Music Monday: Brandi & Amy

As we head toward the waning weekends of Pride this year, I feel the need to double up on The Gay. After years of real, tangible and long-overdue progress for the LGBTQ+ community, the return of this administration has seen a terrible backslide. It’s always been a fight, but somehow this regression feels extra awful – and the scapegoating of trans people in particular is beyond cruel. For such a small sliver of the population with possibly the least power base possible to be demonized instead of – oh, I don’t know – the fact that trillionaires exist is unfathomable. Anyway, be gay, sing songs, and down with the oligarchy. Also, please enjoy Brandi Carlile and Amy Ray gaying it up at the Gorge! Happy Monday, kittens.

My Weekend Crush

Well I let this holiday weekend get away from me. Kind of shocking that the Orange Turd hasn't repealed Juneteenth as a federal holiday. Maybe he was too busy waging war on algae. Anyway, please enjoy a few lessons in intersectionality and the need for diversity for societies to advance from The Audre Lorde. I wonder when we, as a society, will finally learn this lesson. Not nearly soon enough. Happy what is left of the weekend, all.

Gender Fuck Thursday: DeLaria Edition

Did we know Lea DeLaria was married? Where have I been? Congrats, Big Boo! Lea is one of the very first out comics I ever remember seeing on TV. She was the first out comic to appear on late-night with a 1993 appearance on “The Arsenio Hall Show.” A queer trailblazer in every sense of the world. And, since it’s Thursday, those blazers aren’t too bad either. A cool butch before masc was a thing, and cool now no matter what’s a thing. Mazel tov, Lea.

Bound Again

Speaking of OGs returning just in time for Pride, did you hear about that “Bound” 30th anniversary reunion earlier this month? Let’s pretend none of us heard the whole it’s been 30 years since “Bound” came out part and instead celebrate Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon and Lilly Wachowski and some of the fellas from the movie (men, they always have to tag along) showing up to talk lesbian sex and queer subtext. It reminded me that there’s apparently an uncensored European cut of the movie. European kittens, please, help a gal out. Drop a non-geoblocked link in the chat, you know, for charity.

Tank Top Tuesday: More L

I mean if we’re going to honor lesbian tank tops during Pride, let’s post some of the OGs. And did you know THE Ilene Chaiken is writing fan fiction a new short story in “The L Word” universe? It's part of Ilene and Jennifer Beal’s Run-A-Muck, the media company also behind that wlw pro basketball rom-com. Admittedly, I haven’t signed up to read “The Long Story.” I don’t know how I feel about revisiting Bette and Tina’s continued adventures n this way. But, you know, I’ll certainly revisit the tank tops.

Music Monday: Kehlani Edition

There’s a reason Shane and Kehlani hooked up. And if you watch this video, you know why. In fact, Shane should be so lucky. The out queer performer is back with a new song featuring none other than Missy freaking Elliott. And a rainbow! Is the object of Kehlani’s affection left a little intentionally ambiguous? Maybe. But, hey, the straights need to feel included too, I guess. But honestly, who cares. Because Kehlani is looking more than Shane today. And that’s what really matters. What? It’s Pride, it’s homophobic to not allow us to (respectfully) objectify each other. Happy Monday, kittens.

My Weekend Crush

You don’t often see media about older queer women that isn’t cloaked in tragedy. Granted, there aren’t enough non-tragic stories about queer women of any age – period. Bury Your Gays is real, and relentlessly hard to kick. But for older women-loving-women, so many stories revolve around the lack of acceptance, or death of a partner, or generational miscommunication. Or, you know, falling off a ladder while trying to fix a birdhouse. (Yes, I am still traumatized by “If These Walls Could Talk 2,” why do you ask?)

So imagine my delight when I stumbled on this little short, about an older woman who seeks the advice of her younger queer coworker on how to flirt with women. It’s just 10 minutes, but feels like a little gem. As a single woman getting older herself (oh, time, and its relentlessness), I can deeply relate. But mostly, I appreciate this story for bringing back those little gay butterflies, when a queer story simply lets its subjects find joy in each other. We all deserve that, no matter what age. Happy weekend, all.

Gender Fuck Thursday: Stephanie Hsu

Since we’re talking about Broadway babes this week, let’s not forget our new Janet. As in “Dammit, Janet, we love you!” Not only is out queer actress Stephanie Hsu the new Janet in Broadway’s “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” she is half way to her nominations EGOT. She got an Oscar nom for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” and now a Tony nom for “Rocky.” She just needs to record an album and then get herself some AppleTV+ series for that Emmy nom. Piece of cake. Oh, and thanks for the suit – and the ladyspreading. Ahem.

Girls Like Movies About Girls Liking Girls

What can’t Lesbian Jesus do? Sing a song about girls liking girls. Make a video for your song about girls liking girls. Write a book about your video for your song about girls liking girls. Write and direct a movie about your book based on your video for your song about girls liking girls. And then cast a little doppelganger for yourself in the movie about your book based on your video for your song about girls liking girls. Truly, what can't Hayley Kiyoko do? I know I’m not really in the age bracket for this movie anymore, but I appreciate the get-up-and-make-it-gay-yourself of it all. Way to get it done, Lesbian Jesus.

Broadway, Baby

Leave it to the theater kids to say what needs to be said about the state of our world. While I’m not necessarily a musical theater person, I started watching the Tonys a few years ago and have not been disappointed – in fact quite the opposite. Heck, the Tonys have even made me root for the Knicks. (Kidding, I will always pick New York over Texas.) Anyway, Pink was pretty amazing as host, knockout as a performer and more than ready for her close-up, Mr. DeMille. Like lifting Neil Patrick Harris with her thighs while hitting the Elphaba high note? Ben Platt could never! Leading lady marmalade, always!

Anyway, what I loved the most – besides the world’s most talented theater kids showing why their name should be in lights – is their unabashed going there when it comes to our political moments. Fuck Trump. Protect the dolls. Immigrants make America great. Diversity is our strength. Bagging on AI. And jokes about lesbianism. Thanks, Broadway babes. You sure made my night. (I mean, the SEAmen joke alone, and Pink/lesbian kicker, deserves its own Tony.)

Music Monday: Let's Get Ready to Fightmaster

Um, are Towa and E.R. Fightmaster having a sexy masc-off just in time for Pride Month? And both in tank tops, no less. See, mascs are good for you! Look, I had stopped watching “Grey’s Anatomy” before the E.R. Fightmaster era. So I had no idea they also made music. May I commend them for their commitment to making a “Drive” for the year 2026, with a little sprinkle of Fiona Apple ennui circa “Criminal.” As I was saying, enjoy. Happy Monday, kittens.

My Weekend Crush

Finally, a movie that teases possible sapphic content that I’m fairly confident won’t disappoint me with just a bunch of queerbaiting. Thanks for kinda nothing, “Mother Mary,” Verity,” “Her Private Hell” et al. But “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma,” from everything I’ve read since its premiere at Cannes, is the real deal. And the final trailer and poster seem to emphasize that point. Also, and this is not a spoiler, just a wild guess and hopeful projection, don’t Gillian and Hannah look like the ultimate sapphic Final Girls in that poster? Make it so, Jane Schoenbrun! I loved their “I Saw the TV Glow” with such an unexpected passion, I can’t help but have the highest of hopes for Miasma. And, as all you kittens already know, I don’t even like horror movies. But between this cast who I feel equally confident in saying have both kissed women in real life and storyteller’s singularly universal use of trans allegories, yeah, bring on all the Little Deaths, whichever kind they may be. Ahem. Happy weekend, all.

Gender Fuck Thursday: Jodie

My goal is to bring you a stunning queer woman in a suit every Thursday this month. Why? It’s been a hard year and we’re not even half way through yet. You deserve this. We all do. Like, did you know there are a set of black-and-white shots from photographer Thalia Gochez’s Wall Street Journal shoot with Jodie Foster? And did you know Thalia called Jodie, “sweet.” Now, isn’t that a lovely thing to see and hear on a Thursday?

Sitting Courtside

Speaking of the WNBGAY, two of the league’s out stars have signed on to a new sapphic sports film “Courtside,” which has some other very familiar faces the camera as well. Abbot Elementary writer/producer Brittani Nichols and Autostraddle-alum Carly Usdin are writing and directing the film which “follows an injury-plagued women’s hoops superstar whose championship ambitions are upended when she falls for her teammate.”

Real-life out WNBA stars Gabby Williams of the Golden State Valkyries and Sydney Colson of the Indiana Fever and recent WNBA player Theresa Plaisance (last with the Seattle Storm in 2023) have all signed on to play, and I’m wildly guessing here, fellow WNBA stars.

But Colson isn’t just appearing, she’s also an executive producer. And guess what new production company is behind all this love and lesbian basketball? Run-A-Muck which was co-founded by, drum roll please, Ilene Chaiken and Jennifer Beals. Yes, that Ilene Chaiken and that Jennifer Beals of “The L Word” fame and infamy.

It’s actually heartening that two of the women behind the seminal lesbian TV series are still making stories for queer women. And, with the pedigree behind it, I have outrageously high hoops, I mean hopes. (I had too, apologies.).

As Brittani told Deadline:

“It feels like I’ve been waiting my whole life for this kind of excitement to surround women’s basketball, and I’m excited to blend my love of sports, lesbian tension, and comedy into one project,”

Add this to the happily growing list of upcoming sapphic sports stories vying to become queer women’s “Heated Rivalry," including the “Slo Pitch” and “Ripe!” and (maybe) “Cleat Cute.” I say, why have one “Heated Rivalry” when we could have at least one for each sport – softball, soccer and now basketball. Who’s got next? Looking at you, women’s rugby stories.