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Billed as "Heartstopper meets Bring it On," Jase Peeples's young adult novel Twirl! is about teen boys from rival color guard teams who find love and belonging. Chapter One DannyAre you tired? Some of you already look tired. Keep the energy up. Perform through to the very end, our winter guard instructor, Nikki, yells from the top of the concrete steps outside the gym. Weve been running the same thirty-two countsour ending ensemble flag featurefor the past twenty minutes. Shes on a mission to get it sparkling clean. We really should be inside. After all, this is winter guard season, but here we are in the chilly quad, making the most of the space available while we wait for the basketball team to get out. Theyre over time, again. Because of course they are. Theyre the big sports team, and were just that group of people who spin flags, rifles and sabersthe color guard. So, even though we win way more than they do, basketball still gets priority on the gym schedule while we remain the best kept secret at East Valley High. Okay, reset. Were going to do it once more with music. Nikki presses play on the portable sound system at her feet, yelling over the blaring beats as she continues. This time I want you to really go for it. Check those hand positions in the middle and watch one another for timing on the toss. This flag feature is the final impression youll leave the judges with. So, come on, show me how youre gonna serve it on Saturday! Her reminder that our first competition of the season is this weekend lights a fire in me, burning away any thoughts of cold weather, tired muscles, or the sweaty t-shirt under my hoodie clinging to my back. The musical cue hits and we attack the downbeat, leaping into what is some of the most challenging flag work weve ever doneup, down, up, blind pass behind the back and turn. Halfway through, I cant hold back the big smile that stretches across my face, because moments like this are why I love this sportwhen I can hear the sound of fabric spinning in sync all around me and I can feel our entire team is absolutely killing the choreographyits like the closest thing on Earth to living inside music. Then we toss our flags high in the air, pull our arms down to our sides as the poles complete two and a half rotations before landing back in our hands with the kind of satisfying smack only a clean catch can make. Nikki shuts off the sound system. Yes, East Valley Winter Guard! That. Is. How. Its. Done! she says, punctuating each word with an enthusiastic clap. You perform like that this weekend and theyll have no choice but to give you a high score right out of the gate. She glances at her watch. All right, everyone take five and grab some water. Im going to see if the basketball team is finishing up so we can move in. We break and I trade high fives with my boys, Sanjay and Conner, as we chill with the rest of the guard on the steps.That ending feature slaps so hard, Sanjay says after taking a sip of water from his pink sports bottle. People in the audience are going to lose their shit when they see it. For real though, Conner adds. Theyre gonna be like, Damn, East Valley, we werent ready for all that. I nod. Yeah, we A direct message notification sets off my phone, which is both unexpected and embarrassing. Unexpected in the sense that I thought my phone was on silent, and embarrassing because it couldnt have happened at a worse time. I sit very still, hoping maybe if I ignore the notification everyone else will too, or at least they wont realize that distinctive loud-ass sound came from my phoBrrrap.Shit.Oh, my God, thats totally that gay hookup app, isnt it? our teammate, Catalina says, way too excited and way too loud. Shes always got to say something. Oh, scandalous, Sanjay teases.No, I blurt, feeling the heat of everyones eyes on me as I frantically dig my phone out of my pocket. I glare at Catalina. And for the record, QTIE isnt just a gay thing. ImBrrrap.Jesus. I flip the ringer switch to vibrate so hard the plastic creaks.So popular, Sanjay says, ribbing me with an elbow. Luckily, most of our teammates seem to be losing interest already. (It takes a bigger show than this to hold their attention.) I can feel their stares slipping away as they return to their own conversations, except for Catalina, who cant take a hint and is smiling at me like shes living her best life. You were saying? Before we were interrupted by your boy-booty call? she says.Its not a booty call, its I hesitate because, well, technically it could be someone fishing for a hookup, but Im hoping at least one of those alerts is what Ive been waiting for all daya reply from Ethan Decker. Hes a senior on the Landon High School Winter Guard, which is only the best Winter Guard on the planet, literally. Theyve won Winter Guard International World Championships six times in a row now. Ive had a thing for Ethan ever since I saw Landon High perform at a competition a couple of years ago, but Ive never worked up the nerve to talk to him. I mean, Ethan is basically the winter guard equivalent of a rock star. People in the crowd even scream his name at competitions. I personally havent done this (not out loud, anyway), but I totally know how they feel. When Ethan is performing, you cant take your eyes off him. He can spin every piece of equipmentflag, rifle, saber. And damn, can that boy dance. Then theres his floppy red hair, light green eyes, and Im not even going to pretend I havent saved a few of the shirtless TikToks hes posted. Hey, if hes going to post thirst trap videos like that, he cant blame me for looking at them.Ethan is so freakin hot, which is why I havent been able to say a word to him. That is, not until a couple of days ago when I saw him pop up on QTIE and nearly fell out of my chair. I have no idea what came over me, but I just went for it, shot him a quick hi, and he actually replied. Before that, Im pretty sure he wasnt even aware that I existed and I guess theres really no reason he would have either. While weve technically competed against each other for years, lets be real. Landon High School is light years ahead of my winter guard. They always perform way later than we do every time were at a show together, which is good. I mean, nobody wants to have to follow the world champions at a competition, right? So, Im betting Ethan has never seen the East Valley Winter Guard perform live or has any idea who we are. Im sure to him, I was just another nameless face in the crowd of people who rushed to pack the back stands when Landon would take the floor. But with any luck, thats about to change because weve been chatting online a bit andI still cant believe I did thisbut earlier today, I asked him if hed be cool with us exchanging numbers so we could text instead of DMing through the app. The waiting is tortureeven worse than having to deal with Catalinas drama right now.Jase Peeples is an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in The Advocate, Out, Healthline, WGI Focus Magazine, and more. A lifelong performer, designer, and educator in the marching arts, he is a three-time Winter Guard International World Champion with the Blue Devils World Class Winter Guard.Get your copy of Twirl! here. Join Peeples in conversation with Tracy E. Gilchrist at Barnes & Noble in Los Angeles on Aug. 24.

Its a scene that might have taken place in a Kiss of the Spider Woman fantasy sequence. Jennifer Lopez, who plays the movie star Ingrid Luna in Bill Condons upcoming musical drama film as well as the dual characters Ingrid portrays in the musical inside-the-musical, Aurora and the Spider Woman reclines on a sofa at the Maybourne, a Beverly Hills hotel. White flowers sit nearby on a table, as members of her team look on.Behind Lopez in a tuxedo is Tonatiuh. His Spider Woman character, a queer window dresser named Luis Molina, mentally escapes the confines of an Argentinian prison by retelling the plot of a film starring his favorite diva. In these sequences, Molina, jailed for public indecency with a man, transforms into Kendall Nesbit to sing and dance alongside Aurora. Hes accompanied in these reveries by Valentin (Diego Luna), his cellmate and a political revolutionary who manifests his own dream doppelgnger as Auroras love interest, Armando (though back in prison, there may be some interest in Molina as well). Love and sacrifice, both found through a kiss, figure in this layered story.The Out shoot was held in June, just days after Lopez took the stage at WorldPride DC, where she performed Kiss of the Spider Woman alongside hits like On the Floor and Lets Get Loud that launched her to global stardom and gay icon status. Its a title she takes seriously. Im so happy to be able to be here to celebrate community, diversity, love, and freedom, she told her fans from the stage. Cue to a cover of George Michaels Freedom! 90, as well as a new track from Lopez, Free, which declares Im free / Free to love whoever I please. JENNIFER in DOLCE & GABBANA Dress, SHIPHRA Jewerly; TONATIUH in BROOKS BROTHERS Shirt and Tuxedo SAIDIAN VINTAGE JEWELS Brooch and Ring, NICKHO REY Earring Vintage Watch from WANNA BUY A WATCH, CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN ShoesJohn RussoPerforming at WorldPride was a special experience for Lopez. I was there for no other reason than just to show my support and love and solidarity [during] everything thats going on in our country right now, which is absurd on so many levels not just for the LGBTQ community but for the Latino community, she says. As an artist, you show up in the ways that you can. And when they asked me to do it, I was like, I will absolutely fucking be there.For Lopez, Spider Woman presented another opportunity for musical allyship in a time when the LGBTQ+ community is under renewed political assault particularly trans and gender-nonconforming people of color like Molina. What drew me to this story? First of all, the storys about love, right? Lopez says. Its the one thing in life that is really worth dying for in a way, and thats really the poetry of the movie to me.The story, as first written in Manuel Puigs 1976 novel, was groundbreaking for its themes of queer love and political resistance in the face of an oppressive dictatorship. As a central character, Molina defied cultural norms about gender and sexuality, characteristics that assured the book was widely banned upon its release. (Some modern critics also take issue with the novels tropes and lengthy footnotes categorizing homosexuality as a mental illness.)But the Spider Woman story has evolved with the times while maintaining its cultural resonance. William Hurt won an Oscar for portraying Molina in the 1985 film adaptation. In the theater world, Spider Woman appeared onstage in a 1983 play penned by Puig as well as a Tony-winning 1993 musical scored by John Kander and Fred Ebb, with a book by Terrence McNally. This fall, the film adaptation of this musical will be released in an era when, sadly, a queer Latine creative being banished to a prison is not unheard of in the national news. JENNIFER in ATELIER BISER Lace Top and Choker LAYLA KAISI COLLECTION RingsJohn RussoIt was really a dream come true, Lopez says of starring in Spider Woman. Ive dreamt of doing a musical for so many years. For it to be one that is [a] movie about love and acceptance and community, especially in this time, to me it couldnt have been a better thing to happen.Chita Rivera, idolized by Lopez growing up, originated the role of Aurora in the stage musical, making this part of particular significance to the Hustlers star. To work with [choreographer] Sergio Trujillo, who was in Spider Woman on Broadway, who danced with Chita every night, to have him say things to me like, Dancing with you was like dancing with Chita again it was just amazing.When she arrived on set to sing Kiss of the Spider Woman, which she meticulously prepared, in front of the living legend Kander (Cabaret, Chicago), who was 97 at the time of their meeting, Lopez almost dropped dead, she says. The little girl in me who sat in front of the television watching West Side Story with their mom, dancing around and wishing I could sing and dance and act one day, had become fully realized in that moment, she says with ardor.It was one of the most beautiful moviemaking experiences Ive ever had, and also at a difficult time in my life, but it just filled a part of me that was waiting to kind of come alive for so long, she attests.Tonatiuh, who identifies as nonbinary and uses he/him and they/them pronouns, felt a similar pull to the production directed by Bill Condon (Chicago, Gods and Monsters): I knew the source material because I knew the play beforehand. But when I got the email with the title and the pages, it just felt spiritual. It felt very like I needed to give my full attention to it. JENNIFER in ELISABETTA FRANCHI Corset, SHIPHRA JEWELRY Earrings, ATELIER BISER Perle BraceletJohn RussoTheir journey to the role was anything but ordinary a self-tape audition submitted at the last minute, a whirlwind callback, and a casting process that considered over 900 actors. Ultimately, his persistence paid off. Something about it just wasnt clicking just perfectly, and so I locked myself up in my office, and I kept working and working and working at it until I finally felt I found the through line and the humanity, he says.It was a gift for Tonatiuh to portray Molina alongside the song-and-dance numbers of the Hollywood fantasy counterpart. He recognizes that this range is rarely given to actors who comprise intersectional identities. As a performer, I just always found it so frustrating to get categorized in any one particular box. With this, I was really gifted the ability to play the entire spectrum [of femininity to masculinity], they share.Range takes work, though. We shot basically two movies in a short amount of time. We shot 11 numbers in about 20-something days, which is crazy, they say. Every day was basically its own number, and because we were an independent film, there was no leeway for mistakes. Tonatiuh even lost 45 pounds to portray Molina after portraying a bulkier role in the 2024 Netflix action hit Carry-On. I love being able to transform, if given the opportunity, they share.But the rewards were profound for them (and hopefully, viewers). I think my biggest hope right now is for people who feel like the world is telling them that it isnt for them, I want them to find a home here. Ive been told so much in my career and in my life that who I was was gonna get in the way of the job that I wanted, and my own humanity, my own Two-Spiritness, my own form of expressing myself I had to almost silence it for an industry that doesnt know what to do with it, right? With this I was able to heal some of that with the art. TONATIUH in BROOKS BROTHERS Shirt and Tuxedo, SAIDIAN VINTAGE JEWELS Brooch and Ring, NICKHO REY Earring Vintage Watch from WANNA BUY A WATCH, CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN ShoesJohn RussoTonatiuh has had notable roles in Tinseltown before. He shone as Marcos, a gender-nonconforming character who memorably threw a queerceaera on Starzs Vida, as well as a lead gay character on network TV, Antonio Sandoval, on the ABC drama Promised Land. But Spider Woman is a watershed moment in the career of the 30-year-old actor, who has already garnered critical acclaim (and some Oscar buzz) for his performance.Lopez recalls the moment she saw Tonatiuh fully step into the spotlight as her scene partner. I remember sitting there with him I was in my blond wig and smoking my cigarette, and he was sitting there kind of playing with his cigarette. And I said, This is your Selena moment. Its a blessing in your career. And its just beautiful to watch you doing it.Tonatiuh will never forget the impact of that encouragement from Lopez, who was referencing her own career-making role in the 1997 biopic of singer Selena Quintanilla-Prez; she delivered it right before they began filming a big number. He was overcome with so much gratitude. After the scene wrapped, they call cut! and I burst into tears, he recalls.It wasnt the only pinch-me experience for Tonatiuh. There was a moment in the number Where You Are, where Molina asks Ingrid to take him away, to take him to a movie. And she does and sings a song essentially saying, Why do you have to be where you are? Come with me to be a movie star. I just remember, I flew my mom and my stepdad out to see [the scene]. And here I was dancing with Jennifer Lopez and 70 Broadway dancers. Hearing those words, it was just so magical, he shares. JENNIFER in DOLCE & GABBANA Full LookJohn RussoTonatiuh also connected with his co-star Luna (Y Tu Mam Tambin, Milk, Andor) in their intimate prison scenes, which were filmed in order, a Hollywood rarity. Under the pressure of confinement, there is sexual tension that develops between the characters, but there are also moments of male vulnerability that are rarely seen on-screen. The intimacy did build with every single passing scene, with every take, Tonatiuh shares. Diego and I really got an opportunity to just witness each others characters and blend them together naturally. Its hard not to fall in love with someone like him.For Lopez, its this connection between these very different characters that drives the heart of the film. This very intense experience they have of being locked in the cell together and helping each other survive, theyre able to see straight into [the] humanity in one another and fall in love, she shares. To me, that is the real definition of love, where it doesnt matter what somebody looks like or where theyre from or who they are or what background its just looking at a person and seeing their soul. Lopezs history growing up with a beloved lesbian aunt, whose experiences with discrimination inspired Lopez to executive produce the queer show The Fosters made the films themes personal. Referring to a gender-neutral term for a niece or nephew, she also praises her transgender nibling, Brendon Scholl. This film is her love letter to the LGBTQ+ community, whom she counts as her closest friends, fans, and family. (Half of her backup dancers are gay, she estimates, as were two-thirds of a recent crowd at a show.)My whole heart belongs to them and Im smiling from ear to ear just thinking about it, just thinking about the relationship that we have and the love that we have and how important it was for me to do this movie for that community. TONATIUH in BROOKS BROTHERS Shirt and Tuxedo, SAIDIAN VINTAGE JEWELS Brooch and Ring, NICKHO REY Earring Vintage Watch from WANNA BUY A WATCH, CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN ShoesJohn RussoAs the films October 10 release approaches, both stars are busy Lopez with a new tour and upcoming Las Vegas residency and Tonatiuh with a new theatrical project; at the time of this June interview, he was preparing to act alongside Amber Heard and Brandon Flynn in Spirit of the People, a play penned by Jeremy O. Harris (Slave Play) about the impact of queer tourism and gentrification in Zipolite, a Mexican community famous for its nude beaches. But both remain focused on the impact Kiss of the Spider Woman can have.Tonatiuh has been in a state of mourning since the Trump administration began its aggressive campaign of mass deportations and detainments of Latine people. There is no difference between me or Jennifer or Diego, who are in this film, from the people who are hardworking and are trying to provide for their families, they say with emotion. Its just been breaking my heart to see their agony and to see people separated from their families. And I think that, especially [for] first-generation people like myself, its activating a sense of fear that we are next. And so I hope that this [film] gives people a space for some catharsis and a little escape and a win.Lopez also has a message for fans who, like Molina, might be listening to her music or gazing at her poster as they seek to escape the worlds worries.Come play with me. Well sing, well dance. Well forget about the troubles of the world for a little while, she says. Thats what Ive always been here for. Thats always been my mission with my music and my performing and my movies is to help people sing and feel and cry if they need to and dance and scream and have a good time. And remember that there is joy in the world, and there is love in the world.This cover story is part of Out's Sept/Oct issue, which hits newsstands August 26. Support queer media and subscribe or download the issue through Apple News, Zinio, Nook, or PressReader starting August 14. talent JENNIFER LOPEZ @jlo and TONATIUH @iamtonatiuhphotographer JOHN RUSSO @johnrussophototech TAS LIMUR @taslimurphoto assistant BRETT ERICKSON @brettericksonphotoproducer J. CHARLES BENIGNO with PHOTOHOUSE PRODUCTIONS @photohouseproductionsjennifers stylist ORETTA CORBELLI @orettacjennifers tailor SUGAR FERRINI @sugar.ferrinijennifers assistant stylist ALLEGRA GARGIULO @jesuisallegra_jennifers makeup artist SCOTT BARNES @scottbarnescosmeticsjennifers hair FRANK GALASSO @frankgalasso1jennifers nails TOM BACHIK @tombachiktonatiuhs stylist SAVANNAH MENDOZA @savannahkmendozatonatiuhs HMU artist SOPHIA PORTER @thesophiaportervideo KEN WALLER @kenwallermediacatering CITY KITCHEN @citykitchenlalocation THE MAYBOURNE BEVERLY HILLS @themaybournebh / maybournebeverlyhills.com JENNIFER LOPEZ in ATELIER BISER Lace Set, LAYLA KAISI COLLECTION Ring; TONATIUH in TODD SNYDER White Tux Jacket, BROOKS BROTHERS Trousers, BUDD LONDON Shirt & Scarf, SAIDIAN VINTAGE JEWELS RingJohn Russo

In the second part of GLAADs Q& A with Dothan, Alabama, meteorologist Bryan Boggiano, Bryan turns the camera on his own story as a person with autism who is also LGBTQ, who also shows up on the air every day as his full authentic self. Hes delivering information and inspiration for others who are different [...]The post Forecast for Fabulous Part 2: All Slay, No Shade: Meteorologist Bryan Boggiano on Being Out, Neurodiverse, and Celebrating Icons in Southeast Alabama first appeared on GLAAD.

Rosala, one of the biggest pop stars in the world, has finally broken her silence in response to Euphoria actress Hunter Schafer disclosing that the two of them dated in the past.Sign up for the Out Newsletter to keep up with what's new in LGBTQ+ culture and entertainment delivered three times a week straight (well) to your inbox!Specifically, Rosala reacted to an interview from Schafer disclosing he information that the two of them had a five-month relationship in 2019."No, I do not pressure myself," Rosala told Elle when asked about that relationship. "I think of freedom. That's what guides me."The article also noted that Rosala and Schafer "remain friends," which led to Rosala's casting in the third and final season of Euphoria meaning that she'll be costarring with her ex. ed third season of Euphoria.See on InstagramIn case you missed it, Schafer revealed that she dated Rosala in an interview for GQ in April 2022."I have really beautiful friendships with people that I was once romantically involved with," Schafer told GQ, adding that Rosala is "family no matter what."Now, the two actresses will be costars on Euphoria.Rosala revealed in the interview that she also "appreciates the controversial, controlled chaos engendered by the show's writer, director, and producer, Sam Levinson."In term, Levinson really praised Rosala when reached out for comment by Elle. "I love unleashing her on a scene," the Euphoria showrunner wrote. "I let her play with the words, the emotions, in English and Spanish. I never want to tell her what to do first, because her natural instincts are so fascinating, charismatic, and funny. Every scene we shoot, I'm behind the camera smiling."

Alyson Stoner chooses their words carefully. In a world where almost everyone says the first thing that comes to their mind or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, delivers a sanitized PR answer, Stoner is refreshingly honest. This comes through in their writing too; they are not only vulnerable but transparent.After reading their debut memoir, Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything, which was published on August 12, the question that immediately arose for this reader (and interviewer) was: Wait, why didnt they talk about their nonbinary identity in the book? They came out as queer in a Teen Vogue essay published back in 2018, and then, within the past few years, shared that they identify as nonbinary and use they/them pronouns. But they never officially shared the details of discovering their nonbinary identity, which many were expecting to be in the book.I had things drafted, Stoner tells Out over Zoom in mid-July. I realized that there would be people who had never met a single openly queer person in their life, reading this alongside people who would probably already feel quite shocked by all of the other revelations and my journey with gender identity.Stoner, who is now 32, starred in memorable pieces of youth popular culture in the 2000s/2010s, including Camp Rock, Phineas and Ferb, Step Up, and Cheaper by the Dozen, decided it wasn't time to talk about their gender journey just yet so they cut it out."This book really highlights the first quarter of, hopefully, my 100-year-long life, Stoner says. Its unclear where they plan to share this part of their life, maybe a second season of their podcast or a second book. I feel like I could write a whole book on it because once you unpack gender, now you start to deconstruct every construct in society, they say. I was trying to think of everyone who's going to be reading this, and how many things I could tackle in one book before it actually was too much to process. Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything: A Memoir by Alyson StonerCourtesy Macmillan PublishersFor now, theyre taking things one step at a time, starting with unpacking their childhood and young adult years. Stoner is easily one of the most recognizable young actors from the early aughts. Their breakout moment was as one of the child dancers in Missy Elliots Work It music videos, and from there, they went on to appear in a laundry list of major film and TV projects.But having such a long credits list came at a price, and that was all laid out in their memoir. Their writing is immersive, putting readers directly in their shoes as they experienced these memories. They don't shy away from describing the uncomfortable feelings they had to grapple with, the voices in their head that made them question themselves and their self-worth, and challenging themselves on social norms.One of the most difficult ideological stances Stoner reckons with in the novel is their faith. They didn't grow up Christian, but found themselves gravitating towards it in their early years. When their faith didn't align with their queerness, and they were taught to view LGBTQ+ people as "unhealthy" and "immoral," they had to take a deeper look into their beliefs."I recognize that there were other churches that had different values and who showed up for queer folks in very loving and accepting ways. So I never felt the need to throw away faith, spirituality, and contemplation altogether. It was more so, which aspects of these beliefs are rooted in some othering, in an inability to see someone's humanity and value them deeply, and that really opened my eyes to how much fear I had toward queer people at the time." Alyson StonerM.K. Sadler, @mksadler (provided)"I'm so grateful that queerness became very apparent within my own experience, because now I obviously understand that it is the most exquisite expression of humanity and it's ever expansive," they say. "I noticed before my faith practice used to lead to a life of shrinking and exclusion. Now, my faith practice and personal development continually transcend the experience and include."Stoner rarely leaves a stone unturned in the book as they talk through their toughest days as a Disney star being told they were the person considered for starring roles in projects like Hannah Montana (which later went to Miley Cyrus) and Camp Rock (which they would go on to have a role in). But through it all, they talked about how, in their family, the person who was by their side from the beginning was their mom, who'd divorced their dad and remarried, which put distance between them and their dad.Once Stoner's career took off, their mom became heavily involved in their work and later finances. Right before Stoner was set to do a performance, one of their backup dancers told them she hadn't been paid. While looking into the issue, they found out that their business team had mishandled their finances: There were over-the-top gifts for the cast and crew, and their mom had been drawing an annual salary plus multiple $1,000 one-off payments. Alyson StonerM.K. Sadler, @mksadler (provided)Towards the end of the book, readers see Stoner reconnecting and rekindling a relationship with their dad, but they don't mention much about their mother. When asked about who read the book, Stoner answers carefully: "I definitely went over some scenes with my sisters, and wanted to be sure they felt seen and heard accurately, because family dynamics feel one way when you're in the moment. But as you reflect, 10, 15, years later, you realize everyone was having a very different experience of reality."As for their parents, they said their dad has read the book and added, "I've had to make some really complex decisions around how I've gone about the writing process."For now, Stoner seems content to keep the focus on their mental health advocacy work. They're currently completing their certificates to be a mental health coordinator, in addition to three programs that allow them to work on film, TV, and stage productions as a coordinator, and working with SAG-AFTRA to help create better working conditions for performers.They haven't left Disney or the entertainment industry altogether as they reprised their voice acting role as Isabella in the newest season of Phineas and Ferb (ten years after the show went off air) and other voice acting roles, but they're energized to make the entertainment industry a safer place."I was a young kid who loved art, who loved making," they tell Out, mentioning they're open to new opportunities in Hollywood. They added, "But at the moment, I'm most excited about going in and restructuring the system itself so that we can have healthier experiences that invigorates me from head to toe."Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything is now available for purchase through Macmillan Publishers and wherever good books are sold.

In an unexpected turn of events, it seems that singers Lana Del Rey and Ethel Cain are butting heads online. On Thursday, Rey uploaded a snippet of a song off her upcoming album to Instagram and in the song, she can be heard singing, "Ethel Cain hated my Instagram post / Think its cute reenacting my Chicago pose." See on Instagram The lyrics confused her fans, many of whom were confused as to why she mentioned Cain in the first place. But it seemed like others were in on this seemingly long-simmering drama going on between the two singer-songwriters and it looks like a man is at the center of it all.In 2022, Rey took a picture with her ex-boyfriend, Jack Donoghue, outside of the Cook County Jail, and not too soon after, Cain posted a photo of herself with Donoghue. (@) IIn the song, Rey also sings, "The most famous girl at the Waffle House/ I dont regret it/ The most famous girl at the Waffle House." Many people think that this is a nod to a 2022 profile in the New York Times of Cain that was titled, "The Most Famous Girl at the Waffle House." Just a year later, Rey worked a shift at a Waffle House as a publicity stunt that many are now considering to be shade toward Cain's stint at the restaurant chain. (@) After the snippet was uploaded, Cain took to her Instagram stories to say that Rey blocked her on the platform. (@) Rey later cleared some things up in the comments section of @PopBase's Instagram and wrote about why she feels there is bad blood between her and Cain. "I didnt know who Ethel was until a few years ago when someone brought to my attention the disturbing and graphic side-by-side images she would often put up of me next to unflattering creatures and cartoon characters, making constant comments about my weight, I was confused at what she was getting at," the comments read. "Then, when I heard what she was saying behind closed doors from mutual friends and started inserting herself into my personal life, I was definitely disturbed. (@) Their beef seems to date all the way back to 2018 when Cain was posting on the CuriousCat platform and uploaded some racist posts that were recently resurfaced, and she's since apologized for. In 2020, she began to criticize Rey online and in interviews after people had repeatedly compared the two artists.Both of the singers' fans want them to move on from this spat, and everyone is hoping the two will have a Lorde/Charli XCX moment where they work things out on the remix. But, knowing Rey, that doesn't seem likely.

Check out these exciting queer movies!We're more than halfway through 2025, but many of the year's most anticipated movies have yet to come out. And in a year that's already gifted audiences cinematic works like Ponyboi, The Wedding Banquet, Enigma, and Heightened Scrutiny, this, of course, includes plenty of top-notch queer films.Here are the comedies, dramas, romances, and period pieces that you should be sure to check out in the second half of 2025.'Honey Don't!' (August 22)Tricia Cooke and husband Ethan Coen are back with the second film in their "lesbian B-movie trilogy" (following 2024's Drive-Away Dolls), and Margaret Qualley is back with them. This time, Qualley plays Honey O'Donahue, a private investigator in Bakersfield, California. When she's not flirting with a cop played by Aubrey Plaza, Honey is on the case, investigating a suspicious death and a charismatic cult leader played by Chris Evans.'Twinless' (September 5)James Sweeney wrote, directed, and stars opposite Dylan O'Brien in this dark comedy about two young men who form a close connection after meeting in a bereavement group for people who have lost a twin. As their relationship gets more intimate, lies start to build, secrets come out, and things get twisted. And if that weren't intriguing enough, O'Brien plays his own twin.'The Threesome' (September 5)In Chad Hartigan's new romantic comedy, Jonah Hauer-King plays Connor, a lovesick young man who finally secures a date with his longtime crush, Olivia (Zoey Deutch). But Connor's plans for a romantic night out are upended when they meet a woman named Jenny (Ruby Cruz). The three have a threesome, and in a twist, both women end up pregnant. But that doesn't put a stop to the laughs, thanks to a very funny supporting cast featuring Jaboukie Young-White and Josh Segarra.'The History of Sound' (September 12)South African director Oliver Hermanus' The History of Sound is an atmospheric historical romance about two men, Lionel (Paul Mescal) and David (Josh O'Connor), who meet in 1917 at the Boston Conservatory. In 1920, David comes home after being drafted to fight in World War I, and the two travel the country together collecting folk songs and rekindling their moody romance.'Plainclothes' (September 19)Writer and director Carmen Emmi's debut feature film takes place in 1990s New York, where a young and handsome police officer named Lucas (Tom Blyth) is tasked with going to popular gay cruising spots and entrapping men who try to have sex with him. One day, he meets an older man, Andrew (Russell Tovey), and eventually falls in love, which changes everything.'Kiss of the Spider Woman' (October 10)Legendary filmmaker Bill Condon (Chicago) has tackled a new film adaptation of the stage musical by Terrence McNally, John Kander, and Fred Ebb about a political prisoner (Diego Luna) who is forced to share a prison cell with a queer and trans prisoner (Tonatiuh) arrested for public indecency. This throwback to the musicals of Hollywood's Golden Age features brilliant performances by its two leads, as well as Jennifer Lopez, who plays the titular spider woman.'After the Hunt' (October 17)Italian auteur Luca Guadagnino (Challengers) is back with another twisted tale of love and obsession. After the Hunt follows a college professor (Julia Roberts) who must make a difficult decision when one of her favorite students (Ayo Edebiri) accuses her close friend and colleague (Andrew Garfield) of sexual assault.'Peter Hujar's Day' (November 7)Ben Whishaw and Rebecca Hall star in director Ira Sachs' (Passages) tribute to the real-life friendship between photographer Peter Hujar and writer Linda Rosenkrantz. Based on recorded conversations between the creatives, this intimate film follows a day spent together in New York in 1974.'Wicked: For Good' (November 21)The next installment in Jon M. Chu's Wicked double feature comes out later this year, after the first film proved to be a smash hit in 2024. Cynthia Erivo returns as Elphaba and Ariana Grande returns as Glinda to finish out Chu's two-part adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical featuring queer anthems like Defying Gravity. Joining them on their journey back to Oz is Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Marissa Bode, Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh, and the rest of the central cast from the first film.

Law Roach is a breath of fresh air on television. From Legendary to RuPaul's Drag Race, he brings helpful feedback and sartorial experience to every program on which he serves as a judge. However, it appears that not everyone is appreciative of his critical eye.The self-proclaimed "image architect" is currently serving as a judge on the most recent season of Project Runway. And since the season began airing, his critiques are being blasted for being mean, harsh, or rude. Most of that has to do with the fact that people are uncomfortable with being uncomfortable and on top of that, Law is an effeminate queer Black man who is not afraid to be abrasive. @leonelaonscreen IM WEAK #projectrunway #lawroach #fyp #foryoupage #tvshow In last weeks episode, the designers presented their looks for the main challenge. When the bottom three contestants looks were brought back (which included RuPaul's Drag Race alum Utica), Law was the most vocal about the quality of craftsmanship that the designers delivered, saying, I did not come to work and get this beautiful glam to look at a bunch of fucking ugly clothes. Im sorry. I am pissed off. Im mad.A Reddit thread posted to the r/ProjectRunway subreddit about Law discussed his inclusion on this season. And while the original poster wrote about how much they loved having him on, almost all of the feedback Laws gotten as a judge has been largely negative. Law as a judge is one of the worst aspects to me. I find him just mean and not funny, one user replied to the thread. Law is making this season a bit unenjoyable for me, another commented.He did have people in his corner, with one person pointing out, Hes real, hes not mean. He tore up one of the twins [one week] and they came back to win the challenge.The delivery of his feedback for the designers was abrasive, but that comes with a deep understanding and appreciation for fashion, along with knowing the capabilities of the contestants. Law also has the rsum to back it up he is the creative mind behind Zendayas most memorable Met Gala and red carpet looks, in addition to styling the one and only Celine Dion. There's also Anne Hathaway, Ariana Grande, Tom Holland, Megan Thee Stallion, Tyla, Dua Lipa, Kerry Washington, Hunter Schaefer, and Lewis Hamilton, to name a few. So to say that his expertise runs deep would be an understatement. @blakfoxx The casting of #LawRoach on #ProjectRunway... PERFECTION I love his take no prisoners attitude to judging. Unapologetic and unfiltered. I'm all in and welcome back to my favorite judge #NinaGarcia There is an exchange between him and Heidi Klum in the season premiere that sums up the cultural moment we are currently in. When the judges were reviewing the episodes top contestants, Law singled out a look that he hated. Hate is such a big word, Klum said to Law. To which he rebutted, No, its not, its only four letters. This is the energy needed on reality television quick-witted, sharp, and confident commentary that counteracts the drab placating we are being inundated with.In popular culture (and more specifically, reality television competition shows), there is a culture of hand-holding that is plaguing the programs we watch. Most, if not all, judges are now afraid of having their critiques clipped and being the center of online discourse. This then leads them to go the safe route being polite and saying they did or didnt like something with a softball criticism to soften the blow. This is not Laws approach, and we thank him for it. He comes in like a bulldozer and doesnt seem to care whether or not a critique hurts your feelings.His judging style is reminiscent of a time on shows from the late 2000s and early 2010s like American Idol and X-Factor, where Simon Cowell made a name for himself as the harshest critic on television. While his criticisms could be harsh, they meant that his praise meant more. If you could impress him, you were golden. But even with the extensive background in fashion and styling, turning out some of the most iconic red carpet looks of all time and becoming one of the most in-demand stylists in Hollywood, that same grace isnt given to Law. If Law were white and/or straight, he would be just as (if not more) revered as Cowell, Gordon Ramsay on Hell's Kitchen, or Paul Hollywood on The Great British Bake Off. And let's be real: While many fans tune into reality competitions for the fashion, cuisine, performances, etc., many also expect the creative, witty, and yes, harsh critique that occurs when contestants flop. (See the splendid supercut of former Project Runway judge Michael Kors.) Competitions may be focused on an art form, but they are also obliged to make good TV, which both contestants and viewers should anticipate.It seems that TV viewers are not used to this level of critique from Law because on RuPauls Drag Race, the judging is meant to be a bit more lighthearted. Yes, the queens are wearing gorgeous looks, but its a different lane of fashion than what Project Runway delivers, which is why Law is exponentially harder on the contestants here than he has been on other judging panels.The indifference plague that is infecting our television screens only has one cure: Law Roach. Judges shouldnt sit on panels if theyre not willing to engage with art critically. No matter what type of art it is: singing, styling, baking, dancing, etc. All art is meant to be critiqued, unraveled, dissected, and unpacked. Its supposed to be loved or hated; indifference is worse than love or hate, and Law is teaching us that criticism, when done right, is uncomfortable yet exhilarating. It's also an art form in and of itself.Moises Mendez II is a staff writer at Out magazine. Follow him on Instagram @moisesfenty.Voices is dedicated to featuring a wide range of inspiring personal stories and impactful opinions from the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Visit out.com/submit to learn more about submission guidelines. We welcome your thoughts and feedback on any of our stories. Email us at voices@equalpride.com. Views expressed in Voices stories are those of the guest writers, columnists, and editors, and do not directly represent the views of Out or our parent company, equalpride.

The Biggest Loser was one of the biggest things in reality TV for 18 seasons.The competition show featured a group of contestants battling to lose weight between challenges, temptations, and video cameras. The long-standing series featured Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels as cohosts.Sign up for the Out Newsletter to keep up with what's new in LGBTQ+ culture and entertainment delivered three times a week straight (well) to your inbox!Nine years after the show went off the air, Netflix is releasing a new documentary about the show, Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser. While promoting the new doc, Harper who also appeared on the third season of The Traitors tells The Guardian he is "really proud" of his time on the show.During the interview with The Guardian, Harper joked about a particular scene concerning Joelle Gwynn. "That Joelle, she just does not like me, does she?" he asked, adding he has "learned to not take things personally."For context, the doc features Gwynn telling Harper, "Fuck you, Bob Harper. Oh, and your little dog too," when recalling a time that Harper screamed at her to "shut the fuck up" after she failed a treadmill exercise.When the idea that the show contributed to anti-fat attitudes was brought up, Harper dismissed it as "stupid.""The trolls that are out there just want to attack in any way, because people are going to have such a strong opinion when it comes to weight loss."Multiple studies have shown that indeed, "anti-fat attitudes increase after brief exposure to weight-loss reality television."When Harper is confronted with the fact that most of the contestants on the show gained their weight back after it ended, he admits that "the success rate overall is very low," adding that "it's really sad, but it's such a reality."He says that he tries "not to have too many regrets" in his life, but does admit that a few things on the show including one moment where he told a contestant it was "good" she threw up because it would help her lose weight were things he "shouldn't have" done."You also have to remember, everyone that came on Loser, we were all adults," he adds."I knew what the show represented to me," Harper says. "I have nothing but a good experience and really good memories."

What began as a discussion about President Donald Trumps unprecedented takeover of the Kennedy Center Honors unraveled into a live-television free-for-all on CNN, veering in minutes from arts programming to slavery, white supremacy, and transgender athletes.On NewsNight, host Abby Phillip opened with the news that Trump had not only handpicked the 2025 honorees, boasting he was 98 percent involved, but would also host the televised ceremony, a sharp break from decades of tradition in which presidents have sat in the balcony as spectators. Usually when the honorees are announced, you dont see the president doing a press conference at the Kennedy Center, Phillip said. Its not a political thing. Its a celebration of American art.Related: Fresh off taking control of D.C. police, Trump announces hell host CBS's Kennedy Center Honors TV broadcastU.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres, a gay New York Democrat, called the move the opposite of the Oprah effect, accusing Trump of poisoning what is an iconic and historically bipartisan institution. Democratic strategist Julie Roginsky went further, saying it was part of a larger cultural campaign: Hes literally reviewing parts of American history to make sure it comports with dear leader and what MAGA wants. Earlier in the week, the Trump administration instructed the Smithsonian to conduct a review of its content and make corrections to exhibits that didnt comply with Trumps vision of American excellence.Thats when Jillian Michaels, the lesbian fitness personality who wrote that she was not proud to be LGBTQ+ in a June Daily Mail Pride Month op-ed that railed against leather daddies, drag shows, and corporate stunts, jumped in. Can we address some of those things that are in there? Because have you looked at some of the things that are being reviewed? she asked. (@) Yes. Slavery, Roginsky replied.Hes not whitewashing slavery, Michaels shot back. And you cannot tie imperialism and racism and slavery to just one race, which is pretty much what every single exhibit does.Torres countered: Slavery in America was white supremacy.Less than 2 percent of white Americans owned slaves, Michaels replied, adding that Americans were the first race to try to end slavery. Phillip pressed her on whether she was disputing that slavery in the United States was about race. Every single thing is like, white people bad, and thats just not the truth, Michaels insisted, citing a Cuban migration exhibit she claimed was framed that way.Then, abruptly, Michaels pivoted to the Smithsonians Change Your Game exhibit, a family-friendly installation about sports innovation, to argue against transgender athletes in womens sports. She dismissed the exhibits discussion of gender testing as complex, calling it basic science XX chromosome, XY chromosome.Do you know that when you walk in the front door, the first thing that you see is the gay flag? Michaels had complained earlier in the segment.Related: Drag artists who crashed Donald Trump's first Kennedy Center show want him to know: 'You cant erase us'First of all, we dont have time to litigate all of this, Phillip interjected.Of course we dont, Michaels replied, accusing Phillip of trying to racialize her comments.Just to be clear, you brought up race, Phillip said. This was a conversation about the arts, and you brought up slavery and the question of whether it was about race. The answer is yes. Slavery in the United States is about race.Axios media reporter Sara Fisher eventually steered the conversation back to the Kennedy Center, noting that while Trumps honoree list wasnt the most MAGA ceremony ever, his decision to host and his allies moves to rename the venue marked a new phase in politicizing an institution once considered above the partisan fray.

Luke Macfarlane knows what turns him on!Bros and Platonic star was a guest on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen when he revealed some spicy secrets about his love life.Sign up for the Out Newsletter to keep up with what's new in LGBTQ+ culture and entertainment delivered three times a week straight (well) to your inbox!Cohen had Rose Byrne, Seth Rogan, and Luke Macfarlane on his show to talk about their series Platonic. During the episode, he had Macfarlane and Byrne play a cheeky game of Pillow Talk. The game features Cohen and the celebs holding a pillow up to their ear and answering questions about their love lives.Cohen started by asking the two who their first celebrity crushes were. "Kylie Minogue," Byrne answered."Controversially, it was Mark Wahlberg," Macfarlane said. Mark Wahlberg for Calvin Klein.Calvin Klein Later, Cohen asked Macfarlane what his "oddest turn on" is."I like sticky-outy ears when people have sticky-outy ears," Macfarlane said, pressing his ears out. "I find it really sexy when a guy has sticky-outty ears.""Big Alfred E. Neuman fan?" Rogan joked."Oh, you do! So like, Russell Tovey?" Cohen offered."Russell Tovey has sticky-outy ears," Macfarlane agreed before smiling and giggling. Russell Tovey in 'The Pass.'Toledo ProductionsCohen's next question for Macfarlane was asking him to describe himself "as a lover in three words.""Listen, touch, kiss," Macfarlane answered after thinking about it for a moment.Finally, Cohen asked him when he last cried."Being in New York City today, I was walking down a street that I remember walking down when I was 19 years old when I first moved here," he said, making a pouty face and drawing "awws" from the audience. "I totally mean that."The second season of Platonic is streaming now on Apple TV+.Watch the full interview featuring Luke Macfarlane on Watch What Happens Live, below.

Netflix's smash hit animated movie KPop Demon Hunters just made pop music history. The film has become a global phenomenon, so much so that the titular song from the film, "Golden" by the fictional girl group Huntr/x just hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite appearing in a streaming film (with a stunning queer allegory, we have to mention), the songs have a stranglehold on TikTok and have even been played at clubs and music festivals. "Golden," sung by songwriters EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI, is a certified banger that marks the first time a girl group has topped the chart in almost exactly 24 years, and the first time a Korean girl group has achieved the feat. - YouTube www.youtube.com You read that right! It's been 24 years since any girl group had the most popular song in the U.S. The last girl group to top the chart wasn't Pussycat Dolls, Fifth Harmony, or even K-pop icons BLACKPINK, but pop/R&B sensation Destiny's Child. The group's last No. 1 was "Bootylicious" in 2001. A cultural moment in its own right, the song (led by Beyonc, of course) sampled Stevie Nicks' "Edge of Seventeen," and the word bootylicious was later added to the dictionary. For a fictional girl group to top the chart 24 years later proves that fans yearn for synchronization, harmonization, and soaring vocals but what does it say about the real-life girl groups of today?Sign up for the Out Newsletter to keep up with what's new in LGBTQ+ culture and entertainment delivered three times a week straight (well) to your inbox!Girl groups are staples in music across the globe and have been throughout the documented history of music but after oversaturation in the 90s and 2000s, their popularity waned in the U.S. in the 2010s as pop and R&B took a backseat to the rise of hip-hop. "Don't Cha" by the Pussycat Dolls plateaued at the No. 2 spot on the chart. Fifth Harmony was arguably the biggest girl group in the 2010s, but their highest-performing song, "Work From Home," peaked at No. 4.Funnily enough, as traditional pop music began to decline in the 2010s, K-pop's popularity began to rise in the U.S. The tight choreography and refreshing pop melodies felt new and exciting to American audiences. The global takeovers of K-pop groups BTS and BLACKPINK in the late 2010s ushered in a new era of girl and boy groups around the globe. For perhaps the first time in a major way, American audiences began paying attention to Korean groups and they began influencing our culture. All of a sudden, groups like NewJeans, Aespa, TWICE, and ILLIT became a part of our zeitgeist, have their own TikTok trends, are played in clubs and DJ events, and are streamed around the world.Perhaps this made way for the rise of the fictional group Huntr/x. KPop Demon Hunters has become Netflix's most-watched animated movie, with over 180 million views, and has become the second most-watched movie on the platform ever, according to The Washington Post. The film is even heading to theaters for the first time with a sing-along event. K-pop has gone global it's undeniable!But when will that happen for an IRL girl group? - YouTube www.youtube.com Real-life K-pop groups like BLACKPINK and TWICE are still quite popular and seem primed for their breakout singles. We also have budding Western groups like KATSEYE, Flo, and Say Now, who are all rapidly gaining popularity. But will these IRL girl groups have a chance of hitting No. 1?If we had to put money on it, we'd say KATSEYE certainly has what it takes to go all the way. They also have the K-pop influence, as the starring girls were trained under the K-pop hitmaking label HYBE. KATSEYE's breakout performance at Lollapalooza earlier this month proves they have the fans and the star power. Perhaps they just need the breakthrough song... In the meantime, we'll just keep singing "Golden" on repeat.

David Geffen has firmly denied the accusations of financial abuse and "exploitation" made by his estranged husband, Donovan Michaels, filing a response to his ex's lawsuit on Wednesday.The out gay billionaire said in the filing, first obtained by TMZ, that he never agreed to financially support Michaels for life as he claimed in the lawsuit. He also denied Michaels' allegations that he forced him to use drugs and undergo cosmetic procedures, claiming that Michaels did those of his own volition. Geffen, 82, and Michaels, 32, married in 2023 with no prenup. Geffen filed for divorce in April of this year, citing "irreconcilable differences." Michaels filed a response in May requesting spousal support, then later filed a lawsuit in July accusing Geffen of breach of contract and exploitation. Related: David Geffen sued by estranged husband Donovan Michaels, accused of 'exploitation' Geffen said that he initiated the divorce because Michaels was taking advantage of his "good nature and generosity," accusing the younger of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on OnlyFans subscriptions and male prostitutes in the final months of their marriage. Geffen also claimed that Michaels used his money to purchase expensive clothes, vacations, and cosmetic procedures. Michaels said in his lawsuit that Geffen was the one who made him get the cosmetic procedures, claiming that the billionaire would often make back-handed insults and put-downs about his past and lack of sophistication. He accused Geffen of forcing him to get painful laser treatments and dental treatments," but said that he still critiqued every aspect of Michaels appearance and carefully controlled Michaels with respect to all aspects of his body hygiene."Michaels also accused Geffen of requiring sexual access at will, including acts Michaels found degrading," and giving him drugs and alcohol as tools of coercion lowering his resistance and increasing his dependency," which resulted in him developing an addiction.Geffen refuted the claims in his new filing, claiming that Michaels hid his use of ketamine and cocaine from him, and continued to use it even after Geffen offered to pay for addiction treatment. Michaels' lawsuit claimed that Geffen breached an oral agreement between the couple "by denying Michaels full financial support" and demanding that he "immediately vacate the New York residence, which would effectively render Michaels homeless. Geffen refuted this as well, asserting that Michaels is still living in one of his New York apartments for free and receiving monthly payments from him.

Are you ready for this Boots?!See on InstagramNetflix's upcoming LGBTQ+ series, Boots, centers on Cameron Cope (Miles Heizer) and his best friend Ray McAffey (Liam Oh) navigating a tough and volatile environment in the Marine Corps in the 1990s. Cameron happens to be closeted, and goes on to join a "diverse group of recruits" who try to do their best while serving the Marines.Boots is a TV adaptation of The Pink Marine, a memoir written by former US Marine Greg Cope White.Some folks are into that, so we're happy for them.Netflix's official blog, Tudum, describes Boots as a show all about "friendship, resilience, and finding your place in the world even when that world seems determined to keep you in line or leave you behind."Vera Farmiga, the icon that you are.Heizer's character, Cameron, reportedly lives with his "narcissistic mother," Barbara, who is played by Vera Farmiga. A character description notes that "Barbara is a chameleon and someone who's always on the run due to the consequences of her actions but she becomes unmoored when Cameron ships out."Miles Heizer staring right at us."Boots was easily the hardest and most fun thing I've ever been a part of," Heizer told Tudum. "The show is interesting because it manages to find the humor in a very intense experience, which is the only way to live, in my opinion! It's also rare in that it's 50% acting and 50% actually struggling through training and DI screams."We're shipping these two already.Ray the son of a strict Marine father is Cameron's closest and most loyal best friend. The character, played by Oh, "carries the pressure of having to be best at all times," but that becomes a bit harder once he actually gets to boot camp.These two mean business."There really isn't another show like Boots. It's very funny, uplifting, and has a particularly great soundtrack. You'll laugh, you'll cheer, and I'm sorry, but you'll probably cry as well," Heizer warned fans in his interview with Tudum.Is the bus still running?Bald on bald on bald.With an eight-episode run, Boots is a project from series creator and co-showrunner Andy Parker, showrunner Jennifer Cecil, and the late, great Normal Lear credited as an executive producer.Oh, heyyy!Heizer told Tudum, "Due to the group nature of boot camp, we were essentially together all day, every day of filming and got incredibly close. In a way, the show sort of mirrors our real experience of meeting, coming together, and forming a very deep bond by the end. I truly feel a phantom boot camp connection to all of these boys."These boots are made for walking And running.Another standout character is Sgt. Sullivan (Max Parker), who's described as the "consummate elite Recon Marine. He has been decorated for valor on numerous top-secret missions, but struggles to keep his own secret hidden. Haunted by his past, Sullivan sees himself in Cameron and tries to prepare him for the same personal war he'll face beyond boot camp."Judgmental faces from Vera Farmiga? Sign us up.Overall, Boots is being marketed as a one-hour comedic drama with an "irreverent, off-beat take on the coming-of-age story."We can't wait to see it!Boots premieres on October 9 on Netflix.

There are so many types of lesbians these days that it can be hard to keep track of what all of the labels mean. There are everything from butches and studs, high femmes and pillow princesses, to Hey Mamas and lipstick lesbians. The lesbian experience is expansive and diverse, which is why there are so many ways to identify yourself to the rest of the community. But whether you love a label or chafe against them, it can be helpful to know what they all mean. One of the other terms youve probably heard tossed around is chapstick lesbian, but what does it mean, and where did the term come from? So find out all of deets, we talked to Sofie Roos, a bisexual licensed sexologist, relationship therapist, and author at relationship magazine Passionerad, who was able to break it all down for us. What is a chapstick lesbian, and where did the term originate?A chapstick lesbian is someone who lands somewhere in the gray area between masculine and feminine. The clever term describes a sapphic who presents in both masculine and feminine ways so that they dont fit neatly into the butch/femme dichotomy. The lesbian term comes from the stereotype of sapphics who just uses chapstick, which doesn't give them that classic feminine look, but still arent only masculine in their presentation, Roos tells PRIDE. It probably orginiated in the '90s and was popularized by Ellen DeGeneres on her sitcom Ellen when she told fictional parents that she would be a chapstick lesbian.So if a lipstick lesbian is high femme, then a chapstick lesbian is more low maintenance and straddles the line between femme and butch. Roos says there is also a lot of overlap with the terms soft butch, futch, or even stem and stud-fem if you are a Black chapstick lesbian.How does it present?Since chapstick lesbians are a mix of masculine and feminine, it might mean that she like to wear makeup sometimes, but wont go out in high heels and a mini skirt and their vibe tends to be more relaxed that a femme, though this will vary between sapphics.A typical chapstick lesbian can wear big baggy jeans, a tight top, no makeup, messy hair and black boots one day, and the other wear a cute little dress with light makeup, Roos explains. Their look can be a bit androgynous, often in the landscape where you cant tell if the clothes are bought at the men's or women's section, or that they mix between feminine and masculine clothing in one outfit or simply just rocks what the heck they want and doesn't care if it's for men or women, and mix as they please!How is it different than a 'Hey Mamas lesbian?Hey Mamas lesbians and chapstick lesbians are similar but not interchangeable terms. Hey Mamas is someone who like chapstick lesbian doesnt fit completely into the butch stereotype, but they also tend to wear more traditionally masculine clothing and backwards baseball hats and a major feature their knack for picking up women by saying, Hey mama.A chapstick lesbian is often more low-key and casual in their vibe, while a 'hey mamas lesbian tends to be more outgoing and flirty in their approach, Roos says. So even though they can dress similarly, the big difference is in their overall vibe!How is it different from other masc of center lesbians?According to Roos, chapstick lesbians tend to mix masculinity and femininity in a way that feels a bit more soft and girlish as opposed to being overtly masculine. So while many masc of center lesbians are more rebellious and stand out in their masculine expression, a chapstick lesbian comes off as more casual and melts in more with their style, being in the middle land, she says.Who can be a chapstick lesbian? How does gender interact with this identity?This is a sapphic term, meaning that ALL queer women can describe themselves as chapstick lesbians if they feel it describes their vibe and style because being a chapstick lesbian is not only about clothing, even though many think so its also about the attitude thats both girlish and boyish at the same time, Roos explains.But in the end, gender expression is expansive and complicated, so just because the word lesbian is part of the chapstick lesbian label doesnt mean that it cant apply to whoever feels it fits them, regardless of gender identity.

Reality TV star and lesbian icon Gabby Windey and queer pop star Rene Rapp are having the most sapphic conversation ever recorded by getting candid about two hotly debated lesbian topics: scissoring and strap-ons.Rapp appeared on Thursdays episode of Long Winded with Gabby Windey, and the two women didnt hold back when talking about sapphic sex.The chat started with Windey opening up about people questioning her gayness when she first came out, after rising to fame as a contestant on The Bachelor. That was a question I kind of got in the beginning, theyre like, Do you feel gay enough? Im like, Im fully having sex with a girl, what do you mean? Im pretty gay, Windey joked. Youre like, Im literally eating box. Youre questioning whether Im gay enough, this sucks, Rapp commiserated.See on InstagramThen, Windey brought up one of her favorite topics to discuss and one Rapp is not shy about either.Literally. Like Im scissoring, fully, Windey said, bringing up her marriage to comedian Robby Hoffman. I earned it, its not just a front, I married it. Rapp chimed in, This is real. Were real-life scissoring in this bitch.Windey then asked the question on everyones mind and one she asks many of her guests, Do you scissor?Love scissoring, the "Leave Me Alone singer admitted. "Because some people are like noooo, no, no, no, and like are we dense? Of course! Windey said that Hoffman isnt into scissoring, but she loves it, Im always begging to scissor.Unlike Hoffman, Rapp agreed that scissoring is amazing. She even defended the infamous lesbian sex act when she was on the TikTok show Gaydar. Of course, its so fun, she said. "Also, just the thought of being like, Oh no, were scissoring.' Its so sick, its so cool. Like wait, not us scissoring, its kind of cute.Windey agreed, Like I want to bump and grind. It feels animalistic, it feels primal. It just feels like sex.Not one to shy away from personal questions about sex, Windey asked the 25-year-old singer if she uses a strap-on. Yes, its a necessity, dick me down, Rapp proudly declared.See on InstagramWhen Windey asked if Rapp if she or her girlfriend Towa Bird liked to top when strapping, Rapp, who has admitted to being a pillow princess in the past, said she thinks she more of a switch than she actually is.My current girlfriend, shell like out masc me every time. Not that you have to be masc to use a strap, she said.Rapp then mentioned wearing a strap-on in a photo with friends at a gay club, and her love of colorful dildos. Like its silicone and its purple and pink. Like this shit is fun. This is games. We need to be sucking strap in the club more, Rapp said.Robby and I do like the flesh colored ones. Have you ever seen them? We love them, Windey admitted.At first, Rapp doesnt believe, The ones that actually look like skin?Windey continued, We get very realistic kinds. Its so expensive. Yeah, weve invested so much money, but its because she calls me Goldicocks.The Traitors star said she thinks she likes them because shes used to sleeping with men, and Hoffman just happens to like them too. Then, Windey tried to convince a very skeptical Rapp to move away from the brightly colored models and try out a realistic dildo. You can pick skin colors. Theres all kinds. Theres circumcised, not circumcised. Theres big balls, little balls, Windey said.Rapp shrieks and says, That one has to go, no, no, no, no, thats where I draw the line. That scares the shit out of me.Other queer celebs are going to have to try really hard to have a conversation more sapphic than that!

It's that time of year again -- the Out100 approaches! Every year since 1994, Out has compiled a prestigious list of the year's most impactful and influential LGBTQ+ people.And you, our readers, have an important role to play.Help us choose the 2025 Out100 by nominating the changemakers across queer culture -- from music, drag, film, television, theater, sports, politics, business, and fashion. Submit your nominations below before 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 24. (Can't see the submission form? Click here.)Out editors will compile a list of finalists for a second round of voting beginning Aug. 25!

Let's be real... country music is so queer.Chris Housman is pushing the gay agenda by being his truly authentic self in his very relatable music.The musician's popular singles such as "Guilty as Sin," "Blueneck," and "Drag Queen" have really resonated with anyone in the LGBTQ+ community raised in a conservative environment."I'm constantly trying to take the country music I grew up on and put a queer perspective on it. I think we need that so bad. It's intimidating and even a little bit scary to tackle something so intense, maybe even controversial," Housman tells PRIDE. See on Instagram Housman is taking things up a notch with his steamy music video for his new single "Hidin' Something," which also stars The Real Housewives of Orange County out star Braunwyn Windham-Burke.In the video, Housman discovers that the man he's been seeing has a secret wife, played by Windham-Burke. Upon this discovery, Housman and Windham-Burke team up to extract their revenge."She was so perfect! She absolutely slayed. It was so fun to watch her in that element. It was really cool that the three of us are queer, depicting this story."The singer is so grateful that many queer people of all ages can relate to his struggles of being gay in a conservative area."I've literally seen people coming out in the comments on music videos of mine. It becomes bigger than the dream of chasing music when it's at that point. I'm so stoked about it, and I feel like I'm just getting started, hopefully."Fans can follow Chris Housman on Instagram here. To see the full interview, check out the video at the top of the page.

This September, Atlanta will host Haus of Move Campa 3-day immersive sync songwriting and music industry development experience designed for Black and Brown trans and queer artists, songwriters, and producers. Taking place September 2628, the camp is a program of the 2AM Ricky M.O.V.E. (Mobilizing Opportunities for Visibility and Empowerment) Initiative and powered by Blaze [...]The post Haus of Move Camp: Building Power & Creativity for Black and Brown LGBTQ+ Artists first appeared on GLAAD.

Donald Trump's takeover of Washington, D.C., isn't just about wielding power over the Metropolitan Police Department. He's also set his sights on taking control of the Kennedy Center Honors.The annual celebration of people who have significantly contributed to American culture is typically a nonpartisan affair. But earlier this year, Trump announced he was taking over the Kennedy Center board of trustees and making himself chairmanciting the center hosting what he referred to as "Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth." And now, he has announced his first list of Kennedy Center Honors recipients, saying that he chose "98 percent" of them and rejected several "woke" options.Trump's honorees include country singer George Strait, Phantom of the Opera star Michael Crawford, actor Sylvester Stallone, the band KISS, and singer Gloria Gaynor.For many, that last name doesn't fit with the others: Gaynor is a Black woman, and her best-known song, "I Will Survive," is considered a gay anthem. But The View cohost Ana Navarro went as far as calling out Gaynor directly via Instagram.See on InstagramIn her post, Navarro recalled meeting Gaynor at a concert in Miami, where the singer gifted her a keychain that played "I Will Survive" when you pressed a button. "Lets just say, during first Trump term, I pressed it til it ran out of batteries," Navarro wrote.She then turned to Gaynor being named among the recipients of this year's Kennedy Center Honors, pointing out that Trump plans to host the ceremony. "Look, the woman is a goddess and deserves all the flowers that come her way. But I wish she wouldnt accept an award from the hands of a man who has attacked the rights and history of women, people of color and LGBTQ. The gay community in particular, helped turn her signature song into an anthem," she wrote. "Trump is a stain on the prestige and significance of the KCH. Dont do it, Gloria!"While "I Will Survive" is one of the all-time definitive gay anthems, Gaynor has historically obfuscated when asked about her allyship. In a 2007 interview with Radio 4 in the U.K., Gaynor was asked about her feelings on being a gay icon and responded with, "I feel good about it because I feel it is a platform for my purpose, which is to bring the love of Christ to all of my fans."When asked if she has a "religious opposition to homosexuality," Gaynor said, "I want to lead them to Christ and what he has for them. I want to lead them to him, I want to lead them to truth." When pressed further, she added, "I want to lead them to Christ, simply, and whatever he has for them."In 2019, Gaynor was asked about those comments in an NPR interview and once again spoke about being guided by her faith. "I'm not against anybody. I just am a full believer that God knows and wants only what's best for each and every one of us and is the only one that can bring it to pass if we rely on him. That is the beginning and end of my thoughts about it," she said.She then emphasized that she has plenty of gay people in her life, including family members and employees, and they all "know that I will go to my grave loving them." However, she also said she agrees "with the word of God from Genesis to Revelations [sic].""So none of what I feel about homosexuality or my faith in God and my absolute belief in the Bible, which I believe to be the word of God, has anything to do with my - has - none of it taints my ability to love them. And I think that is what is important," she said.Gaynor has yet to publicly comment.

This week Elska celebrates its 10-year anniversary. During this time, the project has published over 50 issues, spotlighting local men from LGBTQ+ communities around the world. To commemorate this milestone, a print publication titled Ten Years of Elska: Special Retrospective has been released. Inside, a collection of Elska's favorite stories and portraits has been selected.Matt M., Belfast, Northern Ireland, Issue #31The compendium reects Elskas celebration of honesty and diversity. Instead of models or celebrities, the men featured are beautifully ordinary and appealingly imperfect. And instead of highly edited and polished writing, the texts are real, raw and sometimes random. Alongside tales of coming out in a Mormon town or falling in love on a road trip through Ukraine are a frank account of gender transition, a diatribe against homophobic society in Northern Ireland and even a lusty poem about foreskins.Ekin K. & Emrullah T., Istanbul, Turkey, Issue #6When I originally started Elska, my goal was simply to combine my love of travel, photography and men says Elska editor and chief photographer Liam Campbell. For the rst issue, I ew to Lviv, Ukraine and hoped to meet three or four local guys who I would photograph in the city and then publish some sort of little staple-bound zine. But everything just sort of exploded. I actually met 12 guys there and I ended up doing at-home nude portraits as well as vaguely editorial-style street shoots. Because of all this extra content, I had to expand my project into something more like a book. And then I had the idea to include stories, both my own chronicles about my journeys as well as stories contributed by the men I met, which made the publication grow even larger.Emmett C.R., San, Francisco, CA, USA, Issue# 41I am immensely grateful that Elska resonated so well, which has enabled me to keep going for all these years, continues Liam. I am also proud that Ive been able to do my work in my own way, publishing real rather than sensational stories and presenting images of regular people rather than those who t within the connes of conventional beauty standards. Ive always found ordinary people more compelling, and Im glad, as well as a little surprised, that so many others share my perspective. Because of them, Ive been able to take my project to over 50 cities around the world so far.Jay E., Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, Issue #49Elska's roster includes books made in well-known and lesser-known places, as well as in gay-friendly and not so gay-friendly societies. Cities on every continent of the world except Antarctica have been featured, including: Odesa (Ukraine), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Chisinau (Moldova), Taipei (Taiwan), Tbilisi (Georgia), San Francisco (California), Almaty (Kazakhstan), Cape Town (South Africa), Melbourne (Australia) and Dhaka (Bangladesh). When combined, a total of 827 dierent men have taken part in for Elska, and many more are on the way.Shaman E., Dhaka, Bangladesh, Issue #23Elska print books, including the new Ten Years of Elska: Special Retrospective are sold in select shops around the world and for order online. Also available are e-books, art prints, postcard sets and annual subscriptions, which include six books per year. More information can be found on the Elska website, elskamagazine.com.Faraz A., Mumbai, India, Issue #10See more of Elska's men of the world ahead.Yevhenii P., Odesa, Ukraine, Issue #50Nicholas S., Almaty, Kazakhstan, Issue #42Bruno V., Sao Paulo, Brazil, Issue #33John H., Melbourne, Australia, Issue #48Alonso R.L. & Juanmanuel E.B., Madrid, Spain, Issue #46Romero C., BuenosAires, Argentina, Issue #51Sasha K., Lviv, Ukraine, Issue #1

The Traitors is getting a new spinoff, featuring an all-civilian cast of Faithfuls and Traitors, to air on NBC. Given that NBCUniversal is the same parent company for Peacock and NBC, there is no change of plans regarding the original show featuring reality TV stars which will continue on Peacock. According to a statement, Alan Cumming will also host the new NBC show.Sign up for the Out Newsletter to keep up with what's new in LGBTQ+ culture and entertainment delivered three times a week straight (well) to your inbox!This unexpected announcement has been launched with open applications for non-famous contestants to join the cast of The Traitors on NBC, even though the new spinoff still has no premiere date on schedule (via The Hollywood Reporter).The first U.S. season of The Traitors on Peacock received mixed reactions due to its cast being made up of both celebrities and civilians which made the stakes feel lopsided between contestants who needed the money for their health and wellbeing in a competition against reality TV stars who didn't necessarily need the money that much.The official casting announcement on the platform for applicants (seen below) reads:"In this brand new version for NBC, you do not have to be a celebrity to play!We are looking for smart, strategic everyday people to compete in the ultimate game of trust, and treachery.Are you a FAITHFUL or are you a TRAITOR?Apply now for a chance of winning up to $250,000!"The spinoff is another production between NBC and Studio Lambert the existing partners of the Peacock series.At the bottom of the announcement, a warning indicates all applicants must be "at least 21 years of age and have a valid passport." Casting announcement for NBC's The Traitors.TheTraitorsUS.com The news of an all-civilian edition of The Traitors airing on broadcast television coincides with increased ratings and audience engagement for CBS reality competition such as Survivor and Big Brother. The latter, airing its 27th season on CBS, has seen a surprising increase in ratings all season long, as reported by Variety.NBC doesn't have any existing IP at the moment to compete with that category of shows, and moving Love Island USA to the broadcast would be a huge risk given that the first three seasons of the dating show didn't meet expectations for CBS, and most dating shows on broadcast TV are currently in a decline. Even the crown jewel of dating shows, The Bachelor franchise, continues to drop viewership, as reported by Collider. The state of Bachelor Nation has only gotten worse this summer, with The U.S. Sun reporting wildly disappointing numbers for the grand premiere of Bachelor In Paradise last month.In contrast, reality competition series on broadcast TV like Big Brother, Survivor, and even The Amazing Race all of which air on CBS continue to maintain an audience, and some of them are even growing in ratings. Netflix has also been mimicking that success with shows like Squid Game: The Challenge and several seasons of The Circle.NBC dominated the reality TV genre for a few years with the introduction of The Voice as an antidote to the formula of shows like American Idol. As of 2025, however, The Voice is the one losing viewers by the season to the point of even reducing its annual output of two seasons per year to only one season per year.This new Traitors spinoff on NBC not involving famous cast members would mimic a show like Big Brother. And, either way, it appears that the company will keep betting on Peacock's The Traitors. The cast of season 4 was recently announced, and a fifth cycle of the show has already been guaranteed to follow.This story is still developing

This week Elska celebrates its 10-year anniversary. During this time, the project has published over 50 issues, spotlighting local men from LGBTQ+ communities around the world. To commemorate this milestone, a print publication titled Ten Years of Elska: Special Retrospective has been released. Inside, a collection of Elska's favorite stories and portraits has been selected.Matt M., Belfast, Northern Ireland, Issue #31The compendium reects Elskas celebration of honesty and diversity. Instead of models or celebrities, the men featured are beautifully ordinary and appealingly imperfect. And instead of highly edited and polished writing, the texts are real, raw and sometimes random. Alongside tales of coming out in a Mormon town or falling in love on a road trip through Ukraine are a frank account of gender transition, a diatribe against homophobic society in Northern Ireland and even a lusty poem about foreskins.Ekin K. & Emrullah T., Istanbul, Turkey, Issue #6When I originally started Elska, my goal was simply to combine my love of travel, photography and men says Elska editor and chief photographer Liam Campbell. For the rst issue, I ew to Lviv, Ukraine and hoped to meet three or four local guys who I would photograph in the city and then publish some sort of little staple-bound zine. But everything just sort of exploded. I actually met 12 guys there and I ended up doing at-home nude portraits as well as vaguely editorial-style street shoots. Because of all this extra content, I had to expand my project into something more like a book. And then I had the idea to include stories, both my own chronicles about my journeys as well as stories contributed by the men I met, which made the publication grow even larger.Emmett C.R., San, Francisco, CA, USA, Issue# 41I am immensely grateful that Elska resonated so well, which has enabled me to keep going for all these years, continues Liam. I am also proud that Ive been able to do my work in my own way, publishing real rather than sensational stories and presenting images of regular people rather than those who t within the connes of conventional beauty standards. Ive always found ordinary people more compelling, and Im glad, as well as a little surprised, that so many others share my perspective. Because of them, Ive been able to take my project to over 50 cities around the world so far.Jay E., Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, Issue #49Elska's roster includes books made in well-known and lesser-known places, as well as in gay-friendly and not so gay-friendly societies. Cities on every continent of the world except Antarctica have been featured, including: Odesa (Ukraine), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Chisinau (Moldova), Taipei (Taiwan), Tbilisi (Georgia), San Francisco (California), Almaty (Kazakhstan), Cape Town (South Africa), Melbourne (Australia) and Dhaka (Bangladesh). When combined, a total of 827 dierent men have taken part in for Elska, and many more are on the way.Shaman E., Dhaka, Bangladesh, Issue #23Elska print books, including the new Ten Years of Elska: Special Retrospective are sold in select shops around the world and for order online. Also available are e-books, art prints, postcard sets and annual subscriptions, which include six books per year. More information can be found on the Elska website, elskamagazine.com.Faraz A., Mumbai, India, Issue #10See more of Elska's men of the world ahead.Yevhenii P., Odesa, Ukraine, Issue #50Nicholas S., Almaty, Kazakhstan, Issue #42Bruno V., Sao Paulo, Brazil, Issue #33John H., Melbourne, Australia, Issue #48Alonso R.L. & Juanmanuel E.B., Madrid, Spain, Issue #46Romero C., BuenosAires, Argentina, Issue #51Sasha K., Lviv, Ukraine, Issue #1

The executives at HBO Max have ripped away so many good things from us, and their most recent offense is ending And Just Like That... too soon. If I had my way, the show would be pried from my cold, dead hands, and I'd devour at minimum six more seasons of this Sex and the City sequel. But just like all good (or not so good) things, they must come to an end, and tonight's victim was AJLT. The studio heads gifted us with 10 episodes this season, making us believe at first that we had a long future to look forward to with these characters. However, the recent announcement that the third season would be the show's last forced us to say goodbye to Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) once again. (@) In a statement posted August 1 to social media, showrunner Michael Patrick King wrote that he, SJP (who also serves as an executive producer), Sarah Aubrey (head of HBO Max Originals), and Casey Bloys (CEO of HBO Max) all decided to end the series with a two-part finale. "SJP and I held off announcing the news until now because we didn't want the word 'final' to overshadow the fun of watching the season," the statement reads. "It's with great gratitude we thank all the viewers who have let these characters into their homes and their hearts over these many years."The series finale aired on HBO Max tonight, and the ending was serviceable. We got each character's storylines wrapped up in a hastily made bow, and the ending you would expect Carrie Bradshaw, AKA "The Woman," chose to bet on herself. But, as Carrie shimmied her way out of frame in her Gramercy Park oasis, I couldn't help but feel two things were missing: Che Diaz (Sara Ramirez) and the unmitigated joy of the chaos that came in the show's first season. Sarah Jessica Parker on 'And Just Like That'Courtesy of HBO MaxThe reason people loved to hate the show was that it was a cringe-fest with all of our favorite characters right in the center, not too dissimilar to AJLT's prequel series, Sex and the City. Carrie was the epitome of chaos as evidenced in this InStyle Magazine op-ed about how entertainingly tumultuous she was in the original series."Shes been dubbed a terrible friend, borderline stalker, and worst of all, cringe," the writer argued. "But all those internet critics miss one important point: Say what you will about her values, but a selfish, neurotic Carrie Bradshaw makes for great TV." And on this note, I agree. Maybe in your middle age, you care more about society's perception of you, but erasing all of the main character's self-assuredness dulls the show.When the show's main characters (sans Samantha, played by Kim Cattrall) graced the streets of New York once again, the writers threw everything at the wall. As many people have noted, the show felt like it was trying to import these ladies directly from 2006 into 2022, and we watched as they stumbled their way through the major cultural shifts we've seen take place over the last 20 years. Sarah Jessica Parker on 'And Just Like That'Courtesy of HBO MaxThe core group of women aged, they made new friends, their relationships were tested time and time again, and they also learned a lot about themselves. Enter Che Diaz, who became Miranda's (Cynthia Nixon) gay sexual awakening in the reboot's first season. Ever since they entered the SATCEU (Sex and the City extended universe), I couldn't stop thinking about them, and I wish they had more time together before falling victim to online vitriol. Everywhere you turned, there was discourse about the annoying nonbinary character on AJLT so much so that you would've thought they slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars.Che was the victim of blatant homophobia, and in the words of the late SATCEU character, Lexi Featherson, "No one's fun anymore. Whatever happened to fun? God, I'm so bored, I could die," except in this case, I'm not falling out of a window 18 stories up. Yeah, they were cringe. Yeah, they weren't the best comedian. Yes, they were kinda awful to Miranda. And were they not funny on Carrie's podcast (remember Carrie podcasting?), also yes! But we all need to remember, fictional queer people can be bad people too, and it's entertaining to watch. Live a little! See on Instagram Alas, we have to say goodbye to this outrageous and confusingly dressed show again. But Parker insists that it's not a goodbye, but a farewell. She's learned not to be final about Carrie and the SATCEU, and I hope this means that if we do get more from these ladies (and nonbinary individuals you too, Rock), they lean more into the camp and less into Carrie's fictional novel journey.Moises Mendez II is a staff writer at Out magazine. Follow him on Instagram @moisesfenty.Voices is dedicated to featuring a wide range of inspiring personal stories and impactful opinions from the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Visit out.com/submit to learn more about submission guidelines. We welcome your thoughts and feedback on any of our stories. Email us at voices@equalpride.com. Views expressed in Voices stories are those of the guest writers, columnists, and editors, and do not directly represent the views of Out or our parent company, equalpride.

The Birmingham Black Repertory Theatre Collective (BBRTC), an award-winning Black Queer-led grassroots theatre organization, is thrilled to announce Denim & Diamonds: A Southern Takeover, a one-night-only fundraising concert and gala held on September 17, 2025, at 5:00 PM at The Listening Room in Nashville, TN. Taking place on International Black Theatre Day, this dynamic, music-filled [...]The post Birmingham Black Repertory Theatre Collective Celebrates National Black Theatre Day with Star-Studded Fundraising Gala first appeared on GLAAD.

Peacemaker season 2 is finally being released on HBO Max, and John Cena is coming in hot (James Gunn-s ablazing, if you will) with a new trailer showing that the titular character has a bisexual orgy.Sign up for the Out Newsletter to keep up with what's new in LGBTQ+ culture and entertainment delivered three times a week straight (well) to your inbox!It's been three and a half years since the season 1 of Peacemaker, starring Cena as the main character, premiered on HBO Max. The series is finally coming back for season 2, and DC Universe (DCU) overseer James Gunn is having a blast with the actor in their promotional appearances for season 2.In one video, Cena and Gunn play a silly little game of would-you-rather. "Alright, you can stop an alien invasion, but you'd have to eliminated one of these," Gunn begins. "A) an alien intruder disguised as a bald eagle; or B) your Tinder date for the night."Cena replies, "I don't think he would eliminate a bald eagle, and if hehad to eliminate a Tinder date, he would just go to Grindr and find another date. The great thing about Peacemaker is that all apps are welcome, all the time." (@) In a new trailer, fans actually see Peacemaker creating some bisexual chaos in season 2. This next batch of episodes is described as Peacemaker "discovering an alternate world where life is everything that he wishes it could be."Gunn wrote all eight episodes of Peacemaker season 2, which has an exciting cast featuring Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Robert Patrick, Frank Grillo, David Denman, Sol Rodriguez, and Tim Meadows, to name a few.A hilarious conversation between Peacemaker (Cena) and Adrian Chase, a.k.a. Vigilante (Stroma) opens this latest red-band trailer for the HBO Max original series.Adrian walks into Peacemaker's place and see what seems to be over 10 naked bodies lying all around the place. It's clear that Peacemaker just had an orgy with them, and Adrian feels annoyed that he wasn't invited."You don't even seem that into sex," Cena says.Adrian replies, "I'm not into sex because, like a lot of people, it's an opportunity to bond with my best friend."Watch the official red band trailer below.Peacemaker season 2 premieres August 21 on HBO Max.

Get ready for the Kiss of the Spider Woman!Kiss of the Spider Woman stars Jennifer Lopez and Tonatiuh are Out Magazine's latest cover stars, looking like absolute royalty!Kiss of the Spider Woman debuted at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, and when I saw it there, it was my favorite movie of the festival! The film follows Valentin (Diego Luna), a political prisoner in Argentina who is surprised when he's put in a cell with Molina, a queer person arrested for public indecency.The two escape the horrors of prison through the stories Molina tells Valentin about their favorite movie, The Kiss of the Spider Woman. Told through fantasy sequences, the two cellmates imagine themselves as the stars of the Hollywood musical, starring alongside Molina's favorite movie star, Ingrid Luna (Jennifer Lopez).All three stars of the film are superb, and now, Tonatiuah and Lopez talk to Out about their experience making the film!"It was really a dream come true," Lopez says. "I've dreamt of doing a musical for so many years. For it to be one that is [a] movie about love and acceptance and community, especially in this time, to me it couldnt have been a better thing to happen."Tonatiuh, who is nonbinary, says that they loved having a chance to play a character who doesn't fit into easy gender boxes."As a performer, I just always found it so frustrating to get categorized in any one particular box. With this, I was really gifted the ability to play the entire spectrum," they say.Check out our latest cover story to find out more!Keep reading to find out the Gayest Song of the Week and all the best pop culture news!Mey RudePeacemaker has bisexual orgy in S2 John Cena confirms DC hero is biI'll miss the chaos of 'And Just like That...' (and Che Diaz too)New 'The Traitors' spinoff with non-famous players to air on NBCTravel the world with 14 portraits of 'beautifully ordinary' menAna Navarro calls on Gloria Gaynor to reject Trump's Kennedy Center honorNetflix's new gay Marines show 'Boots': Here's what to knowWhat is a chapstick lesbian? The sapphic term explained by an LGBTQ+ sexologist2025 Out100 Readers' Choice: Who is making an impact in culture this year?Gabby Windey and Rene Rapp talk scissoring and strap-ons in the most lesbian conversation everGayest Song of the WeekSmooth-voiced pop singer Khalid is back with a fun, new song, "in plain sight," and we can't stop listening! The track has a great throwback sound and is a perfect late contender for Song of the Summer!

Every year, the U.S. Supreme Court receives an estimated 8,000 requests petitions, or writs of certiorari to take up cases related to a number of constitutional questions affecting Americans and our lives. It only grants a small percentage of those and denies review to the overwhelming majority of cases, allowing lower court decisions [...]The post Whats At Stake at the Supreme Court in 2025-2026: Fast Facts first appeared on GLAAD.

Alt gay X (formerly known as Twitter) is a thriving space for queer people to share their X-rated material. There's a video or a content creator for every niche interest. But after awhile, just posting nude selfies gets repetitive, so the gays spice things up with creative ways to share content.One key tactic is to jump on a trend and the current one is teasing X followers with a preview of a blurred-out private Grindr album. (When you chat with another user on Grindr, you can choose to share your album with them, and before you click on it, the app shows a preview of the first photo blurred out.) (@) The trend found its way outside of alt gay X, and it started to become a meme, with users swapping blurred private parts for various humorous cultural references.Grindr seized on the trend. Shortly after Taylor Swift announced her new album, The Life of a Showgirl, this week, the social team shared a post on X depicting the blurred cover art. "Everybody masc until the life of a showgirl pre pre order drops," the app quipped. (@) (@) (@) (For many of the users engaging the trend, their actual NSFW photos are not hard to find, which adds to the humor of their involvement.) This is not the only time Grindr has trended for uncensored content this month. Recently, Grindr launched a hub called "Grindr Presents," which has original videos, music releases, and editorial pieces. In a statement shared with Out, a spokesperson for Grindr wrote, "In a world where queer voices are increasingly censored and marginalized across platforms, Grindr has created an unapologetically safe space where the community can be themselves, be heard, and be fabulous without fear of suppression." Adding, "With 'Grindr Presents,' the platform is deepening that connection and making Grindr the go-to destination for even more uncensored queer culture, a place where authenticity isn't just welcomed, it's celebrated."

Mr. X-Toon (NSFW artwork at that link), whose gay Disney-inspired porn edits and animations often went viral online, has passed away, according to an online report.Mr. X-Toon's popular animations would depict male Disney characters in romantic pairings like Tarzan and Milo from Atlantis, Kristoff from Frozen and Flynn from Tangled, Hercules and Aladdin, and more. The videos were distinct for their high-quality animation and voice acting as well as large penises with graphic gay sex.Because of his ability to make high-quality gay porn animations featuring popular characters from Disney and other animated films, Mr. X-Toon's videos have gone viral and become a part of internet lore and culture.Now, a post shared by a person claiming to be "a close friend of David," the real name of the animator, says that he died July 25. The cause of death was not disclosed. (@) "I'm Daniel, a close friend of David, widely known as 'mrxtoon' on the internet. He was an extraordinary friend, a brilliant artist, a family man, and a source of joy in our lives," the statement reads. "His artistry was unparalleled, and his dedication to his fans to give more was truly inspiring. He loved his fan, family, and creating art above all else.""Though words can't capture this feeling, I'm heartbroken to share that David passed away on July 25, at 7:30 pm alone in his residency," it continues. "My heart still grieves as I inform his fans and friends of this devastating news. I seek closure in this difficult time. I hope David finds peace in eternity. You'll be deeply missed, bud."Tributes to the animator have poured in online. (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@)

But do you even lift, sis?Whether you're looking for some motivation to start working out again, feeling curious about how celebrities get their bodies to look so good, or just want an excuse to watch male celebs sweating while working on their fitness We totally get it, and we're here to help.A workout list featuring LGBTQ+ stars, plus other male celebs that the gays love to keep up with, can be found below. You better werk (out)!Cheyenne JacksonSee on InstagramDavid Archuleta@davidarchieWorking on them gains #fitness #afraidtoloveDavid BartaSee on InstagramGus KenworthyKameron MichaelsSee on InstagramLuke EvansSee on InstagramLuke MacfarlaneSee on InstagramKit ConnorShaun TAaron Taylor JohnsonSee on InstagramAlan RitchsonBen AffleckChace CrawfordChris HemsworthEnjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.Dan ReynoldsDavid BeckhamSee on InstagramDylan EfronSee on InstagramFrank GrilloGlen PowellGreg TarzanHenry CavillJake GyllenhaalJason MomoaJay EllisSee on InstagramJohn Gaines and Tank@gainsbygaines@Tank said watch out youngsta . #GainsByGaines #tank #younglaKJ ApaKumail NanjianiMichael B. JordanMichael Cimino@nabp_#Recuerdos #onthisday #2023 #michaelcimino #sweetcreature @Michael Cimino @NABPMiles TellerMorgan SpectorSee on InstagramOliver StarkSimu LiuSterling K. BrownTaylor Zakhar PerezSee on InstagramHonorable mention:Taylor Zakhar Perez, Carlos Eric Lopez, Michael Cimino, and Brandon Perea (@) It's just a photo, but what a photo!Tom BradyEnjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.Tom EllisTom HollandSee on InstagramTyler James WilliamsZac Efron

We can't get enough of Dan Levy!Ever since Schitt's Creek went off the air in 2020, fans have been waiting for creator/star Dan Levy's next starring role in a series. Now we know what that next show will be.Levy has announced that his newest series, Big Mistakes, a family crime comedy series, is now in production for Netflix.He shared a post on Instagram showing him working on set with several of the actors from the series. While there's no preview for the show yet, some information has been released.Here's what we know!What is Dan Levy's new show, Big Mistakes, about?Big Mistakes is a family crime comedy that follows "two deeply incapable siblings" played by Dan Levy and Taylor Ortega (Welcome to Flatch), who are blackmailed and forced into the world of organized crime. Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird) also stars as their mother.Who created Big Mistakes?Big Mistakes is a part of Dan Levy's overall deal he signed with Netflix following the runaway success of Schitt's Creek, a CBC series that exploded in popularity after it appeared on the streaming giant. Previously, Levy made the romantic drama Good Grief in 2023. In addition to writing and directing, Levy starred in the film alongside Ruth Negga, Himesh Patel, and Luke Evans. Levy created Big Mistakes with Rachel Sennott (Bottoms), who will also executive produce.Who is starring in Dan Levy's new show?Levy is starring in Big Mistakes along with Taylor Ortega and Laurie Metcalf. Other series regulars include Jack Innanen (Adults), Boran Kuzum, and Abby Quinn. Elizabeth Perkins, Jacob Gutierrez, Joe Barbara, Josh Fadem, and Mark Ivanir will recur.What does Dan Levy say about his new show?"I'm so excited to be bringing this truly chaotic family story to life with Netflix, Levy said in a release from the streamer. "I'm thrilled with the team were building both behind the scenes and in front of the camera. Taylor Ortega is going to become a household name, and its been my lifes mission to get to call Laurie Metcalf 'mother.' Looking forward to getting to share this with everyone."When can you watch Dan Levy's new show?Big Mistakes is currently in production, but Netflix has yet to announce a release date for the series.

"Oh, we knew all along," a phrase I've heard more times than I can count since my grand unveiling at the ripe age of 48. People love saying that. One might have hoped someone would have nudged me a tad sooner. I realize that our journey is ours, but it might have been nice to have someone say, "Hey, are you sure you should be marrying that woman?" But alas, hindsight is 20/20.The universe, it seems, had its own script for me. I always knew I was different, but "feeling" gay remained elusive. Countless opportunities for exploration passed me by; I never took them. Instead, I built a fortress of comfort with my high school sweetheart, eventually leading to marriage. It was love, but not the love. the chaotic unraveling that followed was never the intention. Still, in retrospect, detonation was the only way to wake me up.Thank you, universeI get it now.Leaving my marriage was a descent into darkness. After living as a straight man for 48 years, my life felt quite comfortable. I believed I was fulfilled and had everything I needed. I was a successful, independent creative in the entertainment industry, with a wife, a cute house, dogs, and a fancy car, and I was well-traveled. Yet, I was numba state that no amount of success, accolades, or possessions could fill. There was an emptiness within me, an ache that remained unfulfilled.But the moment I kissed my "queer catalyst," an invisible weight lifted. I had never been so happy in my life. The encounter blindsided me, shattering a comfortable existence in an instant. Suddenly, everything changedthe lights switched on. I saw myself for the first time. A few days later, I separated from my wife, still grappling with confusion and unsure of what this new excitement meant. Is this what "feeling gay" is? Rik and MaximillianCourtesy AuthorLiving your truth is the key. Easy to say, incredibly hard to do. This explains my three decades in a relationship that, while loving, wasn't honest. "Doing the work" begins with a hard truth, followed by even greater challenges, but ultimately, it leads to true love in all its forms. There's a slight suspension of reality to living a queer life, and I've come to realize it's akin to a punk rock anthemrebellious, untamed, gloriously freeform. No script, no societal pressures, an abstract art of life. What better way to be?Now I revel in being gay, every detail of it. Simple pleasures like saying "hi" to fellow gays in the wild ignite pure joy, even a brief, knowing smile. My partner, Rik, snickers at me about it, especially when I'm met with blank stares.Strangely enough, I don't think anyone was happier when I came out than my Grandma. My Uncle Michael died of AIDS in '95. Initially, his coming out was a shock for her, but she rose to the occasion. She became an ally, but he passed soon after. I think I was sort of a second chance for her to be "all-in" from day one. She practically tackled Rik when I brought him home for the first time during COVID. It was magical for me, making me feel like I was exactly where I needed to be.Uncle Michael, the family's shining star, apparently always knew I was gay. I was very close to him, and I'm not gonna lie, I wish he had sat me down for a heart-to-heart. His deterioration from AIDS was shocking; my heart was broken. But now, as a proud gay man, that pain resonates on a much deeper level. On his deathbed, surrounded by family, I had a chance for a private moment with him. Looking back, this would have been the perfect "hey kid, you're gay" moment, but that didn't happen. Instead of some profound revelation, my only real memory was me asking him to come back and haunt me. That's what you get from a closeted 23-year-old obsessed with horror. Still, thank you, Uncle Michael, for paving the way for me to be honest, to love my man, to hold his hand, and to be proud of who I am, just like you were. Mom and MaximillianCourtesy AuthorI was extremely excited for 2020, just three months into embracing my new gay identity, and I was anxious to get out there! Being met with a global pandemic when you feel like a racehorse that was just let out of the gate was very frustrating. I had finally reached the promised land, and now I was shut in the house. I soon realized that this was a great time to learn about who I was becomingor more accurately, discovering who I was all along.The thought of getting on a dating app was utterly foreign to me, but I figured if I couldn't meet people in person, chatting was the next best thing. Two months into the pandemic, I met Rik, and it was magical. With everyday distractions on hold, I fully immersed myself in the brightly colored hues of queer love. Now, five years later, life is playful, filled with laughter and music, mutual admiration, great food, even greater sex, along with shared humor and even shared underwear. Our love is fun, joyful, and real. If that "gay racehorse" was allowed to run wild, we may have never met. The pandemic was a great reminder that what might seem like a roadblock is, in fact, a detour sign. I listened to those signs, and I hit the gay lottery!This joy I now feel only shines because I emerged from profound pain. My elation is hard-earned, forged through lossthe deaths of my two fathers, my brother, my grandparents, my uncle, my incredible gay champion grandma, and countless other family members. I made choices that led to further loss, creating boundaries with unhealthy lovestrained relationships with my birth family, the loss of my childhood love, then wife and best friend, and groups of friends that took sides in the divorce. It's been a lot. But what you do with it all, that's "the work." Doing the work with the help of my warrior of a mother, my North Star, who adopted me at 3 months old, was the gift of my life. photo collage, Rik and MaximillianCourtesy AuthorHere I stand, proud and fulfilled, living authentically. I'm now in love with an incredible man, splitting our time between Los Angeles and the beautiful island of Maui on this new adventure. The harsh sounds brought me to a sweeter symphony, and shedding a comfortable life revealed the raw beauty and relentless power of reinvention. I embraced honesty, trusted the universe, and worked my ass off for this life. I am proud and grateful. I choose aloha, a queer life, and always saying hello to fellow gays in the wild.Voices is dedicated to featuring a wide range of inspiring personal stories and impactful opinions from the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Visit Out.com/submit to learn more about submission guidelines. Views expressed in Voices stories are those of the guest writers, columnists, and editors, and do not directly represent the views of Out or our parent company, equalpride.

If Labubus are a girl's best friend, celebrities like Lady Gaga, Blackpink's Lisa, Marc Jacobs, and Netflix's Wednesday all want them custom made by Marko Monroe. The stylist and Avalon TV star isn't just having a moment he's setting a new standard for fashion's hottest accessory of 2025.Sign up for the Out Newsletter to keep up with what's new in LGBTQ+ culture and entertainment delivered three times a week straight (well) to your inbox!When we last caught up with Monroe a year ago, he and longtime partner Hunter Crenshaw discussed the grand finale of Avalon TV season 2 that centered on their impromptu Las Vegas wedding. Married life is clearly going well, and it hasn't slowed down these creative powerhouses one bit."Hunter got me a Labubu back in January and I wore it all over the place. On my bag, it never left," Monroe tells Out. "I traveled to Paris with the girls, and it just got really dingy. So I was just bored, took it apart, made a pattern from that, and then changed the fabric and put it back together. That started it."By it, Monroe means getting flooded with commissions and collabs from some of the biggest names in show business. "The orders kept coming in!" he recalls. "And then I was reached out by Netflix. That's when I was like, OK, maybe this can stick around for a little bit longer and isn't just a side hobby. So I just said 'yes,' jumped the gun, and worked my ass off for two weeks."Monroe created custom Labubus for the star-studded cast of Wednesday as the hit Netflix series returned for a second season bringing back Jenna Ortega as the titular character, Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams, Luis Guzmn as Gomez Addams, and Isaac Ordonez as Pugsley Addams, among others.But Monroe went above and beyond, of course. "I got to make specific Labubus for the main cast," he explains. "And anyone that was in the Nevermore Academy, I made Labubus for them as well. Those all got sent out, so hopefully we'll be seeing them soon pop up from Jenna Ortega or Catherine Zeta-Jones."Monroe created more than 50 Labubus for the Wednesday project with Netflix. To create so many custom toys all with distinctive features, clothing, hair, and additional stylings Monroe credits the help he received from friends and collaborators like Gigi Goode, Heather Briganti, and Isabelle Marshel.As if the whole endeavor wasn't already ambitious enough, Monroe also partnered with Hollywood 3D Printing to create several 3D printed Thing hands that were added to the custom Labubu toys.When asked if he has any favorites, Monroe highlights the Tim Burton Labubu. "Just the fact that I got to make something for Tim Burton was an insane situation that I was placed in But totally happy to fulfill it!"Another mind-blowing moment for Monroe in his custom Labubu journey was getting to make one for none other than Marc Jacobs."I had found this really cool dead-stock Balenciaga fabric and made [a Labubu with it] for myself," he explains. "And then I though, You know what? I saw Marc Jacobs posting about all of his Labubus. So I reached out to him directly. I [told] him, 'I've got a custom for you if you want it' and sent him a picture. He was like, 'Oh my gosh, I would love.' So I just sent it to him, and that's how that started."This multiverse of Mayhem continued with Monroe getting to create a custom Labubu for Mother Monster herself. "It was crazy because I got to give it to her backstage," Monroe says, referring to one of Lady Gaga's recent concerts in The Mayhem Ball tour. "Gaga came in and audibly screamed when she saw it. She gave me a hug for three minutes. We chatted for 15," he recalls.Monroe recalls how he nervously over-explained the custom Labubu while giving it to Gaga in person. "I was like, 'I made everything removable! You can take off the wig off! And take the outfit off!' I kept showing her," he laughs. "She was like, 'I love it just as it is.'"Monroe praises Gaga for being "so open, and sweet, and genuine" during their interaction. He adds, "We ended up talking about the difference between the Coachella set and this set, and how tight of a storyline the show is now. It was fun to get to talk artistically with her."The in-person delivery of this custom Labubu ended with Monroe helping Gaga put the toy "on that little Kelly bag that she ended up getting photographed in the next day."Lisa, a member of the K-pop girl group Blackpink who made her acting debut as Mook on The White Lotus season 3, was another pop star that Monroe felt very excited to collaborate with."The one I made for Lisa, that's another full circle for me," Monroe says. "She's really the one who started this whole Labubu craze. So having something that I made personally be in her possession is great."Despite having plenty of experience styling artists like Megan Thee Stallion, Lizzo, and his House of Avalon sister Symone, Monroe notes that "the scale shift" of customizing Labubus is one of the hardest parts of the process."It's also a figure that doesn't really have a lot of shape, so it becomes challenging," he observes. Ultimately, though, the toughest part of this process is "having the time to get it all done."After so many eras of trendy toys coming and going, why is the Labubu catching on in such a significant way in 2025?"I think people respond to it because it is sparking a little bit of childlike joy," Monroe says, adding that a Labubu is a "blank canvas of creativity" that reaches a big audience of consumers."A lot of people like to dress them up and extend, and these clothes [create] a mix of high and low," he muses. "Even though it's hard to get a Labubu and there is the craze and the hype of finding a real one versus a fake one it's still accessible. So when you dress them up in these top brands like Chanel, or Prada, or Louis Vuitton, it's bringing in this high-low culture that makes it accessible."Monroe explains, "Someone may not be able to get the Chanel tweed suit, but they can get this Chanel tweed suit for their Labubu. I like that dichotomy of high and low with the Labubu, and I think that's what makes them so popular."To keep up with Marko Monroe, you can follow him on Instagram (@marko_monroe) and TikTok (@the_markomonroe).