Arts & Entertainment
Tyler, the Creator may have come out on new album
the rapper has mentioned being gay for years


(Screenshot via YouTube.)
Tyler, the Creator might have come out as gay or bisexual on his latest album, “Scum Fu*k Flower Boy.”
The album was meant to be released in two weeks but was leaked, to the delight of fans, on Sunday night. But some lyrics raised a few eyebrows and had some people wondering if the rapper was coming out the closet.
“Next line will have ’em like ‘Whoa’ / I been kissing white boys since 2004,”the 26-year-old raps on the track, “I Ain’t Got Time!”
On the song, “Garden Shed,” Tyler, the Creator talks about hiding in a garden shed, a metaphor some think refers to being in the closet.
“All my friends lost / They couldn’t read the signs / I didn’t wanna talk and tell ’em my location / And they ain’t wanna walk / Truth is, since a youth kid, thought it was a phase / Thought it’d be like the Frank; poof, gone / But, it’s still goin’ on,” he raps. The mention of “Frank” has led to speculation that he is referring to his friend and fellow collaborator, Frank Ocean, who identifies as bisexual.
Tyler, the Creator has alluded to being gay or bisexual in the past. In 2015, he even tweeted that he had attempted to come out of the closet but the seriousness of the tweet was never confirmed.
I TRIED TO COME OUT THE DAMN CLOSET LIKE FOUR DAYS AGO AND NO ONE CARED HAHAHHAHAHA
— Tyler, The Creator (@tylerthecreator) April 13, 2015
Rolling Stone’s 2015 piece on Tyler, the Creator also wondered if his persistent gay jokes was actually a confirmation of his sexuality.
“For the past two days I’ve wondered, is Tyler actually gay? I cannot emphasize how much gay humor plays a role in the atmosphere around him. It’s like a continuous loop of the ‘You know how I know you’re gay?’ scene in ‘The 40-Year-Old Virgin’,” the article reads. “Never more than a few minutes pass without him saying he’s going to suck someone’s dick or him accusing someone of wanting to suck dick. At one point on the bus, he recalls sending nude photos to a group chat with his friends and no one responded. ‘My friends are so used to me being gay,’ Tyler says, ‘they don’t even care.’ I finally ask, Why all the gay humor? ‘Because I’m gay as fuck,’ he says, without a flinch. Seriously, are you gay? Are these repressed feelings? ‘No, but I am in love with ’96 Leonardo DiCaprio,’ he says. ‘I one hundred percent would go gay for ’96 Leo. Oh, and Cole Sprouse.’”
Tyler, the Creator followed up his proclaimed love for ’96 DiCaprio by tweeting a photo of the star captioned, “so beautiful my god.”
so beautiful my god pic.twitter.com/hSR0BRNkW5
— Tyler, The Creator (@tylerthecreator) February 25, 2016
At one point, he was rumored to be dating Kendall Jenner who jokingly tweeted him “apparently we’re dating.” He responded, “Not possible, we’re both gay.”
NOT POSSIBLE, WE’RE BOTH GAY https://t.co/xoCXLyThPv
— Tyler, The Creator (@tylerthecreator) August 16, 2016
His debut album “Goblin” received attention for its frequent use of homophobic slurs, with the rapper using the word “fag**t” more than 200 times.
The internet has been abuzz with speculation with some fans saying they believed all along that the rapper was not straight.
Tyler, the Creator coming out as gay is some of the least surprising yet very surprising news I’ve heard in a while.
— young old man (@_aspiringadult) July 10, 2017
Tyler been saying he was on some gay shit forever but we all thought it was trolling lmaooo. No wonder his earlier music was so homophobic
— tyrin ?️?️?️ (@TheGorgeousGoon) July 10, 2017
People acting surprised that Tyler, The Creator might be gay and I just keep thinking about this tweet from a few years ago pic.twitter.com/Ex9uLPpTxF
— Shane Ravello ?? (@ShaneRavello) July 10, 2017
I’m not surprised Tyler The Creator is Bi/Gay I’m just wondering why it took him so damn long to come out the closet when we all knew lowkey
— AWSHITKIDDIE! (@Kiddiedouchebag) July 10, 2017
tyler, the creator in 2011: uses word ‘faggot’ 213 times on debut album
tyler, the creator in 2017: comes out as gay#characterdevelopment
— Killa Cam (@CamonDash) July 10, 2017
Tyler, the Creator has yet to confirm or deny the speculation.

You’ve done your share of marching.
You’re determined to wring every rainbow-hued thing out of this month. The last of the parties hasn’t arrived yet, neither have the biggest celebrations and you’re primed but – OK, you need a minute. So pull up a chair, take a deep breath, and read these great books on gay history, movies, and more.
You probably don’t need to be told that harassment and discrimination was a daily occurrence for gay people in the past (as now!), but “American Scare: Florida’s Hidden Cold War on Black and Queer Lives” by Robert W. Fieseler (Dutton, $34) tells a story that runs deeper than you may know. Here, you’ll read a historical expose with documented, newly released evidence of a systemic effort to ruin the lives of two groups of people that were perceived as a threat to a legislature full of white men.
Prepared to be shocked, that’s all you need to know.
You’ll also want to read the story inside “The Many Passions of Michael Hardwick: Sex and the Supreme Court in the Age of AIDS” by Martin Padgett (W.W. Norton & Company, $31.99), which sounds like a novel, but it’s not. It’s the story of one man’s fight for a basic right as the AIDS crisis swirls in and out of American gay life and law. Hint: this book isn’t just old history, and it’s not just for gay men.
Maybe you’re ready for some fun and who doesn’t like a movie? You know you do, so you’ll want “Sick and Dirty: Hollywood’s Gay Golden Age and the Making of Modern Queerness” by Michael Koresky (Bloomsbury, $29.99). It’s a great look at the Hays Code and what it allowed audiences to see, but it’s also about the classics that sneaked beneath the code. There are actors, of course, in here, but also directors, writers, and other Hollywood characters you may recognize. Grab the popcorn and settle in.
If you have kids in your life, they’ll want to know more about Pride and you’ll want to look for “Pride: Celebrations & Festivals” by Eric Huang, illustrated by Amy Phelps (Quarto, $14.99), a story of inclusion that ends in a nice fat section of history and explanation, great for kids ages seven-to-fourteen. Also find “Are You a Friend of Dorothy? The True Story of an Imaginary Woman and the Real People She Helped Shape” by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Levi Hastings (Simon & Schuster, $19.99), a lively book about a not-often-told secret for kids ages six-to-ten; and “Papa’s Coming Home” by Chasten Buttigieg, illustrated by Dan Taylor (Philomel, $19.99), a sweet family tale for kids ages three-to-five.
Finally, here’s a tween book that you can enjoy, too: “Queer Heroes” by Arabelle Sicardi, illustrated by Sarah Tanat-Jones (Wide Eyed, $14.99), a series of quick-to-read biographies of people you should know about.
Want more Pride books? Then ask your favorite bookseller or librarian for more, because there are so many more things to read. Really, the possibilities are almost endless, so march on in.
Music & Concerts
Indigo Girls coming to Capital One Hall
Stars take center stage alongside Fairfax Symphony

Capital One Center will host “The Indigo Girls with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra” on Thursday, June 19 and Friday, June 20 at 8 p.m. at Capital One Hall.
The Grammy Award-winning folk and pop stars will take center stage alongside the Fairfax Symphony, conducted by Jason Seber. The concerts feature orchestrations of iconic hits such as “Power of Two,” “Get Out The Map,” “Least Complicated,” “Ghost,” “Kid Fears,” “Galileo,” “Closer to Fine,” and many more.
Tickets are available on Ticketmaster or in person at Capital One Hall the nights of the concerts.

Friday, June 13
“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 2 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s new location at 1827 Wiltberger St., N.W. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected].
Women in Their Twenties and Thirties will be at 8 p.m. at Wundergarten. An update will be posted the night of the event on where to find WiTT’s table. There’ll be a Pride flag to help people find the group. For more details, join WiTT’s closed Facebook group.
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Pride Month Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach bar and Restaurant. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Saturday, June 14
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Pride Month Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including Allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Rainbow History Project will host “Behind the Scenes With the Senior Curator of ‘Pickets, Protests and Parades’” at 7:30p.m. at Freedom Plaza. This behind-the-scenes experience offers a rare glimpse into the creative process behind this groundbreaking showcase of DC’s LGBTQ+ history. Learn about the bold design decisions that shaped the Quote Wall and Hero Cubes and the powerful stories that almost made the cut. Tickets cost $82 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
Monday, June 16
“Center Aging Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected].
Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary. Whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis. For more information, visit their website at www.genderqueerdc.org or check us out on Facebook.
Tuesday, June 17
Bi+ Roundtable and Discussion will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as Bi individuals in a private setting. Check out Facebook or Meetup for more information.
Wednesday, June 18
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.
“Legends Live Loud: A Queer Karaoke Experience” will be at 7 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This will be a dynamic, Center-wide karaoke event celebrating the brilliance and cultural impact of some of our most colorful queer icons. The Center will honor legends through music, pop culture, dance, and inextinguishable liberation. For more details and to sign up, visit the DC Center’s website.
Thursday, June 19
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Book Club” at 7:30 p.m. at Federico Ristorante Italiano. This book club is co-hosted by EQUALITY NoVa and is another opportunity to engage in a fun and rewarding activity. The group doesn’t discriminate when it comes to genres it reads – from classic literature to best selling novels to biographies to histories to gay fiction. For more details, visit Eventbrite.
Cultivating Change Foundation will host “Cultivating Pride Happy Hour” at 5:30 p.m. at Dacha Beer Garden. This Pride month, the organization is inviting LGBTQ+ people and allies in food and agriculture to come together in communities nationwide. These informal gatherings are a chance to connect, celebrate, and build community, whether it’s over coffee, a cocktail, or a conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
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