NEA Human and Civil Rights Awards to take place virtually on Tuesday, June 29

The National Education Association will honor eleven individuals and organizations with its highest and most prestigious award, the NEA Human and Civil Rights (HCR) Awards, during a virtual ceremony scheduled for 6:00 p.m. MST on Tuesday, June 29. The theme of this year’s 2021 NEA HCR Awards ceremony is “Out of Struggle Comes Progress: Grounded in our History; Igniting our Future” — and will include an inaugural award dedicated to the lasting legacy of Wilma Mankiller, the first female Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.

“In the middle of a global pandemic, an economic crisis, and racial and social upheaval, across race and space, native and newcomer, in schools and neighborhoods across America, there are unsung heroes who continually bend the arc of the moral universe more closely towards justice every day,” said NEA President Becky Pringle. “No matter what we look like or where we come from, they hold politicians accountable for their actions, call out efforts to divide us, and rewrite the rules so the wealthy and corporations pay their fair share. They help us come together around shared challenges and develop collective solutions to ensure our schools, neighborhoods, and communities are strong, healthy, and safe. These champions of noble actions and righteous causes are inspirational examples of the courage enshrined in the NEA Human and Civil Rights Awards.”

For a complete list and bios of the eleven outstanding recipients of the NEA Human and Civil Rights Awards click here.

Escape to Colorful Colorado for Wellness and Transformational Travel in the Heart of the Rocky Mountains

Colorado’s outdoors, active lifestyle, fresh air and sunshine continue to appeal to visitors in search of wellness offerings, with a renewed interest in the healing powers of nature. There’s no better place to discover destinations, experiences and people to restore mind, body and soul.

A study recently released by U.S. News & World Report and the Aetna Foundation listed six Colorado communities in the top 10 healthiest communities in the U.S. The report found that a healthy population and environment, plus infrastructure that promotes active habits such as walkability, led to the Centennial State’s dominance. These same criteria inspire travelers to seek Colorado destinations for experiences that offer respite, bring inner peace, promote healthy habits and even transform lives.

Namaste From Inspirational Locations:
    • Yoga on the Rocks allows yogis to experience a vinyasa flow at 6,450 feet in elevation at one of the country’s most iconic, awe-inspiring music venues, Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Sessions are held at 7 a.m. Saturdays through August 1. Red Rocks Amphitheatre is also celebrating its 80th anniversary throughout 2021.
    • Nestled in the heart of the Rockies, Yoga on Aspen Mountain offers an hour of mountaintop, open-air Hatha yoga at 10:30 a.m., Monday through Friday, July 5 through Sept. 6. After yoga, the Sundeck atop Aspen Mountain offers grab-and-go lunch daily.
    • Hike and SUP (stand-up paddleboard) with Sun Breath Yoga in Fort Collins. Yoga hikes are held at Eagles Nest Open Space and Running Deer Natural Area. SUP yoga takes place at Horsetooth Reservoir; no experience is needed and equipment is provided.

The Life and Music of George Michael National Tour Hits The Road in 2022

A brand new theatrical-style concert that chronicles the amazing journey George Michael had with music and his fans will play cities across the U.S. in 2022. The Life and Music of George Michael captures the performance and sound with concert style staging and lighting while telling his story through early music hits from Wham! and his illustrious solo career.

“This show is going to honor George Michael’s career and be a celebration for his fans,” says producer Ralph Schmidtke. “Over the years, George’s popularity has continued to grow and The Life and Music of George Michael will give fans a glimpse of his life and hear all the songs they have come to love.”

The Life and Music of George Michael captures the performance and sound of one of the biggest international stars of our time. The show will have fans on their feet dancing and singing along to blockbuster hits including “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go,” “Freedom,” “Faith,” “Careless Whisper,” “Father Figure,” and many more.

Michael sold over 115 million albums spanning four decades and rose to fame as a member of Wham! in the early 80’s. He went solo in 1987 with “Faith,” one of the biggest albums of all time. The album had four number one hits including “Faith,” “Monkey,” “Father Figure,” and “One More Try.” He won two Grammy Awards, three Brit awards, three American Music Awards and four MTV Video Music Awards.

The producers of The Life and Music of George Michael will also be donating $1 per ticket sold to Gods Love We Deliver to help serve the community and those living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other serious illnesses.

LGBTQ+ Rights Activist Greg Bourke Announces Upcoming Book

In September, the University of Notre Dame Press will publish Gay, Catholic, and American: My Legal Battle for Marriage Equality and Inclusion by University of Notre Dame alumnus Greg Bourke (ND MA ’82). In this compelling memoir, Bourke tells the inspiring story of how his family struggled to overcome antigay discrimination. He became an outspoken gay rights activist after being dismissed as a troop leader from the Boy Scouts of America in 2012. Bourke and his husband Michael De Leon became named plaintiffs in one of the most pivotal Supreme Court cases in LGBTQ+ history, Obergefell vs. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide in 2015. June 26, marks the sixth anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision. Bourke and his husband were named 2015 Persons of the Year by the National Catholic Reporter. His active presence as an outspoken LGBTQ+ rights activist remains strong today. Bourke’s message to the Catholic LGBTQ community is to remain strong in the Catholic faith and stay hopeful for change in the Church.

In Gay, Catholic, and American, Bourke recounts growing up in Louisville, Kentucky, as an out gay man living in the South during the 1980s and ’90s. Bourke is unapologetically Catholic, and his faith provides the framework for this inspiring story of how the Bourke De Leon family struggled to overcome antigay discrimination by both the BSA and the Catholic Church and fought to legalize same-sex marriage across the country. Gay, Catholic, and American is an illuminating account that anyone, no matter their ideological orientation, can read for insight.

Author Joseph Mello writes, “The reader is struck by Bourke’s conciliatory attitude toward his opponents, his unassuming tone, and his humility—despite an impressive list of accomplishments and accolades.” Michael J. O’Loughlin, national correspondent for America, praises Bourke’s story as, “one of perseverance and tenacity, of refusing to settle for less and daring to dream big. LGBTQ Catholics and those who desire more welcoming institutions will be encouraged and inspired by reading this book.” Gay, Catholic, and American was reviewed by Molly Sprayregen in Forward Reviews who writes, “Bourke’s story is directed by perseverance, grit, and faith. Throughout, he refuses to accept that his sexual orientation and his religion cannot coexist. His text is inspirational, humble, and engaging.”

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"QUEER, AND WHAT?" Digital Pride Showcase Brings Together a Lineup of Queer and Trans Artists of Color

The Center for Cultural Power will be presenting on Monday, June 28th, from 12pm-1PM PST their showcase “QUEER, AND WHAT?” - a digital Pride showcase bringing together an outstanding and awe-inspiring lineup of multidisciplinary queer and trans artists of color to celebrate 52 years of BIPOC led radical queer resistance on their Twitch Channel: https://www.twitch.tv/CultureStrike


The show will be hosted by Cash Monet Drag and Bijou DJ Kream with special performances by:

@Tenderoni
@BayDavis
@YourDeadSister
@XMoonCakes
@Fei.Hernandez
@JupiterGrayRaps
@teddyb.ruxpin

U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Presents Facebook Live for Pride Month: How Lesbian and Gay Resistance Leaders Defied Nazi Persecution

(Left) Portrait of Willem Arondeus, the leader of a gay resistance group in Amsterdam. US Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Marco Entrop; (Right) Portrait of Frieda Belinfante after her return to the Netherlands from the refugee camp in Switzerland. US Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Frieda Belinfante

To celebrate the contributions of the LGBTQ community this month, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum presents its forthcoming Facebook Live virtual event, “Pride Month: Defying Nazi Persecution,” on Wednesday, June 30, at 7:30 a.m. MST.

The discussion is part of the Museum’s innovative and award-winning Stay Connected series.

During the 12-year Nazi reign, more than 100,000 men were arrested often with no proof, under a law that criminalized sex between men. Some were sent to concentration camps and subjected to hard labor, cruelty, and even medical experiments aimed at “curing” them.

The Nazis viewed homosexuality as a vice, and believed that gay men were corrupting other men. In this sense, it was viewed as a threat to creating and preserving a “master race.” The law did not extend to women. The Nazis believed that lesbians could be “persuaded or forced” to have children, and thus continue the Aryan “master race.”

Homosexuality was decriminalized in the Netherlands in the 1800s. Artist Willem Arondeus was openly gay for most of his life, and proud of his identity. He lived with his partner, Jan Tijssen, for several years until World War II began in 1939. The following year, the Germans invaded the Netherlands, and life changed dramatically for many people, including Jews, artists and the gay community.

It was a daring and dangerous mission. To try to protect the true identities of Jews and resistance fighters hiding behind false ID cards, members of a Dutch resistance group knew they had to destroy the originals. Dressed as policemen, they entered the Amsterdam Registry and set off explosions that burned 800,000 identity cards. This Pride Month, learn about Frieda Belinfante, one of Europe’s first female conductors and a Jewish lesbian, and painter Willem Arondeus, the gay leader of this group of artists turned resisters.

LGBTQ+ Contemporary Alt/Rock Singer-Songwriter, Paul Bellantoni, Announces His First Solo Release Since 2013

 

LGBTQ+ Contemporary Alt/Rock Singer-Songwriter, Paul Bellantoni, announces his first solo release since 2013, “Illusions,” out now for PRIDE! Paul began playing in LGBTQ nightclubs in the early 2000s, making his way to mainstream venues and separating his time between South Florida and Los Angeles by the mid 2000s. The Tim Burton of singer-songwriters, Paul’s vocal stylings and percussive keys has been described as edgy, creative, piano-based pop rock. His songs are powerful, heartfelt stories, with performance to match. From broken-hearted blues ballads and rock anthems, to Americana storytelling with a message of a better tomorrow.

Paul states, “2020 was a force of change for everyone. For so many, all that we knew and all that we worked for suddenly shifted into a scene that was unfamiliar at best and hauntingly quiet. It put a lot of us in places where we had to reflect on our life choices and relationships. I had forgotten myself. Insecure and lost, but I still had my flame and a new story. “Illusions” is about how what we perceive out of life and the people in our life aren’t always what they seem; they're false realities. All of our worries and sadness are a mirage of ego and fear. I began writing the song because I was hurt by someone close to me. It was a situation that made me feel insignificant, while around me the entire world was grasping for straws to see which way is up or down. It became my therapy. “We are illusions full of delusions” comes from that false reality creating an ‘am I ok’ place. It’s a lesson in learning how to be present in your own heart and forgive yourself, the ones that hurt you, and the circumstances that weigh you down. “Illusions” showed me that I am ok; it gave me my fire back, and I hope as it goes out into the world that it becomes a song of hope for anyone out there that feels lost, heartbroken, defeated and needs to see that we are more than our own false fairytales.”

Paul has always turned to music to find a way to make sense of the world. Raised in New York and Florida, Paul taught himself how to play piano by picking the lock of a caged baby grand backstage in a closet of his high school auditorium (he never did like closets).

Paul inherited a love of classic rock bands (the likes of John Lennon, David Bowie, Frank Zappa, and Queen) as his father ran the Palladium Theatre in New York City in the 60’s and 70’s. He began to compose his first songs in the mid-to-late Nineties, taking inspiration from the strong female artists of that time, such as Tori Amos, Ani Difranco, and Fiona Apple. As a young gay teen without much representation at that time, Paul credits them as artists that paved the way to his message and writing style.

No Ordinary Man in Theaters July 16

 

American jazz musician Billy Tipton developed a reputable touring and recording career in the mid-twentieth century, along with his band The Billy Tipton Trio. After his death in the late 80s, it was revealed that Tipton was assigned female at birth, and his life was swiftly reframed as the story of an ambitious woman passing as a man in pursuit of a music career. The genre-defying documentary NO ORDINARY MAN seeks to correct that misrepresentation by collaborating with trans artists. As they collectively celebrate Tipton’s story as a musician living his life according to his own terms, they paint a portrait of a trans culture icon.

NO ORDINARY MAN features leading voices and breakout stars in the trans community, including Marquise Vilsón, Scott Turner Schofield, Susan Stryker, C. Riley Snorton, and Thomas Page McBee, among others.

FIREBIRD from Director Peeter Rebane Makes North American Premiere June 27th at Frameline45

 

Directed by Peeter Rebane and based on the memoir by Sergey Fetisov, Firebird is a touching love story set in 1970s Soviet-occupied Estonia, against the backdrop of the Cold War. The film makes its North American premiere June 27th at Frameline45. 

Sergey (Tom Prior), a young private in the Soviet Air Force is weeks away from completing his conscription. He spends his days working together with Luisa (Diana Pozharskaya), an ambitious secretary to the base commander Colonel Kuznetsov (Nicholas Woodeson). Luisa is secretly in love with Sergey, but when a maverick fighter pilot Roman (Oleg Zagorodnii) arrives at the base, both Sergey and Luisa find themselves intrigued by him.

Fresh out of flight school, Roman is desperate to prove himself. Sergey is assigned to introduce Roman to the base. They quickly discover their mutual interest for photography and theatre. Sergey fights his conflicting feelings and debates whether to pursue a friendship with Roman while Luisa finds herself increasingly attracted to the charming newcomer. But Roman’s arrival has also not been missed by KGB Major Zverev (Margus Prangel) who monitors all personnel for suspicious behavior.

On a routine trip to the Regional HQ, Roman impulsively takes Sergey to his first ballet performance, Stravinsky’s magical tale - ‘The Firebird’. On their return journey, Sergey confesses that he always wanted to be an actor, but dismisses it as a silly dream. Roman disagrees, encouraging him to follow his passion. They narrowly escape being caught by border guards as Roman spontaneously kisses Sergey.

Roman and Sergey embark on a secret love affair. Sergey now has to conceal his feelings in front of Luisa as the three of them continue to bond. Meanwhile, KGB Major Zverev receives an anonymous report implying Roman has been engaging in immoral conduct with an unnamed private. Kuznetsov and Zverev demand the private’s name and give Roman a stern warning - that a sexual relationship with a man will earn him five years in a hard-labour camp and end his career as a fighter pilot forever. Roman denies everything, but ends their relationship immediately. Sergey leaves the base with a broken heart.

One year later, Sergey has settled in Moscow to pursue his career as an actor. His world is once again turned upside down with the arrival of Luisa, who tells him that she and Roman are to be married. Tormented and unable to tell Luisa about his previous affair with Roman, he dutifully attends the wedding. When they meet again, Roman denies any feelings at first, but his guard finally breaks down. Sergey believes that they can still live a secret life together in Moscow. Roman then reveals that Luisa is pregnant.

Years pass as Sergey moves on with his life, flourishing in his theatre studies. Meanwhile, Roman attempts to come to terms with his role as a father, husband and officer. But his feelings for Sergey are impossible to repress. Finally, Roman enlists for a training course in Moscow and sets about reigniting their relationship. Risking everything, and trusting no one, can their love survive within the all-seeing Soviet regime?

Gay Adult Film Star DeAngelo Jackson Offers First Look at His Upcoming Documentary Film "Being Black in Porn"

Narrated by GAYVN 2020 Best Actor and reigning Performer of The Year Award winner DeAngelo Jackson, Being Black in Porn follows the lives of four gay men of color as they navigate their way in the competitive and often complicated adult film industry. 

Through interviews with the men in NYC, Chicago, Las Vegas, and LA, the film examines their unique experiences including their encounters with racism (being cast in servant roles or as thugs; also, facing white performers who refuse to perform with them because of the color of their skin), stereotypes (black talent are expected to have large penises and they’re made to bottom when they do not) and inequality (though “BBC films” is one of the most searched terms in porn, black actors report making less money than their white counterparts). In addition to their time behind the camera, Being Black in Porn delves into the personal lives of the men, exploring the impact their careers have on their real worlds, on social media and in the global Black Lives Matter movement. 

“I had to share this story,” says DeAngelo Jackson who in addition to narrating Being Black in Porn is also the film’s executive producer. He selected the main cast for the documentary: Dillion Diaz, Max Konnor, and Rock Rockfella, an industry legend who directed DeAngelo’s first scene in adult film. “I had to do this for my fellow brothers and sisters in the entire adult industry. I learned early on that if we don’t stand for something, we will fall for anything.”

Jackson is the first black man to win a GAYVN Best Actor Award in 2020 and most recently claimed the most coveted GAYVN Performer of The Year 2021 title, from the adult film industry’s equivalent to the Oscars. He started his career in 2009 and is now in his third year as Noir Male’s exclusive contract performer. Jackson was born in Germany, raised in Georgia and studied Criminal Justice at Florida State University. He entered the adult industry as a way to make extra money in college. Having never been with a man or woman, Jackson lost his virginity on camera. He doesn’t regret any choices he has made and maintains a happy relationship with his supportive family who say they are proud of all of his adult film success.

“Our favorite porn stars have the same struggles as all working professionals,” says DeAngelo Jackson’s co-executive producer on Being Black in Porn, Dwight Allen O’Neal. “Our hope is that our documentary creates a better understanding of these men and sends a message to everyone inside and outside of adult film that Black Lives Matter everywhere, in everything, and within every industry.”

Conversations PIER KIDS, Award-Winning Director Elegance Bratton's Latest Film, Set To Broadcast on PBS

What does life look like for LGBTQ+ youth fifty years after Stonewall? Pier Kids, directed by Elegance Bratton and produced by Chester Algernal Gordon, transports audiences to New York City’s historic Christopher Street Pier where homeless queer Black youth navigate the streets to find safety and stability. The film shines a light on an underground community of Pier Kids, showcasing the intricate ways queer people of color utilize public space to build chosen family. This hopeful portrait exposes a side of New York City many often choose to ignore.

American Documentary | POV is proud to announce the broadcast premiere of Pier Kids on August 2, 2021 at 10pm (check local listings) on PBS. POV is American television's longest-running independent documentary series, now in its 34th season. The film will be available to stream for 30 days, from August 2 to September 1, 2021 on pov.org. Pier Kids received an award for Best Documentary Feature for AGLIFF (2020). Director Elegance Bratton was the recipient of the ‘Truer Than Fiction’ Independent Spirit Award (2021).

Filmed over the course of five years (2011-2016), the LQBTQ+ community are at the heart of Pier Kids, offering brief glimpses into many individuals' lives. While Pier Kids introduces many regulars to the Piers, the film provides intimate access to the lives and feelings of Casper, Desean, and Krystal. The sudden appearance and disappearance of new faces mimics the reality of The Piers, a place that offers something close enough to home, and is regarded as a ‘safe zone’ by the vulnerable young people who frequent the area. The film also illustrates the precarity of a heavy police presence in a community where sex work is the only means of survival for many.

“People died during the making of this film,” Bratton states. “People were gay bashed and assaulted by police. People also just plain disappeared. It is important that the world know their stories so that these injustices stop. I am making this film to honor the legacy of this historic safe space for Black and brown queer people. I made this film as a way to help Black families understand what happens to their queer children after they’ve been kicked out. Most importantly I made this film to redirect the modern gay rights movement in support of the people started it, black and brown homeless queer youth.”

Desean, in one scene, recounts his struggles to find housing stability and support after aging out of the foster care system, stating, “I’ve thought about getting HIV because it would be easier to access resources if I was positive.” Krystal, a trans woman, has established her chosen family, and takes on a mother role to other youth in need of housing and assistance. But, sometimes, she herself needs help from her biological family; she struggles to maintain those bonds while having her womanhood challenged or invalidated. Casper, a queer skateboarder, relates what it was like to come out to his family, and the challenges that have faced him since.

“Witnessing the lives of all the participants in the film has been transformative for me. They've shown me that everyone is evolving” said Algernal. “Every day they choose to live another day, fight for their rights and demand more for themselves. Resilience and courage cannot adequately describe how our participants have overcome the systems of oppression brought upon them. Sharing their dreams of inclusivity and understanding make this story special.”

"Pier Kids is a brilliant documentation of found family, friendship and acceptance. Chronicled in the film is a bittersweet mix of both the inclusion young people find at the Piers and the isolation many of them face in their everyday lives. It is told sensitively, authentically and lovingly. I am so proud that POV can present this film," said Erika Dilday, executive producer, POV | executive director, American Documentary.

With intimate, immersive access to these fearless young people, Pier Kids illustrates the value of public space for brown and Black queer bodies to become their most realized versions of themselves, along the way highlighting the joys and resilience of a community many choose to ignore.

Exposure to Homophobic Attitudes Linked to Higher Stress Levels Among Sexual Minorities

Lesbian, gay and bisexual people who encounter homophobic attitudes experience increases in heart rate, blood pressure and stress hormones, potentially putting them at risk for multiple health problems, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

“This study shows the potentially toxic impact discriminatory attitudes can have on lesbian, gay and bisexual people’s health,” said lead author David M. Huebner, PhD, associate professor of prevention and community health at The George Washington University. “This is just one more, among many, corrosive effects of homophobia.”

In the study, published in the journal Health Psychology, researchers looked at 134 lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans ages 18 to 58 recruited on social media and at an LGBTQ pride festival. The study was almost equally divided between males and females.

Participants were told they would be partnered with someone who would interview them to assess their intelligence, competence and likeability. In one group, participants were led to believe their partners had expressed political opposition to lesbian, gay and bisexual rights in forms that had been completed prior to the experiment, and in the other group, members were led to believe their partners had made positive comments about lesbian, gay and bisexual people. Although participants believed that they were talking to real people, the researchers used recordings of questions that were designed to sound like they were coming from the assigned partners. The participants were told that they couldn’t see their partners because the researchers did not want appearance to bias the study.

The researchers measured participants’ blood pressure throughout the experiment. They also took saliva samples to measure the level of the stress hormone cortisol.

Participants in both groups experienced significant increases in heart rate and systolic and diastolic blood pressure during the interviews. (Systolic blood pressure is the pressure the heart exerts while it’s beating. Diastolic blood pressure is the pressure it exerts between beats). But participants in the group that believed they were speaking with homophobic interviewers experienced greater increases in heart rate and systolic blood pressure during the interviews and smaller decreases in systolic blood pressure during recovery. The stress hormone cortisol only increased among participants who believed their interviewers were homophobic. More research is needed to determine why perceived homophobia had such an impact on systolic blood pressure, the researchers said.

“In the past, when researchers have found links between discrimination and LGBT people’s health, it has been difficult for them to definitively say that the discrimination truly causes health problems,” said Huebner. “That’s largely because there are hundreds of things that can affect someone’s overall health, and because it’s sometimes hard for people to accurately report exactly how much discrimination they’re experiencing. But by exposing study participants to minority stress and then observing objective physiological changes in real time, our study draws a direct line connecting homophobia with physiological stress among sexual minorities.”

Elevations in blood pressure, heart rate or cortisol can be adaptive short-term responses to stress, allowing individuals to meet the acute demands of challenging situations, the research notes. However, long-term exposure to stress, and the physiological changes that result, can lead to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, infectious disease or even death.

“The old adage that words can never hurt you is simply not true,” said Huebner. “The fact is that experiencing discrimination, or even the threat of discrimination, is harmful for people’s health. So, as a society it’s critical that we enact policies and laws that protect people from that kind of discrimination.”

Mr. Man Pays Lip Service to Pride Month with Hollywood’s Top 100 Iconic Gay Kisses

Mr. Man, the Number One Authority on Male Celebrity Nudity, is puckering up for Pride Month with an ambitious listing of Hollywood’s Top 100 Iconic Gay Kisses exclusively at MrMan.com (NSFW).

The extensive lineup of man-on-man lip locks honors the legends, such as Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger of award-winning 2005 blockbuster Brokeback Mountain (#1), as well as Armie Hammer and Timothée Chalamet in Call Me By Your Name (#3) and Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal in Y tu mamá también (#4).

Other landmark films that paved the way for onscreen gay intimacy include 1982’s Making Love (Harry Hamlin & Michael Ontkean, #25), 1950’s Un Chant D'Amour (Java & André Reybaz, #74), 1992’s The Crying Game (Jaye Davidson & Stephen Rea, #29), 1997’s In & Out (Tom Selleck & Kevin Kline, #32), 1992’s The Living End (Craig Gilmore & Mike Dytri, #84), The Real World (Pedro Zamora & Sean Sasser, #10) and 1994’s The Sum of Us (Russell Crowe & John Polson, #27).

Mr. Man also highlights the most Iconic Gay Kisses to grace must-see TV, such as True Blood (Alexander Skarsgård & Ryan Kwanten, #2), Empire (Jussie Smollett & Toby Onwumere, #93), Modern Family (Jesse Tyler Ferguson & Eric Stonestreet, #46), Riverdale (K.J. Apa, Rob Raco, Casey Cott, Cody Kearsley, #45), Dawson’s Creek (Adam Kaufman & Kerr Smith, #18), Queer as Folk (Aidan Gillen & Charlie Hunnam, #13) and Glee (Darren Criss & Chris Colfer, #7), to name a few.

Mr. Man also takes a good, long, lingering look at some of the brightest spots in gay cinema in the article, ‘A Brief History of Iconic Gay Scenes in Film and Television’, which pays homage to the rule breakers who laid the groundwork for representation - including The Boys in the Band, Will & Grace, Paris is Burning, The Dreamers, Angels in America and My Own Private Idaho.

“Ever since the first onscreen kiss between two men in a mainstream film was committed to celluloid nearly 100 years ago - in 1927’s Oscar-winning Wings - gay-themed storylines and love scenes have become ubiquitous in today’s inclusive and progressive modern cinema,” said a Mr. Man company representative. “Judging by the cinematic achievements on this list, we can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

Find the full list of Mr. Man’s 100 Iconic Gay Kisses at MrMan.com/promos/100-iconic-gay-celeb-kisses.

RYLAND JAMES releases powerful ballad "3 Purple Hearts"

Today JUNO award nominee and platinum selling artist Ryland James proudly shares his new single, “3 Purple Hearts,” via Universal Music Canada and Republic Records. Listen to “3 Purple Hearts” and watch the accompanying lyric video HERE.

 

Written and recorded by Ryland James and Connor Seidel, the honest ballad vulnerably reveals the true story of Ryland’s first love. Ryland shared, “3 Purple Hearts” is the most personal song I’ve ever written. Early last year, my boyfriend-to-be commented three purple heart emojis on one of my Instagram pictures. I noticed it and somehow immediately knew he was someone special. We fell in love quickly and spent the summer together. When he had to move back home due to the pandemic, we had to do long-distance. It was one of the most difficult growth periods of my life, but through that growth I learned more than I ever have about myself, and most importantly learned to be proud of who I am. It drove my decision to later publicly come out as queer. I’d never shared that part of myself with my fans or even a lot of my family before. It was the most honest I’d ever been with myself and the people in my life. That time was scary for me, but that was the most rewarding decision I’ve ever made. This song is a manifestation of that entire time period. It’s about my first love and the freedom to be myself that I continue to feel from it every day.”

 

The anxiously awaited new music comes hot off the heels of Ryland’s collaboration with Shaun Frank on the song, “Save Me.” The Deseronto, ON native continues to be an artist to watch, most recently being nominated for two JUNO Awards for Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Pop Album of the Year. James’ smash hit single “In My Head” from his debut self-titled EP reached platinum certification in Canada, while his catalogue has garnered over 70 million global streams in just a short amount of time.