Los Angeles Blade, Volume 07, Issue 22, June 02, 2023

Social media spreads homophobic bullying online, in-person

Teen girl a victim of constant harassment leading to 18 restraining orders

By SIMHA HADDAD

(Editor’s note: LA Blade journalist Simha Haddad details the ongoing traumatic effects of social media’s impact on LGBTQ kids, profiling a client of The Rainbow Youth Project a nonprofit based in Indiana. At her and her family’s request,  the Blade is not identifying their exact city of residence nor their last name to protect their privacy and mitigate further homophobic hatefilled attacks.)

How did one 17-year-old child suddenly become the victim of constant and often violent harassment resulting in over 18 restraining orders, virtual home imprisonment, serious thoughts of suicide, and a forced move to a new town? Simple, she came out as a lesbian to her friends.

In another case, a suburban Houston family had put up  the LGBTQ+ Progress Flag in October last year in a show of support for their trans and non-binary teens and immediately the harassment started and escalated to physical acts of violence.

CARRIE

Carrie is a self-proclaimed art nerd who loves making ceramics and painting in vivid and bright pastels. She lived at home with her loving mother, father, older brother, and baby sister. Prioritizing love and loyalty, Carrie kept her friend group small and intimate.

“My grandma used to tell me that if you can count your true friends on more than one hand, you need to recount,” Carrie told the Blade.

One day, ready to open up to those closest to her, Carrie came out to her best friend. Supportive, the best friend accompanied Carrie to come out to her parents, who accepted their daughter’s sexuality with openness and love.

Finally, armed with this love and support, Carrie was ready to broaden her circle of trust. She invited about six friends over for a sleepover, where she confided in them, asking for their support and discretion.

Moments later, as the teenagers lounged on the floor watching a movie, one of Carrie’s so-called “friends” created a Facebook post that would alter the course of Carrie’s life forever.

“I went from not being popular to being the most popular person but for the wrong reasons,” said Carrie.

TOWN vs. GIRL

The Facebook post, outed Carrie as lesbian and mocked her sexuality, but worse, instantly went viral within Carrie’s small town outside of Houston.

“It was hell,” said Carrie. “I wasn’t ready for how quickly it spread. Within 24 hours, it was literally all over town. People had posted it on everything from Instagram to Facebook to TikTok. They were making videos about my weight, saying how that was why I was a lesbian, because I could

never get a guy because I was fat and ugly. It was things like that all the way to saying I was a dike who is going to die.”

Carrie said that for months, there was no respite from the taunting and harassment.

“Every time I turned around, someone was tagging me and sending me videos or sending me posts that people had made about me.”

“I became the target of the town,” Carrie continued. “They put stuff in our mailboxes. They would put pictures of transgender surgeries in the mailbox. We even had somebody put female condoms in the mailbox. There was always something.”

stupid to say now, but I was only laughing because I didn’t know what else to do. I was so scared. That made her more angry. I don’t know who she is to this day.”

“I’ve even had people at Walmart go and buy me a Bible and come up to me and tell me I needed to read it because I’m going to hell,” she said.

“One of the hardest things is to realize that these were all adults,” Carrie lamented. “How could they walk up to a kid and say the things that they have said?”

Adding to her nightmarish experience, Carrie’s harassers made a public game of harassing her, bragging about their encounters with Carrie on Facebook.

“After these things would happen, people would actually go on Facebook and write about the fact that they ran into ‘that little lesbian’ at Walmart and had to ‘tell her all about herself.’ I thought,  why are you bragging about this? You are a grown person.”

“Facebook became like a scoreboard. Every time somebody would do something to me, they would post about it like they were trying to win an award or something. Then somebody else would see it, and they would confront them, saying, ‘Well, I can outdo that,’ and then they would try. They were building up ideas of what to do to me together on Facebook.”

Unsafe both in her home and outside of it, Carrie became more and more isolated, depressed, and afraid. Her parents insisted on going everywhere with their daughter, never wanting to leave her alone for fear of another attack.

“Kids at school even sent my phone number through the school email system, saying, ‘This is where you can harass her.’

While Carrie’s school did step in to stop this unlawful use of the school email system, the damage had already been done. The harassment escalated to physical altercations, making Carrie feel unsafe whenever she stepped outside.

“One day, I was walking my dogs to the park,” Carrie recounted emotionally, “and some kids were calling me a carpet-muncher and queer, and all these things. I was just trying to walk home. Then they actually went to the store to buy eggs. They came back and started throwing eggs at me and my dog.”

While her peers made many attacks on Carrie, school parents, and other adults also began to join in making her life a living hell.

“Sometimes they would get physical. If I tried to build a shield around myself and ignore it, they would grab my arm and turn me around to make me talk to them,” said Carrie.

“One time, a woman grabbed my arm and turned me around, and said that I needed to get right with God. I remember being so scared that I started laughing. It feels

“I was like a pet on a leash,” recalled Carrie. “I had to rely on my parents for everything. If I wanted to go to the store or the library, they had to stop what they were doing and come with me.”

Unable to find respite from the torrent of hate at school, Carrie left to instead use online learning courses to complete her high school education.

A FAMILY UNDER ATTACK

Carrie is grateful for her parents, brother, aunts, and other family members who continue to emotionally support her to this day.

“I’m so proud to have the people in my life support me,” Carrie told the Blade. “Without them, I don’t think I could’ve made it.”

But, this support came at a price, especially at the height of the harassment over her coming out.

“When people found out that my family was supportive, they would drive by our house yelling things like queer and dyke and lesbo,” said Carrie.

Carrie’s brother, a popular jock, was harangued constantly by his peers.

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A northeast Houston area family put up an LGBTQ flag to show support for their children, but the sincere act ended up inviting homophobic attacks when a group of teens started targeting their house. (Screenshot/YouTube KHOU 11)

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 02

Social media hate often carries tragic consequences

“They started attacking him because he was standing up for me,” Carrie explained. “He was playing on our football team and our baseball team. His teammates would test him and call me a dyke, and he would almost get into physical altercations. For example, he would be playing a scrimmage game, and if he struck out, they would yell things like, ‘Your dyke sister could hit better than you.’ They were always name calling me to him to try to test him.”

Carrie shared how the constant taunting almost made her brother give up sports altogether.

“It got to the point where he did not even want to go to practice anymore. But I told him he had to because that was his life. Now he is getting ready to go to college on a baseball scholarship, so that was important for him, but it was hard on him. I’ve never seen him cry, but he cried to me one night because he was so hurt that they were just constantly shaming it one way or the other.”

As they did to Carrie, adults and children alike joined in to make her brother’s school life almost unbearable. Carrie recalled one time when a teacher cornered her brother to make comments about the “shame” his sister must feel because of “who she is.”

“I think the kids saying those things was one thing. But having a teacher saying that to him, I mean, that was really hard for him.”

Carrie’s parents also faced attacks by the community. Her father faced discrimination and aggression at work, and her mother was regularly on guard whenever she stepped out of their home.

“My mama almost got in a fight at almart,” recalled Carrie. “ e were in almart, and we walked by one of the girls from school was there with her mom, and I heard her tell her mom, ‘She’s a lesbian,’ and the mother said to my mother, How can you let your kid be like that ’ ell, my mother just blew up. My mother called her every name in the book and was ready to fight. That is not an exaggera tion. he was literally ready to fight. t that point, she had seen what my brother and I were going through, and that was just a breaking point.

Carrie felt overwhelming guilt over what her family was going through.

“I felt like that was my fault, and even though my mama would tell me every day, and my daddy would tell me every day, that these people were just ignorant, it still didn’t make it better because I saw how it affected them. They felt like they couldn’t even leave the house because of me.

“My brother had to close his Facebook account. My mother had to close her Facebook account. She is one of those that used to stay on Facebook all the time. You know how they have all those little bingo games? She used to play those, and she loved it, but she had to close her Facebook account because anytime she posted something, somebody would leave a comment, and she would block them and then somebody else would leave a comment and she would block them. It literally got to the point where instead of playing games and having fun, she was just blocking people all the time.”

hen advised to file restraining orders against the adults who were targeting her, Carrie hesitated at first.

“I was scared to do that because I thought if I did something like that, what would they do to me then? Then I realized I was just one of the kids being harassed, and if it wasn’t me, it was going to be somebody else one day. So, I decided I would try,” she said.

“One of the lawyers came down and spent the whole day with me talking about how the trial would go. They said I couldn’t use just the screenshots of the harassment because those could be fabricated. I would have to actually go in and tell the stories behind them.”

Carrie said that the retelling of those stories is what terrified her the most.

“It wasn’t reliving what they did that was the hardest. It was having to sit there and tell the stories to someone in front of everyone. The looks that the courtroom gave me were awful.”

The judge sympathized with Carrie’s traumatic experience and issued 18 restraining orders against the adults who terrorized her.

“I remember the judge looked at me, and he said, ‘Young Lady, don’t let these people destroy your heart or who you are. Always be who you are, and know that these people have no power over that unless you give it to them. Do not give it to them.’”

Carrie teared up as she related the judge’s support. “That really meant a lot because I was not expecting that.”

CARRIE NOW

Carrie now lives with her aunt in a different town clos er-in to Houston. She explained that she felt that her new town is much more open, liberal- more accepting of BT people, than the small town she grew up in. hen she saw two girls walking down a street holding hands, her jaw dropped and she had to sit down from the powerful feeling of being overwhelmed.

hile she is happier and feels more relaxed in her new environment, Carrie is still traumatized by her recent past.

“I wish it was a situation where I don’t have to worry about if someone is walking up to me as a friend or if they want to attack me because that’s really how it was last year. Every person that approached me is an enemy.”

Carrie, who last year often contemplated suicide, is

working with a therapist from Rainbow Youth Project to open herself up again and she is no longer suicidal.

The ainbow outh ro ect a nonprofit based out of Indiana, serves as a godsend for many of these LGBTQ+ youth. The organization provides mental health, financial, housing, services, and counseling assistance to homeless LGBTQ+ youth under the age of eighteen across the nation. ithout , Carrie’s medical needs would be unat tainable.

Carrie also hopes to get back to a happier and brighter mental space so that she can start creating the vibrant pastel art that she so loves.

“My art took a turn last year. It started being more reflec tive. I used to love bright, abstract paintings and pastels, but after last year it took a dark turn. It was more reflec tive of my mood. It became much darker. I had never used grays or charcoals before that. But everything was all dark colors. Until I get that motivation back for the brightness, I don’t want to do art right now.”

Carrie is currently working while taking classes at community college. She hopes to eventually enroll in a 4-year college and to one day help other kids like herself.

“I don’t know exactly how, but I would love to help other kids in my situation. I don’t think I have it in me to be a counselor, but I know Rainbow Youth has an art therapy program. I’d maybe like to work in something like that. I would love to do something to let them know that they are not alone because that loneliness feeling is overpowering.”

Finally, Carrie shared a message to those who might be going through something similar to what she had experienced in high school.

“If there is anybody out there who is going through what I did, I want you to reach out to somebody. There are people who will help. There are people who will not only help but will stay with you every step of the way. I thought I was all alone even though I was surrounded by love and support. But there are people out there who are good. It’s going to get better. Just please, reach out to somebody.”

KINGWOOD, TEXAS

On March , , Houston CB a liate HOU re ported on a suburban Houston family in ingwood, Texas, that were being terrorized at their own home due to a flag they have flying outside their house. It’s not the flag, in par ticular, that’s causing them to be targeted, rather, it’s what the flag represents.

They said they fly the BT flag to show support for their children, but it has instead led to attacks, vandalism and name-calling by a gaggle of teens.

Dr. Luisa Montoya, the mother of a 12-year-old trans boy and a year old who’s non binary, had put up the BT rogress Flag in October last year in a show of support for her kids. he told HOU’s auren Talarico and Cory McCord that instead it led to attacks, vandalism and name calling by a group of teens.   r. Montoya said that the harassment is consistent and has turned violent lately. Some of the acts have been caught on video.

Happy Pride from Equality California!

We're invoking the spirit of change and community inspired by some of the very earliest LGBTQ+ civil rights protests, including those at Compton's Cafeteria in San Francisco in 1966 and at The Black Cat in Los Angeles in 1967, both key moments in LGBTQ+ civil rights history that pre-date the watershed uprising at the Stonewall Inn in 1969.

With an onslaught of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation sweeping the country — bills seeking to ban gender-affirming medical care for transgender people, prevent trans youth from playing school sports, and ban drag performances among others — it's more important than ever that we come together to both celebrate our identities and speak out against attempts to discriminate.

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the power of how an issue can advance when an BT person is in the room’

Queer Armenian health leader is now a political candidate I have

By SIMHA HADDAD

Dr. Jirair Ratevosian announced last week that he has entered the race to replace ep. dam chiff as a member of the U.S. House representing California’s 30th Congressional istrict.

atevosian, , was born in Hollywood, C , to a eba nese mother and an Armenian father. He grew up in Sun alley. warded a ohns Hopkins University post graduate doctoral degree with concentration in public health policy, the Democratic candidate has devoted his life to his two passions politics and physical science.

In 2018, Ratevosian was selected as a “40 under 40 Health eader” for his achievements in tackling health disparities in the United tates and was one of BT I experts in U. . national security and foreign policy recognized by “Out in ational ecurity” in .

During the 2020 presidential election he served as a national security advisor on CO I and other health secu rity matters to the Biden Harris campaign and then after the election worked on the Biden dministration transition team.

hen asked by the Blade to list some of his proudest achievements he highlighted the following:

• Led coalition to repeal the US HIV immigration ban policy in 2008

• orked with ongressional sta to reauthori e PEPFAR in 2013

• orked to e pand focus and funding for A s work targeting men who have sex with men

• He penned an op-ed with Ambassador Dr. John N. kengasong who leads manages and o ersees the resident s mergency lan for A e lief A for the epartment about the ways anti LGBTQ laws impact H Legal and olicy Barriers for an ecti e H A esponse The Lancet

• orked on legislation to decriminali e H trans mission for ep Barbara Lee A

• ought against the anti homose uality law in Uganda (2009 and 2023)

• orked as the rst tate ept Health uity Policy Advisor

Until recently, atevosian served as a enior dvisor for Health uity olicy at the U. . epartment of tate and worked for the O ce of U. . lobal I Coordinator and Health iplomacy.

atevosian is proud of his heritage, attributing a part of his success to his early education through the rmenian school system in os ngeles. If elected to Congress, he tells the Blade that he will continue to be an advocate for and amplifier of rmenian voices.

“I stand here to tell you that I am running for Congress because I am a product of what I have learned thanks to

the success of that education system and the family sup port around me. I have a strong desire to make an impact on the rmenian community. e are facing a war. e are facing all the same challenges as other communities here in the district are as well, he said.

“I know that nobody pushes more for Armenian issues than Armenian people. We have relied on the generosity of dam chiff and others who have carried Armenian issues, but it is time for an Armenian voice to lead on Armenian issues. I am excited about the opportunity to be the person that our community needs to be able to take those issues to Congress on day one and focus on them. I would love to be able to start an Armenian congressional caucus and to inspire more meeting mericas to run for public o ce,” he continued.

atevosian told the Blade that he is also motivated by the ideal “ merican dream” that his grand father had when he immigrated here to start a new life for himself and his family, free from oviet rule.

“I’m running because my grandfather’s merican dream is far from reach for many people,” atevosian told The Blade.

“ ike many immigrant families, mine came to merica for a second chance. My mom’s side was from ebanon. My dad’s side was from rmenia. I was the first to be born here. My parents took whatever obs they could to provide for us and put us through school. s soon as I was legally able to work, I did at the age of as an ice cream scooper at Baskin and obbins. ow my parents have watched their kid going from an ice cream scooper to the U.S. State Department as a senior political appointee.”

But, he explained, the streets he grew up on “are not the same streets anymore.” ith housing prices and inflation surging, many in the county find it harder and harder to make ends meet.

“That shot my grandparents had is no longer available to a lot of people,” he lamented.

“I am in this race because there is so much work to be done to ensure that everybody has a fair shot to choose their own dreams. My grandfather was a shoe cobbler. They were able to afford healthcare. My parents were able to put us through school. They lived a happy and normal life. I think if my grandfather were alive now, he would be

disappointed in the way healthcare costs are going up, and the way we treat our planet, the way we treat people expe riencing homelessness, the way housing costs have gone up. I don’t even know if they could afford that same ing

sley treet apartment that they had in Hollywood for years before they passed away. These are the things that I think are making families struggle.

“Of course, child care and student loans are also out of control. I still have , worth of student loans from my master’s degree years ago. ven though I had a ob in corporate merica and was making good money and pay ing off my loans, I still have , in student debt. If we don’t fight to reverse and address these issues straight on, we won’t be able to bring that dream back to people.

I am also really looking forward to bringing the support that businesses need to get back on their feet post Covid and really flourish again. I want to work to be able to revi talize our city.”

Openly gay candidate

atevosian is making it a point to run as an openly BT candidate a choice that some of his advisors have cautioned against, fearing that the rmenian community might not accept his sexual orientation.

He has decided to forgo this advice, choosing instead to put his faith in the acceptance of the rmenian people.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 08

seen

JIRAIR RATEVOSIAN participates in an annual A Lifecycle e ent hoto courtesy ate osian

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 06

Queer Armenian launches bid for U.S. House

“I am confident people will see me for the work that I have done and the values that I have had. They will see me for the focus areas of my entire life, the focus on the most vulnerable and disenfranchised people all around the world in all corners of frica and sia. They will see me for my decency, for the way I treat people with honor and respect. I know the rmenian people will embrace me and that we can change hearts and minds along the way.”

atevosian is additionally confident that he can change hearts and minds thanks to his own coming out ourney, wherein his mother had tremendous trouble accepting him, at first.

“It was one of those radio silent moments when you can hear your own heart beating,” atevosian said, recalling the moment he told his parents he was gay.  fter coming out, his mother would not speak to him for the longest period of time since he was born.

“Before that, if I didn’t speak to my mother every day, she was worried the worst had happened to me. Then, not speaking to her for a few weeks felt like years.”

Finally, his mother did find it in her heart to accept her son, and atevosian was proud to report that she stood hand in hand with his fianc at atevosian’s graduate school commencement ceremonies.

“I teared up,” said atevosian, recalling the moment that signified so much change in his mother and also the change he hopes to impart to others who might be like minded in the district.

“I think together we can advance our culture’s beliefs. If people like me don’t come out, then how are we ever going to make change

“I want to fight for these issues that are very much still alive in outhern California and across the United tates. There are a record number of nti BT bills passed by epublicans across the country. I don’t know why but for some reason, republicans are more concerned with ban ning drag shows that fighting climate change or reducing poverty. But even in our district, we know hate and an ti BT sentiment are still alive and well. This is why I am fighting, and this is why representation matters.”

HIV work

From , irair served as egislative irector in the House of epresentatives, overseeing budget, appro priations, foreign policy, and health portfolios for U. . Con gresswoman Barbara ee C .

s co chair and co founder of the bipartisan and bicam eral Congressional HI I Caucus, ep. ee leads the effort to advance legislation that addresses the HI I pandemic while educating Members of Congress about the virus, its impact, and affected populations.

“I have always had an interest in HI in all my obs,” ate vosian told the Blade. “ hen I came to ashington, I want ed to get more involved in HI policy. he ee was the champion for HI policy.

“I watched her in action. he was the best teacher any one could have in terms of fighting for progressive values

in fighting for healthcare and fighting poverty.”

irair’s extensive work in HI legislation took a personal turn when he met the love of his life and now fianc , Mi chael ghodaro, who is a person living with HI .

“HI work is who I am,” atevosian told The Blade, “liter ally because of the work it has done to shape the way I live my life and the way I love the people I love.”

“The reason why I am healthy, and I am staying HI nega tive, and we have a wonderful relationship is because he is able to access his HI medication.”

This personal association with the disease fueled at evosian to fight in favor of the  epeal HI iscrimination ct bill with ee.

“The bill provided federal incentives for states to repeal their archaic laws that criminalize HI transmission,” said atevosian.

He is also a backer of the  U=U campaign, an informa tional campaign about how effective HI medications are in preventing sexual transmission of HI .

U U he explained means “Undetectable Untransmit table,” indicating that if a person with HI is on HI meds antiretroviral therapy, or T with a consistently unde tectable HI viral load, the virus cannot be transmitted to a sex partner.

His contributions to the Biden Harris administration led to the reauthorization of the resident’s mergency lan for I elief F , the signing of landmark foreign aid legislation to support Haiti, and the establishment of the bipartisan Congressional HI I Caucus.

“The ob to fight HI is far from over,” said atevosian. “I will be fighting to get more  yan hite money for our cities. e have amazing new technologies for HI preven tion that I want all communities to benefit from, including minority communities.”

(Editor’s Note:  The Ryan hite  I AI  Program, administered by the . .  ealth Resources ervices Administration, provides grants to cities, states, counties, and community-based groups. The grants help provide care, medication, and essential support services to people with I , I -related health outcomes, and reduce I transmission.)

He also regularly rides in the  I IF C C  ride, a day, mile bike ride from an Francisco to os nge les, co produced by and benefiting the an Francisco I Foundation and the os ngeles BT Center.

Reflections

atevosian shared an important message of positivity to fellow ethnic BT aspiring leaders   “ our time is now. I am inspired that there are a record number of BT leaders in o ce, but those numbers are far from the true representation of diversity in our commu nity and the diversity of our country. If anyone is reading this story and is inspired, then they should do the same. ursue a place in o ce, whether it is federally or locally, or somewhere in between. I have seen the power of how an issue can advance when an BT person is in the room. That is what we need. That is how we make change.”

Dr. JIRAIR RATEVOSIAN senior ad iser for the ce of the Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplomacy at the U.S. Department of State, Harry S. Truman Building, Washington D.C. (Photo by Jirair Ratevosian)

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Outgoing Rep. Cicilline on future of LGBTQ rights and life after Congress

ay congressman departs o ce this week led ma or legislative victories for e uality

By CHRISTOPHER KANE | ckane@washblade.com

Speaking with the Washington Blade by phone on Tuesday from Rhode Island, U.S. Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) was optimistic about the outcome of the debt ceiling negotiations that have roiled Capitol Hill, the White House, and Wall Street for weeks.

“My sense of it is there are enough Democratic and Republican votes to get it to the president’s desk,” said the congressman, who would fly back to ashington in the evening with the expectation that a vote would be held the following day.

Even amid the chaos and back-and-forth travel this week, Cicilline was ready to look back on the landmark legislative accomplishments of his distinguished career in politics, which have included groundbreaking advancements for LGBTQ rights.

And despite the ascendancy of anti-LGBTQ attacks from the right, including from much of the Republican caucus, he told the Blade there is ample reason to be optimistic that the chamber’s pro-equality work will continue in his absence.

s announced back in February and effective on Thursday, Cicilline will retire from Congress to lead his state’s largest philanthropic organization, the Rhode Island Foundation, having represented its st Congressional istrict in the U. . House since 2011.

A former attorney, Cicilline was tapped to lead the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and dministrative aw as well as the House Foreign ffairs Committee’s Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and Global Counterterrorism.

Particularly in recent years, the congressman became one of the most powerful House Democrats, elected to leadership in 2017 as a co-chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee and picked in 2021 by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to serve as one of the nine members tasked with managing the House’s second impeachment of former President Donald Trump.

Among other legislative achievements, Cicilline is widely credited with leading the House’s passage, twice, of the biggest civil rights bill since the 1964 Civil Rights Act – the Equality Act, which would prohibit anti-LGBTQ discrimination in areas from education and housing to employment and public accommodations.

While the Senate failed to pass the Equality Act, Cicilline said, “I’m handing that work off to U. . ep. Mark Takano Calif. , who I know will take it over the finish line” once emocrats win control of the House again.

The congressman told the Blade that he hopes his leadership on this bill will be remembered as a key part of his legacy – and was adamant that its passage through both chambers is now a question of “when” rather than “if.”

“The majority of Americans support the Equality Act, and a majority of voters in every single state support nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people,” so “this is about the Republican conference in Congress catching up with the American people,” Cicilline said.

Congress is beginning to look more like America in at least one respect, though. fter his first election to the House, Ci cilline was one of only three openly LGBTQ members serving in Congress having already made history in as the first openly gay mayor of a state capital, Providence, R.I.).

Today, “I’m leaving with 10 colleagues in the House and two in the Senate,” he said, “so that’s great progress.”

“The calvary has arrived” with “young new members who are going to lead the next wave of this fight” such as openly BT

U.S. Reps. Robert Garcia (Calif.), Becca Balint (Vt.), Eric Sorensen (Ill.), and Ritchie Torres (N.Y.), Cicilline said.

choing comments from his final speech on the House floor last week, the congressman also expressed his faith and confidence in party leaders with whom he has worked closely, including emocratic House Minority eader Hakeem effries (D-N.Y.)

Hopes and expectations for the current Democratic conference’s ability to deliver on behalf of LGBTQ Americans were buttressed late last year by passage of the Respect for Marriage ct, legislation co led by Cicilline that codified fundamental rights for same-sex couples that might otherwise be erased if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns or weakens its constitutional protections for marriage equality.

However prepared Cicilline believes his colleagues are to meet the moment, the congressman is also up to speed on the unprecedented challenges presented by the current political climate with respect to LGBTQ rights.

This year, state legislatures have introduced hundreds of bills targeting trans Americans, which endeavor to restrict their access to everything from lifesaving healthcare to public bathrooms. At the same time, anti-trans rhetoric has escalated to such an extent that a rightwing pundit speaking at CPAC said “transgenderism must be eradicated from public life entirely,” which some interpreted as a call for genocide against the community.

Legislatively, Cicilline said it is all part of a cynical political strategy adopted by Republicans. Having concluded that their crusade against same-sex marriage was no longer winnable, the party sought another way to fight against BT rights, eventually polling anti-trans positions and messaging that successfully motivates “the most extreme parts of their political base,” he said.

“Our Republican colleagues have weaponized the trans community in such a way that they think it’s politically advantageous to attack even trans kids,” which is “really horrific” especially considering the potential for tragic real-world consequences, including targeted violence against the trans community, Cicilline said.

“I hope people who are seeking public o ce will be conscious of that and will be responsible, but unfortunately, I think there are some who are so driven by their desire for power, that they’re prepared to do almost anything to get there,” the congressman added.

Some conservatives hope their polarization of and fear mongering about trans issues will drive a wedge, providing su cient incentive or a permission structure for LGB Americans to turn their backs on the trans community, Cicilline said, but “That’s not gonna happen.”

“We are standing in lockstep with our trans brothers and sisters, and we’re just not going to allow them to be attacked in this way,” he said.

Broadly speaking, Cicilline said elected Democrats must “stand up for the queer community, speak out, condemn this kind of anti BT anti trans legislation, and let the merican people see the contrast” between the Democratic Party, which “stands for inclusion and has fought for LGBTQ+ equality” and the GOP, which is pushing “these very toxic and dangerous and un-American attacks on the LGBTQ community.”

The congressman noted that working against the interests

of LGBTQ Americans is nothing new for congressional Republicans. “With just a couple of exceptions,” he said, the House GOP caucus voted against the Equality Act’s nondiscrimination protections, which stem directly from America’s most basic foundational values of fairness and equality.

“So that means I have colleagues in the Congress of the United States on the Republican side who fundamentally rejected the legislation that would grant me and others in my community full e uality as citizens of this country, colleagues who would allow discrimination to continue against our communi ty,” Cicilline said.

When it comes to navigating interpersonal working relationships with anti-LGBTQ Republicans in the chamber, though, “I frankly don’t really care how they feel about us,” the congressman said. “That’s irrelevant to me.”

In addition to the Equality Act, Cicilline said that if Democrats recapture control of the House, he expects to see renewed momentum for a bill that he authored, the Global Respect Act, and another for which he was an original cosponsor, the LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act. Both were passed by the House but not by the enate and therefore remain “unfinished business,” he said.

The Global Respect Act, Cicilline said, “will allow the U.S. to impose visa sanctions on anyone who commits gross human rights violations against the LGBTQ community,” while the latter bill would mandate that federal surveys must include data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Other legislative efforts that Cicilline has led, in areas from antitrust to foreign policy to gun violence, also include some “unfinished business” bills that might see movement in the next Congress that carry the potential, in many cases, to measurably impact the lives of all Americans.

For instance, Cicilline, who has been at the vanguard of Congress’s work modernizing and strengthening antitrust law, remains hopeful about the eventual passage of six bills that he introduced in 2021, all designed to increase competition in digital markets.

These would curb the monopolistic power of dominant tech platform companies whose business models center engagement as the primary mechanism to drive advertising revenue even though, as these firms are aware, content that tends to earn more engagement tends to be that which is incendiary, offensive, hateful, false, or misleading, violent or otherwise out rageous.

Looking beyond Congress, Cicilline said he is eager to continue advancing “equality and justice for our community” at the Rhode Island Foundation, building upon the organization’s existing work “supporting the organizations that are doing really important work to support the LGBTQ community.”

Cicilline acknowledged that leading an “explicitly non-partisan organization” will be a departure from his work in Washington – though perhaps not to the extent one might imagine.

“You know, our community remains, in this country, a marginalized community,” the congressman said. “In fact, it’s the only community, still, in America, that it’s legal to discriminate against.”

At this point, rather than pivoting back to discussing the need for passage of the Equality Act, Cicilline instead explained that because of the lack of national nondiscrimination protections, he is even more eager to include the LGBTQ community in the foundation’s work advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Notice to Owners of Unclaimed Property

The California State Controller is safeguarding cash, securities, and valuables for millions of individuals and businesses. Could any belong to you?

By law, businesses and institutions must hand over property such as bank accounts, uncashed checks, insurance benefits, stocks, savings bonds, and safe deposit box contents when there has been no account activity or owner contact, generally for three years. The State Controller’s Office has unclaimed property for more than 70 million individuals and organizations.

Search claimit.ca.gov or call 1-800-992-4647

Many claims for property can be filed electronically. There is no deadline for claiming your property. Contact the State Controller’s Office to get information concerning the amount or description of a property belonging to you.

State Controller’s Office, Unclaimed Property Division P.O. Box 942850, Sacramento, CA 94250-5873

California Relay (telephone) Service for the deaf or hearing impaired from TDD phones: 1-800-735-2929 and ask for 1-800-992-4647

Target stores receive bomb threats over Pride merchandise

Police departments in Utah, Ohio, and Pennsylvania aided by assistance from agents from FBI Field O ces in Ohio and Utah are investigating threats made by email to local media referencing the retail chain Target’s BT merchandise col lections celebrating Pride month.

UT CB alt ake City reported that gt. ohn Ottesen with Layton Utah Police said bomb threats were made to Target stores in Layton, Salt Lake City, Taylorsville and Provo. Ottesen confirmed that multiple law enforcement agencies com menced the investigation after the local new stations received the emailed threats.

A Target store in Layton, Utah, was evacuated after police said they were informed of a bomb threat to multiple Utah locations.

The threats specifically mentioned Target’s ride merchan dise, were three sentences long, and came from a “bogus email address,” according to Ottesen.

OIO Cleveland ews received a bomb threat Friday af ternoon against four Target stores in Ohio and a store in Monaca, Pa., purportedly from a person or persons angry over Target Corporation’s decision to remove some of the LGBTQ

merchandise after a series of threats and physical threats against its retail clerks and staff in several southern states ear lier this week.

It was not immediately known if the threats were legitimate, though precautions were uickly taken to ensure staff and cus tomer’s safety according to o cials.

A Target spokesperson who spoke with multiple media outlets said: “The safety of our team members and guests is our top priority. Law enforcement investigated these claims and determined our stores are safe. Our stores are currently open and operating regular hours.”

Speaking for the Minneapolis-based retail giant two days ago, spokesperson Kayla Castañeda noted: “Since introducing this year’s collection, we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and wellbeing while at work. Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior.” Casta eda also released a statement from the company “For more than a decade, Target has offered an assortment of products aimed at celebrating Pride Month. Since introduc-

ing this year’s collection, we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and well being while at work. Given these volatile circumstances, we are making adjustments to our plans, including removing items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior. Our focus now is on moving forward with our continuing commitment to the LGBTQIA+ community and standing with them as we celebrate Pride Month and throughout the year.”

Removal of the merchandise from its online store in addition to the storefronts has prompted harsh criticism of the retailer

Numerous LGBTQ activists and groups have condemned Target for bowing to what is seen as political pressure by a minority of far right extremists:

“Extremist groups and individuals work to divide us and ultimately don’t just want rainbow products to disappear, they want us to disappear,” Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said in a statement. “For the past decade, the LGBTQ+ community has celebrated Pride with Target — it’s time that Target stands with us and doubles-down on their commitment to us.”

Baptist group forces gay minister to resign

A Virginia-based Baptist group forced an openly gay minister to resign from two of its commissions because he is married to a man.

The Rev. TJ Williams-Hauger is an associate minister for youth and young adults and community outreach at Lake Street Church in Evanston, Ill., a congregation that is a liated with merican Baptist Churches U .

He has worked with the Revs. Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and Jeremiah Wright, U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), who is the senior pastor of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, and has preached at the U. ., among other places.

Williams-Hauger has studied with Warnock and Moss and earned his Master of Divinity at the New York Theological Seminary. Williams-Hauger is also studying to become ordained within American Baptist Churches USA with the support of Judson Memorial Church in New York.

The Rev. Elijah Brown, who is the secretary general of the Baptist World Alliance, which is headquartered in Falls Church, in an pril email to illiams Hauger confirmed his invitation to join the group’s Interfaith Relations and Racial Justice Commissions had been rescinded.

“Thank you for your prayerful attitude,” wrote Brown. “Following our phone conversation yesterday, this email confirms that the invitation from BWA for you to serve on Commissions is rescinded. lease know that I am praying for you.”

Williams-Hauger told the Washington Blade that it “has always been known that I’m married to” his husband.

“Brad and I have been together since 2005 and he has to accompany me to many events with the Sharpton family to events at Trinity United Church of Christ (in Chicago),” said Williams-Hauger. “In fact, when we got married to our wedding, was celebrated by the clergy at Trinity United Church of Christ with Rev. Dr. Otis Moss and Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright.”

Williams-Hauger told the Blade said Brown nevertheless “decided to get rid of me” when he found out he was married to

a man.

Brown, according to Williams-Hauger, “lied to us” when he said the BWA’s Executive Committee “made the decision” to rescind the invitations to join the committee.

“He initiated the situation,” said Williams-Hauger.

The B ’s belief statement states it a rms “Christian marriage and family life” and a rms “the dignity of all people, male and female, because they are created in God’s image and called to be holy.”

“For more than 100 years, the Baptist World Alliance has networked the Baptist family to impact the world for Christ with a commitment to strengthen worship, fellowship and unity; lead in mission and evangelism; respond to people in need through aid, relief and community development; defend religious freedom, human rights and justice; and advance theological reflection and leadership development,” states the B on its website.

A BWA spokesperson in a May 21 statement to the Blade did not specifically comment on illiams Hauger’s allegations. The comment also did not include a reference to the BWA’s position against marriage for same-sex couples.

“As a Christian world communion, the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) represents Baptists in 128 countries and territories with a governing General Council comprised of global representatives,” reads the statement. “Drawing upon over 400 years of shared Baptist history and more than 100 years of organizational history, the B remains committed to our mission to network the Baptist family to impact the world for Christ. With more than 400 commission members from across the global BWA family, we acknowledge their commitment to serve as volunteers and are not able to comment further on the specifics of any current or previous commission member.”

Williams-Hauger on Friday in an emailed statement to the Blade noted the BWA “adopted a resolution stating that

same-gendered marriage is incompatible with scripture” and “on April 20 I was asked by Rev. Dr. Elijah Brown to step down from my position on the BWA’s Interfaith Relations and Racial Justice Commission; a role I have faithfully served for three years.

“When Elijah Brown rescinded my invitation to serve on the commission it was not just a personal attempt to silence, but rather it is an attempt to silence others like myself, particularly Black queer persons,” Williams-Hauger told the Blade. “Further it was an effort to silence our prophetic presence and witness, our God ordained call to serve and advocate for justice and equality all while calling the family of faith to be and do better.”

Williams-Hauger said he and other Black LGBTQ people “will not be silenced.”

“Standing on the shoulders of the ancestors of James Baldwin, Bayard Rustin and countless others who lived and died and whose spirits give volume to our voices.  e call out the hateful theology being practiced by the BWA,” said Williams-Hauger. “This hateful theology does not represent the message of Jesus, nor does it even represent the entirety of the Baptist Community. This theology of hate is embodied in by the likes of Ron DeSantis, Tim Scott, Mike Pence and Mike Huckabee to name a few. If Dr. Brown and the BWA wish to go down that path and be another representation of that, hate; we pray for their souls.”

Williams-Hauger told the Blade that he and other Black LGBTQ clergy “will continue to serve a God of justice.”

“We will build upon the legacy of and work alongside the likes of Rev. Al Sharpton and his children, Rev. Jesse Jackson and his children, Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock, the good people of Judson Memorial Church NYC, Riverside Church NYC, Lake Street Church, the body of faithful American Baptist Churches, the Alliance of Baptists, and our siblings in the United Church of Christ, the Disciples of Christ, and the body of the some friends among the Association of European Baptist Churches until justice rolls and we get a bit of heaven here on earth.”

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

BRODY LEVESQUE

Rev. TJ WILLIAMS-HAUGER

(Photo courtesy of Williams-Hauger)

PERFORMED BY

GAY MEN’S CHORUS OF LOS ANGELES

DISNEY’S BELOVED SONGS are reimagined in a celebration of Pride at Walt Disney Concert Hall! Accompanied by a 25-piece orchestra and stunning video projections, GMCLA performs the music of iconic films like The Little Mermaid, The Lion King and Mary Poppins, as well as modern classics like Coco, Zootopia, Wreck-It Ralph and many more. The magical music of Disney Parks will round out this multimedia extravaganza. Solos and personal stories add connection to Disney’s timeless and universal stories, making this a truly magical experience.

WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL | JUNE 24 & 25 | GMCLA.ORG

Biden condemns signing of ganda s anti homose uality act

resident oe Biden on Monday condemned Uganda’s nti Homosexuality ct that the country’s president has signed.

“The enactment of Uganda’s nti Homosexuality ct is a tragic violation of universal human rights one that is not worthy of the Ugandan people, and one that eopardiz es the prospects of critical economic growth for the entire country,” said Biden in his statement. “I oin with people around the world including many in Uganda in calling for its immediate repeal. o one should have to live in con stant fear for their life or being sub ected to violence and discrimination. It is wrong.”

Biden notes “reports of violence and discrimination tar geting Ugandans who are or are perceived to be BT I are on the rise,” since M s introduced the nti Homosex uality Act.

“Innocent Ugandans now fear going to hospitals, clin ics, or other establishments to receive life saving med ical care lest they be targeted by hateful reprisals. ome have been evicted from their homes or fired from their obs.  nd the prospect of graver threats including lengthy prison sentences, violence, abuse threatens any number of Ugandans who want nothing more than to live their lives in safety and freedom,” said Biden.

“This shameful ct is the latest development in an alarm ing trend of human rights abuses and corruption in Ugan da. The dangers posed by this democratic backsliding are

a threat to everyone residing in Uganda, including U. . government personnel, the staff of our implementing part ners, tourists, members of the business community and others,” added Biden.

The version of the nti Homosexuality ct that resident oweri Museveni signed contains a death penalty provision for “aggravated homosexuality.”

Biden in his statement notes he has “directed my ation al ecurity Council to evaluate the implications of this law on all aspects of U. . engagement with Uganda, including our ability to safely deliver services under the U. . resi dent’s mergency lan for I elief F and other forms of assistance and investments. My administration will also incorporate the impacts of the law into our review of Uganda’s eligibility for the frican rowth and Opportu nity ct O .”

“ e are considering additional steps, including the ap plication of sanctions and restriction of entry into the Unit ed tates against anyone involved in serious human rights abuses or corruption,” he said.

Ugandan media reports indicate the U. . has revoked arliament peaker nita mong’s visa.

“The United tates shares a deep and committed part nership with the people of Uganda. For more than years, we have worked together to help millions of Ugan dans live healthier, more productive lives,” said Biden in his statement. “Our programs have boosted economic growth and agricultural productivity, increased investments in

Ugandan businesses, and strengthened our trade coop eration. In total, the U. . government invests nearly billion annually in Uganda’s people, business, institutions, and military to advance our common agenda. The scale of our commitments speaks to the value we place on this partnership and our faith in the people of Uganda to build for themselves a better future. It is my sincere hope that we can continue to build on this progress, together and strengthen protections for the human rights of people everywhere.”

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Turkish acti ists fear rdo an will further restrict LGBTQ rights

Turkish resident ecep Tayyip rdo an on unday won re-election.

rdo an, a former Istanbul mayor who has governed Turkey since , defeated emal l daro lu in the pres idential election’s second round by a percent margin. The ssociated ress notes  rdo an will remain in o ce until at least .

Turkish authorities over the last decade have increas ingly cracked down on BT and intersex activists in the country.

olice in  used tear gas and water cannons against people who were about to participate in an Istanbul ride march. uthorities in  arrested nearly two dozen peo ple who defied a ban on ride events in the city.

olice in nkara, the Turkish capital, on May , , ar rested  students and an academic who participated in a ride march at the Middle ast Technical University. They faced up to three years in prison, but a court in ac uitted them. olice in  violently broke up a ride pa rade at the same nkara university.

The tate epartment in  criticized Turkey after police once again used tear gas to disperse Istanbul ride march participants near the city’s Istiklal venue. ecurity forces last une arrested more than people who tried to participate in another Istanbul ride march.

Fourteen Turkish BT and intersex rights organiza

tions in a oint statement they issued ahead of unday’s election noted both rdo an and l daro lu “resorted to hate speech during the election process.”

BTI olidarity ssociation, aos , the ed Umbrella ssociation, ambda Istanbul, BTI Families and ela tives ssociation, Mersin Colors BT, Muamma, the Free Colors BTI olidarity ssociation, the ink ife BTI olidarity ssociation and ni uir issued. “The bitter pills we swallowed during the election are now overflowing the cup. Before the elections and during the first round of the elections, BTI people were often targeted and the fo cus of hate speech, while racism and refugee hostility also dominated in the second round.”

The statement also described the presidential election as a “referendum.”

“This election is a referendum on whether the th pres ident’s rule will continue or not, whether the one man re gime in the country will come to an end or not,” it reads. “ es, we will continue to be in the opposition regardless of the outcome. But this election is also the election of under which conditions and against whom we will oppose from now on.”

“The election period is long and painful for all of us,” reads the oint statement the May ssociation, o ocial olicy, ender Identity and exual Orientation tudies ssociation , nkara ainbow Families ssocia tion , the oung esbian ay Bisexual Trans In tersex outh tudies and olidarity ssociation, the H I

Media reports indicate rdo an in his victory speech crit icized the Turkish opposition “for being pro BT.”

One activist with whom the ashington Blade spoke on Monday said  rdo an “unfortunately” won re election.

“ BTI activism in Turkey will be even more threatened,” said the activist.

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

resident JOE BIDEN ashington Blade photo by ichael ey

Turkish resident RECEP R hoto from rdo an s Twitter page

VERONICA RAUSSIN

is a Community Outreach Coordinator for Addicted.org, passionate about spreading awareness of the risks and dangers of alcohol and drug use.

Veterans with substance use disorders

On Memorial Day, millions of American families honored the memory of the men and women who lost their lives fighting in one of the nation’s wars. It can be challeng ing for families who have recently lost a loved one.

e must also never forget the countless veterans who made it home but are now fighting a new battle with substance use or mental health disorders. Unfortunately, sui cidal ideation is all too common and fueled by drug addiction.

It can be a particularly challenging prob lem for U. . military self identified as BT .

A health survey released by the Corpo ration found . of people in the U. . mili tary identified as BT . uicide risk within this community varies considerably depend ing on the intersection between sexual iden tity and other aspects of identity.

ccording to the ational urvey on rug Use and Health, more than 3.9 million veter ans nationally have a substance use disorder or mental illness. Unfortunately, substance use disorder signifi cantly increases suicidality among veterans ages and older. uicidal thoughts and behaviors are common among veterans ages to .

“ arly intervention is critical, and it saves lives. et, it is also im portant for families to know where to look and how to find help when needed,” said Michael each of ddicted.org. umerous causative factors lead to substance use among vet erans. For instance, many veterans struggle to ad ust to civilian

life. They may experience financial hard ships, di culty finding employment, or ac cessing benefits.

Many other veterans battle mental and emotional health problems. This can of ten be compounded with physical in ury or chronic pain leading to pain medication use. Untreated trauma, for example, leads to drug and alcohol use to cope with unwanted feelings.

Outside of the usual resources provided by the U. . epartment of eterans ffairs and the VA facility locator, other options may include:

The U. . epartment of eterans ffairs provides specific resources for BT vet erans;

Helpful hotlines include the Veteran Crisis ine, , option and the ife line for ets,

SAMHSA has a treatment facility locator where veterans can find specific treatment options.

Families also play a vital role in supporting a loved one strug gling with drug and alcohol addiction. It’s O to express concern about their substance use. peak to them openly and honestly about it and help them find treatment. Be patient and show com passion for what they are experiencing. emember, substance use disorders are treatable.

hen families and communities come together, amazing things happen. Veterans with substance use disorders need our help; it’s never too late to offer a helping hand.

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need our help

Many return home to face a new battle with addiction, trauma

ERIN REED

is a trans woman (she/her) and researcher who tracks anti-LGBTQ legislation around the world and helps people become better advocates for the queer community.

Target, Bud Light show hypocrisy of ‘corporate Pride’

Even before Pride season began, evidence of corporations succumbing to far-right, anti-LGBTQ led boycotts is emerging.

Bud ight, for instance, recently faced pressure after featuring transgender influenc er Dylan Mulvaney on its cans. The simple act incited a boycott campaign by anti-LGBTQ conservative activists, including Matt Walsh. In response, Bud Light placed the executives responsible for the campaign on leave.

Following this, Target faced a similar sit uation when it displayed its annual ride merchandise. Calls for boycotts from the same far right influencers ensued. ideos emerged of individuals trampling on Pride displays in stores and harassing staff mem bers. Target’s reaction was to pull several Pride items and relegate Pride displays to less visible parts of its stores.

When these companies were faced anti-LGBTQ hostility, they backed down with little resistance. This reveals the reason why transgender people have been wary about corporatization of Pride: If corporate advocacy consists merely of rainbows that disappear at the first gust of fascist wind, it amounts to net harm. That support was never truly there.

This is all happening against the backdrop of a broader cultural climate marked by more than bills directed at the transgender community, withholding of medication for trans gender youth and adults, bans on books featuring BT characters, cancellations of ride parades, travel warnings discouraging BT individuals from entering certain states, and arrests of transgender individuals in restrooms.

The retreat of corporations from supporting the LGBTQ community, caving to anti-LGBTQ pressures, does more than fail to assist the community they professed to support when adversaries looked away. It actively damages the community by feeding a narrative that suggests LGBTQ+ individuals are not worth protecting.

Bud ight and Target came under far right fire for including BT people in products and advertising. The speed at which they caved shows why LGBTQ people have warned about corporate Pride.

The campaign against LGBTQ inclusion in stores is not grassroots, but rather a calculated move by the same far right influencers responsible for the early anti trans bills this year. Matt alsh, who advised on and posted the very first anti trans bill this year, delineated the strategy in pril. His approach “ ick a victim, gang up on it, and make an example of it. We can’t boycott every woke company or even most of them. But we can pick one, it hardly matters which, and target it with a ruthless boycott campaign. Claim one scalp then move onto the next.”

What followed was mass harassment and violent threats to LGBTQ advocates and store employees. Of particular note is Ethan Schmidt, whose videos of walking through Target knocking down Pride signs began to reemerge.

chmidt has since promised to revive his actions, warning, “ e’re gonna be exposing Target e are going to be going on hunting expeditions soon. Hunting BT support ers across rizona and hoenix.”

umerous other videos have emerged. One person’s viral tiktok expressed anger

over rainbow themed and tuck friendly clothing while going through Target racks. O anchor lison teinberg expressed dismay at cards that include two moms and two dads. Matt alsh called for people to “make pride toxic for brands. If they decide to shove this garbage in our face, they should know they’ll pay a price.”

ure enough, Target ac uiesced, announcing that it would be dropping some “contro versial items” and moving displays to the back of some stores.

The speed at which some companies are caving to anti-LGBTQ sentiment shows the danger in entrusting Pride events to the care of corporations, which have no meaningful skin in the game and are willing to pull support at a moment’s notice. ride has its roots in a response to anti BT oppres sion in 1969, particularly the raid on the Stonewall Inn.

Interestingly, both then and now, anti-drag laws proliferate and LGBTQ people find themselves targeted by the state and by bigotry on the streets. The first ride was a riot, and its early celebrations were not about touting corporate advocacy or organizational support for ueer people, but rath er about fostering our own communities and networks to ensure that overt oppression would never prevail.

By shifting from the original spirit of Pride to Bud Light-sponsored block parties and parades filled with corporate floats where we are merely spectators rather than active par ticipants, we risk losing sight of the essence and purpose of Pride – to forge strong bonds in the face of oppressive forces.

Moving forward, we need a new vision of Pride that is more in line with the reason Pride was first conceived. That vision of ride should not be dependent on corporate sponsor ships, but rather, should uplift the community and support the creation of social networks. Local organizations should be centered rather than multinational corporations.

This vision of Pride is one where we collectively march together in solidarity and celebration and express to the world that our joy will not be eradicated. I envision a Pride where local businesses are supported, where drag thrives, where our block parties truly support the locals who call those blocks home.

e must make it une uivocally clear to corporations that raising rainbow flags, only to retreat when confronted by oppressive forces, contradicts the essence of Pride. Symbols demand action to substantiate them.

Corporations wishing to demonstrate support for their LGBTQ employees should implement comprehensive paid family leave, include full coverage for trans specific medical care in their insurance policies, and cease all donations to politicians endorsing anti-trans stances.

hould a company truly aim to support its BT employees, it must stand with ueer and trans people, even in the face of harassment and abuse by right-wing aggressors. Instead of hastily retreating in the face of even a fraction of the hatred endured daily by the LGBTQ community from these same individuals, these corporations need to show resilient support.

The speed at which some companies cave to far-right demands is chilling

Outloud WeHo Pride Festival features Grace Jones, Carly Rae Jepsen

Friday lineup includes Idina Menzel, essie are, hangela, Tinashe

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness ”  o be gins the classic “ Tale of Two Cities.” The line seems to accurately describe our current times of queer triumphs and tragedies. It characterizes both the progress and the pain being experienced by the BT community as ride eason opens.

This, however, is not the tale of two cities. It is the tale of one city, and two divas. pecifically, two divas who are putting their talent and their voices out to inspire our personal age of wisdom and drown out all the foolish ness.

That city is est Hollywood and its Outloud music fes tival in con unction with ride. aunched in as a episode series on Facebook, Outloud then created a weekend long event in celebrating BT artistry and music. This year’s festival features a free concert on Friday with paid ticket events on aturday and unday.

Before the weekend of contrasting BT signif icances, Broadway and isney ueen Idina Menzel headlines the roster on Friday ight.  ith an BT fan favorite pedigree with hits from the show ent, to defy ing gravity as the marginalized lphaba of icked to the Ice ueen who “ et it go,” Idina has been showstopping with BT themes that have spoken to a wide range of generations.

On stage at the aturday and unday concerts will be the fascinating uxtaposition of two divas, each carrying her own BT significance, but who could not be more different from the other if they tried. It is ones, as in race, versus epson as in Carly ae.

They are the yin meets yang of divas. race ones on the one hand, is a legend. he rode an arc from amaica, to merica, to aris and beyond. Her voice reverberated from gay discos crying that she “wanted a man” in the first days when gay discos spun their mirrored balls. he exuded non binary before there was such a term and people ust called her androgynous. he has stated, “ ome people are both genders. I think you ust come out the way you come out, and you have to embrace it honest ly.” he is the diva uite at home in form fitting black leath er with whips and fire. “I go feminine, I go masculine. I am both, actually. I think the male side is a bit stronger in me, and I have to tone it down sometimes. I’m not like a normal woman, that’s for sure.”

Carly ae epsen is our sweet, affection seeking, se cret diva. To much of the popular world she is a “one hit” wonder, but to many BT folks her ongoing catalogue speaks to, and of, our hearts and the ongoing search for love. In terms of black leather, she has been heard to say, “I’ve never been an all black girl. I like pinks and blues and greens. If you come over to my closet, you’ll be able to find a rainbow of things to wear.”

This diversity can be heard in the music each makes as well.  race ones owns the edge, and has remarked, “Mu sic has its own depths, and I let it take me where it takes me, even if it means stripping all my clothes off.” race’s

By ROB WATSON

music is known for its uni ue style and sound, influenced by reggae, funk, post punk, pop and ew ave. It has tradi tionally resonated with the BT community as anthems for self expression, liberation, and nonconformity.

Carly ae epsen, on the other hand, has described her music as “Be eweled. It’s colorful. It’s romantic. It shines.”

on the Billboard Hot chart. Carly ae epsen has sold over , albums and had six songs on the Billboard Hot chart. However, Carly ae epsen has also sold over million records worldwide, which includes singles and streams. race ones’ total record sales are not clear, but she has been active since the s, and relatively few streams. It cannot be ignored however, that she is the one who has a significant influence on pop culture and music.

Calling her out as a culture creator himself, ndy ar hol said, “ race ones is one of the most creative and brilliant people I have ever met. he is always pushing the boundaries of art and expression. he is a true orig inal.”

hile lack of acknowledgement has been a bone of contention from race for divas that followed and cop ied her Hello, Madonna, she is speaking to you , sev eral have paid homage. “ race ones is a force of nature, a wild spirit, a rebel. he inspires me to be more fearless and outspoken. he is a role model for women and men alike, “ stated ady aga. ihanna has similarly paid trib ute, “ race ones is a trailblazer, a pioneer, a visionary. he has influenced generations of artists with her music, fashion, film and performance. he is a living legend.”

Carly ae has been treated more like a kid sister diva, on the other hand. hen she broke aga’s record for longest duration at #1, Gaga teased that she would be “coming for her.”

hile race is global and created a worldwide fabric in fashion and music, Carly ae is decidedly Canadian with a hometown girl kind of flair. “Canada was my whole world and my whole reality, and now I meet people who’ve never been there, and it’s like, ou’ve never been to my whole world ” she says.

ntertainment Tonight Canada called Carly ae “the ueen of the ay Community.” he has been active in the music industry since . he has released six studio al bums, two remix albums, four s, singles, promo tional singles, and music videos. Her song “Call Me May be” became the biggest selling song in the world in and the best selling domestic Canadian single in history. he is known for her support of the BT community and her music has been embraced by the BT community for its inclusive messages of acceptance and self love. he has said, ““I have so many gay friends that I love. It is a reg ular thing. nd if my video is encouraging that mind frame with other people—well it is about time…”

“I OU much rather have a small and mighty group of people who are getting what I love about music and con necting than a Call me Maybe’ ever again.”

race has said about herself, “I like conflicts. I love com petition. I like discovering things for myself. It’s a childlike characteristic, actually. But that gives you a certain amount of power, and people are intimidated by that.” o if there were to be a ones versus epsen competition, who would win race has sold more records than Carly ae. race ones has sold over , albums and had four songs

either is a stranger to ride stages. In , they each owned rainbow tinted spotlights. Carly ae served as rand Marshal of Toronto ride. race headlined at ew ork City ride.

ow their talents combine on a stage in est Hollywood for Outloud. “Outloud is a show created for ueer people in ueer communities. It was born out of a need to support a struggling community of ueer artists. hile the top of our bill celebrates industry titans who each champion or rep resent BT causes, our drive comes from the diverse, eclectic assortment of established and emerging talent who represent the very best of ueer music today,” Out loud founder and C O eff Consoletti told olling tone. To that point, the full roster of the three nights is choc full of incredible talent.

Friday ight OUT OU resented by eHo ride will kick off eHo ride eekend with a free ticketed experi ence on Friday, une with a lineup that includes headliners Idina Menzel, essie are, hangela, and Tinashe, as well as additional performances by O , Tolliver, and enes sa Michaels. is re uired for Friday night free ticketed entry. aturday ight OUT OU on une features race ones, and unday, une features Carly ae epsen. Both re uire paid ticket purchases.

The full weekend lineup also includes performances by assion it, Orville eck, antigold, rincess okia, ung Bae, M , Meet Me The ltar, at Cunning, ubio, Cub port, and Black Belt agle cout. egister or get tickets at www.weareoutloud.com.

West Hollywood brings you the yin and yang of divas. (Original artwork concept executed by Max Huskins)

eHo ride kicks o une with range of e ents

This second year of the City of West Hollywood’s own annual ride celebration kicks off ride month with music, arts, the pa rade, and a host of other activities. tarting off on Friday, une to celebrate eHo ride eekend, eHo ride presents Fri day ight at OUT OU in a free show featuring Idina Menzel, essie are, hangela, and Tinashe beginning at p.m.

OUT OU at eHo ride presents the Ticketed Music Festi val on aturday, une and unday, une . roduced by , the music series will feature headliners race ones, Carly ae epsen, Orville eck, assion it, and many more artists.

The Free eHo ride treet Fair and omen’s Freedom Fes tival begins at p.m. on aturday, une with the nnual yke March at p.m.

WeHo Pride Weekend will take place on  Friday, June 2, 2023,  Saturday, June 3, 2023, and  Sunday, June 4, 2023 in and around est Hollywood ark, located at . an i cente Boulevard. For all the latest eHo ride information, visit www.wehopride.com and follow wehopride on Insta gram and Facebook.

WeHo Pride Presents Friday Night at OUTLOUD will fea ture Idina Menzel, essie are, hangela, and Tinashe with additional performances by O , Tolliver, and enessa Michaels beginning at p.m. on  Friday, June 2. fter several weeks of advance complimentary ticket registrations, capac ity has been reached for eHo ride resents Friday ight at OUT OU . Unfortunately, no additional s can be ac cepted for Friday ight at OUT OU entry. For additional in formation about other free eHo ride eekend programs, visit www.wehopride.com and for information about aturday and unday music festival details and tickets, visit OUT OU eHo ride at www.weareoutloud.com.

The free  e o i e t eet i and o en s ee o Festival begin at p.m. on  t ne and the annu al  Dyke March will begin at p.m. on  Saturday, June 3. The treet Fair is located along anta Monica Boulevard between Hancock venue and a eer rive. The omen’s Freedom Festival will feature emerging BT and BI OC women and non binary musicians, comedians, poets, and activists will take place at the Community tage, immediately followed by the annual yke March. The eHo ride treet Fair will continue on Sunday, June 4. More information is available at www.we hopride.com.

eHo ride eekend will feature the ticketed OUT OU eHo ride music festival and concert experience produced by at est Hollywood ark on Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, June 4 featuring a star studded, high energy line up cel ebrating and advocating for ueer and allied voices in music. Headliners include race ones, Carly ae epsen, Orville eck, antigold, and assion it along with dozens more. lus s, drag, and dancing all weekend long. Full artist lineup, event, and ticket information is available by visiting www.weareout loud.com. Follow OUT OU on Instagram and Facebook O ciallyOUT OU .

On Sunday, June 4, 2023, thousands of people will gather in est Hollywood for the annual WeHo Pride Parade, an imagi native and colorful tradition along anta Monica Boulevard that embraces BT representation, inclusion, and progress. Full of music, dancing, vibrant floats, festive marching contin gents, and creative flair, the arade celebrates BT people and their contributions to community and culture. Icons for

this year’s eHo ride arade will be RuPaul’s rag Race,  aith shley, iecy ash Betts essica Betts, and Melissa McCar thy. T is the o cial broadcast partner of the eHo ride arade. For those not able to attend in person, tune in for eHo ride arade coverage on T , T and  T . com featuring Cher Calvin, edro ivera, the T Family and surprise special guests. n oy OUT OU eHo ride and the eHo ride treet Fair following the parade.

The day  WeHo Pride Arts Festival continues through  ne vents will be live at various locations throughout the City of est Hollywood and will also feature selected online programming. More information is available at www.wehopride.com artsfestival.

eHo ride community group event programming takes place through  ne etails about community group events are available at www.wehopride.com calendar.

Other highlights of ride Month in the City of est Holly wood include the annual ride ickleball Tournament, a free ay Men’s Chorus of os ngeles concert in est Hollywood ark, and a free combined esbian peakers eries ummer ounds event at lummer ark featuring rammy nominat ed singer songwriter ophie B. Hawkins. More information is available at www.weho.org calendar.

Information about eHo ride eekend street and facility closures is available at www.wehopride.com eventmap clo sures.

Information about the City’s  ride ide free WeHo Pride eekend shuttle service is available at https go.wehopride. com fnasc.

dditional information about eHo ride is posted at www. wehopride.com and wehopride on Instagram and Facebook.

For nearly four decades, est Hollywood has been home to one of the largest ride celebrations in the United tates. Hun dreds of thousands of BT people and allies from around the world traditionally make eHo their annual destination during ride season.

“The City of est Hollywood is pleased to kick off another eHo ride celebration filled with engaging activities and plen ty of opportunities to celebrate the BT community,” said City of est Hollywood Mayor epi hyne. “Our eHo ride arade Icons embody ueer oy and fierce allyship by creat ing spaces where our community can be celebrated, whether that’s on the red carpet or directly through their art and advo cacy. e’re thrilled to celebrate the impact our Icons have in creating a more evolved and accepting world.”

RuPaul’s Drag Race is being celebrated as this year’s  Drag Icon and will oin the eHo ride arade on a float accompa nied by a number of fan favorites from the u aul’s rag ace franchise.

ong time host and udge Michelle isage will be receiving the rag Icon award on behalf of the franchise. The illustrious rag ace series has produced some of the most globally fa mous drag ueens, and the City of est Hollywood is thrilled to include rag ace participants in this year’s parade including ngeria, igi oode, ottmik, une ambalaya, ock M. akura, ymone, and more.

roduced by MT ntertainment tudios and orld of onder O , the franchise has reshaped international pop culture, earning mmys, and has created a global network. Fans can catch the current season of u aul’s rag ace ll tars streaming exclusively on aramount .

The Icons for this year’s eHo ride eekend ride a rade will be  RuPaul’s rag Race,  aith shley, iecy ash Betts essica Betts, and Melissa McCarthy. eHo ride will honor these trailblazers and allies as this year’s Icons for their work in bringing the BT community and social ustice issues to the forefront, as well as expanding ueer representation in main stream pop culture.

The eHo ride arade will step off at p.m. noon on unday, une , beginning at . Crescent Heights Bou levard at anta Monica Boulevard, and will travel westbound along anta Monica Boulevard into the heart of City’s ainbow istrict to . obertson Boulevard.

Full of music, dancing, colorful floats, festive marching con tingents, and creative flair, the eHo ride arade is free and open to the public embracing BT representation, inclusion, and progress.

T is the o cial broadcast partner of the eHo ride arade. For those not able to attend in person, tune in for eHo ride arade coverage on T , T and T . com featuring Cher Calvin, edro ivera, the T Family, and surprise special guests.

eceiving this year’s  Breakthrough Icon award is  Laith Ashley, a model, actor, and activist who launched his career with a campaign for Barneys ew ork in February . s of , shley was the male lead in Taylor wift’s avender Haze music video, and in , he was the first transgender man to be featured in an ad campaign for the iesel brand.

ctress  Niecy Nash-Betts and singer songwriter  Jessica Betts will be honored with the title of  Trailblazer Icons for blazing their own trail in Hollywood. Melissa McCarthy has been named eHo ride’s   Ally Icon and is being rec ognized for her outspoken allyship and celebration of the BT community.

eHo ride eekend une will include a free eHo ride treet Fair representing a diverse array of BT com munity groups as part of visibility, expression, and celebration the omen’s Freedom Festival the annual yke March Friday ight at OUT OU OUT OU eHo ride music festival and a wide range of community group programming through out ride month.

The day eHo ride rts Festival May une takes place at various locations throughout est Hollywood, along with selected online programming.

dditional information about eHo ride is posted at www. wehopride.com and wehopride on Instagram  and Facebook.

A scene from eHo ride hoto by on iscott

LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT

There will only ever be one Tina Turner

Iconic singer performed at first ay ames in

Legendary singer Tina Turner, dubbed the ‘Queen of Rock’ n Roll,’ died last week at the age of 83 at her home in Switzerland after a long illness, her publicist Bernard Doherty announced. A statement read: “With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model.”

Today, upon her passing, everyone around the world is declaring Tina Turner “an icon.”

It doesn’t fit. There are icons, an atmospheric leap, all of Heaven, and then, and only then, sitting above it all… is Tina Turner.

Simply, The Best.

For the non-conforming male personas among us, and for the female personas among us, she was our phoenix rising from the ashes of toxic masculinity, overcoming it, and becoming the epitome of the queen, the warrior, the triumphant. She was the diva of rock, not just as in “Rock and Roll”, which was true, but as in “rocking your world.” When she borrowed Sir Elton’s “I’m Still Standing,” we knew she meant it.

By ROB WATSON

into his act and gave her the name “Tina Turner.” In classic “star is born” form, Tina Turner overcame her mentor in talent and popularity, and he married her.

Her voice was not one of sweetness and ice cream sodas. She was the real deal. Right from the start, she sang from the edge. She was not likely to be mistaken for Doris Day or Petula Clark, no, Tina Turner had grit, strength and even a tone of rage.

hile other “iconic” singers debuted in film as sweet inno cents, Tina’s launch was as the Acid Queen in Tommy. She played an erratic prostitute who advocated prophetic LSD in an effort to cure the title character.

ith her humanness, her fight, and her willingness to be authentic, she spoke to, and for, many in the LGBTQ spectrum.

As we enter an era where identities are valued and under siege, Tina Turner was a pioneer. While she was a cisgender woman of color, and none of those descriptions were ever challenged, she famously stood to fight for her name. hen, during their contentious divorce, and Ike sought to deprive her of the identity she had built for herself, she fought back and she fought back hard.

She gave up everything to keep what she treasured. She famously said, “ xcept my name. I’ll give up all that other stuff, but only if I get to keep my name. I’ve worked too hard for it, your Honor.”

For our transgender and drag brothers and sisters, hear her. She blazed a trail for the chosen identity, and who could deny that “Tina Turner” was not the real her?

bisexuality and her relationships with women. While being open about her sexuality, she did not consider it a defining factor of her identity or her music.

Only Tina Turner defined Tina Turner.

She meant something to all of us. Grief and wonder is pouring out from everyone from Diana Ross to NASA.

NASA, not an organization to normally recognize celebrities, but an absolute authority on things Heavenly, tweeted, “ imply the best. Music legend Tina Turner sparkled across the stage and into millions of hearts as the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Her legacy will forever live among the stars.”

Mick agger said, “ he was inspiring, warm, funny and gen erous. She helped me so much when I was young and I will never forget her.”

“Rest in peace to one of my favorite artists of all time, the legendary ueen of rock n’ roll Tina Turner,” stated Magic ohnson.

Speaking for many under and over the rainbow, George Takei stated, “ he was our iver eep and our Mountain High, the Private Dancer in our hearts. She showed us that love really does has everything to do with it, and that we really did need another hero. And she was it.”

It was not just that Tina Turner was a hero. It was that she was a survivor, trailblazer and hero to so many. From women of color who needed to see their strength demonstrated, to people in abusive relationships who needed to see their possibilities illuminated, to beaten gay boys who needed to see the power in standing and fighting, she gave hope to them all.

In case you missed her story told many times, written about and immortalized on film, she was born nna Mae Bullock. n up-and-coming musician named Ike Turner domineered her

The outpouring of love and respect from the world’s LGBTQ population is deserved. She has been a longtime supporter and adored queen diva of the gay and LGBTQ community forever. She pioneered when others wouldn’t, by performing at the opening ceremonies of the first ay ames in an Fran cisco in 1982. It was a watershed moment in sports for LGBTQ athletes and allies. She has been imitated by drag queens for decades on platforms all across the world in the best “imitation is the highest form of flattery” way, beyond the point of homage and in some cases, to the point of worship. She loved us back. Tina frequently expressed her gratitude and love for her gay fans in interviews and concerts. She did not capitalize on her own sexuality but acknowledged her

She showed us all how to embody our authentic selves and capture our creativity, our innovation and our truth. She said, “Sometimes you have to let everything go – purge yourself. If you are unhappy with anything – whatever is bringing you down get rid of it. Because you will find that when you are free, your true creativity, your true self comes out.”

There is a line from “We Don’t Need Another Hero:” “So what do we do with our lives? We leave only a mark. Will our story shine like a light? Or end in the dark? Give it all or nothing.”

She gave us her all, and the mark she left?

Her story does not just shine like a light, it seared every person, every walk of life, she touched. She lived as any true hero would and has gone out in a fierce blaze of glory.

TINA TURNER (Screenshot/YouTube)

Max brings history to the masses in entertaining

Cervini’s work not a typical ueer documentary

ride month has o cially arrived, and that means it’s time again for all our T providers to oin the rest of the corporate world in falling over itself to show its support the only way it knows how by marketing directly to us and letting us know that, yes, they want our money, too.

e can’t resist a little glib snark, but truthfully, we’re not complaining. fter being ignored for decades by the mainstream, a little overcompensation once a year is fine by us. That’s especially true when the content that rolls out on our screens is well crafted, authentic, and entertaining without pandering to its audience which, as anyone who has binge watched through the “ BT ” section of their streaming service of choice can easily tell you is not always the case.

By JOHN PAUL KING

obviously, but this time it comes with a twist the re enactments take the form of comedic sketches, reimagining its famous historical sub ects through a contemporary lens and turning them into campy and absurdly anachronistic avatars of defiantly ueer empowerment.

Those accustomed to a more straightforward documentary approach might be put off by this approach, and we can’t blame them the irreverence of the very first episode, which explores ueer leaders of government throughout history and depicts braham incoln as a flamboyantly sex positive avatar for ueer empowerment, is by itself enough to raise hackles. Considering the reverence with which most of these individuals are viewed today, it’s inevitable that many viewers will find the show more than a little transgressive.

ust from the first installment than by comically portraying them as if they were the modern e uivalent of their “types” in the ueer community More than that, when we see these histories presented in this way, the arguments of “traditional” i.e. heterosexual historians that dismiss such theories as unsubstantiated speculation seem even more ludicrous than they did before and that’s saying a lot.

That’s why we chose to start our ride month viewing with a series that’s not even brand new. “The Book of ueer,” which is part of the debut rollout on Max the rebranded streaming service formerly known as HBO Max , originally aired on iscovery for ride . ow, it’s available to a wider audience ust in time for ride , and coupled with its focus on ueer history, the timing is too perfect not to bring it to your attention.

Created by Harvard and Cambridge educated historian r. ric Cervini likely familiar to many of our readers via a popular social media presence built around his “ ueer History ” newsletter “Book of ueer” is a five episode crash course that tells the stories of significant ueer or purportedly ueer individuals who have made their mark on human civilization across the millennia through re enactments by an all ueer ensemble cast, illuminating them with commentary from an array of expert “talking heads” who are both erudite and accessible. It’s a familiar format,

et even as it plays fast and loose with the accuracy of its portrayals which, for the record, is a deliberate tactic, not a clumsy effort to contemporize and dumb them down for a modern audience it is scrupulous about making sure we aren’t fooled by its wacky style into thinking that it doesn’t take any of this stuff seriously. Though it plays on all the familiar tropes and stereotypes of modern ueer culture to the point that we might be offended by some of its humor if it came in a show not conceived and executed by ueer creators it is always uick to set the record straight, not ust with the savvy, well researched insight of the commentators, but with clever visual aids like infographics and pop up supplemental facts like Cervini’s online history lessons, there’s a light tone to the whole affair, giving everything a fresh sense of fun that makes it all feel very much like a product tailored for the reputed shallowness and short attention span of the internet age but that doesn’t mean it’s not dedicated to honoring the history it relates to us by remaining strictly aligned with the facts.

Indeed, in many ways it uses its cheeky burles ue of history to amplify and drive home some of its most convincing points. How better to underscore its arguments the nonbinary identity of gyptian monarch hkenaten, or be incoln’s committed sexual relationships with the lengthy list of male “roommates” who shared his bed yes, really before becoming president, and those examples are

In truth it’s more than a little thrilling to see the show’s une uivocal assertions about the ueerness of its sub ects all backed by rigorously cited sources and extensively researched anecdotal evidence presented without the e uivocating disclaimers that usually accompany that discussion. nd while it may take most of the first episode for some viewers to warm up to its madcap approach though more casual audiences may be comfortable with it from the start , it uickly reveals its value goes beyond simply keeping us entertained. By episode , not ust in spite but because of its humor, it’s able to evoke unexpected and unexpectedly powerful tears over the death of lan Turing, and to remind us that enaissance artists like a inci and Michelangelo lived under constant threat of prosecution, punishment, and even execution for sodomy.

Indeed, if there’s one common thread that runs through all these histories, it’s the ever present suppression, persecution, and worse that has been imposed upon ueer people across the centuries if “Book of ueer” makes us laugh, it does so in the spirit of all the pioneers who came before it, combating the cruelty and bigotry of our oppressors with the kind of fierce, subversive comedic artillery that easily pierces their ludicrous assumptions and attitudes about us.

That, as much as anything, drives home the importance of a show like “Book of ueer” in the here and now, as BT life and culture faces a resurgence of bigotry and legislation aimed at pushing us back into the closeted, underground life we’ve had to endure for millennia. That importance is clearly not lost on Cervini, who despite the involvement of high profile guest narrators like Margaret Cho and the late eslie ordan emerges as the show’s brightest star. ppearing in each episode to provide “footnotes” that give further historical context for each of the stories, his twink ish youthful appearance and mischievously fey charm belie his status as a ulitzer nominated author and historian for his book, “The eviant’s ar The Homosexual vs. The United tates of merica” , but the authority and comprehensive knowledge with which he speaks leave no doubt of his ability to lead a generation of young ueer scholars and activists fighting into the future, armed with the certainty of facts and an understanding of a history that has been buried by our oppressors for far too long.

“Book of ueer” might not be your typical documentary, but really, do we want a ueer documentary to be “typical” It’s clear that r. ric Cervini does not, and after seeing this one, we are inclined to agree with him.

‘Book of Queer’

ERIC CERVINI spills the tea in ‘Book of Queer.’

9 (detail), 2018, Tim Walker. Model: Radhika Nair. Fashion: Halpern, Dolce & Gabbana. Pershore, Worcestershire. © Tim Walker Studio. Text

design © 2023 J. Paul Getty Trust

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Tragedy and comedy intertwined in

‘Quietly Hostile’

Irby’s fourth essay collection addresses pandemic, TV writing career, more

By KATHI WOLFE

You know from the get-go that “Quietly Hostile,” essayist, television writer and humorist amantha Irby’s fourth essay collection, is filled to the brim with the author’s mordant wit, cynicism and empathy. Who else but Irby, 43, who has struggled with depression, would write: “This book is dedicated to Zoloft”?

There are zillions of essay collections. But few are as memorable, poignant, funny (sometimes grossly, in a good way and heart filled a term Irby might hate) as “Quietly Hostile”

This long awaited collection is filled with what Irby would call “good shit”: from hilarious descriptions of her bad dog in doggie day care to bits about, literally, shit, (that will gross you out, but reduce your shame about pooping).

Irby, who is Black and bisexual, grew up in poverty in Evanston, Ill. Her parents died when she was 18 (her mother from multiple sclerosis; her father, who gambled, likely, suffered from post traumatic stress disorder).

At the age of nine, Irby’s mother’s MS went out of remission. While still a child, she was called upon to care for her Mom.

“When I was an actual kid growing up on welfare with a sick mom and expired Tuna Helper from the dollar store, the future and its infinite possibilities stretched before me like a sumptuous buffet I couldn’t afford to go to,” Irby writes.

By Samantha Irby c.2023, Vintage

There is a backdrop of pain, sadness and, sometimes, anger to much of Irby’s humor. But self-pity and rage don’t consume the book.

Irby, the author of “Meaty,” “We Are Never Meeting in Real Life” and “Wow, No Thank You,” knows that the cliche is true: tragedy and comedy often are often intertwined.

It’s fun to learn in “Quietly Hostile” that Irby, who was a writer for the popular TV shows “Shrill” and “Tuca & Bertie,” is as much a fan as the rest of us of the TV shows she loves.

In , Irby couldn’t afford cable or HBO. he had to wait to watch the “City” until it came out on H . “The show reflected nothing of my life,” she writes, “but provided something of a road map for my future...” she writes.

In a future, she wouldn’t have dreamed of then, she grew up to become a writer on “And ust ike That,” the “ ex and the City” reboot. he’s a writer on season two of “ nd ust ike That” which premieres on June 22 on Max.)

Irby was stunned when Michael Patrick King of “And Just Like That” asked her to write for the show. “I was like ... Are you allowed to work on a show like this if you only wear nine-dollar T-shirts,” she writes, “and have no idea how many Brooklyns there are.”

“ uring my interview,” Irby okes, “I said, Can I give Carrie diarrhea ’ and I was hired immediately.”

ven ardent “ ex and the City” aficionados may find too much of TC in “ uietly Hostile.”

No worries: Irby who speaks of herself as being “fat” and “sick” (she has arthritis and Crohn’s disease , riffs on many things in “ uietly Hostile.” Irby turns her sharp wit on everything from what it’s like to run for a public toilet when you have diarrhea to why she’s a avid Matthew’s fan girl to her love for approaching addiction to iet Coke to the “last normal day” before the pandemic to the “food fights” that are a part of the most loving marriages.

rab a iet Coke or libation of your choice , tell your bad dog to uit barking and enjoy “Quietly Hostile.”

Get to know SCAN.

At SCAN Health Plan®, we recognize that our LGBTQ+ members have unique health needs, and we know it’s not always easy to fnd affrming care you deserve.

SCAN Affrm partnered with Included LGBTQ+ Health (HMO) is changing that.

If you’re new to Medicare, SCAN Affrm (HMO) aims to provide LGBTQ+ members a dignifed health journey, including access to a one-on-one care coordinator.

SCAN Affrm partnered with Included LGBTQ+ Health (HMO) is an HMO plan designed for LGBTQ+ benefciaries but available to anyone who qualifes for Medicare.