A Star Is Born
One of the most anticipated events of the year, the fourth incarnation of A Star Is Born (fifth if you count What Price Hollywood?), this one starring LGBTQ icon Lady Gaga as a singer who rises to superstardom as the man who helped get her there crashes and burns, is finally here! Bradley Cooper cowrote, directed, and stars as the gritty rocker Jackson Maine, who lifts Gaga's Ally out of the obscurity of a drag bar where she performs "La Vie en Rose" and helps create the next big pop diva. They also fall hopelessly head over heels for one another in the process. Prior versions of the story starred gay icons Judy Garland (1954) and Barbra Streisand (1976), but this version, complete with drag queens, Ally's gay best friend, and cameos from out singers Brandi Carlile and Halsey, is the queerest! It also boasts an outstanding soundtrack with stellar tracks from Gaga and Cooper. The film costars Sam Elliott, Anthony Ramos, Andrew Dice Clay, and Dave Chappelle.
The Flash, Black Lightning, Riverdale
Super-producer Greg Berlanti and the CW continue to provide some of the most forward-thinking queer representation in television with an ever-growing list of LGBTQ characters on superhero-themed shows.
Last season, the CW's outstanding Black Lightning introduced a lesbian superhero of color in Anissa Pierce (Nafessa Williams), whose superhero name is Thunder. But even before Black Lightning, Berlanti's shows with masked and/or caped characters already featured plenty of LGBTQ characters including Wentworth Miller's Citizen Cold, who appeared on Legends of Tomorrow for a time but will return to The Flash for a few episodes this season, where he won't be the only out character, considering Police Captain David Singh (Patrick Sabongui) is gay and married. If that weren't enough, it was announced at Comic-Con that The Flash is getting another queer character this season, but just who that will be is top secret so far.
And the CW's deliciously noir reimagining of the Archie comics, Riverdale, returns for its third season, in which the redheaded hero (K.J. Apa) is in jail, and the gang is trying to free him. The series kicked off two seasons ago with unabashed gay character Kevin Keller (Casey Cott).
The Flash premieres Tuesday at 8 p.m., Riverdale premieres Wednesday at 8 p.m., and Black Lightning premieres Tuesday at 9 p.m. Eastern/Pacific on the CW.
Gay Days at Disneyland
It's the gayest time of the year at the happiest place on earth. The weekend of fun for Disneyland-loving LGBTQ people -- officially known as Gay Days Anaheim -- started Friday, but there's still plenty of time to have plenty of fun. A pool party, an ice cream social, a scavenger hunt, and more are on the schedule of events; the centerpiece, to be held Saturday night at the Highway 39 event center near the park, will be the Kingdom party, headlined by Garrett Clayton and DJ Roland Belmares and featuring performances by RuPaul's Drag Race favorites Mayhem Miller, Mariah Balenciaga, and Delta Work. Plus there are all those rides to go on and parades to watch with our people, who you'll know by their red shirts. Find the full schedule here.
National Coming Out Day
Come out, come out, wherever you are! National Coming Out Day falls Thursday, October 11. If you are ready to share who you are with the world, do it with pride and know you are not alone. Coming out can be such a fun, emotional, and memorable event, and there are so many creative ways to do it: bake a cake with the words "I'm gay" on it, or hire someone to write it in the sky. Whatever way you come out, make it special. Get out of that stuffy closet and explore the beautiful queer world.
Halsey, "Without Me"
Bisexual pop phenom Halsey picked a good time to release her first new music since last year -- she's being seen by millions in her cameo role in Bradley Cooper's A Star Is Born. Halsey's new single, "Without Me," is another catchy, powerful testament to inner strength. "Questioning your purpose and your effort in a relationship can be confusing and draining. But it's important to self-reflect and know your worth and value," Halsey said in a statement. "This record is about understanding your worth. It's a very honest record. And it helped me prove to myself that I can still manifest my feelings into art after all this time. My music will always be the vehicle that carries my heart." Download the song here and catch an early video below.
Harlem Renaissance Speak Easy
Our favorite out comedian, Sampson, is performing at the National Museum of African-American History and Culture, where he will address issues like race, sexuality, and politics through humor. The event, Harlem Renaissance Speak Easy, will also feature the speaker Charlene A. Carruthers, a black queer feminist and author of Apologetic, as well as spoken word artist 2Deep After, who will teach the audience a lesson in how to use art for the goal of social justice. Catch it Thursday, 7-11 p.m at NMAAHC, part of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
Equality Fashion Week
NiK Kacy, a designer and activist, is launching Equality Fashion Week, a celebration of LGBTQ style that kicked off today. For five days, queer artists and designers will host runways, pop-up parties, performances, and other fashionable events across Los Angeles. Learn more at EqualityFashionWeek.com.
