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Top 10 moments in 2011 pop culture

Coming out stories, dancing with Chaz among year’s top stories

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It was another big year for LGBT visibility in pop culture. Here are our picks for the top 10 pop culture stories of 2011.

No. 1 Chaz Bono on ‘Dancing with the Stars’

Chaz Bono became the first transgender participant to compete on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” this year on the show’s 13th season. He was partnered with professional dancer Lacey Schwimmer for the season, which premiered Sept. 19.

From the start there was controversy over Bono’s inclusion in the show. There was backlash from conservative supporters and threats of boycotts, leading producers to hire extra security for his time on the show.

Bono’s mother, Cher, spoke out on Twitter in support of her son as did many others. He was voted off the show during week six.

No. 2 Celebrities come out

Several celebrities and sports figures came out this year.

Zachary Quinto, star of 2009’s “Star Trek” and currently on FX’s “American Horror Story,” came out in October, explaining on his blog that after the suicide of Jamey Rodemeyer, he realized “living a gay life without publicly acknowledging it, is simply not enough to make any significant contribution to the immense work that lies ahead on the road to complete equality.”

Evan Rachel Wood, who played teen lesbian Jessie on “Once & Again” and starred in HBO’s “True Blood,” came out as bisexual in an interview with “Esquire” in April.

CNN anchor Don Lemon came out in his memoir “Transparent,” released in May.

No. 3 MLB teams make ‘It Gets Better’ videos

Several Major League Baseball teams filmed videos for the “It Gets Better” campaign, starting with the San Francisco Giants. And while the videos were similar, each team added a personal touch.

The Chicago Cubs included a message from lesbian part owner Laura Ricketts and the L.A. Dodgers were the only team to specifically mention gender identity. The Boston Red Sox included their fans and the Tampa Bay Rays featured a personal message from Johnny Damon, who was bullied as a child.

The Seattle Mariners produced their video with Seattle’s other professional sports teams. All the videos are available on YouTube.com.

No. 4 Lady Gaga rallies around LGBT fans

Lady Gaga has done a lot for her LGBT fans in terms of making noise.

The title track off her most recent album, “Born This Way,” deals with self-acceptance and specifically mentions sexual orientation and gender identity.

Lady Gaga

She appeared at Europride this summer, giving a speech in which she criticized the state of gay rights in many European countries.

Most recently, during the iHeartRadio Festival held in September in Las Vegas, Gaga dedicated her performance of “Hair” to 14-year-old Jamey Rodemeyer, who committed suicide after being bullied the same week as the concert.

No. 5 Arizona and Callie wed on ‘Grey’s Anatomy’

In the May 5 episode of “Grey’s Anatomy,” orthopedic surgeon Callie Torres, played by Sara Ramirez, and pediatric surgeon Arizona Robbins, played by Jessica Capshaw, tied the knot.

The couple became engaged after getting into a car accident that nearly cost Callie and her unborn child’s lives.

There haven’t been many lesbian weddings on television and even fewer weddings that were actually shown and involved lead characters.

The lesbian wedding between Ross’s ex-wife Carol and her girlfriend Susan on “Friends” in 1996 was one of the first.

No. 6 Tracy Morgan, other celebs make homophobic remarks

“30 Rock” star Tracy Morgan went on a homophobic rant during a stand-up routine at a show in Nashville this summer saying kids should get over being bullied and threatening to kill his son if he were gay. He later apologized for the remarks and agreed to make appearances with GLAAD.

L.A. Lakers star Kobe Bryant was fined for using an anti-gay slur against a referee, as was Chicago Bulls’ Joakim Noah and Atlanta Braves coach Roger McDowell.

No. 7 Gay-helmed talk shows proliferate

What is it with talks shows and gay hosts?

There is of course Ellen DeGeneres, who began her eighth season this year and Rosie O’Donnell has returned to television with her talk show on Oprah Winfrey’s OWN, which premiere in October.

Then there’s Sara Gilbert, famous for her role of Darlene on the sitcom “Roseanne,” who is not only one of five hosts, but is also an executive producer on “The Talk.” Nate Berkus also has his own show as does Rachel Maddow. And Anderson Cooper debuted a talk show this year; it’s rumored that he’s (finally) planning to come out during February’s ratings sweeps period.

No. 8 Gays host award shows

Neil Patrick Harris, star of CBS’s “How I Met Your Mother,” hosted the Tony Awards this year, opening the show with a musical number that included lines like  “Broadway has never been broader, it’s not just for gays anymore,” had a “host-off” with Hugh Jackman and rapped a wrap-up of the evening’s events that was written as the show progressed.

Jane Lynch

Jane Lynch of “Glee” fame hosted the Emmys this year. Lynch spent her hosting gig making fun of the celebrity crowd as well as herself.

Neither Harris nor Lynch are the first gays to host either award show, still the visibility was impressive for such high-profile events.

No. 9 Another coming out on ‘Glee’

There have already been three main characters to openly acknowledge being somewhere on the LGBT spectrum on Fox’s hit show “Glee” and yet another main character has joined them. Santana Lopez, played by Naya Rivera, was outed in a third season episode in a political ad targeting Sue Sylvester.

The following episode, titled “I Kissed a Girl” featured the club rallying around Santana as she came to grips with being out and singing P!nk’s “F****** Perfect,” Melissa Etheridge’s “I’m the Only One,” a slowed down version of Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” and k.d. Lang’s “Constant Craving.”

No. 10 ‘A-List: Dallas’ stars attacked

Logo expanded its “A-List” franchise this year with “The A-List: Dallas” starring Levi Crocker, James Doyle, Chase Hutchinson, Ashley Kelly, Philip Willis and Taylor Garrett.

There was controversy surrounding the show when Garrett, a Republican fundraiser, tweeted that his house was vandalized and included a picture of a broken window. Bloggers found this suspect when a producer tweeted back to Garrett about making headlines and it was discovered that Garrett didn’t make a police report. Both tweets have since been removed.

Later, Logo provided the Huffington Post Gay Voices with copies of two police reports, one reported by Garrett’s building manager and another made by Garrett himself.

In an unrelated incident, Crocker said he was attacked at a gay bar in Oklahoma City, Okla., in November.

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Movies

Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells want to adopt baby in ‘I Don’t Understand You’

Film premiered at SXSW in Austin

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(Courtesy photo)

Editor’s note: Jack Morningstar attended SXSW in Austin, Texas.

“I Don’t Understand You” focuses on a couple whose romantic Italian getaway devolves into bloody chaos while they prepare to adopt their first child. 

The film, while veering into hilariously gruesome hijinks, tells the story of a gay couple who is willing to kill for a chance at fatherhood. It sheds light on the hurdles that same-sex couples often go through in the adoption process: Financial burdens, time constraints, fraud, and in this case, a rural Italian family.

The film premiered last weekend at SXSW in Austin and stars Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells along with Nunzia Schiano, Morgan Spector and Eleonora Romandini. It was written and directed by Brian Crano and David Craig, who are married. They sourced inspiration from their own adoption struggles and an Italian vacay gone wrong. 

“We were about to leave for Italy when we found out that we had matched with a birth mother and our son would be born in about six weeks,” said Crano. 

According to Craig, the trip was tense and it culminated in their car getting stuck in a ditch on their way to an anniversary dinner.

“We ended up at an old lady’s house after she rescued us in her Fiat. Her family cooked us a meal and we stayed up drinking with them until 3 a.m., not understanding a word they were saying,” he said.

Without spoiling anything, the couple in the movie go to absurd lengths to ensure that their adoption goes through. Craig explained that the theme of the movie was “what would you do for your kid.” 

“We were three years into our own journey at the time and realized we would literally do anything to make that dream a reality. It’s really a love letter to our son,” he said.

The film is hard to relegate to a single genre. 

“When conceiving the story, we saw it as different parts — romantic comedy, horror movie, murder play — but I think by bringing in Nick and Andrew that blend actually became much more of an organic mix where the comedy sustained throughout. They elevated it in a more elegant fashion,” said Craig. 

“I Don’t Understand You”was produced by Pinky Promise, a women-led production company with the mission to elevate diverse voices in their storytelling. Kara Durrett, Pinky Promise’s current president was a champion of this script from the beginning. Founder Jessamine Burgum recounts that when Durrett was onboarding, she said “If you don’t get [“I Don’t Understand You”] I don’t know if this is going to work.” 

It ultimately became one of the first projects Burgum and Durrett collaborated on. 

Kroll and Rannells’ chemistry carried the film. 

“There was a desire to work with each of them because they had both separately been in such amazing comedian teams — like Andrew with Josh Gad and Nick with John Mulaney. Nick and Andrew’s characters are in almost every scene of the movie together, so they needed to be adept to basically doing a shared performance. There was no one more well-positioned to do this as naturally as possible,” said Crano. 

Their characters are easy to root for, yet also deeply flawed. 

“A big thing we wanted to do with this movie, and with all of our work in telling stories, is avoid telling a cliched gay trauma film. We’ve never ascribed to the idea that there is a subcategory to film that is LGBTQ, rather — movies are for everyone. We want to make a movie where gay characters are flawed, not for being gay, but because of who they are. They can be villains, but they are our protagonists,” said Craig. 

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Out & About

Celebrate spring with these D.C.-area events

Galas, Cherry Weekend, Pride, and more on tap

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The annual Pride on the Pier with fireworks show is set for Saturday, June. 8 at the Wharf. (Photo courtesy of The Wharf DC)

Temperatures outside are starting to rise and the sun is shining again. Here’s a list of upcoming D.C. events that can make enjoying the good weather even that much more thrilling.

Cherry Weekend Washington begins on Thursday, April 4. The Cherry weekend is a spectacular and joyous event held over four days featuring 16 world renowned DJs, nine different events and four fun daytime parties.

3rd Friday Night Open Mic will take place on Thursday, March 15 at 9 p.m. at the Bus Boys and Poets location in Brookland. This event will be hosted by Mariah Barber (they/she), a queer storyteller, consultant, spoken word artist, and activist who has been creating social justice-oriented art for the last 15 years. Tickets start at $5 and can be purchased on Eventbrite

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 15 winner Sasha Colby will bring her Sasha Colby: Stripped Tour to the Howard Theatre on Wednesday, March 27 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased on the Howard Theatre’s website

Decades DC returns with Throwback Thursdays on Thursday, March 14 at 10 p.m. This event will have an open air rooftop and the first drink is on the house. Entry is free until midnight and more details are available on Eventbrite

Skin and Wellness Center will host Equinox Celebration on Tuesday, March 19 at 7 p.m. at 929 W. Broad St. This event will involve movement, breath work, meditation and community connection to celebrate the spring equinox and embrace energies of rebirth, fertility, creativity, balance, and expansive growth for mind, body, and spirit. Tickets cost $28.52 and can be purchased on Eventbrite

Models Inc. will host The Front Row! Fashion Show on Saturday, March 30 at 7 p.m. at the Silver Spring Black Box Theatre. This is the ultimate destination for designers seeking to showcase their talent and brand. This exclusive event provides a platform to promote artistry and visions, featuring various artists, creatives, fashion enthusiasts, models, stylists, and visionaries. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased on Eventbrite

Spring Bling Adult Prom will be on Friday, April 26 at 8 p.m. at Graces Event Center. Guests are encouraged to wear their favorite spring colors and show up for a night of dancing, food and fun.Tickets cost $92.55 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

TSR Productions will host Spring Salsa Bash on Saturday, March 23 at 8 p.m. at The Salsa Room Tysons. This event will feature Hermanos Galvan and Orquesta live in concert playing the best salsa, bachata, and merengue. There will also be top DJs playing the best in Latin trap, urbana, reggaetton. Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased on Eventbrite

We Will Survive Cancer will host Spring Fling Cocktail & Dance Party on Saturday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m. at Whino. This event will be hosted by DJ Steve. Tickets cost $25 and all proceeds are donated to cancer patients. More details are on Eventbrite.

Chase Brexton Health Care hosts its 2024 Gala at the Baltimore Museum of Art, with the theme centered around the NEW Roaring ‘20s on Saturday, March 30. Details at chasebrexton.org

CAMP Rehoboth’s annual Women’s FEST is scheduled for April 25-28. Lea DeLaria will headline with Crys Matthews opening. Visit camprehoboth.org for details.

Trans Pride Washington, D.C. is scheduled for Saturday, May 18. The full day of conference activities will take place at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. Visit transpridewashingtondc.org for details.

The Blade’s 17th annual Summer Kickoff Party in Rehoboth Beach is scheduled for Friday, May 17; details to be announced soon.

D.C.’s 49th annual Pride celebration kicks off May 31-June 9, culminating with the parade and festival. Visit capitalpride.org for details. The annual Pride on the Pier with fireworks celebration is slated for Saturday, June 8, 2-9 p.m. at the Wharf. Visit prideonthepierdc.com for details.

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Travel

Gay hotel company brings luxury to Puerto Vallarta

Tryst Puerto Vallarta to open this spring

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Tryst Puerto Vallarta (Photo courtesy of Tristan Schukraft)

The Tryst Puerto Vallarta begins welcoming discerning gay guests this spring, just in time for the Mexican resort city’s Pride celebrations. 

The 55-room resort includes a penthouse suite featuring two terraces, three large suites with expansive living areas and terraces and several junior suites with unique features. A highly anticipated rooftop pool with a bar area and restaurant offering fine Mexican cuisine are just some of the highlights. 

“You can stay here and never leave the resort,” said Tristan Schukraft, the driving force behind Tryst Hotels, and self-described CEO of “everything gay.”

While he started out in his career working in the early days of electronic ticketing, Schukraft may be more known for his work with MISTR, a popular online source for PrEP. He also recently entered into an agreement to purchase the Abbey in West Hollywood, Calif.

With Tryst he promises “it’s a fun, exciting atmosphere.” 

“The idea is not just the guests are coming to the resort, but locals,” said Schukraft. “So, when you stay here it’s the way to mingle with the local gay community.”

To welcome and include both guests and locals, the resort will host drag brunches in the hotel restaurant. Weekend parties featuring DJs on the eighth floor pool and bar area also seeks to make this not just a place to stay, but one to celebrate with the community.

Schukraft hopes visitors will get to know guests or locals poolside, or in the restaurant, and make lifelong friendships. 

Or perhaps find a bit of romance: After all the hotel is set in the famed Zona Romántica.  

“Tryst Hotels are not merely luxury destinations; they are a celebration of gay culture, where every guest is embraced,” said Schukraft. “Our mission is to create spaces where luxury and identity flourish without compromise.”

Tryst Hotels CEO Tristan Schukraft. (Photo courtesy of Tristan Schukraft)

The D.C. Travel and Adventure Show took place last month in D.C., and LGBTQ-specific travel was among the topics the convention highlighted. The Washington Blade in its preview of the expo noted LGBTQ travelers may book a resort or vacation that promises “everyone is welcome,” but upon arrival feel uncomfortable by reactions of staff or other guests due to expressing their identity as queer people. 

Schukraft has experienced this. 

“I was at a hetero-friendly hotel Miami, but it was also marketed to gay men,” he explained. “So, you have two guys kissing at the pool and you have a straight couple looking over and wondering are they staying at a gay hotel. It’s sort of an awkward occurrence.” 

Everyone, therefore, is welcome at Tryst resorts, but it is not being marketed outside of the community. 

“My boyfriends and I have even experienced side-eye glances for our choice of swimwear,” Schukraft said. “You won’t find that at Tryst Hotels.”

Speaking of attire: Many luxury guesthouses, inns and hotels catering to gay men offer clothing-optional zones for guests. It’s an allure for some travelers. 

But, not at Tryst.

“Don’t get me wrong, clothing optional resorts are fun, but that’s not our concept. Our concept is a luxurious, inclusive resort,” Schukraft said with a touch of elan apropos for the “CEO of everything gay.” “Of course wear your thongs [and] Speedos.”

Tryst Puerto Vallarta and Tryst San Juan in Puerto Rico, which is slated to open in 2025, are being marketed as gay-owned, gay-focused resorts with luxurious offerings and amenities. Many resorts known to epitomize luxury may be seen as slightly conservative or “stuffy.” 

Luxury promises not to come only in the form of superior bedding, bathrobes, slippers and skincare products, but also in the stunning interiors. 

The Puerto Vallarta property engaged the same studio known for their acclaimed work at the Four Seasons Tamarindo. Designers from Estudio Esterlina bring a refined mix of minimalism, modernism and Mexican. 

“Why can’t you have fun and luxury in the same space? Here, you let your hair down by the pool, enjoy a pool party, a fine Mexican meal in our full-service restaurant, a drag brunch on weekends and socialize with new friends all while feeling safe,” Schukraft said. “Our goal is to show luxury doesn’t have to mean stuffy.”

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