How REACH LA’s Greg Wilson is rewriting the blueprint for queer youth survival amid shifting political and economic storms BY MARK ARIEL | PHOTO BY ALEXANDER SCHUELLER Despite what is trying to be enforced, we have actively and intentionally maintained Read more
Excerpts from a series of online chats with Zayed, a gay Muslim man, living in Saudi Arabia BY MARK ARIEL I wake up every morning and think to myself today will be my last day on this earth. I think to Read more
Kristine W Returns with New Album “Dance with Me” and Uplifting Single “Next to You” BY VICTOR MELAMED Dance music icon Kristine has launched her highly anticipated new album, Dance with Me, led by the vibrant new single “Next to Read more
SoCal June Pride Events FRIDAY, JUNE 5 NUESTRO ORGULLO (OUR PRIDE) Southeast Los Angeles. Info: somoslea. org SATURDAY, JUNE 6 WEHO PRIDE West Hollywood Park and Santa Monica Blvd. Free Street Fair, Sunday June 7 Parade.Info: wehopride.com FULLERTON PRIDE FEST Read more
Why 2026 Demands a Different Kind of Pride BY PATRICK TSAKUDA As we gather for Pride 2026, the atmosphere is a complex blend of defiance and somber reflection. Unlike the celebrations of the early 2020s, which often felt like a Read more
The 23-Year Legacy of Chico’s Angels BY MARK ARIEL | PHOTO BY ALEXANDER SCHUELLER A fixture of the Silver Lake scene for over 23 years, Chico’s Angels was born from a conversation between Oscar Quintero (Kay Sedia) and director Kurt Koehler. Read more
Long Beach Pride, marking 43 years of impact, returns this month Long Beach Pride, one of the nation’s longest-running LGBTQ+ celebrations, returns for its 43rd year with the powerful theme “Fearless and Free,” honoring resilience, authenticity, and the ongoing pursuit Read more
California Strikes Back: New Bill Empowers Survivors to Sue Conversion Therapy “Practitioners” State Senator Scott Wiener has introduced Senate Bill 934, a vital move to bolster California’s defenses against the predatory and debunked practice of “conversion therapy.” As the U.S. Read more
What the 2028 Olympics Reveal About Who Gets to Belong BY NIK KACY | PHOTO BY LEON MOSTOVOY Los Angeles calls itself a sanctuary. Yet in 2028, it will host an Olympic Games that restricts the women’s category to so-called Read more
Defined or Confined? The Hidden Cost of Identity Labels BY PATRICK TSAKUDA In their provocative new book, Trans Pleasure: On Gender Liberation and Sexual Freedom, sociologist Brandon Andrew Robinson issues a bold challenge to modern social constructs: it is time to abolish Read more
FXLK PLAY Exhibition Concludes Historic Run in West Hollywood Following a monumental month celebrating the Tom of Finland Foundation’s past and present artists-in-residence, the historic FXLK PLAY exhibition at Plummer Park’s Long Hall in West Hollywood officially drew to a Read more
Why You’ve Never Seen a “Best Of” Issue in THE FIGHT BY MARK ARIEL If you look through our archives, you will find over a decade of stories, political breakthroughs, and cultural milestones. What you won’t find is a “Best Read more
Off Sunset 2026: The Intersection of Art, Kink, and Community Activism The Off Sunset Festival officially returns to Silver Lake on Sunday, May 3, 2026, from noon to 7pm. Transforming a half-mile stretch of Santa Monica Boulevard, the event is Read more
Love vs. Leverage: Anthony Bawn Explores Power and Desire in “Almost Us” Acclaimed filmmaker Anthony Bawn returns with Almost Us, a sharp, desert-set romantic comedy debuting on Watch VIM. Starring Bawn alongside a charismatic cast, the film blends heat, humor, Read more
“Manhood” Deconstructs the Business of Self-Worth BY PATRICK TSAKUDA From the visionary team at World of Wonder comes ManhooD, a provocative and unflinching documentary feature from acclaimed filmmaker and journalist Daniel Lombroso. Arriving at a volatile cultural crossroads, the film Read more
Following a successful debut, the highly-anticipated trans theatre and comedy festival, “The Joy Who Lived” (JWL), returns to Los Angeles for its second annual run through April 12, 2026. This year’s expanded program features over 30 shows, readings, and workshops Read more
Mr. LA Leather 2025 Nick Arroyo Challenges the Status Quo BY MARK ARIEL | PHOTO BY ALEXANDER SCHUELLER A lifelong Angeleno and the reigning Mr. LA Leather 2025, Nick Arroyo is a 29-year-old body piercer at Pacific Sangha Tattoo and Read more
Christopher Street West President Lawrence Carroll on Co-Parenting and Leading LA Pride BY MARK ARIEL | PHOTO BY ALEXANDER SCHUELLER Lawrence Carroll’s journey to the presidency of Christopher Street West (CSW), the nonprofit that produces LA Pride, is a story Read more
Mounderwear turns up the heat for Valentine’s Day MOUNDERWEAR is celebrating its 10-year anniversary with the launch of its new “Why You So Hot” campaign. Since its inception, the LA-based brand has stood for more than just men’s underwear. Under Read more
