Luke Austin is a photographer from Los Angeles who has caught the eye of several popular publications including PAPER magazine. With more than 129k followers on Instagram, it's clear Austin's work is gaining serious traction. In an interview with PAPER magazine, he revealed his passion for shooting "regular guys."The photos are beautiful, feature a diverse group of men, and are sure to brighten your day!Keep scrolling to see some of the stunning and steamy photos and to see more of Austin's photos (including some NSFW portraits), visit his website at Luke Austin Photo.

Just how gay was Abraham Lincoln?For years, scholars have revealed and partisans have covered up facts and feelings around Lincolns sexual and emotional orientation. Related A painting of Trump having a Diet Coke with Lincoln & Nixon hangs in the White House No, seriously. He called up the artist personally to ask for it. Opening today, the new documentary Lover of Men: The Untold History of Abraham Lincoln is the latest assessment to address the 16th presidents love life. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today An A-list collection of queer scholars and writers addresses the question, including gender studies scholar Jack Halberstam,When Brooklyn Was Queerauthor Hugh Ryan, artist Alok Vaid-Menon and even Montana state legislator Zooey Zephyr (D).Their answer to how gay is very. But the truth depends on the angle that youre coming from. In the 20th century, sex, sexuality and gender roles became more rigidly defined as scholars like Sigmund Freud delved into the subconscious. This rigidity result erased notions of fluidity in feelings among the sexes.The idea that a man like Abraham Lincoln president, folk hero and Savior of the Union could have enjoyed the company of other men in any way but a platonic relationship vanished from any discourse.But love between men wasnt always so fraught. For time in memoriam through the 19th century, it was an accepted fact across cultures that men and womens closest relationships could be with the same sex. Sexuality was far more fluid; that truth lived side-by-side with marriage between men and women.Lincolns relationship with Joshua Speed was a living and out example of that common phenomena.Lincoln met Speed, the co-owner of a general store, when he arrived in Springfield, Illinois in 1837 to practice law. He moved in with the strapping store owner the very same day, and the two shared a bed for the next four years.Lincoln was unedited in his feelings.Dear Speed, I shall be very lonesome without you, his bedmate wrote during an extended absence. Yours forever, Lincoln.After Speed moved home, Lincoln was distraught. I am now the most miserable man living, he wrote. If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on the earth.The film makes the case that Lincoln had a type dashing and daring that he would be continually drawn to in this way throughout his life and career.One other such dashing and daring man was Captain David Derickson, who was attached to the president in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief.There is a soldier here that is devoted to the president, a staff member shared in a letter, and when Mrs L. is not here sleeps with him. What stuff! Derickson was once seen wearing the presidents nightshirt.Other evidence includes letters that reveal Lincoln did not much go with the girls, he cared little for them and didnt love the company of the other sex.According to one scholar, a suspected lover of Lincoln wrote a paean to his thighs, an indication the future president may have been down for intercrural sex, frottage or in modern-day parlance side activities. The film illustrates the fact that while sex, sexuality and gender are indeed fluid, the bigger point is that they always have been. Just because someone came up with the term side in 2013, doesnt mean its some newly liberating position. We just finally put a name to something people had been doing for ages.Lincolns heartfelt words about his companions do the same they speak for themselves as loudly now as they did when they were first written.

Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) spread misinformation that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) passed a bill allowing transgender kids to be kidnapped from their unsupportive parents. He signed legislation, he supported legislation that would take children away from their parents if their parents dont want to do sex changes, Vance said at an event at Generation Church in Mesa, Arizona hosted by Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on Wednesday. He wants the government to steal your children from you if you dont agree with Tim Walzs values. That is not small government. That is disgusting, and he should be ashamed of himself. Related Donald Trump lies to crowd: Tim Walz let the state kidnap children to change their gender The law theyre referring to prevents courts from removing custody because a parent allowed their kid to get gender-affirming care. This is not the first time that this claim has been spread by the Trump-Vance campaign. Last month, Trump parroted it by saying that Walz allowed for the kidnapping of trans kids. LGBTQ Nation looked into this claim and found it to be untrue. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The law theyre referring to is H.F. 146, a bill that Gov. Walz signed into law in late April 2023. The law does not take trans children out of the homes of non-supportive families. Rather, it renders out-of-state subpoenas unenforceable if it relates to any gender-affirming care accessed in Minnesota.Additionally, the law prohibits any legal charges or extradition of trans youth who receive legal gender-affirming care in Minnesota. The law applies to court orders mandating that children be removed from their homes for accessing gender-affirming care out of their home state, effectively reducing the number of children who can be removed from their parents homes.In fact, H.F. 146 says that a law of another state that authorizes a state agency to remove a child from the childs parent or guardian because the parent or guardian allowed the child to receive gender-affirming health care is against the public policy of this state and must not be enforced and that a court order for the removal of a child issued in another state because the childs parent or guardian assisted the child in receiving gender-affirming care in this state must not be enforced in this state.The most the law could do regarding where children live is in the case of a custody dispute. A Minnesota judge could take into consideration, as one of many factors, whether a parent supports or rejects gender-affirming care for their child. But court decisions arent based solely on this one thing, and custody decisions arent referred to as kidnapping. There were additional fact checks on this claim by journalist Erin Reed and PolitiFact that deemed it false as well.This wasnt the only bit of misinformation that Vance spread he also incorrectly claimed that we have thousands of missing children because Kamala Harris let the cartels sex traffic minors in our own country, saying this is hard to believe. According to a 2023 Department of Justice report, this is untrue. In fact, white men born in America are most likely to kidnap children.Vance also appeared with far-right pastor Ryan Visconti, who went on a tirade opposing secularism as the removal of God from the boardroom and the courtroom, the classroom and the bedroom. He also claimed that demonic gods who hate us are promoting DEI, sexual depravity, [and] radical gender ideology.Vance is scheduled to appear with many more figureheads from the far-right, including disgraced former Fox News host and neo-Nazi platformer Tucker Carlson, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, Project 2025 architect and Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts, anti-LGBTQ+ bigot Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), and transphobe Donald Trump Jr.

Once again, Kim Petras delivers another hit.The pop superstar has dropped a few catchy collaborations over the past two years, including "Alone" with Nicki Minaj and the Grammy-winning single "Unholy" with Sam Smith.Now, the singer has teamed up with EDM giants The Chainsmokers on their new song "Don't Lie" that'll surely be blasting at every music festival and gar bar for many years to come.This isn't the first time The Chainsmokers has worked with a pop powerhouse, as the dynamic duo has collabed with other queer artists such as Daya and Halsey on their massive hits "Don't Let Me Down" and "Closer."Plus, The Chainsmokers have steadily been releasing nonstop hits since their big break back in 2015. For nearly ten years, Andrew Taggart and Alex Pall have dropped bop after bop with notable songs like "Roses," "Paris," "Something Just Like This," "Summertime Friends," "Jungle," and many more tracks still blasting on repeat to this day. (@) For Petras, this marks her big return to music since she canceled a slew of summer festival appearances earlier this year due to health concerns.In the song's accompanying music video, Petras is serving main character energy as The Chainsmokers throw an epic forest rave while she dances in the center of the crowd.Fans on social media were also quick to point out Petras' hand sticking out of the mud at the beginning of the video, with some speculating that the singer could be teasing another TURN OFF THE LIGHT EP as Halloween quickly approaches next month.Check it out for yourself! Watch the music video for "Don't Lie" below and don't forget to steam the sexy track now. - YouTube youtu.be

When the Harry Potter series first hit shelves, it became an instant classic, with hordes of fans lining up for each new book release and movie premiere. But now that author J.K. Rowling has proven herself to be a transphobic monster, people who celebrated their love of the franchise with a tattoo are regretting it.You know who isn't regretting their choice? People who got gender affirming surgery, according to a now-viral social media post.I recently discovered that Harry Potter tattoos have a higher regret rate than gender-affirming surgeries and thats very funny, a new post going viral hilariously points out. (@) The meme has made the rounds on social media in the past, but it really skyrocketed today when it was reposted on X by Lindy Ford (@lindoawg). It has already racked up 7 million views, likely because of how much Rowlings trans hate has been in the news lately."I reposted it because it made me laugh, but also because I think its something to think about," Ford tells PRIDE. "With so many surgeries falling under the 'gender affirmation' umbrella, like breast augmentation on cis women, I think it would be pretty difficult to prove that those are regretted more than a tacky tattoo."As fans of the fantasy series grew into adulthood, many of those people who loved the series decided to ink it on their skin permanently, but then Rowling started spewing anti-trans hate on the internet she's currently being investigated in Paris for claiming a female Olympic boxer is actually a man and suddenly people stopped wanting to associate themselves with something she created. In case you need any more proof that TERFS ruin everything. (@) (@) While we don't have specific statistics on how many people wish they'd never gotten a Harry Potter tattoo, more than 25 percent of people regret their tattoos, according to Psychology Today.Compare that to the less than 1 percent of people who regret getting gender affirming care.TERFs love to claim that people are making choices about their own body that they'll regret, but guess what? A quarter of people who get tattoos wish they hadn't, while only a nearly statistically insignificant amount of people wish they hadn't gone through with gender-affirming surgery. (@) In fact, there are people all over social media and Reddit posting pics of their Harry Potter tattoos and lamenting that they now want to get it covered up or removed because of J.K. Rowling's seemingly never-ending transphobia.And for good reason, Rowling seems to have made it her mission in life to perpetuate harmful anti-trans rhetoric, including that gender-affirming surgery and hormone therapy are a new form of gay conversion therapy. "Many, myself included, believe we are watching a new kind of conversion therapy for young gay people, who are being set on a lifelong path of medicalization that may result in the loss of their fertility and/or full sexual function," Rowling posted on X (then Twitter) back in 2020.One person who called Rowling a "twat transformed the Deathly Hollows symbol they had tattooed on their back into a "trans support piece" by covering it in roses with the words "trans lives matter" at the bottom. (@) We hope more people go that route, if for no other reason than that we suspect Rowling would be furious!

The tears come quickly in Will & Harper and thats from just watching the trailer.In their moving new documentary Will & Harper, comedian Will Ferrell joins his close friend Harper Steele on a cross-country road trip, realizing revelations about their long friendship and Harpers transition to this new version of yourself, in the comedians heartfelt words. Related The 20 inspiring LGBTQ+ documentaries show queerness in bold living color LGBTQ+ documentaries can be informative, enlightening, moving, funny, sad or all of these at once. The road trip is a two-hander, in Hollywoods nomenclature. Josh Greenbaum directed the pic, which comes out on September 27 on Netflix. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The pair met on the day Ferrell was hired onto Saturday Night Live, where Steele was head writer on the show. A long and close friendship blossomed.Ferrell says, one day, he received an email from his old friend.Hey Will, something I need you to know. Ill be transitioning to live as a woman.'It was just, whoa, Ferrell said in response to the news.I dont doubt that Will is my friend, but Im not Andrew Steele anymore, Harper shares in the film.Wed go to Lakers games, go on road trips together, surprise each other at random little bars in costume, Ferrell told Netflix. It was the Anchormans idea to capture this chapter of their friendship in a documentary.What if we went on a road trip together, giving her a chance to go into a cowboy bar or whatever places she misses, and I can be by her side and lend support as a friend? Ferrell thought. At the same time, it would give us a chance to reconnect, and figure out what this transition means to our relationship.Steele said, I didnt just want to come out in places like New York or LA and forever live on either coast. I love the whole country. Its my country, and I wanted to feel a little safer being in it. And I thought that going across the country with Will Ferrell would help me. Thats the privilege I have knowing Will Ferrell. Reviews have been rapturous.WhatWill & Harperis, at its heart, is a portrait of a friendship and how the fundamentals of a deep and lasting bond doesnt change even when the people within it do. That alone makes it worth the trip, wrote David Fear for Rolling Stone.Emotional, funny, and charged with a sense of vulnerability, Will & Harper is a beautiful thing, said Tomris Laffley at Harpers Bazaar.And Richard Lawson at Vanity wrote, The films greatest strength is the way it grants access to a topic many are deliberately ignorant about. Ideally, Will & Harper will invite in the people who most need to hear Steeles testimony.

A recent social media post from NLE Choppa left fans a little confused and more than a little frustrated after he cleared things up.On Thursday afternoon, the rapper shared two pictures of himself to X (fka Twitter) alongside the caption "I'm Coming Out ...." A similar post was made on Instagram with additional photos and videos, tagging Paper Magazine in the process. (@) Understandably, fans immediately associated the vague idea of "coming out" with "coming out of the closet." (@) But the way it was posted left a lot up for interpretation, and some folks began accusing NLE Choppa of intentionally posting such a loaded phrase to get attention. (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) Sure enough, several hours later, he dropped a new song, "OR WHAT."And on Friday morning, he quote retweeted his original post, adding: "With New Song (PINNED^) A New Project This Month, and Black Duck Boots. Yall aint let me finish '.'" (@) The weirdness of it all didn't sit well with a lot of people, some of whom hit back with their frustrations over "queerbaiting." (@) (@) (@) The timing of it all was particularly odd, considering NLE Choppa just played Black Pride Weekend in Atlanta, Georgia. While there, he defended his decision to show support to the LGBTQ+ community but he also shut down the suggestion that he was doing so as a "gimmick.""Im not here for no gimmicks, Im not here for no extra followers, Im not here for no extra views. Cause I already got em if were keeping it a hunnid," he said. "Im really here to make a difference and show yall its love, bruh."

14 Celebrity Moms Who Love Their Queer KidsIt's always a good time to take a moment to shout out celebrity moms who've supported their LGBT kids through the years! Many of these moms have taken their position in the public eye to set amazing examples of love, support, and respect, and we hope their messages have been heard loud and clear by anyone looking for a role model. From Cher to Sally Field to Sade, there are a ton of amazing mothers out there who are supporting their queer kids, even in the face of public backlash.So, let's take a look at all of the fantastic celeb moms out there who love their kids no matter what!Tori Spelling and step-son Jack McDermottBeverley Hills 90210 star Tori Spelling first met Jack McDermott when he was only seven years old, and she had started dating his dad Dean McDermott. The two had a rocky relationship, but when he came out of the closet a decade later, they became close. And, then he came out. I was so proud of his confidence. He was who he was and he was proud of it. And, then we bonded again. We found each other on a new level with a whole new respect for each other, Spelling wrote on Instagram, according to People.Cher and son Chaz BonoChaz Bono has been very open about his transition to the media since the late 2000s, and Cher has made her feelings throughout the process public as well. Though she originally struggled with Chaz's identity, she's now a very supportive ally and loving parent. As she explained to Britain's Sunday Times, "For the people who dont understand it I try to help them understand, by saying, you know, I just love being a woman so much, but if I woke up tomorrow and I was a man I couldnt function. And thats the only way to describe it to someone who doesnt understand."We hope her words continue to reach a wide range of folks who need to hear this!Sally Field and son Sam GreismanLongtime ally and supporter of the Human Rights Campaign,Sally Field wrote a lengthy essay describing her son's experience coming into his own as a gay man, and how important being a part of that experience was to her."One of the great privileges of my life to have been allowed to be a part of Sam's journey," she wrote in the 2014 essay against "License to Discriminate" bills. Her words are beyond touching and she continues to be an amazing ally today!Sade and son Izaak Theo AduNigerian-British singer Sades son Izaak Theo Adu has publicly thanked his mom for her support after he came out as transgender in 2016 and had gender-confirmation surgery in 2019. Now, Sade is set to release her first new song since 2018in honor of her son and has dedicated the album to transgender awareness. The new album Transa, comes out on November 22 and will feature trans and nonbinary artists like Sam Smith, Hunter Schafer, and Clairo, The Advocate reports.Jamie Lee Curtis and daughter Ruby GuestActress Jamie Lee Curtis has always been an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+, and that didnt change when her child Ruby came out as trans. Curtis and her husband, Christopher Guest, have both been supportive of Ruby since her transition. In fact, Curtis dedicated the Best Supporting Actress Oscar she won for her role in Everything Everywhere All At Once to Ruby. There is no debate to argue here, she said on the Today show after she snagged her Oscar, GLAAD reported. Trans people have been here forever and arent going anywhere. There is no ideology here. Its simple. Trans rights are human rights. Anything stating the contrary is wrong.Gabrielle Union and stepdaughter ZayaActress Gabrielle Unions stepdaughter Zaya came out publicly as transgender back in 2012, and she has been a fierce supporter ever since. When Zaya came out to her parents, Union felt unprepared, so she contacted people on social media to learn more. We want to make sure [our kids] feel strong and supported and free to be exactly who they are, she told People.Cynthia Nixon and son Samuel Joseph MozesSex and the City star Cynthia Nixon, who is queer herself and married to a woman, has always been a supportive mom to her son, and that didnt change when he came out as trans while he was attending the University of Chicago. Back in2018, Nixon took to Instagram to post a message congratulating her son on graduation from college and to celebrate the 14th annual Trans Day of Action.Im so proud of my son Samuel Joseph Mozes (called Seph) who graduated college this month, she captioned the post. I salute him and everyone else marking todays #TransDayOfAction.She has also been outspoken in her criticism of J.K Rowlings anti-trans bigotry and called out then-Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo for not doing more to protect the trans community from discrimination, The Advocate reported.Busy Philipps and child BirdieGirls5eva actress Busy Philipps has been incredibly supportive of her oldest child, Birdie, as she explores gender and sexuality. Birdie came out as gay in 2021 when she was 12 and publicly announced that she would be using they/them pronouns, but then in 2023, Birdie switched to using she/her. Through it all, Philipps has been in her corner. According to PageSix, in 2021, she even stood up for gender-affirming healthcare be saying that whats so incredible about what gender-affirming care can be. That you allow kids to figure out who they are.Marcia Gay Harden and kids Hudson, Eulala, and JulittaActress Marcia Gay Hardin became an LGBTQ+ activist because of three kids. Eulala is nonbinary, Hudson is gay, and his twin, Julitta, is fluid. In fact, in 2023, she participated in the Drag isnt Dangerous telethon, where she expressed how much her kids have taught her about gender.I was already learning a lot about the gay community, but at the time, we spoke more about gay community rather than queer community, Harden said, according to The Advocate. And I think now the kids talk a lot about the queer community, and its much more expansive. Its much more gender nonconforming. Its much more embracing, actually. Im learning on a daily basis about that from all of the kids.Cynthia Bailey and daughter Noelle RobinsonFormer Real Housewives of Atlanta star Cynthia Bailey's daughter, Noelle Robinson, came out as sexually fluid on a 2019 episode of the reality TV show. Bailey was taken by surprise when Noelle made her sexuality public but has been incredibly supportive ever since. "Of all the things that I've shown on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, that probably was one of my proudest moments because I knew that if it took what it took for my child to come out and talk about being gay openly, I can't imagine all the other kids out there that felt afraid to talk to their parents about it," Bailey said on an Instagram Live panel, People reported.Alexis Bellino and son MilesSee on InstagramReal Housewives of Orange County alum Alexis Bellino took to Instagram on October 22 to announce that her son Miles had come out trans. Miles, who was 14 at the time, had been transitioning in private but finally felt comfortable with his mom sharing the information. Bellino posted a long, heartfelt message about how happy her son has been since transitioning. I cannot imagine the strength and courage it took for my baby to do this, but Im extremely proud of him and I want everyone to understand that love doesnt change in these situations. Its unconditional love, she wrote. "Miles came out as a transgender boy to me over 16 months ago. He hid it from everyone else for a while, but eventually he got to where we are right now. TO HIS FREEDOM! My son has now flourished!!Heather Dubrow and daughters Max and Kat and son AceSee on InstagramReal Housewives of Beverly Hills star Heather Dubrow is the ultimate supportive mom. She has been there for her daughters Max and Kate, who came out as bisexual and as a lesbian, respectively. Then, in March 2023, she announced on Instagram that her youngest son, Ace, is transgender. "We've got four kids, they are different genders, different sexualities, and all at interesting places in their lives, figuring out who they are and where they belong as humans," Dubrow told People.Barbra Streisand and son Jason GouldBarbra and her son Jason, who is gay, are so close they even recorded a duet together in 2014! For some ultra Mother's Day charm, check out this video where she describes her first duet with her baby boy, how she descovered his singing talent, and how adorable/mega-talented they are when they sing "How Deep Is the Ocean" together.Marie Osmond and daughter Jessica BlosilMary Osmond is a practicing Mormon, and her religious beliefs do not get in the way of being a very supportive mom to her openly gay daughter Jessica. "I think that my daughter deserves everything that she desires in life," she stated in an interview with Diane Sawyer, according to Huffington Post, "Shes a good girl. Shes a wonderful child. I dont think God made one color flower. I think He made many.Beautifully said, Marie!Anne Rice and son Christopher RiceYou know Anne Rice as the wildly successful author of Interview With a Vampire, but she's also the proud mom of gay son Christopher, who's also an author! Anne is a fierce supporter of the LGBT community,whose post against hate speech after Ellen Page came out picked up lots of Facebook traction. "I have banned many from the page today," the post declares, "I will no longer tolerate hate speech in the guise of Christian belief with the usual irresponsible pick and choose bible quotes and talk of "sin" and hellfire." Damn right!Gloria Vanderbilt and son Anderson CooperFun fact! Anderson Cooper is indeed fashion designer Gloria Vanderbilt's son, and they get along as famously as they both are!Cybill Shepherd and daughters Clementine Ford and Ariel OppehnheimCybill Shepherd hit the queer kid jackpot with daughters Clementine and Ariel, who identify as bisexual and lesbian respectively. The two ladies presented their mom with the "2010 Golden Gate Award" at the GLAAD Media Awards, showing that love and acceptance is quite literally celebrated in the family!Ally Sheedy and Rebecca LansburyAs the daughter of a lesbian mother and a longtime advocate for LGBTQ homeless youth, Ally was immediately respectful of her genderqueer daughter Rebecca's identity. "It's difficult for me to understand a family member judging or not loving or accepting another family member because they are gay,"Ally said in an interview with the Windy City Times, "It's like when a member of the family marries someone who is of another race or religion. It's just not an issue for me."Annette Bening and son Stephen Ira BeattyAnnette Bening and Warren Beatty's son Stephen is a gay trans writer, poet, and activist who's has also posted in-depth about his experience and identity on YouTube (you can check out one of his videoshere).Though his celebrity parents aren't very vocal about his transition, he insists that they "are doing great" in a tweet from 2015.Alice Walker and daughter Rebecca WalkerThe Color Purple author and feminist Alice Walker (who is queer) and her bisexual daughter Rebecca certainly have a complicated relationship, but at least this lengthy and very personal essay Rebecca once wrote about their turbulent (to say the least) experience as mother and daughter ends in the hope that they are one day able to reconcile. We hope they can too!Kim Basinger and daughter Ireland BaldwinIreland Baldwin, daughter of Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger, also doesn't identify her sexuality specifically, but was recently in a relationship with musician ROES (formerly Angel Haze; the two have since split). Her parents certainly seem to embrace her identity, and she's been one to celebrate her Oscar award-winning mom's success on Instagram.Nothing like some public family love!Trish Cyrus and her daughter MileyMiley Cyrus, who identifies as pansexual, and her mom Tish are very close buddies. Miley's also even posted a pic on Instagram celebrating her "hot" and "selfless" mom, because any day can be Mother's Day!Vanna White and son Nikko Santo PietroWheel of Fortune host and icon, Vanna White's son made headlines when he started dating a Hare Krishna monk in 2013. The wheel of life's fortune gave Vanna a queer son, and if this picture is any indicator, she's doing just fine with that news!Belinda Carlisle and son James Duke MasonMusician and The Gogos' lead singer Belinda Carlise has long been supportive of her son, gay writer and activist James Duke Mason. The two even did a PFLAG dialogue together where they shared personal stories about James' coming out and Belinda's reaction, and it's full of precious moments. We're so thrilled to see so many families supporting their LGBT kids, and we hope to see many more in the future!

Jazz-pop singer-songwriter Sade is releasing her first new song since 2018, and its in honor of her trans son, Izaak, on an album dedicated to transgender awareness.The song, Young Lion, will be on the compilation album Transa, out November 22 from the Red Hot Organization, Variety reports. The album will feature some trans and nonbinary artists in addition to spotlighting the trans population in general.We started talking about all the gifts that trans artists have been giving to the world, and wanted to create a Red Hot project that centered and celebrated those gifts, Red Hot Executive Director Dust Reid, who assembled Transa with artist Massima Bell, told Variety. We hoped to create a narrative that positions trans and nonbinary people as leaders in our society insofar as the deep inner work they do to affirm who they are in our current climate. We felt this is something everybody should do. Whether you identify as trans or nonbinary or otherwise, if you took the time to explore your gender, get in touch with the feeling side of yourself, maybe we would have a future oriented around values of community, collaboration, care, and healing.The last time Sade released new songs was for two movie soundtracks in 2018 Flower of the Universe and The Big Unknown for A Wrinkle in Time and Widows, respectively. Her last album was Soldier of Love in 2010.Izaak came out as trans in 2016 and underwent gender-confirmation surgery in 2019. He has publicly thanked his mother for her support.Transa features more than 100 artists making three and a half hours of music, 46 songs divided among eight chapters. There are some covers and some originals. The artists include Sam Smith, Andr 3000, Jeff Tweedy, and the duo of Wendy & Lisa, best known for their work with Prince. The first single from the album is Wendy & Lisas cover of Princes I Would Die 4 You, on which theyre joined by Lauren Auder. - YouTube youtu.be

In Texas, a 23-year-old father of five was sentenced to six years in prison for severely beating his two-year-old son because he thought the toddler was gay.Francisco Ricardo Sotello Baez was charged with family violence and assault after admitting to striking his young son in the face multiple times, causing him to bleed from the nose. Related Parents get sentenced to prison for vicious abuse used to turn their gay son straight The father even told the son he had a month to prove hes had sex with a girl. Judge Stephanie Boyd of the 187th District Court in Bexar County agreed with the prosecutions recommendation for six years behind bars, citing previous incidents of domestic violence, including assaulting his sons mother, which earlier earned Sotello Baez probation and court-mandated courses to address his violent behavior. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Judge Boyd expressed disappointment those interventions had failed to modify the defendants conduct.A police report and his testimony at sentencing revealed Sotello Baezs actions toward his son were not an isolated incident. The father had repeatedly disciplined the child in an attempt to toughen him up, claiming he was concerned about the boy acting in a feminine manner.Sotello Baez said the child preferred playing with Barbies and kitchen sets over the robots, cars, and soccer balls he had brought home for the boy.He told the judge he was disappointed his first son might be gay.Judge Boyd was visibly exasperated with the explanation.Basically, you beat up a two-year-old because you think your two-year-old is gay, and you wanna toughen up a two-year-old, the judge said. Hes two! The police report also indicated that Sotello Baez had texted the boys mother after he assaulted him, saying that he had done something to your child that she wasnt going to like.He explained to the court that both the childs mother and grandmother had told him the boy might turn out to be gay.His defense attorney argued for leniency, noting for the judge that Sotello Baez had pleaded no contest and was applying for deferred adjudication, a type of probation that would allow Sotello Baez to continue to provide for his family.The state pushed the judge for a six-year prison sentence, noting the severity of the crime and the long-term impact on the child.The dad addressed the court and expressed remorse, explaining he had a newborn to take care of and had been attending church to turn his life around. He also blamed his actions in part on drug and alcohol abuse, which he said impaired his judgment.While handing out the six-year term, Judge Boyd issued several restrictions on Sotello Baez, barring him from contact with his son, any of his other children, and any minors during and after his incarceration. The judge also advised him not to illegally re-enter the country following his release. He is not a U.S. citizen.

Lesbian Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) is celebrating the Minnesota State Fair by continuing a tradition led by prior state officials, and fans of her are cheering her on.Last week, Craig posted a photo of her on X surrounded by shirtless firefighters while being held by a strong female firefighter. She thanked the firefighters in the local community in the post. Related Lesbian congresswoman Angie Craig calls on Joe Biden to step down Two other LGBTQ+ elected Democrats are expressing similar concerns about Biden. Put my own spin on an @amyklobuchar and @TinaSmithMN State Fair photo tradition! Thanks to all the amazing firefighters in our community. pic.twitter.com/1JyCHHWWqf Angie Craig (@AngieCraigMN) August 29, 2024 Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today This post is a reference to a trend started by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) where, during last years State Fair, she posted a picture of herself to social media surrounded by shirtless, muscular firefighters at the Minnesota AFL-CIO union location.State Fair pro tip: You dont want to miss the Minnesota firefighters at the @MNAFLCIO. pic.twitter.com/O3auZqdkGN Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) August 25, 2023 Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) posted a follow-up picture of her with many of the same firefighters as well, including the same female firefighter from Craigs post.Can confirm. https://t.co/T3E9d01qZc pic.twitter.com/eY5R8uX1fv Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) August 25, 2023Klobuchar brought some attention to the firefighters again this year, expressing her excitement for this years State Fair by sharing last years photo with the shirtless firefighters. FIRED up to return to the Minnesota State Fair https://t.co/88ojYm79p1 Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) August 23, 2024Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) then replied to that repost, showing herself surrounded by the firefighters.Can confirm: the Minnesota State Fair is on . https://t.co/1QAOg4N2iZ pic.twitter.com/lcCWhPKOUF Tina Smith (@TinaSmithMN) August 25, 2024 People are reacting with celebrations for Craigs lesbian joy in the latest addition to a new political tradition.You are an icon, one person wrote.you are an icon Sarah S (@crumr018) August 29, 2024 Amazing. It did seem there was a twinkle in your eye when my family and I met you in the Education Building yesterday!Amazing. It did seem there was a twinkle in your eye when my family and I met you in the Education Building yesterday! Christina (@99Irishgirl) August 29, 2024Queen Queen Erin Cohan (@erincohan) August 29, 2024I need to visit the MN State Fair. Why dont other state fairs have photo ops with firefighters? Could raise a lot of money and community support.I need to visit the MN State Fair. Why dont other state fairs have photo ops with firefighters? Could raise a lot of money and community support. Brad (@bctampa75) August 29, 2024 I need to go to Minnesota!!!I need to go to Minnesota!!! Chelsea (@chelseaGAgirl) August 30, 2024Minneota women politicians are setting a high bar for other states. But were still waiting for Amy Klobuchars 2024 union photo! Minneota women politicians are setting a high bar for other states. But we're still waiting for Amy Klobuchar's 2024 union photo! Janice Hough (@leftcoastbabe) August 29, 2024This year, the Minnesota State Fair faced multiple challenges due to the weather, including tornadoes, intense heat, and pouring rain. Festivities are still ongoing, with many having celebrated in the midst of the weather.

19 Bar, a beloved gay bar in Minnesota, is suing the trash hauling and recycling company, the owner of which says caused a fire that jeopardized the buildings sale. The incident that caused the bar to catch fire began after a garbage truck owned by Lakeshore Recycling Systems backed into a telephone pole, which fell on a gas line to the building and electrified it. Related Six big-name publishers sue Ron DeSantis Florida over unconstitutional book-banning law Gov. Ron DeSantis has called reports of book-banning a hoax, but the law has resulted in the removal of thousands of books. The owner of 19 Bar, Gary Lee Hallberg, sued in Hennepin County District Court on Monday. He said that a week before the incident, he had entered into a contract to sell the bar and its assets for $1.4 million with the bars long-term manager. The property before the fire was worth $2.8 million dollars. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today However, according to the lawsuit, the fire led to the property being considered a total loss and the sale being canceled.The bar is being rebuilt, with insurance covering about half of the bars repairs so far, such as mitigation and replacement of the floor, ceiling, steps, and roof. Still, in an interview with The Minneapolis Star Tribune, Hallberg said, Its just ludicrous that all this has happened.19 Bar is seeking more than $2.8 million dollars in damages for the loss of the propertys market value, assets, displacement costs, labor expenses, lost investments, and legal fees. The lawsuit claims that Lakeshore Recycling Services (LRS) failed to exercise proper care while driving, damaging the property.The complaint says that To date, despite demand, LRS has failed and refused to compensate plaintiffs for their damages as a result of the fire.Hallberg has owned the bar since 1992. It was the first gay bar to open in Minneapolis and is one of the oldest continuously operated gay bars in the United States. Hallberg wants to reopen 19 Bar by New Years Eve and is excited about its future owner. Hes going to be great, and hes been the manager for a long time, too, Hallberg said.

Here are this weeks most popular positive stories, with some fun social media posts tossed in too. Like seeing uplifting content like this?Sign up for our Good News email.Wow, have you been watching the Paralympics?! Its amazing to watch the athletes kicking some serious butt atbreakdancing,tennisandcycling. Thereare 44 known LGBTQ+ athletescurrently competing in the games and theyve won 19 medals so far GO TEAM LGBTQ+!And that news is just the tip of todays good news ice cream cone! Todays delightful serving of is full of love and important wins for queer people and our allies. Lets dive right in! Its always a good time to come out to grandma Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today View this post on Instagram A post shared by Artist (@miungy.art) Nearly 200 Democrats and Republicans ask Supreme Court to stand up for transgender rightsWell, color us surprised! First, a bunch of Republicans endorse Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, and now a bunch stand up for the rights of transgender kids??! Such bipartisan allyship is rare these days, BUT WE ARE HERE FOR IT.And talking about supportive allies, did you know thatmost Americans oppose anti-LGBTQ+ policies?Support can also come from the most unexpected places, like this East Texas town thatset up a tiny market meant for queer people. And even more unexpected remember that time that gay pop legendElton John partnered with a popular sandwich spread to fight AIDS? The Dept. of Justice and 16 states are standing up for a pro-LGBTQ+ teacherShe got punished for reading an inclusive book to her students, but government officials have said, Enough!This small Iowa town is excited for its soon-to-open gay barThe town has barely 66,500 residents but theyre all talking about the fun new watering hole bottoms up! Winnie the Pooh is much more than meets the eye View this post on Instagram A post shared by Eli Salley (@the.lore.guy) Actor and singer Ben Platt marries his longtime boyfriendThe couple got a Vogue shoot commemorating the very gay and very Jewish nuptials.Science has revealed the perfect penis & its helping trans menDoctors, trans men and others have teamed up to figure out the best designs for trans mens bottom surgeries the results may surprise you! Joel Kim Booster just proposed to his vacation boyfriend. He said yes.Love is in the air! The couple were off the coast of South Korea when the comedian popped the question.Check out their romantic tale. This dogs hairdo is definitely turning heads View this post on Instagram A post shared by Logan Rago (@dogsbylogan)Detroit is working to build its first gayborhoodDetroit lacks an obvious gayborhood like ones found in New York and Chicago. Thats about to change though Health insurer starts covering fertility treatments, bringing hope to queer familiesReproductive healthcare matters, and now, partners of all sorts will be able to get the help they need to start families. Trans prisoners win the right to gender-affirming care in landmark caseA judge recognized that gender-affirming care is a constitutional right. Why? Because its vital and life-saving.This is the last time we get our dad to pick us up from the airport View this post on Instagram A post shared by Urban Blaze (@iamurbanblaze) From our sibling sites:OUTSPORTS:Meet 18 of the men who are male cheerleaders for their NFL team this seasonGAYCITIES:A huge concert starring trans folks is taking over American Music Hall this weekendQUEERTY:No size queens here! Gays are giving a huge morale boost to their less-endowed brethrenINTOMORE:The internet thinks thisDora the Explorercharacter is bisexual thanks to a viral clip

Dear President Joe Biden,Since you and Vice President Kamala Harris took over the executive branch of government after the 2020 elections, national unemployment rates have fallen considerably to pre-pandemic levels, the stock market has reached record highs, and wages have risen while inflation rates have drastically dropped. Related Benjamin Netanyahu claims Iran paid gay people to protest against Israel In his speech to a joint session of Congress yesterday, the Prime Minister of Israel compared queers for Palestine to Chickens for KFC. Congress, with your and Harriss support, passed landmark legislation, including comprehensive COVID relief for free vaccines, masks, and home testing kits, and payments to struggling businesses and individual households. Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today For the first time since the Eisenhower Administration, Congress passed your wide-ranging bipartisan infrastructure bill to repair outdated and crumbling highways, bridges, sewage and water systems, airports, improve mass transit, install electric charging stations and extend internet access.You helped to pass substantial funding to deal with the climate crisis, to produce computer chips in the United States, to pay for the healthcare of servicemembers exposed to toxic military burn pits, to extend the cancer moon project for the purpose of finally curing this deadly disease, and also, you helped to deliver a firearms reform package.Mr. President, you and Vice President Harris have shown true leadership in bringing back the Western alliance of nations to counter the unwarranted and brutal invasion of Ukraine, a sovereign nation, by the Russian Federations totalitarian regime under Vladimir Putin, and you strove tirelessly to limit Chinas aggression of Taiwan. And yes, still more work needs to be done, but we have not seen such an accomplished presidential term as yours at hardly any other time since the New Deal under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.Though there are many MAGA detractors, I can speak with assurance that you are truly loved by a nation that is grateful for being of the people and for the people. I admire your human qualities of modesty, charity, ethical professionalism, kindness, an open heart, and trust in others. I even find your public gaffes somewhat endearing.Unfortunately, your apparent trust in Benjamin Netanyahu, long-standing Prime Minister of Israel, has backfired and turned out not to be well founded. Following Hamass terrorist invasion and attack in southern Israel during a youth concert for peace on October 7, 2023 killing over 1,200 people of several nationalities, wounding many more, and kidnapping an estimated 250 hostages you alerted Netanyahu.You compelled the prime minister not to make the same type of unforced errors the leadership of our country made after the September 11, 2001 terrorist strikes on the U.S., by overreacting militarily, which resulted in the overthrow of Iraqs leader. This brought about a civil war in which hundreds of thousands of mainly innocent Iraqi citizens paid with their lives.The U.S. invasion of Iraq strengthened the power in the region of one of our primary rivals, Iran. It drained the U.S. treasury and caused the subsequent deaths of over 4,400 American military and civilian personnel. Since the incursion on Israel on October 7, however, Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have reportedly killed over 40,000 Palestinians within the Gaza Strip and on the occupied West Bank of the Jordan River, including many innocent civilians who were not involved in the October 7th or subsequent attacks. This has caused severe conditions related to the bombing of medical facilities, homes, schools, and other shelters, depletion of food, drinking water, and fuel, and rampant disease including a new polio outbreak.Mr. Biden, why would you even imagine that Netanyahu would consider your request for restraint, a man who is under indictment and was previously on trial on multiplecorruption charges, including for fraud, bribery, and breach of trust?The trial was placed on temporary pause by an emergency order from the countrys justice minister after Hamass attack on October 7, but it is due to resume soon. If found guilty, Netanyahu could serve up to 10 years in prison. Like former President Donald Trump, who has been charged with multiple felony counts, Netanyahu also claims to be the victim of politically motivated witch-hunts by his political rivals and the media to remove him from office.Unlike Trump, however, Netanyahu is very bright and thinks strategically. While Trump is a day trader who operates on emotion and instinct, Netanyahu is more cunning and thinks ahead, seeing the whole picture and the possible steps to employ in his three-dimensional chess match with the Israel people.Even prior to his far-right coalitional government giving the order for the Israel Defense Forces to enter the Gaza strip, Netanyahu envisioned his way to checkmate the judicial community from ever holding him accountable for his alleged crimes. In 2023, Netanyahu pushed a set of five changes to thejudicial systemintended to alter the balance of powers in Israel. The changes were intended to reduce the judiciarys power over lawmaking and public policy by severely limiting theSupreme Courts power to exercisejudicial review. This would be accomplished by turning over control to the government for judicial appointments and limiting the authority of its legal advisors.The changes would effectively take away the right of the Supreme Court to declare legislation from the Israeli Parliament (the Knesset) unconstitutional. This, in effect, would allow the Knesset to override Supreme Court rulings by reintroducing the legislation and passing it by a simple majority of Knesset members.Though criticized and sanctioned for violating international law by such countries as the United Kingdom, European Union nations, and the United States, Netanyahu and his government with the full support from the World Zionist Organization has taken over and plans to annex an ever-increasing amount of Palestinian land and property on the West Bank. Plans are being finalized in Israel to increase the number of so-called Jewish settlers (a.k.a. land and property thieves) to one million in the West Bank by 2050. Currently, approximately half a million Jews are living illegally on the West Bank.So, Mr. Biden, it should be apparent to you now that Netanyahu has no intention of negotiating in good faith to end the war against Hamas and to bring the over 100 still remaining hostages home. All along, he has played Russian roulette with the hostages lives and cares very little about the fate of civilians trapped by war in the Gaza Strip.And, unfortunately, Mr. Biden, Netanyahu has played you too. Netanyahu understands that when the war finally ends, there will be new elections held. Since his party and others in his coalition have lost support, Netanyahu will inevitably be tossed out of office. A commission of inquiry will be assembled to investigate the failures of his government to predict and interrupt the October 7 attack. In addition, the cases of fraud against him will continue unimpeded.President Biden, in your remaining four months in office, please step up and speak out much more forcefully against the terror yes, terror that Netanyahu and his government have wrought on the Palestinian people, the people of Israel, and the world community, people wishing for peace and a final resolution to the longstanding conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.For, in the inimitable words of Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., There can be no justice without peace. And there can be no peace without justice.

New music from Sade is reason enough for excitement, but when it comes as part of an epic compilation album aimed at spreading awareness of the transgender community, that really is, in a word, major.The iconic British-Nigerian singer is one of over 100 artists who have contributed to Transa styled TRAA a 46-song album from nonprofit Red Hot, whose mission, according to their website, is to promote public health and diversity. Related Celine Dion mocks Donald Trump for playing her Titanic ballad amid his sinking campaign Because when your campaigns headed for an iceberg, you might as well set it to music. In a statement announcing the project, out November 22, Red Hot executive director Dust Reid, who co-produced the album with artist and activist Massima Bell, said that Transa was partly inspired by the 2021 death of pioneering trans producer Sophie and sprang from conversations he and Bell had about all the gifts that trans artists have been giving to the world. Reid said he and Bell wanted to create a Red Hot project that centered and celebrated those gifts. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today We hoped to create a narrative that positions trans and nonbinary people as leaders in our society insofar as the deep inner work they do to affirm who they are in our current climate, Reid said. We felt this is something everybody should do. Whether you identify as trans or nonbinary or otherwise, if you took the time to explore your gender [and] get in touch with the feeling side of yourself, maybe we would have a future oriented around values of community, collaboration, care, and healing.Nearly all of Transas 46 tracks, which are divided into eight chapters representing stages in a spiritual journey, are collaborations, and the album features artists of all sexualities and gender identities. Stars like Sade, Sam Smith, Andr 3000, and Hunter Schafer appear alongside emerging trans artists like Lauren Auder, whose cover of Princes I Would Die 4 U with the late icons former collaborators Wendy & Lisa, is the first single from Transa.Other artists featured on the album include pioneering trans punk rocker Jayne County, Perfume Genius, Ezra Furman, Sharon Van Etten, Wilcos Jeff Tweedy, Bikini Kills Kathi Wilcox, Big Thiefs Adrianne Lenker, and so many more.We want everyone to be able to see themselves in this project, not just people who identify as trans today, Reid explained in a video on Red Hots official YouTube channel. So, for that reason, weve invited artists across genres to celebrate and support trans communities through a cross-cultural, intergenerational musical collaboration leveraging the most respected artists in the world.Sades track, Young Lion, comes as part of the albums seventh chapter, Liberation, and is dedicated to her son, model and artist Izaak Theo Adu, who is transgender. In 2023, I wrote a letter to Sade and I just really wanted to express to her how meaningful it would be for a parent of a trans child to show support and love for that child, Bell explains in the video on Red Hots YouTube channel. And she responded in a really heartwarming way and agreed to contribute an original song in support of her trans son Izaak.While the song hasnt been released yet, The New York Times described it this week as featuring the singers distinctive vocals over a soft piano riff, with lyrics Sade wrote. Young man, its been so heavy for you/You must have felt so alone, she reportedly sings. I should have known.Its amazing to hear a legendary musician like Sade sing about her heartfelt experience as the parent of a trans child, Bell told the Times. Its incredibly powerful. Founded by Leigh Blake and John Carlin in 1989 in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Red Hot has produced over 20 albums since its first, 1990s Red Hot + Blue, a compilation of Cole Porter covers by artists like Sinad OConnor, Iggy Pop, Tom Waits, Erasure, Annie Lennox, and others to benefit organizations fighting the disease. According to the Times, Red Hot says it has donated some $15 million, mostly from record sales, to related causes since its founding.But Carlin told the paper that declining record sales have led Red Hot to shift its focus from fundraising to raising awareness.Red Hot + Blue served as the first lighthouse of hope that things could be different. And we hope to create a similar vision of the future with Transa, Reid says in the organizations YouTube clip. As we know with 30 years of hindsight, gay people can now hold positions of power and love openly and we want trans people to be able to hold positions of power and be their whole self.

Candace Owens conspiracy theories have continued to grow ever more unhinged since the former Daily Wire pundit lost her gig at the far-right website over her overt antisemitism in March. Most recently, she combined some of her greatest hits antisemitism, homophobia, transphobia, global elite pedophile rings, and, of course, French First Lady Brigitte Macron into a real all-time whopper.On the August 30 edition of her YouTube show Candace, Owens interviewed Xavier Poussard, head of the French far-right newsletter Faits et Documents and one of the key proponents in France of the baseless conspiracy theory that the French first lady is secretly transgender. During the course of their nearly 40-minute conversation, Owens and Poussard managed to spin Poussards spurious proof that Brigitte Macron is really a man into a global theory that finds a cabal of Satanists masquerading as Jews and conspiring to promote incest and child sexual abuse in an effort create a generation of world leaders who are psychopaths. Related Frances first lady sues over conspiracy theory that shes secretly transgender Brigitte Macrons supposed deadname was trending on French Twitter for days. Now shes taking legal action. Or something like that. LGBTQ+ news you can rely on Keep track of the ongoing battle against bias and for equality with our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today This is very scary stuff, a grave Owens claimed, alluding to the opening ceremony of this summers Paris Olympics, which included a tableau featuring drag queens recreating a tableau of a Dionysian feast that Christian conservatives mistook for Da Vincis Last Supper, as evidence of an effort to indoctrinate the entire world into their satanic faith.It is my belief that this is a synagogue of Satan, Owens continued, clearly doubling down on the antisemitism that got her fired from The Daily Wire. It is Biblical. It mentions this people who are pretending to be Jews, but are in fact people that worship Satan, and it seems like a very small, incredibly powerful group of elites.Citing no evidence, Owens claimed she could trace this through to Australia, to Switzerland, to France, to America, to Canada. She claimed that her absurd conspiracy theory explains why it is the circumstance that all of these world leaders that we have, even [Ukraine] President Zelensky, all seem to be homosexual which, to her, is a bad thing.President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and, of course, French President Emmanuel Macron are all in heterosexual marriages, while Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Grgoire, separated in August 2023 and Swiss President Viola Amherd is single. Owens, however, dismissed these facts. Obviously, their relationships are not real, she said.Emmanuel Macron had, when he got elected, a young man who came out and said that he had slept with Emmanuel Macron, and he said that he was a psychopath, that Emmanuel Macron was a psychopath, Owens claimed.The host provided no further details, but her wild claim echoes rumors that seem to have originated in Russian state-owned media in 2017, around the time Macron was elected. Owens went on to claim that in her research, she learned that psychologists were interested in how to create a psychopath. And one thing that they discovered was that if you rape a child, the chances are that they will have psychopathic tendencies when theyre older, that they will develop this neurosis, and that they will become psychopathic.According to Owens, the French public has come to realize that Macron is a psychopath, that he seemed to be almost psychopathic and angry when COVID happened. Like, he liked to Emmanuel Macron liked to inflict pain on the public.Owens has been fixated on the false claim that Brigitte Macron is trans for months, first discussing it in a since-deleted video in March. For her, all this talk about Satanists and psychopaths proves the outlandish conspiracy theory that the French first lady was born male and, at some point, assumed the identity of her sister. Owens and Poussard claim that Brigitte was 47 when she first met a 14-year-old Emmanuel (false; she was 40, he was 15; they married in 2007 when he was 30) and imply that because she is actually trans (shes not), their sexual relationship while he was still a teen (there is no actual proof of this) turned the future French president into a psychopath (which theres no proof of), which is supposedly all part of the Satanists master plan.

A young gay couple in Zimbabwe inadvertently got themselves arrested when one called the police on the other over a money dispute.The two men one aged 28 and the other 25 appeared before the Harare Magistrates Court on charges of sodomy after the dispute led to an unexpected disclosure of their relationship. Related One year later, Ugandas anti-LGBTQ+ law is destroying families, lives, & future peace Ugandans explain how the law has reversed decades of progress, and also turned families and neighbors against one another. Homosexual activity is illegal in Zimbabwe. The young men face up to 14 years in prison plus associated fines if theyre found guilty. Global perspectives delivered right to your inbox Our newsletter bridges borders to bring you LGBTQ+ news from around the world. Subscribe to our Newsletter today According to prosecutors, the couple began a romantic relationship in August 2023, when they moved in together and are alleged to have engaged in consensual same-sex relations. Investigators discovered video of the men engaged in sexual activity with one another taken with their mobile phones.On August 27, one of the men accused the other of infidelity. The argument escalated, authorities said, and the 25-year-old decided to move out of their shared home. As he prepared to leave, his boyfriend noticed some of his money was missing.Both men made a decision to call the police to settle the dispute, investigators say.But as the young mens story unfolded in their interview with cops, the nature of their relationship revealed itself.Zimbabwes National Prosecuting Authority said in a charging document: The accused persons inadvertently furnished the Police with details of the crime of sodomy as they narrated the issue of the missing money and their living arrangements, resulting in their subsequent arrest.At their court appearance, the men were released on $50 (U.S.) bail and ordered to return to court on September 6 for further hearing. Penalties for same-sex relations are a holdover from colonial-era laws imposed on Zimbabwe, formerly known as Rhodesia, by the British. A popular sentiment in the country and many other African nations is that homosexuality is a result of Western influence and immorality.As a result, the penalties for same-sex acts have grown only more draconian across the continent, with the most notorious example Ugandas Kill the Gays law imposing the death penalty for certain same-sex acts.In Zimbabwe, in addition to same-sex relations being illegal, same-sex marriage is banned by the countrys constitution, there are no legal protections for LGBTQ+ people in housing and employment, and gay people are barred from adoption, military service, gender or related name changes, access to IVF, surrogacy, and giving blood.

A study from the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law has provided some sobering statistics about the experiences of LGBTQ+ employees, including that 47% of LGBTQ+ workers have experienced discrimination at some point during their careers. The study, released last month, looked at a survey of LGBTQ+ workers about their experiences in the workplace in the wake of the Supreme Courts Bostock v. Clayton Countydecision in 2020, which granted employment protections to LGBTQ+ people. Related Folks who use they/them pronouns are less likely to get jobs especially in red areas The studys author says the findings are a wake up call to interrogate conscious and unconscious bias. Employment discrimination against LGBTQ people continues to be persistent and widespread, the executive summary of the survey reads. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Almost half, 46%, of LGBTQ+ people are not out to their supervisor, and 20% are not out to any of their coworkers. 40% of the employees who are out as queer at work say they have experienced discrimination and 12% who are not have experienced discrimination. Similarly, 42% of LGBTQ+ workers have experienced harassment, and 17% who are not out as gay have experienced discrimination.Many LGBTQ+ employees said that they took action to avoid discrimination and harassment, including hiding their identity and changing their physical appearance.The rates of discrimination are the worst for trans and nonbinary workers, with 55% of them having experienced discrimination. The number is lower for cisgender LGBQ individuals with 31% reporting experiencing discrimination. Similarly, rates of discrimination in the workplace are higher for LGBTQ+ people of color, as 42% of LGBTQ+ people of color have experienced discrimination, compared to 27% of their white counterparts.While the survey looked at the lifetime experiences of respondents, it found that in the last year, 17% of LGBTQ+ people had experienced discrimination. 22% of LGBTQ+ workers said they had experienced discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity within the past five years Among all survey respondents, 33% left their positions due to how they were treated as a result of their identity as LGBTQ+. Nearly three-fourths (72%) of respondents said that they had heard negative comments, slurs, or jokes about LGBTQ+ people at work at some point in their lives. Over one-third (36%) had heard negative comments about the LGBTQ+ community within the past year.

Concerns about whether their children will be able to have kids of their own someday appear to affect parents attitudes toward the possibility that their children may come out a lesbian, gay, or bisexual according to new research.Researchers Danielle J. DelPriore, Olivia Ronan, and Pamela Lantz of Pennsylvania State University Altoonas Division of Education, Human Development, and Social Sciences published findings from a trio of studies in Archives of Sexual Behavior back in July. Related Conservatives are outraged a gay couple is on the cover of Parents magazine It could be displayed in waiting rooms of dentist and doctor offices, where children could easily be subjected to the glorification of same-sex parents. Parents often respond negatively when a child discloses their minoritized sexual orientation, the team wrote. We propose that parents negativity in this context may be shaped by evolutionary concerns regarding their childrens reproductive outcomes. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today To test their hypothesis DelPriore and the other researchers conducted three studies. In the first, the researchers surveyed a group of 386 cisgender and heterosexual parents consisting of 192 mothers and 194 fathers; all had children under the age of six. The surveys gauged how concerned the parents were about their childrens likelihood of reproducing (i.e. having biological children of their own) alongside their attitudes toward the possibility that their children may come out as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Researchers found that concerns about their childs potential to reproduce were significantly associated with parents negative attitudes toward their child hypothetically coming out as non-heterosexual. Parents with higher concerns about their child being able to have biological children of their own and those who believed that non-heterosexuals face significant reproductive challenges were more likely to express negative views about their child coming out.Two other separate studies tested whether providing parents with information about LGB peoples reproductive options could impact their attitudes toward their childrens sexual orientation. The first focused on 327 cisgender heterosexual mothers with young children under age six, while the second focused on 279 cisgender heterosexual fathers. In both studies, parents were divided into two groups. One was given an article to read emphasizing the accessibility of procedures like in vitro fertilization (IVF), while the other read an article unrelated to reproductive issues. Parents were then given the same surveys as the group in the initial study. Researchers found that both mothers and fathers with more information about the reproductive options available to lesbian, gay, and bisexual people were significantly less likely to express negativity about their child potentially coming out.The studies suggest that for some parents, negative attitudes about their children coming out can be changed. When parents understand that LGB people can have biological children of their own, they seem to be less likely to react negatively to their children coming out.Notably, the research comes at a time when IVF, the most common method of assisted reproduction, has gained national attention in the wake of the Alabama Supreme Courts unprecedented February ruling that effectively outlawed the treatment in the state.Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance was one of 47 Senate Republicans to vote against the Right to IVF Act, which would have ensured access to IVF and other forms of assisted fertility treatment nationwide.

Donald Trump falsely stated at a rally that schools are performing gender-affirming surgery on students without their parents knowledge at a rally this past weekend.Can you imagine, youre a parent and your son leaves the house, and you say, Jimmy, I love you so much, go have a good day in school,' Trump said at a rally this past Saturday in Mosinee, Wisconsin. And your son comes back with a brutal operation. Can you even imagine this? What the hell is wrong with our country? Related Donald Trump lies to crowd: Tim Walz let the state kidnap children to change their gender The law theyre referring to prevents courts from removing custody because a parent allowed their kid to get gender-affirming care. Trump: Can you imagine you're a parent and your son leaves the house and you say, Jimmy, I love you so much. Go have a good day in school and your son comes back with a brutal operation. pic.twitter.com/ChmwpavFAH Acyn (@Acyn) September 7, 2024 Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Its a similar claim to one he made late last month at an appearance with the anti-LGBTQ+ extremist group Moms for Liberty: Your kid goes to school and comes home a few days later with an operation. The school decides whats gonna happen with your child.Trump says, "Your kid goes to school and comes home a few days late with an operation."I'll give CashApp $1000 to anyone that shows proof of a middle school or high school that operated on a child and changed their gender.pic.twitter.com/McG4wakYTz Alex Cole (@acnewsitics) September 1, 2024 Gender-affirming surgery is almost never performed on minors, and its never performed on minors without their parents knowing. Moreover, schools dont provide that kind of medical care to students for free and without their parents knowledge. Trumps campaign was unable to point to an instance where this actually happened when asked after he made the claim while speaking with Moms for Liberty, but apparently, the knowledge that this has never happened isnt enough to stop Trump from making this inflammatory claim to an audience that lacks the understanding of trans people and gender-affirming care to know that its false.Trumps own campaign could not find a single example of this school secretly sends child for gender-affirming surgery without parental consent thing having ever happened anywhere in the US. Experts say it has not and could not. Its a lie. https://t.co/W1AKw41M1t https://t.co/dJLBqzbAon Daniel Dale (@ddale8) September 7, 2024

What a difference two-and-a-half months make. It was just late June when Donald Trump and Joe Biden faced off in the first presidential debate of the season. As it turns out, thanks to his disastrous performance, it was Bidens last presidential debate ever. Related The attempt on Trumps life makes this the darkest modern presidential campaign The attack confirmed the rights belief that the election is literally a life-or-death battle. Tomorrow is the second presidential debate, but it might as well be the first. Kamala Harris will be making her debate debut as a presidential candidate. She and Trump have never faced off before. Indeed, the two have never even met because Trump skipped the 2021 inauguration festivities after his failed coup attempt. Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today Debates are all about expectations and spin. The expectation for the June debate was that Biden would show Trump up for the blowhard he is, which is why the Biden campaign pushed for a debate so early in the election cycle. We all know how that worked out. However, its hard to imagine that Harris isnt in a much better position going into the debate than Trump is. For one thing, Trump cant stop himself from vomiting his inner dialogue, which rightly disgusts a lot of voters. He digresses, he rambles, he struggles to put a coherent thought together. Bidens poor performance was the spectacle at the last debate. This time out Trump wont have that foil. At the same time, Harris is used to arguing her case. After all, she was a prosecutor, where her job was to convince a jury. She knows how to lay out her argument and draw people into it. She knows that this time the voting public is her jury, and she will argue accordingly. Moreover, Harris can deliver a killer line. People dont remember much from any debate, but they do remember how in 2019, when she was a presidential candidate, Harris eviscerated Biden for his long-ago opposition to busing as a solution for school segregation. Harris also did a number on Mike Pence during the 2020 vice presidential debate. When Pence tried to interrupt her multiple times, Harris put him in his place with a firm, Mr. Vice President, Im speaking.Trunp wont have a chance to interrupt Harris because the candidates microphones will be muted when they arent talking. But what Harris can do is get under Trumps skin. In fact, shes already taken up residence there. Trump clearly despises Harris. Trump thinks Harris is none-too-bright, unlike Hillary Clinton. (Race probably plays a role in that assessment.) He calls her b**ch in private and shared a social media post that said she owed her success to providing sexual favors. In Trumps mind, he was cheated out of an easy win against Biden and cant fathom going up against a Black woman who reminds people he is a felon. An angry Trump is an uncontrollable Trump. In typical Trump fashion, hes not doing any hard work for the debate. President Trump doesnt do debate prep, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who is helping Trump get ready for tomorrow, told The New York Times. Instead, Gaetz said that he regularly assembles advisors to talk about key issues. In short, Trump rants while his campaign staff tries to get him to talk about policy. The catch is when Trump talks about policy, he sounds as if hes phonetically reciting a foreign language, which, to be fair, he is, as he cares nothing about policy. After twice struggling with how to respond to Trump, Harris seems to have struck on the right approach. She doesnt dwell him as a threat, she doesnt brand him a misogynist. She treats him as a weird old man who has overstayed his welcome. Thats exactly the kind of treatment that will send Trump into orbit. Whether he can hold it together through the debate remains to be seen. But ask yourself this question: wouldyouwant to go head-to-head against Kamala Harris in a debate? Its no wonder that Trump tried so often to back out of the debate. Even he knows hes got a lot more to lose tomorrow besides his temper.

Democratic vice presidential nominee and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) blasted Republicans anti-LGBTQ+ policies in particular, their book-banning crusade and vice presidential nominee Sen. J.D. Vances (R-OH) recent line about school shootings being a fact of life during his keynote address at the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner on Saturday night.Referencing GOP book bans against works like And Tango Makes Three, a childrens book about a penguin chick being raised by two male penguins, Walz said, This is what these folks are focusing on. Like reading about two male penguins who love each other is somehow going to turn your children gay, and thats what you should worry about. Related Donald Trump should be very worried going up against Kamala Harris in a debate In debates, Harris put Mike Pence in his place and even eviscerated Joe Biden. Trumps antics wont work against her. But heres what Ill tell you, he continued. Its a fact of life some people are gay, but you know whats not a fact of life? That our children get shot dead in schools. Thats not a fact of life. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today His line referenced Vance calling school shootings an unfortunate fact of life after a school shooter in Georgia killed four people and injured nine others. Walz: This is what these folks are focusing on. Like reading about about two male penguins who love each other is somehow going to turn your children gay Its a fact of life some people are gay, but you know whats not a fact of life? That our children get shot dead in schools. pic.twitter.com/tFAXOMkZNG Acyn (@Acyn) September 8, 2024Walz continued, We are going to make sure our children are seen, they bring their authentic selves, and we are going to make sure theyre safe when they get there.During his speech, Walz praised Judy and Dennis Shepard, the parents of hate crime murder victim Matthew Shepard, for working to make peoples lives a little bit easier following their sons horrifying 1998 murder.Walz said he worked with the Shepards after their sons death to advocate for the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, a federal law offering additional support and enhanced penalties for bias-motivated crimes. I walked through the House floor, through the tunnels, from the Longworth House Office Building over to the Capitol, and I made that walk with Matthews mom, Judy Shepard, and the sheriff who found Matthews body tied to that fence post in Wyoming, and I remember walking with a mother who lost her son and hearing the sheriff tell me the only place he wasnt bloody was where the tears ran down Matthews eyes, Walz said.I watched a mother and the unbelievable pain that I couldnt even fathom, to lose a child this way, walk with her head held high to make sure that none of the rest of us ever have to get a call from someone, he added.Walz touted the extensive pro-LGBTQ+ records of himself and Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris (D-CA), noting how he banned book bans and out-of-state prosecutions of youth gender-affirming care in his state and how Harris has continually supported queer rights as part of the Biden administration. As a U.S. senator, she fought hard for the Equality Act, introduced a bill to make sure you had access to PrEP, and as vice president, and I say this, it is not a stretch, and the facts are there, this is the most pro-LGBTQ+-administration in American history, he said.Walz, who served 24 years in the military, then mentioned former President Donald Trumps ban on transgender military members.Weve had thousands of brave transgender troops, decorated warriors, who served this country, Walz said. When Donald Trump was commander-in-chief, he belittled them and he banned them from service. Thankfully, President Biden and Vice President Harris rescinded that stupid, bigoted policy. He said, If you want to serve this nation, you should be allowed to, and what we should do is respect that service. They should not get incoming fire from their commander-in-chief, attacking their basic dignity, humanity, and patriotism. And I will say this, I didnt serve for 24 years in this to have those guys diminish another troops service.Were not going back to the discrimination, he continued. Were not going to force our children into situations where they become suicidal. Were not going to continue to demonize people because of who they are, and were not going to continue to allow people in this country to go hungry or to be shot dead because we dont make decisions that can improve that.

Every four years, voters are told that this is the most important election of their lifetimes, but as well-worn as that clich is, its true for LGBTQ+ Americans in 2024.The November general election presents a choice between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, the latter of whom was responsible for more than 200 attacks against the LGBTQ+ community during his four years in the White House, according to estimates from GLAAD. Those assaults havent stopped since he left office, and LGBTQ+ Americans are already seeing a preview of what another Trump presidency might look like. In recent weeks, Texas announced that the state would begin banning trans people from correcting the gender markers on their drivers licenses and state IDs. And a Trump-appointed judge ordered a Washington, D.C.-area high school to allow an anti-LGBTQ+ group to form on campus.Those included banning trans people from serving openly in the military, repealing Obama-era guidance mandating equal access for trans students in schools, rolling back nondiscrimination protections for trans patients, and denying marginally housed trans people affirming access to emergency shelter.With trans rights on the ballot yet again, LGBTQ Nation spoke to trans voters about the key issues that are motivating them to get to the polls. While some expressed dissatisfaction with the Democratic presidential ticket, wishing that Harris would do more to lobby for progressive policy, they largely urged the trans community not to sit the election out. That is just giving the Republicans what they want, one source tells LGBTQ Nation. They count on people not wanting to vote or not showing up to vote in order to win elections. Youre really not helping anything by abstaining. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Trans health careLuke Johnson / USA TODAY NETWORK The number of bills seeking to prohibit gender-affirming care has surged. Photo: Luke Johnson/USA Today Network. Remi Buckley has had a fairly easy time transitioning, but she worries all that might change under a second Trump administration. If elected to a second term, Trump has vowed to prosecute gender-affirming care for minors on a nationwide scale, likening youth transitions to child abuse and sexual mutilation. He also called to ban the federal government from promoting the concept of sex and gender transition at any age, even adults. His running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH), introduced a Senate bill making it a felony for doctors to perform gender-affirming surgeries on minors, which is extremely rare.Im most definitely voting for Kamala in this upcoming election, Buckley tells LGBTQ Nation. It would be a nightmare if Trump did happen to get elected. For my own safety, my friends, and so many countless others across the country, I feel like theres only one right decision. Buckley, an 18-year-old who lives in Alabama, cannot fathom what it would mean for those kinds of policies to be enacted. Although her state banned gender-affirming care for minors in April 2022, during the early days of her medical transition, she has still been able to access her hormone replacement therapy (HRT) through a Georgia-based telehealth provider. That medication, she says, has had a dramatic positive impact on her mental health now that others have begun to treat her as the girl that she has always known herself to be. She has become more sociable and outgoing, and she no longer feels out of place, as if she doesnt belong anywhere she goes.Having that newfound confidence taken away by a second Trump administration would be devastating, Buckley says. It would feel like I have to hide myself away again, which is a way I dont think anybody should have to live: acting like a ghost of their former self or of the person they want to be, she stresses. I dont really know what I would do. Related Trans people are more likely to vote than cis people despite barriers to voting Despite facing barriers to voting, trans people show up. Andrea Montanez, a 68-year-old Floridian, says that she is fighting against another Trump presidency because she already knows what its like to suddenly lose access to health care. In June 2023, she was turned away from her local Walgreens while picking up her regular HRT prescription that shes been taking for many years, with the pharmacy citing the states then-recently enacted restrictions on trans health care. As a longtime LGBTQ+ organizer, she was able to mobilize her local community to put pressure on the pharmacy to refill her prescription. Montanez is one of countless trans people who have struggled to access medication under Floridas draconian regulations.Those laws are currently being debated in the courts, and Montanez knows that 2025 could bring even more challenges, whether from a Trump presidency or more restrictions passed by Florida Republicans.I came to this country and this state looking for freedom, thinking everything would be OK, but now you have to fight for your rights and your health care because health care is not a human right we have, says Montanez, a refugee from Colombia. Its scary, but I dont want to go anywhere. Were going to keep fighting this. Share your opinion View the article on LGBTQ Nation to participate in our reader poll. Trans and nonbinary gender markersDestiny Clark is already thinking about her escape plan if Trump wins a second term in 2024, spending her free time wondering what countries are the safest and easiest to go to. Project 2025, a far-right policy playbook from which Trump has poorly attempted to distance himself, describes transness as a social contagion and effectively calls for the widespread criminalization of trans identity. She has frequent nightmares that trans people will be sent to Holocaust-style camps, a fear that she recognizes is irrational but still feels real to her all the same.Im not sure if I would be 100% safe, and Id rather be safe than sorry, she says of the possibility of fleeing. Id rather live to fight another day than to sit back and not be able to do that.Among her concerns about a Trump victory in November is that his administration would make it more difficult to access corrected legal documentation, a struggle with which she is already extremely familiar. Clark, 41, fought the state of Alabama for three years to be able to update the gender marker on her drivers license, a request that was finally granted in 2021. When her license still listed her as male, Clark says that her freedom of movement was severely restricted. She was afraid to patronize unfamiliar bars or even drive late at night in case she was pulled over. In her area of rural Alabama, she says police officers often stop you just for the fun of it. Having a corrected ID has given Clark the freedoms that many others take for granted, such as the ability to take road trips with friends or have a beer at lunch without worrying about being carded. It would be hard for her, she says, to sacrifice that peace of mind. When youre only comfortable going to certain places, that limits what you can do in your life, she says. Its scary not to have your documents that dont match who you are. Related Texas bans trans people from changing the gender markers on their licenses The policy could put trans Texans at risk of harassment and discrimination. Kayla Gore, 36, says the most likely move that Trump could make as president would be revoking trans peoples ability to get a corrected gender marker on their federal passports. In many states that still have restrictive ID policies on the books, she says its easier to get a passport that matches a trans persons lived gender than it is a state ID, drivers license, or other form of legal documentation. Gore has spent years in court lobbying Tennessee to allow her to correct her birth certificate, and her corrected passport has been a major lifeline while she awaits full recognition of her lived identity. While the U.S. State Department also permits nonbinary people to apply for a gender-neutral X marker on their passports, Gore says the policy is vulnerable to repeal under a Republican presidency. (As a senator, Vance penned legislation that would ban nonbinary passports, saying that the policy would restore some sanity in our federal bureaucracy.) She says that many trans people have been rushing to get their documents updated in case they no longer have that option under Trump. A lot of trans folks are scurrying to do things that could be changed with the stroke of a pen, she says. Those are policies that can change in a days time.If Harris is elected in November, Gore hopes to see Democrats work proactively to protect access to affirming documentation, to ensure that the freedom she felt in getting her corrected passport isnt taken away. It solidified that I was a part of society, she says. I was being respected in a way that I never thought possible. I felt like I could do anything. I could go anywhere. I could be anybody I wanted to be.Safe schools for trans studentsMatt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK Students from Atherton High School rallied with hundreds of other teens from across Kentucky to support transgender rights and oppose SB 150 during a rally at the state capitol in Frankfort. March 29, 2023. Photo: Matt Stone/Courier Journal/USA Today Network. Ray Loux is voting in November because he doesnt want to see whats happened in Kentucky spread everywhere else. In May 2023, Republicans overturned a veto from Gov. Andy Beshear (D) of an omnibus anti-trans bill that, among other things, banned gender-affirming care for minors, prohibited teachers from discussing LGBTQ+ identities, and blocked trans students from using gender-congruent bathrooms at school. Loux, who is 18, was forced to leave his school and finish his studies at a community college so he wouldnt be forced to use the girls restroom.Loux says that he just couldnt stomach going back to what things were like in middle school when he was too scared to use either bathroom on campus. Because there were no gender-neutral facilities, he would wait until he got home, causing severe bladder issues. Anybody would look at me really weird if I tried to use the womens, and the nurses station didnt have a bathroom, he says. I didnt have many options. Since graduating, Loux has left his home state to attend college in Louisiana, and the outcome of the 2024 election could make the difference between whether he will ever return. The Biden administration issued a long-awaited directive in April advising schools that trans students should be treated in line with their gender under its interpretation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which bans sex-based discrimination in all federally funded educational opportunities. Those rules have been temporarily blocked in 26 states, including Kentucky, as the result of an ongoing lawsuit, but Harris would likely fight for their enforcement as president.Loux wants to someday go back to Kentucky to build a life there, but that could be difficult if a Trump presidency emboldens Republican lawmakers to continue repealing trans rights. To date, more than 630 anti-trans bills have been introduced to state legislatures in 2024, and GOP lawmakers in Kentucky were responsible for 14.I love my state, he says. I love the queer community there. It wasnt actual Kentuckians who were doing these things. It wasnt the Kentucky that I know. Steven Rocha, a 23-year-old teacher in Florida, knows how difficult it is to see your state make it more difficult to be yourself. In 2023, Florida passed its infamous Parental Rights in Education Act, which initially banned teachers in K-3 classrooms from addressing topics related to the LGBTQ+ community. Although portions of that law have been nullified due to a court settlement, Rocha still feels the impact. In the past, students have called him anti-gay slurs and asked whether hes a boy or a girl. He isnt out to his students, which he says makes him feel as if he is betraying the community. Its a terrible feeling, he laments, to feel as if you have to lie to keep your job.When Rocha meets LGBTQ+ people who live outside the South, they often express their condolences for everything thats happened in Florida in recent years, including its restrictions on trans health care and drag performances (both of which have also been blocked in court). But he doesnt want their sympathy because the truth is, Rocha says, that other states are just a few bad elections away from being in the same position. Thats why he says its so important for trans people and allies to make their voices heard this year.The bottom line is: A lot of trans people are going to get hurt under a Trump presidency, Rocha says. Thats just a reality. Trans people are such a small minority, but our lives have just as much meaning and value as our cisgender counterparts. The stakes really could not be higher. Related Ron DeSantis smeared this trans candidate. She just won her primary. Ashley Brundage could be the states first out trans lawmaker.

Members of the far-right are trying to exploit this tragedy.

Out clinical psychologist Mary Trump recently called her uncle Donald unhinged and incoherent, bizarre, and untethered from reality, saying he is dementing before the publics eyes. She based her assessment on the former presidents recent rambling comments on childcare, comments that several mainstream outlets presented as more comprehensible than they actually were.During Donald Trumps appearance at the Economic Club of New York last week a meeting of economists, business leaders and journalists he was asked what specific pieces of legislation he would pass as president to make childcare affordable. Related Donald Trumps psychologist niece shares the origin story for his thin skin And it all has to do with mashed potatoes. Trumps nearly two-minute response, which has since been widely shared on social media, never answered the question. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today In his rambling response, Trump said, I would do that, and were sitting down, I was somebody, we had Senator Marco Rubio and my daughter Ivanka was so impactful on that issue. Its a very important issue, but Theres something, you have to have it in this country, you have to have it. But when you talk about those numbers compared to the kind of numbers that Im talking about by taxing foreign nations at levels that theyre not used to, but theyll get used to it very quickly, and its not going to stop them from doing business with us, but theyll have a very substantial tax when they send product into our country. Those numbers are so much bigger than any numbers that were talking about, including childcare, that its going to take care. Donald Trumps answer on how he will make childcare more affordable: pic.twitter.com/Hwu7R5aIt6 Acyn (@Acyn) September 5, 2024In a post to her SubStack, Mary Trump wrote that the corporate media believe they must translate Donalds nonsensical ramblings into a version of the English language we can all understand.She noted that, while reporting on the event, the Associated Press wrote that Trump had suggest[ed] tariffs can help solve rising child care costs; Politico wrote that he had laid out a sweeping economic vision of lower taxes, higher tariffs, and light-touch regulation; and The New York Times wrote that Trump had praised tariffs.Several other publications made similar reports, transgender journalist Parker Molloy noted. She and journalist Aaron Rupar called this a sane-washing of Trumps comments. Weighing in, Mary Trump wrote, Thats a huge problem because, on the one hand, theyre not really translating his words theyre imbuing them with a meaning that is not there; on the other hand, theyre doing this without telling us theyre doing it.Surely a political press corps that spent months arguing that President Bidens age renderedhimmentally unfit, wouldnt look the other way when the Republican candidate, the oldest person to run for president in American history, is not only old but decompensating before our very eyes, she continued. The difference of course is that Biden is aging while Donald isdementing.Donald really does seem to have worn down the corporate medias willingness to cover him properly. Its too badtheyre missing a story most people would be interested in, she added. American democracy depends upon a thriving fourth estate to function optimally. Thats not what we have right now. Not even close. She then unloaded on her uncle, writing, A former occupant of the Oval Office, a convicted felon and adjudicated rapist who attempted a coup, is desperately flailing while his campaign is failing to gain any traction. Donald is a frightened, desperate man knowing, as he does, that his continued freedom might well depend on his ability to get back into the White House so he can make the still-pending federal cases against him disappear. His increasingly fantastical pronouncements and worsening psychiatric disorders strike me as being newsworthy.Mary Trump will soon release her third memoir about the Trump family, entitled Who Could Ever Love You? In the book, Mary Trump describes Donald Trumps mother as seriously ill and psychologically unstable and his father as a sociopath. As a result, Donald Trump grew up as a bully with no friends and developed a widening cruel streak, she writes in the book, according to The Washington Post.

As more reality TV shows are created that cater to a queer audience like For the Love of DILFs and The Ultimatum: Queer Love we are getting to see more and more people from the LGBTQ+ community grace our TV screens, but they are still too few and far between for our liking. Luckily, this is starting to change. Not only are we getting more queer-centric shows, but every year, we are seeing an influx of men coming out either on reality TV or after theyve left the show (check out our list of LGBTQ+ women who have come out after reality TV, too!).From Norman Korpi coming out on the very first season of The Real World to ex-NFL player Colton Underwood coming out after looking for a wife on The Bachelor, these former and current reality TV stars have broken down barriers and given us more of the queer representation weve been craving!Bret LaBelle (The Amazing Race, Survivor)See on InstagramBret LaBelle was a contestant on The Amazing Race before landing on the Millennials vs. Gen X season of Survivor, where he shocked everyone by coming out as gay during a conversation with fellow contestant Zeke Smith. The burly reality TV star is now happily dating TikTok star Chris Stanley (AKA StanChris), who first noticed LaBelle when he was binge-watching Survivor during quarantine. After that, the two men slid into each other's DMs and started dating despite the 27-year age gap."I had an internal struggle with myself with coming out and being gay for years," LaBelle told Entertainment Weekly. "When I mentioned it on the show, it was like a huge weight off my shoulders, and I found that it really helped me in my personal life going forward. The support I received from family, friends, and co-workers was amazing. I wish I had come out sooner."Colton Underwood (The Bachelor)See on InstagramEx-NFL player Colton Underwood surprised fans when he came out as gay after starring in his failed attempt to find a wife on The Bachelor. Underwood spent years after his stint on the most heterosexual reality TV show of all time denying his sexuality when the press would ask him, but he finally came out in 2021 on an episode of Good Morning America. Since then, Underwood starred in Coming Out Colton, a six-episode unscripted series from Netflix that followed him on his journey as a newly out gay man, with gay Olympic freesia Gus Kenworthy as his guide. He also started dating political strategist Jordan C. Brown in 2021, and the two ultimately tied the knot in May 2023.Norman Korpi (The Real World)See on InstagramThe Real World was a groundbreaking show when it aired its inaugural season in 1992. Not only was it the first modern reality TV show, but it also didn't shy away from talking about homosexuality or HIV at a time when it was extremely controversial to do so. In the very first season of the show, Norman Korpi came out to his housemates and became one of the first openly gay men on television."I still have like, 25 boxes of these long, touching letters from people that didn't have a voice," he told People in 2021. "When they saw a group of seven people living together and that six of them loved and supported a gay person, forget me coming out. It was really that relationship of those people the Beckys and Erics and the Julies that the people could see themselves and say, 'Look, he's part of the cool kids, he's on the cool network. That's the coolest thing that you could be on, and that's me.'"Clay Aiken (American Idol)See on InstagramClay Aiken hit it big when he was the runner-up on the second season of American Idol back in 2003, going on to become a multiplatinum recording artist and Broadway star. After years of his sexuality being scrutinized and theorized about in the tabloid press, Aiken finally came out on the cover of People magazine in 2008 because he had a son with his best friend Jaymes Foster through in vitro fertilization and didnt want to have to hide anymore.It was the first decision I made as a father, Aiken told People. I cannot raise a child to lie or to hide things. I wasnt raised that way, and Im not going to raise a child to do that. Since then, Aiken has gone on to be an outspoken advocate for gay rights and a passionate LGBTQ+ activist.Matt Terry (The X-Factor)See on InstagramThe X-Factor season 13 winner Matt Terry came out earlier this year on March 22, 2024, after years of dealing with speculation about his sexuality from the notoriously ruthless Bristol tabloids. His announcement was timed with the release of his new single, His Car, which details his first relationship with a man who had to be kept a secret.I am so ready to show who I am with my music, he said in an interview with the Gay Times. Throughout the years, Ive had media reach out and offer me money like, Well give you this much if you want to talk about your sexuality, and I would say, Absolutely not. Im too proud and have too much self-respect. But now, I want to set the record straight with this song and video.Colin Grafton (Dancing on Ice)See on InstagramAfter telling his close friends and family he was gay back in his 20s, Dancing on Ice and former Team USA figure skater Colin Grafton came out publicly earlier this year. On February 4, 2024, in an interview with Pink News, he explained, "If I'm honest, I never really felt the need to announce it before but the reason I am saying this now is because I want to show that there is representation in any way I can."David Archuleta (American Idol)See on Instagram"Crush" singer David Archuleta competed on American Idol when he was just 17 years old, but despite being a teenager, speculation about his sexuality flourished. It wasn't until 2021 that Archuleta publicly came out as part of the LGBTQ+ community in an Instagram post where he wrote in part, "I like to keep to myself but also thought this was important to share because I know so many other people from religious upbringings feel the same way. I've been open to myself and my close family for some years now that I am not sure about my own sexuality."Archuleta came out to his family as gay in 2014, but it turns out his sexuality is more complicated than that. In the social media post, he also talked about being attracted to both genders but not having "much sexual desires and urges" and was open about how complicated his religious beliefs make understanding his sexuality.Nicola Porcella (La Casa de los Famosa Mexico)See on InstagramFormer pro soccer player Nicola Porcella starred in La Casa de los Famosos Mxico in 2023, which is the Mexican edition of Celebrity Big Brother. While competing on the show, Porcella revealed that hes pansexual and found himself immediately welcomed into the fam by costars Apio Quijano (who is bisexual) and Wendy Guevara (who is trans).Jordan Sangha (Big Brother UK)See on InstagramBig Brother UK star Jordan Sangha came out as queer while competing on the 20th season of the beloved show, and went on to win the whole thing based on an audience vote. While on the show Sangha met his now-boyfriend Henry Southan. What started as a friendship led to on-air kisses and then the pair moved in together almost immediately after the competition ended, The Sun reports. Grant Coulson (Geordie Shore)See on InstagramGrant Coulson was known as a ladies' man on the hit MTV show Geordie Shore, so fans were shocked when he came out in 2023. Coulson explained that he felt he had to keep his sexuality a secret because the star feared it would ruin his chances on reality TV."I think now I just feel more comfortable with who I am," he told The Sun. "For years I hid the real me and now I am finally happy, I feel like everyone needs to know the real me. I feel like I have been hiding myself for such a long period of time, it just a bit of a weight lifted off my shoulders. I think I have known for years but more people are more open to it now. It's not the 1800s, no one's really bothered anymore."Paulie Calafiore (Big Brother, The Challenge: USA)See on InstagramPaulie Calafiore has competed on Big Brother and multiple seasons of The Challenge, including The Challenge USA 2, where he revealed that hes bisexual. In 2023, while on the show, Calafiore opened up to his co-star Tori Deal. I came through athletics, so that forced me to repress who I was, sexually, he shared. I didnt know if I was attracted to women, attracted to men, or if it was just like an energy thing. Id be like, I need to prove that Im the most alpha human in the world.Later that same year, Calafiore confirmed that he identifies as bisexual during an interview with GLAADs Anthony Allen Ramos. I am bisexual, he said. I feel good about finally being able to talk about this.Curtis Hamilton (The Real Friends of WeHo)See on InstagramInsecure actor Curtis Hamilton kept his sexuality a secret from his close friends and family and, instead, came out publicly by starring in the unapologetically queer MTV reality show The Real Friends of WeHo.I was super scared [to come out], Hamilton said in an interview with TV Insider. I hadnt told people in close proximity in my life [about his sexuality]. One of my best friends found out on Twitter and was pissed. He just felt so bad that I didnt tell him, but thats just the life Ive been living. For me to go on a reality show and open up to the world with something Ive just been telling the people that know me the most about, it was really scary. But I just felt it was time. Im still scared.Curtis Pritchard (Love is Blind UK)See on InstagramCurtis Pritchard starred on the fifth season of Love Island UK, where he had a couple up with co-star Maura Higgins, but shortly after, he came out in an interview with The Sun where he revealed that he's fluid and said that he wouldn't rule out having a relationship with a man in the future. "I've been with women and I'm with a woman now," he told the publication. "You can never put a label on anything. It's a clich to say, but love is blind. I can never ever say what will happen in the future. I wouldn't rule anything out."Nicholas Birchall (Love Island USA)See on InstagramNicholas Birchall surprised fans when he left the villa voluntarily during the fourth season of Love Island USA. After his abrupt departure, he took to Instagram, where he came out publicly as bisexual. Even though the Villa didnt ultimately end up feeling like the right place to say my truth, I still wanted to share it with yall and take this weight off my shoulders, he wrote. Bisexual men dont have very much representation on TV and after being home with my family, I realized I still want to be that role model and use my given platform to encourage inclusivity in media. Im excited to be that guy for every person who has ever felt uncomfortable/unhappy with who they are."David Barta (Ex on the Beach)See on InstagramWhile starring in Paradise Hotel, David Barta presented as straight and dated costar Kendall Galan, but on the premier episode of the fifth season of MTV's Ex on the Beach, he came out as pansexual. "I think I'm here definitely to get to know myself better and accept myself more," Barta said during the episode. "A big thing that has been going on for me, behind closed doors, in the past year and a half or so, has been my sexuality." He went on to say that he's still trying to figure out his sexuality, "Talking to guys is still pretty new for me. I've been interested in men for years now, I just haven't been honest with myself."Later he posted a statement about his sexuality on Instagram, sharing the definition of pansexual and writing, "Call it Pansexual, call it Bisexual, call it Sexually Fluid (my preference), or all of the above. It's me. Above all these titles, I'm just David. I'm still the same exact person, just a little more honest and open to what life has in store for me."

Not shy to kai kai!When RuPauls Drag Race first premiered on television, it used to be incredibly hard for drag queens to find love and maintain stable relationships. Internal homophobia and femmephobia were two of the largest contributors to people specifically gay men not wanting to date someone who worked as a drag performer. Over time, this led a lot of queens to date/hook up with each other, a practice that has been nicknamed kai kai over the years.While it is significantly easier for drag queens to be in relationships as of 2023, there are still a lot of queens who enjoy some kai kai from time to time. While fans arent always made aware of these relationships, it can be very fun to find out about these connections between Drag Race queens.Scroll through to find out which queens have dated each other within the universe of RuPauls Drag Race, which is available for streaming on Paramount+.Manila Luzon & Sahara DavenportThe first-ever official showmance in RuPauls Drag Race herstory happened between Sahara Davenport, who competed in season two, and Manila Luzon, who was cast in season three. Despite staying together for many years, their relationship came to an abrupt end when Sahara died of heart failure in October 2012.Alaska & Sharon NeedlesSharon Needles revealed that she was in a relationship with a fellow drag queen, Alaska, back when she competed in the fourth season of RuPauls Drag Race. A year after Sharon being crowned a winner, Alaska competed on Drag Race season five and finished as a runner-up. By the time Alaska returned for All Stars 2, she already made it clear that they were no longer a couple.Vanessa Vanjie Mateo & Brooke Lynn HytesIt wasnt a secret to anyone that there was a showmance going on between Vanessa Vanjie Mateo and Brooke Lynn Hytes throughout season 11 of RuPauls Drag Race. Though they tried to make things work outside of the werk room, Vanjie explained that their touring schedules after appearing on the show didnt help the relationship. In any case, Brooke and Vanjie remain friends, and Vanjie even appeared as a guest judge on Canadas Drag Race season three.Gigi Goode & Crystal MethydSee on InstagramEven though they consistently played coy when discussing their relationship, season 12 finalists Gigi Goode and Crystal Methyd never explicitly denied having a showmance after meeting in the Drag Race werk room. With fans continuing to ship them as a couple, Crystal told ET that theres always a little bit of fact in the fiction. For her part, Gigi told the news outlet, I know what the rumors are. Weve talked about it. Weve been socially long-distance. Listen, that mullet does something.Amethyst & Robin FierceOne of the recurring plotlines for Amethyst and Robin Fierce on Drag Race season 15 had to do with them dating prior to getting cast on the show. While filming the season, both queens tried to argue that it had been their own decision to break things up. In post-show interviews, however, they determined that the breakup was a mutual decision after all.Tayce & AWhora (RuPauls Drag Race UK)AWhora spent a good time on RuPauls Drag Race UK season two teasing Tayce about a potential relationship or situationship that they had in the past. Though Tayce kept denying it, she always said it with a laugh. Things got even more sus when Tayce and AWhora became roommates during the lockdown break that happened in the middle of filming season two of Drag Race UK.Tia Kofi & Pixie Polite (RuPauls Drag Race UK)See on InstagramDuring RuPauls Drag Race season four, Pixie Polite revealed that she had been in a five-year relationship with season two queen Tia Kofi. At the time, Pixie also revealed that she and Tia had broken up around 2021.Anita Wiglit & Ivanna Drink (RuPauls Drag Race Down Under)See on InstagramWhen she was announced as a contestant on season three of RuPauls Drag Race Down Under, Ivanna Drink revealed that she was married to Anita Wiglit. In August 2023, however, Anita and Ivanna announced their split via social media.Derrick Barry & NebraskaThunderfuckSee on InstagramBeloved season 8 Drag Race star Derrick Barry's partner Nebraska Thunderfuck was first introduced in season 5 as Alaska's makeover partner. While Nebraska never competed on the show, she was also featured in the spinoff RuPaul's Drag Race Live Untucked. Nebraska, Derrick, and their partner Nick San Pedro have been together for more than a decade. Maxie & Brigiding (rumored)@brigiding_crush ko po @jayvhotg sino mas pogi samin?While details are scant on these queen romances, Drag Race Philippines stars Maxie (season 2) and Brigiding (season 1) were reportedly once an item, who made adorable content together.

As the election season heats up, LGBTQ Nation wants to know what our readers think about the campaigns and whats at stake.The Harris-Walz campaign just added policy positions to its campaign website: As President, [Harris will] shell always defend the freedom to love who you love openly and with pride. In 2004, she officiated some of the nations first same-sex marriages and as Attorney General, she refused to defend Californias anti-marriage equality statewide referendum. As President, shell fight to pass the Equality Act to enshrine anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQI+ Americans in health care, housing, education, and more into law.And Tim Walz spoke to HRC this past weekend, discussing hate crimes legislation and trans people serving openly in the military.What do you think? What issues should the campaign be talking about more? Share your opinion View the article on LGBTQ Nation to participate in our reader poll. Also, make sure youre registered to vote in this election. Your Vote is a step toward Equality for All Make sure youre ready to vote!

Out CNN host fired back at Donald Trump for lying about him. Trump claimed Cooper coached E. Jean Carroll the woman Trump sexually assaulted in the 1990s in a department store during a commercial break in an interview. The problem, though, is that while there was a commercial break on air, Cooper and Carroll didnt actually wait through it while having their pre-recorded interview. Then there was an Anderson Cooper interview where she said essentially, no, he didnt rape me In the Anderson Cooper tape, its an interview of [Carroll] and Cooper says something to the effect, Did he rape you? Did he rape you? She gave a very good answer for me, but a bad answer for CNN for Anderson and he said, were going to a commercial break right now. Then she came back from commercial break and she was much more hostile, Trump said during a recent press conference at Trump Tower. Related Donald Trumps Human Scum Memorial Day post could get him sued again The out lawyer who got an $83 million judgement against Trump said a new lawsuit is on the table. He continued, But this man wouldnt let us use the tape or the proper questions having to do with the tape. Wouldnt let us, the judge, Judge Kaplan wouldnt let it be used. We wanted to get the outtakes. In other words, what did Anderson Cooper talk to her about during that intermission for a commercial that he called for immediately? Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Cooper said Trump made a similar claim in the deposition for his trial in which Carroll alleged he had sexually assaulted her. In the deposition transcript from October 19, 2022, Trump said, If you watch Anderson Coopers interview with her where she was promoting a really crummy book, you will see that it is a complete scam. She changed her story from beginning to end after the commercial break to suit the purposes of CNN and Andy Cooper. Trump confirmed in the trial that this was accurate.Cooper said how he doesnt normally respond when Trump makes a claim about him, referencing a Truth Social post from May in which Trump refers to Cooper as Alison Cooper, likely a homophobic joke since Cooper is a gay man. Cooper even acknowledges this as a third-grade gay taunt.He then responded to Trumps conspiratorial claim by showing a full clip of both the interview and what happened behind the scenes. So the former president seems to be suggesting that something we discussed, or that I discussed with E. Jean Carroll during a four-minute-long commercial break that you would have been watching at home, made Ms. Carroll change her tone toward him, Cooper says. The problem with this conspiracy theory is that this interview was actually pre-recorded, and we had to pre-record a toss to a commercial break, and then welcome viewers back after a commercial break so that the entire two parts of the interview would fit into my show that night Because its pre-recorded, you dont have to sit there during a commercial break. You just take a few seconds. You make sure the control room is still recording. You welcome viewers back as if youve just come out of a commercial break, and you continue with the interview. And thats exactly what I do with Jean Carroll, and I know this because we have the tape And if you dont believe me, heres the raw, unedited video of what was actually being recorded, and you will hear exactly what I said in the few seconds it took me to resume the interview.Cooper then brought up the unedited video in which he takes a few moments to pause after laughing at a comment Carroll made to check on the producer and crew behind the scenes. Just a few seconds after that, he calls back to the interview, continuing on with the segment as normal. During the break, Cooper did not talk to Carroll.I normally don't respond when Trump says something about me. I mean, whats the pointBut this time is different because it's demonstrably false.-Anderson Cooper obliterated Trump on live TV. A must-watch! pic.twitter.com/wLU22GmmO6 Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) September 7, 2024In this 2022 deposition, Trump claimed that Carroll said she wasnt raped and that she loved being sexually assaulted. However, she actually said that she hesitated to use the word rape because it has too many sexual connotations and is a fantasy for some people.So, sir, I just want to confirm: Its your testimony that E. Jean Carroll said that she loved being sexually assaulted by you, asked Carrolls attorney, out lawyer Roberta Kaplan, during Trumps deposition.Trump responded, Well, based on her interview with Anderson Cooper, I believe thats what took place.The Carroll trial came to a close last year when a jury found Trump guilty of sexual assault and defamation, ordering him to pay $5 million in damages. A separate suit found him guilty of defamation, and he had to pay $83.3 million to her. Trump is currently appealing the decision, with the judges that will oversee his trial having been appointed by former President Barack Obama and current President Joe Biden.

Because sometimes it's hard to tell...This is a tricky one. While it is very true that different people are different and will respond differently to someone's feelings, there are a few baselines that will help you see if a girl really likes you or not. As the great Captain Awkward says, people who like you will act like they like you. Obviously this stuff is subject to an immense and absurd degree of individual variation, and really, if you like someone, the only way to actually know her feelings for sure is to take a deep breath and ask her. Yes, this opens you up to the possibility of rejection, and it does mean you really need to figure out what you want from this person, but by doing that youre a.) maximizing the chances for them to respond favourably and b.) ensuring that even if they say no, you can gracefully walk away from the situation knowing that youve behaved well and courageously. So, bearing all that in mind, what indications might you be looking out for?1. She asks you lots of questionsUsually, if someone isn't interested in you, they're just not going to be interested in you. She won't ask you where you're from, what your favorite color is, and she won't be very active in the conversation. If she's giving you eye contact and asking you all about yourself, it's likely she actually has some interest in you. Don't be afraid to be yourself and open up!2. She recognizes and honors your love languageLove languages are important, but we don't always lead with what they are for us on an individual level. If she recognizes and honors your love language -- with bonus points if you don't have to tell her what it is -- then it's likely she actually likes you, so if the feeling is mutual, stick it out!3. She gushes about you to her friendsEither you hear it directly from the horse's mouth or people say things like they've "heard so much about you" the first time you meet. Sometimes, it's a little scary when people say things like that, but when you find out just how good the things are she's said about you, it might be all the proof you need that she actually likes you. 4. People think you're together (even when you're not quite yet)You're spending time together, standing at least a foot apart, not holding hands or hardly flirting, and people come up to you and think you're together. They see it on her face, they see it on yours. Sometimes, an unrelated outsider's opinion is all you really need when it validates what you're already thinking. 5. She doesn't play mind gamesShe's honest and upfront, and you feel that. Sometimes, you may want to question that, but if she isn't doing anything to mess around with your mind, then trust her. Mind games only lead to more issues, so even if she does like you, she may not be worth keeping around if she's only going to play with your head.6. She opens up about herselfSpeaking of opening up, on the flip side of her asking you questions about yourself, she'll also be open when it comes to talking about herself. This is also your chance to step up to the plate and ask her some pointed questions to get to know her, too. If she's giving you more than one-word answers, that probably means that she likes you. Do you waste your time telling people everything there is to know about you if you don't like them at all?7. She repeatedly and pointedly discusses her queerness with youIf every time you hang out or fairly early in the conversation with an attractive new person at a party the conversation repeatedly turns to being queer, what it means, how you experience it, how you came out, etcthen its worth considering it might be a hint. Bonus points for meeting each others eyes intensely and then looking away. If theyre really keen youre aware youre their gender of choice and/or that you display any other physical characteristics they really like you might be in there.8. She's always giving you pointed complimentsIf the person in question frequently compliments you, on your physicality or your mind, its generally a good sign. Some people will be shy about it, some people will come straight out with youre really beautiful or your eyes are gorgeous different strokes, I guess. The clincher for me is often people dropping into the conversation how much they like redheads. 9.She is supremely awkward in your presenceResearch shows that I am a long way from the only person who gets tongue-tied, physically awkward and socially incompetent in the presence of women I find attractive. If I cant say anything or I'm generally displaying zero visible social skills, the chances are I fancy someone in the vicinity. This sometimes extends as far as avoiding being alone or having direct conversations with someone, although these days I am an adult and if there is any chance that I could actually realistically build a relationship with somebody I do my best to deal with this. Its mostly surmountable by developing a real friendship with somebody and having conversations, so if you manage to make it through the awkward stage and discover a bond its an unequivocally good sign. But for lots of people becoming unable to form sentences or coherent thought is in itself a sign of attraction. 10. She remembers little things you've said you likedFrom your preferred type of cookie to your eccentric taste in music, your favorite color or you unexpected liking for a particular boardgame, if she makes an effort to remember little things and then share them with you, it can be a sign of significant interest. It could be anything from cooking your favorite foods when you come round to just happening to find a book youve been after for ages. Its the noticing and then caring enough to act on it. Of course, she might just be a nice person possibly worth finding out if she bakes EVERYBODY cupcakes! 11. She spends lots of time with you, even in group situationsIf Im at a party with lots of friends, although its quite standard to hang around with one person or group for an hour or so, Im likely to want to go say hello to my other friends too after a while. If Im utterly absorbed in one person, its probably a sign of sexual interest or at least the kind of Right Yes You Are A Person I Want In My Life Now sense of security and attraction that often blurs with sexual attraction in my sapio-sexual consciousness. Obviously, theres a disjunct between this and often prompted by how well I know the person in question. Its really about the bond between you if youre aware of continually seeking out her company and sparking conversation off one another, there might be something worth investigating there.12. Good manners vs. romantic intentionsA lot of figuring out whether somebodys into you or not has to do with figuring out what kind of person she is (and thus, whether or not she's actually suited to you and whether you like her or not.) Theres a fuzzy grey area between signaling being a friendly considerate person open to building a friendship with someone and romantic interest. The most effective way of navigating this with someone youre into is probably to ask. (Exactly how to ask is probably a forthcoming article, so watch this space.) That said, if there are any significant differences between how someone treats you and how they treat other people, you should probably consider whether a) youre being creepy in some way (I would hope not!) or b) theyre into you also. Communicate around this, and happy endings could be yours!13. She initiates touch (with good excuses)This is a classic. Somebody who touches you frequently (more so than they do other people they know comparably well), particularly on the hand or leg or other relatively non-aggressive-but-still-affectionate-areas, might well be trying to respectfully signal romantic interest. They might not, of course, but especially in company with significant glances and/or verbal flirtation, its worth looking out for. This is a bit of a cultural flashpoint, alas wider Western culture seems to have problems interpreting sexuality between women as 'real.' But by the same token, it is also sometimes much easier to express platonic affection for a female friend physically precisely because it is less likely to be interpreted as a come on. I suspect predominantly queer circles are a bit different here - certainly in my social environments people are generally more affectionate towards one another than in the mainstream,' and there is less stigmatization of affection - but its because we are all politically conscious and consent culture-y and it comes with an extra layer of negotiated consent ('do we do hugs?') This is great, but it is also unusual. To get back to the point, a lot of the time touching means sexual interest or at least a level of emotional comfort which means its okay to ask!14. She communicates a lotIn this day and age it doesnt matter if its texting or WhatsApp or Facebook or whatever if somebody goes out of their way to maintain a conversation with you and a general low-key presence in your life, thats a positive sign. Especially if its a flirtatious presence. Were all so busy and so besieged with jobs and messages that who we choose to communicate with regularly is generally a fairly reliable (although definitely not infallible!) indicator of who we care about. If youre on that list for somebody new or somebody who maintains an edge of flirtatious or engaging curiosity, thats a significant thing. 15. What kind of like are we talking?Someone whos found an antique copy of your favorite childhood book and a chess set with characters from your favorite fantasy novel as a gift isprobably not just in it for a one-night stand. Someone you meet at a party who tells you youre beautiful, keeps catching your eye from across the room and squeezes your hand significantly on the way past might well be. Into you is a general concept, and its probably best to approach all relevant situations with an eye to where you stand and where they seem to be, uh, coming from.

If you think the RuPauls Drag Race franchise and its international iterations arent able to make herstory in a show that has around 50 seasons (and counting) worldwide, you clearly dont have your eyes on Drag Race Espaa.As we head into the season fourth season, we finally got the cast list of the 12 queens who are about to slay the runway. During the meet-the-queens videos, Megui Yeillow gained some attention when people recognized him as pit crew member Guillermo Flores, which makes him the first-ever pit crew member to ever cross over into being a contestant.See on InstagramSee on InstagramFor the first three seasons, Yeillow appeared as one of the hunky pit crew members and even served up all that body-ody-ody on the first season of Espaa All-Stars.Yeillow proved shes got more than just body to serve, and revealed she came from the frying pan of Andalusia, known as Ecija, in her opening video.Weve seen her out of drag, so we already know shes the muscle queen of the season. Outside of being good at bench presses, squats, and abdominals, she also revealed shell wow us with her singing, dancing, and acting.See on InstagramElsewhere on the cast list is Angelita la Perversa, Chloe Vittu, Dita Dubois, Kelly Passa!?, La Nia Delantro, Le Coc, Mariana Stars, Miss Khristo, Porca Theclubkid, Shani LaSanta, and Vampirashian.The fourth season is also hosted once again by Supremme de Luxe and premieres on September 22. International viewers can tune in on WOW Presents Plus, while locals can watch on ATRESplayer Spain.Check out the full meet-the-queens video below, then keep scrolling for some fan reactions to Yeillows herstory making appearance. (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@)

A Wisconsin inmate felt ecstasy when killing his cellmate for being Black and gay, according to investigators.Jackson Vogel, a 24-year-old white man, had been placed in a cell with 19-year-old Micah Laureano on August 27 at the Green Bay Correctional Institute. He told a sheriffs deputy that he didnt like [Laureano] from the day they met. He killed Laureano because he was bored, and Laureano checked all the boxes for murdering for being Black and gay, he added, saying that killing people gave him a sense of ecstasy. Related Judge busted in secret recordings using racist & homophobic slurs She has been relieved of her duties. In the cell, investigators found a note stating kill all humans with slurs directed at Black and gay individuals. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Vogel was charged with first-degree intentional homicide with hate crime and repeat offender penalty enhancers on top of his current sentence of 40 years in a maximum security prison for killing his mother at age 16. Laureano was only serving a sentence of two years. Maura McMahon, his attorney, described him as a talented artist and a funny, thoughtful young man.The alleged murder occurred at 9:30 p.m. local time when a guard making rounds noticed a piece of paper over the mens cell window. After removing it, he caught a horrific sight of Laureano dangling dead from the top bunk with his arms and legs bound.Vogel told a separate guard that he had knocked Laureano unconscious before bounding his limbs and strangling him to death.According to the Associated Press, five other inmates have died in Wisconsin prisons since June of 2023. Two others had killed themselves, one died of a fentanyl overdose, one died of a stroke and another died due to malnutrition and dehydration. All of these deaths occurred at the Waupun Correctional Institution, located about 70 miles north of the cities of Madison and Milwaukee.The former warden and multiple staff members were charged with negligence following the stroke and malnutrition deaths.

20 Drag Kings You Should Definitely Know AboutThe art of drag consumes so much more than just the love of the art from cis men. Drag kings don't get nearly the same amount of attention as their mainstream counterparts, but these performers still deserve some love and attention!No matter what RuPaul says, there are plenty more people who love the art of drag than just cis men. Drag kings don't get nearly as much mainstream attention as their counterparts, and much like drag queens, these performers come from all over the gender spectrum! There are so many drag kings out there who are slaying the game, and these 20 are real stand-outs that are totally worth seeing perform! (Note: we are using he pronouns only to refer to their drag king personas!)HercuSleazeSee on InstagramHercuSleaze is a drag king and artist who is bringing avant-garde gender-bending to Montreal, Canada. If he look familar it may be from his time in season one of OUTtv's Call Me Mother. Follow him on Instagram.King MolassesSee on InstagramKing Molasses is the self-described "sweetest and stickiest drag king you'll ever meet. This non-binary king rules the Washington D.C. scene. Follow him on Instagram.Andro GinSee on InstagramAndro Gin is a Cuban-American, NYC-based drag king who's eye-catching aesthetic takes its inspiration from cartoon villains. They have appeared on Transformations with James St. James and are frequently included on the most-wanted list for future seasons of The Boulet Brothers' Dragula. Follow him on Instagram.Maxxx PleasureSee on InstagramGlam rock king Maxxx Pleasure hails from Brooklyn, New York. He's no stranger to the stage or screen, and has performed alongside Sasha Velour on her Nightgowns show as well as starred in the Bushwig drag festival. Maxxx has also been featured in a short documentary film, Maxxx, and even opened for Chappell Roan.Follow him on Instagram.Prinze ValentinoSee on InstagramPrinze Valentino, a self-described "genderbending Sicilian zaddy" is wowing crowds in Los Angeles. Aside from simply driving audiences wild this politically active king regularly speaks on LGBTQIA+ panels and is inspired to empower others to be their authentic selves. Follow him on Instagram.Justin AbitSee on InstagramCanadian king Justin Abit may look familiar, like HercuSleaze he was a contestant on season two of Call Me Mother.Follow him on Instagram.K. JamesSee on InstagramDrag King extraordinaire K. James is heating up the nightlife in Brooklynn as part of the drag collective Switch n Play. The groups mission is to span the gender spectrum with avant-garde performance and has been doing so in unique venues including the Brooklyn Museum and the New York Public Library. They have also brought their unique gender-bending talents to Sasha Velours Nightgown series. TenderoniSee on InstagramChicago-based drag artist Tenderoni once described his drag to the New York Times as a mash-up of Michael Jackson, Bobby Brown, Prince, George Michael, and Boy George and hes not wrong. His talents earned him the title of Drag Queen of the Year the pageant founded by Alaska Thunderfuck and Lola Le Croix in 2021. Elvis HerselvisSee on InstagramElvis Herselvis is the stage name for singer Leigh Crow, who performs as a female Elvis Presley impersonator. This gender-bending cabaret singer has been on the scene since 1988 and still entertains us to this day.Follow on Instagram and Twitter!Landon CiderSee on InstagramAnother king who is fighting for more inclusion is Dragula champ Landon Cider who has spoken out specifically about how much stronger RuPauls Drag Race would be with some king inclusion. You can check out this hottie who performs in the LA area.Follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!Vico SuaveSee on InstagramVico Suave is the stage name for non-binary Puerto Rican actor Vico Ortiz, who plays a gender nonconforming swashbuckler named Jim/Bonifacia on HBOs Our Flag Means Death television show.Follow on Instagram and Twitter!Adam AllSee on InstagramThis UK king has been performing for 12 years, using art and humor in his performances. He currently runs a show in SoHo, helping new talent succeed.Follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!Hugo GrrrlSee on InstagramHugo Grrrl is a New Zealand drag king whos best known for winning the inaugural season of House of Drag. His appearance on the show marked him the first drag king and first trans man to compete on a drag reality show.Follow on Instagram and Twitter!Miles LongSee on InstagramAnother performer deeply involved with helping the public know more about drag kings (he and several others on this list are involved with The Making of a King documentary), this Inland Empire king can be found on the LA scene. Follow him on Instagram and Facebook! Murray HillThe "hardest-working, middle-aged man in show business," this comedian and drag king has been working since 1995 and helped pioneer the art of male impersonation.Follow him on Facebook and Instagram!Buck WyldeThis classy Dallas king oozes easy sex appeal, and is often very outspoken about the drag king scene and gender politics.Follow him on Facebook! Spikey Van DykeySee on InstagramOne of the most famous drag kings, Spikey Van Dykey has toured the country performing as an emcee to drag shows and as his own amazing act.Follow him on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook!Mo B. DickSee on InstagramMo B. Dick started in 1995 in NYC and is cited as one of the founding fathers of the modern-day drag king movement. He currently lives in Los Angeles where he works on Drag King History providing lectures via Zoom. Follow him on Facebook and Instagram!Gage GatlynSee on Instagram The best Tim McGraw impersonator in the U.S. and a champion for the term "male illusionist," Gage is an amazing advocate for drag kings!Follow him on Instagram and Facebook!PhantomThis drag king focuses on costumes and horror, bringing a delightful cosplay vibe into their dark and creepy performances!Follow him on Twitter and Facebook!Throb ZombieThis self-professed undead himbo hails from Boston, Massachusets. They are obsessed with horror making them a perfect king for the Boulet Brothers Dragula series, in which they star in season 5. Their drag combines punk, burlesque, and a whole lot of sex appeal. Follow him on Instagram.Jarvis HammerSee on InstagramJarvis Hammer is hauntingly talented perhaps because he a g-g-g-ghost drag king. This Atlanta, Georgia-based performer not only brings the theatrical to every performance but his comedy chops as well. Follow him on Instagram. LoUis CYferSee on InstagramA UK-based king, LoUis CYfer can truly do it all. He sings, acts, dances, and is a true comedian.Follow him on Instagram.Sigi MoonlightSee on InstagramA London-based king, Sigi Moonlight is inspired by old movies and pop culture and his performances explore socio-political issues and toxic masculinity through the lens of clowning, lip-syncing, and striptease. Follow him on Instagram.Dr. Wang NewtonSee on InstagramDr. Wang Newton is a Taiwanese-American king who hosts shows in New York and runs a Wang TV series on social media where he interviews and documents the backstage antics of drag stars and notable folks including Coco Rocha, Laganja Estranja, and Anna Phylactic. Follow him on Instagram.

Fort Lauderdales Stonewall National Museum, Archives and Library has received a refund after they paid to promote their business on a since-deleted page for LGBTQ+ visitors on VisitFlorida.com.Visit Florida, a public-private partnership promoting tourism to the state, recently removed its section devoted to the LGBTQ+ community at the direction of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R). has fostered intolerance toward gay, lesbian and transgender individuals in a series of bills and executive actions. Related Florida continues its anti-LGBTQ+ crusade by deleting its LGBTQ+ tourism website The website used to give LGBTQ+ tourists ideas on what to visit in the state. Now it doesnt mention LGBTQ+ people at all. DeSantis most notorious legislation, a series of Dont Say Gay bills, has contributed to the states now-tarnished reputation as openly hostile to gay people. After DeSantis humiliating and failed run for president, erasing the pages devoted to LGBTQ+ tourists has only deepened the publics anxiety about visiting the state. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Ahead of receiving the refund, the Stonewall Museums executive director Robert Kesten expressed his disappointment with the decision to remove LGBTQ+ people from Floridas tourist outreach.There is no reason to discredit a group of people that drive a tremendous amount of tourist dollars into the state, Kestentold WPLG. An apology should be made and the pages should be reinstated.Its just disgusting to see this, Keith Blackburn of the Greater Fort Lauderdale LGBT Chamber of Commerce told theAssociated Press. They seem to want to erase us.DeSantis defended his actions at a press conference Tuesday.Our view as a state is were the best place to visit, were open to all, but were not going to be segregating people, he claimed.Visit Florida has not removed pages directed toward other identifying groups, including BlackandLatinovisitors.On a page promoting Floridas African American Heritage, the site explains African Americans have shaped history and culture in the Sunshine State for centuries. Heres where to discover the heritage of African American cuisine, attractions, arts, events, and the Sunshine States Civil Right [sic] Trail locations.The site similarly locates Latino visitors in the states history and culture.No such page now exists extolling the LGBTQ+ communitys place among Floridas history and taste-makers. The omission hasnt been lost on other states competing for gay tourist dollars.Hello gay tourists! out Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado posted toFacebook recently. Since Florida doesnt want you, come on over to explore what Colorado has to offer!Illinois official tourism page, Enjoy Illinois, responded by asking, Lack of Love in the Sunshine State? Come to Illinois!

Lisa Middleton, the former mayor of Palm Springs, could become Californias first trans lawmaker if she wins a competitive race for the state Senate in November.The 72-year-old is a longtime Palm Springs City Council member. Now shes running to take the seat of incumbent state Sen. Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R). Related Sarah McBride will soon make history as the out first transgender congresswoman Shell be the youngest person to represent Delaware since Joe Biden was elected to the Senate. In the states ranked-choice primary in March, 52-year-old Ochoa Bogh won 54% of the vote and Middleton won 46%. In Californias primary system, the top two finishers regardless of party advance to the general election. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Middleton is hopeful her newly redrawn district, with the addition of thousands of voters from Democratic strongholds like her hometown of Palm Springs, will make the difference, turning the longtime red district blue at the ballot box.The former mayor says shes focused on the nuts and bolts of governing, like addressing pedestrian safety, public transportation, college access and climate change. Her conservative Republican opponent has made identity politics key to her campaign, citing her Latina heritage and family, faith and work ethic as overlooked demographics.Middleton has avoided dwelling on her own personal story and trans identity.Im never going to back away from who I am, but what Ive consistently tried to do is make it clear that its just a part of my identity its not everything, Middleton told the Los Angeles Times. And its not why I ran for office. Still, Middleton called coming out as transgender the hardest thing I ever, ever had to do and said shes been lucky to retain a successful career and a relationship with her children while others in her situation may not have received that acceptance.I fought that for a very, very long time, she said. Any of us who have ever spent any time in the closet know what its like trying to pretend to be something youre not.Ochoa Bogh, a vocal Trump supporter, is a former teacher, real estate agent and a Yucaipa school board member who sits on the Senate Education and Housing committees. She has a voting history hostile to LGBTQ+ rights but says she has nothing against the LGBTQ+ community. We have a right to pursue life, liberty and happiness, whatever that may look like, as long as it doesnt infringe on someone elses ability to do the same, Ochoa Bogh said. I would never do anything that would be disrespectful to anyones life or choices. We all have family members of that nature.Over four years in the legislature, Ochoa Bogh has opposed bills that provide gender-affirming healthcare services and shield transgender children and their families seeking treatment in California. She has abstained from votes affirming marriage equality in the state Constitution and declaring support for LGBTQ+ Pride month.Ochoa Bogh made an impassioned speech on the Senate floor last year in opposition to a ban on outing trans students, calling it bad policy and defending a default assumption that parents are acting in the best interests of their children.The lies that Ochoa Bogh is talking about, says Middleton, and they are lies are ones that I know fundamentally, because I have lived this life.

It isnt uncommon for animals to exhibit signs of homosexuality, and penguins especially have a knack for making gay history in their own unique way. Of course, anytime theres any gay anything, conservatives always get uptight, despite the fact a number of them are likely closeted and jealous might be a better word.Either way, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz whos up for Vice President, in case you didnt know took some time at the dinner for the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) on Saturday, September 7, to both poke fun at the things Republicans freak out about and drive home a more serious issue simultaneously.A clip from the speech took off on X, formerly Twitter, from a moment after the VP nominee listed off changes hed helped make in Minnesota, including banning conversion therapy, protecting the transgender community, and banned banning books, especially banning LGBTQ books for themes in them."This is what these folks are focusing on, spending all their time," he said. "Like, reading about two male penguins who love each other is somehow going to turn your children gay, and thats what you should worry about.Although there are a few famous gay penguin couples Walz could be referencing, perhaps none are more famous than Sphen and Magic, who lived a great life in Australia and ruffled conservatives when they became parents. Unfortunately, Sphen recently passed away after deteriorating health.After Walz soaked in a moment of laughter from the crowd about the panic surrounding gay penguins, he hit home on the more serious and pressing matter of gun control.But heres what Ill tell you, he said. Its a fact of life some people are gay. But you know whats not a fact of life? That our children need to be shot dead in schools. Thats not a fact of life. (@) In the full video after the viral clip, Walz went on to say, Folks are banning books but theyre okay with weapons of war being in our school Thats not this country. It doesnt have to be this way.Unfortunately, Walzs comments come on the heels of another tragedy after 14-year-old Colt Gray is alleged to have killed four people and injured nine others in a school shooting in Winder, Georgia.All we really have to say is that we agree -- it doesn't have to be this way, and November 5, we can all vote to make a change.In the meantime, check out Walzs full speech below. The conversation about gay penguins and school shootings starts around 14 minutes in.Keep scrolling for some reactions to the viral clip.Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@)

There is something so magical about that bubbly feeling you get when you see, think about, or touch the girl you're crushing on. Words dont really do it justice but songs can. So when you have those butterfly feelings, or just want to bask in the memory of a big old girl crush, these are the songs to put on your playlist. "Red Wine Supernova" by Chappell RoanFor when you're feeling that major new relationship energy!Constant Craving k.d. langThis Sapphic classic still hits just as hard! I Do by Rene RappThis song about unrequited love is just too relatable. Lunch by Billie EilishFor when you're craving... well.. you know, lunch. Small Town Scandal by ZolitaA little bit country, a whole lot dykey."Her Body Is A Bible" by FLETCHERWhen all you can think about is how much you worship her from head-to-toe."Silk Chiffon" by MunaThe feeling of a crush is so hard to define, but the touch of silk chiffon just may be it! "What If?" by Maya WagnerHalf the fun of a new crush is the way in opens up all these possibilities. Will it be love for now? Will it be love forever? Will it be at all? "Closer" by Tegan and SaraWhen you crave taking your crush to the next level and getting a whole lot closer. "She Kissed Me First" bySeraOoop! Did you just steal your crush from her boyfriend? Or maybe you just want to... All I Want Is To Be Your Girl by Holly MirandaThis is the perfect song for when you werent looking for love but she found you. Who We Are by Allison WeissThis upbeat Allison Weiss song is perfect for when you meet a woman you want to get lost with. Girl by The Internet ft. KaytranadaThe perfect song for when youre pining a little over your crush, but youre determined to woo her.Only A Girl by GiaWhen you spend your spring making out with your entire squad. Shes So Lovely by The ButchiesWhen you're crushing so hard that everything she does seems lovely.First Position by KehlaniWhen youre crushing on a girl with a boyfriend. I Kissed a Girl by Jill SobuleNo, not the Katy Perry song. This one was actually written for lesbians. Girls Like Girls by Hayley KiyokoThe best upbeat pop song for all your girl crushes.Back To Bed by BoyskoutFor those long, fun Saturday mornings when you really dont want to get out of bed. Listen here.Special Affair by The InternetYes, this is the second song by The Internet on this list, but this song should be the lesbian equivalent of putting on a Barry White album when youre trying to hook up.

The press tour for We Live in Time is off to one heck of a start!An interview with stars Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh is already going viral, thanks to a combination of their banter and a revelation made by the former Amazing Spider-Man actor.The two were initially chatting with AP about the carousel horse from a still image of the film that turned into a viral meme. (@) (@) "Some of my favorite ones, I have saved," Garfield said, pulling his phone out of his pocket before thinking better of it. "Actually, I'm not going to open my photos right now.""What's on your photos?" Pugh asked."Just lots of dick pics," he replied, quickly clarifying: "My own. Cut this out." (@) Fans ultimately couldn't decide which bit of the interview was more charming the chemistry between the two actors, their obsession with the meme, Garfield's claim that his phone is filled with steamy pics of himself, or the reaction of "a nearby publicist." (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) But one thing everyone did seem eager to agree on was that they would love to get their hands on Garfield's phone. Just for a second. (@) (@) (@) (@) We Live in Time isn't hitting theaters until October 11, so hopefully we've got another month of Garfield and Pugh giving interviews like this one. The internet clamors for it!

As if we werent already excited enough as it was for how queer Disney+s Agatha All Along is going to be, star Sasheer Zamata took it a step further by coming out as a late-in-life lesbian.In an interview with Them, the Saturday Night Live alum discussed her stance on coming out in general, saying, Im out in my life and I do keep my personal life kind of private, but I also dont necessarily want my identity to be private.See on InstagramAhead of her role as Jennifer Kale in Agatha All Along, Zamata also admitted shed been asked to play lesbian characters quite often since leaving SNL.I kept getting cast as queer women, she said, which included her characters on Home Economics, Woke, Tuca & Bertie, and Last O.G. This is before I myself was figuring out my identity. I was like, Whoa, what are these casting directors seeing that Im not seeing?After a joke from interviewer Amos Mac about how Hollywood made her gay, Zamata said, Thats what conservatives joke about all the time. Theyre like, Oh my God, theyre turning everyone gay. And it happened.See on InstagramAs to why Zamata chose now to go public with her sexual identity, she noted that going off of birth control for the first time since age 16 played a pivotal role.It really did kind of change everything, she said, adding even her friends noticed something was different about her.Zamata also recently brought more lesbian-centered material to her stand-up comedy, which is when she decided censoring herself to avoid coming out would be like being silenced. Of course, Zamata is among a wave of women in the entertainment industry who have come out later in life, though she doesnt understand why people hone in so much on peoples sexualities.No one asks straight people about their journey of discovery, she said, but I guess it felt like if I didnt say anything, Id be ignoring a part of me, and that doesnt feel good.See on InstagramAs to what people deserve to know?Nothing, Zamata said, adding, I feel very fortunate so far. I have fans who are good about respecting my privacy, and I hope that continues.Additionally, she drove home, I dont want to be the representative of anything. I just got here. But I do want to be a part of the community.Agatha All Along premieres on Disney+ on September 18.See on Instagram

As gay/bi men, we didn't learn much in sex ed.Sex is such a taboo topic in school as it is, but anything on the LGBTQ+ spectrum is definitely unheard of. We may have had a generalized overview of STIs and some contraceptives, but everything else is up to us to explore.Whether you're new to gay sex or looking to explore and deepen your experience, here are 101 tips that you certainly didn't learn in sex ed.1. Theres more to sex than anal penetrationTheres a focus in mainstream media on penetrative sex. It has to P-in-B, otherwise it doesnt count as real sex. This is ridiculous. Define sex for yourself. Dont let society define it for you.2. It's okay to vocalize and explore your fantasies... and to say no to ones you're uncomfortable withTheres going to be someone out there whos into what you are, and others who are going to have their own preferences, likes, and dislikes. If youve always wanted to get tied up, dont be afraid to say so. If you want to bring some toys in the bedroom or explore with anything thats been calling to you, dont be afraid to say so.On the flip side, consent matters here, too. Weve already talked about that in general, but dont try to force someone into doing something they dont want to, and conversely dont ever feel like you have to indulge in someone elses fantasies if you dont want to, either.3. Its healthy and normal to be kinkyEveryone has something a little kinky that theyre interested in. Some men explore that kink while other men dont. But its completely healthy and normal to be interested in something a little more atypical. Dont judge yourself for your desires.4. Explore your sexualityNot only do you have kinks and fetishes, you should explore them. Id go as far as to say nothing is unhealthy, as long as its performed in a safe and consensual manner, and doesnt extend outside of the bedroom in unhealthy ways. I used to judge myself for some of my more intense desires, but then I learned others have the same desires. Find the person thats right for you whos also interested in your sexual fantasies. Then explore them safely.5. Never do anything risky for sexWhen youre younger sex seems like the most important thing in the world. It also seems scarce. Sex isnt scarce. Ever. You can have as much sex as you want (especially if you dont care who youre having sex with). Theres never a reason to put yourself in a dangerous situation for sex.6. You can never use too much lubeLube if your best friend. Sex hurts without proper lubrication. While the anus does have some natural lubricants its seldom enough to be enjoyable without an additional form of lubricant.7. Safe sex is sexy sexSTIs run rampant. While sex-ed courses focus on STIs more than anything else, most dont focus on the importance of condoms for your psyche. Many queer men have thought about HIV or other STIs during sex, especially, when not wearing a condom. That sort of anxiety-ridden sex is not going to be fun. Thats the last thing you want to have on your mind during sex. You want to be able to enjoy it and not worry about STIs. Thats why safe sex is sexy. It allows you to relax and enjoy sex without thinking about HIV (or other STIs).8. Age is just a numberBut do, for the love of God, abide by the legal age limit. I meant more on the upper end on the spectrum, age is just a number. Sex with older men (and younger men) can be a lot of fun. Older men tend to have more experience than you, and they can teach you a thing or two in the sack. Dont be ageist. Go for the silver fox.9. Try multiple lubes, and then splurge on the one you likeThe KY jelly sold at CVS was okay when you were masturbating as a 16 year-old, but as an adult, its important to find the type of lube you enjoy. Is it water-based, silicone-based, or oil-based? Lube has the capacity to take your sex life to the next level, so its worth it to splurge on nicer lube that you enjoy.10. Splurge on nice condomsYou can always get free condoms from health services. I used them for years, and I am so thankful for those services. That said, if you can afford them, it may be worth it to splurge of thinner, more comfortable condoms, which are unfortunately not handed out from health services because theyre too pricey. Condoms, like SKYN, tend to be a favorite among queer men. (And you can buy them in bulk on Amazon so its cheaper).11. Explore ribbed vs. unribbed condomsEspecially for queer men who have penetrative sex, the standard is unribbed. However, ribbed can be very pleasurable for the bottom (or painful), so its worth exploring both.12. Rimming is a thingAnd its probably more common than you think, especially in the gay male community. Rimming (AKA analingus)does come with health risks (so too does oral directly after penetrative sex), so its important to be careful and clean as a whistle when rimming.13. Great sexual chemistry can confuse you into thinking theres something more thereBy this I mean that having great sex with someone can lead you to believe you like them for reasons outside of sex. Sex is a powerful connector. My uncle gave me this advice, and while its a tad bit condescending, I think theres some truth to it. When the sex is great, you never know if you actually like them until six months later.14. You can be multi-orgasmic as a manIts a real thing, and something that can enhance your sex life twofold. It takes a few months to become multi-orgasmic, and a lot of work, but its definitely worth it in the end.15. Being a bottom, top, or vers doesnt define youTheres more to you than your sexual preference. Theres more to you than how you have sex. Dont let people objectify you or diminish your personhood to how you like to screw.16. Sexuality is a spectrum, not a binaryBoy, I can safely say that would have saved me years of struggle and anxiety if I were taught that from a young age. There are many more sexualities than gay and straight.17. Gender is a spectrum, not a binaryOne can also fall outside of male and female, feeling they embody both genders. Similarly, you can be agender or genderless. There is so much more to gender than male and female.18. Mens racism will take the false form of sexual preferencesSexual racism is a thing, and its rampant in the gay/bi community. On dating apps men often say that they dont hook up with certain ethnic groups. They are open about their prejudices in a manner thats hurtful and offensive.19. Keep a towel on your bed during sexI wish I learned this handy trick years earlier. Keep a towel close by during sex. That way you can wipe off extra lube or wipe yourselves down afterward. It makes sex that much easier (and cleaner).20. Femmephobia and sizeism are real, hurtful, and ubiquitous in the LGBT+ community.In addition to sexual racism people are prejudiced against men who act and identity as more feminine. They can also discriminatory against overweight men. Youll often see no fats or femmes on dating profiles.21. Trim or dontIt doesnt matter. Its all a matter of preference. Some men love body and pubic hair, and others hate it. Do whatever you like for yourself.22. Polyamory is valid and not an excuse to cheatMonogamy is not suitable for many men, women, and genderqueer individuals. Many people need multiple partners and relationships to live happily. Polyamorous people arent just using the label as an excuse to cheat.23. Open relationships can workOpen relationships are different than polyamorous ones. With polyamorous relationships you are open to the idea of loving multiple people. But in an open relationship you love one person but sleep with others, either together or separately. Open relationships do work -- but they require honesty, communication, and trust.24. You can still get STIs while using condomsThis is probably something they taught you in sex ed, but not necessarily. Unfortunately, you can still get STIs while wearing condoms. The odds are significantly lower, but viruses like herpes and HPV canexist outside of the area a condom covers. It's still good to know your partner's sexual history and plan accordingly.25. Its not weird to ask someone their statusIve heard many men say they wanted to ask a date about his HIV and STI status, but felt it would be weird. Its absolutely never weird to ask someone about their status. It can be a little awkward but its always worth it.26. Some men will be dishonest with you about their statusI didnt say that they outright lie, because its not necessarily purposeful or malicious. But I have been with men who didn't quite see the big deal in exposing their pos status. Thats why its important to be safe and to always ask.27. A strong core is for not just about flashy absStrong abs are crucial for planks and other various sexual positions that require powerful core strength. Do abs if you want to be a beast in the sheets.28. Your sperm will have different shades of colorYellow, clear, and white. It doesnt mean you have an STI. It just means that something in your diet affected the color of your sperm. But, it could also mean you have an STI, especially If its a thick shade of yellow. If the coloring is consistent, you should consult a doctor.29. Erectile dysfunction happens in young and healthy menED is on the rise in young, healthy males. Many factors can lead to ED, including substances like alcohol and drugs, but anxiety is also a big factor. You may experience a time when you cant get hard because of nerves. Youre only human. Its not the end of the world. Dont beat yourself up for it.30. Men can get the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) too And if you are a carrier, but are asymptomatic, theres no way to know for certain that you are actually a carrier of HPV without being tested. Even as a man who exclusively sleeps with other men, you can get HPV. So its still worth it to get Gardasil shots to protect yourself from the most harmful HPV strains.31. Prostate orgasms give you a full body orgasmYour P-spot is a gift from the gods. Use it. Embrace it and begin to experience orgasms that arent localized to your frontal genitalia.32. Cut your nails before putting them in any body partDid you cut your nails? Awesome! Now cut them shorter. Oh, you did cut them shorter? Great! Cut them again. Nails need to be trimmed (and filed) before inserting them into any orifice. It's that easy to scratch sensitive tissue, so it's best to be extra careful.33. Sex in front a mirror is f*cking awesomeIts simple. Its cheap. Almost everyone has a mirror in their room. Its really sexy to see yourself having sex.34. Sex in a car isnt all that funYour head will be smushed. You wont have enough space. If you can, avoid it. Road head on the other hand sexy as all hell. Also very dangerous (and illegal!) So do it at your own risk.35. Sex in a body of water doesnt actually workYour body needs friction and water makes it more difficult to have that needed friction for sex to feel good. So sex in a Jacuzzi or even shower, isnt all its cracked up to be.36. Practice makes perfectThe best way to get good at sex is to have a lot of it, and with a lot of different people. The more people youre with, the more you learn about yourself, like what you're into and what doesn't work. You also learn about various kinks and positions.37. Dont ever call any friend a slutWhy? Why shame someone you care for?38. Dont ever call any friend a prudeAgain, why shame someone you love?39. Dont touch his muscles without askingDon't do this, even if youre at a club and hes wearing a muscle tank. Dont automatically assume that you can touch a stranger in any way. A guy Im currently dating is jacked beyond belief. Men are continually reaching out to touch him (chest, arms, etc) without consent, and it drives him nuts. As it should! Dont objectify him or assume you can grab him simply because hes a gym rat.40. Become amazing at oralItll rock their world. Everyone likes getting good head. Become a pro and watch your man freak out.41. Jockstraps are f*cking amazingIts a fabulous article of clothing that gay/bi men love. Theyre fun. Theyre sexy. Buy them. Wear them. They make you feel like a million bucks.42. Dont underestimate the power of a lubed up hand jobHand jobs are so underrated. Do more of them. Theyre fun, require (relatively) little energy, and they feel damn good.43. There are different kinds of sexSex can be an intimate expression of love, but thats just one kind of sex. Theres also the Im-horny-and-just-want-someone-to-bone sex. Theres the Ive-had-a-bad-day-at-work-and-need-a-distraction sex. Sex comes in various shades. Sometimes its intense, sometimes its casual, sometimes it connects you to the person, sometimes it does the opposite.44. ConsentIf youre not sure, just f*cking ask. When I meet someone in a club or on a date, I always ask, Can I kiss you, before I lean in for the kiss. I smile and look into their eyes when I ask. Guess what? It works. I think Ive had three or four people reject me when I asked, and it wasnt awkward when they rejected me. I simply mistook friendliness for flirtation, which is why Im happy I clarified by asking beforehand. The only time I dont ask is when we meet via Grindr (where sex is pre-negotiated).45. Pee before sex and after sexPee before because its difficult to orgasm when you have to urinate. Pee afterward because it flushes everything out of your system.46. Focus more on your partnerIt's the best advice Ive ever received about sex. Dont focus on yourself. Focus on them. You will become more aroused when you see how aroused they are by you.47. No one cares about that zit on your backWhich is another way of saying, "Get out of your head during sex." Enjoy the moment. Dont sweat the small stuff.48. Figure out which positions and angles hit you deeperTo each his own. Different positions hit you in various ways and it depends on the person.49. LeatherI absolutely love the leather scene in Boston. I not only love wearing it, and the look, I love all the men who are a part of the leather community. The scene might not be for you, but its worth exploring. I definitely didnt think it was going to be for me, but here I am, now a full-on leather cub.50. Size (down there) doesn't matterDont let size queens make you feel insecure. Size does not matter. The prostate is only located three inches inside the anus, so you actually dont need much more than that to stimulate the prostate. Sure, there may be guys who reject you because your penis is too small, but what kind of guys are these anyway? Not the type you want to be sleeping with.51. Wait however long or little you want to have sexIf you want to bone on the first night, do it. I have dated and loved many men/women whom Ive had sex with on the first night. Waiting for sex, while it can foster an emotional connection, doesnt automatically. You know yourself better than anyone. You do you.52. You can say no or stop at any pointI dont care if he flew across the country to sleep with you and is about to orgasm. You can say no at any point before or during sex, and should not feel guilty for doing so. He needs to respect your choice and your body.53. Sex can smellSometimes it smells sexy and hot, other times it smells pungent in other, stinkier, ways. Its completely normal. Dont be turned off by it.54. Biting can be sexyBut biting to the point of bruising or severe pain isn't sexy -- unless you both are really into that and have discussed it.55. There are various ways to clean your anusYou can use an enema, but thats aggressive. You can use a soapy finger and/or baby wipes, but that might not be enough. The perfect medium is using an ear syringe (Bet you didnt know that one). After lubricating the tip of the syringe, you can gently flush out your anus with warm water.56. Regardless, shit happens (literally)And it will happen more than just once. Thats life. Both you and he can laugh it off.57. Bisexuality is a real and valid sexual orientation.If you dont believe me, read this or this.58. Porn can be a good or bad thing, depending on its effect on youEveryone has a unique relationship with porn. Some are healthier than others. Some men pick up bad habits from porn. Some men cant ejaculate unless watching porn. Some men struggle to maintain an erection because they watch too much porn. On the other hand, porn is a healthy and fun outlet to view new things that youre not quite ready to explore in real life. Its a way to see whats out there and get a little bit of pleasure while you do. Only you can decide if your relationship with porn is beneficial.59. Porn stars, even amateur porn stars, have ridiculously large penisesDont compare yourselves to them. Theyre like freaks of nature, even in amateur porn.60. If youre having trouble staying erect during sex, stop masturbating and watching pornIf youre having trouble maintaining your erection with other men, stop watching porn and masturbating. Your brain might be over-aroused by the porn you watch. Temporarily abstaining from porn and masturbation may be enough to reset your brain.61. Your sex drive will wax and waneThats completely natural. At times, you may never be able to get enough, and at other times you might not want to have sex at all. If you see this fluctuating quickly and intensely, it may be a sign of a deeper issue. It would be worth mentioning to your doctor or therapist.62. Laugh more during sexDont take sex so serious. Sex can be funny. Awkward things happen. Laugh and enjoy it.63. Many anti-depressant and anxiety medications (SSRIs) have serious affects on your sex driveAnxiety and depression medications that are specific serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can decrease your libido, hinder your erections, and make it difficult (or impossible) to reach orgasm. SSRIs that are highly proscribed include Zoloft, Celexa, Lexapro, Prozac, and Paxil. FYI, these are the brand names. They also come in generic form.64. The two-by-two rule is helpful for deciding on analIf youre really nervous about poop (even after everything youve read!) remember the two by two rule. If you havent pooped in the past two days or you pooped in the past two hours you probably shouldnt be penetrated. Theres a high likelihood of making a mess.65. His lack of erection has nothing to do with youRather, it does have to do with you, but not for the reasons you think. It could be because hes nervous and really likes you, or because of something else all together. Dont think its because he doesnt find you sexually attractive.66. Jack hammering is fun, but not all the time.Cool it. Youre not a porn star. You dont need to be plowing full speed every second. Rough and hard sex can be fun, but not every time. You also dont want to tucker yourself out too quickly.67. Get tested more often.And make sure you know what youre being tested for. I hadnt realized I hadnt been tested for herpes for years. I assumed that I was being tested for everything, but thats seldom the case, unless you specify.68. Molluscum is an STI youve probably never heard of it, but have probably hadMolluscumcontagiosum virus (MCV) may sound like a spell from Harry Potter, but it's a real thing. Its those little bumps you get on your junk that look like zits. They have a raised head and you can pop them. However, the puss that oozes out after being popped is the contagious part. Molluscum is not a serious STI at all. It has no adverse health effects. It's simply annoying and aesthetically unpleasing. You can get them frozen off by your doctor. Alas, they often come back and spread quickly. Theyre very contagious.69. PrEP (Pre-exposure prophelactics)Everything about PrEP should be taught in sex ed -- what it is, how its helpful in protecting queer men from acquiring HIV, its side effects, who should be on it, how to go about asking your doctor for it, which insurances cover it, etc.70. A therapist is importantA therapist is important, especially for queer men, who have higher rates of depression and anxiety, its very helpful to see a therapist.71. The history of HIV in AmericaSex ed classes use scare tactics to get their students to wear condoms. While sex ed classes discuss HIV, they dont discuss its effects in the 80s and 90's, and all the queer men and women who fought to have HIV taken seriously in America. They survived a plague.72. Loud sex is better sex.J. Lo was onto something. Lets get loud.73. Dont be afraid to tell him what turns you onDont expect him to be a mind reader. You need to vocalize what you like and dont. If he does something you do enjoy, acknowledge it (or at least moan loudly to give him some clues).74. Dont let any label define youWhether its gay, bi, or even subgenres in the LGBT+ community: bear, kink, leather. There's more to you than your sexuality, appearance, and how you have sex.75. You can love someone deeply but that doesnt mean you should be datingI wish I didnt have to learn this lesson firsthand. You can love someone deeply, care for them with all your heart, and even have a great sexual connection with them, but that doesnt mean you should be dating. You dont have to date everyone you care for deeply.76. Foreplay is everything.It builds the suspense, and gets you even more ready for the actual game. Dont rush through it.77. Have more sober sex in collegeSex is great. Drunk sex can be great too. But in college, many queer men used drinking as a way to let down their inhibitions (I know I did). Try to feel comfortable having sex with others without being inebriated.78. Role playWhether you're into the whole teacher/student, doctor/patient, or meeting a stranger in bar scenario, there are plenty of ways to explore and kick things up a notch. Need some queer, male-specific ideas? Check this out.79. Explore that nagging thought that just wont go awayFor me, it was dating men. Kind of a big thing But for you, it may be as simple as being tied up or having your butt smacked lightly.80. You will have terrible sex at some point in your lifeSex isnt like the movies at all. You will have terrible sex in your life. It just happens. Dont let it turn you off to men or sex for good.81. Dont limit your attraction Dont say no [insert race or size or anything else limiting here]. Its fine to be more typically attracted to a certain group of people, but dont ever deny someone simply because of their race or body type.82. Ejaculation doesnt need to be the end of sexIve spoken to many men who say they ejaculate quickly and then feel bad for their partner. I asked them why sex finishes once they ejaculate? Theres so much more than can be done using other body parts.83. Sometimes sex will bring you and your partner closer, sometimes itll do the oppositeSometimes youll feel deeply in love after sex. Other times, youll want him to leave. Then youll want to burn your sheets, delete his number, and never see him again. Thats completely normal.84. Your nipples become more sensitive once theyre piercedDo whatever you want with that tidbit of information85. Kissing can be more intimate than penetrationIts not always first base. Kissing can be shockingly intimate.86. Everyones kissing style differsMy ex and I laughed about how much our kissing styles differed. We were terrible at kissing one another. Surprisingly that wasnt the reason why we broke up. I kissed more open mouth, but she preferred more closed mouth.87. Dont do the push-the-head-down-south-move.You didnt invent it. Its annoying. Its aggressive. Yes, of course there are submissive men who enjoy that, but as for the rest of us, be respectful.88. Contracting HIV is not the end of the worldIf the rate continues in the US, one in two African American men who have sex with men (MSM) will get HIV. One in four Latino men. And one in 11 MSM men. Do your best to protect yourself against HIV, but if you do get it, its not the end of the world. Its not the end of sex. Its not the end of dating. Your life will go on. You can still live a happy and healthy life with a partner.89. Dont ask him how many people hes slept withThere are only two reasons youd ask this question. 1. Youre looking to judge someone based off of their sexual history. 2. Youre feeling insecure about the number of people that youve slept with. Again, hearing how many people theyve slept with wont help you with your own insecurities. Try to find the real root.90. If you kissed (or anything) him before, it doesnt mean you have the right do it againThis harkens back to consent. You need it every single time. Never assume anything.91. Don't be afraid to sextResearch shows that people who sext are much more satisfied with their sex life in their relationship.92. Its much easier to become addicted to hookup apps than you thinkGrindr use it sparingly. If you cant stop looking at it daily. Delete it. Its a buffet of men and its easy to get addicted, especially if you have a high sex drive.93. Simple sex toys can enhance your sexual satisfaction in great waysVibrating cock rings -- theyre incredibly cheap. You can buy them online or at any sex store, and they have the ability to enhance your sexual satisfaction.94. Buy a dildo for yourself to practicePractice makes perfect, but sometimes you dont want (or have) someone else to practice with. Thats why its good to practice with yourself.95. Demisexuality is validAs defined by Demisexuality Resource Center, Demisexuality is a sexual orientation in which someone feels sexual attraction only to people with whom they have an emotional bond. Most demisexuals feel sexual attraction rarely compared to the general population, and some have little to no interest in sexual activity. Demisexuality is real and very common. 96. Asexuality is also validTheres a lack of representation in the mainstream media about asexuality. Its important to note that some people do not have a desire to have sex with others, but they still can desire intense, romantic relationships.97. Not all queer men are interested in one-night standsThe media often paints us all out to be interested in one-night stands. Not all of us are. Theres nothing wrong with that.98. Explore sexual power dynamics through BDSMTheres something empowering and arousing about being both dominant and/or submissive in a sexual context. It satisfies some primal sexual urges that can be healthy, even cathartic, to explore in a consensual manner with someone you trust.99. Dont ever send an unsolicited dick pic.Dick pics are fun. Dont get me wrong. But theyre only fun when you WANT to receive one. Unsolicited dick pics from strangers are not fun. Id go as far as to say its a form of harassment.100. Poppers exist and you can use themQueer men have many feelings about poppers -- some good and some bad. Theyre sold over the counter (in the US) and you can buy them at any sex shop. They are, technically, a drug, but so too is Advil. Poppers, if you use them sparingly, can be very helpful to relax you before sex. Specifically, if youre too tight.101. Sex is just one component of a healthy relationship.Of course sex is important, and it's also a reason why many people break up. But theres so much more to a relationship than sex. Make sure to focus your energy on more than just intercourse.

These stars are living their truth in 2024 and we love to see it!Here are all of the celebrities who have bravely come out as LGBTQ+ in 2024, proving that it's never too late to live your authentic life. So here are all the stars who opened up and decided to live their truth this year. Welcome to the fam!Sasheer ZamataIn an interview on September 9 with Them, the Saturday Night Live alum came as a late-in-life lesbian.Im out in my life and I do keep my personal life kind of private, but I also dont necessarily want my identity to be private, she explained. Ahead of her role as Jennifer Kale in Agatha All Along, Zamata also admitted shed been asked to play lesbian characters quite often since leaving SNL.I kept getting cast as queer women, she said, which included her characters on Home Economics, Woke, Tuca & Bertie, and Last O.G. This is before I myself was figuring out my identity. I was like, Whoa, what are these casting directors seeing that Im not seeing?After a joke from interviewer Amos Mac about how Hollywood made her gay, Zamata said, Thats what conservatives joke about all the time. Theyre like, Oh my God, theyre turning everyone gay. And it happened.Beyond that Zamata is planning to keep her private life just that, private. I feel very fortunate so far. I have fans who are good about respecting my privacy, and I hope that continues.Stacy SnyderSee on InstagramOn August 28, Love is Blind season 5 contestant Stacy Snyder came out as queer through an adorable reel posted to her Instagram. In the video, Snyder sits at a bar with a glass of white wine, looking around for someone. Charli xcx's "Guess" is playing- the remix with Billie Eilish of course. Captions start popping up around Snyder reading, "She's got a boyfriend," "She's single again," and, "She's irrelevant."The final caption reading, "SHE'S HAPPY" appears as our mystery guest arrives, a woman with long hair in a taupe suit, who enters the frame and promptly gives Snyder a kiss.Snyder had previously been engaged while on Love is Blind to Izzy Zapata, only for Snyder to call it quits, leaving Zapata at the alter. Nothing more is known about the mystery woman or the pair's relationship, but the most important part is that Snyder is happy.DetoxA drag event in Chicago turned into a coming out opportunity for one popular performer, as RuPaul's Drag Race fave Detox shared with the audience that she's trans.The casual reveal came in the midst of her performing the parody song "Chow Down (at Chick-fil-A)" alongside Willam Belli. As Pink News pointed out, Detox switched up the lyric where she usually proclaims that she's a top, and instead boldly declared to the audience, "I'm trans now."The show took place on Wednesday night, a DNC (Drag Night Chicago) right alongside the DNC (Democratic National Convention). And that's no coincidence. Put on by Drag PAC, it was meant to draw attention to the issues that are facing the LGBTQ+ community and encourage young voters to get out there and vote in the upcoming election.@sethseesshows#detox #willam #dragrace #drag #rupaulsdragrace #chowdown #chickfila #chicago #metro #willambelli #dwv @The Only DetoxIlana GlazerComedian and actor Ilana Glazer officially came out as a "nonbinary woman" during an interview with The Independent in August. The realization that they're nonbinary comes in the middle of a long journey of more deeply finding her own sense of self. "It has taken me years to parse these parts of myself out, Glazer said, crediting much of the progress on this journey to years-long standing appointments for psychoanalysis three times a week. Ive found a real dedicated practice to understanding myself. I really used to believe those people [who thought I was Ilana the character] had seen these personal parts of me, but thats not true. I now understand better who I am."That better understanding of self goes deep, with Glazer now understanding herself to be a "nonbinary woman." It was their pregnancy to their now 3-year-old daughter that brought these feelings to the surface, even though, "Being pregnant on paper was the most female thing I could ever do," she says, "but it actually highlighted both the masculine and feminine inside of me." Julia FoxOn July 8 Julia Fox took to TikTok to let the world know, she's that lesbian! The actor shared a TikTok video that began with a clip of @emgwaciedawgie's viral video, where the TikTok user says "I love when I see a lesbian with their boyfriend. It's like 'Aww, you hate that man,' and then it cuts back to Fox.Fox is walking down the street and responds by saying "Hey, that was me. I was that lesbian. So sorry boys. Won't happen again."Trey CunninghamSee on InstagramUSA trackstar Trey Cunninham is officially, out, proud, and gay! The American high hurdler who is ranked 11th in the world opened up about his sexuality in an interview with The New York Times "We say our goals out loud, he said regarding how his athletic training applies to his coming out. If theres something we want to achieve, we say it. Putting something in words makes it real.Ayesha MadonSee on InstagramHeartbreak High Ayesha Madon gave us another reason to feel proud this year when she came out as bisexual in an interview with Gay Times. I only kind of properly admitted, out loud, that I was bisexual two or three years ago. It feels recent. Its pretty interesting watching myself be attracted to [girls]. My first kiss was with a girl. Ive actually never spoken about my sexuality before in anything, so this is pretty new, she shared in the interview. She went on to tell the story of that first kiss, and it's honestly so cute. My first kiss was with a girl called Louise and I had the biggest crush on her. She was in my acting class when I was like 11. I remember she was chewing gum and in order to kiss her I had to like to pretend that I wanted to like try the gum! she recalled. We kissed and it was amazing. Since then, I had the inkling, but being surrounded by so many creatives and how much more normalized its becoming. It has given me the courage to feel comfortable in that as well. Sometimes I feel like Im a fake queer person because Im not massive on queer culture, sometimes, I feel that liking girls is not enough?AmethystSee on InstagramOn July 7 RuPauls Drag Race season 15 star Amethyst sharing with the world that she is trans. The 29-year-old comedy queen from Connecticut took to Instagram to share her story in a moving, hand-written note. "The truth is, I've been struggling severely with my gender dysphoria more than ever in recent months," she wrote. "It's something that I've always concealed in the back of my mind, and through the years has slowly crept its way to the front.""Last year was when things really started to hit me hard, and this mental warfare has really just escalated since then. I let it get to a point where it was eating away at my life, my thoughts, my relationships, my confidence, but most importantly my sense of self, she revealed. I knew what needed to be addressed by always told myself that Ill get to it when Im ready. Happily, that time has finally come."I wanted to let you know that I'm trans, and began HRT [hormone replacement therapy] a little over a month ago," she continued. "Even in this short amount of time, the comparison to how I felt just a few months ago is night and day. It's a different sense of happiness that is slowly but surely bringing back my self-assurance, and every day it gets easier to look in the mirror."She also revealed her new name, Amy, which she uses out of drag, and that she thanks her season 15 sister Malaysia Babydoll Foxx for coining.Kitty SpaceSee on InstagramDrag Race France season two star Kitty Space has come out as trans, in a moving post on Instagram. My name is Kiara, she began in the caption. I'm so happy to come out as trans. It was hard, hard to hide but today I want to live free, to be happy by being myself. What I am deep inside: a woman.She went on to explain the questions that she had been asking herself in the lead-up to coming out. Living hidden while being unhappy? Where to live free and fulfilled? The question has been asked at length. Protect my loved ones who would take it badly or protect myself?"Ultimately there was only one answer for Kiara and that was to live her truth openly and proudly. I chose to protect myself. Also, protect those who hide and who do not dare. Let's live free. Its our body, our gender, our choices. Amber RuffinSee on InstagramAmber Ruffin waited until the very last day of Pride Month this year to make a big announcement and we could not be more thrilled. The comedian, writer, Tony Award nominee, and talk show host was ready to let the world know her truth: shes queer!Ruffin shared the news with her fans on Instagram, sharing a photo of her in a purple Queer tank top, along with pictures of her hanging with gay icons Murray Hill and Grimace and a video from a Pride parade. For anyone requiring further clarification the caption read: In what will come as a shock to exactly zero people, Im using the last day of PRIDE to come out! Be proud of who you are, little babies! I know I am! And I cant wait to be discriminated against for a new reason!!We could not be more delighted to have her as a member of our queer fam. Louisa JacobsonLouisa Jacobson, the daughter of Streep and Don Gummer is celebrated Pride in one of our very favorite ways, by sharing that she is a part of our family. The actress best known for her role as Marian Brook in The Gilded Age took to Instagram on June 22 to share a carousel of photos which included one of her and producer Anna Blundell getting cozy. After this image was a screenshot of an article from The New York Times entitled Were Entering a Joyful New Era of Lesbian Fashion. And the caption the reads Blessed to be entering the Joyful New Era bb Maren MorrisSee on InstagramCountry singer Maren Morris has NEVER minced words when it comes to standing up for the LGBTQ+ community, a community it turns out, of which she is a part! Morris opened up about her identity on June 9 in an Instagram post. "happy to be the B in LGBTQ+, " she wrote in the caption, adding, "happy pride." Jessica GunningOn June 3, Jessica Gunning is not only the breakout star of this years Baby Reindeer, but shes also officially an out and proud member of our rainbow family. Gunning opened up publicly about her sexuality for the first time on the Reign with Josh Smith podcast. Gunning explained her gay awakening was more of a process, 'I came out in November 2022. And that was a mega, mega thing for me because I for so long...I am surrounded by gays like all my friends are gay, so it wasn't that I was repressing anything, it was just that I didn't think that I could be, recalled Gunning. 'I still can't articulate it in the best way.'But I realized I was a big, old gay. I was like, That's what it's been, that's what it is. And that was like a massive moment where everything kind of clicked and I made sense of myself then, she shared.But now that shes out to herself and the world shes truly feeling great. It's been amazing, and very freeing and very grounding. I feel like really peaceful actually.Joe Fitzpatrick AKA "Dirty Bulk" BronsonOn June 2, Bronson who wrestles as one-third of the tag team the Iron Savages came out by responding to a quote-tweet chain on X (formerly Twitter) with a super cute selfie. The wrestler posted a smiling selfie and bisexual flag in response to a "you and your flag" quote-tweet chain after his fianc, pro wrestler Gabby Forza, posted a selfie of her own alongside a pansexual Pride flag.Bronson responded to all the love he's gotten online by posting a series of statements written in Apple's Notes App and posted on X. "The last 24 hours have just been so overwhelming ever since openly admitting that I am bisexual," Bronson wrote. "I've been left speechless by the endless phone calls, texts, DM's, replies from faithful fans, my close friends, our scumbag, and so many others I've had new interactions with. Between the social media response and just now getting off a 55-minute phone call with my parents that was overflowing with so much love & uplifting support I could run through a brick wall right now from how grateful I feel."He went on to talk about his wrestling costars, who have also come out. "Well, lately I've felt different. Not only have I been heavily inspired by Gabby and how proud she is to be bi/pansexual & queer, I've been inspired by so many others as well. Many of my friends & coworkers that are out and proud, and even some that are still in the closet waiting to one day feel ready."Bruce Joel RubinBruce Joel Rubin, best known as the screenwriter for the iconic supernatural romance, Ghost, just proved its NEVER too late to come out and be your full authentic self.Rubin, who is 81, shared that he was "fully gay" for the first time in his new memoir Its Only a Movie. Speaking with The Guardian Rubin shared, Ive never not been gay... I am fully gay, and I always knew it. Also very much in the know about Rubin's sexuality, his wife of 50 years, Blanche. Clearly, I held back my sexuality. My sexual life was always very internalized. Of course, one wants orgasmic life, but I had orgasms with Blanche. She and I had a good sex life, Rubin revealed, also sharing that they explored polyamory over the years. We had a conjoined relationship with a guy I liked in our ashram. She had a private moment with him, and so did I. Also, I had a few other things along the way, which I didnt write about because they might embarrass people. Its not like Ive been dead to that world. But Im happily gay. And Ill tell you something youll find out: when you hit your 80s and you think your libido is gone, it comes flying back. So big! Male beauty for me is overwhelmingly powerful. Just seeing someone in the supermarket, I feel this explosive joy.As to why Rubin decided to finally come out publically, well it was just time. I dont like that I was closeted for so long, he said. But it would just have confused people. Adding, I didnt want to leave this world with any secrets."Daniel BedingfieldSinger Daniel Bedingfield first broke through in 2001 with his hit "Gotta Get Thru This," Now the singer has opened up again, this time about the man he loved. During a performance London Palladium on April 23, Bedingfield shared his song Borderline had a queer history. I wrote this song with a man I loved about a girl we both loved, he said. In my era, you had to be gay or straight, or fuck you. He continued: Im not very gay, but we were on a hot spring, sitting on a rock, missing her.Bethany AntoniaSee on InstagramHouse of the Dragon star Bethany Antonia came out as a gay on her Instagram on April 20. While we were delighted to learn that the actor is officially fam, it wasn't the joyful coming out we would have wished for her. Antonia plays Princess Baela Targaryen in House of the Dragon. Targaryens have traditionally been depicted as white with blonde hair, and the inclusion of Black actors in these particular roles has received some racist trolling online. The racist message Antonia received was another instance of backlash against the diverse casting backlash. Antonia shared the message on her IG stories, with the caption, "Wait till they find out I'm gay too' with an emoji of a clown's face."While that troll was certainly a clown, we are still thrilled to count Antonia as a member of our rainbow family. Sophia BushSee on InstagramSophia Bush has been the subject of endless speculation ever since it was revealed last fall that she and soccer star Ashlyn Harris were dating. However, in an essay for Glamour, the One Tree Hill alum clarified that those accusations were unfounded. According to Bush, it's just a tale of two friends who supported one another through a mutually difficult time. She didn't even realize there might be more to it until other people they knew pointed it out."I don't know how else to say it other than: I didn't see it until I saw it. And I think it's very easy not to see something that's been in front of your face for a long time when you'd never looked at it as an option and you had never been looked at as an option," she said.Although Bush noted that she hates the idea of "having to come out in 2024," she did confirm that she's come to the conclusion she currently identifies as queer. And we officially welcome her with open arms to the alphabet mob!Matt Terry View this post on Instagram A post shared by Matt Terry (@mattterry) The X-Factor season 13 winner Matt Terry opened up about his sexuality for the first time with the release of his new single "His Car" on March 22. After years of speculation in the British tabloids about his sexuality, the new song details the first relationship he ever had a with a man which he kept secret.I am so ready to show who I am with my music, he said in an interview with the Gay Times. Throughout the years, Ive had media reach out and offer me money like, Well give you this much if you want to talk about your sexuality, and I would say, Absolutely not. Im too proud and have too much self-respect. But now, I want to set the record straight with this song and video.F1NN5TERPopular Twitch streamer F1NN5TER took a big step when he shared with fans that hes been taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and now identifies as genderfluid.In a YouTube video titled Coming Out, F1NN5TER shared that it felt a bit like Id uncovered a part of myself that Id been purposely shutting down for as long as I could remember, and never questioned why.I spent so many months scared and stressed out, trying to pick a label. Im still not done yet. I still havent figured absolutely everything out, but Im feeling comfortable enough to talk about it now, he said.For now, he decided that the label of genderfluid is what suits him best, and that he still prefers he/him pronouns. However, he acknowledges that might change, said that hes ultimately fine with any pronouns, and that what he tells people in real life about his gender identity is, I just dont care.He also shared that he identifies as bi. I like dudes! he said. Thats weird to say. Everything I say feels like a bit now. Goddammit.Jasmine PinedaSee on Instagram90 Day Fianc star Jasmine Pineda opened up about her sexuality during the first episode of the Tell All reunion special for this season when she revealed that the costar she'd like to have children with is her trans costar, Nikki Exotika.She went on to explain that she has dated women in the past. have had girlfriends in the past so I get attracted to women as well as men. I dont know, Ive always had a crush on Nikki.Grace WilsonAustralian soccer player Grace Wilson made history when they became the first A-League soccer player in the country to come out as nonbinary. It simply just means that my gender, and my perception of gender doesnt fit into the Western standards of man or woman. And so, for me, personally, I dont really feel like Im anywhere near that, Wilson said on the clubs official website and Instagram page.Colin Grafton View this post on Instagram A post shared by Colin Grafton (@colin_grafton) Professional figure skater Colin Grafton has been kicking butt on the ice for years, including with Team USA and two seasons as a star on Dancing on Ice. Now, he's living his most authentic self after coming out on February 24 in an interview with Pink News. If Im honest, I never really felt the need to announce it before but the reason I am saying this now is because I want to show that there is representation in any way I can," he explained.Rene Rapp View this post on Instagram A post shared by Radio Andy (@radioandyinsta) Singer and Mean Girls reboot star Rene Rapp joined the fam back in 2022 when she came out as bisexual in a Vogue interview, but this year, she announced shes a lesbian! She hinted at this new sexual identity on social media before stating it more directly on a recent episode of Andy Cohens SiriusXM radio show.Amanda Tori Meating View this post on Instagram A post shared by Amanda Tori Meating (@amandatorimeating) Drag Race season 16 queen Amanda Tori Meating has been winning fans over every week with her humor and biting clap-backs on the current season of the famed drag competition show. Before filming Drag Race, Meating had been identifying as nonbinary but has now come out as trans, following in the footsteps of other Drag Race stars who have since come out as trans, like Jade Jolie, Adore Delano, and, recently, Madame LaQueer (keep scrolling). "[I was] in this environment for the first time where everyone's calling me Amanda and not my government name, and realizing how good that felt, and I started to feel a bit more comfortable in the reformation of my identity," Meating told EW of how her experience on Drag Race helped her come to terms with her trans identity.Tom Hollander View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tom Hollander Fans (@team_hollander) White Lotus Tom Hollander has been playing gay characters for years, including his star turn as Truman Capote in the upcoming FX mini-series Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, but now hes officially come out as "sufficiently liberal" in his sexuality though he refused to put a label on it and made it clear that he would not be doing so at any time in the future.In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, when asked about his own sexual identity, he answered, As a person? I do, yeah. Im somebody that walks into a room and there are some people who walk into the room, you go, Well, theyre not gay, and They are gay. My own sexuality is sufficiently liberal to have encompassed many different experiences, which are not anyones business.Madame LaQueer View this post on Instagram A post shared by Madame LaQueer (@madamelaqueer) RuPaul's Drag Race season 4 star Madame LaQueer started 2024 by coming out as trans in her Instagram Story and embraced her true identity as her full identity as Madame Cassandra Uzumaki LaQueer. LaQueer, who has known she was trans since 2006, but kept talking herself out of it, said from now on she'll be going by Cassie when she's out of drag. Its something Ive been pondering for myself for years, she told Entertainment Weekly, noting shed go by the name Cassie out of drag from here on out. Its now or neverIts never too late to come out and live your true experience and be yourself and be authentic. Theres nothing like feeling loved in your own skin.Parvati Shallow View this post on Instagram A post shared by Parvati Shallow (@pshallow) Reality tv star Parvati Shallow hit it big when she won $1 million on Survivor: Micronesia Fans vs. Favorites, but it wasn't until this year that she was able to live as her true authentic self. The 41-year-old celeb came out and hard launched her new relationship all at the same time. She took to Instagram to post a strip of Photo Booth pics with her new girlfriend comedian Mae Martin, 36. "Were here. Were queer. Happy new year," she wrote in the caption.Parvati technically came out on December 30, but since she wished everyone a Happy New Year in her coming out post on social media, we're counting it for 2024!Erika Casupana View this post on Instagram A post shared by Erika Casupanan (@erika_cas) Survivor alum Erika Casupana stole fans hearts when she took home the big bucks on season 41 of the iconic reality tv competition. She also made history as the first Canadian to win and the first woman to win in seven seasons, according to The Pink News.Now the reality star has come out as LGBTQ+ and we couldn't be happier about it. She made the announcement in a cheeky video posted to Instagram on December 31, 2023 we're counting her as coming out in 2024 because who was still conscious enough on New Year's Eve to have been paying attention? In the funny video, Casupana joked that she tried the tradition of eating grapes under the table on New Year's Eve in hopes of getting a boyfriend, but since she was out of grapes she "chugged wine" instead and "realized I'm a lesbian."

Out Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is blasting former President Donald Trumps policies and his mental fitness after Trumps recent incoherent rant about lowering childcare costs.When Donald Trump was asked about child care the other day, it wasnt clear whether he even understood the question, Buttigieg told anchorperson Dana Bash on the Sunday installment of CNNs State of The Union. Related Pete Buttigieg reveals biggest scandal to hit the GOP this election season It isnt a criminal cover-up nor is it a sex scandal, he pointed out In Trumps incoherent two-minute response delivered at the Economic Club of New York last Thursday, he said he would raise tariffs on international goods entering the United States. He didnt say how the revenue from the tariffs would help lower childcare costs. Numerous economic experts have since noted that tariffs usually raise the cost of everyday items, essentially forcing U.S. citizens to pay for them. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Even the female club board member who asked Trump the question, Reshma Saujani, said his response showed that hes not fit to be president.On CNN, Buttigieg said that the Democratic presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, has a plan for expanding the Child Tax Credit, making sure that we have paid family leave in this country, two things we would have right now if Republicans werent blocking them.[Harris] has laid out an agenda: things like making sure our tax code is fair, and protecting a womans right to choose, he added. That is, of course, the opposite of Donald Trumps agenda, which has been around tax cuts for the wealthy and his record of destroying the right to choose. Harris has proposed giving a $6,000 tax credit to parents of newborns. The proposal could aid middle-class families and help end childhood poverty for millions of kids, but its unclear how Harris would pass such legislation seeing as congressional Republicans have opposed such expansions, denying it their necessary votes. The current child tax credit gives parents $2,000 per eligible child.Saujani, the club board member who asked Trump the question, recently told CNN, He did answer the question and what he told us was that childcare expenses are no big deal. The fact that youre drowning in debt because of them: Sorry, but not sorry. And he also told us that, No, I dont have any ideas or proposals or legislation and its insulting to parents who are constantly having to choose between funding their day care and feeding their kids. And the thing is, if you dont have a plan to fix childcare, you are not fit to be president.A CNN anchorperson also asked Saujani about Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vances recent response to a similar question. Vance said that American families struggling with childcare costs should simply ask grandparents, aunts, and uncles to help raise their kids. He also said childcare centers can lower costs by reducing the number of safety, educational and special needs certifications each state requires from childcare professionals.Saujani called Vances answer a fantasy and said the issue isnt regulation, its the fact that workers dont want to go into the childcare field because of its low wages. She also noted that 50% of Americans live in childcare deserts where local daycare options arent available.

The Complete Guide to Every Queer Pride FlagWhether you're celebrating Pride Month or just living your best gay life, these days you'll see a lot more flags than the traditional rainbow. It can get overwhelming trying to sort out the many sexualities on the queer spectrum, so we've broken it down for you with your Complete Guide to Queer Pride Flags!(Did we miss any? Let us know on Twitter!)Gilbert Baker Pride FlagIn 1977, Harvey Milk challenged Gilbert Baker, a veteran who taught himself to sew, to come up with a symbol of pride for the gay community. His response? The original Pride flag. Inspired by Judy Garland's "Over the Rainbow,"these colorsflew at the San FranciscoGay Freedom Day Paradecelebration on June 25, 1978. Though some dispute whether Baker was the sole creator of the flag that started it all, its symbolism remains. Each color celebrates an aspect of queer Pride:Hot pink = SexRed = LifeOrange = HealingYellow = SunlightGreen = NatureTurquoise = Magic/ArtIndigo = SerenityViolet = Spirit1978-1999 Pride FlagAfter the assassination of Harvey Milk, many wanted the Pride flag he commissioned to commemorate his accomplishments for the community and their personal support. The demand was greater than the available fabric, so the Paramount Flag Company began selling this version of the flag, as did Gilbert Baker, who had trouble getting hot pink fabric.Traditional Gay Pride FlagThis is the most familiar flag. In 1979, the community landed on this six-color version, which was hung from lampposts in San Francisco. Numerous complications over having an odd-number of colors led to turquoise being dropped, at leastaccording to reports. Read more about the modern flaghere.Philadelphia People Of Color Inclusive FlagNoting that queer people of color are often not fully included in the LGBT community, the city of Philadelphia added two colors black and brown to the Pride flag in their honor. The city had previously faced accusations of racial discrimination in its gay bars, which led11 queer nightlife venues to take antiracism training. Many white men were outraged by the flag, claiming that rainbow includes all skin colors, but with a star like Lena Waithe donning it at the Met Gala, it seems the design is here to stay.#MetBehavior *this epic moment of defiance was brought to you by @carolinaherrera *A post shared byLena Waithe(@lenawaithe) onMay 7, 2018 at 5:00pm PDTProgress Pride FlagThis new flag seeks to take Philadelphia's inclusive approach a step further. Daniel Quasar, who identifies as queer and nonbinary, designed this flag. The white, pink, and light blue reflect the colors of the transgender flag, while the brown and black stripes represent people of color and those lost to AIDS.When the Pride flag was recreated in the last year to include both black/brown stripes as well as the trans stripes included this year, I wanted to see if there could be more emphasis in the design of the flag to give it more meaning, Quasar explained on hisKickstarter.Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride FlagThe addition of the Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride Flag in 2021 adds the intersex community to the progress Pride Flag and represents the most up-to-date LGBTQ+ flag, created by Valentino Vecchietti of Intersex Equality Rights UK.Queer Pride FlagA lesser-known flag from 2015, the Queer Pride Flag represents every aspect of queerness as the queer label becomes more celebrated. The pink and blue represent same-sex attraction, while the orange and green represent the non-binary and gender non-conforming individuals. The black and white stripes stand for the asexual, aromantic, and agender community.Bisexual FlagDesigned by Michael Page,the flag brings visibility to the bisexual community, showing the overlap of the stereotypical colors for boys and girls. The flag was inspired by an older symbol of bisexuality: the "biangles," two overlapping pink and dark blue triangles. Learn morehere.Pansexual PrideCreated on the web in 2010, this flag has colors that represent pansexuality's interest in all genders as partners. The pink represents women, yellow nonbinary and gender-nonconformingpeople, and the blue is for men. More infohere.Asexual FlagLike the pansexual flag, the asexual flag was created in 2010. Inspired by the Asexual Visibility and Education Network logo, it represents many ace identities, including graysexuals(the fluid area between sexuals and asexuals) and demisexuals (people who don't experience sexual attraction unless they have an emotional connection with theirpartners.) Learn morehere.Labrys Lesbian Pride FlagOddly enough, this sapphic symbol was created by a man. Created in 1999 by gay graphic designer Sean Campbell, the flag has not gained much traction in the lesbian community. It features a labrys, an ax-like weapon used by Grecianamazons. More infohere.Trans-Inclusive Gay Men's Pride FlagThis is a second iteration of the Gay Mans Pride Flag. The original only had blue, green, and white, and the updated version has different shades of green and blue to represent non-cisgender gay men. Lesbian Pride FlagAmong the many iterations of the Lesbian Pride Flag throughout the years, this one has been widely in use since 2018. The different shades of pink, red, and orange represent the different variations of femininity throughout the lesbian communityPolyamory FlagFeaturing the symbol for the infinite numberpi, which shares the first letter of "polyamory," this flag celebrates the infinite selection of partners available to polyamorous people. The letter is gold to represent the emotional attachment we have with others as friends and romantic partnerss, rather than just our carnal relationships. Find out morehere.Intersex FlagDesigned in 2013 by the organization Intersex International Australia, this flag intentionally features nongendered colors that celebrate living outside the binary. Get more infohere.Transgender FlagMonica Helms, a trans woman, designed this flag in 1999, and it was first flown at a Pride Parade in Phoenix a year later.The light blue is the traditional color for baby boys, pink is for girls, and the white in the middle is for those who are transitioning, those who feel they have a neutral gender or no gender, and those who are intersexed, Helms noted. The pattern is such that no matter which way you fly it, it will always be correct. This symbolizes us trying to find correctness in our own lives.Genderfluid/Genderflexible FlagEncompassing thefluctuations and the flexibility of gender ingenderfluidpeople, the flag features colors associated with femininity, masculinity, and everything in between. The pink stands for femininity. The white represents the lack of gender. The purple represents the combination of masculinity and femininity. The black symbolizes all genders, including third genders. The blue reflects masculinity.Genderqueer FlagCreated in 2011 by Marilyn Roxie, the genderqueer flag highlightsandrogyny with lavender, agenderidentities with white, and nonbinary people with green. Some people refer to it as a nonbinary flag if they feel queer is a slur.Demigender Pride FlagAlthough the details behind the creation of the Demigender Pride Flag are unknown, the flag represents people who have a partial feeling, but not a full connection, to a particular gender identity or gender concept.Queer People of Color FlagFirst appearing at the San Francisco Pride in 2019, the Queer People of Color Flag rose to prominence in 2020 during the Black Lives Matter Protests. The designer and original year are unknown, but the flag represents the struggle for how racial equality and queer equality intersect. Lipstick Lesbian FlagIf you want the most feminine pride flag, here it is. Although it's not a widely used symbol, it celebrates the femmes in the lesbian community, lovingly called "lipstick lesbians."Leather, Latex, & BDSM FlagWhether the kink community should be added in the acronymLGBT is a heated debate, but there is no denying that the community has several of its own flags. This one was designed byTony DeBlase forChicagos International Mr. Leather celebration in 1989. This symbol is not exclusively gay, but rather for the leather and BDSM community. The original flag is on display atthe Leather Archives and Museum inChicago.Bear Brotherhood FlagThoughThe New York Timesnamed 2018 "the age of the twink," only the bears as gay men lovingly refer to the beefier, more hirsute guys have their own flag.Craig Byrnes designed it in 1995 for the International Bear Brotherhood. Its colors are to match the fur of bears living in the woods.Rubber Pride FlagThis symbol is for members of the rubber and latex fetish community and is similar to its predecessor, the leather Pride flag. Peter TolosandScott Moats created the design in 1995 "as a means to identifying like-minded men and [it] reflects the sensory, sensual, and mental passion we have for rubber." They say the black color represents "our lust for the look and feel for shiny black rubber," the red symbolizes "our blood passion for rubber and rubbermen," while yellow highlights "our drive for intense rubber play and fantasies." It also features a literal kink, for obvious reasons.Polysexual FlagPolysexuality, unlike pansexuality, is the attraction to multiple genders but not all. A middle ground between bisexuality and pansexuality, it is centered more around attractions to femininity and masculinity rather than gender itself. The pink represents attraction to females; the blue for males. The green is for an attraction to those who don't conform to either gender.Agender FlagWhile genderqueer people bend the rules of gender, agender people reject a gender completely. For their flag, the black and white stripes represent the absence of gender, while green, the inverse of the gender-heavy purple, represents nonbinary genders.Aromantic FlagWhile asexual flags use purple to show their lack of sexual attraction, aromantic flags use green to celebrate the people who live without romantic attraction.Non Binary FlagCreated by 17-year-oldKye Rowan in 2014, this flag was a response to nonbinary people feeling improperly represented by the genderqueer flag. This symbol was not to replace Roxie's creation but sit beside it as an option. The yellow symbolizes gender outside a binary. The white, a mix of all colors, represents those with many or all genders. Purple stands in for those who feel both binary male and female or fluid between them. The black is for the agender community, without sexuality or color.Pony FlagPony play is a distinct fetish where people are treated like horses by wearing hooves, ears, and saddles and pulling carts. Carrie P created this flag in 2007; it uses black in solidarity with the leather community at large.Straight Ally FlagThe flag equivalent of "I support LGBT people, but no homo," this makes everyone feel included at Pride marches, even if they're celebrating other people's sexualities.

It's the year of Alyssa Edwards!The RuPaul's Drag Race superstar is having quite the renaissance with her hit reality TV gigs on The GOAT and Global All Stars.Despite her busy schedule, the queen is now teaming up with MISTR on a hilarious sex-positive campaign to get people on PrEP and practice safe sex.In the campaign's video, Edwards sings a parodied version of Beyonc's hit track "TEXAS HOLD 'EM" as she performs mesmerizing choreography with the handsome MISTR boys all around her."I've been chatting with MISTR for quite some time. It's perfect timing now! I think I am a singer. I don't know if I hit the notes and the tones and the pitches and the techniques and all that, but I really do think that I am Beyonc [and] Jennifer Hudson and I'm probably nothing of the sort! I probably lack the vernacular, but I will do one thing right... that's deliver the fun, deliver the giggles, and deliver the message," Edwards tells PRIDE. See on Instagram Sex education is vital, especially for the LGBTQ+ community, so Edwards is thrilled to do her part and remind everyone of the resources available today."I'm definitely a gal that loves to kick up her heels, take off the hat and swirl it around [and] maybe go for a ride or two! If I'm now in the spotlight, why not use this platform for good? You know I'm not old, but you know she's established. There was nothing like this when I was a young gay at one time. For the youth of today, the future of tomorrow, and everyone in between, this is so educational. Knowledge is power."Edwards' three-part series titled MISTR Ranch will drop throughout the month of September as it's Sexual Health Month. To see the full interview with Alyssa Edwards, check out the video at the top of the page.

In another bizarre attempt to own the libs just by confusing them, openly anti-LGBTQ+ performer Kid Rock has been enlisted to headline a fundraiser for the self-loathing Log Cabin Republicans, the gay conservatives group.Its not a joke, Im being serious, as President Joe Biden might put it. Related Kid Rock compares Bud Light boycott to spanking a child in that theres nothing wrong with it Theres nothing wrong with giving a spanking, when a kid does something wrong, he said of Bud Light, but now he said its time to drink the beer again. The onetime Detroit rapper-now MAGA acolyte will headline the fundraiser Red White & Rock, the LCR announced over the weekend. The gay conservatives billed the event as a star-studded concert uniting conservatives and celebrating American spirit. Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today Unadvertised was the sad prospect of wealthy gay men humiliating themselves for proximity to power.The high-dollar event takes place in Nashville on September 29, with special guests Richard Grenell, Donald Trumps out, onetime acting director of National Intelligence in the last, chaotic days of the twice-impeached presidents administration, and forever-fianc Kimberly Guilfoyle, wholl serve as emcee of the event, if never Donald Trump Jrs bride.Sponsorship opportunities for gays with the cash include co-hosting for $50,000, which earns a VIP experience, program acknowledgment, and a photo opportunity, though with whom is left unsaid.Couples ($15,000) or sad gay singles ($10,000) can pay for the VIP Experience alone, which entitles them to the unexplained pic opportunity plus their own acoustic performance and remarks, which quite likely might be more entertaining than the main event itself. If youre poor, you can attend the reception alone (singles: $1000) or together (couples: $1500).The LRC has tried mightily to stay relevant this election season, with Grenell convincing Melania Trump to invite him and the groups other conservative and over-served circuit queens to both the Trumps penthouse in Trump Tower and their Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach. Mrs. Trump was paid a substantial fee for that access and the opportunity for selfies in her gold-plated surroundings.Kid Rock, aka Robert James Ritchie, was maybe the biggest celebrity to attend Trumps premature ur-coronation at the Republican National Convention in July. GOPers even the gay ones have had trouble recruiting anyone more famous than Hulk Hogan for their fundraising initiatives. Now the LRC is stuck with a show business type with real antipathy for gay people.Last year, Rock took sadistic pleasure in shooting up a case of Bud Light with an AR-15 after trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney promoted the beer. While considering a run for Senate from Michigan, Rock ranted at a concert asking why everything is so gay these days.Hes laughed off the struggle for trans rights, saying, No, you dont get to choose, because whatever you have between your legs should determine the bathroom that you use.Rock has claimed that Twitter is gay, and, at a bar concert in 2021, he screamed at fans, You f*cking f*ggots with your iPhones out! captured on video and posted byTMZ.That incident was recorded at FishLipz Bar & Grill in Smithville, Tennessee, just over an hour from Nashville, where Log Cabin Republicans will welcome him at the end of the month for yet another humiliating display.

Out musician Elton John had some oddly warm things to say about Donald Trump over the weekend.At the Toronto International Film Festival for the world premiere of the Disney+ documentary Elton John: Never Too Late, the singer commented on the former presidents infamous Little Rocket Man nickname for North Koreas supreme leader Kim Jong Un. Related Elton John blasts UK Home Secretary for suggesting LGBTQ+ refugees shouldnt qualify for asylum Suella Braverman also claimed that refugees pretend to be LGBTQ+ in order to game the system. I laughed, I thought that was brilliant, John told Variety. I just thought, Good on you, Donald. Global perspectives delivered right to your inbox Our newsletter bridges borders to bring you LGBTQ+ news from around the world. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The out Grammy winner went on to note that Trump has always been a fan of mine.Hes been to my concerts many, many times. So, I mean, Ive always been friendly toward him, and I thank him for his support, John said. When he did that, I just thought it was hilarious. It made me laugh, John added of the Kim Jong Un nickname.As Variety noted, in his 2022 memoir, Trumps former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrote that the former president had to explain the reference to Kim Jong Un and even autographed a copy of an Elton John CD for the North Korean dictator.Of course he hasnt heard of me, Kim Jong Un. Id be very surprised if he had, John told the outlet. Ive never toured North Korea, and I have no intention of doing so. But, I thought it was a light moment, and it was fun.During a post-screening Q&A on Saturday night, John again commented on U.S. politics. While he didnt explicitly mention either Trump or Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, the Tiny Dancer singer said that Kindness will always win out thats what I hope for the American election in November. Despite being thankful for Trumps support, John was one of many artists who opposed the Trump campaigns use of their music during his 2016 White House run.According to Variety, the singer attempted to clarify his comments about the former president on Sunday, telling the outlet, I dont go on stage and say to people, You must vote for the Republicans, you must vote for the Democrats. Its none of my business how they vote.There is a danger, as Dick Cheney said the other day, he continued, likely referring to the former vice presidents recent announcement that he would be voting for Harris in November. In his statement, Cheney noted the unprecedented threat Trump poses to the country. America is in a very volatile position. And its a country I love, and Ive always loved, and Im so thankful that it made me who I am, said John, who accepted the National Humanities Medal from President Joe Biden in 2022. The singer neither explicitly endorsed nor condemned either Trump or Harris, saying instead, I just want people to vote for things that are just, things that are important to people: the right to choose, the right to be who you are, and not let anybody else tell you who to be. And that goes all the way up to the Supreme Court.I just hope that people make the right decision to see what the future is going to be, John added. Is it going to be fire and brimstone or are we going to have a much calmer, a much safer place? People can vote for who they like, but as far as Im concerned, I love love. And Im a loving person, and I want that to come back to America. I feel its been lost in the last 12 years.

Arizonas ban on transgender athletes has been blocked by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which called the 2022 law the essence of discrimination.Supporters of the so-called Save Womens Sports Act claimed that the law protected girls and women in schools and colleges from unfair competition. However, the federal court found that pre-pubescent trans girls and trans girls on puberty blockers have no significant physical advantages over cis girls their own age, The San Francisco Chronicle reported. Related Trans women athletes may actually have disadvantages compared to cis women New research highlights how trans peoples bodies differ from cis peoples. [The law] to ensure competitive fairness and equal athletic opportunities for cisgender female athletes cannot be squared with the fact that the Act bars students from female athletics based entirely on transgender status, Judge Morgan Christen wrote in the courts 3-0 decision. Stay connected to your community Connect with the issues and events that impact your community at home and beyond by subscribing to our newsletter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today [The law] permits all students other than transgender women and girls to play on teams consistent with their gender identities, Christen continued, transgender women and girls alone are barred from doing so. This is the essence of discrimination.Two trans girls, an 11-year-old soccer player and a 15-year-old swimmer and volleyball player on puberty blockers, sued to overturn the law; 18 states signed court arguments in favor of the law, and 17 states signed arguments against it.A lower federal court also ruled against the law, and the two court rulings against it can now be cited as a legal precedent to help other trans girls play sports. However, Arizona could also appeal the decision to be heard by an 11-judge panel on the appeals court or ask the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on the matter.A students transgender status is not an accurate proxy for athletic ability and competitive advantage, said Rachel Berg, a lawyer with the National Center for Lesbian Rights who represented the two girls in court. Our clients are thrilled to be able to continue to play on girls sports teams with their friends while this case proceeds to trial. A federal appeals court blocked a similar West Virginia law in April, but the state has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the law and let it go into effect.In April, House Republicans passed a trans sports ban on party lines, but Senate Democrats blocked it from becoming law. Currently, 24 states have laws that ban trans students from participating in sports that align with their gender identity.

Matthew Allison, a 37-year-old man from Boise, Idaho, was indicted in a federal lawsuit that accuses him of being a part of a transnational terrorist plotto kill lawmakers and commit hate crimes. Allison is allegedly the leader of the Terrorgram Collective, a white supremacist group that planned terrorist attacks against Black, Jewish, immigrant, and LGBTQ+ communities. Related Two men in Zimbabwe face 14 years in prison after accidentally telling cops theyre a gay couple The two young men called police over a money dispute. What happened next may ruin their lives. Todays arrests are a warning that committing hate-fueled crimes in the darkest corners of the internet will not hide you, and soliciting terrorist attacks from behind a screen will not protect you. The United States Department of Justice will find you, and we will hold you accountable, Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. Global perspectives delivered right to your inbox Our newsletter bridges borders to bring you LGBTQ+ news from around the world. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The attacks were planned by Allison and a California man named Dallas Humber on the app Telegram. Telegram is an end-to-end encrypted messaging app that has become a hotspot for criminal activity. Its popular among the American right and in Eastern Europe.Humber and Allison allegedly helped organize a shooting that killed two people outside a gay bar in Slovakia, planned an attack on a New Jersey energy facility, and encouraged a man who stabbed five people in a mosque near Turkey.They both face 15 felony counts, including conspiracy, soliciting hate crimes, sending bomb-making instructions, and providing material to support terrorists.The defendants encouraged murders and hate crimes targeting individuals based on their race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, and gender identity, said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. They also exposed personal information and called for the assassination of federal officials, conspired to offer material support to terrorists, and disseminated information about explosives with the intent to facilitate acts of violence.Humber and Allison also distributed multiple Terrorgram videos and publications that offer detailed instructions for committing crimes, glorify white supremacist attacks, and feature a hit list of high-value targets for assassination. This list included U.S. federal, state, and local officials, as well as leaders of private companies and non-governmental organizations, many of whom were targeted based on their race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity, says the US Department of Justice.If convicted of all charges, Humber and Allison each face a maximum penalty of 220 years in prison.