Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) has been getting a lot of time in the limelight lately, which has at least one of her former consultants vexed.Now hes going public with his concerns about the attention-seeking South Carolina Republican rep. Related Nancy Mace will double down on anti-trans hate after alleged assault. But did she make it all up? Mace has been accused of orchestrating a self-serving publicity stunt. Mace has been called delusional and a joke by former staff members, who say she lives for cable news hits and revels in her provocative public persona. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Most recently, the self-promoting pol made Rep.-elect Sarah McBrides (D-DE) arrival on Capitol Hill as the countrys first trans congressmember all about her by whipping outage over the McBrides bathroom usage.Amid the media frenzy that bomb-throwing provoked, Mace managed to accuse a foster child activist of assault with a handshake. Witnesses say it didnt happen. I was physically accosted at the Capitol tonight by a pro-tr*ns man. One new brace for my wrist and some ice for my arm and itll heal just fine. The Capitol police arrested the guy.Your tr*ns violence and threats on my life will only make me double down. FAFO. #HoldTheLine Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) December 11, 2024You can stop texting me, Wesley Donehue, CEO of political strategy firm Push Digital, posted on X on Friday in response to press seeking comment about the two-term representative, likely about a post questioning South Carolina Republican Rep. Trey Gowdys gender, asking, Which bathroom do we think Trey Gowdy uses?Which bathroom do we think Trey Gowdy uses?#HoldTheLine pic.twitter.com/nf903ZOimx Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) December 20, 2024 I fired Nancy Mace as client a few months back because Im a political consultant and not a babysitter, a sex therapist or a doctor who can prescribe fixes for chemical imbalances, Donehue wrote.I dont have time for her constant egotistical bulls**t and drama in my life.You can stop texting me. I fired Nancy Mace as client a few months back because Im a political consultant and not a babysitter, a sex therapist or a doctor who can prescribe fixes for chemical imbalances. I dont have time for her constant egotistical bullshit and drama in my Wesley Donehue (@jwesleydonehue) December 20, 2024 But Donehue wasnt finished.Its seems that I hurt Nancys feelings. Cant wait for her to throw that victim card down again. Its really her only play. A pitiful embarrassment to the South Carolina Lowcountry, Donehue said before concluding his diagnosis.Ill stop piling on. Ive been worried about Nancy Mace for a while now. Mental health is a serious issue. I want her to get better and seek treatment.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Kyrsten Sinema arrived in the U.S. Senate in 2019 as a Democrat with a pledge to model her tenure on another Arizona senator, self-described Republican maverick John McCain, who died just months before her election.She lived up to that promise in some ways, bucking her partys leadership and rarely hewing to colleagues or constituents expectations. Related LGBTQ people need to wash our hands of Kyrsten Sinema. She doesnt deserve our support. We may have to put up with the out bisexual Senators antics for three more years, but we shouldnt for one more day beyond. But in the process, Sinema, 48, became known as an unreliable partner, earning the enmity of one-time fellow Democrats she left the party to become an independent in 2022 and an approval rating in the single digits back in Arizona. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today She came to office as the first outy bisexual senator, following three terms in the U.S. House and three in the Arizona Legislature. Part of her lore was the way she came out as a freshman Arizona rep.Sinemas first public comment after she was sworn in was in response to a fellow lawmaker who insulted the LGBTQ+ community. Were simply people like everyone else who want and deserve respect, Sinema responded from the Arizona House floor. Asked about her speech later, Sinema told reporters, Duh, Im bisexual.But in a sign of her style to come (along with the millennial affectations and an ever-changing appearance), Sinema claimed to have forgotten about the episode during her first run for Congress and avoided discussion of her bisexuality. She did go on to co-sponsor both the Equality Act and the Respect for Marriage Act in the Senate.It was her overt, and self-aggrandizing, obstruction of President Joe Bidens agenda, though, that Sinema will be remembered for: she joined another now-former Democrat, Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV) to block elimination of the filibuster, and with it, Democrats hopes for enacting legislation on voting and LGBTQ+ rights, the economy and climate change. It was a stand that brought scorn from Democratic colleagues and voters and found Sinema, in the end, with few friends on either side of the aisle.After Arizona Democrats censured her for failing to vote the filibuster out, Sinema left the party rather than capitulate.Her farewell speech on the Senate floor Wednesday rang with an emotional defense of her actions. In recent history, both parties have wrestled with the importance of norms and rules, and both parties have viewed these norms and rules as outdated, constraining, or simply obstacles to their short-term victories.Many now blame these guard rails for blocking critical progress instead of recognizing that it is us, our actions, our words, our incivility, and ultimately our unwillingness to compromise that prevent reasonable solutions from advancing.When holding political power and feeling the hunger and pressure for an immediate partisan win, it is easy to view the legislative filibuster as a weapon of obstruction. It is tempting to prefer elimination of the filibuster to compromise. It certainly feels faster, easier, and more satisfying, at least in the short term, that is. But there are dangers to choosing short-term victories over the hard, and necessary, work of building consensus. To give in to the temptation of the short-term victory means giving in to the chaos caused by the constant ricocheting of laws, or it means you labor under an illusion that by eliminating the filibuster youll maintain political power forever, effectively ending our two-party system.Thats a fallacy. And worse, its scary. One-party rule is not democracy. Thats autocracy.Just moments before finishing, Sinema turned to see Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer walk into the Senate chamber behind her. He wasnt on the floor to hear her speech but politely applauded her departure.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

A New York judge has temporarily recused herself from criminal cases after she drew national attention for her refusal on religious grounds to officiate a lesbian couples marriage, according to a statement from an administrative judge in the state. Judge Felicia Pitts Davis drew national attention earlier this month after it was discovered that she performed a marriage for a straight couple in November reportedly crying with emotion for the straight couples wedding and then just walked out of the courtroom without explanation before the next couple two women could get married. A new judge had to be brought into the courtroom to perform the lesbian couples wedding. Related Judge compares gender-affirming care to cigarettes & beer while upholding youth ban The nine-day trial presented witnesses of varying credibility Sources told The Syracuse Post-Standard that Pitts Davis refused to perform the marriage because of her religious beliefs. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today She looked at us with this look on her face and swished her hair,the women told NewsChannel 9. She just walked off. Like, she was just disgusted or something.Discrimination is banned under the code of conduct enforced by the New York Office of Court Administration. That code of conduct specifically states that judges who choose to perform marriages may not unlawfully discriminate when deciding which couples they will marry.For weeks, the court wouldnt comment on Pitts Davis actions, but then the state Office of Court Administration said that it was aware of the situation and that the Commission on Judicial Conduct was investigating.A week later, the lesbian couple, Shawntay and Niccora Davis, confirmed that they had been asked to testify before a grand jury about what happened. According to Administrative Judge for the Fifth Judicial District Deborah Karalunas, Pitts Davis has now temporarily recused herself from all cases involving the Onondaga County District Attorneys Office as she waits for the grand jury investigation to be completed in order to avoid the appearance of impropriety. Pitts Davis isnt commenting on the matter.Last week, Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said that he would ask Pitts Davis to recuse herself. You shouldnt have to walk into the court and wonder, Am I getting a fair shake? he said.The Davises said that, after Pitts Davis walked out of the courtroom, Judge Mary Anne Doherty was brought in to perform their marriage. Doherty talked to the couple afterwards and said that she, too, is married to a woman and that she now has twins with her wife.We really appreciate and thank [Doherty] for her doing that, Shawntay Davis said.New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) and Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh (Independence Party of New York) both denounced Pitts Davis. No one should be subject to hate or discrimination simply because of who they love. Any judge willing to officiate a wedding in their courtroom cannot pick and choose who deserves a wedding, Hochul wrote on social media.Judge Pitts-Davis refusal to perform [the] wedding ceremony doesnt align with this vision and, importantly, doesnt comply with state law, Walsh said in a statement.Onondaga County Democratic Chairperson Max Ruckdeschel called on Pitts Davis to resign, saying that the discrimination disqualifies her from any future consideration for our endorsement. Syracuse is located in Onondaga County, New York.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Out Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg playfully mocked New Jerseyans for thinking an alien invasion might be starting in their state after thousands of people in the tri-state area reported large drone sightings over the past month. I mean no disrespect to New Jersey when I say I think its very unlikely that an alien invasion would begin in New Jersey, Buttigieg said during an appearance on The Breakfast Club podcast, which is co-hosted by Charlamagne Tha God. Related Pete Buttigieg praises Sarah McBrides masterful response to Nancy Mace Secretary Pete offered insight into how Democrats can win back the electorate over the next four years. Another co-host, DJ Envy, replied to Buttigieg, Watch your mouth, we live there, as everyone laughed. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today I love New Jersey. Im just saying I dont think thats the main point of entry that an extraterrestrial unless theres something we dont know about, Buttigieg continued. I would go for someplace in the Pacific where theres no inhabited space for a couple of hundred miles so that I could get kind of my bearings before I go anywhere anyone is going to see me, right?Charlamagne replied, What if theyve been watching us for years already?Buttigieg responded, Yes, maybe I dont know.Secretary Pete knows something, joked Charlamagne. Theres millions of things in the national airspace, Buttigieg retorted. Pete Buttigieg gets asked about the drone sightings and he decides to murder New Jersey lol pic.twitter.com/J8Z65GHHoV Mike Nellis (@MikeNellis) December 16, 2024The drone sightings have sparked significant controversy in the area, with many residents reportedly fearing they could be flown by foreign adversaries or be part of a secret U.S. government operation. They have also sparked investigations by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. But as of December 20, nothing had yet been determined to be a threat, according to the Associated Press, with many of the sightings being legal drones and aircraft.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

A judge has denied a murder suspects self-defense claim, meaning that 65-year-old Gerald Declan Radford will stand trial for his February 2 slaying of 52-year-old gay dog owner John Walter Lay in a Tampa area park.Redford, who witnesses say used anti-gay slurs against his victim before the murder, denied that he used slurs against Lay because of his sexual orientation but rather because of the way he treated me. Related Americas gun culture makes all of us less free Gun culture is encoded into Americas DNA. What will it take to eradicate it? Radford told a court that he feared for his life, testifying that Lay had completely overpowered him and repeatedly hit him in the face on the day of the shooting,ABC News reported. Defense attorneys claimed that Lay had premeditated attacking Radford and pointed to a text message that Lay sent saying that he planned to attack Radford by tackling him if Radford blocked his path again at a local park. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today In court, defense attorney Matthew Futch asked Radford, Had you not drawn your firearm to defend yourself, do you believe you would have suffered great bodily harm or death?Through tears, Radford answered, Yes.Despite Radfords claim of self-defense, several witnesses testified that, for months before the shooting, Radford had repeatedly harassed Lay and used homophobic slurs against him. Radford even used slurs to refer to Lay during phone calls from jail after he was arrested for his murder.Under questioning by Assistant State Attorney Justin Diaz, Radford said that he used slurs against Lay not because of his sexual orientation but because because of the way he treated me. Hillsborough County Chief Medical Examiner Kelly Devers also viewed Radfords self-defense claim skeptically. She testified that if Lay had been laying or kneeling on Radford (like Radford said), the bullet would have traveled a different path through Lays body. Radford shot Lay in the chest.Judge Samantha Ward issued a ruling on December 12 that Radford had failed to meet the burden of proof in the stand your ground hearing, Court TV reported. Floridas stand your ground law allows people who feel a reasonable threat of death or bodily injury to meet force with force rather than retreat.Radfords murder trial will now begin during the week of January 6th. Radford faces life in prison whether he is convicted of second-degree murder or a lesser manslaughter charge. Last March, the Hillsborough County State Attorneys office announced that it would seek enhanced sentencing for Radford under Floridas hate crime statute. Lays friend Paul Gumpert said Lay was very mild-mannered and very dismissive of any pressure against him. Lays friends and familypreviously told the mediathat Lay had gone out of his way to avoid Radford after months of ongoing harassment.In my opinion, theres no way in hell this is really self-defense, Albert Darlington, Lays friend and landlord, toldThe Tampa Bay Times. For over a year, Dec has done nothing but harass Walt. He screams and hollers and calls him a fa****t every time he gets to the dog park. Hell sit there and hell say, Id like to punch him right in the f**king mouth and it has gotten worse and worse and worse.I even said to [Radford], What are you trying to do, harass [Lay] until he jumps so you can kick his ass? Darlington recalled. And all [Radford] would do was smile and look at me. One day before the shooting, Lay shared a video claiming that Radford had told him, Youre going to die. Shortly after Radfords arrest, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said, After analyzing the evidence, it was clear that this man acted from hatred within his heart. This victim also deserved to live free from fear and discrimination based on his sexual orientation.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Headed to the bathhouse for the first time? Here are some things you need to know.Youve heard about gay bathhouses. They get a bad rep as dirty, vile places that gross old men go to for anonymous sex. If thats your current opinion, its probably best to wait. Going to a bathhouse requires a certain level of open-mindedness because the fact is that many bathhouses are filled with older gay men, and many of them do go there for anonymous sex, but that is neither gross, dirty, or vile. Bathhouses can actually be pretty fun, so if youre curious, definitely give them a try. For your first trip, heres a list of tips that will make it a good experience. Lower your expectations.Of course, it's hard not to let your mind wander when you hear things about the bathhouse. It's easy to let fantasies run rampant as you envision what your first experience is like, but do your best to lower your expectations when you go in. It's almost like having sex for the first time -- it probably won't be perfect, but it'll be good enough for you to want to come back over and again.Cautiously challenge your comfort zone.It's okay to have boundaries, and it's okay to stick to them. When you're heading into the bathhouse, stay on your guard as much as you feel comfortable with, but slowly allow yourself to release some of the inhibitions you've placed on yourself to stay open to what the experience brings.Be confident.Your first time at a bathhouse can be a little intimidating. Actually, it can be a lot intimidating. The whole picture everyone in their underwear thing takes on a different meaning here, but thats okay. Just be comfortable in the skin youre in. Remember, physical contact isnt a requirement here, even if it feels like it should be. Just relax, have a good time, and enjoy the experience.Bring cash.Some bathhouses are cash only, and if youre there long enough (and engaged in strenuous physical activity), youll want water from the vending machine.Watch, when you can.Voyeurism is a thing, and at the bathhouse, theres plenty of people who like to be watched. If youre feeling iffy about touching anyone, just sit back and enjoy the show, if that suits you better. Just make sure youre not crashing their private room, and also that your eyes are actually wanted.Bring flip-flops.Many bathhouses wont let you go barefoot. If your local bathhouse does, dont. Shoes can be clunky and will probably get wet. It's a bathhouse, after allyou wouldnt wear high-tops in a steam room. Bring your cheapest, oldest pair of beach flip-flops.Bring a draw-string bag.Theres a reason women carry purses. Purses are brilliant inventions, and its ridiculous that so many men are afraid of carrying them. Women figured it out ages ago: a small bag is the most useful thing in the world. At a bathhouse (or sex club or circuit party) this is doubly true: a small drawstring bag over your shoulders is ideal for carrying your valuables, especially if you want to opt out from getting a locker (which will likely cost extra, on top of the admittance fee). Small bags are even more useful if youre planning to strip down to your towel or underwear (or go nude).Pack a douche and some lube.Im a bottom, so I carry my silicone lube and a douche in an Adidas bag to bathhouses, sex clubs, raves, circuit parties, and even run-of-the-mill bars where I think I might get lucky. The simple fact is that even after a thorough cleaning, you can never completely predict or control the body. Whats the point of paying to get into a sexual environment if youll just have to go home in the worst-case scenario? Bringing a douche means that worst case scenario is remedied by a trip to the bathroom.Don't share drinks.I included this in my op-ed "Going Clear: 40 Days, 40 Nights Without Grindr," but it deserves getting repeated. If someone offers you a sip of their Gatorade, its probably filled with G, also known as GBH, which is short forgamma-hydroxybutyratea club drug that is easy to overdose on and lethal when mixed with alcohol.The most common form of G appears as a clear liquid, and you only need a few drops to feel the affects. Therefore it is impossible to determine whether or not a Gatorade bottle or water bottle has G in it, or how much. An overdose on G can make you very sick and land you in the Emergency Room. A bad overdose can land you in the morgue. The best way to avoid G is to bring (or buy) your own drink and watch over it throughout the night.Be careful with drugs.You know how to avoid Gits the easiest drug to be tricked into taking. Its harder to be tricked into taking molly or meth. The safest practice when it comes to drugs is to not do them, but if youre going to, you should know the risks. Molly, or MDMA, on its own is relatively harmless, but often the drug is cut with other substances that can make it dangerous. Meth is one of the most addictive substances on the planet (right up there with sugar and nicotine, which are miraculously legal), and is a particular plague for gay men. Steer clear.Be nice.Like you, theyre just there to have a good time. If they flirtand if they touch and grope (its going to happen)tell them youre not interested and move on. Theres no need to be mean.Sex isn't required.If youre nervous about the sex, remember that you can also indulge your voyeuristic side and just watch, or be watched. And if the bathhouse has a pool, as many do, you can swim. Many bathhouses have gyms, lounges, and "rec room" style areas where you can just chill out. Just remember that you are, in fact, at a bathhouse, so if advances are made or sex is happening just around the corner, you are where you are for a reason.Be open.It might not end up being your thing. But keep a spirit of adventure and dont put down the patrons that enjoy the dwindling bathhouse scene. Bathhouses are just bathhouses, nothing more or less. They were once a staple of gay life, and now they are scarce relics of a cruise culture that is rapidly disappearing. The most written-about gay bathhouse was the infamousEverard Baths in New York, which closed in 1985.Some say bathhouses have been replaced by hookup apps like Grindr and Scruff. Others say that todays queer public milieu of marriage equality and family life has shifted tolerance and publicity away from the hypersexual side of gay life, stamping out venues that cater to gay sex in the process. While both claims hint at the truth, the latter is more of a politically charged publicity stunt than a true change of gay behavior. Visit the annualBlack Partyin New York if you think gay life has gone tame.Don't go alone.The first time I went to a bathhouse, I went with a buddy who knew what to do, who had my back if I got nervous, and would leave if I wanted to leave. I didnt get nervous and eventually had a good time, but I appreciated having a friend who I could follow around and talk to while I built up my courage. Bars, clubs, and parties are always better with someone you trustyour local bathhouse is no different.Act out a fantasy.What better place to do it? Maybe you want to be watched, maybe you want to join a group, or maybe maybe maybe. Weve all got fantasies, and some people are too afraid to even think of exploring them. The bathhouse is a great place to experiment with something youve been wanting to try, especially with the overall energy youll find here.

He loves me, he loves me not, he...loves me?Dating is hard and sometimes the hardest part is simply figuring out if a guy likes you or if he's just being nice. Everyone knows the story: Youve been on a date or two and those damn butterflies be beating apart your stomach. You think he likes you, maybe, but what if he doesnt? What if hes just being polite? Leading you on? Telling you what you want to hear?Before you lose your mind, take a breath. Were here to help. Here are 20 signs hes actually into you, and not just stringing you along.Sign #1: He straight up tells youIt can be a bit of a shock, and it can also seem too good to be true sometimes, but there is the occasional man who will actually just be upfront and tell you when he's into you. A crazy concept, I know, but it can (and does) actually happen.Sign #2: He doesn't play any gamesNobody likes to be toyed around with, and nobody likes the games. If he's not playing any games with you and it totally seems genuine, he may actually be into you.Sign #3: He texts you without needing a prompt.This is a big one. If youre always the one starting a conversation, its hard to tell if youre ever really on his mind. But if he texts you first, it means hes initiating the communication. A good sign!Sign #4: He uses emojis in his messages.This may seem silly, but in this day and age, emojis are part of our digital vocabulary. Some guys just arent emoji users, so youll have to get to know his style a bit, but if youre always throwing a wink, a heart, or a kissy-face his way with not even a smiley in returnit could mean hes just not that into you.Sign #5: He calls, instead of texts.A phone call? Whats that? Yes, we can actually talk on our smartphones. And if a guy foregoes the text and goes right for the phone call, that definitely means hes down to get to know you more.Sign #6: He makes the plans for the next date.If youre not into someone, you either tell them, or ghost them, hoping theyll forget about you. But if a guy is eager to spend time with you, hell make sure you have plans to hang out. If hes the one setting up the next date, you can bet hes into you.Sign #7: He asks questions.When youre just being polite, you usually let the other person talk, adding in a few uh-huhs and yeahs to show them youre (sort of) paying attention. But if your date is engaged in the conversation, asking questions and wanting to know more about you, its a good sign!Sign #8: He invites you to his place.If hes just being polite, and doesnt see things going further, hes definitely not going to let you know where he lives! If you get the invite, its a thumbs up for sure.Sign #9: He invites you to stay the night.This is part two of the previous sign. So, youve made it to his place. Good sign. You watch a movie, or have dinnermaybe a little more! Then, instead of calling you an Uber, he asks you to stay the night! Yeah, hes into you.Sign #10: He talks to you during the day.If youre only getting Hey, you up? messages at 3 a.m., he might have only one thing on his mind. But, if he sends you a message during the day, saying hi, asking how your day is, telling you a funny story, all signs point to something more than a booty call!Sign #11: He introduces you to his friends.Bringing someone youre dating to meet your friends is no small gesture. If he was just being polite, theres no way hed open up to you like that!Sign #12: Your dates are more than just dinner and a movie.Dinner and a movie dates are so junior high. Sitting through a movie doesnt give you the chance to talk and get to know someone. So if its always a night at the movies, you may be getting the cold shoulder.Sign #13: He reveals something embarrassing.Maybe its a childhood story. Or a nervous tic. Whatever it may be, letting your guard down and revealing something embarrassing is not something youd do for just anyone. If hes opening up, hes probably into you!Sign #14: Hes honest about wanting to see other people or not.Some may call it having the conversation. If hes willing to talk about the status of your relationship, that usually means he sees it continuing in some form. Maybe hes into you, but prefers open relationships. Maybe hes into you and doesnt want to see other people. Either way, if hes sharing his feelings, it means youre important to him.Sign #15: He buys you something.Now, this doesnt mean hes showering you with expensive gifts (necessarily), or that the only way people can show affection is through material things. But, if he buys you flowers, or a ticket to a show, or picks up the tab at dinner, it means he doesnt mind spending some of his money (as well as his time) on you.Sign #16: He invites you on a trip.Ding ding ding! No sane person would invite someone they werent into on a trip. It means youre together for long periods of time, sharing hotels, car rides, and adventures. If a trip is in your future, you can bet he really really likes you!Sign #17: He tells his family about youThis doesnt mean you have to meet his family, but if he tells a sibling or a cousin or a parent or anybody else who shares any type of blood relation to him about you, he may actually be into you. Bonus sign, if he does want you to meet the fam, hes for realsie serious.Sign #18: He posts about you on social mediaHe doesnt necessarily need to tell the world he belongs to you. But if youve taken a picture or two together that you see pop up on his feed, maybe accompanied with a cute caption, he might be subtly letting everyone know whos really got his interest.Sign #19: He's curious if you're talking to anybody elseHey, hes told you about whether or not he wants to see other people. Before he initiates that conversation, he may also just be curious about your dating life as a whole. Maybe its him thats questioning your interest instead of vice versa?Sign #20: He cooks for youHoney, if he pulls out the pots and pans and whips something up for a meal together, hes a keeper. It doesnt have to be a gourmet meal, but any time or effort spent in the kitchen making sure youre fed is a sure sign hes actually interested.

President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly getting irritated over social media chatter that the real president is transphobic billionaire Elon Musk and Trump is merely Musks puppet. In fact, a Trump spokesperson recently clarified in a statement that Trump is the true leader of the Republican Party the statement brought a knowing smirk to the face of former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki.Musk who Trump nominated the unofficial budget-slashing Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) demonstrated his political might last week by wrecking a bipartisan continuing resolution (CR) to continue funding the federal government by publishing 150 tweets against it many of which contained misinformation and causing House Republicans to scramble for a new plan to avoid a government shutdown. Related Dont believe those stories about how Donald Trump has lost his grip on power His defeat in the House and Elon Musks power moves are hiccups. Trump is the chaos agent who still calls the shots. Though congressional Republicans eventually secured funding that pleased Musk partly by removing $190 million in child cancer research funds congressional Democrats social media commenters began saying that Musk is really in control of the Republican-led Congress and the presidency, and Trump is just a servile figurehead. Social media commenters also posted AI-generated images showing Musk controlling as a Trump marionette puppet. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Its clear whos in charge, and its not President-elect Donald Trump.Shadow President Elon Musk spent all day railing against Republicans CR, succeeded in killing the bill, and then Trump decided to follow his lead. pic.twitter.com/feDiAXe8yp Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) December 18, 2024Well today the House Republicans will decide who their master is you cant serve two! Is it the South African Oligarch or the people that elected us? Time is ticking! Trump has made his decision pic.twitter.com/j8btknbB38 Jasmine Crockett (@JasmineForUS) December 20, 2024 Displeased with the criticism, Trumps incoming press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, told the media, As soon as President Trump released his official stance on the CR [continuing resolution], Republicans on Capitol Hill echoed his point of view. President Trump is the leader of the Republican Party. Full stop.Trump also echoed Leavitts statement at the Turning Point USA conference in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sunday, stating, No, hes not taking the presidency. All the different hoaxes. The new one is that President Trump has ceded the presidency to Elon Musk. No, no, thats not happening.No, hes not going to be president, that I can tell you, Trump continued. And Im safe. You know why he cant be? He wasnt born in this country. Trump was referring to the constitutional requirement that all U.S. presidents be natural born U.S. citizens. This technicality, of course, doesnt stop presidents from being controlled by wealthy foreigners or foreign-born businessmen. (Musk was born in South Africa and stayed in the U.S. illegally after his legal immigration visa ended.)In a recent installment of her MSNBC program, Psaki said, Musk felt the need to go back on X and say it was, quote, the media who was trying to drive a wedge between him and Trumpalso declaring it wouldnt work.A Trump spokesperson even felt the need to clarify that the actual president-elect is, in fact, the leader of the Republican Party. I promise you thats not exactly a statement you want to have to make, she noted, offering a wry smile after her comment. Psaki isnt the only one doubting Trumps sense of security.Bloomberg News recently wrote, That Trump would be compelled to address Musks power is testimony to the unusual influence that the worlds richest man has displayed in a second Trump presidency that will not begin for another month.However, Donald Trump Jr. told the Turning Point conference, You see what the media is trying to do to break up the relationship that my father has with Elon. Theyre trying to cause that schism to prevent these guys doing what theyre going to do best, and we cannot allow that.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Aspen Gay Ski Week, now in its 48th year, returns January 12-19 with a vibrant lineup of events that promise to make this year unforgettable. As the nation's largest and longest-running gay ski week, AGSW is more than just a week of skiingit's an incredible fundraiser hosted by AspenOUT, supporting LGBTQ+ organizations, scholarships, and mental health initiatives. With sponsors including JPMorgan Chase, Saxx Underwear, and The Little Nell, the week is a showcase of unity, inclusivity, and high-energy fun. From the daily aprs-ski parties at the Limelight Hotel to the show-stopping Downhill Costume Competition at Gondola Plaza, Aspen transforms into a rainbow-colored winter playground for 4,000+ attendees.While many AGSW events sell out weeks in advance, I've compiled some of the hottest happenings that still have tickets available, so grab your goggles and get ready to ski into a packed week of making memories.On January 12, from 10:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., The Little Nell kicks off Aspen Gay Ski Week with Drag Queen Bingo Brunch, hosted by the fabulous and ever-sassy Mariam T. This lively event combines an open bar with brunch and select cocktails. Indulge in morning eats while enjoying bingo games in the Grand Salon of this iconic Aspen hotel. Doors open at 10:45 a.m., with games starting at 11 a.m.On January 12, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., W Aspen will host the Sunday Night Friendship Dinner at HaSalon, the stunning pop-up culinary experience by celebrity chef Eyal Shani. This is the perfect chance to catch up with friends or meet new ones as you settle into the week. Reservations are highly recommended.On January 12, from 9 p.m. to 12 p.m., W Aspen will host the HIDALGO Opening Cocktail Reception. Open to all pass holders, with tickets available online or at the door for a $75 donation to AspenOUT, this evening offers complimentary cocktails (while supplies last) and the perfect atmosphere to toast the week ahead.On January 15, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., experience Emmy and Grammy-nominated performer Cheyenne Jackson at Hotel Jerome in Signs of Life. This one-of-a-kind musical journey explores art, love, fatherhood, and the cosmic twists that shape our paths, featuring songs by Coldplay, Lady Gaga, and more. General admission tickets are $130 or $175 for limited VIP Meet and Greet, which includes priority seating. All tickets include two drinks.On January 16-19, Barrys, known for their high-energy bootcamps, returns to AGSW with Aprs-Barrys at The Little Nells Grand Salon. Join the ultimate slopeside HIIT pop-up for its second year and elevate your aprs-ski experience with a 50-minute LIFT class focused on full-body strength training.On January 16, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., join the Womxn's Cocktail Party at W Aspen's Hidalgo. This fun and vibrant gathering offers a selection of complimentary cocktails and appetizers, creating the perfect setting to reconnect with friendsor perhaps meet someone new. Open to all but designed to celebrate the women of AGSW, the event will feature music by DJ Autumn Leilani, adding to the cozy and energetic atmosphere. Tickets are $85.On January 16, from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., AspenOUT and AGSW present a night of laughs, tears, and sassy fun with Very Delta Live at the Wheeler Opera House. Featuring Mariam T, Brendan Scannell, and a lineup of comedic talents, this sassy comedy night promises plenty of laughs and fun. Tickets are $103.On January 16, from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., head to Aspen's iconic Belly Up for the Round Up Saloon Dance Party, presented by Visit Dallas. Listed as one of Rolling Stone's "Best Clubs in America," Belly Up promises a night of nonstop beats and unforgettable energy with a DJ dance party. Tickets are $150.On January 17, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., join the lively vibes of The Wine Bar at The Little Nell for official AGSW aprs-ski celebrations. Pair their delicious $15 cocktail, crafted specifically for the occasion, with delicious light bites from their menu for the ultimate Friday hangout.On January 17, from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., Saxx Underwear Presents the Friday Night Underwear Dance Party at W Aspen's Hidalgo. Perfect for underwear enthusiasts, this high-energy event is a can't-miss highlight of the week. With limited capacity, tickets are expected to sell out quickly, so grab yours now! Admission is $40.On January 18, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., gather for an evening of connection at the AGSW Friendship Dinner, hosted at Element 47, the upscale Michelin Guide-recommended restaurant at The Little Nell. Reservations are highly encouraged.On January 18, from 9 p.m. to midnight, join NYC icons Susanne Bartsch, Amanda Lepore, Joey Arias, and more as they take over W Aspen for Susanne Bartsch Wants You On Top. This glamorous aprs-ski kiki promises a dazzling night of over-the-top costumes, entertainment and unforgettable fun. Tickets are $44.52.In the meantime, Grindr is offering its Roam feature for free until January 2, thanks to a partnership with Viiv Healthcare in the U.S. and a global holiday gift from Grindr. Typically priced at $5.99 per hour, Roam allows users to set their profile location anywhere in the world, making it visible on locals' grids in their chosen destination as if they were already there. Its the perfect tool to connect with locals and visitors ahead of Aspen Gay Ski Week!While Grindr may not be an official sponsor of the week, the telemedicine platform MISTR isand their SPF lip balm giveaway alone makes a visit to the hospitality suite at the Limelight Hotel a must. Daily, from January 12-18, the suite is the perfect spot to get any AGSW-related questions answered, browse the event program, mingle with others, and snag some sponsor swag.

We've come to an interesting place in the world of gay dating. Queer culture was once a vibrant underground scene that was, for the most part, all-inclusive a consortium of gay men, drag queens, and lesbians taking refuge in the few places where they could congregate and cruise, just as long as they avoided the cops. But that was the 1960s and '70s. Now, in the year of our lord 2024, gay meeting spots have moved to digital spaces that are not all-inclusive far from it. Most prominent among them, Grindr a gay dating app for smartphones and its similar cousin, Scruff, give you the option of classifying yourself into various "tribes" based on your body type and interests. Both apps allow you to filter the profiles you see by guys' age, race, weight, and other characteristics.Still, the move to digital makes sense. Outside of urban areas, gay men are often far apart from each other. Before the Internet, they faced the daunting challenge of not only crossing great distances to meet others but determining who out there was queer to begin with. Sure, there were gay bars, but they offered the distinct challenge of having to choose among the limited patrons or going home hungry.Dating websites came along and cut out the middleman the bar while simultaneously expanding the options. When Joel Simkhai, Grindr's founder and creator, brought the experience to our smartphones in 2009, a star was born. According to its website, "Grindr is the number 1 social network for the LGBTQ+ community. With more than 13 million monthly active users in virtually every country in the world."I was proudly one of them. I love digital dating and have had accounts on multiple apps and websites for years. But two weeks ago I decided to pretend that Adam4Adam, ManHunt, DaddyHunt, AssPig (don't judge), Grindr, Scruff, Recon, Hornet, Jack'd, GROWLr, Mr. X, Tinder, and the host of others do not exist. I recently moved to Los Angeles and I wanted to see if I could meet guys the way my predecessors did when Grindr was a wooded park after midnight. Halfway through, here's what I've learned. 1. Certain bathhouses give you discounts if you're under 25.When I discovered this, I knew it was likely because most of the clientele was above the 25 age mark which proved true but that didn't keep me from venturing out at 11 p.m. to the nearest all-night sauna. The reason I was researching bathhouses is that, after two days, the itch that Grindr scratches was throbbing badly. These apps do a remarkable job of keeping you horny and hunting, even when you're doing mundane, unsexy tasks like going to the grocery store, eating a burger, and doing laundry. Take that away and my hour-by-hour impulse to cruise had no vent. Forty-eight hours was all it took, which either shows their alarming addictive quality or my alarming addiction to them.2. Don't take sips of Gatorade from anyone at a bathhouse.It's filled with G (gamma hydroxybutyrate, a club drug that is easy to overdose on and lethal when mixed with alcohol). I knew this rule of thumb from making the mistake at a gay circuit party two years ago, so I asked the dude, "Be real with me. Is it just Gatorade?" His honesty confirmed my fears: "No."3. You notice the world around you more.Los Angeles may not be the most beautiful city in the world, but there are beautiful parts of it. There is no better place to be on Labor Day than on the Santa Monica pier, and there is no harder place to find parking than near the Santa Monica pier on Labor Day. Shirtless and sweating, I felt giddy as I joined the throng of people eating funnel cakes and riding roller coasters over the frigid Pacific Ocean. I actually lost the impulse to check Grindr for a solid two hours. It was incredible, heightened by a sense of really being there without Grindr's familiar, bubbly ping every few minutes telling me a message was in.4. You appreciate your favorite gay bar more.I started to feel lonely. Much of my sense of community is sustained by my place in a grid of selfies on a screen no bigger than my hand. Most exchanges between me and other gay men start with "Hi mister" or "Hey boi." Without those messages, I found myself traveling to the L.A. Eagle twice (twice!) last weekend and actually starting conversations with men there. I believe that gay men need each other. We often pursue sex as the only form of connection and sometimes it's enough but what we sometimes need more is just a conversation. Not to be overly sentimental, but there are parts of my life that I can only talk about with a fellow queer. Ours is a powerful shared experience that, no matter where we come from, tends to follow a common trajectory from intense isolation to sudden sexual companionship: We go from closets to the club and are forced to navigate alone through both. The result is a brotherhood of often harsh people who cannot admit their loneliness. I realized that whatever ill the apps do, they at least provide a 24-7 reminder that even when you're sitting alone in your cubicle or closeted in your home, there are men out there who want you and need you too.5. Cruising in person is admittedly better.On my first day in San Francisco last year, I made a stupid mistake. I was waiting for a urinal in a mall bathroom. There was only one available and one other guy in the bathroom, who was using it. But for some reason he was standing very far back from the urinal and shaking his massive member as he peed. Watching him (and his dick), I thought, Why is he standing so far back from the urinal like that? It wasn't until after he looked at me and waited by the sink before finally leaving did I realize what just happened: a tragically missed opportunity. I was determined not to make the same mistake in Los Angeles. On the first day of my no-tech challenge, I went to a famous gay restaurant in West Hollywood and my waiter was very cute. Normally, I would have said nothing and just searched for him on Grindr, which uses the geolocation devices on your phone to find nearby users. But this was a moment where I needed to talk to a handsome, real-life stranger with no digital safety net and no way to block him if it went badly. Calling him to the table, I used my classic pickup line: "What time does this place close?"What followed, beautifully and awkwardly, was an actual conversation. And although I was looking for fun, what happened instead was more akin to making a friend. Yes, it did turn into a hookup, but the person-to-person exchange changed my wants a bit something that has never happened to me online. Both of us seemed to come away from it surprised that these things still happen. All it took was a little bravery and the absence of that little orange app on my phone. So what *did* I learn?Over a month ago, I challenged myself to stop using hookup apps. I confess: It was easy to go without Grindr, Scruff, Recon, Daddyhunt, Adam4Adam, MISTER, or any of the other hookup apps during the final two weeks of my sabbatical, because halfway through them was the Folsom Street Fair.For one weekend, Grindr and Scruff were completely forgotten. Hot, hairy, kinky leathermen from all over the world had booked every hotel room in San Francisco, and most of them would be gathered into a few narrow blocks in San Francisco's South of Market district, many clad in leather harnesses, for the infamous fetish festival.And although sex was certainly a major goal of the weekend, it was not the only reason I was excited to go. I wrote an op-ed for The Advocate about how Folsom is an important event for anyone whose sexual interests fall outside the vanilla realm and wants to meet up with like-minded folks. For one weekend every year since 1984, San Francisco becomes a city filled with both experienced and novice kinksters, teaching each other new fetish techniques and playing hard.In other words, its a great time to cruise tech-free. I parked my car on a precarious San Francisco slope and carried my suitcase filled with leather gear to a townhouse in the Castro where I would be staying. The final lessons I took from going off the apps are certainly inspired by the weekend that followed, but they are applicable to gay men everywhere and anywhere.I stayed with a friend through the weekend, and together we made plans to hit the best parties happening across the city. At one point during the official pre-Folsom dance party, Magnitude, my friend stood at the bar talking to a cute guy who kept checking his phone. Finally, my friend patted the guy's shoulder and said, Dude, get off Scruff. Look around you. Its here.The view was pretty stellar. Guys didnt actually start having sex on the dance floor until closer to the end of the party, but there was a large tent erected in the parking lot that acted as the official backroom. Inside the tent were spaces partitioned off by black tarp and chain-link fence. Some of the spaces had leather sex slings that would have been immensely more comfortable if they had leg straps. Cruising the apps was needless I was already at the fun.If you choose to take a break from hookup apps, dont do it because of "app shame." Gay men have always hunted for sex, objectified each other, and treated each other poorly. The apps have hardly destroyed gay life they have simply digitized it. Meaningful connections are truly hard to find on Grindr, but in todays fast-paced world, meaningful connections are hard to find anywhere. So if youre considering a sabbatical, do it with a spirit of adventure and curiosity, not because of generalizations youve made about guys online or about the apps themselves generalizations that are more likely a reflection of your own insecurities rather than the perceived flaws of others.It was a long and crazy weekend. After every party, my friend and I stood outside in the cold, waiting for our Uber. Something magical happens in those moments between the circuit party and the ride home. People emerge from the dark and you see them as they really appear. Guys you thought had perfect bodies look less perfect. Couples start holding hands again. Everyone is a little bewildered to discover how much time has passed. As the drugs wear off, everyone is reminded how life continues outside our mad little world.After a few nights like this, I stood on my friends doorstep with my suitcase, ready to say goodbye. And right there, I realized he was a good friend, someone I could talk to about my fears and insecurities, someone I could call if I was drunk and needed a ride home.I met him on Scruff over a year ago. We initially hooked up, but since that time we have become more than a hookup to each other. This is gay culture, the one I live in and see every day; friendships often start with sex, friendships often lead to sex, and friendships often include sex at some point.If anything, this should illustrate how needless it is to vilify hookup apps. Sex is what we are going to do, because it is what we have always done, and there's nothing ugly or shameful about it. It is an ancient human instinct that gets horribly repressed, feared, and fussed over in today's climate, when it should be celebrated. Anything that brings us together whether it is Grindr, Scruff, a dating website, or a sex dungeon should not be scoffed at, because we need each other.My friend told me to text him when I made it back to Los Angeles, and I knew he meant it. He cared. He was family.I'm back on the apps now, but I'm definitely using them less. It was more fun to meet guys in person, but harder. The apps offer an easy way to tell guys what you're into sexually or what you're looking for; you just write it on your profile. Cruising in person requires you to say, "I want to have sex with you so bad, and this is what I want to do." But I must stress how awesome and empowering it feels when you finally bring yourself to say that far better than a texted "'Sup?"ALEXANDER CHEVES has written articles on sex, dating, and relationships for GC Magazine and is an intern with The Advocate. Follow his blog, The Beastly Ex-Boyfriend.

Anti-LGBTQ+ Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) is suing the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) over its policies allowing transgender women to compete in womens sports.Paxtons lawsuit, filed on Sunday, December 22, takes the novel approach of accusing the NCAA of engaging in false, deceptive, and misleading practices by marketing sporting events as womens competitions only to then provide consumers with mixed sex competitions where biological males compete against biological females. Related GOP senators tell the NCAA to ban trans women from sports competitions The Republicans argued that cis men are better at sports than women even though the policy they were advocating was about trans women. In a press release, Paxton alleged that the organization violated the Texas Trade Practices Act which exists to protect consumers from businesses attempting to mislead or trick them into purchasing goods or services that are not as advertised, Fox News reported. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today When people watch a womens volleyball game, the Texas AG said in as statement, they expect to see women playing against other women not biological males pretending to be something they are not. Radical gender theory has no place in college sports.Paxton also claimed that the NCAA was intentionally and knowingly jeopardizing the safety and wellbeing of women by deceptively changing womens competitions into co-ed competitions.The idea that transgender people are deceiving others about their genders is a transphobic stereotype used to justify anti-transgender discrimination. Transgender people generally describe coming out as an act of honesty after having pretended to be something theyre not, often for years. As Chron notes, Paxtons suit seeks to have the NCAA either limit the participation of trans athletes in competitions taking place in Texas or involving Texas teams, or to have the NCAA stop categorizing events as womens sports when a transgender athlete is involved.Paxtons latest anti-LGBTQ+ move comes less than a week after NCAA President Charlie Baker appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee where he faced grandstanding from anti-LGBTQ+ Republican lawmakers like Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) over the issue of transgender inclusion on womens collegiate sports.Anti-LGBTQ+ lawmakers and activists have seized on the issue in recent years to gin up support with their base and draw in voters who may be unfamiliar with the realities of trans athletes abilities. Advocates for trans sports bans argue that transgender women and girls possess unfair physical advantages over cisgender women and girls. But as Dr. Brad Anawalt, a professor of medicine and an endocrinologist at the University of Washington in Seattle, explained in an interview with the CBC earlier this year, there is insufficient data to prove that trans women have a competitive advantage over cis women.The NCAA responded to Paxtons lawsuit in a statement. While the organization did not directly address the Texas Republicans allegations, NCAA communications director Michelle Brutlag Hosick said, The Association and its members will continue to promote Title IX, make unprecedented investments in womens sports and ensure fair competition in all NCAA championships.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

We need some boiling tea for this cold weather!Slaycation is the latest spin-off to enter the RuPaul's Drag Race universe as six queens move into a cabin for a winter filled with shenanigans and shade.BOA and Jada Shada Hudson are representing Canada Drag Race on the new show and tension reignites between the queens as they rehash drama from the past."I thought I was on vacation! I wanted to get away from everybody, but there's my Jada waiting for me," BOA tells PRIDE."Baby, I'm the Toronto Queen! They had to have the Toronto Queen for the first season of Slaycation. I was more shocked to see BOA than BOA was shocked to see me," Hudson adds. See on Instagram Right off the bat, the frenemies bring up certain situations that led to a crack in the foundation of their friendship as their drag careers took off following Drag Race."BOA was on season one. I was a runner-up. BOA left second or third. I came in second. They couldn't find no one else? Go Toronto," Hudson says."I came in seventh, b*tch. I was so grateful and so happy to be part of the cast. She's breaking the restraining order, let's just say that," BOA shares.Slaycation premieres on WOW Presents Plus on December 31. To see the full interview with BOA and Jada Shada Hudson, check out the video at the top of the page.

The library is OPEN!No, really, the library is open, and libraries across the country need our support now more than ever. One of the best ways you can do so is by utilizing their services, like checking out the new queer books coming out next year!If "read more" is one of your 2025 New Year's resolutions, you're in luck. 2025 is packed full of LGBTQ+ new releases. Whether it's from returning favorite queer authors or one of the promising debuts, fiction or nonfiction, there is an abundance of queer books coming out next year that we cannot wait to get our hands on!Here are the top 10 LGBTQ+ books we're most excited to read in 2025."Murder in the Dressing Room" by Holly StarsSee on InstagramMurder in the Dressing Room is the debut novel from UK comedian, writer, and drag queen Holly Stars. When drag queen Lady Lady is found dead in her dressing room, her fellow performers all become the prime suspects, including her own drag daughter, Misty Divine! The police have been predictably less than helpful, so it's up to Misty to figure out who poisoned Lady and why before they strike again.Murder mysteries have an inherent amount of campiness to them, so a drag murder mystery is honestly a no brainer. I'm also a firm believer that you should judge a book by its cover, and if I wasn't sold before, the cover illustration by the immensely talented Roosa Mari makes this a standout on any shelf.Murder in the Dressing Room comes out January 14, 2025 from Berkley Books, and is available for preorder here."The Loves of My Life" by Edmund White (@) From Lambda Literary Award winning author Edmund White comes an honest and loving memoir spanning over 60 years of gay love and sex. The Loves of My Life: A Sex Memoir follows White across a vast array of time and place. It's a love letter to all the things great and small, beautiful and ugly, about queer sex and the culture around it. It's also a fascinating vignette of gay culture in America for the past 70-odd years. A true can't miss from one of the American gay literary canon's greats.The Loves of My Life: A Sex Memoir releases January 28, 2025 from Bloomsbury Publishing, and is available for preorder here. "Stag Dance" by Torrey PetersSee on InstagramFrom Torrey Peters, author of the New York Times best selling author of Detransition, Baby, comes her much anticipated follow up, Stag Dance, a collection of one novel and three novellas. Stag Dance, the eponymous novel, follows a group of lumberjacks putting on a dance where some of them will attend as women. When the largest, burliest, and most unassuming looking of the men decides that he will attend a woman, he finds himself in competition with one of the younger, prettier men, all coming to a head on the night of the big dance. Accompanying Stag Dance are three novellas: "Infect Your Friends and Loved Ones," "The Chaser," and "The Masker."Stag Dance releases on March 11, 2025 from Random House, and is available for preorder here. "Stop Me If You've Heard This One" by Kristen ArnettSee on InstagramI, personally, have been actively excited about this one since September 2023. Kristen Arnett, New York Times bestselling author of With Teeth and Mostly Dead Things and the internet's cool lesbian dad. Arnett's work is actually a huge part of why I wanted to become a writer, and I couldn't be more excited for her third novel, Stop Me If You've Heard This One, about a down on her luck lesbian clown and the connection she forms with a hot older magician.Things could be worse for Cherry Hendricks, but things could also be better. Cherry is a professional clown and good at it too but still has to pick up shifts at the aquarium for some extra cash. She's also struggling to balance dating, her relationships with her fellow performers, and her judgmental mother. It's a lot to juggle, even for a clown. But everything changes when Cherry meets Margot the Magnificent, a hot, older, lesbian magician who seemingly has everything figured out. Stop Me If You've Heard This One releases March 18, 2025 from Riverhead Books, and is available for preorder here."Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert" by Bob the Drag QueenSee on InstagramFrom RuPaul's Drag Race season 8 winner and stand up comedian Bob the Drag Queen comes her debut novel, Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert. It takes place in a modern day US where histories greatest heroes have inexplicably come back, including Harriet Tubman. Tubman, along with four formerly enslaved men whom she helped free, decide to tell their story via a hip-hop album and accompanying live performance. She enlists the help of Darnell Williams, a hip hop producer who was highly successful before being outed. Together, they must find a way to confront a dark past in the hopes of building a brighter future.Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert releases March 25, 2025 from Gallery Books, and is available for preorder here."Awakened" by A.E. OsworthSee on InstagramA.E. Osworth's sophomore novel, Awakened, is full of things I love (trans people) fighting to save the world from things I hate (AI). It's another one I've been stoked for for month, from another author who's been hugely influential to me as a writer, with another cover I can't stop looking at. 2025 is really stacking up to be a bang up year for books.Awakened follows Wilder, a 30-something queer from Brooklyn, who wakes up one morning to find they now have the magical ability to understand every language. They are then taken in by a coven of trans witches, each with a unique magical ability of their own. As Wilder is finally starting to get the hang of this whole magic thing, a malicious AI threatens the fate of the coven- and the world. This ragtag bunch are the only ones who have any hope of stopping the AI before it's too late.Awakened releases on April 29, 2025 from Grand Central Publishing, and is available for preorder here."The Emperor of Gladness" by Ocean VuongSee on InstagramOcean Vuong is a literary genius, and in a real "I'd listen to Chapell Roan sing the phone book" situation, Vuong is one of those authors I'll read anything from. Prose or poetry, regardless of premise, I'll pick up anything he writes because it is always, without fail, an ineffably moving slice of the human experience. As a big fan of Vuong's work, I do think that his upcoming novel, The Emperor of Gladness, may be my favorite yet.In East Gladness, Conn., 19-year-old Hai stands on a bridge, ready to jump. He's only stopped when he hears shouting from across the river from Grazina, an elderly widow with dementia. After coming down off the ledge, Hai quickly becomes Grazina's caretaker, and the two form an intense bond that alters both of their lives.The Emperor of Gladness releases May 13, 2025 from Penguin Press, and is available for preorder here."Marsha" by TourmalineSee on InstagramModel, activist, and foremost Marsha P. Johnson scholar Tourmaline is finally compiling all she's gathered about the trans pioneer into a book, the first-ever full biography of Johnson. For more on Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson, we published an article in October featuring everything we know so far and an interview with Tourmaline about the project, and why Johnson means so much to her personally.Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson releases May 20, 2025 from Tiny Reparations Books, and is available for preorder here."Disappoint Me" by Nicola DinanSee on InstagramNicola Dinan, the Lambda Literary Award nominated author of Bellies (a personal favorite), returns for her sophomore novel, Disappoint Me, following a trans poet's somewhat serious head injury and the changes it inspires her to make. Max, a 30-year-old published poet now working for a tech company, is feeling dissatisfied and disillusioned. After falling down the stairs at a New Year's Eve party and hitting her head, she decides there's no time like the present to give it all up and try being a trad wife for a change.Max meets Vincent, a Chinese-American corporate lawyer with a love of baking, and the two begin a romance the likes of which Max had only dreamed of experiencing. As idyllic as it seems, the heteronormative American dream isn't enough. Max and Vincent still have to navigate the complexities of their pasts, their families, and cultural expectations of race and gender if they want their dream-like romance to remain a reality.Disappoint Me releases May 27, 2025 from Dial Press, and is available for preorder here."The Build-a-Boyfriend Project" by Mason DeaverSee on InstagramMason Deaver, best selling and award winning author of young adult fiction, makes their adult fiction debut with a sappy, compelling, and queer twist on fake dating romances. The Build-a-Boyfriend Project follows Eli Francis and his job at online magazine Vent, where he would be a writer if his boss wasn't so determined to keep him stuck being his assistant. After Eli's boss hears about Eli's horrendous date with the good looking yet socially awkward Peter Park, he suggests Eli teach Peter how to date and be a better boyfriend, all so Eli can write an article about it.Eli keeps taking Peter on these simulated dates, but not to write the article he'd been assigned. He's interviewing Peter for a deeper piece on growing up queer in the South, and Peter's learning how to come-of-age for dating as an adult. But as Eli's interviews go deeper, so grows their connection, until he's not sure how simulated these dates are anymore.The Build-a-Better Boyfriend Project releases August 5, 2025 from Avon Books, and is available for preorder here.

An Ohio school district has paid a $450,000 settlement to a teacher who was forced to resign after refusing to address two students by their transgender names and personal pronouns.Vivian Geraghty was an English teacher at Jackson Memorial Middle School in Stark County from August 2020 until August 26, 2022. Geraghty, a Christian, reportedly neither faced any kind of complaint or disciplinary action about her work nor communicated openly about her religious beliefs while at school, her lawyers said. Related This hate group is squeezing the life out of the Constitution & it is up to all of us to stop it To be aware of ADFs presence is no longer sufficient. The Stark County School District has a policy requiring teachers to participate in the social transition of gender non-conforming students by using names and pronouns consistent with each students gender identity. But her faith believes that God only creates two distinct sexes male or female and that rejection of ones biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person, her lawsuit against the district stated. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today As such, Geraghty felt she couldnt use names and pronouns that contradict the legal names and gender assigned to people at their births. Doing so, she felt, would affirm concepts she saw as untrue and violate biblical commands against dishonesty and lying.On August 22, 2022 a school counselor contacted Geraghty and other teachers, informing them to use two students personal names and pronouns. Four days later, Geraghty approached Principal Kacy Carter to find out if she could arrange a compromise to not acknowledge the students identities.Carter and Monica Myers, the districts director of curriculum, instruction and assessment, approached Geraghty later in the day to inquire why she didnt want to follow the policy. Geraghty explained that her faith prohibited her from doing so.Myers reportedly told Geraghty that her non-compliance would not work in a district like Jackson. Carter and Myers later told Geraghty that if she could not set her religious convictions aside, she should resign. She was given a laptop and told to type up her resignation fewer within two hours of explaining her objection to the districts policy. According to the lawsuit, Carter and Myers didnt ask whether there was any possibility that Geraghty could avoid pronouns or use last names. She says her forced resignation violated her First Amendment rights to freedom of religion. Her lawyers, the anti-LGBTQ+ Christian nationalist legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), said that trans identities are a matter of national and local public debate and concern, and that nobody should be forced to facilitate another persons transitioning when they themselves disagree with it. To back up their claim about the debate, ADF lawyers pointed to the infamous Cass Review, a U.K. medical review that argues against gender-affirming care for trans youth. Trans advocates and medical doctors criticized the review for excluding numerous studies that see gender-affirming care as safe, essential, and effective at resolving gender dysphoria among trans people.Numerous anti-trans groups have pointed to the Cass Review as proof that medical authorities dont all affirm trans identity or gender-affirming care. Geraghtys lawsuit says she believes that social and medical transitioning harm children and result in irreversible and life-changing decisions. She also believes that trans minors suffer from personal trauma and mental illness, even though this isnt generally true. The American Psychological Association hasnt considered trans identity as a form of mental illness since 2012.The ADF said that Geraghty has suffered ongoing harm from the resignation because she has found it difficult to apply for employment in other public schools without a recommendation from her district superintendent. The ADF legally challenges any expansion of LGBTQ+ rights and often represents defendants who violate non-discrimination policies on the basis of religious belief. The ADF successfully mounted a recent Supreme Court case that resulted in a decision ruling that a state cannot force a web designed to create a wedding website for same-sex couples even if that refusal of business violates state anti-discrimination law because creators cannot be forced by the government to make messages with which a religious person disagrees.The ADF also mounted the legal case that resulted in the overturning of abortion rights nationwide.This isnt the first time that a teacher has been disciplined for refusing to use a students personal names and pronouns. In 2022, a Christian teacher won a $95,000 settlement after misgendering a student for religious reasons. In 2018, a school board fired a teacher who refused to use proper pronouns for trans students.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Even people who never would have otherwise heard of It Ends with Us are likely familiar with the drama between star Blake Lively and co-star/director Justin Baldoni. This summer's press tour promoting the film was plagued by rumors of feuding on set, backed up by the fact that the two only gave interviews separately and seemed to avoid one another.Blame was quickly put on Lively's shoulders. She was presumed to be overbearing, throwing her weight around on set to get whatever she wanted. People criticized her interviews, and dredged up old ones that could be used to rip her apart further. Public opinion shifted against her in a shockingly loud way.Meanwhile, the reputation Baldoni has tried to craft for himself over the years as a good guy and a champion of women seemed to help insulate him from receiving much, if any, of the flack until last week.A complaint filed by Lively against Baldoni and others made exhaustive allegations of inappropriate and demeaning behavior on the film's set. It also accused him and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, of hiring a PR crisis firm to launch a smear campaign against her and ruin her reputation."To safeguard against the risk of Ms. Lively ever revealing the truth about Mr. Baldoni, the BaldoniWayfarer team created, planted, amplified, and boosted content designed to eviscerate Ms. Livelys credibility," the complaint claims. "They engaged in the same techniques to bolster Mr. Baldonis credibility and suppress any negative content about him."The allegations are numerous and include enough to back them up that public opinion appears to have shifted considerably in just days. Baldoni still has his supporters (along with representatives who insist Lively's claims are false), but a damning New York Times article has left scores of people wondering how they could have fallen for this alleged smear campaign.It also brought to mind another actress whose career was left in shambles thanks to a headline-grabbing controversy from recent years Amber Heard.The Amber Heard connection (@) Amber Heard's name coming up in conjunction with the drama surrounding It Ends with Us is not a new development.News broke back in August that Baldoni had hired PR crisis manager Melissa Nathan. Before starting her own PR group just two months prior (a firm that boasts Taylor Swift nemesis Scooter Braun as the majority stakeholder), Nathan had worked with Johnny Depp during his defamation trial against Heard.Following the trial, it was widely reported that there had likely been a targeted campaign against Heard and her supporters in order to sway public opinion. It's been alleged that bots played a large role in this, although it's impossible to say for sure what other tactics might have been deployed or by whom."I think it's just very, very difficult to establish attribution in cases of online manipulation," journalist Alexi Mostrous, who dived into the matter for his podcast, Who Trolled Amber, told GQ earlier this year. "We also know that it's almost impossible to detect everything that they're doing."The New York Times reported that brand marketing consultant Terakeet concluded Lively had likely also been the subject of a "targeted, multichannel online attack." Specifically, they noted that search results for her name had disproportionately come to reference Baldoni, something unlikely to have happened naturally considering he's only been involved in this small fraction of her nearly 20-year career.To be clear, this isn't an accusation against Nathan regarding Heard vs. Depp, but it was inevitable that similarities would be drawn after Lively's allegations went public. In both cases, online attacks against the women facing off against Nathan's clients snowballed rapidly and relentlessly, to the point that it was practically unavoidable to see headlines or social media posts slamming them during those respective time frames. And Nathan's own words aren't painting a pleasant picture of how she operates."You know we can bury anyone," reads a text message she sent to Baldoni's publicist.Heard breaks her silenceHeard has largely shied away from press and social media over the last few years, but she did release a statement in response to the recent turn of events."Social media is the absolute personification of the classic saying 'A lie travels halfway around the world before truth can get its boots on,'" she told NBC News. "I saw this firsthand and up close. Its as horrifying as it is destructive."Although the general public isn't having the same reckoning regarding the treatment of Heard as they seem to be heading towards with Lively, those who have long pled with people to dig deeper into everything between her and Depp than headlines and memes have been pleased to see the comparisons drawn. (@) (@) (@) (@) Others speak out in Lively's defense (@) As the back-and-forth between Baldoni's team and Lively's heats up, more celebrities have been coming forward to show support for the latter.Most notably, the Gossip Girl alum received a public statement of solidarity from the cast members of her first film, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants."Throughout the filming of It Ends with Us, we saw her summon the courage to ask for a safe workplace for herself and colleagues on set, and we are appalled to read the evidence of a premeditated and vindictive effort that ensued to discredit her voice," it reads in part. "We are struck by the reality that even if a woman is as strong, celebrated, and resourced as our friend Blake, she can face forceful retaliation for daring to ask for a safe working environment."The statement, which was shared to Instagram, was signed by America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, and Alexis Bledel.Director Paul Feig, who has worked with Lively on both A Simple Favor and its upcoming sequel, also called her "one of the most professional, creative, collaborative, talented and kind people." (@) Lively also received the support of author Colleen Hoover, who penned the novel upon which It Ends with Us is based. Hoover linked the New York Times article alleging a smear campaign against the actress, writing that she has "been nothing but honest, kind, support and patient since we met."It had already been implied that Hoover was in Lively's court, along with much of the cast. During press for the movie, the cast of the film largely seemed to avoid Baldoni, and people noticed some of them had unfollowed him on social media. (@) At the time, actor Brandon Sklenar blasted people online for "vilifying the women who put so much of their heart and soul into making this film," calling it "counterproductive and detract[ing] from what this film is about."What happens next?Over the weekend, Baldoni was dropped by his agency, WME. It has yet to be determined whether Lively's complaint will be settled outside of court or will escalate to a lawsuit. Intriguingly, the people who are normally pulling the strings for famous clients are also now facing scrutiny, both in the public eye and among their peers."I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted," Lively told The New York Times.It seems likely that's one wish she and Heard have in common.