Los Angeles Blade, Volume 07, Issue 10, March 10, 2023

Newsom: California will not do business with Walgreens

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) announced on Monday that California will not do business with Walgreens following the company’s announcement of its decision on Friday to not distribute the abortion pill mifepristone in 20 states.

The move comes amid pressure from conservative lawmakers and threats of legal action against Walgreens and CVS from 20 Republican state attorneys general, who claimed in a Feb. 1 press release that selling mifepristone is “unsafe and illegal.”

Mifepristone is still legal in several of the states where Walgreens has decided to stop providing it in response to the scepter of lawsuits from state attorneys general: Alaska, Iowa, Kansas and Montana.

Newsom’s office told NPR that California will review “all relationships between Walgreens and the state,” but declined to provide more specifics.

“California won’t be doing business with @walgreens – or any company that cowers to the extremists and puts women’s lives at risk,” Newsom wrote in the tweet. “We’re done.”

“Elected officials targeting pharmacies and their ability to provide women with access to safe, effective, and FDA-approved medication is dangerous and just unacceptable,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during a briefing on March 3.

“The administration will continue to stand by the FDA’s expert judgment in approving and regulating medications. And in the face of barriers to access and concerns about safety of patients, healthcare providers, and pharmacists, we will continue to support access to this critical medication within the limits of the law,” Jean-Pierre said.

Meanwhile, Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas is expected to soon rule on a case challenging the safety of mifepristone that advocates for reproductive justice fear could lead to a nationwide injunction prohibiting the sale and distribution of the abortion drug.

Medical experts have slammed the Texas plaintiffs’ lawsuit, arguing that Mifepristone’s safety and efficacy have been well demonstrated for years. Kacsmaryk, who was appointed by former President Donald Trump, is nevertheless expected to rule in their favor.

“The plaintiffs who have no legitimate standing have handpicked him to hear this case that has no merit because they know what they’re getting with Judge Kacsmaryk,” Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said last month.

Jean-Pierre addressed the case during a press briefing on March 1: “The decision would be unprecedented, as you know,

and devastating to women’s health.  And we may find ourselves in uncharted territory,” she said.

“And so, we’re closely — closely working with the Justice Department and DHS — HHS on this, on how to be prepared for any range of outcome or potential outcomes,” Jean-Pierre added.

Reagan Library vandalized ahead of DeSantis visit

Employees at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum on Sunday morning discovered the graffiti in black spray paint on the polished granite entrance sign that read “Ron DeFascist.”

According to the Simi Valley Police Department, library officials reported the incident to just before 7:30 a.m. Sunday, a few hours ahead of a scheduled visit by Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. DeSantis’ visit was for promoting his new book, “The Courage to Be Free: Florida’s Blueprint for America’s Reviv-

al.”

A police spokesperson said that investigators believe the graffiti vandalism took place during the overnight and there were no witnesses. No threats were made. Reagan Library employees were able to remove the graffiti prior to the governor’s visit.

Anyone with information about this crime is encouraged to call the Simi Valley Police Department Tip Line at (805) 583-6984.

FROM STAFF REPORTS

Food insecurity worsens among low-income Angelenos

In March, nearly 1.4 million CalFresh beneficiaries in Los Angeles County will receive their final pandemic-era boost intended to help make food more affordable for low-income people. Every household will receive at least $95/month less, and some could see reductions of as much as $250/month.

The expiration of the three-year-long supplement to the federal program, known as SNAP in other states (and formerly known as “food stamps”), coincides with new research findings revealing that last year, more than 1 in 3 (37%) of low-income residents of L.A. County experienced food insecurity. That’s 10 percentage points higher than in 2018 and just 5 points shy of the early pandemic rate of 42% in 2020. Food insecurity is defined as a lack of access to enough food to live a healthy, active life.

The study, published by the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences’ Public Exchange, also determined that about 1 in 4 of all Angelenos, or approximately 800,000 households, experienced food insecurity in 2022.

Key Points:

In 2022, 37% of low-income Angelenos experienced food insecurity — 10 percentage points higher than 2018 and just

5 points shy of the early pandemic rate of 42% in 2020. Nearly one-quarter of  all Angelenos — about 800,000 households — experienced food insecurity in 2022. Rates for Latino and Black residents were three times higher than for white residents.

During the pandemic, beneficiaries of the federal food assistance program, known as CalFresh in California and SNAP in other states, received an emergency boost in payments. March is the last month the three-year long supplement will be offered.

A related study of four eastside L.A. neighborhoods designated “food deserts” revealed that the biggest issue for residents isn’t  access to food but rather price, quality and variety.

“After a dip in 2021, food insecurity clearly worsened last year. The expiration of the emergency boost to the CalFresh program, while inflation and food costs remain high, could push low-income Angelenos to the precipice of a ‘hunger cliff,’” said Kayla de la Haye, the lead researcher and associate professor of population and public health sciences at Keck School of Medicine of USC

As one Latina mother explained to researchers in December 2022: “[During the pandemic] that was my fear, that [my children] didn’t have enough. I started skipping a meal to make sure they were fed. And it’s worse now. Because the bills went so [high]. And it’s kind of scary.”

Women, young adults, and Latino and Black residents were disproportionately impacted by food insecurity in L.A. County in 2022, with rates of food insecurity three times higher among Latino (33%) and Black (33%) Angelenos than white residents (11%). Additionally, more than 4 in 10 food-insecure households have children.

The CalFresh program was created to improve the health and well-being of low-income Californians through financial assistance that can be used to buy food at many markets and food stores. The emergency boost in benefits was introduced in March 2020.

The study findings are based on data from a representative sample of more than 1,000 L.A. County residents who participate in the USC Dornsife Understanding America Study.

ILEANA WACHTEL

CHRISTOPHER KANE

Gov. GAVIN NEWSOM this week said the state would not do business with Walgreens. (Photo Credit: Office of the Governor)

(Photo Credit: Simi Valley Police Dept.)

ey fo nder Cooley: Dra i not a crime

WEST HOLLYWOOD

– During the public comments portion of the regular West Hollywood City Council on March 6, David Cooley, the founder of The Abbey Food & Bar, stood before the Council to make a statement in solidarity with drag performers.

Cooley was joined by 11 drag entertainers who perform at the Abbey WeHo and The Chapel. Some in the group held Tennessee flags. He later posted his remarks on the @abbeyweho Instagram page:

“Last week, Tennessee became the first state to criminali e drag shows.

“It is now possible for a drag performer to be charged with a felony and have their voting rights stripped, just for performing.

“The bill is also so broad, it also means a trans person walking down the street could be charged with a felony for impersonating a male or female.

“Tennessee lawmakers are not done, they also have bills targeting venues that feature drag performers. They want to reclassify them as strip clubs. It could soon be illegal to see a drag queen in a gay bar in Tennessee.

“Drag is not a crime.

“Tennessee isn’t alone. Just two months into 2023, conservative lawmakers have introduced over 340 anti-LGBT bills.

“We are here tonight to show solidarity for our friends in Tennessee and ask the City of West Hollywood to issue a

ctor en Sava e to r n for Schi o e eat

Actor Ben Savage, 42, whose most recent political foray was running for a seat on the West Hollywood City Council last year, declared Monday that he is running as a Democrat for California’s 30th Congressional District, which encompasses the Los Angeles neighborhoods of West Hollywood and Burbank.

The seat is currently occupied by longtime incumbent Democrat Adam Schiff who declared his candidacy to replace retiring U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein in the 2024 election races.

In a statement released by his campaign, Savage said:

“I am a proud Californian, union member and longtime resident of District 30 who comes from a family of unwavering service to our country and community.

I firmly believe in standing up for what is right, ensuring equality and expanding opportunities for all.

I’m running for Congress because it’s time to restore faith in government by offering reasonable, innovative and compassionate solutions to our country’s most pressing issues.

And it’s time for new and passionate leaders who can help move our country forward. Leaders who want to see the government operating at maximum capacity, unhindered by political divisions and special interests.”

Savage will be running against another declared candidate, Out West Hollywood Mayor Sepi Shyne,  who announced her run for Schiff’s seat two weeks ago on February 21, 2023.

Savage is a long term resident of West Hollywood having

proclamation affirming that Drag is art, not a crime.

“Drag is an art form built on self-expression and artistic performance. Drag is also powerful tool for political protest, that uplifts the LGBTQ+ community in the face of discrimination and oppression.

“We want the City of West Hollywood @wehocity to make it clear that drag is both an art and form of political protest — both protected by the United States Constitution.

“We can send a powerful message to the entire country that we value and support the rights of all individuals to express themselves freely and openly. We can send a message to our friends all over the country, whose rights are being stripped away, that we support them.

“I urge you to take a bold and affirmative stand to support drag performers everywhere.  beyourself  notacriminal  SupportDrag ueens  DragIsNOTaCrime.”

PAUL

lived in the city for 18 years. In the 2022 City Council elections he was unable to garner enough votes to be elected.

o e GOP ta e aim at f ndin for ran atina Coalition

Republicans in Congress are attempting to chop approved funding for the Trans Latina Coalition, a community service organi ation in central Los Angeles, as part of what House Republicans are calling a bid to “Stop Woke-Waste.”

But the California Democrat who secured the $750,000 grant for Trans Latina says Democrats are standing up to protect much-needed funding for an underserved group.

Rep. Jimmy Gome (D-Calif.) was able to secure funding for Trans Latina Coalition as a community funding grant during last year’s budget process. This was possible after Democrats brought back the earmark process that allows members of congress to direct funding to specific projects in their communities.

With Republicans having retaken control of the House of Representatives in January, they’re now attempting to cut back these already-committed funds.

Last month, House Budget Chairman Jodey C. Arrington

(T -19) put out a statement with a fairly short wish list of cuts that he dubbed “Stop Woke-Waste.” The cuts include the grant to Trans Latina Collective, plus $1.2 million earmarked for LGBTQIA+ Pride Centers in San Diego, and $1 million for a coworking space for women and gender-expansive people of color in Columbus, OH.

“This is not a budget issue, it’s a straight up discrimination issue. They’re trying to use wokeism as a rallying cry for their base. If it were a budget issue, he’d have to cut almost two million programs of the same amount to have an impact on the national debt or deficit,” Gome says. “It’s almost a concerted effort nationally by the Republicans to go after the trans community.”

Because the money has already been appropriated, in order for the Republicans to cancel the grant, they would have to pass legislation to do so, either as a standalone bill or through the budget process.

Democrats control the Senate and the White House, so they have some power to prevent the cuts, but they will have to negotiate with Republicans to pass a budget this year.

“They can pass it in the House, but we’ve had conversations with Senator [Alex] Padilla’s [D-CA] office to stop it in the Senate,” Gome says.

The grant was meant to improve Trans Latina’s work to support employment skills development for members of the trans community.

Bamby Salcedo, president of Trans Latina, says that skills development is vital for trans women, who frequently face severe discrimination in the workplace and consequently suffer disproportionate rates of poverty, homelessness, and food insecurity.

“What we proposed was to have individual case management. Essentially hand-to-hand support, providing training to people and connecting them to employment directly,” Salcedo says.

Salcedo says the funding would have supported at least 50 people over the course of a year.

“Through that process, as they are being trained, we would provide them with rental assistance, food assistance and grocery cards,” she says.

ROB SALERNO

BRODY LEVESQUE

MURILLO/WEHO TIMES

ey fo nder DAVID COOLEY deliver remar efore the e t olly ood City Co ncil. ( he ey n ta ram)

BAMBY SALCEDO pre ident of ran atina ith Rep. JIMMY GOMEZ (D Calif.) ( lade photo y o Salerno)

BEN SAVAGE i r n nin for Con re . (Photo Credit: en Sava e for Con re )

Sydney WorldPride comes to a buoyantly successful close

D.C. to host next biennial event in 2025

By DAN ALLEN

The first WorldPride in the Southern Hemisphere wrapped up in Sydney on Sunday evening with an open-air closing concert and dance party headlined by singers Kim Petras and Ava Max.

The packed extravaganza rounded out a 17-day celebration of more than 300 events — encompassing parties, parades, exhibitions, workshops, sports, a film festival, competitive voguing and much more — that in all were projected to be attended by some half a million people.

Earlier on Sunday, 50,000 marchers, including Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, took part in an early morning march across the city’s cherished Sydney Harbor Bridge, which was closed to traffic for the first time since 2000 to make way for the walk.

“It was important for me to come to the march because I’m a Black trans woman, so I felt like I should march in solidarity with the community,” said Taj Tian, an American expat who recently relocated from Tokyo to Sydney.

“We came to WorldPride because it was important to deliver our message from Korea to the world,” said Seunguk So, who carried a banner with his husband, Yong Min Kim, in support of marriage equality in South Korea.

Timed to coincide with Australia’s summer and Sydney’s iconic Mardi Gras celebration, the WorldPride calendar began on Feb. 17 with a series of queer parties and performances, then kicked into overdrive with a Feb. 24 official opening concert headlined by Aussie pop darling Kylie Minogue. 2023 marks the 45th anniversary of the first Sydney Mardi Gras, as well as the 50th anniversary of Australia’s first Gay Pride Week.

The political highlight of Sydney WorldPride was the largest LGBTQ and intersex human rights conference ever held in the Asia-Pacific region.

About 1,800 people attended the three-day conference, which served as the WorldPride centerpiece and featured

some more than 60 presenters and panelists, including Steve Roth, executive director of the Organization for Refuge, Asylum and Migration, an LGBTQ and intersex refugee organization. Jessica Stern, the special U.S. envoy for the promotion of LGBTQ and intersex rights abroad, Ambassador Chantale Wong, the U.S. director of the Asian Development Bank who is the first openly lesbian American ambassador, and Victor Madrigal-Borloz, the independent U.N. expert on LGBTQ and intersex issues, are among those who also participated.

“This human rights conference was one of the largest gatherings ever of global LGBTQ activists, so it was important to be a part of it both to represent ORAM and to bring attention to the challenges facing displaced LGBTQ people around the world,” said Roth. “I was inspired to hear more about all the great activism happening globally and to share about the important work that ORAM is doing, such as bringing economic empowerment programs to queer refugees in places like Kenya.”

In the handover of the conference reins to D.C. for WorldPride 2025, U.S. Amb. to Australia Caroline Kennedy congratulated Sydney organizers, especially for giving First Nations people a central role.

“We will all leave here with a deeper understanding of the work that needs to be done,” said Kennedy. “You’ve shown the world how an empowered diverse community is central to a more peaceful and prosperous world. I’m looking forward to the sharing that will happen with First Nations people in the United States.”

First Nations representation was a recurring theme throughout Sydney WorldPride’s main events, which were all opened with acknowledgments of the original Gadigal owners of the lands upon which Sydney now sits.

Popular Aboriginal Sydney drag queen Nana Miss Koori helped kick off several key happenings, including the opening concert, the Mardi Gras parade, and the glamorous Blak and

Deadly First Nations gala concert, which took place on March 2 at the famed Sydney Opera House. Performers there included Aboriginal Australian electronic music duo Electric Fields and Canadian Indigenous musician Jeremy Dutcher.

Sydney’s top museums hopped also onto the WorldPride bandwagon, including the Art Gallery of New South Wales, which presented a new “Queering the collection” tour of its permanent holdings, and the Powerhouse Museum, which mounted its “Absolutely Queer” exhibition honoring Australia’s contemporary queer creativity.

On hand throughout the WorldPride festivities were a cavalcade of Australia’s top LGBTQ celebrities, including singer Troye Sivan, actor Magda Szubanski and multitalented drag entertainer Courtney Act. Many American queer celebs, including TV personalities Carson Kressley and Andy Cohen, were also spotted at WorldPride events.

The eighth-ever WorldPride, Sydney’s edition was projected by organizers to inject approximately $75 million into the Australian economy, a much-needed tourism boost following the country’s strict COVID-19 lockdowns of the previous few years.

The next WorldPride is slated to take place in D.C. from May 23 to June 8, 2025.

Ukrainian MP introduces bill to recognize same-sex couples

A Ukrainian MP has introduced a bill that would extend legal recognition to same-sex couples.

Inna Sovsun in a series of tweets notes 56 percent of Ukrainians “support same-sex partnerships” and she hopes “the majority of the Parliament, including [President Volodymyr Zelenskyy)’s party will take the lead from the people.”

“Ukrainians can no longer wait for equality,” said Sovsun. “We must do it immediately. LGBT Ukrainians deserve to have a family. Every day can be their last. Just like for any other Ukrainian. There is no time for hesitation. Let’s legalize samesex partnerships in Ukraine already this year.”

Russia on Feb. 24, 2022, launched its war against Ukraine.

“Every day, Ukrainian LGBT military personnel put themselves in danger protecting us,” said Sovsun. “Yet if they are in relationships, the state does not recognize those. This means that their partners do not have the same benefits as partner

(sic) in heterosexual relationships.”

“This includes some very unsettling sitaution (sic),” she added. “If (an) LGBT military person is wounded, his/her partner would not be able to make decisions about his/her medical treatment.”

Zelenskyy last summer said he supports a civil partnerships law for same-sex couples.

Ukrainian lawmakers late last year unanimously approved a media regulation bill that bans hate speech and incitement based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova during a Jan. 26 event in D.C. that highlighted LGBTQ and intersex servicemembers in her country applauded Kyiv Pride and other advocacy groups. Markarova acknowledged “not everything is perfect,” but added Ukraine is “moving in the right direction.”

“We together will not only fight the external enemy, but also

will see equality,” she said.

Ruslana Hnatchenko, funding manager of the Sphere Women’s Association, a Kharkiv-based group that promotes LGBTQ and intersex rights in Ukraine, last month told the Washington Blade during a Zoom interview from the Hungarian capital of Budapest that conservative politicians, prominent figures within the Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox Churches and many Ukrainians themselves remain opposed to LGBTQ and intersex rights. Hnatchenko said she believes Zelenskyy “believes in human rights,” but the landscape to advance LGBTQ and intersex rights in her country remains complex.

“[Zelenskyy] is kind of between a rock and a hard place in that sense, but I believe that human rights in Ukraine will overcome, especially after our victory,” said Hnatchenko. “We will make progress.”

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

he Sydney Opera o e lit p in the Pro re Pride a for Sydney Mardi Gras and WorldPride.

(Photo courtesy of Sydney WorldPride 2023/Twitter)

Sohn withdraws nomination for FCC commissioner

President Joe Biden’s nominee for commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission withdraw her candidacy on Tuesday following a long and contentious battle for her confirmation in the U.S. Senate.

“When I accepted his nomination over 16 months ago, I could not have imagined that legions of cable and media industry lobbyists, their bought-and-paid-for surrogates, and dark money political groups with bottomless pockets would distort my over 30-year history as a consumer advocate into an absurd caricature of blatant lies,” Gigi Sohn said in a statement.

“The unrelenting, dishonest and cruel attacks on my character and my career as an advocate for the public interest have taken an enormous toll on me and my family,” she said. The campaign against Sohn, who would have been the FCC’s first gay commissioner, included allegations last month by media outlets like Fox News, the Daily Mail, Breitbart, that she opposed measures to fight sex trafficking,

accusations that were widely condemned as homophobic smears.

Sohn withdrew her nomination for the post hours after U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced he would not support her, citing “her years of partisan activism, inflammatory statements online and work with far-left groups.”

During a Q&A with reporters following Tuesday’s press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, “We appreciate Gigi Sohn’s candidacy for this important role. She would have brought tremendous talent, intellect, and experience, which is why the president nominated her in the first place.”

Jean-Pierre continued, “We also appreciate her dedication to public service, her talents, and her years of work as one of the nation’s leading public advocates on behalf of all Americans.”

The LGBTQ Victory Institute addressed Sohn’s decision on Twitter, writing: “Thank you, @gigibsohn, for your leadership

and deep commitment to our country. We know public service is not simply a job but who you are at your core — and we are here to support whatever your next chapter brings.”

Equality Caucus slams proposed federal ban on trans athletes

The U.S. Congressional Equality Caucus has come out against a proposal from House Republicans to ban transgender student athletes.

“This is not about girls’ and women’s sports; it’s about attacking trans kids,” Caucus Chair Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) said in a press release Monday. “This sports ban is just the opening salvo in their larger efforts to limit the rights of and demonize the LGBTQI+ community, and the Equality Caucus will do everything it can to defeat it,” he said.

The caucus’ issuance of the press release comes ahead of the bill’s scheduled mark-up on Wednesday by the U.S. House Education and the Workforce Committee.

The legislation would bar any participation in school sports by trans athletes, stipulating that “sex shall be recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth” for purposes of compliance with Title IX.

Introduced by Republican Rep. Gregory Steube (Fla.) on Feb. 1, the bill’s 43 GOP co-sponsors include U.S. Reps. Ken Buck (Ohio), Matt Gaetz (Fla.), Nancy Mace (S.C.), Andy Biggs (Ariz.), Lauren Boebert (Colo.), Jim Banks (Ind.) and George Santos (N.Y.), the scandal beleaguered gay congressman who faces multiple investigations over alleged financial crimes.

The Democratic Women’s Caucus joined the Equality Caucus in registering their opposition Monday ahead of the mark-up

“We will not let anti-LGBTQI+ Republicans — who have refused to work with us on addressing real gender equity issues — use ‘protecting women’ as an excuse to attack trans youth,” said U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.), chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus.

Groups like the Women’s Sports Foundation and National Women’s Law Center support full and equal access and participation for trans student athletes.

CPAC speaker: ‘Transgenderism must be eradicated’

The Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center at National Harbor saw the annual gathering of the Conservative Political Action Conference known as CPAC wrapping up Saturday with twice-impeached former President Donald Trump as its closing speaker.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis an undeclared potential candidate for the GOP presidential nomination, and who is considered Trump’s biggest threat in a primary, took aim at America’s transgender community in his speech.

Trump defended his administration’s ban on trans enlistment in the U.S. Armed Services.

“We banned transgender insanity from our military,” he said, among other policies that President Joe Biden revoked upon taking office.

“We will keep men out of women’s sports,” Trump said. “How ridiculous. That will take place on day one.”

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) made similar comments during his remarks on Thursday. Democrats, Scott said, have sought to “allow public schools to ignore parents and talk to very young children about sexuality.”

The senator also claimed the U.S. military has been made to care more about “pronouns” than intimidating our enemies.

Trump was among numerous CPAC speakers taking aim at the culture war over LGBT equality and rights, specifically trans rights.

CHRISTOPHER KANE

be eradicated from public life entirely.” Michael Knowles of the Daily Wire said.

Knowles’ assertion was echoed by his fellow Daily Wire host Matt Walsh who tweeted: “He is of course completely right about this. Trangenderism as a concept and an ideology is false, poisonous, and destructive to both the individual and society. It needs to be destroyed entirely. The fight to save children from this lunacy is but one phase in the overall war.”

As outrage built online after Knowles’ assertion, Walsh on Sunday tweeted: “Trans activists have worked for years to fundamentally restructure human society to affirm their deluded self-perceptions. They have censored, silenced, indoctrinated and manipulated. They have harmed children. Now the pushback is finally here in and they cry victim.”

Trump, who overwhelmingly won CPAC’s conference straw poll for presidential contenders, garnering 62 percent support from attendees compared to 20 percent for

“The problem with transgenderism is not that it’s inappropriate for children under the age of nine. The problem with transgenderism is that it isn’t true. If [transgenderism] is false, then for the good of society … transgenderism must

Walsh also asserted on Twitter: “Of course all of the hysterical idiots calling this language ‘genocidal’ would certainly not be saying that if he has called for the eradication of capitalism or conservatism or some other -ism they don’t like. In that case they’d easily recognize that working to defeat an ideology is not the same as eradicating individuals. This is a distinction any intelligent person can understand. Gender ideology (i.e. transgenderism) is just that: An ideology. And that is what we are fighting.”

CHRISTOPHER KANE

CHRISTOPHER KANE

GIGI SOHN withdrew from consideration this week. (Screen capture via C-SPAN)

MICHAEL KNOWLES speaks at CPAC on March 4. (Screen capture via Twitter)

House Ethics Committee opens Santos probe

The U.S. House Ethics Committee last week announced it had voted unanimously to open an investigation of U.S. Rep. George Santos (R-N. .) over allegations of financial and sexual misconduct.

The 10-member body, divided evenly between Republicans and Democrats, will now put Santos’ fate into the hands of an evenly divided subcommittee of four members led by U.S. Rep. David Joyce (R-Ohio).

The subcommittee’s inquiry will evaluate whether the embattled congressman’s required financial disclosures as a candidate contained illegal omissions or conflicts of interest, as well as an allegation by an applicant to his congressional office that Santos made unwanted sexual advances toward him.

Santos did not comment beyond a statement shared on Twitter that was written in the third person: “The House Com-

mittee on Ethics has opened an investigation, and Congressman George Santos is fully cooperating. There will be no further comment made at this time.”

Democratic New ork Congressman Ritchie Torres, who, with U.S. Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N. .), filed the initial Ethics Committee complaint against Santos, tweeted:

“BREAKING: House Ethics has opened an investigation into George Santos. Rep. Dan Goldman and I filed an ethics complaint against the self-described terrible liar for violating House rules. Now Congress is one step closer to holding its most corrupt member accountable.”

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) previously said action might be taken with Santos pursuant to the results of an Ethics Committee investigation.

Iowans stage protest against anti-LGBTQ legislation

Frustrated by the onslaught of legislative efforts by Republican lawmakers targeting the state’s LGBTQ community and especially students, a huge protest crowd estimated to be more than 1,000 parents, students, educators, faith leaders, community organi ers and elected officials attended the Sunday “Rally to Resist” on the West steps of the Iowa State Capitol.

“Iowans have had enough. We understand that our friends, neighbors and family members are under attack and their rights are being stripped away. And Iowans are unified against anti-LGBT bills,” a Progress Iowa spokesperson told the Des Moines Register.

Iowa Senate Democrats welcomed the protesters tweeting: “Today, Iowa students and families showed up to protest all of the anti-LGBT bills sponsored by Republican politicians. Senate Democrats were proud to welcome them to the Iowa State Capitol.

“No politician has the right to tell us which bathroom to use, deny us medical care, dictate which pronouns to call ourselves, ban books and curriculum, roll back civil rights, deny

adoption and foster care, do away with marriage equality, or call queer people obscene,” a Progress Iowa press release stated.

The Des Moines Register additionally reported that the rally

comes after hundreds of students across Iowa walked out of class last Wednesday to protest the LGBT legislation.

Organi ers estimated students at 47 schools across Iowa walked out as Republican lawmakers pushed forward with legislation aimed at tightening school policies and state law regarding gender identity, sexual orientation, gender-affirming care and equity, diversity and inclusion.

In an interview with the Register during the rally, Courtney Reyes, the executive director of One Iowa and One Iowa Action, said that in her 3½ years as executive director she has seen a “constant attack” on the LGBT community, specifically targeting transgender people.

“People in that building are making laws about us, and they don’t know about gender healthcare, they don’t know what it means to the families that need that service,” Reyes said. “When you threaten to take that away, you’re putting people’s lives in danger.”

“When folks are having their rights taken away, we need our allies to get uncomfortable,” Reyes told the paper.

BRODY LEVESQUE

State Department spokesperson to step down

State Department spokesperson Ned Price will step down at the end of this month.

Price has been at the State Department since the first day of the Biden-Harris administration, and is the first openly gay person named to the role. Price was previously a senior communications official for the National Security Council and worked at the Central Intelligence Agency.

“Ned began as spokesperson on January 20, 2021,” said Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday in a press release that announced Price’s resignation. “Within days of taking on the role, he restored the department’s daily press briefings, giving journalists the chance to regularly ask tough questions of our policy. Throughout the more than 200 briefings he has since held, he’s treated journalists — as well as colleagues and everyone else he interacts with — with respect.”

“Ned has helped the U.S. government defend and promote press freedom around the globe and modeled the transparency and openness we advocate for in other countries,” added Blinken. “His contributions will benefit the department long after his service.”

Blinken said Price’s “firm grasp of the policies underlying our messaging made him that much more effective in his role.”

“On a personal level, I have constantly benefited from his counsel, as have so many members of the department,” said Blinken. “Fortunately, I’ll be able to continue to do that, as Ned will continue to serve at State, working directly for me.”

“For people in America and around the world, Ned Price has often been a face and voice of U.S. foreign policy,” added Blinken. “He’s performed with extraordinary professionalism and integrity. On behalf of the department, I thank Ned for his remarkable service.”

Price during a May 2021 interview with the Washington Blade said the decriminali ation of consensual same-sex sexual relations is one of the five priorities for the Biden-Harris administration in its efforts to promote LGBT and intersex rights abroad.

Blinken last June spoke to this reporter and five other LGBT and intersex journalists during a roundtable at the State Department. Price and Jessica Stern, the special U.S.

envoy for LGBTQ and intersex rights, are among those who also participated.

Russia’s continued crackdown on LGBTQ and intersex rights are among the issues about which Price spoke during his briefings. Price’s tenure also coincided with WNBA star Brittney Griner’s arrest in Moscow, and her eventual release from a Russian penal colony where she had been serving a 9-year sentence after a court convicted her of smuggling drugs into the country.

The State Department has not announced who will succeed Price.

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

CHRISTOPHER KANE

Rep. GEORGE SANTOS (Screen shot via YouTube)

State Department spokesper on NED PRICE (center) speaks at the LGBTQ Victory Institute’s International LGBTQ Leaders Conference in D.C. on Dec. 3, 2022. Price, who is gay, will step down at the end of the month.

(Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

r trated y the on la ht of le i lative e ort y ep li can lawmakers targeting the state’s LGBTQ community more than 1,000 people attended the Sunday ‘Rally to Resist.’

(Photo courtesy Iowa Senate Democrats/Twitter)

BRODY LEVESQUE

is editor of the Los Angeles Blade.

LGBTQ community rallies around NCLR’s Shannon Minter

Group’s longtime legal director loses home in Texas tornado

A powerful, fast-moving storm moved across Texas and other Southern states last week, leaving behind a wide swath of destruction with lives lost to tornado damage and high winds.

Sadly, it also destroyed the home of Shannon and Robin Minter and the collective of their furry children they love and take care of. Fortunately, says Minter, nobody was lost or hurt although the home is beyond repair, or in the parlance of insurance adjusters, it’s totaled.

In full disclosure this reporter has been friends with Minter for 15 years and I have to say, this was a serious gut blow. Shannon is one of the most decent human beings I’ve ever had the pleasure to know and he’s also one of the fiercest legal eagles/advocates for the LGBTQ community in his role as the legal director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

Beyond his legal expertise and dedicated work to preserving and fighting for equity and equal rights for LGBT humans, as chronicled on his hugely popular Twitter account, is his love and advocacy for all creatures great and small, but especially stray ‘doggos and kittys’ that find their way to the Minter home. Oh and trust me when I say- nay, place emphasis on ‘home.’

My colleague and fellow editor Cynthia Laird at the Bay Area Reporter in San Francisco where NCLR is home based wrote earlier:

“Within hours of the news, one of Minter’s friends started a GoFundMe campaign to help raise funds. Minter’s friend, known by the Twitter handle Cee Eyes (“Dr. Strange PhD Cat Lackey”), noted the campaign quickly surpassed its initial $10,000 goal. Cee Eyes wrote that the goal likely would be adjusted upward as the “situation evolves and needs are assessed.”

“Shannon Minter and his wife Robin have given a loving home to so many stray kitties and pups. Many of us know Shannon for his big heart, kind words, and boundless devotion,” Cee Eyes wrote for the fundraiser. “Sadly, a tornado ripped apart the Minter home on March 2, 2023. Shannon and Robin have done so much for others — bringing light and joy to those who follow their Twitter adventures. Now it’s time for us to do whatever we can as they begin to rebuild a safe home for the Minter Babies!

“When we first heard about the disaster, we posted the link to an ongoing, separate fundraiser before starting this one,” Cee Eyes, an ally, added. “Both fundraisers are for Shannon, and no

matter which you donate to, all the money raised will go directly to Shannon and his family. Bless all of you for your loving, generous hearts!”

Last October, another friend, Laura McNamara, started a GoFundMe to raise money to help the Minters care for their many animals. It is also active and has raised over $21,000.”

This reporter saw the initial tweet and communicated with Shannon immediately to be assured that a beloved friend and his extended people/furry companions family were safe. I cannot express the relief when that text came that yep, we are.

Let me add a statement from Shannon’s NCLR family here. Christopher Vasque , NCLR’s comms director wrote:

“Our hearts at NCLR go out to our legal director Shannon Minter, one of the most inspiring and passionate legal minds in the LGBTQ movement. Right now our thoughts are with him, his wife Robin, and their expansive family of beloved cats and dogs that have provided much-needed light and levity to Twitter through some particularly tough years.

We are heartened to see the vast and generous outpouring of support for the Minter family in the last 24 hours through a barrage of messages and two separate GoFundMe campaigns. Shannon is one of the bravest and most resilient individuals we know and we are positive he will come out of this temporary setback stronger than ever, ready to continue fighting for our community.”

A friend of Shannon’s has set up a GoFundMe campaign to help raise funds to assist him and Robin take care of their family of much-loved pets during this challenging time.

If EVER there were a pair of folks who could really use a helping hand from our community, it’s the Minters. So let me add my voice to request that even if its only the price of say a large pi a, one topping, and a coke? Yeah hit the link and drop them some love please.

Oh, one last thing. Shannon VER much has a stake in every battle our collective of LGBT humanity is engaged in right now as the right attempts to erase our trans siblings, take away women’s reproductive and health rights, and stop our LGBT youth from being themselves or even learning our history. For you see, my dear friend is trans himself.

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Margaret Cho is ‘Live and Livid’ on new comedy tour

By GREGG SHAPIRO

It’s been a few years since queer comedian, actor, and activist Margaret Cho has done a stand-up comedy tour. In the interim, she’s been acting in a variety of well-received movies (including “Fire Island”) and TV shows (such as “Hacks” and “The Flight Attendant”). In other words, she’s never far from our sight. That’s a good thing For 2023, Cho embarked on a multi-city comedy tour, “Live and Livid,” and it promises to be the live performance event of the year (sorry Madonna). Margaret was kind enough to answer a few questions before heading out on the road.

BLADE: Margaret, I interviewed you last spring just before the movie “Fire Island” premiered. Since that time, the movie won the Gotham Awards’ Ensemble Tribute, and was named on several end-of-the-year “best of” lists. Additionally, “Fire Island” is Certified Fresh on RottenTomatoes.com with a 94% rating. What does it mean to you to have been associated with such a well-received project

MARGARET CHO: I love it I loved making it. I love the cast. I love Joel’s (Kim Booster) vision. I love Andrew’s (Ahn) directing. We are a family, and we’ve got to make sequels, prequels, a whole cinematic universe. I think that would be so valuable. Hopefully, we’ll get to see that. I love them, they’re my babies. I knew that everybody would love this movie. I loved this movie so much. I’m very proud of it and proud of everybody that worked on it.

BLADE: The Lifetime sitcom “Drop Dead Diva,” on which you played Terri Lee, has been brought back and is airing on the Hallmark Channel. How do you feel about the possibility of a whole new generation of viewers getting to see the show

CHO: I’m very proud of the work that I got to do on that show. It’s really exciting that everybody gets to discover it again. I love that we get to show everybody what we did. It’s so fun and it’s a triumph.

BLADE: Do you have any favorite memories to share from “Drop Dead Diva”

CHO: I loved working with Li a Minnelli. My very favorite episode was all the stuff I got to do with Patty Duke. She was a legend. I kept trying to get her to come to a screening of “Valley of the Dolls” where we would interview her. She was like, “Oh, nobody wants to see that movie ” I’m like, “What Are you cra y [laughs] Everybody loves that movie.” She was such a person to get to know and to work with. What an incredible actor and a lovely woman.

BLADE: ou play Nurse Nina in the Apple TV educational children’s series “Helpsters.” What do you like best about that

CHO: The creatures. All of the puppets are so cute. I love working with puppeteers because they’re actually very animated people. They’re so charming and beautiful and fun, and fun to be with. I love (out actor) Rebecca Henderson (who plays Farmer Flynn). We played girlfriends, and now we’re married on the show, we’re married on “Helpsters.” When I see her, I’m like, “We’re doing so good in our relationship ” She was my girlfriend in the (2022) movie “Sex Appeal” on Hulu, and she and I are married on “Helpsters.” She’s my most successful relationship.

BLADE: “Helpsters” is from the makers of “Sesame Street,” and being someone who was in her formative years when “Sesame Street” first started airing, would you say that it was a show that had an impact on you

CHO: Absolutely In the ‘90s, I got to work with Kermit the Frog. I mean, talk about an NDA

If you work with a Muppet, like Kermit the Frog, in particular, you have to sign so many NDAs. I’m probably breaking an NDA right now. We had gone to this thing, and Kermit was my partner. We were doing shots with Gorbachev, Mikhail and Raisa Gorbachev were in the United States and they were being hosted by Jane Fonda and Ted Turner, to whom she was married at the time. I had not drunk alcohol in a long time, and they forced us to do shots. Kermit was like (in Kermit’s voice), “Drink it Drink it ” I couldn’t not do a shot if Kermit’s right there telling me to drink it. I’ve worked with a lot of Muppets, and I’ve had a lot of Muppet drama [laughs].

BLADE: our 2023 North American tour is titled “Live Livid.” We certainly have a lot to be livid about, especially in the years following the 45th president, as well as the events of Jan. 6, and the deadly rise of white nationalism. Were these sources of inspiration, and what else are you livid about

CHO: es Also the attacks on drag queens, the attacks on queerness, the attacks on trans folks, the continual attacking of different parts of our community who are so important to us. Whether it’s our athletes, like Brittney Griner. Whether it’s trans kids. Drag queens, to me, who are front and center, the heart and joy of our community. It’s where we celebrate, with drag. That’s the most heartbreaking part of this is. They’re taking down the really important part of community. The cheerful ones, the ones that we need. Well, not Bianca Del Rio [laughs]. Bianca’s my favorite They should be scared of drag queens They will get read to filth. They should be afraid Children are way safer at a drag show than they are in church

BLADE: As of now, when we’re talking, “Live Livid” is scheduled to run through September with stops in 20 cities, including San Francisco. What does it mean to you when you get to perform for the hometown crowd CHO: Oh, I love it. It’s sort of still my hometown in a lot of ways. I have deep roots there. I spent so much time there, so it’s still home in a lot of ways. It’s meaningful and a cherished thing. But, also, I think I’m a citi en of everywhere. I’ve been everywhere, so it’s all my home.

BLADE: It’s been six years since you launched your previous tour, “Fresh Off the Bloat.” What are you most looking forward to about returning to performing live again CHO: I think we had a really difficult time throughout the pandemic and through this resetting of this idea of what the world is. It’ll be great to greet people again in this new space. The gratitude that I have for live performance, and going to live shows and performances as it is, is a really special thing. I’m very excited.

BLADE: Are there any upcoming projects about which you’re excited that you’d like to mention

CHO: Nothing that I can mention, as yet. But I’m really looking forward to this year. I have things that I’m working on that I’m really thrilled about. Things that are starting to come up that I’ll be able to talk about soon. I’m working a lot, so I’m really happy about that.

BLADE: This interview is taking place on Friday the 13th. Are you superstitious, and if so, what superstitions do you observe

CHO: I love Friday the 13th I love black cats. I love this whole notion of the cursed film or cursed TV show. There’s something about it. Whether it’s “The Exorcist” or “Poltergeist.” Any of these ideas of things being ill-willed or bad omens. “The Omen ” I love horror, so to me it’s a very special day.  It’s my happy day, my holiday.

‘Children are way safer at a drag show than they are in church’

MARGARET CHO performs March 18 at Largo at the Coronet in Los Angeles. (Photo Credit - Sergio Garcia)

Mark your calendar for these

LA events

Art exhibits, AGT returns, and more FROM ROB WATSON

It’s a busy season in LA — here are our staff picks for some of the events not to miss this spring.

‘America’s Got Talent’ season 18 begins taping in Pasadena. Join Simon Cowell, Sofia Vergara, Heidi Klum, Howie Mandel, and Terry Crews as part of the live studio audience for “America’s Got Talent.” Fans ages 8 and older can be a part of the star-studded audience and watch the world’s best performers in-person. It all begins on March 23 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium and continues through midApril.

Odyssey’s ‘Threshholds of Invention’ performance series presents Sandra Tsing Loh, Michael Kearns in April.

Threshholds of Invention is Odyssey Theatre Ensemble’s new series, curated by actor, director, musician and performance artist Tony Abatemarco, of first looks at pieces-in-progress by prominent LA visionaries working in popup form. Next up in April: new work by Sandra Tsing Loh and Michael Kearns. Saturday, April 1 at 8 p.m.

“A Madwoman of the Theatre: 25 F*king Years of Sandra Tsing Loh,” a hilarious, quasi-TED-style rant revealing Loh’s past artistic ms/adventures, and an introduction to Loh’s new comedy Madwoman of the West that will star Caroline Aaron, Marilu Henner, Melanie Mayron and JoBeth Williams at the Odyssey beginning May 26.

“It Must Be Him,” a musical memoir exploring the splendor of gender written and performed by Michael Kearns, recently named the “Godfather of LGBT authenticity” by the Los Angeles Blade. Sunday, April 2 at 2 p.m., Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles

Coming up at the ephyr Theatre on March 17 and 18 at 7 p.m.: “Steady Bad Luckers,” an evening of stories about lovable (and sometimes not-so-lovable) losers from history, brought to you by comic, stripper, queer porn archivist and historian Woody Shticks and writer, producer and podcast host Alex Steed (co-host of the podcast “feelings podcast about movies” ou Are Good with Sarah Marshall). In a world full of redemption arcs and revised narratives, we remain heartened by all of the resonant losers and bad-luckers that history has forgotten. With some slides and a lot of good humor, we are eager to share some of our favorites with a live audience. Alex will tell Woody about a bad-lucker from his profession, Woody will tell Alex about a bad-lucker from his. Think live podcast, minus the podcast, plus the PowerPoint. There will be plenty of slides and a whole lot of jokes Admission is a $15 suggested donation. ephyr Theatre, 7456 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles.

Loft Ensemble in North Hollywood has announced its next production, “Gifted” by Bob DeRosa. Directed by Jennier DeRosa Sarah Nilsen, the cast will feature (in alphabetical order) Biniyam Abreha, Antwan Alexander II, Lemon Baardsen, Isaac Deakyne, John Goodwin, Jay Hoshina, April Littlejohn, Ignacio Navarro, Ja mine Nichelle, Danielle O y-

mandias, Bree Pavey, Benjamin Rawls, Madylin Sweeten, and Nate Thurman. There will be 12 performances only, beginning Friday, March 10, and running Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m. through April 2. General admission is DONATE WHAT OU WANT. Seats may be reserved online at www.loftensemble.org or by phone at 818-452-3153. Loft Ensemble is located at 11031 Camarillo Street in North Hollywood, 91602

The City of West Hollywood’s Artists and Icons series will host a conversation with actress, director, and concerned citi en Barbara Bain, highlighting her decades-long career. Conversation will Highlight the Work of Ms. Bain, Best Known for Her Work in the Television Series ‘Mission: Impossible.’ Event will Take Place on Thursday, March 16 at 7 p.m. at the City’s Council Chambers/Public Meeting Room. RSVP is Requested: https://artistsandicons-mar2023. eventbrite.com

Big Little Theater Company in association with the Los Angeles LGBT Center has announced its world premiere production of “Menstruation: A Period Piece by Miranda Rose Hall.” Produced by Camille Jenkins and under the direction of Katie Lindsay with music by Tova Kat , previews begin on March 16 with opening set for Friday, March 24, at 8 p.m. The cast will feature (in alphabetical order) Kaci Hamilton, Audra Isadora, Kate L Johnston, Jane Hae Kim, Jo Lampert, Bibi Mama, and Marnina Schon. Running time is 90 minutes with no intermission. Tickets are $25 for previews and $35 for regular performances, and may be purchased online at www.lalgbtcenter.org/tickets. Previews are Thursday 3/16, Friday 3/17, Saturday 3/18, Sunday 3/19, Wednesday 3/22, and Thursday 3/23, at 8pm. Opening is on Friday 3/24 at 8pm, and the engagement runs through April 16 only. The regular playing schedule is Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Monday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.

The LGBT Center’s Davidson/Valentini Theatre is located at 1125 N. McCadden Place (one block east of Highland, just north of Santa Monica Boulevard), in Hollywood, 90038.

Collections this spring at the The Museum of Contemporary Art:

Henry Taylor: B Side: Surveying thirty years of Henry Taylor’s work in painting, drawing, sculpture, and installation, this retrospective celebrates a Los Angeles artist widely appreciated for his unique aesthetic, social vision, and freewheeling experimentation. Populated by friends and relatives, strangers on the street, athletic stars, politicians and entertainers, Taylor’s canvases describe an imagination encompassing multiple worlds. Informed by experience, his work conveys its fundamental empathy in close looking and sharpened social criticism alike. Henry Taylor: B Side is the largest exhibition of Taylor’s work to date.

“Long Story Short” presents artworks dating from the 1970s to the present day, drawn from MOCA’s world-renowned, ever-growing collection of more than 7,500 objects. It demonstrates the myriad ways contemporary artists have addressed aesthetic, political, and philosophical concerns in the last fifty years, whether by reclaiming public space in guerilla-style street performances, innovating new forms, commemorating loves and losses, challenging the hierarchy of art and craft, or rethinking the conventions of portraiture. By exhibiting artworks that are widely regarded as hallmarks of the museum’s collection alongside lesser-known pieces, recent acquisitions, and artworks that have never previously been on view at MOCA, Long Story Short reminds us that art history, and history more broadly, is made in the present.

“Our Voices, Our Getty Reflecting on Drawings,” Feb. 7–April 30, GETT CENTER. Explore a selection of rarely seen drawings from the Museum’s collection, accompanied by personal interpretations written by the 2022 cohort of interns from the Getty Marrow Undergraduate Internship program. Contemplative, creative, and sometimes questioning, the students’ reflections cast these drawings in a new light. Getty Center, 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles.

The City of West Hollywood’s Artists and Icons series will host a conversation with actress, director, and concerned citizen BARBARA BAIN.

A lesbian thriller, ‘Scream’ returns, and more lm V option for prin

A host of queer programming on tap for upcoming season

By JOHN PAUL KING

Spring is always an exciting time for queer fans of film and TV, as the entertainment industry shifts its eye to the future and begins to roll out the eagerly awaited movies and shows it has in store for us in the upcoming year. This year is no exception – but while there are several exciting titles announced for 2023’s cinematic lineup (like the Anne Hathaway-starring lesbian thriller “Eileen” and Dan Levy’s directorial film debut “Good Grief”), many of their release dates are slated for later in the year or still to be determined.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t a few good options for queer movie buffs looking for some “spring fresh” cinema, and the Blade has compiled a few suggestions.

MOVIES

The First Fallen (Digital/DVD, available now)

A Bra ilian release from 2021 making its debut on US screens, this 1983-set historical drama from writer/director Rodrigo de Oliveira follows a group of small-town LGBT men and women as they face the first wave of the AIDS epidemic. We haven’t seen it ourselves yet, but it comes with a five-star Rotten Tomatoes rating and the subject matter strikes a deep communal chord. Johnny Massaro, Renata Carvalho, and Victor Camilio lead the cast.

Lonesome (Digital/DVD, available now)

Another import making its way to U.S. screens, this Australian Outback-meets-big-city romance from director Craig Boreham explores “sexuality, loneliness and isolation in a world that has never been more connected” through the story of a country boy (Josh Lavery) who, fleeing from small-town scandal, arrives in Sydney and meets a city lad (Daniel Gabery) with secrets and struggles of his own. In their new acquaintance, the two young men “find something they have been missing, but neither of them knows quite how to negotiate it.” We don’t want to spoil anything, but since this festival-circuit favorite was praised by reviewers for its masterful use of erotic storytelling, it’s safe to assume they figure it out.

Scream VI (In theaters March 10)

The rebooted horror franchise – originally created by queer screenwriter Kevin Williamson, who in an interview around 2021’s “Scream V” said the movies were “coded in gay survival” –picks up where it left off, as the four survivors the latest Ghostface killings leave Woodsboro behind to start a fresh chapter. Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Jenna Ortega, Hayden Panettiere, and Courteney Cox return to their roles, joined by Jack Champion, Henry C erny, Liana Liberato, Dermot Mulroney, Devyn Nekoda, Tony Revolori, Josh Segarra, and Samara Weaving.

The Tutor (In theaters, March 24)

Recently out “Stranger Things” star Noah Schnapp hits the big screen in this eerie thriller from writer Ryan King and director Jordan Ross, in which an in-demand tutor (Garrett Hedlund) accepts a lucrative offer to take on the son of a wealthy elite family (Schnapp) as his pupil and finds himself becoming the object of an unsettling obsession – a situation that quickly escalates toward the sinister as his creepy new student threatens to tear apart the life he is building with his newly pregnant wife (Victoria Justice) before it even begins. Ekaterina Baker, Jonny Weston, Michael Aaron Milligan, Exie Booker, and Ashritha Kancharla also star.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (In theaters March 31) es, the venerable RPG (that’s “role-playing game,” for the uninitiated) played on the tabletops of countless Gen nerds is coming to the screen once again, this time as a big-budget

sword-and-sorcery adventure starring Chris Pine, “Bridgerton” hunk Reg -Jean Page, bi “Fast Furious” star Michelle Rodrigue , queer actor Justice Smith, and Hugh Grant. Planned as the ambitious launch point for a “multi-pronged” franchise that includes a graphic novel tie-in, an upcoming television spin-off, and a slate of future installments across these and other forms of media, it’s an eagerly awaited roll of the 12-sided dice in an unpredictable market already saturated with tent-pole style entertainment options. After years in development and multiple COVID-related delays, moviegoers – doubtless including millions of queer fantasy fans – will finally get to decide whether or not it was worth the gamble.

Renfield (In theaters April 14)

The renaissance of Nicolas Cage continues with another franchise-ish new action-fantasy, this one more in the in the horror vein – a vein injected with a healthy dose of humor by director Chris McKay (The Lego Movie”) and screenwriter Ryan Ridley. Nicholas Hoult (“A Single Man,” “The Great”) stars as the title character, the long-suffering lackey of Count Dracula (Cage, in a role it was inevitable he would eventually play), who discovers an unexpected new outlook on life when he falls in love with a traffic cop (Awkwafina) in modern-day New Orleans. Ben Schwart and Adrian Martine round out the cast of what looks to be a highly entertaining tall-tale blend of gothic vampire camp and quirky comedic reinvention. As for the LGBT connection, well, “Dracula” author Bram Stoker was reputedly queer, and that’s a good enough excuse to give this promising romp a chance.

Little Richard: I Am Everything (In theaters and VOD April 21)

A must-see for fans of both documentaries and classic rock ’n roll, not to mention anyone interested in the story of a unique individual charting his own course of self-expression in a world that wasn’t ready for what he wanted to be, this richly illuminated film profile from director Lisa Cort s was the opening night documentary selection at this year’s Sundance Festival. Framed as a story of “the Black queer origins of rock ’n roll,” it aims to dismantle “the whitewashed canon of American pop music” by positioning its titular subject – whose “real” name was Richard Penniman – as an innovator who forever shaped the genre with his irresistibly flamboyant style and persona. Offering a wealth of archive and performance footage alongside interviews with family, musicians, and cutting-edge Black and queer scholars, the film brings us into an icon’s complicated inner world, “unspooling” his life story with a comprehensive sense of scope and a keen eye for important detail.

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (In theaters April 28)

Fifty-three years after its publication, Judy Blume’s iconic piece of A fiction comes to the screen for the first time in this adaptation from writer/director Kelly Fremon Craig starring Rachel McAdams and featuring Abby Ryder Fortson as the title character – a sixth-grader who moves to a New Jersey suburb from New ork City with her mixed-faith parents (one Christian, one Jewish), prompting her to go on a coming-of-age quest for her religious identity. A touchstone for generations of young readers, the original novel has been a perennial source of controversy – not only does it depict a child allowed the freedom to choose their own religious beliefs, it contains frank discussions of “taboo” issues relatable to young teen girls, like menstruation, bras, and boys. Naturally, that means it has been included, along with other classic titles from among Blume’s work, on countless lists of “banned books” across the five decades since it first saw print. That is more than enough reason to go out and support this female-led screen adaptation with your box office dollars, as far as we’re concerned.

Another chapter in the ‘Scream’ saga is coming this spring. (Image courtesy Paramount Pictures)

TELEVISION

When it comes to the small screen, spring 2023 brings not as many new shows of queer interest as it does the return of queer favorites we’re already hooked on, like the second seasons of both Showtime’s grim-but-gripping girl scout survival series Yellowjackets (March 24) and HBO’s sweet-and-gentle Somebody Somewhere (April 23). As with the movies, there are numerous upcoming titles that pique our interest, but many of them have yet to announce a premiere date. We’ll include the most enticing of those in our list of new TV series below, so you’ll know to watch for them, but keep in mind some or all of them may not come until later in the year.

Daisy Jones & the Six (Prime Video, now streaming)

Prime Video just dropped is this 10-episode limited series adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel about the rise and fall of a fictional rock group in the Los Angeles music scene of the 1970s, which frames its profile of the Fleetwood Mac-inspired titular band in a pseudo-documentary style and tracks the reasons behind their break-up at the height of their worldwide fame. Offering an attractive cast led by Riley Keogh, Sam Clafln, Camila Morrone, Suki Waterhouse, Will Harrison, Josh Whitehouse, and Timothy Olyphant, and an iconic period setting and subject matter guaranteed to inspire some fabulous costumes, if nothing else, this one has sufficient queer appeal to make our list.

Swarm (Prime Video, March 17)

Speaking of fictional re-imaginings of real-life music icons, multi-hyphenate “Atlanta” creator Donald Glover and playwright/screenwriter Janine Nabers offer up this darkly satirical horror series about fan obsession, centered on a young woman named Dre (Dominique Fishback) who goes to deadly extremes in her “stan-dom” of a certain pop star. No, the star in question isn’t Beyonc , but her fanbase calls itself “the Swarm,” so you can draw your own conclusions from that. It’s a provocative premise that’s bound to ru e some feathers, but that’s precisely what gives co-creator Glover his well-deserved reputation for delivering edgy, genre-defying content. All we can say is that if it’s half as unnervingly delightful as the first two seasons of “Atlanta,” we’re on board. Chloe Bailey, Damson Idris, Rickey Thompson, Paris Jackson, Rory Culkin, Kiersey Clemons, and Byron Bowers also star.

Marriage of Inconvenience (Dekkoo, April 6)

Subscribers to gay male-targeted streaming service Dekkoo can look forward to a romantic comedy described as “a 21st century gay version of ‘The Odd Couple’” centered on two mismatched strangers who enter a witness protection program and must pretend to be happily married to each other to keep their identities hidden from the people who want them dead. Series writer/creator Jason T. Gaffney stars as a messy, street-smart dropout with anger issues opposite David Allen Singletary as an even-tempered English professor conditioned to living an orderly, carefully structured life. They have nothing in common and they can’t stand each other, but at least they’re both gay – which, as we all know, is still no guarantee they’ll be able to find common ground. With a clearly campy premise like this, it should still be fun to watch them try.

Dead Ringers (Prime Video, April 21)

Rachel Weis does double duty in this reimagined expansion of director David Cronenberg’s classic 1988 thriller about identical twin gynecologists who dupe unsuspecting patients into participating in their perverse sexual fantasies. The twist While Cronenberg’s film featured a pair of male siblings, this one flips the gender of its creepy twins – and in so doing, opens up a whole plethora of queer possibilities to be explored. As anyone familiar with the original already knows, it’s a story full of twisted psychology and grotesque body horror, not for the faint of heart. We can’t wait.

Love & Death (HBO Max, April 27)

ueer fan favorite Eli abeth Olsen (“WandaVision”) stars in this true crime miniseries about real-life “good Christian” Texas housewife Candy Montgomery, who claimed self-defense at her murder trial after taking an axe to the wife of a man with whom she was having an extramarital affair. The lurid story has already been told (in last year’s “Candy,” with Jessica Biel as Montgomery), but with writer/producer David E. Kelley – whose back catalogue includes a host of successful shows from “Doogie Howser, MD” to “Big Little Lies” – behind it, we can be sure that this version will have a unique quality of its own. Jesse Plemons (“Breaking Bad,” “The Power of the Dog”) co-stars as the other half of Candy’s illicit and ill-fated romance, with Lily Rabe as his unfortunate wife Parick Fugit, Eli abeth Marvel, Tom Pelphrey, Krysten Ritter, and Beth Broderick also star. In this case, perhaps, the queer appeal comes from the irony of watching supposed “good Christian” types engage in the kind of depraved and detrimental behavior they regularly condemn everyone else for – and that’s good enough for us.

As for the shows with launch dates still TBD, the standouts include:

The Idol (HBO) – a bu y series starring Lily-Rose Depp as an aspiring pop star and Abel “the Weeknd” Tesfaye as the self-help guru with whom she becomes involved. Supporting players include Dan Levy, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Hank A aria, and musicians Troye Sivan and Moses Sumney.

Ripley (Showtime) – a limited series adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s classic 1955 novel “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” with out Irish actor Andrew Scott as its charming-but-sociopathic anti-hero; likely to bring the original story’s gay subtext to the screen much more directly than the 1999 film adaptation starring Matt Damon, it also stars Johnny Flynn and Dakota Fanning.

Fellow Travelers (Showtime) – Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey star in this adaptation of Thomas Mallon’s book about two men who begin a volatile clandestine romance while working for the government during the 1950s McCarthy era. Allison Williams also stars.

Glamorous (Netflix) – Created by Jordon Nardino (“Star Trek: Discovery”) and Damon Wayans Jr., this Brooklyn-set drama centers on a gender-non-conforming youth (Miss Benny) who falls under the wing of a high-fashion makeup mogul (Kim Catrall), and features guest stars like Matt Rogers, Joel Kim Booster, and Mon t Change Sounds fabulous.

Happy viewing!

RACHEL WEISZ in ‘Dead Ringers.’ (Image courtesy Amazon Studios)

Spring break books for

Spring break is coming, and who says young adults get all the fun? There’s plenty of enjoyment for readers this spring, so why not spend your pre-summer months enjoying a few great books?

Start your spring reading with on ence o e by Rafael Frumkin (Simon & Schuster, out now). It’s the tale of two friends-sometimes-lovers, Ezra and Orson, who meet at Last Chance Camp, which is where bad boys go before they’re placed in Juvenile Detention. But rehabilitation isn’t on Ezra and Orson’s minds pulling off the con of the century is. This book is a clever tale, a suspense novel, and the perfect caper all rolled into one. For something more tangled, catch “ e u e o er” by Edmund White (Bloomsbury, May 2). Eighty-year-old artist Aldych West could afford to have exactly whatever he desires – and when he sees ballet star August Dupond, well, West wants him. But West is not the only one who falls for Dupond; a wealthy woman West knows becomes smitten with the dancer, too. Imagine the situation, and then read this book.

Coming-of-age-novel fans will want to find “ e u t” by Bronwyn Fischer (Algonquin, May 23). When 18-year-old Natalie moves to Toronto to start college, she’s lonely and quite unsure of herself. Everyone else seems so at ease; why isn’t she? Natalie is relieved when Nora, an older woman, takes an interest in her and enfolds Natalie into her life – but Natalie can’t help but feel that Nora’s not telling her the truth about something. How’s that for a book you can’t stop reading?

If lighter fare is more to your liking, why not try a Young Adult book?

Getting stuck in a time-loop is nobody’s idea of a good time and that’s the case for a boy named Clark. But in “ ee ou gain o orrow” by Robbie Couch (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, April 18), the loop ends on a surprising Monday and he meets a new boy named Beau. They’re able to spend the whole day together – is the time-loop broken? – but Clark must be careful. You can’t have a future with someone you might never see again. Meant for kids ages 12-and-up, a book like this can be fun for a grown-up who craves something easy-breezy.

If history is your thing, but uncovering a path to explore sounds good, too, then look for es ian o e tory e oir in rc i es by Amelia Possanza (Catapult, May 30). After Possanza moved to Brooklyn, she began noticing queer stories everywhere. She was alone in her new neighborhood; could the tales of lesbians in Brooklyn steer her to love, friendship, and happiness? Try this absorbing book; even if novels are your “thing,” you won’t be sorry.

And finally, for something totally fun, reach for “A Very Gay Book: An Inaccurate Resource for Gay Scholars” by Jenson Titus (Andrews McMeel Publishing). Who – and what – is gay? The answers will surprise and delight you.

For more must-have books to celebrate spring, check with your favorite bookseller or librarian. Then settle in; Spring Break Reading is for everybody.

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