Here's What We Have:

Never Have I Ever's fourth and final season is currently streaming on Netflix. This series stars Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Poorna Jagannathan, Darren Barnet, and Jaren Lewison as this series tells the story of a complicated life of an Indian American teenage girl who takes inspiration from Mindy Kaling’s childhood. Finally, Devi and her friends have made it to senior year. One thing the audience will notice while watching the fourth season is how much Devi has progressed since season one. Devi has grown to be more self-aware (with some minor slip-ups here and there) and is able to hold herself accountable for her questionable decisions. Now she has the tools to evolve from her anti-hero status to a more likable character compared to previous seasons. Devi and her mother, Nalini, have come a long way from grieving the death of Devi’s father, Mohan. They both have dealt with the loss differently, which may have caused their relationship to be rocky for the last 3 seasons, but now they have come to a point of acceptance. As Devi enters this next moment when going to college and forging her own path, it’s interesting to see the representation of what parents go through to lose their child. Nalini talks about the sacrifices she made with Mohan in order for Devi to have a rich life, and it’s overwhelming to see that dream manifest in their lives. Overall, their relationship comes beautifully into full circle throughout this final season. The show’s final season is a great way for it to be sent off. It was a whirlwind of complex storylines, emotions, and pace, which complements the show well. All the characters were written extremely well with a lot of depth in them, displaying emotions to come to the forefront. They were all relatable for the audience to some extent. The final episode is about the group graduating from high school and finding their own pathways in life. It’s admirable that the creators give it this bittersweet ending saying goodbye to all these amazing characters, rather than drag the story longer to see how far it could go. It’s sad to see this story end, and hopefully, Devi can take what she learned to Princeton. If you’ve watched Seasons 1 thru 3 you’re definitely going to want to binge Season 4. It won’t disappoint! Written by Daniel Rojas

The New York drag scene has inspired not only drag worldwide but pop culture as a whole. Iconic artists in the scene, such as Crystal LaBeija and RuPaul, have proven influential for decades. Here are the ten most influential drag artists from New York. Crystal LaBeija: Crystal LaBeija was a trans drag queen that created ballroom culture. During the 1960s, Crystal made a name for herself in drag pageants in New York. After winning prestigious titles such as “Miss Manhattan”, she competed in the “Miss All-America Camp” contest and was announced fourth place. As she was called, she made an iconic speech calling out the contest and the entire drag pageant scene as a whole for its racism. Many of these contests awarded white queens because they were viewed as the beauty standard. The speech became the standout part of the documentary “The Queen” in 1968. In 1972, Crystal and a friend, Lottie LaBeija, created the “House of LaBeija Ball”, making the first ballroom house and pageant. The two started the pageant as a way to include the communities that were excluded from the pageant circuit. During the 1990s, Crystal LaBeija died of organ failure. Though she left before seeing the extent of ballroom culture on pop culture, ballroom has created iconic moments such as the documentary “Paris is Burning”, Madonna’s song “Vogue”, the show “Pose”, and the ballroom competition show “Legendary”. Lady Bunny: In Lady Bunny’s extensive career, she has created one of the first and most successful queer festivals. Her Wigstock festival, held every Labor Day, is a staple in the New York gay community and signifies the end of the summer. The festival has helped launch the careers of queer performers while also highlighting pioneers in the industry. Lady Bunny started her career in Atlanta when her close friend RuPaul put her in drag for the first time. In 1983, both moved to New York City to join the emerging drag scene. As the drag scene evolved with the rise of countercultures like Club Kids, Lady Bunny’s drag evolved into her signature campy and exaggerated 60s look. In 1984, Lady Bunny and a few drag friends spontaneously put on a show in Tompkins Square Park after performing at the iconic Pyramid Club. This performance began the Wigstock, a festival parodying the Woodstock festival. The festival has been subject to three documentaries in 1987, 1995, and 2018. The first two documentaries followed Lady Bunny as she prepared for the festival, while the last one followed the festival’s revival after its 17-year hiatus. Lady Bunny has inspired many queens' drag styles, like Trixie Mattel and Bianca Del Rio. Coco Peru: Coco Peru is one of TV and film’s most recognizable drag queens. Her signature red hairdo and wicked comedy have made her a favorite for drag fans. Since the 90s, she has starred in “Girls Will Be Girls” and made cameos in “Will and Grace”, “Arrested Development”, and “To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar”. Coco Peru has hosted a live show called “Conversations with Coco” since 2005, in which she interviewed icons of the LGBTQ+ community, such as Liza Minelli and Jane Fonda. The interviews have garnered thousands of dollars for charities like the LA Gay and Lesbian Center. Joey Arias: Joey Arias has been a fixture in the New York cabaret scene for the past 30 years. Arias started their career as a lead singer of the rock band Purlie in the 1970s. In 1978, they moved to New York and worked at Fiorucci, a designer store. There, they connected with alternative performer Klaus Nomi, who became a long-time friend and collaborator. Because of these connections, Arias and Nomi were backup singers during David Bowie’s 1979 SNL performance. As the drag scene expanded during the 1980s, they became a staple in the cabaret scene, where she regularly performed as Billie Holiday. Throughout her career, she made cameos in “Wigstock: The Movie”, “Elvira: Mistress of the Dark”, and “To Wong Foo: Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar”. RuPaul: RuPaul is the most successful and recognizable drag queen of our time. Throughout her 40-year career, she has proven to be the ‘Queen of Drag’ due to her success in music and her TV shows, primarily “RuPaul’s Drag Race”. RuPaul started her career in Atlanta before moving to New York City during the 1980s. Between the 1980s and 1990s, she became a big name in the New York drag scene. In 1993, RuPaul released her album “Supermodel of the World,” which included one of her most well-known and successful songs, “Supermodel (You Better Work)”. Later in the decade, she became the face of MAC Cosmetics’ “Viva Glam” campaign for HIV/AIDS awareness and hosted her talk show, "The RuPaul Show”. RuPaul’s most significant success is through the drag reality competition show “RuPaul’s Drag Race”. Through its fourteen years on air, there have been 15 seasons of the main show and 15 spinoffs in total. The show has won 11 Emmys and 24 Primetime Emmys throughout its run. Drag Race has inspired many young queer people to explore their art and has become a platform in which drag queens from across the world can show their talents. Shequida Hall: Shequida Hall is one of the most unique performers in the New York drag scene. Her opera singing and acting have garnered her success worldwide. Shequida was born in Jamaica and moved to New York to study at Julliard. In 1997, she made history as the first drag queen in a recurring role when she starred as Wendi Mercury in “One Life to Live”. In 2008, she reached the top 20 of “America’s Got Talent” because of her five-octave vocal range. Her off-Broadway shows have been performed internationally in cities such as Berlin. Now, she regularly hosts “Drag Wars”, a drag competition show hosted at Pieces Bar and her own show at Hardware Bar. Sherry Vine: Sherry Vine is an icon of New York’s drag and theatre, seen since the early 90s. She founded her own theater company with Joe Gross and Douglass Sanders. Vine has starred in many of the company’s shows with Jackie Beat. Vine is most known for her parodies of performers such as Madonna and Lady Gaga. Peppermint: Peppermint is one of the best performers that have been on Drag Race. Throughout her decades-long career, she has released two albums and five EPs, starred in the Broadway show “Head Over Heels”, and is a judge on the drag competition show “Call Me Mother”. Peppermint first moved to New York to study musical theater at AMDA in 2005 and during this time, she found the queer nightclub scene. As she started her drag career, she recorded music for Jonny McGovern and starred in Sherry Vine’s parody of “Telephone”. In 2012, she came out as a trans woman and started her transition. In 2017, she was cast in “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season nine, where she won runner-up. Her lipsyncs on the show have become favorites of Drag Race fans and earned her the ‘lipsync assassin’ nickname. Bianca Del Rio: Bianca Del Rio is one of the most well-loved Drag Race winners and comedians. Before winning Drag Race, she made a name for herself as one of the most well-known working drag queens from New York. Bianca started her career in New Orleans, where she won the title of “New Orleans Gay Entertainer of the Year” for three years in a row. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Bianca moved to New York to continue her career. For the next few years, she created a name for herself in comedy by working with queens like Lady Bunny, Jackie Beat, and Sherry Vine. In 2014, she was cast in “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season six and later won the season. Bianca has seen success with her movie “Hurricane Bianca” and her stand-up comedy. She was the first drag queen to headline a sold-out show in Wembley Arena with her “It’s a Jester Joke” tour. Bob the Drag Queen: Bob the Drag Queen started drag after watching the first season of Drag Race and became one of the “ultimate winners” of the show. In 2009, she moved to New York to start drag by competing in drag competitions. By the time she was cast in “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season eight, she was a fixture in the New York drag scene. After winning her season, she found success through her music and comedy specials. In 2020, her show “We’re Here” with Eureka O’Hara and Shangela aired on HBO. The show has been nominated for multiple Emmys throughout its three seasons. As of now, Bob the Drag Queen is slated to open for Madonna for her upcoming tour. Written by Carla Paz

Sammy Rae & The Friends is an alt/indie band that is rapidly rising in the music industry. Consisting of Sammy(vocals), Will(guitar), Kellon(alto sax), Max(tenor sax), Debbie(keys), JQ(bass), and CBass(drums), this band brings music to a whole other level. They do this through, as Sammy emphasizes in the interview, listening not only to each other as a band but also to their audience. They began releasing music in 2018 and have now accumulated about 17 released singles. With 7 members, Sammy Rae & The Friends are a family and they express that on and off the stage. They even make sure they include their fans as a part of The Friends. Sammy says in the interview “Our hope is that if we can make a family out of ourselves, and the audience can see that onstage and off, it will encourage them to work to make space for those around them in their communities as well”. Read below to learn more about Sammy Rae & The Friends, including conversations on pride, hard work, advice about the music industry, sneak peeks, and so much more! What does pride mean to you? To me 'Pride' means permission to be myself. Queerness is so much deeper than gender identity and sexual orientation. While this is a part of the queer experience, being queer is also about self-love and self-permission! It's about walking through the world in earnest, constantly expanding your worldview, and reveling in your authentic self-expression. It's about being who you are. Pride Month is a time to celebrate how much the LGBTQIA+ community has overcome in the past few decades. It is a time to acknowledge the contributions and accomplishments of queer folks from all walks of life. It is a time to educate ourselves more deeply on the Stonewall Riots, the gay civil rights movement, and the ways we can further advocate for the liberation of LGBTQIA+ folks across the United States and beyond. It is a time to connect with, socialize with, offer support to, and uplift the LGBTQIA+ people in our lives. It is a time to meditate on the notion that all people deserve the right to love who they want, and live their authentic lives expressing themselves fully! Pride Month is a time to do all those things and share that perspective with the world. But above all (in my opinion), Pride Month is a time to educate ourselves on the LGBTQIA+ trailblazers that have come before us, their sacrifices and accomplishments, and the ways in which they have paved the way for a more inclusive way of life. More on this in a later answer! Who are The Friends? The Friends are the 6 band members of Sammy Rae & The Friends who are not Sammy Rae. The Friends is also the community of people who support this band by buying tickets and merch, streaming our music, and sharing our content with their communities. If you've ever come to a Sammy Rae & The Friends show, you are a part of The Friends! Sammy, Will, Kellon, Max, Debbie, JQ, and CBass are just the 7 Friends you see every night at every show. But The Friends is how we address our greater community of those who support us doing our thing. What sets you apart from other bands? Firstly, we're big. There are 7 people on stage, all of whom play several instruments in the studio and during the show. Secondly, we're a family onstage and off. It takes a great deal of trust, communication, and understanding to live on a tour bus with each other for most of the year. There's a siblingship there that we've always kept at the forefront of everything we do. We have a vision for this project to grow over time, with us, as our lives change around it. We've seen each other through break ups, family losses, new pets, new apartments, and wedding engagements...and we work just about as hard at maintaining that family dynamic as we do the music. It's hard work. We come from all different walks of life, all different studies of music, and all over the world. Our hope is that if we can make a family out of ourselves, and the audience can see that onstage and off, it will encourage them to work to make space for those around them in their communities as well. A huge part of our mission is not just to make killing music, but to exemplify love to our audience. How did Sammy Rae and The Friends become what they are today? The previous answer has a lot to do with this. We listen to each other. We listen to the audience. The band trusts my vision and they listen to me and our team. I always envisioned us as a band made for big venues. In the beginning, it was hard (as it is to start anything new) to be fearless and steadfast in that vision. I always paid my band to establish respect, even if it was minimal. If I couldn't afford the rehearsal studio or the players, I would pick up extra shifts babysitting or at the pizza restaurant I worked at for a number of those early years and save up until I could afford the gig. I upcycled a lot of our outfits for the stage from Dollar Tree or Rainbow outfits with hot glue, felt, and sequins. I never took no for an answer, from any venue or any studio. I distinctly remember one venue not believing me when I said I was the front person when I showed up for load-in. They made some misogynistic comments. I never returned. I never let my being a woman or being queer or being young or being unknown stand in the way of putting on a great show or finding some sort of loophole contact for the venue I was looking to get into. I guess you could say we faked it until we made it. When it came time to add some team members like a booking agent, tour manager, and band manager, I was upfront about who I was and how this band operated: as a family first, but also as a group of professionals. In the band, we call it 'vibe checking' before anyone comes on board. We need to hang out and be our wacky selves in front of them to see if they can hang with 7 adults who very much lead with their inner child. From the very first show, I've always asked the audience at the end to come back with a friend if they enjoyed themselves. It's simple math, the rooms started doubling in size and would always sell out. We always give the audience what they ask for, but only if it's in line with our vision for the future and the reasons we started this project. When did you begin creating music? I started writing songs when I was about 12. Around that time, my parents had a few CDs they played on repeat. The bands I remember most vividly are ACDC, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, and Fleetwood Mac. I come from classic rock, and I come from bands. I was always inspired by bands. I never wanted to grow up and make music solo. I thought it was such a cool life to make art with your friends and travel around the world collecting great memories together, with people you could share these memories with. I took piano lessons for a brief period of time when I was little-little, like 4 to 8, and then fell off it. I started to pick it back up again by ear around 12 and also found the ukulele around age 15. I was attracted to the concept of writing songs as a 'safe' way to express my emotions with metaphor and analogy. I could be as vague to the listener as I wanted and still get my feelings out. I could write my own version of things that happened to me or never happened to me. I loved that idea. Where do you get your inspiration for your songs? The road! And also, nature! It is an inherently loud and stimulating life we live, performing for so many people almost every night. I always find myself called to retreat to nature to get some peace, quiet, and inspiration for new songs. A chance to process what magic I've been experiencing out on the road, listen to myself, and write. What do you want your fans to take away from your music? There are a few big themes in SR&TF tunes (at least the ones that aren't character tunes, like 'Jackie O'.) Be unabashedly yourself. Never stop growing. Find joy in the little things in life. Every day is a gift. Be good to those around you, yourself, and the Earth. You've got a place in this world, and you are important. Being your authentic self is an easy way to make the world a better place. I hope these themes ring true for our audience and shape the way they view the world! Do you have any advice for people starting out in the music industry? Go to every show, and meet every person. While it seems daunting, you can't create all the music you want to create only by working with yourself. You need to collaborate and learn from other people you admire to grow as an artist. See every show you can, and connect with the musicians afterward. Start building your community as soon as you can! Ask people to go to coffee so you can 'pick their brains'. Every person has a different story about how they got started, and it's worth it to hear as many stories and as much advice as you can. It’s also important to consume lots of different types of music as you discover what moves you and rings true to you, this will help you shape your own individual sound and style as a musician. If you could perform anywhere, where would it be? I've spent some time visiting Mexico City, which quickly became one of my favorite cities in the world. I would love to be able to play in Mexico City, around Mexico, and on a South America tour. And also Madison Square Garden. Which we will eventually do. I front a band in Brooklyn. You have to dream about The Garden ;) What are some common misconceptions people have about Pride Month? How do you think we can address them? I think a lot of people both inside and outside of the LGBTQIA+ umbrella see Pride Month as an all-around joyful time for queer folk. Parties! Parade! PRIDE! In reality, a lot of LGBTQIA+ people (those who are both out and about, and maybe not out fully or at all) have a hard time with Pride month. This can be a time when people have their queerness and past or present queer trauma at the forefront of their brains. For example, seeing and hearing so much conversation about the LGBTQIA+ community and experience might bring up memories of times when an individual was targeted, bullied, or made to feel bad about themselves in the past. It might also be a time when queer folk still in the closet experience sadness that they aren't ready, or don't feel safe enough to 'join the party'. I personally experienced that sentiment every Pride Month until I came out at 25 years old. Pride Month commemorates the 1969 Stonewall Riots, a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement. On June 28th of 1969, patrons and the community of The Stonewall Inn, a prominent gay bar in New York City, rioted against police who had organized a raid to arrest individuals presumed to be 'homosexual'. While we can celebrate that this event kicked off an important time in LGBTQIA+ history, we can't forget that many people were killed, fired from their places of work, arrested, and so on for being visible in the riot and taking part in adjacent events. Marsha P. Johnson, a Black trans-woman and LGBTQIA+ rights activist, who is widely considered the mother and spearhead of this movement, was murdered in 1992. This case remains unsolved. Many other LGBTQIA+ activists in this time lost their lives to violence at the hands of police and bigots, as well as the AIDS epidemic which disproportionately affected their community (and therefore, was not taken very seriously as a public health crisis by the United States Government). While Pride month is a time to celebrate how far we have come as a community and a country, it should primarily be a time to remember where and why we started. It is also a time to mourn the loss of LGBTQIA+ lives over the decades, and advocate for those queer folk who are still targeted and discriminated against in certain parts of this country. We can address this by educating ourselves...everyone! Straight folks and allies, and queer folks as well! LGBTQIA+ history and culture are deep, important, and extend back much further than you might expect. Even if you consider yourself well-educated on the topic, dig deeper. Chances are you'll find a queer inventor, artist, politician, or doctor who you never knew about, and learn something that changes your worldview. Have you ever struggled with your pride? Do you have any advice for those who are? Totally. I touched on this briefly in the last question. I knew I was queer from the time I was a child, but I didn't give myself permission to talk about that with friends and family, or fully be myself until I was about 25. I had a hard time watching other people celebrate who they were, especially during Pride Month. I was also very intimidated by what my family would think. Even though they had never made me feel threatened, or like I couldn't be openly queer around them (and they were hugely supportive of me from the moment I came out to them) I had a lot of internalized homophobia instilled in me by the church, the media, and generally the world. I can tell you that once I gave myself the freedom to stand in my authentic self as a queer woman and artist, I started to attract all the things in life I had ever wanted; good friends, meaningful work that fulfilled me, musical inspiration, body positivity, and healthy and beautiful love relationships. It's hard to give someone advice on how to overcome the fear they might have about being their authentic self as a queer person because that experience looks very different for everyone. Some people live in locations and situations where they risk losing their jobs, homes, or family if they come out. While gay marriage has been legal in the United States since 2015 in all 50 states, I want to reiterate that queerness is so much deeper than that. While the right to love who you want is there in the law, there is so much discrimination, exclusion, and hate which is implied socially and politically. I would say this: You have to be yourself as hard as you can. Otherwise, you will spend your whole life frustrated that you can't achieve the ultimately unattainable goal of being someone else. The easiest way to make the world a better place is to be yourself so loudly and stand so firmly in your joy, that it encourages others to be themselves and stand in their joy. Imagine a world where people stop pretending, and just exist. You are allowed to be who you are. While you may not always feel that way, you are allowed to be the most joyful and full version of yourself. Unfortunately, some people who aren't comfortable enough with themselves won't understand that. Your joy will unsettle them. There are people out there who understand and love you. You just need to look for them. And you can't attract the people, the opportunities, or the energy that you truly want unless you put your true self out there. What is your favorite song you have written/played so far? I really love 'Saw It Coming'. It's a bit of an underdog, but it's a joy to sing and perform and I think the messaging is really lovely and whimsical. It kinda lives in my head as the quintessential SR&TF song. That, and 'Denim Jacket'. What is in store for you guys? Is anything new coming up? We're headed out on a fall world tour! We'll hit a lot of major cities in the US and UK, as well as some more of Europe. In between time on the road, we're happy to say we're working on our first full-length album. Fans can expect it in mid-2024! Sammy Rae & The Friends will be performing at the SummerStage show in Central Park on 6/15 from 7 pm-10 pm (doors open at 6 pm). It will definitely be a show you won’t want to miss! So get your tickets now. We hope to see you there! Interviewed and Written by Grace Bugin Photography by Mia Aguirre

I will admit, when it comes to music, I have an overall urge to try everything, like a platter at boring parties or funky hats in vintage stores. Luckily sometimes, this leads to brilliant discoveries like the one and only, Kiki Kramer, who I fortunately had the opportunity to speak to leading up to her latest single (Thanks to our fantastic Editor-In-Chief, Mark). Her new song, Coal Hearts, is an upbeat dance track reminiscent of Gaga’s early work, bringing back the much-missed tones of glittery pop and defiant originality, Coal Hearts, touches upon Kiki’s attraction toward emotionally unavailable men through rich and symbolic imagery. I haven't been able to stop listening to your song (Coal Hearts) since I heard it, it made me want to go back to the beginning of your discography, and as I suspected totally wonderful, so I'm wondering, What made you want to start making music and how has that influenced your style? I technically wrote my first song in eighth grade for a school project, but back then it was all just for fun. I was way too embarrassed to ever take music seriously. Summer 2021, post-lockdown is really when it clicked for me. I met this girl at a party my roommate and I crashed. She was very gifted but had no idea. It was frustrating to see somebody so talented not doing anything about it, and then I realized that maybe I was being hypocritical. That sounds cocky. It’s just that singing has always been what I’m best at, so what was I doing pursuing a drama degree when I’m so much better at this other thing and also enjoy it ten times more? As for influences, I have a lot. There are two playlists up on my Spotify profile containing anybody who has ever inspired me. My top five are probably Marina and the Diamonds, Fiona Apple, Lana Del Rey, No Doubt, and Melanie Martinez. A theme I found very interesting in your music, is the push and pull of the chase for love, along with the crash of it all, I guess my question is, how do you find yourself healing after love like that and how does it tie into the stories you then tell in your songwriting? I used to carelessly throw myself at people who didn’t like me very much. I don’t think I was too into them either. I just needed their validation so badly I would’ve done anything for it. The problem escalated till I found myself involved with a very broken individual, lost half of my friends, and my living situation. So much of my music is about this situation. Songwriting is my outlet. Your sound has a very indescribable energy to it that isn't heard much nowadays, how do you find yourself fitting into the industry despite breaking out of the norm? I’m glad you think so. I’m still feeling out my sound. I have really bad ADHD and kind of just make whatever I want to make at the moment, hoping I’ll still like it in a couple of months. As for fitting into the industry, I don’t know yet. I’m very new to it and quite small. I have an aesthetic vision for my brand and an overall sound I’m trying to achieve. I’m just praying it all pans out. A lot of artists find themselves struggling to continue not only after the pandemic, but also in the midst of growing up, and figuring out the world we live in, Where/when do you find yourself feeling the most creative and inspired? The pandemic changed my life in a positive way. Lockdown happened and I realized my world looked the same. I never left my house anyways. I grew up fearful and slightly agoraphobic. Now I force myself to go out even when I don’t want to because those usually end up being the most fun nights. Making myself uncomfortable is kind of thrilling. It’s also what inspires me the most. All of my songs are born from the anxious thoughts I can’t seem to kill. My final question is, How do you want people to feel when they hear your music? I’m really just writing the kind of music I would want to listen to: something catchy with an edge to it. I want my music to make people feel high because that is what my favorite musicians do for me. It’s pretty subjective though, which is why making music is so terrifying. My treasure is bound to be somebody else’s trash. Music is the one artistic medium where every person has an opinion, whether or not they’re qualified. Too many pretentious bloggers out there with “good music taste” who are probably tone-deaf themselves. Coal Hearts is out now, and available to stream on all platforms, along with the rest of her music! Kiki’s social media and the link to Coal Hearts is below! Written and Interviewed by Toni Desiree Photography by Mark Bluemle

Hello, 47Club! This issue is stunning! We have truly beautiful articles by everyone involved and even more on the way! I've known I wanted to do a pride issue forever, and I'm so happy with how it turned out. Our issues just keep getting more clean, and I am so so so excited to create our next one. For this shoot, we wanted to capture each color of the rainbow. The main problem: how do we not make this look like a Target pride ad? And how do we not make this look... chugey. We decided to go for a 90's zine editorial moment and I would say we did pretty well! The pictures were edited with warm tones and grains which enhanced the feel we were trying to go for. Jake and I also interviewed each model to give the shoot more personality. I'll see you next month! Enjoy the shoot <3 ROYGBIV - The Issue 05 Shoot RED - Melody Nguyen (She/Her) How do you show pride? "Coming from a traditional town and moving to New York City showed me how acceptance and diversity can completely change the atmosphere of a community. I show pride by continuously encouraging my friends around me to always be themselves and embrace what makes you different." How can Pride Month inspire and encourage individuals who are struggling with their Pride? "Pride Month is a time everyone, more than ever, can realize there’s an entire community that supports you for who you are. I personally am inspired and encouraged by my peers who stand for pride and see that it is ok to be part of the LGBTQ+ community and there’s nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, it’s something to be proud of." Orange - Catalina Torress (She/Her) How do you show pride? "I show pride by being unapologetically myself, open, and accepting of everyone I meet. " How can Pride Month inspire and encourage individuals who are struggling with their Pride? "I think pride month can inspire and show individuals that being part of the LGBTQ+ community is something to be celebrated, embraced, and shared!" Yellow - Ka'enaaloha Watson (She/Her) How do you show pride? "I show my pride by actively using my voice and my art, including fashion, acting, content creation, and film making to normalize the beautiful world of queerness. Being queer is beautiful, I show pride by being unapologetically myself in every space that I enter. I am all of my identities; native Hawaiian, a woman, and queer, I definitely make it known. As an actor and filmmaker, I choose to work on and create projects that highlight people of color and those in the lgbtq+ community. Supporting other queer individuals and artists specifically is one of the biggest ways that I and everyone can show their pride for being queer or support for queerness." How can Pride Month inspire and encourage individuals who are struggling with their Pride? "Pride month is a time for everyone of any sexual orientation and identity to be unapologetically who they are. It’s a time for self-expression, self-love, community building, and aloha. The queer community advocates for this all year, however a whole month dedicated to these ideals impacts many people's lives. Observing those who are comfortable in their skin gives others the confidence to follow in their footsteps. Pride is not just for big flashy clothing and parades (although very fun and an integral part), it centers around what is inside. It recognizes that everyone of every race, background, identity, and gender is loved and deserves love. Pride Month inspires those of every race, identity, and background. And while some may view Pride month as a time for only queer people, pride month has the extraordinary ability to inspire not only those in the queer community but everyone in the world." Green - Jake Pranian (He/Him) How do you show pride? "I show pride by being proud of who I am every day. Not just as a queer person, but as an artist, performer, friend, lover, and as a human." How can Pride Month inspire and encourage individuals who are struggling with their Pride? "Pride is just one example for those who are questioning their sexual identity that regardless of who you love or how you like to express yourself, there will always be space for you in this community. You are loved unconditionally, and you can take as much time as you need to fully come to terms with what makes you feel comfortable." Blue - Livia Hetes (She/They) How do you show pride? "I show pride by celebrating my own and others’ authenticity and individuality!" How can Pride Month inspire and encourage individuals who are struggling with their Pride? "Pride Month highlights a community that is so important to people who might be struggling with their sexual orientation or gender identity. Everything becomes easier when you have a support system." Purple - Ady Karnacewicz (She/They) How do you show pride? "I show pride by surrounding myself with queer people that both make me feel safe and that I can look up to. Community is important for every type of person, but the queer community has a way of changing and saving lives by simply accepting people as they are." How can Pride Month inspire and encourage individuals who are struggling with their Pride? "Proper representation is one of the easiest and most important ways to make an individual feel seen. Seeing someone that dresses/acts/looks/lives their life in a similar way that you wish to makes anything feel possible. A lot of us come from places where our specific orientations were not reflected in any sense, so to see someone now publicly and unapologetically being themselves can give us the power to do the same." Photographer: Mark Bluemle Creative Director, Casting, Production Manager: Ka'enaaloha Watson Production Assistant Jake Pranian Photo Editing: Mark Bluemle and Ka'enaaloha Watson Graphic Editing: Jake Pranian MUA: Kindra Kirsh Interviewed by Jake Pranian and Mark Bluemle 📍 47Magazine HQ

Murder, sexual assault, incest, and homosexuality. Taboo subjects in the 1970s, these acts and identities were celebrated in camp films such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Pink Flamingos. These films proudly displayed queerness in an era where homosexuality was anything but accepted. While revolutionary and successful among fringe audiences over 40 years ago, these films continue to have a cult following in the LGBTQ+ community. What Actually is Camp? Rocky Horror and the films by John Waters are frequently described as camp, yet the flexible usage of the descriptor in 2023 might make the meaning unclear. When I describe these films as camp, I mean it in the true, Susan Sontag sense of the word (not in the way Karlie Kloss infamously imagined it). As described in Sontag’s essay “Notes on Camp,” the word describes an ironic and theatrical expression of tackiness or distastefulness. It’s self aware, exaggerated, and intentionally misaligned with appropriate culture. The startling fashion and absurd politics of these midnight movies exemplify the concept of camp in a distinctly queer and rebellious way. Midnight movies, which are cult classics made popular for being viewed in large groups at midnight, frequently feature queer characters and actors in drag. One of the most iconic examples of this is in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, featuring a “Sweet Transvestite” who alters the lives of a heterosexual couple (O’Brien). The Rocky Horror Picture Show Girl meets boy, boy proposes to girl, boy and girl get trapped in a sexually devious mansion owned by aliens… it’s a tale as old as time. While unsuccessful upon its release in 1975, The Rocky Horror Picture Show became incredibly successful within queer communities and its popularity has grown exponentially since the 70s. Many cities internationally still host live productions and frequent midnight screenings. It is considered to be a queer masterpiece, with no character idolized as highly as Frank-N-Furter (played by Tim Curry, not pictured). This “sweet transvestite” brings life to a beefier, blonder version of Frankenstein, Rocky, to be his new partner. With the accidental arrival of Brad and Janet (pictured in the center, Barry Bostwick and Susan Sarandon), things don’t go according to plan. Frank-N-Furter sleeps with both of them, kills the biker Eddie who interrupts the party, and is eventually murdered by alien siblings Riff Raff and Magenta (pictured on the left and right, Richard O’Brien and Patricia Quinn). Much of Frank-N-Furter’s behavior is unsympathetic, but Curry plays the role with a self-aware playfulness that guides the audience into a jovial and rebellious spirit. The Early Works of John Waters In the first act of John Waters’ Female Trouble, the character Aunt Ida (below on left, played by Edith Massey) cries, “The world of heterosexual is a sick and boring life!” Released in 1974, it is one of many films created by the filmmaker depicting the lives of the LGBTQ+ community as “filthy.” However, this presentation of filth is a source of pride for the odd characters within these worlds. Before the charming PG-rated film Hairspray, filmmaker John Waters worked to bring disgusting campy filth to the movies. Working with a consistent cast of queer actors (spearheaded by drag queen Divine, pictured above in the center, who inspired the original Ursula design in The Little Mermaid), Waters made low-budget films that intersected queerness with socially unaccepted behavior. This is exemplified most clearly in Pink Flamingos from 1972 and Female Trouble. Divine stars in both, playing rebellious mothers who take pleasure in robbing, raping, murdering, and essentially any other immoral act imaginable. If it’s violent, sexual, and disgusting, her characters will take pleasure in doing them. Even the actor Divine ate real dog shit on the set of Pink Flamingos to prove that, “not only is she the filthiest person in the world, she’s also the filthiest actress in the world!” While the thought of watching a drag queen gag on dog poop doesn’t sound like traditional queer representation, LGBTQ+ audiences have created a huge cult following for these works. 1970s Queer Midnight Movies in the Modern Culture Recognizing the political time these films were released and how the filmmakers have reflected on their work over the course of several decades is very relevant. Despite using outdated terms like transsexual and transvestite, members of the LGBTQ+ community including Lavene Cox (a transgender actress who played the role of Frank-N-Furter in 2016) still reveres Rocky Horror Picture Show as the meaning of these terms had a different context at the time of the film’s release in 1975. John Waters referenced regret in his 2010 memoirs, citing that his real-life fixation on Tex from the Manson murders and its influence on Female Trouble was insensitive. Divine and Tim Curry are cis male actors in drag. However, the nuances of their gender performance in these roles pose unique ideas about masculinity. The success all of these films found have been through fringe and alternative audiences. Divine says in Pink Flamingos, “I'm the filthiest person alive, that's who I am,” with pride. This pride in devious acts was a form of rebellion against the openly homophobic culture of the era. Putting cannibalism and “lesbianism” in the same sentence describing Divine’s atrocities in Pink Flamingos emphasizes the absurdity of homophobia. Rocky’s heterosexual attraction towards Janet is treated with outrage and disgust similarly to how queer relationships would have been acknowledged in the 70s. These bold and exciting films paved the way for many LGBTQ+ films of the future, even if many of the LGBTQ+ characters of the 21st century don’t commit violent murders. Written by Mary Leer

As I sit in bed for the third day in a row, I am surprised I have yet to develop bed sores on my side. I feel a noticeable layer of grease built on my face and taste how long it's been since I’ve brushed my teeth. Scrolling through TikTok for the third hour that day. The days seem almost routine in their dullness. Wake up, turn over, grab my phone, and start consuming. Before I know it, my interest has been piqued by a text I see come through on my phone. My cousin Mary, who recently has been gifted an iPhone, texts “How do I nair my arms?? The dance is tonight”. Why this was so jarring to me, I don’t know, but regardless it forced me up from the perfect me-shaped indent I had left in my bed. Mary is soon to be an 8th grader, but when she comes to mind, I can only see her as the six-year-old who would throw temper tantrums at every restaurant we stepped foot in. I responded the way I would have liked to be responded to when I was 12, I asked why she was getting rid of her arm hair. She said she didn’t want thick body hair on the day of the dance, as if it would clash with her dress. A few hours later she had done it. This short exchange stuck in the back of my mind for the days following. The first time I shaved my arms was during my freshman year of high school the day before homecoming. I remember the girl in front of me in English class turning around in her seat and showing me her arm hair, complaining and upset at how thick it was. Suddenly, I felt ashamed in my short sleeve shirt, the dark hair on my arm now an untamed forest. That night, I took my pink razor and ran it across the hair on my arm, watching the hair slide off onto the head of the razor. After I was done, I felt beautiful. My mother always told me not to shave my arms, she taught me hair was there to protect my body. Still, at a time I can’t quite place, she lost me. Her advice stopped being valuable and started to be a hindrance. Why doesn’t she want me to be beautiful? Now, I can tentatively understand the toxic nature of these thought processes. Even as aware as I think I am, I still catch myself in the mirror wondering what I could change to be more like the models that I see in high fashion on Instagram. From the first moment I held my baby cousin in my arms, I wanted her to be free. I wanted to save her from the anguish I knew men were to place on her. To save her from hours of poking and prodding herself in the mirror, the relentless cycle of self-hatred. Save her the hours spent bent over a bathroom scale, sucking on ice cubes, or diet fads promoted by the girl we think we want to be. I want to free her from all of it. From the pain, I know she's going to face. When I pass other women on the street I want to save her just as much. I want to offer this stranger my shoulder. I want to spend hours apologizing for the things I couldn’t stop from hurting her. Then, I want to collect the tears she spills onto the pavement. I would pocket these tears and place them on a tiny velvet pillow in my pocket. I would give one tear to my father when he asks me how I was victimized. I would give one to the woman behind the counter who sold me my first pregnancy test. I would give one to each of my younger sisters, to my roommate, to my mother. I would hold the last one for myself, as I watch it disappear into the cracks on my hand I would fight to forgive myself for all those I cannot save. If I can track down in my memory, the first moment in my life when I felt I needed to change my physical body to be beautiful, maybe I can write the memory away. I would capture that moment like a lightning bug in my hand and the minute I committed it to paper the ground I stand on would crack. Then, the world would be irrevocably different. Every woman who read the story would leave these moments of pain behind, the systems built to cause us suffering would vanish. All the online videos of hidden lipstick tasers and anti-rape underwear would disappear, we wouldn’t need it anymore. Instead of receiving a stun gun for my 16th birthday I would look back at old photos and see a stuffed bunny. I would remember the softness of its fur, I would not be afraid of softness. I know I cannot write this elogy. I cannot save myself or others from anything at all, but the wanting to is where I find comfort. The pride I find in womanhood is our commitment to saving each other. I cannot name an exact number of the many nights I’ve spent in bar bathrooms being told or telling another woman that she deserves better, usually while I am holding her friend's hair back over the toilet. Even though we are unknown to each other and have had too much tequila, it feels cosmic that we want so badly to tell the other that we love them. Women are never truly strangers to one another. Whenever I meet a woman, I can see in her eyes where our pain is shared. Through all of its bloody sacrifice, I am proud to be a woman. The world is trying to kill us, all of us, and yet we keep going. I could easily let the world make me hard, and yet we earn our softness and continue to love despite the sacrifice it takes to do so. I want nothing more than to continue to fight, not just for me, but for us. Womanhood will always be us. Whenever I speak of myself, I also speak of my mother and my grandmother. I speak of all the women who fought to put me here, who fought to give me just a little bit more power than they had. The women I recognize in my face when I smile. The woman who gave me my nose and hips. The women who hold me and collect my tears. For us: I will keep going. Written by Liadin Stewart

It is finally the loudest, proudest, queerest month of the year: pride month! Hopefully, this list of 25 queer celebrities can help inspire some queer joy throughout your month and year-round. Willow Smith - Willow Smith is the first celebrity on this list and has a solid career. The queer musician is the daughter of actor Will Smith, but that doesn’t stop her from pursuing a solid music career. The artist has six albums and collaborated with everyone from Avril Lavigne to Machine Gun Kelly. Bowen Yang - If you’re a Saturday Night Live fan like me, you’ve heard of Bowen Yang. The NYU graduate is the first Chinese American cast member on SNL and is subsequently the first openly gay Chinese American cast member. He isn't only on SNL; you can find him in the 2022 movie Bros and the upcoming Wicked movie starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. Elliot Page - The actor announced that he was transitioning in 2019 and, ever since, has been very open to posting about his journey. The Umbrella Academy actor has amassed more of a following than ever before. Now the 36-year-old BAFTA winner has recently released a memoir titled Pageboy, detailing his struggles throughout his life. Sarah Paulson - American actress Sarah Paulson is most recognized for her performances in American Horror Story. The queer actor has been with her partner, actor and playwright, Holland, since 2015. More recently, Paulson has been seen frequently with fellow actor and friend of three decades, Pedro Pascal. The actress has always been out and proud and has played queer characters a handful of times. Janelle Monae - Glass Onion star Janelle Monae has been discussed since her career began. The eight-time Grammy-nominated performer came out as pansexual in 2018 and frequently used her platform to discuss queer issues. The nonbinary actor explained that their pronouns are “free-ass motherf— and they/them, her/she.” Billy Eichner - The writer, producer, and star of Bros is the first openly gay actor to write and co-star in his major studio film. But the writer didn’t start this way. Eichner has done everything. From hosting his show, Billy on the Street, to appearing in Parks and Recreation and even voicing a recurring character on Bob’s Burgers. Kate McKinnon - Kate McKinnon is the second SNL cast member on this list, but she was the first openly gay cast member on the show. Even though she no longer works on Saturday Night Live, Kate has continued her career as an actress and comedian and will be in the 2023 Barbie movie. Sara Ramirez - The nonbinary and queer actor is most famous for their work on the tv show Grey's Anatomy. Besides being notable for their Grey's Anatomy character Callie Torres, Sara Ramirez has a phenomenal stage presence. The actor was on Broadway for a while and has even won a Tony for their performance in the musical Spamalot. Miley Cyrus - Miley Cyrus has been a bit of a wild child to the public eye since her Disney career ended, allowing her to be open and express herself however she wanted. Most notably, Miley has never held her tongue when letting the world know she is pansexual. Because she was in a heterosexual relationship for a few years, it was especially remarkable that the artist continued to speak out on LGBTQ+ issues and was always true to herself. Fletcher - Fletcher is an up-and-coming queer artist. Writing about everything from having a crush on her ex-girlfriend's new girl to the queer experience in general. Her 2019 single “Undrunk'' was her first popular hit and landed her on the Billboard Hot 100. Now the artist has four albums; we can’t wait to hear more! Aubrey Plaza - Aubrey Plaza is currently one of Gen Z’s favorite queer actresses. Recently, returning to the spotlight after her role in White Lotus got her into the public eye again. Besides this, though, Aubrey has been working on quite a few projects. Starring in the film Emily, the Criminal and getting early fame on the tv show Parks and Recreation, this actress has always let her fans know that she falls in love with men and women all the same. Lil Nas X - Lil Nas X is another of Gen Z’s favorites. The Montero singer is famous for his music, humor, and Met Gala looks. The 24-year-old Grammy-winning artist has quite the following on Twitter, and it’s no surprise why. After his four-month hiatus from the app in 2021 into 2022, the singer tweeted, “I’m so happy I’m back on the internet. I missed me so much.” Andrew Rannells - Andrew Rannells is a Broadway star, singer, and actor. His talents aren’t limited to the stage, though. The gay actor has been a part of multiple on-screen projects, and not all were live-action. Rannells voiced Matthew on the show Big Mouth and was featured in Girls. He also had roles in the movies A Simple Favor and Welcome to Chippendales, among other projects he’s done. Renee Rapp - This singer and actress has been very open about her sexuality and struggles to accept herself. The Sex Lives of College Girls actress has not only been on Broadway but recently released her first EP titled “Everything to Everyone.” Though only 23 years old, Renee Rapp is already starting to make her mark as someone who can do it all. Hayley Kiyoko - Hayley Kiyoko is a former Disney Channel star, musician, and “lesbian Jesus.” The artist has been very open about her queer identity, and a lot of music revolves around this aspect of her life. She is most famous for the song “Girls Like Girls,” an LGBTQ+ anthem that states, “Girls like girls like boys do, nothing new.” The artist is currently on tour for her newest album Panorama. Boygenius - This musical trio has been famous recently, trending on Tiktok constantly. Their sophomore album, “the record,” has taken the pop indie sad girl sphere by storm. The group comprises Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker. All three women are queer and amazingly talented. Even though the supergroup makes music together, each artist has a solo career worth checking out. Frank Ocean - Frank Ocean is a bisexual musician who has always sung openly about his sexuality. With lyrics like “My guys pretty like a girl…” and full songs dedicated to his queerness, it’s not surprising he is a favorite in queer circles. The artist has been releasing music since 2011. Even though he only has three full-length albums, the artist is still well-known and loved for his music and talent. Dove Cameron - Dove Cameron is a former Disney Channel star and a current musician and actress. The bisexual artist nearly broke the queer sides of the internet with her song “Boyfriend,” which is all about how she could be a better boyfriend to a woman than any man. She got her start in the Disney show Liv and Maddie, playing both Liv and Maddie and recently has been a part of the Apple TV show Schmigadoon. The artist has broken away from her Disney bubble, and fans everywhere are excited to see what she does next. Stephanie Beatriz - Stephanie Beatriz is an actress most famous for her work in the sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and, more recently, the Disney global sensation Encanto. The bisexual actor is very proud of who she is, even incorporating her sexuality into her character in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Rosa Diaz. Ariana DeBose - The West Side Story and Schmigadoon actress a seemingly unstoppable force of talent. She is staying booked and busy. Besides her many skills in performing, she is also openly queer and has been with her partner Sue Makoo since 2017. The actress has always spoken about queer issues through her performances and social media presence. Kehlani - Kehlani is a musician with seven released albums and has been creating music since 2016. The artist has been more open with her journey with her sexuality in recent years, telling the story of her self-discovery in 2021 on Tiktok. The artist used to identify as queer, then bisexual, and now is out as a lesbian. Kehlani is proof that labels can change and that it is okay that sexuality is fluid. The artist has been with her partner Kiara Russel since late 2022 and shares photos and videos of them frequently on her many social platforms. Hunter Schafer - Hunter Schafer is a trans model and actress who got most of her fame from the HBO show Euphoria. Hunter refuses to let her career stop there, remaining booked and busy and continuing to model actively. The actress will be seen as Tigris in the November 2023 movie The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Hunter has always been vocal about her place in the LGBTQ+ spheres, and her character in Euphoria had a storyline revolving around her trans and queer identities. Tyler, the Creator - The “Dogtooth” singer has quite the coming out story. Originally coming out on Twitter, and then years later, he addressed his coming out by stating, “I tried to come out of the closet like four days ago, and no one cared.” The musician has multiple lyrics alluding to his identity throughout his discography but Flower Boy, a character he created for the album of the same name, being someone that “makes out with guys” is most notable in this discussion. Dylan Mulvaney - Dylan Mulvaney is an openly trans content creator and influencer whose primary goal is to spread positivity and inform others of her journey. Her name has been in the news recently, making waves with specific advertising campaigns, but Dylan's brand and commitment to kindness have remained strong. The creator is most famous for her “Days of Girlhood” series that she did on Tiktok. This series allowed followers to see the highs and lows of her day-to-day life and gave them a better idea of what transitioning can be like. Billy Porter - Billy Porter is a Carnegie Mellon graduate who has extensively used his education. Actors and public figures have always made waves by being out and proud. He has attended The Met Gala several times and starred in everything from the 2021 Cinderella to Ryan Murphy's Pose. The 53-year-old has been working, creating, and performing nonstop since he began his career. In 2021, the performer revealed that he is HIV positive, but this diagnosis has never changed his passion and sparkle that people worldwide love him for. Written by Lucy Anderson

I’m 15 years old and it's around 11:00 pm. The whole house, except for me, is asleep. I’ve been keeping something to myself and now it is stuck in my throat. I tried to push it down, make it go away, but it won’t. So, I wake up and wander around trying to ignore the urge to blurt it out. This has happened before, it goes away on its own. I turn on the lights and curl up onto a blue chair. I hug my knees, but now there is an ache. An ache that grows more painful the more I keep it in. I’ll make a voice memo then, yes, that is the solution. I’ll say what I am keeping inside in a recording and then I’ll delete it. No one will ever have to know. It starts smoothly, then gets rougher, and finally, it breaks me into pieces. I’m muttering the words “I just want to come out” as if I could magically wake up and have it be real. I hold my phone up to my mouth, saying the words over and over, trying my best to keep my crying to a minimum. I’m queer. Maybe that isn’t very specific, but it’s all I choose to say for now. I’ve known since I was 12. I’ve had crushes on guys and girls and people who don’t identify as either. I’m currently in a relationship with a male partner, but that doesn’t erase my attraction to women. I have gone through periods of wondering why I couldn’t just be “normal” to then being proud of myself and then back again. Naturally, I turned to my favorite TV shows for any kind of guidance or reassurance. Unfortunately for me, many of the shows I could find either pigeonholed their queer characters into the “gay best friend” trope, gave them an incredibly tragic story, or sometimes killed them off. Of course, as the years have gone by I have managed to find forms of representation that assured me that I could be understood and deserved love like everyone else. One show that comes to mind is “Sex Education”. A British teen comedy-drama that openly addresses the sex lives and sexualities of young people. Eric Efiong (Ncuti Gatwa) is an openly gay character who embraces his femininity in the way that he dresses and his makeup. However, as part of a religious family with a conservative father, he often feels out of place and judged for the way he chooses to express himself. This leads to peers calling him names and being bullied by Adam Groff (Connor Swindells). While walking home at night dressed in drag, Eric is harassed by a group of men in a car. One of them gets out of the car and assaults him. The attack leaves him deeply traumatized and pushes those around him away. His father tells him to “toughen up” and the next day Eric stops dressing up and starts wearing more toned-down, masculine-looking clothes. One of his sisters remarks that he looks “normal”. I’ve never gone through anything like that and I hope that neither I nor anyone close to me does either. However, being judged for not “properly performing” your gender is sadly something that I’ve heard a lot about, especially growing up in an Asian culture. When I first cut my hair short, it felt right. I had been wanting to cut my long, and extremely heat-damaged hair off for years. I was comfortable in my skin. I wouldn’t have to get up early to style it or bring extra hair ties for gym class. The long, wavy, feminine hair was like wearing a ridiculously heavy, hot wig every single day that broke bobby pins in half. Mostly, I enjoyed my androgynous appearance. Of course, this came with being told “You look like a boy” in addition to relatives mistaking me for a boy. But it didn’t matter to me because, like Eric’s brightly colored wardrobe, my short, boyish hair was part of how I embraced myself. As strange as it may sound, I had to practice saying the word “queer”. Something about the “q” and “ee” sounds being so close together made me trip over the word. I would say “kee” instead of “quee”. My accent would switch back to British and pronounce the "r" too softly. I would hesitate to say it out loud. I would say it so stiffly, it wouldn’t sound natural. I knew my friends would accept me, but there was something about saying it out loud to other people that left me with mixed emotions. I would feel relieved, then scared, then ashamed, then regretful, then joyful, then unsure of what to do next. There’s no manual on how to come out to your loved ones. Believe me, I’ve tried to find one. Finding a label that worked for me and learning to accept myself was one thing, but then came the daunting task of telling people. As I watched Fabiola Torres (Lee Rodriguez) on the show “Never Have I Ever” navigate the same dilemma by herself, I saw that just being able to say it aloud was powerful. In the last scene of season 1, episode 3, Fabiola is programming her robot, Gears Brosnan. First, she starts with a “Hello. How are you?” command then “I am a robot”. She gets a text from her mom about going shopping for something to impress her “boyfriend” who she already broke up with. The last command she gives him is the phrase “I’m gay”. She looks at the robot and smiles. For a few seconds, she feels a sense of relief. In her way, she said it out loud and it felt right. In another episode when she comes out to her friend Eleanor, she says “That felt so great to say. I feel like I just solved an escape room I’ve been trapped in my entire life” and I couldn’t agree more. When I told my friends, it felt like I could breathe a bit easier and when they told me that they supported me, I felt even better. Coming out to my friends wasn’t too bad. I knew they would accept me and support me, but, like a lot of people, I have no idea how my family would react. I expect some questions since “queer” can be interpreted as vague and indefinite. I expect to be told “You’re just confused” even though I know I'm not. But, after the inevitable questions, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ve played out my coming out multiple times in my head. I imagined myself sitting down with my parents and simply telling them. I would go back and forth between saying “I’m queer” or just mentioning in conversation that I had a crush on a girl before I started dating my boyfriend. Maybe I would pull an Emma Stone and make a PowerPoint presentation. I imagined my parents being supportive; hugging me and telling me that they love me no matter what. My dad might have a hard time with it at first but then my mother would talk to him and he would tell me he supports me. Maybe we would get a flag for Pride Month. I would have images of my family supporting me without question but then maybe I would get yelled at. Maybe I would be told that I was “confused” again. Maybe I would get called names. Maybe I would be sent away. Maybe I would get hurt. I don’t know which scenario is the most realistic. Once more, I searched for a TV show that could help me solve this new puzzle. This one was a show called “One Day at a Time”. In this case, it was two episodes of season 1; episode 11 and episode 13. In episode 11, Elena Alvarez (Isabella Gomez) comes out to her mother Penelope (Justina Machado). Afterward, Penelope spends the rest of the episode trying to come to terms with her daughter’s revelation. She admits that she feels “really weird” about it, but wants to show support to her daughter because she realizes just how impactful her reaction could be. Penelope’s reaction stands in contrast to Elena’s grandmother, Lydia (Rita Moreno), who quickly goes through the acceptance process. While this moment is somewhat played for laughs, her last statement concludes its meaning, “She is my granddaughter and I love her no matter what”. When Elena was shown this unwavering support she gleefully yells out “I love my family!”. In episode 13, she comes out to her father expecting the same reaction. She comes out during a sweet moment between the two of them while they are practicing a dance for her 15th birthday. She looks at him hopeful and he pulls away from her. Her father accusingly asks her “Why are you doing this?” and yes, tells her that she is “confused”. It’s the coming-out scenario that no kid ever wants to experience. Her parent doesn’t accept her, and he doesn’t want to. Penelope tells him “You’re going to have to find a way to be okay with this” but her father replies “I don’t have to be okay with anything”. To be honest, I found the parent trying their best to be supportive too romantic and this reaction to be more realistic. I don’t know how my family would react. But I do know that if they loved me, they would find a way to be okay with my queerness. Some angry part of me thinks that if I had to hide who I am for 6 years while I hated myself, ashamed and afraid, then they can learn to live with me as I am. I don’t want to say “I’m still your daughter” because that should be a given. If my biggest fear is being discarded and unwanted by the people who brought me into this world while theirs is an embarrassment, then we are not the same. But, at the end of it, all I want is to know that the people closest to me will continue to love and care about me no matter what. Isn’t that what all of us want? Don’t we deserve to take pride and live as we are? Written by JD Valdepenas

Pride Month is here, and in case you need some suggestions for your Pride and summer playlists, I have quite the list of queer artists and bands in a variety of genres for you to check out. We’ll start with some icons, like Queen, of which the lead singer, Freddie Mercury, was gay or bisexual (those he was close to have said both). Obviously, Queen has some incredible classic rock hits like “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Somebody to Love”, but there are over a decade's worth of albums to sort through. Despite the loss of their lead singer, guitarist, and drummer, Brian May and Roger Taylor have still toured over the years with Adam Lambert providing the vocals, who is another out gay artist. If you’re looking for something more modern, you can’t go wrong with Lady Gaga, who has long been referred to as a gay icon. Gaga herself is bisexual, and she has been a longtime outspoken supporter of the LGBTQ+ community. Some more pop artists you may be familiar with are Sam Smith, who came out as gay in 2014 and as nonbinary in 2019, and Kim Petras, who is a trans woman. The two recently collaborated, creating the song “Unholy”, which you’ve likely heard overplayed on the radio. Both musicians have quite the discography and are worth looking into. Smith released an album, Gloria, earlier this year, and Petras has an album set to release on June 23rd. Frank Ocean is another amazing queer artist, and the singer has chosen to go without labels when it comes to his sexuality. Frank Ocean has two full-length albums and an assortment of collaborations with other artists such as Tyler, the Creator and Jay-Z. One of his most popular and explicitly queer songs is “Chanel”, off his 2016 album Blonde. Fingers crossed we get a new album sometime soon… Moving into the realm of R&B and soul, there’s the incredible Janelle Monáe. Monáe has stated in the past that they identify with both bisexuality and pansexuality, and they recently came out as nonbinary, using they/she pronouns. Some of her hits include “I Like That” and “Make Me Feel” from her 2018 album, Dirty Computer. Monáe also has a new album titled The Age of Pleasure set to release on June 9th (just in time for Pride festivities) and just released the unapologetically sapphic song called “Lipstick Lover”. Dua Saleh is another queer and nonbinary R&B/soul artist, and if you’ve seen Netflix’s Sex Education, you would have seen them playing Cal in the show’s most recent season. Dua Saleh has several EPs and singles that vary between pop and R&B, and xe released three singles last year: “Macrodosing”, “i belong to you”, and “Chosen”. More alternative/indie is the supergroup known as boygenius, containing Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus, and Julien Baker. Bridgers and Dacus are both bisexual, and Julien Baker is a lesbian. The three have rich solo careers, and boygenius allows the three to combine their songwriting talents as well as show off their vocals in three-part harmonies. The group released the record, their first album, in March, which is quite the emotional journey. Some more (rhythmically) upbeat picks include “Not Strong Enough”, “Satanist”, and “Anti-Curse”. Another artist that has risen in popularity within the past year is Ethel Cain, whose 2022 album Preacher’s Daughter gained her quite the following. Her album concepts are quite dark, and Preacher’s Daughter especially follows a narrative that could easily be turned into a horror movie. Cain herself is trans and bisexual. Though most of her music is not exactly the kind you can dance to, her most popular and most upbeat-sounding song from her album is “American Teenager”. Rainbow Kitten Surprise should come as no surprise as being a queer band, with both the lead singer and bassist being out as trans. I was introduced to this alt-rock band through one of my high school teachers who knew just how to get my attention by telling me about the band’s queer members, and I have grown to love this group. You may have heard their top hit “It’s Called: Freefall” from their album How To: Friend, Love, Freefall, and they just released a single in April, titled “Drop Stop Roll”. Two smaller indie pop artists who mainly got their start online are Chloe Moriondo and Leith Ross. Chloe Moriondo is an indie/alt-pop artist who started out posting covers on Youtube. She has since released three albums and several singles. Moriondo is unlabeled and uses she/they pronouns. Some of their hits include “I Want To Be With You” and “Fruity”. Leith Ross gained popularity after their song “We’ll Never Have Sex” went viral on TikTok in 2021, which has since been added to their newest full-length album To Learn, More, which was released in May. If you’re looking for something a little heavier, Against Me! is a punk rock group with a trans lead singer, Laura Jane Grace. One of their most popular albums is the 2014 Transgender Dysphoria Blues, which includes several hits including a song with the same name and “True Trans Soul Rebel”. The pop-punk band Meet Me @ The Altar, of which two out of the three members identify as gay. The band released their debut album in March, titled Past // Present // Future, which contains some of their top songs, such as “Kool” and “Say It (To My Face)”. Another prominent song from their discography is their 2021 single “Hit Like A Girl”. Lastly, the queer rock trio, Pinkshift, whose debut album Love Me Forever was released last year. The band had previously released an EP in 2021, Saccharine, with their top songs “I’m Gonna Tell My Therapist On You” and “Mars”. Their album also has guitar-heavy hits like “i’m not crying you’re crying” and “GET OUT”. Happy listening! I hope everyone has a fun and safe Pride Month. Written by Alec Conwell

Marc Ambrosia is a talented up-and-coming singer-songwriter. He began pursuing music during his sophomore year of high school and now has released 4 albums: Footprints, Unleashed, Unleashed (Deluxe Edition), and Edge. Marc describes his music as “conversational songs about feelings and yearning”. His work comes from a raw place of feeling, making his music unique and lyrical. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Marc shares his own experience of self-discovery and inspires his listeners to be proud of who they are. “Don’t give up on yourself!” Marc says for those struggling with their own pride, “Allow yourself the opportunity to explore your feelings, take stock of who you are as a person, and accept yourself”. Read below to learn about his journey with his own pride and for a sneak peek at what is in store for Marc Ambrosia! When did you first realize you wanted to pursue music? I can remember being fascinated by music from as far back as my memory goes. The love was there and I knew I had a good voice, but the thought of actively pursuing it didn’t come until later. I was a sophomore in high school and was in the midst of taking the PSAT and was just miserable. I felt defeated during the test and I had never ever wanted to go to college. I just sort of found myself on this path that every high schooler falls into out of default. Go to school, take tests, go to college - none of that appealed to me. As I’m having this existential crisis during the exam, I pulled myself together to try and finish the damn thing. The next part of the exam was reading a piece on Ella Fitzgerald and answering questions about it. I was enamored by the piece and so related to her picking herself up from her bootstraps and taking control of her own life. I finished the piece, closed the exam booklet, and didn’t even finish the test. I knew at that moment, it was time for me to take control of my life and make my own choices. I had already started writing songs by that point, but now I was ready to get serious about it. I wrote like a maniac and was determined to make music the focal point of my life. That’s where my happiness was and that’s where it still is today. Do you play any instruments? If so, what caused you to play? First and foremost, I’m a vocalist. I just opened up my mouth one day and started to sing. People said it sounded good and I just haven’t stopped since. It was really that simple! As far as instruments go, can I play some? Sure, but not exceptionally. I can plunk out melodies on piano for writing purposes and usually play all of the instruments on my demos, but I bring in other musicians to execute the parts better than I can on the records. After the finished musical elements are in place, I may go back and track little things to augment the main melody. Little synthesizer/organ fills, percussion, that type of stuff. Sometimes I get a little more adventurous. On my last record, I played a bit of xylophone and drum machines, that was cool. I also played a really pretty fender rhodes on a song of mine called “Fragile.” That’s probably my favorite thing I’ve ever played. Who inspires you? Those who are bold enough to fight for good; anyone who loves with their whole heart; people who persist and persevere. What does pride mean to you? I’ve known I was gay since I was eight years old. Despite that, I never in a million years would have thought I’d be able to admit that to anyone, let alone publicly. Growing up, gay people were misunderstood, mocked, and even murdered. Sadly, that all still happens today. Fortunately, though, there’s been some strides made. There’s been a learning curve that we as a society have been on and damn sure better continue. I knew I was gay for so long and felt rage, shame, and fear. I was so angry that I just couldn’t be “normal;” I felt ashamed that I couldn't change myself, and I felt so afraid that if anyone ever found out, I’d be disowned, harmed, or killed. Twenty years ago the only “normal” and accepted relationships were heterosexual ones, at least that’s what was widely represented to my generation as children. I was growing up gay as “don’t ask, don’t tell” was in effect, Matthew Shepard was murdered, Governor Jim McGreevey was made a laughing stock for coming out, and President George Bush adamantly backed the ban of gay marriage. I remember that press conference being on at home and just thinking to myself “What about me?” That was the moment I understood what all those feelings I had about other boys growing up were called - being gay. It took me twenty years to not only say it out loud but also to accept that about myself and love that about myself. So for me, pride is a celebration of life. A life that was so full of self-hate and one that finally became one of self-love, acceptance, and peace. Where did you grow up? And how did (if it did) affect your music? I grew up in New Jersey. I still reside in Jersey and I absolutely love it! I don’t know how much location affects my music. I think I’d be making the same music even if I lived elsewhere. There are beautiful parks in Jersey though and those are great for walking and writing, so there’s that. My younger self (who dreamed of living in L.A.) would laugh to hear me say this, but Jersey is damn near perfect! We’re only a couple hours from New York, a hop, skip, and a jump from Philly, and we have so many beaches! Not to mention, my favorite thing about New Jersey - Italian hoagies. If you weren't pursuing music what do you think you would be doing? Surely, I would’ve found a way to have my own talk show and be the next Regis Philbin! I’m a gossip and I love talking to people. A cup of coffee, a stage, and a live audience?! Name a better morning than that! Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Yikes, such a daunting question! Wherever I do wind up in ten years, I hope it’s even better than I can imagine right now. I think I’ll still be making music, but I also hope to find myself in a serious relationship. A serious relationship with a man who I just can’t get enough of and who feels like a long-awaited dream come true. That’s what I hope. Oh, how I hope. Have you ever struggled with your pride? I thought for the longest time that I would take the secret of my gayness to my grave. While I guess I still consider myself bisexual, I consider myself a very “gay-leaning bisexual.” Like sure, there’s a small amount of women I find myself attracted to, but to commit to one and never be with a man again? I could never! Nonetheless, for years I thought I would just resolve to marry a woman, have children, and then engage in secret gay relationships on the side. I had this whole idea of living a fraudulent life just because the thought of coming out of the closet and being my truest self seemed ultimately impossible. That took me to some dark places. The idea of limiting the realness of any gay relationship I was in or limiting my own realness as a human-caused me to break down. I couldn’t go on living that way, I wasn’t going to go on living that way. Plenty of other people come out and maybe they don’t have the best experience with it, but eventually, it gets better for them, so I just thought, “Why not me?” Not long after that, my Grandparents were celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary and we had a big celebration with a lot of family and friends all gathered around. I remember thinking "What a beautiful gift it is in life to find your soulmate and share a happy, prosperous life together." I knew I wanted something like that for myself one day, but it was only going to happen if I came to terms with my gayness and came out. Fast forward to now and that’s what I’m doing. I’m coming out, and I’m coming out with pride! Do you have any advice for people struggling with their pride? Don’t give up on yourself! Allow yourself the opportunity to explore your feelings, take stock of who you are as a person, and accept yourself. Once you achieve self-acceptance, self-hate- becomes self-love and shame becomes pride. When you love yourself and have pride, it’s easier to come out because whether people are there for you or not, it won’t matter - you will have already achieved inner peace and that’s what counts more than anything. What is your creative process like when writing songs? What inspires you? My creative process starts from the inside and works its way out. Meaning that all of my songs come from a place of my own emotions. Once I feel something, writing is my way of working through it. As of late, the whole process of coming out has been particularly inspirational. I’ve written a number of songs about that and am making a new album all about coming out. What is something most people don't know about you? Well up until this interview, the fact that I’m gay! Aside from that, a number of my older songs had underlying elements of my struggle with living in the closet/ or were about guys I was into/dating. “Let Me Be Your Secret,” “Garden of the Vine,” and “Send the Hurt Away” are all examples. “Painting the Shape of My Heart” was also written for a guy I had a fling with, Joel Dunn. Whenever I hear that song, I think of him. If you could choose anyone to collaborate with, who would it be? My answer to this will always be Lindsey Buckingham. What are some common misconceptions people have about Pride Month? How do you think we can address them? I think a lot of people simply assume pride month is just an opportunity for gays to have parades and party. While pride month is a jubilant time of celebration, it’s the overcoming we’re celebrating. The overcoming of our own coming out journeys, the overcoming of police raids on gay bars/establishments, the overcoming of gay marriage bans, and also to celebrate significant moments in gay history and pay homage to all the gay brothers and sisters we have lost due to gay hate crimes and homophobia. It’s a chance to celebrate how far the Gay liberation movement has come and also to continue the charge for gay rights and the safety of gay people. I think history and representation are the two tenets of debunking these pride month misconceptions. Gay history is not only inspiring, it’s so important. It’s important because society only accepts what they already understand. If they aren’t aware of history, how can we expect them to be allies? It’s important for little gay kids (like I was) to learn that they are not alone and there are other people (many people) out there just like them and gay people have existed since the beginning of time! What is your favorite song to perform? Why? Later this month, I’m recording a Neil Sedaka song called “Beginning to Breathe Again.” I’ve been rehearsing it for several weeks and it’s a gorgeous masterpiece by one of the all-time great songwriters. I don’t record many covers, but this song is such a knockout and so beautifully captures my emotions in regards to coming out, I just have to record this. I plan on putting it on the new album. What is the best piece of advice you’ve received? When I was working on my first album, “Footprints,” my friend and co-producer, Jamie Myerson said to me, “Don’t rush this.” I’ll tell you - that advice has just been so true for me in so many facets of my life, not just that record. Don’t rush, let things happen as they happen because they have a way of happening at just the right time. What is next for you? Do you have anything in the works? My new single, “Gay and Proud” will be released worldwide on June 23! Coming out has been a milestone twenty years in the making and this song is all about celebrating that. Not only is “Gay and Proud” the name of my new single, but it’s also the title track of the new album I’m working on, which explores the whole process of coming out and yearning for acceptance. It’s an album that rocks and I can’t wait to get it out in full later this year. Interviewed and Written by Grace Bugin Photographer: Cody Williams Assistant Photographer: Rebecka Darby 📍 DUMBO, BK

In my research, I explored the impact the Internet has had on LGBTQ+ people finding themselves in the Internet Age. As a queer and trans person, I’ve found the Internet to be essential in my journey of self-discovery. I conducted this study due to my curiosity of wondering if others in the LGBTQ+ community share similar experiences. The Nuts and Bolts: My Research Design ​The focus of this study is the influence of the Internet on people in the LGBTQ+ community. The sample consists of 64 participants from ages 13-21 that identify as LGBTQ+, 48.4% of which are 18 years old. In this article, I will provide a summary and basic data about one of my research questions. Feel free to reach out to me at idulyk@gmail.com if you want to learn more! The Setting of Exposure to Queerness According to my research, the majority of LGBTQ+ people found the Internet to be important in their journeys of learning about and finding their place in the LGBTQ+ community. The majority of participants (42%) first learned of the LGBTQ+ community on the Internet, although a substantial amount learned about it from friends and family (31%). The Internet Age: What Has it Done? 89.1% of participants found the Internet to have an extreme influence on their self-discovery journeys as LGBTQ+ people. 46.9% of participants found their Internet usage to be mostly positive, whereas 42.2% said that the Internet had an even mixture of positive and negative effects on their self-exploration. Final Thoughts: What I Learned ​My favorite results to analyze were from the personal response questions. I asked participants to list the specific effects that the Internet has had on them as LGBTQ+ people. Some negatives that participants experienced were that the Internet spreads misinformation and confusion, bullying and hate, creates unrealistic standards, can be invalidating, causes community division/discourse and gatekeeping, and spreads heteronormativity. For positives, participants reported that the Internet allowed them to become educated about the LGBTQ+ community, find resources, further explore their sexuality/gender identity, find community, and be able to feel affirmed in their identity and more comfortable with themselves. Despite the pros and cons, when asked about their overall experiences, there was a strong consensus among the group: “Without the Internet, I wouldn’t be where I am today”. Written and Researched by Elliot Dulyk