Pride Month is here, but it feels like the last thing on anyone’s mind right now. But that doesn’t mean Pride is over, as long as the queer community finally uses this opportunity to acknowledge the struggles of the queer black people who paved the way, and continue to pave the way. In this Letter From the Editor, Monthly Editor Wilson Chapman argues that right now and always, the greater queer community needs to advocate for and support the Black Lives Matter movement: otherwise, the community forgets and betrays its roots.
For Maulik Pancholy, coming out was hard. In his debut YA novel “The Best At It,” he takes inspiration from his childhood to share a story about an Indian American boy discovering his sexuality. It’s just one example of how the actor – most famous for his roles in “Phineas and Ferb” and “30 Rock” – has used his platform to advocate for APIDA and LGBTQ+ youth.
For many LGBTQ+ students, returning home can be difficult. And since the pandemic broke out, many of them had to. LGBTQ+ crisis hotline The Trevor Project has seen contact volume more than double since the pandemic started, a rise they attribute to many students returning to undesirable home situations.
When “Love, Simon” came out in 2018, it contained a small detail, an “am I gay?” quiz, that Assistant City Editor Jacob Fulton never forgot. That’s because he took the same quiz when he was in middle school, and openly gay director Greg Berlanti drew from his experiences to tell the story. It’s just one example of how letting queer writers and directors tell their own stories helps to create more authentic and meaningful products –– something that must be extended to queer people of color.
For over thirty years, Big Chicks gay bar in Chicago has been around to celebrate pride. And even through the pandemic, owner and founder Michelle Fire is keeping her venue an inclusive space for everyone. The gay bar and its brunch place Tweet, Let’s Eat have become famous in the queer Chicago scene, and is recognized as one of the city’s best gay bars.
Gaga’s never been an artist whose goal has been pure perfection: She’s always been one to take wild swings and pursue her muse to unexpected places, with mixed but fascinating results.