teen who joins the Marine Corps with his best friend and finds his life changed forever by the experience, which requires him to stay closeted. The series takes place in the 1990s when it was illegal to be openly gay in the military. It's not the first time that a series has shown the positive or negative impact of the military on the life of a queer man. This week's listicle highlights 11 other times that films or series used the military as a backdrop to tell interesting queer stories. Leave a comment below if we missed any of your favorites. Warning: Spoilers Ahead! 
 

Private Romeo (2011)
An all-boys military academy was the setting for 2011's Private Romeo, which chronicled the blossoming secret romance between two cadets, Glenn (Matt Doyle) and Sam (Seth Numrich). The feature length drama was a modern take on the tale of Romeo & Juliet, focusing on the forbidden romance of the boys, as they and their peers become more entwined with the Shakespearean tragedy they are reading in class. The isolation of the cadets left at the academy during a holiday, mixed with the rising tension between the couple and their peers, provided additional drama as Glenn & Sam were pressured to fit in with the macho culture of the military academy. 

 

Doom Patrol (2019-2023)
The DC comics series Doom Patrol followed a quirky group of heroic misfits, including Negative Man. The man behind the bandages, Larry Trainor (Matthew Bomer) owes much of his backstory to his military past. While working as an Air Force test pilot in the 1960s, Trainor made contact with a negative energy spirit, leading to a plane crash that left him disfigured and living with the entity inside him. The crash disrupted his life, which included a secret romance with John Bowers (Kyle Clements), who was also a member of the Air Force at the time. For Trainor, his time in the military was a traumatic one due to his transformation, but also due to the loss of his great love because of it.

 

Tom of Finland (2017)
The biographical drama chronicled the life of Touko Laaksonen (Pekka Strang) who would be become best known as Tom of Finland, the popular homoerotic artist. Laaksonen's story begins in World War II, where he is shown serving in the Finnish military. His harrowing experience within the service left him a decorated officer due to his heroism, but he struggled to acclimate to a time of peace in his Helsinki home, due to the rampant persecution of homosexuals at the time. The film's narrative shows how surviving his harsh time in the military helped his resilience in society, where he broke free through his art, which would become a symbol of gay revolution.

 

Roswell, New Mexico (2019-2022)
The 2019 remake of the science-fiction series Roswell, put a new spin on the tale of three alien young people attempting to fit into society while protecting their otherworldly origins. A major part of their fear came from the military, looking to investigate extraterrestrial clues. One of the series main characters Alex (Tyler Blackburn) found himself in major conflict between both sides, as he fell in love with one of the aliens Michael (Michael Vlamis), while also attempting to avoid the lure of his military father drawing him back to service, despite the loss of his leg in combat. Alex's struggle between queer romance and his family's loyalty to the military was a major part of his character's journey as he was, like Michael, caught between two worlds. 

 

Shine (2025)
Set against the backdrop of political turmoil in 1969, the BL drama Shine tells a tale of love and the fight for ideals in an era resistant to change and diversity of thought in Thailand. The series' secondary male romance comes courtesy of outspoken journalist Naran ("Euro" Yotsawat Tawapee) and conflicted Colonel Krailert ("Son" Yuke Songpaisan), who strike up a forbidden secret romance, drawing tension and drama due to their positions on opposing sides of the military's actions at a key point in history. The married Krailert and the engaged Naran find themselves fighting publicly due to their politics, and privately due to their sexuality, until it all combusts around them.  

 

Love in Country (2023)
Taking place during the Vietnam War in 1968, Army Sergeants Ian Alexander (David Garber) and John Reese (Michael Southworth) were charged with leading their squad on a dangerous CIA mission to capture a Viet Cong leader. With their platoon overrun, their efforts became more desperate. Through it all, they took solace in each other's arms, leading to a secret romance. The story used their gut-wrenching experiences to bring light to the heroic efforts of queer troops serving in conflicts across the globe, putting their lives on the line throughout history, while being prohibited from loving legally and openly. Alexander & Reese's comfort in their love would ultimately end with Reese's death in combat.

 

Moffie (2019)
2019's BAFTA-nominated Moffie centered on Nicholas van der Swart (Kai Luke Brummer), a young South African man attempting to complete his compulsory military service in 1981. The experience proved to be brutal, both physically and emotionally as he encountered harsh racism, all while attempting to maintain the secrecy of his homosexuality. The film's title itself is a homophobic slur in South Africa. Nicholas was shown contending with his internal shame while defending the Apartheid's toxic racist regime. When Nicholas connects with fellow soldier Dylan Stassen (Ryan de Villiers), their growing bond quickly puts them at dangerous odds with the military forces around them. 

 

Soldier's Girl (2003)
The Emmy-nominated television movie Soldier's Girl told the tragic true story of Barry Winchell (Troy Garity), a young soldier serving in the Army during the era of its "Don't ask, don't tell" policy, which in effect made homosexuality illegal. He falls in love with transgender nightclub performer Calpernia Addams (Lee Pace), putting Winchell into what would become a devestating position. While he is unable to fight his feelings or his sexuality, he is forced to contend with harassment within his military unit. His jealous Army roommate Justin Fisher (Shawn Hatosy) reveals his secret relationship, leading to an altercation with fellow soldier Calvin Glover (Philip Eddolls), who later killed him.  

 

Eismayer (2022)
The biographical drama tells the real-life story of Sergeant Major Charles Eismayer (Gerhard Leibmann), known as the toughest training officer in the Austrian Armed Forces. His central conflict comes from his homosexuality, a guarded secret that he holds tight to control, just like his recruits. However, when he falls in love with one of those recruits, the feisty Mario Falak (Luka Dimic), everything changes. His life immediately descends into turmoil, especially when Falak returns his feelings, placing both of their positions in great jeopardy. The character drama is squarely focused on Eismayer's internal struggle with his ideals of what a military man should be in the face of a growing queer love. 

 

Firebird (2021)
Based on Sergey Fetisov's memoir, the period drama Firebird explored the dangerous, and tragic, secret romance between Sergey (Tom Prior), a young soldier, and Roman Matvejev (Oleg Zagorodnii), a fighter pilot, when the two cross paths while serving on a Soviet Air Force base during the Cold War. Set upon the backdrop of 1970's Communist rule, romance between men was more than forbidden. If discovered, it would be met with the harshest punishment possible from the Soviet regime. The compelling drama chronicled the duo's undeniable connection, as they navigated the thin line between love and duty, until the latter claimed Matvejev's life, breaking Sergey's heart.

 

The Inspection (2022)
Based on a true story, the award-winning drama The Inspection follows Ellis French (Jeremy Pope), a young gay black man who goes on a mission to find redemption after being rejected by his mother (Gabrielle Union) for his homosexuality. With few options for his future, he enlists in the Marines, where he is still persecuted by peers and his superiors. Through the harsh conditions of boot camp and a growing interest in Rosales (Raúl Castillo), the closeted superior officer who shows sympathy for his plight, French finds strength and unexpected support through his unbending spirit. The powerful story shows how the military experience can change a life and provide an earned sense of community.