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‘When We Rise’ chronicles gay history
Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black aimed for ‘honesty’
A scene from ‘When We Rise,’ a new miniseries that dramatizes the lives of key players in the early years of LGBT rights. (Photo by Erike Schroter; courtesy ABC)
Starting Feb. 27, ABC will begin airing “When We Rise,” a seven-part, eight-hour miniseries about the history of the gay rights movement, written and created by prominent gay filmmaker, Dustin Lance Black.
“I started working on this about four years ago, and never would have guessed it would land in times like these where unfortunately, it feels so necessary,” Black says. “I would give anything in the world for it to feel less necessary.”
“When We Rise” deals with some of the most influential people in the movement and the big button topics of family rejection, landlord discrimination, gay bashing, police harassment, legislative defeats and AIDS.
“History speaks for itself in a way. What we tried to do was be authentic and honest about that history. I’m really diligent about getting my stories to be as truthful as possible,” Black says. “Granted it covers 45 years in eight hours, so obviously I have to telescope the timeline and combine some characters. But if you can be honest to history, it will always shine a light for you. Civil rights has really always been on a pendulum and our job is to keep it in the right direction as much as possible.”
Part of that honesty is being authentic to the times and not shying away from derogatory terms that have been used throughout the years, which is why viewers should prepare themselves for some of the ugliness that the LGBT community has faced.
“ABC really stepped up because you’re not supposed to be able to use some of these disparaging words on the air anymore,” Black says. “Words like ‘faggot’ or ‘dyke,’ if we don’t use these words, it’s not truthful. That’s not the experience gay people are having today, much less in the ’70s. I did use ‘Roots’ as an example and they heard me and fought for me to be able to use these words, which makes the experience more real and visceral.”
“When We Rise” introduces viewers to Cleve Jones, a Quaker activist who escapes his repressive life in Phoenix and finds refuge in San Francisco and the peace movement; Roma Guy, an early feminist leader in San Francisco; and Ken Jones, an African-American Navy man who is reassigned from Vietnam to San Francisco to spearhead a new military desegregation program.
Other prominent figures along the way include political activist Sally Gearhart; AIDS activist Bobbi Campbell; Dr. Marcus Conant, a pioneer in AIDS treatment; Pat Norman, the first openly gay employee of the San Francisco Health Department; and Del Martin, who co-founded the first lesbian organization in the country.
Black admits that narrowing the characters and stories he wanted to tell was a pretty big undertaking, which is why he spent the entire first year doing research. He focused on characters who’d been activists their entire lives and who are still alive. Subsequently, the late Frank Kameny, who was a longtime Washington resident, is not mentioned in the series.
“It’s about time that LGBT people can have their stories told, and it could be funny, it could be dramatic, it could be political and show people survive and thrive,” he says. “We’ve lost so many of our forefathers because of AIDS, so that narrowed it down. I wanted these activists to be connected to other social movements and show that the best of us fight for our brothers and sisters in other social justice movements as well. The secret is not just winning rights, but maintaining them.”
An all-star casts takes part in the series including Mary-Louise Parker as Roma Guy, Guy Pearce as Cleve Jones, Rachel Griffiths as Roma’s wife Diane, Whoopi Goldberg as Pat Norman and Rosie O’Donnell as Del Martin.
“I had the great fortune of getting this cast. It’s the honor of my life personally to have the opportunity to bring our stories to life and to create a popularized history that we’ve been robbed of,” Black says. “I think when actors read scripts like these, they know the importance of addressing a real need in society. Whoopi called me and said she wanted to play Pat because she knew her. Rosie told me how much the words of Del meant to her as a young person and wanted to play her. You quickly understand how personal this is to all these actors and you would be a fool to say no to this emotion. This isn’t a major feature film and they all said yes.”
The project was mostly completed by the time the results of the presidential election were revealed in November, so Black didn’t make any major changes to the series, even though he knew that Donald Trump and Mike Pence are no friends of the LGBT community.
“I like to pack a punch and say what I need regardless, so I don’t think it needed to be any stronger,” Black says. “I was already concerned that we were losing our connection with our brothers and sisters in other social movements — we were making great strides and weren’t moving forward with our arms locked with them. That’s stated strongly in the series. It’s why I titled the series ‘When We Rise’ and why the biggest word is ‘We’ because it’s about how we all need to push back against the backlash and how we need to do that together.”
One thing that Black changed since Trump took office was his plan for an epilogue at the end of the series, which as of 10 days before the miniseries airdate, had yet to be written.
“I’m waiting because a lot could happen in the next two weeks and it feels like we are making news every single day,” he says. “That’s the one thing that will change a bit and it may be written close to when it airs.”
The important thing for Black is that the message is heard and the miniseries isn’t easily dismissed.
“I think a young generation coming up is going to see this show and wonder if it ever could have been that bad or that difficult. I did many things through the series to hammer home that yes, these things really did happen,” he says. “Part of that is not pulling punches — showing loud and clear that you’re not going to only face opposition from those that discriminate against you, but you’re going to face even more opposition from people who are your heroes in the movement and you have to work with.”
Mary-Louise Parker as Roma Guy in ‘When We Rise.’ (Photo by Phil Bray courtesy ABC)
Black included archival footage on occasion to remind viewers that these moments are real and the struggle is real and this generation was faced with epic confrontations and they rose to the occasion and fought back and won.
He believes that even those who voted for Trump and have mixed feelings about all of this will get a lot out of the series.
“I very much wrote ‘Milk,’ which is what most gay people know me from, for myself. The gay kid living in the conservative time and what could I have seen that would have given me hope. That was a story told in a way that would have,” he says. “When I was writing ‘When We Rise” I was thinking of my conservative, half Mormon, half Southern Baptist military family spread out through Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana. I love them to death and am often more comfortable with them at a barbecue than I am at a beach party on the coast.”
He understands that most of them probably voted for Trump and have conflicting views about many of the issues that are important to him, so he thought about what they had in common.
“I know what we disagree on; I wanted to find our common language. If you go to the dinner table and bring up politics, science or the Constitution, no one is going to listen. If you want to engage, you need to tell a story, and it’s even better if it’s an emotional story, and better yet, a story about your family,” Black says. “LGBT people love to tell stories of family; they are part of our coming-out stories — the families we lost, the new ones we built to survive. LGBT people and my dear family both speak the same language of family fluently and I built the show centered around that.”
Black’s hope is that by focusing on the language and shining a little light on the issues, that maybe the movie helps to bridge America’s ideological gap.
“I did not write this to be a battle cry or for half of America, I wrote it for the entire country,” he says. “I’m holding my breath to get that phone call from a Texas cousin or aunt, telling me, ‘I watched your show and it was pretty good.’ That is my mark of success.”
Dustin Lance Black, creator and executive producer of ‘When We Rise.’ (Photo by Image Group L.A.; courtesy ABC)
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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.
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Your guide to D.C.’s queer New Year’s Eve parties
Ring in 2026 with drag, leather, Champagne, and more
With Christmas in the rear view mirror, we can turn our attention to ringing in a much-anticipated New Year with a slew of local LGBTQ parties. Here’s what’s on tap.
Pitchers
This spacious Adams Morgan bar is hosting the “Pitchers’ Perfect New Year’s Eve.” There will be a midnight Champagne toast, the ball drop on the big screens, and no cover, all night long. The bar doesn’t close until 4 a.m., and the kitchen will be open late (though not until close). All five floors will be open for the party, and party favors are promised.
Trade
D.C.’s hottest bar/club combo is leaning into the Shark motif with its NYE party, “Feeding Frenzy.” The party is a “glitterati-infused Naughty-cal New Year’s Even in the Shark Tank, where the boats are churning and the sharks are circling.” Trade also boasts no cover charge, with doors opening at 5 p.m. and the aforementioned Shark Tank opening at 9 p.m.. Four DJs will be spread across the two spaces; midnight hostess is played by Vagenesis and the two sea sirens sensuously calling are Anathema and Justin Williams.
Number Nine
While Trade will have two DJs as part of one party, Number Nine will host two separate parties, one on each floor. The first floor is classic Number Nine, a more casual-style event with the countdown on TVs and a Champagne midnight toast. There will be no cover and doors open at 5 p.m. Upstairs will be hosted by Capital Sapphics for its second annual NYE gathering. Tickets (about $50) include a midnight Champagne toast, curated drink menu, sapphic DJ set by Rijak, and tarot readings by Yooji.
Crush
Crush will kick off NYE with a free drag bingo at 8 p.m. for the early birds. Post-bingo, there will be a cover for the rest of the evening, featuring two DJs. The cover ($20 limited pre-sale that includes line skip until 11 p.m.; $25 at the door after 9 p.m.) includes one free N/A or Crush, a Champagne toast, and party favors (“the legal kind”). More details on Eventbrite.
Bunker
This subterranean lair is hosting a NYE party entitled “Frosted & Fur: Aspen After Dark New Year’s Eve Celebration.” Arriety from Rupaul Season 15 is set to host, with International DJ Alex Lo. Doors open at 9 p.m. and close at 3 p.m.; there is a midnight Champagne toast. Cover is $25, plus an optional $99 all-you-can-drink package.
District Eagle
This leather-focused bar is hosting “Bulge” for its NYE party. Each District Eagle floor will have its own music and vibe. Doors run from 7 p.m.-3 a.m. and cover is $15. There will be a Champagne toast at midnight, as well as drink specials during the event.
Kiki, Shakiki
Kiki and its new sister bar program Shakiki (in the old Shakers space) will have the same type of party on New Year’s Eve. Both bars open their doors at 5 p.m. and stay open until closing time. Both will offer a Champagne toast at midnight. At Kiki, DJ Vodkatrina will play; at Shakiki, it’ll be DJ Alex Love. Kiki keeps the party going on New Year’s Day, opening at 2 p.m., to celebrate Kiki’s fourth anniversary. There will be a drag show at 6 p.m. and an early 2000s dance party 4-8 p.m.
Spark
This bar and its new menu of alcoholic and twin N/A drinks will host a NYE party with music by DJ Emerald Fox. Given this menu, there will be a complimentary toast at midnight, guests can choose either sparkling wine with or without alcohol. No cover, but Spark is also offering optional wristbands at the door for $35 open bar 11 p.m.-1 a.m. (mid-shelf liquor & all NA drinks).
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