A new organically-made soda brand, Mixwell, isn’t shying away from showing its values. In their new ad, they blatantly make fun of the MAGA crowd by starting their commercial with a burly man in a truck complaining about needing to make America more manly again. The ad finishes by revealing that the man has a husband, and the two then embrace for a long kiss. The spot concludes with the words “If Real Freedom Offends You, Please Don’t Buy Mixwell.” The ad is quick, witty, fearless, and completely hilarious. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7esCe-LhtSY&t=60s The commercial very clearly mocks Trump-era America, which has…
Author: Keith Langston
The winners of the 2020 Pulitzer Prizes include two queer men of color. The first is Michael R. Jackson, who won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his off-broadway play, A Strange Loop, which centers around a gay black man, Usher, trying to navigate life in New York City. By day, Usher works as an usher for the Broadway production of The Lion King. By night, he dreams of being a writer and creating his own plays. The show focuses on politics, religion, race, and sexuality. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4hWaHg6b98 Upon its release at Playwrights Horizon in Midtown, New York, the show received…
Tobi, a 16-year-old transgender student at Siegel High in Murfreesboro, was harassed and threatened while using the boy’s bathroom at their high school. According to the Daily News Journal, while Tobi was using one of the stalls, a group of boys entered the bathroom yelling slurs and began banging on the stall door. At one point, Tobi had to press against the door with all their weight in order to keep it from opening. When help finally arrived, Tobi was in the stall crying and shaking with fear. Tobi was given permission to use single-person bathrooms in the school, however, on…
Anita Bryant, one of the most despicable anti-gay bigots in history, was shocked and dismayed recently to discover her own granddaughter is a lesbian. One of Bryant’s biggest public campaigns was to help get gay teachers fired from schools by accusing them of being pedophiles. According to LGBTQ Nation, Bryant stated, “Homosexuals cannot reproduce, so they must recruit.” Eventually, another famous bigot, Jerry Falwell Sr., came to help Bryant in her crusade against the gay community. It should also be noted that Falwell was convinced that the second coming would happen in his lifetime and also believed that the antichrist…
A new children’s book, Pepito Has a Doll will be released on January 20th. The book focuses on the life of young Pepito, whose only friend in the world is his doll Lola. However, fearing that others will make fun of him, Pepito has to hide his doll from the world. But one day, a new boy arrives at school, and a friendship emerges! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N41UZ5eJ7uM&feature=emb_logo The story is a powerful teaching tool for parents and children, showing that everyone is different and unique, and that it’s a wonderful thing. The book is also bilingual, being written in both Spanish and…
The Privy Court in London, which serves as the highest appeals court for many of the UK’s island territories, refused to challenge the courts in Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, effectively saying the islands can interpret their constitutions how they see fit. There were ongoing legal battles in both countries to allow same-sex marriage, which ultimately made their way to the UK court. The decision came as a blow to many on the islands who are fighting for LGBTQ rights and were hoping the UK would help enforce same-sex marriage since the UK itself allows it. According to NBC News,…
A group for LGBTQ Fox Corp. staff (which consists of assets like the Fox channel, Fox News, Fox Business, TMZ, and more) has reportedly made internal complaints about the blatant bigotry and homophobia being spewed across Fox News in recent weeks. Being a Republican propaganda network, Fox News has given its full support to Florida’s governor, Ron DeSantis, and his hatred of the LGBTQ community. In order to support his “Don’t Say Gay” bill, Fox News has resorted to demonizing the LGBTQ community and supporting harmful conspiracy theories that gays are all “grooming” young children to apparently become gay. The…
On Friday, July 30th, New Zealand’s ruling party introduced a bill that would make conversion therapy (the process of trying to change one’s sexual orientation because it’s believed to be “wrong”) illegal. The nation is going a step further and is even aiming to make the practice punishable by up to five years in prison. According to The Washington Post, Kris Faafoi, New Zealand’s justice minister, stated, “Conversion practices have no place in modern New Zealand. They are based on the false belief that any person’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression is broken and in need of fixing.”…
9-1-1 quickly skyrocketed into one of FOX’s most-watched series. The show centered around larger-than-life disasters and pulpy, campy fun. Before long, the series received a spin-off, 9-1-1: Lone Star, which is set in Austin, Texas. Along with longtime Hollywood veterans like Rob Lowe and Liv Tyler are three LGBTQ stars. First, Brian Michael Smith, who stars as firefighter Paul Strickland, became the first Black trans man to star in a network television series. Smith told NBC News he was excited to work on the show because he’s also able to portray a trans character in the series, giving a voice…
LGBTQ vacation company VACAYA is bringing entertainment to everyone during the coronavirus outbreak. Starting March 28, at 8pm ET, VACAYA will begin their Saturday Night Spotlight. Each weekend, the spotlight will feature a different performer, live from their own home. VACAYA knows that entertainers have suddenly stopped being able to generate any income, so in response, the company decided to create a way where their talent could still perform. Hence, Saturday Night Spotlight was born. VACAYA will be paying their performers per show, and a Venmo tip jar will also be available. To watch, all you need to do is…
Kat Cunning, who shot to fame with hit singles like “King of Shadow” and “Birds” has just released a new song titled “Boys” to kick off Pride month. On the surface, the song is a personal love letter to the first transmasculine person they ever met and fell in love with. However, the song also has a deeper meaning and explores Kat’s self-recognition as well. According to Cunning, “Since writing ‘Boys’ three years ago, I have come out as non-binary – transmasculine-leaning – and I use they/them pronouns. Unknowingly, I wrote the song as a letter of acceptance to myself, and…
This year, Provincetown’s famous Carnival celebration is going online due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The good news is that now, everyone can watch the show for free from anywhere! On Saturday, August 22nd, at 5 pm, one of America’s most famous Pride events will begin a new chapter by streaming online for free. This year’s carnival is titled FOREVER PROVINCETOWN and will celebrate the past 42 years of the famed PTown event, while also looking towards the future and what’s next for the queer community. The event will include a virtual tea dance, performances by world-renowned talents like Courtney…
In a somewhat surprising move, the Senate has unanimously voted to designate the Pulse Nightclub as a National Memorial. The move comes just days before the 5th anniversary of the horrific shooting that left 49 people dead and led to a standoff with the police. It was the deadliest mass shooting in American history until the Las Vegas shooting just a year later. What’s really surprising is that every horrifically anti-LGBTQ Senator voted to commemorate the Pulse Nightclub, which is perplexing considering that these same senators are currently propagating fear and hatred against the LGBTQ community and are trying to…
Dr. Rachel Levine, Pennsylvania’s secretary of health, had her senate confirmation hearing today to be ushered in as America’s newest assistant secretary of health when she was berated with uneducated, false, anti-trans comments by Rand Paul. According to the Daily Beast, Paul asked Levine, “American culture is normalizing the idea that minors can be given hormones. Dr. Levine, you have supported both allowing minors to be given hormone blockers to prevent them from going through puberty as well as surgical destruction of a minor’s genitalia…Do you believe minors are capable of making such a life-changing decision as changing one’s sex?”…
The ‘Old Gays’, a group of older gay friends who live life to the fullest, have become a social media sensations, amassing 4.5 million followers on TikTok and 306,000 on Instagram. Recently, they visited with a young fan, Evan, who is autistic and identifies as nonbinary. In Evan’s own words he calls himself a “girlboy” and loves wearing dresses. In an NBC News article, his mom, Erica McLead, says that Evan is supported at school and at home, but that he never gets to see other people like him in the world. To fix that, the old gays dropped by…
The popular ABC show What Would You Do? returns with a special episode guest-starring Olympic skater Adam Rippon. The show centers around putting real people in extreme scenarios to see what they do. Do they stand up to bigotry? Do they defend the oppressed? Or do they just stand there and watch? Or partake in the harassment? In the episode with Adam Rippon, a coach is put to the test when a young athlete comes out to her as LGBTQ. The show seeks to find out how she’ll respond, and also aims to help educate the viewer about why inclusivity…
Although New York City’s live, annual pride parade and celebration was cancelled because of the coronavirus, the event will continue on TV and online. On June 28th, from 12-2 pm ET, ABC New York will air a special star-studded broadcast celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first pride parade that took place in 1970. Grand Marshal’s will include Dan Levy (star of Schitt’s Creek), The Ali Forney Center, which provides services to the LGBTQ+ community and vital support for homeless youth, Yanzi Peng (rights activist), and Victoria Cruz (LGBTQ and anti-violence advocate). Along with the Grand Marshals, there will be…
In a historic moment for equality, the Sapporo District Court in Japan declared that sexuality, like race and gender, isn’t a choice, and therefore discriminating against people because of it goes against the Japanese Constitution. According to the AP, “Judge Tomoko Takebe said in the ruling that not allowing same-sex marriages violates Article 14 of the Japanese constitution, which prohibits discrimination “because of race, creed, sex, social status or family origin.” While the ruling doesn’t have any immediate legal impact, it does mark a significant change in the mindset of Japan, a country that has long been fueled by traditionalism and…
Diesel, the fashion brand known around the world for their high-quality clothes and accessories, has just released a video for Pride Week that will surely cause some controversy, as well as inspire many people. The video follows Francesca, who was born male, but transitions to female. At the start of the video, you’re not sure what to think. You see a dark shot of Francesca taking a pill. It tricks the viewer into wondering if this is going to be about drugs. But then, you start to see Francesca’s life, and you realize she’s transgender. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=117&v=535_479z-hM&feature=emb_logo By the end of…
Republicans are continuing their attack on LGBTQ rights and are continuing to demonize the community in order to win votes without having to tackle America’s real, pressing issues. The newest target in Republicans’ scapegoating scheme is television. It’s been revealed that five Republican senators have signed a letter asking for shows to be given a special content warning if they feature LGBTQ characters. According to LGBTQ Nation, the five senators are Roger Marshall (R-KS), Mike Lee (R-UT), Mike Braun (R-IN), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), and Steve Daines (R-MT). The publication quotes the group’s letter, which says, “In recent years, concerning topics…
When Brody Neville came out to his friends, many of them stopped talking to him. The young Calgary resident was left with only two friends, one of whom had a homophobic father who forbids her to see Brody often. With an upcoming birthday, his mother feared that his birthday party would be ruined. According to the CBC, she stated, “I was asking him what he wanted to do for his birthday and he was in tears and said since he came out as gay he lost all his friends, so he didn’t even have people who could come.” She put…
This Pride season, the streaming platform Spotify is launching a new queer-centric campaign called Claim Your Space. The campaign aims to create safe spaces for the LGBTQ community and to promote the music of emerging queer musicians. Throughout the month, Spotify has various activations taking place, including: Pride Hub: A dedicated editorial hub that will promote LGBTQIA+ artists, podcasters and playlists as well as showcase exclusive Spotify Clips video content from artists including Kehlani, Hayley Kiyoko, Hope Tala, Claud, Urias, ILOVEMAKONNEN, Princess Nokia, Leland, and Kaydence all month long. Pride Singles: Continuing the Pride Singles program launched last June, Spotify is working with queer…
This week, it was announced that San Francisco will honor transgender people during the month of August. The city’s mayor, London Breed, stated that San Francisco will create the nation’s first Transgender History Month, which will be celebrated every August. Though it’s nearing the end of the month, the city still has some events planned, including the ‘Riot Party’ block party that will be taking place in San Fransisco’s famously queer Tenderloin District. This is also the neighborhood where much of the trans rights movement began, after a group of trans women decided to fight back against police brutality. According…
In order to help young people discover new books, diverse voices, and topics that might pertain to them, the Brooklyn Public Library has launched a new campaign called ‘Books UnBanned’. Book Riot states that the new program allows “anyone across the country between the ages of 13 and 21 to get a free eCard from BPL, which will give them access to 350,000 ebooks and 200,000 audiobooks, as well as access to databases.” In an interview with the Los Angeles Blade, Nick Higgins, chief librarian at the Brooklyn Public Library said, “Challenges to books and book bans are nothing new,…
The alt-right hate group “The Proud Boys” have been fueled by Trump’s hateful words, especially after his call to “stand by” at the first presidential debate. However, Star Trek actor and social media guru George Takei had a brilliant idea for Twitter, posting this: “What if gay guys took pictures of themselves making out with each other or doing very gay things, then tagged themselves with #ProudBoys. I bet it would mess them up real bad. #ReclaimingMyShine” From there, the LGBTQ community took to Twitter and went wild posting everything from photos of their weddings, to their spouses, hilarious…
Actor, singer, and queer legend, Alan Cumming is launching a new series of online cabaret shows starting October 14th on the streaming platform, Stellar. His online cabaret venue Club Cumming will be hosting a cavalcade of talented performers, like Sharon Needles, Judy Gold, Catherine Cohen, and more. Performance highlights include: Cabernet Cabaret, with Cat Cohen – a night of comedy and music. Bette, Bathhouse, and Beyond – A hilarious reproduction of Bette Midler’s notorious 1971 concert at the gay Continental Baths on New York City’s Upper West Side. Mask It or Casket – A special Halloween variety show by RuPaul’s…
Skeleton is a sport many have seen, but few probably know its name. It’s the sport where athletes glide down bobsledding tracks on nothing but small toboggans, having to use their bodies to steer the sled and race down the track as fast as possible. During a race, the sleds can exceed 80mph. Now, openly gay athlete, Andrew Blaser, has been added to Team USA’s skeleton team for the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, becoming the first openly LGBTQ athlete to ever be on the team. When speaking to OutSports, Blaser said, “Making this team is honestly just crazy…I…
The mayor of Ridgeland, Mississippi, Gene McGee, is currently withholding over $110,000 from the local library system, insisting that they must remove their LGBTQ content if the libraries wish to remain funded. According to the Mississippi Free Press, during an interview with Library Director, Tonja Johnson, she said the mayor “explained his opposition to what he called ‘homosexual materials’ in the library, that it went against his Christian beliefs, and that he would not release the money as the long as the materials were there.” When speaking to CBS 12, the mayor said he wasn’t withholding money due to LGBTQ…
Jeff T. Green, the richest person in Utah, said in a letter: “I believe the Mormon church has hindered global progress in women’s rights, civil rights, racial equality, and LGBTQ+ rights.” As CEO of the tech company, The Trade Desk, he’s worth an estimated $4.9 billion. The Salt Lake Tribune published a long letter he sent to the Church of Latter-Day Saints (LDS), the main branch of Mormonism in America, which criticized the church’s bigotry and hollow displays of piety. LGBTQ rights were a big portion of Green’s letter, in which he pledged to donate $600,000 to Equality Utah, a…
At this year’s Brit Awards, Elton John teamed up with singer Olly Alexander, who performs under the name Years and Years. The duo recreated the controversial and highly popular song “It’s a Sin” which was originally released by the Pet Shop Boys in 1987. The song was written by Pet Shop Boy’s lead singer Neil Tennent and tells of his time growing up in a Catholic school, being told that the way he was is a sin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hk4eMIswunQ The video uploaded to YouTube doesn’t show what happened before the performance, but according to Vulture, Elton John’s husband, David Furnish, came…