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Pride 2021 Fashion & Beauty Brands That Give to LGBTQIA+ Charities – STYLECASTER

Kim Martel

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June 3, 2021

Pride 2021 Fashion & Beauty Brands That Give to LGBTQIA+ Charities – STYLECASTER

Unlike last year, many of this year’s Pride celebrations will be held outdoors, which means it’s time to go all out and grab a new outfit to celebrate. Whether you just want a cute rainbow tee for your Pride party or you’re looking to spice up your summer wardrobe with a few new buys, be sure to spend your coin fashion and beauty brands with Pride initiatives that actually give back.

Tons of brands drop special collections with a percentage of proceeds donated to L.G.B.T.Q.I.A+ communities and organizations, while others drop similar ranges and donate a lump sum in advance instead. Either way, you’re better off supporting a brand that actually donates to the cause than ordering the first rainbow-striped tee you see on Amazon, am I right?

Whether you’re in the market for a new outfit, some makeup or skincare goodies, or a random assortment of candles, sandals, and whatever else tickles your fancy, you can find a Pride-supporting brand to shop below. Beauty brands like Ouai and Bath and Body Works have stepped up to the plate when it comes to rainbow packaging and major donations. Meanwhile, fashion and footwear brands from Vans to Banana Republic have dropped seriously cute collections too.

Below, shop 15 brands with incredible Pride initiatives you’d actually want to buy anyway, so you can stock up on some great stuff and feel good about your purchase in the process. Happy pride, y’all!

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

BEAUTY

STYLECASTER | 15 pride collections that give back

Courtesy of OGX.

BH Cosmetics

Courtesy of BH Cosmetics.

On June 1, BH Cosmetics is unveiling an exciting partnership with The Trevor Project. With this, the brand is launching a limited-edition Give Back 12 Color Shadow Palette with PRIDE-inspired hues. $10 from every purchase of the new shadow palette will be donated to The Trevor Project.

OGX

STYLECASTER | 15 pride collection that give back

Courtesy of OGX.

These adorable Pride-themed shampoos aren’t just a pretty face — they also serve as a reminder of OGX’s ongoing partnership with Johnson & Johnson’s CARE WITH PRIDE® initiative, which works together with a range of L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ non-profits including The Trevor Project and PFLAG.

Ouai

Courtesy of The Ouai.

In honor of the St. Barts launch and Pride next month, OUAI will be donating $20k to the LA LGBT Center, which helps fight against bigotry and the struggle to build a better world. OUAI continues to support and celebrate all the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ members both in their community and around the world.

Bath & Body Works

STYLECASTER | 15 Pride Collections Give Back to Charity

Courtesy of Bath & Body Works.

Support and celebrate L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ rights by shopping Bath & Body Works new Pride Collection. Bath & Body Works has donated a million dollars this year to the Human Rights Fund, which works to further L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ equality.

Beekman 1802

Courtesy of Beekman 1802.

In honor of Pride (June and beyond), gay-owned brand Beekman 1802 is celebrating with two limited-edition items; the Bloom with Pride Skincare Kit, with 100 percent of profits going to Ali Forney Center to support homeless L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ youth, and a set of Rainbow Votive Candles.

FASHION

STYLECASTER | 15 pride collections that actually give back

Courtesy of Teva.

Levi’s

Courtesy of Levi’s.

In honor of Pride month, Levi’s has launched their Pride 365 collection, which can be personalized to your liking. In support of the collection, Levi’s also makes an annual donation to OutRight Action International, a non-profit that works to defend L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ rights.

Teva

Courtesy of Teva.

Teva just unveiled their 2021 Pride Pack, a collection of all-gender sandals and accessories, and In honor of Pride Month, the brand is making a $35K donation to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation to help support the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ community.

Sterling Forever

STYLECASTER | Pride Collections That Give Bac

Courtesy of Sterling Forever.

This chic jewelry and accessories brand is donating 30 percent of proceeds from their Pride Collection to the It Gets Better Project, a non-profit organization with a mission to uplift, empower, and connect L.G.B.T.Q.I.A+ youth. Plus, right now you can get 25 percent off the collection when you enter the code SFPM25 at checkout.

JACQ

Courtesy of Jacq.

Gender-neutral label JACQ debuted their PRIDE tee collection, and 15 percent of net proceeds will be donated throughout June to GLAAD — a nonprofit organization that aims to advance equality within the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ community.

Modern Picnic

Courtesy of Modern Picnic.

At the end of May, Modern Picnic will debut their chic Pride collection for 2021 n partnership with designer Zac Mathias. 20 percent of proceeds will go to The Trevor Project, an organization dedicated to helping and supporting L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ youth under the age of 25.

Shop Disney

Courtesy of Shop Disney.

In honor of Pride month 2021 and the brand’s rainbow Pride drop, The Walt Disney Company is donating funds to organizations from around the world that support L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ communities including Diversity Role Models and GLSEN.

Courtesy of Toms.

To celebrate Pride month, TOMS recently dropped their Unity Collection 2021, featuring an assortment of rainbow-adorned footwear and accessories. In tandem with their recent announcement of giving ⅓ net profits to grassroots good the brand is committed to supporting programs created with and within the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ community all year long.

Banana Republic

Courtesy of Banana Republic.

Banana Republic’s gender-fluid Pride collection just dropped, featuring a variety of comfy sweatshirts, chic brooches, and rainbow t-shirts. You can feel good about supporting this collection — Banana Republic has donated $240,000 to help the L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+ community over the past four years.

Unique Vintage

Courtesy of Unique Vintage.

Unique Vintage’s Pride Collection for 2021 is one of the cutest drops I’ve seen thus far. Plus, proceeds from sales of the collection will go to the LA LGBT Center and TransLifeline.

Haverhill

Courtesy of Haverhill.

Haverhill’s Rainbow Pride collection features an area of dainty statement pieces and rainbow color accents. 10 percent of the proceeds from the collection will go to The Trevor Project.

“I want to be the biggest gay pop star ever:” Get to know Flint’s Furillostar – Flintside

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June 3, 2021

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“I want to be the biggest gay pop star ever:” Get to know Flint’s Furillostar – Flintside

FLINT, Michigan — There’s a light oozing from Flint’s most notable Black queer pop artist Furillostar. It shines through his smile when he answers questions about growing up between Flint and Atlanta—where music and dancing were prevalent. His friendly personality flourishes, recalling listening to his top five favorite artists: Michael and Janet Jackson; Britney Spears; Justin Timberlake; Usher. Furillo’s warm personality is present when he speaks about his experiences with his dance group Final Destination. The group performed on BET’s 106 & Park, auditioned for America’s Best Dance Crew, and now are principal dancers for his solo endeavors.

Yet, there is a hint of darkness amid this vibrant sea of colorful pop songs and life experiences. It sits deep in the back of Furillo’s eyes, allowing a brief glimpse into the struggles—like losing a record contract—Furillo’s had to overcome. These are reminders of how far he’s come and how much room there is to grow. He tells me, sitting across a Foster’s Coffee table, wearing a matching Mickey Mouse hoodie-sweatpants set, a red wave cap, and colorful shoes, of those moments of happiness and sadness. That even with Billboard Magazine and The Gay Times music shoutouts, there’s still a lingering desire to be acknowledged in the one city he calls home—Flint.

“When events were happening [in Flint], and things popped up, and I didn’t see my name … I used to get offended because I’m here—I still live here,” Furillo says, trying to crack a smile. “I do have those feelings and experiences. Living somewhere where the community is building this super artistic, creative space and not be part of that, that’s tough.”

“What was more of a journey for me was how do I be a Black queer entertainer?”Challenging but not impossible. To date, Furillo has amassed over 200,000 Spotify streams and YouTube views combined. His music invokes the late 90s and early 00s signature pop sounds he grew up with and “the glorious early-aughts heyday when mainstream pop radio was saturated with insanely catchy R&B melodies,” according to PAPER Magazine. Close ties to Brelia Renee on her hit song Vibe With You—and its accompanying remix—alongside his single Text’n Me have placed him in iTunes Top 30 and Top 10 R&B and pop charts, respectively. He’s a guest feature on Shemy’s latest album, Awkwardly Confident, headlined statewide Gay Pride concerts, and has received several celeb shoutouts from his and Renee’s TikTok videos.

But Furillo is one of two prominent Black male queer music artists in Flint—the other being Jesse Davis of Him/Hers Dance—and it’s a feeling of being pushed aside that he’s wrestled with publicly and privately. In favor of what he calls a “straight male rap” perspective, it is another reason why several in Flint call Furillo one of the city’s most underrated artists. But it’s one area of his life that he intends to move beyond. While at times Flint isn’t as “progressive as other [major] cities,” it hasn’t stopped him from going after his dreams of becoming a dancer and now a pop artist.

“Being a performer, being on stage, you have these alter egos that help, and I think sometimes you can’t turn it off,” he says, exhaling and relaxing a bit. “My mom always says, ‘be grateful for things because none of it has to happen.’ I’m very humble, thankful, and blessed enough to have experienced a lot.”

As the youngest of three children growing up, Furillo tells me with a grin that “me and my family were close,” accepting his sexuality and feeling like he had “two moms” between his mother and sister. However, his dreams of singing and dancing almost never happened. Born with metatarsus adductus, a foot deformity, he wore a cast on both legs for years before his mother requested its removal. His mother—a dancer herself—witnessed his passion and took him to audition for a play where he danced, got accepted, and eventually went on tour. What followed was an opportunity to move to Atlanta, thanks to a family friend, and join an R&B boy band. Both opportunities gave Furillo first-hand “experience working with amazing producers” and “industry-level knowledge.” Unfortunately, the record label dropped the group, causing him to return to Flint, reinsert himself into everyday life, and step fully into his queerness.

“Looking back on it now, I appreciate coming back because it allowed me time to grow,” Furillo says with a laugh. “What was more of a journey for me was how do I be a Black queer entertainer?”

A look of relief washes over Furillo’s face, happy that he’s moved beyond the phase of being unsure of potential backlash for being a Black queer pop artist in Flint. Initially, Furillo continued writing lyrics and creating music addressing women instead of the men he wanted to up until “two years ago,” noting how it “just wasn’t clicking.” Comfortable with sharing that aspect of his life with friends and family, he created a video for the HIV/AIDs center, Wellness Services, and it’s Coming Out Stories, that marked the moment of letting the world see him authentically and to come “join this journey with me.”

That sparked support from Flint residents within and outside the LGBTQ+ community. With renewed confidence, Furillo began work with new producers and writers, which led to Wellness allowing him to perform at Flint Pride—a moment highlighted by the release of his Pride EP. The Flint Pride performance, in addition to his music, saw him invited to perform at several Gay Pride concerts across Michigan, which he called the Pride Tour. Soon after, he released his second project, FLAME.

“I want to be the biggest gay pop star ever.”“It felt like it was a reintroduction saying this is who [Flint is] going to be getting from here on out. That’s when everything started to click,” he says. “To experience [the Pride Tour] and see everybody authentically be themselves, it was one of the best experiences to be around people like that.”

Although Furillo had no intention of becoming a role model for Black and queer communities, it is a title that he’s slowly grown to appreciate. Now, he pronounces, “I want to be the biggest gay pop star ever.” It is that purpose and trying to showcase greater vulnerability to allow his fans an authentic glimpse of who he is, which propels him to greater heights. Because even when he felt like he wasn’t a part of Flint’s music boom, the place he does hold—as an example of Black queer representation—remains vital.

“I think my role is representation. When I was a kid watching music videos, I didn’t have Black queer entertainers. The more I can be seen and achieve things because of that, that’s my biggest [goal],” he says with confidence. “I want to be that for Black queer kids.”

You can find Furillostar on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. You can listen to his latest release, RUNAWAY, streaming on all media platforms.

How do transgender teens cope with stress? – Medical News Today

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June 3, 2021

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How do transgender teens cope with stress? – Medical News Today

Someone holding a small glass of alcoholic drink — A recent study looks at how transgender people may use alcohol to combat stress. crotography/Getty Images

A 2-year survey of transgender or gender minority (GM) adolescents, who have a different gender identity than the one they were assigned at birth, suggests that many use alcohol to cope with GM-related stress.
Internalized cissexism had associations with an increased risk of substance use in response to stress, whereas resilience and gender-related pride had associations with a lower risk.
Family and social support protected against alcohol use at low levels of stress, but not at high levels.
The researchers conclude that future interventions with GM youth should aim to reduce internalized cissexism and strengthen resilience, gender-related pride, and family functioning.

Transgender people have a different gender identity to the sex they were assigned at birth, in contrast to cisgender individuals, who are comfortable with their assigned gender.

A recent study found that transgender and nonbinary adolescents face more emotional distress and bullying and have fewer protective factors, such as family connectedness, compared with their cisgender peers.

Another study found that the prevalence of substance use among these GM youth can be up to 4 times higher than in cisgender youth.

These findings suggest that GM adolescents use drugs, such as alcohol, to cope with the additional stressors they encounter in their everyday lives.

However, the research to date has been cross-sectional (focused on a single moment in time), making it harder to establish the root causes of substance use.

A newly published study, which surveyed the substance use of 30 GM adolescents every 6 months over a period of 2 years, supports the view that they used alcohol, in particular, to cope with GM-related stresses.

Scientists at Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, all in Boston, MA, conducted the research. The results appear in PLOS ONE.

Their study examined how stressors, such as victimization, and related risk factors, namely internalized cissexism, depressive symptoms, and anxiety affected substance use.

It also investigated potentially protective factors, such as resilience, gender-related pride, family functioning, and social support.

All the subjects, who were aged 13–17 years, were part of a community-based research project called the Trans Teen and Family Narratives Project.

Participants identified as:

transfeminine (11)
transmasculine (15)
nonbinary (4)

At the start of the study, 17% reported using substances, including tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana. But by the end, 56% of participants claimed that they were using one of these.

Higher exposure to GM-related stress significantly increased the likelihood that these adolescents would use alcohol, but not tobacco or marijuana.

The survey asked participants to rate how strongly they agreed or disagreed with a list of statements, such as:

“When I think of my gender identity or expression, I feel depressed” — to gauge internalized cissexism.
“I reach my goals if I work hard” — to gauge resilience.
“My gender identity or expression makes me feel special and unique” — to gauge gender-related pride.
“I feel part of a community of people who share my gender identity” — to gauge community connectedness.

Internalized cissexism mediated the association between stress and substance use. In other words, the more internalized cissexism teens felt, the more likely they appeared to deal with GM-related stress through substance use.

Conversely, resilience and gender-related pride appeared to protect against substance use in response to GM-related stress.

Participants who reported having supportive friends and family seemed significantly less likely to turn to alcohol in response to low levels of stress, but the same was not true at higher levels.

By the end of the study, 40% of participants reported having used alcohol recently. In contrast, a survey in 2019 found that 29% of high school students in the United States had recently drunk alcohol.

Sabra L. Katz-Wize, Ph.D., who led the study, told Medical News Today that the figures for substance use among GM teens suggested by her research were likely to be an underestimate.

Teens enrolled in the Trans Teen and Family Narratives Project are likely to have a greater degree of self-acceptance, resilience, and family or peer support than trans teens who have yet to share their true identities.

“The teens in this sample were all part of families that agreed to participate in research together, indicating a baseline level of support that is likely higher than the general population of gender minority teens,” she said.

“However, it is important to note that even among the families in this study, there were differences in levels of support across different family members and across time (e.g., some family members were initially unsupportive, but now are more supportive).”

The authors conclude that future interventions with GM youth should focus on addressing internalized cissexism and strengthening resilience, gender-related pride, and family functioning.

They write:

“Since GM adolescents appear to be using substances to cope with exposure to gender minority stressors, programs could assist adolescents in identifying adaptive coping strategies in response to such stressors. GM adolescents should also be connected to resources where they can connect with other GM adolescents.”

The researchers note some limitations of their survey. For example, the sample was small, while participants were predominantly white and non-Hispanic.

In addition, they tended to come from a higher socioeconomic background than the wider population.

The findings may therefore not generalize to GM teens who were underrepresented in this sample.

Mass. GOP Official Is Getting Pressure To Resign After Anti-Gay Email – wgbh.org

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June 3, 2021

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Mass. GOP Official Is Getting Pressure To Resign After Anti-Gay Email – wgbh.org

BOSTON (AP) — Gov. Charlie Baker is among prominent Massachusetts Republicans calling on an elected member of the Republican State Committee to resign for making homophobic remarks about a gay GOP congressional candidate.

Deborah Martell, a member of the 80-member state committee, wrote in an email to fellow Republicans last month that was shared with The Boston Globe that she was “sickened” that Jeffrey Sossa-Paquette and his husband had adopted two children.

Sossa-Paquette is challenging incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern.

“Deborah Martell’s comments about Jeffrey Sossa-Paquette and his family are abhorrent and have no place in public discourse and of course have no place in the leadership of a political party founded on protecting individual freedom,” Baker said in a statement to the Globe.

Martell has not responded to email and voicemail requests for comment from the Globe.

Sossa-Paquette said he confronted Martell about the email.

“This does not represent the Republican Party that I’ve defended for the last 20 years of my life,” Sossa-Paquette said. “I’m not going to tolerate any bigotry coming out of my own party or the Democratic Party.”

Sossa-Paquette said he reached out to state GOP Chairman Jim Lyons, who “basically just told me he’s not going to get involved.”

SECTUR: LGBT tourism leaves more money than heterosexual tourism – The Yucatan Times

Kim Martel

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June 3, 2021

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SECTUR: LGBT tourism leaves more money than heterosexual tourism – The Yucatan Times

Mèrida, Yucatàn, (June 03, 2021).- During the month of LGBT pride, June, tourism increases, especially in this sector; who, according to the Ministry of Tourism, leaves much more money than heterosexual people.

The LGBT + community has a greater economic benefit in the country’s tourism. What generates a beneficial impact on the country’s economy. For this reason, the Secretary of Tourism (SECTUR) promotes inclusion in the various destinations of the country, and that the places are an ideal place to vacation for both heterosexuals and members of the LGBT + community.

During the month of June, which is considered the month of pride, brands, public institutions and countries wear rainbows to show their support and recognition in front of the LGBTTTIQA community. Thanks to these changes, it is visible how the people who belong to this community show greater interest and even tend to consume more.

According to data published by the secretariat, a foreign tourist who belongs to the LGBTI + community in Mexico produces an economic spill of 1,700 dollars per person. Which is to say $ 32 thousand pesos. Meanwhile, a heterosexual traveler only leaves $ 780 at the most, only $ 14 thousand pesos. This is a huge difference.

On average 2.5 million tourists who belong to this community are received on average. Therefore, SECTUR seeks to develop plans to increase the country’s inclusive tourism offer.

Among the tourist destinations with greater inclusion and those that are most frequented by this segment of consumers in Mexico are: Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Acapulco, Guerrero, San Miguel de Allende in Guanajuato and the Riviera Maya in Quintana Roo.

In these places there are hotels, bars, nightclubs and restaurants dedicated especially to the LGBT community, in addition to there are areas where you can find a high demand for places of entertainment, especially during pride month.

Source: Yucatàn al instante

The Yucatan Times
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Sonya Deville on being WWE’s first openly gay female superstar: ‘I want to be a voice for the community in sports’ – Yahoo Eurosport UK

Kim Martel

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June 3, 2021

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Sonya Deville on being WWE’s first openly gay female superstar: ‘I want to be a voice for the community in sports’ – Yahoo Eurosport UK

Openly gay WWE superstar Sonya Deville says she wants to be an “voice” for the LGBT+ community in sports – specifically wrestling.

Deville – who’s real name is Daria Berenato – came out in 2015 when she appeared on the reality TV show Tough Enough and was signed onto WWE. She made headlines when she revealed that she is a lesbian on national TV and became the first ever active, out female WWE star.

Deville, 27, told Variety that she wants to continue her advocacy for the LGBT+ community and let other queer athletes know that their sexuality “doesn’t define them”.

“I really just want to be a voice for the community in sports – specifically in the WWE,” Deville said. “I want to let people know that their sexuality doesn’t define them and how they identify doesn’t define them. And I’m a perfect example of it.”

She told Variety that she has a huge LGBT+ fanbase and estimated that “70 per cent” of her fans are “part of the community somehow, some way”. DeVille even said she gets messages “constantly” on social media and emails from people asking for advice.

“I get messages constantly on Instagram and Twitter and emails, just all the people always asking me like, ‘Hey do you have any advice on how I should come out?’” Deville explained. “Or, ‘Thank you. You helped me feel OK with myself and my sexuality.’ That’s literally the reason I use my voice.”

Sonya Deville also reflected on coming out during her time on Tough Enough. She told Variety that she was scared that coming out on TV was “going to hurt my chances of getting hired” because “that’s just how naive I was”.

“I didn’t accept myself so I didn’t think anyone else was going to accept me,” Deville said.

Beyond appearing in the ring, Sonya Deville also stars on WWE as an on-air personality and authority figure, lending her insights in a variety of fights. She has also used her spotlight to advocate for LGBT+ rights in the US.

Deville recently underwent a horrific experience this last summer when a man was arrested after plotting for months to kidnap the WWE star and hold her hostage in her own home. The man was arrested in August after he had travelled from his home in South Carolina to Florida, where Deville lives.

The man spent hours waiting and watching her through the windows of her home before sneaking in through the backdoor. But Deville was alerted to the intruder by a burglar alarm, fled her home with a guest and called authorities.

Sonya Deville told Variety that the man’s trial “hasn’t even begun yet”, and she will “probably be dealing with that for the next several months”. But she said she will “definitely speak on it once it’s all legally wrapped up”.

“There are things I want to say that I think could help performers and just people in general in the future,” Deville said.

Mass. GOP Official Is Getting Pressure To Resign After Anti-Gay Email LGBTQ – wgbh.org

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June 3, 2021

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Mass. GOP Official Is Getting Pressure To Resign After Anti-Gay Email LGBTQ – wgbh.org

BOSTON (AP) — Gov. Charlie Baker is among prominent Massachusetts Republicans calling on an elected member of the Republican State Committee to resign for making homophobic remarks about a gay GOP congressional candidate.

Deborah Martell, a member of the 80-member state committee, wrote in an email to fellow Republicans last month that was shared with The Boston Globe that she was “sickened” that Jeffrey Sossa-Paquette and his husband had adopted two children.

Sossa-Paquette is challenging incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern.

“Deborah Martell’s comments about Jeffrey Sossa-Paquette and his family are abhorrent and have no place in public discourse and of course have no place in the leadership of a political party founded on protecting individual freedom,” Baker said in a statement to the Globe.

Martell has not responded to email and voicemail requests for comment from the Globe.

Sossa-Paquette said he confronted Martell about the email.

“This does not represent the Republican Party that I’ve defended for the last 20 years of my life,” Sossa-Paquette said. “I’m not going to tolerate any bigotry coming out of my own party or the Democratic Party.”

Sossa-Paquette said he reached out to state GOP Chairman Jim Lyons, who “basically just told me he’s not going to get involved.”

Montana man charged with hate crime in anti-gay attack – New York Daily News

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June 3, 2021

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Montana man charged with hate crime in anti-gay attack – New York Daily News

John Howald, 44, is accused of firing a gun into the victim’s house because of that person’s sexual orientation, shouting anti-gay slurs and saying he wanted to “get rid of lesbians (and) gays,” according to prosecutors. Following a lengthy investigation into the March 2020 incident, a federal grand jury returned an indictment on May 20 charging him with hate crime and firearm violations.

LGBT station Virgin Radio Pride UK launched with Tia Kofi presenting – Metro.co.uk

Kim Martel

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June 3, 2021

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LGBT station Virgin Radio Pride UK launched with Tia Kofi presenting – Metro.co.uk

LGBT station Virgin Radio Pride UK launched with Tia Kofi among presenters: 'Made by queer people for queer people and beyond' — Virgin Radio Pride UK will begin on June 7 (Picture: Getty/Rex/Virgin Radio)

Virgin Radio has announced it is launching an LGBT+ station, Virgin Radio Pride UK, ‘made by queer people for queer people and beyond’.

The dedicated station for the LGBT+ community will start broadcasting from June 7 until the middle of September and will be hosted by a roster of presenters including RuPaul’s Drag Race UK’s Tia Kofi, Matt Cain and Emma Goswell.

Joining them on the station will be Debbie Ryan, Phil Clifton, Shivani Dave, Vicki Blight and Stephen Sullivan and there will also be celebrity guest contributors as well as LGBT+ organisations given airtime.

Virgin Radio Pride UK will address issues including trans rights, gay adoption, living with HIV and helping parents understand LGBT+ subjects, according to Virgin.

Drag queen and Drag Race UK star Tia said: ‘I’m so excited to be part of the launch for this incredible new LGBT+ station.

‘We have created something made by queer people for queer people and beyond, and it’s going to be amazing!

Drag Race UK’s Tia Kofi is excited to get started (Picture: BBC/World of Wonder/Ray Burmiston)

‘Get ready for the ultimate Friday night pre-party with me, as well as some sensational content from across the LGBT+ community.’

The station will also partner with Pride marches around the country and programming will include documentaries on being bisexual in 2021, how the LGBT+ community shapes dance music and more.

The musical offering will mostly be pop-dance and pop-R&B from the last 20 years according to the broadcaster, to complement the rest of the Virgin Radio roster.

Virgin Radio UK Content Director, Mike Cass said: ‘From June 7 until mid-September, Virgin Radio Pride UK will broadcast stories from our community, by our community in one big audio festival.

‘I’m delighted to have partnered with so many wonderful organisations to create a radio space for LGBT+ celebration and storytelling. We will make you laugh, occasionally make you cry, but most importantly make you proud.’

You can listen to Virgin Radio Pride UK from June 7 on DAB in London, online or via the Virgin Radio app.

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How Fashion and Beauty Brands Are Giving Back for Pride Month 2021 – WWD

Kim Martel

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June 3, 2021

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How Fashion and Beauty Brands Are Giving Back for Pride Month 2021 – WWD

Each year, fashion and beauty brands celebrate Pride Month by rolling out their Pride-themed collections. This year, however, more brands are taking their Pride Month initiatives beyond the rainbow merchandise and making greater efforts to support the LGBTQ community.

Many companies are looking inward for the 2021 Pride Month, focusing on further educating their employees and creating safer and more inclusive spaces for the LGBTQ community. PVH Corp., the parent company behind Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, for one, is expanding its initiatives to offer year-round education and awareness of the LGBTQ community for its employees. The company will also be sponsoring six Pride events throughout the year and is supporting the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Historically Black College and Universities program.

Other brands are making their Pride-themed offerings and donations a year-round initiative, including Happy Socks, which is donating 10 percent of sales from its rainbow-colored socks to InterPride throughout the year, and Pink, which has expanded its offerings for its gender-inclusive Pink for All collection that debuted earlier this year.

Fashion and beauty brands are also continuing their support of major charities and organizations focusing on the LGBTQ community, like GLAAD, the Trevor Project, the Hetrick-Martin Institute and GLSEN, among others.

Here, WWD looks at how some fashion and beauty brands are giving back for Pride Month 2021.

Abercrombie & Fitch

Pride Month 2021: How Fashion and Beauty Brands Are Giving Back

Abercrombie & Fitch’s Pride Month campaign. Courtesy

Abercrombie & Fitch is continuing its 11-year partnership with the Trevor Project — an LGBTQ youth suicide prevention organization — with a new Pride collection. The 24-piece collection features T-shirts, hoodies, jackets, shorts and accessories designed in tie-dye, paint splatter and rainbow styles. The collection also includes a Pride-themed version of the brand’s Fierce fragrance. The brand will be donating $200,000 to the Trevor Project through the collection.

Alo Yoga

A style from Alo Yoga’s Pride Month collection. Courtesy

Alo Yoga is releasing its first Pride Month collection this year to support the Trevor Project. Called “Love Is Love,” the collection includes hoodies, sweat shorts, tank tops and accessories that range in price from $18 to $120. All proceeds from the collection will benefit the Trevor Project.

Balenciaga

A style from Balenciaga’s Pride Month collection. Courtesy

Balenciaga is releasing a Pride Month capsule collection with 15 percent of sales benefiting the Trevor Project. The collection includes varsity-style hoodies, T-shirts, innerwear and baseball caps.

Becca Cosmetics

Becca Cosmetics Shimmering Skin Perfector Highlighter. Courtesy

Becca Cosmetics is releasing its last product launch for Pride Month before the brand shutters in September. The brand is releasing a special-edition shade of its best-selling Shimmering Skin Perfector highlighter exclusively on its website for $38. Becca Cosmetics is donating $50,000 through sales to the Trevor Project.

Brooks Brothers

A style from Brooks Brothers’ Pride Month collection. David Preta/Brooks Brothers

Brooks Brothers is teaming with GLSEN — an organization that works to end discrimination, harassment and bullying based on sexual orientation or gender identity — this Pride Month. The brand is releasing a Pride Month collection with T-shirts, pocket squares and ties with 100 percent of sales going back to the organization. The collection retails for $49.50 to $89.50.

Coach

Bob the Drag Queen for Coach’s Pride Month campaign. Courtesy

Coach released its “Pride Is Where You Find It” campaign starring the likes of Bob the Drag Queen, Miles Heizer, Jack Mizrahi, Stasha Sanchez and Rina Sawayama, who appear in the campaign video talking about where they find their Pride.

Additionally, the brand is launching a Pride collection of bags, T-shirts and footwear featuring rainbow versions of Coach’s signature patterns. Coach is also donating to organizations like the Hetrick-Martin Institute, the Albert Kennedy Trust, the Point Foundation and the CenterLink Community of LGBTQ Centers.

Diesel

A style from Diesel’s Pride Month collection. Courtesy

Diesel is re-releasing its Pride collection this year to support Diversity, an Italian-based organization that promotes diversity and inclusion in the workplace. The 20-piece collection includes rainbow-themed swimwear, tank tops, T-shirts, boxers and accessories.

Fabletics

Fabletics’ Pride Month campaign. @cam.alexiis / @createwhatstrue

Fabletics’ 2021 Pride Month collection is called “United in Pride.” The 11-piece collection includes apparel in rainbow and tie-dye prints and features messages that express unity and inclusivity. The brand is donating $50,000 from the collection to GLAAD and prices start at $17.95.

Fossil

Fossil’s Pride Month styles. Jim Wright/Fossil

Fossil is releasing 10 Pride-themed watch straps this month, including one in a rainbow colorway and another in a blue, pink and white colorway meant to reflect the colors of the transgender flag. The brand is donating 25 percent of proceeds from the collection to the Trevor Project with a minimum donation of $25,000. The Pride watch straps retail for $20 and a Pride watch and case retail for $75.

Fourlaps

A style from Fourlaps’ Pride Month collection. Courtesy

Men’s fashion brand Fourlaps is teaming with the Hetrick-Martin Institute — an LGBTQ youth organization that provides basic needs, health, education and career services — this Pride Month. The brand is donating 100 percent of sales of its “4Love” and “Love Finishes First” T-Shirts to the organization. The shirts retail for $50.

Gap

A style from Gap’s Pride Month collection. Courtesy

Gap is tapping three employees to design the latest iteration of its Gap Collective line for Pride Month. The collection includes rainbow-designed T-shirts, baseball caps and socks ranging in price from $14.95 to $34.95. Gap is donating $50,000 from the collection to GLAAD.

H&M

MJ Rodriguez stars in H&M’s Pride Month campaign. Courtesy

H&M is releasing its “Beyond the Rainbow” campaign for Pride Month. The campaign stars MJ Rodriguez and Chella Man, who tell their personal stories and talk about what Pride means to them. The campaign is meant to inspire others to tell their own stories and support efforts for equality and transparency.

Additionally, the brand is releasing a new app where individuals can scan any rainbow pattern and find stories from the campaign from people in the LGBTQ community. H&M is also participating in a match campaign throughout June where it is matching donations made to the Trevor Project.

Happy Socks

Happy Socks’ Pride Month styles. Courtesy

Happy Socks decided against putting together a Pride Month ad campaign this year and instead donated its campaign budget to InterPride, an organization that produces Pride events around the world. The brand has also released four rainbow-colored socks it is selling year-round with 10 percent of profits also going to InterPride.

Hollister

Hollister’s Pride Month collection. Courtesy

For the fifth year in a row, Hollister is celebrating Pride Month by teaming with GLSEN. The brand is releasing a Pride Month collection co-created with GLSEN’s National Student Council Members, who helped design the 40-piece collection of loungewear, swimwear, apparel and fragrances. The collection ranges in price from $9.95 to $49.95. Hollister is donating $250,000 back to the organization.

Kate Spade

A style from Kate Spade’s Pride Month collection. Courtesy

Kate Spade is teaming with the Trevor Project for Pride Month, releasing a rainbow-themed collection that benefits the organization. The collection includes T-shirts, sweaters, shoes, handbags and face masks, and retails for $25 to $198 with 20 percent of proceeds going back to the organization.

Lord Jones

Lord Jones’ Pride Month offerings. Courtesy

CBD brand Lord Jones is releasing a Pride Bundle this month, which includes the brand’s limited-edition Pride Hemp-Derived CBD Gumdrops and its Lord Jones Pride Sweatshirt for $98. The brand is donating 50 percent of sales from each bundle to L.A. Pride to support the organization’s training program, PLATform, which supports and educates the transgender and nonbinary communities on how to engage in activism and police reform.

Macy’s

Styles from Macy’s Pride Month collection. Courtesy

Macy’s is launching its Pride + Joy campaign for Pride Month, where the retailer is honoring the LGBTQ community through a customer-centric give-back program to benefit the Trevor Project. The retailer is also releasing a Pride Month collection of apparel, shoes and accessories with 10 percent of sales benefiting the Trevor Project.

Neiman Marcus Group

Neiman Marcus’ Pride Month windows. Courtesy

The Neiman Marcus Group is launching several initiatives for Pride Month. The company is participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index for the first time and is updating its policies and plans to expand its protections and benefits for LGBTQ employees.

The company is additionally making donations to the Human Rights Campaign, the Trevor Project and True Colors United, as well as displaying Pride-themed window displays in its 37 Neiman Marcus stores and two Bergdorf Goodman locations.

The North Face

A style from the North Face’s Pride Month collection. Courtesy

The North Face is releasing its first Pride Month collection this year. The collection includes Pride-themed versions of the brand’s best-selling apparel items, like hoodies, T-shirts, totes, slides and other items. The brand will be donating $70,000 from the collection to Brave Trails, a non-profit summer camp dedicated to LGBTQ youth leadership.

NYX

A palette from NYX’s Pride Month collection. Courtesy

Makeup brand NYX is celebrating Pride Month with a new collection and social media challenge. The brand is releasing a collection of eye, lip and face offerings in bright colors and metallics ranging in price from $8 to $15 and is donating $100,000 from the collection to various LGBTQ organizations, including the Los Angeles LGBT Center.

The brand is also hosting its #NYXCosmeticsBall, inspired by the underground LGBTQ ballroom scene, where contestants can submit a video showing their makeup look and performance for a chance to win $5,000. The winner will be announced on June 28.

OGX

An item from OGX’s Pride Month collection. Courtesy

Johnson & Johnson-owned hair-care brand OGX is in its 10th year of the company’s Care With Pride program. This year, the brand is releasing a limited-edition collection of products that support the LGBTQ community. From every purchase of the four-item collection, the brand will donate $1 to Family Equality, an organization that protects and supports LGBTQ families.

Pink

A style from Pink’s Pride Month collection. Courtesy

Pink is releasing a rainbow capsule collection for Pride Month, as well as adding new styles to its gender-inclusive Pink For All line that released earlier this year. The brand is also donating $100,000 to Campus Pride, an organization that works to build safer and more inclusive college campuses across the country.

PVH Corp.

Honey Dijon for Calvin Klein. Courtesy

PVH Corp., which owns brands like Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger and others, is expanding its Pride Month initiatives to focus on year-round education and awareness for the LGBTQ community. The company is sponsoring six events focused on the LGBTQ community throughout the year, including the Human Rights Conference and Black Queen Townhall this month. It is also expanding its community engagement by supporting the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities program and by partnering with PFLAG to help educate its associates.

Calvin Klein is supporting Pride Month with the campaign, #proudinmycalvins, which tells stories of people in the LGBTQ+ community. The brand is also releasing a Pride Month collection of underwear, apparel and accessories and is donating to organizations like the Trevor Project, the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund and others.

Tommy Hilfiger is releasing a nine-piece gender-neutral Pride collection and will be making a donation to Ilga World, a global organization that brings together LGBTQ groups.

Rue21

Rue21’s Pride Month campaign. Courtesy

Retailer Rue21 is releasing its most expansive Pride Month initiative to date. The initiative includes the release of a limited-edition, gender-neutral fragrance called Unity, Pride-themed T-shirts and accessories, as well as a $50,000 donation to the Trevor Project.

Saks Fifth Avenue

Saks Fifth Avenue’s Pride Month windows. Courtesy

Saks Fifth Avenue is teaming with the Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative for Pride Month. The partnership includes special window installations and in-store experiences that celebrate Pride Month at the retailer’s Fifth Avenue flagship. Additionally, Saks is making a $50,000 donation to the organization’s Safe Spaces program, which partners with entertainment venues, stores and restaurants to help create safe and inclusive spaces for the LGBTQ community.

Savage x Fenty

Savage x Fenty’s Pride Month campaign. Courtesy

Rihanna’s lingerie label is releasing its first Pride collection this month. The collection’s campaign features 13 people from the LGBTQ+ community and was photographed by Quil Lemons. The collection includes lingerie, crop tops, smoking jackets, boxer briefs and other styles ranging in price from $16.95 to $69.95. Sales will be donated to several LGBTQ charities, including GLAAD, the Audre Lorde Project, the Caribbean Equality Project and the Trans Wellness Center, among others.

Stuart Weitzman

A style from Stuart Weitzman’s Pride Month collection Courtesy

Stuart Weitzman is teaming with the It Gets Better Project — a nonprofit that works to empower LGBTQ youth globally — this Pride Month. The brand is releasing its Ollie Heart Sneaker and Ollie Heart Bootie Sneaker (priced at $275 and $295, respectively) for the initiative and is donating 100 percent of profits to the organization.

Target

A style from Target’s Pride Month collection. Courtesy

Target is supporting GLSEN for the 10th year this Pride Month. The retailer is donating $100,000 to the organization, marking roughly $2 million that it has donated over the decade-long partnership. Target is also releasing its most expansive Pride collection to date, with offerings across apparel, accessories, footwear, home decor and more.

Toms

A style from Toms’ Pride Month collection.<strong style=”font-size: 16px;”> </strong> John Duarte/Toms

Toms is releasing its third Unity collection for Pride Month. The collection includes Pride-themed versions of three of its most popular footwear styles reimagined with rainbow-colored details and three rainbow-colored sunglasses. The brand is donating a third of profits from the collection to several organizations focused on the LGBTQ community, including Brave Trails. The collection ranges in price from $49.95 to $54.95.

Ugg

Lil Nas X, Hari Nef Star in Ugg Pride Campaign

Lil Nas X in Ugg’s 2021 Pride campaign. Courtesy of Ugg

Ugg tapped rapper Lil Nas X and actress Hari Nef as the faces of its 2021 Pride Month campaign, called #UggPride, where they modeled rainbow versions of the brand’s popular Fluff Yeah sandals. The brand additionally hosted its fifth “Proud Prom” event with the Pacific Pride Foundation and GLAAD. Ugg also released a Pride collection featuring rainbow-colored footwear, hoodies, T-shirts, skirts and socks and is donating up to $125,000 from sales to GLAAD.

Vera Bradley

A style from Vera Bradley’s Pride Month collection. Courtesy

Vera Bradley is releasing its Love Stripe collection for Pride Month in support of Free Mom Hugs, an organization that promotes visibility and education for the LGBTQ community. The collection includes the brand’s new Recycled Cotton Utility styles in a rainbow colorway and ranges in price from $14.99 to $65. Vera Bradley is donating $20,000 from the collection to the organization.

Versace

Donatella Versace Courtesy of Versace

Versace is showing support for Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, which focuses on the mental health of young people, this Pride Month by releasing a replica of the leather jacket the singer wore during her “Born This Way” tour a decade ago. The jacket will be auctioned off and all proceeds will benefit the foundation. The design house is also releasing limited-edition, rainbow-designed pieces, like a T-shirt and beret, that will partially benefit the foundation.

Designers Open Up on LGBTQ Rights Movement, Charting a Path Forward

Brands Must Think Beyond Pride Month

WATCH: Stonewall and Fashion Pride

Ricky Martin reveals feeling PTSD over past Barbara Walters interview where she asked him to come out – Fox News

Kim Martel

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June 3, 2021

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Ricky Martin reveals feeling PTSD over past Barbara Walters interview where she asked him to come out – Fox News

Ricky Martin revealed he still suffers from PTSD over a disastrous 2000 interview with Barbara Walters.

Martin publicly came out as a gay man in 2010 after years of speculation about his personal life. However, the singer was put on the spot to publicly confront his sexuality a decade prior during an interview with Walters that he says still gives him anxiety to think about today.

The “Livin’ La Vida Loca” singer discussed the cringe-worthy moment during an interview with People in celebration of Pride Month. At the time, rumors circulated that he was gay and Walters thought she would give him the opportunity to address them once and for all.

“You could stop these rumors,” Walters, 91, implored at the time. “You could say, ‘Yes I am gay or no I’m not.'”

RICKY MARTIN FANS DIVIDED OVER NEW FACIAL HAIR CHOICE HE DEBUTED AT THE 2019 GRAMMYS

Martin, 49, who explained he was still questioning his sexual orientation and was certainly not ready to get the public and his fans involved, dodged the question saying, “I just don’t feel like it.”

“When she dropped the question, I felt violated because I was just not ready to come out. I was very afraid,” he said, getting very shaken up thinking about the moment 11 years later. “There’s a little PTSD with that.”

Walters previously acknowledged that the question was “inappropriate” in an interview with the Toronto Star shortly after Martin finally came out.

Singer Ricky Martin revealed that he has PTSD over a 2000 interview with Barbara Walters. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Giorgio Armani)

“In 2000, I pushed Ricky Martin very hard to admit if he was gay or not, and the way he refused to do it made everyone decide that he was,” she said at the time. “A lot of people say that destroyed his career, and when I think back on it now I feel it was an inappropriate question.”

RICKY MARTIN SAYS IT’S ‘SUPER SAD’ TO SEE FELLOW LATINOS BACK DONALD TRUMP

However, after coming out in 2010 and living his life for more than a decade in the public eye as his authentic self, Martin says he may have approached the interview differently if he could go back.

“A lot of people say, what would you do differently?” he told the outlet. “Well, maybe I would have come out in that interview. It would’ve been great because when I came out, it just felt amazing. When it comes to my sexuality, when it comes to who I am, I want to talk about what I’m made of, about everything that I am. Because if you hide it, it’s a life-or-death situation.”

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Not only does Martin explain that he would have liked to get started living as an out man sooner, but he regrets not using his fame to help out youth that may have been struggling with their sexuality at the time as well.

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“There are many, many kids out there that don’t have someone to look up to. All they have around them is people telling them, ‘What you’re feeling is evil,'” he explained. “But, you can’t force someone to come out. But if you have an egg and you open it from the outside, only death comes out. But if the egg opens up from the inside, life comes out.”

‘1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything’ exec producer James Gay-Rees on what led to such an amazing year in music [EXCLUSIVE VIDEO INTERVIEW] – Gold Derby

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June 3, 2021

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‘1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything’ exec producer James Gay-Rees on what led to such an amazing year in music [EXCLUSIVE VIDEO INTERVIEW] – Gold Derby

When James Gay-Rees, along with fellow executive producer Asif Kapadia, started to put together a docuseries about the music of 1971, they had to answer the basic question of what made that year so pivotal. “We realized it was a very tumultuous and very pivotal year in the sense that the sixties had come to this kind of crashing end with Kent State, Altamont, Charles Manson and The Beatles spitting up in December 1970,” Gay-Rees explains to Gold Derby in our Meet the Experts: Television Documentary panel (watch the exclusive video interview above). From seeing how the sixties ended, it clearly set up everything that was to follow in the next decade. “So all that kind of optimism of the sixties was replaced by the golden age of paranoia, Nixon, you know, bugging the White House and Vietnam in full effect.”

“1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything” chronicles the turbulent status that the world was in at that time and the amazing music that come out of it. Among the musical milestones of the titular year are “What’s Going On?” by Marvin Gaye, “Imagine” by John Lennon, “Tapestry” by Carole King, “Who’s Next” by The Who, “Sticky Fingers” by The Rolling Stones, “Hunky Dory” by David Bowie and “Pieces of a Man” by Gil Scott-Heron just to name a few. Gay-Rees is a frequent producer for Kapadia including Kapadia’s 2015 film, “Amy,” about Amy Winehouse which won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature.

SEE our Meet the Experts panels

One of the moments from hours of interviews conducted for the series that stood out to Gay-Rees was listening to Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders recall the horrific tragedy that occurred at Kent State University in 1970. “The series opens with her, cause the series series opens with Kent State, the shootings at Kent State, which leads Neil Young to write, ‘Ohio.’” It marked the perfect springboard to launch the first episode of the series. “That’s the first protest song. It takes us into the series and hearing her firsthand account of being a student at Kent State was pretty, pretty extraordinary, obviously because she’s never spoken about it before.”

As for Gay-Rees’s favorite music from that time, his personal favorite is a bit conventional, but still a worthy choice. “It’s not exactly a surprising choice, but ‘What’s Going On?’ by Marvin Gaye. I mean, you know, that that record will still be played in 50 years time, because it’s just such a untouchable classic piece of work.” He also is quick to consider the fact that the messages of the album still resonate to this day. “In some ways things have got better, but in some ways, things haven’t got better enough, and you know, there’s that old cliché springs to mind, ‘The more things change, the more to stay the same.’ You know, we haven’t made as much progress as we think have.”

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How The Wire’s Omar Little challenged gay stereotypes in media – digitalspy.com

Kim Martel

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June 3, 2021

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How The Wire’s Omar Little challenged gay stereotypes in media – digitalspy.com

In this series, we’re highlighting the shows and movies, streaming on NOW, that have resonated with LGBTQ+ writers. Whether focused on a pioneer in queer history or a particular fictional character, this series shows how visibility can play an important part in self-acceptance

Hearst

It takes three suspense-filled episodes before The Wire introduces us to Omar Little. With those expressive brown eyes and trademark facial scar, it’s an unforgettable face, with a vivid history behind it. The Wire, available to stream with a NOW Entertainment Membership, introduces us to Omar (Michael K Williams) as he is scouting the young corner boys who are running between trap houses and swiftly exchanging notes. Later on, when darkness falls, Omar will snatch both their cash and dope, shotgun in hand.

He’s a serious man in a serious world, with a Biblical righteousness that often leads to devastating violence – the warring streets of gangland Baltimore are no place for the weak or timid. Oh, and he’s openly gay.

Before Omar in The Wire, cinema and TV had a very rigid idea of what a gay man was. They were effeminate, camper than an Elton John live show and written with the laziest of stereotypes. Cultural juggernaut shows of the 90s and early noughties were very specific in how they viewed gay men, with characters high-voiced, loose-limbed and the victim of homophobic jokes. It was a subliminally effective way of limiting what gayness could be seen as.

That’s not to say these shows and characters were homophobic – they weren’t; they were just blinded to seeing gayness beyond a quirk or a predominant identity trait. These characters were gay first, everything else after. With The Wire and Omar, it’s the other way around – he’s a man who happens to be gay.

That doesn’t mean that homosexuality wasn’t important to the character; a bounty on Omar’s head is doubled after crime boss Avon Barksdale learns he’s gay, and the early murder of a boyfriend is integral to how Omar’s storyline develops in the first season.

For the first time in the mainstream (having grown in popularity since its release, The Wire quickly became iconic TV) gay men, and in particular gay black men, had someone that was actually like them. Apart from being Baltimore’s answer to Robin Hood, Omar was quintessentially ‘normal’. He was humorous, hung out with his boyfriend and smoked – the gay dream; everybody’s dream, even.

Throughout the show we get to see intimacy between Omar and his boyfriends – a rarity on TV even today. They are scenes that show the closeness of a relationship, without a shock reveal or plot twist to show two men snogging. Instead, the scene is presented in exactly the same way as if it was a man and a woman; they kiss, they cuddle, they show love to each other. It was ethereal to watch for the first time. It’s a small touch, but an absolutely vital one, especially for young men confused about their sexuality who would often be unsure as to how they could be gay when they couldn’t relate to the more camp stereotypes on screen.

Omar was larger than life, but offered a new type of character for young gay men to relate to. Gay men aren’t supposed to be violent, let alone the most feared man in all of Baltimore. While gay men were usually the butt of jokes when it came to their fighting ability, Omar challenged that perception, as well as the idea that homosexuality should be a taboo. With a swaggering cool – dressed in a trench coat, Kevlar bulletproof vest and do-rag – a deep-voiced drawl and his own theme tune (The Farmer In The Dell), Omar was the closest thing prestige TV had to a gay superhero.

There’s a grisly moment in the first season of The Wire where the body of Omar’s boyfriend is found dead in the streets. It’s more than implied that the torture is pushed to the extreme because he is gay. Omar’s response is vengeance; his boyfriend’s murder went beyond the rules of the game and the Barksdale Crew responsible for it suffer under the barrel of his shotgun. What that told me, maybe in a warped way, is that you can only be your authentic self and nothing else. Omar is a gay man, proudly and openly, and also a stick-up boy who robs drug dealers for a living. It’s in this moment where the two facets of his being collide and he can’t escape from them.

There’s a famous line near the end of season one, uttered by Wallace (played by a very young Michael B Jordan), one of the young corner boys who shopped Omar’s boyfriend to the enforcers in the organisation: “This is me, yo, right here.” That’s what it was like for me, watching an unashamed gay man with no conflicts over his sexuality strut across the screen, destroying every stereotype built up about homosexuality in front of him.

We are what we are, and there’s no getting away from that.

NOW is proud to support LGBTQ+ stories

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Singer Kaz Lucas marks 6 months’ anniversary with gay polyamorous partner in steamy video – Pulse Live Kenya

Kim Martel

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June 3, 2021

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Singer Kaz Lucas marks 6 months’ anniversary with gay polyamorous partner in steamy video – Pulse Live Kenya

Lucas who is in polyamorous relationship with Majic Dyke, poured out her heart, confessing how she has fallen deep in love.

“And before the day ends, it’s our 6-month anniversary today. My love, my heart, my life partner. I love you with every shred of my being! Happy Pride 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ I love you @majic.dyke” wrote Kaz Lucas.

Upon seeing the beautiful message, Majic Dyke replied; “You forever have a home in my heart, babe. I love loving you and being loved by you!”.

Singer Kaz Lucas with her partner Majic Dyke

On December 28 2020, Kaz also put up another post, showering her partner with praises on how she makes her feel.

“All the words from all the love songs culminated still don’t express how deeply I feel.

“You’d be like heaven to touch” and “Fate may have brought us together but we chose to stay” are merely borrowed words that depict a fraction of my truth.

With you I feel safe, with you (and a few others 😘) is where my heart belongs. I am home. Love resides here. To a lifetime together ❤️ I love you @majic.dyke” shared Kaz.

Steamy Video

Polyamory– is the practice of, or desire for, intimate relationships with more than one partner, with the informed consent of all partners involved.

On May 6th, Majic Dyke put up a long romantic post, confessing her love for her two partners, Kaz and Dame.

Singer Kaz Lucas and Dame with their partner Majic Dyke

𝐌𝐘 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐘 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄

Dame and I met “the old fashion way.” She was working at a local bar in Washington DC & I just so happened to be in the crowd the same night she was making her debut as a show babe. I noticed her, she noticed me.. we exchanged cute banter and went back to life as we knew it. Then, we went from slipin and siding in each others FaceBook DM’s, to slipin and sliding in each other. 3 years later, here we are 😅

I came to know of Kaz’s existence on the good ol internet when a mutual friend decided to introduce me to her IG page. As you can see, she is fine as fuck. So, I did what any thirsty ass boi would do. I shot my shot in her DM’s, got rejected, sat my ass down.. (tried again in a few months to see if she changed her mind 😅) andddddd eventually found my way into her heart. Our two year journey has gone from friendship, to romance, to wild kinky shit.

The three of us chose to be in a triad in December 2020, and have spent the last 5 months learning each other. Ethical non-monogamy aint for the faint of heart. We’re committed to growing in love with each other and the more we heal ourselves the deeper our union becomes” reads the post from Dyke.

LGBTQ Inclusivity And Support Grow In Cannabis Industry, But More Needs To Be Done After June Pride Month Ends – Benzinga

Hottest Trends

Kim Martel

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June 3, 2021

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LGBTQ Inclusivity And Support Grow In Cannabis Industry, But More Needs To Be Done After June Pride Month Ends – Benzinga

June is the month when retail brands let their customers know they support LGBTQ+ rights and inclusivity, although many of them go quiet once Gay Pride is over.

When retailers put away their rainbow flags and Pride marketing materials, some consumers are left feeling that the effort is more for a summer sales boost than a true expression of inclusivity.

Though from a business perspective, the targeting makes sense. In 2019, the community had an estimated annual buying power of $917 billion, according to the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce.

But does it make sense as an ally?

A 2018 Grindr survey showed that a little over 15% of community members felt “very positively” towards brands using Pride month marketing. Favorability upticked to 40% for brands using LGBTQ marketing year-round.

The demand for more substance is here, and a growing number of companies are taking part as inclusivity trends upward to a certain degree.

Where Does LGBTQ+ Inclusion Stand in the Industry Today?

The cannabis struggles with inclusivity. Like other minorities, the lack of LGBTQ+ inclusion has been a concern for years, with momentum gaining traction in recent years.

The lack of representation can be glaring when considering history.

The gay rights movement, as it was known in the 1970s, served as a central community in the advancement of medical marijuana. San Francisco’s Mary Jane Rathbun, better known as Brownie Mary, helped scores of local citizens with her famous pot brownies and that included people suffering with HIV/AIDS.

Operators tell Benzinga that LGBTQ+ representation falls short in cannabis representation in various ways.

Kyle Porter, CEO of cannabis PR and marketing firm CMW Media says he can think of just a few LGBT-focused cannabis brands. Porter, who is gay, said that is the outcome of a predominantly straight, white male-dominated industry.

In previous years, Porter has had trouble finding attendees for LGBTQ+ cannabis events. “We tried to hold a LGBT event at MJ Biz two years ago and, like, 30 people showed up,” he recalled.

Porter and others have seen progress in recent years. He said LGBTQ acceptance is growing in cannabis and beyond, “but being LGBT in a board room, either pitching for money or representing a company, historically was not beneficial.”

Napa Valley Fumé‘s CMO Ian Hackett also reports seeing more diversity as companies expand beyond one plant function.

Hackett, a member of the LGBTQ community, reported seeing “some representation in companies that have expanded beyond cultivation but diversity as a whole is lacking across the industry.”

Hackett emphasized the importance of diversity hiring, seeking talent outside their networks. “As with all emerging industries, there is a small degree of separation when hiring, as many companies hire folks they know, which usually limits diversity,” he said.

Using Pride For Branding Purposes

The commercialization of queer culture is often a point of debate when discussing Pride.

Laganja Estranja, a prominent pro-cannabis advocate and LGBTQ+ entertainer, said the industry is doing more each day to support the queer community through visibility and financial efforts.

“While the steps may be small and mostly taken during Pride month, we are absolutely headed in the right direction,” Estranja said.

Still, she’d like to see more. “I would like to see more queer people in leadership roles and for our pride to be celebrated 24/7–not just during the month of June.”

Year-round small steps can include using Pride imagery or scenes of queer couples in marketing materials.

Estranja has worked with various cannabis companies, including mouthpiece creator Moose Labs to promote its products and charitable causes.

The company runs a year-round Colors for a Cause initiative that donates 10% of sales of designated mouthpieces to specific organizations. Its recently rolled-out rainbow mouthpiece is now available all year, with the proceeds going to suicide prevention organization The Trevor Project.

While profiting off Pride is a concern, so too is being seen.

Porter admitted that Pride-branding is a critical issue and ultimately is happy to have representation in any form.

“Bottom line, I think most gay people, at least those 30 years old and up, would agree,” with the branding, Porter said. “We spent so long in the shadows, under-represented, or even discriminated against, seeing a brand embrace pride, is a win.”

Year-Round Support Grows

A growing number of cannabis brands are taking up varied year-round efforts.

Jennifer Dooley, chief strategy officer for Green Thumb Industries Inc. (OTC: GTBIF),

highlighted several company efforts, which include the Frank’s Friends initiative that offers 50% discounts on medical cannabis products for patients with HIV/AIDS.
The company also seeks to preserve the historical bonds between cannabis and the LGBTQ community by highlighting advocates like Dennis Peron and Gilbert Baker.

Portable dab rig Dip Devices donates a portion of sales from its rainbow branded device to The Trevor Project. Jeffrey Zucker, co-founder and president of parent company Green Lion Partners, said the company also undertakes year-round efforts by working with LGBTQ models, photographers and influencers.

Zucker said some consumers are not fans of the company’s endeavors. “We have received a small bit of negative feedback because of that support, but we see that as an opportunity to reinforce the importance of inclusivity.” .

MSO Holistic Industries‘ year-round efforts include partnering with data firm Headset to register Gen-Z LGBTQ+ voters through the non-partisan organization Vote With Pride. The group notes that at least two million LGBTQ+ eligible voters currently are not registered to vote.

Other efforts launched by the MSO include a limited edition release of its low-dose edible DO Drops, with all proceeds benefiting three groups. In addition to funding Vote With Pride, sales will benefit the Transgender Law Center and Summer of Drag SADBrunch series.

Photo credit Tony Webster from Minneapolis, MN, United States/Minnesota NORML — Don’t Hate, Educate, Legalize / Twin Cities Pride Parade