Good morning/afternoon/evening to you. (Maybe even “What are you still doing up?!”)
It’s a pretty big deal that out actress Amandla Stenberg is starring in the new film “Everything, Everything,” especially because we so rarely see young black girls leading mainstream movies (much less queer ones!) The actress told EW that she wants to use her platform to make her inclusive, queer, feminist politics more accessible. “I’m always thinking about the best way to apply my activism to the world,” she said, “and how to get it out there in a way that’s not intrusive and that doesn’t target certain people and make them feel like they aren’t able to be a part of the conversation.” The kids are all right!
The grown son of a gay dad and lesbian mom shares his experiences in what is still seen as an unconventional upbringing. He confirms that even though there are jerks who think this is worth mocking him for, it was actually a huge blessing: “I was surrounded by love, support and happiness the whole time. It just happened to come from four parents, not two, and I think that’s cause for celebration.” Seriously, I know I’m biased, but I feel like children of LGBTQ parents are the luckiest.
Case in point: The lesbian couple who went missing in Turkey have been found and are safe in Spain! You may recall Maria Jimena Rico Montero and Shaza Ismail were allegedly tricked by Shaza’s father to come to Dubai where he alerted authorities of their homosexuality in hopes they would be punished. Shaza’s father took their passports from them so they were detained in Turkey. No word on when they will return to London, but Maria’s sister met them at the airport and at least they’re with some caring family members now.
The United Methodist Church ruled that out Bishop Karen Oliveto must go through an additional disciplinary review before she can permanently stay in the position that she was elected to by, you know, PEOPLE WHO WANT HER THERE.
If you saw the story of two Chinese “lesbian billionaires” getting married and becoming the richest couple in the world, I’m sad to say it’s just not true. A fan of Meng Mei Qi and Wu Xuan Yi (members of the K-pop group Cosmic Girls) tweeted the false story and the internet ran with it, because that’s how badly we want it to be true.
[BREAKING] Lesbian Chinese Billionaires, Meng Mei Qi and Wu Xuan Yi, marry. Making them the richest couple alive. pic.twitter.com/IEoMunC6s4
— abby (@merrymeiqi) April 26, 2017
Congrats to all of the shows with lesbians who won Daytime Emmys: “Good Morning America” (Outstanding Morning Program), “The Talk” (Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Hosts) and “The Ellen Show” (Oustanding Entertainment Talk Show).
Speaking of Sara Gilbert (creator and star of “The Talk,” obvs), “Roseanne” is getting a reboot, and Darlene should be gay. That’s a fact. No shade to David, but I feel like Johnny Galecki is doing just fine on “The Big Bang Theory.”
Julia Roberts supports LGBTQ students because she’s a goddess and so much more than a pretty woman. She released a statement in support of Miguel Johnson, a trans teen and GLSEN student ambassador in St. Joseph, Mo. who Roberts first met at the GLSEN Respect Awards in 2016. “As a parent, I want all students to feel safe and protected at school,” she told People, who also just named her the world’s Most Beautiful, “and I stand with Miguel and trans students across the country. You are loved.” Julia Roberts, YOU ARE LOVED.
Out actress Heather Matarazzo is not here for “Below Her Mouth.” She doesn’t appreciate the storyline (surmised from the trailer) of a “straight girl who is pursued by the androgynous/ tomboyish girl, who won’t take no for an answer.” I see her point, but should she watch the film, though, she’ll find that the “straight” girl definitely has her own agency in the situation. She’s engaged (yes, to a man) so she isn’t interested in stepping out on that relationship at first, but she can’t resist Erika Linder. Have we seen it before? Yes. But is it predatory? I wouldn’t say so. There’s a mutual attraction the two women share, which, like most will-they-won’t-they scenarios on screen, has a little bit of a cat and mouse game being played. Would it have been more interesting and new for the “straight” woman to do the initial pursuing, though? I’ll give you that, Heather Matarazzo!
Big cities have been blessed with large-scale LGBTQ film festivals for years now, but it’s time that smaller regions get some of the action. Queer rural film fests are bringing some much-needed opportunities for community gathering in parts of the country where gay bars are few and far between. Plus, it gives queer women a chance to meet other cool babes from neighboring counties.
Season 5 of “Orange is the New Black” has been leaked by someone who demanded ransom money from Netflix. NO SPOILERS, PLEASE.
Laverne Cox delivered a bomb speech at the WE Day event in Los Angeles on Thursday, sharing the powerful message that her visibility as a trans woman is not only cool with her, but worth celebrating. “”It took me many years to accept, to fully internalize, that if someone can look at me and tell I’m trans, that’s not only okay—that’s beautiful, because trans is beautiful,” she said. “I am not beautiful despite my big hands, my big feet, my wide shoulders, my height, my deep voice and all the things that make me beautifully and noticeably trans. I am beautiful because of those things.” Not just beautiful, Ms. Cox, STUNNING.
Related: A few years ago, Cynthia Nixon angered some of the LGBTQ community when she refused to label herself bisexual despite having relationships with both men and women. She clarified that stance in a new interview with Sirius XM. “I didn’t really identify as bisexual,” she said, “but people were so insistent that I pick a ― you know, it caused a huge controversy and everyone wanted to graft on to me this narrative ― [that] I felt that I had just simply been mistaken about myself for all these years and finally the veil was lifted and I was a lesbian. And that was not true.” Some people are resistant to labels; Cynthia Nixon is one of them.
Frida Kahlo might never have used the label for herself, but she’s still celebrated for her bisexuality, like in this WBUR piece about her continued importance to Mexico. “She’s very important for the LGBT community all over the world, because Frida Kahlo was bisexual, and when she was alive, bisexual women mostly concealed that condition, and they did not practice bisexuality openly. And Frida did so,” said Ximena Jordan of the Anahuacalli Museum in Mexico City. “She did not feel ashamed of that. On the contrary, she felt that it was her. Also for the feminist community, she’s important. Frida Kahlo did not join any feminist movement, but interestingly, current feminist groups want her as a symbol, as an icon.” Never forget:
I’ll leave you with a motivational meme for the rest of your Monday.
