METROSOURCE FEB/MAR 2023

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®

This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including:

 Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months, and may give you HBV medicine.

ABOUT BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements.

BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS.

Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains:

 dofetilide

 rifampin

 any other medicines to treat HIV-1

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY

Tell your healthcare provider if you:

 Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection.

 Have any other health problems.

 Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.

 Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:

 Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-thecounter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.

 BIKTARVY and other medicines may a ect each other. Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including:

 Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section.

 Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that may have been hidden in your body. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY.

 Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY.

 Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.

 Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.

 The most common side e ects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%). These are not all the possible side e ects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.

HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY

Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.

GET MORE INFORMATION

 This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.

 Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5

 If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.

BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, GSI, and KEEP ASPIRING are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. Version date:

LOVE & INSPIRATION

A NEW YEAR CAN BRING A FRESH START, OPTIMISM, HOPE, AND A RENEWED COMMITMENT TO OURSELVES. POSITIVE RESULTS MATERIALIZE WHEN WE ALLOW OUR HEARTS AND MINDS TO EMBRACE NEW IDEALS AND WE TAKE PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY FOR OUR ROLE IN THE CHANGE. When I rang in the new year with my husband, I thought about my goals for 2023. I decided to keep my resolutions simple this year: to focus on love and positivity.

How much time and energy we spend on positive or negative energy (or people) is completely within our control. Right? With this in mind, the team at Metrosource decided to dedicate our first issue of the year to ‘People We Love.’We can draw inspiration from those in our community who are not only living lives as their authentic selves, but clearing the path for others to do the same.

Throughout this issue, you’ll find writers, performers, activists, and others, who have taken their respective platforms and used them to bring about positive change. They’ve certainly inspired me.

It’s exciting to see an increased representation in LGBTQ writers who have the opportunity to tell stories from our point of view to mainstream audiences, like Milk Oscar-winning writer Dustin Lance Black who you can read about in People We Love. And you can get to know Stan Zimmerman who has navigated the waters of Hollywood from early ‘keep it quiet’ days writing for The Golden Girls to busting it wide open today. Our cover model and feature is Harvey Guillén, who is defying labels and slaying vampires along the way. Harvey’s positivity, optimism, and work ethic are not an act. He is the real deal.

Stage legend Chita Rivera, featured in this issue, has used her star power to shine a light on LGBTQ issues well before it was accepted by the entertainment industry, much less mainstream America. Another highlighted trailblazer is trans

actor Scott Schofield who made TV history as the first out transgendered actor in daytime television and the first to earn an Emmy nomination for his role as Max on Studio City

TV comedic actors/performers Leslie Jordan and Fortune Feimster have put a relatable face on the queer community and have approached acceptance and understanding through humor. Other talents included in the People We Love feature have provided positive LGBTQ representation through other mediums: Mike Ruiz (photography), Greg Mathis, Jr. (reality TV), and Matt Rogers (podcasts).

In addition to changing hearts and minds, we can celebrate important legislation that has recently been enacted in December, the Respect for Marriage Act. What does this law mean exactly? On the federal level, it establishes into law that all states must recognize existing samesex marriages of another state. Essentially, it repeals DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) signed into law in 1996 by President Clinton, which allowed states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages granted under the laws of other states.

As a positive step forward, we also need to be aware of what Respect for Marriage Act doesn’t protect. As Jim Obergefell (plaintiff whose Supreme Court case challenged the constitutionality of denying same sex marriage - and won) recently told CNN,“I am not celebrating yet.”He explained that the law didn’t go far enough and should the Supreme Court overturn Obergefell vs. Hodges, it would allow individual states to deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples. So, we’ve still got work to do.

In addition to LGBTQ rights, we also need increased parity for all marginalized groups. In February we celebrate Black History Month. The 2023 theme, “Black Resistance,” explores how African Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression, in all forms, especially the racial terrorism of lynching, racial pogroms and police killings, since the nation’s earliest days. I ask each of you to take a moment of reflection in February to ask yourself what step you can take, however large or small, in your family, community, or work life, to end oppression.

I hope this coming year sees the resolutions you’ve chosen for yourself come to life and 2023 surrounds you with love and positivity.

Cheers!

PUBLISHER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF COPY EDITOR

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

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FEATURE WRITER

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Bent Share Entertainment, LLC

Michael Westman

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Jeffrey James Keyes

Megan Venzin

Michael Westman

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Reproduction of any article, listing or advertisement without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. The people, businesses and organizations appearing in Metrosource are supportive of the gay community. Mention of any person, business or organization is not a reflection of their sexual orientation. ©2023 Bent Share Entertainment, LLC.

Advertisers in Metrosource acknowledge that they do business in the spirit of cooperation, fairness and service, maintaining a high level of integrity and responsibility. Providers of products or services are fully and solely responsible for same as advertised. Metrosource assumes no responsibility or liability for improper or negligent business practices by advertisers. The appearance of any person, model, business or organization in this publication, by name, advertisement or photograph is not an indication of sexual orientation. Advertisers and their agencies assume all responsibility and legal liability for the content of their advertisements in Metrosource. Publisher assumes no liability for safe-keeping or return of unsolicited art, manuscripts or other materials. Metrosource reserves the right to edit all material for clarity, length and content. All contents are copyright Bent Share Entertainment, LLC. All rights reserved. Content may only be reproduced with written permission from Bent Share Entertainment, LLC.

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@metrosource @MetrosourceMagazine @metrosourcemag METROSOURCE.COM

CURATED BY MICHAEL WESTMAN

THESCOPE

MULTI-PLATINUM ARTISTS FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS HAVE ENERGIZED POPULAR MUSIC AND CULTURE WITH A SERIES OF UNSHAKABLE, UNDENIABLE, AND UBIQUITOUS ANTHEMS AND ALBUMS. Since 2008, the Los Angeles collective have magnified the scope of pop with a dash of indie, a dose of soul, and a whole lot of dancefloor-ready bounce. Their catalog spans fan favorite records such as Pickin’ up the Pieces [2010], More Than Just A Dream [2013], the gold-certified Fitz and The Tantrums [2016], and All the Feels [2019]. Along the way, they’ve impressively tallied just shy of 4 billion streams and counting powered by enduring hits such as the triple-platinum “HandClap,” platinum “Out of My League” and “The Walker,” and gold “Moneygrabber.”

As an inescapable presence, their music has notably coursed through the mainstream conversation, soundtracking films on NETFLIX and campaigns for CVS Wellness, Sunchips, Sofi,

Xfinity, Walmart, Norwegian Cruise Line, Lays, and Wells Fargo, to name a few. Beyond standout performances everywhere from Coachella and Bonaroo to numerous late-night television shows, they’ve consistently sold out some of the most iconic venues in the world, including The Forum and Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Not to mention, they’ve incited the applause from Rolling Stone, Billboard, People, and more.

In 2021, Fitz and The Tantrums frontman Michael “Fitz” Fitzpatrick released his first-ever solo album Head Up High under the moniker FITZ. Meanwhile, co-lead vocalist Noelle Scaggs founded Diversify The Stage to help foster more diverse, inclusive, equitable, and accessible concerts, events, and touring workforces for historically marginalized and underrepresented communities.

Fitz and The Tantrums once again leap forward with their bold, bright, and buoyant new album Let Yourself Free, which includes singles “Moneymaker” and “Sway.”

Let Yourself Free follows Fitz and The Tantrums’

2019 album All the Feels, which featured the top 10 hit “I Just Wanna Shine” and was supported by national television appearances on Jimmy Kimmel LIVE!, Good Morning America, and Live with Kelly and Ryan.

Fitz and The Tantrums are: Michael “Fitz” Fitzpatrick (vocals), Noelle Scaggs (vocals), James King (saxophone, flute), Jeremy Ruzumna (keyboards), Joseph Karnes (bass), and John Wicks (drums, percussion).

THE UPSHAWS (NETFLIX)

THE UPSHAWS WILL BE BACK FOR A THIRD SEASON ON NETFLIX. STARRING WANDA SYKES, MIKE EPPS AND KIM FIELDS, THE MULTI-CAMERA COMEDY CENTERS ON A WORKING-CLASS AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY IN INDIANA STRUGGLING TO MAKE IT WORK AND MAKE IT RIGHT WITHOUT THE BLUEPRINTS TO DO IT. Bennie Upshaw (Mike Epps), the head of the family, is a charming, well-intentioned mechanic and lifelong mess just trying his best to step up and care for his family — wife Regina (Kim Fields), their two young daughters (Khali Spraggins, Journey Christine) and firstborn son (Jermelle Simon), the teenage son (Diamond Lyons) he fathered with another woman (Gabrielle Dennis) -- and tolerate his sardonic sister-in-law (Wanda Sykes), all without a blueprint for success. But the Upshaws are determined to make it work, and make it to the next level, together. In this upcoming part, the Upshaws continue to ride life’s ups and downs, including new jobs, bigger dreams, health struggles and some major life surprises but still hanging on with the love that comes with family. For more, visit www.netflix.com/TheUpshaws.

ALSO

FROM NETFLIX –THAT ‘90S SHOW

HELLO, WISCONSIN! IT’S 1995 AND LEIA FORMAN, DAUGHTER OF ERIC AND DONNA, IS DESPERATE FOR SOME ADVENTURE IN HER LIFE OR AT LEAST A BEST FRIEND WHO ISN’T HER DAD. WHEN SHE ARRIVES IN POINT PLACE TO VISIT HER GRANDPARENTS, RED AND KITTY, LEIA FINDS WHAT SHE’S LOOKING FOR RIGHT NEXT DOOR WHEN SHE MEETS THE DYNAMIC AND REBELLIOUS GWEN. With the help of Gwen’s friends, including her lovable brother Nate, his smart, laser-focused girlfriend Nikki, the sarcastic and insightful Ozzie, and the charming Jay, Leia realizes adventure could happen there just like it did for her parents all those years ago. Excited to reinvent herself, she convinces her parents to let her stay for the summer. With a basement full of teens again, Kitty is happy the Forman house is now a home for a new generation and Red is, well...Red. That ‘90s Show stars Kurtwood Smith, Debra Jo Rupp, Callie Haverda, Ashley Aufderheide, Mace Coronel, Maxwell Donovan, Reyn Doi, and Sam Morelos.

DRAG RACE BELGIQUE

DRAG RACE FANS HAVE ANOTHER OUTLET SET TO PREMIERE ON WOW ... Hosted by Rita Baga, the latest international version of the Emmy-award-winning RuPaul’s Drag Race phenomenon“Drag Race Belgique.” Lufy and Mustii will be judging the charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent of the finest Belgian queens all vying to be crowned Belgium’s first Drag Race Superstar.

Lufy was one of the first Belgian creators to establish herself on YouTube and has amassed more than 3 million followers across Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. As an entrepreneur and content creator, Lufy and her love of aesthetics will bring an expert eye to the fashion and glamor that is synonymous with RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Mustii is a Belgian singer and actor. He has worked in theater and television for nearly a decade, winning a prestigious Magritte for best male newcomer in 2019. Alongside his acting success, Mustii is just as passionate about music and is a powerhouse performer. He has recorded 2 solo albums: 21st Century Boy, in tribute to David Bowie - his hero, and The Darkest Night, a personal album about mental health. A true chameleon - artist, singer, actor and performer, Mustii will use his expertise to guide the queens on their stage performances.

Coming later this year, the series will premiere exclusively on WOW Presents Plus in the US and select territories worldwide. This new version of the global franchise, which will air in France with subtitles, joins existing formats across Thailand, Chile, Canada, Holland, the UK, Spain, Australia and New Zealand, France, the Philippines and Italy.

Drag Race Belgique is produced in Belgium in conjunction with World of Wonder Productions, with Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, Tom Campbell and RuPaul serving as executive producers on the series.

VISIT

DANDY ANDY: WARHOL’S QUEER HISTORY

(SAT 2/25/23 AND 3/25/23, 3PM)

JOIN ARTIST EDUCATORS FOR DANDY ANDY, A MONTHLY TOUR THAT FOCUSES ON WARHOL’S QUEER HISTORY. While his sexuality is frequently suppressed or debated, Warhol was a gay man who had several partners throughout his life. Warhol’s boyfriends, including Edward Wallowitch, John Giorno, and Jed Johnson, were also his colleagues and collaborators, helping to shape and define his career as an artist. This tour traces Warhol’s romantic relationships and queer identity against the backdrop of the historical gay rights movement in the United States. Tours meet on the museum’s seventh floor.

The museum’s art collection includes 900 paintings; approximately 100 sculptures; nearly 2,000 works on paper; more than 1,000 published and unique prints; 4,000 photographs; 60 feature films; 200 Screen Tests; and more than 4,000 videos. The collection also features Warhol wallpaper and books.

Some of the most notable artworks include 1960s pop art paintings of consumer products, including Campbell’s Soup Cans and Coke, and celebrity portraits of stars like Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, and Elvis Presley; 1960s series, such as Death and Disaster, Mao, and abstract Oxidations; and works from the 1980s, including The Last Supper and collaborative paintings made with younger artists, such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Francesco Clemente. The Andy Warhol Museum (117 Sandusky Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15212) www.warhol.org

BOYSLUT: A MEMOIR AND MANIFESTO

BY ZACHARY ZANE

(RELEASE DATE: MAY 9TH)

Zachary Zane, author of Sexplain It, a sex and relationship advice column at Men’s Health, has written this refreshing collection of personal essays as an effort to get to the root of the sexual shame that runs rampant in American culture and help others lead more shame-free lives. Accessible, engaging, and genuinely hilarious, these essays are as titillating as they are educational.

As a boy, Zachary Zane sensed that all was not right when images of his therapist naked popped into his head. Without an explanation as to why, a deep sense of shame pervaded these thoughts. Though his therapist assured him a

little imagination was nothing to be ashamed of, over the years, society told him otherwise.

Boyslut is a series of personal and tantalizing essays that articulate how our society still shames people for the sex that they have and the sexualities that they inhabit. Through the lens of his bisexuality and much self-described sluttiness, Zane breaks down exactly how this sexual shame negatively impacts the sex and relationships in our lives, and through personal experience, shares how we can unlearn the harmful, entrenched messages that society imparts to us.

From stories of drug-fueled threesomes and risqué Grindr hookups to insights on dealing with rejection and living with his boyfriend and his wife, Boyslut is reassuring and often painfully funny—but is most potently a testimony that we can all learn to live healthier lives unburdened by stigma.

HARVEY

GUILLÉN

SLAYING VAMPIRES AND STEREOTYPES

BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ

I’M JUST AS VALUABLE AND I’M JUST AS TALENTED AND I’M NOT GOING ANYWHERE.”

THIS PAGE:

PHOTO BY JEN ROSENSTEIN

HARVEY GUILLÉN BECAME AN INSTANT FAN FAVORITE

WHEN FX’S RUNAWAY HIT WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS HIT TV SCREENS IN 2019. Challenging the norms of what made a star a star and what an action hero looked like, he became the media’s darling as they were able to anchor headlines on Latinx, LGBTQ, and plus-size descriptives. As each interview and new role would show, Harvey is much more than the labels assigned to him. Whereas most actors sit back and enjoy the success of two-time Emmynominated TV show, Harvey’s hustle has led to several notable TV appearances, action films, and voice-over projects. In the space of just a couple of years, Harvey has gone from being a fresh face in Hollywood to presenting at the Golden Globes alongside one of his co-stars, Salma Hayek. He is a verified quadruple threat – singer, actor, dancer … vampire slayer.

This past winter, the true picture of his success came into full view as passengers on the New York City subway were met not with one, but two, side to side, billboard ads for Harvey’s work - Comedy Central’s Cursed Friends and Dreamworks’ Puss in Boots 2. Harvey had no clue what Shadows would do for his career.

It’s funny because when I shot the pilot, I had such a good time, and the chemistry was so good between all of us as characters that I was sure we weren’t going to get picked up. The rule of thumb is if you love something, it usually never gets picked up. It got picked up, we did one season and then I was just so happy that we got to do a season, and then we got a second season. Most of the show has been done during the pandemic, so it has been kind of an escape for people during a really crazy time. But I never thought it would be something that would catapult me to the next level. And I never thought it would be something that was going to be the biggest, the next best thing, or whatever. My mindset was: I get to work on something that’s so fun and how lucky am I that I get to do it. Now we’re on season five and so yeah, the stuff that’s come with has been the cherry on top that I never even could have imagined.

Harvey is quick to point out that even though he found the spotlight from doing Shadows, he was not an overnight success. Before playing Guillermo, he had a stint as an unlikely superhero on Nickelodeon’s The Thundermans as well as appearances on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, iZombie, The Good Place, and The Magicians, not to mention all his theatre work from youth. He is playful about the media’s newfound crush, don’t let his boyish looks fool you, he’s

been doing the damn thing for a while.

I’ve been working at this for years. It’s just that you just discovered me so in your world, you made a discovery, you discovered this actor out of nowhere. The reality is that I’ve been here, you just never knew because I wasn’t in anything that you liked, watched, or were interested in. And suddenly, I’m in something that’s your favorite thing and it’s like, “Hey, that actor, I, I just discovered this new actor, he’s really great. He’s going places!” It’s kind of funny when you think about it because you’re always somebody’s favorite from something. In the last couple of years, we’ve done cons

and whatnot and it’s so funny to see who likes me from what. But people tend to forget, and just know that this business is fickle - one second you’re in and the next you’re out. And the rollercoaster’s ups and downs are tremendous and it’s just funny, you know?

He is the media’s darling. He charms in every interview he is in. He makes time for small podcast interviews as well as big media opportunities. With a pal next door attitude in real life, he exudes comfort and joy on screen. Even his name, taking the stage name Harvey after his teachers couldn’t pronounce “Javier,” elicits an aw-shucks, Jimmy Stewart likeability.

THIS BUSINESS IS FICKLE - ONE SECOND YOU’RE IN AND THE NEXT YOU’RE OUT.”

I stayed true to myself from the beginning. People have brought to my attention recently that I’m still the same guy. Even when you were busing tables, you’re still the same guy when you were hustling, or you’re still the same guy when you were auditioning and doing children’s theater – like you’re still listening. I tend to stick to my craft and give it 150% and hope it is well received. For the most part, I think that’s what it is - I haven’t changed. People can read you to filth and they can see when you’re honest, when you’re not, and when you’re phony.

Another part of Harvey’s life that keeps him grounded is his family and friends. If you follow Harvey’s social media you know that he is literally around the globe from one week to the next, a different project month after month, a different voice-over booth week after week. So, when does he find the time for loved ones?

You’re always on the go, but you make time when you can. I surround myself with great people. My best friends have been my best friends since fourth grade, and they have nothing to do with the industry. You make time for the people you love and for the things that are important. I know that being busy is always a good excuse

and being busy is great. I’m busy, busy, and blessed, but you also have to keep grounded. It’s always important to squeeze those important relationships in and to keep that cohesive and linear connection to the people you were friends with before you got to this place.

The focus on Harvey has shifted. Media is now talking about his acting rather than just the headline-grabbing labels. Sure, he’s Latino. Sure, he’s gay. Sure, he represents body inclusivity. But now, let’s talk about who Harvey is.

I think the media started focusing on that obviously from the get-go because I came into a world that was not the norm for someone who looks like me, right? And so, people are like, what is this? What is this new thing coming into our vision? That is not the norm. It is a topic of conversation. I like to think that over time it has changed and that’s not new and different – it’s the normal now. You now can see different body sizes in all kinds of shapes and heights and people of color and backgrounds - that should be the norm. For so long, it was very cookie cutter, and it was pretty much the same over and over.

We knew what a starlet looked like, and we knew what a leading man looked like.

And suddenly, only in the recent decade or so has that been shifted into, why the fuck can’t a round, brown, and proud actor be a lead or be the focus of attention or be your desire? Why can’t they be lusted over and be a sex symbol? It never made sense because we let Hollywood control that narrative. Now there are way more people who are stepping out of that shadow and into the light and saying, “No, I’m just as good. I’m just as valuable and I’m just as talented and I’m not going anywhere.”

I wouldn’t be here if I was just a onetrick pony and you just saw me as the round, brown, proud guy. The cream rises to the top, and you can actually stand by your talent - either you have the goods, or you don’t it. I know that I’ve trained, and I’ve worked hard to get where I’m at. If I wasn’t good enough to stay in this business, I wouldn’t be working. They forget that. The narrative that was controlled and said earlier was just to focus on body, focus on race, and focus on that. And now we need to take that away. Can we focus on doing the work?

Oh, it’s actually good work! Oh, people are acknowledging it and it’s getting nominated and it’s getting acknowledged. As an actor, you don’t do it for the accolades, but it’s

LOVE IS LOVE.

EWWWW! EXCEPT YOU, FATTY! WE CAN’T SAY, AS A COMMUNITY, THAT WE’RE INCLUSIVE WHEN WE EXCLUDE CERTAIN BODIES.”

THIS PAGE: PHOTO BY RUSS MARTIN/FX

good to know that you’re stripping away those ideals that were focused on before and really focusing on the work and noticing the work is good.

As for the roles that Harvey has been playing, he refuses to be pigeonholed into playing gay characters. Typecasting is a surefire way to limit any actor’s career.

I made a conscious decision to do that. I know what Hollywood was going to do - I saw it happen to other people. I’ve seen it happen to other queer actors. They say, “Oh, you’ll work, but you’ll always be this one trick pony and you’ll always be the go-to token queer character.”That really bothered me because I know those actors are more talented than playing one role, but they had a choice, right? You must do what’s right for you at that moment, at that time. I decided I can’t get typecast into just one thing because then that says to everyone, isn’t he great at playing that one thing and isn’t that great?

Some become complicit and content, presenting themselves in one way because it’s a paycheck. After a while you’re getting paid to play something that comes easy to you and in the end, you hate it because

you’re not challenged. Don’t get me wrong, those roles are fun and fabulous and I love it when I get to play them too. But I’d also like to remind everyone that we’re all performers and actors who want to challenge ourselves. We want you to take a risk on us playing that role that you never would’ve imagined we could play. I’ve done that in the last couple of years, like in Reacher playing a medical examiner with a Southern accent who is Latino, which is rarely seen on television. Where do you see that on television? So, I push myself to do roles that are not conventional. Like kids’ animation where I use my voice - that’s an art. I pride myself in taking on different roles and people respond, “That was you? Oh, that’s right - that was you. I didn’t even recognize you. If you didn’t tell me, I wouldn’t know!” I love hearing that. That is my job as a performer - to create a completely new life.

Even though the LGBTQ community has recently rallied around the actor, that was not always the case. Harvey oftentimes felt like a stranger in his group.

For the longest time, I felt like I wasn’t in with the crowd. I wasn’t in with the cool kids of the queer world, and I wasn’t

on covers of magazines. The community itself had kind of taken notice of me but not acknowledged and said, “yeah, he’s one of us.” They were more like, “oh, hey girl, you’re over there.” It wasn’t a welcoming thing. There was never a spread or a cover about “Harvey Guillén comes out” or anything like that. There was never a big hoorah because traditionally, as much as I hate to say it, even in our community, we do judge each other on body shapes and sizes. Even in our queer culture, it was like, “can we put him on the cover? He doesn’t have a six-pack.” For so long, even our community was discriminating against us in that way. It was unfortunate because I was like, I’ve been here, I’ve been a part and I’ve been loud about being proud of who I am.

Just recently, because of the accolades and success of the show, more and more outlets and more people are like, “Yes, one of us! Yaas! You go, girl!” But I was here two years ago, it wasn’t like just out of nowhere I came out. Sometimes the whole community is just shining its light somewhere else, sometimes they’re not even aware of your work. They haven’t come across it yet because they are focusing on queer work and whatnot. Since I’m not playing queer back-to-back, then I’m not completely in your peripheral. If I’m not in front of you, then you don’t know me, obviously. So, it’s been a challenge, but I think in the last couple years with the work that I’ve done and sprinkle myself all around, everyone is aware now!

I always make a joke that the community loves everyone – “Love is love. EWWWW! Except you, fatty!” That’s what it feels like sometimes. What are we saying? What is our chant? Love is love if it looks a certain way? Being a person of size, it’s hurtful because that sucks, you know? I get it. I get that people have what they are attracted to or sexually drawn to and that’s fine. Different strokes for different folks. But we can’t say, as a community, that we’re inclusive when we exclude certain bodies because they don’t look like what the “majority” of our community fawns over.

In a milestone for his character, Harvey’s Guillermo came out to his family in the last season of Shadows. Though his sexuality was hinted at, it was never fully addressed. Of course, as any good Latino gay man does, he came out during a family dinner. Latin drama and all. But his family was

more upset that he wanted to be a vampire than they were about his queerness. The scene was a perfect culmination of moments from Harvey’s personal life, making it real for the character, and the mission of the show’s creative team to get it just right.

I think the time had come. Remember that Guillermo had a lot of things that he was keeping from his family. A lot of secrets have piled on. That kind of translates over to us as humans that sometimes a little white lie becomes bigger than we could ever imagine. A little secret becomes detrimental to you and others. It just became too much.

I love when people ask, “When did they come out?” It’s funny because, for the most part, people know who they are. They don’t come out to you. They let you in. They get to a place where they feel comfortable enough to let you in. What you do with that information is up to you. Sometimes people take that information and destroy someone’s life, or they take that information and use it against that person. That’s unfortunate because they felt so comfortable letting you in and you took what was so vulnerable to them and personal to them and used it. Hopefully, most use it for positive. But if you use it for negative, then you’re a piece of shit. It’s not coming out. It’s “letting in.”

The writers [on Shadows] are very inclusive. We work together on issues like that and the family stuff, the Spanish dialogue, the setting and how important it is for things in the household and the language used to feel very authentic, especially for Guillermo, who is from Mexican culture. With the coming out story, I remember when we talked about it and they said, “we’re doing it, we’re doing it this year, he’s coming out.” And the way that I read it, it was so funny and beautiful, and the director worked hands-on with me and wanted to make sure that this felt as authentic as it could to Guillermo, but also for me, it was cathartic.

People have their “letting in” and everyone’s personal letting in story is different. For me, it felt so weird because I had to do this on camera. It felt so vulnerable. The characters in this scene, my Mexican mom, are like real characters in my real life. I could literally remember that day. It was very close to me. How many people get to relive a moment in their life that they can relate to and convey that into a scene that will live forever on film?

Disney? Check. Presenting at the Golden Globes? Check. Curvy action hero? Check. Working with Latin greats Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek? Check. Harvey’s not done checking boxes. He will co-star in the Blue Beetle film, released under James Gunn’s vision for the DC cinematic universe. This film marks the first time a Latino superhero leads his own movie. The cast is largely from the Latinx community.

It’s a huge deal to be a part of this – the cast alone, this director who’s brilliant, and the writing, I mean, when I read the script for this film, I couldn’t believe it. I was just like, wait, what? These are conversations that could easily be had in my household. We make references to things that are very much anyone who was part of the Latino community who grew up with your ‘tias y tios’ - all of it is in the script. It blew my mind because of the way it was done. It is so great because it was so inclusive. If you didn’t grow up being Latino and in that world, it doesn’t matter - you are being introduced. We hold your hand through it. And you’re going to be blown away because stories like this were never told before - and now we’re telling it. If you have lived anything similar to the story, you will have an instant rapport

and think, oh my gosh, I’m on screen - my life’s on screen, my family’s on screen, I’m on screen. That’s such a big thing for me as an actor to be a part of because it’ll live forever, this movie will live forever. If you never knew about Mexican culture or Latino culture, this will be a great introduction with superhero involvement. Obviously, because you know we have Blue Beetle, who is the main character, that itself is already entertaining. But the family and the culture are what really kind of drives the story, which is so great.

Harvey’s positivity, optimism, and work ethic are not an act. He is the real deal. Hopefully, his attitude and thoughts can inspire other members of the LGBTQ community – in entertainment and beyond.

My biggest wish would be that we become more supportive of each other in any way we can. I always say, if it wasn’t me, then I’m always glad it was somebody in my community, one way or another. A feather in one of our hats is a feather in all our hats, you know? And that’s what I love. So, I would hope that for our community, we really do support each other and try to help each other in any way we can. Whether it be writing or producing and casting our brothers and sisters and recommending them. ■

IT’S NOT COMING OUT. IT’S “LETTING IN.”

BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ

LESLIE JORDAN

ACTOR | COMEDIAN | WRITER

WITH A

HOW Y’ALL DOING?”

Leslie Jordan appeared in every form of media – plays, web series, stand up, one-man shows, and his popular cruise appearances. He was a prolific writer in addition to his acting and his autobiographical shows have played offBroadway and on national tours to critical and audience acclaim. His one-man shows had a distinct charm to them, giving off the sense that he was just telling stories that come to his mind.

In our 2020 cover interview, Leslie spoke about many memorable moments in his life, including his Southern Baptist childhood, the AIDS crisis, a shared jail cell with Robert Downey Jr., drug and alcohol addiction, and his quarantine Instagram stories …. His stories were indeed colorful, his signature drawl adorable, but the person behind the persona surprising. He described his defining moment that started his path to sobriety, “Jail! I went to jail! The last year of my drinking I went to jail five times. It would always start at Marix in West Hollywood. I would always say oh great, happy hour I’ll have a few drinks then go home. Then it would be 2am and I didn’t know how that happened. But I got arrested for the fifth time and was sentenced to 120 days and I did about 15. I got out because they didn’t have any place to put Robert Downey Jr. I’m not making that up! They put him in with me for one night – that’s my big claim to fame. It was Dec 11th, 1997. We worked together years later, on Ally McBeal, and I thought oh God I was in prison with him, I wonder if he’ll remember. He did immediately. That was it right there. I had hit bottom. Some people have an emotional bottom where they’re sitting at home thinking, I can’t do this anymore. Or I’m sick and tired all the time. Not me, honey I had a bottom – a jail cell.

I called my agent and I said, ‘Please come get me I have to work tomorrow.’ I called my friend (actress) Beth Grant, she said just leave him, because you are going to end up dead in a ditch. I said look, I have to do number two and there’s no walls and there’s no paper and you have got to

come get me because I’m about to shit my pants. I held it for eight hours; they finally came and got me. That was the worst part. And then I had to go to court for my sentencing. Well, I’m 22 years sober now.”

His Emmy-winning role of Beverley Leslie in Will & Grace was supposed to have been a onetime guest role played by a woman (Joan Collins, no less), but became one of the most loved recurring characters of the show. Leslie told us in 2020, “I remember I had planned a speech in case. But it just flooded out. My only regret was that my win wasn’t at the Emmys, it was the Creative Arts Emmys which was the week before. No one got to see my speech and it was so heartfelt. I said there are two ways to combat homophobia – one was through humor, which I’ve learned, and the second was by putting a face on it.”

Jordan reflected, “These characters on Will & Grace were probably the first gay people that many people in American let in their homes. Characters

that we laughed with and loved and there was a lot of progress made. Because I think when it’s all said and done people will look back and say Will & Grace was when the tide turned. Right there. I really do think it’s that important. When I first started working on that show, people would stop me and ask, aren’t you on TV? ‘I’m on Will & Grace,’ I’d exclaim. And it would be a straight guy and immediately they’d say, my wife watches that or my girlfriend watches that. And by the end of the show’s run, I’d be walking by a construction site and the workers would be yelling, hey, I loved you on that show, you’re funny! I thought, you know, that’s progress right there.”

He was a personal hero, making gays in the entertainment industry a group to contend with. Leslie confided, “I don’t know how to turn it off even if there’s just one other person. I will be talking/performing, but I’m not good at small talk.” That’s why we’ll always love Leslie Jordan. I am sure he is performing for the angels. ■

HISTORY OF BIGGER THAN LIFE CHARACTERS, SUCH AS BEVERLEY LESLIE IN WILL & GRACE, MULTIPLE CHARACTERS IN AMERICAN HORROR STORY, AND OF COURSE, BROTHER BOY IN SORDID LIVES, THIS 4’11” EMMY AWARD WINNER KEPT US LAUGHING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC AND OVER THE YEARS.

THE WORLD LOST ONE OF THE PERENNIAL PEOPLE WE LOVE IN 2022 - LESLIE JORDAN

FORTUNE FEIMSTER

COMEDIAN | ACTOR | WRITER

THERE’S FUNNY, THEN THERE’S FUNNY AF. FORTUNE FEIMSTER IS THE LATTER. WITH HER NONCHALANT STYLE AND HER WELL-CRAFTED STORYTELLING, HER COMEDY IS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL AUDIENCES - LGBTQ AND BEYOND. As a lesbian, she just merely tells it like it is and doesn’t anchor her routines on her sexuality, it’s merely part of the whole story.

She might have made her television debut on NBC’s Last Coming Standing, but her real introduction to the world was being presented to society at the Gastonia Debutante Ball in North Carolina as a teen. Many of her stand-up stories talk about her North Carolina upbringing, her mother, and her growing pains as a kid who did not quite fit the norms around her. Destined to become an audience favorite, she was elected student body president and was the student speaker at her commencement at Peace College, an all-women university at the time. Another speaker at that commencement was actress Emily Procter, whom Fortune moved to Los Angeles to work for as a personal assistant. After meeting one of Emily’s neighbors who was in the journalism industry, Fortune started a seven-year stint as an entertainment journalist. During that time she started studying at The Groundlings, it was that first year with The Groundlings that she came out. And the rest is herstory.

Honing her career for over two decades, where hasn’t she popped up? Her down-to-earth attitude and support of others in the industry have seen her guest anywhere from smaller podcasts to A-list movies. She first hit widespread popularity with her writing and panelist time for E!’s Chelsea Lately, holding her own against the biting humor of Chelsea herself. From there, her television appearances have run the gamut on

shows that include The Mindy Project, Glee, Nora from Queens, 2 Broke Girls, RuPaul’s Drag Race, The L Word: Generation Q, Tales of the City, Life in Pieces, and even The Simpsons. This season she appears alongside an impressive list of actors for HBO Max’s Velma, based on the Scooby-Doo franchise and produced by Mindy Kaling. In film, she’s appeared in Pixar’s Soul, Office Christmas Party, and of course, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar. Sometimes her sexuality plays a part in her characters, sometimes they don’t. She’s collaborated with Tina Fey, struck deals with Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, and even Arnold Schwarzenegger – look for their upcoming action, yes action, film.

Are you a successful comedian if you don’t have a comedy special on TV? Her first Netflix special, Sweet & Salty, was nominated for a Critics Choice Award. Her follow-up special Good Fortune is equally hilarious and where the first show covered her Southern life, her latest show deals with her love life and marriage proposal, her level of “butchness,” and being judged by her looks. Again, presented without the pomp and circumstance of an activist’s platform, but still getting her message across and representing our community with flair.

Her wedding to kindergarten teacher Jax was covered exclusively for People magazine. Their wedding was down to earth, just like Fortune, and she optimistically told the magazine, “hopefully marriage equality is here to stay.”

Even though extremely busy, she never forgets her roots of stand up and her tours around the nation continue to sell out. She somehow finds the time to cohost Sirius XM’s and Netflix’ What A Joke with Papa and Fortune radio show with Tom Papa and a weekly podcast with her wife called Sincerely Fortune

Well, we sincerely love Fortune. Thanks for the laughs, and thanks for the positive representation.

COMMON GROUND IS ONLY A JOKE OR TWO AWAY.”

MIKE RUIZ

PHOTOGRAPHER | ACTIVIST

MIKE RUIZ IS A BEAUTIFUL PERSON INSIDE AND OUT. HE IS WELL KNOWN FOR HIS STUNNING PHOTOGRAPHY, CONSTANT ACTIVISM, AND OF COURSE, THAT CHEST. This Canadian-born spice of life has a multi-facet relationship with entertainment. At 20 years old, he moved to the US with $300 to his name to pursue a career in the industry, working as a model for a decade, then a brief period of acting.

When he was 28, he received a camera as a Christmas present … the rest is history. His compelling eye for color, texture, and highlighting both inner and outer beauty, has made him a star in the world of celebrity and fashion photography. Extremely empathic, he says his work’s mission is to make his subjects feel special and beautiful. His work has been seen around the globe in magazines that include Vanity Fair, Flaunt, Paper, and international versions of Elle and Vogue, with a celebrity resume that reads like a who’s who of entertainment that includes Billy Porter, Betty White, Kelly Clarkson, Prince, Katy Perry, Kim Kardashian, and the list literally goes on and on. With his artistic vision, he’s directed music videos for Kelly Rowland, Vanessa Williams, Erika Jayne, and RuPaul. Audiences fell in love with his personality and muscles with his appearances on America’s Next Top Model, Drag Race, Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List, and yes, who can forget, The A-List New York. Although we got to see a peek into Mike’s personal life on A-List, he clearly was in a class of his own.

So, besides his talent, why do we love him so much?

Well, for starters, if you’ve ever met him, he’s one of the most sincere, charming, down-to-earth, and unpretentious guys. But what really seals the

deal is his philanthropy, using his talents and connections to make a difference. He has supported such organizations as The Ali Forney Center, GMHC, The Trevor Project, Housing Works, It Gets Better Campaign, Live Out Loud, Project Angel Food, and GLAAD. He is also on the honorary board of the Let There Be Hope medical research foundation. For almost a decade, Mike has been shooting rescue animal calendars. His recent series of calendars, Bullies and Biceps and now Mutts & Muscles, feature top male fitness models with equally as cute dogs. Each year his calendars benefit a different organization. This year’s Mutts & Muscles calendar (already sold out) is benefitting Harley’s Haven Dog Rescue, dedicated to providing vet services and home placement for dogs at kill shelters or in abusive situations. After learning that 1 in 5 members of our community is not a registered voter, Mike organized a“Flex Your Vote” campaign that featured a social media blitz by fitness photographers encouraging our community and our allies to get out and vote. Mike has also partnered with online retailer Social Impak, featuring a collection of Mike’s work on clothing with a portion of the proceeds benefitting organizations close to Mike’s heart, including the Stand Up for Pits Foundation and the Ali Forney Center.

Mike’s newest campaign is The Leatherman Project, featuring a diverse array of men in leather. The photos are stark and stunning and Mike’s mission behind the campaign is to demystify the leather community and serve as a time capsule that will “keep the leather community’s rich history alive for future generations.”

Four-legged or two-legged, Mike continues his empathy towards the world in all that he does, making him one of the people we love. ■

MY AESTHETIC IS DERIVED FROM MY POINT OF VIEW WHICH IS ONE OF OPTIMISM AND HOPE.

THE CAMERA BECAME A CONDUIT FOR MY NEED TO CREATE A MORE BEAUTIFUL WORLD AROUND ME.”

GREG MATHIS JR

TV PERSONALITY | SOCIAL ACTIVIST

JUDGE MATHIS’ OLDER SON, GREGORY MATHIS JR, HAS BECOME A MAJOR FOCUS ON E! ENTERTAINMENT’S MATHIS FAMILY MATTERS, AS HIS PERSONAL LIFE TURNED PUBLIC IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE. His public coming out, his long-term relationship with his partner Elliot, and his involvement with both political and social causes has placed him among this year’s LGBTQ stand-out role models.

“One of the reasons I did want to do this show is because I know putting myself out there in that way will help people and save a lot of lives. I mean, representation is important, and I know how valuable it would’ve been to me growing up and on my journey to see someone like me on television. To see someone who was living their life authentically, someone who was open about their struggles with their sexuality and how difficult it was to get to this point - and how it’s still a work in progress,” Greg explains.

Mathis’ journey to reality TV came after a life in Washington D.C. politics serving in key roles such as policy advisor and legislative assistant for our elected officials. Greg remembered his favorite political moment in our 2022 interview with him, “I was on the Senate floor the night that John McCain voted ‘no’ on repealing the Affordable Care Act. We thought the law was gone for sure and John McCain came in there and, rest his soul,

saved the day. We partied like it was 1999 that night. I did a lot of domestic policy issues and healthcare fell in my portfolio when I was working in the United States Senate and that was a really special moment because we fought so hard for that.”

On coming out, Greg revealed,“I can’t paint a broad brush of how our entire community feels, but I can speak from personal experience, which is that to me, the way I was raised, the Black church was very important. It was the anchor of our family, and many in our community. Being raised in the South, it was even amplified. Once you leave high school, you’re expected to be bringing home a wife and have a family. Now that (the coming out) is done, I’m excited to just get to living my life and not having to revisit that constantly. I’m gay, but there’s so much more to me than that. I am really looking forward to people getting to see those different layers and getting to know me in a different way, rather than just the gay son of Judge Greg Mathis.”

We love the love between Greg and his longtime boyfriend Elliott as their relationship plays out on Mathis Family Matters. These two are breaking through gay Black male stereotypes out there. And they have us wondering … will one of them actually pop the question next season? ■

THERE IS A BETTER WAY. YOU CAN LOVE YOUR BROTHERS, YOUR SONS AND YOUR LGBTQ RELATIVES.”

MATT ROGERS

ACTOR | PODCASTER | COMIC

FROM SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL PROM KING TO WRITER, ACTOR, SINGER, PODCASTER, AND TV HOST, MATT ROGERS HAS BEEN KILLING IT. Most recently in high profile projects like Showtime’s I Love That for You alongside Vanessa Bayer, Molly Shannon, and Jenifer Lewis and Hulu’s Fire Island with Margaret Cho and longtime friend SNL’s Bowen Yang, his star is clearly on the rise … and we are here for it. Matt is as charming as he is talented and it’s easy to see why Hollywood is taking notice.

One of those relationships Matt has fostered is with his bestie, Bowen Yang. The two have become a comedic power force with the success of their podcast, Las Culturistas, and appearing on screen together in Fire Island. They met as freshmen in college, cultivated that friendship throughout, and ultimately, became best friends.

In our 2022 interview, Matt recalled,“The podcast started as a playdate between Bowen and I for 90 minutes a week, and that it has remained. And now it feels like a playful, fun, you know, cultural experience for us and everyone listening, and bottom line, we just don’t take ourselves too seriously.”

The recent success of Hulu’s Fire Island was a dream for Matt. Not only was he surrounded by cast and crew that he’s known for over a decade, but he made new friends off the screen.“The role was written for me by Joel (Kim Booster) who is my dear friend. When I got the script, I really could feel myself in it and I could also feel the areas where I could improvise and where I would riff and where it would be really fun to do certain things. I even thought it would be one way and then when I was actually performing, it ended up being a whole other emotion that was coming out. I didn’t know how emotional I’d get about

ARE

doing something until I did it. Having to access that vulnerability and bring it to the screen is very different for me. And it was the first time I’d ever been asked to do that. The way it plays out in the movie is really responsible and lovely.”

“If I look back in 10 years on everything I’ve

done and said at this period in my life and think, wow, cringe, whatever. At this time in my life, I’m doing my best. And all you can do is your best.”

This charismatic and insightful young talent is just 32 and we’re loving this ‘one to watch’ in the entertainment industry. ■

QUEER AUDIENCES

F***ING TOUGH. AND THEY’RE SMART.”

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PHOTOS BY LAURA MARIE DUNCAN

CHITA RIVERA

ACTRESS | SINGER | DANCER

CHITA RIVERA IS AN OG DIVA OF BROADWAY. NOT ONLY DO WE LOVE HER FOR STELLAR PERFORMANCES IN AN OVER SEVEN-DECADE CAREER, BUT WE LOVE THIS FIERY LATINA FOR HER UNWAVERING SUPPORT FOR OUR COMMUNITY. Over the years, Chita has raised a remarkable amount of money for various LGBTQ causes through her generous participation in many special events and fundraisers. The LGBTQ community has always been part of her theatre family as she worked side by side with the community from pre-Stonewall through the AIDS epidemic. “I was right in the middle of it, we just went ahead. We just trudged ahead and became who we were, through our work and our determination. We weren’t angry at anybody. We just became who we were. We’re all human. We’re all human beings. You live your life like anybody else. It was a difficult time, and it is not over. We have to be careful and think more of ourselves and others. Don’t ignore the past history.”

Chita’s Broadway career would happen by chance when she accompanied a friend to their audition for the touring production of Call Me Madam starring Elaine Stritch. Chita booked the part herself and, at age 18, hit the road with shows like Guys and Dolls, Can-Can, and Mr. Wonderful starring Sammy Davis Jr. quickly following. Her diverse breadth of work has earned her 10 Tony nominations (winning twice) and the 2018 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre. She earned icon status for creating starring roles in such shows as West Side Story, Sweet Charity, Bye Bye Birdie, Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Visit, and more. She is a chameleon on stage, and never relied on her stardom to play a role. “My biggest challenge was satisfying the composer and the lyricist, just being, being who they want me to be. Each role has been totally different and I’ve learned from each and every role. I came along at The Golden Age where each show really was a hit. And there were many, many shows with many different stories, I think it was richer than it is now. So each time was a challenge and it wasn’t until I got up there and performed it that I understood what was going on.”

She collaborated with musical greats such as Leonard Bernstein, Charles Strouse & Lee Adams, Jerry Herman, and Stephen Sondheim, as well as a very special relationship with composer John

Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb, who were openly gay during a time when it was still a point of stigma. This relationship would prove invaluable to Chita’s career.“They knew every emotion about me. They knew more about me than I knew about myself. They introduced me to myself. They were humorous. They were dramatic. They were every emotion that you could possibly call and they could write to that music. John wrote the most beautiful melodies, while Fred wrote the most comical or the most dramatic of lyrics. So, they just ran the gamut to me, and they taught me everything I know.”

She is a spokesperson for another minority group as well. Chita is the first Latina and the first Latino American to receive a Kennedy Center Honor. Her mother put her in ballet at age 9, and from there she would go on to earn scholarships and special placement into prestigious art

programs. It never occurred to her that her career might be limited by her ethnicity. And indeed, she was never pigeonholed into the racial limitations of her early time on Broadway.“I never thought of myself as being different. I just became the character and believed in the character. And that’s the way it was. And that’s the way I’ve lived my life.You can do anything you want to do, just believe in it.”

Chita shows no signs of slowing down. She has a memoir coming out later this year, and she recently debuted her new show, Chita: The Rhythm of My Life, revisiting some of her most iconic roles from Broadway through song and storytelling. Her support for our community remains unstoppable, “Somebody’s got to do it. I mean, you have to do it. What do you live for?”

Her message to her LGBTQ fans?“Just believe in yourself and be proud of yourself, that’s all.” Is it any wonder why we love Chita? ■

I JUST BROKE UP ALL THE FURNITURE IN THE HOUSE. MY MOTHER HAD TO GET RID OF ME. SO SHE PUT ME IN DANCE CLASS.”

THE SKIVVIES

MUSICIANS | ACTORS

AFTER WALKING AROUND IN THEIR UNDERWEAR GETTING READY TO SING, AS BESTIES OFTEN DO, DYNAMIC DUO AND THEATRE VETS LAUREN MOLINA AND NICK CEARLEY WERE INSPIRED TO CALL THEMSELVES THE SKIVVIES – FIRST A YOUTUBE SENSATION, NOW A NATIONAL CONSTANTLY SOLD-OUT TOURING MUSICAL CELEBRATION OF POWERHOUSE MASHUPS AND STRIPPED DOWN POP SONGS, THEATRE CELEBRITY GUESTS, AND OF COURSE, LOTS OF UNDIES. The duo has been hailed by The New York Times, People, Wall Street Journal, and Sports Illustrated, among a long list of critical acclaim. While the duo celebrates music in all its glory, their shows also celebrate the human form, regardless of age, shape, size, body type, race, or sexual orientation. It’s body positivity set to song.

Nick and Lauren are a mix of Linus and Lucy and Will and Grace. They perfectly complement each other – both with vocal and with actual compliments. They are each other’s support system and real-life besties. The two first met through a children’s show, a bad stage manager who didn’t show up, and a road tour in a two-seater van. Picture it, playing animals in Just So Stories show tour, 27 states, sometimes driving 10 hours a day between cities and performing up to three shows a day. After both arriving at their first rehearsal early, they knew it was going to be a good friendship. But it was during that van time that they really connected. “We found out during that drive that we sang the same song at our showcase. ‘Popcorn’ from Little by Little. Nobody knows that song. Very random,” Nick told us. Lauren recounts,“We just had a very similar sense of humor, taste in music, and we both really got off on showing each other new music and sort of had this sarcastic outlook on life. When you click with somebody, you just know.”

Both come from a family of artists. Nick’s family-owned dance studios and he danced until he was 18. Was he bullied because of it? “Yes, of course, that comes with the territory. But I stuck it out. The younger version of me was called Nick and his Show Gals because I was the only boy in the studio.” Nick’s father is a piano player, his grandparents met in a band. Lauren’s father was the assistant principal bassist and personnel manager of the Detroit Symphony, and her mother was a dance teacher. As much as they are a force together, they have both enjoyed an extensive solo career. Lauren made her debut in the actor/musician production of Sweeney Todd playing opposite Patti Lupone and Michael Cerveris, went on to the original production of Rock of Ages, and won a Helen Hayes Award for her performance in Candide. After serving as an usher who happened to be at the right time and the right place taking

over for an injured Scooby-Doo, he would go on to appear in the first Broadway national tour of All Shook Up, as well as Pageant, and Buyer & Cellar. Together, they produced an actor/musician version of You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown. They are each other’s admiration society, without ego. Lauren puts it,“We are powerful together. We are powerful apart. I am so lucky I have found a lifetime creative collaborator.” Nick follows up, “and so we want the best for each other.”

Together is magical. Their medleys are magical. Nick tells us,“I have loved a medley since the day I was born. A Hal Leonard-produced, published medley has been my jam. So, when we started to make music together, it was like ‘I was born to do this arrangement.’”Lauren shares,“One of us will get an idea that’ll pop into our heads, like ‘these two songs would go really well together.’ We lean into the fact that most pop songs are four chords.” Nick interjects, “We have made a career on four chords. Kidding! But we kind of just like brainstorm all of the potential songs that we could put into a mashup, figure out how it works, and then

after a couple of hours, we got an arrangement!”

The power of music and words is very important to The Skivvies. Their shows are truly meant for all audiences as they present a unified world on stage, a little bit of everything. With the increase in minority-directed violence, now is the time for a Skivvies show. Lauren puts it, “The rise of antiSemitism, not great, and it starts with words. It starts with words, and they matter. It is so scary, words basically fuel the fire for violence and violent acts, and we’ve seen it in full effect in how it works with the LGBTQ community. We see it on the rise. Right now we really need to care about one another. We need to care about the truth and we need to care about what is happening in the world in order to enact change. Empathy is lost. It will change the world if you put others first.”

Nick wraps up the mission of The Skivvies, “I wish that everyone would embrace their authenticity because I think that’s the superpower nobody talks about. I wish somebody would have told me that. I just like to tell people to care about each other.”We love their art and their vision. ■

ONE OF MY BALLS FELL OUT ON STAGE AND IT WAS PHOTOGRAPHED BY PLAYBILL. I DIDN’T KNOW UNTIL THE NEXT DAY WHEN I WAS SCROLLING THROUGH PICTURES. I HAD TO WRITE PLAYBILL, “PLEASE REMOVE THAT PICTURE OF MY BALLS.” - NICK

SCOTT

SCOTT SCHOFIELD MAY HAVE BECOME A BIG NAME IN THE BIZ WHEN HE MADE HISTORY AS THE FIRST OUT TRANSGENDER ACTOR IN DAYTIME TELEVISION FOR HIS ROLE IN THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, SUBSEQUENTLY MAKING FURTHER WAVES AS THE FIRST OUT TRANS MAN TO EARN AN ACTING EMMY NOMINATION But acting is just a snippet of his extensive entertainment career. His playwriting, directing, producing, hosting, and speaking have taken him literally around the globe.

His training and advocacy have affected policies across the board from higher education to Fortune 500 companies. He uses his power of storytelling to coach CEOs on trans sensitivity and has worked with youth, inciting self-esteem and presenting the essentials of living an authentic LGBTQ life. His TED talk,“Ending Gender”has been an invaluable tool in many different settings, from corporate to personal. Scott was also instrumental in working with Sara Cunningham, who founded Free Mom Hugs, whose story is currently in film development by Jamie Lee Curtis.

Behind the camera, he has worked with actors, writers, producers, and creative executives to help fashion transgender and non-binary stories and characters. He is a senior consultant at GLAAD and has consulted on HBO Max’s We’re Here and Legendary, and Blumhouse’s The Craft: Legacy and THEY/THEM. Perhaps his most personal work was helping to create Hunter Schafer’s character Jules in the Emmy-nominated series Euphoria. Scott’s early experience working as a trans creative in the industry was met with many obstacles. Now with Hollywood’s eye on inclusion and commitment to properly representing members of our community, Scott can infuse the industry with what is most important to him. His recent projects have been career-defining moments.

“Because I’m trans, I had to help change the world so that I could ‘just be an artist,’ so I’ve had to be an activist as well. When I work as a consulting producer on transgender storylines, I share the many perspectives the trans community has, which I have observed over the years of being actively part of the movement for trans liberation. I don’t just give one opinion about what I think is fine. I give creatives a map of the minefield so they can make their best choices when they tell trans stories, and, more importantly, connect them to opportunities for stories that haven’t been told before. To me, telling the best story is

what’s most important, and doing that without recycling or inventing harmful tropes is how we get there together.

The defining moments are when people in power listened to me and gave me a chance to put my ideas into practice. I only got where I am by that happening, I’m lucky there have been many defining moments. This year, it was Blumhouse, hearing me say that when consultants do the work of producers, they should be credited as such - they listened and gave me my first major producing job. Now I’m able to have an impact at a much greater level.”

Even with our current boom in proper representation and inclusion, there is still more work to do. Scott knows exactly where to put the spotlight.

“Studios need to greenlight and champion transgender creatives - writers, directors, and producers, not just actors - to tell the stories that are interesting to us, not what cisgender producers believe is interesting about us. No more ‘Afterschool Specials,’ no more transition narratives, no more victimization and trauma, and no more focusing on what all the cis people around the trans person go through while we transition! Trans people live amazing lives, we have perspectives on the everyday that crack it open and make it interesting again. Let us tell our stories, in our words, through our lenses, from script to screen. There is a gold mine of untapped storytelling here, I’m telling you.”

Scott uses his many platforms to activate. He does not mince words and will speak the truth when others are cautious to make waves. This has been essentially Scott from the first time he hit the stage. His solo performances have been showered with critical and audience acclaim. A collection of three of his shows was published as the Lambda Literary Award-nominated Two Truths and a Lie. Starting out, he would perform his solo pieces anywhere he could. From small community centers to sold-out theaters, his mission was to affect audiences. A crowning achievement was the debut of the film version of his highly popular piece, Becoming A Man in 127 Steps, at the Tribeca Film Festival and Outfest in 2020. The piece, simply put, is a collection of 127 stories comprising one epic becoming pre-, during, and post-gender transition, culminated from over 20 years of Scott’s life experiences. Not simply put, it is a complex piece that challenges perspective as

well as makes you cry and laugh at the same time.

As part of his commitment to truth-telling from his perspective, he is not shy from commenting on the divide that exists between the gay and trans community, a relationship that from his point of view is deteriorating.

“Whether you’re gay, bi, or lesbian you can still be transphobic, and so many folks in the community are choosing that side. Active transphobia is worse across the board than it has been in all the years I’ve been doing this work. Within our community, it’s classic“everybody has to be better than somebody to feel good about themselves”politics. And also, LGB folks are under threat more than ever too, which creates the lie that we have finite resources and have to focus on our own goals. We have to recognize that homophobia is rooted in the same hate as transphobia, and we have to support one another with love and compassion and care in our own community spaces, and then fight like hell for each other out in the world. They’re trying to turn the clock back 40 years on all of us, and we can’t stop it unless we all agree to work together - our diversity is our strength only if we stop tearing each other down from within.”

So what is Scott’s advice for building bridges with our trans family?

“You have to be all for one and one for all’ about it.‘Don’t Say Gay’ is just as wrong as making transition-related care for suicidal teenagers a felony, is just as wrong as leaving marriage equality up to the states, is just as wrong as telling a trans child they can’t play youth soccer, is just as wrong as trying to ban drag shows. They are all based in the same hate. They are all wrong. Just because one thing might not impact your daily life doesn’t mean you can’t speak up and be counted - by telling it to social media, by calling your elected representatives, by leading an equity effort at your kids’ school or at your company. Be vocal and visible against any and all hate against any and all LGBTQ+ people. If we had a united front, we could make real change for everyone.”

In front of the camera, his post-soap opera work has thrived with roles on HBO Max’ Equal, NBC’s The Blacklist, Hulu’s Up Here, and the upcoming Off Ramp film. It is Scott’s dedication to being an activist intertwined with his love of all aspects of the entertainment industry that makes him a truly effective trailblazer … and clearly one of the people we love. ■

AT MY GRAND GALA BALL OF COMING OUT, EVERYONE WILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A WHITE DRESS, OR ELSE TUXEDO TAILS AND NOTHING ELSE. A KIDDIE POOL OF SWEET TEA WILL BE THE DANCE FLOOR AS WE WRESTLE WITH OUR COMPLEX IDENTITIES BECAUSE WE ALL, EVERY ONE OF US, ARE COMPLEX, SLIPPERY, AND TASTY.”

STAN ZIMMERMAN

WRITER | PRODUCER | DIRECTOR

STAN ZIMMERMAN IS A MAN OF MANY TALENTS, AND HE’S BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN ALL. HIS FIRST BIG PROFESSIONAL GIG? WRITING FOR SEASON 1 OF THE GOLDEN GIRLS As a young, Hollywood newbie, he was writing alongside veteran (and super straight) industry writers for the four Girls. His first idea pitch was greenlit and the episode, “Rose’s Mother,” won him and his writing partner, James Berg, a Writer’s Guild Award nomination. His one-liners have been made into memes (No, I will not have a good day!) and he appears at Golden Girls conventions, cruises, and his Q & A show An Evening on the Lanai, across the nation. As Golden Girls plays in constant syndication with no signs of losing steam with audiences, why does Stan think the show has such staying power? “Because we have good taste. Also, I think we can relate to the girls and the idea of a ‘chosen family.’”There’s comfort in knowing that in our later years, we could thrive in a life surrounded by good friends. And most of us have to deal with a slutty friend.” Extremely popular in the gay community, the show didn’t exactly start off as the open environment you would have thought. “People find it hard to believe, but my writing partner and I were told to stay in the closet while writing on Golden Girls. Although we were exploring very progressive storylines on the show, like our episode “Adult Education” (about sexual harassment), Hollywood in the 80s was still a very straight, white male-run business. Like most businesses (and the world) back then.”

This March, Stan returns to the lives of an older generation (this time with gay men) with the world premiere of his play, Silver Foxes. After an all-star reading of the script in his living room with George Takei, the late Leslie Jordan, Bruce Vilanch, Melissa Peterman, Cheri Oteri, and more, the show was pitched to a variety of networks. Even with the success of Golden Girls, networks were still hesitant to showcase a show based entirely on the lives of gay men. The stage version is being directed by Michael Urie and opens at Dallas’ Uptown Players on March 2nd. Stan will be quick to point out, the show is not a reboot of the Golden Girls.“The piece was inspired by the documentary, Gen Silent, which spoke about elderly LGBTQ members having to go back into the closet when they move into assisted living communities. My writing partner and I were surprised by that fact and felt it was ripe to be dramatized, with Golden Girls sensibilities. Very funny, but also a very real situation for our three older gay male lead characters. We’ve worked really hard and against much resistance, to bring these unheard voices to light.”

After leaving The Golden Girls, Stan went on to

write for Something Wilder with Gene Wilder, Roseanne, Wanda at Large with Wanda Sykes, and the highly successful fifth season of Gilmore Girls. He and James rewrote the Emmy and Peabody awardwinning Annie for ABC as well as the hilarious Brady Bunch movies. He has ventured into writing several stage plays and web series and his projects feature a variety of colorful talent including Sandra Bernhard, Barry Bostwick, Mindy Sterling, Amanda Bearse, Garrett Clayton, Olivia d’Abo, Rachel Dratch, and the list goes on and on. His upcoming book, The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore, promises to entertain as well as spill the tea about the many projects he’s worked on. Can’t wait for the Roseanne Barr chapter.

Over the last few years, Stan has had the opportunity to direct and produce his own projects. Most recently, he’s moved from comedy to emotional and controversial pieces. Right Before I Go is based on letters written by those lost to suicide – celebrities, vets, victims of bullying, members of the LGBTQ community, and the clinically depressed – as well as those who have survived suicide attempts. Its premiere at Hollywood Fringe Festival was critically acclaimed and the piece continues to travel across the country, raising awareness and offering hope for suicide prevention. Ellen Burstyn, Judith Light, Michael Cerveris, Maulik Pancholy, Alice Ripley, Vanessa Williams, Wilson Cruz, Blair Underwood, and Virginia Madsen have all taken part in performances of the show, with Stan himself having the opportunity to play the narrator in a production. The show has also been performed by high school students, faculty, and school board members. Stan believes the stigma regarding mental health is getting better, but still has a way to go.

“It may be diminishing in our community, but I’m concerned about the rest of society. There’s still so much shame around this subject. Just a year ago, I was set to act in it at a college with the students from their drama department. At the last minute, the head of their mental health department (yes, you read correctly), put a stop to it. He felt that

talking about suicide would recreate more suicides. That’s old fashion thinking. Talking about it actually lets people know they are not alone in their feelings. And that there is help. I get thanked all the time at the post-show talkbacks for provoking discussion on this topic. Also, for my honesty in the play about my own struggles with being gay and bullied because of it.”

Stan’s reboot of the play version of The Diary of Anne Frank received much controversy as he cast all Latinx actors in roles and earned him a spot on CNN defending his choice. This season he is bringing the show back and he believes the timing couldn’t be better. “We were set to revive the play in April 2020 at the Colony Theatre in Burbank, a much larger theatre than we had been in. But Covid put a stop to those plans. Then with the recent rise in antisemitism and certain mean-spirited governors using immigrants as political pawns, I knew it was time to bring it back. I would love to tour America with this production, focusing on getting students to see it. Especially since I was shocked to learn that Anne Frank’s diary is no longer required reading in schools. I think those who take issue with my casting Latinx actors for the parts of the characters in the attic, are people who haven’t seen the play. Once they’ve attended, they understand my point of this staging is for these actors to literally put their feet in the shoes of the characters to feel how it must have been for them. The similarities and the differences. That’s pretty much my philosophy in life. To be sensitive about others, especially today when cruelty seems to be the order of the day.”

Stan’s work has made us laugh, cry, ponder big and small issues, inspired a younger generation of LGBTQ, and most of all, entertained. This is why he is a person we love. Stan’s biggest wish for our community this year? “Safety. We’re being attacked, verbally and physically, by so many people. From hate-filled politicians to bigoted entertainers and sports figures. As a writer, I know that words have power. They should know better. That’s why we must insist that our allies not stay silent. Our lives are literally on the line.” ■

PHOTOS COURTESY OF STAN ZIMMERMAN

LIFE WILL THROW YOU MANY OBSTACLES, BUT IT’S HOW YOU DEAL WITH THEM THAT SHOWS WHAT KIND OF PERSON YOU ARE.”

DUSTIN LANCE BLACK

AMERICAN STORYTELLER

OUR COMMUNITY HAS MADE MARKED STRIDES TOWARD MAINSTREAM ACCEPTANCE AND UNDERSTANDING IN RECENT HISTORY, LARGELY DUE TO LGBTQ STORIES BEING TOLD THROUGH OUR LENS. DUSTIN LANCE BLACK IS A SCREENWRITER, DIRECTOR, PRODUCER, AND LGBTQ RIGHTS ACTIVIST. He is widely known for writing the film Milk, starring Sean Penn, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 2009. He subsequently wrote the screenplay for the film J. Edgar, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and the stage play 8, a staged reenactment of the federal trial that led to a federal court’s overturn of California’s Proposition 8. On the activism front, Black is a founding board member of the American Foundation for Equal Rights.

Growing up surrounded by Mormon culture and military bases, Black had some hurdles to overcome as he grew into himself. While attending high school, Black began to take an interest in theater. He later attended the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television while apprenticing with stage directors, taking acting jobs, and working on theater lighting crews. He graduated with honors in 1996.

Prior to the international acclaim of Milk, Black wrote and directed The Journey of Jared Price, a gay romance film, and Something Close to Heaven, a gay coming-of-age short film. In 2001, he directed and was a subject in the documentary On the Bus about a Nevada road trip and adventure at Burning Man taken by six gay men. Black’s film Pedro, profiling the life of AIDS activist and reality television personality Pedro Zamora, premiered at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival.

Black recalls visiting San Francisco as a young man in the early 1990s, while AIDS was devastating

the city’s gay community and thinking that Harvey Milk was about the only hopeful story there was at the time. He spent three years researching Milk’s life including meetings with former aides and city leaders while writing his screenplay. Renowned director Gus Van Sant signed on to direct the feature. And with an all-star Hollywood cast, his story reached audiences worldwide.

During Black’s Oscar acceptance speech, he shared, “I heard the story of Harvey Milk, and it gave me hope. It gave me the hope to live my life. It gave me the hope one day I could live my life openly as who I am and that maybe even I could fall I love and one day get married.”

Well, hope springs eternal … Black started a

KNOWING OUR LGBTQ HISTORY IS

OF COUNTLESS BRAVE MEN AND

relationship with British Olympic diving champion Tom Daley, in 2013. And four years later they married at Bovey Castle in Devon, UK. They welcomed their first child in 2018.

Outside of family life, Black recently published his autobiography Mama’s Boy: A Story From Our Americas, and Daley brought home an Olympic Gold Medal in men’s synchronized 10-meter platform from the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games. Shortly after, Daley said he would make it his mission to campaign for countries where homosexuality is punishable by death to be banned from the next Olympics.

We love that Black and Daley are telling our LGBTQ stories and creating their own. ■

IMPORTANT. WE STAND ON THE SHOULDERS

WOMEN WHO PAVED THE WAY FOR US.”

PHILA DELPHIA

BY JEFFREY JAMES KEYES

Art Museum

Photo by Elevated Angles for VISIT PHILADELPHIA

Equality Forum Flags

Photo by M. Fischetti for VISIT PHILADELPHIA

Amor

Photo by C. Smyth for VISIT PHILADELPHIA

HISTORY, CULTURE, AND SPECIAL EVENTS HAVE LONG ENTICED NEW YORKERS, AND THOSE VISITING THE BIG APPLE, TO FLOCK TO PHILADELPHIA FOR WEEKEND TRIPS. The “City of Brotherly Love” is only about an hour and a half away by train, and the perfect place for the culture seeker, sports enthusiast, history buff, or foodie, to explore and indulge. You may not be able to ring the Liberty Bell, of course, but you can see it up close and personally enjoy an authentic Philly cheesesteak while soaking up as much art and history as your heart desires. If you’ve never been, and looking to plan your first excursion, look no further than our Weekender Guide to Philadelphia.

Take a half day on Friday and catch an early Amtrak from NYC into Philadelphia’s opulent 30th Street Station. Twirl around and look up to its impressive coffered ceiling and regal chandeliers. Don’t miss Walker Hancock’s Pennsylvania Railroad War Memorial, a powerful sculpture of archangel Michael rising up from the main waiting area. The Instagrammable bas-relief, The Spirit of Transportation, is in the North Waiting Room. This piece, created by Karl Bitter in 1895, depicts the progress of transportation and will command your attention before you begin your first day in Philly. Hop an Uber to your hotel to set your bags down before starting out on your adventure.

There are plenty of options to enjoy “suite dreams” in Philadelphia. For the ultimate luxury experience, Four Seasons Philadelphia boasts a scenic infinity pool in the clouds and fine dining by Michelin-starred Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten at Jean-Georges Philadelphia (try the six-course tasting menu) and local James Beard Award winner Chef Greg Vernick at Vernick Fish, a modern day oyster bar and seafood restaurant where fans rave about the branzino. Nearby, The Logan Philadelphia, Curio Collection by Hilton, offers comfortable accommodations and sweeping views of Logan Square that are so perfect you might just be tempted to order room service and enjoy the view before going out to explore. Urban Farmer, located just downstairs, is a bustling and fun place to grab a bite and a pint at this modern steakhouse. Close to Rittenhouse Square and the “Gayborhood,” Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia, an IHG Hotel, is an Art Deco style hotel right in the middle of everything. There are dozens of great restaurants close to the Palomar, but Square 1682, located just off the lobby, is an ideal place for a high quality bite (a must-try is their duck wing appetizer). The restaurant is a“tip of the hat”to Pennsylvania’s founding father, William Penn, who created the nearby Rittenhouse Square. If there’s a foodie in your group, Michael Solomonov’s mouthwatering fast-casual Dizengoff Restaurant is literally just around the corner from the hotel. Hummus, anyone?

After checking in and indulging in lunch, go out and take in a bit of everything Philly has to offer. Rittenhouse Square, both the park and surrounding neighborhood is an absolute must, where you can saunter through the tree-lined park and take in the stunning landscape around you. On any given day you’ll encounter affluent gay couples walking their perfectly manicured dogs, musicians from the Curtis Institute of Music giving an impromptu outdoor performance, intriguing public art, a year-round farmer’s market, and more. There, just off the square, is The Rittenhouse Hotel, another sublime option for accommodations. Their Rittenhouse Spa & Club offers one of the top spas in town. Immerse

Ben Franklin Museum

Photo by R. Kennedy for GPTMC Rusty Kennedy

yourself in a luxury wellness retreat with an expansive menu of spa and salon options as well as an indoor saltwater pool, steam room, and even an outdoor deck for even more R&R. Parc, a spectacular French bistro, is probably the most notable restaurant on the square and you’ll catch diners sipping wine and bubbly while devouring escargots and oysters day or night.

History buffs pay attention: you’re not going to fit everything into one Philly weekend - and that’s okay. You’ll definitely want to come back. Independence Hall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most popular attractions in town so definitely plan ahead. In 1776 the Founding Fathers gathered to sign the Declaration of Independence in this building, and it is also the site where state representatives came together to lay the groundwork for the U.S. Constitution. Advance tickets are available online through the National Park Service (www.nps.gov).

If you haven’t seen it yet, the Liberty Bell also needs to be on your list. Notable for its signature crack, the Liberty Bell bears a timeless message:“Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof,”which became a stark inspiration for abolitionists fighting to end slavery. Zahav, just around the corner, is one of the best Israeli restaurants in the area. Indulge in a little mezze and laffa while you are museum hopping and be sure to save room for their sorbet for dessert! While you’re in Old City consider exploring the informative Benjamin Franklin Museum in Franklin Court, the adorable Betsy Ross House (be sure to get a selfie with Betsy), and stroll down the picturesque Elfreth’s Alley Museum where you turn a corner and will suddenly be transported back to the 1700’s. Walk slowly and take in each of the remarkable 32 homes dating back to 1703.

Philly is rich in queer history as well and Beyond the Bell Tours (www.beyondthebelltours.com) offers a Philly Gayborhood and LGBTQ History Walking Tour daily at 3:00pm as well as private walking tours. The tours are 90 minutes and include information and insight into Kiyoshi Kuromiya, Barbara Gittings, Gloria Casarez, the nation’s longest continuouslyoperating LGBT-focused bookstore, and more.

Up toward the Museum Mile on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway you can catch the swank Barnes Foundation where one of the world’s finest collections of impressionist, post-impressionist, and early modernist paintings hang. Albert C. Barnes collected some of the world’s most important artwork of his time and chartered the Barnes in 1922 to teach people from all walks of life how to look at art. Explore paintings by Renoir, Cézanne, Matisse, Picasso, Modigliani, Van Gogh, and more. If you’re ready to truly immerse yourself into the Philly art scene, the epic and expansive collection of Philadelphia Museum of Art should be at the top of your list. Take a picture in front of the

Barnes Foundation

Photo by C. Smyth for VISIT PHILADELPHIA

Liberty Bell

Photo by A. Ricketts for VISIT PHILADELPHIA

Rocky statue out front and then do your best Stallone impression and run up the stairs like Rocky Balboa. Back inside the museum the facilities are breathtaking and the top of the line collection includes works by contemporary Philadelphia artists, works by over 250 Black artists, Grace Kelly’s royal wedding dress, an impressive room filled with arms and armor, and paintings by renowned impressionist and post-impressionist artists like Renoir, Monet, Manet, Degas, and Cézanne. Nearby, the Rodin Museum is a stunning gallery where you can experience one of the best collections of works by Auguste Rodin. The garden out front is a perfect spot to relax and enjoy a coffee before or after consuming the works of one of the art world’s great masters. The museum’s collection features nearly 150 objects revealing rich and diverse perspectives on the extraordinary career of Rodin. Across town, Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens should not be missed. Book in advance for an immersive deep dive into the work of Isaiah Zagar, a local artist who started tiling South Street back in the 1960s and never stopped. Zagar has created over 100 mosaics in the city, with the majority of them along the South Street corridor. The Magic Gardens, which features tiles made out of cement, bicycle spokes, bottles, ceramic shards, and all kinds of knick-knacks, is inspired, creative, and completely engrossing. Be sure to charge your battery as it’s the perfect spot for TikTok or your IG story.

It’s no secret that Philly has a lively theater scene. Walnut Street Theatre, a National Historic Landmark, holds the distinction of being the oldest theater in the country. Their current season includes shows like Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville. The sold-out buzzy production of The Cherry Orchard drew a lot of New York theater queens down to the City of Brotherly Love last year. The Wilma Theare is continually doing interesting and evocative work including the upcoming production of Guillermo Calderon’s Kiss, Nathan Alan Davis’ Eternal Life, Part 1, and a bold reimagining of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. The Kimmel Cultural Campus boasts the stunning Academy of Music and the Kimmel Center. On any given night you can take in live theater, music, dance and even comedy. The Academy of Music features the popular Broadway Series where locals can catch touring Broadway shows like Jagged Little Pill and Come From Away. The Kimmel Cultural Campus features several premier performing arts groups including Philadelphia Ballet, The Philly POPS, and PHILADANCO. Every summer, Shakespeare in Clark Park is the place to be for outdoor fun with the Bard. Locals flock to any performance of the indie performance group The Bearded Ladies Cabaret. The Hum’n’bards Theater Troupe is a queer musical collective that makes original productions for the Philadelphia theater and nightlife communities.

Independence Hall

Photo by R. Kennedy for VISIT PHILADELPHIA

Ready for a nightcap? Philly’s Gayborhood is bustling every night of the week. Woody’s Philadelphia, a landmark destination in Philly nightlife for over 40 years, is the most popular gay bar in town. Bike Stop, the oldest leather bar is an inclusive space where you can live out your fantasy in a judgment-free zone. Voyeur Nightclub, a hip, stylish 3-floor dancehall offers late night drinks, dancing, and plenty of eye candy. If you need a late-night bite before you retire, a cheesesteak might be just what the doctor ordered. We don’t want to get into local foodie politics, but the competing giants of the city include Pat’s King of Steaks, Geno’s Steaks, Dalessandro’s Steaks & Hoagies, and Jim’s of South Street. Give them all a try and let us know which one is your favorite. Definitely have an idea if you want to have your cheesesteak “wit” (with onions) or “wit-out” (no onions) before ordering.

Before you depart Sunday afternoon, be sure to get a picture in front of the LOVE landmark, a Robert Indiana sculpture that rests in John F. Kennedy Plaza (“LOVE Park”). If you need more love in your life, head over to the nearby AMOR sculpture, the Spanish edition of the sculpture on display just over at Sister Cities Park. If you’ve enjoyed the local foodie scene, pick up something tasty to take home from one of the dozens of vendors at Reading Terminal Market. If you have a little more time, consider a visit to the old Eastern State Penitentiary where you can take in an incredible audio tour, “The Voices of Eastern State,” guided by actor Steve Buschemi and learn about Al Capone’s tenure at America’s most historic prison. Now that you’ve dipped your toe into the rich pool of everything Philly has to offer, when will you return?

The PHS Philadelphia Flower Show, the nation’s largest and world’s longest running horticultural event is in early March, Philadelphia Phillies baseball is in full swing in April, and Philly Pride will take place in June. And where better to celebrate July 4 than the place where the creation and signing of the Declaration of Independence took place almost 250 years ago? Keep an eye on the Visit Philly website (www.visitphilly.com) for more events and maybe we’ll catch you in town sometime soon! ■

The Logan Photos by J. Fusco for VISIT PHILADELPHIA

Magic Gardens

Photo by J. Fusco for VISIT PHILADELPHIA