Imagine that feeling you get when you hear a recording of your own voice that icky, cringy, heebie-jeebie sensation that makes your entire body clench. It might feel unbearable. You might cover your ears or leave the room or demand that someone turn the recording off. Inevitably, you will turn to your friends or family and ask, Is that really how I sound? Now imagine you get this feeling every time you speak, as if youre living in a universe where the recorded version of your voice is all that comes out of your mouth. According to voice training expert Nicole Gress, this is how many trans people experience voice dysphoria. Related Internet in tears over grandmas beautiful reaction to grandaughter coming out as trans Gress founded Undead Voice Lab (UVL) in 2019 as a dedicated voice training program for trans people experiencing the psychological distress of having a voice that does not align with who they are. The public conversation around gender-affirming care focuses almost exclusively on visually perceived characteristics, but for many trans people, changing their voice is a critical piece of the puzzle. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The impact on mental health cannot be overstated enough, Gress told LGBTQ Nation. Whenever we ask people the most important part of their transition, voice transition is across the board in the top three. Its access to hormones, surgery, and then voice training. Ever since puberty I had a very tough time communicating with people, UVL client Daniella Daedala told LGBTQ Nation. She even developed a stutter because she was so afraid to talk. Her voice dysphoria, she explained, just manifests as me not being social with people and thereby lacking connections. How traditional voice training fails trans people Gress explained that for a long time, trans people have been taught to transition their voices through standard speech pathology methods that have not been tailored to the communitys specific needs. UVL is part of a handful of organizations that have developed methods specifically for gender transitions. A lot of times we are taught as speech pathologists to focus on primarily pitch, and pitch is not the number one way that society codes gender into the voice, Gress said. When you hear somebody speak, the top thing that you are using unconsciously to categorize their voice is the resonance. View this post on Instagram A post shared by FOLX Health (@folxhealth)There is also a common misconception that hormone replacement therapy is sufficient to change a persons voice. But testosterone, for example, only impacts pitch. Gress said pitch is only one of the five vital pillars of voice training: vocal weight, vocal tilt, resonance, pitch, and dynamics. Resonance, Gress said, the number one way we code gender in voice, is controlled by the size of the vocal tract, which is made up of cartilage and not impacted by testosterone at all.As such, Gress found that the trans patients they worked with in traditional health care settings never seemed satisfied with their voices by the end of their programs. So she spent six months exploring every voice pedagogy she could find and created a trans-focused curriculum. Then, they spent a year testing the program with 100 trial subjects. Six years later, UVL has served 100,000 people across 20 countries. In addition to a paid membership program (for which scholarships are available), the organization offers afree 3-week courseand a free Trans Voice 101 guide. UVL has transformed thousands of lives and it isnt just through changing voices. Undead Voice Lab is 90% community, 10% voice training, UVL client Daniella Daedala told LGBTQ Nation. Because no person is an island.Voice trainings secret ingredient The first time Daedala logged in to a UVL group meeting, she felt immediately at ease. I live in what feels like a queer desert and here I am looking at all these people, and Im thinking, wait, are these people like me? That feeling of isolation immediately began to dissolve.Gress emphasized that community-building has become a critical part of UVAs mission. What youre teaching people to do with their voice is obviously the thing thats going to have the largest impact on the sound that is created, Gress said, but when it comes to the actual process of transitioning your voice, the most important thing for that is having community. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Undead Voice (@undead.voice)They explained that being surrounded by folks with the same lived experience who deeply connect with voice dysphoria makes everyone feel more comfortable being vulnerable and not sounding perfect when they practice. Realizing how deeply community building impacted progress, Gress said UVL flipped the dynamic of traditional therapy on its head.Instead of only having access to a coach during a weekly or monthly training session, clients can direct message coaches anytime to ask questions and share recordings. You actually need help the most when youre practicing, Gress said.The all-online organization also hosts weekly group coaching sessions and live coach office hours. But the most important piece, Gress said, is the private virtual community space, which includes about 4,000 people across various chat threads. An act of self-love Gresss goal is to help her clients change what she calls their home base or reflexive voice, the sound that naturally comes out when they speak. The more you learn and practice, the easier it becomes to reflexively respond in a different voice than your original home base. But the goal is not for that original to disappear or become inaccessible, Gress emphasized. Sometimes, that one is needed for safety.We dont want you to completely lose access to what you had before because a lot of times people, for whatever reason safety or theyre not yet out at work or with certain people or theres situations in which they still need to use their dead voice or their original voice should always be accessible.The voice is much more malleable than many believe. Folks at UVL learn, for example, to control the height of their larynx, which manipulates the width of their throat and helps them obtain either a darker or brighter voice, as UVL puts it to avoid gendered terms.ViralTikTok videosof trans people demonstrating their dead voices compared to their lived voices show the incredible changes and control voice training can bring, and how, eventually, it is possible to almost effortlessly drift between darker tones and brighter tones. @avelospricht Replying to @Rebecca Arroyo #fyp #foryou #trans #lgbtqia #transition original sound Avelo For many people, starting the program is a mental challenge. Gress said coaches often encourage clients to try to play different characters at first, which takes some of the pressure off. A lot of people struggle with being able to change their voice during voice training because it sounds unnatural or its a little scary, she explained. Character voices help kind of unlock some of that playfulness, which allows you to overcome the anxiety and nervousness.Daedela also hopes those who are just beginning their journeys try to have some fun with it. You dont sound as dumb as you think, she said. Its an act of self-love to not try to drive oneself to change so rapidly. Because were learning how to relate to ourselves in a different way.You have to unlearn a lot, and having overnight success is not desirable. Its a journey, and getting there is half the fun, so enjoy the ride, even if its bumpy. A voice is so personal, a former client and current UVL voice coach, who asked to remain anonymous, told LGBTQ Nation. Its an enormously personal piece of identity.I never liked my voice, they continued, and that meant I didnt say a lot. I didnt speak up unless I was called on, unless there was space made for me. And now that I love my voice, that changes. Im much more willing to speak up for myself and make space for myself rather than wait.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier spent two months trying to shut down a Pensacola production of A Drag Queen Christmas, a holiday-themed show featuring former competitors from RuPauls Drag Race. Uthmeier called the show demonic, anti-Christian, and harmful to children instead, the December 23 show sold out its 1,600-seat venue.We cant thank Pensacola enough for showing out and showing up, tour host Nina West said in a video alongside her other performers. The Florida performance marked the touring shows 21st state in a 23-state run that goes through December 29. Related The history of drag goes far deeper than you might think Despite Uthmeiers attempts with local Christian conservatives to censor the show, Pensacolas city council allowed the performance to proceed at the citys Saenger Theatre, saying that cancelling it could create a costly legal battle and violate the citys contract with the venue.Hundreds of people showed up at city council meetings over the last two months to speak out in support of the show, WEAR-TV reported. Some of these speakers, who were also members of the local gay mens chorus, showed up outside the Tuesday night performance to sing carols to ticketholders waiting in line. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Christian counterprotestors also demonstrated outside of the venue. A woman held a sign that said, You need to repent. Her bearded and bespectacled male associate wore a white shirt with letters in the colors of the rainbow and transgender Pride flags. It said, They burned in their lust committing what is shameful, a paraphrased Bible verse.If you sinners dont get right with the living God, God is going to put you in hell, the man said, using a microphone and loudspeaker in front of the venue.Pastor Kent Langham with The Cross Church said that the show was publicly blaspheming Jesus, the lord of every human being. He called the show a mockery of the Christian faith that celebrates homosexuality [and] transgenderism. The Bible calls those abominations very clearly, and God judges societies that accept those, Langham added.To protect the show, Police Chief Kristin Brown patrolled the venue with dozens of officers, live cameras on loan from the Escambia County Sheriffs Office, and anti-vehicle barricades from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.In 2022, the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) investigated some of the venues hosting the show and threatened to prosecute them under the states lewdness laws. DeSantis baselessly claimed that the venues were hosting a sexually explicit performance marketed to children. His states drag ban was repeatedly struck down by judgeswho ruled it a violation of free speech.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

A federal judge in California ruled that teachers could out trans students if they want to. His ruling involved a case filed by two Christian teachers who claimed that their districts anti-outing policy violated their religious beliefs.Judge Roger Benitez, appointed by former President George W. Bush, granted summary judgment earlier this week in favor of two teachers at Rincon Middle School in Escondido who sued over Escondido Union School Districts policies that require them to respect the names and pronouns of trans students and to privately keep information student disclosure of gender identity, unless they give consent or their physical or mental well-being is in danger. Related Teachers are outing trans students thanks to states new Dont Say Gay law The policy also forces [plaintiff] Elizabeth [Mirabelli] and others like her to violate faith, said the teachers attorney, Paul Jonna, when filing the suit. She has constitutional rights that are being violated by this policy, which is forcing teachers to lie and participate in deception.This case is about the right to speak freely, the right to exercise my own religious beliefs,Mirabelli told WRAL News in 2023, when the lawsuit was filed. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Judge Benitez granted the teachers a temporary injunction in 2023, blocking enforcement of the policy against them while their case was being heard. And now he ruled in their favor.When it comes to a students change in gender identity, California state policymakers apparently do not trust parents to do the right thing for their child, he wrote, despite the evidence that young people can face danger if outed to their parents prematurely. Trans and nonbinary youth are much more likely to experience homelessness compared to cisgender youth. Benitez also said that the districts policy violates parents Fourteenth Amendment rights to care, guide, and make health care decisions for their children and the rights to religious exercise held by both teachers and parents.In his 2023 order for an injunction, Benitez said that he believed that parents need to know if their kid is trans because they might just be saying theyre trans because of bullying, peer pressure, or a fleeting impulse. In reality, trans students are likely to face bullying for identifying as trans, and society puts an enormous amount of pressure on LGBTQ+ young people to pretend that they are not LGBTQ+.The California Attorney Generals Office is already planning an appeal, according to the Times of San Diego, and has filed for an injunction against Benitezs order. The state said that if the teachers are now allowed to out students, they could cause irreparable harm. The information cannot be un-disclosed.We believe that the district court misapplied the law and that the decision will ultimately be reversed on appeal, the Attorney Generals Office said in a statement. We are committed to securing school environments that allow transgender students to safely participate as their authentic selves while recognizing the important role that parents play in students lives.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Anyone else miss lite?Andr Lamoglia won over the hearts of fans around the world for his portrayal of Ivn Carvalho during seasons five through eight on the critically acclaimed Netflix show.Since then, the actor has starred in many other projects and loves to tease his fans with some thirsty content on his social media. His latest shirtless selfie is sending fans into a frenzy, check out the reactions below! (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@)

Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams told fans to get freakier, and they listened!Williams, who plays Shane Hollander on the popular steamy gay hockey show, and his co-star Connor Storrie, who plays the Russian hockey star he falls for, sat down with Buzzfeed to read thirst tweets so dirty they would make anyone blush.Well, anyone except Williams. Give them to me. Make them raunchy, make them feral, make them hungry, Williams says. (@) The Buzzfeed episode starts off tame, before dropping the actors into the deep end of the pool when they get a question about Shane being an Omega.After the Buzzfeed producer explains the Omegaverse and heats to them dont worry, if youre in the dark on this one too, weve already explained the entire fan fiction subgenre for you Williams said that during the bathroom scene on episode 2 he wanted to be like a little hungry coyote that just wanted to hump and he was in heat, and just wanted to whimper away.Storrie and Williams both agree that Shane would be an Omega and Ilya would be an Alpha before Williams says that his character looks like hes just happy to be under the alpha, getting railed like the omega, you know, Ive never seen myself happier, in a photo of Shane staring up at Ilya while theyre having sex. (@) When they read a thirst tweet that says Shanes ass never gets the spotlight it deserves because hes constantly standing next to the mayor of bubble butt city, Williams once again takes things to their horniest conclusion.I gained 9 pounds of clappable material so later on there is more meat for Ilya to rock, and he does, and Im proud to be double cheeked up on whatever day of the week that was and prone and boned, he says. Storrie looks surprised by the things coming out of Williams mouth though he should probably be used it by now before concluding, We should all just sit with that for a minute.When they read a tweet that talks about Shane calling Ilya Rozy during sex, Williams sees just how far he can push things on air, Im pretty sure I say Roz. I think I Roz and then whimper and come in my little pants? Can we say that on Buzzfeed? Whatever.And then continues, While Im jizzing and splizzing all over myself Im pretty sure I say Roz and then cut myself off. (@) Another fan admits in a tweet that their dentist would be asking who destroyed my throat if they say Ilya in a towel, which Williams makes Williams start swearing in shock, before Storrie asks, This is what this is doing to people? This story is drugs to these people.Williams may have been surprised by the dirty tweet, but it doest deter him, Dont take them away from me, Im reading every single one.If you were wondering how much media training these young actors have gotten before being catapulted to instant stardom, next Storrie asks about the meaning of bussy.Stories wonders out loud: Do you think bussy is boy pussy or butt pussy?Then, when he asks Williams if the fans are finally freaky enough for him, Williams makes it clear hed like things to get even hornier. We have a gif on Sunset Boulevard of us in the shower on, if that gifs not Shanes hole by the end of the week, even if they green light season 2, guess whos not coming back, he announces. (@) Storrie tries to bring thing back to the heart of the show asking, wheres the love? but Williams isnt having it. What about this back getting broken, what about some kitchen sex. Lets bring some props in. Im going to crawl out of there by season 2, f*cking broken and on a stretcher. We have a stretcher in season 1, but its for the wrong reason, next season its got to be Ilya f*cking ruining this shit.And Storrie blames the fans for this response, which, fair. Yall have infected Hudsons brain, he says. While Storries says reading the thirst tweets has left him with his blood is pumping right now and Im confused, Williams looked disappointed and said it could have been hornier.If history is any indication, the fans are more than ready to step up to the plateor you know, some kind of hockey reference.Watch the full video below.

For most of the internet’s history, signing up for social media has been simple: type in a name, an email address, and a birthday — and you’re in. Whether that birthday was real or not was largely left to the user’s honesty. That era is ending. Across the United States, lawmakers are pushing new age verification and parental consent laws aimed at protecting children...

Wholesome queer content is great, but what about the joys of deliciously depraved, decadently problematic queer content?Of course, we want to see queer characters who don't fit into tropes, who aren't damaging stereotypes, and who are heroes. But also, sometimes we want to get down and dirty. Sometimes it's fun to revel in characters who take control and just do whatever the hell they want, especially when those characters are lesbians.Real-life people are problematic. Real love is problematic. And these shows and movies celebrate that. At the end of the day, we are messy queers, and sometimes we just want to watch other messy queers.Below, a list that explores 31 of our favorite problematic lesbians, bisexuals, and queer women.Carol Sturka from 'Pluribus'Why She's Problematic: Carol Sturka is selfish, a downer, and perpetually grumpy. She struggles to be polite even when the fate of the world depends on it. Carol always gets in her own way, making things immensely harder than they have to be. Even when she has everything she wants, she can't be happy.Why We Love Her: Of course, it would take a jaded, bitter lesbian to save the world. Carol's refusal to back down and compromise is precisely what makes her the perfect person to stop a global alien virus that turns everyone into an overly optimistic and polite hivemind. Rhea Seehorn is an unstoppable force, daring you not to fall in love with this character.Beverly and Elliot Mantle from 'Dead Ringers'Dead Ringers is a beautiful, hilarious, twisted, sexy, and disorienting fever dream, and its exactly the kind of queer TV show we need right now.Based on the classic Cronenberg movie from the 80s, Dead Ringers follows Beverly and Elliot Mantle, two of the most brilliant doctors in the world who are also twin sisters (Beverly is a lesbian and Elliot is pansexual). With the help of a billionaire lesbian and her wife, they open a new birthing center, hoping to revolutionize a type of healthcare that millions of women (and some others) need access to every year. From there, the twins spiral into success, madness, love, and obsession.While Dead Ringers is firmly in the thriller genre, its also a Vantablack comedy. It isn't afraid to swerve into camp, with Elliot gorging on food like Saturn devouring his son in nearly every scene shes in, the twins calling each other delicious, and a penultimate episode that travels to a Southern Gothic house full of a family of twins headed by a disturbing male gynecologist. Rachel Weisz needs to win an Emmy (it's a shame she cant win two) for playing Beverly and Elliott, twin brilliant gynecologists bent on changing the way the birthing industry works in America.While the twins are unmistakably sisters, they couldnt be more different, and Weisz brings brilliant subtleties to each role. The series also has an incredible writer in Alice Birch and incredible directors like Karyn Kusama, who should all also be winning Emmys this year.Why They're Problematic: Dead Ringers isnt afraid at all to lean into the codependency that turns into a twisted queer romance between the sisters. Elliot makes out with her sisters neck, Beverly says I want to crawl inside you, they stop just short of passionately kissing on the mouth; these sisters are in love, your honor. And thats just the beginning of what makes these wonderful characters so problematic; theres also the drugs, deception, murder, and illegal cloning.Why We Love Them: That fearlessness is one of the things that makes it so great. While Republican lawmakers and angry teens online will tell you that theres nothing worse than a problematic queer person, most of us are smart enough to know that without being problematic, most characters are boring.To be human is to be filled with flaws, weird ticks, trauma, and problematic thoughts and behaviors. And the best art that we can produce shows that and examines it. If we ignore what makes us problematic, we ignore what makes us human.Dead Ringers asks what is love, what is womanhood, what is sisterhood, what is genius, and what is happiness, and it finds that none of the answers are clear. The only clear thing about this show is that it is a true masterpiece.Lou and Jackie from 'Love Lies Bleeding'Why They're Problematic: Where do we start? Lou (Kristen Stewart) and Jackie (Katy O'Brian) are trouble from the moment we meet them, with Jackies hair-trigger temper causing her to throw punches and headbutts whenever she gets angry. Both women are literal murderers, and their relationship is volatile, filled with screaming matches, insults, and physical violence.Why We Love Them: Still, we can't help but root for these two lovebirds! Whether that is because of the way they both look so dykey, or the fact that they're a loudly queer couple living in a small town in the 1980s, or the fact that they have the best chemistry we've ever seen in a movie, we absolutely want them to overcome all obstacles and end up together.Josie and PJ from 'Bottoms'Why They're Problematic: These girls are the ultimate loser dykes. Aside from judging all of the girls around them based on looks, PJ and Josie (played by Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri) actually start a fight club at their school, hoping that they can "trick" cheerleaders into joining and eventually sleeping with them.Why We Love Them: Like we said, these are the ultimate loser dykes, and we love that about them! We can all relate to the feeling of being a loser in high school, and even though these girls may have gone about things the wrong way, we can't stay mad at them.Carol Aird from 'Carol'Why She's Problematic: In the original book that Carol is based on, The Price of Salt, Carol Aird is 32 years old, and her love interest Therese is only 19. Both characters have been aged-up in the movie, but theres still about a 15-year age gap between the sophisticated Carol and naive Therese.Why We Love Her: Carol is also one of the best lesbian movies ever made, based on one of the best lesbian books ever made. Cate Blanchett was nominated for a much-deserved Oscar for her role. Plus, we all have mommy issues, so of course, we love Carol.Hedda Gabler from 'Hedda'Why She's Problematic: Tessa Thompson delivers a standout performance in this period piece set in 1950s England, as socialite and housewife Hedda hosts a party for her husband under the pretense of helping him secure a coveted teaching position. Instead, her ex (a wonderfully stern Nina Hoss), who happens to be her husband's academic rival, shows up, and Hedda plays mind games with everyone there until someone is shot.Why We Love Her: Thompson is one of the best actors of her generation, and this is another strong performance. Despite all of Hedda's unscrupulous behavior, we can't help but love her. She's trapped by the conventions of society and her time, and acting out is the only way she knows to express her true self.Sophie and Margo from 'The Hunting Wives'Why They're Problematic: Queen bee Margo is the mean girl boss of a troupe of MAGA-style rich housewives in deeply conservative Texas. These Hunting Wives love to lie, cheat, and even murder. Who needs enemies when you have friends like this?Why We Love Them: While they do all that lying, sleeping around, killing, and judging, Sophie and Margo look hot as hell! Brittany Snow (Sophie) and Malin Akerman (Margo) have some of hottest chemistry on any show in years, and even straight housewives were getting turned on watching them together!Tallulah Stiel from 'I Love LA'Why She's Problematic: Yes, influencer Tallulah Stiel (Odessa A'zion) is a mess, but she's our favorite mess! Equally famous for her good looks and fashion as she is for her unhinged rants and stealing habits, Tallulah is the dirtbag queer of our dreams. Sure, she's unreliable, flighty, and duplicitous, but nobody's perfect.Why We Love Her: Still, we can't help but love her! Tallulah has the effortless charisma and magnetism that many famous people have, and when she started dating a super-hot lesbian chef, we couldn't help but cheer!Jobu Tupaki from 'Everything Everywhere All at Once'Why She's Problematic: Jobu Tupaki is perhaps the most dangerous force in the multiverse. The Alpha version of Joy Wang (Stephanie Hsu) leads her group of cultists throughout the multiverse, killing different versions of her mother and destroying everything in her path in a quest for nihilism.Why We Love Her: Hsu was brilliant in the role of Jobu and Joy, earning an Oscar nomination. She perfectly balances ultimate power with the vulnerable insecurity of a daughter desperately trying to connect with her mother.Jamie from 'Drive-Away Dolls'Why She's Problematic: From the moment we first meet Jamie (Margaret Qualley), she's flirting with other women in front of her girlfriend. When she and her bestie, Marian, find out that the car they are driving to Tallahassee has a mysterious suitcase in the trunk, Jamie decides they should hold the suitcase hostage from the criminals chasing them.Why We Love Her: While she may get you into trouble, Jamie will also get you out of it. She's a fierce friend to Marian and is always pushing her to live her best life. Plus, by the end of the movie, we see that she actually does make a pretty good partnerJanice Imi'ike from 'Mean Girls (2024)'Why She's Problematic: Well, Janis is, like the name of the movie says, a mean girl. Along with her gay BFF Damien, she convinces Cady to trick Regina George into gaining weight, using lard for face cream, and embarrassing herself in front of the whole school. Even though she's justified in wanting revenge for Regina outing her, she did some terrible things.Why We Love Her: In this new version of Mean Girls, Tina Fey did what she always should've done and made Janis canonically a lesbian. Brought to life by the amazing Aulii Cravalho, this version of Janis is the lesbian icon she was always meant to be, and one of the most relatable queer high school characters weve ever seen.Catra from 'She-Ra and the Princesses of Power'Why She's Problematic: Early on in She-Ra, Catra openly admits that she knows the Horde are the bad guys, but she refuses to leave. She commits a lot of war crimes and then tries to destroy the whole universe. She also spends a lot of time trying to kill her ex-BFF (and crush) Adora.Why We Love Her: Catra is also one of the best and most well-rounded lesbian characters in all of kids and family media. Her journey from traumatized and abused teen to an adult who's trying to work on her own issues and grow, and her journey into love with Adora, forever changed the way kids TV portrays gay characters.Leighton Murray from 'Sex Lives of College Girls'Why She's Problematic: Leighton (Rene Rapp) is a bully and a mean rich girl. She thinks she's better than everyone else and thinks she can buy her way out of trouble. She's exactly the type of girl we wouldnt want to be friends with in college.Why We Love Her: That is, until she starts to show some growth. While Leighton never loses her edge, after she has to start volunteering at the women's center, she softens up a bit and opens up to her friends, even coming out as a lesbian.Emily Dickinson from 'Dickinson'Why She's Problematic: Just like in real life, Emily in Dickinson is in love with her sister-in-law Sue. At first that might not sound too bad, especially compared to others on this list. But she makes it more problematic when, in the pilot episode, Sue is mourning the death of her blood sister when Emily says "I'll be your sister now" right before the two make out.Why We Love Her: Emily Dickinson is one of the greatest poets of all time. Also, Hailee Steinfeld's hilarious, snarky, and down-to-earth portrayal of her brought her to life in an all-new way for an all-new generation.Ginger Fitzgerald from 'Ginger Snaps'Why She's Problematic: Okay, yes, Ginger does kill a bunch of people when she turns into a werewolf, but that's not what really earns her a spot on this list. She also has a definitely queer, codependent relationship with her sister Brigitte. At one point, she even climbs on top of her and tries to seduce her into becoming a werewolf with her by saying, "We're almost not even related anymore."Why We Love Her: Ginger Snaps is a cult classic, and we love the way it openly talks about girls going through puberty, periods, and transformations. It's a great, feminist movie that we'll watch again and again.Greta Gill from 'A League of Their Own'Why She's Problematic: Greta is a player (and not just the baseball kind), theres no way around it. Because of the time and world shes living in, shes made rules to not fall in love, and if that means she has to hurt Carson, so be it.Why We Love Her: Aside from the fact that Greta (played by D'Arcy Carden) is a drop-dead gorgeous bombshell, we can understand where her set of rules comes from. Yes, she might break girls' hearts all across the country, but shes still got a special place in ours, as does the entire cast of A League of Their Own.Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy from the DC Comics universeWhy Theyre Problematic: Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy are supervillains. They kill hundreds (if not thousands!) of people all the time in their schemes to rob banks, take over Gotham City, and turn the world into a plant-based paradise.Why We Love Them: They're also our favorite comic book couple! Harlivy has become one of the biggest ships in all of comics recently and has jumped to the silver screen in HBO Max's terrific animated Harley Quinn show. These two are just so darn cute together!Vi from 'Arcane'Why She's Problematic: Vi is a complicated character. After cops murdered her parents and her entire community was oppressed by them for decades, Vi ends up joining the same police force that made her young life a living hell. Even worse, she's part of a strike team that gasses her hometown in the search for one person Vi's sister.Why We Love Her: Most of Vi's decisions stem from her desire to be a good person, but she lacks examples of how to do it. Plus, she's dealing with a sister who's not only the biggest terrorist in town, but also obsessed with her to an unhealthy and even romantic level. Vi's trapped in a life that gives her nothing but bad options, so it makes sense she has to take them. Plus, we love a big muscle butch, especially one who's not afraid to get her hands dirty!Lydia Tr from 'Tr'Why She's Problematic: While Lydia Tr is an unquestioned genius, the power that she's gained has allowed her to become a predator who seeks out young musicians and students to sleep with them and then spit them out when she's done with them.Why We Love Her: Again, Cate Blanchett is delivering the goods in portraying complex queer women. She was nominated for another Oscar for the role, giving us a prestige lesbian antihero.Manuela from 'Madchen in Uniform'Why She's Problematic: Manuela is a 14-year-old girl who lost her mother when she was young. At school, she meets Fraulein von Bernburg, a kind teacher. She quickly falls in love with her teacher/mother figure.Why We Love Her: Madchen in Uniform (1931) is one of the first sympathetic portrayals of lesbian characters in film history. Neither Manuela nor Fraulein von Bernburg dies and both characters are shown to be real people with real feelings. Simply put, it's one of the greatest and best lesbian movies ever made.Marla Grayson from 'I Care a Lot'Why She's Problematic: The entire premise of I Care a Lot is that Marla is a professional con artist who scams old people by drugging them up and putting them in nursing homes so she can steal their money. That's pretty evil.Why We Love Her: Still, Marla was a firecracker and a true delight to watch. Played by Rosamund Pike, who won a Golden Globe for her role, Marla is deliciously sharp and has a wicked tongue and sense of style.Santana Lopez from 'Glee'Why She's Problematic: Santana was a "straight-up bitch," as she so eloquently put it herself. Whether she was destroying Kurt, Finn, or Rachel in the hallways of McKinley High, Santana always had something negative to say. She was the ultimate high school (and later, college) bully.Why We Love Her: Santana was also the first queer Latina many viewers saw on TV and changed the way lesbians are portrayed in media. While she started off as a pretty one-note character, she grew into someone with depth who was a part of some of Glee's best storylines. Played by the legendary Naya Rivera, Santana Lopez gave birth to an entire generation of gay mean girls.Abby McEnany from 'Work in Progress'Why She's Problematic: Abby is a misanthrope and nihilist, but her selfish attitude alone doesn't get her on this list. She also deadnamed her trans masc partner in a fight, including screaming it in the street.Why We Love Her: Work in Progress is one of the most complex portrayals of queer characters on TV ever. While she is definitely problematic, she's also trying to grow and learn something we should all take a lesson from.Shane McCutcheon from 'The L Word: Generation Q'Why She's Problematic: Shane is the ultimate cheater and f*boi. She's so associated with cheating and sleeping around that we compare every lesbian f*boi character after her, to her.Why We Love Her: Again, we compare everyone to her. For many queer women, The L Word was our introduction to queer relationships and lesbian sex, and Shane is a huge part of that. How many people did she help with their sexual awakening? We can never hate her for that!Taissa Turner from 'Yellowjackets'Why She's Problematic: Like the rest of her high school soccer team that survived in the Canadian Rockies, Taissa is a cannibal and a murderer. Even as an adult she can't help but get drawn back into the drama of violence and secrets.Why We Love Her: Played by Jasmin Savoy Brown (one of our faves!) and Tawny Cypress, Taissa is a badass and high-achiever. The scenes between teen Taissa and her friend/girlfriend Van are intimate and heartfelt, giving us a sweet reprieve from all the blood and horror of the wilderness.Shauna Sadecki from 'Yellowjackets'Why She's Problematic: Yellowjackets gave fans another problematic queer woman to love in its latest season, confirming what fans have long thought: that Shauna Shipman is queer. In her teen years, Shauna uses her relationship with Melissa to gain power among the survivors and treats Melissa like trash whenever she can't get something from her. As an adult, Shauna is a sociopathic liar, manipulator, murderer, and terrible friend.Why We Love Her: Lesbians would do anything for Melanie Lynskey, so having her play adult Shauna is a perfect way to win us over to the character. Sophie Nlisse is equally brilliant and devious as teen Shauna, making her one of the most complex characters on TV.Tiffany Valentine from 'Chucky'Why She's Problematic: Another serial killer! Tiffany will happily kidnap and murder anyone who gets in her way or anyone who she thinks it would be fun to kill.Why We Love Her: Tiffany got really queer in the Chucky TV show when Charles Lee Ray possessed the body of a woman named Nica and Tiffany had a great time getting to know her partner in love and murder in a whole new body. She's a camp queen.Lucy Diamond in 'D.E.B.S.'Why She's Problematic: Lucy Diamond is a supervillain and super-criminal. She loves to steal jewels, kill D.E.B.S. agents, and even tried to sink Australia. She's a literal bad guy,Why We Love Her: She's also neurotic, shy, and cute as a button! Jordana Brewster has sparkling chemistry with Sara Foster, who plays lead D.E.B.S. agent Amy Bradshaw, making this a fan favorite among many queer women.Villanelle in 'Killing Eve'Why She's Problematic: OK, yes, Villanelle is a psychopathic assassin and serial killer. That's pretty problematic.Why We Love Her: But damn, if we dont ship her so hard with Eve Polastri, the British Intelligence investigator chasing her and trying to arrest her. How can we not love Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh?Ava Daniels from 'Hacks'Why She's Problematic: Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder) is the definition of a bisexual mess. She's obsessed with her job, sacrifices her personal life for her career, is shallow and self-centered, and is terrible at relationships, even with the people she loves most.Why We Love Her: Ava tries so hard! She just wants to be seen for who she is and what she creates, and eventually, wants to make her mother figure (Deborah Vance) proud. She's also hilarious, stands up for what she believes in, and is always ready for a fight.Agatha Harkness from 'Agatha All Along'Why She's Problematic: Agatha is a witch, and a very powerful one at that. She's lived for hundreds of years and used her powers to advance her own selfish desires. She's happy to hurt, torture, and even kill people who get in her way. She's even willing to throw her entire coven under the bus to get what she wants.Why We Love Her: First of all, Kathryn Hahn is a goddess. We also can't help but root for a lesbian witch whose greatest love is literal Death in the form of Aubrey Plaza.

A woman told the FBI that, when she was 13 years old, Donald Trump watched as her uncle murdered her newborn child and dumped its tiny corpse into Lake Michigan. Her claim appears in an FBI document among Epstein files, newly released by the Department of Justice (DOJ), but its unclear if the FBI ever investigated her claim.In the document, the unnamed woman says, [Trump] participated regularly in paying money to force me to [redacted] with him and he was present when my uncle murdered my newborn child and disposed of the body in Lake Michigan. Related Trump had Epstein killed because he was going to name names, Epsteins brother claims The woman claims that she wassex trafficked by her uncle and now-deceased billionaire Jeffrey Epstein in 1984, when she was 13 and pregnant.I told [the FBI agent] some other important information about other high-profile individuals involved in my sex trafficking and the murder and disposal of my newborn daughter because I gave birth to her while in the middle of this ordeal, the woman told the FBI. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today On Wednesday, the DOJ announced the discovery of over 1 million documents about Epstein and promised to work to redact and release the files. The DOJ violated federal law by refusing to release all of its files on Jeffrey Epstein by the required December 19 deadline. The department now says its release will take months Congress members areconsidering legal consequencesfor the DOJs noncompliance.In an unprecedented message, the DOJ has said that its newly released files containuntrue and sensationalist claims against Trump. Among the other newly released files is a letter that Epstein wrote to fellow serial child molester Larry Nassar just before his death that said that Trump shares our love of young, nubile girls.Our president shares our love of young, nubile girls, Epstein wrote in the 2019 letter. When a young beauty walked by he loved to grab snatch, whereas we ended up snatching grub in the mess halls of the system.The DOJ claims that the letter is fake.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

One look at Transportation Secretary and former Road Rules contestant Sean Duffys official X feed makes clear that his politics are partisan and hes all about fealty for the president hes serving under.Duffy manages to tie a long list of MAGA prejudices to his transportation checklist in service of Trumps nihilistic agenda. For instance, he notes a white woman murdered on light rail because of Democrats soft-on-crime policies, noncitizen Indian truck drivers prioritized over the SAFETY of AMERICANS, and jackhammering Pride crosswalks because Far too many Americans die each year to traffic fatalities. Related Pete Buttigieg slams his replacement for wanting to install jungle gyms at airports Like his dear leader, Duffy also takes every opportunity to blame his predecessor, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, for whatever may be ailing him or the country.President Trump returned to the White House to clean up the MESS Joe Biden left behind, Duffy posted recently. Now thanks to this administration, America is back.Except that mess Duffy refers to is funding a lot of what Trump and Buttigiegs successor are claiming credit for. Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today In a post on Friday, Duffy touted $1.5 billion in infrastructure funding that the Trump administration is calling BUILD grants, spelled out Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development.But the BUILD grants are what the Biden administration used to call RAISE grants or Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity which were a key part of the former presidents bipartisan infrastructure bill.First, they stripped the DEI mention from the name, then asked AI to make an acronym, and now theyre taking credit for the cash.Its the Golden Age of Transportation! Duffy bleeted.America is BUILDING! There is now $1.5 BILLION going to infrastructure projects all around the USA.Its the Golden Age of Transportation! pic.twitter.com/SXBWuKbGzX Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) December 19, 2025 But not even Grok, the AI truthsayer on Elon Musks X platform, was buying it.Yes, the $1.5B in BUILD grants announced by USDOT for FY2026 is funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (IIJA), signed by President Biden in 2021. The program was rebranded from RAISE but draws from the same authorized funds, Grok explained on X.What a lying sack of sh*t, replied one X user to the secretary.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Netflix's groundbreaking queer dating show in Japan is back for another round.The Boyfriend season 2, this time airing during the winter season, is scheduled to premiere on Tuesday, January 13 on Netflix. Against the background of stunning winter landscapes in Japan, this second season moves the location to Hokkaido where the iconic Green Room introduced in season 1 transforms into a snowy retreat.A total of 10 men will experience what it's like to live, work, and socialize together for a period of two months. In a similar way to the first season, these single men will operate a coffee truck, build romantic relationships and friendships with one another, share day-to-day moments, and navigate interpersonal relations while residing in the Green Room as a group.The show's official trailer which you watch below by scrolling through this article shows not only our first glimpse of The Boyfriend season 2 cast members settling into a life together in Hokkaido, but also an absolutely shocking reunion, how showmances start to blossom over time, and even the studio hosts reacting in real time to surprising twists and turns throughout the season inviting the audience to join in on the conversation.Notably, season 2 of The Boyfriend has an even more diverse cast than the inaugural season of this relatively new gay dating show. For one, cast members in season 2 range between 20 to 40 years old. This new cycle also includes men from outside Japan, such as Thailand and Peru.BomiAge: 23Job: University StudentFrom: Tokyo PrefectureBio: An ordinary university student searching for his first boyfriend. His ideal romance is pure and innocent.HiroyaBio: 29Job: Art DirectorFrom: Hokkaido PrefectureBio: A highly considerate man. He has avoided relationships and wants to change.HuweiAge: 26Job: Graduate StudentFrom: ThailandBio: A lovable man from Thailand who speaks many languages. He is both smart and athletic.IzayaAge: 32Job: IT Sales WorkerFrom: Tokyo PrefectureBio: A man both sincere and strict. He is seeking a partner who thinks seriously about the future.JobuAge: 26Job: Marketer at Manufacturing CompanyFrom: Osaka PrefectureBio: An expressive man who can liven up any room and is enthusiastic about love.KazuyukiAge: 40Job: Telecom Sales WorkerFrom: Osaka PrefectureBio: A man who just broke up with his partner after 15 years. He acts as everyone's kind older brother.RyukiAge: 20Job: University StudentFrom: Osaka PrefectureBio: A kind, younger-brother figure who is tryingWilliamAge: 34Job: IT Company Project ManagerFrom: PeruBio: A popular man who dreams of getting married. He was hurt in a previous relationship and is struggling to take the next step.Watch the official trailer for The Boyfriend season 2 below.The Boyfriend season 2 premieres Tuesday, January 13 on Netflix.

I don't want to start every one of these posts with an anecdote about a family trip gone wrong, but this is relevant to the destination promise, this will be the last time (maybe).In July, my parents, my sister, and I ventured to Germany to visit my cousin, who is stationed in Wiesbaden, about 40 minutes outside Frankfurt, where she lives on an army base with her husband and three kids. If you could imagine, nine of us staying under one roof especially with a 13-year-old, a six-year-old, and a one-and-a-half-year-old wasn't the picture of relaxation. Not to mention, the night before our six-hour road trip to Berlin, I caught a stomach bug and was fighting for my life in the car, so there wasn't much fun (outside of family time) to be had during that visit. See on Instagram I promise not every family travel story is as chaotic. We're friends now, so I'll tell you there's always something going down because my family attracts chaos.That's why when I was invited to stay at a new hotel in Frankfurt called The Florentin and fly business class on Condor, I jumped at the opportunity. I've traveled on my own before (see: my trip to Barcelona), and one thing I'm always curious about is the queer nightlife in other cities. So I decided what better to do than to take the leap back over to Germany and make some new memories in a country that my stomach, err, I mean my heart, still wasn't settled on.Part of the group I traveled with was scheduled to fly Condor both ways, but our flight to Germany was canceled due to a technical issue with the aircraft. The team behind the trip promptly got us on a new flight in Delta One, so we still experienced business class, just on a different airline, to start our trip. The flight was good; we flew on an older plane, but we were still privileged enough to have lie-flat seats. However, the movie selection wasn't ideal, and the screens were low-quality. Plus, at one point, I asked one of the flight attendants for help making the bed, and she told me, "Oh, I don't know how to do that." I did end up getting help from a different stewardess, but it was an odd interaction, nonetheless.I had my food and got about an hour or two of sleep before we got to our destination bright and early. Now, being that this was a press trip, they wanted to pull out all of the stops, and we were given a taste of their VIP airport services at the Frankfurt airport. The second we walked onto the jet bridge, my mind was set on heading straight to the chaos of passport control and baggage claim, but we were greeted by a woman who showed us down an elevator and into a black Mercedes-Benz van. My ears hadn't even popped from the flight yet, and we were shown to an entrance where an officer sat behind a desk, processing our passports. The attendant then showed us to a luxurious lounge that offered breakfast, a game room for kids, meeting rooms, showers, and anything you'd need to freshen up before heading to your hotel.I was not prepared for the beauty of The Florentin when we arrived. The original building was built by the Beit von Speyer family in 1901, and the hotel team worked with atelier zrich (based in Zurich) to modernize it and with Unscripted Design (based in Singapore) to design the rooms and public spaces. On my last trip, I was given a standard room at the hotel and was immensely happy to have my own space for a short trip. Imagine my surprise when I was brought to my room, and the door opened to a full suite all for me. I had a living room with a fireplace and a dining room set up, a bathroom (with heated tiles) with a rainfall shower and a bathtub, a toilet room (also with heated tiles), and a walk-in closet/dressing room that connected to a large room with a king-sized bed.The Florentin Room TourAfter marveling at the sheer massiveness of the room, we got ready for a tour of the place before lunch with the group, and I got to meet everyone, whom I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with. We took a walking tour of the city around the hotel, then explored the Christmas markets for which Germany is famous. It was the perfect way to get in the Christmas spirit, and to my surprise, they even had a gay Christmas market called Rosa Weihnacht, or the Pink Market. My two friends and I expected there to be some scandalously shaped ornaments or scantily clad men in Santa costumes, but it was a much more pared-down affair. The market was mainly filled with groups of friends having warm drinks like Glhwein (a German version of mulled wine) or Heier Apfelsaft (Hot Apple Cider), which is what I opted for. In contrast, my friend decided this was the time to try a hot Caipirinha (a traditional Brazilian drink that is typically served cold), which we didn't really care for.The next day was Saturday, which started with an early morning to Rdesheim am Rhein. This winemaking town was about 30 minutes from our hotel, and, funnily enough, my cousin had taken me there earlier that year. We took a gondola up the mountain, over a vineyard, to the top of a hill where the Niederwalddenkmal monument stood, honoring the founding of Germany. We had time to explore the markets and shops, where I walked around and enjoyed them with my new friends, before we went to Weingut Robert Weil to see where one of the wines offered at the hotel was made.That night was our fabulous fine-dining experience at the hotel's restaurant, the dune, which is the brainchild of the Michelin-star chef Niclas Nussbaumer and his partner, Lea Rupp, who serves as the restaurant's manager. We were treated to one of the best meals I've had in a long time. The service was top-notch, and our four-hour dining experience flew by.Now, with my stomach full and a few delicious drinks from The Florentin Bar, my friends and I were ready to hit the town and try out some gay bars in the city. One of the hotel's employees, who was around my age, told me her gay friends suggested PINK as our first stop of the night. So we took her suggestion and went there as a primer for what the night would become. It was packed like body-to-body, barely any wiggle room to make your way to the bar. They were, however, playing some fun early-2010s pop, but it wasn't mine nor my friends' vibe, so we tried the bar next door, Bar Central. This was the complete opposite vibe, and at about 2:00 AM, I was a bit shocked by how dead it was in there. Nonetheless, we decided to get a drink, snap some pics thanks to some very handsome bears, and continue with the night.They suggested another gay bar down the street called Tangerine, and when we walked in with them, it felt like all 10 people in the bar looked at us, sizing us up, so before we settled in, I rallied my friends and got us out of there. The place we ended up at was called The Comeback, and the clientele was definitely mixed, as some gay travel sites I'd done my research on had suggested. According to one site called Patroc.com, it writes that the bar is usually attended by gay men, trans women, hetero women, and hustlers. It ended up being the perfect mix of people, and we partied for about an hour and a half before my friends called it a night, and I tried one more spot.It's now 3:00 AM, and I decided to try one last place called Twist, but as I walked up to the bar from the taxi, it was closed. I was determined to try at least one more spot on my own, and I thought, when in Rome (nay Frankfurt), why not go to a bathhouse? I went to Saunawerk, a gay sauna that is open seemingly every day, but on the weekends, it stays open until about 9:00 AM. I won't spill all the dirty details, but I will say it is a cruising hotspot, so if that's not your thing, steer clear. You can enjoy the amenities after a night out, which definitely did help with the hangover, but don't be surprised if someone's foot starts to rub up against yours or a hand grazes your thighs. I tried to find bear-specific parties or bear-oriented bars in Frankfurt, and that didn't seem to be a thing. There is a bear night at a bar called Lucky's, but it doesn't start until January 3. I wasn't shocked by the slim pickings for my heavier-set folks, just disappointed.I got back to my glorious suite at 6:00 AM, took a shower, and fell right to sleep. I was able to sleep in because my only scheduled activity was a massage at The Spain Hotel, and I got a much-needed deep-tissue massage from the sweetest masseur. We had tea in the afternoon, then one last group dinner at the hotel's restaurant, The Garden, before everyone else retired to their rooms. I decided to take one more dip at Saunawerk before heading back to the States. Let's say I had just as much, if not more fun, than I did the previous night.On our way back to New York, we got the chance to fly business class on Condor's A330neo planes. To say this was a significant upgrade from our flight to Germany would be an understatement. As a reminder, I'm 6'7", and air travel is always uncomfortable for me, no matter what, but I had so much room to fully extend my legs in my lie-flat seat and didn't feel cramped at all with the tray table down. I had space for my bag, my coat, shoes, a full meal, a water bottle, headphones, and an iPad with room to spare. Not to mention, the 17" screens had 4K resolution and a decent movie and television selection. It was the most comfortable flying experience I've ever had.Luxury travel is not my typical mode of transportation, let me be clear. But is it my preferred method of travel? Absolutely! I always tell my friends (who are almost always shorter than me and can get comfortable anywhere), that I'd pay a bit extra for my comfort and this trip definitely inspired me to look into more options like this. Some people are willing to rough it to save a couple bucks but they're almost never dealing with the blessing and curse that it is to be this tall.I am forever grateful to have gotten the chance to experience travel in this way and am more than open to trying it again, given the opportunity. Maybe I'll just have to continue my search for a wealthy man (God, I know you're listening, I've seen what you've done for others!), but until then, it's back to Economy I go.Let me be clear, luxury travel is not my typical mode of transportation. But I do have a taste for the finer things (and men) in life. I'm usually the type of person who prefers to spend a few extra bucks for my comfort because being 6'7" is not for the faint of heart. This experience reaffirmed my expensive palette, so now I have a new motivation to find a wealthy partner (God, I know you're listening, I've seen what you've done for others!). Until then, it's back to economy for me.