Entrepreneur, promoter, editor Oly Innes, better known as OLLYWOOD, on life across the pond, “Evita,” and working “hard to create something that is different.” BY MARK ARIEL | PHOTO BY DUSTI CUNNINGHAM What was it like for you growing up queer in the UK? I’m originally from a small town, about an hour and a…
Derek Hawkins, SoCal Club’s Outreach Coordinator, on how his HIV status changed his life for for the better. BY MARK ARIEL “The mission and goal of SoCal Club is simple: a safe space for young gay men of color,” states Derek Hawkins, SoCal Club’s Outreach Coordinator, in an interview with THE FIGHT. Located in South…
HRC Fertility’s Dr. Diana Chavkin on fertility options for LGBTQ+ people. BY GREY CROUCH Dr. Diana Chavkin, is a board-certified fertility specialist who helps people build families. Having struggled with her own infertility, sheknows the value of a compassionate, transparent and effective medical team. She sees patients at HRC Fertility in West Los Angeles. In an…
We are much more than a diagnosis. Doing your research, finding proper treatment and enjoying your life more fully. BY JAMES GUAY, LMFT Many of us have witnessed or experienced firsthand some form of mental illness and/or addiction. While this kind of psychological and emotional pain is common enough for us to have some level…
Stewart Taylor releases new single and music video. BY VICTOR MELAMED In Mess Your Hair Up, singer/songwriter Stewart Taylor encourages fans to be playful and adventurous with their significant others. Produced by David Pramick and John Silos, the R&B funk track is reminiscent of Off the Wall-era Michael Jackson and was inspired by Taylor’s own…
Civil rights attorney Peter Perkowski on committing to the fight for equality and justice for the long haul. BY VIC GERAMI If being white, male, cisgender, and of the professional class are temptations for people like civil rights attorney Peter Perkowski to luxuriate in the comforts of acceptance and privilege in 21st century America, count…
Straight, Muslim female comedian produces queer comedy show in West Hollywood. BY ORLY LYONNE Mona Shaikh, a straight, Muslim female comedian, produces a comedy show showcasing LGBTQIA comedians in Boystown called Minority Reportz Presents Gay AF comedy show at Rage in West Hollywood. “I come from a conservative Pakistani, Muslim background where being a woman…
A rally in support of trans women forcibly removed from a DTLA bar after a straight couple attacked them. BY VICTOR MELAMED Several transgender women were aggressively and forcibly removed from a downtown Los Angeles bar-restaurant last month during DTLA Proud weekend—after they were attacked by a straight couple. The transgender group, along with several…
In addition to DTLA Proud—Ventura County and Santa Barbara are also celebrating Pride this month. BY ORLY LYONNE Ventura County Pride Festival is a weekend-long event that celebrates the LGBTQ community, supporters, and allies in Ventura County. All proceeds raised go to sustain the Community Resource Center and Diversity Collective programs and services. This year…
KinFolkz on Black Queer Joy and Oakland Pride. BY ARIA SA’ID To say that KinFolkz is a Bay Area treasure would be an understatement. The 53-year-old “queerpreneur” and “artivist” has spent more than two decades creating art and empowerment spaces for Queer Oakland and has been an integral part to many of the Queer People of…
Queer-friendly Glamping in an idyllic protected wetland just outside of Seattle. BY BRENDEN SHUCART Fifteen miles as the crows flies from Seattle and across the Puget Sound travelers will find idyllic Meadowhawk Sanctuary, a nature and relaxation retreat nestled in protected seasonal wetlands. It’s the perfect getaway for Queers seeking to enjoy the beauty and…
A social calendar for those seeking the country’s biggest and brightest queer events BY CAITLIN DONOHUE | PHOTOS BY LEO HERRERA There are a near infinite number of big-name queer outings around which to organize your year, but a few of them stick out as such perennial favorites that they’ve earned stations on the party circuit called…
Human connection: the most valuable resource on the planet. BY LEON FOX | PHOTO BY Elana Ratti I’ve developed a concept I like to call “Spiritual Global Warming.” It refers to a time when one has suspended their inner life in pursuit of a perpetual Summer of Joy that leaves no room for the other…
How to talk about gender as a brown femme that’s frustrated by bigotry in every aspect of this society BY ANJELIKA ROSE I don’t know who I am before noon, but please don’t ask me ever. I can tell you what or whom I was born as, but before noon? Imagine Cinderella, but as a brown…
Pastor said he was sucking demons out of men he sexually assaulted, lawsuit claims. BY VICTOR MELAMED A Presbyterian minister in New Jersey is accused of sexually assaulting several parishioners under the guise of exorcising evil spirits reports Newsweek. Three men have come forward claiming Rev. Dr. William Weaver performed sex acts on them when they…
California’s “Straight Pride” event, taking place this month, is a thinly veiled white supremacist rally. BY ORLY LYONNE A failed US Senate candidate who believes that the LGBTQ community is waging a “cultural attack” on society is planning a “straight pride” rally in Modesto this month to promote “whiteness” and “Western civilization,” and is asking members…
DTLA Proud—Downtown’s LGBTQ Pride Festival—takes place this month August 23-25 in Pershing Square. BY VICTOR MELAMED DTLA Proud, a non-profit organization founded by a grassroots group of local residents, business owners, community leaders and nightlife promoters, is focused on creating an all-inclusive community that represents the diverse LGBTQ+ population living, working and playing in the…
