a&e features
Caitlyn Jenner: American hero or ‘arrogant’ dilettante?
Former Olympian’s prominence a mixed bag for trans community
Transgender visibility in mainstream culture is at an all-time high thanks to Caitlyn Jenner’s media exposure this summer. (Photo courtesy NBC Media Village)
Few would argue that Caitlyn Jenner is the most prominent transgender person in the country right now.
The Olympic champion, who found a second wind of fame as patriarch on reality show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians, is now in the national spotlight after coming out in a Diane Sawyer interview on ABC’s “20/20” that aired in April, a Vanity Fair cover story and huge fashion spread in its July edition and a new reality show. She’s halfway through the eight-episode initial run of her own show “I Am Cait,” which airs Sunday nights at 8 p.m. on E!
For Jenner, who has publicly admitted to shortcomings as a parent to the four children she had with her first two wives — Burt, Cassandra, Brandon and Brody, all of whom have declined to participate on “I Am Cait” — there is early evidence that she hopes to be a worthy unofficial spokesperson for the transgender community. On the two-part Aug. 2 and Aug. 9 episodes, Jenner takes a road trip with newfound LGBT allies and discusses whether she’s a suitable person for the cause considering her new fame as a transgender icon.
Some transgender activists have approached the situation with a raised eyebrow. Posing in high-end fashion gowns and corsets in Vanity Fair, for some, highlights the huge gulf that exists between Jenner and the kinds of homeless transgender women of color Washington-based activists such as Earline Budd at HIPS (a resource agency for sex workers) and Ruby Corado (of Casa Rudy, a local LGBT resource center) have worked with for years, as well as everyday transgender people who struggle with health disparities, income inequality, access to health care for various gender-related procedures and a wide spate of other well-documented issues. Many agree Jenner’s prominence is a good thing but could it send the message to the straight, middle-America heartland that Jenner is anything close to representative of the trans experience?
Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, says it’s important to remember two major factors: both the unsung heroes of transgender rights who’ve been working on these issues for decades — she mentions names such as attorney Shannon Minter, activist Marsha C. Botzer, author/artist Kate Bornstein and several others — as well as recent transgender celebrities such as writer/activist Janet Mock and actress Laverne Cox (Sophia on “Orange is the New Black”).
While nobody’s calling it a contest, Keisling says it’s important to keep Jenner in perspective.
“I think Laverne and to a much lesser extent Caitlyn has done us all a really big favor by coming out,” Keisling, a trans woman, says. “I’m probably not in a majority position on that, but I think what Laverne and even Janet Mock have done is in a lot of ways bigger than the Jenner thing, which is burning really brightly right now, whereas Laverne has had this really fiery glow for a couple years now and it doesn’t show any signs of subsiding. I just cannot say enough about what Laverne has done. Being a model of possibility for trans women of color at a time when we really needed that and in a way that could really change some things, she’s done that really smartly and graciously and amazingly.”
Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality Mara Keisling (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Dr. Marci Bowers, a California-based trans gynecologist who performs gender reassignment surgeries and has been an outspoken advocate for trans rights for many years, says she “has a tremendous amount of respect” for Jenner, but says she also has concerns.
“Stepping on the stage and kind of self anointing as the spokesperson for the trans community — and I really don’t think she does this intentionally — but it smacks of being a little bit arrogant and a little naive to the community,” Bowers says. “She must not forget the real pioneers, people like (tennis player) Renee Richards who came out in the 1970s — now that was difficult. … I’ve done hundreds of series and documentaries and these are things that have paved the way for Caitlyn Jenner. … She is literally standing on our shoulders and it would be nice if that was acknowledged. It seems painfully obvious to me. I haven’t watched all of her programming but from what I’ve seen, she doesn’t seem to get it.”
Bowers agrees, though, that Jenner deserves a grace period for being new to LGBT matters.
“I hope acknowledgement will come in time,” Bowers says.
Long-time activist Dana Beyer of Gender Rights Maryland, a trans woman and former eye surgeon who has blogged extensively on Jenner for the Huffington Post, says, “I don’t think there’s any question” that Jenner is now “the most prominent trans person in the world and in history,” an occurrence she calls “a good thing.”
“I just hope the point is made that she is not everyone and we all have different stories,” Beyer says. “That is true of any movement but given the fact that there are so few trans people in the public eye, it becomes even more potent. I have no problem with it. I just hope she speaks properly and gets her facts right and learns a little history, a little about the law and medicine and biology and activism and legislation and all of that stuff. I hope she gets that right. She’s really obligated to do it and I think she will. She seems very humble.”
Possibly further securing Jenner’s spot in an ivory tower, Beyer says, may be her status as an “older, white-collar, Christian Republican.”
“Even if this is mired in identity politics, I think (she) could make a positive difference as long as she knows what she’s talking about.”
Is there a chance Jenner could blow it and set the transgender movement back? Beyer and Bowers both point to Zoey Tur, an Emmy-winning reporter noted for her use of helicopters for live news reporting, who drew heat in March for statements on “Dr. Drew On Call” about trans women in locker rooms, the legitimacy of trans men and more (Tur is trans herself).
“Here you have somebody who was a bit of a celebrity 20 years ago get on CNN and talking about stuff of which she knew nothing,” Beyer says. “The law, legislation — she was wrong about virtually everything she said. Somebody like that is dangerous. … She’s a good example of a recently transitioned person who is not a good spokesperson. … We tend to put the recently transitioned in the spotlight, and that’s not always good.”
Dr. Marci Bowers and Dr. Dana Beyer (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)
Shannon Minter, a trans man and legal director at the National Center for Lesbian Rights, says so far he’s been impressed with Jenner’s poise.
“Of course no one person can represent the diversity of any community, but Caitlin’s visibility has been hugely positive and has helped millions of people become more aware and supportive of transgender people,” Minter wrote in an e-mail to the Blade. “I know from my own experience as an advocate that she has helped many parents be more accepting of their transgender children. Her experience is different in some ways than that of trans people who are not as wealthy, but she seems to be keenly aware of that and to take her responsibility as a spokesperson and role model very seriously. I have been impressed by her thoughtfulness and especially by her concern for transgender children.”
Transgender author and teacher Alex Myers says it’s been amazing how much dialogue Jenner has generated among his trans friends and colleagues.
“My perspective on it is that she’s giving the movement and the identity better publicity than we’ve gotten in a long time, not even just coming from her and her own presentation but from the questions people are having,” Myers says. “We don’t want her to be the only voice, but I think she’s been well received and I think it’s a much more positive representation than anything else I can think of in recent history.”
Aside from Jenner’s reality show fame and status as an Olympic icon, Myers says stories of trans women tend to play well to middle America.
“I think the media in general is much more fascinated by trans women,” he says. “It’s much more perplexing for a guy who has all this privilege and status — why would they want to give that up? It makes for a much more sensational tale. When trans women transition, they often present in this very glamorous, very cisgender and dramatic way and that’s just not the case with trans men. We look like these short, dumpy guys and we don’t make such a sensational story for Joe Q. Public.”
Earline Budd says there’s a big difference between Jenner and many of the trans women she’s worked with over many years on Washington’s streets.
“I strongly support her but at the end of the day, I do feel it would serve her best if she did reach out to individuals such as myself who are leaders in the African-American transgender community who understand the struggles and the hardship and to engage folks,” Budd says. “She will never be the model for the African-American transgender experience. She doesn’t come from the same plight as many of us. Even my own personal experience of being openly HIV-positive, having been homeless before, having been an addict, having been incarcerated. I understand she is doing some work with some African-American trans women, helping one woman go through nursing school and that is really great, but … at the end of the day, we can’t put all our hopes and needs on one person. … We need to come together and figure out how we can put revenue behind where the real needs are.”
Earline Budd(Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)
Further adding diversity to the wide umbrella that encompasses the trans experience, author and academic Genny Beemyn, who identifies as gender nonconforming, says Jenner is “an anachronism in a lot of ways.”
“It’s amazing how much visibility this has brought,” Beemyn says. “I have gotten more media inquiries in the last few months than I’ve gotten in the last few years combined. It’s unreal the number of people who are doing stories, not necessarily on Caitlyn going public, but trans issues. … I think there is some danger in her becoming the face of transgender people. Even with some of the other narratives that are out there, such as Laverne Cox and Janet Mock, they are all conventional, very feminine, trans women so we’re still seeing some erasure for people who don’t have the ability to look so glamorous or like cis women.”
Even with the concerns, Beyer says the visibility Jenner brings to the national dialogue far outweighs any concerns. She, too, has been barraged with requests for comment.
“A lot of these newspapers really never gave a damn about transgender people until a few months ago,” Beyer says. “This is a huge deal. People are calling to be educated. Nobody cared enough before Caitlyn to want to be educated. We are going to look back at this as being a post-Jenner moment and we’ll talk about things pre-Jenner and post-Jenner. Everything has changed as a result of this because all of a sudden now when these issues come up, people will have somebody to relate all this to. They don’t really know her, but it will be a lot easier to make the sale. ‘Oh really, you’re going to tell Caitlyn Jenner she can’t use the women’s restroom?’”
Beyer says it’s a new era of visibility and progress.
“Who were our options before? (Convicted murderer) Michelle Kosilek? Chelsea Manning? Somebody whom half the population thinks is a traitor? It’s a big difference to go from, ‘Hi, I’m a trans woman,’ ‘Oh, like Chelsea Manning,’ to ‘Oh, like Caitlyn Jenner.’ That changes everything. She’s a great athlete and an American hero and we’re basking in the reflections of that hero status. In today’s America, that’s about as good as it gets.”
a&e features
Visible and unapologetic: MAL brings the kink this weekend
Busy lineup includes dances, pups, super heroes, and more
MLK Weekend in D.C. brings the annual Mid-Atlantic Leather (MAL) Weekend. Just a short walk from where Congress has been attacking queer Americans this year, MAL takes place at the Hyatt Regency Washington for several days of intrigue, excitement, leather, and kink.
The Centaur Motorcycle Club — one of several similar groups dedicated to leather in the country — has been hosting MAL in its current form for more than 40 years. Originally a small gathering of like-minded people interested in the leather lifestyle, MAL has grown to include a full four days of events, taking place onsite at the Hyatt Regency Washington (400 New Jersey Ave., N.W.). Select partner happenings take place each night, and many more non-affiliated events are scattered across the DMV in honor of and inspired by MAL.
MAL Weekend has become an internationally renowned event that celebrates fetish culture, yet it also raises funds for LGBTQ organizations, “reinforcing its legacy as both a cultural and philanthropic cornerstone of the global leather community,” according to MAL organizers.
During the day, MAL events at the Hyatt include workshops, social gatherings, shopping, and other in-person engagements for the community.
“The Hyatt underwent an extensive top to bottom renovation after last year’s event,” says Jeffrey LeGrand-Douglass, the event chair. The lobby, meeting spaces, guest rooms, and other areas have been updated, he notes, “so I am very excited for our guests to experience the new design and layout for the first time. And of course as with every year, we look forward to the contest on Sunday afternoon and seeing who will become our new Mr. MAL.”
In the evening, MAL hands the reins to partner KINETIC Presents, the D.C.-based nightlife production company. KINETIC will host four consecutive nights of high-production events that fuse cutting-edge music, immersive environments, and performance. This year, KINETIC is popping open doors to new-to-MAL venues, international collabs, play zones, and a diverse lineup.
According to KINETIC managing partner Zach Renovátes, 2026 is the most extensive MAL production to date. “The talent lineup is unreal: an all-star roster of international DJs, plus drag superstar performances at the Saturday main event,” he says.
Renovátes added that he’s “most excited about the collaborations happening all weekend — from bringing in MACHO from WE Party Madrid, to teaming up with local leather groups, to nonprofit partners, and Masc Diva [a queer nightlife collective].”
Official MAL events begin on Thursday with the Full Package/Three Day Pass Pick-Up from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Hyatt.
Thursday night is also the KINETIC kickoff party, called LUST. Running 10 p.m. – 3 a.m., it’s being held at District Eagle. DJ Jay Garcia holds it down on the first floor, while DJ Mitch Ferrino spins in the expansive upstairs. LUST features special performances from the performers including Serg Shepard, Arrow, Chase, and Masterpiece.
Renovátes notes that the LUST opening party at District Eagle coincides with the bar’s grand re-opening weekend. The bar will unveil its new permanent home on the renovated second floor. “it felt like the perfect place to start Mid-Atlantic Leather weekend — right in D.C.’s only dedicated home for kink communities,” he says.
After Thursday night, Friday is when daytime events begin at the Hyatt. The Exhibit Hall, on the ballroom level below the lobby, hosts upwards of 30 vendors, exhibitors, and booths with leather goods, fetish wear, clothes, toys, other accessories, providing hours of time to shop and connect with attendees and business owners. The Exhibit Hall will be open on Friday from 4-10 p.m., as well as on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
DC Health is once again back at MAL, to provide preventative health services. In the past, DC Health has provided MPox vaccines, Doxy PEP, HIV testing, Narcan kits, and fentanyl test strips. This booth will be open on Friday 4-10 p.m.
Later, at 6 p.m., the Centaur MC is holding its welcome reception on the ballroom floor. After the Centaur’s Welcome Reception, the MIR Rubber Social is 8-11 p.m. A Recovery Meeting is scheduled at 10 p.m.
Many attendees enjoy visiting the guest room levels of the hotel. Note that to get in an elevator up to a hotel room, a staff member will check for a hotel room wristband. Non-registered guests can only access host hotel rooms if they are escorted by a registered guest with a valid wristband. Registered guests are permitted to escort only one non-registered guest at a time. Non-registered guests with a wristband who are already in the hotel before 10 p.m. may remain until midnight. However, non-registered guests without a wristband will not be admitted after registration closes.
Friday night, for the first time, KINETIC Presents is joining forces with WE Party to bring MACHO to Washington, D.C. This official MAL Friday event delivers two stages and two genres. On the UNCUT XXL stage, international Brazilian circuit superstars Erik Vilar and Anne Louise bring their signature high-energy sound. On the MACHO stage, Madrid’s Charly is joined by Chicago’s tech-house force, Karsten Sollors, for a blend of techno and tech house. UNCUT also features the XL Play Zone, a massive, immersive space exclusive to this event. The party takes place at the Berhta space from 10 p.m.-4 a.m..
“This year we’re bringing back the two-room format we debuted at WorldPride for both Friday and Saturday, so attendees can really tailor their experience — whether they’re in the mood for circuit or tech house.” says Renovátes.
Directly after Friday’s UNCUT XXL, UNDERWORLD Afters takes over District Eagle, from 3:30-8 a.m. International DJ Eliad Cohen commands the music.
Saturday, the Exhibit Hall opens earlier, at 11 a.m.. DC Health will also be back from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday is also time for one of the most anticipated events, the Puppy Mosh, running from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. During the event, pup culture comes to life, when pups, handlers, and friends can enjoy an inclusive, safe pup zone. There is also a Recovery Meeting at 11 a.m., and the IML Judges Announcement takes place at noon.
The popular Super Hero Meet Up will be held 1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m., sponsored by One Magical Weekend, for cosplayers, comic enthusiasts, and their friends.
From 2-6 p.m., the Onyx Fashion Show will take place to showcase and highlight people of color in leather.
Finally, the Leather Cocktail Party – the original event of MAL – will be held 7-9 p.m. in the Ballroom. While this requires special tickets to attend, at 9 p.m. is the MAL cocktail party, which is open to wider attendees.
The last event of Saturday leaves the hotel, again a partnership with KINETIC. Kicking off at 10 p.m. and running until 4 a.m., it’s just the second time that KINETIC’s Saturday night party is an official MAL event and serves as the main weekend engagement.
Saturday night’s centerpiece is called KINK: Double Trouble. The night will feature a first-ever back-to-back set from international electronic music icons Nina Flowers and Alex Acosta on the Circuit/Tribal Stage. The other room – the Tech House Stage – curated by The Carry Nation and Rose, provides a darker, underground counterpoint, reinforcing the event’s musical depth and edge.
Beyond the DJs, KINETIC has called in the big shots for this party: “RuPaul’s Drag Race” legends Nymphia Wind and Plastique Tiara are set to headline. The party also takes place at Berhta.
Sunday, back at the hotel, there will be another Recovery Meeting at 10 a.m., and the Exhibit Hall opens again from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
At 1 p.m., the anticipated and prestigious Mr. MAL Contest that celebrates the achievements of the leather community will be held in the Ballroom. This highly sought after title gives one man the power to become the Mid-Atlantic Leather man of the year. Sash and title winners must be (1) male, (2), a resident of North America, (3) At least 21 years of age; and (4) self-identify as gay. The first Mr. MAL was crowned in 1985. The Winner of Mr. MAL has the privilege of later competing in International Mr. Leather (IML) in Chicago on Memorial Day Weekend 2025.
From 4 p.m. to 12 a.m., MAL will hold its Game Night for the gaymers in attendance. There will also be a special screening of A24’s new film, “Pillion,” about a man who is swept off his feet when an enigmatic, impossibly handsome biker takes him on as his submissive.
Sunday closes with a community partner event produced by Masc Diva, featuring Horse Meat Disco with support from Coach Chris, at A.I. Warehouse in the Union Market district. It’s the same team that produced HMD during WorldPride at A.I. Warehouse.
Note that there are several types of passes for attendance to the hotel and parties. KINK VIP Weekend Passes include express entry, VIP areas, and enhanced amenities throughout the weekend, while MAL Full Weekend Package holders receive access to the official Sunday closing event.
At last year’s MAL events, KINETIC Presents raised more $150,000 for LGBTQ charities, and expects to match or exceed that impact in 2026.
Renovátes stated that “now more than ever, it’s important to create safe, affirming spaces for our community — but it’s just as important to be visible and unapologetic. We want to make it clear that the LGBTQ+ and leather communities aren’t going anywhere. We’ve fought too long and too hard to ever feel like we have to shrink ourselves again, no matter what the political climate looks like.”
In addition to the KINETIC events, various LGBTQ bars will hold parties celebrating the theme of the weekend. For example, Kiki, located on U Street NW, is hosting a party called KINKI, hosted by DJ Dez, on Saturday night. Sister bar Shakiki, on 9th Street NW, is hosting a party called Railed Out, a fetish-inspired party that features a play zone, on Thursday night. Flash, on U Street NW, will hold its infamous Flashy Sunday party to close out the weekend.
a&e features
Queer highlights of the 2026 Critics Choice Awards: Aunt Gladys, that ‘Heated Rivalry’ shoutout and more
Amy Madigan’s win in the supporting actress category puts her in serious contention to win the Oscar for ‘Weapons’
From Chelsea Handler shouting out Heated Rivalry in her opening monologue to Amy Madigan proving that horror performances can (and should) be taken seriously, the Critics Choice Awards provided plenty of iconic moments for queer movie fans to celebrate on the long road to Oscar night.
Handler kicked off the ceremony by recapping the biggest moments in pop culture last year, from Wicked: For Good to Sinners. She also made room to joke about the surprise hit TV sensation on everyone’s minds: “Shoutout to Heated Rivalry. Everyone loves it! Gay men love it, women love it, straight men who say they aren’t gay but work out at Equinox love it!”
The back-to-back wins for Jacob Elordi in Frankenstein and Amy Madigan in Weapons are notable, given the horror bias that awards voters typically have. Aunt Gladys instantly became a pop culture phenomenon within the LGBTQ+ community when Zach Cregger’s hit horror comedy released in August, but the thought that Madigan could be a serious awards contender for such a fun, out-there performance seemed improbable to most months ago. Now, considering the sheer amount of critics’ attention she’s received over the past month, there’s no denying she’s in the running for the Oscar.
“I really wasn’t expecting all of this because I thought people would like the movie, and I thought people would dig Gladys, but you love Gladys! I mean, it’s crazy,” Madigan said during her acceptance speech. “I get [sent] makeup tutorials and paintings. I even got one weird thing about how she’s a sex icon also, which I didn’t go too deep into that one.”
Over on the TV side, Rhea Seehorn won in the incredibly competitive best actress in a drama series category for her acclaimed performance as Carol in Pluribus, beating out the likes of Emmy winner Britt Lower for Severance, Carrie Coon for The White Lotus, and Bella Ramsey for The Last of Us. Pluribus, which was created by Breaking Bad’s showrunner Vince Gilligan, has been celebrated by audiences for its rich exploration of queer trauma and conversion therapy.
Jean Smart was Hack’s only win of the night, as Hannah Einbinder couldn’t repeat her Emmy victory in the supporting actress in a comedy series category against Janelle James, who nabbed a trophy for Abbott Elementary. Hacks lost the best comedy series award to The Studio, as it did at the Emmys in September. And in the limited series category, Erin Doherty repeated her Emmy success in supporting actress, joining in yet another Adolescence awards sweep.
As Oscar fans speculate on what these Critics Choice wins mean for future ceremonies, we have next week’s Golden Globes ceremony to look forward to on Jan. 11.
a&e features
Looking back at the 10 biggest A&E stories of 2025
‘Wicked,’ Lady Gaga’s new era, ‘Sexy’ Bailey and more
Although 2025 was a year marked by countless attacks on trans rights and political setbacks, the year also saw brilliant queer artists continuing to create art. From Cannes and Sundance Award winners now vying for Oscar consideration to pop icons entering new stages of their careers, queer people persevered to tell their stories through different media.
With the state of the world so uncertain, perhaps there’s no more vital time to celebrate our wins, as seen through some of this year’s top pop culture moments. While there’s no collection of 10 stories that fully encompass “the most important” news, here are some events that got the gays going:
10. ‘Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo’ wins big at Cannes
The Cannes Film Festival has become a crucial start for films hoping to make their way to the Oscars, and first-time director Diego Céspedes won the top Un Certain Regard prize for his intimate western “The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo.” The film is set in the ‘80s and is intended as an allegory for the AIDS epidemic. Seeing a film that unpacks vital queer history win one of the most coveted awards at Cannes has been a huge point of pride in the independent filmmaking community.
Since the film bowed at Cannes, it has been selected as Chile’s Oscar entry in the Best International Feature race. Speaking with The Blade during the film’s AFI Fest run in October, Céspedes said: At first, I was kind of scared to have this campaign position in the times that we’re living [in] here. But at the same time, I think the Oscars mean a huge platform — a huge platform for art and politics.”
9. ‘The Last of Us’ returns for an even gayer season 2
While the first season of The Last of Us gave us one of TV’s most heartbreaking queer love stories in the episode “Long, Long Time,” Season 2 doubled down on its commitment to queer storytelling with the blossoming relationship between Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Dina (Isabela Merced). The show expanded on the pair’s relationship in the original video game, making it perhaps the central dynamic to the entire season. That unfortunately came with more homophobic backlash on the internet, but those who checked out all the episodes saw a tender relationship form amid the show’s post-apocalyptic, often violent backdrop. For their performance, Ramsey was once again nominated for an Emmy, but Merced deserved just as much awards attention.
8. ‘Emilia Pérez’ sparks controversy
Jacques Audiard’s genre-bending trans musical “Emilia Pérez” proved to be an awards season juggernaut this time last year, winning the Golden Globe for Best Musical/Comedy. But when the lead star Karla Sofia Gascón’s racist, sexist, and homophobic old tweets resurfaced, the film’s Oscar campaign became a tough sell, especially after Netflix had tried so hard to sell Emilia Pérez as the “progressive” film to vote for. Mind you, the film had already received significant backlash from LGBTQ+ audiences and the Mexican community for its stereotypical and reductive portrayals, but the Gascón controversy made what was originally just social media backlash impossible to ignore. The only person who seemed to come out of the whole debacle unscathed was Zoe Saldaña, who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress over Ariana Grande.
7. ‘Sorry, Baby’ establishes Eva Victor as major talent
Back in January at the Sundance Film Festival, Eva Victor (known by many for her brand of sketch comedy) premiered their directorial debut “Sorry, Baby” to rave reviews, even winning the Waldo Salt Screening Award. Victor shadowed Jane Schoenbrun on the set of “I Saw the TV Glow,” and seeing Victor come into their own and establish such a strong voice immediately made them one of independent cinema’s most exciting new voices. A memorable scene in the film sees the main character, Agnes (played by Victor), struggling to check a box for male or female, just one example of how naturally queerness is woven into the fabric of the story.
Most recently, Victor was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance in the film, and she’s represented in a category alongside Jennifer Lawrence (“Die My Love”), Jessie Buckley (“Hamnet”), Julia Roberts (“After the Hunt”), Renate Reinsve (“Sentimental Value”) and Tessa Thompson (“Hedda”). The film also received four Independent Spirit Award nominations overall.
6. Paul Reubens comes out in posthumous doc
While Paul Reubens never publicly came out as gay before passing away in 2023, the two-part documentary “Pee-wee as Himself” premiered back in May on HBO Max, giving the legendary comedian a chance to posthumously open up to the world. Directed by Matt Wolf, the documentary explores how Reubens found his alter ego Pee-Wee Herman and why he kept his private life private.
The documentary won an Emmy in the Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special category and remains one of the most critically acclaimed titles of the year with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score. Also worth noting, the National Geographic documentary Sally told the posthumous coming out story of Sally Ride through the help of her long-time partner, Tam O’Shaughnessy.
5. Lady Gaga releases ‘Mayhem’
Lady Gaga entered a new phase of her musical career with the release of Mayhem, her seventh album to date. From the frenzy-inducing pop hit Abracadabra to the memorable Bruno Mars duet featured on “Die With a Smile,” seeing Gaga return to her roots and make an album for the most die-hard of fans was especially rewarding after the underwhelming film releases of “House of Gucci” and “Joker: Folie à Deux.” Gaga has been touring with The Mayhem Ball since July, her first arena tour since 2018. She even extended her tour into 2026 with more North American dates, so the party isn’t stopping anytime soon. And Gaga is even set to make an appearance next May in “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”
4. Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande perform at the Oscars
While “Wicked: For Good” didn’t quite reach the heights of the first film, we will forever have Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s breathtaking live performance that opened the 97th Academy Awards. The pair sang a rendition of “Over the Rainbow,” “Home,” and “Defying Gravity,” paying proper homage to the original 1939 “Wizard of Oz.” Even non-Wicked fans can’t deny how magical and brilliantly staged this performance was. With both Erivo and Grande up for acting Oscars last year, they’re hoping to repeat success and make history with consecutive nominations. Either way, let’s hope there’s another live performance in the making, especially with two new original songs (The Girl in the Bubble and No Place Like Home) in the mix.
3. Indya Moore speaks out against Ryan Murphy
Indya Moore has consistently used social media as a platform for activism, and in September, posted a 30-minute Instagram live speaking out against “Pose” co-creator Ryan Murphy. Moore claimed that Murphy wasn’t being a true activist for trans people. “Ryan Murphy, we need you to do more. You need to address the racism, the violence, and the targeting of people on your productions, Ryan Murphy. You do need to make sure trans people are paid equally. Yes, Janet did the right thing,” Moore said. Murphy was also back in the headlines this year for the critically panned “All’s Fair” and the controversial “Monster: The Ed Gein Story” starring Laurie Metcalf and Charlie Hunnam.
2. Cole Escola wins Tony for Best Leading Actor
Few pop culture moments this year brought us together more than Cole Escola winning a Tony award for “Oh, Mary!” the Broadway show they created, wrote and starred in (we love a triple threat!) Escola made history by becoming the first nonbinary person to win a Tony in the leading actor category, and seeing them excitedly rush to the stage wearing a Bernadette Peters-inspired gown instantly became a viral social media moment.
The cherry on top of Escola’s major moment is the recent news that they are writing a Miss Piggy movie with Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone producing — news that also broke the internet for the better. We cannot wait!
1. Jonathan Bailey makes gay history as ‘Sexiest Man Alive’
The same year as his on-screen roles in blockbusters “Jurassic World Rebirth” and “Wicked: For Good,” Jonathan Bailey made history as the first openly gay man to be named People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive.” The fact that it took 40 years for an openly gay man to earn the title is a signifier of how far we still have to go with queer representation, and seeing Bailey celebrated is just one small step in the right direction.
“There’s so many people that want to do brilliant stuff who feel like they can’t,” he told PEOPLE, “and I know the LGBT sector is under immense threat at the moment. So it’s been amazing to meet people who have the expertise and see potential that I could have only dreamed of.” In 2024, Bailey founded the charity titled The Shameless Fund, which raises money for LGBTQ+ organizations.
Va. Senate committee approves resolution to repeal marriage amendment
Rise of Chalamet continues in ‘Marty Supreme’
Zach Wahls stood up for us, now let’s stand with him
Grenell: ‘Real hope’ for gay rights in Iran as result of nationwide protests
Rollback of health IT standards will harm LGBTQ patients
Ford’s ‘First Look’ festival showcases three new productions
Mid-Atlantic Leather kicks off this week
Stress-free lease renewals during winter months
PHOTOS: ‘ICE Out For Good’ Sunday protests
