Must-See LGBTQ TV: New seasons of ‘Queer Eye,’ ‘Killjoys,’ and ‘Sweetbitter’

www.glaad.org/blog/must-see-lgbtq-tv-new-seasons-queer-eye-killjoys-and-sweetbitter

Straight dude pens essay about coworker turning him from homophobe to ally

A reformed homophobe told all of Reddit how a coworker turned him into a card-carrying gay ally, and commenters are raving about the “amazing,” “wonderful,” and “beautiful” story.

The user started off by confessing that he was a “vocal and hateful gay basher” in his teen years. “I didn’t know just how many of my close friends were gay because, let’s face it, people who think they’re smart tend to be somewhat out of touch until life gives them an attitude adjustment,” he wrote.

Related: Reddit users offer their best comebacks for someone who uses ‘gay’ as a pejorative

His homophobic views started to turn around once he started working an office job and was seated at a partner desk with Randy, the “first openly gay and proud man” he’d ever met. “He made no apologies for who he was, at a point in time where the HIV and AIDS crisis had produced many asshole opinions just like mine,” he explained.

“The day Randy started his job I made my position about homosexuality horrifically, rudely clear,” the Redditor added. “He smiled, and with a politeness that I never deserved, said that he was sorry that I let his homosexuality bother me. But that it wasn’t going to get in the way of us getting good solid work done together.”

And how! Not only did Randy excel at his job, he performed even better than the Redditor, though Randy never acted superior. “From the bottom of his heart, if Randy could help another person out, that was what he wanted to do,” the Redditor remembered. “I became better at my job because of him.”

Related: We may not be looking for hetero heroes, but we still need straight allies

“And of course, I also came to realize that Randy was the kindest, most decent human being I had ever met,” he added. “I came to respect him as both a coworker and a friend. And through him I came to realize that it takes a truly lost person to hate someone because of who they love. Randy could have brushed me aside as just another bigoted homophobe, because that’s it’s exactly what I was. But he didn’t. Neither did Randy set out to make me a better person or change my mind. Randy chose to be who he was, no matter what, when it seemed like the whole world, especially his officemate, was against him.”

“He didn’t choose to change my way of thinking; my way of thinking simply could not stand up to the powerful decency of this man.”

In the end, Randy won, the Redditor wrote. “He won in being the best man he knew how to be, and he won in allowing others to accept it, or not, with no anger and no apologies. When the day finally came that I moved on to another company, I hugged Randy to say goodbye, and I cried because I knew I was going to miss my friend. We kept in touch for years, but we’ve lost touch now. I’m a boring 50-something hetero husband and father who has a great understanding of the value of my coworkers and my fellow man now. I have a daughter who’s a proud member of the LGBT+ community, and I’m the first to show off her girlfriend to my family and friends.”

www.queerty.com/straight-dude-pens-essay-coworker-turning-homophobe-ally-20190714?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Introducing the toy you didn’t know you need – the Bowie Barbie

Pop star and genderqueer icon David Bowie has returned…as a Barbie doll.

Toy company Mattel unveiled the new doll this week, inspired by Bowie’s iconic Ziggy Stardust persona. Barbie now sports a replica Ziggy Stardust costume and hairdo, complete with platform shoes and glitter make-up.

“In a definitive celebration of two pop culture icons, Barbie honors the ultimate pop chameleon, English singer, songwriter and actor, David Bowie, whose dramatic musical transformations continue to influence and inspire,” Mattel said in a statement. “With a career spanning over five decades, David Bowie was at the vanguard of contemporary culture as a musician, artist, and icon. He was, and remains to be, a unique presence in contemporary culture.”

Related: Can Arizona guncles convince Barbie to have a same-sex wedding?

The move comes following a 2016 revamp of the long-running toy line aimed at better representing women of all cultures and backgrounds. Mattel has also introduced a number of other dolls based on real-world women, including Frida Kahlo and NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson (famous for her depiction in the film Hidden Figures).

www.queerty.com/introducing-toy-didnt-know-need-bowie-barbie-20190714?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Queer racer Charlie Martin talks living out and proud in the VERY fast lane

This post is part of a series of Queerty interviews with models, trainers, athletes, dancers, and, well, people who inspire us to stay in shape–0r just sit on the couch ogling them instead.

Name: Charlie Martin, 37

City: Leicestershire, UK

Do you have any job besides being a race car driver? I’m also a motivational speaker, I regularly talk about my life experience as a trans woman and what it’s been like in motorsport. It’s something I’m passionate about, I’m proud to be a Stonewall Sports Champion and a big part of my work focuses on using my platform to create positive change in my sport and the wider world.

What do you do to stay in good physical shape for driving?  I run off-road to build stamina, as well as train in the gym doing things like cardio, functional strength and interval training. Trail running is a big love in my life; last year I ran the Hardergrat Trail in Switzerland, it was 28km with 2,400m of constant climbing (in 9hrs). I also surf & snowboard whenever I can – most of my holidays are surf trips. Endurance racing requires huge amounts of concentration as we’re in the car for hours at a time, so this kind of training all goes towards the goal of getting me to the 24hrs of Le Mans.

Do you have a favorite gym? My local gym is the Training Shed, but I also go to Ape Index for fun which is a Ninja Warrior-type of gym with climbing walls and all kinds of amazing obstacles – they helped me get to the semifinals on Ninja Warrior UK !

Do you have a favorite exercise playlist? I have a pretty eclectic taste in music, but in the gym I go for a mix of electronic and rock, it gets my energy levels going so I give it 100%.

What about for driving? Before I get in the car I put on a set of noise canceling headphones and crank up some electronic music. I find its best as I can focus intensely on driving a lap and what I’m going to do without it distracting me, but it also helps me get my game face on.

Related: New York trainer Branden Hayward on how a stuffed bunny got on his bedside table

What’s the best food to eat prior to a race? For breakfast, ideally, I’ll have a smoothie that I make with berries, soy yogurt and granola on top, this keeps me going well into the day. Then I might have some salad and pasta at lunch, but just a light portion so I don’t nod off. I always have a big bag of dried fruit and nuts handy as I find they give me the best slow burn energy – grazing works well for me. I know some drivers who struggle to eat when they race, but I don’t have that problem!

As a woman in a notoriously macho sport, have you encountered any resistance to your participation? I’d say it’s been largely a positive experience, but inevitably I’ve encountered some outdated views and chauvinistic behavior at times. It’s probably on a par with life outside of motorsport though, I think most people these days are keen to see more women coming into the sport. When I was racing in France people thought it was amazing that I’d come over to race all on my own, I speak fluent French, too, so that was an incredibly positive experience.

What about as an out-transgender woman? It’s been tough at times, especially the first couple of seasons going back to the sport… I’ve suffered discrimination at times, and it’s forced me to be brave. Nonetheless, I’ve had some amazing support, and I think now that more people are hearing about my story, it’s hopefully paving the way for other members of the LGBTQ+ community in motorsport.

How do you balance preparing for a race and having fun? Trail running is fun for me, I find it relaxes my mind and I make the effort to visit beautiful places as often as I can. Meditation has become really important to me in the last 12 months too, I guess I’m always on the go so winding down can be tricky. In an ideal world, I’d live by the sea so I can surf more (working on that one), and there’s always seeing friends too of course.

What’s a basic, if useful, health and fitness tip you can offer? Set yourself a goal or a challenge, like entering a 10k or something like that. It’s easy to lose motivation when you’re just training for the sake of training, but when you have an objective and a deadline it becomes way more exciting, you’ll look for new ways to improve and build towards your goal.

What do you keep on your nightstand? A big glass of water, some crystals, foot balm (my feet work hard!), a plastic unicorn that glows all of the Pride colors (from the Attitude Awards) and a copy of Talk like Ted.

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Feeling proud to attend No.10 Downing Street as @stonewalluk Sports Champion for part of the government’s Pride celebrations yesterday ?????? . I took a letter explaining the difficulties facing the Trans community in the UK right now, it’s vital to use any opportunity to engage and keep pushing for progress ???? . With GIC waiting lists running at 2-3yrs and dramatic increases in trans hate crimes (81%) reported in the last 12 months, there is a lot of work to do… I’m determined to use my platform to create awareness & push for change ?? . . . ? @elliot.vaughn #bethechange #pride #pridemonth #stonewall #lgbtrights #transrights #transrightsarehumanrights #thisiswhattranslookslike #translivesmatter #transgender #gocharlie #girlracer #endurogirl #downingstreet #10downingstreet #bethechangeyouwanttosee #believeinyourself #bethebestyou #comeoutfortransequality #comeoutforlgbt #athleteally #araihelmet #liquidcolourdesign #facialteam

A post shared by C H A R L I E ???? M A R T I N (@gocharliem) on Jul 3, 2019 at 12:18am PDT

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Bit of a bathroom selfie ????????? . #selfie #candidphotography #bathroomselfie #orangeisthenewblack #wedding #getup #gocharlie #rockinit #asos #scrubupwell

A post shared by C H A R L I E ???? M A R T I N (@gocharliem) on Apr 27, 2019 at 6:33am PDT

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Il faut profiter des belles moments dans la vie ?????? . Definitely a good decision to fly out a day early and discover the Calanques just south of Marseille, I had the most amazing hike up to the Mont de Luminy this evening ??????? . Up early for a run tomorrow, then liking to Calanque de Sugiton before @circuitpaulricard ? . . . #yourmountainiswaiting #backtonature #mountainlover #hiking #mountains #france #lescalanques #marseille #dayoff #daytrip #enjoyeveryday #lavieestvelle #gocharlie

A post shared by C H A R L I E ???? M A R T I N (@gocharliem) on Apr 8, 2019 at 12:01pm PDT

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Feeling pretty sporty today in @lululemonuk ????????????? . . . #lululemon #lululemonleggings #sportyoutfit #sportychic #builtforspeed #lightweightchassis #gocharlie #aimhighdreambig #yourmountainiswaiting #traininsane #bethebestyou #pushyourself #changingroomselfie

A post shared by C H A R L I E ???? M A R T I N (@gocharliem) on Feb 9, 2019 at 3:17am PST

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Feeling proud to be speaking with @andy.jaye at Silverstone for the launch of @racingprideuk during @british_gt ??????? . Exactly one year on, so much has happened since I ran the Pride sticker campaign here in 2018. The idea was simple but effective, a World first in motorsport that was shared on 35 news websites like Sky, BBC, ESPN & CNN ?? . It was about showing the impact that visibility can have, when everyone stands united to show their support & acceptance of the LGBT community ??????? . When I came out in March 2018, it was leap of faith, because I had no idea how people would react in motorsport. The support was amazing, and that’s what Racing Pride is all about – creating a more inclusive environment where everyone feels free to be their true self, whether they’re a driver, fan, marshall, engineer… everyone should feel able to live authentically, in sport & life ?? . Visibility can be the key to creating positive change, and so this weekend feels like an important step on the way to making that happen ?? . . . #racingpride #pridemonth #prideinsport #diversity #diversityandinclusion #transgender #thisiswhattranslookslike #keeppushing #lovewins #lgbt #acceptance #motorsport #britishgt #silverstone #gocharlie #girlracer #endurogirl #bethebestyou #bethechange

A post shared by C H A R L I E ???? M A R T I N (@gocharliem) on Jun 9, 2019 at 5:29am PDT

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One last session @cranfieldsimulation today before the first race of the season ?? . I had a chance to check out one of their flight sims, sorry but couldn’t resist a photo with my Arai! My earliest ambition was to be a fighter pilot, so it seems kind of fitting to have found my way into race cars ? = ? . Cranfield Simulation began as a department of Cranfield Aerospace over 30yrs ago, supplying 130 systems for aircraft such as the Typhoon, Tornado, F-18, F-16 & Harrier. Their experience with G-cueing technology & VR means their motorsport sims are some of the most realistic you’ll find ??? . . . #cranfieldsimulation #simulator #flightsimulator #simracer #esports #geekgirl #gocharlie #endurogirl #trainingday #timetofly #ejectorseat #fighterpilot #champion #araihelmet #nkgsparkplugs #liquidcolourdesign #aimhighdreambig #dreambig #keeppushing #vr #dreamscometrue #bethebestyou #allsystemsgo

A post shared by C H A R L I E ???? M A R T I N (@gocharliem) on Apr 5, 2019 at 12:18pm PDT

www.queerty.com/queer-racer-charlie-martin-talks-living-proud-fast-lane-20190714?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

How A Young Pansexual Challenged Her School District, and Won

Ashlynn Kercher was having none of her school’s anti-Pride sentiment. So she took matters into her own hands. 

www.advocate.com/exclusives/2019/7/14/how-young-pansexual-challenged-her-school-district-and-won