Against all odds, we’ve made it halfway through Pride Month! (Is it just me or did someone mess with the calendar and cut it short this year?)
You may be getting tired of rainbow crosswalks, vodka sodas, and spam emails from your dentist’s office with the subject line “Love is love.” But this isn’t time to quit, it’s time to rally. (After all, what do we have to look forward to in July? Old Navy sales?)
Thankfully, we’ve had a crammed week of LGBTQ+ news to keep our spirits high, even if our bank accounts are low. First, Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey blessed us with a photoshoot and the trailer for Élite‘s final season got us hot and bothered.
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Then, it was a double closet-door bustdown for country singer Maren Morris and Survivor contestant Deshawn Radden who both came out on social media. Plus we shut down “straight pride,” Grindr spilled the tea on their gayest cities and Jonathan Bennett told us he just turned 30? We may need to do the math on that one.
On top of that, our feeds have been dishing out drool-worthy pics, inspired stories of queerness, and nonstop memes about some singer named Charli XCX. (Anyone know her? Just kidding!)
Here are the 10 things we’re obsessed with this week…
1. Orville Peck’s homage to Chris Evans
Orville Peck sporting a whipped cream bikini a la Chris Evans in Not Another Teen Movie sounds like a Mad Libs written by my wildest dreams. But I’ve pinched myself a few times, and it looks like it’s a reality. (Thank you, Paper magazine and photographer Brett Loudermilk!) The country crooner knew exactly what was he doing by reenacting this sticky lewk –– which continues living rent-free in the minds of gay men across generations –– and if you see me buying Cool Whip this weekend, mind your business.
2. Her, Him & I by Christian Weissmann
Christian Weissmann describes his debut poetry collection as “a love letter to queerness [and] the joy, grief, ecstasy, and hope that accompanies it.” On every page of Her, Him & I: Poems, the 24-year-old (whom you might recognize from Saved by the Bell and Dear White People) peels back another layer of his story, from coming out as bisexual, to navigating intimacy, and understanding their gender identity. You can snag the book for just $16.99 at Barnes & Noble –– tissues not included.
3. The gayest Teletubbies moment yet
I blinked while watching last week’s episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and all of the sudden, I was watching the Teletubbies strut across the werk room. There’s no justifiable explanation for the screen-bellied characters’ appearance, but that somehow just makes the whole thing campier? In this day and age, we need all the allies we can get –– and I just know low-key gay icon Tinky-Winky was LIVING.
4. But We Loved, a new queer history podcast
There’s no better time to learn about LGBTQ+ history than during Pride Month. But before you waste your money renting that movie whitewashing Stonewall, consider this new queer podcast that goes directly to the source. On But We Loved, journalist Jordan Gonsalves sets out on a mission to share the stories of queer elders with Gen-Z and Millennials. Through intimate interviews, Gonsalves mines his seasoned subjects for wisdom, life lessons, and untold knowledge in 60 minutes or less. Pause the Pride playlist and expand your mind with free episodes now streaming on Spotify.
Dolly Parton has her own theme park, brownie mix, and dog-toy collection, but somehow it took until 2024 for the country queen to launch her own wine collection. Nevertheless, Dolly Wines’ California Chardonnay ($14.99 at Vivino) sounds absolutely delish, with hints of “white peach, sweet cream, and toasty oak.” You’ve heard of WWDD –– “What would Dolly do?” –– but this summer it’s all about “what would Dolly drink.”
6. Liam Kyle Sullivan resurrecting Kelly to sing “Shoes”
It’s been 18 years since comedian Liam Kyle Sullivan donned a blonde wig, tight top, and red lipstick to sing about shoes. Although a lot has changed since the early YouTube star’s hay-day, the power of Kelly is just as strong. Last week, he performed the song at a gay bar in Los Angeles for the first time in years and the internet put down their pitchforks (for a day) to celebrate the valley girl’s return.
“I was overwhelmed by the crowd’s reaction,” Sullivan told TIME. “They were screaming. It felt incredible. I’m just so happy that people want to see me, and that I can still bring some laughter and silliness to the world.”
7. A summer wardrobe update, courtesy of Sniffies
Despite the web-based app’s reputation for nudity, Sniffies does, in fact, know what clothes are. And it looks like they have pretty good taste, judging by their lineup of summer threads. You can show your support for the viral hookup site with a Cropped Rhinestone Tank ($64) and the FANG X Sniffies Pointelle Loop Tank ($167) or keep it in your pants –– literally –– with the Sniffies-branded Core Brief for $30 in white, grey, and navy.e
8. Dixon Dallas merch for the country gays
Dixon Dallas –– a.k.a the country crooner character who went viral on TikTok for singing about kissing on b*ssies –– is not forgetting his queer fans this month. In a new video, the “Good Lookin’” singer unveiled a handful of shirts that are as appropriate for a Pride parade as they are for a backyard barbecue. (That’s a compliment.)
I, for one, can’t believe it’s taken the raunchy singer-songwriter this long to launch his own line, considering the gays will buy just about anything if it’s labeled as “merch.” Myself included. My faves are the B*ssy Patrol, Hellcat, and Dixon Pride Logo tees ($35 online), with proceeds from the latter benefitting The Trevor Project.
9. Sadness
Someone get this girl to a psychiatrist, stat! Sadness (the character, not the concept) has been out and about in promotion of Disney’s Inside Out 2, which hits theaters this weekend. She’s giving nothing on the red carpet, she’s tearing up during a theme park performance, and yes, she’s making a mess at the concession stand.
The dedication to character is impressive, and hilarious. Plus, the sequel –– which finds Riley struggling to control her emotions as a new wave of feelings hit in high school –– looks to be a tearjerker. But on another note, when are we getting a movie about her sexy dad?
10. BRAT by Charli XCX Vinyl
I know we’re only halfway through the year, but Charli XCX’s Brat might just be the gayest album of the year. The sprawling hyper-pop record (available on translucent orange vinyl for $39.98 at Urban Outfitters exclusively) bounces from sweaty club confessions to honest observations about motherhood. And something about feeling “so Julia,” whatever that means.
Even if you aren’t a fan of the “365” singer, you’ve got to appreciate the chokehold she’s established over swaths of pop gays. You have to be pretty powerful to convince a queer man to invest in anything lime green.
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