contributors Joshua Adamson Pickett, Diane Anderson-Minshall, Chris Azzopardi, Paul Berge, Jeff Berry, Paul Campbell, Laurie Bennett-Cook, Roger Cox, Stephen Dark, Jennifer Dobner, Jack Fertig, Greg Fox, Oriol Gutierrez Jr., Tony Hobday, Blake Howell, Ashley Hoyle, Joshua Jones, Christopher Katis, Alpha Mercury, Sam Kelly-Mills, Craig Ogan, Peter Reynolds, Mikey Rox, Terri Schlichenmeyer, Mark Segal, Gregg Shapiro, Petunia Pap Smear, Steven Petrow, Ed Sikov, Justin Utley, JoSelle Vanderhooft, Ed Walsh, Ben Williams, D’Anne Witkowski
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promised an update on my surgery a while back, so here it is. (Some TMI ahead for the squeamish.)
My surgery was on Oct. 1, and I was supposed to go home the next day. Because I really wanted to preserve sexual function, my doctor chose to protect the nerves on one side of my prostate, even though it meant risking more blood loss. I lost about a liter during surgery—and some more after. They had to pump me full of fluids and even give me a
transfusion to get my blood pressure back up. My first overnight nurse quipped that my heart rate rose to normal only when the other (beautiful male) nurse came in to help. I was in the hospital for 4 days. I ended up staying four days in the hospital. The catheter came out on day 7, and I just got the drain tube removed yesterday. I’ve had very little pain—nothing Tylenol couldn’t handle—but carrying around a pee bag and a drain bulb for days wasn’t exactly a highlight. I’ve got
five small abdominal incisions and one 2-inch incision below my belly through which the prostate was removed.
They said recovery would take three weeks. For me, it’s looking more like five, so I’ve still got a couple of weeks to go. I’ve been walking a mile to a mile and a half every day (to Sumaq’s delight), and even made it back to choir—with a mask, since the last thing I need is a cold, flu, or COVID right now.
I’m still moving a little slow since I lost about a quarter of my blood supply, but every day is a bit better. The more personal “TMI” stuff is still a work in progress, but I’m hopeful and seeing improvement.
The team at Holy Cross was fantastic, with some standout caregivers. My friends—one of whom even flew out from Colorado to play Nurse Annie Wilkes for 10 days—and my sister have been incredible. There were a few cancer cells along 3mm of the cut line between my prostate and bladder, so I’ll be getting a PSA test next week and meeting with my doctor to discuss what’s next. It sounds like we’ll do a “wait and see,” but radiation and hormone therapy are likely in the future. Thanks to everyone who’s checked in or sent love my way. It means a lot.
Hugs, —Michael
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BY CRAIG OGAN
Rainbow Sidewalk Painting
fact, a 2022 Bloomberg study found such art may reduce crashes at intersections.
Changes considered since 2024 election
Who’s out
The removal of rainbow crosswalks began in Florida at the Pulse Memorial in Orlando. Now, Texas Governor Greg Abbott wants to eliminate “any and all political ideologies” from Texas streets. While the order doesn’t explicitly mention Pride-related art, rainbow crosswalks and Black Lives Matter messages have been the primary targets. This follows a letter from the U. S. Department of Transportation advising authorities to remove political artwork from roadways. Since there are no kings in the U. S., most states have disregarded the request. Atlanta reaffirmed its commitment to rainbow crosswalks, and Milwaukee unveiled a new one in response. The king’s decree in Texas has met with mixed obedience: Houston announced compliance, while San Antonio officials questioned the state’s authority. San Antonio’s crosswalks were funded by community donations, so no action will be taken there. No studies support claims of increased road risk. In
Despite heated rhetoric and policy shifts, little has changed for lesbian, gay, and bisexual rights since the 2024 election. Marriage equality remains intact, and no “lavender scare” has emerged in the military. However, transgender individuals have faced the most policy changes, including restrictions on military service, gender-affirming care for minors, and participation in sports. Still, many LGBTQ people report considering making life changes to protect themselves. According to a report from the Movement Advancement Project, 57 percent of lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals and 84 percent of transgender and nonbinary people have made significant decisions since the election. These include moving to another state, changing jobs, updating legal documents, or traveling across state lines for medical care. While 43 percent of transgender people and 25 percent of lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals have considered relocating, only 9 percent of trans respondents and 5 percent of lesbian, gay and bisexual respondents have actually moved. Alarmingly, 82 percent of transgender people say they or a close family member have experienced at least one negative incident related to their identity since November 2024. Overall, 60 percent of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people worry about anti-LBGTQ+ policies; among transgender individuals, that number rises to 90 percent, with 60 percent saying they are “very worried.” Read the full report at mapresearch. org/2025-norc-survey-report.
According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, approximately 96 percent of adults who are affectionally or sexually attracted to members of their own sex told at least one person in their life that they are or might be gay or lesbian. Only 3 percent said they haven’t come out to anyone. While many gay and lesbian adults suspected before age 14, only 14 percent disclosed it at that age. Another 29 percent came out between ages 14 and 17, while the largest group, 34 percent, did so between ages 18 and 24. Coming out varies by relationship. About 32 percent say they are not out to any extended family members, such as grandparents, aunts, or cousins. Among those who are employed, 25 percent are not out to coworkers. Additionally, 23 percent of adolescents are not out to their parents or guardians, and 18 percent are not out to any siblings. In contrast, only 5 percent say they are not out to any friends.
Soccer star retires
Olympian, two-time World Cup champion, and star professional soccer player Christen Press announced her retirement at the end of the 2025 National Women’s Soccer League season. Press, 36, has played for Angel City FC since 2021 and will be honored by her team at BMO Field in Los Angeles. Over 14 years, she played for the Chicago Red Stars, Utah Royals, Angel City, and Manchester City. Press helped the U.S.
Women’s National Team to World Cup victories in 2015 and 2019, scoring 64 international goals — ninth most in team history — and earning a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics. She cited her wife and former teammate Tobin Heath’s retirement earlier this year as a key influence in her decision to hang up her cleats. “I think it is time for my family to move on to our next chapter.” Press and Heath kept their relationship private until last year, when they revealed they had been together for eight years. Press also shared that she wanted to retire before her body began to give out, choosing to leave the game on her own terms.
Anti-discrimination laws weakening
More pushback on legal protections for LGBTQ people is once again coming from Texas. The Arlington City Council will vote on revising the city’s non-discrimination ordinance to remove “gender identity and expression” and “sexual orientation” as protected characteristics. The council had suspended the clause following a federal announcement regarding changes in transgender recognition and the federal government’s opposition to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. Arlington’s existing ordinance prohibits “any direct or indirect exclusion, distinction, segregation, limitation, refusal, denial, or other differentiation in the treatment of a person or persons because of race, color, national origin, age, religion, sex, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity.” The suspension and proposed revisions are intended to preserve federal funding, which the council believes after the federal government threatened to revoke
PHOTO: HAMELTION
$65 million in grant funding if DEI-related language is not removed from local ordinances. If Arlington’s ordinance is amended, it would mark the first time an individual city has taken such action
Book removal is expensive for Gillette, Wyoming
Terri Lesley, former director of the Campbell County Public Library System in Gillette, Wyoming, was fired in 2023 following a two-year dispute over books with sexual content and LGBTQ+ themes. Some community members claimed the titles were inappropriate for young readers and demanded their removal. Books targeted are some of the same as those on the Utah
Harlem Renaissance black and gay
The Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s was one of the most important artistic and cultural milestones in modern history, and a sweeping new exhibit highlights how this era was, as Henry Louis Gates Jr. once put it, “surely as gay as it was Black.” The new exhibit at The New York Historical reexamines it through a queer lens. Titled The Gay
State Board of Education restriction list, such as “This Book is Gay” by Juno Dawson. Lesley refused to comply with removal requests, citing First Amendment protections. County officials ordered the books removed and dismissed Lesley, citing performance issues. Lesley filed a civil rights lawsuit, alleging her termination was retaliatory and unconstitutional. The county denied wrongdoing but agreed to a $700,000 settlement without admitting liability. “This sends a message to other library districts, other states, other counties, that the First Amendment is alive and strong,” said Lesley’s attorney, Iris Halpern. “These are public entities, they’re
Harlem Renaissance, the show highlights how sexuality and gender expression were central to the era’s creative explosion
WHAT WAS THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE?
The Harlem Renaissance was a defining cultural movement of the 20th century, encompassing art, music, literature, theater, and publishing. Centered in New York City during the 1920s, it emerged from the Great Migration, when Black Americans moved from the rural South to urban centers in the North, profoundly influencing American culture.
Lead curator Allison Robinson notes that while schools often emphasize race and class, “sexuality and gender are just as important.” The exhibition explores how Harlem’s vibrant social life — speakeasies, salons, and drag balls — fostered creative expression and community. Literary icons such as Alain Locke, Langston Hughes, and Bruce Nugent rose to prominence during this era. Locke, a closeted gay man, mentored many leading voices and published The
government officials, and they need to keep in mind their constitutional obligations”.
More hospitals suspend transgender transition therapy
More than 20 hospitals have rolled back transgender care for minors amid threats of federal investigations and funding cuts, according to an NBC News analysis. Twelve hospitals announced they will discontinue puberty blockers and hormone therapy for patients under 19. Four stopped offering transition-related surgeries; one ended gender-affirming care for teens; and four paused all transgender care for minors following
New Negro in 1925. Nugent’s openly queer poem “Smoke, Lilies and Jade,” published in Fire!!, celebrated beauty and bisexual desire. Though Fire!! lasted only one issue, it helped spread ideas of identity and freedom beyond Harlem.
The exhibit underscores how Black LGBTQ+ creatives shaped the Renaissance despite racism and homophobia. Jazz and blues music, African-inspired dance and art, and other cultural contributions of Black Americans entered the mainstream, breaking down stereotypes and barriers.
DRAG BALLS AND GAY CELEBRATION
One of the exhibit’s most striking sections highlights Harlem’s drag culture, especially the legendary Hamilton Lodge Ball. By the 1920s and ’30s, the annual event drew thousands from across the East Coast and Europe. Robinson explains that the ball became so iconic that it was covered in international newspapers and immortalized in Hughes’s 1940 autobiography, The Big Sea. Drag was a celebrated art form,
a federal executive order in January. In addition to those 21 hospitals, five others removed webpages about care for minors. A health center in Iowa also ceased hormone therapy for trans adults, citing an executive order barring federal funds from supporting “gender ideology.” Hospitals are navigating conflicting mandates: state laws that often prohibit discrimination against trans patients, and recent federal guidance threatening loss of funding or legal penalties for treating minors. Since 2021, 27 states have passed laws restricting access to puberty blockers, hormone therapy, or surgeries for minors seeking transgender transition therapies.
creating space for gender fluidity and self-expression. The exhibition also showcases the role of Black publications in amplifying queer voices. Magazines and newspapers of the era expanded dramatically, helping ideas about sexuality and identity reach beyond Harlem. Drag balls were not fringe entertainment; they were central to the Renaissance’s cultural vibrancy, serving as dazzling spectacles and affirmations of resistance.
CROSS-DRESSING STAR: GLADYS BENTLEY
Harlem’s nightlife was a cornerstone of its cultural renaissance. The exhibit features a re-creation of a 1920s nightlife map, including Gladys’ Clam House, named for blues singer Gladys Bentley. Known for performing in tuxedos and top hats, Bentley defied gender norms and captivated audiences. Her unapologetic identity and groundbreaking performances positioned her as a trailblazer whose legacy challenges conventional narratives of the Harlem Renaissance. Q
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox booed at USU Turning Point USA event
Once praised for empathy toward LGBTQ youth, Cox faces hostility from hard-right crowd
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, once hailed by national media as a rare moderate Republican willing to speak with compassion about LGBTQ youth, was loudly booed at a Turning Point USA rally in Logan on Sept. 30. Some call this a visceral reminder of how deeply his 2022 veto of an anti-transgender sports bill still divides conservatives.
The event, held at Utah State University and billed as the first in-state appearance by the conservative youth group since the killing of its co-founder Charlie Kirk, drew a massive crowd of roughly 6,500. Attendees, many dressed in red MAGA hats and “Freedom” shirts matching what Kirk wore when he was shot and killed last month, filled the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum for what organizers called a tribute to Kirk’s “legacy and mission.”
When Cox took the stage alongside former Rep. Jason Chaffetz and Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs, the mood quickly turned hostile.
Before he could speak, a wave of boos rippled through the arena — loud, sustained, and unmistakably aimed at the governor. Moderator Tyler Bowyer, Turning Point’s chief operating officer, urged the audience to “let’s facilitate a conversation,” but the heckling didn’t stop entirely.
For many in attendance, the reaction was less about Cox’s remarks that evening and more about his reputation as a Republican who, in their view, went soft on social issues. In 2022, Cox made national headlines when he vetoed a bill banning transgender girls from Utah school sports, writing in his veto letter that he wanted to protect “the 4 kids in Utah” known to be transgender
athletes, saying, “Rarely has so much fear and anger been directed at so few.”
At the time, Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk called for Cox’s expulsion from the Republican Party.
As Cox condemned political violence and called Kirk’s killing a “treasonous” attack on free speech and American ideals, much of the audience remained cold. His appeal for Americans to “stop hating each other” and spend less time online drew scattered applause, but it couldn’t drown out the boos.
By contrast, Chaffetz and Biggs, both known for their loyalty to Donald Trump and opposition to “woke” policies, received thunderous ovations, particularly when Chaffetz said, “You do not need a man with junk in a woman’s bathroom,” prompting cheers and chants.
Moderator Bowyer pushed Cox directly on whether Utah’s “soft politics” had “enabled people who are mentally ill” and questioned whether his “Disagree Better” campaign — a national initiative encouraging civility — was “really a both-sides issue.”
Cox pushed back, insisting the divide wasn’t between left and right but “between good and evil.” He also noted that “there are violent people on the far right,” a comment that earned groans and jeers.
At one point, Cox invoked the recent death of LDS Church president Russell M. Nelson, quoting Nelson’s belief that “anger never persuades.” The audience responded with rare applause, one of the few moments when the room seemed to soften toward him.
“Peacemaking is not soft,” Cox said. “It’s the hardest thing you can do.”
Still, when audience questions opened up, the focus returned to his veto of the transgender sports ban. One student asked bluntly why he “betrayed conservative values.” Cox explained that he vetoed the original bill because he believed it would be overturned in court, later working with lawmakers on a compromise to create a commission to review trans athlete eligibility.
“I think Charlie and I would agree on 99 percent of things,” Cox said, adding that while Kirk likely would have disagreed with him on transgender issues, “what matters is that we talk to each other, even when we don’t agree.”
For LGBTQ Utahns, the moment captured the governor’s increasingly uneasy position: a Republican leader who once showed rare empathy toward queer and trans youth now finding himself shouted down by the same movement he’s tried to placate.
Though Cox continues to distance himself from the harsher rhetoric of the far right, he has since signed several anti-LGBTQ measures into law, including restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors and limits on name and pronoun use in schools — a pattern critics say undercuts his earlier words of compassion.
At Utah State, that contradiction played out in real time: a governor caught between moderation and the fury of a conservative base that no longer tolerates even the suggestion of inclusion. Q
Over 6,000 attendees filled Utah State University’s Dee Glen Smith Spectrum for the first Turning Point USA event since Charlie Kirk’s murder. PHOTO VIA X
Dallin H. Oaks to preside over LDS Church after Russell M. Nelson’s death
With the passing of President Russell M. Nelson, Dallin H. Oaks, his longtime second counselor and one of the most visible defenders of traditional Latter-day Saint teachings, assumed leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His presidency is expected to mark a continuation of the Church’s modern era of careful balancing between compassion for LGBTQ members and adherence to doctrines that define marriage as exclusively between a man and a woman.
Oaks’ influence on these issues stretches back more than five decades. A former Utah Supreme Court justice and respected legal scholar, he served as president of Brigham Young University from 1971 to 1980, a time when the university maintained strict enforcement of Church standards on sexuality. Historical records show that university officials during that era investigated, counseled, and sometimes expelled students suspected of same-sex relationships, going so far as to search dorms and record license plates of gay bar patrons’ cars to determine if they were BYU students.
During the 1970s, BYU psychology researchers conducted studies using “aversion therapy,” a now-discredited psychological approach that sought to alter same-sex attraction through techniques like electric shock and induced nausea. A 1976 dissertation documented these methods, approved under then-existing university protocols. Oaks has since said that such practices had been discontinued by the time he became president and were not carried out under his administration. Archival records indicate overlap between his early tenure and the later years of those experiments, though there is no evidence he directly ordered or oversaw them. Still, that period remains a point of pain for many gay alumni, who see it as emblematic of the broader institutional rejection they faced.
After joining the Church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1984, Oaks became one of the primary voices articulating the Church’s stance on family and gender issues. Over the decades, he has delivered some of the most definitive addresses on what he calls “the laws of God.” He has stated repeatedly that gender is
“an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity,” and that marriage between a man and a woman is central to God’s plan for humanity. In a 2018 General Conference talk, Oaks warned that societal efforts to “confuse gender” and “distort marriage” run counter to divine principles.
Oaks’ tone has drawn criticism from LGBTQ members and allies who see his remarks as alienating. Yet within the Church, he is also viewed as a leader who insists on compassion even as he upholds doctrine. He has counseled members to show respect and love toward LGBTQ individuals, emphasizing that disagreement over moral or religious issues should never lead to cruelty or exclusion.
In 2015, the Church adopted a policy labeling same-sex marriage as “apostasy” and barring the children of such couples from baptism without special approval. Oaks supported that decision, later describing it as a protective measure meant to avoid placing children in conflict between their family relationships and Church teachings. The policy prompted significant backlash from members and widespread resignations from the Church.
Four years later, in 2019, the First Presidency, under Nelson’s leadership and with Oaks as first counselor, announced a reversal. The Church again allowed local bishops to approve baptisms for children of same-sex couples and dropped the label of “apostasy” for those in same-sex marriages. The policy change, described by Church leaders as “love-motivated,” was widely seen as an attempt to heal the wounds of the 2015 decision without altering core doctrine.
Oaks also played a central role in clarifying Church policy toward transgender members. A 2020 update to the General Handbook outlined that while transgender individuals should be treated with kindness and respect, gender transitions and surgeries remain incompatible with full participation in certain ordinances and callings.
In 2022, Oaks spoke publicly about the Church’s support for the federal Respect for Marriage Act, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide while
reinforcing religious-freedom protections. He explained that the Church’s endorsement was not an acceptance of same-sex marriage itself but a recognition of the law’s safeguarding of the Church’s right to define marriage within its own faith community.
As he assumes the presidency, Oaks faces both continuity and challenge. Many expect him to maintain the firm doctrinal lines that have defined his career, yet some observers hope he will pair that conviction with greater openness toward dialogue and understanding. For LGBTQ Latter-day Saints and their families, his leadership evokes both apprehension and cautious hope that the Church might one day reconcile its deeply held theology with the lived realities of queer members who continue to seek belonging within it.
LDS President Russell M. Nelson’s record on LGBTQ issues
As president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 2018 until his death on Sept. 27, 2025, Russell M. Nelson presided over a turbulent era for the faith’s relationship with LGBTQ members, marked by a controversial policy, its reversal, and a continued defense of traditional teachings on marriage and gender.
The Church’s conflict with LGBTQ inclusion reached a peak in November 2015, when a policy update classified members in same-sex marriages as “apostates” and barred their children from baptism or naming blessings without top-level approval. At the time, Nelson served as a senior apostle and later described the move as a “revelation from God,” meant to protect children from potential conflict between church teachings and their parents’ relationships. The decision drew widespread backlash and caused deep pain among LGBTQ
Latter-day Saints and their families.
After Nelson became Church president in January 2018, the First Presidency reversed key parts of the policy in April 2019. Local bishops were again allowed to approve baptisms for children of same-sex couples, and those couples were no longer automatically labeled apostates. Announcing the change, Church leaders called it “love-motivated,” saying homosexual behavior would now be treated the same as heterosexual immorality under Church discipline.
In a widely covered 2019 devotional at Brigham Young University titled “The Love and Laws of God,” Nelson explained both the original policy and its reversal. He said the Church’s teachings on marriage and sexuality are based on divine law, not social trends, and urged members to pray for personal confirmation that leaders act under revelation. While reaffirming that marriage is ordained by God between a man and a woman, Nelson also emphasized that “God loves all His children.”
Nelson acknowledged that the 2015 policy and its aftermath caused “confusion, concern, and heartache.” In a gesture of empathy, he said, “Whenever the sons and daughters of God weep, for whatever reasons, we weep.”
Under his leadership, the Church also clarified its stance on transgender members. A 2020 update to the Church’s General Handbook instructed local leaders to treat transgender people with kindness and respect while maintaining restrictions on gender-affirming medical or social transitions in Church participation and ordinances.
In 2022, the Church publicly expressed appreciation for the U.S. Respect for Marriage Act, which codified same-sex marriage at the federal level, while praising the law’s religious-freedom protections. The Church reiterated that its doctrine defining marriage as between a man and a woman “will not change,” even as it pledged to coexist peacefully within civil law.
Nelson’s record reflects the Church’s ongoing struggle to reconcile doctrinal consistency with compassion for LGBTQ members. Though the 2019 reversal softened the most contentious policy of the past decade, the faith’s core teachings on marriage and gender identity remain firmly in place. Q
“This
SunTrapp workers are striking as they attempt to unionize
Some employees at one of Salt Lake City’s oldest and most recognized LGBTQ+ bars have announced their intent to unionize, setting off a growing conflict between staff and management at The SunTrapp.
The newly formed SunTrapp Workers United, composed of bartenders, security, and support staff, says it has filed to join the Communications Workers of America Local 7765, the same union that represents employees at the University of Utah and Utah State University. Workers hand-delivered a letter to owner Mary Peterson earlier this month asking her to voluntarily recognize their union by October 10.
Lead bartender and organizing committee member Natalie Jankowski said the effort aims to strengthen safety policies and job protections in a space central to Salt Lake City’s queer community.
“We want to ensure the longevity of this space and create policies that safeguard the community that The SunTrapp offers,” Jankowski said. “All of the staff loves it so much, and so do the customers.”
She said workers also want to see improved benefits and protections typical of larger employers.
“I think it’s pretty common practice here in town for owners to not offer any sort of benefits or retirement plans or health insurance, even if you are full time,” she said. “And I would like to change that.”
The situation has since escalated, with SWU saying that eight employees were fired, some rehired, and then dismissed again, in what they describe as retaliation for organizing. The group has now launched a strike and a “solidarity fund” on GoFundMe to help cover lost income and potential legal expenses.
Union organizers say their priorities include safety for both workers and patrons “as the political climate gets worse and worse.” Jankowski cited rising anti-LGBTQ sentiment and recent
acts of violence in Utah as reasons for clearer, enforceable safety policies.
Peterson disputed claims that staff raised security concerns, noting that she has increased on-site security, added bag checks, and installed cameras since taking ownership in 2024.
Peterson, who reopened The SunTrapp in June 2024 after major renovations, said she was unaware of the organizing drive
What SunTrapp
until she saw the workers’ Instagram announcement. She insists she is committed to maintaining a safe, fair workplace.
“Over the past year and three months, I have put an incredible amount of work into turning around the reputation of The SunTrapp,” Peterson said in a written statement. “I have striven to ensure that this bar is a safe place for the community to come and be them-
Workers United is asking for
“Our purpose,” they write, “is to secure the bar’s future as a beacon of progress and fight for the empowerment of all service workers across Utah.” Their proposed contract, still in early bargaining stages, includes both policy reforms and pay improvements. Among the key items:
SAFETY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
• All reports of patrons or conditions that make staff feel unsafe must be documented, investigated, and addressed directly by management.
• At least one security staff member per shift would be trained in first aid, CPR, de-escalation, and naloxone (Narcan) administration.
• Security employees could pursue higher-level certifications in exchange for pay raises, ensuring “the best possible protection for patrons and staff.”
• Emergency repairs affecting safety or the ability to operate must be completed within three business days; non-emergency repairs within ten.
FAIRNESS AND TRAINING
• A written policy on training and “up-skilling” barbacks who wish to move into bartending positions, ensuring current employees have first opportunities to advance.
• Equitable and clearly defined disciplinary procedures so that all staff are treated consistently.
• A policy ensuring a lead bartender or manager is not sent home before non-lead staff during slow business hours, to maintain accountability and proper bar closure.
WAGES AND BENEFITS
• Raise the base hourly wage for barbacks from $5.50 to $10 per hour, with overtime pay for hours worked beyond 40 per week.
• Offer a $150 monthly health-care credit for workers averaging 29 or more hours per week.
• Match or exceed the market-average pay for contracted performers and DJs.
UNION STRUCTURE
• Establish a workplace steward to represent staff in discussions with management.
• Union members would contribute standard dues through the Communications Workers of America Local 7765.
SWU emphasizes that the campaign is not just about pay, but about protecting the culture and safety of the space itself. “We want nothing more than to secure the bar’s future as a beacon of progress,” the group said, “and to create an even safer and more sustainable SunTrapp.” Q
selves, a safe and fair environment for my employees, and a haven for all.”
She said she pays employees “well over minimum wage and above the industry averages” and offers health coverage through a Qualified Small Employer Health Reimbursement Arrangement for eligible full-time workers. The bar currently has two full-time employees.
No other gay bars, past or present, have had unionized labor. An intensive search of available records does not reveal any bar in the state with unionized labor.
“I am not anti-union,” Peterson said in a later Instagram video, “but there are certain industries where it doesn’t work as well. When my staff approached me, I was very ignorant to the process of private unionization… I made a huge mistake firing them, and I had to hire them back legally. Everything I do now is through legal counsel, with one priority — to keep my staff safe and the business running.”
She said ongoing protests outside
the bar have discouraged patrons from visiting and put the venue at risk. “I can’t withstand this for more than two more weeks,” she said. “The goal here is to make sure the queer community has a space to come to where they are loved and accepted.”
The SunTrapp — formerly The Sun Tavern — first opened in 1973 under gay rights pioneer Joe Redburn and is recognized as Utah’s oldest continuously operating LGBTQ+ bar. After years of ownership changes, legal disputes, and a temporary closure in 2022, Peterson reopened the venue with new investment and infrastructure in 2024.
Now, the dispute over unionization has placed its future back in question. With the current federal shutdown pausing all National Labor Relations Board hearings, the standoff is effectively frozen, though the employees continue to strike on weekends. Q
Two Spirit & Indigiqueer Gathering
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2025 | 2–4 P.M.
MARMALADE LIBRARY, 280 W. 500 N. | FREE
Celebrate Indigenous identity, culture, and community at the Two Spirit & Indigiqueer Gathering, featuring a keynote address by Clyde M. Hall (Shoshone-Metis) — a respected authority on Native American culture, tribal arts, and folkways, and a pioneer in the Two Spirit movement through Gay American Indians of San Francisco.
A panel discussion will be moderated by Roni Jo Draper, Ph.D. (Yurok | she/her) — an educator, scholar, filmmaker, and artist whose storytelling centers on healing and “thrivance.” The panel includes Clyde Hall (Shoshone-Metis), Spirit Wildcat (Shoshone-Bannock), Tony Shirley (Navajo-Diné), Dusti Shoemake (Choctaw), and Shelby Chapoose (Northern Ute).
Presented by the Mildred Berryman Institute for LGBTIQ+ Utah History and Project Rainbow, this free community event offers space for reflection, connection, and celebration of Two Spirit and Indigiqueer experiences.
Info at MILDREDBERRYMANINSTITUTE.ORG
Utah Pride to transform the Masonic Temple for the HalloQueen Ball
The Utah Pride Center is reviving its popular Halloween fundraiser this fall, with a new twist: The HalloQueen Ball. Scheduled for FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31 , the event will transform the historic SALT LAKE MASONIC TEMPLE into a multi-level celebration of queer creativity, costumes, and community support.
The centerpiece of the night is a high-stakes costume contest, offering a $2,500 GRAND PRIZE sponsored by Lime, and recognition across a dozen themed categories. Celebrity guest judges — names yet to be announced — will preside over the competition. Organizers say the Ball will deliver more than just thrills and spectacle, with ticket proceeds directly funding the Utah Pride Center’s year-round programs.
“The HalloQueen Ball is more than just a party — it’s a celebration of queer culture and a chance for our community and allies to financially support the Utah Pride Center’s work yearround,” said CHAD CALL , executive director of the Utah Pride Center. “It will come as no surprise that this year has brought unique financial challenges to nonprofits in our community. Now, more than ever, the Utah Pride Center is depending on community support to help keep our programs running.”
The Halloween event has long been one of the Utah Pride Center’s most anticipated fundraisers. Organizers paused the tradition during the pandemic and subsequent years of financial restructuring, but Call said the return of a large-scale Hal-
loween celebration is both a symbolic and practical move for the center.
The HalloQueen Ball will feature live sets from two DJs, food trucks stationed outside the venue, and themed costume categories designed to showcase creativity and inclusivity. With doors opening at 8 p.m. and the party running until 1 a.m., it’s billed as a 21-and-over experience that blends Salt Lake’s nightlife energy with the mission-driven purpose of Pride. Tickets are available for $30 online at utahpride.org or at the door. A cash bar will be available inside.
The return of the Halloween fundraiser comes at a time when Utah Pride Center leaders say support is critical. The center provides a wide range of resources, including mental health services, youth and family programs, and advocacy efforts for Utah’s LGBTQIA+ community. Known widely for producing the annual Utah Pride Festival and Parade each June, the center emphasizes that its work extends well beyond Pride Month.
The HalloQueen Ball is made possible through the presenting sponsorship of UAF LEGACY HEALTH , Utah’s only LGBTQ+ community health clinic. Both organizations stressed that their collaboration highlights a shared commitment to visibility, inclusion, and care.
“At UAF Legacy Health, we are delighted to partner with Utah Pride for the HallowQueen Ball,” said CHRIS EVERETT, executive director of UAF Legacy Health. “Attending this event is a fun way to support a vital piece of our community’s infrastructure. The Utah Pride
Center creates a space where LGBTQ+ people can connect, be seen, and thrive, and we are proud to stand alongside them in strengthening that work.”
The Masonic Temple, with its historic architecture and reputation for hosting large-scale events, provides a dramatic backdrop for the Ball. Organizers say the space’s multi-floor layout will help create distinct atmospheres throughout the evening, giving attendees a variety of experiences within a single event.
Winners will be selected in 12 themed categories: Costume Contest Categories: SEXIEST COSTUME, SCARIEST COSTUME, FUNNIEST COSTUME, NERDIEST COSTUME, BEST COUPLE COSTUME, BEST THROUPLE COSTUME, BEST GROUP COSTUME, BEST SATIRE OR CURRENT EVENT, BEST CELEBRITY IMPERSONATION, BEST UTAH THEMED COSTUME, MOST WTF, MOST CAMPY COSTUME, MOST UNEXPECTED REVEAL .
For Call and his team, the Ball is a chance to bring people together for a night of celebration while sustaining the center’s mission.
“This is about joy, about community, and about making sure the Utah Pride Center remains strong,” Call said. “We want people to leave not only with amazing memories of Halloween but also with the knowledge that they’ve helped build something lasting.” Q Tickets at UTAHPRIDE.ORG/EVENTS/ HALLOQUEEN-BALL
Iconique Awards to celebrate Utah’s Queer culture and talent
Salt Lake City’s queer community is getting its own glittering night of recognition this fall with the first-ever Iconique Awards, a live celebration of Utah’s LGBTQ+ performers, creators, and cultural trailblazers. The black-tie event takes the stage Thursday, November 20, at Soundwell in downtown Salt Lake City, promising an evening of glamour, spectacle, and unapologetic queer joy.
Presented by Missionnaire in partnership with drag luminaries SEQUOIA , LADY FAÇADE , CXNTCEALED CARRIE , and PHOENIX PARK , the Iconique Awards aim to highlight the entertainers, tastemakers, places, and moments that elevate and inspire Utah’s queer nightlife. The show expands upon the success of the Miss Iconique Pageant, which has become a cornerstone of Utah Pride Week festivities.
“Queer culture has always been at the forefront of the zeitgeist,” says Missionnaire. “It’s especially important now
to recognize and acclaim the contributions of queer people. Every aspect of the Iconique Awards — the presenters, nominations, performances, and definitely our attire — will reflect that.”
The night begins with a preshow at Ivy & Varley, featuring cocktails and special performances with the hosts. From there, attendees will head to Soundwell for a red-carpet entrance at 7 p.m., with the show starting promptly at 8. The celebration continues into the night with an official afterparty at Why KiKi, featuring guest DJs, more performances, and signature cocktails.
The Iconique Awards voting process itself is as fabulously complex as a drag queen’s contour routine. The “Board of Iconique” — affectionately known as BOI — selected 27 figures from Utah’s queer nightlife to form the Nomination Committee. This group completed several rounds of voting to determine nominees in each category, from out-
standing performers and venues to unforgettable cultural moments. Each committee member then invited ten individuals from their community to join the Iconique Voting Academy, whose collective votes will determine the winners announced at the event.
In addition to honoring talent, the show aims to serve as a cultural snapshot—capturing the artistry, resilience, and humor that define queer life in Utah. Organizers say the Iconique Awards were created not only to celebrate excellence but also to foster unity in a time when LGBTQ+ communities nationwide continue to face political and social challenges.
“Utah’s queer scene has always found a way to shine, even when visibility wasn’t easy,” says Lady Façade. “This show is about honoring that spirit—about saying we’re here, we’re thriving, and we’re going to look incredible doing it.”
Past Iconique events have already
built a strong following. The 2025 Miss Iconique Drag Showcase, which featured local drag stars MARI CONA , BARBIN , and JENNA TEA , drew crowds of hundreds and appearances from TV personalities BRONWYN NEWPORT and BARBY GARCIA . Organizers expect the Iconique Awards to build on that
Nominees:
The 2025 Iconique Award
The person who has undeniably left their mark on local queer culture. The greatest honor of the night, which will be announced at the ceremony
Drag Queen Artist of the Year
Celebrating the drag queen performer who set the standard this year with artistry, originality, and community impact both on and off stage.
Barbin
Gaye
Kawaii Kiki Blink
Kay Bye
Lady Façade
Lydia Chlamydia
Ms. Meredith
Nancy Raygun
Sequoia
Drag King of the Year
Celebrating the drag king performer who set the standard this year with artistry, originality, and community impact both on and off stage.
Justin Secrecy
Kory Edgewood
Liam Manchesthair
Mik Jäger
Notta Genda
Post-Op Malone
Willie Touchya
excitement—melding pageantry, performance, and a sense of community pride.
Tickets for the Iconique Awards are on sale now at iconiqueevents.org. Guests are encouraged to dress to impress — this is a black-tie event, after all — and to arrive early for the red carpet. A limited-time promo code, ICON5ONLY,
Not Everything Is About Drag Award for Best Other Nonspecific Performer
Honoring the performer of any discipline whose talent, consistency, and creative vision inspired the community.
Daddy the Clown
DJ Hysteria
DJ Sheāde
Jax Creative
Nami
The Solutions
Burlesque Performer of the Year
Celebrating the burlesque artist whose stagecraft, glamour, and storytelling brought the art form to life this year.
Antonio
Dr. Rubi K. Rose
Gigi Von She
Kolumbia Monroe
Rosa Rica
Gia Bianca Stephens Lifetime Achievement
Award
Celebrating the elder whose wisdom, humor, and presence made/make them a cherished part of the queer community.
Our favorite 35+ person.
Divina 2.0
Kolumbia Monroe
Madazon Can-Can
Mona Diet
Randy Oveson
Beautiful Beautiful Gowns Award for Excellence in Costume Design
Celebrating the designer whose creativity, craftsmanship, and attention to detail brought fashion and performances to life in unforgettable style.
Ana Lee Kage
Diana Lone
Lady Dy
Lauren Rose
M’Lady Wood
Satanica Lovescum
Hostess with the e Mostess
For the host who excelled in charisma, audience engagement, and memorability at every event.
Cvntcealed Carrie
Hoe Shi Minh
Ivy Dior Stephens
Justice Legacy
Kay Bye
The High Body Count Hair Award for Excellence in Wigs
Recognizing the stylist who delivered boldness, beauty, and consistency in hair artistry that elevated local queer culture.
Isaac Amundson
Kylie From Hell
Lorem Ipsum
Lucy Fur
Mari Cona
Marlo Suzzanne
offers $5 off ticket purchases.
For the performers, producers, and community members shaping Utah’s LGBTQ+ nightlife, the Iconique Awards promise to be more than a ceremony—they’re a declaration of visibility and vitality. As Sequoia puts it, “It’s going to be iconique—with a ‘q.’”
Mugstress of the Year
For the artist whose face is always stamped and their makeup skills, innovation, and signature style left a lasting mark.
Katie Party of 2
Kory Edgewood
Lady Façade
Lilia Maughn
Mari Cona
Starlett Mars Magazine
The 8 Award for Most Iconique Number
Honoring the single performance that stood out for creativity, execution, and lasting impact.
Barbin – “Miss Iconique”
Cliff Swallows – “Willy Wonka”
Diana Lone – “Princess Di”
Jax Creative – “Rage (Dark Carnival)”
Ms. Meredith – “All That Jazz”
Nancy Raygun – “Miss Iconique”
Phoenix Park – “Hillary Clinton”
Sky Faux – “Cunk on Earth”
The Rising Star Award for Best New Drag Performer
The emerging artist who has displayed exceptional talent, growth, and promise to contribute to Utah queer
culture. This is for performers who have performed for under two years.
Beverly Vesper
Charlie Rose Toy
Cliff Swallows
Fenty
Hardy Harr
La Machis
Mercury Faux
Starlett Mars Magazine
Tydawna
White Chocolate
Advocate of the Year
Recognizing the person or organization who championed queer rights and visibility through dedication, impact, and community leadership, making a meaningful difference in queer people’s lives.
Bronwyn Newport
Mitski Avalox
Nuanua Collective
Utah March
Veronika DaVil
Fanny Brice Award for Being a Funny Girl
Awarded to the comedian whose wit, originality, and performance style made the community laugh hardest in 2025.
Craig Sorensen
Cvntcealed Carrie
Hoe Shi Minh
Phoenix Park
Sequoia
The Sapph Award
For that special someone who really puts
the L in Utah LGBTQIA+.
Adelle
Diva Cupp
DJ Sheāde
Katie Party of 2
Lia Clark
Luna Sol
Gay Event of the Year
Recognizing the event that significantly impacted local queer life through visibility, inclusion, memorability, and community connection.
Dyked x Fervor
Gender Free Haircut Club
Miss Iconique
Sappho
SLC Pride
Those Bitches
Utah Pride
Producer of the Year
Honoring the individual behind the scenes whose vision, organization, and creativity brought unforgettable events, shows, or performances to life in 2025.
Hot Take Burlesque
House of Temptaxxxions
Ivy Dior Stephens
JRC Events
Missionnaire
Favorite Reality Star
Recognizing a local reality personality who stood out for authenticity, entertainment value, and cultural relevance. Who are the gays living for?
Angie Katsanevas
Bronwyn Newport
Heather Gay
Layla Taylor
Mary Cosby
Best Gay Gathering Place
Recognizing the space that brought queer folks together through atmosphere, inclusivity, and community vibes.
Blue Genes
HK Brewing
Lady Façade’s house
The comment section
Why KiKi
Excellence in Briefs Award for Favorite Gogo Dancer
Celebrating the dancer who brought energy, stage presence, and magnetism to every appearance. Looking hot doesn’t hurt.
Antonio
Corey
Dr. Rubi K. Rose
Justin Secrecy
Nicholas Gibas
Drag Hag of the Year
For the ultimate drag devotee who knows every queen, attends every show, and lives and breathes drag culture—your dedication, enthusiasm, and legendary fandom do not go unnoticed.
Jacob Buck
Juicy Meli
Morgon Barningham
Ray Taylor
Sonny Sly
Trevor Bird
Yara Al-badri
Favorite Bartender
For the bartender who not only served incredible drinks but embodied community connection, and memorable energy.
Alyssa – HK Brewing
Carter – Milk+
Chase – Blue Genes
Goth Natalie – Sun Trapp
Ken – Spritz
Maria – Why KiKi
Unsung Hero of the Queer Community
For the thing that made a quiet yet powerful difference through service, dedication, and support of queer life in Utah.
Canva templates
Free PREP at Costco
Friends with DashPass
Private VPNs
SSRIs
Best Local Dish for Tops or Bottoms Who Don’t Care
Celebrating the favorite dish or local spots known for taste and comfort in our community.
A cheesy gordita crunch
A hotdog outside The Sun
Trapp
A mug
Arepas at Arempa’s
Girls Who Smash
Most
Immaculate Vibes Hands Down
Awarded to the person, place, or moment that radiated positivity, energy, and pure vibes.
A mug
Greeting your friends with an elegant European-style double-cheek kiss
Julia Reagan billboards
No hangover
The
Girl So Confusing Award for Best Feud
Recognizing the rivalry or shady clash that became iconic through its impact, entertainment value, and memorability.
Lexi Gold vs Gravity
Goth Natalie vs Non-goths
RPDR UK vs The World Sequoia vs A door
Twinks vs Other twinks
The
Girl So Confusing Remix Award for Best Collaboration
Recognizing the collaborative production or moment that became iconic through its impact, entertainment value, and memorability.
Dyked + Fervor
Jenna Tea + Ms. Meredith
Lady Façade + Missionnaire
Marlo Suzzanne + The Galaxxy Band
Pattie Gonia + Sequoia
Club Rush Award for Thing to Fade Out of the Culture
A cheeky farewell to the trend, habit, or phrase that’s officially ready for retirement in 2025.
Drag queens jumping forward onto their knees for no reason no seriously for what Flats on stage
Labubu
The Fall of Lexi Gold
Primadonna Girl Award for Song to Stop Performing
Highlighting the track we love that every performer has in their repertoire—and maybe it’s time to let it go.
“ALIEN SUPERSTAR” (if ur white)
“JOYRIDE.”
“Man! I Feel Like A Woman!”
“Physical”
“Pink Pony Club”
“This Is Me”
Diva Down Award For Most Iconique Injury
Because beauty is pain and pain makes history. This award honors the year’s most memorable, talked-about, and community-famous injury.
Hoe Shi Minh – “Barstool”
Jenna Tea – “Handstand”
Kawaii Kiki Blink – “Concussions?”
Lucy Fur – “Swollen knee”
Rovie Wade – “Car crash”
Trade of the Season
Awarded to the person whose confidence, style, and undeniable presence made him unforgettable. Also we all agree this person is hot.
Andrew Perry
Andrew Reed
Brent Atherley
Christion Hall
Jesús Rodriguez
Josh Mikel
Hot Girl We’re Living For
Honoring the diva who embodied beauty, charisma, unapologetic self-expression, and undeniable allyship.
CC99
Charlie Rose Toy
Jada Smith
Jade Draper
Jaemen Paul Ho’opukaikalamakahikina Cobb
Sacoya
Best Campaign Design
Honoring the marketing or branding effort that stood out for originality, execution, and cultural impact.
Dyked
Embrace the Void Fervor
MUCK
The Wedding Party
Best IGLive Performance
Awarded to the Instagram Live performance that showcased creativity, authenticity, and audience engagement.
“Gaia Gate”
“Cvntcealed Carrie Miss Iconique IGLive takeover”
“Quarter Gate”
Ur mom joining a live
Missionnaire Fashion Icon Award
Recognizing someone whose fashion sense consistently turns heads—bold, refined, effortless, chic, and inspiring others to
embrace their own unique look.
Gage Mansfield
Hysteria
Jacob Martin
Jaemen Paul Ho’opukaikalamakahikina Cobb
Joseph Gray
Rico Please
Sarah Hipp
Tyree Johnson
Nightlife Song of the Year
The song the gays are loving this year.
“Abracadabra”
“Gnarly”
“Golden”
“Sports car”
“Zombieboy”
Tickets and mmore information at ICONIQUEEVENTS.ORG and INSTAGRAM.COM/SOICONIQUE/
A Fresh Voice for Our Community
views quotes
“And fuck the state for continually toying around with the idea of revoking marriage equality.”
— Lucy Dacus on Jimmy Kimmel Live
“We’re not going to stand back. … We cannot be hushed. We can’t stomp out our light in any kind of way. We’re not going to live down. We’re going to live in a place where we’re creative and saying yes, in control.”
— Tiffany “New York” Pollard
“You can be seen. You can be loved. And you can live boldly happily and fully.”
— Luke Evans at the Attitude Awards
“First of all, I love being Black. I love being a woman. And now I’m a Black queer woman in a relationship with another Black queer woman, and it matters.”
— Niecy Nash-Betts in her Out100 Icon acceptance
“She’s become a gay icon now! … If you’re realising that you’re gay and can’t tell anybody just yet, she would see you and understand you and accept you.”
— Embeth Davidtz Miss Honey
Butthat
Fascism
BY D’ANNE WITKOWSKI
doesn’t sit well with, you know, fascists. Fascism works best when people don’t oppose it, especially the people who are not yet directly hurt by fascist policies.
For example, if you aren’t transgender, don’t know anyone who is transgender and don’t really understand that whole thing anyway, you are unlikely to protest the fascist targeting of transgender people in the U.S.
The same goes for immigrants. Whether your response to seeing immigrants kidnapped off of the street by masked ICE agents is to applaud, shrug or say, “I don’t like this but they shouldn’t have come here illegally,” you are supporting fascism.
And let me be clear: We are living under fascism right now. The Trump administration is a fascist administration. And the vast majority of Republicans are either avowed fascist themselves or are happy to support fascism because it benefits them (which, of course, makes them fascist).
But what is fascism? Wikipedia, the purest place on the internet, defines it as “a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement...characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hierarchy, subordination of individual interests for the perceived interest of the nation or race, and strong regimentation of society and the economy.”
I mean, come on. That’s exactly what’s happening right now.
And like I said, fascism is very bad. But Trump and the far-right are trying to rewrite history where the Nazis are the good guys. Most people look at Hitler and see a monster. Trump
looks at Hitler and sees a role model. Trump recently issued an executive order designating antifa a “terrorist organization.” In other words, according to Trump, if you are anti-fascist, you are a terrorist. “Antifa is a militarist, anarchist enterprise that calls for the overthrow of the U.S. government, law enforcement authorities, and our system of law — using illegal means, including violence and terrorism, to accomplish these goals,” the White House declared. “The Order directs the Federal government to investigate, disrupt and dismantle all illegal operations conducted by Antifa or any person claiming to act on behalf of Antifa.”
Granted, antifa isn’t an organization with membership cards. It’s just a bunch of people who think that fascism sucks and are willing to protest against it. This Order is clearly intended to stifle free speech and pit Americans against one another. It’s also deliberately broad. Anyone could be declared antifa or acting on behalf of antifa. Remember McCarthyism? U.S. senator Joseph McCarthy went on a persecution spree of people he declared communists, ruining a lot of lives in the process. People eventually realized he was full of shit. Anyway, this is like McCarthyism if McCarthy had an army of armed agents ready to do his bidding.
Trump said of antifa, “They have been very threatening to people, but we’re going to be very threatening to them, far more threatening to them than they ever were with us, and that includes the people that fund them.”
“We’re going to be…far more threatening to them than they ever were with us,” says the President of the United
States. A chilling claim since Trump has the weight of the military, law enforcement, the Department of Justice and Republican lawmakers across the country. Oh, and the Supreme Court.
“We’re deploying the full might of the federal law enforcement to crack down on antifa and other domestic terrorist organizations,” Attorney General Pam Bondi told Reuters. That’s a lot of might, all right. If that sounds scary, it’s supposed to. Fascism thrives in a culture of fear. They want people to be too scared to stand up, to protest, to declare themselves anti-fascist.
Meanwhile, antifa has frog costumes. Seriously, though, the people Trump is declaring terrorists are civilians who strongly oppose the Republican agenda (see Project 2025. Like, they’re literally flying through it). A big focus of anti-fascists is ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and how it is operating as a violent extrajudicial secret police force. It turns out, a lot of people in the U.S. do not like this at all. They do not want to see protesters shot, journalists brutalized, pastors hit with pepper balls and children detained. But Trump and the Republicans want you to believe that the people being victimized are the people doing the kidnapping and brutalizing. ICE agents are so unfairly maligned, Republicans complain.
Boo fuckin’ hoo.
No one is free and no one is safe under fascism. Not even the people benefiting from it. And that’s why we all have to be anti-fascist. We’re on the right side of history. Q
D’Anne Witkowski is a writer living with her wife and son. She has been writing about LGBTQ+ politics for nearly two decades. Follow her on Twitter @MamaDWitkowski.
The
Conversion therapy is rising again, and LGBTQ+ youth are paying the price
BY TIMOTHY SCHRAEDER RODRIGUEZ
numbers don’t lie. The
Trevor Project’s new Project SPARK report found that the number of LGBTQ+ youth threatened with conversion therapy doubled in just one year, from 11 to 22 percent. Those who experienced it rose from 9 to 15 percent. At the same time, access to legitimate mental health care dropped sharply, from 80 percent of those seeking help being able to access it to only 60 percent a year later.
The report followed more than 1,600 LGBTQ+ young people across the United States for a full year. In that short span, anxiety rose from 57 to 68 percent. Depression climbed from 48 to 54 percent. Suicidal thoughts increased from 41 to 47 percent. These numbers are not abstract. They represent queer young people trying to survive in a world that still feels hostile to their becoming.
I know what that feels like.
When I was nineteen, I walked into a Christian therapist’s office convinced I could make myself straight. No one forced me there. I went because I believed being accepted by my family and church community meant fixing what they said was broken in me. Conversion therapy promised that change was possible through the power of Jesus Christ. I spent eight years in conversion therapy. Those years included individual talk therapy, support groups, retreats, and annual trips to the Exodus Freedom Conference, the flagship event of the world’s largest network of conversion ministries. They taught me to distrust myself, to see my sexuality as a defect, and to confuse obedience with healing.
Three years later, in 2013, Exodus shut down and admitted that few people had ever truly changed their sexuality through its programs. I wish I could say the world learned from that reckoning. But conversion therapy’s ideology didn’t die when Exodus did. It evolved.
In 2023, The Trevor Project identified
more than 1,300 active practitioners across 48 states. Many of those groups operate below the radar and carefully avoid calling what they do conversion therapy. Instead, they have given the same old ideology a modern rebrand.
In a course marketed to parents and pastors, the Changed Movement, one of the most visible modern conversion organizations, claims homosexuality stems from an “intimacy breakdown” or “relational problem” rooted in trauma and “delayed emotional development.” They promise “lasting wholeness and freedom” through discipleship and prayer for those who choose to “leave” or “trade” their LGBTQ+ identity. They avoid the word change, even though it’s in their name. But the message is the same: “Who you are is fundamentally broken, but with God’s help you can be made whole.”
It is conversion therapy dressed up as pastoral care. That is what makes it dangerous.
Trevor’s findings confirm what survivors have said for years. Queer youth who have been threatened with or subjected to conversion efforts are twice as likely to have suicidal ideation. At the same time, Trevor found that more queer young people are reaching out for help. In one year, the number of LGBTQ+ youth turning to mental health professionals during suicidal crises doubled, from 32 to 64 percent. They are asking for help, but finding it is becoming increasingly complex.
The recent decision by the Trump administration to remove federal funding for LGBTQ-specific suicide prevention programs, including those connected to the 988 crisis line, sends a devastating message. At the very moment queer youth are seeking care, their vital lifelines are being cut. Trevor’s data make clear what happens when that support disappears, and too often, it ends in tragedy.
Still, there is hope. The same research shows that affirming families, supportive schools and faith communities, and
access to competent mental health and gender-affirming care dramatically reduce suicide risk. When LGBTQ+ youth are supported and affirmed, their likelihood of thriving soars. For every measure of family support, the odds of suicidal ideation drop by more than half. Support doesn’t just feel good. It saves lives.
That is what is at stake right now. Not ideology, but survival.
The Supreme Court’s upcoming ruling in Chiles v. Salazar will determine whether states can continue enforcing bans on conversion therapy for minors. At the center of the case is a Colorado counselor who argues that restricting conversion therapy violates her free speech as a Christian. But this is not about speech or religious freedom. When a licensed therapist uses professional medical authority to tell a child they can or should change their sexuality, it causes irreparable harm. Every major medical and mental health organization in the country has condemned conversion practices as ineffective, unethical, and unsafe.
I was one of the lucky ones. I eventually found my way out. But leaving conversion therapy didn’t mean I was free. I carried its lessons for years, burying shame beneath achievement and approval until addiction filled the void. The damage didn’t end when the sessions did.
Recovery gave me back what religious shame had taken from me. Sobriety taught me to live honestly and how to belong without pretending. Writing and speaking about my experience now is not about reopening wounds from the past. It is about naming what nearly erased me, so no one else mistakes harm for help again.
The numbers in Trevor’s report tell me that thousands of queer youth are still sitting in those same therapists’ chairs, trying to pray themselves into becoming someone else’s idea of goodness.
The language of conversion therapy may have changed, but the message
hasn’t. It is the same script rewritten in softer fonts. You’re welcome, but only if you agree to disappear.
What stands out most in Trevor’s data is not just the rising distress experienced by queer youth, but also how preventable it is. One accepting adult in the life of a queer young person can change everything. One affirming community can save a life. The data back up what I’ve learned in my own life: affirmation heals.
Today, I know what real healing looks like. It’s laughter with friends and chosen family who love me exactly as I am. It’s a faith community that affirms my sexuality. And it’s peace that comes from being who I know I was created to be. I know what it is like to mistake shame for love. I see how the promise of transformation can sound holy when you have been told your sexuality is sinful. But fundamental transformation happens when young people are allowed to be who
they were created to be.
Affirmation isn’t politics. It’s how we keep each other alive.
We cannot claim to care about the mental health of young people while defending the conditions that destroy it. We cannot call self-denial therapy when the evidence shows it breeds despair. And we cannot keep pretending conversion therapy is an issue of free speech or religious liberty.
The truth is simple. LGBTQ+ youth don’t need to be fixed. They need to be affirmed. They need adults and mental health professionals who see them not as problems to solve, but as lives worth celebrating and protecting.
The data now say what survivors have been saying all along. Conversion therapy doesn’t heal, it harms. And harm, no matter how softly it speaks, should never be protected by law.
Timothy Schraeder Rodriguez is the author of the forthcoming book “Conversion Therapy Dropout.” This story first appeared in The Advocate
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Forwho’s your daddy
A son’s perspective
CHRISTOPHER KATIS
over fifteen years, I’ve shared my thoughts and insights about what it’s like for Kelly and me to be gay dads. What I haven’t covered is what it has been like for our sons, two young men who, like most of us, had no choice in deciding who their parents were going to be. And in their case, it just happened to be two dads. Now that they’re adult men, I’ve asked if they’d be willing to answer some questions about what it was like being raised by a couple of gay men. First up is our oldest, Gus. His answers have only been edited for clarity. The context and meaning of his responses have not been altered. Growing up, what was the most common question you heard from your schoolmates and friends about having two dads?
Probably asking if I missed not having a mom. I’d say I really didn’t know because I didn’t have anything to compare it to.
What was it like not having a mom?
Like I said, I would reply I don’t know because I never had one. I started getting that question when I would have been around 12 years old, so I don’t think kids really understood that not all families have a dad and mom.
What about now? What do people say when they hear there is no mom and never was one?
Nowadays, they usually just say, “Oh, that’s pretty cool.” Then they usually ask if it was any different growing up.
Do you volunteer that you have two dads, for example, “Oh, what do your mom and dad do?” or do you just let it be? Yes, I do volunteer that I have two dads, but there are some rare occasions where I let it slide because it might just be some small talk with some random person that I don’t care to explain it to.
What kind of discussions did you have with your girlfriends?
Never really had conversations about
it. Like it was never a sit-down conversation, it would just be that the topic got brought up and that was that. No one ever thought twice about it.
There was one kid who couldn’t come to your birthday party because of his parents’ “deeply held religious beliefs.”
Were there other kids that didn’t want to hang out with you because of your dads?
Yes, there were a couple more kids who didn’t want anything to do with me because of it.
You’re quite the jock. We were in the stands almost all the time. Did you ever get grief from fellow players?
Only one other player. But even then, it was more that his mom said, “don’t talk to him because he has two dads,” but the kid talked to me anyways.
Do you think you missed out on not having a mom?
No, not at all to be honest. I don’t think I would be who I am today if I did have one.
What was the worst part — be honest — about having two dads? Honestly, I can’t think of any worst part.
What was the best part?
Probably all the support you guys give me, no matter my decisions.
What do you think we did especially well as parents?
Teaching me how to go after what I want and that it takes patience and consistency to get it.
Anything we were crap at?
Just letting Niko do what he wants, but not me!
[AUTHOR’S NOTE: That is not true!]
Anything you’d like to add?
Just thankful that you guys are my parents!
Dear reader, I think I’ve got something in my eye.
Two Spirit & IndigiQueer Gathering
An event exploring the intersections of Queer identities + Native histories.
Location: SLC Library, Marmalade Branch
Date: Saturday 15 November 2025 | Time: 2pm-4pm
Free Event! Donations Welcome.
Art by Roni Jo Draper. This event is sponsored by:
‘A Church with AIDS’: Podcast reclaims the sacred sound of queer survival
Before livestreams, there were cassette tapes. And one church saved them all.
BY TED KERR
Decades
before COVID-19 lockdowns inspired churches to move online, members of Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco delivered cassette recordings of Sunday services to homebound parishioners living with HIV. Now, those recordings have been resurrected. The new podcast When We All Get to Heaven uses those tapes — focused on the pre-treatment era — alongside interviews and archival audio to tell the story of how MCC San Francisco, an LGBTQ+ congregation, fought not just to survive the AIDS crisis but to thrive.
Over 11 episodes, beginning Oct. 5, 2025, listeners learn how clergy, laypeople, and parishioners wrestled with mortality, faith, and the labor of sustaining a queer church amid mass death and upheaval.
When We All Get to Heaven was created by Lynne Gerber, Siri Colom, and Ariana Nedelman. Below, Gerber — who narrates the podcast — speaks about the project and what it means to be a “church with AIDS.”
How did you learn about the tapes? I had been a longtime friend of MCC San Francisco. I was close to people who were becoming clergy, and they often invited me to attend. I’m not Christian. I’m not a lesbian. I’m not a joiner, so I never joined. But I went a lot, and one day, I was in the church office when a longtime member named Steve asked me if I knew about the cassettes that he had stored under the church floor. He had saved them from being thrown out during a church move. When he first mentioned them, I thought there would be a few dozen tapes. Not so. There was a collection of 1,200 cassettes of church services from 1987 through 2003, each labeled with the date and a few additional details. I knew from the labels that this was a monumental collection that needed to be preserved.
What was it like to listen to the tapes for the first time? I listened to the tapes for the first time in 2011 at MCC San Francisco, at 150 Eureka Street, which is where MCC had been through the years this podcast is exploring. I was working with a team of undergrads from Berkeley, some of whom had never used a cassette player. Listening to the tapes was like tuning into sound that was already all around me, in that building, in the ether. As we listened, I got the overwhelming sense that this was a community collection, and the community needs the opportunity to listen. MCC San Francisco calls itself “a church with AIDS.” What does that mean? The phrase comes from an article written by MCC pastor Jim Mitulski and then-student clergy Kittredge Cherry: “We Are the Church Alive, the Church with AIDS.” It was published in The Christian Century magazine in 1988. To understand the phrase, context is helpful. MCC was founded on the affirmation and acceptance of queerness, queer sexuality, and marginalized genders. By the time AIDS was emerging as a crisis, the church already understood the power of stepping into stigma and not giving in to the cultural pressure of shame. Calling itself a church with AIDS was another step in that process. The epidemic was set up in moral terms, with this idea that to get AIDS you had to do something pretty “un-Christian.” MCC did not fall for the setup. Instead, it did the work to be a church where people with AIDS were involved at every step for as long as they could or wanted to be. Because of this foundation, MCC was able to do things that other churches couldn’t. For example, in the early days of AIDS, a lot of churches were fighting about maintaining the practice of the
common cup, the shared vessel used during communion. They were afraid that communion would be the path to HIV transmission. Not MCC. They shaped their communion ritual around people with AIDS in different ways. They knew that people with AIDS didn’t get touched, so they integrated prayer where people held hands into the communion service. People at MCC services received communion from people visibly sick with AIDS. And when MCC did alternatives to the common cup, it was more often to protect people with HIV vulnerable to transmission from others.
Being a queer church with AIDS also meant that no one was or is excluded from being a mourner. There is a place for friends, a same-sex partner, multiple partners, and parents, a place where HIV status, religious affiliation, and everything else that makes up a person could be acknowledged together. That was pretty radical.
MCC is not a church that ministers to people with AIDS, which implies a certain distance or a kind of charity. It became a church with AIDS, with no separation between the two. 150 Eureka Street hosted the first San Francisco ACT UP meetings, buyers club activity, and the distribution of medical marijuana in the church’s building by the church’s clergy.
[Editor’s note: Buyers clubs were groups formed to provide access to HIV therapies that had yet to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration.]
Can you give us insight into the crafting of When We All Get to Heaven? The three of us spent years listening to tapes. We did not listen to all 1,200 cassettes, but we did digitize a core
collection of 325 from which we made our selections. We had to make a lot of hard decisions. It was important to us that the podcast be about a church as a whole. In writing, we imagined a choir, where sometimes you hear a mélange of voices, sometimes you have a soloist and the choir responds, or sometimes you have a duet or a quartet for a piece.
The challenge then became, how do you make episodes? Sayre Quevedo, our story editor, helped us shape moments of tape and characters we knew we were interested in into arcs.
What has been the reaction from MCC?
It matters to MCC members that these stories are being preserved and told. The difference between memory as they remember it and history as it actually unfolded is wild for folks.
I was talking to somebody the other day about protease inhibitors, which in the Bay Area became available in 1995. In 1998, the Bay Area Reporter, which was the largest gay paper in San Francisco, had a headline: “NO OBITUARIES.” The medications changed the tenor of the epidemic so much that there was, for at least one issue, not one AIDS-related death in the paper. Many people remember that headline coming out. But the guy I was talking to remembered the headline being the same year as the drugs were released, not three years later. I think this engagement with one’s own personal timeline of what happened has been both challenging and moving for people.
What does it mean for you to release the podcast right now? At the beginning, we had a vision that we are living in a world that is going through crises that have no end. We were thinking mostly of climate change, racial injustice, and economic inequality.
Then COVID happened. One of the first things that surprised me was the level of contempt those in power had for people. I had naively thought that the contempt we saw in early AIDS was about the kinds of people who got it, and that after AIDS, we would not see that again. Now the contempt is so explicit, and it extends to everyone.
Listening to the tapes and what we have done with them speaks loudly to things that happened and that are happening now. When it comes to AIDS, especially in the pre-treatment years, the story seems simple: It was bad, then people with AIDS acted up, and then there was treatment. In reality, though, it was week after week of death, outrage, insult, physical pain, and suffering with no clear relief in sight.
MCC offers a model of how to gather, engage, and be together when things are really bad and you don’t know what’s going to happen. When We All Get to Heaven has become a much more specific project than I thought it would be, and it feels like a good time to put it out in the world. Q
Ted Kerr is a contributor to POZ. This column is a project of THEBODY, PLUS, POSITIVELY AWARE, POZ, Q Syndicate, and QSaltLake Magazine.
Transgender Day of Remembrance
Each year on November 20, communities across the globe come together to observe TRANSGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE , honoring and memorializing transgender, non-binary and gender-diverse individuals whose lives were cut short by violence, hatred or neglect. Since its founding in 1999, TDOR has served as both a vigil and a call to action: to remember those we have lost and to galvanise efforts to prevent further deaths.
In the United States, the latest data from Trans Lives Matter’s TDOR project cover the 12-month period from November 21, 2024 to present. During that span, at least 38 transgender and gender-expansive individuals were killed by fatal violence.
Historically, these deaths disproportionately affect people of color, with around three-quarters of victims identified as BIPOC and over 60 % as Black trans women.
Globally, Trans Lives Matter currently shows over 250 deaths.
The worldwide scale of this violence underscores that yes, these deaths continue — even as awareness grows.
These numbers are more than mere statistics: each death marks a life lived, dreams and relationships and contributions cut short. On TDOR, we honour the names, reclaim the dignity of the lost, and renew our commitment to transforming the conditions that allow this violence to persist. We remember, and we act — because simple remembrance alone is not enough.
Here are the U.S. deaths of Transgender people since last year’s TDOR:
Sydney Leigh Phillips (“Syd”)
22. East Islip, N.Y. Died 5 Nov 2024. Suicide.
Syd was a cherished friend and student, known for her warmth, kindness, and unique spark. She left a lasting impact on those who knew her through her humor and caring presence.
Quanesha Shantel (“Cocoa”)
25. Greensboro, North Carolina. Died 10 Nov 2024. Shot. A proud member of the House of Mizrahi, Cocoa was admired for her grace and style in the ballroom community. Friends remember her as radiant, resilient, and full of life.
Kyla Jane Walker
39. Austin, Texas. Died 10 Nov 2024. Run over.
Kyla built a found family after being rejected by her birth family. Brilliant, kind, and resilient, her mantra, “Resist Despair,” continues to inspire those who loved her.
Name Unknown
United States. Died 7 Nov 2024. Suicide.
A transgender woman who loved her wife and dog, she ended her life fearing renewed hostility. Her family remembers her with love, sorrow, and the enduring memory of her gentle spirit.
Ra’lasia Wright
25. Minneapolis, Minnesota. Died 1 Dec 2024. Shot.
Ra’lasia was a vibrant presence in Minneapolis nightlife, known for her protective nature, confidence, and devotion to
Aziza “Z” Barnes
31. Oxford, Mississippi. Died 15 Dec 2024. Suicide.
Z, a celebrated poet and television writer, created acclaimed works including BLKS and contributed to HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Their authenticity and art inspired countless others.
Cam Thompson
18. Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Died 16 Dec 2024. Shot.
Cam, a recent Job Corps graduate, dreamed of college and a ca-
reer in fashion. Her radiant smile, determination, and warmth touched everyone around her.
Roy Mora
15. Fort Bragg, California. Died 7 Dec 2024. Suicide.
A beloved Mendocino teen, Roy’s memory lives on through a scholarship supporting LGBTQIA+ students. Their passing inspired the community to champion love, acceptance, and support for queer youth.
Meka Shabazz
46. Columbus, Ohio. Died 23 Dec 2024. Suicide.
Meka, a gifted dancer, educator, and activist, mentored youth and taught Afro-Caribbean dance. She inspired others through her resilience, self-belief, and dedication to justice and community.
Aubrey Dameron
25. Ottawa County, Oklahoma. Died 31 Jan 2025. Homicide. Aubrey, a two-spirit Cherokee trans woman, navigated life in a small town with courage and pride in her identity. Her death highlights the risks faced by Indigenous trans people.
Parker Savarese
15. Setauket, New York. Died 8 Jan 2025. Possible suicide. Parker, a nonbinary 10th grader, loved theater and Marvel. Bright, creative, and gentle, they left a lasting impression on friends, family, and their school community.
Eliza Rae Shupe
Age not reported. Syracuse, New York. Died 27 Jan 2025. Suicide. Eliza, a trans veteran and pioneering advocate, was the first in the U.S. to legally change to a nonbinary gender. She reclaimed her identity and stood against anti-trans narratives.
Linda Becerra Moran
30. Los Angeles, California. Died 27 Feb 2025. Shot. Linda, an independent and devout Catholic, was a resilient trans woman of color who overcame homelessness and violence. She carried her faith and courage with grace.
Amyri Dior
23. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Died 21 Feb 2025. Shot.
Amyri, a vibrant and honest trans woman, loved singing, dancing, and living authentically. She inspired others to embrace their truth and celebrate life fully.
Ervianna Johnson
25. Tabor City, North Carolina. Died 16 Feb 2025. Homicide. Ervianna “Baydee” Johnson, a content creator and hotel worker, adored her nieces and nephews. She celebrated life, music, and community, leaving a joyful and lasting legacy.
Tahiry Broom
29. Southfield, Michigan. Died 11 Feb 2025. Shot.
Tahiry, a radiant and intelligent trans woman, brought light, humor, and warmth to every space. Her resilience and generosity left a lasting impression on family and community.
24. Canandaigua, New York. Died 14 Feb 2025. Tortured and beaten. Sam, a transgender man, endured months of abuse before his death. Loved ones remember his strength, courage, and unwavering humanity in the face of adversity.
Norah Horwitz
38. Virginia Beach, Virginia. Died 7 Apr 2025. Suicide.
Norah, a former Marvel Comics editor and graphic novel creator, left a lasting impact on comics and storytelling. Her contributions and creativity continue to inspire others.
Kelsey Elem
25. St. Louis, Missouri. Died 24 Apr 2025. Shot.
Kelsey, a hardworking trans woman, managed multiple jobs while advocating for LGBTQ+ rights. She loved learning, creating, and celebrating her growth and transition.
Shy’Parius Dupree
32. Memphis, Tennessee. Died 17 May 2025. Shot.
Shy’Parius, a devoted father and husband, worked to support children and families through his jobs and business. His generosity and love for community were widely celebrated.
Sam Nordquist
25. Detroit, Michigan. Died 24 May 2025. Shot.
Karmin, a trans woman known for her warmth and family devotion, was remembered as a kind and caring member of her community.
Charlotte Fosgate
17. Portland, Oregon. Died 25 May 2025. Suicide.
Charlotte, a creative teen, loved art, music, and gaming. She supported peers and expressed herself fully online, leaving a lasting impression on her community.
Tessa June. 2
North Carolina. Died 4 Jun 2025. Suicide.
Tessa, a gentle and creative young woman, loved reading, writing, gaming, and nature. She aspired to be a published author and cherished her time with friends, family, and pets.
Jax Gratton
34. Lakewood, Colorado. Died 6 Jun 2025. Not reported.
Jax, a trans woman and hair stylist, brought love, light, and joy to friends and family. She is remembered for her generosity and warmth.
47. Cincinnati, Ohio. Died 7 Jun 2025. Shot.
Laura, a Black trans woman, loved animals, fashion, and advocacy. She was a generous, active presence in the LGBTQ+ community, remembered for her warmth and vibrant spirit.
24. Fort Wayne, Indiana. Died 9 Jun 2025. Possible suicide. Emma, talented in music and technology, loved performing, gaming, and exploring innovations. She shared her joyful energy and compassion with those around her.
JJ Godbey
26. Canton, Ohio. Died 19 Jun 2025. Murdered.
JJ, a drag artist and beloved LGBTQ+ figure, loved makeup, music, and performing. They inspired others through creativity, generosity, and community support.
28. Detroit, Michigan. Died 21 Jun 2025. Strangled.
Christina, a trans woman, was remembered for her courage, warmth, and resilience. She was killed during a robbery, but left a strong impact on her loved ones.
Lily-Dawn Harkins
Colorado. Died 22 Jun 2025. Suicide.
Lily-Dawn, a transgender woman and recent graduate, loved Magic the Gathering, cooking, and volunteering. Her brilliance, generosity, and playful spirit left a lasting impression.
Gabrielle Nguyen (“Cam”)
Colorado. Died 22 Jun 2025. Suicide.
Cam, an agender lesbian college student, loved writing, cooking, and mentoring others. They were thoughtful, creative, and passionate about pursuing communications studies.
Kia-Leigh Tabitha Roberts
55. West Valley, Utah. June 24, 2025. Suicide.
Kia-Leigh was a proud trans woman whose life embodied courage, authenticity, and connection. A lover of science fiction, poetry, and community, she earned an Associate’s and bachelor’s in English, trained in electrology to affirm others, and cherished her dog Simba II, watermelon gum, and her loyal trans sisterhood.
27. Indianapolis, Indiana. Died 27 Jun 2025. Shot.
Kamora, a warm and funny trans woman, loved animals and brought joy to friends and family. She is remembered for her laughter, kindness, and pride in her identity.
Arty Cassidy Beowulf Gibson
23. Portland, Oregon. Died 29 Jun 2025. Suicide.
Arty, a trans man/they, moved to Portland seeking safety. They shared a deep bond with their fiancé and were part of a supportive LGBTQ+ community, leaving a legacy of love.
Karmin Wells
Laura Schueler
Emma Slabach
Christina Hayes
Kamora Woods
Dream Johnson
28. Washington, D.C. Died 5 Jul 2025. Shot.
Dream, a trans woman from Northeast D.C., was remembered for her warmth, kindness, and the lasting impact she had on her community.
Rosa Machuca
24. Austin, Texas. Died 11 Aug 2025. Shot.
Rosa, a young trans woman in a loving relationship, was remembered for her warmth, resilience, and devotion to her fiancée and chosen family.
Blair A. Sawyer
27. Louisville, Kentucky. Died 11 Aug 2025. Run over.
Blair, a white trans woman, enjoyed bicycling and was known for her vibrant spirit and contributions to Louisville’s LGBTQ+ circles.
Kasí Rhea (“Kaeyy Holmes”)
31. Lynchburg, Virginia. Died 18 Aug 2025. Shot.
Kasí, a woman of faith and a talented hair stylist, loved astrology, music, and family. Her joyful spirit inspired friends and clients alike.
Onyx Cornish
18. Caldwell, Idaho. Died 18 Aug 2025. Shot.
Onyx, a queer and trans teenager, loved heavy metal, alt fashion, and makeup. They boldly embraced their identity, celebrating friendships and sobriety in a conservative environment.
Tiara Love Tori Jackson
37. Charlotte, North Carolina. Died 26 Sep 2025. Shot.
Tiara, a beloved trans woman from Saginaw, Michigan, worked in healthcare, loved music, dancing, and humor, and was celebrated in KiKi balls and Black Pride events.
When details of this year’s Transgender Day of Remembrance are released, find them on QSALTLAKE.COM
Project Rainbow will be staking flags for a fee to support local LGBTQ+ charities and projects. Info at PROJECTRAINBOWUTAH.ORG/
It’s ‘Hot,’ now with gendernonconforming awareness
BY BLAIR HOWELL
Jerry(as Daphne): “I’m not a natural blonde. I smoke! I smoke all the time! I have a terrible past! I can never have children!” And finally, “You don’t understand. I’m a man!” Exasperated, rips off a wig.
Osgood Fielding III, unfazed: “Well, nobody’s perfect.”
If you haven’t seen Billy Wilder’s brilliant 1959 film “Some Like It Hot,” you really should. The final lines were initially viewed as merely funny, yet it’s a landmark crack in the façade of 1950s gender presentations, hinting at a more fluid, accepting view of gender and desire.
The 2022 musical adaptation is even more enlightened.
The musical shifts from the film’s surprise reveal to a more explicit affirmation of Daphne’s identity and explores what it means to be seen, accepted, and loved.
Credit is due to Matthew López (“The Inheritance” playwright) and Amber Ruffin (writer/comedian; “Late Night with Seth Meyers”) with music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, the duo behind among others “Hairspray” and “Smash”/“Bombshell.”
The snapshot plot remains the same: Two down-on-their-luck jazz musicians, Joe and Jerry, happen upon the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. To escape pursuing gangsters, they disguise
themselves — as Josephine and Daphne — and join the “all-girl” Sweet Sue and Her Society Syncopators band.
As on Broadway, the genius Casey Nicholaw directs and choreographs the tour playing the Eccles Theater, earning him a Tony for Best Direction of a Musical. (And the same honor for a fave: the hilarious, subversive “The Book of Mormon.”)
The cast benefits from the firsthand contact with Nicholaw. It’s a superb staging and, more importantly, on par creatively with the initial production.
Leading the cast are Matt Loehr as Joe/Josephine and Tavis Kordell as Jerry/Daphne.
Like J. Harrison Ghee, who created the role, winning him a Tony (as the first genderfluid leading actor), Kordell identifies as nonbinary. But is that because he’s genderqueer? Or sheer skill as an actor? I vote both. In their vocals, emotional clarity, and presence, Daphne feels alive. “You Could’ve Knocked Me Over With a Feather” is a powerhouse moment — equal parts comedic and soul-stirring. (Favorite lyrics: “I’m leading the parade / The die is cast / No more living in the past.”
Like with the Daphne character, comedy, romance, and physical comedy are required. Also, Joe needs to be more direct and scheming to contrast with
Jerry’s more emotionally evolving arc. Loehr is at first a bit disconnected and soft-spoken, yet he becomes more truthful, balancing the comedy with real feelings, and is always in sync with Kordell.
Also deserving praise are Leandra Ellis-Gaston as the beautiful chanteuse Sugar and Dequina Moore as the brassy, no-nonsense bandleader Sweet Sue. They are delights.
Ellis-Gaston brings warmth, charm, and some complexity — more than simply lovelorn or naïve. Moore commands the spotlight with frequent side-splitting observations.
Like the lead players, the full ensemble has strong belty vocals and razor-sharp dance moves, mixing jazz, swing, and Charleston-inspired flavors.
A key ingredient to the show’s success: The zingers are nonstop.
Jerry: “Have I got things to tell you!”
Joe: “What happened?”
Jerry: “I’m engaged.”
Joe: “Congratulations. Who’s the lucky girl?”
Jerry: “I am!”
The musical was well-received enough to get 13 Tony Award nominations (a lot).
I was left well-entertained, impressed by dance, performances, and updated themes. And infectious laughs aplenty. Q
REVIEW BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER
‘The Elements’ by John Boyne
C.2025, HENRY HOLT, $29.99, 496 PAGES
You weren’t proud of it. Something you did in your past, yesterday, five years ago, a lifetime, you think of it sometimes and poke it like a bad tooth. You’re not proud of it, but you paid for it anyhow, with time, money, apologies, or through a jury of your peers, and you know this: as in the new novel, “The Elements” by John Boyne, the condemnation is harshest when the jury is you. She changed her name again. It was the first thing Willow Hale did when she rented the cottage on an island not far from Dublin. Isolation would help her sort things out, why her husband was in jail, and why her daughter avoided her. Willow didn’t want anyone to recognize her as she came to terms with her role in what happened. Though he was born with the skills of
q
scopes
NOVEMBER
BY SAM KELLEY-MILLS
ARIES March 20–April 19
Your confidence simmers with quiet intensity this month. You don’t need to chase, as your presence alone draws others nearby. Let them come to you; the anticipation will do the work for you.
TAURUS Apr 20–May 20
Pleasure takes a deeper tone as you crave not just touch but meaning. Share a secret or a truth that scares you a little. Vulnerability, not perfection, becomes your ultimate aphrodisiac.
GEMINI May 21–June 20
Your words are spells this November, flirtation wrapped in cleverness. Just be sure your heart keeps pace with your mouth.
the bookworm
an athlete, Evan Keogh didn’t want to be a soccer star. He wanted to be an artist after he left the island, but he wasn’t talented enough. Coming to terms with that took awhile, and he sold his body to older men to get by in the meantime. When he finally accepted his athleticism, it was not because he loved the game. It was because he loved revenge, but satisfying that itch would ruin his life. Medical students were annoyances that Freya Petrus had to endure.
Though she was a highly-regarded burn surgeon, the truth was that she disliked humanity in general, perhaps because of childhood trauma she couldn’t forget. So, teeth gritted, no family, no friends, no close colleagues, she endured people, relying instead on a sordid hobby to soothe her memories.
Rebecca didn’t ask Aaron Umber to bring their son from Australia to Ireland, but there was a reason he did so, though Emmet balked at the trip. Emmet was at a tender age, not an adult but not a child anymore, either – fourteen, the same age as when something happened to Aaron that affected him forever.
The right listener will catch the truth hidden between your lines.
CANCER June 21–July 22
A tender energy surrounds you, but don’t mistake it for weakness. Your empathy draws others in like a tide, and once they’re close, they’ll find a strength that’s both protective and irresistible.
LEO July 23–August 22
You’re done pretending to be modest, and why should you? This is your season to roar with confidence. Just remember: the most captivating power move is knowing when to soften your tone.
VIRGO August 23–Sep 2
You’re craving clarity but find yourself drawn to delicious chaos. Let it happen. Sometimes the messiest moments are the ones that cleanse the soul and spark the most unforgettable encounters.
Where to begin?
How ‘bout: “The Elements” is an incredible book.
How ‘bout: from the very beginning of it, you’ll be captured by what feels like The Twilight Zone without the paranormal, like reading the news, and wincing.
Here, the lush Irish background that author John Boyne so lovingly portrays is secondary to his characters, each of them flawed, maybe irretrievable so, as they wrestle with culpability and self-indulgent recognition of the past. You’ll dangle from a string as four intertwined tales eke out in a delicious tease, detonating a little TNT on a page every now and then to keep you feeling edgy and on the edge of your chair.
No spoilers here, but the end of these four stories isn’t quite really an end, which will leave you flabbergasted, staring at the back cover for a few minutes after you close it.
Beware that there are adult themes inside this book, and they could potentially be triggering. If that’s not a worry, let yourself be stunned by “The Elements.”
Love it? Guilty. Q
LIBRA Sept 23–October 22
Love feels cinematic this month, like a slow-motion dance under fading light. Let beauty guide your choices, but not blind you to substance. True passion is found where art and honesty meet.
SCORPIO Oct 23–Nov 21
Transformation calls again, but this time, it’s gentler, more about merging than shedding. Allow someone to see the parts you usually guard. Depth shared becomes desire doubled.
SAGITTARIUS
Nov 22–December 20
The fire inside you needs an outlet, not just adventure, but intimacy that thrills. Follow the spark wherever it leads. When you stop chasing the horizon, you might find paradise in your arms.
CAPRICORN
Dec 21–Jan 19
Control tempts you, but release rewards you. Ease your grip on schedules and outcomes; give in to the rhythm of the moment. Pleasure grows when it’s allowed to unfold naturally.
AQUARIUS Jan 20–Feb 18
Your eccentric charm has people orbiting you like stars. This month, one connection feels cosmic, as an alignment of minds first, then bodies. Let curiosity lead; it rarely steers you wrong.
PISCES Feb 19–Mar 19
Your dreams blur into waking life, turning fantasy into prophecy. Don’t dismiss those daydreams as they’re maps to the experiences your soul is ready for. Follow them, and reality will follow you.. Q
How Taylor Swift’s music gave a Trans scholar her girlhood
Harvard professor and poet Stephanie Burt explores how Swift’s music offers a window into the girlhood experiences she never had
BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI
WhenHarvard professor and celebrated poet Stephanie Burt listens to Taylor Swift’s “Fifteen,” she doesn’t just hear a bittersweet teenage memory wrapped in twangy chords and locker-lined hallways. She hears the sound of a girlhood she never got to live but finally can.
“I have listened to ‘Fifteen’ over and over and over, of course,” says Burt, speaking about her new book examining Swift’s evolution as a songwriter and pop icon. “I am told not just by my friends who were relatively popular in high school who were cis girls that that’s what it’s like, but also, at this point, tens of millions of cis girls who I’ll never meet.”
As a trans woman who transitioned in adulthood, Swift’s music unlocks something powerful for Burt: access to the emotional landscape of a teenage girl, one that once felt out of reach.
No wonder the track resonates with her at 54. “I’ve found time can heal most anything, and you just might find who you’re supposed to be,” Swift sings, adding, “I didn’t know who I was supposed to be, at 15.”
That kind of deeply personal connection isn’t mentioned at all in “Taylor’s Version: The Poetic and Musical Genius of Taylor Swift” from Hachette Book Group’s Basic Books imprint. The book, out Oct. 14 — coinciding with the release of Swift’s 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl” — is Burt’s rich, cerebral dive into the artistry of one of pop’s most analyzed figures. But even if her story is absent from the page, it hums quietly be-
neath the surface. There’s an inherent queerness in Burt’s lens — sometimes explicit, as when she explores the Sapphic undertones between the two girls in “Seven” — that adds emotional texture to her critical analysis.
Her connection to Swift’s work is rooted in the ache of what she missed. “I did not get to dress up dolls. I did not get to have a pink room,” Burt says. “I did not get to have the kinds of friendships that I wanted and the kinds of social groups that I wanted — not only with girls, though that too.”
And perhaps most poignantly: “I didn’t get to have the kind of intimacy that Taylor sings about with girls and with teen girls until I was a grown-ass adult,” she says. “And I have it now.”
That deep sense of personal reclamation naturally leads to broader cultural questions about Swift’s place in the queer canon. When asked directly whether Swift qualifies as a gay icon, Burt’s response is characteristically nuanced: “Yes, but no.”
She explains her complex position: “A gay icon is someone who gay people think about a lot, gravitate to and form social groups around and want to talk about and keep track of. Of course Taylor’s a gay icon in that sense.”
But Burt draws important distinctions about the nature and depth of Swift’s gay icon status: “What percentage of Swifties treat her as camp? What percentage of Swifties treat her as for the gays, and not for the straights? Much lower, I think, than for other world famous pop performers.”
She contrasts Swift with artists like Chappell Roan and Kylie Minogue, noting: “Those are people where, if you’re not looking at what it means to be a gay icon, and you’re not looking at how queer communities support these artists, you will not understand their rise or their art at all. That’s not true for Taylor.”
Her final assessment: “She happens to be a gay icon because she has worked in a thoughtful, inclusive way that includes a lot of same-sex attachments to become an icon for a lot, a lot, a lot of people. And many of those people are queer.”
But for Burt, Swift’s impact goes beyond labels and iconography. What Swift’s artistic journey represents to her is something larger than entertainment — it’s a validation of experiences that society often dismisses. Her book serves multiple purposes: “It’s a defense of girlhood, which Taylor is also doing. It’s a defense of the stereotypically teenage experience as a valid subject for deep art.”
This defense feels particularly urgent in the current political climate. As someone who says she can’t “pass” in traditional terms (“because here’s my voice, right?”), Burt sees Swift’s unapologetic visibility as a model for resistance.
“Especially for trans people who can’t pass, the current federal government is telling us to hide,” she says, defiantly adding: “And no, I’m not hiding.”
Swift, she says, has challenged cultural expectations that tell girls and queer people to minimize themselves. “A lot of girls and weirdos are told, ‘It’s OK to be you. Just don’t flaunt it,” Burt observes. “Make sure it’s very
niche, and that no one notices. Have plausible deniability. Don’t stand out.”
Burt admires Swift’s unashamed ambition — something she argues is particularly revolutionary for women and marginalized people. “She really wanted that. And she even wrote songs about wanting it — that it’s OK to want to be seen.”
As a scholar analyzing Swift’s work through a queer lens, Burt sees intentionality in the artist’s choices, particularly in her live performances. She points to Swift’s diverse casting of dancers and other performers during The Eras Tour as evidence of thoughtful representation.
“Do I think she’s seeing the people in her massive audience who are not like her, including us queer people? Yeah, I do,” Burt says. “She really wants to support people who aren’t like her — groups, she says, that she’s not a part of. As someone who plans her stage act and her performances and hires her dancers, she knows exactly what she’s doing.”
However, Burt notes the limitations of expecting Swift to write explicitly political songs. She says when Swift attempts overtly activist messaging, as in “You Need to Calm Down,” the results are less successful artistically than, say, “Miss Americana.” “When she writes subtextual queerness, it’s great. When she tries to write a song that is overtly and publicly about how she sees and wants to protect her queer fans, which is what ‘You Need to Calm Down’ was about, that’s not great.”
While Burt wishes Swift would take stronger political stances in the current moment, she understands the limitations. Having watched Swift’s previous political endorsements largely fail (noting that most candidates she’s supported have lost, including Kamala Harris and Phil Bredsen, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Tennessee who lost in 2018 against
Marsha Blackburn), Burt believes the artist has learned hard lessons about the limits of celebrity influence.
“She’s seen the limits of top-down, celebrity-oriented, national-first politics in a way that the chuckleheads who have been running national Democratic politics have been slow to see,” Burt observes.
Instead, she argues that Swift’s primary contribution may be modeling the very visibility that authoritarianism seeks to suppress. “Taylor is absolutely telling us not to hide in the Trump era when we’re being told to hide. She’s not saying things she doesn’t believe, and she’s writing the songs she can write and being the person who she can be.”
This act of courageous authenticity sets the stage for not just a new era in Swift’s career with the announcement of “The Life of a Showgirl,” its title seemingly self-reflective, but the larger themes Burt explores in her book. Ultimately, “Taylor’s Version” is about more than one artist or even one fan’s experience — what Taylor’s saying changes depending on who’s hearing her message. But Burt adds that the book is also about the right to dream beyond the limitations society imposes, whether based on gender, sexuality or any other form of difference.
“It’s also a book about ambition — about making awesome works of art that not only endure and speak to a small number of people deeply, but that obviously endure, get noticed and speak to a large number of people.”
For Burt, Swift represents proof that such dreams — of girlhood, of emotional clarity, of being fully seen — can be realized without compromising authenticity. It’s a lesson that resonates far beyond pop music, especially for those who’ve lived outside its most visible narratives.
Throughout our conversation, Burt
returns again and again to the deeply personal nature of her connection to Swift’s music. Songs like “The Best Day,” about Swift’s relationship with her mother, stir something bittersweet. “My parents were great, but they weren’t that, and they couldn’t be that,” she says. “Partly because boys are socialized to seek more independence from parents.”
But Burt doesn’t dwell on what was missing. Instead, she turns toward what Swift’s music has made possible — moments that feel like reclamation, like arrival. “All of these experiences that I wish I had had,” Burt says, become possible “for the space of about three-and-a-half minutes per song.”
In “Taylor’s Version,” the word “aspirational” surfaces often — a reflection of what Swift has represented to her fans over the years: someone to look up to, to grow alongside, to believe in. For Burt, that aspiration has become something more tangible. A Guggenheim fellow, a past judge for the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, a board member of the National Book Critics Circle and the author of over a dozen books on poetry and pop culture, she’s carved out a singular space where deep feeling and academic thought meet. Another major milestone? Teaching Harvard’s first-ever course on Taylor Swift — a boundary-breaking class that didn’t just cement Swift’s place in the canon, but Burt’s place at the center of the cultural conversation.
In some ways, that’s the full-circle power of aspiration: Burt has become, in her own right, exactly what Swift has long been to fans such as herself — someone who proves it’s possible to rewrite your story and make it count. Q
Chris Azzopardi is the editorial director of Pride Source Media Group and Q Syndicate. He has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Cher, Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, GQ and Billboard. Reach him via Twitter @chrisazzopardi.
Kyle’s Bed & Breakfast
Friends of Friends of Dorothy
1 Asks from one’s knees 5 Burn with water 10 Per person
Drag queen’s stocking shade 15 One that can be paddled at the stern
16 Male actor named Julia 17 Michelangelo’s David, once
18 “The end of ___”
19 Painting and sculpture, to da Vinci
20 Singer of “You Need to Calm Down”
23 Airline in “The Aviator”
Crude carriers 25 Egg-shaped
Formal orders from James I
Typos
Taxpayer’s ID 33 Least difficult to get into bed
Batman portrayer who raises funds for GLSEN 40 Most like David Bruckner movies
Greeting to Maria
by Greg Fox
42 Woman in a Beach Boys song
45 Confidential matter
48 Like communion at the Cathedral of Hope
49 Brother of Michael Jackson
53 Teri of _Tootsie_
54 “That’s ___ quit!”
55 He lit the White House in rainbow colors
58 Stars that shoot off
60 Trick joint, maybe
61 Tiny bit of matter
62 Where Dick Button performed
63 Richard of “A Summer Place”
64 Peter by the piano
65 David Cicilline and Tammy Baldwin hold them 66 “___ Let the Sun Go Down on Me” 67 Fruity drinks
1 Gives, as a gift 2 Desserts that shoot cream in your mouth
3 Arctic fish
4 Rent what you rent
5 Harold’s facial marks in “The Boys in the Band”
6 Pink-slips
7 De novo
8 Petty of “Orange Is the New Black”
9 Unresponsive, with “to”
10 Constellation over Sydney
11 Country singer Dolly, beloved by queer fans
12 Openly gay comic?
13 Asks on bended knee
21 Areas for Dr. Kerry Weaver
22 Trunk of Mapplethorpe photos
26 Activist Russo
28 Christmas threesome
29 Frasier’s response to a client
30 Commands to attack
31 Assails with snowballs, e.g.
33 Periodical boners
35 Start of a rhyme about a tiger
36 Ref for Woolf
37 What Tomlin did for “Celluloid Closet”
38 From here to eternity
39 To date
42 Beasts seen on safaris
43 Knee-slapper
44 Wilde who plays queer characters and is a supporter of gay rights
46 A male celeb may have a big one
47 At the beach, take off your clothes here
50 Got under one’s skin
51 Brando’s last one was in Paris 52 Swell place 55 Queens rule over them
USARA, 180 E 2100 S Clean, Sober & Proud Sun. 1:30pm
Leather Fetish & Kink Fri. 8pm
Genderbands
genderbands.org
EQ @genderbands
LifeRing Secular Recovery
801-608-8146
liferingutah.org
Weds. 7pm, Sat. 11am
How was your week? First Baptist, 777 S 1300 E
LGBTQ+ Affirmative Therapists Guild
lgbtqtherapists.com
* robin@lgbtqtherapists.com
YOUTH/COLLEGE
Encircle LGBTQ Family and Youth Resource Ctr
encircletogether.org
EQ @encircletogether
91 W 200 S, Provo, 190 S 100 E, St. George 331 S 600 E, SLC
81 E Center, Heber City Gay-Straight Alliance Network
gsanetwork.org
OUT Foundation BYU
theout.foundation
fb.me/theOUTfoundation Salt Lake Community College LGBTQ+
slcc.edu/lgbtq/ UofU Student Pride Ctr Q uofupride
USGA at BYU
usgabyu.com
fb.me/UsgaAtByu Utah Valley Univ Spectrum
linktr.ee/spectrumqsa
uvu.edu/lgbtq/ * lgbt@uvu.edu
801-863-8885
Liberal Arts, Rm 126
Youth Discord Virtual Hangout
6p Wednesdays
Open to all youth 14-20. Email jay@ utahpridecenter.org to get access
Utah Pride Center
Weekly Programming
MONDAYS
QUEER WOMEN’S PEER SUPPORT GROUP, 7-8pm
Peer-led support group for queer women and fem-identifying people 18+.
TUESDAYS
GAY MEN’S SUPPORT GROUP, 6:30-8pm
Gay Men’s Peer Support Group is open to men ages 18+ who identify as gay, bisexual, or questioning. It is a peer-led support group with discussions guided by volunteer facilitators.
PRIDE IN RECOVERY, 7-8pm
Weekly Narcotics Anonymous recovery meeting for LGBTQ+ adults 18+.
WEDNESDAYS
GAY MEN’S SACK LUNCH, noon1pm
Bring your lunch and enjoy lively conversations with other guys in the community. Open to gay men 18+.
YOUTH DISCORD VIRTUAL HANGOUT, 6-8pm
A welcoming, virtual space where LGBTQ+ youth can come together to talk, share experiences, and support each other. Open to youth 14-20. Email Jay at jay@utahpridecenter.org to get access to the UPC Youth DiSCORD.
THURSDAYS
YOUTH IN PERSON DROP IN HOURS, 4-8pm
Looking for a place where you can curl up with a good book? Check out the UPC History Library! Need a place to catch up on some homework? Check out our Computer Lab! Just wanna hang out with some friends…then UPC on Thursdays is the place to be!
Reoccurring Programming:
SIT & STITCH, 6-8pm 1st & 3rd Mondays
Get your stitch on with friends! Bring your knitting,
crochet, cross-stitch, or any other craft you’re working on. Meet new people, give/ receive crafting tips, and enjoy snacks, movies, and music in a safe, welcoming space.
GET CONNECTED TO HEALTH INSURANCE, 4-6pm (every-other Tuesday, 7/8, 7/22, 8/5, 8/19) Utah Health Policy Project will help get you connected to an affordable health insurance plan no matter your current economic situation. Open to queer folx and allies. No appointment required.
THE PASTOR IS IN, 6-8pm, 1st & 3rd Tuesdays
LGBTQ+ affirming Pastor Curtis has been a long-time friend and advocate for our community. In his own words: “I am here to talk with you. To listen mostly, but to affirm who you are; to tell you that God loves you just the way you are.”
Monthly Programming:
GAME NIGHT (with Switch & VR): Second Wednesdays, 6-8pm Bring your friends, games (board or video), snacks to share, or just your fabulous self. Join us for an all-ages, social game night at the new Utah Pride Center. We’ll have board games, card games, Nintendo Switch, VR games, new friends to meet, and a whole lotta fun. No registration required.
QUEER D&D NIGHT: Wed. 9/24, 6-8pm, A fabulous night of Dungeons & Dragons and other role playing games. No experience, equipment, or registration required.
BLOOD ON THE CLOCKTOWER : Wed. 7/30 6-8pm
Put your deduction and deception skills to work with a rousing game of “Blood on the Clocktower.” Can the townspeople stop the demon before it’s too late?
Similar to the game “Mafia,” you will either be one of the faithful, innocent townsfolk working to stop the demon, or one of the evil forces picking them off one-by-one. Blood on the Clocktower is perfect for large groups, so bring all of your friends
WORDS EXPRESS HOW IT FEELS TO BE A MEMBER OF THE...
HAPPINESS DELIGHTED BEAMING
MERRY HO? SANTA MAY HAVE LOST ONE OF HIS “HO HO HO’S!” FOR MORE INFO
JOIN OUR GROUP OF ACTIVE OUT SENIORS
Our Vision is to reduce social isolation and loneliness, improve the health and well-being of older adults and to empower them to lead meaningful and connected lives in which they are engaged and participating in the community.
Our Mission is to reimagine aging by empowering older adults to live life to the fullest potential guided by these five pillars:
• Cherish the Journey
• Encourage the Body
Recent events: Snowshoeing, Bingo, Valentines Pot Luck & Dance, Movie Night, Walking Groups, Theater groups
• Inspire the Mind
• Nurture the Spirit
• Empower the Future
Find us at
Winter Pride fests keep the party going year-round
Amid political backlash, a Winter Pride event in Florida emerges as a bold, off-season celebration of queer resilience and community
BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI
Theparty doesn’t have to stop when the last Pride float rolls away in late summer. From Florida’s winter paradise to New York’s frozen lakes, queer communities are claiming new territory on the calendar, creating Winter Pride celebrations that feel both rebellious and inevitable in the current political era.
Earlier this year, ST. PETERSBURG ’s inaugural Winter Pride flipped the script on Florida’s increasingly hostile political climate, delivering a full week of unapologetic queer joy in February — smack in the middle of snowbird season. More than 57,000 attendees showed up for everything from trans-led dance parties to street parades and a literal drag race, all while reclaiming space in a state where rainbow crosswalks have literally been erased. I attended many of the St. Pete Winter Pride events in February and can personally attest that it wasn’t just a celebration; in this current political era of queer erasure, it felt like a defiant, love-filled act of protest just by its mere existence.
In March, that same energy drifted north — on skis. ADIRONDACK WINTER PRIDE WEEKEND, a brand-new three-day celebration in LAKE PLACID, NEW YORK , spanned the iconic Olympic venues and charming alpine village. It
brought LGBTQ+ travelers and allies together for a weekend of winter sports, dancing, community — and, yes, après-ski vibes. Organizers invited the LGBTQ+ and ally community to what promised to be a “spectacular” time in the winter sports destination, home of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics.
Meanwhile, since 2018, OUT CENTRAL OREGON has hosted Winter PrideFest in BEND AND MT. BACHELOR, OREGON to celebrate inclusivity and the outdoors, offering a full weekend of fun and activities that take advantage of the winter weather. It has grown from 150 participants in 2018 to over 2,400 in 2025.
Winter Pride St. Pete
In 2026, WINTER PRIDE ST. PETE is returning from Feb. 15–22, with events, including the opening five-block street festival featuring trans author and activist DYLAN MULVANEY and the
elegant Pelican Ball with emcee NINA WEST, have already been announced.
For Rob Hall, executive director of St. Pete’s Winter Pride, the experience of putting on St. Pete’s first Pride event outside of the traditional summertime celebration was nothing short of transformative.
“I’ve never been more tired or more filled with joy by the end of something in my entire life,” Hall says, speaking recently from the zazoo’d store in downtown St. Pete, where much of Winter Pride’s planning happens. “It was such a unique experience, and to have the turnout and support we did, not just from the LGBTQ+ community but from the city of St. Petersburg, set a really strong foundation for what’s to come.”
Hall’s journey to this role is deeply personal. After coming out later in life — he had been married to a woman for 28 years — he moved from Ohio to St. Pete in 2022 and began volunteering for St. Pete Pride. From there, connections with people like David Fischer, owner of ZaZoo’d and a core member of the Winter Pride team, helped lay the groundwork for something new: a second Pride celebration during Florida’s winter season, when balmy weather draws in snowbirds from the north.
Now, Hall is preparing for what he says will be an even bigger celebration
in 2026, with over 100,000 attendees expected. It won’t just be a party but a protest wrapped in celebration, especially in an era of increasing political attacks against the LGBTQ+ community across Florida and the nation.
“Protests can come in many forms,” he says. “We choose to take the celebratory format. We want people to feel accepted and welcome, no matter who you are, no matter your background.”
That sense of safety and community was echoed by Evelyn Long, a 24-yearold member of the Winter Pride team who calls the experience of planning the event “a serious privilege.”
“At a time when people feel powerless, I have the privilege of having a sense of agency and making a difference,” Long says. “Winter Pride emphasizes the power of the queer community in our area — that we deserve to be visible and active members of the community year-round.”
Long recalls the Trans-n-Dance event, described as a “liberating dance for the trans community and their loved ones,” as a defining moment for her personally. She says the full Winter Pride team, which includes mostly cisgender members, intentionally engages the local trans community in designing the event to avoid falling into performative allyship.
“We didn’t want it to feel pandering or sterilized,” she says. “We wanted it to feel fun, vibrant, and authentically led by and for the trans community.”
Trans-n-Dance also left a mark on Fischer, “as an emotional and all-around great time,” he says.
The idea for Winter Pride took root following the popularity of St. Pete’s Pride celebration in June — and as a response to the notion that LGBTQ+ Pride should only be recognized during the summer. Many Floridians expressed interest in a Pride event during the cooler months, which, for Fischer, brought back memories of themed events in queer destinations like Provincetown, Key West, and Fire Island.
“There’s themed weeks that they have throughout the summer to keep people
interested in tourism there,” Fischer says. “I don’t think Pride is about just celebrating Pride and gay people one time a year.”
In Florida, Winter Pride stands as a bold reclaiming of space where something as simple as a rainbow crosswalk can spark controversy. These joyful symbols of inclusion have become battlegrounds, including the crosswalk near Pulse nightclub, long a memorial to the 49 victims killed there in 2016, which was recently painted over by city officials in accordance with a state order from Gov. DeSantis.
St. Pete hasn’t been spared either. At a recent news briefing, Mayor Kenneth Welch said he saw no legal path to saving the city’s own rainbow crosswalks, but promised they’d be replaced with “new, even more powerful expressions of who we are, expressions that cannot be erased.”
Still, Hall says Winter Pride continues to feel supported by city officials in St. Pete. “I’ve spoken with City Council members and the mayor’s chief of staff,” he says. “We’re cautiously optimistic — we know the political landscape is tricky, but we’ve received nothing but encouragement.”
Even if those rainbow crosswalks eventually fade, Hall is confident the community won’t. You can count on a chalk-wielding army ready to redraw them by hand. Because it’s never really been about paint on pavement — it’s about that first step onto Central Avenue and, for once, not having to brace yourself thanks to a welcoming community of queer people and allies alike. Hall knows that feeling well: air that’s easier to breathe, joy that doesn’t need permission. And through Winter Pride, he’s watched that same feeling settle over others, too.
“This work,” Hall says, “finally feels like what I was supposed to do my entire life.” Q
Chris Azzopardi is the editorial director of Pride Source Media Group and Q Syndicate. He has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Cher, Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey, and Beyoncé. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, GQ, and Billboard. Reach him via Twitter @chrisazzopardi.
Miles Heizer isn’t trying to play straight anymore — ‘BOOTS’ shows why that matters
The actor on how his lived queer experience helps tell a gay Marine’s story with rare authenticity
BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI
MilesHeizer isn’t one to pretend that stepping into a role completely unlike himself is always easy. The actor — known for projects like “13 Reasons Why,” “Parenthood” and “Love, Simon” — has often played straight young men navigating coming-of-age stories. “Sure, sure, I’ve tried,” he says with a laugh. Portraying straight characters isn’t exactly in his comfort zone: “I don’t think I’m the most convincing straight person.”
But with his latest role in Netflix’s Norman Lear-produced dramedy “Boots,” Heizer found himself in more familiar territory, resulting in his most personal work yet. He plays Cameron Cope, a closeted gay teenager who enlists in the Marines during the 1990s, a time when being out in the military wasn’t just dangerous — it was illegal. Heizer delivers a performance rich in lived experience, one that underscores the importance of authentic queer representation and makes a strong case for why LGBTQ+ actors are uniquely positioned to tell LGBTQ+ stories with the kind of depth and nuance that can’t be faked.
Based on Greg Cope White’s memoir “The Pink Marine,” the show blends humor, homoeroticism, and history to explore queer identity in an intensely masculine world. For Heizer, who describes the role as “extremely relatable,” the project offered a rare opportunity to bring his full self to the screen.
At the NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists convention in Atlanta in early September, Heizer joined White for a screening and panel that made clear how deeply personal this story is for them both. In a recent conversation, Heizer reflected on the emotional weight of that moment, the experience of making the show, and the power of authentic queer storytelling — especially in spaces where LGBTQ+ voices have historically been silenced.
During the NLGJA panel, it was so moving to witness Greg reflect on seeing his story told onscreen. What was it like for you to be in that room? Once again, it gave me even more reverence for the show and for Greg. It was so beautiful. To this day, Greg is like, “I’m so excited for you, and it must be so surreal for you,” and I’m like, “This must be extremely surreal for you.” Obviously, none of us would be here without Greg’s incredible memoir. I just love getting any time that I can with him. Fortunately, he was here, and it feels very right to spend the tail end of this [press tour] with him and [his friend] Dale, who Ray is based on in the show. What do moments like the one you shared with Greg that day say to you about the importance of telling queer stories? Growing up in the entertainment industry, I started at such a young age, and a huge part of growing up was centered around this fear of being a gay person. I knew I was gay immediately, basically. [Laughs.] Never questioned that one. So I had a lot of fear of just what that would look like for being
an actor in the entertainment industry. I had conversations with my representation as I got older about how to navigate that because, truly, not that long ago a lot of out actors sort of ruined their careers. Obviously, there are tons of gay actors who are in the closet, and I’m sure we’d be surprised to know, but I had just a lot of fear because that wasn’t something I was interested in doing, trying to be someone that I’m not. I just am who I am. I don’t think I’m the most convincing straight person [laughs].
And yet you’ve played straight characters. Sure, sure. I’ve tried. [Laughs.] So, for me, to be in a world where “Boots” exists and to even just have studios like Netflix and Sony behind it, actually putting money into it and care, is so wild. It really is something that’s only happened in the last five years. So to get to be a part of this is so special and exciting for me, and still a bit shocking.
I remember getting the audition and reading the pilot and being like, “I am so shocked that this is being made by Netflix,” just because it’s not that common that you see a military show where the central character and the way into the story is through this queer lens, and it’s obviously what excited me the most about the show. So, again, it’s just not wasted on me how wild it is that this is actually happening.
The show is premiering shortly after a renewed ban on trans people serving in the military. What message do you think “Boots” sends in this current political climate? When the show was just getting off the ground,
Greg Cope White, whose story “Boots” is based on, with actor Hiles Heizer
PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX
and even when we were making it, the political climate was very different. I don’t think anyone went into this intending to send a message about today’s society. It really was meant to be a period piece about a specific time in history. The show really is about all these different people having a secret they’re hiding, and I think it’s easy to enter that through Cameron’s point of view because his secret is illegal, so the stakes are very high. Having mutual respect for each other is the message of the show. That would hopefully be the message in today’s political climate — showing all these people as people, which is the truth. If you’re not harming people, I think that we can really come together and agree that, especially in the military, if someone is willing to make this sort of insane sacrifice to protect not just themselves, but literally everyone, to tell someone that they can’t do that because of this little thing about themselves that truly has no effect on anyone, doesn’t sit right with me. I honestly feel that the majority of people would agree with that, and so hopefully it opens up a conversation about that, given where we are now. You described parts of “Boots” as not just gay, but “so gay.” In that first episode alone, the homoeroticism is palpable. What I love about the show is that entering it through this queer lens allows you to point out the humorous things about it. The reason I would say “so gay” is because of the terminology that’s used — the things that they’re doing are inherently funny to gay people. There’s this conundrum of this hyper-masculine place with “putting your blouse on” and “mounting the bed,” and obviously the insane intimacy of showering together and all of these things that are so gay, but they’re in this world that’s quite the opposite. I love that it’s not necessarily super sexual or anything. But especially for gay people, we will clock it and see the absurdity of the whole thing. The thing that drew me to the show the most is we have these military shows and bootcamp shows or movies that sort of tend to focus on — and this is completely valid — the struggle and the intensity of that. Our show does that, but it also shows the lightness and the humor that can be found in a lot of it. It comes from Greg’s book. It’s like you read that, and he’s so witty and funny and has such a funny perspective on the whole thing, and I hope the show translates that.
What about Cameron came naturally to you as a queer person yourself, and what challenged the way that you think about your own queerness after playing him? I mean, sad answer, but virtually all of it was extremely relatable to me. I see actors interviewed and they’re like, “I want to do something that’s so different and so challenging,” and I’m like, I would rather do this. I am pulling from very personal experiences. I think for Cameron, he’s used to hiding himself and trying to blend in, as I think a lot of queer people do. We find things we’re good at, and we stick to that because we don’t want too many eyes on us. We don’t want people to see this thing that’s different about us. That was just so me growing up. Even around other boys, I had this fear that they were going to somehow be able to tell I was gay and therefore make fun of me or make me feel like I didn’t belong or imply that I made them uncomfortable, just with my presence as a gay person. I denied myself a lot of male friendships growing up because of that. Cameron lives very much in the same world that I did. And so being put into this place where he’s forced to not only be around a bunch of guys, but also forced to fail and draw attention when he doesn’t succeed at things, is what ultimately ends up allowing him to have all this self-discovery and find out that he can do a lot of stuff that he didn’t think, and he can gain respect and love from people that he didn’t think he could connect with. And ironically, I sort of had that same experience going into this. I was a little nervous. I’ve never done a show that’s all boys, especially a show that’s about a world that’s very masculine. It’s the military, it’s boot camp. So I was a little nervous — like, what is this going to be like as a gay person entering this? And I truly had the exact same experience as Cameron, where it’s like we pretty quickly were like, all right, we’re all in the same place. We have to spend all day together. We have the same goal, which is to do this show, and very quickly we are so there for each other because it was tough. It’s like 150 degrees outside, and we’re exercising, and inevitably, people are having a tough day or don’t feel like they have the energy to do stuff, and we all were there to help each other and uplift each other, and it really did mirror the show. By the end, I was so bonded to these people, and on paper, I would never think that I would be able to connect as strongly as I did with some of the boys.
Does it make you feel like you might’ve missed out on some relationships with straight men when you were younger? I’m sure that I did. Genuinely not a single one. All girls.
What would you tell a closeted teen who might be watching this show, and what do you hope they take away from “Boots”? I know it’s very complicated a lot of times because we don’t feel like coming out is safe. I know for some of us, there’s legitimate safety concerns. My forever advice would be to try and find someone or some type of community that you can open up to, because when you’re able to find people that love and uplift you, it’s so life-changing in a way you can’t really imagine. It’s just being able to breathe and be yourself. Even if you’re not comfortable coming out to the world, just having a small group or even one person will really open up your world in ways you can’t imagine. I think Cameron has that with Ray, and I certainly had that as I was growing up. I grew up in a very conservative family, very nervous about how I would be perceived by them, and I think finding these people that loved me no matter what allowed me the strength to approach coming out in my own way as I felt comfortable. And I hope that the show sends that message as well. And also just that you might be surprised by the people that you’re able to connect with.
If “Boots” gets a second season, how do you hope Cameron’s story evolves? Cameron’s arc is really centered around this character of Sergeant Sullivan that he sort of looks up to and idolizes. By the end, he starts to realize that this person is actually the exact example of what not to do, and who he doesn’t want to be. Then he’s given this alternative, which is to leave, but that alternative means just going back to his family who wasn’t there for him and didn’t uplift him. So he’s left in this weird middle ground of having to carve out a new path. I would just love to explore that and see where that takes him. And I would like to see a little romance for Cameron. It just does not pan out for him in the first season, and I think he deserves a little something. Q
Chris Azzopardi is the editorial director of Pride Source Media Group and Q Syndicate. He has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Cher, Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey, and Beyoncé. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, GQ, and Billboard. Reach him via Twitter @chrisazzopardi.
Thethe perils of petunia pap smear
The tale of The Hills are Alive
BY ETUNIA PAP SMEAR
road to solving a problem like Maria is fraught with danger and excitement.
This year is the sixtieth anniversary of the release of The Sound of Music movie. In celebration, Fathom Events sponsored the film, newly digitally restored and remastered at local cinemas. Originally, the movie came out when I was just a small child, and since I lived in an Idaho potato field, I did not have the opportunity to see it on the big screen. So, I was very excited to view this grand cultural touchstone in person on the big screen. I looked up online where the movie would be playing and learned that the showing at Jordon Commons in Sandy, the same theater where I saw Wicked, would be most convenient for me. I thought, great, I found the seats there to be very comfortable and the amenities of this theater to be sufficient to supply my queenly needs.
After purchasing my tickets online, I made careful plans for my movie outing. It just so happened that the Golden Coral buffet in Midvale, which is located about halfway between Chateau Pap Smear and Jordon Commons, had just completed a redecoration project. If I have learned anything in my years and years of going to buffets, the one eternal truth about buffets is that you go where the new carpet is. So, I arranged with some friends to meet at the Golden Corral for a pre-movie meal. I gave plenty of prior notice to Mr. Pap Smear, informing him that he would need to escort me to the theater, where we would meet up with several other friends to revel in the music. I picked out a comfortable movie-watching caftan and a shorter beehive wig so as not to obscure the vision of those sitting behind me. I even scheduled us to leave the house early to avoid any last-minute mishaps. With a sense of nostalgia and excitement, I set out, determined not to miss a single note from this iconic film. After checking the showtimes and securing my ticket, the anticipation
built as I remembered the iconic songs and breathtaking scenery from the film, and I found myself humming “Do-Re-Mi” as I prepared to leave.
We arrived at Golden Corral and scored a very nice ‘princess parking’ space in the handicap section. This seemed like a good omen for a successful night. We were mildly disappointed that only the carpet was new at the buffet; the food was all just the same.
We arrived at Jordon Commons with oodles of time to spare. Oh joy! There will be plenty of time for me to stock up on popcorn and snacks. I thought this was going to be perfect. As I approached the theater, a sense of nostalgia mingled with excitement, knowing I would finally experience this classic on the big screen, just as audiences did sixty years ago. We casually entered the theater and presented our tickets to the attendant.
Despite my best efforts to plan every detail, the evening took an unexpected turn. Something was amiss. Our tickets did not register on the attendant’s ticket reader. A quick inquiry at the box office confirmed my fears: we were at the wrong theater. In my eagerness, I had confused the locations, and our screening was actually at the Jordan Landing theater across town. Why, oh dear God, why are there so many theaters with the name Jordan?
Determined not to let this mishap ruin the night, and with adrenaline propelling us forward, our entire entourage rushed back to the cars. As panic set in, I frantically checked my phone for directions, hoping that perhaps the showtimes overlapped and we could make it across town in time. Mr. Pap Smear, ever used to rescuing me from my usual folly, aggressively drove Queertanic through the streets as I yelled out the turn-by-turn instructions from Google Maps, hoping to make it before the opening credits rolled. We arrived breathless and just in time to hear the familiar strains of “How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria” — or, as the nuns sang with a wink, “How Do You
Solve a Problem Like Petunia.” But in our haste, we were unable to stop at the concession stand and procure my requisite large popcorn and Diet Mountain Dew.
We entered the auditorium and our friends, who were already seated, frantically waved us to our seats. Breathlessly, they whispered the question, “Where have you been? We thought you might have stood us up.” Somewhat deflated but still determined to enjoy the evening, I settled into my seat with a sigh, comforted by the fact that I had only missed half of Julie Andrews singing The Hills are Alive. Even without my beloved snacks, the magic of the movie quickly swept me away, and I found myself completely immersed in the timeless melodies and heartwarming story. As the familiar scenes unfolded, with my personal behaviors being securely entrenched, I realized that I had inadvertently begun reaching into the popcorn bucket of my neighbor. Thus, I had to send the poor long-suffering Mr. Pap Smear back out to the lobby to get me my essential movie snacks.
This story leaves us with several important questions:
1. Just how many ‘Jordon’ Theaters are there?
2. Why didn’t the new carpet at Golden Corral make the food taste better?
3. How DO you solve a problem like Petunia?
4. Should I consider changing my name to Petunia Von Trap and becoming a governess?
5. With “Trap” in my name, might that frighten the children?
6. When the Von Traps sang, “Climb every mountain”, were they referring to my breasticles?
7. If finding out that I can do without a Diet Mountain Dew now and then, the most important question of all?
These and other eternal questions will be answered in future chapters of The Perils of Petunia Pap Smear. Q
