Queer Arts & Entertainment

Queer Longing Wins In Berlin, Zaya Wade Becomes Cover Star, And Doechii Serves In New Song

February 25, 2025 Abbie Thompson

Here’s everything that went down in queer entertainment over the weekend.

Queerness Wins At Berlin International Film Festival

The Berlin International Film Festival concluded on Saturday, February 23, by handing out its top prize, the Golden Bear, to Norwegian queer coming-of-age film Drømmer (Dreams). 

Drømmer (Dreams), the third installment in director Dag Johan Haugerud’s Sex/Love/Dreams trilogy, tells the story of 17-year-old Johanne as she falls in love with her female teacher. When her feelings become unavoidable, she pours her heart out in the form of a memoir that is later found by her mother and grandmother. The women are shocked by the young girl’s intense crush and her literary power. Johanne’s feelings cause all three women to look into their own understandings of love, longing, and the intensity of first-time crushes. 

The trailer offers a glimpse into the queer coming-of-age story which seems to be chock full of the appropriate amount of longing stares and dramatic confessions. “It felt like throwing myself from a cliff. I would either be saved, and everything would be fine. Or my entire life would end,” the lead character says via voiceover. While the intensity of this crush might feel foreign for some audiences, I have a feeling queer women all remember the life-altering rush of their first queer crush. While the film already completed its theater run in Norway, one can only hope that it will make its way to theaters in the US soon. 

The film festival also handed its top male acting prize to out actor Andrew Scott for his performance as Broadway composer Richard Rogers in the new film Blue Moon. Needless to say, queer cinema is taking over. 

Related: Chappell Goes Country, Gaga is Cryptic, and Clairo Gets Gay

Zaya Wade Stuns On The Cover Of Seventeen

In the midst of constant national conversations about transgender children, Zaya Wade, the trans daughter of Dwayne Wade, defiantly appeared on the cover of Seventeen to discuss her life as a young trans woman. 


Wade, who came out as trans in 2020, has made waves in the modeling industry, has become a young queer icon, and even recently co-founded Translatable, an online platform for LGBTQ+ youth to express themselves. In the honest interview, Wade opened up about her life as a trans teen in the current political climate. “As a trans person—and a relatively newly out one—I have a new level of energy for disenfranchised communities like my own,” she said.

Throughout the interview, Wade shared stories from her life as a student and as a child of famous parents. Just like every other teenager, Wade admitted she is constantly embarrassed by her parents’ posts on social media, but ultimately appreciates their vocal support, particularly her father’s. “Especially as an African American male, to be so openly and outwardly accepting. Because honestly, him being raised in a traditional Black household in Chicago…the culture there isn’t very queer-friendly. I hope that it will continue to inspire people to allow themselves to learn and understand queerness before bashing it,” Wade said. 

Despite the odds mounting against trans people in the United States, Wade remains happy and proud of who she is. “I’ve never been happier than how I am on estrogen. I just feel so perfect,” she said. With her witty answers, undeniable strength, and ability to serve looks throughout the cover story, she has solidified herself as one of the only tolerable nepo babies currently on the scene. 

Doechii And JENNIE Release Female Anthem

“Gimme chi, gimme purr, gimme meow, gimme her, gimme funds, gimme rights, gimme fight, gimme nerve, gimme c**t, let me serve” are Doechii’s first lines in brand new song “ExtraL” with K Pop royalty Jennie. This hip-hop track, which features both women rapping, hypes up listeners as the duo repeatedly asks, “Do my ladies run this?”

Released alongside a sickening video, the song is a single from Jennie’s upcoming album Ruby. The video served up some wild visuals that played with the surreal (such as Doechii and Jennie standing on top of a bald man’s head for a good portion of the video). As always, Doechii’s face card did not decline and her verse on the track is undeniably the song’s best moment. It is always a joy to see two icons join to maximize their joint slay and, as they put it, continue “lappin’ the men” in the music industry. 

Chappell Roan Takes On New Jobs 

In the past few days, Chappell Roan has appeared on billboards and posters throughout the United States ahead of the release of her newest single “The Giver.” Following her billboard appearances as a lawyer, Roan has now appeared as a dentist and a plumber.

On small posters in Missouri, Roan donned dental scrubs and held a comically large toothbrush below the phrase, “Dental dams aren’t just for dentists!” In additional billboards in Chicago, Roan appeared as a plumber wearing a work belt with a plunger in hand next to huge text declaring, “Showing crack is back.”

Fans expect to see a few more billboards of Roan as a construction worker and a private investigator due to the voicemail message Roan shared with fans. While Roan continues to tease fans with this single rollout, she has still yet to announce any official release date. Chappell, please put down the side quest careers, we beg you to release the song.

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