queer
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Felicia Pride, on the 'Vulnerability, Sensuality, Softness and Hardness' of the Women in Her Short Film, Tender
TV and film writer (and former contributor to The Root) Felicia Pride has an array of stories bubbling inside of her. Leading with a fascinating Hollywood journey that includes TV writing credits in Queen Sugar, a festival-accepted feature film and more exciting things to come, Pride embodies her surname. Having found Pride through her creator…
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First Look: Queer Harlem Renaissance Spotlights Claude McKay and the Unsung LGBTQ Community in Congo Caberet
The Harlem Renaissance was an explosion of black excellence and was eventually considered to be the “black cultural mecca.” But let the history books—and low key us too—falsely tell it, that excellence was mostly heterosexual. But one new project wants to correct the narrative and pushback against the erasure of black LGBTQ artists who not…
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'We Wanted to Be Together': Whitney Houston's Best Friend Robyn Crawford Shares Their Love Story for the First Time in New Memoir
It has been seven years since the tragic death of iconic singer Whitney Houston, and now her best friend, Robyn Crawford, is opening up about their much-rumored relationship in her new memoir, A Song For You: My Life With Whitney Houston. In an exclusive excerpt with People, Crawford, 58, who now lives a quiet life…
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'Why Does My Truth Need a Label?': Jaah Kelly, Daughter of R. and Drea, Talks About Coming Out
Coming out is, in and of itself, a journey. When you’re the child of a famous father multiply accused of sexual abuse and predation, one can only imagine how much more difficult that journey becomes. For Jaah Kelly, child of embattled R&B star R. Kelly, confusion and fear marked her coming out experience, which she…
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NYC District Attorney Candidate Backed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Claims Democratic Primary Victory
In what will be a major upset to the Democratic Party machine and old-guard Democrats if it holds, a progressive and openly queer Latina attorney appears to have narrowly defeated the party’s pick in the primary election to become the next district attorney for the borough of Queens in New York City. In overwhelmingly Democratic…
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FX’s Pose Is Not Only Entertaining, But Saving Lives—One Episode at a Time
When I was a wee, young, gay whippersnapper, I didn’t have any representation of myself on television. With this lack of being seen, I instead found myself in the various black women that paraded themselves ever so elegantly across my screens. These women showed me the power of resilience and strength, but there was always…
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Your Celebration of Pride Must Go Further Than Putting Up a Rainbow on Social Media
With the coming of June marks another year where I celebrate being 55 shades of gay. Indeed, I do celebrate my homosexuality every day I chose to take a breath, but June marks Pride Month and with that, the celebration gets kicked up a couple decibels. Unless you’ve been under a rock—and honestly, that might…
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Ericka and Ebony: ‘Our Love Is Not Complicit in White Systems’
“I feel like people don’t hate our love. They hate who we are. I think the world hates black people,” Ericka Hart said. She and her man, Ebony Donnley, share a love that is revolutionary. “I am so used to being hated just by my very existence, that being in partnership with someone and our…
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Straight Women and Situational Homophobia, or When Queer Sidekicks Go Bad
Remember The Queens Court, that cyberbullying extravaganza popular YouTube show that vintage rapper Khia hosted with her homegirl Ts Madison? You know, the one where the “My Neck, My Back” rapper insulted everyone doing better than her which is the whole entire earth issued “hilarious” court rulings against your favorite urban celebs? Yeah, that’s dunzo.…
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Masculine of Center Stage: Progressive Politics Don’t Replace Progressive Thinking
When I was a kid, there was an older black woman in the house next to ours named Ms. J. who took care of her older, invalid sisters. I loved Ms. J. I was a rascally little kid who got into constant trouble and who was visibly crushing on the girl across the street. Today…