Join The History Project's Virtual Film Club for an informal group discussion of Basic Instinct. Director Paul Verhoeven's 1992 thriller is a cult classic but has been critiqued for its problematic portrayal of queer women in mainstream media.

In the early 90s, queer media boycotted Basic Instinct and Silence of the Lambs for depicting queer characters as dangerous and vicious villains. GLAAD organized a letter-writing campaign to Paul Verhoeven protesting "lesbian-phobia" in the movie and Queer Nation staged protests to disrupt scenes filmed in San Francisco.

Watch the movie on your own, and join us for an informal discussion of its boycott, its history, and its impact.

This event is free and open to the public and is part of our 2023 series of discussions about films protested by the queer community. Without historical context, the controversies of these films have been forgotten. 

RSVPs Coming Soon!

Where can I watch Basic Instinct?

• Stream with your Amazon Prime account (subscription required)
• Rent from Google Play, Apple TV, or YouTube
• Buy a used copy from a reseller (for example, Thriftbooks, Half Priced Books, and many others)
• Or check your local library

Please contact info@historyproject.org with any questions about accessing the film.