Sniffies, the popular cruising map, has teamed up with fashion label Barragn to launch a limited-edition capsule collection that celebrates queer identity, sexual energy, and self-expression.The Sniffies x Barragn collaboration features three exclusive pieces designed for those who live boldly: a blue wrestling singlet, a black box muscle tank, and a grey hoodie. Each piece reimagines athleticism and desire through Barragns sculptural, gender-fluid aesthetic and Sniffies unapologetic, sex-positive energy.Sniffies has always been about confidence and connection, said Eli Martin, Chief Marketing Officer of Sniffies. Barragn captures that same energy in fashion, fluid, powerful, and fearless. This collection brings cruising culture into the streetwear space with attitude and pride.Founded by designer Victor Barragn, the Mexico Cityborn, New Yorkbased brand has become a cult favorite for its subversive approach to gender, performance, and identity. Known for blending high concept with queer sensuality, Barragn has been featured in outlets like Vogue, Dazed, and Paper, and shown at New York Fashion Week as one of the most provocative voices redefining modern fashion.The limited run will be available exclusively on Sniffies.com beginning October 14 with select drops at Sniffies real-world events and pop-ups throughout the fall.Sniffies collaborations have become cultural signifiers for a new era of cruising culture, bridging digital connection, IRL community, and fashion that makes a statement. Explore the collection at www.sniffies.com.

Now that Kim Kardashian's shapewear line has everyone talking about pubic hair, thanks to their release of faux hair thongs available in different colors and textures, it feels like the right time to have a serious conversation about body hair.But first, let's take a step back and talk about hair more broadly. We use hairstyling it, shaping it, or removing itto express and accessorize our gender. When we go to salons, we're not just framing our faces or keeping up appearances; we're also performing and affirming our gender identities.From a young age, we learn what hairstyles are considered "for girls" and which are "for boys."I remember when my son was three years old, and one of his preschool teachers asked me and his other mother why we chose a "girl's hairstyle" for him. Our son liked having longer hair (and still does). Long hair isn't exclusive to people with vaginas, but to his teacher, a boy with long hair didn't "look right."At the time, my partner, Ranita, was working on her book. For the project, she spent three years shadowing students from third to sixth grade, documenting their daily experiences inside classrooms. What she discovered was both daunting and disturbing: many children were regularly mocked not by classmates, but by their teachers. Teachers made fun of immigrant kids' accents, their clothing, and, yes, even their hair.Given my partner's work, I shouldn't have been surprised that an educator made our child self-conscious about his hairstyle. But I was. That same day, our three-year-old asked if boys could have long hair. After dinner, we googled "men with long hair." As we scrolled through images, he smiled; we talked about how no one is truly immune to the subtle, slow forms of violence that happen in schools.That was two years ago. Our son, in kindergarten this year, still likes to keep his hair long. We are proud of him for not seeing hairstyles as either for "boys" or "girls" but instead as simply hairstyles.Hair and the act of removing it have a long social history. Some estimates suggest that 99% of women have tried some form of hair removal, and around 85% regularly remove body hair.While Kardashian's faux hair thongs may seem funny at first, we should pause to consider the harm behind that laughter.Women already feel pressure to manage their body hair. And while men may feel some of the same pressure, it is stronger for women. Take, for example, pubic hair. Many women, in particular, monitor their pubic hair for the comfort of their romantic partners: shaving, trimming, or waxing, often not for themselves but to avoid judgment or jokes about their "bushes."Others, such as people born with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS), one of more than two dozen intersex traits, have little to no pubic hair at all. And they, too, become targets of cruel humor.As a sociologist with CAIS who studies the lived experiences of intersex people, I know firsthand that pubic hair or the absence of it can be deeply personal and even traumatic. Intersex people with CAIS have told me about being mocked by male partners for having no pubic hair. Or being called "prepubescent," "gross," or even "abnormal." When intersex people with CAIS like myself point out that many women pay good money to remove their pubic hair, those same partners double down, saying, "Well, they don't remove all of it!"Clearly, they've never heard of Brazilian waxes.When it comes to pubic hair, women can't seem to win.When I treated myself to a facial more than a decade ago, an esthetician asked me if I was interested in their waxing services. "My unibrow is that bad, huh?" I laughed, which I often do in uncomfortable situations. I don't think she believed me when I shared that "I used to regularly get my eyebrows waxed" because she went on to say, "It won't hurt and I also have time in my schedule to do a bikini wax if you'd be interested."I was in her salon for a facial. Not for hair removal. But that didn't stop the otherwise friendly esthetician from making me feel self-conscious about my eyebrows and (lack of) pubic hair. She didn't know I had CAIS, and thus didn't have hair on my vagina, but the stigma still stung deep.I left her salon that day with my humor wrapped tightly around my unibrow and my threeyes, only threepubic hairs intact. I've had those three hairs for what seems like years. And, as I later joked with a friend, there was no way in hell I was going to let anyone yank those three hairs out. We laughed about it, which I know firsthand can be the best medicine. Still, there is a difference between laughing as a defense mechanism and laughing at someone or something you're not thinking critically about.So, before you share a link to Kardashian's sold-out faux hair thongs for a laugh, think twice. The joke might come back around the next time you feel pressure to "tidy up" your bikini line. Or when you notice how every strand of hair on our bodies is still policed by gender.Georgiann Davis is an intersex scholar-activist at the University of New Mexico. She is the author of Five Star White Trash: A Memoir of Fraud and Family.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.

Hidden disabilities represent a significant portion of disabilities in the UK, yet their invisibility creates unique challenges for those living with them. Under the Equality Act 2010, someone is disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. The distinction of being hidden means these conditions arent immediately apparent to others, making disclosure a complex decision with real consequences.Understanding Dyslexia as a Hidden DisabilityWhen examining UK dyslexia awareness, it serves as an instructive case study for how hidden disabilities function within the legal framework. Dyslexia is specifically protected under the Equality Act 2010 as a hidden disability, and this protection carries significant implications.Employers are under a duty to make reasonable adjustments for dyslexic individuals, who are considered to be at a substantial disadvantage in the workplace compared to those who are not dyslexic. The adjustments might include assistive technology like screen reading software, alternative methods of receiving information, or modified deadlines.A Workplace Needs Assessment can determine the most appropriate adjustments, examining the nature of an individuals dyslexia through diagnostic assessment, job requirements, working environment and the demands of any training. This structured approach to accommodation demonstrates how UK legislation attempts to level the playing field, though the burden often falls on individuals to request support and prove their need for it.The ADHD and Chronic Pain ConnectionThe intersection between different hidden disabilities reveals how complex these conditions can be. ADHD has been reported to be associated with primary chronic pain syndromes including fibromyalgia, migraine, and chronic low back pain. This relationship highlights how hidden disabilities rarely exist in isolation. Someone managing ADHD may also contend with chronic pain, whilst facing scepticism about both conditions because neither is visible to observers.People with invisible disabilities may not use mobility aids on some days or at all because severity of pain or level of mobility can change from day to day. This fluctuating nature makes documentation and disclosure particularly fraught. Someone might appear fully functional one day whilst struggling intensely the next, leading to accusations of exaggeration or inconsistency.Documentation and Legal ProtectionsThe UK system provides protections but requires individuals to navigate complex processes. Documentation accepted to verify disability status includes the back of a Blue Badge, disabled persons Freedom Pass or Bus Pass, letters from doctors, Disability Living Allowance decision letters, Personal Independence Payment letters, or other relevant documentation showing disability status. Gathering this documentation can be arduous, particularly for those whose conditions make administrative tasks challenging.Protection from discrimination applies in employment, education, exercise of public functions, goods, services, facilities and transport. Organisations must make reasonable adjustments once they know about a disability, though what counts as reasonable depends on factors like organisational resources and the practicality of changes. This framework creates legal recourse but doesnt eliminate the emotional labour of constant disclosure decisions.The Disclosure DilemmaFor many LGBTQ+ individuals with hidden disabilities, disclosure becomes doubly complex. Deciding when and how to share information about a disability involves calculating risks around discrimination, workplace dynamics, and access to necessary support.Some worry that disclosing will invite unwanted scrutiny or assumptions about their capabilities. Others find that without disclosure, they cant access the adjustments they need to succeed.The invisibility of these conditions means that people constantly face doubt about their legitimacy. Research by the charity Scope found that more than half of UK employees with a less obvious disability worry constantly about losing their jobs. This precarity shapes every decision about whether to request accommodations or simply try to manage without them.EndnoteHidden disabilities in the UK exist within a legal framework designed to protect, yet the burden remains on individuals to prove their conditions, request adjustments, and navigate systems that werent built with them in mind. The Equality Act provides a foundation, but genuine accessibility requires organisations and society to move beyond compliance toward proactive understanding and support.The post What Counts as a Hidden Disability in the UK appeared first on LGBTQ and ALL.

If youre hoping for a bright future in your chosen career path, youll need a solid foundation. That means choosing a training program that offers the right blend of hands-on instruction, content to reinforce skills, and personal support. And if youre LGBTQ+, youll want to be especially mindful of a particular training programs approach to inclusivity. Youll need to feel welcomed and connected to thrive.Read on to discover how you can choose inclusive career training programs to power your future in 2025.Verify Access to Support SystemsWhen youre in the throes of a career training program, you may reach moments where you feel overwhelmed. Thats why its critical to ensure you have access to mental health support systems within the program that are friendly toward LGBTQ+ individuals. When youre able to sit down with a counselor or meet with other students experiencing the same stresses, you can manage the challenges of school more easily. Online programs should provide resources, as well, in the form of virtual counseling or other connections. Ultimately, technical schools in Texas or any state that deliver these support networks will show greater commitment to helping you succeed.Look for Evidence of Respect for IdentitiesWhen youre looking for a career training program, the small details matter. Schools that respect how you identify will set the tone for future interactions. You should be able to see your chosen name and identity reflected in everything from your email address to your printed name on class rosters or classroom management systems. When a school makes this effort, theyll demonstrate that inclusivity is a priority. Staff and faculty members should carry this respect through their communication with you, as well.Investigate Connected Internship ProgramsWhile youll start your training by working with faculty and staff at your chosen program, youll eventually move into internship programs, as well. You dont want to feel disrespected or unsafe in an internship scenario. Its wise to ask a prospective training program if they limit partnerships to organizations with a track record of affirming behavior. Your internship experience should be a rewarding step toward building confidence and an attractive resume.Check Placement InformationOutcomes are an important indicator of a training programs ability to help you find success. Look at graduation rates, which can tell you whether students felt supported on their academic journey. And look at job placement. When youre making the effort to go after something you want, you want to commit your time and money to a program that can help you get there. Also, check to ensure that the school is accredited and helps prepare students to pass any necessary certifications in your desired field.Find the Right ProgramEnrolling in a career training program can be a big step for your career development. But it wont be worth the effort unless you feel affirmed and supported during your time in the classroom or during hands-on internships. Its smart to ask a prospective program about their approach to inclusivity. Confirm that they will address you by your preferred pronouns, offer support systems, and help you find a job. The right program will check all those boxes and launch you toward a meaningful career.The post How to Find Inclusive Career Training Programs appeared first on LGBTQ and ALL.

Jack Cameron Kay didnt just bring Jones to life on Netflixs Boots, but delivered a performance that resonated far beyond the character and the series in many ways serving as an embodiment of what LGBTQ+ rights have become in the 2010s and 2015s. The show, set in the 1990s, features Sgt. Sullivan (Max Parker) as a slightly older closeted man whose mindset is still stuck on never coming out as gay for the rest of his life. Unsure of himself, Cameron Cope (Miles Heizer), the protagonist, sees Sullivan as a role model for how to survive as a gay man in the world U.S. Marine Corps or otherwise.And then comes Jones, who is like a glitch in the matrix when considered as a character that exists in the 1990s. Jones clocks Sullivan immediately, and tells Cope, who had been pretty oblivious the entire time. It is also Jones who tells Cope that looking up to someone who hates himself and lives in constant fear of being found out isnt quite the bright future that they could dream of. Is living a secret life and just being tolerated by others really the highest goal that queer people should strive for?In an interview with Out, Kay discusses his journey leading up to Boots, becoming a viral sensation, being called trade, and having his own father send him TikToks of his scenes on the show. The actor also reflects on the process of playing this character, how he feels about the overall response hes received, and dreams of a potential second season renewal for this beloved new Netflix series. Jack Cameron Kay on Boots.NetflixOut: Looking at your Instagram feed before all the Boots content, you seemed to be pursuing a modeling career?Jack Cameron Kay: Its funny you say that I was modeling, I honestly wasnt. Its more so that Ive taken fun pictures with my friends.Well, it looked like a legit gig!I appreciate that. I actually have, a couple of times, but that was not my main pursuit. Ive been an actor for the past four years, and before that This is an epic lore drop, but I studied classical singing at Juilliard.Oh, wow. Thats where you were?I was training to be an opera singer.How was that going?Well, I feel comfortable saying that you dont wind up at a place like Juilliard without having some ability But when I arrived there, I was actually immediately drawn to the actors. I was like, Gosh, these people are so self-possessed. Theyre so at the center of their being.Having come from a really conservative town in Michigan, I was still operating from a place of serious repression. I was so insecure. And [at Juilliard] I was surrounded by all these young people who had grown up in coastal metropolitan areas and who had been afforded the time and opportunity to develop themselves further than I had. I was just in awe of how the actors and the dancers carried themselves, and expressed themselves, and even how they dressed.So a lot of my time at school I spent independently studying acting, working a lot on musical theater, attending all of the drama shows, and just trying to learn as much as I could from them. Jack Cameron KaySam Pickart (@sampickart)Where in Michigan were you born, what did your folks do for a living?Im from a town called Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Its an automotive center about 20 minutes from downtown Detroit. My mom was a teacher. My dad was a financial analyst, a stockbroker.Were there any concerns when a career in the arts, and Juilliard, came up?You know what? From a young age, it was very clear to them what my goals were, and clearly what I was going to want to be pursuing. Thankfully, I did not experience a ton of pushback from them. If I may say so, I was demonstrating a considerable amount of talentOh, they clocked the talent! How amazing.It sounds obnoxious to say, but I think that played a huge role in them being OK with it. They were like, Oh.This will work.I think he has something.Incredible.Im really grateful for it. Its something that creative people, for generations, for decades, had to contend with: Not having the support of their family and the people around them to pursue these things. Im grateful that I didnt have that one obstacle, but I had plenty of others After college, I was a little bit like, What do I want to do? So I started auditioning for Broadway a lot.Did you do anything on Broadway, off-Broadway?Oh, no, I didnt get anything. [Laughs.] I was in callbacks for Dear Evan Hansen, and I was making that my big dream, and then the pandemic happened.I started to learn how to play the guitar, I was writing a lot of music, and it became a very creative time. Then, I started to write songs every day, and it became my thing for a while. Jack Cameron Kay on Boots.NetflixThats a sharp left, but an interesting one.Yeah, it was a nice little side quest And then, while doing that, I was like, Why dont I get into an acting class? Thats when I got with my current teacher. She immediately took notice of me and my potential, and then she just became my mentor.Even up until when I was shooting Boots, I would call her from my trailer and be like, Joan, help me! I dont know whats happening.Whats her name? We should give her a shout-out.Joan Rosenfels! Shes an incredible teacher.Shout-out to the diva!The diva, Mrs. Rosenfels! She was the acting coach on SNL for a while. She coaches Murray Bartlett on all his stuff.Oh, wow. No big dealAs soon as she told me that, I was locked-in to working with her. As someone who snuck episodes of Looking on my iPod Touch in high school I was literally hiding in the darkest corners of my home, on my iPod Touch, watching Looking. Miles Heizer and Jack Cameron Kay on Boots.Netflix/Instagram (@most)I love the concept of watching Looking on an iPod Touch.Yeah, exactly. [Laughs.] And Murray Bartlett, hes such I really look up to him as someone who demonstrated such longevity in his career, and has stayed such an honest craftsman, and who is soHes so disengaged from what seems to be the celebrity of it all. He seems to be completely focused on the craft. Thats really the kind of person, and the kind of artist, that I want to be.Well Youre actually great at social media, so that sucks. I dont know what youre going to do, Jack.[Laughs.] Yeah, the fans have pointed out which, the fact that I am even referring to people as fans is news to me but fans have pointed that out. Theyve been calling me a Chronically Online King in my DMs.I started to go viral on Twitter immediately. And I was like, I feel like most people would probably just ignore it. But I feel like I possess that internet language. Im very fluent in Twitter.Yes, you absolutely are. [Laughs.] Youre screwed, Jack.I thought, Im in a unique position to respond to this in a way that feels really authentic. So Im going to cautiously continue to stoke those fires a little bit.I think I was a gay Twitter main character for one day [in the week following the Boots premiere.] That can go one of two ways, and I am grateful that I feel like Ive been largely spared.Yeah, I sincerely havent seen anything negative about you, or the actors, or the show itself which is actually so lovely and surprising, in the best way?Oh, I would agree. We knew the show was good. Weve had the show since August or so. Before it launched, I had seen the whole thing twice. I knew we had a really phenomenal product.The performances, and the actors, I was just so in awe of everyone in the cast. But, as Im sure youre familiar, oftentimes that does not determine whether or not something breaks through. (@) It does not, youre right.It is ultimately the combination of good promotion and sheer luck when something just takes on the internet, so I didnt know what was going to happen. I was obviously hopeful.But from the moment it dropped, specifically queer sectors of the internet were already devouring it, and then continued to do so. I keep posting, like, Okay, re-watch it. Then, the DMs I get back are like, I already did. Im on my third watch. And the fansOh my god, the fan edits.So my father has learned how to use TikTok [Laughs.]No. No way. and hes the one whos sending me all the fan cams, and reading all the comments. Im just like, This is absurd.And the ones of you in the shower with Miles [Heizer] looking over I cant.Oh, that is the featured clip! But hes having the time with his life. Hes really having the time of his life.What was your coming-out process like, moving to New York City to go to college?When I left for college, I was out to everyone and I was very secure. By the time I was ready to talk about it, I was very secure in it. And that only grew the more time I spent in New York. And Im so grateful, too, in a sense, to have grown up in New York in that way.Sometimes I feel like I grew up in New York, even though obviously I didnt. But those years, from 18 to 22, are so crucial. Because I was thrust into this new environment around profoundly dynamic young people, it really accelerated my development as a person. But I was put in a situation that was very uncomfortable, which forced me to evolve. It forced me to open my eyes to so many different ways of being. Im really grateful for that. Jack Cameron Kay on Boots.NetflixI had a similar college trajectory, and I agree that it does give you the chance to be whoever you want. But when you havent yet emerged, what ends up coming to the surface is the person you actually are.Exactly. Were so shaped by those [hometown] environments where existing is like acting. You are existing under a set of circumstances in a certain environment. We assume different personas and sets of behavior.Did it feel similar when you started bringing Jones to life?It did feel similar stepping into a role like Jones. Its like you have this framework of what they would like the character to look and sound like, and you have this person you know as yourself. You try it on, and then you allow this new person to emerge over time. Its a combination of the two whats on the page and who you are and then they merge into something new, which is extremely rewarding.I wanted to explore your story prior to Boots because, as an actor we hadnt really seen on our screens before, its remarkable to watch you come into this moving train and just nail it. We get to know Jones very well, very quickly, just from your face checking out Heizers character. I dont know if people realize how hard it is to convey that much personality with just a look and a smirk. I was like, Oh, we know exactly who Jones is.That literally means the world to me. You hear people talk about this all the time. Its like, You work for years to have an overnight success. I sent in the tape for Boots in April of 2024. I got the callback two weeks later, and then I was going to have the callback a week later.I took the callback, and it was the best callback Ive ever given in my life. And then immediately, an hour later, Angus [OBrien] followed me on Instagram. And I was like, Okay, maybe somethings happening. And then I booked it.I was at the restaurant I worked at, boxing up peoples food to go, when I got the call.Aw, Jack. That is a wonderful story.It was one of the most euphoric, joyful moments of my life. I was in complete disbelief. Im sure you can understand, but the level of despair you can feel sometimes as an actor trying to do this It feels like winning the lottery. It feels like being struck by lightning. Miles Heizer and Jack Cameron Kay on Boots.Netflix/Instagram (@most)Thoughts on how Jones and Cope [Heizer] end season 1, and how a potential second season could play out?I just really appreciate that Jones and [Cope] end on good terms. I think theres such potential for a truly beautiful friendship or relationship. Who knows? I thought it was really clever the way that they had Sullivan thwart that and turn us against one another.And then Jones leaves on that truck, and you dont really know where he goes, do you? I thought it was a very poetic way to close on Joness story in the show, but I would happen to agree with a lot of other people in saying that there does exist the potential for him to return! I would love to play Jones again.Well, yes!And I want that season 2 not just for myself, but for everyone who has spent years shooting it, and five years developing it, and writing it. Greg Cope White, who spent his life developing this story. I want that for them just as much as they want it for me. I have complete faith in the people who are in charge of this story, and how it extends further into the future. If they want to include Jones in that story, they have my numberI have a feeling the fans will want to keep up with the Joneses of it all.All right, I am down! [Laughs.] But if Jones is not a part of the story they want to keep telling, I have faith in that, and I will be happy to support and watch along with everyone else.Boots is now streaming on Netflix.

Hidden disabilities represent a significant portion of disabilities in the UK, yet their invisibility creates unique challenges for those living with them. Under the Equality Act 2010, someone is disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. The distinction of being hidden means these conditions arent immediately apparent to others, making disclosure a complex decision with real consequences.Understanding Dyslexia as a Hidden DisabilityWhen examining UK dyslexia awareness, it serves as an instructive case study for how hidden disabilities function within the legal framework. Dyslexia is specifically protected under the Equality Act 2010 as a hidden disability, and this protection carries significant implications.Employers are under a duty to make reasonable adjustments for dyslexic individuals, who are considered to be at a substantial disadvantage in the workplace compared to those who are not dyslexic. The adjustments might include assistive technology like screen reading software, alternative methods of receiving information, or modified deadlines.A Workplace Needs Assessment can determine the most appropriate adjustments, examining the nature of an individuals dyslexia through diagnostic assessment, job requirements, working environment and the demands of any training. This structured approach to accommodation demonstrates how UK legislation attempts to level the playing field, though the burden often falls on individuals to request support and prove their need for it.The ADHD and Chronic Pain ConnectionThe intersection between different hidden disabilities reveals how complex these conditions can be. ADHD has been reported to be associated with primary chronic pain syndromes including fibromyalgia, migraine, and chronic low back pain. This relationship highlights how hidden disabilities rarely exist in isolation. Someone managing ADHD may also contend with chronic pain, whilst facing scepticism about both conditions because neither is visible to observers.People with invisible disabilities may not use mobility aids on some days or at all because severity of pain or level of mobility can change from day to day. This fluctuating nature makes documentation and disclosure particularly fraught. Someone might appear fully functional one day whilst struggling intensely the next, leading to accusations of exaggeration or inconsistency.Documentation and Legal ProtectionsThe UK system provides protections but requires individuals to navigate complex processes. Documentation accepted to verify disability status includes the back of a Blue Badge, disabled persons Freedom Pass or Bus Pass, letters from doctors, Disability Living Allowance decision letters, Personal Independence Payment letters, or other relevant documentation showing disability status. Gathering this documentation can be arduous, particularly for those whose conditions make administrative tasks challenging.Protection from discrimination applies in employment, education, exercise of public functions, goods, services, facilities and transport. Organisations must make reasonable adjustments once they know about a disability, though what counts as reasonable depends on factors like organisational resources and the practicality of changes. This framework creates legal recourse but doesnt eliminate the emotional labour of constant disclosure decisions.The Disclosure DilemmaFor many LGBTQ+ individuals with hidden disabilities, disclosure becomes doubly complex. Deciding when and how to share information about a disability involves calculating risks around discrimination, workplace dynamics, and access to necessary support.Some worry that disclosing will invite unwanted scrutiny or assumptions about their capabilities. Others find that without disclosure, they cant access the adjustments they need to succeed.The invisibility of these conditions means that people constantly face doubt about their legitimacy. Research by the charity Scope found that more than half of UK employees with a less obvious disability worry constantly about losing their jobs. This precarity shapes every decision about whether to request accommodations or simply try to manage without them.EndnoteHidden disabilities in the UK exist within a legal framework designed to protect, yet the burden remains on individuals to prove their conditions, request adjustments, and navigate systems that werent built with them in mind. The Equality Act provides a foundation, but genuine accessibility requires organisations and society to move beyond compliance toward proactive understanding and support.The post What Counts as a Hidden Disability in the UK appeared first on LGBTQ and ALL.

If youre hoping for a bright future in your chosen career path, youll need a solid foundation. That means choosing a training program that offers the right blend of hands-on instruction, content to reinforce skills, and personal support. And if youre LGBTQ+, youll want to be especially mindful of a particular training programs approach to inclusivity. Youll need to feel welcomed and connected to thrive.Read on to discover how you can choose inclusive career training programs to power your future in 2025.Verify Access to Support SystemsWhen youre in the throes of a career training program, you may reach moments where you feel overwhelmed. Thats why its critical to ensure you have access to mental health support systems within the program that are friendly toward LGBTQ+ individuals. When youre able to sit down with a counselor or meet with other students experiencing the same stresses, you can manage the challenges of school more easily. Online programs should provide resources, as well, in the form of virtual counseling or other connections. Ultimately, technical schools in Texas or any state that deliver these support networks will show greater commitment to helping you succeed.Look for Evidence of Respect for IdentitiesWhen youre looking for a career training program, the small details matter. Schools that respect how you identify will set the tone for future interactions. You should be able to see your chosen name and identity reflected in everything from your email address to your printed name on class rosters or classroom management systems. When a school makes this effort, theyll demonstrate that inclusivity is a priority. Staff and faculty members should carry this respect through their communication with you, as well.Investigate Connected Internship ProgramsWhile youll start your training by working with faculty and staff at your chosen program, youll eventually move into internship programs, as well. You dont want to feel disrespected or unsafe in an internship scenario. Its wise to ask a prospective training program if they limit partnerships to organizations with a track record of affirming behavior. Your internship experience should be a rewarding step toward building confidence and an attractive resume.Check Placement InformationOutcomes are an important indicator of a training programs ability to help you find success. Look at graduation rates, which can tell you whether students felt supported on their academic journey. And look at job placement. When youre making the effort to go after something you want, you want to commit your time and money to a program that can help you get there. Also, check to ensure that the school is accredited and helps prepare students to pass any necessary certifications in your desired field.Find the Right ProgramEnrolling in a career training program can be a big step for your career development. But it wont be worth the effort unless you feel affirmed and supported during your time in the classroom or during hands-on internships. Its smart to ask a prospective program about their approach to inclusivity. Confirm that they will address you by your preferred pronouns, offer support systems, and help you find a job. The right program will check all those boxes and launch you toward a meaningful career.The post How to Find Inclusive Career Training Programs appeared first on LGBTQ and ALL.

A full catalog of BTS photos.Filming this brand-new queer Netflix series was a hot Boots summer, and these candid, hilarious, sweaty, and iconic behind-the-scenes photos are here to prove it.Ahead, a full catalog of BTS pictures from a hot Boots summer.

In its 37th year, NewFest continues to raise the bar for LGBTQ film and industry programming. The LGBTQ film festival, which runs from October 9-21, throughout New York City boasts 13 days of events, activities, and screenings of over 130 films. These range from premieres to special presentations, and retrospective screenings. It is the countrys [...]The post NewFest 37 Celebrates Spirit Day with Shorts Program, The Celluloid Closet & More first appeared on GLAAD.

The fiery legal battle between music mogul David Geffen and his estranged husband, David Armstrong (a.k.a. Donovan Michaels), continues. This week, the new development came in the form of legal documents obtained by TMZ, in which Armstrong accused Geffen of hiding his finances to subvert California's financial disclosure laws, "in an effort to achieve aggressive spousal support limitations, the court documents report, per TMZ.Back in May, Geffen filed for divorce from Armstrong, citing "irreconcilable differences," and the couple did not sign a prenuptial agreement. Not too long after the split, the husband requested spousal support from the billionaire, who owns multiple record labels and is a co-founder of DreamWorks Animation alongside Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg. The court issued an order in May for the two men to provide their financial documents, which involves "statements, valuations, important facts, and access to records about all current income and expenses and community and separate property assets and debts," the legal documents obtained by People said. But now, it seems Geffen is holding out, and Armstrong feels the situation is "completely unfair," likening it to a "case of David and Goliath."Armstrong goes on to claim that he is being unfairly outspent and that Geffen is "prepared to win by any means necessary." He adds that he feels the music mogul should share his financial records so the divorce can proceed. In September, Geffen filed a motion to have the money he's spent on Armstrong after their divorce credited towards the spousal support he was willing to pay: $50,000 a month for 12 months. According to TMZ, he says he gave his ex $200,000 in cash since they split back in February, and he dolled out $200,000 to send Armstrong to rehab. This is on top of the $15,000-a-month apartment that he says Armstrong lives in rent-free, which Geffen owns.There was also a civil lawsuit that Armstrong opened against Geffen, alleging that the 82-year-old businessman weaponized the 32-year-old's trauma against him for "personal gratification and public image," but he ended up withdrawing that suit on Tuesday.

Grammy-winning artist Scott Hoying and his husband, Mark Manio, are ushering in the holiday season with Fa La La Family, their joyful new childrens book celebrating love, and the many beautiful ways families come to be. Fresh off his run on Dancing with the Stars following this weeks elimination, Hoying is embracing his next big [...]The post WATCH: Scott Hoying and Mark Manio on Creating Fa La La Family, a Holiday Story That Celebrates Every Kind of Love first appeared on GLAAD.

Editor's note: This review contains spoilers for Guillermo del Toros Frankenstein, which premieres on November 7 on Netflix.Who is the monster, the creature, or the creator? This central theme of one of the most classic science fiction stories ever, Frankenstein, has been repeated to death (and back again). Now, Guillermo del Toro's stunning vision breathes new life into it by viewing it through a feminine, maternal lens.One fan recently wrote on X that del Toro "has the imagination and creativity of a woman who spends her time maladaptive daydreaming in her bedroom about meeting her soulmate in the most gothic situation imaginable."The filmmaker shared the post saying, "I believe I do"Never has that imagination and creativity been so clearly on display as in his new classic, Frankenstein.Frankenstein is about a man, Dr. Victor Frankenstein, who creates life by reanimating a body he has sewn together from parts of various corpses. Understandably, adaptations are often made by men and usually focus on the horrors of fatherhood.However, Mary Shelley, a woman, wrote the original novel, so it makes an abundance of sense to approach the story's creator character through a maternal angle.As both a child and an adult, we see Victor lapping up glasses of milk, trying to keep the physical connection he had with his mother as an infant, when they literally shared bodily fluids.In flashbacks, he's dutifully devoted to his mother, so much so that, as a child, he says he sees them as one person. When she dies giving birth to his younger brother, Victor is not only devastated, but grows to hate and resent his father, a celebrated surgeon, for not being able to save her.His father, with all his knowledge and skill, still couldn't do what his mother did: create life. Soon, Victor's entire being becomes centered around acquiring this power.When we first see adult Victor (played with feverish frenzy and narcissistic bravado by Oscar Isaac), he appears feminine, sporting tight, maroon gloves, long wavy hair, and a wide-brimmed hat. This Victor is our monster's mother and his father.While at a University, Victor unlocks the secret of reanimating corpses for a limited time and presents his findings to the other academics. After they shout him down, saying his work is heresy, he teams up with arms merchant Henrich Harlander (Christoph Waltz), who funds his experiments.This is where Victor meets the beautiful Elizabeth, Harlander's niece and Victor's brother's fiance. Played by horror icon Mia Goth, Elizabeth is draped in silks and tulle, appearing as an angel or a ghost, echoing the lost beauty of Victor's mother.When he finally does give birth to his son, Victor immediately slips into postpartum depression. Unable to communicate or bond with his creation, Victor shuns his child, chaining him up in the laboratory's basement. Just as soon as he's created life, he turns his back on it.Victor is still his father's son and quickly turns cold, beating his creation just as his own father beat him. His own traumatic, motherless childhood now comes back in the form of Victor not being there for his child. He has become both his father's monster and his mother's ghost.It's only Elizabeth who shows the creature any kindness, giving him the mother that Victor could not be.Victor destroys his lab, intending to destroy the creature in it, but only succeeds in freeing him. Free from his abusive parent, the creature is now able to learn to talk, read, and become his own man.Jacob Elordi (Euphoria) delivers the most nuanced and powerful performance of his career as the creature. It seems having an Oscar-winning auteur direct him to be a mumbling, stumbling, naked man-baby for his first thirty minutes of screen time was exactly what Elordi needed to become a fully realized actor and artist.The creature is still a monster, and even though he acts like a puppy or a baby deer, his size and strength are immense, and he ends up frightening or hurting many of the people around him. Eventually, the creature catches up with his creator, confronting him on the day Elizabeth is set to marry Victor's brother.There, Victor points a gun at the creature, only for Elizabeth to dive in front of the bullet and save him. Just like Victor lost the woman who loved him as a child, he now causes his creation to go through the same trauma.From there, Victor is slavishly hunting the creature across the world and into the Arctic.It's fitting that the film doesn't end on a masculine climactic battle or disaster, but with a feminine, quiet speech about forgiveness, growth, and acceptance.While it certainly takes its liberties with the tale, del Toro's film is more devoted to the source material than any other adaptation I've seen. Instead of a straightforward monster movie, the tale is a gothic romance filled with gowns, balls, veils, statues, towers, and nightmares.While the film is just as much a gothic romance as a horror, the violence, gore, and brutality do not hold back. Limbs are destroyed, backs are broken, and flesh is ripped to shreds throughout the film.Del Toro is the modern master of the monster movie, so it's no surprise Frankenstein feels like it was written specifically for him.The source material is rife with set pieces perfectly designed for del Toro's sensibilities. From frozen-over battlefields to ships stuck in the ice to fantastical gothic towers to morbidly beautiful displays of dead bodies, to stunning angels of death appearing in visions, the entire film is a visual spectacle, especially for fans of the filmmaker's style.Del Toro is already one of the greatest filmmakers of the 21st century. With Frankenstein, he's continued to cement a legacy that will delight and challenge film lovers for years to come.Five out of five stars.Frankenstein premieres on November 7 on Netflix.

Standing at the corner of Cedar Springs and Oak Lawn Blvd in Dallas for over 150 years, Oak Lawn United Methodist Church has served Texans of faith, including members of the LGBTQ community. Through its inclusive efforts, the church is a leader in providing resources for all Texans. And through a sign of symbolic strength, [...]The post Loud and Proud in The Lone Star State: Dallas Church, Cities Across Texas Respond to Crosswalk Controversy with Pride first appeared on GLAAD.

Round six, here we go!Mother Brooke Lynn Hytes is ready to welcome a sickening lineup of 12 fierce queens competing to become Canadas Next Drag Superstar on Canadas Drag Race season 6.Its pretty incredible that the Canadian series has now reached its sixth flagship season besides doing two cycles of Canadas Drag Race: Canada vs the World with queens from around the globe. The mark of a great international Drag Race series is when it establishes itself so deeply in RuPauls queendom that it can have fun being self-referential and can call back to iconic challenges from its own herstory.This new promo is very much giving season 2 Rusical Under the Big Top realness. But theres no clownery going on here, Mary! These Queens of the North are beat to the drag gawds.DulceAge: 24City: London, ONOriginally from London, ON, Dulce is a dancing diva who drives all over Ontario to entertain audiences. As Spanish is her first language, she performs Spanish songs as much as possible. At the age of 16, Dulce served six years with the Canadian Army Reserve, using her time there to advocate for queer people serving in the military.Instagram: @dulcethequeenEboni LaBelleAge: 24City: St. Catherines, ONEboni LaBelle is a good-time girl who loves making audiences laugh with her quick-witted, hilariously authentic style. In the short time that Eboni has been performing, her proudest moment is winning her hometown pageant, Miss Pride Niagara 2022-2023, along with being named Pride Niagara Ambassador. As a trans person who has overcome many struggles, Eboni embodies strength and resilience.Instagram: @ebonilabelleHazelAge: 27City: Vancouver, BCHazel is an elite-level diver who has competed for the Canadian National Team and was recruited to Florida State University on a scholarship to compete for the school. After being introduced to Florida-style Drag, she closed her diving chapter and brought her competitive spirit back to Canada. Hazel runs a weekly show called HAZE and has performed alongside artists like RuPauls Drag Race alum Trixie Mattel.Instagram: @names.hazelKaramilkAge: 25City: Toronto, ONOriginally hailing from Halifax, NS, Karamilk has a background in acting and musical theatre, and has spent countless hours in the dance studio. As the drag daughter of Kimmy Couture (from Canadas Drag Race season 3), she hopes to continue a legacy of excellence. Karamilk took home the crown in Ottawas Next Drag Superstar (season 1), Absolut Empires Ball (season 4), and continues to perform often between Ottawa and Toronto.Instagram: @karamilk.queenMya FoxxAge: 31City: Halifax, NSRepresenting the Maritimes and Inuit heritage, Mya Foxx is ready to bring her mix of urban fashion and Indigenous influence to the national stage. Mya twirled her way onto the stage as a backup dancer for other queens, and now she cant wait to be the first Nova Scotian on Canadas Drag Race. She has honed her drag skills in multiple competitions like the Halifax Garden Ball, Best of Halifax Awards, and the TV series Call Me Mother.Instagram: @myafoxx_hfxPaolo PerfeccinAge: 25City: Montreal, QCPaolo Perfeccin attended fashion school for design and makes professional grade costumes and looks. Attracting wide audiences, Paolo currently performs exclusively at straight clubs in Montral to huge acclaim. Paolos got a natural ability to be pulling anything off, and audiences all over fall in love with her.Instagram: @paoloperfeccionPMAge: 31City: Vancouver, BCStarting drag to gain confidence while studying ballet, PM is now nine years into being known as a respected, revered artist in the BC scene. PM makes their mark with their insane dancing skills, unique make-up, and original approach to drag. There are no limits to PMs drag they can be a monster, alien, motorcycle daddy, or just a girl on the go.Instagram: @pmforagoodtimeSaltina ShakerAge: 29City: Ottawa, ONSaltina Shaker has a fresh take on the future of drag, where she believes strongly in meditation, intentionality, and the power of connecting with your inner self. After surviving a serious car accident in her teens, Saltina began using drag to fall back in love with her body, and posting about her body eventually led to her 2.3 million followers on TikTok. Everything shes built, from her drag to her social platform, to her performance production businesses have come from that first seed of believing in her creativity and pushing through challenges.Instagram: @saltinashakerSami LandriAge: 26City: Moncton, NBSami is a major flag bearer for the Acadian drag scene and is considered a pioneer of New Brunswick drag. Since developing an online following with hundreds of thousands of people, Sami has toured globally and appeared on TV several times. One of Samis dreams is to tour her drag in all the small, forgotten villages in Canada.Instagram: @samilandriStar DollAge: 25City: Toronto, ONStar Doll is here to make her drag mom, Suki Doll, biological single mother, and the entire Filipino community proud with stunning performances and killer looks. Since graduating from theatre school in 2021, Star has been consistently booked as a drag entertainer, performing four to five times a week. She is a fixture at the City of Torontos Drag Masterclass. She loves to sing, rap, and write her own lyrics, and has written her own original song Shiny, streaming now.Instagram: @itsstardollVan GothAge: 27City: Toronto, ONWith a Bachelor of Design in Fashion, Van Goths aesthetic is a whole mood that is guaranteed to turn heads and stand out in any crowd. As a Toronto Village staple, she performs multiple times a week and has performed all over the country, from Ottawa to Vancouver. Van Goth won Absolut Empires Ball (season 3) and is a two-time contender at Miss El Convento Rico.Instagram: @itsvangothVelma JonesAge: 39City: Montreal, QCAs an AFAB (assigned female at birth) queen, Velma Jones is here to prove that representation matters. Velma placed first in Drag Moi at Cabaret Mado, and Mx Cocktail at Le Bar Cocktail, not to mention she performed at the biggest show at Montreal Pride in 2023, Drag Superstar. Always booked and busy, Velma even co-produces and co-directs Canadas Drag Race winner Gisele Lullabys weekly show, Full Gisle. Velma is very passionate about supporting younger Drag artists with mentorship and education.Instagram: @velma.johnny_jones

People love speculating how well hung celebrities are and use every metric in the book, from the obvious d*ck print in pants *cough* Jon Hamm *cough* to things like forearm length, or hand and foot size. But what if there was another way to tell just what a man is packing?People on social media are now claiming that a mans smile reveals more than just his pearly whites. The social media craze has taken over TikTok and X, and posits the idea that you can tell how well-endowed a man is just by looking at his smile.Popular examples of celebs with a hung smile are David Corenswet if the way he looks in his Superman suit is anything to go by, this metric seems accurate and Alexander Skarsgrd.There may not be any scientific basis for a mans bulge size being connected to his smile, but TikToker Stephen Brenland (@stephenbrenland), explained that "a certain specific group of men can do this smile, and its because theyre actually hung if you know what I mean.@stephenbrenlandHung smile explanation #datingadvice #hungsmile #whatisahungsmile #confidence #attractionHe added, per the New York Post, When a man is well-endowed [] he gives this specific smile and its not like Im so happy, its more like a smug smirk, sometimes with teeth.The viral term "hung smile has become shorthand for talking about a man having a big member, and while the celebrity smiles in questions are likely just evidence that these men are hot, Justin Dubin, a Florida urologist and podcast host, told Slate that people are also probably responding to a mans self confidence, comparing hung smiles to big dick energy.If you have a perceived larger penis size, youll have a more favorable image to yourself, Dubin said. Because youre more confident in yourself, maybe you do have a big dick energy because of the fact you believe you have a bigger dick.But is there an actual scientific way to tell what a man is packing? Turns out there is, but you have to get so close you may as well look at the actualmeat of the issue at that point. According to a 2019 study from Oxford Academic, there is a correlation between someone's anogenital distance (AGD) and the size of their pole. The study showed that there is a direct positive relation with testicular volume and penile length and circumference. Basically, if you have a large AGD, you probably also have a larger "testicular volumes, penile measures and seminal parameter.Ok, so no study has been done yet to see if smiles are directly related to what a man has in his pants, but if there is a correlation, these celebrities are absolutely well-hung. David Corenswet (@) David Corenswet could get us to agree to anything with that smile alone...and what it might symbolize doesn't hurt either!Alexander Skarsgrd (@) Alexander Skarsgrd has never not been hot, but he's been exuding BDE and showing off that "hung smile" left and right while promoting his gay BDSM film, Pillion.Mike Faist (@) Is this why both Zendaya and Mike Faist were interested in Josh O'Connor?Rick Gonzalez (@) With a smile that...big...Law & Order: Organized Crime star Rick Gonzalez can frisk us anytime!Ioan Gruffudd (@) I mean, Mr. Fantastic's power is extreme elasticity, so it tracks that a certain part of his body can expand. It also doesn't hurt that Ioan Gruffudd has turned into a totally daddy.Hugh Jackman (@) If we were going by hand size, then Wolverine would have everyone beat with those massive claws, but Hugh Jackman is also winning with that smile.Zohran Mamdani (@) Zohran Mamdani is not only New York City's best hope for a leftist leader, but he's also gaining popularity for his megawatt smile. Jensen Ackles (@) Whether he's hunting monsters in Supernatural or fighting fascist superhero Homelander in The Boys, Jensen Ackles' smile has us believing he's packing exactly what we want.Julia Roberts (@) And for the sapphics out there, wed like to submit Julia Roberts for your consideration.

Ive said it before, even written about it, and Ill say it again, its OK to be angry with anyone who voted for Donald Trump, especially if they were nave enough to think hed lower grocery prices, bring back good-paying jobs, or put America First. Because what were witnessing now, less than a year into Trumps second attempt to grift us, isnt just hypocrisy, its highway robbery, as my grandmother would say. The 2024 Trump campaign might go down as the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the American people. It sold economic revitalization and fervent nationalism but instead has grossly delivered personal enrichment. Trump laughingly promised to drain the swamp but refilled it with gold-plated walls and his lifelong lust for riches.Related: This is why it's okay to be angry at anyone who voted for TrumpTrump doesnt give a rats ass about your grocery bill. He doesnt care that families are choosing between milk and medication, or that prices on food, fuel, and everyday necessities are rising with no end in sight. He doesnt care about American farmers or American workers. Hes betraying them. For Trump, the U.S. government is and always has been a tool to serve his needs. He strives to silence watchdogs, enrich his businesses, and turn the U.S. Treasury into his personal piggy bank. And right now that piggy bank is getting lighter by the minute yours, not his.Since returning to the White House, Trump has been running up a taxpayer tab that would make a dictator thirst for more, more, and more. By conservative estimates, hes already saddled Americans with more than $20 billion in waste, fraud, and self-dealing. And hes only just getting started. Hes handing out billions, including a $20 billion bailout to Argentina. Its a flummoxing and bizarre gift that undercuts American farmers by giving China a new soybean source while U.S. growers sit on unsold crops. At its root, this bailout is all about self-enrichment. Trump and several of his billionaire friends stand to benefit materially from investments tied to Argentinas debt and resource contracts. America First has once again turned into Trump and His Billionaire Buddies First.Then, as if that werent obscene enough, he has the audacity to demand $230 million from the Department of Justice as compensation for his criminal prosecutions. But its not the DOJ that is paying him.It is you! Your tax dollars will pay that so-called compensation. Oh, the aggrieved billionaire Trump needs your money because hes been wronged. If you are a Trump supporter and you think this is OK, then heres what you should do. You should start a GoFundMe campaign and get your fellow brainwashed MAGA brethren to foot the bill instead of those of us who are pissed off about this. Spare us your rationalizations.And ka-ching, ka-ching, Trumps demolishing and renovating the White House to suit his gilded tastes, adding a $300 million ballroom that he claims will be paid for by private donations.Im sorry, anyone who knows the habitually lying and enormously self-centered Trump knows that he does absolutely nothing out of the goodness of his heart, and he does everything, every action, to make a buck. And he lies about everything.He said that he wouldnt touch the East Wing. Hes demolishing the whole thing!Related: In a sure sign of a looming dictatorship, Trump is making the White House into his forever homeTherefore, I predict that we the taxpayers will eat the costs of this wasteful ballroom. Its going to happen. How so? As a contractor, he knows the only way to make money is to go waaay over budget. So $250 million is laughable. It will be double that, supposedly, and hell pocket the excess. Hes already blown $2 million replacing the White House Rose Garden with stones, because apparently, grass wasnt regal enough for King Donald.Then theres the free luxury aircraft gifted by Qatar, which hes retrofitting at a cost of up to $1 billion. Again, who is paying for that? You and I! And Trump supporters. Im sure that theyll be happy to fork over their life savings so that their king can ride around in a palace in the sky.Related: While we save to buy 3 dolls and 5 pencils, Trump is gifted a $400 million flying throne from QatarSee why its OK to be angry at Trump voters? And when that stupid Big Beautiful Bill starts to kick in, watch your taxes go up. Why? Because your king needs more of your money to live his lavish lifestyle. Oh, and dont forget the approximately $40 million military parade he threw himself for his birthday, because whats a wannabe monarch without a military parade, even though Trumps was pathetic This is what America First looks like under Trump in other words, America footing the bill for Trump.Meanwhile, ordinary Americans are tightening their belts. Prices are climbing. Jobs are vanishing, and a government shutdown is freezing paychecks, small business contracts, and critical services. Its a perfect storm of economic sabotage, and Trump is standing at the center, smiling, waving, limping on his cankles, and sending you the invoice. For those who once believed Trump cared about the working class, despite all the evidence against it, you were duped. How do your higher grocery bills feel now? How do you feel about paying for a gold-plated ballroom while you struggle to pay rent or feed your kids? How do you feel about giving $230 million of your tax dollars to a man who was wronged by the Justice Department? How do you feel about paying for a luxury aircraft for ONE person? You were all warned. Many times, over three elections, and remained obtuse. Instead, now youve been sacrificed on the altar of Trumps ego. Hes slicing away at your money.To every Trump voter scraping by on part-time work or credit card debt, how do you feel about subsidizing a dictators palace while your kitchen table becomes your financial war room? Youve been conned, and the rest of us are being forced to pay for it too.In his first term, America got lucky. We skidded by on the seat of our pants, shielded somewhat by institutional guardrails and tried-and-true bureaucrats who still believed in checks and balances. This time, those guardrails are gone. Trump learned a few lessons during his first stint in power, and none of them are good for the American taxpayer. He learned which laws he can ignore, which watchdogs he can trash, and how easily his base can be distracted by rag and phony words like transgenderism while he drains our pockets. Every day, Trump pushes the envelope, testing how much he can get away with, how many billions he can extract, and how far he can bend the system before it snaps. And every day too, Trump supporters keep rationalizing his behavior, convincing themselves hes working for them as he picks their pockets. Across the country, No Kings rallies have begun to pop up, filled with millions of Americans who see whats happening. They are witnessing their taxes, their livelihoods, and their democracy being sacrificed for one mans vanity.Related: Massive No Kings rally in D.C. features LGBTQ+ rights advocates: 'This is my country too'And make no mistake, this will definitely get worse. When the bills come due, when grocery prices climb even higher, when the tariffs squeeze small businesses, when bankruptcies rise and jobs vanish, Trump wont be tightening his belt. No, hell be cashing in, laughing on your very last dollars.Stay tuned, because this is only Part One of the great Trump Taxpayer Heist.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.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has said the state will go after university professors who are supposedly "pushing leftist ideologies."The Republican recently celebrated an article about a University of Texas professor who said he was dismissed from his administrative post over "ideological differences," promising to continue the trend by targeting other educators in the state."Texas is targeting professors who are more focused on pushing leftist ideologies rather than preparing students to lead our nation," Abbott wrote in a post online over the weekend. "We must end indoctrination and return to education fundamentals at all levels of education."Abbott's comments come shortly after the University of Texas System, the largest public university system in the state, launched an audit into all of its courses for content related to transgender people and identity. Officials said that the review is being done to ensure compliance and alignment with applicable law and state and federal guidance, and to make sure any courses that are taught on U.T. campuses are aligned with the direction and priorities of the Board of Regents." The final results will be discussed at the Board of Regents meeting in November.A professor at Texas A&M University went viral last month when a student in her literature class objected to her correct statement that there are more than two genders, resulting in her being fired and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the head of the English department being removed from their administrative positions. The professor, Melissa McCoul, is currently appealing and considering her legal options.Texas does not ]have a law prohibiting educators from discussing race or LGBTQ+ identities in public universities, but it does have a "Don't Say Gay" law for grades K-12 that not only bans mentioning sexual orientation and gender identity in classrooms, but goes even further by completely outlawing LGBTQ+ student clubs.S.B. 12 states that "a school district or open-enrollment charter school may not authorize or sponsor a student club based on sexual orientation or gender identity." The law also bans all diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, which it incorrectly defines as "differential treatment" based on race.While Donald Trump has signed executive orders against DEI, and declaring that there are only two sexes and transgender people don't exist against medical and scientific consensus, these orders are not law and have been partially blocked by a federal court.Meanwhile, trans and nonbinary students in Texas are saying they have experienced increased intolerance and harassment as the state cracks down on instruction about gender, with individuals reporting new levels of personal mistreatment at the same time schools are cutting LGBTQ+ support programs.

On Halloween, partygoers are sure to see plenty of Glindas and Elphabas, lots of sexy cats, and, of course, classic movie monsters like Dracula, Jason, and The Babadook. This year, another icon is being added to that list: Weapons' deliciously deranged Aunt Gladys.See on InstagramOne of this year's hottest horror movies, Weapons, comes from writer/director Zach Creggor, and takes place in a suburban town where 17 children from a single third-grade class go mysteriously missing at 2:17 a.m.. The premise is terrifying enough, but when viewers meet the person responsible the witchy, wacky, and wicked Aunt Gladys (played brilliantly by Amy Madigan).Aunt Gladys is the latest horror villain to break through to become a cultural icon, with fan art, drag performances, cosplay, and even a custom Monster High doll based on the character.Gladys comes from the mind of Creggor, but it was special makeup effects designer Jason Collins, makeup department head Leo Satkovich, and hair department head Melizah Anguiano Wheat who brought her iconic wig and all to terrifying life.See on InstagramWheat says that seeing the character take off this way has been "badass" but also "an out-of-body experience.""And it hasn't slowed down. Stuff just keeps coming in," she adds. "Just the floodgates have opened, and they've never shut. And it is a beautiful thing."For Satkovich, one of the moments that cemented how big the character had gotten was when drag queen Morgan McMichaels dressed up as the character.McMichaels, who has previously performed in drag outfits inspired by horror icons from American Horror Story, The Craft, and The Nun, wasted no time emulating Gladys, complete with baby bangs, smeared lipstick, giant glasses, and all."I think the reward for me was Morgan McMichaels, the weekend [Weapons] came out, saying she's going to be the first drag queen to do the imitation," Satkovich notes. "And boy did she do it. Kudos, Morgan, when you read this."It's been a really surreal moment to see the drag community really embrace Gladys. And seeing the Night of 1000 Gladyses pop-up at local gay bars and gay bars all over the world. I try to share every flyer that I see," he says. "It's definitely wild. I can't believe she's been embraced so much by our community, but it's really cool."See on InstagramHe thinks drag queens glommed onto Gladys because she "is a unique character, first of all," he adds. "She's a very colorful character. She's a very campy character. And it's just something that is so out there and fun to recreate. So I'm not surprised, but I am definitely humbled."While designing Gladys, Collins didn't realize she'd become a camp icon, but now he says it "makes perfect sense.""During the time you're like, oh, this is creepy and that's creepy, and this will be this. But once you see everything as a totality, as a whole, you're like, yeah, I get it. That makes complete sense," he says. "But anytime you can have an impact on anybody watching something, let alone people that want to dress up as them or be them or know their motivations or see more to the story, that just means we've all done our job to the max that we could. And it's really inspiring, seeing that sort of take off and people's interpretation of what you've done."The team also has some tips for any queens or Halloween lovers who want to dress up as the character. They say putting your own spin on Gladys is the key to success."Just go big, go bold. You got to do it, don't be afraid," Satkovich says. "Take that bang a little shorter. Draw that eyebrow on a little wonkier. Just have fun with it.""Get that wig higher than you think you need to to expose the forehead," Collins adds."And make it a little crooked," Wheat chimes in. "And take lots of pictures."

Filipp and Danil fled Russia together, hand in hand. They escaped the same police who raided queer gatherings, the same mobs who outed and hunted gay men for sport. They thought America would mean safety the kind of safety you build a future around. Instead, the United States split them apart.When they crossed the border seeking asylum, one was granted protection. The other was sent to a cell.Filipp, 25, was granted asylum last year after months in detention. Today, he lives in Austin, Texas still rebuilding, still afraid, but free. His husband, Danil, 21, is detained in Georgia, awaiting yet another court date that may or may not happen. The judge has already failed to appear twice. The system that promised due process has become another form of punishment.They fled persecution in Russia only to find it here again this time wrapped in American paperwork and policy. When a judge told them their marriage was not enough evidence to prove their relationship, it wasnt just bureaucratic cruelty. It was the echo of every government that has refused to see LGBTQ+ love as legitimate, every border that has treated queer people as problems to solve instead of humans to protect.At Refuge America, we hear stories like this every week. Queer asylum seekers arrive with nothing but hope, only to discover that safety in the United States is a lottery. One wins protection; another is locked away not for a crime, but for daring to seek refuge together. Detention doesnt make America safer. It makes freedom conditional.Filipp and Danils story began in the shadows of Russias gay propaganda law a policy used to censor, jail, and erase LGBTQ+ people. When they escaped, they joined a small online network of Russian-speaking queer asylum seekers helping each other navigate Americas asylum process. That network led Filipp to our shelter system, where he now shares a small apartment with other refugees. He tries to help those still inside detention including his husband, still fighting for release after more than a year.Each hearing brings new humiliation. Danil has been transferred between facilities in three states. His requests to speak with Filipp are often denied. The same government that claims to defend family values has decided their marriage is irrelevant.Meanwhile, private companies profit from every day he remains locked up. Detention beds are paid for by taxpayers but filled by human beings whose only crime is crossing a border to survive. Every delay, every appeal, every missing judge adds profit to the ledger. This isnt protection. Its commodified cruelty.As someone who has sought asylum myself a gay man who fled Nigeria and spent time in U.S. detention I know what that cage feels like. I know how it crushes your faith in justice, how it teaches you that due process is often just a prettier name for waiting in pain. When America detains refugees, it doesnt just hold bodies; it holds potential, purpose, and love hostage.This case exposes the deep hypocrisy in our system. We celebrate Pride Month with rainbow flags on government buildings while queer refugees sit in isolation cells. We tweet #LoveIsLove while immigration judges dismiss same-sex marriages as insufficient proof. We tell the world to come here for freedom then we warehouse people in private prisons when they do.The U.S. asylum system was built to protect people fleeing persecution. It is now being weaponized to recreate it. ICE detention centers have become extensions of the same fear people are escaping places where identity is questioned, love is suspect, and dignity is optional.Filipp and Danil should be together. Thats not a radical statement. Its the bare minimum of humanity.We need immediate reforms that treat asylum seekers as people, not quotas. That means ending the detention of LGBTQ+ migrants, investing in community-based alternatives, and enforcing family unity policies. It means recognizing that the right to love and to live safely with the person you love is not negotiable.Refuge America was founded on a simple belief: that those who flee danger deserve refuge, not another round of persecution. Filipp and Danils story is not an exception. Its a mirror. It shows us what happens when a nation that once stood as a beacon of freedom decides some freedoms can wait.As Americans, we cannot claim to be a refuge while turning love into evidence and freedom into punishment. If one is free, both must be free.Until every refugee is safe, Americas promise remains unkept.Edafe Okporo is the founder of Refuge America and author of Asylum: A Memoir and Manifesto. He is a Nigerian-born human rights activist and asylee living in New York City. Edafe OkporoCourtesyVoices 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.

In the column Straight Nonsense, columnist Moises Mendez II takes a queer eye to the insanity of straight culture.My original idea for this column was to write about JUST the insanity of straight culture and completely remove queer people from the equation because, as an LGBTQ+ publication, if there's a queer angle, we'll most likely cover it elsewhere. And trust me, there was a lot of straight nonsense to go around this week, from President Donald Trump bulldozing an entire wing of the White House for his new ballroom to the Sombr concert drama. That's where a 25-year-old patron was essentially called chopped and unc because she couldn't get behind the brain-rot commentary during the show attended by tween fans. But I had an experience on Saturday that I can't stop thinking about, which was centered around queers, but still has to do with straight people. I need to get these thoughts off my chest.Straight people need to learn to read social cues and understand when they are not welcome in queer spaces. Growing up as queer person, most of us learned to read body language and facial expressions to know when we're not wanted. It's time straight people do the same. There are myriad instances of straight people invading LGBTQ+ spaces bachelorette parties, straight men going to gay bars for the sole purpose of hitting on women, and freshly 21-year-olds crashing our spaces "for the bit."Living in New York City, there's no shortage of parties, events, or bars that consider themselves queer spaces. I attended a party in Brooklyn called BearMilk, a monthly gathering of mostly Black and brown bears and their admirers, considered an underwear party with a darkroom. Gay bars in the city, mainly Manhattan (more specifically Hell's Kitchen and the West Village), cater to a much more white, conventionally attractive twink or muscular body type, meaning those are the usual attendees, and they (whether intentionally or not) rarely create a welcome environment for people who don't look like that. Oftentimes, I don't feel in community with these people. It was an issue for me until I entrenched myself in the bear community here in New York City.The more you go to these sorts of events, the more you'll see the same people and even start to make friends with some of the attendees and hosts. BearMilk is one of these events I frequent, so I feel protective of the space I've come to love. Not only are the patrons mainly husky people of color like me, but they are taking the space to be fully themselves. So it was a shock to the system when a group of young, seemingly straight college-aged people came into the space: two men, a tall blonde with a middle part and the bravado of a frat bro, and a meeker brunette man, who stayed close to their two female guests, also blonde and brunette. The foursome appeared uneasy and gawked at the attendees in their underwear as they made out with one another and danced without a care in the world.It felt like a violation. This group of young people, who looked like they belonged in the Lower East Side and whose names are probably Brad, Chad, and Jessica, fully realize that they are in a space that's not meant for them, but remain amidst the sea of dirty looks from the bears in attendance. It goes without saying that queer spaces are sacred, especially in today's political climate, on top of the fact that there are thousands of straight bars or activities where you, straight offenders, can spend your time. Still, you'd rather accost queer people of color with your presence in a space that they get to enjoy once a month, if that.I take issue with the idea that these people were still in attendance, no matter their stance on queer rights or who they plan to vote for in the upcoming mayoral election. I get it may be unfair to assume anything about these young people. But I want to go out to West Village bars without worrying about some guy who doesn't acknowledge my 6-foot-7-inch body, even as he's pressing his against mine while scrambling for a drink. Because to him, I don't exist. Why should I be so willing to share space with them in the spot where I feel most liberated and enjoy myself and my body when they have everywhere else?We can make arguments until our face turns blue about who belongs in what space, but I'd like to think of myself as a perceptive person. As I made my way past them the other night, I saw one of the young women point at a bear in a jockstrap, turn to her friend, and giggle, as if she had witnessed anything remotely funny. I bit my tongue and made my way to the bathroom, three tequila pineapples deep (which is the point of the night, where I am willing to talk to anyone), but the group of people irked my soul. It was clear they weren't there to dance with the other partiers or to let loose. They kept their jackets on, huddled up together in the middle of the dance floor, visibly uncomfortable, and unwilling to take the hint that they might not have been welcome. After they guzzled down their drinks, they finally left, and the weight of their discomfort (as well as that of many others) was lifted, and it was business as usual.Yes, there's the conversation that allies are welcome in queer havens, and I've seen a shirtless bear or two bring their girl friends for support. I welcome that fully. It's the intention with which you step into the space and the respect you show for the patrons around you. It was clear that one of the interloping guys wanted to stay "for the bit" (the one who got the drinks for the group), but the others did not. I spoke to some friends and other partiers that night, and the responses were mixed. One person had the same reaction I did when they walked in. "Are you lost?" I heard them say out loud behind me as we watched them enter. Where another patron a friend of mine who is a drag queen and didn't seem to mind said, "As long as they paid the cover, who cares?" I agree let's consider it a donation to the community, and we can sign off on that as their allyship for the weekend.But a real ally wouldn't completely ignore the social cues and insist on trying to fit themselves into this space just because they want to. Entitlement does not go far in the queer community, especially amongst the queer people of color who don't have the privilege of entitlement, especially in today's political landscape, where we can get snatched off the streets at any second. There is more than enough space for us to share with people who want to be in community, but don't pull a Trump force your way in and refuse to leave. When the patrons of an establishment for marginalized groups make it clear that this may not be the space for you, take the hint.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.

I once muted my culture to survive. I learned to live when I embraced every part of myself. by Tony Morrison This Filipino-American History Month, Im reflecting not just on who I am, but who Ive become. You see, who we are is a potent, yet precise mix of where we come from, and how [...]The post OP-ED: My Filipina Mother Taught Me to Blend In. My HIV Diagnosis Taught Me to Be Seen first appeared on GLAAD.

RuPauls Drag Race All Stars 5 winner Shea Coule has broken her silence on the departure of her three drag daughters: Kenzie Coule, Bambi Banks-Coule, and Khloe Coule, who are now, respectively, named Kenzie the Dragon, Bambi Banks, and Khloe Park.Mont X Change who competed with Shea in the all-winners season RuPauls Drag Race All Stars 7 asked Shea if she wanted to comment on her drag daughters departure from Maison Coule.I want to say this on camera, Mont prefaced. What I know of Shea Coule? Weve been friends for at least, five, six years now. I know you to be a generous, kind, and supportive person. Ive never been your drag daughter. Ive never lived in Chicago. But that is just my perspective on how Ive seen you interact with our other sisters and how Ive seen you be and get on with the world. So to seeing people come out and saying that you are a narcissist, youre doing all these things Thats just not the Shea Coule that I know.Shea started, I have had to learn and be at peace with the fact that you can have relationships with people, you can spend time with them, create memories, and have a very specific experience with them And they can be existing in a completely different reality than the one that youre in.One thing I do want to clear up, and make it perfectly clear: They did not drop the name. The name dropped them, Shea added. For me, it really just got to a point where I felt like the dynamics were just not They werent positive. They werent affirming, you know? It didnt feel safe. It didnt feel lovely. And I really, truly, from the bottom of my heart All I wanted to do was help the girls and be somebody that could be a mentor for them.Shea continued, I didnt have a drag mother. I didnt have somebody in my corner prior to Drag Race. Just, like, you know, pouring into me and helping me to be a better version of myself. And all I ever really wanted for them and from them was to show up and be their best selves and feel safe enough and comfortable enough with me to to know that I really did have their best interests at heart.After pausing for a second, Shea got into what she thinks is the main reason why this Coulexit happened. Im going to say the quiet part out loud, she began. I had a conversation with one of our drag sisters because she was friends with them prior to getting on the show and she was like, You know, they had painted a very specific picture of you to me. And I was like, Oh, really? And shes like, But then I got to know you. You are not what they said. I really do feel that they expected that because they had your name, that they It would be a fast track for them to get on Drag Race.For context, throughout 17 flagship seasons of Drag Race, Kenzie the Dragon, Khloe Park, and Bambi Banks have never been cast on Drag Race.So when it didnt happen for them, they began to resent me, Shea went on in the interview. And I really do think that that is true. I auditioned 5 times; it took me a long time. And I would try to give them advice on how I felt that they could improve on their audition process and things like that. But I dont know where we went left to where what I was trying to provide as critique was viewed as criticism. I was just trying to, you know, help a girl out. Like, Ive been through this. I want you to, you know, do well. I want you to succeed.The All Stars 5 winner reflected, Ultimately, its just like we grew apart. We got to a place where I was just like, I dont think that this is sustainable anymore. I just dont think that it is helpful or good for any of us to be in a situation where, you know, I dont feel comfortable with yall and yall feel comfortable with me.Mont asked, Is it being repair?Oh, it is, yeah, Shea replied. Theres no going back. And heres the thing: I wish them well. Like, I really do. I dont bear any ill will towards them. It was really hurtful to see the things that they were saying about me online. To be called a narcissist, and a bitch in psychosis You know? () And because I do go to therapy, we processed that. We learned. I have set them free to go on and be able to forge their own paths.Watch Shea Coules full episode on Mont Talks, hosted by Mont X Change, below.

Calling all creatures of the night West Hollywoods biggest and boldest Halloween tradition is back. The citys Halloween Carnaval returns for 2025, promising an unforgettable night of creativity, music, and celebration. Every year, Santa Monica Boulevard transforms into a glittering catwalk of fantasy and freedom, where drag queens, monsters, angels, and pop icons collide in the most fabulous way possible.And for the first time in years, Halloween night lands on a Friday, setting the stage for an entire weekend of WeHo-style magic, music, and mayhem. The West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval 2025 takes place Friday, October 31, from 6 PM to 11 PM, along Santa Monica Boulevard between N. Doheny Drive and N. La Cienega Boulevard. Admission is free, and the party stretches for more than a mile through the heart of the Rainbow District. A Celebration Decades in the Making Photo courtesy of the City of West Hollywood - Jon Viscott Since its debut in 1987, the West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval has grown from a neighborhood gathering into a global phenomenon. What started as a local street party has become a symbol of joy, freedom, and queer visibility a place where everyone can show up exactly as they are (or who they want to be for the night).Whether you come dressed as a vampire, a pop diva, or a six-foot-tall glittering alien, one things certain: theres no Halloween like West Hollywoods. The Only Place to Be on Halloween Photo courtesy of the City of West Hollywood - Jon Viscott From elaborate group ensembles to jaw-dropping solo looks, attendees go all out. The Carnaval embodies everything West Hollywood stands for: inclusivity, artistry, and unapologetic fun. And when the street party winds down, the city keeps the spirit alive all weekend long. Rooftop parties, bar takeovers, and costume balls pop up across WeHo, proving that Halloween here isnt just a night; its a full-blown celebration of self-expression.A Legendary Night Reimagined Photo courtesy of the City of West Hollywood - Jon Viscott Each year, West Hollywoods Halloween Carnaval transforms the city into a stage for creativity, pride, and pure spectacle. At the center of it all, the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and N. San Vicente Boulevard comes alive with live DJs, food trucks, and an endless sea of unforgettable costumes that turn WeHo into Hollywoods most dazzling dreamscape. Produced in partnership with Authentic Agency and longtime event producer Liam Lynch, the Carnaval continues a twelve-year tradition of blending entertainment, activism, and artistic freedom into one electric night of community and joy. Halloween Weekend in West Hollywood 2025 Lineup Photo courtesy of the City of West Hollywood - Jon Viscott West Hollywood Halloween CarnavalSanta Monica Boulevard between N. Doheny Dr. and N. La Cienega Blvd.The main event returns! Hundreds of thousands of costumed revelers take over Santa Monica Boulevard for one of the worlds largest Halloween celebrations. Expect live DJs, food trucks, and pure WeHo energy from 6 PM to 11 PM.Troubadour Halloween Party9081 Santa Monica Blvd.Pop into one of West Hollywoods most legendary venues for a free dance party featuring DJ Brown Mamba. Doors open at 7 PM, 21+.Haunted Hotel at Hotel Ziggy8462 W. Sunset Blvd.Hotel Ziggy transforms into a haunted playground with aerialists, DJs, and eerie installations. Walk the red carpet through a graveyard-themed entrance and party till late and if youre staying the night, you wont even need to call a rideshare.The London West Hollywood1020 N. San Vicente Blvd.Wicked Witches Afternoon Tea (Oct. 4Nov. 30) conjures enchanting sweets, savory bites, and cocktails inspired by Wicked Part 2 the perfect afternoon indulgence to kick off spooky season. Photo courtesy of the City of West Hollywood - Jon Viscott 1 Hotel West Hollywood 8490 Sunset Blvd. Brings autumn to life with The Flavor of Fall at Juniper Lounge & Garden (Oct.Nov.), offering harvest-inspired menus and cozy cocktails. Then head to Harriets Rooftop for Halloween in Wonderland (Oct. 30Nov. 2), where curious cocktails and enchanting surprises await under the stars.Skybar at Mondrian 8440 Sunset Blvd. Takes Halloween to new heights with a weekend of rooftop revelry. On Saturday, October 25, The Hustle: 70s Disco Halloween brings a glittering throwback vibe to the Sunset Strip, setting the mood for a week of celebration. The rooftop becomes the ultimate costume party in the sky, with top DJs, themed cocktails, and sweeping city views.La Bohme Masquerade Halloween Party 8400 Santa Monica Blvd. Indulge in a lavish evening of burlesque, fine dining, and mystery. Shows at 7:30 PM and 9 PM, followed by the Masquerade After Party from 10:30 PM to 1:30 AM featuring a live DJ, no cover, and plenty of sparkle beneath the chandeliers.Saturday, November 1: Deep House Halloween Da de los Muertos at Skybar Skybar at Mondrian, 8440 Sunset Blvd. Still have energy after Friday night? Keep your costume on and extend the celebration with Deep House Halloween: Da de los Muertos at Skybar. The Deep House Brunch crew brings their signature energy to a special late-night edition filled with hypnotic beats, dazzling visuals, and a $500 costume contest. Doors open at 9 PM, 21+. Close out the weekend surrounded by music, color, and community the perfect finale to Halloween in West Hollywood. Make It a Weekend Getaway Photo courtesy of the City of West Hollywood - Jon Viscott Why limit the fun to one night? Turn your Halloween celebration into a full West Hollywood experience by staying steps away from the action. From chic boutique hotels to legendary properties along the Sunset Strip, youll find the perfect base for your spooky-season escape. Book your stay directly through Visit West Hollywood to explore exclusive Halloween offers and packages.A huge shoutout to the City of West Hollywood for making this incredible community tradition possible year after year because no one throws a party quite like WeHo. Getting There: Tips for a Fun and Safe Night Photo courtesy of the City of West Hollywood - Jon Viscott We know its LA, so lets talk parking. Spots will be as rare as a vampires reflection, but the city has you covered. Visitors are encouraged to use ride-sharing services or free public transit. The WeHo Halloween Ride runs from 6 PM to 3 AM along Santa Monica Boulevard between N. La Brea Avenue and N. Kings Road, with select vehicles connecting to the Hollywood/Highland Metro Station until midnight.The City of West Hollywood reminds attendees:No alcohol or public drinking along the routeNo weapons, fireworks, or dronesClear plastic bags only (no backpacks or large cases)Leave children and pets at home, this event is for adultsIf you see something, say somethingDont let parking or logistics spoil your fun, just focus on the costumes, the music, and the memories waiting to be made. See You in WeHo Photo courtesy of the City of West Hollywood - Jon Viscott Grab your costume, charge your phone, and get ready for a Halloween experience thats part festival, part fashion show, and entirely unforgettable. Share your best looks with #wehohalloween, tag @wehocity and @visitweho, and join the celebration that continues to define Halloween in Los Angeles. What are you waiting for? Get your costume ready, call your crew, and book your stay now well see you on Santa Monica Boulevard! West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval 2025 Santa Monica Boulevard between N. Doheny Drive and N. La Cienega Boulevard Friday, October 31 | 6 PM11 PM visitwesthollywood.com/halloween-carnaval

RuPauls Drag Race All Stars 5 winner Shea Coule has broken her silence on the departure of her three drag daughters: Kenzie Coule, Bambi Banks-Coule, and Khloe Coule, who are now, respectively, named Kenzie the Dragon, Bambi Banks, and Khloe Park.Mont X Change who competed with Shea in the all-winners season RuPauls Drag Race All Stars 7 asked Shea if she wanted to comment on her drag daughters departure from Maison Coule.I want to say this on camera, Mont prefaced. What I know of Shea Coule? Weve been friends for at least, five, six years now. I know you to be a generous, kind, and supportive person. Ive never been your drag daughter. Ive never lived in Chicago. But that is just my perspective on how Ive seen you interact with our other sisters and how Ive seen you be and get on with the world. So to seeing people come out and saying that you are a narcissist, youre doing all these things Thats just not the Shea Coule that I know.Shea started, I have had to learn and be at peace with the fact that you can have relationships with people, you can spend time with them, create memories, and have a very specific experience with them And they can be existing in a completely different reality than the one that youre in.One thing I do want to clear up, and make it perfectly clear: They did not drop the name. The name dropped them, Shea added. For me, it really just got to a point where I felt like the dynamics were just not They werent positive. They werent affirming, you know? It didnt feel safe. It didnt feel lovely. And I really, truly, from the bottom of my heart All I wanted to do was help the girls and be somebody that could be a mentor for them.Shea continued, I didnt have a drag mother. I didnt have somebody in my corner prior to Drag Race. Just, like, you know, pouring into me and helping me to be a better version of myself. And all I ever really wanted for them and from them was to show up and be their best selves and feel safe enough and comfortable enough with me to to know that I really did have their best interests at heart.After pausing for a second, Shea got into what she thinks is the main reason why this Coulexit happened. Im going to say the quiet part out loud, she began. I had a conversation with one of our drag sisters because she was friends with them prior to getting on the show and she was like, You know, they had painted a very specific picture of you to me. And I was like, Oh, really? And shes like, But then I got to know you. You are not what they said. I really do feel that they expected that because they had your name, that they It would be a fast track for them to get on Drag Race.For context, throughout 17 flagship seasons of Drag Race, Kenzie the Dragon, Khloe Park, and Bambi Banks have never been cast on Drag Race.So when it didnt happen for them, they began to resent me, Shea went on in the interview. And I really do think that that is true. I auditioned 5 times; it took me a long time. And I would try to give them advice on how I felt that they could improve on their audition process and things like that. But I dont know where we went left to where what I was trying to provide as critique was viewed as criticism. I was just trying to, you know, help a girl out. Like, Ive been through this. I want you to, you know, do well. I want you to succeed.The All Stars 5 winner reflected, Ultimately, its just like we grew apart. We got to a place where I was just like, I dont think that this is sustainable anymore. I just dont think that it is helpful or good for any of us to be in a situation where, you know, I dont feel comfortable with yall and yall feel comfortable with me.Mont asked, Is it being repair?Oh, it is, yeah, Shea replied. Theres no going back. And heres the thing: I wish them well. Like, I really do. I dont bear any ill will towards them. It was really hurtful to see the things that they were saying about me online. To be called a narcissist, and a bitch in psychosis You know? () And because I do go to therapy, we processed that. We learned. I have set them free to go on and be able to forge their own paths.Watch Shea Coules full episode on Mont Talks, hosted by Mont X Change, below.

Happy Friday, Out readers!Are you tired of straight people taking up space in queer safe havens? Columnist Moises Mendez II addresses this problem in his latest edition of Straight Nonsense, where he "takes a queer eye to the insanity of straight culture."In the newest entry in the series, Moises recalls a recent night out at a Brooklyn party called BearMilk, a monthly underwear party for bears and the people who love them. Unfortunately, his safe space was invaded by a group of "young, seemingly straight college-aged people" who "appeared uneasy and gawked at the attendees in their underwear."It felt like a violation," he writes. "This group of young people, who looked like they belonged in the Lower East Side and whose names are probably Brad, Chad, and Jessica, fully realize that they are in a space that's not meant for them, but remain amidst the sea of dirty looks from the bears in attendance. It goes without saying that queer spaces are sacred, especially in today's political climate, on top of the fact that there are thousands of straight bars or activities where you, straight offenders, can spend your time. Still, you'd rather accost queer people of color with your presence in a space that they get to enjoy once a month, if that."This is the latest issue Moises has covered in his column. Other subjects include Kylie Jenner reheating her own nachos, AI "actress" Tilly Norwood, and former Try Guys star Ned Fulmer. Make sure you look out for future entries!Keep reading to find out the Gayest Song of the Week and all the best pop culture news.- Mey RudeCoulexit: Drag Races Shea Coule breaks silence on 3 drag daughters exitWeHos Halloween Carnaval is back for more magic and mayhemStraight Nonsense in our queer spaces? Take the hint and get outThis Russian gay couple deserves U.S. refuge, not persecution'Weapons' hair & makeup team talk creating a drag & Halloween icon in Aunt GladysCanadas Drag Race season 6: Meet the queens competing for Mother BrooViral hung smile meme has people guessing which hot male celebs are packingWhile prices rise, jobs fade, and a shutdown hurts, Trump bills us $20+ billion for his lavish expensesTexas will target professors 'pushing leftist ideologies,' Greg Abbott saysGuillermo del Toro adds maternal twist to classic Frankenstein taleGayest Song of the WeekTowa Bird's song "Your Girl" off the soundtrack for the Netflix series Nobody Wants This is our gayest song of the week!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!

With less than two weeks until election night, New York City mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani is the race's clear front-runner, with The New York Times reporting that he maintains a double-digit lead over the other candidates in the polls. With a few days left on the campaign trail, Mamdani's detractors are attempting to drum up any amount of sizable scrutiny against him. The New York Post published a story on Thursday stating that Mamdani's father, Mahmood, allegedly tried to silence an LGBTQ+ professor named Stella Nyanzi in 2016 by "padlocking her office, withholding her pay and pushing her out of his department at Makerere University" in Uganda. This, the Post alleges, was meant to keep her from teaching a queer African studies class, which he framed in the media as an attempt to "teach homosexuality to students," according to Nyanzi. The Post also reported that, Nyanzi, who is a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights in Uganda, stripped naked, taped her mouth shut, and chained herself to the university's doors in protest of Prof. Mamdani's actions. She told the outlet that she was "subjected to detention without trial, trumped-up charges, being put on a no-fly list, having her bank account frozen and an involuntary mental exam due to her protest against the university and the government."In 2020, Nyanzi reportedly sued the university and received a $32,200 settlement, although she alleges that she never received the salary withheld from her. Following the events, Nyanzi has remained a vocal critic of the country's leadership including its president, Yoweri Museveni, whom she described as being a puppeteer of Prof. Mamdani in her conversation with the Post. "The failure of Makerere University to protect me from further violation of my contract as a public servant and the failure to restrain and contain Prof. Mahmood Mamdani were instrumentalizations of dictator Yoweri Musevenis wife Janet Museveni," she said, referring to country's minister of education and sports. (@) And as of right now, Nyanzi said, she has no plans to return to Uganda after leaving for a writer-in-exile program run by PEN Germany until Museveni relinquishes power. "For me, as a queer African scholar, the criminalization of homosexual people (with a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison) makes it almost impossible for me to return to Uganda," she told the publicationIn July, mayoral candidate Mamdani drew criticism for appearing in a photo with Ugandas deputy prime minister, Rebecca Kadaga, who is said to be an advocate for criminalizing homosexuality in the country.

Are you ready for more Jennifer's Body?Director Karyn Kusama, who helmed the original 2009 film, revealed to Deadline this week that screenwriter Diablo Cody is currently writing a sequel to the beloved queer horror classic."I know she's working on it right now, and I'm very excited to hear what comes of it," Kusama said. "I know some of the bones of it, so I'm not going to give anything away, but it sounds fun and crazy like the first film."Of course, we hope stars Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried will return for the sequel, but we've also been thinking about who should play the next generation of high schoolers who get possessed and murdered.Here are seven queer actors we think would be perfect for a Jennifer's Body sequel!Hunter SchaferSee on InstagramEuphoria star Hunter Schafer established herself as a potential new scream queen in 2024's thrilling Cuckoo, and we'd love to see her explore the genre further. We could definitely see her as Needy's niece who is now in high school and must face off against sexy demons just like her aunt did!Auli'i CravalhoSee on InstagramWho should be the new demon-possessed "it girl"? How about Mean Girls star Aulii Cravalho? Between her roles in the remake of Tina Fey's beloved 2004 film and 2022's Crush, she's shown how well she plays a high school outsider, and we'd love to see what she can do if she goes full villain!Josie TotahSee on InstagramIn shows like Saved by the Bell and The Buccaneers, Totah plays some of our favorite young women on screen, and she'd add a great sense of comedy to the sequel. Can't you just hear her bringing to life Diablo Cody's dialogue with a expertly sarcastic tone?Joe LockeSee on InstagramIn the original film, Kyle Gallner and Johnny Simmons starred as some of Jennifer's targets. Heartstopper's Joe Locke would be perfect as a cute Gen Z boy who is eaten by a succubus.Devery JacobsSee on InstagramWe've loved Reservation Dogs star Devery Jacobs in everything we've seen her in, and watching her in a Jennifer's Body sequel would surely be the same. She'd be ideal for putting a new spin on Adam Brody's character from the original: a musician trying to make a deal with the devil.Aliyah's InterludeSee on InstagramPansexual rapper Aliyah's Interlude cracks us up every time she appears as a high schooler on FX's English Teacher, and her deadpan delivery would be perfect for the kind of snarky one-liners Cody is famous for!Jonathan BaileySee on InstagramOf course, every high school movie needs a hot teacher! Wicked star Jonathan Bailey would make the ultimate crush-worthy history instructor in his slutty little glasses. Too bad he would definitely get eaten!

Fans of Jennifer's Body just got a new gift in time for the Halloween season an update about the status of the sequel.The possibility of a sequel to the cult classic has only come up in recent years, as it has finally, finally, finally found its audience. But its been clear that the people behind the film would be hyped to bring it back to the big screen, and it sounds like screenwriter Diablo Cody is still quietly trying to make that happen.During a recent conversation with Deadline, Karyn Kusama, who directed the original 2009 film, mentioned that Cody is actively scripting its follow-up."I know shes working on it right now, and Im very excited to hear what comes of it," she said. "I know some of the bones of it, so Im not going to give anything away, but it sounds fun and crazy like the first film. And I have no doubt that Diablo will do something absolutely incredible with it."Cody herself has previously said that she's "not done with Jennifer's Body" and would love to do a sequel if she found financing. Amanda Seyfried, who starred in the film alongside Megan Fox, blurted out her belief that the sequel was, in fact, actually going to happen during the Toronto Film Festival earlier this year.She seemed to firm that up even further during Variety's "Actors on Actors" conversations a couple of months later, even asking Adam Brody (who also appeared in the film) if he was planning on coming back.When he pointed out that his character spoiler alert died in the original movie, Seyfried replied, "But so did Megan, and I'm not doing it without her."Kusama still being kept in the loop about the film offers hope that she would be back on board to direct. Cody is obviously scripting. Seyfried is bursting at the seams to make another movie, and there's simply no way they could do the whole thing without Fox. If we've got those four pillars of the Jennifer's Body universe, somebody needs to sacrifice a virgin to make sure the money's rolling in to make this happen ASAP.

Grindr took over Iron23 in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan for their second annual Pleasure Ball Halloween party. This year's theme was "The Garden of Otherworldly Delights." (Think sexy swamp creatures, mischievous mushrooms, and slutty animals.) And there was no shortage of chiseled abs in skimpy costumes and spooky, slutty vibes. The gathering attracted notable guests like musicians Ashnikko and Slayyyter, the latter of whom performed her electrifying new single, "Crank." Also in attendance: RuPaul's Drag Race alums Dawn, Luxx Noir London, and Aquaria, Grindr CEO George Arison, and the Scissor Sister's Jake Shears.Tristan Pineiro, senior vice president of brand marketing and communications at Grindr, spoke about the LGBTQ+ community's relationship with Halloween in the official press release for the event. "Halloweens never just been about one night for our community its part of who we are," he said. "Weve always identified with the camp, the drama, and the outsider energy it brings. Its a chance to transform, play, and show off a little or a lot. The Pleasure Ball brings all that energy into one room: a celebration of beauty, confidence and collective release. On this night, subtleties are definitely overrated.Wander into the Garden of Otherworldly Delights by taking a gander at some of the photos from last night's event.Arranged for Out.com by Nikki Aye, Digital Photo Editor

Gio Benitez finally faced the musicuh, his husband Tommy DiDarioin the Good Morning America Weekend hosts first long-form podcast interview ever.More than two years after launching his iHeart podcast series, I've Never Said This Before With Tommy DiDario, the time has come for DiDario to grill his own hubby with questions that perhaps he never discussed in public before.In this exclusive preview shared with Out (which you can watch at the top of this article), DiDario asks Benitez what he wouldve told himself, in his 20s, if. He could time-travel back to that period of his life.Its all going to be OK, Benitez replied without hesitation. You think about all the worries you have growing up You spend so much time in your head thinking about that. See on Instagram Benitez recalled how being in the closet was one of the hardest things he had to do throughout his life.For me, it was growing up gay and keeping that a secret. It was something I didnt talk to anyone about until I was 24 years old. You worry, Will that hold me back? Benitez mused. At the time, the message from society kind of was: Yeah it would.The GMA Weekend cohost added, We constantly have to talk to that little kid inside because they are there; they are a part of us. They were there through the most monumental parts of our lives, and theyre still there.Gio Benitezs full-length interview on iHearts Ive Never Said This Before with Tommy DiDario premieres this Tuesday, October 28, on iHeart and all other podcast streaming platforms. See on Instagram

Outsized poppies and a larger-than-life Glinda greet visitors at The Venetian Resort Waterfall Atrium in Las Vegas. The installation went live on August 28 and complements The Wizard of Oz at Sphere experience, where the beloved 1939 film is reimagined for the venues 240-foot-tall screen with immersive elements. For two short days in August, my colleague, friend, and fellow Wizard of Oz superfan, Out Editor in Chief Daniel Reynolds, and I skipped through the Sphere.Theres a sense of timelessness in the casino intended to enthrall visitors into never leaving. A colorful cast of Vegas characters and a Yellow Brick Road of sorts that leads visitors from the hotel, casino, and Oz-themed atrium to the Sphere without ever having to leave the building contributes to the theme. In its way, The Venetian is as dizzyingly wonderful as Dorothy landing in Munchkinland. Tracy E. Gilchrist admires the giant ruby slippers at the Spheres exterior.Tracy E. GilchristUpon arriving at the resort thats modeled after the canaled Italian city, Daniel turned to me and laughed, Girls trip! Indeed, we were friends on an adventure at the casino, replete with waterways and gondoliers belting Italian love songs the casinos inherent queerness and high camp on display as Thats Amore reverberated throughout its corridors. A night out at the resort began with cocktails at the speakeasy Close Company, where I paired the CC Old Fashioned made special with a bit of wildflower honey with a Margherita Pastry Pocket to tide me over before dinner. Next, we hit up Shin Lims Limitless close-up and grand illusion magic show at the Palazzo Theatre, just a dash across the casino from the speakeasy. An initial trick that involved the audience tearing cards and tossing them into the air had Daniel gobsmacked (though I had hoped to be invited onstage to be sawed in half). Later, dinner at Gjelina (The Venetian is Italian-themed, after all) had us sated and please save room for the sticky toffee pudding! A scene from 'The Wizard of Oz' at SphereSphere EntertainmentThe morning of The Wizard of Oz at Sphere premiere, we attended a press conference with a tour of the Spheres atrium, my favorite part of the Oz experience. There, I debated if I needed a ruby-red glittery baseball jacket that popped amid the myriad merchandise. Entering the atrium felt closest to Oz for me due to its re-creations of Professor Marvels dilapidated wagon, the Wizards curtain and control room, and his hot air balloon, not to mention the Flying Monkeys above. For the premiere, we Oz lovers dressed to the theme: I was in a black jumpsuit with ruby red boots and a massive poppy on my lapel, and Daniel in an emerald green Fenty robe that flapped wildly during the tornado that pelted us with leaves and gale-force winds. That evening and in the lead-up, we sang songs from the film, including The Lollipop Guild and The Merry Old Land of Oz, and conversed in a shorthand as lovers of the Judy Garland-led classic.The trip to Vegas and to Oz was a welcome reprieve from the daily news cycle. Time away in a fantasy land with a friend, swapping stories about how The Wizard of Oz. Professor Marvels balloon in the Sphere atriumSphere EntertainmentLearn more about The Wizard of Oz at Sphere at thesphere.com.This trip was funded in part by The Venetian Resort Las Vegas.This article is part of Out's Nov/Dec 2025 issue, which hits newsstands October 28. Support queer media and subscribe or download the issue now through Apple News, Zinio, Nook, or PressReader.

Welcome to another week, Out readers!As Halloween approaches, the gay parties are taking off! Hot Homo Halloween parties are raging across the country, from New York to Los Angeles, and we've got all the best photos!Grindr's Garden of Otherworldly Delights party took place in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. It featured musical guests Ashnikko and Slayyyter, as well as drag queens like Dawn, Luxx Noir London, and Aquaria.We've got all the best photos from the party, including all the faeries, satyrs, nymphs, swamp monsters, aliens, and other sexy creatures!Across the country in WeHo, another group of drag queens, monsters, ghosts, and gouls will be getting their sexy on this Friday at the West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval.The West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval started in 1987 and stretches for more than a mile through the heart of the gay haven on Santa Monica Boulevard. This year, there are events like DJs and food trucks, as well as plenty of parties and installations in bars and spaces throughout the neighborhood!What are your Halloween plans?Keep reading to find out our Man Crush Monday and the best pop culture news!- Mey RudeWe're off to see 'The Wizard of Oz at Sphere'!Gio Benitez explains why he stayed closeted until he was 24New Music Friday: Megan Thee Stallion, Demi Lovato, & Brandi Carlile7 queer actors who should star in 'Jennifer's Body 2''Jennifer's Body' director teases sequel is in the worksCoulexit: Drag Races Shea Coule breaks silence on 3 drag daughters exitWeHos Halloween Carnaval is back for more magic and mayhem36 sultry images from Grindr's Garden of Otherworldly DelightsMan Crush MondayWeapons special makeup effects designer Jason Collins and makeup department head Leo Satkovich, who designed the look for the evil Aunt Gladys in the movie, along with hair department head Melizah Anguiano Wheat, are our Man Crush Mondays!Check out our interview with them to learn about the impact the character has had on the drag world and some tips if you want to recreate the look!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!

Hailey Bieber has spoken: Some of the "most beautiful" people in the world are transgender, and she doesn't mind being compared to them at all.The model and businesswoman appeared on the podcast In Your Dreams with Owen Thiele late last week, when a wardrobe mishap led the two friends to discuss the criticism Bieber sometimes faces for her appearance.Bieber stopped mid-conversation to point out that her pants had bunched up around her crotch area, and Thiele joked, "Hailey, you're hard." Beiber then responded with a laugh, "The rumors are true!"When Thiele asked if people had accused her of having a penis, Bieber said she gets it from misguided bullies."When people are trying to be mean, they're like, 'She looks trans,' and I'm like, 'Why do you think that's a diss?'" she said. "As if being trans is a diss? Or, like, some of the most beautiful women in the world and men in the world are trans, so I just don't take that offensively at all."Bieber's comments mirror those of pop superstar Lady Gaga when she was asked in 2011 to address rumors she had a penis by Anderson Cooper on 60 Minutes."Maybe I do. Would it be so terrible?" she said in response to Cooper's line of questioning. "Why the hell am I going to waste my time and give a press release about whether or not I have a penis? My fans don't care, and neither do I."In 2024, Gaga stood by those comments in an interview with Variety, saying, "The reason why I didn't answer the question is because I didn't feel like a victim with that lie. I thought, 'What about a kid who is being accused of that, who would think that a public figure like me would feel shame?'"Transvestigating is "investigating" if a cisgender celebrity is secretly transgender by looking at their physical features, body language, and pseudoscience like phrenology and physiognomy. It's become increasingly popular in recent years, as trans-exclusionary radical feminism and anti-trans witch hunts have been on the rise and respect for people's privacy has severely decreased.French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, filed a defamation lawsuit this summer against right-wing commentator Candace Owens, after she allegedly spread rumors that the first lady is transgender and her husband is part of a CIA mind control experiment. A few months before that, some fringe voices on social media were even transvestigating Pope Leo XIV, pushing claims that he has a "bio female skull."

Hallmarks holiday magic just got even brighter and gayer with the return of Finding Mr. Christmas. The festive reality competition brings together ten charming contestants as they compete in a series of merry challenges to become the next Hallmark leading man. Hosted by GLAAD Ambassador, and Hallmark favorite Jonathan Bennett, the show celebrates love, laughter, [...]The post WATCH: Jonathan Bennett and Robbie Simpson Bring Holiday Sparkle and Queer Joy to Hallmarks Finding Mr. Christmas first appeared on GLAAD.

Whether its showing off her sexy hands or belting out The Story on stage while strumming her guitar, Brandi Carlile is constantly driving women wild.Even straight women start questioning their sexuality when shes around!But lately, shes had sapphics in a chokehold for a whole new reason: karaoke. Carlile sent queer women into a frenzy when she showed up at The Wildrose Bar, Seattles only lesbian bar and the oldest one still standing in the country, and surprised patrons with some impromptu karaoke singing. The 44-year-old lesbian country singer made everyones night when she got on stage and sang Reba McEntires Fancy.@brandicarlileCelebrating the release of my new album the only way anyone should - singing karaoke in a lesbian bar The TikTok video capturing the night was posted by Carlile with the caption, Celebrating the release of my new album with some karaoke at the Wildrose in Seattle. But whether this is a grassroots way to promote her new album Returning to Myself, or the 11x Grammy winner is just doing it for the love of karaoke, queer women are clearly benefiting.And this isnt the only time shes done this recently. Last month she had queer womens hearts in a vice when she showed up to Nashvilles lesbian bar, The Lipstick Lounge, and went viral for singing hits like The Chicks Goodbye Earl and Bonnie Tylers Total Eclipse of the Heart.And the queer women in the comments of her newest karaoke performance were clearly just as effected by her sexy singing. The ONE week I dont go to wildrose, on person commented, while another admitted, I would have perished.Someone else wrote, Brandis karaoke side quests keep popping up in my feed and I love it, and other women wished they hadnt missed out of seeing her live. Ill simply pass away if Im just chillin downtown one day and in walked Brandi. Love this for you all, one comment read, while another said, Gosh Brandiwe love you so darn hard in Seattle.

On Highway 90, between the shrimp boats and the neon of the casinos, there's a quiet kind of resistance. The type that pulses under dance floors, tucked behind unmarked doors. Gay bars on the Mississippi Gulf Coast don't wear their pride like big-city clubs. They don't have rainbow flags stretching across intersections or drag brunches advertised on billboards. They live low to the ground, out of sight but very much alive.They've had to. In places like Biloxi, Gulfport, and D'Iberville, being queer has never been entirely safe. But the bars? They were the closest thing to it.I remember my first gay bar like I remember my first kiss: dark, sweaty, full of fear yet still, somehow, holy. It was a place called Sipp's in Gulfport, wedged between a pawn shop and a seafood restaurant that closed after Katrina. I was nineteen and shaking. My friend Rachel had dragged me there with promises of karaoke and cheap beer. I didn't know who I was yet, but I knew I wanted to be in a room where men danced with men without apology, where drag queens called you "baby" with the weight of both insult and blessing.Inside, the music was too loud, the drinks too weak, and the air full of something electric. Something like freedom. There were older lesbians at the bar playing pool, a few kids from the local community college doing shots in a circle, and a queen named Miss Mahogany twirling on stage like she was auditioning for the very last chance to be seen.For those of us growing up queer in Mississippi, these places weren't just nightlife. They were sanctuaries. They were family reunions for people whose families no longer spoke to them.But even inside, the fear never entirely left. Everyone I knew had a code. We scanned parking lots before leaving. We never used real names with strangers. We whispered pronouns like secrets. Because we knew Mississippi didn't love us. Not really.And sometimes, it killed us.An hour from those coast bars, Mercedes Williamson was seventeen in 2015 when she was murdered in Lucedale. Her name wasn't in the headlines for long. Most papers called her a "teenager from Alabama," or simply "a murder victim." Some didn't mention she was transgender at all. Others deadnamed her, erasing her even in death.Her killer was Joshua Brandon Vallum, who belonged to the Latin Kings gang. He knew she was trans; they had been romantically involved. Vallum panicked when other gang members found out. He lured her into the woods, beat her with a hammer, then stabbed her to death. He later admitted he was afraid of what the gang would do to him.So instead, he did it to her.Mercedes was the first known victim whose murder was prosecuted under the federal Hate Crimes Prevention Act for a crime against a transgender person. That factthe "first"should shame us all. She lived just a county away from where I danced under strobe lights, thinking I was safe.There's a kind of grief that sits in your throat when you read stories like hers. Not because they're new, but because they aren't. Because every queer person in Mississippi carries a list. Whether we say it out loud or not, it's essential to be aware of their experiences. A mental roll call of names like Mercedes's. These are names that never made it to the memorials or the national news. Names said in whispers, or not at all.The bars tried to drown that grief in beats per minute and dollar shots. But it never left us.There was a drag show in her Mercedes's memory at a small club in Biloxi. Someone stapled her photo to the wall near the DJ booth. Miss Mahogany wore black that night and ended her set in tears, raising her arms toward the ceiling and saying: "This one's for the girls who don't get to finish becoming."The bars have shifted over the years. Just Us Lounge in Biloxi is still open. Joey's is gone. New bars open under new names with different rules, but the soul remains. Some are quieter now. But they still exist. Which, in Mississippi, is radical.Because the danger is still here, too.It's in the legislation that erases trans healthcare. It's in the preacher's sermon about "God's design." It's in the Facebook comment sections. It's in the boy at the bar who buys you a drink and asks, after you've smiled, if you're "one of the real ones."It's in the memory of Mercedes, and in the knowledge that justice, when it comes, is too late.Gay bars in Mississippi don't promise safety. They never did. What they offer is something more fragile and more powerful: presence. A room where people refuse to disappear. A place where being seen fully, glitteringly, and defiantly is the only requirement for entry.Sometimes I think of Mercedes walking into a bar like that. Ordering a cranberry vodka. Laughing. Requesting Beyonc on the jukebox. Telling someone her name. And I wonder how different the world might've been if someone had just listened. Believed her.Loved her loudly.I don't go out much these days. The bars are smaller. The music is louder than I remember. But sometimes, on a Friday night, I'll drive down Highway 90 and pass a bar with the rainbow light barely flickering above the door. And I think of all the people who made that possible. All the ones who didn't make it. And I'll whisper their names like a liturgy.Because we are still here. Because we still dance. Because sometimes, survival looks like a song you only sing in the dark, but you sing it anyway.And sometimes, that's enough.Mark Burr is a queer Korean American poet from Ocean Springs, Mississippi. 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.

It may come as a surprise to people living outside of the U.S. South that the majority of LGBTQ Americans reside in this region. Ask any LGBTQ person living in the coastal U.S. their thoughts about the experiences of queer people living in deep red states like Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi, and their reaction is [...]The post Inaugural Black Queer Visionaries Summit Charts Path To Safety and Liberation for LGBTQ Southerners first appeared on GLAAD.

Angus OBrien brings to life one of the funnest and most fascinating characters from Boots on Netflix, Hicks a chaotic and lovable recruit at the U.S. Marine Corps who enters the pantheon of iconically terrifying smirks in pop culture. Except, this devilish agent of chaos doesnt wear Prada just camo.In an interview, OBrien tells Out which reference points he had in mind while embodying Hicks, looks forward to exploring new things with Hicks in a potential second season of the series, and shares the inspiring journey that led him to this role. The actor also discusses meeting costar Miles Heizer (a complete soulmate), being one of five out gay actors on Boots, and his experience playing such a butch character like Hicks without losing sight of his gay as hell self. Hicks planting seeds of a conspiracy theory that hes built up in his own head while also gardening. /// Angus OBrien as Hick on Boots.Netflix Out: Boots is a big hit, and the online discourse is still pretty intense. I think its pretty remarkable that the show, the cast, and the crew, across the board, are all getting pretty good reviews. Whats it been like to experience a moment like this?Angus OBrien: I mean, it's a complete dream come true, thats the short answer. Something that was a little bit unique about this show is that it took so much longer for it to come out than it otherwise would have. We were sort of split up by the strike [led by SAG-AFTRA and WGA, opposing the AMPTP, in 2023]. For those of us who were there since the beginning, its felt like a really, really, really long journey.The longer you spend with something as your baby, the scarier it gets. Like, Oh my god, I hope people like it, because weve been spending so much time making it. Its a huge relief that people are enjoying it as much as they are.I know Max Parker and Miles Heizer were there from the start, whereas Sachin Bhatt and Jack Cameron Kay joined a bit later in the process. When did you become attached to Boots?I was there day-one with the rest of the series regular boys, which was two and a half years ago. Truly crazy. Looking back, watching the show, I really do feel like we all looked so much younger when we started, so its kind of nostalgic at the same time.Thats true. Everyone looks great, but its easy to spot some differences.Well, now we have all these luscious locks of hair as well. [Laughs.] Rocks, locks, and a framed full-frontal on the wall that we had to blur out. /// Angus OBrien via Instagram Story.Instagram (@angusobrien_) Thank you for addressing that matter. As a fellow baldy myself, this is a very important topic for me. What was it like to shave your head and do it along with everyone else in the project. Are you precious about your hair at all?No, not at all! I was really looking forward to it, actually, because I enjoy playing characters that are very different from who I am as a person. That physical transformation is something that you dont always get the opportunity to do. Its so fun, and exciting, to really dramatically switch up your look. I remember we were all very nervous and excited. It was a huge bonding experience for all of us.I also feel like, once my hair was shaved and I looked in the mirror, and then especially wearing the uniform I felt so much more connected to the character. It just felt so different from my own day-to-day; it made connecting with Hicks a lot easier.Like you were putting on Hicks drag.Totally. 100 percent.Out of the five out queer actors starring in the show Heizer, Parker, Bhatt, and Kay youre the only one playing a character who doesnt identify as queer, and is described as straight. I should admit that this didnt immediately click for me and I see some confusion among fans, too. But the storylines for Hicks just didnt relate to him identifying one way or another.I think a part of what that [confusion] was that so many of the publications used that picture of me and Miles shaving for the first few articles. Thats one of my favorite scenes I got to do. I love that scene! But theres definitely, rightly so, a homoerotic tension to that scene.But more than a display of Hickss sexuality, that scene is sort of showing A) He likes getting up in peoples business and making them uncomfortable; B) Those moments of unexpected intimacy in boot camp. You dont necessarily think of these fraternal sorts of intimacy that are displayed to each other. When I saw that in the script, I thought it was really exciting, because its just sort of those little unexpected moments that people blow up into a much bigger thing. Threatening? Titillating? Maybe both. /// Angus OBrien and Miles Heizer on Boots.Netflix The cast and crew of Boots is very passionate about the project, but everyone acknowledges that the waiting around was hard. Not it was anyones fault the strike, for instance, just placed a hiatus on Hollywood overall. But did you fear the show might not move forward? Were you surprised by any changes made as you resumed filming?We all sort of knew, going into it, that we were all going to be working every day which was abnormal. In most TV shows, youre popping in, doing your scenes, and then you have a couple of days off or whatever. But because we were all there every day, we all got very, very close.We kind of expected that, going into it. But I will say Yeah, a lot of the boys did have a lot of anxiety when we went away for the strike. We would be so devastated if the show just all of a sudden kind of went poof. We are very, very grateful and lucky that it didnt, because we know that happens all the time.Uh, yeah, to say the least. I could probably list, off the top of my head, a pretty long list of shows queer ones specifically that got canceled at the time. For many of them, it felt like the strike was a convenient excuse. I can totally see that.Yes, so many productions. We consider ourselves very, very lucky. But, just to that point All of us really relied on each other in those times where we were just spiraling from the stress of whats going to happen next. All we really had was each other.Trauma-bonding, low-key?Exactly. And Ill say, too: Miles [Heizer] and I are Thats my best friend in the entire world. Ive had cast friends before, and I love those kinds of relationships. But if there was anything surprising from the experience of shooting Boots: It was unexpected to meet someone that I do feel like is a complete soulmate of mine.Ive never had that experience on a job before. It made showing up to work every day so much fun. It made the times where we were all nervous, and spiraling, and scared, that much more bearable. We could sort of text each other and rely on each other. If I send you any of these, it means were besties. /// Angus OBrien and Miles Heizer in images shared on social media.Instagram (@younggoth); Jenny Anderson/Getty Images for Netflix; Instagram (@angusobrien_) A wise woman once that we, as gay people, we get to choose our family. The Boots cast had a handful, at least. And Ive seen the straight actors being just as comfortable with you guys joking, posing for photos, sharing compliments It should be the least we expect, but the bar is underground at this point.Oh, completely. To that point, Miles and I joke that it had been so long since we spent that much time with a majority straight group of people. Because my day to day, obviously, thats just not the case. [Laughs.] All of my close friends are queer.It was really interesting, and cool, because everyones sort of coming from different walks of life. It was also a helpful thing where I was like, Oh, these straight people they can hang! They like joking around. It was really nice to have everyone bonding together.What was your experience, personally, coming out?It was pretty straightforward. I came out in high school, to my friends first, then my mom, then my brother. I was very lucky. I grew up in Los Angeles, so my familys pretty liberal and progressive. I never Well, I guess I was still nervous, but I didnt think anything terrible was going to happen to me, by any means.Professionally, as an actor, was that coming-out process smooth, too?The way that it plays into my career was actually much more of a source of anxiety for me. I noticed that all the parts that my agents were sending me out for were straight characters. And, especially at the time, there were just no gay parts at all.Whatever they were sort of seeing as my preliminary type, they were sending me out for these more straight roles. And I was getting callbacks and booking some of those jobs. So I think, to them, they started seeing that as the viable lane for me to get my career started.I remember having a lot of anxieties on my first couple of sets. Its the classic gay actor thing, but its sort of exhausting to be so concerned with like, How am I supposed to act when the cameras arent rolling? If I were to be myself, how damaging for my career would that be? The more that I started to book those parts, the more comfortable I started feeling like, Okay, I know its not a fluke. I know I can do that now. Hicks offering some sketchy green drink to people like hes in Wicked or something. /// Angus OBrien as Hicks sharing a drink container with a green liquid to other recruits in the U.S. Marine Corps, as depicted on Boots.Netflix Oh my god, Angus! No, its not a fluke. Youre fantastic as Hicks. I dont think anyone can, or would even want to, dispute how great of a performance that is.Thank you. It kind of came a point, to me, where I was like: If I have to spend my career lying to myself and other people, I would rather just do something else.I love acting. Its so fun. But its not worth the deep shame and anxiety that comes with that. I feel very grateful that I get to bounce back and forth from these really interesting and sort of strange characters back to my gay as hell self. [Laughs.]OK, lets talk about that. As we discussed, youre the only out actor here playing a straight character. But Hicks is also, like, really butch?! There was scenes on this season that, on my first watch, I had a hard time figuring out whos who. And then I saw you on social media as a completely different person. As you said, your gay as hell self, thank gawd.Thats so fun about watching it back, too. The uniformity of us all being shaved bald and wearing the uniform. So there are moments I think intentionally so where youre like, Wait, whos who? You lose track. But I think thats how it is in boot camp: You get broken down to your most basic components.And yeah, that was a part of the joy for me too showing up to work, changing out of my clothes, taking off my earrings, taking off my bracelets [Laughs.] It was actually a huge relief to me after some really long, exhausting days. I just remember so dramatic [laughs] putting my earrings back in my ear and looking at myself in the mirror, and I was back to my regular self. Like, Ive been straight for too long today. I need to be gay again.Gay as hell self euphoria.Truly! Mama, kudos for being your gay as hell self. For serving. /// Angus OBrien via Instagram Stories.Instagram (@angusobrien_; @chrisjadkins) This being a queer-centered, ensemble-inclusive Netflix show set in a contained environment: Weve seen some people recall the character Suzanne Warren, a.k.a. Crazy Eyes, played by Uzo Aduba on Orange Is the New Black. Did you have any specific references for playing Hicks?For me, from a character perspective, Full Metal Jacket [Stanley Kubricks 1987 film about the U.S. Marines during the U.S.-Vietnam War] was something that a lot of the cast members watched. And, certainly for a character like Hicks, theres a lot of influence in that.But definitely, Crazy Eyes, I take that as such a huge compliment, because what an amazing performance that was. I feel that that reference was an inspiration for how that archetypal character fits within the context of the series, and shows that you actually really need characters like that to sort of break away from the intensity. I felt a responsibility to being the sort of relief from the more intense moments.From a character perspective, I really wanted to approach Hicks from a place of love and positivity. Theres a way of reading the character on the page and being like Hes a sociopath, and fucking crazy, and an asshole. Which, all of that can be true, but to me this is someone who sees the good in every situation hes in. He wants to have an amazing time. In his own weird way, he thinks hes bonding with these guys by stirring the pot.I feel like Hicks is so brave. Hes fearless in these kinds of situations that are very stressful. Yeah, theres the Full Metal Jacket crazy, but I really wanted to flesh out the parts of him that were almost like, in his own maniacal way, his desire to connect with these people.One of Hickss funniest scenes, for me, is one hes gardening with Slovacek (Kieron Moore), and Hicks is delivering this super-serious explanation of a conspiracy to Slovacek. And Hicks is so completely serious to the point of making fun of Slovacek for not knowing something. Your face journey in that scene is so funny.Yeah, me and Miles always joke that one of the funniest things a person can be is so dead-serious about something Like, all of a sudden, theyre just so earnest and serious about something. It can be so hilarious, especially for a character like Hicks. He takes the conspiracy so seriously; theres something kind of endearing about it. Hes not infallible. He almost falls for his own chaotic ideas sometimes.This type of character, who is a supporting comedic relief kind of thing, I wanted to be able to show variety in certain moments. One of my proudest moments showing that variety was in graduation, when we were getting our pins at the end of The Crucible [season finale]. There was a take where I wanted, for once, for Hicks to actually just enjoy the moment. In a character thats always bouncing off the walls and out there, it lets people in when you show that this guy can also be vulnerable and moved by things. I was grateful for that opportunity. Is it crazy that I kinda need him? via @most on Instagram /// Angus OBrien as Hicks on Boots, with graphics by @most on Instagram.Instagram (@most) Why do you think Hicks is drawn to the chaos? Does it always come from that place of wanting to have fun or trying to make connections with other people? Whats your take on this internal compass from Hicks?I want to hopefully explore more of these things in a second season, but to break down what I know and what Im allowed to talk about, backstory-wise is that the outside world was perhaps getting a little bit boring for him. With a person like Hicks, boredom can be a dangerous thing like, not a good thing. He wants to connect to people, but struggles to do so because of how he is.I think he considered boot camp to be the most kind of insane and challenging situation he could put himself in to have an exciting experience. So when hes pulling the strings and sort of stirring the pot, its his way of poking and prodding at people to see who he can connect with hes determining whos brave, whos funny, whos smart, whos interesting. He wants to be around people who are going to elicit the most exciting circumstances.And this is me completely standing up for my character and I always will but the scene where he ends up telling Ray the truth of the toilet paper thing: In my mind, he does that is because these two friends can either continue to exist in the lie of what is going on between them, or they can confront each other with the truth and grow as people.Hicks was just like, Thats what needs to happen next, so thats what Im going to make happen. And look, they got closer from it! It worked![OBriens screen freezes momentarily; he then re-appears on the call.]Sorry, my brother just tried to call me, so I had to hang up on him.I recently saw this cute post you shared, and I wanted to bring it up because this is always a pertinent subject in the LGBTQ+ community. You wrote that you and older brother accidentally have the same sober birthday. If youre comfortable, do you want talk about your journey with sobriety?Yeah, I would love to talk about it. I come from a family of addicts who are now sober. My childhood was always sort of I wanted to be the one who was the good kid because my family was addicts. So, the way that my drug abuse manifested was much later in my life, after [the COVID lockdown].I was fortunate because my family had already gotten sober by this time, and I was able to lean on them as support. I really needed to get sober, so I was grateful. And it completely changed my life. I mean, on my 30th day of sobriety, I found out that I booked this play, it was really miraculous how it all happened. I went straight from my month of sobriety into a really rigorous rehearsal process. I felt like the structure of it was really helpful for my sobriety, as I had to show up every day.And that play led straight into this TV show! It was one of those moments in sobriety where you just feel like everything is being revealed to you for the first time in your life now that youve actually done something for yourself.[OBrien starred in A Bright New Boise at Signature Theatre, revived as a dark comedy by Samuel D. Hunter and reviewed by Jackson McHenry for Vulture.] See on Instagram Looking ahead, youve recently worked on a couple of episodes for Elsbeth on CBS. Hows this post-Boots season 1 era going?Oh, its amazing. The cast and crew are so wonderful, so kind. Theyve just been really supportive. Coincidentally, one episode aired a few days after Boots came out, and then I just wrapped on another episode. Everyone was so congratulatory and supportive. The director of the episode that I just filmed with is an old friend of Greg Cope Whites, who wrote the memoir [The Pink Marine, which inspired Boots.] So she took a moment on set to be like, Everyone, Angus is in a top 10 Netflix show! Be sure to watch Boots on Netflix. I was just like, This is so surreal.Yeah, the director of an episode for a hit series on CBS doesnt have to do that. But she did.It was so kind and unexpected, and thats just a testament to what that set is. Everyone is so warm and so supportive. I hope to keep coming back, because its been so much fun.What other upcoming projects are you looking forward to?Theres a short film, which I recently filmed, that hopefully will be going to festivals: Im Gonna Kill You. It was fun because I got to play a gay guy for once! And I also got to have my first well, I dont want to spoil anything, but it was an experience of a lot of firsts for me, which is fun.Anything specific that you want to do next? More on-screen, more theater?I want to do both. The joke is that your screen acting job pays for your theater acting, which I think is true. I would love to keep doing both. But, aside from the medium, I just want to keep playing characters that are bizarre, and exciting, and unexpected And I hope that continues with Boots, and I hope that this leads to more opportunities where I get to keep having those sorts of roles.Boots is streaming on Netflix.

Who's been a good boy this year?The search for Hallmark's next leading man is back on as Finding Mr. Christmas returns for a cheerful second season.The show's host, Jonathan Bennett, is making the yuletide gay by introducing fans to ten sexy aspiring actors competing for the title of Mr. Christmas."I'm so excited to be back for this season! In season two, the hunks are hunkier and the Christmas challenges are even more insane. I put these boys in a harness! An acrobat harness... pigs, get your mind out of the gutter," Bennett tells PRIDE. See on Instagram It's no surprise that all of the contestants are extremely handsome and would fit perfectly in the Hallmark universe.Besides wholesome tasks like untangling Christmas lights or decorating sweaters, the men will even show off their sexy physiques in physical challenges throughout the season."We have a lot more skin this season and I think the viewers are going to be very receptive to that," Bennett says. "It's absolute TV magic! Hot guys in Christmas sweaters doing cute Christmas things. What more do you want America?"2025 has certainly been a challenging time across the board, so Bennett is hoping audiences can escape reality and embrace the holiday spirit by watching these hunks every week."It is escapism at its finest. We have LGBTQ+ representation on this show, and I love it. While everything's going backwards for the gay community, Hallmark keeps going forward."Finding Mr. Christmas premieres Monday night on Hallmark Channel. To see the full interview with Jonathan Bennett, check out the video at the top of the page.

Add these romantic gay films to your list.Gay romances and gay rom-coms, specifically are finally getting their well-deserved time in the spotlight, thanks in part to very popular films like Prime Videos Red, White & Royal Blue, among other exciting releases in recent years.If youve seen the film starring Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez as unlikely lovers, cant wait for the now-official Red, White & Royal Wedding sequel, and are searching for other gay rom-coms that are either similar or well worth a watch, here are suggestions to add to your queue ASAP.A Nice Indian BoyA Nice Indian Boy checks every single box when it comes to a fun, lighthearted, family-inclusive queer rom-com between two protagonists who may seem unlikely to become a couple And yet, these two are perfect for each other.Starring Karan Soni as Naveen Gavaskar and Jonathan Groff as Jay Kurundkar, A Nice Indian Boy is a great place to start on these recommendations.Call Me By Your NameThis should come as no surprise since Call Me By Your Name was one of the most popular and critically acclaimed films of 2017, but if you loved Red, White & Royal Blue, you'll love this one, too.The story follows Elio Perlman (Timothe Chalamet) who is vacationing with his family in Italy and falls for the 24-year-old graduate student Oliver (Armie Hammer) while working as an intern for Elios father. Directed by Luca Guadagnino, this is an emotional and poignant exploration of love and self-discovery that received a lot of acclaim for its performances and storytelling.The Wedding Banquet (2025)Andrew Ahns 2025 remake of The Wedding Banquet, starring Bowen Yang as Chris, Lily Gladstone as Lee, Kelly Marie Tran as Angela Chen, and Han Gi-chan as Min, is an absolute delight for rom-com fans. This beloved classic story also gets an exciting update without losing any of the core elements that made this story successful in the first place.The Thing About Harry2020's The Thing About Harry follows a similar enemies-to-lovers plot as Red, White & Royal Blue. High school enemies Sam Basjili (Jake Borelli) and Harry Turpin (Niko Terho) are forced to drive together to a friends engagement party that takes place on Valentines Day. Sam is a young gay man, whereas Harry used to be the popular jock back in the day.Upon finding out that Harry has come out of the closet, Sam interprets the occasion as an opportunity to seek out a relationship. The chemistry between the lead actors adds to its charm, and what some describe as cheesy rom-com formula is in full effect here to those who love the genre.BoysThe Dutch queer romance Jongens, translated to Boys in English, is an underrated film that follows Sieger (Gijs Blom) falling in love with Marc (Ko Zandvliet) over a summer holiday.The film takes the typical self-acceptance story and turns it into an incredible piece depicting internal struggles that features all-star performances and amazing direction. It showcases the pressures of coming to terms with sexuality and how influence can pressure ones surroundings, all while displaying the positive power of love.Love, SimonLove, Simon is a 2018 film that follows 17-year-old Simon Spier (Nick Robinson) on his quest for love, the only thing holding him back is his internal struggle with his identity. He begins an anonymous relationship online with another closeted classmate known as Blue.Overall, Love, Simon garnered praise for its representation of LGBTQ+ characters and helped increase visibility within mainstream cinema. The films success also led to a spin-off television series on Hulu called Love, Victor so, if you can't get enough when youre done with the film, theres an entire follow-up TV show out there for your binging needs.Fire IslandFire Island is a 2022 film following a group of friends, Noah (Joel Kim Booster), Howie (Bowen Yang), Luke (Matt Rogers), Keegan (Toms Matos), and Max (Torian Miller) who go to Fire Island to share a house with their house mother Erin (Margaret Cho).While on vacation, Howie meets Charlie (James Scully) and strikes a fancy for him. Noah takes it upon himself to play matchmaker. Along the way, he has his own escapades and finds himself in a love-hate with Will (Conrad Ricamora), and the drama that ensues is nothing short of entertaining.Handsome DevilHandsome Devil is a 2016 coming-of-age film set in an Irish boarding school following the unlikely budding friendship between Ned (Fionn OShea) and Connor (RWRBs very own Nicholas Galitzine).Directed by John Butler, Galitzine takes on the role of the schools all-star rugby player in this film, who grapples with his shared love of music with Ned. Although the relationship between Ned and Connor isnt exactly romantic, it still has similar tensions, payoffs, and evidences how opposites attract.Bros2022 was a huge year for gay rom-coms, and Bros was another major release that even received a theatrical release in actual movie theaters.The relationship between Aaron (Luke Macfarlane) and Bobby (Billy Eichner) is absolutely worth a watch if youre someone who loved Red, White & Royal Blue. The arc between Bobby and Aaron follows a similar enemies-to-lovers trope as most other rom-coms, and the brash and upfront nature in which many stereotypes are addressed (such as the struggles of gay men who are dating and attempting to have a monogamous relationship) was a hit-or-miss for certain audiences.Alex StrangeloveAlex Strangelove is a 2018 rom-com directed by Craig Johnson. It follows titular character Alex Strangelove (Daniel Doheny), a high schooler on a quest to lose his virginity to his girlfriend, Claire (Madeleine Weinstein). The problem? He meets the handsome and charming Elliott (Antonio Marziale), a gay kid from another side of town who sends him on a rollercoaster journey of figuring out his sexual identity.Without giving anything away, the film received generally positive reviews for its depiction of sexuality and, more importantly, how it shows that such urges during high school happen to all kinds of high schoolers straight or otherwise.Single All the WayAlthough more of a seasonal holiday film, Netflixs Single All the Way is absolutely a gay rom-com that hits all the right spots. The plot follows Peter (Michael Urie) who is tired of his familys constant pestering into his love life. He convinces his best friend Nick (Philemon Chambers) to pose as his boyfriend for the holiday season, but their plan goes awry when Peters family suspects their relationship is fake, though Nick discovers his feelings might not be fake after all.The film also stars the legendary actresses Kathy Najimy and Jennifer Coolidge and is the perfect gay rom-com for the holidays (or any time you need a heartwarming film).Glitter & Doom2024s Glitter & Doom tells the story of Glitter (Alex Diaz), a carefree circus performer, and Doom (Alan Cammish), a musician who finds himself struggling. After meeting each other and going on a bit of a journey together, these two characters fall in love to the sound of some incredible music by Indigo Girls.

On Sunday, celebrities, tastemakers, and one-of-a-kind talents descended on Hollywood for the fourth annual Vogue World, an extravagant celebration of art, culture, and style with a runway show at the center. This year's event took place on the Paramount lot in Los Angeles, in a nod to the evening's stated purpose honoring the ongoing dialogue between fashion and cinema and its chosen charity, the Entertainment Community Fund. To kick off the show which featured partnerships between acclaimed costume designers and fashion houses Nicole Kidman and director Baz Luhrmann put on a performance of Put the Blame on Mame from the Golden Age classic Gilda. Following behind them were actors, models, designers, and singers paying homage to films like Edward Scissorhands, Marie Antoinette, Annie Hall, Orlando, Black Panther, and Dune. On the sidelines, some of the biggest names in the entertainment biz looked on from directors chairs glowing amid the controlled chaos of the evening, until Luhrmann and the rest returned to take a bow.As would be expected, the crowd of onlookers and participants was littered with queer stars from across industries, showing off chic garments, intricate costumes, and one-of-a-kind designer ensembles. Below, we highlight some of the standout looks from LGBTQ+ attendees Vogue World: Hollywood.Arranged for Out.com by Nikki Aye, Digital Photo EditorMiley CyrusSitting in the front row next to model Hailey Bieber, pop icon Miley Cyrus stunned in a black leather, oversized ensemble from Saint Laurent that was paired with a glowing natural beauty look. Cynthia ErivoAmid gearing up for another grueling Wicked press tour, Cynthia Erivo somehow found the time to source vintage Dior on eBay for the event. The endlessly talented performer then wore the pale-blue, embroidered find from 1998 with a leather coat and towering silver heels to the show.Benito SkinnerSporting multihyphenate Rachel Sennott on his arm, Overcompensating writer and star Benito Skinner wore a pinstripe suit from American Gigolo designer Giorgio Armani.Ayo EdebiriBottoms and Bear breakout Ayo Edebiri was a walking homage to Old Hollywood glamour in a gold, fringe-filled design from Chanel's brand-new artistic director, Matthieu Blazy.Cara DelevingneDuring her walk down the runway in a stunning, snakeskin coat dress designed by Marc Jacobs, model Cara Delevingne stopped to flirtatiously graze Thats So True singer Gracie Abrams.Louisa JacobsonThe Gilded Age's Louisa Jacobson stepped into character in a reimagined version of Johnny Depp's costume from the beloved cult film Edward Scissorhands. The belted black ensemble was created by McQueens Sen McGirr, who put a romantic spin on Colleen Atwood's original design.Hunter SchaferEuphoria star Hunter Schafer ditched her usual floor-length gown for an original costume from 1992s Orlando, Sally Potters gender-bending drama starring Tilda Swinton.Alex ConsaniFresh off her latest appearance at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, model Alex Consani joyfully pranced down the runway in an Alessandro Michele design inspired by Orlando.Jeremy PopeReturning for his second appearance on the Vogue World runway, Inspection star Jeremy Pope looked like modern-day royalty in an intricate outfit from Off-White.Conan GrayMusician Conan Gray who's less candid about matters of the heart in real life than he is in songs walked the Paramount lot in a costume from A Complete UnknownDoja CatNever one to be upstaged, Doja Cat closed out the nights festivities with a performance of her song Gorgeous, which she delivered in a chain mail dress designed by Michael Schmidt, who pulled inspiration from Tina Turners iconic look in 1985s Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome.

As a Black trans woman, solo travel comes with more than just worrying if folks are pitying me for being alone at a bar. It often comes with anxiety and for good reason, as anti-trans rhetoric and legislation continue to infiltrate communities across the country. But it took a trip to Charlotte, North Carolina, for me to realize that solo travel may not only become a standard in my life but something I prefer. Author Marie-Adlina (bottom left) with new Charlotte Pride friends Ed, William, and StephMarie Adelina de la FerriereSadly, I wasnt prepared for the mid-August humidity. Arriving at the Courtyard by Marriott in downtown Charlotte, I was greeted by the friendly staff who quickly checked me in. I was equally greeted by the AC on high in the room as I settled in and peeled off my travel clothes. After taking a quick shower and applying my makeup, I was off to dinner at Spaghett, a cozy restaurant in Charlottes Fourth Ward. Tucked inside a historic mansion, I confirmed it was just dinner for one. Usually, if I dare to go out to a bar alone, I find myself staring at a screen to avoid potential onlookers.This time, I challenged myself to keep my phone down, except to take photos or videos of the experience. And Im glad I did. The meal was beyond succulent, the Spaghetti cocktail (a mixture of Miller High Life and Aperol) was surprisingly refreshing and one of the few times Id be caught drinking beer and I was lucky to have enjoyed a solo dinner for once. Later, I danced the night away while visiting one of Charlottes few queer bars, Chasers. The Spaghett CocktailJonathan Elyea/Unify VisualMy time in the city coincided with Charlotte Prides 25th anniversary. Fortunately, I had access to the VIP experience with an air-conditioned tent, though the journey there was excruciating in my Croc heels (I will never learn to pack properly!). The reward was mimosas and occasional smiles. But everyone seemed to be drawn to a trio of friends Stephanie, William, and Ed who were really enjoying their time.Stephanie (Steph for short) was a magnet for attendees, wearing a platinum blond wig, a rainbow-colored dress, and several pins that included affirming and cheeky sayings. Within an hour of her turning around and introducing herself, we became instant friends. We spent the weekend together, laughing and getting to know each other, and she helped me walk as I painfully but stoically managed to maintain my balance. Charlotte Pride 2025courtesy Charlotte PrideWe all experience a form of fear when it comes to trying something new. Choosing a new hair color, relocating to a new city, or trying a new dish. For me, it was the fear of solo traveling as a Black trans woman. But this trip was a reminder that fear is the greatest enemy of freedom and never let fear take hold of your flight destination. In the end, I had excellent food, fantastic memories, and a new set of fun nice mean Southerner friends to call on when this queen revisits the Queen City.This trip was funded by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.This article is part of Out's Nov/Dec 2025 issue, which hits newsstands October 28. Support queer media and subscribe or download the issue now through Apple News, Zinio, Nook, or PressReader.

Alexander Skarsgrd's highly anticipated BDSM rom-com Pillion is receiving widespread critical acclaim after its festival circuit run. The movie, which features male nudity, orgies, and various depictions of kink, casts the actor as a charismatic biker who develops a dom/sub relationship with a quiet, mild-mannered man played by Harry Melling. In an interview with Variety published around the time of the film's premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, Skarsgrd and director Harry Lighton revealed that there were a lot of sexually explicit moments in the original cut of the film that had to be removed."It was purely because I didnt want to push the audience into feeling they were being deliberately shocked by an image," Lighton told Variety. "So, for example, there was one close-up of a dick, a hard dick like down the barrel of the lens. And after watching the film on that fuck-off screen I thought, yeah, cutting it was probably the right decision!"Theres definitely a raunchier version of this movie. What youve seen is the family-friendly version. Theres also the Alexander Skarsgrd cut," Skarsgrd added. According to Variety, there is the possibility of more edits before it's released in the U.S. in February, with the director-writer Harry Lighton saying he had to "de-shine" some ejaculation, saying, "Apparently thats what pushes you over the edge!While the movie contains a lot of NSFW material, the team behind the movie maintains that the project is less about shock for shock's sake, but rather an endearing coming-of-age film about a young man learn about himself and this new world around him, which is what excited Melling about the character and the film."Whats so interesting about it, for me, was how it feels so relatable and familiar, but maybe dealing with a subculture that people arent so familiar with," the actor said. "It was how those two things interplay that I found so fascinating. You were taking romantic comedy tropes and subverting them.

These parents love their queer children!We love to see happy gay couples, and the only thing we love to see more is happy queer families!As generations get younger, they also tend to get queerer, and so it seems more queer kids are coming out than ever before.While it's great that queer children feel safe enough to come out, there are increased attacks on LGBTQ+ youth, and particularly trans youth from the Right, and these parents are standing up for their kids.As queer people, we know that few things are as important to mental and physical health than having a supportive family, and these famous parents prove that anyone can be a great parent to an LGBTQ+ child.Here are some of the famous parents of LGBTQ+ kids who inspire us to be the best we can be!David TennantDavid and Georgia Tennant are the proud parents of nonbinary child Doris, and are both outspoken about LGBTQ+ rights, and especially trans rights, in the U.K..David Tennant was recognized with the Celebrity Ally title at the 2024 British LGBT Awards, where he said, "I'm a little depressed by the fact that acknowledging that everyone has the right to be who they want to be and live their life how they want to live it as long as they're not hurting anybody else, should merit any kind of special award or special mention because it's common sense, isn't it? It is human decency. We shouldn't live in a world where that is worth remarking on."Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle UnionWade and Union have been shining examples of how to love and affirm your trans child. When their daughter Zaya came out as trans in 2020, Wade and Union immediately started speaking out in public for trans rights, showing support for their daughter, and spreading the love they have for her.As your father, my job isnt to create a version of myself or direct your future, Wade said in a speech at the NAACP Image Awards. My role is to be a facilitator to your hopes, your wishes, your dreams. Zaya, youve made me a better human, just simply by being who you were born to be, our baby girl, Zaya Wade.The family attended the 2024 Out100 party together.Charlize TheronTheron has been supporting her trans daughter since she was young. When her daughter was 7, Theron spoke publicly about her being a trans girl. Yes, I thought she was a boy, too. Until she looked at me when she was 3 years old and said: I am not a boy! Theron said to the Daily Mail. So there you go! I have two beautiful daughters, who, just like any parent, I want to protect and I want to see thrive. They were born who they are and exactly where in the world both of them get to find themselves as they grow up, and who they want to be, is not for me to decide.Ally SheedyThe Breakfast Club actress Ally Sheedy has been standing strong by her queer kid since he came out in his teens. Her son Beckett came out as queer when he was 15. I want him to be able to do what he wants to do with his life and have the freedom to make his own choices and surround himself with a loving, supportive community, she said. So far, hes been able to do that."I've learned a lot," she added. "Beck doesn't hide anything. And I feel very comfortable talking to anyone whose kid is just beginning the process of transition. Parents need to educate themselves. It's natural to have fears about your kids, no matter what. But in this case, Beck is in a really great place in his life. I give him the room to run, and I just really try to just watch.Robert De NiroAfter Robert De Niro's daughter Airyn came out recently as transgender, the famous actor was quick to support her."I loved and supported Aaron as my son, and now I love and support Airyn as my daughter. I don't know what the big deal is," he said to Variety. "I love all my children."In her coming out interview with Them, Airyn said, "Obviously, no parent is perfect, but I am grateful that both my parents agreed to keep me out of the limelight. They wanted it very private. They have told me they wanted me to have as much of a normal childhood as possible."Annette Beningand Warren BeattyThe two iconic actors are parents to a trans son, writer Stephen Ira. Over the last several years, Bening has become more public and vocal speaking on LGBTQ+ issues, and credits her son with inspiring her. My son is incredibly brilliant, Bening said about Ira. I mean, I have four amazing children, and I love all my kids. Stephen has always been a highly literary person. I just read his latest poem that was just published; wow, it is so extraordinary. Im so proud of him, and yes, he was in The Paris Review!What I would wish is for every person to have someone who is trans in their family because once somebody you love is trans, then you get it, Bening added.Busy PhillippsFreaks and Geeks and Cougartown star Busy Philipps opened up on her own podcast, Busy Philipps Is Doing Her Best, about her nonbinary child Birdie and how at first she struggled to use the correct pronouns for them. While Philipps said she was at first reluctant to talk about her queer child in public, Birdie encouraged her to. Since then, Philipps has been giving her child nothing but messages of support."It doesn't have to look like anything anybody has ever seen or anything that's ever been modeled for you, because maybe it doesn't exist," Philipps told her child about their gender. "You get to choose what will make you feel fulfilled and happy."CherChers trans son Chaz Bono is one of the most famous trans children of celebrities ever. While the legendary singer admitted that at first she struggled with correct pronouns and understanding her sons transition, she got on board, describing him as happier than ever after his transition.For the people who dont understand it I try to help them understand, by saying, you know, 'I just love being a woman so much, but if I woke up tomorrow and I was a man I couldnt function,'" she told the Sunday Times about how she learned to understand her son. "And thats the only way to describe it to someone who doesnt understand. Its hard to relate to, 'Oh, I must change my sex.' But I know if, by some miraculous something I woke up as a man, Id hate it so much I cant tell you.Jamie Lee Curtis and Christopher GuestOscar-winning actress Jamie Lee Curtis was named The Advocates Advocate of the Year in 2023 for her unwavering support of her trans daughter Ruby Guest. When accepting the award, she said I hope to teach them that this is what you do when you're a parent. You suit up and you show up with your heart open, your arms outstretched and your aim true. And your job is to tell the haters to back the fuck off."Cynthia NixonSex and the City star Cynthia Nixon is queer herself and proudly supports her transgender son Samuel Joseph Mozes. She announced that she has a trans child and supports him on Trans Day of Action in 2018. Im so proud of my son Samuel Joseph Mozes (called Seph) who graduated college this month, she said. I salute him and everyone else marking todays #TransDayofAction.Tori Spelling and Dean McDermottAlthough they are now divorced, McDermott and Spelling have raised two queer children together. McDermotts son and Spellings stepson Jack came out as gay at the age of 17, with Spelling saying, I was so proud of his confidence. He was who he was and he was proud of it.McDermott also announced that their child Liam identifies as trans when he was promoting the movie My Fake Boyfriend. The thing I love about this movie is I got to share it with my 15-year-old who identifies as trans and my gay son, he said. I love that they get a safe space to come and watch this.Eugene LevyEugene Levy is a legend of comedy, starring in everything from American Pie to Best in Show to SCTV to, of course, Schitts Creek. But hes also a terrific dad to his gay son Dan Levy. Together, the two created Schitts Creek, where Eugene played Dans supportive father.In a speech for GLAAD, Dan Levy thanked his parents and family for supporting him when he came out. "I was lucky enough to have a family that supported me fiercely and unconditionally when I needed it the most, when I came out at 18, he said.Colin MochrieMochrie, a canadian actor and comedian largely known for starring in Whose Line Is It Anyway is fully supportive of his trans daughter Kinley. When Mochrie posted on Facebook celebrating his daughters birthday and transphobes replied with hateful comments, Mochrie replied To the trolls, my thoughts and prayers to your body for losing its mind and soul so tragically. Burn.Jennifer LopezSuperstar singer and actor Jennifer Lopez has shown support for her child Emme, including when the two performed together at the L.A. Dodgers Foundations Blue Diamond Gala.I ask them to sing with me all the time, but they wont. So this is a very special occasion, Lopez said about Emme, whos father is Marc Anthony. They are very, very busy. Booked. And pricey! It costs me when they come out. Emme performed while holding a rainbow mic.Liev Shreiber and Naomi WattsShreiber and Watts are no longer married, but together, they support their trans daughter Kai. In 2022 for Kais 14th birthday, the two stars shared their love for her on Instagram. Shreiber shared a picture of the family saying Happy birthday, beautiful Kai Kai. Watts also shared a picture with her daughter, captioning it: My darling Kai. Happy birthday to you! Your fierce talent, sharp mind, hilarious wit and gentle soul fills my heart every day. And 14 today! So fast! Im beyond proud to be your mum. Keep leaping into the world with strength and grace.Magic JohnsonNBA legend Magic Johnson fully supports his gay son EJ Johnson. The 65-year-old, who first shared his HIV diagnosis with the public 32 years ago, recently spoke out about his love for his son while accepting the Elizabeth Taylor Commitment to End AIDS Award.After thanking his wife Cookie, he talked about EJ. And I just want to thank you because now we support our unbelievable son, EJ, who is a beautiful gay man, he said. Stand on up, EJ. The fabulous EJ, stand on up.Marcia Gay HardenOscar-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden doesn't just have one queer child, she has three! At a Drag Isnt Dangerous telethon in 2023, she revealed why she supports LGBTQ+ equality.What drives me is because its right and whats happening right now is wrong, she said. What drives me is my children are all queer. My eldest child is nonbinary. My son is gay. My youngest is fluid. And you know, they are my kids and they teach me every day.SadeSade, one of the greatest singers of all time, is also a great mother to her trans son Izaak Theo Adu. In a 2019 Instagram post, Izaak thanked his mom for always being there for him during his transition. Thank you for staying by my side these past 6 months Mumma, he said. Thank you for fighting with me to complete the man I am. Thank you for your encouragement when things are hard, for the love you give me.Marlon WayansMarlon Wayans recently announced that he has a transgender child, and that his next comedy special will be focused on his relationship with them. And so I talk about the transition. Not their transition, but my transition as a parent going from ignorance and denial to complete unconditional love and acceptance, he said about the upcoming special. I think theres a lot of parents out there that need to have that message, and I know. Im dealing with it. It was a very painful situation for me. But, man, its one of the best, funniest hours I could possibly imagine.Sally FieldIconic actress Sally Field has supported her gay son Sam for over a decade. In 2016, she had advice for other parents of gay children. "Don't be frightened, don't put your own prejudices or fears about sexuality on your children," she said. "Sexuality is a human glorious part of existence and in Sam's case, certainly nature told him what to do, it wasn't something he looked to be. And he found it difficult to grapple with what nature had said you are.""It's not against nature if nature has actually done this," she added. "Sam was always Sam - this wonderful human that he is - from the time he was born."Sigourney WeaverThe Alien star revealed that their only child Char is nonbinary in 2022, saying that being a mom is absolutely the most important thing in her life. They are nonbinary. They teach at Columbia, digital storytelling, bots, misinformation, they are someone who is excited about AI and not frightened about it, Weaver said about Char. They were not at all interested in doing what I do. That made my husband and me very happy.Alex Consani from popculturechatAlex Consani took some time during the Vogue World: Hollywood 2025 event and posed for photos with her parents. The pictures immediately went viral for a very sweet reason: Consanis father proudly posing by her side with a Protect the Dolls T-shirt.In an interview with The Cut, Consani explained how she grew up with a younger brother and her parents though she hilariously wasn't able to recall what they did for work. Overall, Consani described her mother as a Slavic European diva whos worked in water conservation, adding that her father has worked for Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Elon Musk, CEO of the social media platform X, ex-Trump confidant, and founder of xAI, announced the launch of Grokipedia version 0.1 this week. The supposed competitor to the long-standing nonprofit website Wikipedia is AI-generated, and users have already flagged multiple pages that push far-right myths, including anti-LGBTQ+ disinformation.Wikipedias knowledge is and always will be human, a spokesperson for the Wikimedia Foundation, which operates Wikipedia, told The Verge. Through open collaboration and consensus, people from all backgrounds build a neutral, living record of human understanding one that reflects our diversity and collective curiosity. This human-created knowledge is what AI companies rely on to generate content; even Grokipedia needs Wikipedia to exist. Related Elon Musks campaign against trans-inclusive cartoon inspires scary threats against creator Grokipedia appears to be an evolution of xAIs chatbot, Grok. The AI has reportedly responded with racist and incorrect answers before, sometimes praising Nazis. In some instances, it has called Musk the top misinformation spreader, called the president a notorious criminal, and was condemned by Musk after it accurately highlighted violence from MAGA supporters. In instances when Grok has responded with views he dislikes, Musk has had the answers rewritten to fix them, for example, changing the biggest threat to Western civilization from misinformation and disinformation to demographic collapse from sub-replacement fertility rates (a claim that ties into Musks pro-eugenics views). Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Originally announced in September, Musk touted Grokipedia as a massive improvement over Wikipedia and a necessary step towards the xAI goal of understanding the Universe. However, the claim that it is an improvement over Wikipedia has been called into question because many of Grokipedias pages appear to be copied and pasted from Wikipedia itself.The Grokipedia page for cake is identical to Wikipedias own page, except for formatting. At the end of Grokipedias page, there is a disclaimer stating that The content is adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License.The pages where that Wikipedia disclaimer appears to be missing and where the most new content can be found are those related to Elon Musk, his businesses, and the political issues currently discussed. That might explain a post from last week in which Musk said they were delaying the Grokipedia v0.1 launch so they could purge out the propaganda. Postponing Grokipedia v0.1 launch to end of week. We need to do more work to purge out the propaganda. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 20, 2025Grokipedias page on Transgender includes a section titled Human Sexual Dimorphism and Immutability, which defines gender entirely through a bodys ability to create either sperm or eggs and by using oversimplified biology around XX and XY chromosomes. It also claims that these identities are immutable, leaving no room for the many forms of gender and sex diversity, including intersex people. Much of this is directly in line with the presidents executive order on gender, which claimed there were only two sexes.Grokipedias Transgender Health Care page (which you are directed to if you search for gender-affirming care) includes a proliferation of debunked rapid-onset gender dysphoria (ROGD) theories, as well as inaccurate claims that trans identities often emerge following social contagion, which is preceded by mental health deterioration in 57% of instances. Pages on trans issues, including one pushing false claims around detransition, regularly cite statistics that are not supported by the studies they link to, or cite studies that use reasonable sample groups.The page for the Stonewall Riots plays down the significance of the events at the Stonewall Inn that were pivotal to the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement. Meanwhile, it highlights the mafias ownership of the establishment in a way clearly intended to draw false connections: The mafias exploitative role underscores that the venue was no bastion of community purity but a profit-driven enterprise amid broader criminal control of gay nightlife. Grokipedia also spreads disinformation about HIV, including a page entitled HIV/AIDS skepticism that says that theres a scientific critique of the idea that HIV causes AIDS. Wikipedias equivalent page is entitled HIV/AIDS denialism, and it correctly states that it is a belief, despite evidence to the contrary, that thehuman immunodeficiency virus(HIV) does not causeacquired immune deficiency syndrome(AIDS).In other instances, Grokipedias coverage of a topic tends to present issues in a light clearly intended to provide political bias. A page on the White Houses East Wing is keen to highlight support for the destruction and suggest that there has been no disruption caused by it.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Donald Trump is taking the United States steaming towards a full authoritarian state, and now like-minded leaders are rising across the world, as far-right political movements spread like a virus. If the United States can turn from claiming to be a bastion of free speech, liberty, and justice for all to a nation of secret police where #YesKings can seem like a reasonable response to protest, then why cant it happen everywhere else?Trump has been a significant political figure over the last decade, and far-right movements have been mimicking his style to one degree or another during that time. Argentina elected a right-wing populist president in 2023. Le Pens National Rally in France has made huge gains. Giorgia Meloni leads a right-wing conservative coalition, Fratelli dItalia, in Italy. Other right-wing populists have been elected across Europe, and where theyre not winning elections, theyve still made huge gains at the polls. Even Germany, who have a strong memory for the horrors of the Nazis, has been fighting against their own new fascist party. Related Can Democrats come up with a Project 2029 to rebuild democracy after Trump? While some of this global movement might be the result of backlash to shared traits across the countries, Trumps playbook, from villainizing migrants and LGBTQ+ people to lying about his own personal history, has been picked up globally. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the United Kingdom.In the U.K., Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson was often named Britains answer to Trump. He played himself off as a goofy celebrity who might not always know what he was doing, while orchestrating massive harm to the country behind that faade. He was a major figure in the Brexit movement, built his own Trump-like mythos on lies, and presided over a wealth of scandals before resigning due to a lack of confidence in him from his own party. Dive deeper every day Join our newsletter for thought-provoking commentary that goes beyond the surface of LGBTQ+ issues Subscribe to our Newsletter today The Tories managed to hold onto power in the U.K. for some time while channeling Trumpian ideals, but with no strong individual leader with a cult of personality behind them, the party crumbled and lost dramatically in the 2024 general election.That Trumpian experiment in U.K. politics might have failed, but rather than taking the lesson that they needed to move away from this right-wing rhetoric, a wealth of politicians have sought to double down and this time, do it right. The new British Trumpian experiment is the Reform Party. Once barely holding any power at all, the Reform Party is the latest iteration of a right-wing party that has traded under different names and has tried to make headway for years with a Britain First approach that tries to hide its racism. What was once UKIP (the U.K. Independence Party) morphed into the Brexit Party and then Reform.The now-leader of Reform, Nigel Farage, served as leader of UKIP and has stepped in and out of leadership roles over the last three decades, depending on which way the wind blows. A wealthy individual, he has been eager to cast himself as a man of the people, drinking pints in pubs in full farmer-garb. He knows how to work the cult and the disenfranchised into an angry mob. Now hes leaned so hard into Trump-approved policies that it might not be surprising to learn that the Heritage Foundation is lauding his actions, and hes trying to get into bed with the Alliance Defending Freedom.He wants to abolish Indefinite Leave to Remain, which is part of the process to achieve citizenship, wants to send asylum seekers to dangerous countries, and rages against illegal immigration and the small boats problem. Its worth noting that the U.K. has very little illegal immigration, with most immigrants being students and those on work visas. The small boats problem was created by the lack of forethought behind Brexit, which Farage pushed for. Reforms manifesto and claims from the partys members are also rife with anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric that echoes Trumps speeches and Project 2025. They want to ban the flying of Pride flags from government buildings, with one member calling it a f**king degenerate flag. The manifesto also complains about woke ideology and claims that transgender indoctrination is causing irreversible harm to children. They also call for a ban on transgender ideology from schools (using the same terms as Trumps Project 2025) and condemn social media platforms that allow information on baseless transgender ideology and divisive Critical Race theory. (Presumably JK Rowling will endorse them any day now.)While pushing Trumpian hate, Farage is trying to distract the country with nationalist activism. Farage has been a major proponent of a flag-waving campaign, pushing people to fly the Union Jack and St. Georges Cross throughout towns. While the supposed motivation is to remind the government that disenfranchised British people still exist, its truly just a mask for suggesting that all problems in the country are the fault of immigrants and that white people arent getting enough preferential treatment.Id say its all one step short of saying theyre eating the dogs, but Farage has twisted that gem with a claim that immigrants are eating the swans (in the U.K., swans are legally protected and property of the monarchy through a historical law). Farage even has his own Trumpian scandals and avoidance tactics, as he has come under fire for possible tax-dodging schemes, been questioned about whether he really owned the home in his constituency he claimed to, and has threatened to sue anyone who talks about such scandals.And of course, even if Farage and his Trump mask dont gain more power with these tactics, theyre still causing a shift in U.K. politics. Keir Starmer, the current prime minister, and the Labour Party he represents, have come under fire repeatedly for trying to out-Reform Reform as they attempt to court far right voters rather than support the center-left policies they campaigned on.The U.K. is just one crucial example of how much damage the Trump virus is doing to the planet. With his success as a model for the far-right around the globe, that damage is going to grow worse and worse. If he succeeds in his authoritarian push, it wont just be the U.S. and its trade partners that suffer, but the whole world.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

E Jean Carroll, who won her lawsuit against Donald Trump in 2023 when a jury found him liable for sexually abusing her and defaming her and awarded her $5 million, explained one of the big reasons she thinks she won: Trump is just really unlikeable in person.I dont understand how people can be afraid of a fat, elderly man who wears apricot makeup, his hair done up likeTippi Hedrenin The Birds, and sits in a courtroom and moans and groans and complains and snorts, Carroll told The Daily Beast Podcast. Related Donald Trump accused of acting like cartoonish villain & guiltiest man alive in defamation trial She explained that Trump sat in the courtroom scowling and squirming during the trial, and the jury noticed. They were mesmerized, you have never seen anything like it.He never sat still, and he talked the entire time within earshot of the jury, Carroll said. He belittledAlina Habba, his own attorney. He would spit as he was talking. He didntsmellso good. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Carroll also talked about how Trump left the courtroom during closing arguments when her lawyer, out attorney Roberta Kaplan, was asking the jury how much it would take to make him stop.He stood up with steam coming off his back and hot air blowing out his ears, Carroll recounted. She drove him so crazy, he stood up in the courtroom and left. When a man is innocent, he doesnt storm out of a courtroom. He stays and fights. He turned tail and stormed out of the courtroom. He lost right at that second. He couldnt have looked more guilty.When she found out that the jury believed her story and ruled in her favor, she felt like Peter Pan who flies around the ceilings, and quite frankly, Ive never come down from that. That win was so enormous and so powerful, not for me, not for Robbie, but for everybody in the country who had sort of lost hope that he could ever be beaten.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

A suspect is in custody after a gay-owned ice cream shop was attacked twice by Molotov cocktails in 24 hours. While police have not confirmed a motive, Fletchers Ice Cream and Cafe in Minneapolis has a massive Pride flag hanging above its door and is known in the community for its inclusive environment. It is also on the same block as the home of Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party, though its unclear whether the suspect knew that. Related Police hunt for queerphobe who publicly attacked woman with a chair When its your neighborhood, when its your block, it hits different, Frey told Fox 9. The suspect, 30-year-old Firomsa Ahmed Umar, allegedly threw one Molotov cocktail through the window of the shop on the evening of October 19 and the afternoon of October 20. The shop was closed during both incidents. Fletcher told KTTC that employees had only left six minutes before the first attack took place, which led to some chairs catching fire and members of the neighboring business putting it out. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The second time, the wick fell out, and the flames did not reach the store. @fox9mn A Fridley man faces arson charges after authorities believe he threw a Molotov cocktail-style explosive at an ice cream shop in northeast Minneapolis twice. Firomsa Ahmed Umar, 30, is charged with two counts of first-degree arson after alleged attacks that occurred on Oct. 19 and 20. According to multiple witnesses, Umar was seen lighting, then throwing, the explosive devices, then fleeing the scene in a Honda Odyssey. Charges state that observers were able to record his license plate. Neighbors in northeast Minneapolis are planning a rally to support Fletchers Ice Cream on Thursday evening, demonstrating the communitys commitment to standing by the beloved ice cream shop. original sound FOX 9 | KMSP FOX 9 | KMSP But owner Jason Fletcher wont be scared off, especially considering the outpouring of support he has seen from the community. I believe in my heart that Minneapolis is a really amazing place to be, he said. I believe that this city has my heart, and I am so so grateful for all of this support. Fletcher said the attacks have given him an opportunity to spread peace and love.Im not going to be in a closet, and I dont think any queer-owned business should be. I think its really important we stand up for ourselves.Umar has been charged with two counts of first-degree arson, and according to ABC 5, the penalty may be more severe because Fletchers shares space with a residential building. City Council Member Jason Chavez condemned the attack on social media. At a time when marginalized communities are being even more targeted than has always been the case, it is important that we as a city condemn this behavior, Chavez wrote. We must also reaffirm our commitment to equality and the safety of our LGBTQIA+ neighbors.Until a motive is confirmed, Fletcher told KTTC he is not drawing any conclusions. The obvious answer is, oh, our flag, but I would like to think that its not. I would like to think that people appreciate the fact that we support everybody. Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg leads the 2028 Democratic presidential primary field, according to a new poll of New Hampshire voters.The Granite State Poll, conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center earlier this month, asked likely Democratic primary voters about a list of potential candidates, including Buttigieg, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), California Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Vice President Kamala Harris, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. Related Pete Buttigieg leads among potential 2028 Democratic presidential nominees 19% of respondents said that they would support Buttigieg in the 2028 primary. Newsom and Ocasio-Cortez came in second and third place with 15% and 14%, respectively. Harris got 11%, Sanders 8%, and Pritzker 6%. All the other candidates got 3% or less. 10% of respondents were undecided.The pollsters also asked whether the likely primary voters liked each candidate, and Buttigieg came out on top as well, with 81% of respondents rating him favorably. Sanders was second-highest with 72% and Ocasio-Cortez third with 66%. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Buttigiegs favorability rating was higher among people who identify as Liberal than among those who identify as Progressive, Moderate, or Socialist, although the sample sizes for each group are likely very small. Women had a somewhat higher approval rating for Buttigieg than men, as did registered Democrats (as opposed to unregistered likely Democratic voters). Income, age, education level, and region within the state didnt have a clear relationship with his favorability rating.The poll also asked likely Republican primary voters about a list of potential GOP candidates in 2028, and JD Vance received a majority51%of support. Second place on the right was former Gov. Nikki Haley (R) at 9%. New Hampshire has been the second state in the presidential primary for decades, but New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley announced last year his intention to make the state the first in 2028: We believe we have a very strong case to make. Its two years away. We think its important that people [dont] think someone put a thumb on it, and we are awarded our position because we earned it.Being one of the first states may give it outsized influence in the primary since candidates could campaign harder there to build momentum for later primaries.The poll also asked all voters whether they approve of the current president. 54% disapproved, while 45% approved, putting New Hampshire residents in the same ballpark as Americans overall.The poll was conducted between October 16 and 21 and involved a survey of 1,547 New Hampshire residents, including 602 likely Democratic primary voters and 689 likely Republican primary voters.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Richie and Duane have been together for 42 years. Theyve traveled the world. Theyve performed comedy sketches on TV. And most of all, they loved each other deeply. The two have a popular Instagram account where they share photos and videos from the past decades together, but one has made the internets heart grow as big as their love. The men have recreated some old photos and combined them into one viral reel. Related How one 80s drag queen revolutionized what it means to be fabulous The duo published the reel in June, but it continues to be frequently shared on social media. They thanked fans for the tens of millions of views of their content and noted that Pride is visibility & weve been visible for 42 years. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today While the recreations have garnered the two thousands of new followers, some of their old content is well worth the view too. Weve rounded up some of the best to make your day a little brighter. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Richie and Duane (@richie_and_duane) Anyone in a longterm relationship can relate to this one. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Richie and Duane (@richie_and_duane) Obviously. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Richie and Duane (@richie_and_duane) They were ahead of the curve back in the 80s. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Richie and Duane (@richie_and_duane) Nothing says love like giggles. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Richie and Duane (@richie_and_duane) You dont need sound to bring back the memories. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Richie and Duane (@richie_and_duane)