The comedy series Mid-Century Modern, starring Nathan Lane, Matt Bomer, Nathan Lee Graham, and Linda Lavin with Max Mutchnick and David Kohan as creators, James Burrows as director, and Ryan Murphy as executive producer has been canceled after just one season on Hulu.Sign up for the Out Newsletter to keep up with what's new in LGBTQ+ culture and entertainment delivered three times a week straight (well) to your inbox!"Ten great episodes Not enough," Mutchnick wrote on Instagram to announce the show's cancelation. "But we loved making every single one of them. We're gonna miss our very special show. Thanks to everyone who watched."The comments section has been flooded with emotional responses to the show's cancelation. "We became a family to create a TV show about chosen family. And nobody can take that away from us. It was magical. And filled Linda Lavin with so much joy at the end of her life. This was a blessing on a blessing! Grateful to have been a part of it!" Dan Bucatinsky commented. "I loved working with you and this beautiful cast. Be proud in knowing you created something very special," Cheri Oteri wrote. "Some amazing TV history nonetheless," Carson Kressley replied.Bomer and Graham, stars of the show, also left comments with heart emojis.See on InstagramMid-Century Modern centered on a trio of friends living out their "golden years" together: Bunny Schneiderman (Nathan Lane), Jerry Frank (Matt Bomer), and Arthur Broussard (Nathan Lee Graham). The first season of the series also included Linda Lavin as Bunny's mother, Sybil Schneiderman. Unfortunately, the legendary actress passed away at age 87, during production.Though it would be unfair and inaccurate to blame any one studio, streaming service, or production company for this ever-growing trend, Mid-Century Modern joins the ranks of numerous TV shows centering LGBTQ+ characters and storylines that, despite receiving so much praise, fan support, and critical acclaim, were canceled after just one season. In this case, Mid-Century Modern even received four nominations at the 2025 Primetime Emmy Awards.Since he announcement, fans have been sharing posts lamenting the show's cancelation. " What a shame, I really enjoyed it, it was old school in tone but I liked it for that reason & it had heart Glad it got a season," @cub_poplad wrote on X.Other X reactions include @theimparted's, writing: "It was like a gay Golden Girls, something we very much needed at this time. This is so dumb! Definitely the kind of show that you had to let breathe and grow. Sitcoms are never going to be able to speak to a generation if they keep getting cut off." @OrvilleLloyd commented, "This sucks! One good gay show on television deserved a second season! This show is the gay Golden Girls. Television really treats gay men like garbage. This show is hilarious, just so sad no more episodes."Mid-Century Modern is streaming on Hulu.

Ollie King surprised 'I Kissed a Boy' fans over the weekend.It's only been a few days since reality TV fans were surprised by a head-scratching new video from Ollie King who won season 1 of I Kissed a Boy and was a fan-favorite alum within the queer dating series ranting about nonbinary people, supporting protests tied to far-right activist Tommy Robinson, and accusing his I Kissed a Boy ex Dan Harry of mistreating others after their time on the BBC dating show.To recap: King discussed in his previous video that "maybe we should tell people, Dan, and expose you, as to why I left you, last September, two years ago." He went on, "Maybe we should tell them, cos you're the most rude, arrogantest[sic] turd I've ever met. That's why. When you barge into our women on cruise ships, [Harry allegedly saying,] 'They shouldn't be in my way.' Because you think you're from London, you can barge into people."Unexpectedly, a woman who identified herself as a friend of the couple and who indeed has several years of pictures, videos, and back-and-forth comments on her Instagram grid that Out could verify went on TikTok (@taylora_dc) to refute King's claims as someone who literally met the I Kissed a Boy exes on that exact cruise ship referenced by King, and went on to stay friends with Harry after their breakup."Hello, I am here to talk about the I Kissed a Boy drama between Ollie King and Dan Harry that's been going around the last couple of days," Taylor A. said in her TikTok video. "You might be thinking, 'What does this American girl have to add to the story?' Well, if you've been following the drama, you'll have seen that Ollie King posted a 20- to 30-minute video talking about his support for the protests going on in London. And, in addition to that, attacked a whole variety of communities like nonbinary folks and his ex, Dan Harry.""Funny enough, I met them both on said cruise," Taylor A. revealed.See on InstagramTaylor A. explained that she "had never heard of the show [I Kissed a Boy] before" meeting them on this cruise ship."I had no idea who these people were," she added. "Like, I'm just an American who was on vacation with my friend, and met them both the first night on the cruise in the cruise club, and proceeded to have a friendship that developed between myself, my friend, the two of them," and other people they all met during the trip.Overall, Taylor A. recalled spending a lot of time with King and Harry given that this "was not a massive cruise," noting: "It was a Virgin Voyages cruise; adult-only, with a whole week. So I spent a lot of time with them both on the cruise, off the cruise, on the ports. And I watched their interactions with everybody else, on the ship and off the ship.""People had recognized them on the ship. A couple of people had requested photos," Taylor A. went on. "I watched them always respond with kindness. Dan, in particular, to all of the people who came up to them women and men alike. Myself included, when I just randomly tried to make friends and approached them, having no idea like what kind of celebrities, influencers, or whoever they were."Over the years, Taylor A. discussed staying in touch with them, "particularly with Dan," she added. "And I've found him at that moment [upon meeting], and over the course of my time having spent time with him, to be nothing but kind, and courteous, and generous to everyone who asks him for photos, to everyone who approaches him Women included."To that point, she explained why she "just thought it was fascinating that Ollie felt the need to call out that cruise in particular," adding: "I actually commented on his video and said, 'Hey, like I was a woman who met you both on that cruise, and I didn't find Dan's behavior to be further from the truth.' And he, within minutes, blocked me from his TikTok and deleted my comment."Taylor A. continued, "I just think it was fascinating that he went and created this entire narrative And when someone who was an actual witness to one of the events he mentioned countered or contradicted his story, that he erased any mention of it."While acknowledging that there were "certainly other women on this cruise," Taylor A. argued that she was "the woman that was around for nearly that entire cruise with the two of them, and just thought I would come here and share my experience. So, happy to answer any questions, let me know."When asked if he'd like to respond to Taylor A.'s video, King declined to share a comment on the record. You can watch Taylor A.'s full TikTok video recalling her experiences below.@taylora_dcmystery cruise woman breaks silence #ikissedaboy #danharry #ollieking

In its nearly 40-year history, Atlantas world-renowned Out on Film festival has rarely opened with a documentary. However, this year, I Was Born This Way, the powerful story of the late singer, activist, and LGBTQ-affirming religious leader Archbishop Carl Bean, was the exception. Debuting to critical acclaim at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival in June [...]The post Out On Film Celebrates Archbishop Carl Beans Legacy in Opening Documentary I Was Born This Way first appeared on GLAAD.

Welcome to Schmigadoon! once again. The beloved musical comedy series is coming back in a big new way! After a two season run on Apple TV+, the show that paid tribute to iconic musicals is going to Broadway as a live stage production.Here's everything you need to know about the original TV show before seeing the adapted version on stage!What is 'Schmigadoon!'?Created by Cinco Paul, Schmigadoon! is a musical comedy series that aired on Apple TV+ from 2021 to 2023. The show follows married doctors Josh (Keegan-Michael Key) and Melissa (Cecily Strong), who start of the first season by going on a couple's backpacking retreat meant to reignite their relationship. While in the woods, they stumble upon a magical town called Schmigadoon, where people live like they are in a Golden Age musical.Season one features characters like a closeted minister, a beautiful schoolmarm, and a rebellious drifter satirizing the songs of iconic musicals like Brigadoon, The Music Man, The Sound of Music, and Oklahoma!.Both seasons of the show ran for six episodes. Who starred in 'Schmigadoon!'?In addition to Key and Strong, Schmigadoon! also stars Fred Armisen, Dove Cameron, Jaime Camil, Kristin Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Ariana DeBose, Ann Harada, Jane Krakowski, Martin Short, and Aaron Tveit.Was there a 'Schmigadoon!' season 2?Season 2 of Schmigadoon! takes place in a town called Schmicago and pays tribute to the dark and sexy musicals of the 1960s and '70s. In addition to most of the season 1 cast minus Armisen the sophomore season stars series newcomers Tituss Burgess and Patrick Page. Among the musicals that it parodies are Pippin, Chicago, Cabaret, Godspell, and Jesus Christ Superstar.Will there be a 'Schmigadoon!' season 3?Schmigadoon! was canceled after two seasons at the start of 2024. "I am sad to share that Apple will not be moving forward with Season 3 of Schmigadoon!" Paul wrote on Instagram at the time. "The season is written (including 25 new songs) but we unfortunately won't be making it. Such is life."Will there be a stage version of 'Schmigadoon!'?After Apple TV+ cancelled Schmigadoon! , Paul put on a stage adaptation of the show at the Kennedy Center for a limited run in January 2025. The stage version featured three new songs, and covered the events of the first season.Now, that version of the show is officially coming to Broadway in 2026, per Entertainment Weekly. The Schmigadoon! musical will begin previews at New York's Nederlander Theatre on April 4, with opening night set for April 20. The show is scheduled to run through September 6."Schmigadoon is a love letter to the Golden Age of movie musicals," producer Lorne Michaels said in a statement to EW. "It's a little bit nostalgic and a lot of fun. We're very excited to bring it to Broadway."Does the stage version of 'Schmigadoon!' have the same cast as the TV show?In the Kennedy Center performances of Schmigadoon!, Harada reprised her role as Florence Menlove, but the rest of the cast was new. The musical starred Alex Brightman (Beetlejuice: The Musical) as Josh, Sara Chase (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) as Melissa, and Ryan Vasquez as Danny Bailey as well as Kevin Del Aguila, McKenzie Kurtz, Isabelle McCalla, Javier Muoz, Brad Oscar, and Emily Skinner.It is unknown if that cast will return for the Broadway version.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has long been one of the most vocal anti-LBGTQ+ MAGA Republicans in America, but now hes going viral for a rumor that hes spent time on Grindr. Over the weekend, an anonymous man took to TikTok to give the conservative politician an ultimatum: swear in Democratic Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, who recently won a special election, or hell release proof that Johnson has a secret Grindr profile. The anonymous man, who uses the TikTok handle @razzledazzlemo, claims to have screenshots, IP data, and a selfie that will allegedly prove that the Grindr account is indeed Johnsons and that his demands are all in an effort to get the government to release the Jeffrey Epstein files. The source speaks with apparent confidence about his alleged evidence, but has yet to provide any actual proof. This, however, has not stopped the video from taking off like wildfire on X where "Mike Johnson Grindr" began trending. With so many rumors, comments, and the recent rise in AI political videos being frequently mistaken for real on social media, it can all become confusing quickly. Here's what we know. What is he claiming? (@) The anonymous man posted a video to TikTok giving Johnson until Wednesday to swear in newly elected Arizona representative Grijalva or he will release your Grindr profile and your IP address. I bring receipts bitch. Youre not going to sit there and actively work against LGBTQ+ rights and Democracy. It is treason.In the video, @razzledazzlemo speaks directly to Johnson, telling him the choice is yours because hes petty.Johnson getting caught up in an alleged gay sex scandal is especially concerning considering he has supported criminalizing gay sex, was an attorney for the far-right Alliance Defending Freedom, defended gay conversion therapy organizations like Exodus International, the Human Rights Campaign called him the most anti-equality speaker in U.S. History, and even Meghan McCain called him a raging homophobe. So-called family values Republicans like Johnson have frequently been caught up in gay sex scandals, and Johnson himself has also made bizarre comments about his sex life in the past, like admitting that he and his son monitor each others porn consumption.And this isnt the first time this type of rumor has been spread about Johnson. Allegations that Johnson maintains a Grindr account first picked up steam back in March when screenshots from his supposed Grindr profile were posted by a different TikTok user who claimed the MAGA supporter used he app for discreet gay hookups.The rumor picked up more steam when Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan, co-hosts of the Ive Had It podcast, dedicated an episode to discussing it, though ultimately, reporters found the screenshots to be fake. Who is the anonymous man?The anonymous source has yet to release his real name, but he goes by @razzledazzlemo on TikTok, where he usually posts political commentary videos with frequent criticisms leveled at the GOP.He has over 40,000 followers on the social media app and is currently running a GoFundMe campaign to pay for his legal defense because he fears the government or Johnson may take legal action against him. Why is he doing it now and what is the connection to the Epstein files?House Democratic leadership is currently criticizing Johnson because he has been refusing to swear in Grijalva. Swearing in new members of the House is part of his job, but the reason behind his refusal is also the reason why the TikToker is threatening to release Johnsons Grindr profile.Once sworn in, Rep.-elect Grijalva would be the 218th signature on a discharge petition that would force a vote on releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files. Grijalva has accused Johnson of drawing out her swearing in to keep the files from coming to light, saying in a TV interview last week, Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I'm number 218.Did the anonymous TikToker release an update?@razzledazzlemoThe original TikTok video is no longer on @razzledazzlemos account and he claims that it was removed. While the original video is no longer on his TikTok account, it has since gone viral and has been reposted all over X (formerly Twitter).Yesterday, he released an updated video where he explained that he is safe and that hes discussed his situation with a team of lawyers. He has also claimed he has backed up the information multiple times and has shared it with other people, so that he is no longer the only one in possession of the alleged proof that Johnson has been on Grindr.He also said that his first video was in no way a shakedown for anything.On September 30, he gave another update where he shared that he has now provided the alleged proof to a trusted investigative journalist. To protect himself, he also gave all of his copies of the information to other people, so that if anything happens to him, they can release all of the information to the public. @razzledazzlemoKeep speaking out #fyp #foryoupagee #fyp #foryourpageWhat has Mike Johnson said?Despite "Mike Johnson Grindr" trending on social media, the Speaker of the House has yet to comment publicly about the rumors of his alleged Grindr profile or @razzledazzlemo's threats to release the supposed proof. All claims that Johnson has a Grindr profile or has ever used the gay hookup app are completely unsubstantiated, and until the anonymous TikTok user shows verifiable proof that such a profile exists, none of this can be confirmed.

Ricky Martin always delivers a sexy thirst trap.The star has opened up about his foot fetishes and steamy photos in the past, but the handsome singer is now taking things up a notch with his latest viral pic.Between his impressive acting gigs and securing the Latin Icon at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, Martin is still carving out plenty of time to show off his gym progress. Check out some of the feral reactions below! (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@)

Since being announced as the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show headliner, Puerto Rican reggaetonero Bad Bunny has been ruthlessly attacked by conservative pundits who are eager to move away from the dead-end discourse of deplatforming Jimmy Kimmel and shift focus to an easier target that looks, sounds, and feels more foreign to them.Never mind that Bad Bunny has become one of the world's biggest music superstars in fewer than 10 years since his debut album X 100pre reaching huge engagement, touring, and streaming numbers. He rival acts like Taylor Swift, Drake, Billie Eilish, and The Weeknd but does so in a language that isn't English.Bad Bunny's critics have spent the past few days trying to decide how they identify. For instance, they've had some fun with social media posts like "Who is Bad Bunny?" trying to mock the artist as a nonsensical choice to headline the Super Bowl Halftime Show. And yet, these folks also seem determined to identify as preeminent Bad Bunny experts as they insist on sharing past performances, interview quotes, song lyrics, and even fashion choices to further a narrative that not only fails to prove any point, but also exposes that this is all about an irrational and problematic hatred of Latinos.Let's break down (and refute) a few of the main criticisms leveled against the Puerto Rican performer."Bad Bunny shouldn't headline the Super Bowl after refusing to tour the U.S."Bad Bunny just finished a 30-date residency in Puerto Rico titled No Me Quiero Ir de Aqu, which reportedly boosted the island's economy by an estimated $400 million, as reported by The New York Times. Next up, the artist will embark on the Deb Tirar Ms Fotos World Tour that will reach 19 countries across 45 scheduled concerts (so far) and kicks off in November. This isn't an artist that hates the world, or that the world hates. In fact, earlier this year, Bad Bunny performed at the 50th anniversary event of Saturday Night Live, then returned as a musical guest for an episode of the show, and has visited the U.S. several times.The reason Bad Bunny isn't touring the continental U.S. (because one shouldn't ignore the fact that Puerto Rico is, indeed, in the United States) is out of fear that his fans a large portion of them being Latinos could be targeted by ICE raids. Bad Bunny's concerns with his fans attending his concerts has nothing to do with the overall attendees who will be present at the Super Bowl, which is why his headlining set at the Halftime Show is much more similar to his SNL performances and other U.S. appearances earlier this year, and doesn't bear any similarity to his specific tour."Bad Bunny is pushing 'woke' ideology."Though I wish this weren't true, as of this writing, the top searches related to Bad Bunny on Google Trends are all about whether the singer is a drag queen or a crossdresser. Spoiler: He's not. Top 5 rising 'related queries' when searching 'Bad Bunny' on Google Trends.Google Trends, screenshot by Out.comThe reason why Bad Bunny is admired and beloved by so many people in the LGBTQ+ community is that he's spent many years trying to change the "machista" archetype that has ruled reggaeton as a musical genre for decades. In other words, he's been trying to help the fight against misogyny, racism, homophobia, and transphobia within the Latino community a point that keeps getting lost among U.S. audiences.For example, Bad Bunny released a music video for "Caro" in 2019 where he was seen getting his nails done and featured model Jazmyne Joy as an alter-ego version of himself who lip synced his lyrics. You know, like Beyonc lip syncing Jay-Z's verses in the "Upgrade U" music video in 2009, or Colman Domingo lip syncing Sabrina Carpenter's lyrics in the music video of "Tears" in 2025.In 2020, Bad Bunny released a video for "Yo Perreo Sola" in which he was in drag once again defying gender norms within the Latino community for what would otherwise be another very "machista" music video. At the time, another video that went viral showed Bad Bunny in full drag kissing his girlfriend behind the scenes while filming that music video.In one of his earliest performances at The Tonight Show, Bad Bunny wore a T-shirt paying tribute to Alexa Negrn Luciano, "a homeless transgender woman who was recently murdered in Puerto Rico," as reported by Billboard.Bad Bunny was also accused of "queerbaiting" after kissing a male dancer during a performance at the 2022 VMAs: Another criticism that fundamentally misunderstood the lyrics of the song and the reason why he did that gesture, as I wrote for Out back then."Bad Bunny hates Donald Trump."Every single reported quote from Bad Bunny against Trump has come from a place of reacting to policies pushed by the president, and having his speech protected under the First Amendment is something we've just collectively had to revisit as Kimmel was suspended from going on the air due to conservative uproar over the talk show host's Charlie Kirk remarks.Much like being concerned for fans being targeted by ICE raids while attending his concerts, Bad Bunny reacted to the very long delay in aid for Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria with criticism and artistic expression like the song "Una Velita."Given how much talking and how little doing was going at the time, Bad Bunny also was seen wearing a shirt with the question: "T eres tuitero o presidente?" ("Are you a tweeter or a president?").The same thing happened when, at a Trump rally, a conservative comedian referred to Puerto Rico as a "floating island of garbage." Bad Bunny responded by sharing a video on social media a truly stunning tribute to Puerto Rico as a beautiful place full of incredible, talented people, that doesn't deserve to be referred to in such a manner as a post that at no point mentioned Trump or the comedian who made the joke.As an artist who's made a career out of "show, don't tell" through his lyricism and activism, I'm excited for Bad Bunny to show, not just tell an even larger audience who he is, and who he is not. What they will see is a performer who has used his platform and voice to advocate for his community and his country. And that's as American as it gets.Bernardo Sim is the deputy editor of Out. Voices is dedicated to featuring a wide range of inspiring personal stories and impactful opinions from the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Visit out.com/submit to learn more about submission guidelines. We welcome your thoughts and feedback on any of our stories. Email us at voices@equalpride.com. Views expressed in Voices stories are those of the guest writers, columnists, and editors, and do not directly represent the views of Out or our parent company, equalpride.

From September 18-December 18, the New York City femme and queer-led multidisciplinary art space SoMad will feature the exhibition "Life is Drag" by artist Rachel Rampleman. The project, which celebrates the art of drag, is "the largest digital archive of US drag performance a living history of over 370 performances by more than 200 visionary drag artists, chronicling not only transformative artistry but also vital resistance, visibility, and joy," according to a press release. Those featured in the video portraits include multidisciplinary artist Amygdala, drag and burlesque performer Divina GranSparkle, artist and community organizer Julie J, and drag king King Molasses.Rampleman worked on the project for six years, honing in on the neo-burelesque trend in drag over the last few years. "Sparked by a fortuitous encounter with New York drag icon and community organizer Untitled Queen, the project has grown alongside Ramplemans deepening immersion in the community to become an expansive celebration of drag in all its formsfrom the spectrum of gender expression to experimental art and activism. At a moment when LGBTQIA+ spaces and drag as an art form are increasingly under attack, Life is Drag becomes more than documentation: it is a collective act of celebration and defiance, showcasing irrepressible performers who challenge convention, rewrite the rules, and embody the range of gender expression."In approaching this "living queer archive," the Brooklyn-based Ohio native viewed drag as a whole artistic experience, "a poetic synthesis of performance, costume, sculpture, sound, and identity, and captures numbers by each performer in veritable, full-body high definition videos framed consistently each time and showcased with minimal, if any, editing."The performers participated in a structured interview and are captured in their full-drag glory while discussing their art, personal experiences, and community. Check out several photos of the project below. Follow Rampleman @rachelramplemanUntitled Queen, Jesus Was a CrossmakerAmygdala, Mad PrideDivina GranSparkle, I'm a ManAmygdala, From the AirKing Molasses, Mad PrideJulie J, It's All Over/Mad PrideDivina GranSparkle, Mad PrideAmygdala, We'll Meet AgainUntitled Queen, I Saw a Dead Fox

A gay elected official is sounding the alarm that a string of arrests at a New York City cruising site revives "the dark days" of queer entrapment.Last week, The City broke the news that the Amtrak Police Department a federal police force that operates outside New York City's sanctuary city laws had targeted a Penn Station bathroom in arrests for public lewdness. The bathroom was listed as a "hotspot" on Sniffies, a map-based digital platform for queer hookups. These enforcement efforts have led to over 200 arrests since June 1, an Amtrak representative confirmed to Out. And The Gothamist reports that at least 20 men have been taken into ICE custody as a result of the crackdown.New York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal tells Out that these arrests "harken back to the dark days of trapping gay men and other members of the community in public spaces like restrooms. ... Add to that toxic mix, ICE, and the Trump administration's efforts to round up undocumented New Yorkers. It was a rather frightening callback to a period that we thought had long passed in queer American history." In modern U.S. history, police entrapment at cruising sites peaked during the McCarthy era, when the federal government considered queer men national security threats and actively targeted them.Senator Hoylman and his colleagues, U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler, State Senator Liz Krueger, and Assembly Member Tony Simone, co-authored a letter Friday to Roger Harris, the president of Amtrak, demanding that the sting operations cease and that he meet with the elected officials to discuss a plan moving forward. Hoylman, a gay elected official living in NYC and the Democratic nominee in the race for Manhattan's borough president, confirmed to Out that Harris agreed to meet, and they are in the process of setting up that meeting. See on Instagram Out New York City council members Erik Bottcher and Tiffany Cabn wrote a letter Thursday to Harris sharing their concerns about the reports of deeply alarming violations of civil rights, due process, and protections against discriminatory policing. In the letter, they write that they request a written explanation of how these arrests have been conducted, how many people have been affected, and what safeguards Amtrak will put in place to prevent further violations of civil rights.One of the arrested, David (who prefers to not have his name included in this story), tells Out about his harrowing experience being handcuffed and arrested while trying to use the Penn Station restroom in June. He says he stopped into the bathroom after returning from visiting a friend in New Jersey. David recalls being watched by a man when he went up to the urinal; two other men were looking over the dividers at one another, but Davis says he didnt engage. Next thing you know, he pulls out his badge and says All three of you are under arrest.David says he didnt resist arrest. And as he was being escorted out of the bathroom in handcuffs, he says he told the officer that the cuffs were tight and asked for them to be loosened a bit. In response, the officer tightened them even more. David was booked and charged with public lewdness. The charge was later dropped after he participated in Project Reset, a diversion program, which required him to take an online course.David wonders how Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for NYC mayor, feels about the arrests, as the politician was vocal about LGBTQ+ issues during his campaign. Out reached out to Mamdani's team but did not immediately hear back. @profjaredtrujillo TikTok Prof. Jared Trujillo Jared Trujillo, a lawyer and law professor at CUNY School of Law, warned social media users about this issue in a TikTok video he posted earlier this month. During a following conversation with Out, he underlined that this is an attack on the entire LGBTQ+ community. "We are living in a period of retrenchment, and it happens with every civil rights movement," Trujillo says.Out reached out to Sniffies but did not immediately hear back in a request for comment.

Note: The comments made by school board members in this piece reflect only their personal opinions and views, and are not necessarily reflective of their respective school boards / districts. Education is seemingly one of the most non-controversial topics. Who among us doesnt want kids to learn and grow in a safe and welcoming environment? [...]The post Lessons Learned:On Organizing for Inclusive and Welcoming School Systems first appeared on GLAAD.

Strap in, the first trailer for the new kinky, gay romance film Pillion is here!Written and directed by Harry Lighton, Pillion is based on Adam Mars-Jones' 2020 novel, Box Hill, and the tagline for it reads: "A timid man is swept off his feet when an enigmatic, impossibly handsome biker takes him on as his submissive." The film stars Harry Melling (The Queen's Gambit) as Colin, the timid man, and Alexander Skarsgrd (The Northman) as Ray, the impossibly handsome biker. And it takes its name from a word for the passenger seat on the back of a motorcycle."Ray uproots Colin from his dreary suburban life, introducing him to a community of kinky, queer bikers and taking all sorts of virginities along the way," Variety wrote of the film's plot when the project was announced. "But as Colin steps deeper into Rays world of rules and mysteries, he begins to question whether the life of a 24/7 submissive is for him. Has he found his calling, or simply swapped one form of suffocation for another?"The trailer for Pillion opens with a shot of Colin, a shy and unassuming member of a barbershop quartet singing Christmas songs in a bar. He can't stop himself from stealing glances at the kinky leather crowd, and eventually, one of them approaches him."How did you get a man like that?" a woman asks Colin, as Peggy March's classic "I Will Follow Him" plays."I have an aptitude for devotion," Colin smiles.The rest of the trailer showcases an evolving dynamic between the two men as Ray instructs Colin on what to do, sends him on errands, and literally wrestles with him.The movie premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May, where it won Best Screenplay and was nominated for the Camra d'Or and Queer Palm. It currently has a 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 27 reviews.Pillion releases on November 28 in the U.K. and in early 2026 in the U.S.Watch the trailer below. - YouTube youtu.be

On October 7, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a landmark case, Chiles v. Salazar, concerning Colorados state law protecting LGBTQ youth fromso-called conversion therapy the first time the Court has heard a case on the topic. Conversion therapy practices are prohibited in 23 states and in dozens of municipalities, [...]The post Fact Sheet: Landmark Supreme Court Case Regarding Protections Against So-Called Conversion Therapy for Youth first appeared on GLAAD.

Its a new month, which means new opportunities for queer TV! GLAAD is bringing you some highlights from LGBTQ TV premieres and returns throughout March. Check back on the first of each month for up-to-date coverage of LGBTQ-inclusive programming on television. October 1: Abbott Elementary (Season Five ABC) Schools back in session! The new [...]The post Must-See LGBTQ TV: October Premieres and Returns! first appeared on GLAAD.

The LGBTQ+ community has embraced and loved these classic films for years!Over the rich history of cinema, LGBTQ+ representation has been incredibly scarce (to say the least). It wasnt until the last few couple of decades that we started to actually see queer characters and storylines play out on the big screen as the central theme of a mainstream movie, or at least a significant enough side plot.Though we couldnt see ourselves in film for so long, LGBTQ+ people still found certain movies and characters that we organically gravitated toward and consumed those projects as if they were just as queer as we were. Quotes, character names, and themes from these movies became shorthand references and coded language for LGBTQ+ people for many years, as we have to thank them for getting so many generations of queer people through some very rough times.Scroll through to check out the non-LGBTQ+ movies that are considered queer culture!Mommie Dearest (1981)Starring Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford, Mommie Dearest is one of the absolute classics when it comes to queer people. This film features Dunaways campy and over-the-top performance as Crawford, an endless well of quotable lines, and a story about Hollywood, glamour, and vengeance.The Wizard of Oz (1939)Were off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz! It literally doesnt get any better or any gayer than 1939s The Wizard of Oz starring Judy Garland. In the past, being a friend of Dorothys was coded language for telling others that you were gay. And to this day, many queer people still refer to a close friend as their good Judy.Chicago (2002)The 2002 adaptation of Chicago won the Academy Award for Best Picture, and for good reason! Between all of the performances from Rene Zellweger as Roxie, Catherine Zeta-Jones as Velma, and Queen Latifah as Matron Mama Morton, Chicago is pure perfection for queer sensibilities and musical theater lovers.'Sister Act' (1992)Whoopi Goldberg gives us absolutely everything in her portrayal of Sister Mary Clarence in Sister Act (and the sequel counts, too!). This bowl-of-fun-soup of a movie is a true classic for LGBTQ+ kids that grew up on Sister Act and even a new generation that is now watching it on streaming.'What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?'(1962)The legendary feud between Joan Crawford and Bette Davis came to a head in 1962s What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? This frenemies dynamic between these two Hollywood icons is so memorable and gay that it even became a Ryan Murphy original series titled Feud in 2017. Though critics werent entirely sold on What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, it has definitely become a cult classic over the years.'The Stepford Wives' (2004)The gays love The Stepford Wives, and its not hard to see why. This movies combines all of the elements we love from things like Desperate Housewives and The Real Housewives franchise, but with a sci-fi twist that makes it even more interesting. With Nicole Kidman as the main character, this film is an absolute treat for the queers.'Showgirls' (1995)The erotic and dramatic 1995 film Showgirls is an absolute staple film for LGBTQ+ people, and even more so for drag queens. Though the movie flopped at the box office, the story of Nomi Malone (played by Elizabeth Berkley) has resonated with queer people for decades to come.'9 to 5'(1980)Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton had all the girls, gays, and theys obsessed with the 1980 comedy 9 to 5. This film about three working women was literally revolutionary at the time, and not to mention how entertaining and captivating it also turned out to be. LGBTQ+ people love these three superstars, and 9 to 5 encompasses everything we love about them.'Valley of the Dolls'(1967)You know how b*tchy f*gs can be. Cinema really doesnt get any gayer than Valley of the Dolls starring Barbara Parkins, Sharon Tate, Patty Duke, and Susan Hayward. Based on the Jacqueline Susann novel of the same name, Valley of the Dolls centers around three women pursuing a career in showbiz but falling into some kind of addiction.'Burlesque'(2010)Cher! Christina Aguilera! A musical film set in a burlesque club! When it comes to 2010s Burlesque, it all adds up pretty easily as to why so many gay people are obsessed with this cinematic gem. This is a fierce, colorful, dazzling movie by Steve Antin that is entirely made with queer people in mind as the target audience.'Grey Gardens'(1975)Grey Gardens became a queer classic over the years for all the theatricality and fabulous (but also sad) nuances surrounding Little Edie as the subject of this 1975 documentary. As the cousins to former First Lady of the United States Jackie Kennedy, its clear that Little Edie and her mother are living much different lives than their famous relative.'Barbarella'(1968)Many critics considered Barbarella a low point in Jane Fondas career, but LGBTQ+ people still adored her drag-tastic performance and looks throughout the movie. The cultural impact of Barbarella can be felt across queer culture, with many references to this scandalous film still being made to this day.'Death Becomes Her'(1992)Two narcissistic women played by Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn desperately look for the source of youth while managing their destructive frenemies relationship with each other. Death Becomes Her is soooo gay, and it has definitely withstood the test of time over the years.'Barbie' (2023)At one point, the dolls are the dolls, and Greta Gerwig's 2023 live-action Barbie movie proves it.Starring Margot Robbie as a Barbie and Ryan Gosling as a Ken, this film absolutely resonated with queer audiences. The cast also features LGBTQ+ stars like Hari Nef, Scott Evans, and Alexandra Shipp who all deliver fabulous performances in the movie.'Glitter'(2001)Justice for Glitter! Though some pop music fans try to make fun of this Mariah Carey movie, it is a definite camp classic, and certainly a favorite among LGBTQ+ people. In the film, Carey plays Billie Frank, a club dancer who navigates her way through the music industry. The Glitter album a soundtrack to this movie is also a true gem with hit songs like Loverboy, Never Too Far, and Reflections (Care Enough).'Hocus Pocus'(1993)Hocus Pocus is another example of a movie where viewers fall in love with the main trio of leading ladies. In this case, the Sanderson Sisters consisting of Bette Midler as Winifred, Sarah Jessica Parker as Sarah, and Kathy Najimy as Mary. Even though this is a Disney movie, its become a Halloween must-watch for LGBTQ+ people every single year.'The Devil Wears Prada' (2006)Based on Lauren Weisberger's 2003 novel, The Devil Wears Prada is a smash hit among most queer audiences. The movie centers Meryl Streep as an Anna Wintour-coded publishing legend Miranda Priestly and her new assistant, Anne Hathaway's Andy Sachs.Even two decades later, The Devil Wears Prada is still deeply beloved by gay audiences And "that's all" we need to say, really.'The Babadook' (2014)On a slightly more unserious note, 2014's The Babadook is loved by the queer community so much that it turned the film's titular character the Babadook into a gay icon. Those memes are still hilarious, and this film is still incredible to revisit.'Ma' (2019)Speaking of camp and memes! 2019's Ma is a psychological thriller film starring Octavia Spencer as a middle-aged woman who ends up befriending a group of teenagers. The gays absolutely stan Ma, and memes featuring this main character are constantly seen on social media to this day.'Wicked' (2024)The live-action Wicked movie, released in 2024, became an instant queer classic when it opened in theaters. Despite most of the actors being in the LGBTQ+ community, this story is about power, politics, and how disenfranchised people can navigate between structural systems.Even though the film isn't inherently about queer people, our community deeply relates to the themes and characters featured in it.

By guest contributor, Juan Pablo Di Paceas part of GLAADs Latine Heritage Month op-ed series, championing queer and allied voices in the community. I grew up in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with an artist mother and a father who worked in marketing. He traveled constantly, returning with all kinds of gifts from distant lands, but the [...]The post Finding Yourself Begins With Celebrating Others Differences first appeared on GLAAD.

Hayley Williams, the lead singer of Paramore, is in the midst of promoting her third solo album, Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party. She stopped by the New York Times Popcast to talk about why she was so averse to doing solo music while the band was on the rise and the opportunities she had to give up for the greater good of the band one of which was the offer to sing a song for the end credits of the bisexual cult classic Jennifer's Body. During her conversation with hosts Jon Caramanica and Joe Coscarelli, Williams talked about how the band infamously went through a few iterations with different members including Josh Farro, the brother to drummer Zac Farro, both of whom left the band through a blog post on the band's website, where they claimed they were treated like her backing band. Before the split, there were times when the band was supportive of her decision to try solo stuff like when she hopped on B.O.B's "Airplanes." But there were times when the support wasn't there, but she makes sure to clarify that the derision mostly came from Zac's brother, because "he was an ass," she said and then said, "Yeah and I turned down the end credits of Jennifer's Body for him."To the shock of the hosts, they asked what the downside was and Williams said that if she had to guess, it had to do with his fundamentalist Christian beliefs and he didn't agree with the movie, which Josh and Zac made reference to in their departure statement. Instead, the person who replaced her for the end sequence was Hole.The attempt at trying to pull Hayley away from the band has been something shes had to go up against throughout her time in music industry. In the interview, she talked about how label execs wanted her to be a solo artist early on but she stuck by her bandmates, making sure not to take meetings alone because she knew the industry's attempt to take her away from Paramore. After Zac, who eventually returned to the band, took some time away, he made solo music with a new band called HalfNoise and that inspired Williams to try working on her own project.Following the success of After Laughter and in the midst of a global pandemic, Williams took the leap and released her first ever solo record in 2020starting with the lead single Simmer and then a full-length album, Petals for Armor, and then Flowers for Vases/Descansos in 2021. Paramore put out their first album in six years back in 2023, This is Why, to widespread critical acclaim nabbing them two more Grammy Awards.Now, Williams is working on her own again for a bit and released her third solo album, Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party at the end of August. The hosts of Popcast also asked her about the title track and the lyric, "I'll be the biggest star at the racist country's singer's bar." She spoke about writing this music in Nashville, Tennessee so they were curious to know who the racist country singer she was referring to be "it could be a couple," to which she replies, "I'm always talking about Morgan Wallen, I don't give a shit."

Reading is fundamental, and these six iconic pageant queens know a thing or two about turning the page on drag and queer herstory. From the RuPaul's Drag Race werk room to superstardom, Out shares an exclusive clip of Kennedy Davenport, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Sam Star, Latrice Royale, A'Keria C. Davenport, and Alyssa Edwards looking back on their respective journeys in celebration of LGBTQ+ History Month."To be among the Drag Race legacy, it means the world to me. It definitely changed my career," Kennedy Davenport says in the video. "It changed my tax bracket!" she adds, laughing. "No, it really changed my life. It was the best decision that I've ever made."Brooke Lynn Hytes reflects, "It means everything to me. This is kind of what I've worked my whole career to achieve. I saw these queens on TV, and I was like, 'Well, if I'm gonna do this, that's what I wanna do.' I just wanted to make a career for myself." RuPaul's Drag Race queens celebrate LGBTQ+ Herstory Month.Erik Carter"My god, what an honor," Sam Star says. "First of all, to even be on the show, incredible! But then, right after, to be invited to this Even more incredible. It's crazy to be a part of this legacy, and to be here with people that I've looked up to for so long." The Drag Race season 17 finalist muses, "I'm proud of myself for being included in such a fierce group, OK?! I am very starstruck, pinch me but not too hard because my tan might come off."Latrice Royale reflects, "I don't know where I would be without the show. It really has substantially changed my life. I knew I was destined for greatness, so here we are.""To be among the Drag Race legacy, it's history!" A'Keria C. Davenport notes. "It's so fulfilling. I never thought that something that I saw as a hobby would turn into a career."Alyssa Edwards says, "Never in a million years did I ever think that I would be celebrating the art of pageantry And having all of this documented is going to be the legacy that will be left for years to come."Watch the full video below.

Hello Out readers.Queer men are being targeted at cruising locations in New York City, and over 200 of them have been arrested since June 1 at Penn Station. At least 20 men have been taken into ICE custody. The Penn Station bathroom is listed as a "hotspot" on Sniffies, a map-based queer hookup app.New York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal tells Out that these arrests "harken back to the dark days of trapping gay men and other members of the community in public spaces like restrooms. ... Add to that toxic mix, ICE, and the Trump administration's efforts to round up undocumented New Yorkers. It was a rather frightening callback to a period that we thought had long passed in queer American history."Now, Hoylman and some of his colleagues are calling on Roger Harris, the president of Amtrak, to meet with elected officials to end this sting operation.Our New York City council members, Erik Bottcher and Tiffany Cabn, wrote a letter on Thursday to Harris sharing their concerns about the reports of "deeply alarming violations of civil rights, due process, and protections against discriminatory policing." In the letter, they write that they request a "written explanation of how these arrests have been conducted, how many people have been affected, and what safeguards Amtrak will put in place to prevent further violations of civil rights."These arrests make the recent film Plainclothes seem eerily relevant. In that film, Tom Blyth plays a young cop who is tasked with going undercover to gay cruising spots to arrest men, only to find himself falling in love with one of his targets.Plainclothes takes place over 30 years ago, but sadly, these arrests are happening all over again.Keep reading to find all the best pop culture news and our Woman Crush Wednesday.Mey RudeGet a taste of the kinky trailer for gay biker romance 'Pillion'Hayley Williams was almost featured in 'Jennifer's Body'here's how'Drag Race's iconic pageant queens reflect on LGBTQ+ Herstory Month (exclusive)20 non-LGBTQ+ movies that queer people still love anywayThe 'dark days' return: Over 200 arrested at NYC gay cruising siteSorry, haters: Bad Bunny is the perfect 2026 Super Bowl headlinerThe reason Republican 'Mike Johnson Grindr' is trending on social media explainedRicky Martin shows off his sexy v-line in steamy new selfieWhat you need to know about 'Schmigadoon!' before it goes to BroadwayWoman Crush WednesdayActress and activist Indya Moore is our Woman Crush Wednesday! The Pose star recently took to Instagram to issue a call to action to protect trans people, mentioning Ryan Murphy by name."We really, really need y'all. Like, the fact that Ryan Murphy has been so silent? Like, we really pissed you off that much, Ryan? Like, Ryan Murphy, who upset you that much? Janet pissed you off that much?" Moore asked.Get Out / The Advocate in your physical mailbox, too!Get print issues of Out Magazine / The Advocate in the mail for just $9.95 a year!

Doja Cat just dropped the music video for "Stranger" an ode to bisexual men who "like dick," invite her over to watch The White Lotus, and proudly don't fit in with societal norms.Directed by Dave Meyers, Cat's latest music video shows the singer/rapper wearing a very risqu wedding dress, jumping off a plane, and being a (literal) ride-or-die while for an anonymous man who's driving a motorcycle.The "Stranger" lyrics indicate pretty clearly that Cat is into bisexual men. In the second verse, for instance, Cat raps about a man who "don't look like he like dick / But if he liked it, I'd still like him / As a freak, I can admit that, and he likes it.""With each crowd, we proud we don't fit / And ain't nobody here gets our schtick," she adds, while also explaining that she doesn't "even need a vodka soda / Call me over to watch some White Lotus / And after maybe we could rearrange the sofa."In case there was any room for confusion, Cat makes her bisexual-loving point even clearer in a new piece from Interview, in which she unpacks the meaning of "Stranger." "I think that we are programmed to feel a certain way from childhood, and theres things that get in the way of unconditional love," she says. "And if we dont find or pinpoint those things that help us get past those issues or those roadblocks, then we cant give unconditional love. You have to unconditionally love yourself in order to do that for someone else."Interviewer Ary Russell asks, "What are some red flags that you have ignored or currently ignore in a man?""Red flags that I ignore are sounding a little bit gay or acting a little bit gay," Cat says. Russell replies, "No, like, I love a bisexual man.""Yeah, I love a bisexual man! If my man is a little femme, I have no problem with that," Cat adds. "I just think there needs to be a balance, and I need to connect with them in a certain spiritual whatever way."Shoot your shot, bi guys!Watch Doja Cat's "Stranger" music video below. The singer's fifth studio album, Vie, is available on all music streaming services.

This story is brought to you by our partners at Advocates for Youth.When I arrived on my college campus for new student orientation, I was excited to meet other equally ambitious young people with a plethora of different experiences. In my first class, Writing Seminar: Organizing for Social Justice, I thought I knew it all. I did student organizing in high school, this is going to be simple.But did my experience mean anything at a school where everyones equally if not more successful?My classmates boasted about their success on campus organizing walk outs, propelling government action, and providing aid for people in Palestine. Alongside that, our class reading primarily talks about activist wins and barely acknowledges setbacks. The first week of class was a highlight reel of wins. While I was impressed, I also felt like a loser. Ive known Ive wanted to be an activist since I stepped into high school. I could count the number of Chinese people that were in my grade on one hand, and I couldnt count how many Pacific Islanders there were; namely because there were none. I had almost no openly queer classmates because it was looked down upon. In a homogenous community where nobody looked like me, I needed to make my voice heard. I knew my peers and I were equally uneducated about the issues impacting my community. Our health classes didnt address important topics including barriers to reproductive health care, HIV stigma, or birth control misinformation the topics that shape our lives as young people of color and LGBTQ+ youth. I wanted queer students to feel represented in class, so I decided to advocate for changes to our health curriculum. I emailed school administrators, set up meetings, and shared my story. I wanted to bring in a wide range of guest speakers and incorporate new educational tools to make classes more relatable, engaging and intersectional. Over and over again, my demands went ignored and minimized. A year of advocacy resulted in failure. I know Im not the only activist whos failed, or whos feeling demoralized right now. This summer, all I could do was scroll through scary headlines on my screen, feeling powerless in the face of attacks on trans youth, book bans, abortion restrictions, and cuts to funding for people living with HIV. The movement for racial and reproductive justice is experiencing failures and setbacks at a terrifying rate. Its hard to talk about, but keeping silent could set us back even further.Minimizing our failures and turning activism into a highlight reel wont help anyone, but sharing the lessons each attempt teaches us, regardless of outcome, builds a stronger movement equipped for long-term success. While my high school curriculum didnt change, I learned how to speak with decision-makers and how to ask for help. I learned the importance of building coalitions across student groups and across class years, so organizing continues even after graduation, and what tools already exist to help make health class inclusive and engaging (Amaze.org is my personal favorite, with their amazing and age appropriate animated sex ed videos). Sharing my failures allows me to talk about the lessons learned along the way.Last week, I attended the Youth Activist Institute, a conference and training series for organizers aged 14 to 24 organized by the national nonprofit Advocates for Youth. In previous years, I allowed insecurities and imposter syndrome to push me to hide my failures. I was timid and never mingled, scared I might misspeak from my lack of knowledge. This time, I asked other activists both what they hoped to accomplish this year, and what projects hadnt panned out in the past. I came back to campus with a new outlook: maybe I know more than I think.My journey, and every journey, will not be wholly filled with wins or losses. Theres social pressure toward toxic positivity, pressure to combat a slew of bad news with a few prized success stories. But that can lead organizers to burn out, or to see a drought of wins as a reason to give up. I know that being blunt and up front about failure isnt easy, but just because I failed once doesnt mean there isnt a win in my future, or that I shouldnt keep trying. This school year, our failures can be a collective tool to help us learn and grow. If youre experiencing failure, or if youre scared to start because of it, remember that movements dont build themselves in a day. If youre not failing, youre not trying. Generations before us have tried, failed, reassessed, and recentered. Lets follow their lead while rooting our activism in honesty and hopefulness this school year. Cailey Chin (they/she) is a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania and a youth activist with Advocates for Youth, a national youth activism nonprofit training young people ages 14-24 to organize for reproductive and sexual health. Outside of university, shes also a content creator passionate about helping underserved students with academia

Today, GLAAD and The Skin Deep are launching a special digital edition of the iconic conversation card deck {THE AND}, with 50% of proceeds going to GLAAD all month long. This special edition has been created in partnership with GLAAD and launches during LGBTQ History Month, in the spirit of solidarity and community. {THE AND: [...]The post We All Could Use Some Queer Joy! Be a Part of The Skin Deep + GLAADs New Collab first appeared on GLAAD.

Cardi B is living up to the name of her sophomore album, Am I The Drama?, in a new online spat with Nicki Minaj. Since Monday, the two artists have been embroiled in a heated online exchange that's resulted in increasingly nasty posts seemingly with no end in sight.On Tuesday, Minaj reignited the flames with a long text post uploaded to X, claiming that she'd never seen a fertility doctor despite comments from Cardi B, whom she continues to refer to as Barney B. "Barney B, I know you dont know this, but SOME women PLAN their pregnancies you dirty HEINEKEN pussy twat. We dont let n****z fuk us while we pregnant for the next trade who got 4 other ppl pregnant. You see?" Minaj wrote. "The devil has come to collect. You sold your soul. You made a pact. But you lost. Now hear this: you have been neutralized in the mighty name of Jesus. Every word you speak on Me or mine will now curse your enablers more than your dizzy brain could ever fathom. (@) Minaj went on to write, "I was pregnant for my first love. Got married& the next year got pregnant for my soul mate. On purpose. You see Barney? We planned it. Your medical records in the strip club to now look embarrassing & your father welpanyway. You are about to shrivel up & die inside. You called black women monkeys & roaches. Now one day ppl will call your daughters monkeys & roaches. Anyway, I used double the protection in every relationship until I was READY. See? The difference between a HOE & the QUEEN.The Trinidadian-born rapper then uploaded a since-deleted post, telling Cardi B that people who face fertility struggles should not be made the butt of a joke. "Until you know the women who are actually living that pain, blaming themselveswe could only imagine & pray for them, love them, uplift them. Not use these women as a punch line," Minaj wrote in the post, seeming to refer to her experience with abortion, which she's spoken openly about in the past.Cardi then responded on X with, "Girl its YOUR SON BIRTHDAY why are you on twitter dedicating essays to me??? For the love of god go to chuckie cheese," and multiple other posts. One of her responses referenced a skirmish between the rappers at the 2018 Harper's Bazaar Icons party that left Cardi B with a welt on her forehead. "When have I ever had a seizure?? You the one that went on that award show saying you aint want to call 911 after you was shakin from that drug over dose.. talkin bout a knot miss IM STANDING RIGHT HERE," Cardi B wrote, attaching a photo of the incident. (@) The Bronx rapper continued in a separate X post. "Like damn how you pressed over an album you aint got hit in or mentioned in," she said, referring to Am I The Drama?. "Bitch feelings hurt cause I aint paid her no attention!! You havent even cut your fuckin kid cake.. my god its 6 o clock in LA. You mustve took your first line of the day."Cardi B has shown in the past that she won't tolerate people speaking ill of her children, so it's no surprise that things continued to heat up when Minaj uploaded a post calling Cardi's daughter, Kulture, ugly. "And let me tell you somethin.. let this be the LAST TIME you mention my kids before I spill the tea on yours while you talkin about ABCs!! You gon leave me TF alone today ho Im sick of you bitch!!" Cardi B wrote in an X post not long after Minaj's.The "Up" rapper then went after Minaj's family. "Wait bring that ass here.. you talkin about my father???.. my father never been to jail a day in his life! Go get a detective and tell them to run them records.. dont put them dirty ass allegations from your bloodline on mine," Cardi B wrote on X. "Your daddy was a crackhead and your brother was raping his stepchild. You got medical records on me??? Post them bitch!!! You gon leave me TF alone today." (@) Minaj taunted her fellow rapper with a few more posts, referring to Cardi B's daughters as "roach" and "monkey" on multiple occasions. "Barney dangerous ??? Bodega Barney? WHADDDDUP. Your sister can get that chest caved in if u pregnant with another monkey or roach RIGHT NOW. Ijs. For entertainment purposes only," she wrote in one. (@) Cardi then shot back a reply reading, "Bitch you wish you could call my daughter ugly.. Kulture is beautiful and you know that. Your hate is so deep dark and nasty because your son nonverbal cuz you fucked him up wit them drugs so you jealous of everybody kids and their happiness!!! BITCH WHERE TF YOU AT STOP TALKING." (@) As of Wednesday afternoon, the acclaimed rappers were still trading jabs at one another, with Minaj continuing to refer to Cardi B's daughter as "Kulture Vulture" and compare the girl and her sister to monkeys, and Cardi B using a slew of insults to accuse Minaj of being jealous of her and her children. But after swapping unpleasantries throughout the day, Cardi B hinted that she might finally be putting the matter to rest in a long post that touched on Minaj's parents and husband and also accused her of having a drug problem."This my last time responding to you because this past Twitter now.. I gotta see you but first ima tell you truth.." Cardi B wrote at the beginning of the post, before moving on to a discussion of Minaj's background and alleged drug use. "YOU NEED TO GET HELP!! You need to heal that trauma.. you always coming at people everytime you see them happy because you got so much trauma and pain that you wanna put on others.. your fans are gonna gas you up while you literally lose your god damn mind. You dont have no friends.. no family.. just that man in your house that let you do drugs til you pass out so he can spend your money and buy the hood chains." (@)

Longtime activist Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, a veteran of the Stonewall uprising, has been hospitalized with a blood clot and sepsis, her partner, Beck Witt Major, posted on Facebook.Miss Major, 84 has been in the hospital for 12 days. She has had ongoing health problems, having posted in January that she needed 24-hour nursing care after a recent hospitalization. She had a stroke in 2019.Related: 'Enough Is Enough' 10 LGBTQ+ Elders Share Their Words of WisdomMiss Major, a Black genderqueer transgender woman, has dedicated the last 50 years to advocating for incarcerated trans people, particularly trans women of color, who are often housed in mens prisons, as she was. She has worked for multiple HIV and AIDS organizations, and she was the first executive director of the Transgender Gender-Variant and Intersex Justice Project, a role she held until she retired in 2015.She delivered a powerful and passionate speech to the LGBTQ+ Caucus at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last year, urging attendees to put on your best shit and get out there to defeat Donald Trump.Im not going back. I refuse to go back. And if [Trump] thinks were going back, fuck him in his ass, she said to much applause. She endorsed Kamala Harris for president.Related: What Trans Elder Miss Major Griffin-Gracy Wants You to KnowShe and her partner are parents of a son, Asaih Wittenstein Major, born in 2021.Her other accomplishments include executive-producing the series Trans in Trumpland and writing Miss Major Speaks, a book on her lifes activism coauthored with Toshio Meronek. She also established House of GG-TILIFI, a retreat center for trans and gender-nonconforming leaders from the Southern U.S., in Little Rock, Arkansas. She was grand marshal of New York City's Pride march last year.There is a crowdfunding campaign to help cover her health care expenses. Find out more at https://fundly.com/missmajor.

Hi Alexander,This is hard, partly because I feel like a fool, and definitely a frightened guy.I had several "boyfriends" (not love) at boarding school, then went full hetero and married a girl when I was 29. I'm 65 now, and after a stormy coming-out eight years ago, which didn't result in my expulsion from our marriage, I went onto the apps two years ago. I've now seen and learned a lot, with a lot of men, of a wide age group. I thought I would be able to keep doing this without upsetting the home scene. But my relationship with my wife, with whom I've not had sex for a couple of decades, is getting very tetchy, and it's me who its coming from. I don't know what to do. Am I too old to start over? I can only see financial disaster for me and massive hurt for both of us. We have never, despite talking many times about sex, resolved anything. Now, far from being too old, I am in demand! As a top, it seems. I'm pretty fit. But it's not just sex; I want a trusting, loving relationship. In a previous column, you say everyone deserves one. Do I?I could go on; there's lots to say. These are the bare bones. I am sure there are many men out there in the same boat. I've met a few of them!Yours, P. Hey P., This is a mess. Yes, you can and should have a trusting, loving relationship with, I assume you mean, another man but first, you must end the trusting, loving relationship youre in. If things with your wife were tranquil if you two had some special agreement that let you both pursue all the sex and intimacy you both need and deserve with others, regardless of the gender(s) of those others, and had agreed, however tacitly, to look the other way, say nothing, and keep the peace then thered be no need to do anything. Youd be fine. Youd be free to pursue a relationship with a man, though you might not be free to bring him home to your wife, or bring him on holidays with your kids, or take him to the lake house your family likes to visit in the summer, or whatever. But if, after all this time, you two had an agreement to not share details and just let each other be, that would be acceptable parameters for many men in your situation; indeed, it would be very generous on her part. Youd still have a happy, relatively stable life with her thats built on a kind of trust an agreement, however quiet, to not divorce and to give each other permissions to keep that from happening. Thatd be great. And something like that kind of setup is, I expect, what many men in your situation hope for. I imagine thats the kind of setup many hetero couples have when one of them comes out later in life as gay and they decide, for various reasons, not to split up. But that does not sound like the kind of relationship youre in. Yours sounds a lot less idyllic and a lot more stressful because I suspect youre not telling her anything. I suspect youre sneaking around behind her back and lying to her by omission. By your own admittance, you are the one making things tetchy you are the one who is unhappy, unsettled, unfulfilled. I also suspect youre the one doing the lions share of sneaking and cheating. Your wife sounds like a real trooper. You came out! Thats big, and Im proud of you for that, but most women would justifiably leave you after that theyd have every reason to. If she knows youre gay if you really told her then she sounds like a person who is devoted and committed to this marriage, maybe even to her detriment; shes sticking with a relationship that cannot be satisfying for her. She stuck by you. Sure, she might not be interested in talking much about it or resolving anything, but simply by still being with you, shes trying to keep the peace. And what are you doing? I assume youre meeting these guys online (and on app) without her awareness. If so, youre being a bad husband, a bad partner and, most sadly, a bad friend to her. If youre meeting all these guys without her knowledge, youre abusing her loyalty and trust after all these years shes stood by you, even after learning your truth. I dont know if I can help with that. Thats an ethics thing, a soul thing, a virtue thing. You need to sit with that a bit. When two people are in a mutually dissatisfying marriage, then no matter how much love, devotion, or mingled finances are on the table, they should split even when they have children, even when they have shared business or a shared house or some other interwoven element of their lives. Unweave it. Hire a lawyer. Be kind. Do it as amicably as possible. I know this is a hard and unyielding mandate, but I dont think anything is worth prolonging a failed and unhappy marriage, not least of all because it prevents you and her from something wonderful and life-affirming: Staying prevents both of you from finding someone better. My hope, in the end, is that you can stay friends with her, stay amicable she deserves that. But you need to get a divorce. Youre not too late to start over. And, really, I think you know that. You see these guys wanting you, and you want them back. You can taste the wider gay world waiting for you at your fingertips, so why do you need this push, this dressing-down from a silly advice writer, to make you do it? You know you need to leave and youre terrified of whats to come. And sadly theres no easy way to get through it. But divorce is the right course. You know you need to go ahead and get through all the pain and suffering of this next and final chapter of your marriage, because you owe her and yourself the chance to find real happiness. Shes stuck by you this long; the kindest thing you can do now is let her go. Its not too late for either of you. Sometimes the greatest act of love is leaving. Hey there! Im Alexander Cheves. Im a sex writer and former sex workerI worked in the business for over 12 years. You can read my sex-and-culture column Last Call in Out and my book My Love Is a Beast: Confessions, from Unbound Edition Press. But be warned: Kirkus Reviews says the book is "not for squeamish readers.In the past, I directed (ahem) adult videos and sold adult products. I have spoken about subjects like cruising, sexual health, and HIV at the International AIDS Conference, SXSW, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and elsewhere, and appeared on dozens of podcasts.Here, Im offering sex and relationship advice to Outs readers. Send your question to askbeastly@gmail.com it may get answered in a future post.

Check out these kinky queer films!The upcoming movie Pillion just released its first trailer, and fans of kinky cinema are paying attention.The film follows a quiet and unassuming man who becomes a lifestyle submissive for a handsome member of a biker gang, and is said to be raunchy, deviant, and fun.There's a lot of overlap between the queer and kink communities. So if you're looking for a queer film that's soaking in leather, BDSM, fetishes, or perversion, these films are for you!'Pillion'Written and directed by Harry Lighton, Pillion stars Harry Melling as Colin, a timid man who is taken in by Ray, an impossibly handsome biker played by Alexander Skarsgrd. Soon, the unlikely pair find themselves in a 24/7 dominant/submissive relationship, flipping Colin's world upside down.Pillion will release in theaters in 2026.'The Handmaiden'Based on the novel Fingersmith by Sarah Waters, The Handmaiden explores a budding romance between a Korean girl and the Japanese heiress who takes her on as a servant during Japan's occupation of Korea. But director Park Chan-Wook's film isn't simply about two women of different classes falling in love. At the heart of the thriller is a depraved and violent man obsessed with rare sadomasochistic pornography.Find The Handmaiden streaming on Fandango'Bound'Written and directed by the Wachowskis, Bound stars Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly as two women connected to the mob who fall in love, start a kinky romance, and come up with a plan to steal $2 million.Bound is streaming on Pluto.'Professor Marston and the Wonder Women'This biopic, directed by Angela Robinson, tells the story of Dr. William Moulton Marston, his wife, Elizabeth, and their lover, Olive Byrne. Inspired by the two women he formed a polyamorous and kinky relationship with, the film follows how Marston invented Wonder Woman, the most famous female superhero in the world.Streaming on Pluto'Cruising'Cruising, starring Al Pacino, is about a cop who goes undercover to stop a serial killer targeting gay men associated with the cruising and leather scenes in the 1970s. When it first debuted in 1980, it was considered to be a problematic film that stigmatizes gay sex, and was protested by gay rights groups at the time. Today, it's appreciated by some as a classic.Streaming on Prime Video'The Duke of Burgundy'This erotic romance is about Cynthia and Evelyn, a dom/sub couple who act out kinky scenes each day. The film follows their lives as they search for sexual and romantic satisfaction.Streaming on Tubi'Love Lies Bleeding'This lesbian romantic thriller is perfect for women with muscle and sweat fetishes, and also features a ton of (very unhealthy) sadism and masochism. It follows a gym manager (Kristen Stewart) who starts a toxic relationship with a woman training for a bodybuilding competition played by Katy O'Brian.Streaming on HBO Max'The Rocky Horror Picture Show'The beloved 1975 horror musical introduced viewers to kinks like muscles, leather, medical fetishes, and kidnapping and BDSM, all while cementing its place as a camp classic. Tim Curry also gives a career-best performance as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, the "sweet transvestite from Transylvania."Streaming on Hulu'Titane'This trippy and gender-bending psychological drama follows Alexia, a car model with a titanium plate in her head and an erotic fixation on cars. After she murders a man, Alexia has sex with a car, and disguises herself as a boy who went missing years before. This 2021 body horror film was a critical hit, with Agathe Rousselle becoming the second female director to win the Palme D'Or at Cannes.Streaming on Tubi'Hellraiser'Written and directed by queer master of horror Clive Barker, this movie is about a puzzle box that unleashes a group of androgynous, sadomasochistic extra-dimensional beings who are obsessed with the line between pain and pleasure. Whoever finds the box unleashes the demons and gets an up-close look at extreme kink.Streaming on Tubi'Taxi Zum Klo'This German dark comedy's title refers to public bathrooms that are used for casual gay sex, and follows a school teacher named Frank (played by writer-director Frank Ripploh). While he works as a teacher, Frank yearns for adventure and finds it through sex, cruising, and nightlife.Streaming on Roku'Poison'Todd Haynes's early film features three intertwining stories, including Homo, a tale about two prisoners who reunite after meeting in a juvenile detention facility.Streaming on YouTube'The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant'This classic all-female film from R.W. Fassbinder focuses on fashion designer Petra von Kant (Margit Carstensen) as she tries to connect with other women through work, love, sex, and abuse.Streaming on HBO Max'Querelle'Another film from Fassbinder, this movie follows a Belgian sailor named Georges Querelle as he steals, kills, and has sex with various people in a seaside town filled with phallic towers and lustful locals.Streaming on HBO Max'Stranger by the Lake'This French film won the Queer Palm award at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, and follows a gay man who frequents a nude beach that doubles as a popular cruising spot. There, he's attracted to a mysterious man named Michel, whom he then witnesses drowning a man.Streaming on Roku'Female Perversions'Tilda Swinton stars in this film as Eve Stephens, a beautiful, high-powered attorney up for a position as a judge who is haunted by bizarre visions and sexual fantasies.Streaming on Prime Video'Drifter'This German film follows Moritz as he moves to Berlin and explores a wide range of sexual, kinky, and queer experiences. As he explores the city's underground scenes, he gets drawn into a world of drugs and sex, but also finds new friends and community.Streaming on Dekkoo'Sauna'Magnus Juhl Andersen stars in this Danish film as a gay man living in Copenhagen who frequents the cruising spots at the gay sauna where he works. While there, he meets and falls in love with a trans man named William (Nina Rask).Streaming on Apple TV'Muscle' (@) This Japanese film by Hisayasu Sat follows Ryuzaki, an editor of Muscle Magazine, which focuses on the photography of male bodies. Ryuzkai meets a man named Kitami, and soon, their relationship turns sadomasochistic and violent.Not streaming

Over the past decade, GLAAD Gaming has worked to improve how the video game industry engages with LGBTQ stories and players. This commitment has included consulting directly with video game studios and dev teams to ensure LGBTQ content is authentic, spotlighting queer-inclusive games at the GLAAD Media Awards, and publishing research on representation in games [...]The post GLAAD Gaming Announces New Queer Emerging Developers Program first appeared on GLAAD.

Check out these kinky queer films!The upcoming movie Pillion just released its first trailer, and fans of kinky cinema are paying attention.The film follows a quiet and unassuming man who becomes a lifestyle submissive for a handsome member of a biker gang, and is said to be raunchy, deviant, and fun.There's a lot of overlap between the queer and kink communities. So if you're looking for a queer film that's soaking in leather, BDSM, fetishes, or perversion, these films are for you!'Pillion'Written and directed by Harry Lighton, Pillion stars Harry Melling as Colin, a timid man who is taken in by Ray, an impossibly handsome biker played by Alexander Skarsgrd. Soon, the unlikely pair find themselves in a 24/7 dominant/submissive relationship, flipping Colin's world upside down.Pillion will release in theaters in 2026.'The Handmaiden'Based on the novel Fingersmith by Sarah Waters, The Handmaiden explores a budding romance between a Korean girl and the Japanese heiress who takes her on as a servant during Japan's occupation of Korea. But director Park Chan-Wook's film isn't simply about two women of different classes falling in love. At the heart of the thriller is a depraved and violent man obsessed with rare sadomasochistic pornography.Find The Handmaiden streaming on Fandango'Bound'Written and directed by the Wachowskis, Bound stars Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly as two women connected to the mob who fall in love, start a kinky romance, and come up with a plan to steal $2 million.Bound is streaming on Pluto.'Professor Marston and the Wonder Women'This biopic, directed by Angela Robinson, tells the story of Dr. William Moulton Marston, his wife, Elizabeth, and their lover, Olive Byrne. Inspired by the two women he formed a polyamorous and kinky relationship with, the film follows how Marston invented Wonder Woman, the most famous female superhero in the world.Streaming on Pluto'Cruising'Cruising, starring Al Pacino, is about a cop who goes undercover to stop a serial killer targeting gay men associated with the cruising and leather scenes in the 1970s. When it first debuted in 1980, it was considered to be a problematic film that stigmatizes gay sex, and was protested by gay rights groups at the time. Today, it's appreciated by some as a classic.Streaming on Prime Video'The Duke of Burgundy'This erotic romance is about Cynthia and Evelyn, a dom/sub couple who act out kinky scenes each day. The film follows their lives as they search for sexual and romantic satisfaction.Streaming on Tubi'Love Lies Bleeding'This lesbian romantic thriller is perfect for women with muscle and sweat fetishes, and also features a ton of (very unhealthy) sadism and masochism. It follows a gym manager (Kristen Stewart) who starts a toxic relationship with a woman training for a bodybuilding competition played by Katy O'Brian.Streaming on HBO Max'The Rocky Horror Picture Show'The beloved 1975 horror musical introduced viewers to kinks like muscles, leather, medical fetishes, and kidnapping and BDSM, all while cementing its place as a camp classic. Tim Curry also gives a career-best performance as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, the "sweet transvestite from Transylvania."Streaming on Hulu'Titane'This trippy and gender-bending psychological drama follows Alexia, a car model with a titanium plate in her head and an erotic fixation on cars. After she murders a man, Alexia has sex with a car, and disguises herself as a boy who went missing years before. This 2021 body horror film was a critical hit, with Agathe Rousselle becoming the second female director to win the Palme D'Or at Cannes.Streaming on Tubi'Hellraiser'Written and directed by queer master of horror Clive Barker, this movie is about a puzzle box that unleashes a group of androgynous, sadomasochistic extra-dimensional beings who are obsessed with the line between pain and pleasure. Whoever finds the box unleashes the demons and gets an up-close look at extreme kink.Streaming on Tubi'Taxi Zum Klo'This German dark comedy's title refers to public bathrooms that are used for casual gay sex, and follows a school teacher named Frank (played by writer-director Frank Ripploh). While he works as a teacher, Frank yearns for adventure and finds it through sex, cruising, and nightlife.Streaming on Roku'Poison'Todd Haynes's early film features three intertwining stories, including Homo, a tale about two prisoners who reunite after meeting in a juvenile detention facility.Streaming on YouTube'The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant'This classic all-female film from R.W. Fassbinder focuses on fashion designer Petra von Kant (Margit Carstensen) as she tries to connect with other women through work, love, sex, and abuse.Streaming on HBO Max'Querelle'Another film from Fassbinder, this movie follows a Belgian sailor named Georges Querelle as he steals, kills, and has sex with various people in a seaside town filled with phallic towers and lustful locals.Streaming on HBO Max'Stranger by the Lake'This French film won the Queer Palm award at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, and follows a gay man who frequents a nude beach that doubles as a popular cruising spot. There, he's attracted to a mysterious man named Michel, whom he then witnesses drowning a man.Streaming on Roku'Female Perversions'Tilda Swinton stars in this film as Eve Stephens, a beautiful, high-powered attorney up for a position as a judge who is haunted by bizarre visions and sexual fantasies.Streaming on Prime Video'Drifter'This German film follows Moritz as he moves to Berlin and explores a wide range of sexual, kinky, and queer experiences. As he explores the city's underground scenes, he gets drawn into a world of drugs and sex, but also finds new friends and community.Streaming on Dekkoo'Sauna'Magnus Juhl Andersen stars in this Danish film as a gay man living in Copenhagen who frequents the cruising spots at the gay sauna where he works. While there, he meets and falls in love with a trans man named William (Nina Rask).Streaming on Apple TV'Muscle' (@) This Japanese film by Hisayasu Sat follows Ryuzaki, an editor of Muscle Magazine, which focuses on the photography of male bodies. Ryuzkai meets a man named Kitami, and soon, their relationship turns sadomasochistic and violent.Not streaming

A playlist of suggestions to watch during LGBTQ+ History Month.LGBTQ+ History Month is here!Though we shouldn't dedicate only one month out of the year to learn more about queer history, visibility, and portrayal in mainstream media, this is certainly the best time to do so.Given how many pieces of media documenting our community's history have gotten lost over the years, we must also find ways to fight for these movies to be preserved and to continue being widely available for new generations to come.Below are a few recommendations of films you should watch during LGBTQ+ History Month.'The Queen' (1968)The Queen, released as far back as 1968, is one of the earliest documentaries that we still have wide access to depicting the lives, fears, and fabulosities of people in the LGBTQ+ community. From drag artists to trans women to queer men who existed in the shadows of the time, The Queen surrounds a beauty pageant that introduces us to all of the main subjects seen in this documentary film.Where to watch: The Queen is streaming on Tubi.'Paris Is Burning' (1990)Paris Is Burning looks back on the New York City ballroom scene from the late 1980s. This documentary also features plenty of slang and terms that have existed in the LGBTQ+ lexicon since then, and are currently somehow more mainstream than ever.This legendary documentary film, released in 1990, is considered essential viewing for queer people searching for our community's origin stories in modern-day U.S. If you still haven't seen Paris Is Burning, it's definitely worth adding it to your playlist.Where to watch: Paris Is Burning is streaming on HBO Max.'Philadelphia' (1993)1993's Philadelphia is a film of great importance to the LGBTQ+ community as it featured incredibly popular and influential Hollywood stars telling the personal story of a man who was fired from his job after being discovered to be gay and living with HIV.Considering how frightening and misunderstood the HIV/AIDS epidemic was in the late 1980s and early 1990s, seeing actors like Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington being front and center in Philadelphia helped diminish the stigma and re-humanize individuals who had been neglected by the government and society for many years.Where to watch: Philadelphia is streaming on The Roku Channel.'Stonewall' (1995)This fictionalized story follows a group of young LGBTQ+ people in the weeks leading up to the famous Stonewall Inn riots of June 1969.Where to watch: Stonewall is streaming on Prime Video.'The Celluloid Closet' (1996)Based on Vito Russo's 1981 book The Celluloid Closet: Homosexuality in the Movies, this documentary was revolutionary in its approach of exploring and analyzing Hollywood's veiled depictions of LGBTQ+ people throughout the history of mainstream media.Where to watch: The Celluloid Closet is streaming on Tubi.'Boys Don't Cry' (1999)Based on the tragic true story of Brandon Teena, Hilary Swank stars as the young trans man who becomes the target of a transphobic crime in small town Nebraska.Where to watch: Boys Don't Cry is available for purchase of physical copies in Blu-ray and DVD through Amazon.'Frida' (2002)The colorful and iconic Frida biopic stars Salma Hayek as the titular artist. Directed by Julie Taymor, this film explores the life, loves, art, and career of Frida Kahlo.Where to watch: Frida is streaming on Paramount+.'Milk' (2008)Sean Penn plays Harvey Milk in this film about the first out gay man to be elected to public office in California.The 2008 biopic Milk won writer Dustin Lance Black an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, as well as Penn an Oscar for Best Actor from his performance.Where to watch: Milk is available to rent or purchase on Apple TV.'How to Survive a Plague' (2012)2012's How to Survive a Plague is a harrowing documentary that follows the struggles of Act Up and other HIV/AIDS activists as they fought to raise awareness and search for a cure in the late 1980s.Where to watch: How to Survive a Plague is streaming on Pluto TV.'I Am Divine' (2013)The I Am Divine documentary pays tribute to the drag icon herself, Divine, who was the ultimate muse to filmmaker John Waters.Where to watch: I Am Divine is streaming on The Roku Channel.'The Normal Heart' (2014)Based on the play of the same name, this HBO film by Ryan Murphy centers on writer Ned Weeks (Mark Ruffalo) as he attempts to expose the truth about the emerging HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s.Where to watch: The Normal Heart is streaming on HBO Max.'The Imitation Game' (2014)Alan Turing (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) was a considered a hero during World War II. Overall, this genius cracked nearly-indecipherable Nazi codes and inadvertently invented the internet as we came to know it. Alas, Turing was outed in 1952 and got sent to prison.Where to watch: The Imitation Game is available to rent or purchase on Apple TV.'Bessie' (2015)Queen Latifah stars as Bessie Smith in HBO's Bessie, telling the story of the legendary blues singer who rose to fame in the 1920s and 1930s.Where to watch: Bessie is streaming on HBO Max.'Tangerine' (2015)Directed Sean Baker, Tangerine tells the story of a trans sex workers who finds out that her boyfriend was cheating on her. Starring Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, and James Ransone, this groundbreaking film was entirely filmed on a couple of iPhone 5S devices.Where to watch: Tangerine is streaming on Hulu.'Moonlight' (2016)Academy Award-winning film Moonlight is still as moving and profound as it was when it premiered in 2016. Though the film centers on the fictional story of a Black gay man growing up and shown in three very different phases of his life this coming of age story also manages to be relatable for many different people who grew up experiencing queerness.Where to watch: Moonlight is available to rent or purchase on Apple TV.'Matt Shepard Is a Friend of Mine' (2014-2015)Matt Shepard Is a Friend of Mine is a powerful documentary that offers memories of Matthew Shepard the victim of a notorious hate crime from the people who knew him better than anyone else.Where to watch: Matt Shepard Is a Friend of Mine is streaming on Tubi.'The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson' (2017)This Netflix documentary explores the circumstances leading up to the death of trans activist Marsha P. Johnson in 1992.Where to watch: The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson is streaming on Netflix.'Tom of Finland' (2017)In this 2017 film, Pekka Strang stars as the man named Touko Laaksonen who, upon returning from World War II, becomes the artist known as Tom of Finland.Where to watch: Tom of Finland is available to rent or purchase on Apple TV.'Colette' (2018)Keira Knightley stars as Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, the literary icon whose stories about the sexually fluid Claudine defined a generation of young women.Where to watch: Colette is available to rent or purchase on Apple TV.'The Happy Prince' (2018)2018's The Happy Prince features actor Rupert Everett as the witty and flamboyant author Oscar Wilde in the last days of his life.Where to watch: The Happy Prince is available to rent or purchase on Apple TV.'Capote' (2005)The 2005 biopic Capote features the late great Philip Seymour Hoffman playing Truman Capote himself. It's a riveting movie about one of the most influential out gay men in the U.S., and how he navigated the world around him as a public person, and how the world presented itself to him.Where to watch: Capote is streaming on Pluto TV.'Disclosure' (2020)Disclosure is very similar to The Celluloid Closet, but with an emphasis on trans visibility in mainstream media. Directed by Sam Feder and released on Netflix in 2020, this is undoubtedly one of the most important LGBGTQ+ documentaries of the century so far.Where to watch: Disclosure is streaming on Netflix.'Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed' (2023)The closeted life of Rock Hudson, one of the biggest Hollywood heartthrobs of his time, is fully explored in HBO's Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed. From secret lovers who protected him at all costs to public friends who turned their backs on him when he needed them the most, this film is a must-watch for younger generations who didn't grow up seeing Hudson on the big screen.Where to watch: Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed is streaming on HBO Max.'The Boys in the Band' (2020)Ryan Murphy brought to life a new cinematic adaptation of The Boys in the Band in 2020, starring actors like Matt Bomer, Jim Parsons, and Andrew Rannells, among others.Where to watch: The Boys in the Band is streaming on Netflix.'Rustin' (2023)Colman Domingo plays the titular character in 2023's Rustin, an incredibly important biopic about a gay man who played an instrumental role in the civil rights movement and worked tirelessly in devotion to the cause.Where to watch: Rustin is streaming on Netflix.'The Stroll' (2023)The Stroll is a triumphant documentary from Kristen Lovell and Zackary Drucker that explores the history of New York City from the point of view of Black and Latina trans women who were sex workers during the 1980s and 1990s in the Meatpacking District.Where to watch: The Stroll is streaming on HBO Max.'Circus of Books' (2020)Circus of Book is a quirky, but heartwarming documentary about a shop best known for selling gay adult films and is now struggling to survive in the age of the internet.Where to watch: Circus of Books is streaming on Netflix.'Will & Harper' (2024)Comedy legends Will Ferrell and Harper Lee go on a road trip in this Netflix about two best friends reflecting on their long-standing friendship while looking forward as they navigate the new reality of Lee coming out as a trans woman.Where to watch: Will & Harper is streaming on Netflix.'Enigma' (2025)Enigma offers a rare look into the lives of trans women of a different generation who, despite following different paths, had compelling, fascinating, and insightful stories to share with queer and trans youth.Where to watch: Enigma is streaming on HBO Max.'Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution' (2024)Girl, Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution is a kiki!Whether or not you identify as a Hollywood scholar and a comedy enthusiast, it is incredibly fascinating how so much of queer history can be understood through the lens of comedians, some of which have been cultural agitators breaking new ground for the overall LGBTQ+ community.Where to watch: Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution is streaming on Netflix.This 2025 documentary is, in a way, a new chapter in the life of one of the most well-known subjects from Paris Is Burning Venus Xtravaganza.In I'm Your Venus, the biological family of this trans icon goes through a reckoning as they must confront her death along with her chosen ballroom family.Where to watch: I'm Your Venus is streaming on Netflix.'Pee-wee As Himself' (2025)Even though many people have come to learn about Pee-wee As Himself for the headline-making news that the comedian underneath the character, Paul Reubens, comes out as a gay man in the doc this is a much more interesting exploration of the life and work of an artist.The overall perception of gay people is also reflected in Reubens' experiences as documented in the film, which are, admittedly, quite tragic and upsetting at times.Where to watch: Pee-wee As Himself is streaming on HBO Max.'Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado' (2020)This Netflix documentary about the mystical TV icon Walter Mercado is a fascinating exploration of a man who, in so many ways, transcended sexuality and gender through a spiritual point of view all while being and presenting as one of the queerest celebrities to ever exist in mainstream media.Where to watch: Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado is streaming on Netflix.

Corey Lewandowski, an adviser at the Department of Homeland Security, said that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will be present at the 2026 Super Bowl in which Puerto Rican musician Bad Bunny will perform as headliner of the Halftime Show."There is nowhere that you can provide safe haven to people in this country illegally. Not the Super Bowl and nowhere else," Lewandowski remarked Wednesday on The Benny Show. "We will find you. We will apprehend you. We will put you in a detention facility, and we will deport you. So know that that is a very real situation under this administration, which is completely contrary to... how it used to be."Lewandowski went on, "It's so shameful that they've decided to pick somebody who just seems to hate America so much to represent them at the Halftime Game. I was at the Super Bowl last year with President Trump. I had the chance to be in Louisiana in his box and watch the game, and got to enjoy that." For context, Bad Bunny was born in Puerto Rico, which makes him an American citizen. He sings primarily in Spanish and has a large Latine fan base. The superstar recently told i-D Magazine that one reason he did not include concerts in the continental U.S. for his Deb Tirar Ms Fotos World Tour was due to fear that immigration officials would target his concert attendees."But there was the issue of like, fucking ICE could be outside [my concerts]," he told the publication. "And it's something that we were talking about and very concerned about."Bad Bunny is visiting 19 countries over the course his tour. He also just finished a historic residency in Puerto Rico that reportedly boosted the island's economy by $400 million.In his podcast appearance, Lewandowski said immigration officials plan to conduct enforcement "everywhere." "We are going to make Americans safe," he said. "That is a directive from the president. If you're in this country illegally, do yourself a favor: Go home."The 2026 Super Bowl is scheduled for February 8, 2026 at the Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

Fans are questioning whether Alexander Skarsgrd just casually copped to having experiences with both men and women during a recent film festival conversation.The True Blood star has been in the middle of promoting his new film, Pillion, about a kinky gay biker (Skarsgrd) who strikes up a D/s relationship with a wallflower named Colin (Harry Melling). During a recent appearance at the Zurich Film Festival, he spoke candidly about what drew him to the film and how he approached the role."I found that in this case, its not really relevant what my background is. I mean, I do have a kid, but what Ive done in the past, who Ive been with, men, women To me, what was important was that this felt like an opportunity to tell a story about a subculture I hadnt seen portrayed this way with so much authenticity," Skarsgrd said, according to Variety.It didn't take long for people to pounce on the "who I've been with, men, women" portion of what he said and question whether that actually meant he was admitting to having been with both men and women. (@) Admittedly, the other reading of Skarsgrd's statement is that he's saying it doesn't matter if he's been with men or women, rather than that he has been with men and women, but... sometimes in life you have to make a choice, and people are choosing to go with the interpretation that sparks joy."He had too much chemistry with literally everyone in True Blood for him to be straight," wrote one X user."Yea he BEEN that James Dean/Richard Pryor type sexual," said another. "A man who knows hes that fine is fucking everyone." (@) "I feel like Alexander Skarsgrd is very much a case of 'Im an actor. Of course Ive had gay sex.'" (@) "Well you dont get to be that hot by being straight!!!!" (@) Adding fuel to the fire, at another point in the conversation, Skarsgrd did admit that he has "a little bit of experience from that world" of leather gays and pushed back against the idea that it's in anyway scary or dark. He also said that when he first read the script for Pillion, he was worried it would include some twist where his character secretly has a wife, and was thrilled to discover that wasn't the case."We had a joint after party with a Nigerian film where homosexuality is illegal," he added. "It was the first Nigerian film ever to play at Cannes Film Festival, so there were ambassadors and politicians from Nigeria we had our kinky gay bikers in leather harnesses and Paul in his pup mask. It was pretty beautiful to watch."

House of Guinness actor Anthony Boyle, who plays Arthur Guinness in the new Netflix series, has a fully naked scene that has left the gays shook not to mention that the character also has gay hookups on the show, notably with a warehouse worker called Patrick (played by Cuan Hosty-Blaney) throughout the season.This new Netflix hit show, set in 1868 Dublin, tells the story of the Guinness family facing the death of its patriarch, Benjamin Guinness, which prompts his four children to run the family business: A world-class, famous brewery.Benjamin Guinness's will also challenges the four heirs to come to terms with each other, despite all of them keeping a few secrets of their own. Outside of the Guinness family's drama, this is also a time of revolution happening in Ireland, which raised the stakes even further.Images of that Boyle's full frontal scene on House of Guinness are already going viral across social networks, as you can see in this X post.See on InstagramSome fans might recognize Boyle from his performances as Geoffrey Smith in Tolkien, Kevin Maxwell in Tetris, John Wilkes Booth on Manhunt, and Harry Crosby on Masters of the Air.Boyle is otherwise a very accomplished theater actor. For instance, he originated the role of Scorpius Malfoy in both the West End and Broadway productions of the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child play, and starred in other theater productions like Othello, In Arabia We'd All Be Kings, and Mojo, to name a few.The cast of House of Guinness also features Louis Partridge as Edward Guinness, Emily Fairn as Anne Plunket, Fionn O'Shea as Benjamin Lee Guinness II, James Norton as Sean Rafferty, Jack Gleeson as Byron Hedges, and David Wilmot as Bonnie Champion, to name a few.It's also noteworthy that Steve Knight who created House of Guinness and serves as its showrunner has already been taped to write the next James Bond / 007 film with Denis Villeneuve (Dune) attached as director.House of Guinness is streaming on Netflix.

Broadway actors may soon go on strike if the demands of a major union, Actors' Equity, are not met at the negotiating table with producers. The strike would be the first of its kind in 57 years, and it is poised to shut down 32 stage productions.Over 1,000 Broadway actors signed a letter in solidarity with the union. Some of the signees include Brooke Shields (Actors' Equity president), Darren Criss, Andrew Barth Feldman, and Helen J Shen (Maybe Happy Ending), Michael Urie (who will star in Richard II later this month), Sean Astin (SAG-AFTRA president), Brandon Uranowitz (Ragtime), and many others.The union's letter to producers listed three demands: "Pivot toward humane scheduling, including providing appropriate paid time off, to keep everyone in the best shape possible to do the work; pay your fair share toward our health insurance; and reasonably and safely staff our workplaces to foster safety and prevent emergencies. The biggest issue on the table is the producers' contribution to healthcare. Given rising costs, the union is requesting a $4 million increase in contributions from producers, which translates to a 0.21 percent average increase in a show's weekly grosses.In a written statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Al Vincent Jr., executive director of Actors Equity, wrote, "A strike is a last resort, but Broadway producers who are bringing in billions must pay a fair contribution for health care benefits. What were asking for is exceedingly reasonable. If they cant pay their fair share, instead of performing in the theater, we may be walking on picket lines outside the theater."Actors' Equity (a union that represents not only actors but also stage managers) and the Broadway League (a trade organization that represents producers, general managers, and theater owners) have been in negotiations since the end of August, and their three-year contract expired on September 28. The next scheduled meeting between the two parties is set for October 8, but they have agreed to meet again next week to continue negotiations.At the heart of the tension, the union continues to remind producers that last year's season was the highest-grossing Broadway season in history, earning over $1.8 billion. However, the League notes that production costs have also skyrocketed in recent years."We always prefer to negotiate with our union partners at the bargaining table rather than in the press," the League wrote in a statement to Deadline. "We look forward to reaching a fair agreement through good faith negotiations that benefits both sides and sustains Broadway as a destination for millions of people from around the world."

Hasan Piker quickly became one of the most prominent Twitch streamers during the last election cycle, serving as a progressive antidote to the rise of right-wing talking heads online. But he's found himself in hot water after recent comments made during a livestream, where he said that trans people would not be safer if Kamala Harris were president.Piker made the comments on Monday while watching a clip of a conversation between New York Times opinion columnist Ezra Klein and author Ta-Nehisi Coates on The Ezra Klein Show podcast; Klein said that trans people would be better off with Harris in office, to which the streamer vehemently disagreed, citing to the former vice president's alleged "concessions about transphobia" and "leaning into anti-trans narratives" in her career. (@) "The reason why [life for trans people would be better during a Harris administration] is wrong is twofold: Number one, at that point, all youve done is, once again, concede to the right-wing framing on trans people presenting some outsized harm to the American population," Piker said during the stream. "Youve leaned into it, and in that process of leaning into it you have normalized it. You have legitimized the claims of your opponent."He goes on to say, "Number two: Your opponent in the aftermath of that recognition will just turn around and say, See, these fucking pro-trans losers even recognize Im right. Vote for me. I will deal with the trans people with the integrity necessary."Not only do you look hypocritical, but you ended up fucking losing for that reason. Because you can never defeat the Republicans on hate-mongering, you just can't."Piker is likely referring to Harris's most recent comments in her memoir, 107 Days, where she said she has some "concerns" about trans athletes. "I agree with the concerns expressed by parents and players that we have to take into account biological factors such as muscle mass and unfair student athletic advantage when we determine who plays on which teams, especially in contact sports," she wrote. "With goodwill and common sense, I believe we can come up with ways to do this, without vilifying and demonizing children.The liberal streamer continued to argue that during the Biden administration, Republican lawmakers across the nation were consistently introducing new anti-trans legislation, saying that they were "aggressively hitting the anti-trans narratives and also successfully implementing anti-trans legislation at the state legislature level already, building the fucking framework for what came next." He is referring to the current administration's assault on LGBTQ+ rights, which includes the authors of Project 2025 petitioning the FBI to classify "trans ideology" as a "domestic threat," and completely gutting the LGBTQ+ youth suicide hotline, among many other actions.Harris also made headlines from another revelation in her memoir, in which she said that she did not choose Pete Buttigieg as her running mate because she believed a ticket with a Black woman and an out gay man would be "too big of a risk."

RuPaul's Drag Race season 16 winner Nymphia Wind, who impersonated Dr. Jane Goodall in the Snatch Game and went on to meet the legendary anthropologist, is mourning the news of Goodall's passing yesterday at age 91.In her interview for the 2024 Out100, Out's annual list of LGBTQ+ gamechangers, Nymphia cited meeting Goodall as a highlight of the year the environmentalist topped a list of favorite encounters that also included Kamala Harris and the former president of Taiwan.The Drag Race superstar has now shared a heartbreaking and sweet Instagram video to honor Goodall, saying:"Hi everyone, it's me Nymphia Nguyen a.k.a. Jane-Not-Good-At-All. Today is October 1st, and this morning we had the unfortunate news that Dr. Jane Goodall has passed away. I just want to come up here and thank the Jane Goodall Institute and Brilliant Earth for giving me the opportunity to be able to meet her in private a few weeks ago in September.Being around Dr. Jane Goodall has always been such an honor, and being able to just be in her presence Because her presence has such a warm and inviting and calm quality to it. She embodies the forest of Gombe [in Tanzania], and she's just with one with nature, and she cares so much about our planet.So it's a sad day, for sure, to know that she has passed on. When I was at the event with Brilliant Earth, she told a story that every day at 7 p.m. she would drink a shot of whiskey with her sister in honor of her mother. So here we are, with a shot of whiskey, in honor of Dr. Jane Goodall, an incredible human being. This is, for me, a very big loss."Nymphia finished her message noting how important it is to "keep her legacy going" and "fight to save our planet.""The world is just going to be so different without her, Nymphia reflected while wrapping up this Instagram Reel. "But as she would say, 'We must always have hope.'"See on InstagramNymphia's Snatch Game impersonation of Dr. Goodall was, well As the Drag Race winner herself put it, "not-good-at-all." Yet, it was endearing to see how Nymphia processed that low point of her run on Drag Race season 16, and how she actually got to meet Goodall after her crowning as America's Next Drag Superstar.One of those instances, in April 2024, took place fresh off the airing of Drag Race season 16 on TV a conversation about Goodall's work via Instagram Reels.See on InstagramDr. Jane Goodall was one of the most well-known conservationists in the world. Born in London, England, she died at 91 years of age in Los Angeles. Goodall had a PhD from Newnham College, Cambridge, and was most often recognized for the study of chimpanzees.To learn more about the Jane Goodall Institute, visit janegoodall.org.

After two seasons, The Ultimatum: Queer Love has been canceled by Netflix, according to Variety.A spin-off of the reality dating series The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On, Queer Love premiered in May 2024, with season 2 airing in June of this year. Each season, the series focused on six couples made up of women and nonbinary people, with one member of each couple issuing a marriage ultimatum to the other. At the beginning of the season, the cast would mingle and go on mini-dates before everyone paired off with a member of another couple for a three-week-long trial marriage. After the three weeks were up, the original couples would reunite and do a three-week trial marriage of their own.At the end of the season, the couples would then decide, essentially, whether to get married or break up.Season 1 featured couples Xander and Vanessa, Yolly and Mal, Lexi and Rae, Sam and Aussie, and Mildred and Tiff. And the season 2 couples were Ashley and Marita, AJ and Britney, Dayna and Magan, Pilar and Haley, Kyle and Bridget, and Marie and Mel.News of The Ultimatum: Queer Love's cancellation follows the recent cancellations of several other queer shows.Earlier this week, the sitcom Mid-Century Modern was canceled after just one season on Hulu. The show starred Nathan Lane, Nathan Lee Graham, and Matt Bomer as three friends who move into a Palm Springs house together, after the fourth member of their friend group passes away.And on Wednesday, Deadline reported that Lena Waithe's Showtime drama, The Chi, will conclude after its upcoming eighth season. "After much reflection, we have made the decision to end The Chi with season 8," Waithe said in a statement. "I know, for the sake of our story and our characters, it's the right thing. I am committed to delivering a final season that our Chi family deserves."

As a Democrat and lifelong political junkie, and for the last six years as a journalist, Ive seen my party stumble before. Ive watched us weather humiliating losses, recover, and reinvent ourselves. But rarely have I felt as demoralized as I do now. These past eight months under Trumps second (failed) attempt to be president, with his reckless presidency, a far-right and compliant Congress, and a rubber-stamping Supreme Court all against us, have been among the darkest periods in modern Democratic history.If theres one lesson that Ive witnessed from decades of political gut punches, its that survival depends on unity and message discipline. Right now, through this government shutdown, that means Democrats must stay strong, stay together, and stay on message.This is perhaps one of the most consequential come-to-Jesus moments for the party. The stakes couldnt be higher, and in more ways than one.In a few instances, weve been here before, kind of, because nothing is like the Trump curse. In 1980, when Ronald Reagan was swept into office, Republicans took the Senate for the first time in decades. Reagan and a Republican Senate passed all of his tax cuts for the rich (sound familiar?) in order to implement his failed trickle-down economic policies that gutted the middle class and the poor.Related: Bishop William Barber: Ignoring the poor means ignoring the Jesus factor and defying ChristianityThe party rebounded, kind of, under George H.W. Bush, when the Democrats controlled the House and the Senate again. I always point to the fact that my boss when I worked on Capitol Hill during this period introduced and passed a raise in the minimum wage.I was lucky enough to accompany him to the White House to watch President Bush sign it into law. It truly was a time when Democrats and Republicans worked together. In the Oval Office that day were all the Democratic and Republican leaders in Congress.And then Bill Clinton got elected after 12 years of Republican presidential power, and it looked like the party was roaring back. But not so fast.By 1994, Newt Gingrichs imploding Contract With America gave Republicans both chambers of Congress for the first time in 40 years. That was explosive and incredibly demoralizing. At the time, it didnt seem there could be a bigger gut punch than watching the mouthy Gingrich lead an increasingly virulent Republican Party with an aura of inevitability. Related: A Republican's sex scandal exposes the media's evolving shrug toward congressional disgraceBut the Gingrich gut punch turned out to be more like a soft pat on the behind after getting the wind knocked out of us by the swat of George W. Bushs 2000 victory (well, sorry, but I will always say that Al Gore won), which was handed to him by the Supreme Court. In all honesty, it felt like the end of democracy as we knew it.When Bush wrongly invaded Iraq, it really did feel like the United States was no longer an arbiter of peace and decency, particularly when some Democrats voted to support the war.Related: We corrected after Nixon, Clinton, and Bush lies, and once for Trump, but won't after Charlie Kirk. Why?One of those Democrats was then New York junior Sen. Hillary Clinton, whose shocking Electoral College loss in the 2016 presidential election ushered in Donald Trumps first term. Her loss gave way to what was then the most destructive administration in living memory. Since that wasnt so long ago, Im sure many of us can recall the horror and shock of Trump being elected.It wasnt a gut punch or wind knocked out of you moment; instead it was a punishing body blow. We can all agree that Trumps first victory seemed like the apocalypse. Little did we know.Joe Bidens win in 2020 offered a reprieve, but the hope was short-lived. Trumps 2024 comeback, coupled with his loyalists in Congress, has Democrats feeling battered, leaderless, feckless, and stupefied. It got me thinking. After Gingrich, some of us said it would never get any worse. We said the same thing after George W. Bush won and when Trump won the first time. But after Trumps second win, I do think it could get worse, and thats if Trump or anyone else never runs for president again.Were already talking about dictatorship in month 9 with Trump, so whos to say were not heading toward an actual dictatorship at this rate?Related: Trumps militarization of D.C. is blatant dictatorshipWhich brings us to the latest government shutdown this week and the Democrats' standoff with Trump and the congressional GOP. While things feel daunting, this could be unlike other battles where weve been outmaneuvered or silenced. Democrats actually hold a critical lever of power here. Government funding requires bipartisan support. Republicans cant ram through their budget without us. That gives our party leverage and the chance to show voters that we still know how to fight. And not just fight but stay in it for all 15 rounds and then some.Unfortunately, the Democrats' track record this year doesnt inspire much confidence. When Democrats folded in March to avoid a shutdown, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer caught all kinds of hell for giving in, and rightly so. The capitulation was emblematic of a party that looked too timid, too willing to roll over while Trump trampled norms, decency, and the rule of law. Again and again, during the last several months, Democrats have appeared passive, reacting weakly to Trumps chaos while his allies have supplicated themselves to his narrative.Arguably, it has been one of the worst and most unpopular periods for the Democratic Party in history.Could this time be different? Democrats are framing the fight around health care, and that is exactly where the battle belongs. Trumps big beautiful budget slashes Medicaid and Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act tax credits are set to expire at the end of the year. Those credits are lifelines for millions of Americans who want to affordably hold onto their health care. If Republicans want to keep the government open, they must agree to preserve them. That is the line in the sand.When I spoke with Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi earlier this year, she was clear-eyed about the path forward, that health care must be the issue Democrats unify around if we want to win back the House in 2026. Related: Nancy Pelosis fervent message to the transgender community: We are with you and you're not alone (exclusive)It looks like she was right. Health care has always been our strongest ground. It is tangible, personal, and moral. It is also the issue that consistently exposes Republican cruelty, and that led to resounding Democratic victories in the 2018 midterm election.But sticking to their guns on health care wont be easy for Democrats. Trump will play dirty. He always does. He has already threatened mass firings of government employees, announced a freeze on major New York City projects and anti-terrorism funds to punish Schumer and Jeffries, and even ordered federal workers to blame Democrats in their out-of-office email replies. These are intimidation tactics, and they will only grow more vicious the longer the shutdown drags on. God knows what the vindictive and demonic Trump is capable of.Related: By selecting an American, the Vatican sends a message to Trump's hostility and global aspirationsBut that is precisely why Democrats cannot bend. If they cave now, the consequences will be catastrophic. It will not just mean losing on health care, but it will mean losing credibility, respect, and the faith of our base. Democratic voters are already frustrated by what they perceive as weakness from the party in the face of Trumps ongoing onslaught on democracy. If they see their leaders buckle again, many Democrats may decide the party no longer deserves their energy or their vote.Government shutdowns are ugly, inconvenient, and to some, cancel that, to many, utterly ridiculous. They're akin to petulant children who cant get along on the playground. Nobody wins in a shutdown. Federal workers suffer, families face uncertainty, and faith in the federal government erodes. But this shutdown, painful as it may be, has become a test of backbone. Its no longer just about passing a budget. Its about proving that Democrats still know how to stand and fight.Thats why this shutdown isnt just about funding the government, Its also about showing the American people that Democrats can lead, even from the minority. Its about demonstrating that we still have fight left in us, that we still stand for health care, fairness, and the basic dignity of middle-class and working people.Its about reminding voters why they should have faith in the Democratic Party again and that we are up for the fight against Trump.Voices is dedicated to featuring a wide range of inspiring personal stories and impactful opinions from the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Visit Advocate.com/submit to learn more about submission guidelines. Views expressed in Voices stories are those of the guest writers, columnists, and editors, and do not directly represent the views of The Advocate or our parent company, equalpride.

A timeline of Colton Underwood on reality TV.For dedicated reality TV fans, there's a pretty high chance they've stumbled upon Colton Underwood in one of the many reality shows he's been featured on throughout his career. From being a former NFL player on dating shows to appearing in singing reality competitions to getting cast in season 4 of The Traitors, Underwood has been on TV for a long time now.Over the years, Underwood struggled to come out as gay, and didn't do so until a 2021 interview with Good Morning America. Following his coming out, Underwood found love, got married to Jordan C. Brown, and even became a father. In the meantime, he was seen in various reality shows across different networks and streaming services.Keep scrolling to check out every reality TV shows that Colton Underwood has been on.'The Bachelorette' Season 14 (2018)It all goes back to this: Underwood's big introduction to reality TV fans happened on The Bachelorette season 14, led by Becca Kufrin, who had recently gotten engaged to Arie Luyendyk Jr. on The Bachelor but had to face one of the most dramatic blindsides in the history of this franchise.As the story goes, Luyendyk called off his engagement to Kufrin after their season came to an end, and subsequently chose another contestant from his season of The Bachelor to be with. With so much love and support going around for Kufrin, who was understandably very traumatized from that experience, producers brought her right back as the leading woman of The Bachelorette.Underwood was one of the men vying for Kufrin's love. Oh, and in case you didn't know: Underwood made it all the way to the final four in Kufrin's season.'Bachelor in Paradise' Season 5 (2018)Bachelor Nation fans fell in love with Underwood after watching his story on Kufrin's season of The Bachelorette. This prompted Underwood to be immediately cast in the fifth season of Bachelor in Paradise which many fans believe was an experiment to "test him out" as a potential leading man for the franchise.'The Bachelor' Season 23 (2019)Despite not having the splashiest run on Bachelor in Paradise, it did seem to solidify Underwood as the lead of The Bachelor season 23.The promo cycle for Underwood's season of The Bachelor is particularly in hindsight quite jarring and problematic. There were several infantilizing elements to the entire narrative, which focused on branding Underwood as "the virgin Bachelor." It's also worth noting that this season's grand finale did not include a proposal from Underwood.'Coming Out Colton' (2021)Coming Out Colton was advertised a docuseries about Underwood's path to self-discovery and his coming-out process to family and friends. And yet, this Netflix series actually felt more like a "lifestyle" reality show similar to The Kardashians, as it just followed Underwood along in his day-to-day life.'Beyond the Edge' Season 1 (2022)CBS' Beyond the Edge was advertised as a Survivor-esque reality competition But with celebrities! In the end, Underwood won Beyond the Edge season 1, and retired NFL linebacker Mike Singletary finished as runner-up.'Name That Tune' Season 3 (2024)Underwood appeared as a contestant on Name That Tune season 3, episode 16 a revival of that format from Fox. Hosted by the legendary Jane Krakowski, Underwood competed on this music-based game show alongside John Tucker Must Die actor Jesse Metcalfe.'The Masked Singer' Season 14 (2024)The Masked Singer is well-known for casting celebrities of all kinds And let's just say that most of them aren't exactly phenomenal singers with powerhouse vocals. When season 11's "Lovebird" was unmasked and Underwood was revealed as the person under the costume, judges and audiences alike were actually kind of gagged.'Are You My First?' (2025)Underwood had a full-circle experience in reality TV as he returned to the genre as a host of not as a competitor on a new dating show. What's more, Are You My First? was a dating show about people who are still virgins, which was Underwood's main backstory during his introduction to Bachelor Nation as a contestant on The Bachelorette.'The Traitors' Season 4 (2026)Next up, Colton Underwood will be competing on The Traitors season 4, as the Emmy Award-winning series is set to return in early 2026 with a brand-new cast of Faithfuls and Traitors.Other LGBTQ+ contestants who will compete alongside Underwood include Johnny Weir (Olympic figure skater), Kristen Kish (winner, and now host, of Top Chef), Mont X Change (RuPaul's Drag Race superstar), and Yam Yam Yam (Survivor 44 winner), among other celebs.

Another queer series has received the axe.Following the news that the gay television shows Mid-Century Modern and The Ultimatum: Queer Love were canceled on their respective streamers just this week, a social media talk show is now joining the list.The popular series Oh Dear I'm Queer, hosted by influencer Jeff Perla, has been abruptly pulled from Snapchat, according to his latest Instagram video."Oh Dear I'm Queer is officially canceled on Snapchat. For some reason, they're still using my videos and putting ads in my videos, even though they're saying I went against community guidelines," Perla says. See on Instagram Fans of the hit show would watch Perla conduct interviews with gay men all over the world on their sexual preferences, Grindr albums, hookup stories, first dates, and much more.Perla explains in the Instagram video that his production company received notice of Oh Dear I'm Queer's cancellation following three violations for explicit and sexual content. However, Perla alleges that Snapchat never alerted him of the violations since his account didn't have a verified email address on file. As a result, Perla can no longer access his account, post videos, or create content from a separate profile.In exclusive quotes provided to PRIDE, Perla warns other queer influencers to be cautious of the content they're posting and creating online, especially if it's for a major corporation."I built a space that was unapologetically queer-friendly, raw, and real. Snapchat loved my content enough to plaster ads on it for two years, and now all of a sudden, with these new terms and conditions, I'm suddenly too much for them," Perla tells PRIDE.The host even alleges that Snapchat is continuing to run ads alongside his content on the platform, but they're no longer paying him for the show."This isn't just censorship, it's exploitation, and I'm hoping platforms take the steps to work with their creators on how to work together instead of just eliminating them off their platforms. My message to other creators is to be careful building a business relying on these big corporations. If any social media platform was suddenly deleted tomorrow, what do you have to financially fall back on?"This story is still developing, but fans can still support Jeff Perla by following him on Instagram here.

Superman's still got it!Henry Cavill is the hunky heartthrob who's secured his icon status by playing many notable roles throughout the years. Although fans are used to seeing him on the big screen, the star also loves to post a steamy photo online from time to time.Now, the actor is showing off his rocking body as he undergoes physical therapy following an injury on set filming the highly anticipated reboot of Highlander. Naturally, fans went wild on social media over the steamy photos, so check out some of the reactions below! (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@)

Ricky Martin always delivers a sexy thirst trap.The star has opened up about his foot fetishes and steamy photos in the past, but the handsome singer is now taking things up a notch with his latest viral pic.Between his impressive acting gigs and securing the Latin Icon at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, Martin is still carving out plenty of time to show off his gym progress. Check out some of the feral reactions below! (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@) (@)

Oz has been changed... For good.Academy Award nominees Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are reprising their roles as Elphaba and Glinda in Wicked: For Good, the highly anticipated sequel coming to theaters on Friday, November 21 to the first Wicked movie directed by Jon M. Chu.Before the sequel's official title, Wicked: For Good, was announced, fans spent a while referring to it as Wicked Part Two. Thank goodness, the title did change to something a bit more specific: A well-deserved reference to "For Good," one of the most iconic songs of the Broadway musical that inspired these films.After several years waiting for these live-action movies to even come out, followed by many months of clips, teasers, first-look previews, exclusive shots, soundbites, and cryptic social media posts, the Wicked: For Good promo cycle has entered its endgame era with the release of its final trailer. As we all wait for the sequel to come out in theaters, fans have been sharing theories, Easter eggs, references, possible storylines, potential changes made to the film, quick reactions to updates concerning the project, and beyond.Scroll through to explore our comprehensive guide to the world of Oz and the unlimited possibilities of Wicked: For Good, premiering in theaters on Friday, November 21.'Wicked' is about 'choices,' whereas Wicked: For Food' is about 'consequences.'Director Jon M. Chu has explained for a while now that the first Wicked movie (2024) was about "choices," whereas Wicked: For Good is about "consequences."Even on the heels of the first film being released, Chu told GamesRadar in an interview: "In movie one, it's all about choices, and it's a big, bold choice that Elphaba has to make at the end, and Glinda is not quite ready to make that choice for herself, at least.""I think movie two is about consequences," he added. "What happens when you do make those choices? Yes, it's a great ending, to do that. But happy endings aren't just the end. Life is beautiful because it is always a to-be-continued, in a way. You have tomorrow."Chu concluded, "And what happens when the place that you love and fight for doesn't want anything to do with you? Is that still a home? This question of, 'There's no place like home.' Well, what is home? And where is your home? I think those things get to be untangled in this next movie."The endgame in Wicked For Good according to director Jon M. Chu.Even after convincing Universal Pictures that the long-anticipated Wicked movie had to be split into two parts, director Jon M. Chu confessed that he had to remind himself, at times, what this entire saga was really all about. "It's the girls, stupid," Chu told Empire, noting that this eventually became his mantra while making the film."There's no real endgame for friendship: No wedding, no baby," Chu went on. "The test for friendship is the darkness, the fight, the saving each other, and it explores all these things. Friendship often has to end in our lives, but it doesn't devalue the moment."Fiyero is spinning out of control.If Fiyero looked a bit off in the teasers, trailers, and images shared in the lead-up to Wicked: For Good, it's because the character was literally crashing out at the start of the sequel."You meet him very quietly spinning out of control, really, in a state of quiet rebellion," Jonathan Bailey told Empire. "[Fiyero's] passively going along with an establishment that he doesn't believe in, and he's using his position as head of the guard to find Elphaba, seemingly to protect Oz.""But as we know, I think, from the first film, he really wants to be close to her," Bailey mused.Setting the record straight: A tornado takes Dorothy to Oz Not a cyclone.In case you didn't know, L. Frank Baum's original novel incorrectly called the gust of wind that took Dorothy Gale to the Land of Oz as a "cyclone." Scientifically speaking, though, what we see on screen looks and moves like a tornado. This tiny detail is even pointed out by The Oz Museum:"'Cyclone' is the word L. Frank Baum chose to describe the Kansas storm in his story, although he clearly meant 'tornado.' Shortly after The Wizard of Oz book first appeared in 1900, Professor Willis L. Moore, then Chief of the United States Weather Bureau, wrote Baum's publishers to urge them to correct the inaccurate usage. He received a response from Frank K. Reilly of The George M. Hill Company, offering that the change would be made in the next edition. This, however, was never done."Considering the advancements of CGI technology in the past few years, longtime fans had really high for the 2025 version of this scene, in Wicked: For Good was one of the biggest how much CGI technology has advanced. But it should still be called a tornado, not a cyclone.Madame Morrible is indeed the person who causes the tornado that brings Dorothy's house to Oz.The Wicked musical on Broadway shows Madame Morrible saying that she created the tornado that brought Dorothy to Oz. However, given that Morrible is a villain and a very unreliable narrator, audiences are left to decide if she's telling the truth or just claiming to have done something to be seen as a powerful witch.Those questions are officially squashed in Wicked: For Good. Trailers have already shown extended footage of Morrible standing right in front of a window while deliberately manipulating the infamous tornado.Elphaba's burning effigy from the first Wicked movie was made with wood from Dorothy's house.The original MGM musical film The Wizard of Oz from 1939 tells the story of how Dorothy Gale a young girl from Kansas played by actress Judy Garland was swept into the Land of Oz along with her house. (Or, to be more specific, Uncle Henry and Aunt Em's house.)It's a pretty wild and savage move to use wood from Dorothy's house which literally killed Elphaba's younger sister to then metaphorically kill Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West.Yet, director Jon M. Chu has already confirmed this theory by re-sharing an X post from @wicked_updates on X/Twitter, as you can see below.Does Wicked: For Good include Dorothy?Yes, Dorothy Gale will be featured in Wicked: For Good. However, contrary to earlier reports, it seems like Dorothy will be a "faceless" character in this 2025 sequel. "I think that's such a wonderful thing to do," Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) told Empire when asked about the Kansas farm girl being in this movie. "Because then everyone gets to keep the Dorothy that they know."Upon landing in Oz, Dorothy is greeted by Munchkinlanders and a green witch who remains nameless throughout the entire 1939 classic musical film. Everyone in Oz only seems to know her as the Wicked Witch of the West, so she mostly just functions as an antagonist who wants to challenge and complicate Dorothy's pursuit of finding her way back home.The entire point of the Wicked novel, musical, and movies is to tell the many other sides of this story. Y'know, besides the journey of Dorothy, which was already explored in great detail in the MGM film. On the other hand, fans of the original film are surprised that one of the most beloved characters of all time will be deliberately excluded from the framing of Wicked: For Good so that the story of Elphaba can be told from start to finish, without distractions, on her own terms.And, honestly? We're kind of living for it. If the 1939 film depicted the Wicked Witch of the West as just a nameless background character in Dorothy's journey, then 2025's Wicked: For Good can depict Dorothy Gale as just a faceless background character in Elphaba's journey. Poetic justice.The library is open, and shady Glinda is coming for Dorothy.Ariana Grande, who plays Glinda (ne Galinda) in Wicked: For Good, spilled some tea about her character's relationship to Dorothy in that same Empire cover story."I love the little bit of shadiness that Glinda has towards Dorothy," Grande says, laughing. "There's a lot going on, and [Glinda] doesn't really have time to deal with this."Glinda seems to purposely tell Dorothy to walk on the Yellow Brick Road (and not take the train).Grande also commented on this perceived "plot hole" pointed out by Oz fans after watching the first Wicked movie: Why would Glinda tell Dorothy to follow the Yellow Brick Road in order to meet the Wizard if she could've just taken Dorothy to the train?"I love the little bit of shadiness that Glinda has towards Dorothy," Grande told Empire, laughing. "There's a lot going on, and she doesn't really have time to deal with this. She could have told her to take the Emerald City train! But she didn't."Grande added, "That's a little shady, Glinda! So I leaned all the way into Glinda sort of having an eye roll for Dorothy whenever she has to deal with her."Condragulations, Ariana Grande, you're the winner of this week's reading challenge.Wicked's green train is painted in pink to honor Glinda the Good.Glinda's political career explored in Wicked: For Good is thriving by the time the sequel starts. Glinda is so respected and popular that an entire train to Emerald City is painted in pink for her.You better werk (against these evil people), Glinda.The sky messages of 1939's The Wizard of Oz and 2025's Wicked For Good.The Wicked movies have embraced a few interesting deep-cut parallels with the original MGM film The Wizard of Oz. At times, those parallels attempt to course-correct something about the original story that isn't great for a movie in 2025. In most instances, though, it's just a fun callback that fans might remember from the 1939 classic.It's very exciting to see that Elphaba will send a message to Ozians and to the Wizard himself in Wicked: For Good. As seen in the final trailer, Elphaba writes "Our Wizard Lies." This is a clear parallel to a message that the Wicked Witch of the West seems to write in The Wizard of Oz, "Surrender Dorothy."The original message is a threatening call to action about Dorothy. The new message has nothing to do with Dorothy; it's an accusation and a warning to Ozians that they shouldn't believe this not-so-wonderful man who happens to be in power.The history of a Red Brick Road.It's pretty common to hear from fans that they do not remember any other road of any other color from 1939's The Wizard of Oz. Given that Dorothy must supposedly take the Yellow Brick Road to meet the Wizard, it makes sense why most viewers only remember that one road with that one color.After seeing a few scenes and clocking certain themes coming up between 2024's Wicked and 2025's Wicked: For Good, we all might benefit from revisiting the ever-changing depictions of these brick roads in Oz.The construction of the Yellow Brick Road might play a significant role in Wicked For Good.The Yellow Brick Road was first introduced in L. Frank Baum's original 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. In the MGM film The Wizard of Oz, audiences got to see it for themselves. By all means, it is assumed that the Yellow Brick Road that Dorothy follows to meet the Wizard of Oz is already entirely built. But that's not the case for the 1995 Wicked book at least not at first.Gregory Maguire's Wicked novel makes it clear that the Yellow Brick Road is still under construction, and that its expansion into other areas aims to "connect" all of Oz, the Wizard says. There are plenty of scenes in the final trailer of Wicked: For Good that lead us to believe that this topic might be explored in the movie, too.But you might be wondering why anyone should care about the construction of a road in Oz. WellBuilding the Yellow Brick Road causes displacement and deforestation.Living creatures being dehumanized and losing their rights. Unsustainable urban practices that lead to the destruction of natural ecosystems. Environmental degradation in pursuit of overly ambitious (and irresponsible) profits. Gentrification. Do any of those topics sound familiar?The Wicked movies have tracked Elphaba's initial defiance of the Wizard of Oz as being connected to the mistreatment of Animals like Doctor Dillamond who, as a professor at Shiz University, taught Elphaba and her classmates about a "drought" that was causing Animals and animals to die. (P.S. In Wicked lore, capitalized-initial Animals are those with the ability to speak, think, and act similarly to human beings, much like the Cowardly Lion in the classic film; whereas animals are just like the ones we know in the real world.)In the lead-up to Wicked: For Good, several photos and videos have shown the still-ongoing construction of the Yellow Brick Road in Oz, which isn't something that comes up in 1939's The Wizard of Oz, nor in the Broadway musical.However, Gregory Maguire's 1995 Wicked novel does bring up the devastating consequences of building and expanding the Yellow Brick Road a topic that resonates with audiences today and could raise the stakes in Wicked: For Good.Long story short: The Wicked novel features a character named Turtle Heart who tells a young Elphaba and her parents about his birthplace, Quadling Country, having a useless swampy soil adding that the region also sits on top of a giant (and very valuable) deposit or ruby stones.Turtle Heart denounces "workers from the Emerald City" coming to Quadling Country to sample the soil as an excuse to advance their plans of building roads and highways across the entire area. Turtle Heart explains that building these roads in Quadling Country would lead to devastating deforestation, plus the displacement of animals and Animals."Quadlings cannot convince road builders, who want to build up dikes of mud and stone, and to cut Quadling Country in pieces," Turtle Heart says in the novel. "Rubies under the water. Red as pigeon blood. Engineers to say: Red corundum in bands of crystalline limestone under swamp. Quadlings to say: The blood of Oz."In other words, Maguire's book shows Turtle Heart flat-out accusing the Wizard of lying about his real motives behind building and expanding the Yellow Brick Road.The Wizard lies about the importance of the Yellow Brick Road.In the first film, the Wizard tells Elphaba and Glinda that the Yellow Brick Road is all about progress and connecting all of Oz together. He even asks for their input on the color, though it's clear that he's already landed on yellow.With that in mind, the Wicked novel suggests that the continued expansion of the Yellow Brick Road is mostly about the exploitation of Quadling Country soil no matter how catastrophic that is to the ecosystem of the region for the very profitable mining of ruby stones.The road construction also plays a big role in the destruction and limiting of areas where animals have access to drinking water. This component is, obviously, very much in line with the Wizard and Madame Morrible's plan to dehumanize Animals, and put animals in cages, given that these creatures lose access to drinking water and must move away from their natural habitats that are overtaken by these brick roads.Most pieces of work set in Oz do not explore this particular storyline, which leads to an overall denial that the Yellow Brick Road could represent a golden (money) strip of pavements built across green (nature) areas of Oz without considering how much it will damage the existing wildlife in those regions. Yet, Maguire's novel does include clear discussions about the topic, and it's been a very pleasant surprise to see the movies also going down that path.Fun fact: The scene of Turtle Heart discussing these matters features baby Elphaba saying the first word she's ever said: "Horrors." She repeats it, "horrors," several times as the adults continue to speak.The Elphaba vs. Glinda duel in Wicked For Good is no joke.There's a famous dueling scene between Glinda and Elphaba in the Wicked musical that absolutely comes off as comic relief on the Broadway stage. Here we are, in the middle of chaos, and suddenly there's a duel of swords between Elphie and Glinda Except that Elphie is using her broom, and Glinda is using her non-magical scepter.The Broadway version of this scene also feels like this conflict boils down to who will get to be with Fiyero, which is frankly ridiculous given how powerful, independent, and confident these characters are. From the trailers and teasers, it seems like Elphaba and Glinda's duel will not be about Fiyero or at least not just about Fiyero. This is also cool to see given that the first Wicked movie made it a point to highlight their sword training classes at Shiz. Now, we get to watch them put it to practice.It's very exciting to see these scenes of Elphaba and Glinda fighting after they seemingly disagree over their respective approaches to trying to make a difference in Oz. Even if this scene in Wicked: For Good doesn't completely exclude Fiyero from the list of reasons why they are dueling, we're rejoicifying over the fact that this whole thing isn't just about a man, and that this scene between two friends turned into foes isn't just comic relief for the audience.Wicked For Good could be setting up a magical fight between Elphaba and Madame Morrible.Knowing that Madame Morrible actually can manipulate the weather making rain stop in the first movie and manipulating a tornado in the sequel brings us to another interesting theory among Wicked fans: The sequel's potential to include a battle between two witches, Elphaba vs. Madame Morrible, as an action-packed moment for the film.It's clear that the movies, Wicked and Wicked: For Good, are deliberately giving Elphaba the "superhero treatment" in how she displays her magical powers, how she takes flight, and how she attacks enemies. It's all very exciting given that these scenes wouldn't have been possible to do in a live performance on Broadway.The idea that Madame Morrible is the actual "Big Bad" villain of the Wicked musical and films isn't new, and the movies seem to be framing the Wizard of Oz as even weaker, even more pathetic, and even as more of a puppet not the puppeteer himself because Morrible is the one actually calling the shots.Think of Anakin Skywalker vs. Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, or literally the final battle in any superhero movie you've ever seen.Nessarose's excluded song from the Broadway album will be included in Wicked For Good.Even casual Wicked fans know, at this point, that Nessarose (played by Marissa Bode) isn't an easy character to love and root for particularly in act two of the musical, which is the basis for this sequel. Nonetheless, we're thrilled that the soundtrack album of Wicked: For Good will include "The Wicked Witch of the East" a song that's always existed on the Broadway musical but was excluded from the original cast recording album for having too many spoilers.This song includes a crucial moment for Nessarose, Boq, and Elphaba, as audiences learn that Nessarose has been feeling her fantasy as Governor of Munchkinland way too much. Moreover, her treatment of Boq would totally fall under the category of "domestic abuse." Elphaba comes to visit, and hell breaks loose.The spell cast on Nessarose doesn't make her walk It makes her fly!It's very powerful and meaningful that the Wicked movies cast an actress with lived-in experiences of using a wheelchair to play Nessarose. Bode is also so incredibly charismatic that it helps to soften up Nessa's often rigid and annoying personality from the novel and from the musical.On the other hand, many fans were curious to see how this particular moment in the story would play out. In the musical, the actresses playing Nessarose don't need to use a wheelchair. When the magic spell happens for her to walk, those actresses can just get up and walk. But what would happen in this case?The final trailer of Wicked: For Good not only answered that question, but also showed the stunning approach that they've landed on: Nessarose won't just walk as a result of the spell cast in this scene She'll fly!An inspired choice that continues to prove the level of commitment and care that this cast and crew devoted to the Wicked movies.Bonus: We passionately agree with @astrouzei on this very astute observation. (@) @astrouzei wrote on X:"They made nessarose fly in Wicked For Good so Marissa Bode doesn't have to walk OH JON M CHU THE GENIUS THAT U ARE !!!!!"And we completely agree. 10/10. No notes.Which character becomes the Tin Man in Wicked For Good?Nessarose becomes obsessed with Boq and literally entraps him inside what is supposed to be their home as a couple. One day, Boq gathers up the courage to beg Nessarose to let him go, arguing that he still has feelings for Glinda, but not for Nessa, which doesn't make him a great partner for her anyway.Even though Boq's admission must've hurt Nessarose's feelings, this was a desperate man trying to escape a home that essentially became a prison for him. And instead of reacting like a regular heartbroken person, Nessa decided that the best solution was to cast a magic spell on Boq forcing him to love her at any cost. (Don't tell her we said anything, but Nessa isn't exactly a great witch.)Nessarose's miscast spell ends up shrinking Boq's heart so much that he comes close to dying. Elphaba sees what's happening and rushes to find any other spell in the Grimmerie to spare Boq's life. The one she finds is to turn him into a Tin Man who could go on and survive without a heart. Even though this literally saves Boq from dying, he has a hard time accepting this fate and holds a huge grudge against Elphaba for doing this to him.Which character becomes the Scarecrow in Wicked For Good?Fiyero's love for Elphaba never changes. Even after the (basically forced) marriage with Glinda and enlisting himself to work as a guard on behalf of the Wizard of Oz, Fiyero is making moves the entire time to reunite with Elphaba and protect her at all costs, no matter what.Much like Boq becoming the Tin Man, Elphaba also accidentally turns Fiyero into the Scarecrow in a tense moment when other guards would probably imprison and murder him. With that said, there's something very odd about the way Fiyero has been shown as the Scarecrow in the trailers for this new movie. Unlike the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion, there hasn't been a single shot of Fiyero's face as the Scarecrow.Are Fiyero and the Scarecrow be two different characters in Wicked For Good?One of the most persistent theories in the Wicked fandom speculate that the Fiyero we've come to know in the first Wicked movie doesn't actually become the Scarecrow even though that's always been his journey in the Wicked musical, and he was arguably the character who received the most foreshadowing (that would eventually become the Scarecrow) out of everyone else.The speculation surrounding two Fiyeros hasn't made that much sense, so we're still convinced that the promo materials are just concealing Bailey's face for as long as they can.Does the Cowardly Lion speak?The Cowardly Lion in 1939's The Wizard of Oz speaks. The original movie doesn't have differentiators like Animals and animals, and the storyline that they're under threat is also not a factor in that classic musical film.Audiences are certainly expecting to meet a Cowardly Lion who's similar to the one in The Wizard of Oz: One who speaks, which is how he expresses his desire to be brave. So far, there are no reports regarding which actor has been cast to voice the Cowardly Lion in Wicked: For Good unlike the widely reported casting news that Peter Dinklage would voice Doctor Dillamond in the first Wicked film.Elphaba gets a new original song, 'No Place Like Home,' in Wicked For Good."There's no place like home" is one of the most famous quotes in the history of cinema. The particular line was delivered by the character of Dorothy Gale, played by Judy Garland, in 1939's The Wizard of Oz. Considering that the Wicked Witch of the West is the main villain of the original MGM film, it's certainly interesting to see Elphaba getting a brand-new song in Wicked: For Good titled "No Place Like Home."The Empire cover story featuring Erivo and Grande included discussions about this new song. "It's a number she sings, effectively, to herself an expression of her biggest feelings," the article reads."She has to question why she wants to continue to save Oz, or save the animals in it, even though this place doesn't necessarily want her," Erivo told the publication. "It is a discovery as to why she can continue. That is where the story gets started for her."The actress added, "I was really aware that if the words 'no place like home' are in her mouth, they have to mean something. It has to be really special."Glinda has a new original song, 'The Girl in the Bubble,' in Wicked For Good.Grande has also gotten a new original song in Wicked: For Good. This one, aptly titled "The Girl in the Bubble" feels totally on-brand for Glinda (or at least in the way that Glinda likes to present herself to the public). In an exclusive preview, Empire described Grande's new song as a "moment of reflection for Glinda that propels her forward."Grande told the publication, "We get to see [Glinda] decide, 'I'm going to change the course of Oz. I'm going to become deeply, truly good and make a safe space for people. She earns her title for real, and we get to see that self-discovery. I'm so grateful for that song, because she deserves it as a character.""It's traumatic event after traumatic event after traumatic event," Grande added, commenting on Glinda's story in Wicked: For Good. "And they're all shaping her and propelling her into her actual goodness, that has quietly been there all along, but she wasn't ready for it yet."The actress concluded, "Even in the first film you get to see those layers slowly peeling away, but in this film, it's rapid and urgent. It goes even deeper than imaginable."Why was Wicked Part Two named after the song 'For Good'?The cast and crew of 2024's Wicked spent months referring to it as the first of two parts. Naturally, Wicked Part Two became a very common title used to discuss the sequel. Generally, fans couldn't really pin-point or guess what the sequel would be called. With that said, the announcement of Wicked: For Good as the sequel's official title made perfect sense.On the other hand, newer fans of Wicked didn't understand where the title came from. They could see that there was a song called "For Good" in act two of the musical, but that track was never as big as "Defying Gravity," or as famous as "Popular," or even as catchy as "What Is This Feeling?"The placement of "For Good" as the second to last song in the Wicked Original Broadway Cast Recording album got the show as close as possible to having another "Defying Gravity" at the very end of the saga. It's another duet, another emotional climax, and another opportunity for the two actresses playing Elphaba and Glinda to deepen the connection between them even further.As with most things Wicked, however, there's a catch. There's always a catch!Why is the actual last song of the Broadway musical, 'Finale,'not listed in the Wicked For Good soundtrack?The Wicked musical on Broadway doesn't end with "For Good." It ends with track 19, "Finale," which is nowhere to be found in the list of songs from Wicked: For Good The Soundtrack.Given that certain tracks were shuffled around and two brand-new songs were added, the online fandom has spent more time hyper-focusing on those surprising changes and exciting new pieces of music. However, the absence of "Finale" has already been clocked by fans who are all wondering: Is Wicked: For Good not featuring "Finale" at all?Yes, we know that "Finale" isn't as thrilling as "Defying Gravity" as a closer for act one. It is also not as emotional as "For Good," which gives fans that one-on-one intimate closure between Elphaba and Glinda. But that doesn't mean that "Finale" has no merit or importance. Most of all, "Finale" is a chance for the audience to say goodbye to this overall story and its ensemble of characters. It is also soothing, and slows down the pacing of an otherwise chaotic and frenetic act two.Given that "Finale" is nowhere to be seen in the soundtrack, it's possible that it was incorporated into "For Good." But, if that were the case, it feels like the tracklist would've reflected that merger, just like it did with "Thank Goodness / I Couldn't Be Happier." Another theory is that "Finale" will just play over the credits but not end the movie itself which is plausible, but still doesn't explain why the songs isn't listed at the end of the soundtrack.Category is: Ozian oddity.Does Elphaba actually die in Wicked For Good?The Wicked Witch of the West melts away and dies in 1939's The Wizard of Oz. The character's fate changes in the Wicked musical on Broadway, as Elphaba fakes her own death and gets a happy ending with Fiyero (as the Scarecrow). But that hit musical was inspired by the 1995 Wicked novel by Gregory Maguire, which flips the script on The Wizard of Oz to create a new story that centers Elphaba, but still ends with Elphaba's death nonetheless.While it's hard for fans to accept the fact that Elphaba's ending in the Wicked novel is pretty tragic, the character is indeed allergic to water in the source material, and she actually dies when Dorothy throws a bucket of water on her.As evidenced by this list, Wicked: For Good is a bold new chapter in the overall Oz canon, and fans should feel at ease to embrace whichever ending is chosen for the sequel.Given how many theories, potential changes, nods to a different direction, and the footage that we've seen so far, it feels way too daunting to guess how Wicked: For Good will end. But we will be there on opening night, excited to experience the conclusion to this saga, no matter how it goes.Wicked: For Good opens in theaters on Friday, November 21.

It's the year of Destin Conrad.At 25 years old, the queer singer-songwriter already has multiple Grammy nominations under his belt for his work with R&B star Kehlani. His debut album, LOVE ON DIGITAL, came out in April 2025, and then he released a follow-up jazz album, wHIMSY, just four months later. Following the critical acclaim of the first album, the second quickly hit No. 1 on the iTunes contemporary jazz albums chart, above legendary artists like Sade and Miles Davis."I was really nervous putting it out," Conrad tells Out of releasing his new album. "I didn't know what people would think of it or what the reception would be. I thought all the jazz heads were going to just shun me and, like, not fuck with me. But people really like it."Conrad, who's been happy with the reaction to wHIMSY, admits he was worried about the timing of his second album, since it's a departure from his usual pop and R&B stylings."I didn't know I would make it so soon after my debut album. A lot of my friends were like, 'Why are you doing this?' It just, kind of, was a shock," Conrad says, explaining that he thinks the people in his orbit were worried that he'd sacrifice quality control by "putting out too much music." "I was just getting a lot of opinions, and it was really just a passion thing and a heart thing. I really wanted to just do it."In the end, the singer-songwriter says, he doesn't regret trusting his instincts and moving forward with the album."I'm so glad it's being received well, and it's No. 1 still on the jazz charts. It's just a testament to listening to your intuition and trusting your gut and not letting outside opinions sway what you and your heart feel," he says. "I could have easily been like, 'I'm not gonna put it out. My best friend told me that it's too soon.' Even if it's opinions that you value, just take everything with a grain of salt, especially when it comes to your intuition." At only 25, Destin Conrad has multiple Grammy nominations under his belt for his work with R&B star Kehlani.@ryderMr. E, Conrad's alter ego who started off as a track on LOVE ON DIGITAL, is at his full power on wHIMSY. The Florida native describes his alter ego as "just a fuck boy" and also "a dick." "He is a jazz head, and he smokes a lot of cigarettes, and he always has a hat on," he says. "He's a very abrupt personality, and he's very abrasive." There's always an edge in Conrad's music a sensual wink and the listener is in on the joke. Applying that sensibility to jazz seems to have come quite naturally to the songwriter, who talks about his new album as if it was something he was compelled to do."I was in jazz choir in high school, and I always had that muscle, but I didn't really exercise it," Conrad recalls, explaining that the road to the album began with him listening to a lot of jazz and "playing around." "I always knew I wanted to make a jazz album. I didn't know I would make it this soon into my career. Like, I thought I would be more established."The majority of the songs on wHIMSY were written in two weeks, with live instrumentation and some incredible collaborations with his favorite jazz musicians, including Vanisha Gould."'Lonely Detective' was a setup with two different mics. I really wish that someone recorded that because it was so cool," Conrad says of recording one of the two tracks featuring Gould. "Like, it was just me and Vanisha, who I'm a huge, huge, huge fan of. She is one of my favorite jazz singers and, honestly, now one of my favorite people to work with."Conrad describes working with Gould, who flew to L.A. for three days to write and record songs for the album, as "such a dream." But making "A Lonely Detective" sticks out in his mind: We "wrote that song together, and then we sang it at the same time. So, like, how we go back and forth, that's us singing it live. We wrote it and then did it all in one take," he says.The experience has inspired Conrad to do an entire tour dedicated to the album, specifically "a jazz club situation, more intimate shows." When it came to LOVE ON DIGITAL, Conrad says he "wanted to make fun music," and only wanted to work with people that he "was super inspired by." The features on that album include Kehlani, Teezo Touchdown, and serpentwithfeet."I've been a fan of Teezo," Conrad says. "Kehlani, obviously, we worked together, but I'm just like, she is a huge part of my career and a huge force in my life in general.... [She's] my family, like my sister."The two met as teenagers, developing a friendship that evolved as Kehlani's career took off. After penning a few songs with Kehlani, Conrad began writing tracks for himself."I didn't know I was making my first EP. I thought I wanted to be a songwriter only. I just made those songs, and I didn't want them to be sung by anybody else. They were just really personal about real situations in my life," Conrad says. "Then, I was just like, OK, I have to put this out cause I played these songs for my friends and they really like them. "That's how COLORWAY came about, and it kind of just snowballed into what it is now," he says, referring to the release of his debut EP. "I didn't know that I wanted to be an artist for a really long time. I was kind of anti; I thought I wanted to be behind the scenes. I was just going through my teenage angst, I guess."Another person who has had a significant impact on Conrad in the last few years is Lil Nas X. Their LOVE ON DIGITAL track, "P.B.S.," is a certified pretty boy anthem. "I was so inspired by him and his career and everything he does and how loud he is," Conrad says. "He's just fun, like everybody on this project I've hung out with."In 2024, Conrad and Lil Nas X whipped fans into a frenzy with a steamy photoshoot that showed them nearly kissing. After the images went viral, rumors about the two musicians dating began to swirl. "We didn't really make out," Conrad says, addressing speculation about what happened on the set and laughing. "The shoot itself was fun. He's like the most fun person ever."While his collaboration with Lil Nas X delivered a moment of internet fame, Conrad's digital footprint didn't start there. As a teenager, he attracted a fair amount of attention on the chaotic video app Vine and evidence of those days lingers. You've maybe even used his face as a meme without realizing it. "I used to be really embarrassed of it. I used to be really scared that nobody would take me seriously as an artist, and it would stop me from making music," Conrad says. After Vine shut down in 2017, Conrad went off the grid and struggled with which direction he wanted his life to go. "There was a period of time where I wasn't doing anything. Like, I wasn't making music, but I wasn't online because that wasn't a thing between 2017 and 2020," he says. "I was going through this phase of just figuring out what I wanted to do for a living."Thankfully, Kehlani lifted his spirits and got him to start spending time in the studio. "She really got me out of that. She was like, 'Nobody cares,'" Conrad says, explaining that, after helping him get over his embarrassment, Kehlani eventually convinced him to step in front of the mic. "She was such a force and would bring me to the studio and just push me. She was like, 'You can really sing; you can make music.' I blame her for a lot of that."Conrad clearly hasn't lost his sense of humor, even if he's come a long way from his Vine days. He's even proud of the mark his younger self made online and still occasionally goes viral with a humorous TikTok. "I think it's tight now that I'm, like, grown," he reflects. "I'm glad I figured it out."We are, too, because Destin Conrad is creating some of the best music of the year.Destin Conrad's new albums wHIMSY and LOVE ON DIGITAL are out now. Catch him on the LOVE ON DIGITAL tour around the U.S. - YouTube www.youtube.com

Revisit and/or catch up with the songs from the first 'Wicked' movie.Wicked: For Good is upon us, which means that a brand-new soundtrack filled with profound lyrics, deep-cut references, and even more foreshadowing is coming out way, too. The Wicked sequel soundtrack is also set to include two new original songs: "No Place Like Home" for Elphaba (played by Cynthia Erivo) and "The Girl in the Bubble" for Glinda (played by Ariana Grande).But before we get to the still-unreleased soundtrack of Wicked: For Good, let's take a deep dive into the Wicked songs from the first film, which reflected the exact same order and overall themes outlined in act one of the Broadway musical.1. 'No One Mourns the Wicked'Much like the Wicked musical on Broadway, the first song in the Wicked movie is a celebration of the Wicked Witch of the West, otherwise known as Elphaba, having just died. As the people of Oz celebrate and Glinda narrates the events, it's clear in the film that she's not exactly happy about Elphaba dying She's just pretending to be.One could say that this number is a flashforward for the rest of the story. Or, it could also be said that both Wicked and Wicked: For Good are flashbacks referenced in this opening sequence. In terms of song structure, "No One Mourns the Wicked" is both establishing the themes of the entire musical (good vs. wicked; nature vs. nurture), and also sharing enough exposition for fans familiar with The Wizard of Oz to situate themselves in this prequel-ish timeline set in the Land of Oz.The most important setup from this song is the question that Glinda muses to the people of Oz: "Are people born wicked? Or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?" Even though the line doesn't come off as very sympathetic to Elphaba within the scene, it does make audiences curious to understand why Glinda the Good is even posing these questions at all.2. 'Dear Old Shiz'"Dear Old Shiz" is a pretty straightforward song to establish that Shiz University is a pretty traditional and well-established institution with rules, decorum, and traditions.In the Wicked movie, this song is the perfect moment to show off Shiz University as a location, and how many students are in attendance, and structured it all feels.3. 'The Wizard and I'Nearly all musicals have an "I Want" song, described by Howard Ashman while making 1989's The Little Mermaid for Disney as the moment when "the leading lady sits down on something and sings about what she wants in life. And the audience falls in love with her and then roots for her to get it for the rest of the night."Within the context of Wicked, there's nothing that Elphaba wants more than to meet the Wizard, be recognized by him as another magical being, and perhaps work side-by-side with him on incredible missions that make the world better. In the song, Elphaba even muses that the Wizard might be able to de-greenify her all while recognizing that there might not be a need for it given that she'll be respected as someone who works so closely with the Wizard of Oz himself.There are several moments in this song when Elphaba says something that will later be brought up by other characters particularly Glinda in "Defying Gravity" to remind her of what she once wanted, attempting to convince her that she shouldn't just go off and abandon the things she used to dream about.4. 'What Is This Feelings?'This is a hilarious song that sets up the initial dynamics between Elphaba and Glinda as roommates at Shiz University. If we are to believe the song, these two characters can't feel anything but loathing for each other Even though it's pretty clear that this is a knee-jerk reaction based on first impressions, and not how these characters actually feel about each other.The Wicked musical contains many other tracks that bring back the melody of "What Is This Feeling?" to show how this first song about their relationship evolves over the course of the story.5. 'Something Bad'Doctor Dillamond is one of the last remaining Animals to still be teaching at Shiz University. "Something Bad" seems like a much sillier song than it actually is, given that it is touching on various tough subjects like oppression, the limiting or outright banning of rights, and even conspiracy theories.Overall, the dynamics between Elphaba and Dillamond are very different depending on the medium that you consume this story. In the original 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, Elphaba is deeply invested in the Animals cause and becomes a righthand person/assistant for the professor's research to prove that Animals are just like human beings.In the Broadway musical, it feels like the extreme opposite: Doctor Dillamond is actively trying to pretend that things are OK even though they don't seem or sound like they are. The Wicked movie walks a line between those two realities. There is a layer of Dillamond wanting Elphaba not to worry so much, but Erivo's version of Elphaba isn't as aloof as the character can come off as in the stage production.6. 'Dancing Through Life'Besides being one of the funnest songs in the entire soundtrack and the introduction of Fiyero as Oz's favorite himbo, "Dancing Through Life" has plenty of foreshadowing for what eventually happens to Fiyero in the second act of the musical and in the Wicked: For Good sequel on the big screen.This song also establishes that Fiyero isn't just a heartthrob, and isn't just a wealthy royal He's also filled with charisma and charm that makes everyone lose their minds and become obsessed with him immediately.7. 'Popular'Beyond the top layers of "Popular" being a song about Glinda giving Elphaba a makeover finally establishing the two roommates actually bonding with each other and finding things in common it is also a fantastic song to really encapsulate who Glinda really is, how she thinks, and what her priority system looks like.At first, the dark undertones of "Popular" are the assumption that perhaps Glinda is actually, completely right. Maybe there is no such thing to being a genius other than just being popular. As the story moves forward, however, fans come to learn that this is absolutely not accurate.In fact, Glinda is tested several times on whether she can break through the superficial to go any deeper, and it is heartbreaking to see how many times she is unwilling, or perhaps even unable, to do so.8. 'I'm Not That Girl'Even if it isn't the most upbeat and exciting song of this musical, "I'm Not That Girl" is an important song to show Elphaba's range of emotions. Yes, she is confident. And yes, she does have career ambitions that overtake her personal desires. But Elphaba is also just a person who falls in love with Fiyero.Given that Fiyero is clearly vying for Glinda's heart, Elphaba never really acts on it. Though it pains her, she makes peace with the theory that she's simply "not that girl" that Fiyero would fall in love with.Director Jon M. Chu shared the following statement with Entertainment Weekly when discussing the changes in "I'm Not That Girl" for the Wicked movie:"She's starting in the forest, and it goes silent, and she's the one who brings the music in. That takes a lot of collaboration with [composer] Stephen Schwartz to say, 'Hey, what if we don't have that intro music? Can we come in differently?' It's a little discussion, but I'm always looking for how to make it feel like you slipped into it rather than 'Stop. Dance break. Come back into the movie.'"Chu also discussed how the film's version of the song is much slower than the original version from the musical. "We wanted to pace it down because it was a different type of song," the director explained. "In the show, it starts to feel like a groove. I love music when it has a groove. But in that moment, it didn't feel like you wanted to shake your head and get down with, 'I'm Not That Girl.' You just wanted to hesitantly explore this question."9. 'One Short Day'"One Short Day" is probably the most lighthearted song of the entire musical. There are no gotchas here no hidden messages or secret agendas. Just Elphaba and Glinda, who are now two BFFs, visiting the Emerald City, window-shopping, and being dazzled by its resplendent green.The Wicked movie does expand on the song through the "Wizomania" sequence featuring cameos from Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, who each originated one of these characters.10. 'A Sentimental Man'The Wizard of Oz turns his sneaky/shady volume to the max in "A Sentimental Man," trying as hard as he can to appear as a father figure for Elphaba. It's an open secret that Elphaba doesn't have much of a relationship with her family, and the Wizard tries to exploit that as much as he can.Thankfully, Elphaba is simply amused by the song, but not necessarily "converted" or convinced into anything. After all that talking from the Wizard, she still judges him for who he is: A man pretending to have power (even though he has none), and who directly asks her to harm his monkey soldiers by giving them wings.11. 'Defying Gravity'"Defying Gravity" is the biggest banger within the Wicked soundtrack. It's the closer of act one in the Broadway musical, and it also wraps the first Wicked movie in this two-film saga.Overall, this is the moment when Elphaba crosses the "point of no return" within the structure of a "hero's journey." She outwardly rejects any offers to join the Wizard of Oz upon learning that he not only doesn't have any powers, but is also actively pushing an agenda that goes completely against her own set of values and morals. It is a complete breaking point from the Elphaba we had come to know up until that point, including her dreams and aspirations outlined in "The Wizard and I."An interesting callback that fans love to reference is Elphaba using the Wizard's own words "everyone deserves a chance to fly" while turning them against him. She also discusses her desire to be as powerful and as renowned as any other wizard that's ever existed in Oz (and she does) while declaring that no one will ever bring her down (well, stay tuned for Wicked: For Good, which features songs from act two of the musical as well as brand-new songs for the story).Listen to the 'Wicked' movie soundtrack below.And stay tuned for a new batch of Wicked: For Good songs to get the same deep-dive treatment very soon!Wicked: For Good opens in theaters on Friday, November 21.

In the column Straight Nonsense, columnist Moises Mendez II takes a queer eye to the insanity of straight culture.If there's a piece of news involving AI (or artificial intelligence), I actively choose not to engage because every attempt to implement this technology misunderstands what people actually want and/or need. Earlier this week, my eyes were assaulted with the news of a new development in Hollywood: an AI-generated "actress" named Tilly Norwood that was created by Eline van der Veldens U.K.-based AI production studio, Particle6, which, according to multiple reports, many talent agencies have expressed interest in working with. This fake actress was created using multiple pieces of AI technology, including ChatGPT, to generate a script for a comedic sketch in which she made her debut.The avatar swiftly faced backlash from actual actors. SAG-AFTRA, the actors' union for Hollywood performers, put out a statement condemning Norwood. "To be clear, Tilly Norwood is not an actor, its a character generated by a computer program that was trained on the work of countless professional performers without permission or compensation, the post reads. It has no life experience to draw from, no emotion, and, from what weve seen, audiences arent interested in watching computer-generated content untethered from the human experience. See on Instagram The real people behind Tilly released a statement, explaining their side, which you're free to read, but in my opinion, is a bunch of vapid bullshit to save face after being met with the truth: No one is ready to get rid of real actors with real human emotions who we can see, hear, and in some fortunate cases, touch (but not in a weird way through meet-and-greets and such).This thing masquerading as progress is one of the most recent results of tech executives so detached from reality that they believe this is what people want a soulless, doe-eyed, computer-generated piece of nonsense that doesn't solve any issues with Hollywood, but rather exacerbates the many glaring problems. However, Hollywood isn't the only industry attempting to implement AI; it seems as though every day, a new piece of AI technology is being shoved down our throats, claiming to simplify an already simple task with the help of AI. Nobody wants AI actresses; most people wish that the money being spent on creating this garbage be put towards making real movies with real actors. Nobody wants a necklace called Friend with an AI companion to make human connection obsolete, they want more opportunities to form bonds with people. Nobody wants AI to write articles; they want journalists on the ground, developing relationships with sources, uncovering new details, and writing stories with personality and heart. Nobody wants a social media platform solely dedicated to shitty AI-generated content on Sora; they want actual humans making content for the fun of it. The latter is only available to a select few until its release in December, but it will undoubtedly have devastating implications when the general public gets a hold of it and everyone starts creating deepfakes of one another, but hey, who am I to say anything about that? It's not like the president of the United States posted one of Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer earlier this week, putting words they never said in their mouth, and adding a sombrero to Jeffries's head.AI is soulless and the complete antithesis of what human creation can be. It plagiarizes and steals work from artists, who are left without commission because, after the machine learns to spit out similar work, people are less inclined to pay for the real thing. This is why I avoid the technology altogether and advise the people in my life not to use it the more it's legitimized by people continuing to use it, the more out-of-touch tech billionaires are inclined to argue for its existence in our everyday lives. These technologies are atrophying our brains, one piece of AI slop or ChatGPT prompt (which could've been a Google search) at a time in addition to depleting resources. Earlier this year, researchers at MIT "estimated that a ChatGPT query consumes about five times more electricity than a simple web search," but Noman Bashir, a fellow with the MIT Climate and Sustainability Consortium and a postdoc at CSAIL, said, "The ease-of-use of generative AI interfaces and the lack of information about the environmental impacts of my actions means that" users "don't have much incentive to cut back on [their] use of generative AI.My aversion to AI is not only because of the insipid garbage it generates, but also the long-lasting environmental impact of the enormous data centers being created across the U.S. and the world. One of the most controversial facilities to gain the most publicity in the past year is Elon Musk's xAI data center, located in Memphis, Tennessee. Earlier this year, More Perfect Union spoke with people who live close to the data center and the toll these data centers are taking on their physical health. - YouTube www.youtube.com The (allegedly) unpermitted temporary gas turbines that xAI uses, Time reports, "have been pumping out a level of emissions that, according to environmentalists, is exacerbating the health issues of an area already crushed by decades of pollution" due to the increase in nitrogen dioxide being pumped into the air. The publication spoke with an academic primary care physician in South Memphis that said, "These emissions pose the greatest risk to our citys most vulnerable residents, including children, the elderly, and individuals with respiratory conditions like asthma and COPD.But getting people to care about underserved communities is difficult, even with faces attached to the issue as seen in the MPU video. This individualistic society we find ourselves in today promotes this idea of, "Well, it's not happening to me, so I'll just continue to use this tool and I won't care about the human cost until it affects me directly." We've seen it happen with the climate crisis, the genocide that is currently taking place in Gaza, and now with AI. It won't take that long on any social media platform to come across a piece of AI-generated content, though spotting it now is becoming increasingly more difficult because of the machine learning's increased capabilities. My own true wish is that AI has the same lifespan in the cultural zeitgeist as NFTs, but it seems that we are lightyears beyond that point. Now, we have to look back at a world where socially inept tech bros force their ideas onto the world and are given stupid amounts of money to carry them out with or without the public's consent. I've held this hatred of AI and the toll it's taking on humans (whether they decide to acknowledge it or not) for years now, but Tilly Norwood pushed me past my breaking point (after she pushed me down the stairs did that work? Is she canceled? No? OK, never mind). Guess I'll just keep screaming into the existential void that is 2025 and beyond.Moises Mendez II is a staff writer at Out magazine. Follow him on Instagram @moisesfenty.Voices is dedicated to featuring a wide range of inspiring personal stories and impactful opinions from the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Visit out.com/submit to learn more about submission guidelines. We welcome your thoughts and feedback on any of our stories. Email us at voices@equalpride.com. Views expressed in Voices stories are those of the guest writers, columnists, and editors, and do not directly represent the views of Out or our parent company, equalpride.

Write It Out! (WIO!), the groundbreaking writing program centering people living with HIV and AIDS, proudly announces the launch of its Annual Campaign, a new initiative to ensure long-term sustainability and growth of the program. The campaign will kick off with the Write It Out! Anniversary Celebration on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at The Pete [...]The post Write It Out! Launches Annual Campaign to Uplift People Living with HIV Through Playwriting first appeared on GLAAD.

Banned Books Week takes place October 5-11, 2025. The annual event raises awareness of the harm and the rising trend of book challenges and bans, especially targeting books by and about LGBTQ people and books about race and racism. Why are book bans happening? Book bans are part of a sweeping crackdown aimed at censoring [...]The post Facts and Action for Banned Books Week first appeared on GLAAD.

Russell Tovey plays a closeted queer man in Plainclothes a new film by Carmen Emmi in which the out actor costars alongside Tom Blyth.During a very candid interview with Pedro Pascal for Man About Town, the actors discuss why being "vers is the best," how the power dynamics completely shift in Plainclothes, and Tovey even lands on a new drag name.Pedro Pascal enjoys the film's 'eroticism of danger.'Pascal highlights the "nostalgic" element of Plainclothes and how it is evocative of independent queer cinema in the 1990s."You have a priest, you have a cop, so there's all this fantasy there," Pascal notes. "And then the eroticism of danger, and also just beneath all of that, the grief of shame, and the poison of shame, and the liberation from it, which is really, really beautiful."Tovey agrees, "I like 'shame' as a theme, and how we can be highly functioning and full of shame.""How we basically are highly functioning and full of shame" Pascal adds.Russell Tovey reflects on gay 'shame.'Tovey underscores how hard it was to come of age as a gay man during the period he became a teenager and young adult."I just didn't feel like I was safe, and I think I had inherent shame. And I think you always have that," Russell muses. "I feel like my character, Andrew, is filled with shame, but he's highly functioning, and he knows how to survive."Things change when Tovey's character, Andrew, is thrown off balance after meeting Blyth's character, Lucas, and realizing that they have actual feelings for each other.The down-low relationship between Andrew and Lucas is "meant to just be a hookup, but there are emotions involved. For him, emotions are dangerous," Tovey observes. "They aren't things that he wants to have to think about. It's just functional."Pedro Pascal and Russell Tovey agree that 'vers is the best.'Andrew meeting Lucas "completely flips him around literally, metaphorically and physically," Tovey says.Pascal teases, "He's vers""Yeah, and so is Lucas. It's the best way to be. Vers is the best," Tovey responds.Russell Tovey shares his perspective on Andrew, explains how 'power dynamics' shift in the film.Tovey recalls discussing a few characterization choices with Emmi, the director of Plainclothes."I said, 'I want condoms to be visible. I want Andrew to make sure that he's kind to him. He's very clear," Tovey recalls. "I wanted Andrew to be someone that, when Lucas walks away from it, he can be like, 'I practiced safe sex.' He was very clear with me."Tovey goes on, "It's a power dynamic where I [Andrew] have all the power. I'm the older man, I'm the more experienced. Then you find out suddenly that [Lucas is] a cop, and the power shifts incrementally in a second."[Andrew is] like, 'Oh, fuck. So you were trying to target me in the bathroom?' It's all of those conversations. And I love the fact that this film just flips it around like that. And I'd say it is a romantic thriller, because you do care about this couple."Pedro Pascal teases Russell Tovey: 'You've been busted 100 times.'While discussing that Plainclothes takes place in 1997 set around the time when British singer George Michael was arrested in Los Angeles for "public lewdness" Pascal points out how "ridiculous" that entire situation felt. "He got targeted," Pascal remarks. "It's targeting, because you're sort of manipulating a taboo; number one a vulnerability. And some good-looking cop flirting with a closeted man, or a man just going through their innocent day.""It resonates," Tovey adds.Pascal teases, "And we know you've been busted 100 times."Tovey laughs. "Yeah, this [Plainclothes] is a documentary.""'Inspired by true events' was in the talking points," Pascal says. "How did this come your way?"Russell Tovey discovers his new drag name.Tovey and Pascal have a hilarious back and forth about the British actor's pronunciation of Syracuse where Plainclothes director Carmen Emmi is from."I remember I dated someone from Syracuse, and it always sounded so like a nursery rhyme, 'Sir-uh-coos.' It's something about the wordPascal interjects, "Well, it's pronounced 'Sir-uh-kyoos,' so your nursery rhyme is already off [Laughs]. If you're gonna romanticize it, at least romanticize it correctly.""Syra-cute?" Tovey asks, tentatively.Pascal replies, "Syra-cutie""That's my drag name," Tovey jokes.

Taylor Swift isnt afraid to stand toe-to-toe with her detractors, exemplified in her spat with Kim Kardashian, which resulted in the song thanK you aIMee off her last album, The Tortured Poets Department. Now, the singer seems to have her sights set on a new target after releasing her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl.This new album features a song called Actually Romantic, which appears to be a diss track aimed at Charli xcx. The title seems to be a reference to the British pop stars song, Everything is romantic, off of her wildly successful album, brat. But ever since Charlis album came out last year, listeners surmised that her song, sympathy is a knife, seemed to be about Swift given the connections they shared through the band, The 1975. On this new song, there are some lyrics that may point to a possible feud. I heard you call me Boring Barbie when the cokes got you brave, Swift sings, which feels like a direct reference to the brat singers own admission to using drugs on songs like 365. Swift goes on to say, High-fived my ex and then said youre glad he ghosted me, wrote me a song saying it makes you sick to see my face. Some people might be offended, but its actually sweet.In a track-by-track breakdown of her new album for Amazon Music, Swift said the song is about realizing that someone else has kind of had a one-sided, adversarial relationship with you that you didnt know about. And all of a sudden they start doing too much and they start letting you know that actually, youve been living in their head rent-free and you had no idea.She added, Its presenting itself as them sort of resenting you or having a problem with you but you take that and just accept it as love and you accept it as attention and affection, and how flattering that somebody has made you such a big part of their reality when you didnt even think about this. Its actually pretty romantic if you really think about it.At one point, the two singers both dated members of The 1975, Swift was with frontman Matty Healy while Charli dated (and is now married to) George Daniel. On sympathy is a knife, Charli sings, Dont know if Im spiraling / One voice tells me that they laugh / George says Im just paranoid / Dont wanna see her backstage at my boyfriends show / Fingers crossed behind my back / I hope they break up real quick. Charli hasnt said anything about the song just yet, but many of her fans are upset with Swift because they felt it was hypocritical to release a diss like this after Swift praised Charlis songwriting in a profile that New York Magazine wrote on the brat singer last year. Ive been blown away by Charlis melodic sensibilities since I first heard Stay Away in 2011. Her writing is surreal and inventive, always. She just takes a song to places you wouldnt expect it to go, and shes been doing it consistently for over a decade. I love to see hard work like that pay off.In case you didn't know: At the height of brat, Charli uploaded a video to TikTok confirming that the only diss track on the album was Von Dutch and that the other songs are about how difficult it is to be a female pop star in a music industry that is obsessed with pitting women against each other. (@) When asked who was the inspiration behind the talked about track, Charli denied the feud rumors and said, People are gonna think what they want to think. That song is about me and my feelings and my anxiety and the way my brain creates narratives and stories in my head when I feel insecure and how I dont want to be in those situations physically when I feel self-doubt.A source of their tension can also be pointed to an instance that occurred when Charli was achieving mainstream success for the first time last year with the release of brat and Swift fought to maintain it during the roll out of The Tortured Poets Department. After the British pop star released the deluxe version of brat featuring three new songs, Hello Goodbye, Guess, and Spring Breakers, Swift released a UK-exclusive digital release of her album with unreleased live recordings, which seemed to have blocked Charli from reaching number one on the UK charts. This theory doesnt hold as much water because brat was still a mega success on its own with or without chart placements and so was Swift's (to no one's surprise) after she embarked on the record-breaking Eras Tour. She clarified in an interview with BBC Radio 1 today that she has no intention of going on tour for a while.

The first scene that greeted me when I entered the Folsom Street Fair at around noon on Sunday large cup of iced Starbucks in hand, appropriately was a kiddie pool. Two bears sat inside, while a passerby unzipped his fly and proceeded to urinate over the men, who slid into a state of piss bliss.It was hardly the most shocking sight I witnessed last Sunday in San Francisco at the worlds largest leather and fetish gathering. Moments later, a young woman roped to a traffic light pole performed something of a passion play, as a masked man pulled back her hair and pleasured her with a vibrator. A series of horse-and-buggies drove by with the horses replaced by reined humans in leather equine masks. Heard over a megaphone, Sister Roma a Folsom fixture who once made national headlines for challenging Facebooks real name policy on behalf of drag performers and trans folks barked commands to nude and nearly nude players in a naughty reimagining of Twister on the Steamworks Baths stage. There were leather harnesses, puppy masks, and genitalia as far as the eye could see. I spotted an acquaintance of mine being penetrated by a baseball bat. An old man with lime-dyed pubic hair posed in front of a Loads of Love mural painted on the side of the Powerhouse leather bar. Just above, a man could be seen fucking someone through a window, his partners leg dangling over the sill.I was invited to cover Folsom my first time there by Sniffies, the digital cruising platform, which also has a notable retail arm. My partner sported a reversible jersey printed with graphic bondage artwork made exclusively for the fair dont wear it to grandmas house and there was also a rainbow of Folsom-inspired bandanas referencing the hanky code, a system where queer people could decipher each others kinks and sexual desires through the color of a handkerchief. (The aforementioned bears would have gone for yellow.)The brands station bustled with festival goers, who thumbed through the jocks, socks, and tees within a recreation of a locker room that approximated a 70s gay porn set. Steam poured from a shower head in one corner. Several stalls had exaggerated glory holes, a kind of photo station where one could pose for a pic amid graffiti like feed me and cum dump. Or as several eager folks did, one could make use of the set to fuck a stranger. Just adjacent, a bartender cheerfully served drinks at the bar, a staffer conducted video interviews, and Sister Roma adjusted her makeup in a bathroom mirror wreathed with illustrations of pup play and bondage.It was all on brand for Sniffies, whose map-based website (the app was briefly in the App Store earlier this year before being yanked) highlights where horny queer people congregate and cruise in your neighborhood. In addition to debuting merch, Sniffies also launched a new feature at Folsom, Sniffies Event Campuses, described by a release as an interactive, live map layer designed to help users explore large-scale queer events in real time.Think of it as Google Maps but hornier, with every vendor, stage, and dark corner of the fair live at your fingertips, summed up Eli Martin, the CMO of Sniffies who showed me the ropes of the platform and its new feature. With a flick over a sea of dicks and asses seeking connection, I could see there was a drag show happening on the other end of the festival. While exploring this interface, a couple sent me nudes via chat with an offer to play.The features launch marked a new chapter for cruising in a long history intertwined with Folsom. The fair was founded 40 years ago by activists and community organizers seeking to raise queer visibility, funds for services, and health awareness at the onset of the AIDS crisis. At that point, Folsom Street had developed into the focal point of the citys leather scene, whose roots can be traced to discharged gay World War II soldiers seeking community in a U.S. port. The fair shed some daylight on a subculture that had largely operated in the darkness of bathhouses and leather bars until government regulation during the crisis forced many of these spaces to be limited or shuttered.Today, Folsom attracts over 250,000 visitors, ranging from the hardcore kinksters who whip, fist, and fuck in the street to straight tourists gawking at the proceedings. (Many old-timers I spoke with insisted I attend Dore Alley, a smaller-scale event that attracts a more local and devoted crowd of fetish enthusiasts.) Visibility of queer people, kink, and cruising has never been higher. And technology has made these worlds easier to access, as Sniffies (and its summer review in, of all places, The New Yorker) shows. This can be a double-edged sword, as recent reports that federal police were using the platform to locate and arrest over 200 men in a Penn Station bathroom have rattled the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. (Sniffies has yet to respond to my request for comment on this.)But for me, these reports highlight the necessity of Folsom. Before entering the fair, a queer woman asked me, Do you support sexual liberation? The answer, of course, is yes. (We got stickers declaring such after a donation to Folsom Street, which supports nonprofits that are undoubtedly reeling from federal cuts. The exchange also reminded me of the lesbian leatherwomen who cared for gay men during the AIDS crisis when no one else would.)This is not the time to slip back into the shadows, history tells us. Let us parade as who we are in all our crazy, sexy, human glory both online and off.

Russell Tovey plays a closeted queer man in Plainclothes a new film by Carmen Emmi in which the out actor costars alongside Tom Blyth.During a very candid interview with Pedro Pascal for Man About Town, the actors discuss why being "vers is the best," how the power dynamics completely shift in Plainclothes, and Tovey even lands on a new drag name.Pedro Pascal enjoys the film's 'eroticism of danger.' See on Instagram Pascal highlights the "nostalgic" element of Plainclothes and how it is evocative of independent queer cinema in the 1990s."You have a priest, you have a cop, so there's all this fantasy there," Pascal notes. "And then the eroticism of danger, and also just beneath all of that, the grief of shame, and the poison of shame, and the liberation from it, which is really, really beautiful."Tovey agrees, "I like 'shame' as a theme, and how we can be highly functioning and full of shame.""How we basically are highly functioning and full of shame" Pascal adds.Russell Tovey reflects on gay 'shame.' See on Instagram Tovey underscores how hard it was to come of age as a gay man during the period he became a teenager and young adult."I just didn't feel like I was safe, and I think I had inherent shame. And I think you always have that," Russell muses. "I feel like my character, Andrew, is filled with shame, but he's highly functioning, and he knows how to survive."Things change when Tovey's character, Andrew, is thrown off balance after meeting Blyth's character, Lucas, and realizing that they have actual feelings for each other.The down-low relationship between Andrew and Lucas is "meant to just be a hookup, but there are emotions involved. For him, emotions are dangerous," Tovey observes. "They aren't things that he wants to have to think about. It's just functional."Pedro Pascal and Russell Tovey agree that 'vers is the best.' Tom Blyth and Russell Tovey in Plainclothes. Magnolia Pictures Andrew meeting Lucas "completely flips him around literally, metaphorically and physically," Tovey says.Pascal teases, "He's vers""Yeah, and so is Lucas. It's the best way to be. Vers is the best," Tovey responds.Russell Tovey shares his perspective on Andrew and explains how 'power dynamics' shift in the film. Director Carmen Emmi alongside actors Tom Blyth and Russell Tovey on set filming Plainclothes. Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures Tovey recalls bringing up characterization choices with Emmi, the director of Plainclothes."I said, 'I want condoms to be visible. I want Andrew to make sure that he's kind to him. He's very clear," Tovey recalls. "I wanted Andrew to be someone that, when Lucas walks away from it, he can be like, 'I practiced safe sex.' He was very clear with me."Tovey goes on, "It's a power dynamic where I [Andrew] have all the power. I'm the older man, I'm the more experienced. Then you find out suddenly that [Lucas is] a cop, and the power shifts incrementally in a second."[Andrew is] like, 'Oh, fuck. So you were trying to target me in the bathroom?' It's all of those conversations. And I love the fact that this film just flips it around like that. And I'd say it is a romantic thriller, because you do care about this couple."Pedro Pascal teases Russell Tovey: 'You've been busted 100 times.' See on Instagram While discussing that Plainclothes takes place in 1997 set around the time when British singer George Michael was arrested in Los Angeles for "public lewdness" Pascal points out how "ridiculous" that entire situation felt. "He got targeted," Pascal remarks. "It's targeting, because you're sort of manipulating a taboo; number one a vulnerability. And some good-looking cop flirting with a closeted man, or a man just going through their innocent day.""It resonates," Tovey adds.Pascal teases, "And we know you've been busted 100 times."Tovey laughs. "Yeah, this [Plainclothes] is a documentary.""'Inspired by true events' was in the talking points," Pascal says. "How did this come your way?"Russell Tovey finds his new drag name. See on Instagram Tovey and Pascal have a hilarious back and forth about the British actor's pronunciation of Syracuse where Plainclothes director Carmen Emmi is from."I remember I dated someone from Syracuse, and it always sounded so like a nursery rhyme, 'Sir-uh-coos.' It's something about the word"Pascal interjects, "Well, it's pronounced 'Sir-uh-kyoos,' so your nursery rhyme is already off [Laughs]. If you're gonna romanticize it, at least romanticize it correctly.""Syra-cute?" Tovey asks, tentatively.Pascal replies, "Syra-cutie""That's my drag name," Tovey jokes.Read the full interview between Russell Tovey and Pedro Pascal on Man About Town. See on Instagram