_Heated Rivalry_ episode 4 introduced fans to Connors, another pro hockey player who rooms with fellow teammate Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) and is played by Harrison Browne. After dedicating his entire life to hockey, coming out as a trans man, and starting an acting career, Browne still struggled to land roles on hockey-themed movies and TV shows. However, let's just say that 2025 was a _game changer_ (pun intended) for Browne, who went on to write, direct, and star in his own short film, _Pink Light_ , and had his talents recognized by showrunner Jacob Tierney, who secured him a role on the hit TV show from Crave and HBO Max. Browne was an actual professional hockey player from 2015 to 2018 in the Premier Hockey Federation (formerly known as the National Women's Hockey League). Upon coming out to the public, Browne he became the "first openly transgender athlete in professional team sports in North America," which encapsulated every single sport (not just hockey), as reported by ___The New York Times_. In 2025, Browne published a non-fiction book with his sister, Rachel Browne, titled _Let Us Play: Winning the Battle for Gender Diverse Athletes_. He wrote, directed, and starred in his first-ever short film, _Pink Light_ , which premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. Now, he is reaching an even bigger audience as a _Heated Rivalry_ star. Over the course of our conversation, Browne tells _Out_ how he navigated each step within his coming-out story as a trans athlete, discusses his new short film _Pink Light_ , recalls his casting process on _Heated Rivalry_ , and teases a very exciting project currently in the works. Franco Lo Presti as Cliff Marleau, Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov, and Harrison Browne as Connors on ___Heated Rivalry_ season 1 episode 4.HBO Max/Crave Canada ** _Out_ : Many people were recently introduced to you through ___Heated Rivalry_. **How would you explain your coming-out story as a trans ma** n who still competed as a pro hockey player after disclosing that information?** Harrison Browne: I came out as the first out transgender athlete in professional team sports, That's the title that I would say it is. I played in the NWHL, which is now known as the PWHL, and I came out through an _ESPN_ article in 2016. However, since I was playing women's hockey, I was beholden to anti-doping protocols. So, at first, all I could do was to come out socially. I was really embraced by the league at that time. Hockey is my entire life, so it was really nice to just be able to be myself while playing the sport. **When did you start playing hockey?** I actually started at nine, which is kind of late for a Canadian. I was a soccer player, but one of my best friends growing up, her dad was in the NHL, and I wanted to do everything that she was doing. So I tried it, and I just fell in love with the speed element of it and like being in a different environment, being in this cold rink and being able to just skate faster than I could run. It was just this whole other world that I could be part of. I loved it. **You retired from professional hockey and started an acting career, which subsequently included honing in your skills as a writer and director. Your short film,_Pink Light_ , is amazing — and you're now on _Heated Rivalry_ , one of the biggest shows of 2025. What was it like, to pivot that way?** Yeah, it's not really the typical route that you see a lot of hockey players go to, right? [_Laughs_.] But I think it had a lot to do with my story and the media attention that I did receive. I was in some documentaries and had cameras following me around for about two years. I was also asked to do a lot of public speaking events. I was memorizing lines and doing all these things, but I had to retire because I wanted to physically transition. I couldn't live my life in this limbo anymore. However, when I did retire, I didn't know what to do with my life. I was losing my identity as an athlete who had played hockey for 16 years, day in and day out. Suddenly, I just had all of this free time. Nobody telling me what to do, which diet to follow, or even where to be. I was really stuck in figuring out what I wanted to do with my life. And then Scarlett Johansson almost played a trans man. Harrison Browne as Scott in ___Pink Light_.Toronto Film Festival **Oh!** When that happened, I saw an opportunity for a trans story to be told, but it got squashed. I didn't know any trans man, especially one who was an actor. Elliot Page hadn't come out at that time. I saw this gap in the market, I knew I was comfortable in front of the camera, and I knew I'm comfortable memorizing lines. So I just started to take acting classes. I didn't think I was going to be Scarlett Johansson-level of acting right off the bat, but I know what training is. I know what it takes to learn a skill and commit to something. So I just dove in and didn't look back. It's pretty crazy to think that _that_ little decision, and Scarlett Johansson, were these little sparks that shot it off. **That controversy happened around "the tipping point" — which was really epitomized, I think, with Laverne Cox on** _**Time**_**magazine. We had many exciting and queer-inclusive shows like _Orange Is the New Black_ , and _Pose_, and the excellent documentary _Disclosure_ also came out around that time on ****Netflix****. Going into showbiz, did you know that it was — unfortunately — going to be an even bigger challenge for a trans male actor to get cast and break through?** Growing up, I can point to _Boys Don't Cry_ as the only thing I saw that seemed like it represented a future for me... and that was really bleak. I wanted to challenge the entertainment industry. We need three-dimensional trans representation, and having them in stories that aren't just about transitioning, too. Stories that show an adult who's past that point in their life. There's so much more than just the transition aspect of it. I just really wanted to create that for myself. For somebody, looking in, who needed to see it at a younger age. # > RELATED: Trace Lysette's p ____erformance in _Monica_ was breathtaking — and absolutely deserved an Oscar I knew that there wasn't a lot of trans masculine representation; there was a big gap in that. But I didn't see it as a challenge, I saw it as an opportunity, because I saw firsthand how much my representation in sports meant to people who were looking in. I get messages on social media all the time from parents concerned about their child, and even young adults who are still struggling. The messages are usually like, "Seeing you be yourself really helped me." **Athletes have always told me about all of these grateful, and sweet, or intense messages they get from fans. It also seems like this comes from all kinds of senders: Young folks who feel seen, or a kid's parents, or even young adults. Representing the LGBTQ+ community in sports feels even more intense than most other public-facing careers. How do you navigate those messages that, while important, and sweet, can also be pretty heavy, and heartbreaking?** It can be very heavy. Especially after the recent election and what's going on in the States, it's been tough to stay positive and to protect your mental health in that space. I feel a lot of empathy towards kids that are being barred from playing sports, and who are being barred from medical care, and parents that have to deal with this... just so much hate and negative rhetoric that's happening around trans individuals. What hurts me the most is thinking about kids who won't be able to play sports, because I then think about how much sports meant to me. Sports saved my life. It was a space that I could identify as an athlete. It was a space that I didn't have to "be a woman," or have to identify as a man, or anything like that. It was just a gender-neutral space that I could be free with my friends, and make memories, and build confidence. I don't know where I would be without that. It's hard for me to hear from young people like, "I don't know what to do," because I felt pretty helpless in some spaces, too. But I always try to respond to as many [messages] as I can, and speak on my own perspective, and just send messages of support and hope. That's all we can really do right now. Harrison Browne as Scott in _Pink Light_.Toronto Film Festival Ultimately, I wanted to do something about what's happening in the States: This conversation around trans athletes in particular. So I teamed up with my sister to write a book called _Let Us Play: Winning the Battle for Gender Diverse Athletes_. It explores things we can tangibly do, like debunk myths, interrogate what's happening in the media, show facts, stats, and really fight for this community. Also, accepting what I _can't_ do in this moment has helped me a lot, because I felt really helpless at times. I didn't know how to fix things, or make things better, for people. Doing that within my own circle... I found a lot of comfort in that. I know that it's been helpful for youth and parents who have read the book, too. **Many gay athletes have struggled with"locker-room talk" over the years, with the broad understanding of that term is connected to cis straight men boasting about themselves and speaking negatively about women. Was there, perhaps, a different version of that in your league? Did you feel comfortable coming out as a trans man to your teammates?** Women's hockey, in particular, has been such a safe space for me. I can only speak to my own experiences within locker rooms, but have look in on the PWHL right now… Players date each other. Players have short hair. Players really go out of the gender binary, and really fight for themselves to be able to express themselves in the way that they want to be. They don't even need to identify in the LGBTQ+ community — just a strong woman who wants to be muscular and wants to break down these ideas of what masculinity means, or what femininity means. Within women's hockey locker rooms, I think most people can understand what discrimination is. Most people can understand what it's like to be judged based on who you are, and what you're capable of doing, and being put into boxes means. For me, most of our dressing rooms were like 50 percent gay, 50 percent straight. I didn't know many trans athletes growing up, and I didn't encounter any out transgender individuals while I was playing, but I knew that most people in the league understood the LGBTQ+ community. Harrison Browne as Scott in _Pink Light_.Toronto Film Festival And, with hockey, we're all called our last names, or nicknames, anyway. I didn't have to deal with "my birth name that I wasn't really connected with." I could just be Brownie within those spaces, 'cause my last name is Browne, and Brownie was my nickname. I just told them one day, "Hey, I'm still the same Brownie, but can you use he/him pronouns?" And everybody was like, "Yeah, absolutely." Mistakes occasionally happen because it _is_ a gendered space. So there's a lot of "let's go girls" and "let's go ladies." But that's okay, it happens. You don't want people to walk around on eggshells. My teammates and coaches in the [formerly named] NWHL always wanted to make sure that I was feeling the most included that I could possibly be. I didn't have many negative experiences through coming out, and I wasn't worried about coming out in that environment. **At this point in time, I think many straight, cis people can understand the concept of queer people having to come out several times, at different points — there are relatives and personal friends, there are peers and colleagues, and eventually you might come out to the public. If you're comfortable discussing it, how did that timeline look for you?** So I came out publicly in 2016, when I was playing the NWHL. But I had come out in college, already, I think either my sophomore or junior year. I was probably 20 years old when I came out to my teammates at that time. I was always known in the women's hockey world as "the trans man playing on the team," it just wasn't public knowledge at that point. But I did come out four years prior to coming out publicly [as a professional athlete]. > See on Instagram Over the years, I did have moments of deep fear. Like, "How are people going to accept me for being a man when I don't look like one, or when I don't sound like one?" But I always had the support of at least one or two of my teammates that I could disclose things and could really feel comforted. First comforted by them, and then when coming out on a larger scale. It wasn't just like, "Here I am!" [_Laughs_.] It took a while to feel comfortable in my own skin and even accept myself. But yeah, I am very fortunate to have had the reception that I had. **_Pink Light_ is a very cool short film that you wrote, directed, and starred in. The project centers a former pro hockey player who "time travels back to his per-transitioned self, when he was waiting for life to begin" (via Mubi). What inspired you to make _Pink Light_ , and how did the actual short film come about?** It really came from feeling a bit frustrated at the types of trans characters that I was auditioning for, and not feeling like I was getting the opportunities that I wanted to tell a really deep trans story. So I was like, "Well, I gotta create this myself." Then, when it came down to writing it and directing it, I started to really fall in love with that process. The process of directing, in particular, I didn't realize that I would really enjoy. Acting is really subjective. And that, to me, is sometimes elusive. To be like, "What are we doing in this space?" That amount of control is not there, for the most part. But directing is this space where I actually felt like I was playing hockey. I don't know how to explain it! [_Laughs_.] But I had this control, and these teammates that I was able to work with, and we all had different roles that we were playing; different things that we had to achieve. The person who played the younger version of me, CJ Jackson, is this really popular player in the PWHL, and an amazing actor, too. _Pink Light_ was their first time acting. And CJ also related to it feeling a hockey game. I was like, "I know." Both of us had that similar kind of feel. > See on Instagram **I've always loved those abstract conclusions, and observations, and conversations that we can have between collaborators in a creative process. And finding common ground is exciting, but I even love to just hear someone trying to make sense of things and explain something that they haven't figured out yet. Feeling vulnerable about something and still wanting to figure it out with other people is magical, but we keep getting fewer chances to do that with one another. I think that's why we need the specificity of things to be explored in a project like _Pink Light_. ** I really wanted to create something that I wish I had seen when I was younger. People don't know what it is like... Dealing with this stuff A lot of people have been talking about trans athletes. And I was like, "You don't understand what being trans, and being an athlete, and having to have these juxtaposing identities, feels like." I wanted to give a voice to this community that's being talked about _ad nauseam_ right now, and create something that I really needed to see when I was struggling with sticking with my sport and accepting myself. **Hearing you say that reminds me ofElliot Page who also went in the direction of producing, and directing, after finishing his run on _The Umbrella Academy_. He was clearly very grateful for the show immediately changing things up to honor, and celebrate, and reflect his coming out as trans. But once that wrapped, I think we all identified he had this new curiosity to pursue his own stories.** Yeah, I think there's a really big power in taking back the narrative, and taking back storytelling, for your own community — especially when lots of people have been doing it for us. Why are we letting people tell our stories when we are more than capable of doing it? This has been a really empowering experience for me. > **RELATED:****There are no out NHL players. Could Heated Rivalry change that?** I'm in the process of developing a feature and we just got funding for a portion of it. It has empowered me to feel, especially as an actor, to not feel like I have to wait for something. It's really been life-changing. **And that feature is the longer version of the _Pink Light_ short, right?** Yes! So we premiered at TIFF in September, which was really amazing. We had a couple of production companies asking, like, "What's next? We want more from this." And most of the audience, even, was like, "We want more. There's 10 minutes; it's too short." So, yes, the feature is a continuation of it that lives more in the past version. We dig deeper into college hockey, and the NCAA hockey, and being a trans athlete, and figuring out how you navigate those spaces while really celebrating the queer community within women's hockey as well. Franco Lo Presti as Cliff Marleau and Harrison Browne as Connors on _Heated Rivalry_ season 1 episode 4.HBO Max/Crave Canada **Let's talk _Heated Rivalry_. Given your legacy in professional hockey, and your pursuit of an acting career, did producers approach you to be in it? Did you audition?** I just auditioned. Obviously, being a hockey player, that's one of my niches. Anytime that there's a hockey movie or hockey TV show, I'm usually seen for it. But this is the first time that I've ever landed one. And to play an NHLer — or MHLer, 'cause they renamed the league — has been an amazing experience for me to not feel imposter syndrome. It's been so interesting for me to feel that way through acting. I think everybody can relate to the physical nature and the optics of what acting is. And so, myself, I'm 5'4". I am not a large person. I'm muscular, I'm fit, and I know how to play hockey, but I don't necessarily _read_ as a hockey player to somebody watching a TV show. They're like, "Oh that guy's too short," or whatever. I've felt a lot of imposter syndrome, going out for these roles, and the breakdowns are like 6'3", really large, big stature. I'm not that. I really tried to think what the casting directors would want to see out of a male hockey player, and I tried to conform myself to their idea of that character. _Heated Rivalry_ was one of the first times when I just showed up as myself. There are many short men in the NHL. There's Martin St. Louis. There's Nathan Gerbe, who used to play. **I'm not an authority on hockey, but that stature sounds wild. I mean, this isn't basketball.** Right! And it's even skewing more to smaller players now that there's not as much physicality. So I just took that out of the narrative and decided to just be myself. I have a large breadth of hockey experience that I think can be really good for a television show with this nature. I auditioned for a character, and I didn't land that character. But Jacob Tierney [___Heated Rivalry_ showrunner] reached out to my agents and said, "I want to offer him this other character." I was just like, "Absolutely, that sounds amazing." To be included in that, and to just hear, hands-down, like, "We got you because you're a good actor and you're an amazing hockey player. Not because you're trans." That was a really affirming experience for me. Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov; Harrison Browne as Connors on _Heated Rivalry_ season 1 episode 4.HBO Max/Crave Canada **I love Jacob Tierney's approach to the casting process of _Heated Rivalry_ as going beyond the just "checking of boxes." But between writing a book, starting a brand-new career in acting, and going on to direct your first short film (_Pink Light_) — all projects created by you, a history-making Canadian trans athlete, and created _for_ other people in the LGBTQ+ community — it's just very exciting to see you included on the show, which is super popular, and queer, and has a gay showrunner, and has queer love story at the center. An out trans man who made history as a professional hockey athlete, and who is now an actor, director, and writer himself, is included on this show. I know it's not the sole reason, but it also just feels so meaningful.** Yeah, the representation for that, for people who know my story and are looking in, it will be pretty amazing. And to have the show picked up by HBO Max. It's getting so much attention. To be part of it is a true honor. Jacob really just ran an amazing set. Him casting me… I'm really happy to be part of this. I have a lot of respect for him. **Even the supporting actors are standing out so much on this show. It's gotten so big. What is your reaction to this response that the show is getting?** It's amazing. I am really blown away by it, and I think it's a crucial story right now, too. The conversation around LGBTQ+ representation on the men's side is in a big reckoning right now with the banning of Pride Tape, and what's happened in Pride Night games, so this is a really great story to spark even more conversations. Also, it's really nice to see hockey be "sexy," you know? Hockey is an amazing sport that I think deserves way more attention. The response to _Heated Rivalry_ gives me a lot of hope. There's an audience for my stories, and the things that I want to tell. And that's epic. **_Heated Rivalry_ season 1 is streaming weekly new episodes every Friday on ****HBO Max****.**

Jordan Firstman admitted he put his foot in his mouth regarding his critique of gay sex in _Heated Rivalry_. Earlier this week, the _I Love LA_ star slammed the popular queer hockey romance as being inauthentic. "I’m sorry, I watched those first two episodes of _Heated Rivalry_ , and it’s just not gay. It’s not how gay people fuck. There’s so few things that actually show gay sex," the actor told _Vulture_. As comparison, Firstman said a “straight guy could not write" the gay sex scenes in his own HBO Max show starring Rachel Sennott — even though _Heated Rivalry_ 's creator, Jacob Tierney, is gay. Firstman's remarks prompted some backlash online, including from _Heated Rivalry_ star François Arnaud, who clapped back at the critique Friday in an Instagram comment. "Is there only one way to have 'authentic' gay sex on TV?" Arnaud asked. "Should the sex that closeted hockey players have look like the sex that sceney LA gay guys have?" On Saturday, Firstman expressed penance for his remarks in an Instagram Story. "I love _Heated Rivalry_ and ultimately I'm a f*ggot who can't shut the fuck up but I'm gunna get better at that," he wrote. Criticism aside, fans can't get enough of _Heated Rivalry_ , which is now a top-streamed show on HBO Max and has broken records for its original Canadian platform Crave. The show was just renewed for a second season.

### What was your favorite queer song of 2025? The _Out_ team has been listening to the best queer music all year, and now, after announcing our favorite queer albums of the last 12 months, we're back to tell you our favorite queer songs! Last year, we counted songs from Tyler, the Creator, Doechii, Billie Eilish, and Chappell Roan as our favorites. Find out how many of those artists made this year's list below! ### 'Abracadabra' - Lady Gaga When the music video for this standout track from Gaga's latest album, _Mayhem_ , had its surprise premiere during a commercial break during the 2025 Grammy Awards, the world stopped. The beat, the hook, the choreography... this is peak Gaga. Once again, she proved why she's the most creative pop star in the world. _- Mey Rude_ ### 'Crank' - Slayyter There are songs that you hear the teaser of for the first time, and your body has a carnal desire to hear the whole thing. That was my reaction when I first heard “CRANK” by Slayyyter. This track is an explosion of synths, a throbbing bass, and Slayyyter’s indelible way with words. I was already excited about her upcoming third album, but after this song, “CANNIBALISM!,” and “BEAT UP CHANEL$,” I’m exponentially more excited about her new project. _- Moises Mendez II_ ### 'Gnarly' - Katseye With out members Lara Raj and Megan, Katseye is one of our favorite young bands. The K-Pop-inspired global girl group exploded onto the pop charts and fans' hearts with the endlessly catchy, reference-heavy, dance-pop anthem "Gnarly." The music video also features some of the hottest choreography of the year, making us love the song even more. _- MR_ ### 'Folded' - Kehlani Kehlani hasn’t found the mainstream success she’s deserved for years until the release of her song “Folded” earlier this year. The immensely talented R&B singer finally got their first top 10 single with this slinky, nostalgia-nodding tune about hoping to rekindle a romance that seems to have ended poorly. Her vocal delivery and the song’s production is reminiscent of the early 2000s crooners that stole our hearts years ago and upgraded the sound for a modern audience. _- MM_ ### 'Cuntology 101' - Lambrini Girls Launching from zero to a million in one second, "Cuntology 101" is the punk rock response to the previously mentioned "Gnarly." British political punk band Lambrini Girls kick up the energy and the attitude in this blazing track that celebrates being yourself, feeling comfortable, being a slut, and neurodivergence. There's no other way to say it: This song is cunty. _- MR_ ### 'Polo' - Kim Petras It's a new day for Grammy-winning pop star Kim Petras! The German-born singer released several new tracks this year that indicate an exciting new era of revelation. Petras has never sounded better than on tracks like "I Like Ur Look" and the technotronic, cyberpunk-sexy "Polo." Working with trans producer Margo XS, Petras is becoming an icon of the digital age. _- MR_ ### 'The Subway' - Chappell Roan Ever since Chappell Roan first performed “The Subway” at _New York’s Governor’s Ball_ in June 2024, her fans have been begging her to release the song as a single. She released “Good Luck Babe” and “The Giver” as singles following her massive year in the spotlight, closing out this star-making era with this hauntingly beautiful track about not being able to get over a love lost and the pain of trying to move on. Now that she’s in a new relationship that she’s kept quiet about, maybe the song could be about her mourning her old life, before the fame, the grueling touring schedules, and the social media fodder. _- MM_ ### 'Berghain' - Rosalía ft. Bjork and Yves Tumor Rosalía's latest album, _LUX_ , is a symphony of sounds (literally) and features the singer singing in 14 languages across a wide range of musical genres. Never is the epic scope of the album more apparent than on the sprawling track "Berghain," where Swedish singer Björk and experimental artist Yves Tumor join her on the song, which begins with a symphony and choir before Rosalía begins singing in an operatic style. The song transforms when Björk's otherworldly refrain of "the only way to save us is through divine intervention" comes in, and once again when Yves Tumor's haunting voice comes in, adding, "I'll fuck you till you love me." _- MR_ ### 'Kiss' - Demi Lovato Demi Lovato has done it all. She’s conquered genres from rock music to pop to Latin, but now she wants to take her fans with her to the club. The lead single off her latest album, __It’s Not That Deep__ , “Fast” was the perfect teaser for what’s to come. While promoting that single, she stopped by a party where she played “Kiss” for the first time, and it was captured in a _mesmerizing_ _28-second clip_. It was the perfect marketing tactic for this new era, showing that the perfect place to listen to this song (and her new album) is in the club. _- MM_ ### 'Lemonade' - Maren Morris Maren Morris is sweeter than ever on her latest album, but that doesn't mean she doesn't also have a bigger bite. In the song "Lemonade," she lets go of all her unneeded baggage, declaring, "You're a waste of lemons, a waste of limes / You're a waste of my present, a waste of my prime." With clever lyrics and a soothing melody, this is an empowering anthem for fed-up people everywhere. _- MR_ ### 'Hotbox' - Lil Nas X Lil Nas X has had a tumultuous year, but before things took a turn, he put out an album called __Dreamboy__. The out rapper released the lead single “Light Again in November 2024,” but the single that really stole the show was “Hotbox.” The song samples Pharrell and Jay-Z’s song “Frontin,” and he just slides all over this beat with his usual impressive rapping skills and charisma. _- MM_ ### 'Nosebleeds' - Doechii In Doechii’s song “Nosebleeds,” the music cuts away, and you hear her say, “Everybody wants to know what Doechii would do if she didn’t win, I guess we’ll never know],” which is a nod to Kanye West’s Grammy acceptance speech after he won for __College Dropout__. This surprise release was put out after [this year’s Grammy Awards, where she became the third woman ever to win in the Best Rap Category for her mixtape, __Alligator Bites Never Heal__. It’s a propulsive track backed by a menacing beat, threatening her haters to never doubt her because if they do, they’ll feel her wrath. _- MM_ ### 'Vodka Cranberry' - Conan Gray In a world of bland male popstars, Conan Gray stands out with this introspective and sensitive lyrics and disarming voice. On "Vodka Cranberry," he opens up about the heartbreak of keeping someone in your life who's not meant to be there. When the song reaches its emotional climax in the chorus, Gray sings about drunk-dialing his ex, a feeling most of us know all too well, and lays his emotions bare. _- MR_ ### 'Fineshyt' - Amaarae Off her third album, _Black Star_ , "Fineshyt" is an absolute bop from the Ghanaian-American singer Amaarae. When Charli XCX said she wants to hear the club classics, this is the type of song she's talking about. Amaarae is so enamored with her partner that she can't say no to her. "She's my fine shyt / I love her then I don't / She always on the phone / I give her what she want / My fine shyt," she sings in the earworm hook. _- MR_ ### 'Puta' - Arca Arca imagines a cyberpunk present in the Venezuelan producer's first solo material since 2022. It's choppy, dark, sensual, and steamy, perfect for losing yourself in a dark club or bedroom. If you want to feel like you're living in a future where everyone is in control of their bodies and sexualities, this is your perfect soundtrack. _- MR_ ### 'Big Ol' Hammer' - G Flip Nonbinary Australian alt-rocker G Flip released their best album to date in 2025, and their song "Bed on Fire" could easily be on this list as well. Still, we're instead going to highlight the haughty and hilarious anthem of non-male masculinity, "Big Ol' Hammer." G Flip praises their partner for making them feel "like a mustang / like an alpha / In a toolbelt / with a big ol' hammer," and we can't help but agree. The music video starring Fortune Feimster and a dozen hot dykes and queers line-dancing in a garage is just the cherry on top. _- MR_ ### 'Clam Casino' - Chrissy Chlapecka The recent trend of lesbian pop stars dipping their toes into country (look at Chappell Roan's "The Giver" and Zolita's "Small Town Scandal" for examples) and Chrissy Chlapecka's "Clam Casino" is the most fun of them all! Filled with hilarious double entendres and a proud lesbian attitude, this song is a ready-made party anthem. _- MR_ ### 'Leave Me Alone' - Reneé Rapp It felt like Rapp really came into her pop-star persona on her newest album, _Bite Me_ , and the caustic, confrontational "Leave Me Alone" is a perfect summation of that. On the in-your-face track, she jokes about her lack of PR training, shades her former show _The Sex Lives of College Girls_ , and declares that she just wants to be left alone to have fun. Sometimes, we feel the same way! _- MR_ ### 'worst behaviour' - kwn ft. Kehlani Kwn is one of the few artists who can match Kehlani's sexy swag bar for bar, particularly on this song from her EP _With All Due Respect_. Cowritten with Sasha Keable, this smooth R&B track features an even sexier remix featuring Kehlani. If the song isn't enough for you, check out the sensual music video featuring one of the pairs in music and shibari suspension! _- MR_

2025 is the year of Dylan Efron! After breaking into the entertainment industry by winning _The Traitors_ and securing his spot as a finalist on _Dancing With the Stars_ _,_ the handsome reality star has kept himself busy with a slew of brand partnerships. His latest commercial shows him flaunting his impressive physique as a sexy Santa for Yahoo Mail. Let's just say the jokes write themselves with this steamy ad and fans went wild on social media. Check out the highlights below! ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@)

Nicki Minaj is continuing her MAGA spiral in new X posts that criticize trans children. Minaj, who has faced criticism from fans recently for embracing President Donald Trump and his policies, has doubled down, praising Vice President JD Vance and attacking California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a likely Democratic presidential hopeful. ### > — (@) The rapper's attacks on Newsom come following the governor's recent comments on trans kids during a _New York Times_ interview with Ezra Klein. In the interview, Newsom spoke about embracing contradictions when he brings up trans rights, saying he doesn't think trans women competing against cis women in sports is "fair." "I want to see trans kids. I have a trans godson. There's no governor that's signed more pro-trans legislation than I have. No one has been a stronger advocate for the LGBTQ community," he says. "But you have to accommodate the reality of those whose rights are being taken away as we advance the rights of the trans community, in terms of the fairness of athletic competition." Newsom did not specify which rights have been taken away by advancing the rights of the trans community. Despite making it clear that he does not think it is "bigoted" to limit opportunities for trans children, Minaj is using the quote to attack Newsom for supporting trans kids existing in the first place. ### > — (@) "Imagine being the guy running on wanting to see trans kids. Haha. Not even a trans ADULT would run on that," Minaj wrote on X. "Normal adults wake up & think they want to see HEALTHY, SAFE, HAPPY kids." Minaj's X feed is currently a mix of posts about Nigerian Christians, posts criticizing Newsom, and posts praising Vance. "Nothing brings me joy like the Vance memes & knowing he leaned into it like a boss. Top Tier Comedy. Character = 100," she wrote. "But make no mistake, Vance is an assassin. Don’t debate him. On anything. Quick as a computer. Maybe quicker." Minaj's MAGA turn came into focus in November, when she praised the president for defending Nigerian Christians, who the president claimed were being threatened. Locals and experts say that violence in the country isn't targeting just one religious group, according to PBS. When fans questioned why she would praise Trump, Minaj doubled down. Last month, she shared a White House social media post featuring one of her songs and praising Trump for his accomplishments during his second term, including "No men in women's sports, Border is closed, Our cities are safer than ever, Criminal illegals are being deported." Elon Musk also joined the Newsom hate train, sharing a clip of Newsom's quote on the X account @America, which is a PAC founded by Musk. The clip highlights Newsom saying, "There's no governor that's done more pro trans legislation than I have." "Correct. We're sorry your daughter hates you, Elon," Newsom's press office wrote on the post. The post is in reference to Musk's estranged daughter, Vivian Wilson, who is transgender. Musk responded directly, misgendering and deadnaming his daughter, and saying she "has a tragic mental illness caused by the evil woke mind virus that you push on vulnerable children."

Jason Collins has faced several matchups throughout his basketball career that felt insurmountable, and he isn't going to let cancer be any different. The first out gay player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) revealed in an essay published by ESPN on Thursday that he's been diagnosed with Stage 4 glioblastoma, which is "one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer." He said that without treatment, the cancer would spread quickly enough to kill him within six weeks to three months, but that he's "going to fight it." "When I was making my decision to come out publicly, I remembered a scene in the movie ___Moneyball_ where Red Sox owner John Henry (Arliss Howard) says to Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) that the first person through the wall always gets bloodied," Collins wrote. "I feel like I'm right back in that position now, where I might be the first person through this wall. We aren't going to sit back and let this cancer kill me without giving it a hell of a fight." Collins came out publicly in 2013, becoming not just the first NBA player to come out, but also the first active athlete in one of North America's four major sports leagues to come out. He played for the Nets, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Hawks, Celtics, and Wizards before retiring in 2014. Collins has been in a relationship with film producer Brunson Green since 2014. The two married in May, just a few months before he began experiencing complications from the cancer. His loved ones revealed the diagnosis in a September statement that was left purposely vague, as Collins revealed in his essay that the symptoms had incapacitated him and left him "unable to speak for myself." Now that he's recovered enough, he said he wants to continue being open and honest. "When I came out publicly as the first active gay basketball player in 2013, I told a lot of the people closest to me before I did so," he continued. "I wasn't worried it would leak before the story came out, because I trusted the people I told. And guess what? Nothing leaked. I got to tell my own story, the way I wanted to. And now I can honestly say, the past 12 years since have been the best of my life. Your life is so much better when you just show up as your true self, unafraid to be your true self, in public or private. _This is me. This is what I'm dealing with._ " Collins said that he will continue to undergo treatment, which includes some of the "most promising frontier of cancer treatment for this type of cancer" such as targeted chemotherapy and personalized immunotherapy. While the average prognosis is 11 to 14 months, Collins said, "If that's all the time I have left, I'd rather spend it trying a course of treatment that might one day be a new standard of care for everyone." "I'm fortunate to be in a financial position to go wherever in the world I need to go to get treatment. So if what I'm doing doesn't save me, I feel good thinking that it might help someone else who gets a diagnosis like this one day," Collins wrote. "After I came out, someone I really respect told me that my choice to live openly could help someone who I might never meet. I've held onto that for years. And if I can do that again now, then that matters."

Forest season is quickly approaching! It may sound hard to believe, but Electric Forest will be here before we know it. The iconic Pride Month festival has officially dropped the epic lineup for its 2026 edition as the dazzling event returns to Rothbury, Michigan from June 25-28, 2026. With 100 headliners announced including ILLENIUM, Chris Lake, KASKADE, and even a B2b set featuring DJ Diesel (aka NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal) and hitmaker T-Pain, next year's event is surely one not to miss. > See on Instagram Renowned for its stunning atmosphere and deeply rooted sense of community, Electric Forest is the ultimate safe space for anyone in the queer community. The incredibly diverse lineup and inclusive nature of the gorgeous festival already has loyal ravers gathering their camping supplies for an unforgettable weekend in the forest. Many of the artists performing are ready to welcome LGBTQ+ fans from all over the world. As he gears up to drop his highly anticipated new album _ODYSSEY_ right before his Las Vegas residency kicks off in March, ILLENIUM is ready to embrace all of the queer joy and undeniable love from his gay fans at Electric Forest. > See on Instagram In a recent interview with PRIDE, the star shared his admiration for the LGBTQ+ community and why Pride Month holds a special place in his heart. "I love y'all so much. I've always been just so happy about the scene and how accepting it is. I feel like everyone is able to relate to going through sh***y times. Everyone has struggles, especially in [the LGBTQ+] community. I'm a full supporter of you guys and I just appreciate the love always," ILLENIUM tells PRIDE. Don't miss out on the once-in-a-lifetime experience to attend Electric Forest in Rothbury, Michigan from June 25-28, 2026. Tickets are available now on the official website here.

After quickly becoming one of the most popular and talked-about shows of the year, _Heated Rivalry_ season two has been officially confirmed. Crave, the Canadian streaming service behind the show, announced the second season with a message on Instagram that rivals your average fan reaction: “Screaming, crying, throwing up! #HeatedRivalry is confirmed for SEASON 2!” Not only does the show have a large and rabid fan base who will tune in for more episodes, but the Rachel Reid-authored book, which the show is based on, also has a sequel that will make perfect fodder for a second season. ### > See on Instagram Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander’s story continues in _The Long Game_ , a novel that follows the secret lovers after the events of _Heated Rivalry_. HBO Max, which brought the show to U.S. viewers, also announced the exciting news with a cute video featuring stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams opening a package and pulling out a hockey puck with “ _Heated Rivalry_ season 2” written on it. “Hotter, wetter, longer,” Williams says, teasing the next season, before Storrie confirms that it will follow the plot of the sequel novel. “Start reading _The Long Game_ if you want to spoil it for yourself,” he says. ### > — (@) Fans in the comments immediately went feral over the news that there is more _Heated Rivalry_ content in the works. "OH CANT WAIT FOR S2 AND GET MORE OF SHANE AND ILYA,” one person wrote. ### > — (@) “LET US BE GLADDDD LET US BE GRATEFULLLL,” someone else commented. ### > — (@) “PLS I need 20 episodes lasting 1 hour,” someone begged. ### > — (@) There is no word yet when the show will start filming or when the episodes will air, but the fact that the story isn’t ending when the season 1 finale drops is reason enough to celebrate!

The holidays have a funny way of stretching us across time zones, group chats, and emotional bandwidth all at once. Some years, you’re surrounded by family, laughter, and cookies you didn’t have to bake yourself. Others, you’re FaceTiming your mom from an airport floor, sitting with your chosen family at a potluck, or squeezing in a quick “love you, mean it” video call between work shifts. For many queer people, it’s a blend of both, resulting in a hybrid holiday that’s equal parts sweet, chaotic, and beautifully improvised. In my world, December looks like a patchwork of people I love scattered across the map. My family sends blurry photos of the Christmas tree they refuse to decorate until I “approve” the color scheme. My best friend hosts a chosen family dinner with more pies than guests. My partner’s family group text lights up every two minutes like a festive emergency alert system. And somewhere in the middle, I’m trying to keep up by sharing photos, swapping recipes, checking flight delays, sending voice notes, and pretending I didn’t panic-spend $300 on overnight shipping for a gift that should have been ordered in November. It’s a lot. ### But it’s also the season when connection matters the most. The season when we try to pour a little extra into everything, whether it’s our plans, our gifts, or our time with each other. And let’s be honest, connection isn’t just emotional this time of year. It’s digital. It’s literal. It’s the lifeline that keeps long-distance relationships warm, chosen families knitted together, and far-flung loved ones folded into the joy. This year, I’ve found myself thinking about how much of my holiday season happens through my phone. Not _instead_ of real life, but _intertwined_ with it. The photo of my niece in her matching pajamas. The group video from my yoga students who surprised me with a holiday card. The way my queer friends check in with each other with a simple “you good?” message that means far more than words suggest. ### These tiny connections add up. They build a sense of presence even when distance tries to interfere. That’s why, during the busiest, messiest, most sentimental time of year, reliability becomes its own kind of love language. You don’t want your calls cutting out mid-story or your signal dropping right before the surprise proposal your cousin has planned for months. You want the tech part—the invisible part—to just _work_. You want it to feel as smooth as a perfectly wrapped gift and just as satisfying. Verizon’s holiday lineup leans into that idea. ### Whether it’s their network reliability or the new _Apple Bundle_, complete with the iPhone 17, iPad, and Apple Watch Series 11, the focus is on keeping people connected without adding to the chaos. It’s the kind of holiday-upgrade energy that feels like over-stuffing a stocking with peace of mind instead of trinkets. It’s technology designed to smooth out the edges, whether for a couple sending daily good-morning videos, a queer elder checking in on younger community members, siblings trading memes from opposite coasts, or friends coordinating their annual ugly-sweater party. Connection takes many forms, but it always comes back to the same core truth: We all want to feel close to each other. ### And when everything else gets busy, loud, or overwhelming, the steadiness of a reliable network becomes a gift in its own right. Not flashy or dramatic, it’s the significant glue that holds these holiday moments together. Because the holidays aren’t just about where you are. They’re about who you can reach, and how easy it is to reach them.

The fourth episode of _Heated Rivalry_ dropped last night, and fans have already taken over social media with feral reactions. After learning all about Scott and Kip’s love story last week, episode 4 brought us right back to Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) and Shane Hollander’s (Hudson Williams) angst-filled — and very horny — rivals-to-lovers romance. In episode 4, we got to see Shane and Ilya spend an erotic and tender night together before the intimacy caused Shane to crash out and run into the arms of Hollywood starlet Rose Landry (Sophie Nélisse), which devastated Ilya. The episode had everything: hot and passionate gay sex scenes, enough yearning to leave you breathless, and diabolical levels of heartbreak. This means fans immediately ran to social media to berate Shane for hurting poor Ilya, thirst after their hot sex scenes, and even talk about how they want to see Shane as an omega in an mpeg story — please don’t make us explain what that is. Now everyone is just waiting to see what happens next. Will Ilya and Shane come back together? What will happen with Rose? Will we get the Skype call in the next episode? Will the square peg-round hole line from the book come up? Fans are dying to know. Keep scrolling to see the funniest, horniest, and most heart-wrenching reactions to episode 4! ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@)

Hello _Out_ readers, as we get closer and closer to 2026, the Out.com team is counting down our Best Ofs the year! We already released our list of Best Queer Movies of 2025 and Best Queer TV Shows of 2025, and next up is our list of Best Albums by Queer Artists! Our list features albums like _Out_ digital cover star, Rebecca Black's _Salvation;_ Lady Gaga's history-making album, _Mayhem;_ Cardi B's Am I the Drama?; and unlabeled artist Conan Gray's terrific album, _Wishbone_. Check out our whole list to see if your favorite album of the year made our list! Of course, music isn't the only big news lately. On the drag front, we're all getting ready for the exciting 18th season of _RuPaul's Drag Race_! The upcoming season will feature amazing guest judges, including the aforementioned Cardi B, _All's Fair_ star Teyana Taylor, fashion legend Iman, and stylist Law Roach. We're not the only ones celebrating the upcoming season, as 16 past winners of the show came together for a special event hosted by _Drag Race_ judges Ts Madison and Ross Mathews! Read more to find out which winners were there! Keep reading to find out the Gayest Song of the Week and all the best pop culture news! - Mey Rude ### Top 5 gay sex positions of 2025 & how to make them even hotter, according to experts ### Every 'Oh, Mary!' star: From Cole Escola to John Cameron Mitchell ### James McAvoy rocks tight shorts in sexy new clip & gays are obsessed ### ### 'Heated Rivalry' star on being a 'freak' and fans talking about his butt: 'I love it' ### Appeals court mulls upholding ruling striking down Pentagon’s HIV enlistment ban ### This holiday, make room for a season that’s all of the jingle and none of the jangle ### The 13 best LGBTQ+ albums of 2025 ### Queer actor Wenne Alton Davis, known for 'Maisel,' 'Normal Heart,' killed in NYC car crash ### How Sundance 2026 celebrates its queer legacy ### Gayest Song of the Week Our Gayest Song of the week is Conan Gray's "Vodka Cranberry" in honor of our list of the best queer albums of the year! ### Get Out / The Advocate for just $6 a year! With this special holiday season deal, you can get an entire year of _Out Magazine / The Advocate_ for just $6!

Spotify Unwrapped may tell you about your listening habits throughout the year, but when popular gay cruising app Squirt gets in on the analytical action, we learn all about what turned on gay men in 2025. Squirt Unloaded’s naughty stats showed us who the top gay adult performers are, that daddies and bears were the most sought-after types of men on the app, and which porn categories are the most popular (hint: it’s bareback, orgy, and amateur). But it was the “Popular Sex Positions” category that may have been the most surprising. Doggy style, missionary, cowboy, side-by-side, and trotting topped the list. Experimenting with wild sexual poisons can be fun, but the old standbys like doggy style and missionary are what everyone returns to time and time again. They’re classics for a reason! This spicy list got us thinking: how can you get the most out of the most popular sex positions of 2025? So we talked to Sofie Roos, a bisexual licensed sexologist, relationship therapist, and author at relationship magazine __Passionerad,__ to get the scoop on how you can maximize your pleasure when trying these moves in the bedroom. ### 1. Doggy Style Everyone is probably familiar with this one, but the penetrating partner usually stands or kneels behind someone who is usually bent over on their hands and knees — although you can also do this one standing or lying down. Roos says, “the angle is everything” when you’re trying to make this position as hot as possible. "The one being penetrated can arch their lower back, or the one penetrating can stand on their feet and ‘hang’ in over their partner, which gives a deeper penetration that stimulates the prostate,” she tells PRIDE. But you can also do this one while standing, having your partner lean over a piece of furniture like a table or couch, or they can brace their hands against a wall and bend at the waist. “If the bottom is flexible, they can even take support from the floor by bending over and leaning their hands against it, which makes a very hot version of doggy,” she says. Roos also recommends having the bottom stroke their penis while being penetrated, while the top tweaks their nipples. “Remember to communicate around rhythm and depth as doggy style is a very intense sex position, and lastly — try to stimulate also other erogenous zones at the same time,” she says. ### 2. Missionary Hopefully missionary being number two on Squirt's list will end straight people’s belief that gay men can’t do this particular sex position — _Red, White & Royal Blue really shouldn’t have had to teach them that_. But if you’ve missed out on trying this more intimate position, you’re in luck because Roos has tips on how to take things up a notch. In this position, one partner lies on top of the other, but that doesn’t mean things have to be boring. The partner on the bottom can put your legs over their partner’s shoulders, which will open you up for “a greater angle towards your prostate, which can lead to pleasurable p-spot orgasms,” she says. You can also combine this with putting a pillow under your lower back to get deeper penetration, “I recommend gays to slow down the tempo,” Roos advises. “The missionary is by many seen as vanilla and a position you should have rough for it to be ‘interesting,’ but lowering the tempo and focusing on soft, slow and deep movements can be surprisingly hot, so try that!**”** ### 3. Cowboy/riding With cowboy, the partner doing the penetrating is either lying down or sitting while the bottom rides them from a sitting or kneeling position. “By leaning more forward or backwards as the one on top, you create a better position for penetrating your prostate, which can lead to amazing orgasms, especially if combined with going back and forth instead of up and down over the dick, as that makes it rub more intensely against the p-spot,” Roos highly recommends. The trick with this position is to make sure you are stabilizing yourself so that you don’t tire yourself out too quickly. “The one riding can put their hands on the partner’s thighs for more stabilization, but you can also put your hands against the headboard or hold your partners hands,” she says. “And don’t forget to use your legs as well, where the knees closer to your partner's body makes more stabilization, while having them far out leads to increased mobility.” You can also switch things up and try out reverse cowboy by turning around and facing away from your partner! ### 4. Side-by-side This is a sex position you do while lying down in a spooning position, with the person doing the penetrating taking on the role of the “big spoon.” If you’re the one in the bottom position (the little spoon), you can draw one of your knees up to your chest to feel the penetration even deeper. The person doing the penetrating also has easy access to their partner’s nipples and penis, so Roos recommends stimulating both. “For the ones wanting to try something more advanced, you can have side-by-side in the bed against a wall, and put a suction cup dildo which the penetrator gets penetrated by during the session, leading to double stimulation,” she says. ### 5. Frotting Frotting usually involves either rubbing your penises together to create friction or using your hands to hold both penises and jerk them off together. Lube is always a good idea, but Roos says it’s extra important here, so you should invest in a thicker, longer-lasting silicone option to get the most out of the experience. Experiment with different amounts of pressure, rhythms, angles, and speeds to figure out what feels best to both of you. And don’t forget to stimulate your partner’s balls. “Explore frotting in different positions and situations,” she says. “You don’t need to lay down in a bed, but can stand, sit against each other, you can be face to face, in the car, in the forest, in the shower or on the sofa, or why not in the kitchen, so get creative.”

James McAvoy is serving body-ody-ody! The handsome actor is starring in the new thriller _Pose_ and showing off his sexy physique as the film's lead. A new clip of the star shirtless and wearing a pair of tight shorts is quickly making the rounds on social media, so check out some of the highlights below. ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@)

The overwhelming popularity of _Heated Rivalry_ has meant that the stars of the show have been catapulted to fame, and now they’re opening up about their butts, their “freak” status, and oral fixations. Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams star as Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander, respectively, rival hockey players who give into their intense attraction to one another and start a years-long secret affair. The show’s runaway success has led to an overwhelming obsession with Storrie’s impressive butt and the intense sexual chemistry and gay yearning at the heart of the rivals-to-lovers romance, something that Storrie and Williams are aware of. In a new interview with _Entertainment Weekly_ , Storrie admitted to knowing that his “butt has been a big topic of conversation” among fans before Williams told him, “It’s a great butt.” ### > — (@) Despite how odd it must be to go from being a relatively unknown actor to having fans on social media discussing your body parts, Storrie doesn’t seem to mind. “I think I saw someone say that I am ‘America's ass,’ which I was not expecting that at all,” he said. “But, yeah, I love it. I'll take it. Feels good.” When it comes to those intensely erotic sex scenes the show has become known for, Storrie and Williams say that when they watch them, they are seeing the mechanics that went into making them. “The fans get spontaneity, but we see mechanics. We see technique, rehearsal,” Williams said. "We see Chala [Hunter, intimacy coordinator] going, ‘Knee little higher! Knee little lower! Hide your, like, little ballet slipper.’” Storrie admitted that those moments don’t feel “overtly sexual” or “raunchy” to him because he’s the one in the scene, but Williams explained that things are different for fans who are “witnessing two people find a sexual language." ### The two actors have grown increasingly close over the course of filming the show and the press tour, and fans have remarked on how comfortable they are with each other, including in a new viral video of Storrie and Williams doing an interpretive dance where they manage to combine their bodies into an impressive pretzel. “Very plainly spoken, me and Hudson are freaks,” Storrie said when asked about the video. “We're clowns. We just love to riff and have fun and go crazy, and those were two situations where we were caught off guard doing our thing. The wrap party, that was all improvised. I think we were just putting on a show.” ### > See on Instagram _Heated Rivalry_ will end after six episodes, but there is the potential for a second season, considering Ilya and Shane’s love story continues in Rachel Reid’s series of gay hockey romance novels that the show is based on. While we haven’t gotten confirmation yet that there will definitely be a second season — although it seems likely based on the show's success — Williams teased that Shane’s “oral fixation” will continue if they get picked up for another season. "So when there was not a straw in my drink, I would ask them to give me one,” he said of Shane always chewing on things like his hoodie’s drawstring. “If I'm texting, I'm putting the thing in my mouth. I'm always putting things in my mouth! And I'll continue to do that for season...if we get another season. There'll just be more things in my mouth.”

Attorneys from Lambda Legal urged a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Richmond, Virginia, on Tuesday to affirm a ruling that struck down the military’s categorical ban on enlisting people living with HIV, calling the decades-old policy unconstitutional and medically baseless. **_Keep up with the latest inLGBTQ+ news and politics. _****_Sign up for The Advocate's email newsletter._** The case, Wilkins v. Hegseth, challenges Department of Defense and Army rules that bar anyone with HIV from joining the armed forces, even individuals with undetectable viral loads who face no health limitations and pose no risk of transmission. In August 2024, a federal district court found those restrictions violated the Fifth Amendment’s equal protection guarantee and the Administrative Procedure Act, describing the policies as “irrational, arbitrary, and capricious” and noting they perpetuated stigma while undermining the Pentagon’s recruitment goals. **Related:**Let People Living With HIV Enter Armed Forces, Lambda Legal Tells Court The Department of Defense appealed that ruling, seeking to reinstate the ban. Tuesday’s arguments marked the first time the appeal was heard publicly. On Tuesday, the same day oral arguments were held, the Fourth Circuit issued an order staying the enforcement of the district court’s injunction while it considers the appeal, temporarily reinstating the ban. Lambda Legal attorneys Scott A. Schoettes and Linda Coberly defended the decision, emphasizing that the military has already been successfully processing enlistments of qualified individuals with HIV for more than a year under the district court’s injunction. That experience, they argued, undercuts the government’s claim that the ban is necessary for readiness or deployability. **Related:**Fighting back: Lambda Legal unveils campaign to protect LGBTQ+ rights from Trump-era attacks “Modern science has transformed HIV into a chronic, treatable condition,” Lambda Legal senior counsel Gregory Nevins said in a statement. He added that people with undetectable viral loads “can deploy anywhere, perform all duties without limitation, and pose no transmission risk to others.” Schoettes, who led previous Lambda Legal cases protecting service members already in uniform, said the ruling simply requires the Defense Department to evaluate applicants with HIV based on the same medical standards it applies to everyone else. An affirmance, he said, would “definitively close any loopholes left by earlier rulings.” Coberly, a partner at Winston & Strawn, called the enlistment ban a “holdover from a long era of needless discrimination,” saying it had long outlived any claimed justification. The lawsuit was filed in 2022 on behalf of three individual plaintiffs — including former Army Reservist Isaiah Wilkins, who was disenrolled from the U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School after testing positive for HIV — and Minority Veterans of America, which represents civilians living with HIV who want to serve. **Related:**HRC, Lambda Legal sue to stop Trump's transgender military ban Earlier court victories in Roe v. Austin and Harrison v. Austin forced the military to remove restrictions on deploying or commissioning service members with HIV. Advocates say ending the enlistment ban is the final step. A decision from the Fourth Circuit is expected in the coming months.

### Ever since it opened on Broadway in July 2024 (and in its earlier off-Broadway run at the Lucille Lortel Theatre), Cole Escola's comedy play _Oh, Mary!_ has been setting hearts alight across America. The show, which centers around Abraham Lincoln's wife, Mary Todd, portrayed as a drunk cabaret star married to a deeply closeted president, has become one of Broadway's most popular shows and picked up plenty of awards. The show was nominated for five Tonys, winning Best Direction and Best Actor, making Escola the first nonbinary winner of the award. Escola originated the role of Mary Todd Lincoln in the show, but over its run, several other actors have stepped into her hoop skirt. Now, with a new star being cast in the role, let's take a look back at all the people who have played Mary. ### Cole Escola > See on Instagram Comedian Cole Escola, who wrote the play, also originated the role of Mary Todd Lincoln. They became the first nonbinary winner of the Tony for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play when they beat out George Clooney, Daniel Dae Kim, Jon Michael Hill, Harry Lennix, and Louis McCartney in their category. ### Hannah Solow > See on Instagram Actor and singer Hannah Solow works as the understudy to Mary Todd Lincoln, and has had her chance to shine in the role multiple times. ### Betty Gilpin > See on Instagram _GLOW_ and _Nurse Jackie_ star Betty Gilpin made her Broadway debut playing Mary in a limited eight-week run starting January 21. ### Tituss Burgess > See on Instagram _Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt_ star Tituss Burgess took over as Mary after Escola said Burgess was their dream casting for the role. "In a way that would almost make me be like, 'Wait, maybe you're too good.' Like, imagine... I can picture it: how Tituss's wig would be different too... like, the stupid curls," Escola said on the _Las Culturistas_ podcast. ### Jinkx Monsoon > See on Instagram _RuPaul's Drag Race_ star Jinkx Monsoon took over as Mary beginning August 4 after starring in _Chicago_ and _Pirates! The Penzance Musical_ on Broadway. "I feel very honored and privileged to be in this position right now because, as a trans feminine actress, I was convinced this wasn't possible, you know?" Monsoon said at the time. "I thought I had to choose to be an actor or choose to be a trans person, but I didn't think the world was gonna let me be both." ### Jane Krakowski > See on Instagram In September 2025, it was announced that _30 Rock_ star Jane Krakowski would be taking on the role of Mary. She took over the role on October 14 and continued until December 7. ### Mason Alexander Park > See on Instagram _Sandman_ star Mason Alexander Park donned Mary's iconic wig when the show went across the pond to England in the West End. They began their role on December 3 and have an official opening on December 18. ### John Cameron Mitchell > See on Instagram _Hedwig and the Angry Inch_ star and writer John Cameron Mitchell is the latest actor to join the ranks of Mary Todd Lincoln on Broadway. They will star in the show for a 12-week limited engagement from February 3 to April 26, 2026. "Cole Escola and Sam Pinkleton are the wild horses that dragged me back to drag, and I couldn't be happier," Mitchell says in a statement. "As the most mature Mary yet, my days are filled with working the Stairmaster, mainlining Ozempic, and mastering my Brilliant Dialogue. 'Line?!' Thank you, Cole. May I do you proud mangling your classic!"

The holidays have a particular sound: bells, music, wrapping paper being shredded open, oven timers going off, full-volume laughter, and at least one relative yelling, “Did anyone see where I put my phone?!” It’s joyful, yes, but it’s also pure, unfiltered chaos consisting of a glittery whirlwind of plans, noise, and last-minute, “Wait, we forgot a gift for the neighbor’s dog!” emergencies. And somewhere in the middle of that storm is your phone, working overtime. ### If your holiday season looks anything like mine, your notifications multiply the moment Thanksgiving leftovers hit the fridge. Group chats erupt. Plans shift constantly due to delayed flights and people who can't remember whose house they’re supposed to be at. You’re expected to be in all of the family photos. Your queer friends start scheduling their annual Friendsmas and immediately contradict one another on the availability spreadsheet. You’re shopping online, tracking packages, sending digital cards, juggling playlists, and trying to keep your head above the holiday snowdrift. It is, in a word, jangly. The jangle is the static of seasonal overstimulation, the mental clutter that builds when your phone becomes command central for everything from recipes to RSVPs to emergency gift lists. And every year, we swear we’ll be “less stressed,” but every year, the notifications double like caffeinated elves. Here’s the gift we all deserve this season: Less digital chaos. ### Verizon’s holiday message this year speaks right to that. While the world is constantly jingling as loudly as it can, they want to help keep your connections clear, calm, and jangle-free. Think of it as the quiet magic beneath the wrapping paper—the part of the holiday that keeps everything running smoothly without demanding applause. Their network reliability becomes the unsung hero of the season, grounding your holiday scrolls, calls, video chats, and last-minute shopping sprees with the same steadiness as a perfectly lit tree that somehow survives the cat. The truth is, so much of our December mayhem happens _through_ our phones. At this point, technology isn’t just part of the holiday; it’s the infrastructure holding it together. Picture yourself carrying eight bags of groceries while FaceTiming your partner to confirm (yet again) whether you bought the wrong brand of butter. Or your nephew attempting to show off his new baseball bat over a shaky connection that keeps freezing on his excited face. Think about the panic of tracking the one package that absolutely cannot arrive late. The friend group scrambling to finalize the potluck menu. The chaotic series of texts that make up holiday travel: “Gate changed!” “Now it changed back!” “Now it’s boarding??” During moments like these, reliability feels like peace, and peace is _rare_ in December. ### Yes, the season is loud between the carols, cousins, and clattering baking sheets, but it can also be profoundly lonely. That’s why a stable connection isn’t just convenient; it’s grounding. Sometimes jangle-free means: * A clear call with the friend you miss the most. * A smooth video chat with your family when you can’t make it home. * A message delivered exactly when you need reassurance. * A holiday playlist that doesn’t buffer during the best part. * Or a strong enough signal to help you navigate across town to the only store still open. In a year when everything moves fast, plans shift in five-second increments, and the world feels just as loud as ever, little moments of clarity make a huge difference. ### And if you do want to lean into that extra holiday sparkle, _Verizon’s Apple Bundle_ adds a little more magic. The new iPhone 17, iPad, and Apple Watch Series 11 help organize the chaos, streamline your plans, and keep everything running with winter-smooth ease. It’s the tech version of lighting a candle, taking a breath, and letting things fall into place. The holidays will always have a little jangle—that’s part of the charm—but your connection doesn’t have to. This year, permit yourself to embrace the noise while protecting your calm. Let the tech handle the frenzy so you can focus on what actually matters: the people (and pets) you love.

### Queer artists have been defining music for years, and 2026 was no different. With legends like Lady Gaga, Cardi B, and Tyler, the Creator releasing new albums, and rising artists like Lambrini Girls, Rebecca Black, and Lola Young combining, there's great queer music this year for lovers of just about every genre. These are the 13 albums by LGBTQ+ artists that the Out.com editors loved most in 2025. **Related:**Ranking the top 10 albums released by LGBTQ+ artists in 2024 ### 'Who Let the Dogs Out' - Lambrini Girls The one-hit-wonder-referencing title to Lambrini Girls's debut album hints at the Brighton-based punk band's anarchic sense of humor — and also the animalistic energy the artists bring to the less-than-30-minute record. Songs like "Big Dick Energy," "No Homo," and, especially, the album's explosive closer, "Cuntology 101," scream and rage with the power of every queer kid who was ever told to tone themselves down. The album trashes gentrification, homophobia, transphobia, imperialism, male posturing, and ablism, and never takes its foot off the pedal. _- Mey Rude_ ### 'Mayhem' - Lady Gaga The world missed dark dance pop Gaga, and in 2025, the artist gave her fans the life-saving medicine they needed with _Mayhem_. Blazing singles "Disease" and "Abracadabra" quickly became gay club classics, and the album reminded fans across the world why they initially fell in love with Lady Gaga. In a world with a million pop stars, Mother Monster still knows how to stand out. _- MR_ ### 'LUX' - Rosalía _LUX_ is Rosalía’s highly anticipated follow-up to her critically acclaimed album, _MOTOMAMI_. The pressure was on to deliver a project that stood tall next to the craftsmanship of her last LP, but the auteur delivers all that and then some on this impeccably constructed work of art that traverses through genres and languages with soaring orchestral arrangements to simple acoustic instrumentals. _- Moises Mendez_ ### 'Don't Tap the Glass' - Tyler, the Creator It may not be as flashy or catchy as last year's epic _Chromakopia_ , but Tyler, the Creator's follow-up album, _Don't Tap the Glass_ , doesn't hold any punches. This is Tyler having fun and putting out dance floor bangers. Songs like "Sugar on My Tongue" and "Ring Ring Ring" are absolute vibes that let Tyler show off his skills and impeccable taste. _- MR_ ### 'Wishbone' - Conan Gray In making this album, Conan Gray said that he secretly wrote songs over the past two years with no plans to actually release an album. He said in an Instagram caption that putting pen to paper inspired “something [he] never felt before,” writing that he “started to need the music,” thus _Wishbone_ was born. The 27-year-old singer’s latest album highlights the power of his pen across this achingly beautiful 12-song project, which was produced by Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan’s producer of choice, Dan Nigro. _- MM_ ### 'Salvation' - Rebecca Black Nearly 15 years into her music career, 28-year-old singer Rebecca Black is soaring to new heights with her second album, _Salvation_. Tracks like "Trust!," "Sugar Water Cyanide," and the title track "Salvation" sound like a next-generation disciple of Gaga and Charli XCX, while "Twist the Knife" fits in with Kim Petras's best tracks. Don't sleep on her. _- MR_ ### 'Am I the Drama?' - Cardi B Fans have waited seven years for Cardi B’s follow-up to her Grammy Award-winning debut album, _Invasion of Privacy_. Finally, the Bronx rapper who was embroiled in a televised court case, an incredibly public divorce from the father of three of her kids, and a bitter years-long beef with rapper Nicki Minaj channeled all of her emotions into an LP jam-packed with her signature humor, biting disses, and bodacious bravado. On this album, she addresses all of her critics but also wears her heart on her sleeve on songs like “What’s Goin On” featuring Lizzo and “Man of Your Word” featuring Dougie F. In short, Cardi made the seven-year wait worth it. _- MM_ ### 'Dreamsicle' - Maren Morris After a public feud with country singer Jason Aldean and his wife over trans rights, divorcing her husband, and coming out as bisexual, Maren Morris released her first new album in three years, the poppy and dreamy _Dreamsicle_. Moving toward a pop-singer-songwriter sound and away from country, songs like "Lemonade," "Bed No Breakfast," and "Cut!" showcase her vocal skills and empowered attitude. "Too Good" is an irresistible "_f_ you" to all of her haters, showing that she's still moving forward despite all of her recent troubles. _- MR_ ### 'I'm Only F***ing Myself' - Lola Young Lola Young’s career trajectory hit a standstill after she collapsed on stage at the All Things Go music festival earlier this year. Since then, she’s put a pause on live performances, which means fans will be missing out on the British pop singer’s rock-tinged music style that was on full display on her third album, _I’m Only F***ing Myself_ , which is filled to the brim with her arresting vocals on songs like “SPIDERS,” “Post Sex Clarity,” and “CAN WE IGNORE IT? :(.” _- MM_ ### 'Smoochies' - Ashnikko Pansexual pop star Ashnikko revels in all aspects of her sexuality in this hilarious and high-energy album. Written after breaking up with her long-term partner, Arlo Parks, Ashnikko reclaims her slut power and hedonistic pride on _Smoochies_ , singing about sex with people of all genders, "Itty Bitty" skirts as a source of strength, and collecting treasures like trinkets to keep sane in a crazy world. _- MR_ ### 'Lethal' - Rico Nasty Rico Nasty’s career was turbo-charged and seemed too big to fail from the beginning. She’d carved out an exhilarating niche in the rap-rock arena, giving her listeners the catharsis of letting out all the rage and anger they’ve bottled up. After parting ways with her long-time managers and A&Rs, she was able to hone her talents on a spectacular new album called _LETHAL_ that perfectly blends her gruff vocals with her braggadocios lyrics. _- MM_ ### 'hexed!' - aya British artist Aya Sinclair, known as aya, released her second album in 2025, and delivered a symphony of glitches, club beats, synthetic sounds, and caustic lyrics about queer life, addiction, and mental health. It's Aphex Twin by way of Ethel Cain, dipped in acid and thrown down the stairs. It might not be the easiest album for a casual music fan to listen to, but it's worth the journey. _- MR_ ### 'No Hard Feelings' - The Beaches The Canadian rock band The Beaches has been releasing music since 2013, and the artists found some success in their home country before finally achieving crossover success with their delectable 2023 single, “Blame Brett.” The song found a life of its own on social media, gaining them a newfound audience outside of Canada, just in time for the release of their latest album, __No Hard Feelings__ , filled with wall-to-wall bangers showcasing their airy, bright, guitar-heavy songs about the queer experience. Standout tracks on the album are songs like “Did I Say Too Much,” “Lesbian of the Year,” “Last Girls at the Party,” and “Dirty Laundry.” _- MM_

Wenne Alton Davis, a queer actor who appeared in TV shows and films including _The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The Normal Heart,_ and _Rescue Me,_ was killed in a traffic accident Monday evening in New York City. Davis, 60, was crossing Broadway at West 53rd Street in Manhattan about 9 p.m. when struck by a Cadillac SUV, the New York _Daily News _reports. The actor suffered massive head injuries and died at Mount Sinai West. The driver, identified only as a 61-year-old man, was turning left onto Broadway from West 53rd. “He remained at the scene and faced no immediate charges as cops continue to investigate the crash,” according to the _Daily News._ Davis listed they/them pronouns on their Instagram profile, but friends have used she/her pronouns. “I can only describe Wenne Davis as a bright light,” the actor’s agent, Jamie Harris of Clear Talent Group, said in a statement to _The Advocate._ “She had a huge love for New York, for acting, and, most of all, for her family and her circle of friends (which was also huge). She was someone for whom friendliness and kindness were not what she did but more who she was as a person. I’ve talked to many of her friends in the past few days and all of them spoke of her generous spirit and love of life. We all agree that she had much more to do in her career as an actor and her life. Literally, no one I’ve spoken to can believe that she’s no longer with us. She will be greatly missed by everyone here at CTG and all who knew and loved her.” They played a police officer in a 2023 episode of _The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,_ having also portrayed an officer in the 2011 Michael Fassbender-Carey Mulligan film _Shame._ They appeared as a character named Gloria in the 2014 HBO adaptation of _The Normal Heart,_ Larry Kramer’s play about the early years of the AIDS epidemic. **Related:** 13 LGBTQ+ Films and TV Shows to Watch in April **Related:**LGBTQ+ History Month: 33 queer movies to watch on streaming Davis’s other credits include the TV series _Girls5eva, New Amsterdam, Blind Spot, American Odyssey,_ and _Rescue Me,_ and the short films _Bare Knuckle_ and _Ladies Room._ When not acting, Davis worked in security at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Davis, who was born in North Carolina and had family in Iowa, lived in the Forest Hills section of Queens. Edward Reynoso, their next-door neighbor and friend, told the _Daily News_ he was worried when Davis didn’t contact him after going out to dinner and a movie with friends. “I was texting her and she didn’t respond,” he said. I"’m numb, to tell you the truth. I can’t believe it.” A few hours earlier, Davis had told him, “I love you. I appreciate you.” “I felt like she was saying goodbye,” Reynoso told the publication. “Now that this happened, it all seems so odd to me.”

2026 is a landmark year for the Sundance Film Festival. Not only is it the last year the festival will be held in Park City, Utah – its home for over 40 years – before moving to Boulder, Colorado in 2027. But it will also be the first festival since founder Robert Redford passed away in September. Eugene Hernandez, director of the Sundance Film Festival and head of Public Programming, says Redford created a space where queer independent films could thrive and reach new audiences. He's been going to the festival since 1993 and says Redford's work in creating the institute and the festival helped give him access to the work of Todd Haynes, Jennie Livingston, and the New Queer Cinema movement. "I didn't know what a festival was, but I felt this open invitation, right? To be connected to this place," he says. This year, Hernandez hopes the festival can celebrate and honor that legacy "and create that continuity even though the festival will be in a different place in 2027." "The mission and the focus and the vision of what it is intended to do doesn't change," he says. Some of the film festival attendees will be able to bond over legacy screenings of classic Sundance titles such as __Little Miss Sunshine__ , __House Party__ , __Saw__ , and a restoration of Gregg Araki's __Mysterious Skin__. "Wouldn't be a Sundance without a Gregg Araki presence," Director of Programming Kim Yutani says. "I mean, just his influence on queer cinema is so significant. And I think one of the things that I have found so beautiful and heartening about a younger generation is that they have discovered his work." While younger audiences have discovered his classic films from the 90s and 2000s, Yutani is also excited for them to see Araki's new movie, _I Want Your Sex_. Cooper Hoffman and Olivia Wilde appear in I Want Your Sex by Gregg Araki, an official selection of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | Photo by LaceyTerrell __I Want Your Sex__ stars Philip Seymour Hoffman's son Cooper Hoffman as Elliot, who lands a job as a sexual muse for renowned and provocative artist Erika Tracy (Olivia Wilde). It also stars buzzy actors, including Daveed Diggs, Mason Gooding, Chase Sui Wonders, and Charli XCX. "I think this new film of his is, it's such a great way for us all – this new generation and his stalwart fans – to experience new work at the same time, and I think that's really an exciting thing for us to be able to premiere this year," Yutani says. John Nein, senior programmer and director of Strategic Initiatives, says that featuring classic Araki alongside his new, "really funny and smart look at the art gallery world" is one way of "bridging this looking backwards while looking forward" in the festival's final year in Utah. The team is also excited about many of the queer documentaries premiering at this year's festival, including one that Nein says also contributes to reflection on the festival's legacy while looking toward its future. Nein mentions Byrdie O'Connor's film __Barbara Forever__ , about legendary lesbian director Barbara Hammer. "Barbara had two films at Sundance, _Nitrate Kisses_ (1993) and _Tender Fictions_ (1996), and it's a really incredible film, and also one that is structured and stylized in a way that I think is really sort of in keeping with its subject matter." Sundance has also historically been home to many sports documentaries that stand the test of time, from boxing doc _When We Were Kings,_ to _Hoop Dreams,_ to _O.J.: Made in America,_ to steroid exposé _Icarus_. This year, two films about lesbian sport legends, _The Brittney Griner Story_ and _Give Me the Ball!_ (about trailblazing tennis star Billie Jean King) seek to join that lineage. Billie Jean King appears in Give Me the Ball! by Liz Garbus and Elizabeth Wolff, an official selection of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival Courtesy of Sundance Institute Yutani says that "you don't have to be a fan" of sports to enjoy _Give Me the Ball!_ "Seeing and hearing Billie Jean King tell her own story in such an honest and open way" is a "revelation," she says. "And then, with _The Brittney Griner Story_ , I think that this is such a deep dive into what happened to BG, and the complete story around her," she says. "I think it is explored so beautifully in this documentary. It's directed by Alex Stapleton, who has had several films at the festival in the past. I just love those two films as kind of our main sports documentaries in the festival this year." Another doc, _Jaripeo_ , explores the queer subculture in the sport of rodeo in Michoacán, Mexico. "It's just such a beautifully shot impressionistic look, and really revealing exploration, but also an invitation into a community," Hernandez says. The Sundance community will come together to explore these films and others from January 22, 2026, until February 1 in Park City, Utah. Learn more at sundance.org.

David Corenswet knows how to break the internet. After going viral for his insane bulge pics earlier this year, the handsome actor is now spreading his legs in a new photo for _Variety_ ’s Actors on Actors. Loyal fans know that this isn't the first time that Corenswet has manspread in a few steamy pics in the past, so check out all of the highlights and feral reactions below. ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@)

Can Friday come already?! _Heated Rivalry_ is the breakout sensation as the spicy gay hockey series is going viral all over social media for the unbelievable chemistry between the show's leads Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams. The handsome actors are keeping their foot on the gas as the fourth episode is about to drop later this week. New sneak peek images show the pair taking a steamy shower together and fans are going feral online. Check out the highlights below! New episodes of _Heated Rivalry_ drop every Friday on HBO Max in the U.S. and Crave in Canada. ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@) ### > — (@)

Queen of Queer Media and former _Advocate_ and _Out_ editor and writer Tracy E. Gilchrist has found a new platform for holding space — a podcast where she interviews queer icons. _Holding Space with Tracy E. Gilchrist_ premieres Wednesday on podcast platforms. It's a new weekly series where Gilchrist (who is "in queer media") invites luminaries in entertainment, politics, and beyond to "hold space" for talks on culture and craft. The podcast is based on Gilchrist's uber-viral interview with _Wicked_ stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, where the journalist told the actors that people were "really taking the lyrics of 'Defying Gravity' and really holding space with that and feeling power in that." "I didn't know that was happening," an emotional Erivo responded as Grande grabbed her pointer finger in solidarity. "That's really powerful. That's what I wanted." Now, the first episode, featuring Grande's brother, gay icon and Out100 honoree Frankie Grande, is out! In the debut episode, Grande talks about his new album, _Hotel Rock Bottom_ , his sobriety journey, his sister being rushed at the _Wicked: For Good_ Singapore premiere, and dishes on why he's holding space for power bottoms. "Why are we shaming power bottoms? You tops need them," Grande says. "We serve a purpose in the community. It is in the name. Power. Power is in the name. Power bottom." > View this post on Instagram A post shared by Holding Space with Tracy E. Gilchrist (@holdingspacewithtracy) > To learn what else he's holding space for, watch the episode on YouTube or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, and wherever podcasts are available. The second episode, out next Wednesday, features _RuPaul's Drag Race_ Pit Crew icon Burna Alcantara, and new episodes will drop weekly after that. “In the last year, I’ve held more fingers than I can count. And with this podcast, I can’t wait to continue to connect with the millions of fans who were moved by my ‘holding space’ interview,” Gilchrist says. “There’s clearly a demand in media for conversations that prize substance and joy. Listen in and hold space for your new favorite weekly podcast.”

_Heated Rivalry_ is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about shows on social media, enrapturing a gay audience as well as a straight one. Amid this hype, the two hunky stars of the steamy Canadian hockey show, Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, popped into a gay sports bar in West Hollywood, Hi Tops, during its trivia night to surprise the patrons. Both of the show's leading men took turns addressing the crowd, which was clearly excited to see them. > — (@) The two thanked the patrons for allowing them to crash the event, and Williams thanked them for watching the show. Then Storrie took the mic and jokingly said, "Thank you for tweeting about our butts." He added that it means a lot to have so many people in the LGBTQ+ community embrace them and love their show. They asked how trivia was going so far, but patrons shouted back that the game hadn't started yet, so they began quizzing the players on the show trivia. The person who introduced Storrie and Williams shared that the night's trivia was for a charity called Rainbow Labs and asked whether they had anything they wanted to say to the queer kids who may look to them for inspiration and want to be hockey players. Storrie took the mic first and said, "Take up space, be yourself really loud, and don't take shit from anyone." He then handed the mic over to Williams, who said, "Just believe in yourself and be yourself and just swing it and bang it in every which direction and don't let anyone shut you up." > View on Threads

### All 14 queens vying for the title of America's Next Drag Superstar on _RuPaul's Drag Race_ season 18 were celebrated alongside a herstoric reunion of 16 past winners from the main U.S. franchise — from the first-ever crowned queen BeBe Zahara Benet to the current-reigning season 17 winner, Onya Nurve. The shade-defying cast of _Drag Race_ season 18 queens includes competitors Athena Dion, Briar Blush, Ciara Myst, Darlene Mitchell, DD Fuego, Discord Addams, Jane Don't, Juicy Love Dion, Kenya Pleaser, Mandy Mango, Mia Starr, Myki Meeks, Nini Coco, and Vita VonTesse Starr. On Tuesday, November 9, those 14 drag stars in the making were celebrated with a herstory-making reunion of 16 past winners from the main _Drag Race_ franchise hosted by Emmy Awards recordist RuPaul Charles. This extra special event was hosted by _Drag Race_ judges Ts Madison and Ross Mathews, alongside _Variety_ 's Marc Malkin, in New York City. Below, the full list of _Drag Race_ winners who attended the event and welcomed the season 18 queens to Mama Ru's queendom.__ ### BeBe Zahara Benet — 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 1 Winner BeBe Zahara Benet, crowned on March 23, 2009 as the first-ever winner of _RuPaul's Drag Race_ __, was among the 16 fierce winners who attended this herstoric event in the lead up to _Drag Race_ season 18. Born in Douala, Cameroon, BeBe had been residing in Minneapolis when she competed and won _Drag Race_ — a journey that was explored in great detail in the queen's must-watch 2021 documentary feature _Being BeBe_.__ BeBe was an Out100 honoree in 2009, the year she was crowned America's Next Drag Superstar. ### Sasha Velour — 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 9 Upon reaching the season 9 finale and pulling off a herstoric rose pedal reveal that changed the trajectory of her life, drag career, and even of the _Drag Race_ series itself, Sasha Velour was crowned on June 23, 2017 and became the first winner of the show's VH1 era. Over the years, Velour has joined the ranks of drag icons celebrated in the Out100, created a lane of her own through the _NightGowns_ drag revue, wrote and published _The Big Reveal: An Illustrated Manifesto of Drag_ , and has continued to tour the world. During this special event for _Drag Race_ season 18 that reunited 16 legendary winners, Velour paid tribute to her "The Crown Becomes Her" look made by the one and only Diego Montoya. ### Aquaria — 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 10 From social media fame and New York City notoriety to some of the biggest stages in the world, Aquaria was 21 years old when she was crowned a _Drag Race_ champion on June 28, 2018. Eight years later, Aquaria was also present for this iconic event held prior in support of _Drag Race_ season 18. Between Aquaria's crowning, Miss Vanjie's iconic exit line, Mo Heart's next-level confessional interviews, and the beginning of Monét X Change's path to becoming an _All Stars_ winner, the landmark 10th season of _Drag Race_ signaled the worldwide expansion of Mama Ru's queendom. With Billy Porter as its cover star, the 2018 Out100 list included Aquaria as one of its honorees. ### Monét X Change — 'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars' Season 4 A legendary legend tie determined that _All Stars 4_ would end with not one, but two crowned winners: Monét X Change and Trinity The Tuck. Though this was initially treated as a pretty confusing and not-entirely-happy-ending for the season, the legacy of the "Twinners" aged well, and that changing perspective was further solidified as both Monét and Trinity returned to compete in the all-winners season of _Drag Race_. Monét is one of the most experienced _Drag Race_ competitors of all time, and she had the chance "soak up" her legacy yet again in this reunion of winners.__ ### Yvie Oddly — 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 11 Yvie Oddly brought her signature "Queen for the Queerdos" aesthetic to the season 18 event. Since defying the odds and gravity itself as one of the best lip sync assassins in _Drag Race_ herstory, Yvie has released a memoir, launched a podcast, and werq'd the world quite a few times. As she stood alongside other fellow winners and interacted with the queens competing on season 18, Yvie stayed true to her oddball self — and the fans were living for it. Oh, and did we mention that Yvie delivered a bloody reveal in her "victory lap" walk following the reveal of _Drag Race_ winners at the event? Sickening, and fabulous! ### Jaida Essence Hall — 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 12 Jaida Essence Hall won _Drag Race_ "from her living room, via Zoom," as the queen herself has joked in the past. The following year, Jaida appeared at the grand finale of season 13 not only as the queen stepping down from her reign — passing the scepter onto Symone — but also as a "special correspondent" from a drive-in set-up featured in that grand finale in particular due to lockdown restrictions that still prohibited a live audience from being in front of the queens. The legendary legend "look over there" queen herself returned to compete on the all-winners season of _Drag Race_ , otherwise referred to as _All Stars 7_. Alas, _All Stars_ seasons also don't have finales with live audiences. In many ways, this event felt extra special for Jaida to finally claim her rightful spot, _physically and in person_ , among every other _Drag Race_ winner that didn't have to experience the roller-coaster ride of season 12. And we love that for our sis! ### Symone — 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 13 Symone steamrolled the competition in season 13 and subsequently won the all-Britney Spears lip sync for the crown against fellow finalists Kandy Muse, Gottmik, and Rosé. Of note, Symone's groundbreaking reign as a _Drag Race_ winner included her attendance at the "Camp: Notes On Fashion"-themed Met Gala (all dressed up in Moschino and paying tribute to Mama Ru), an interview on ABC's late-night talk show _Jimmy Kimmel Live!___in an episode guest-hosted by RuPaul, a starring role inBilly Eichner's gay rom-com _Bros_, and several other accomplishments that have positioned her a standout winner in the _Drag Race_ pantheon. Symone also attended this iconic _Drag Race_ winners reunion. And, unsurprisingly, looked like the absolute superstar that she's always been. ### Kylie Sonique Love — 'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars' Season 6 Kylie Sonique Love expanded her impact as a trans trailblazer even further by returning to compete on _All Stars 6_ and winning the season — becoming the first out trans queen in _Drag Race_ herstory to win a U.S. season of the series. Kylie was subsequently honored in the Out100 following her herstoric entry into the Drag Race Hall of Fame.__ During this event for season 18, Kylie had a legendary reunion with her lifelong friend Sasha Colby (who went on to win season 15) and _All Stars 6_ costar Ginger Minj (who, most recently, won _All Stars 10_). ### Willow Pill — 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 14 Willow Pill won the 14th season of _Drag Race_ in April 2022, becoming the first out trans contestant to win a flagship season of the show and inadvertently standing as the last _Drag Race_ champion of the VH1 era. Along with other drag artists and LGBTQ+ icons such as Jinkx Monsoon, Kim Chi, and the Boulet Brothers, Willow Pill appeared as an honoree in the 2022 Out100 list and celebrated her legacy once again during this special event for _Drag Race_ season 18. Needless to say, attendees were excited to see Willow being among these 16 winners, which included her fellow crowned champion from Colorado, Yvie Oddly. ### Sasha Colby — 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 15 Who better than the G.O.D.D.E.S.S. herself to bless the new queens in the cast of _Drag Race_ season 18? Sasha Colby _ran the show_ once again while attending this extra special event. As a trans trailblazer and drag performer who's had incredibly meaningful relationships with fellow winners Sasha Velour and Kylie Sonique Love, it was fabulous to see Colby finally getting a moment with her sisters on an official capacity at a _Drag Race_ event. Velour said that she would return to compete in an all-winners season as long as she competed in the same legendary legend season as Colby — so our fingers are crossed that last night's dazzling reunion pushed forward a few ideas, let's just say that! ### Jimbo — 'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars' Season 8 _Canada's Drag Race_ breakout star won _All Stars 8_ and became the first-ever queen from a non-_RuPaul's Drag Race_ original season to enter the official Drag Race Hall of Fame. Jimbo brought her joyous personality and fabulously twisted aesthetic to this event celebrating season 18, and was clearly excited to ring in this next group of fierce competitors who are just getting started on their _Drag Race_ journey. ### Nymphia Wind — 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 16 When asked by _Out_ what we should all leave behind in 2025, Nymphia Wind declared "No billionaires!" One can assume that bananas are safe, though. Nymphia _peeled_ herself during this season 18 event — literally! — and we loved to see it. ### Angeria Paris VanMicheals — 'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars' Season 9 Angeria Paris VanMicheals is one of the greatest supporters of the _Drag Race_ franchise. She's consistently kept up with every single international season of _Drag Race_ over the years, shared her platform with other queens from around the world, and has been individually congratulating the winner of each new season — no matter where it takes place — on social media. Needless to say, the feeling was mutual! The season 18 queens lived for Angie, and so did the audience. ### Alyssa Edwards — 'RuPaul's Drag Race Global All Stars' Alyssa Edwards got up in her _Global_ gig in 2024 and was crowned the first-ever winner of _RuPaul's Drag Race Global All Stars_ after competing against a jaw-dropping, stacked cast of fierce queens from around the world. Between Netflix's _Dancing Queen_ docuseries, starring roles in both _Hurricane Bianca_ movies, cameos on reality TV shows like _The Bachelorette_ , _RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race_ , _Drag Race España_ , and _Drag Race Philippines: Slaysian Royale_ , Alyssa has been carrying herself as a winner for several years, and watching her stand alongside other crowned _Drag Race_ superstars felt absolutely correct. ### Onya Nurve — 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 17 Onya Nurve knows a thing or two, or three, or four, about embodying charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent. The current reigning winner in the _Drag Race_ flagship series obviously attended this season 18 event and reminded fans that it _do_ take nerve to stand by your own artistry, your own truth, and your own career. Watch her cook! The newly inducted queen to the 2025 Out100 is just getting started. ### Ginger Minj — 'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars' Season 10 Ginger Minj attended this season 18 event as the most recent inductee to the Drag Race Hall of Fame — not to mention an honoree in the 2025 Out100 list. This drag titan has worked hard on her way to the crown, and she's more booked and busy than ever before! **_RuPaul's Drag Race_****season 18 premieres Friday, January 2 on MTV.**