#but more importantly I SUPPORT GAY WOMEN'S RIGHTS <3< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[heleneplays]

Helene Hayes in The Unexpected Heiress really went for the hot widowed rich milf with a title and came out of the book with everything and love in her heart and her taller and very amazing wife holding her hand huh

[celiastjamesoscar]

THAT WAS SO GOOODDDDD!!

I loved how chill we were with her being a serial killer that'd be my reaction too 😭 like sorry bbg it was surprising but I'm good now. Let's watch the pretty gay woman and her apocalypse father fight off popcorn heads together

Also DEFENDING HER NAME EVEN WHEN WE'RE UPSET IS >>>>

SUCH A MOOD! LIKE I'D EVER LET SOMEONE SLANDER MY WIFE LIKE THAT

Also I have an instagram thing from Melissa I wanna send you- but idk how

NO BUT FOR REAL THOUGH

It would definitely be a surprise, but come on, this is SAM CARPENTER WE ARE TALKING ABOUT!!!

Also, Sam 100% cried at the end of The Last of Us (1 & 2)

No one slanders Sam in this household!! I will defend that woman until I die! I support women’s rights, but more importantly, I support women’s wrongs!!!!

You can just dm it to me, lovely! I’m dying to see it <3

[lgbtqforeverything]

watching stargirl: frenemies episode 12

- we’re back baby!!!!

- oh my god she used the friend technique

- she’s gunna kill him with the award

- FUCK YEAH I WAS RIGHT

- i support women’s rights but more importantly i support women’s wrongs

- god i hate this bitch

- DOES SLYVESTER DIE. PLEASE.

- barbara this is incredibly gay behavior i hope you know this

- artemis in the gym :(

- artemis should beat up slyvester. as a treat <3

- my son!!!

- he took it off!! shit.

- the art of lighting my beloved <3

- he wants to take it off. he wants to be back to the rick tyler he knows he should be. but he can’t.

- mr deislinger </3

- slyvester you leave them out of this.

- you can’t put that on them bitch!!!

- love that mike is excited about the room where cindy plotted to kidnap him

- MIKE’S SHIRT SAID TRANS RIGHTS

- oh jakeem. you sweet sweet idiot boy.

- oh cameron. you idiot boy.

- OH THIS IS SMART. FUCK YOU JORDAN MAHKENT.

- the makeup team did a fantastic job on jordan

- slyvester i am punching you rn.

- the lighting in this scene went OFF

- poor pat :(

- go off courtney. fucking get him.

- anyway mike and pat are very very similar and that blinds them from each other. in this essay i will-

- I DONT KNOW WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE THE CW. AND I DONT FUCKING CARE. my dad does tho apparently

- beth chapel you are the best person on this show

- there’s no way they don’t run into the ultra humanite right?

- zeek i love you

- look at my boy asking for help!! i’m so proud <3

- pat this is so idiotic

- pat’s wearing the stripesy shirt :’)

- wow that’s a lot of guilt

- pat that’s gay

- CAN WE STOP BRINGING PEOPLE BACK PLEASE

- ITS IN JORDAN MAHKENT

- YESSSSSSSSS

- WHEN I TELL YOU I YELLED

- I FELL SO HAPPY AND VINDICATED RIGHT NOW

- I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY TO BE WRONG

- cindy should get to kill her dad again. she deserves it <3

- OH MY GOD THIS IS SO GOOD

- joel mchale you have done such a good job

- OH MY GOD STARMAN IS BURYING PAT IN THE STRIPESY SHIRT

- i’m sorry does geoff johns actually know what he’s doing??? did he create a plot that arced multiple seasons and tricked the audience???? what the fuck????

- i want to kill this bitch so bad.

- WHAT IS HAPPENING

- i am in shock. like it has been so long since a tv show did this to me i an in shock and don’t know what to do with myself. how am i going to survive an entire week i need answers NOW

[devestatedutterlydevestated]

lmk characters as things my friends and i have said

wukong: people who think that sneezing means someone is talking about you behind your back, on a scale of one to ten, how paranoid do you get when youre sick?

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macaque: i support women’s rights. but more importantly, i support women’s wrongs

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red son: explaining what qi is to mk

mk: oh, gotta balance out the wood qi! *devours napkin*

-------

pigsy: so are you gonna tell me what happened or am i gonna have to bring out the gun?

-------

wukong: mom, i threw up

nezha: and im about to throw some fucking hands if you dont get the fuck out of my face right fucking now-

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tang: do you know what nation i live in? i live in a free nation. and thats why you should give me food

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macaque: im gonna gaslight you so hard you burst into flames and die

wukong: oh wow oh my god- are we flirting rn???? i think were flirting right now-

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nezha, done with wukongs shit: buddha give me strength-

wukong: buddha cant help you, hes a beta male

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mei: is it homophobic if i dont want to gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss anymore?

mk: is it homophobic if i dont mansplain this?

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lbd: my expectations were lower than your iq, but i didnt think itd be this bad

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macaque: im just saying, i really do have the best conversations with myself, you know?

macaque: ...

macaque: oh, right

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red son: my parents are thinking of adoption

red son: they cant adopt! if they do, ill have no more orphans to bully

mk, sarcastically: tragic

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pigsy: i think women should be able to get away with anything

tang, squinting judgementally: 

pigsy: and no, im not a simp. im just a feminist

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wukong: i hate you so fucking much, im gonna hold your stupid little hand to show you how repulsed i am of your existence and keep you close to me so im reminded of how much i hate your fucking guts and give you kisses at night when i tuck you into bed so that all the germs ive acquired during the day are passed onto your stupid face and you get sick and die 

macaque, swooning: HSDSKDBS ok-

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tang: im not gay guys, my wrist is just broken

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mk: do you think that if plants can make people high then the plant themself is in a constant state of intoxication

red son: marry me

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mei: my mom dropped me off at school today and she thought i didnt have my backpack with me so she said "no backpack?" and i said "no bitches?" so she said "what" and i said "what" and then she drove away and i still dont know if she heard me or not

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mk at 3 am: googling wiki how to breathe

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mei: oh my god are you a dilf now? i think this makes you a dilf now

wukong, crying loudly: i dont wanna be a dilf

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mk: oh, you wear glasses? how blind are you?

red son: ...

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[potteresque-ire]

🏳️‍🌈 Rec post!! A queer film + a queer TV series from Hong Kong ~

1) Twilight’s Kiss (叔·叔) (Dir. Ray Yeung 楊曜愷; 2019)

Twilight’s Kiss offers a very realistic depiction of two elderly, in-the-closet gays in Hong Kong, who have dedicated their lives building a conventional family before unexpectedly falling in love with each other. It is a quiet film, and the romance is told in the same subtle manner as love is expressed (and not expressed) in their generation. The actors were phenomenal at playing regular Hong Kong men of their age (Pak mentioned he “came to Hong Kong”, ie, he was a refugee from Mao’s China, as the vast majority of his demographics was), which added to the resonance of the story ~ they could’ve been anyone, and anyone could’ve been them. 

The director of the film, Ray Yeung, is an openly gay man.

(Long review: Hollywood Reporter) Streaming link to film (with English subtitles; pls ignore and close the pop-up window)

2) Ossan’s Love (大叔的愛) (2021)

The unlikely (and hilarious) love triangle between Muk (Left), Tin (Center) and KK (Right) in Ossan’s Love.

For those who found the name familiar, it’s because the series is a (faithful) remake of the popular 2018 Japanese series of the same name. The Hong Kong version is longer (15 episodes; ~ 40 min each) compared to the Japanese original, and its mood is cheerier, sweeter, and also ... more BL, with the lead characters Tin (Haruta in the original) and Muk (Maki in the original) played by two idols, Edan Lui 呂爵安 and Anson Lo 盧瀚霆, from the very popular local boy band MIRROR.

(Being idols didn’t prevent them from kissing. Not in Hong Kong, 2021.) (Yes, they kissed, and hugged and fought and bantered...)

Ossan’s Love is culturally significant in that it became the first gay drama to be aired primetime in Hong Kong, and by extension, in China. Beloved by the locals, it was also very much discussed—hk-queers expressed their (surprised) joy that finally, they got to see a respectful, dignified presentation of who they are and how they love. More importantly, they got to see HKers, older generations included, glued to the TV for their kind of love story, rooting for the lead male characters to get together. 

This signifies a broader acceptance of LGBT+ in the city than previously assumed; this is very important and comforting to the community in June, 2021, when the future of LGBT+ rights in the city is very uncertain. After the 2019 protests, pro-democracy leaders have been arrested and jailed in large numbers; newspaper that advocated for freedom has been shut down. Meanwhile, during the airing of Ossan’s Love , the (in)famous pro-Beijing politician, Junius Ho, claimed the series to have violated the city’s much feared, much abused National Security Law—the law that officially aims to catch “traitors”, but has been used as a “catch-all” excuse to arrest political dissidents and suppress the freedoms of the city. Ho was of sufficient prominence that his words could draw the attention of officials who have been sent from across the mainland-HK border to do Beijing’s bidding.

Also, Ossan’s Love was produced not by the powerful, once popular TVB (local TV station), which, with Chinese investors becoming its major shareholders like many other HK press and media companies, has become very pro-Beijing and conservative. The series was produced by ViuTV, a much smaller station preferred by young, pro-democracy Hong Kongers ... which means the future of the series, of its stars (MIRROR’s members are once-contestants of a ViuTV talent show), of even the station itself is also uncertain.

Hence, I’m recommending Ossan’s Love now ... even if the official version doesn’t have the best English subtitles. The full series is on Youtube (links below); the soundtrack is in Cantonese and (Traditional) Chinese subtitles are available, but English is only available via Youtube’s built-in Auto-Translate function. 

For those who would like to catch a short scene of two cute HK boys in love, the last 5 minutes of Ep 11 would be a nice place to watch. You can see how comfortable these two bandmates were with each other—Edan (Tin) had played two supporting roles before this series, while Anson (Muk) had never acted before. Edan and Anson have claimed that being close friends in RL meant their intimate scenes were easy to film (BTW, Anson is gay, Edan isn’t).

Edan Lui (Left) & Anson Lo (Right), Harper's Bazaar HK, May 2021. Edan was a uni student before joining hk-ent. Anson was a dance instructor.

(You can also see why, when I watched the Gg + Dd Happy Camp episode very, very early on in my turtlehood, I assumed Gg and Dd would have ample opportunities to work together again, to play and be happy in front of the camera ... just like how I remembered on-screen couples from my days in HK—the couples, the CPs of the time, would collaborate repeatedly after having demonstrated chemistry and become commercial success—in film and TV projects, in variety shows, in awards ceremonies as presenting guests etc etc. This multi-project collaboration was, and still is, viewed as a Very Good Thing, and not only for commercial reasons. The inter-personal fate (緣份) to play on-screen couples repeatedly, per the tradition of HK-ent, is something of a blessing, talked about as a small-scale version of having the destiny, the luck to be together across multiple lives, multiple incarnations. Actors treasure this kind of collaboration and the HK audience celebrates it, regardless of the marital status of the actors in RL. Entertainment news dedicate articles about it.) (There’s actually an example of that in Ossan’s Love: Kenny Wong 黃德斌, the actor who played the titular Ossan, KK, and Rachel Kan 簡慕華, who played his wife Francesca, had already played husband and wife three times before. Rachel had retired from acting in 2017 and moved to Canada; she told reporters that she returned to shoot Ossan’s Love primarily so that she could play Kenny’s wife again).

* Below is a small warning for Ossan’s Love ~ *

The humour of Ossan’s Love is often wild and zany, especially where it adapts from the Japanese original. Some of it, i-fandomers may find uncomfortable. Notably, the titular Ossan (Japanese, meaning “Older Man”) was Tin and Muk’s boss; and he and Darren, another superior of Tin and Muk, were also part of the romantic story line.

One can argue, therefore, that Ossan’s Love contains a *very* “Me Too” situation; however, this is also why I find Ossan’s Love interesting beyond being a Chinese-speaking gay drama—it is clear that the production team of this series meant no disrespect, and from the series’ reception, it’s also clear that hk-queers and other more progressive members among the audience didn’t see disrespect in the product. This series therefore offers a glimpse to the answers of some questions I’ve had: how does Hong Kong of 2021 translate respect for queers (as well as for older men and women) into day-to-day words and actions? How do these culturally-specific habits in speech and behaviour compare to the norms in, for example, the United States (that I’m familiar with)?

“Political incorrectness” was also found in some of Tin’s internal monologue. However, I thought, perhaps, that was why the series has proven to be disarming to the general audience both in HK and Japan, places with a tradition of homophobia stemming often not from malice, but from ignorance, from sex being considered taboo for so much of the places’ history. Tin, as someone who haven’t seemed to have spared a thought about homosexuality before the story had taken place, spoke the minds of the audiences who aren’t familiar with homosexuality. Muk, meanwhile, presented the perspective of someone who already understood what being gay was and wasn’t about. Tin, therefore, led the audience towards Muk and his views step by step, all the while without being judgemental—how could he be? He was one of them too during his journey. He was the student, and he was also the protagonist who everyone—and I mean everyone—loved (in a rather funny manner :D). 🌈

(Long review: BLwatcher)

Links to Ossan’s Love, official version uploaded by ViuTV: EP 1 EP 2 EP 3 EP 4 EP 5 EP 6 EP 7 EP 8 EP 9 EP 10 EP 11 EP 12 EP 13 EP 14 EP 15

ETA 2021/09/16: Streaming with English subtitles is available here.

[lilyharvord]

Blade Breaker Live Read

CHAPTER 22

If I do not get Eristan fucking this chapter, I’m rioting. 

I AM PLEASED TO REPORT THE RIOT IS CANCELED UNTIL FUTHER NOTICE. AT THIS TIME I WILL BE SCREAMING FOR TEN HOURS 

FUCKING HELL, THEIF, OBVIOUSLY IS CANCELED. WE NOW WORSHIP: 

“That’s what you are, mine.” and “Does that make you mine?” 

also, RONIN CAN GET FUCKED ✌🏻✌🏻✌🏻✌🏻✌🏻✌🏻✌🏻✌🏻✌🏻✌🏻

CHAPTER 23

I’m very curious to know if there are red flashes of What Waits in Corayne’s eyes. I know she hasn’t chosen him like Taristan but I wonder if in essence they are connected to him as he is to them. 

CHAPTER 24 

LISTEN, there is nothing hotter than a character yelling at another in their native tongue to stay alive. I want for nothing more. 

CHAPTER 25

Someone push the easy button please, that battle felt so short and managed so well XD But also like, What Waits really just sort of let her have the win. That smells fishy, but I’m not sure what kinda fish it smells like. 

CHAPTER 26

NOT SIGIL LITERALLY NOT KNOWING THE NAME OF THE MAN TRYIGN TO KILL THEM ALL. I’M DEAD.

Ah, see that’s why they got to close the Spindle..... cause Taristan is off opening his next one XD he’s really out there poking holes in the ship just for shits and gigs at this point. 

I don’t know why I was under the impression and Dom and Sorasa would have a relationship that actually builds this book. I WANTED THEM TO HAVE MOMENTS. Their moments have been so small, they are less than crumbs, GIVE THEM TO ME VICTORIA 

CHAPTER 27

JESUS CHRIST. ERIDA. My love... I just have this twisting feeling in my gut that What Waits is slowly twisting her mind, making her more paranoid etc... because tbh she really is so paranoid now. 

^^^ me being a huge supporter of women’s rights, and more importantly, women’s wrongs... but also worrying about Erida on a deep level because she really does feel like a woman on the edge 😬

CHAPTER 28

I LITERALLY LOVE SORASA. She was honeslty like, welp, you wanna leave, you’re gonna have to come take your sword from me, and based off how that went last time you’re not going anywhere any time some. What a fucking QUEEN, a LEGEND. 

ALSO: “you’d think I’d be used to this by now.” “Sorasa?” “Death, though I suppose they are interchangeable.” 

THERE IT IS, OH FUCK THERE IT IS. 🥰 🥰 🥰 🥰 🥰 🥰 🥰 🥰 that’s my ship, slowly but surely leaving the harbor... with some holes and definitely sinking a bit, but it’s SAILING. 

I’ll allow Corayne and Andry to be a ship for the rest of this stupid chapter just to catch even a GLIMPS of Dom and Sorasa interacting. Crumbs victoria, I’m begging for crumbs at this point. 

CHAPTER 29-32

LISTEn, okay listen. It was good, there was so much to unpack. Like, too much to feel/deal with. I mean WHAT am I supposed to do with that ending. But also like... why? Like why did they all split up? I get that it’s supposed to be sort of Lord of the Rings kinda thing but I dont know. Like why did Sigil go back? Why did Valtik take Andry? I get why Dom stayed, and I get why Sorasa stayed, but like... what the fuck of Corayne supposed to do now? Like just sort of hang out? XD 

Also, lets all just... take a second to try not to kill victoria over the bury your gays... I’m smelling a fucking pattern, and I don’t like the pattern I’m smelling. I really was sitting there like, um, okay wait what? 😑 I just dont get the whole black knight thing either! It comes out of no where, there is just negative explanation, and then we use this black hole of a plot device to kill off a character that we got in my opinion so little of. Why is did this knight literally leave Ridha dying? I dont understand. It just felt like Victoria tried and failed to pull at my heart strings with that ending. I just sat there going, okay wait what? I mean I guess its set up for book 3 but it feels shaky. The whole ending kinda felt that way. We know so little about Ronin’s “gifts” and Valtik is a black box too. I just, *sigh* am I gonna read book 3? Maybe. I dont know, I need to reassess some things. 😒

[endobiologist]

Trans Guy Tips #6; A GUIDE FOR ALLIES: ON HOW TO TREAT TRANS PEOPLE RESPECTFULLY, FROM A TRANS MAN HIMSELF

1. Just simply treat us like regular human beings. This means don't be assholes, and don't be fetishizers.

Trans people are just like anyone, their brain just happened to form in a different way than their body did in the womb.

If you treat them with the same respect that you treat everyone else, you're doing right.

Don't be that person who asks if they had surgery, and what their genitals look & looked like, and all those personal questions that are maaaybe well meaning but come off creepy as fuck.

2. Take their name & pronouns seriously!!

If someone is trans, even if they don't look like the gender they are, try not to ever misgender them.

This can be mental anguish for a lot of people who are trans.

There are a lot of trans people who look perfect, yes, but there are also a lot of trans people who don't pass whatsoever.

If you just support the beautiful trans people and not the unconventionally attractive ones, that counts as transphobia because it implies they're not real men / women unless they look like them exactly.

And it's okay if you mess up on their pronouns and/or name sometimes, it's just an accident.

The only time you're an asshole is if you're doing it on purpose to be mean.

3. Ask questions!

The most important thing you can do is gain as much knowledge on the subject as you can.

Do this by researching yourself, and also by talking to the person, and asking them about any questions or confusions you have.

Almost all of the time no one minds being asked, and you are in fact showing you respect them and want to know how to show them your respect.

4. A nice thing to do that's become very popular as of late, is when meeting someone, asking their pronouns.

Such as she/her/hers, he/him/his, and they/them/theirs.

This way you never misgender someone by accident, and it shows that you're friendly to those who are trans.

You can even support this movement yourself by not only doing this, but also putting your own pronouns in your biography on social media, spreading the likelihood of people putting more in, which means way more people get gender fulfilled and makes it a common thing to give strangers respect of their gender!

5. This is yet the most important rule of all.

Don't be a coward.

Stand up to injustice when you see it, no matter what.

If a trans or gay or otherwise LGBT+ person is being bullied, attacked, r*ped, or anything of the sort, either help them yourself quickly or get help for them as soon as possible, and speak up loudly, protecting them whilst also not drowning out their own voice and their experiences. I've known some trans people who have cried after I defended them online from hateful people, and as a fellow trans person I know that feeling.

The feeling of someone having your back,even a stranger, can mean so much.

Also stand up for LGBT+ people even when no one is listening. Even when a single person that's LGBT+ isn't there.

Stand up for them always, not just conditionally.

This rule is important to me personally, due to one of my ex-best friends, at the time best friend, letting me get harshly abused verbally by someone who is transphobic in their family, and they stood around and did nothing whilst I cried.

That's pretty much a textbook case of what not to do. Lol.

6. When you notice they're feeling dysphoric about their bodies, try and remind them of the traits that they like and the traits that they will have in the future (if they go on HRT that is)

things like calling them 'handsome', 'dude', 'bro', 'milady', 'miss', all these different nicknames can be cathartic for trans people who might have never been called those terms before, or very rarely.

Obviously you're not expected to know every whim of your trans friend, or any friend, but if you see them actively upset, this is a very sweet thing to do that can cheer them up very quickly.

7. Even if you do not understand it at all, and can't comprehend the transgender concept whatsoever, please try your best to think of where your loved one is coming from.

Sometimes it's hard to see the pain they go through, so you may assume nothing is going on, and that they're going through a phase, or faking it, but that is usually very untrue/unlikely.

And even if they are going through a phase, if you support them, that will make all the difference and they'll remember that the rest of their lives, even if they do grow out of it, which is extremely rare so it's unlikely in the first place.

What matters is having each other's backs, even if not understanding everything.

Not everything is meant to be understood by everyone. People come from wildly different generations and cultural backgrounds and it makes sense that it would be hard for some, but it,'s so important to try!

8. This is a small, cute optional thing, but if they're in the closet and unable to use their real name anywhere, try taking them somewhere like Starbucks where they get to have their name written on their cup.

I know that might sound funny, but it was one of my favourite moments in my life when I saw my new name correctly on my Starbucks cup.

Little things like that can really boost your mood!

Just a random thought, but I thought I'd add it in.

9. If you're close with them, make sure they practise self-care and wellbeing.

Trans people are known especially to have very high suicide rates, over 50% of trans people have attempted suicide, so it's extremely important to make sure your trans friend is as supported as possible, so that they always have people to fall back on.

If needed, remind them to take showers, remind them to eat, and sleep, things like that.

This one mainly has to do with if you live with the person and know them well.

But even people you don't know them well, you can suggest self-care practises to them, or even put together a little care package of self care products, but make sure they're all natural!

10. A good way to train to use their pronouns and name correctly, is to think of them in your mind hard, and then repeat their new name and pronouns in your brain or aloud with the picture of them in your mind over and over for as long as you need every day or so.

Eventually this association will become so strong you'll automatically get it every time!

11. Most importantly, just be there for people in need.

Stand up for those without a voice, whilst giving them a voice. If you're one of the people out there who is not LGBT+ in any way, but is making an effort to learn about us,

I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

People like you are extravagantly rare, and so kind. And it definitely means you have an open badass mind.

Anyway, that concludes this article, please comment your thoughts!

Many more articles about being transgender I'll write in the future, and I'll post the ones I write soon.

Please feel free to check back at my account to see if I write any new ones or additions to previous articles!

Thank you for reading.

- Atom T. L. Yorke

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

Hi. You mentioned in your introduction that, out of BTS, you have a special interest in Jimin and Jungkook as artists and content creators. I don't know if you intend to critique their work through analysis of sign systems but that seems like a cool idea.

Roland Barthes himself never made any explicit statement about his own homosexuality in his work. In 'Incidents' he alludes to participating in gay erotic activity in Morocco. The obvious conclusions have been drawn by readers and scholars from this as well as biographical accounts. His work has at times been analyzed through lenses of textual suppression and the gay erotic. His own sexuality has been brought out when looking closer at the textuality of his writings.

Jimin and Jungkook have likewise never explicitly stated that they are partners or queer. A lot of people accept some of their art as showing familiar canonical codes and signs of gayness. This also extends to some of their actions and presentation. Where do you stand in regards to talking about that? Most of the discourse about this on tumblr is from bi, lesbian and straight cis women. There are instances of fetishization, exoticization and gatekeeping. It can be frustrating watching from the sidelines sometimes (I am a lurker who never commented despite reading Jikook blogs for years. Yup that's my life).

You have been reading Jikook blogs for a while, I assume. I am still not sure if discourse about undisclosed queer identities on the basis of spectator's feelings is ethical but I am not against it at all. What are your thoughts? Do you have a background in queer theory? If you isolate Jimin and Jungkook from the rest of BTS that becomes a queer reading of text, doesn't it?

Hello there! I assume you sent me 3 more anon asks, right? I tried to give an answer here that can maybe answer all your questions. If you also were the one who asked if I could have some cinema blog that you know of, the answer is no, I do not have one. Now, let's get to the main topic.

I have seen the discourse on Jikook blogs, I am fully aware of what is being written. Not only on tumblr, but on other platforms as well. Most of them are focusing on their relationship and the speculation surrounding it and few have written from an entertainment and media perspective without making definite assumptions about the nature of that relationship. Shippers, supporters or anything else for that matter, they have a place in the fandom discourse.

As to my own perspective, I do not talk about individuals and their personal lives, but I write about official content (that can be a vlive, the way they present themselves online, other media content such as GCF) and most importantly performances. Analyzing art is not speculating or definitely talking about the artist's identity. Since BTS in general, and Jungkook and Jimin in particular don't usually talk in depth about their concepts, the reasons behind it – we still don't know much about MMA Black Swan for that matter (all the background information that we would usually find if it were a film, theater play, performance of any kind), all I can possibly do is look at the performance and try to make sense of it. Sometimes the artist's identity is tied completely to the performance and sometimes it's not. In this case, there hasn't been anything explicitly said about it, so there's only one option left: audience reception through interpretation, which happens regardless if the artist offers his own key of interpretation.

You mentioned the ethical aspect, so in response to that all I can say is that a lot of discourse surrounding Jimin and Jungkook or them as a pair/unit (especially when it comes to art and media) is based on publicly released content which means their company and they themselves are ok with it.

Using queer theory to talk about K-Pop is not something unique and there are plenty of performances out there (not just what we see in regards to Jimin, Jungkook or BTS in general) that have been analyzed and talked about through that lens.

I recommend this article by Chuyun Oh and David C. Oh, Unmasking Queerness: Blurring and Solidifying Queer Lines through K-Pop Cross-Dressing and I will add two quotes that perfectly explain how/why queer theory is used and how it is a legitimate perspective that can be applied to certain K-Pop acts:

''Historically, performance has been a site for liminal actions that transgress pre-existing boundaries and social norms (Turner and Schechner). Performance can present queerness in between homosexuality and heterosexuality without specifically being marked as queer or homosexual. Focusing on liminal features of queerness decolonizes Asian queer aesthetics by unmasking Western-centered gay subjects. Queer is often understood as a Eurocentric concept with the implication that the non-West queer subject should follow Western models.''

''K-pop becomes a source of Asian queer aesthetics. SY and SJ’s ambivalent construction of homoerotic role-play signals that anyone can act like, feel, and be queer without the danger of directly being marked as “gay” or “homosexual.” Such ambiguity has potential to liberate individuals and to allow alternative sexual identities, moving away from stereotypes of homosexuality embedded in Western culture. A certain body that does not belong to existing categories produces “anxiety and fascination,” and challenges the homogenized classification of gender roles in society (Albrecht 706).''

There are many other articles on similar subjects, not just focused on art, but on queer Asian identities. People are researching these various topics and it's all out there for anyone who wants to read about it. All I can say is that it's important to inform ourselves of cultural context on all matters and leave the BTS bubble (not talking about you anon, since I don't know the extent of your knowledge) and see that Korean queer art/artists exist publicly and online and people are talking about it, including on tumblr. It just depends on where you're looking at.

[tarantulas4davey]

Ufc Fighter Albert Dasilva Headcanons

hello, people who still follow me despite the fact i never post cause i’m a mess. how y’all doin? my favorite ufc fighter won the other day so now ✨this is what we’re doing✨. also i originally sent this thought to @we-are-inevitable ‘s ask box so find that post here (hi jac ilysm mwah mwah mwah)

i also wrote a part 2 so find that here !!

also,,,,, this is fairly obvious. but trigger warning for violence/physical fighting, and well as blood and injury. (it’s a rough gig y’all fjdhdb)

i sincerely apologize in advance for what a mess this post is gonna be i just had a monster and i’m hyped up on the win and this is a hyperfixation i don’t get to talk about very often so feel free to ask questions and HERE WE FUCKIN GO

OK SO

albert is just,,,,,, a violent sports guy. always has been, probably always will be.

most forms of recreational fighting, football, hockey, rugby, fuck even soccer if he gets too into it. he’s just a Built Person, and he wicked competitive, and that makes for violent displays of athleticism

I think he was probably a hockey or football guy in high school, but he was also on the wrestling team cause i said so

then after graduation he got really into kickboxing, just to have something to do cause he didn’t have school sports to play and train for all the time

and then one day his coach is like ‘hey. you’re like,,, stupid good at this. you should sign up for competitions, you might make some money.’

he does, in fact, ‘make some money’, cause in straight kickboxing? he’s pretty much unmatched on the regional scene, which is ridiculous cause he didn’t start training his stand up game til he was 18 or 19

then American Top Team (ATT, it’s a really big MMA training camp that had trained a boat load of the top talent in the UFC) approaches him like ‘y’know if you worked on your grappling you could be a really solid mma fighter’

which is HUGE, but obviously albert can’t pick up his entire life and move to florida to train with them, so him and race (this is me, of course race is with al. supportive boyfriend and number one fan alert <3) find gyms willing to work with him based in new york. then he starts signing up for shit.

he sticks with stand up fighting when he can, he likes it more and cause,,,,, well. it’s more entertaining. the higher your entertainment value, the more people watch your fights. the more people watch your fights, the more likely you are to get noticed by big promotions (like the ufc)

he uses his wrestling to keep grapplers on their feet (he’s got like a 90% takedown defense, what an icon) and he picks people apart.

he has a lot of technical skill, but he also is fiery and passionate and scrappy. he gets hit too much for his own good a lot of the time.

he’s super durable. this man can get hit clean over and over and stay on his feet, but that’s not gonna hold up forever. it takes a loss or two in a row to motivate him to change it

and oh boy does he change it

he spends a month in auckland, new zealand at city kickboxing (one of the best kickboxing gyms in the world, and they lean heavily on tactics rather than just charging forward blindly)

he’s straight up a different fighter after that. he’s quick, light on his feet, and avoids punches way easier while also setting up the angles for his own. he gets signed to the ufc 2 fights later.

his first fight is short notice. no training camp, he’s got 5 days to make weight, AND it’s against a top 10 ranked opponent. no big deal, right?

and albert, being albert, is super chill about it. sure, this is the opportunity of a lifetime, could decide his entire future as a fighter, and he’s barely got time to prepare.

but he’s in the gym every single day of the week, he doesn’t super cut on weight like most ex-wrestlers, and most importantly, it’s just fighting. all he has to do is get in the octagon and punch some dude in the face. he can do that all day.

race on the other hand,,,,,,,,

he believes in albert with his whole soul, he really does, but Fuck watching your boyfriend get hit in the head is no fucking fun. especially when you know that the guy throwing the punches has been training for months, and your guy hasn’t even had a week

so he brings jack for moral support. also cause jack is DEFINITELY a ufc fan and was the only one that would understand what was happening.

at some point in the first round albert gets caught clean, opening a cut on his cheek, which makes race Panic Even More

but he gets cleaned up between rounds, and it’s not swelling so he can still see, and it’s over by the middle of the second.

and albert wins, cause (this is fiction and i’m telling a story) of fucking course he does, and he probably wins with some stupid dramatic spinning back kick and gets clipped on twitter cause he’s just Like That

the part that makes me, as the ralbert shipper, super fucking happy is coming up but i need to add a lil real talk first

considering albert is like,,,, openly in a relationship with a man when he gets into the ufc,,,,, that makes him the first publicly gay ufc fighter. like,,,, ever.

this is realized after his hand gets raised after the ref calls the stoppage.

bruce buffer makes the official announcement, al gets his hand raised, he gets interviewed by joe rogan, and then his coaches, jack and race get to come into the cage

at first everyone things it’s a best friend or something, especially after the dap up bro hug things he gives his coaches and jack

but then albert sees race, and you can watch this boy’s face light up on the camera. then race throws his arms around albert’s neck and albert half lifts him off the ground in a hug around his waist and ok, sure, that’s not the most platonic thing you’ve ever seen, but that doesn’t prove anything

and then albert kisses race. like full, actual, on the mouth in front of all the cameras kiss. cause he doesn’t give a shit.

and nobody’s talking about his spinning back kick anymore, cause Holy Shit That Wasn’t Very Straight Of You Dasilva

but he doesn’t address it, cause every other fighter gets to kiss their wife or girlfriend or whatever in the cage after they win and nobody bats an eye, so why should it be any different for him and his boyfriend?

also, because it needs to be said, statistically there are ALREADY lgbtq+ male fighters in the ufc. like currently, in real life. they’re just not out publicly. the ufc has openly supported queer people’s rights in the past, and is partnered with 4 prominent HIV/AIDS awareness organizations. there is multiple openly queer women currently fighting in the ufc, including amanda nunes, who has been repeatedly called the greatest women’s fighter of all time. but as of right now, there is no openly mlm ufc fighters, so that would technically make albert the first. we love a trend setter. now back to what i’m supposed to be talking about djdhdbd

and eventually interviewers and fans on twitter realize that they’re only going to get one answer to vague questions about sexuality, which is “i’m dating a man and i fight people for a living. if that makes me a revolutionary, so be it bro.”

he includes race in a lot of his answers, especially in interviews where they ask more personal questions or grill him on his mental game, cause he loves race and thinks he deserves credit for everything he does to make al a better person and a better fighter

also, purely for my own entertainment, i think after he becomes champion (cause of course he does) he goes on the joe rogan podcast, and joe is pretty much the only one who gets albert to talk about any of it in a genuine way

he doesn’t get sarcasm or a blunt “can we talk about fighting, now?” like everyone else, he gets a real answer, cause that’s what albert came on to do anyway

he talks about getting together in highschool, and how it was race’s idea for him to start kickboxing in the first place, and what a fucking genius race is and how he’s getting his PhD right now, and how he didn’t want to talk about it cause he didn’t want to be the “gay fighter”, and how that’s a trivialization of his relationship with race and he refuses to let it be seen as anything but what it is, which is the best fucking thing that’s ever happened to him

just. Ugh. them <3

THIS POST IS SO LONG HOLY SHIT DHDHDHDH

anyway-

y e a h. albert dasilva would rock anyone’s shit. if i keep having thoughts about this i’ll make one about him becoming champion. thank you for your time ✨

also gonna tag @soaps-posts cause the brainrot is powerful so here you are my dear <3

[4stars-uswnt]

A Champ and a Superstar [Emily Sonnett x Reader]

requested by anon: could you do a emily sonnett where the reader is her gf and doesn’t play soccer but supports emily and meets the team for the first time :)

You make your way to the private box, guided by a couple of security guards. Taking your seat, you unbutton your black blazer, straighten out your jeans, and take off your sunglasses. You had just arrived at the SheBelieves Cup to watch the US take on Japan, but more importantly, you were there to watch your secret girlfriend, Emily Sonnett.

—————

For the past six months, you had been on tour all across the country for your first album, only seeing your girlfriend through the screen of your phone. But you had decided that in between shows, you’d stop by to watch and support her. Although you were still a small up and coming artist, your debut album had become increasingly popular in not only the states but around the world; there was even talk of a few Grammy nominees in your near future. Therefore, due to your newfound fame, the overwhelming amount of attention you’d received from the paparazzi, and the fact that you were an extremely private person, you and Emily both decided to keep your relationship under wraps for the time being, only telling your family and your manager.

—————

It was about twenty minutes before kickoff, when you receive a text from your publicist, letting you know that US Soccer and Fox Sports had found out about your presence and they wanted a quick interview. You sigh and lock your phone, knowing you won’t be able to get out of this one, as you knew your appearance would be a big deal not only because of your ‘celebrity status’ but also because you had been a huge public fan and advocate for the team.

A few moments later, a woman with a microphone and a cameramen enter your box, upon approval of your bodyguard. She explains to you the basic outline of her questions, and then signals for the camera to begin.

“Thanks, Julie. Today, we’re joined by singer and song-writer, (Y/N) (Y/L/N). How are you?”

“I’m doing good. Pretty excited to watch this match and support the team.” You respond with enthusiasm.

“Yes! I’ve seen your tweets. You’re a pretty big fan of the national team. How did that start?”

You continue to answer her questions, varying from your new album to your thoughts on the team. Meanwhile, down on the field, many of the USWNT players had noticed your interview playing on the big screen. Being big fans of you and your music, they were all surprised and freaking out that you were here watching one of their matches.

“Oh my gosh! Is that (Y/N) (Y/L/N)?” Kelley points.

“Holy crap, it is.” Ashlyn gasps, and Ali rolls her eyes at her wife’s childish behavior, even though she was a huge fan of you herself.

“Her music makes me proud to be gay.” Pinoe smirks triumphantly, proud of the fact that she had been the one to introduce your album to the team.

By now, there were murmurs amongst the team of their favorite new artist sitting in the stands.

Rose pokes Emily on the shoulder, interrupting her juggling session.

“Hey, did you see (Y/N) (Y/L/N) is here?”

Emily immediately lets the ball drop to the ground and turns to her friend, eyes wide open.

“What!?” She exclaims. “She’s here? Like in the stadium?” Why hadn’t you told her you were coming?

“Yes, dummy. Right up there.” Rose points at the big screen, where you were just ending your interview. You give the camera one last smile, before the screen returns to the regular scoreboard.

Emily scans the stadium, searching for you. As soon as she sees you in your box, she finds you’re already looking at her. The defender gives you a small smile before tilting her head sideways, silently asking you what you were doing here. You only smirk and wink at her, before she has to return to the huddle, as the game is about to start.

—————

You sit back and relax, enjoying the play of both teams, occasionally checking your phone and responding to some emails. You clap and cheer at each of the three goals from the US, finding yourself getting emotional over Christen’s goal. As the game is coming to an end, and the US has clearly won, 3-1, you see Emily waving at you, calling you to come down to the field. You beam with excitement, turning to ask your bodyguard to escort you.

On your way down, you are stopped to sign some autographs and take some pictures, as you were easily recognizable, especially after your interview. But once the final whistle blew and the celebrations began, the crowd’s attention turns elsewhere, focussing on the stage where the award ceremony was starting.

Once the trophy was lifted, the players disperse across the field, some still celebrating with confetti, some taking pictures and interacting with fans, and others greeting friends and family. Emily Sonnett was one of the latter, as she made a beeline for you. You lean down over the railing, as your girlfriend approaches.

“Hey there, champ.”

“Hey there, superstar.” Emily smirks, knowing your disdain for the title. She watches as you roll you eyes, but before you could respond, Emily decides to make a bold move. She reaches up to cup your face, bringing you in for a chaste but sweet kiss. You bring your own hands up to the blondes face, caressing her cheeks, as the two of you pull away. Leaning your forehead against hers, you let out a small giggle.

“Did we just do that?”

Emily hums. “We just came out.”

Your smile widens, finally feeling truly happy.

—————

While you and Emily were stuck in your own little world, the rest of the USWNT watched on as the defender started talking to you, their jaws dropping, as the two of you kissed.

“Worms! How does your son know (Y/N) (Y/L/N)?!” Alex turned to Kelley, who was just as baffled as everyone else.

“I—I have no clue.” The freckled woman stutters.

“Wow. Sonny has more game than we thought.” Pinoe exclaims, Ashlyn nodding along in agreement, as the team continues to watch you and Emily.

—————

Your joyful bliss comes to a halt, as you peek over your girlfriend’s shoulder and see all of the players with their eyes on you.

“Ummm… we have a little bit of an audience.” Motioning towards the group of women, disregarding the hundreds of fans in the stadium and the thousands watching on TV.

Emily turns around to face her teammates, cringing at the looks they’re giving her. She looks back at you, nodding her head towards the team.

“You wanna meet them?”

Your eyes almost pop out of their sockets, and a knot forms in your throat. “Um, what?”

“C’mon, they just saw us kiss. They’re gonna wanna meet you.” Emily explains, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

You nod in agreement, too nervous to actually speak. You had been a huge fan of this team and many of the players, like Alex Morgan, Christen Press, Megan Rapinoe, and Tobin Heath, since you were a young girl. These women were not only your idols but also some of the most important people in your girlfriend’s life, so it was no surprise that it felt as you were about to throw up your nerves.

Emily guides you down on to the field, your security not far behind, as you make your way towards the locker room. Walking down the hallway, you can hear the familiar tune of your most popular song, “Never Giving Up,” blaring from the room you are about to enter. You feel your face flush in embarrassment upon hearing your own lyrics. Your girlfriend rolls her eyes at her teammates purposeful choice of song, as she runs her hand up and down your back, trying to soothe your nerves.

“Don’t work yourself up, babe. They’re gonna love you. In fact, I’m pretty sure they’re already pretty big fans of yours.” Emily kisses your blushing cheek.

As you enter the USWNT locker room, all conversation quiets, all dancing stops, and the music pauses, as all eyes were now on you. After a moment of silence, with no one really knowing where to begin, you hear Kelley whisper into Alex’s ear.

“Holy crap. That’s (Y/N) (Y/L/N). We’re in the presence of (Y/N) (Y/L/N).” Alex gives her best friend a slap on the shoulder, effectively silencing her.

“So you’re all probably wondering how I know (Y/N).” Emily starts, addressing her teammates and even the coaching staff, who are now listening. “Ummm, so here’s the thing… it’s just…I didn’t mean to keep this from you guys… but we agreed to keep it private…so don’t be too upset—”

“We’re dating!” You burst, unable to listen to your girlfriend stumble over her words any longer. At the confirmation of their suspicions, the team is left stunned into silence once again.

Lindsey breaks the stupor first. “Wait, let me get this straight. You, Emily Sonnett, the woman who face planted after tripping over nothing the other day, are dating (Y/N) (Y/L/N), the most popular singer at the moment who is undoubtedly up for a Grammy this year?”

Emily, who had been mentally following her friend’s words and connecting the dots, nods in affirmation. “Yup.” She exclaims, beaming pridefully, as she wraps her arm around your waist, kissing your temple.

“How?” Kelley blurts out, receiving another slap from Alex.

“Hey!” Emily protests, while you let out a snicker, poking your girlfriend’s side.

“Wait!” Ashlyn interrupts, and she narrows her eyes at you. ��Even though we are big fans of you, and always have your album playing in the locker room, and we appreciate your support, and you’re part of the gayng…wait… I’m getting off track.” She shakes her head. “What are your intentions with our dear Sonny?” The other women, also curious, turn to you, awaiting your answer.

“Uhhhh… well I… ummm.” You struggle to form a sentence, as the gaze of the twenty-two women, many of whom you look up to, crumbles your confidence. It isn’t until you feel your girlfriend squeeze your waist and give you an encouraging smile that you find the appropriate words.

“I love her.” You state honestly, ignoring the look on Emily’s face, as this is the first time you’re saying those words. “Even though we’ve only been dating for a couple of months, I think I’ve known ever since our first date, despite Em almost ruining it by spilling wine on my dress.” You chuckle fondly at the memory before continuing. “She makes me laugh even when I don’t want to, and she comforts me when I’m sad. I’ve honestly never been happier than when I’m with her.” You reveal, and you take a deep breath. “So I guess my intentions are to love her, and exude the same light in her life as she shines in mine.”

Next to you, you see your girlfriend with misty eyes. She buries her face in your neck, peppering you with many kisses beneath your ear.

“I love you too.” She whispers for only you to hear, as she pulls away to gauge her teammates reaction, hoping for their approval.

“Well no wonder she’s a singer and song writer. That was freaking beautiful.” Ashlyn calls out.

“Yeah. No kidding.” Kelley huffs out, wiping her eyes of what you can’t tell to be real or fake tears.

Megan approaches the front of the room, now standing in front of you. “Thank god you’re a good one, kid. We liked you before, but now we absolutely love you. Some more than others.” She smirks at your girlfriend, before she boasts pridefully, “Y’know I was the one who introduced the team to your album.”

You tuck your head, almost not believing that Megan Rapinoe actually enjoys your music. “Thanks.”

“Well, now that your dating Sonny here, you’re officially part of the fam.” She looks back at her teammates for confirmation. “Right guys?!”

You hear a collection of ‘yes!’, ‘duh!’, ‘hell yeah!’, and ‘of course!’ come from the group of women.

You can’t help but beam at the thought of being accepted by the team.

“Thank you.” You whisper, snuggling further into Emily’s chest.

Looking down at you, she sweeps the hair out of your face. “For what?”

“Loving me.”

She softly grins, placing a kiss on the top of your head. “There’s nothing else I’d rather do.”

[joa-quin-phoe-nix-fan]

The Interview -Joaquin Phoenix FF

!TW! Emotional abuse, death mentioned, grief

The Interview

It was a very bad idea to drink the night before this interview. You knew it then and you also knew it as soon as you woke up that morning, so hungover you could barely distinguish your feet from your hands. “This is bad...” you mumble to yourself as you walk over to what you could only assume was your medicine cabinet, desperately trying to take some ibuprofen before the inevitable headache and nausea kicked in strong.

After a lot of fumbling and trying to shake pills out of a dental floss container for way too long you finally find the ibuprofen and take 2 with a swig of tap water. Then you walk over to your bedside table hoping that your last nights drunken self had remembered to put your phone there. ..you had remembered! Feeling a slight feeling of pride as your phone finally came into focus you turned it on. Although you had remembered to put your phone in the right place for once, you had sadly forgotten to plug it in. It wasn’t dead but you only had 15% left. “Ugh, I can relate...” you sighed as you plugged it in and looked at the time 9:45. Alright so- wait, 9:45?!? You only have 45 minutes to get to a place 30 minutes away by taxi, but that’s only if you somehow managed to immediately get a taxi as soon as you left your building. Which is practically impossible during tourist season. This means you only just have 15 minutes to get completely ready and, more importantly, get sober.

You do a strange mix of stumbling and running to your kitchen grabbing at anything to fill your stomach. You by some miracle manage to successfully make a (maybe slightly too full) bowl of milk and a cup of coffee. You chug the coffee, burning your tongue in the process and you cool it down by chugging your cereal. You look at your phone, 4 minutes have passed. You jump up off your chair and run blindly back to your bedroom stopping only to glance at your face in the mirror of your bathroom and cringe at the streaks of last nights makeup still on your face. Running into the bedroom you desperately look around for the outfit that you had prepared for today, you had kept it in the same spot for a week making sure that it wasn’t in the wash and unavailable to wear today. You look in the spot, now covered in underwear, a scarf and 3 unknown lipsticks probably exchanged in the womens restroom at the bar last night. Underneath it all...the deep green suit you had planned for today! Thank god!

You throw it on and run back to the bathroom, knocking over an array of furniture on the way, grabbing around for your makeup remover and a cotton pad. You desperately wipe at your eyes, not really caring if every bit is wiped off just wanting the giant streaks of sleep-covered makeup gone. You get most of it off, leaving only slight traces of eyeliner and mascara right in your lash-line and practically jump on your makeup bag, trying to check the time at the same time. Sadly your phone had run out of battery at some point while you were attacking your face. “Ah, fuck it!” you mutter as you just chuck it at your bag, thinking that you’ll just have to go without a phone today and that you’ll charge it later. With shaky hands you draw on your eyeliner as precisely as possible, at the end feeling proud that you only fucked it up twice and that they weren’t even that noticeable. You then run to the door, grabbing your bag, vaguely grabbing inside it to make sure you felt your money, your keys, your slightly crumpled resume and your dead phone and run out the door, hoping that there was a taxi just waiting out there. As expected, there wasn’t one. You have no choice but to wait. The minutes pass like hours until finally, just when you were about to give up and start running towards the nearest bus stop (which is 10 minutes away and is twice the journey time) a yellow taxi peeled around the corner at the highest speeds. You wave to it desperately and luckily it screeches to a stop. You climb in and almost yell the address at the driver, you didn’t want to be rude, you were just so desperate.

As soon as your body settled down in the back seat, you started to feel rather dizzy and like you were going to pass out. You try to breathe deep to calm yourself down but it just kinda makes you suddenly nauseous so you resolve to just looking out the window to distract yourself.

As you watch the people and cars zooming past you try to remember what your uncle told you when he said that he got you this interview. “The man who’s going to be interviewing you is named Joaquin Phoenix, you will address him as Mr. Phoenix. You need to tell him about your college, your high school, the two other jobs you’ve had, how long you’ve had them, the fact that you haven’t been fired or reprimanded in the 2 years that you have had those jobs. Don’t get too sappy or tell him about your possible eviction due to your now ex dropping financial support, that will probably just make him think that you’re making it all up because it all seems to sad and ridiculous to be true. He’ll think you’re just trying to work off of his sympathy and will probably not take it well.” You sigh, although you hated how strictly he said it, you knew it was true, and you need this job.

After you broke up with them, you lost everything. They had helped you with taxes, they helped move and put together all your furniture, they were there for you when your father passed away, in fact, they had been with you for the better part of four years. Losing that broke you, physically, mentally and financially. You weren’t mooching or anything, you had your two jobs to pay for most of the bills, and they had their job. They just always helped when you were a couple hundred short, one time even a whole thousand short. This happened practically every month, being a barista and waitress didn’t pay as much as you expected, but they never minded. They always payed the amount, but then they would guilt-trip you. Forcing you to do things that you didn’t want to do because of their false sense of you “owing them” due to how much time and money they had spent on you. Sometimes you weren’t in the mood to “mess around”, sometimes you were too socially anxious to go to a party, sometimes you were just busy with your two jobs to spend every second of your day with them, but they didn’t care. You owed them these things and if you said no, they would threaten to not help you pay next month, or guilt you by bringing up your dad’s death. Both hurt just as bad and they knew this. They wanted to make you get in trouble at work, by making you not go, so you’d lose your job and have to depend on them more but they never succeeded. Although they had manipulated you in so many other ways, they never affected your work ethic. You knew that you needed to be there every day and no matter how much they guilt-tripped you and sent you text after text, voicemail after voicemail, threat after threat, you stayed at work. Once you got home you would fight and fight and scream and cry, they would yell at you, then as soon as you yelled, made their voice calm and condescending, making you seem like you were crazy.

Sometimes, you would even believe it yourself, but 2 weeks, 14 hours and 25 minutes ago, you didn’t bend, you kicked them out and called your mother, uncle and oncle (the uncle on your mothers side was gay and married a french man that you called oncle because that’s uncle in French) and they stayed over that night, with you crying and sobbing, and with them supplying you with chocolate, vodka and no phone. Your mom kept your phone from you like she had done when you were a child, and you’re glad she did, you surely would’ve called them and gotten back together and gotten back to being manipulated.

Since then, your mother, uncle and oncle had been visiting you one by one, checking up on you, making sure you were doing alright. The first night that they hadn’t done this was last night, the night that you went out, got shitfaced, came home, got more shitfaced and destroyed the house. It was the worst night for them to not check up on you, but you didn’t blame them. It was getting old to them, or maybe they were busy, maybe they just thought you were already over it. You weren’t obviously.

You were so deep in thought that you barely heard the taxi driver say “we’re here.” He was patient but he definitely wanted to get paid sometime today so to grab your attention he raised his voice a tad “We’re here ma’am!” You snapped out of it and looked out the window, you were here. You blushed, embarrassed and hastily thanked the taxi driver, paid for the ride and ran out towards the tall silver building in to the left of the car. The quick jump from sitting to running, though, made you reel and you almost fell onto the pavement when you suddenly stopped in mid-air. It took a moment to realize that someone had grabbed you and held you up before you made your face a pavement-pancake. You looked up, it was a man with silver hair, he had a medium sized beard, quite close to his face, not clean-shaven but not a lumberjack beard. Somewhere between there. He wore a shirt, tie and zip-up sweater. Kinda strange but nice-looking. His eyes were a lovely bright green in the morning light but they were so light you at first thought that they were silver. He held you close, with genuine concern written all over his face. “Are you okay, Miss?” His voice was sweet and gravely, and you felt the vibration of his vocal cords run from his chest, through you like a warm shower, slow and comforting.

You had kinda zoned out for a second, and suddenly realized what had happened, what situation you were in and how embarrassing it was. Your face became hot and stung, like as if you had instantly gotten a sunburn. You tried to stand up but your legs did not seem to want to cooperate. Instead of planting on the ground, steady and firm, to support your body weight, your legs decided to just kinda flop about like fish out of water, desperately trying to find the ground. They finally did and you wobbled up, standing, facing him embarrassed out of your mind.

He was patient and held you tight in case you fell again, “It’s okay, I’m here.” Why did he have to say that? Tears welled up in your eyes and the urge to hug this stranger became overwhelming. “Are you okay? What happened?” He asked as the tears fell down your face, worried that he had said something wrong. You started sobbing now, “I’m-I’m fi-i-i-ine..” you said between sobs, “I...[sniff]...I just had a bad morning...[sob] and-and now...I’ve got a job interview here right now and...and...I need this job but...I-I can’t do it!” At this point you were both sitting in the ground in front of each other, him still holding you and listening. “Keep going, I’m here for you” He pressed on, trying to get you to talk more. For an hour you both sat there with this stranger, you telling him everything and him listening carefully. Not really giving any opinion of his own yet, just asking questions to make you tell him more, tell him about how you felt, what you did next, what you remembered in the moments. Slowly at first, you started to feel better. The more you talked, the less you cried, the less you cried, the more you noticed about this man and how handsome he was, he had a small line on his lip, it was hard to see at first through his moustache but you noticed. Maybe it was a scar? You also noticed his teeth as he asked questions, not straight but not completely crooked. Yellow, he was either a coffee drinker, a smoker or both. His fingers were tobacco-stained, he was a smoker. His eyes were perfectly lined with long lashes, giving another layer of beauty to this man’s face. The more you noticed, the more you wanted to know about him. Life went so slow and sweet with him.

You finished everything that you had to say, finally calm and content. He quietly turned his head and furrowed his brow, processing everything you said. He stayed this way for about 5 minutes. You didn’t mind though, it just meant you could simply watch him and forget everything else in life. After a while he spoke, slowly and carefully, choosing each word as if it was the most important decision of his life. “Wow...that is definitely a whole lot to go through in one lifetime. I understand what it’s like to lose someone, I lost both my father and my brother. My brother died of an overdose right in front of me and I lost my father to cancer in 2015. I have no idea what you will need to heal...but for me, I chose to create. I overworked myself at times, hurt the people I love, I came close to giving up at times, but I kept going. Lots of people tell you to never look back but...I find that looking back sometimes can help you heal. You need to look back to know where you came from. The important thing is to not do that forever, otherwise you’ll never move forwards. You seem to have been overworking yourself, both with your work and your relationship. The man, that you were going to have an interview with...he’s me.”

Your stomach dropped. You had completely forgotten about the interview. The words of your uncle repeated in your head. “Don’t get too sappy...that will probably just make him think that you’re making it all up...he’ll think you’re just trying to work off of his sympathy and will probably not take it well.” You instantly drop your gaze and lower your head, ashamed and unbelievably worried. “I’m so sorry Mr. Phoenix, I made it so you weren’t working. I told you everything about my life. I promise you it’s all true and I swear I didn’t try to play off of your sympathy...I had no idea you were...” You glanced up, meeting his gaze. He looked profoundly confused and not at all angry. You blushed beet red and looked down again in apology. You sat there for a couple minutes, tears forming again, blurring your vision. Then something slowly reached for your face. As the tears fell off your eyelashes and landed on your leg, you saw that it was his hand, he slowly placed his pointer finger under your chin and gently pushed your head upwards. You complied and lifted your head, completely ashamed and met his gaze again. What took you completely aback was, that he was smiling at you. “Miss Y/N...I never thought that. I actually was supposed to have time-off during the time of our interview but your uncle is very good at convincing people.” You both laughed at this, for it was indeed true “So I wasn’t kept from work. Finally, I’d be more surprised if your life story wasn’t true, I would say that you’re an amazing actress if that was the case. I know that everything you’ve said has been true, I could even tell that quite a bit was wrong as soon as I saw you left the taxi. It all made sense as soon as you said it.” You smiled at him. You had only just met him that day but you already felt so comfortable around him. Was this love at first sight?

“Well, now that we are properly acquainted, do you want my number so we can make another interview time or maybe even...to go get a coffee?” You blushed again, getting your phone out of your bag, forgetting that it had run out of battery. You cursed at yourself, you should’ve just let it charge. “I’m sorry, but my phone is out of battery...do you have a charger?” “No, I don’t on me...do you want to come over and charge it?” You nodded, unable to speak because you were so flustered and walked with him to his car, excited to see where this day would go.

PS Hey! This is my first FF! I hope whoever reads this likes it and if you want to request a fic or if you want to give tips on writing FFs I'll happily write any FF or take any advice.

[nerdygaymormon]

My Queer Playlist - Part 3

These songs are from 2015 to 2019

2015 - Talking Body : Tove Lo - This song is about trying to seduce someone, and given that Tove Lo is bisexual it makes sense there’s no gendered pronouns, we don’t know who she’s crushing on, and that also makes the song accessible to all of us no matter which genders we’re attracted to.

2015 - King : Years & Years - A song about leaving a not-so-great relationship, but it's got a good beat so it will help you get over your ex

2015 - If You Could Read My Mind : Diana Krall feat. Sarah McLaughlin - A song about the end of a relationship and wondering how it got this way. This version has two women singing this song of regret to each other, which makes it the absolutely gayest version.

2015 - Fight Song : Rachel Platten - an uplifting anthem imbued with vulnerability and power, and a “don't give up” message, a perfect combination for a queer anthem. In 2016, Rachel Platten offered her hit “Fight Song” to the UN as the soundtrack for a video that celebrates queer activism. Knowing the LGBTQ+ community’s embrace of her song, she released an acoustic version with proceeds to benefit the victims and those affected by the mass-shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando

2015 - Coming Out - The Official Song : Ally Hills - Ally created this happy song and video that people could send to family and friends as a way of coming out, and it became a viral hit.  

2015 - Mister Sister : Kate Pierson - You may recognize Kate from the B-52′s. This song tells the story of someone assigned male at birth who overcomes gender dysphoria to become a fabulous woman. Kate said, "’Mister Sister’ is about the power of transformation and the joy of being accepted for yourself, but more importantly the joy of self acceptance." 

2015 - I Really Like You : Carly Rae Jepsen - Carly is beloved by the gay community and one reason is she sings fun, upbeat songs that don’t specify the gender of the person she’s singing to. We all can sing along and think of our special someone. This song is about that time in a relationship when it's too soon to say 'I love you,' but we’re well past, 'I like you' and so you're at the 'I really, really like you' stage.

2015 - Worship : Years & Years - Singer Olly Alexander likens his attraction for someone to worship. You're all I need to survive. Blind devotion and you'll be my sacrifice. You say you love. I worship, high praises. My longing drives me crazy for you. 

2015 - Hold My Hand : Jess Glynne - The song is about accepting yourself, acknowledging your weaknesses, and learning to place your trust and love in another person.

2015 - Call It Off : Shamir - This song is about the relief that comes from ending relationships or experiences that are bad for us. Shamir identifies as androgynous and genderqueer, and said in an interview with Out magazine "I don't identify as gay because I don't identify as male or female". 

2015 - Time : Steve Grand - The video shows a gay relationship — from the couple’s first meeting to a fiery breakup.

2015 -  Talk About You : MIKA - Mika’s fallen in love and now all he wants to do is talk about is his new love.

2015 - Hello : Allie X - Allie said, "I have a lot of young fans, and a lot of LGBT fans. After meeting and hugging so many of them, I often picture them when I write now, and I try to send my support". With that in mind, I interpret this song as saying that we may have felt rejection and may think love won’t happen for us because we’re LGBT, but don’t give up. We don’t always meet the right person quickly, but if we keep being ourselves and putting ourselves out into the world, they might find us. Yes, I put love on the shelf and agreed with myself, I'd never have it. It's like you knew and you came out, out of nowhere and into my life. It took you a while but you found me. Now I'm sure that I'm gonna survive

2015 - Last Party : MIKA - This tender ballad is a tribute to Freddie Mercury. Mika explained the song's meaning: "It's about, in a sense, Freddie Mercury when he found out he was HIV positive, and had this very strong reaction that kind of manifested into him closing himself up in a nightclub for a couple days and having this mad party. It's probably a myth, I don't know how true it is, but certainly it's a story that's quite well-known. It made me think about when you find out terrible news, how do you deal with it?" 

2015 -  Hallelujah : Panic! At the Disco - My life started the day I got caught under the covers. Maybe life doesn’t go how we planned, but accept it and move forward, and don’t be so afraid of messing up that you don’t try anything new. No one wants you when you have no heart, and I'm sitting pretty in my brand new scars and you'll never know if you don't ever try again, so let's try. These scars are part of the experiences that shape who we are. 

2015 - Ghost Town : Adam Lambert - A ghost town is a small town which has been abandoned and is uninhabited. When Adam sings my heart is a ghost town, he's saying the ability to love is still in place (the buildings, the infrastructure), but there are only memories inhabiting his heart (no current resident). 

2015 - Ring of Keys : Sydney Lucas & Beth Malone - This is from the musical Fun Home and is about young Allison seeing an older queer person for the first time and finally seeing a path towards an affirming adulthood. This song is a great reminder of the importance of queer visibility.

2015 - Don’t Wait : Joey Graceffa - Joey is a well-known YouTube personality and with this song he came out publicly. The song says to not wait on the world but go explore and find what you’re looking for. The video is the adorable queer fairytale we’ve all been waiting for. I love these lyrics: The darkness can be such a lonely place on your own, I’ll be your compass so you’ll never feel alone.

2015 - Born Naked : RuPaul feat. Clairy Browne - This song is a reminder that we are all born with nothing, and that everything beyond our nakedness is a construction of our own design. It is a celebration of the power and agency that we each have to create our own identities and our own sense of self. We're all born naked and the rest is drag.

2015 - Good Guys : MIKA - Mika plays off Paula Cole’s 1997 hit “Where Have all the Cowboys Gone” but instead asks Where have all the gay guys gone? As the song goes on, Mika lists his queer heroes who helped him get to where he is (Rufus Wainwright, W. H. Auden, James Dean, Ralph Waldo Emerson, David Bowie, Alfred Kinsey, Walt Whitman, Arthur Rimbaud, Andy Warhol, Cole Porter, and Jean Cocteau) while also looking forward to what the future holds for the gay community. It even includes a quote from Oscar Wilde (We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars).

2015 - Calling Me : Aquilo - Growing up, we all grapple with who we are and who we want to become. We all go through a period of being unsure of our personality, creativity and perhaps even our sexuality. We all have to battle to not be defined by what others think of ourselves. In the video, the singer learns to stay strong, keep his head high and accept who he is.

2015 - Pray and Slay : Lucian Piane - Pray and slay, there ain’t no way to pray the gay away. Fun song done in the gospel genre to say your sexuality is what it is, you can’t change it

2015 - I Still Love You : Jennifer Hudson - The song has the singer thinking about her ex, whom she still loves. For the video, Jennifer teamed with the Human Rights Campaign to make a song about love and support for marriage equality. A romantic & danceable song supporting marriage equality? Yes, put it on the wedding reception playlist.

2015 - Body was Made : Ezra Furman - Ezra says this “is a protest song against the people and forces that would make me ashamed of my body, my gender and my sexuality.” This song’s message is taking ownership of your body and identity, and not letting anybody else interfere with that. Furman identifies as trans and bisexual and uses he/him and she/her pronouns

2015 - No Place in Heaven : MIKA - Mika is singing about how religion teaches there’s no place in heaven for gay people because the way we love is sinful. Father, won’t you forgive me for my sins? Father, if there’s a heaven let me in

2015 - Girls Like Girls : Hayley Kiyoko - Hayley declares Girls like girls like boys do, nothing new. This song served as Hayley’s coming out to the world as a lesbian. The video has some images of violence as a boy is angry that his girlfriend likes girls, but in the end the lesbians win.

2015 - Cool for the Summer : Demi Lovato - Demi is curious and has a woman she’s gonna spend the summer exploring with. Got a taste for the cherry and I just need to take a bite. Demi wasn't out as bi at the time of the release of this song. After she came out, she changed the lyrics from Don't tell your mother to Go tell your mother, in other words, this went from something to keep a secret because it might be something to be ashamed of to being proud to share with others.

2015 - Shine : Years & Years - Olly Alexander wrote this song for his new boyfriend and explained that the song uses light as a metaphor to pertain to the "overwhelming and unstable feeling of falling in love"

2015 – Run Away with Me : Carly Rae Jepson - Carly Rae sings about going away with someone for the weekend. Whether it’s that your schedules have kept you busy or you have to keep this hush hush (I’ll be your sinner in secret), it’s very romantic. The lack of gendered pronouns makes it relatable to everyone.

2015 - Hold Each Other : A Great Big World feat. Futuristic - This is Chad King's coming out song. “Hold Each Other” starts off like any other love song between a man and a woman, but then He came along. 

2015 -  Love Myself : Hailee Steinfeld - No, I don't need anybody else, anytime, day or night, I love me. Love yourself and empower yourself. The song is also an ode to masturbation as in the music video, Hailee wears a shirt that says "Self Service" and the lyrics include I'm gonna put my body first and love me so hard 'til it hurts and I'm gonna touch the pain away, I know how to scream my own name. 

2015 - Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself : Jess Glynne - Bisexual singer Jess had a girlfriend who broke her heart just as Jess’ career was taking off. She had to put a smile on her face as she met record executives even as she was sad at the end of her relationship. I came here with a broken heart that no one else could see. I drew a smile on my face to paper over me. The wounds heal and tears dry and cracks they don't show, so don't be so hard on yourself, no. The song is about not letting sadness defeat you, and part of that is to be kind to yourself. Don't be so hard on yourself, no. Learn to forgive, learn to let go. Everyone trips, everyone falls, so don't be so hard on yourself, no

2015 - Confident : Demi Lovato - The empowering message of this song is choose to go from being insecure to feeling great and confident about yourself. I like this line: I used to hold my freak back, now I'm letting go

2015 - Alive : Sia - The song is about someone who had a tough life, but says I’m still breathing, I’m alive. It is the personification of resilience and perseverance.

2015 - The Other Boys : NERVO feat. Kylie Minogue, Jake Shears and Nile Rodgers - This is a song of unrequited love. It seems everyone is interested in me except for the one boy I want to be interested. Why don't you love me like the other boys do?

2015 - Focus : Ariana Grande - A defiantly uplifting tune. Ariana says she the song is saying to “focus on what I'm all about and what I believe in." Or as she puts it in the lyrics, Let's find a light inside our universe now, where ain't nobody keep on holding us down

2015 - Bird Set Free : Sia - Sia is singing about stepping out from an abusive relationship in which she felt like a caged bird. The song contains themes that often resonate with the queer community: repression and liberation. This is an emotional song of self-empowerment

2015 - This is Home : Cavetown - The song represents the struggles of a transgender male. I'll hide my chest and I'll cut my hair signifying the transitioning to male. They are also aromantic: Often I’m upset, that I can not fall in love

2015 - Youth : Troye Sivan - It’s a really beautiful song about giving the best years of yourself to someone you love. 

2015 - Lost On You : LP - LP wrote this song when she realized her girlfriend wasn't going to be her lifelong partner. It's a pre-breakup song as she realizes that their relationship is dying. Just that you could cut me loose after everything I've lost on you. Is that lost on you? 

2015 - Boys Like You : Who Is Fancy feat. Meghan Trainor & Ariana Grande - This song has Fancy, Meghan and Ariana attempting to win the man of their dreams. The video features animated versions of the 3 singers trying to capture the attention of the pool boy. Who Is Fancy is male, so him singing about trying to get to boys like you puts his gayness on the same level as the straightness of Meghan and Ariana

2015 - Genghis Khan : Mike Snow - This video surprised & delighted me. A James Bond-type hero & villain fall in love with each other.  

2015 - Cheap Thrills feat. Sean Paul : Sia - Bisexual Sia had a #1 hit with this song about living in the moment, and that happiness isn’t bought. We can be content with what we have and find joy in simple pursuits. Joy can be found anywhere. 

2015 - Better Place : Rachel Platten - A sweet song about how my life is a better place for having you in it. There's no gendered pronouns, so everyone can think of who it is that makes their life better. 

2016 - Unstoppable : Sia - Instead of just surviving, Sia is going to prove to people that she’s going to succeed. Like her, this song helps us put our armor on so we also feel strong and can go through the day smashing through barricades.

2016 - Hurts : MIKA - Mika is reminiscing about love lost. Wow, this line: We started off as friends. It makes it easy to leave if we're strangers by the end. He points out that words matter. Nothing's only words, that’s how hearts get hurt. 

2016 - Secret Love Song : Little Mix feat. Jason Derulo - Secret Love Song is for all those who feel like they have to hide their relationship or their true self from the world. Especially LGBTQ+ people, when coming to terms with their sexuality and showing affection in public, know what it’s like to have a secret love. I especially like “Secret Love Song, Part II” as the video makes clear the LGBTQ+ meaning.

2016 – Formation : Beyoncé – The beginning of the video features two Southern LGBTQ artists, Big Freedia and Messy Mya. At the GLAAD Media Awards, Beyoncé used the lyrics from this Black-power anthem to advocate for gay rights when she said “LGBTQIA rights are human rights. To choose who you love is your human right. How you identify and see yourself is your human right. Who you make love to and take that ass to Red Lobster is your human right”

2016 - Everyone is Just a Little Gay : Taryn Southern feat. Ross Everett - Instead of trying to explain that some gay & bi people exist, it says everyone is a little gay. It puts the onus on the straight people to say, “Well actually…” and then they look like they can’t take a joke.

2016 - Vroom Vroom : Charli XCX - She talks about her own independence in a braggadocious way, using cars as a symbol of aspiration and a status symbol. All my life, I've been waitin' for a good time, a good time, so let me ride, let me ride. I was waiting all my life, and now that I’m out I’m gonna go on that ride!

2016 - U Wear It Well : RuPaul - "You wear it well" originally meant "the clothes that you are wearing suit you: they show you to your best advantage". This song suggests that belief in yourself is the secret to wearing it well. Don't let nobody tell you you ain't beautiful. Go on and dream big, when you feel good it's possible. So now you know the secret, lift up your voice and yell, "You wear it, you wear it, you wear it well!"

2016 - Good as Hell : Lizzo - This song believes in you even when you don’t believe in yourself. Lizzo keeps calling out Baby, how you feelin’? and we’re expected to reply Feelin’ good as hell. She keeps asking that question and the more we reply, the more we believe. By the end of the song, she’s transferred her self-confidence to us!

2016 - Gettin’ Bi : Pete Gardner - This song from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend celebrates bisexuality and counters some of the bi-phobic stereotypes

2016 - Son of a Preacher Man : Tom Goss - The 1968 song gets a gay update. The video tells the story of two gay teens struggling to understand their feelings for one another while operating within the confines of an evangelical church.

2016 - Look Away : Steve Grand, Eli Lieb - These two queer singer-songwriters joined forces for this song about missing your ex. 

2016 - I Found a Girl : The Vamps feat. Omi - This song is from the straight person’s point of view, he found a girl who's in love with a girl. She said that she tried but she's not into guys. This lyric got a laugh from me: I made a move, she said "Baby you're mistaken, I'm not into bacon." It’s a cute enough song, not disrespectful, and the video is charming as the boys from The Vamps set out to make a lesbian girl band version of themselves.

2016 - Boys & Girls : Will.i.am feat. Pia Mia - The chorus sung by Pia is a bisexual anthem as she sings that the girls wanna play with boys, and the boys wanna play with girls (girls), and the girls wanna play with girls, boys wanna play with boys

2016 - Boyfriend : Tegan and Sara - This song tells the story of dating someone but they’re still in the closet and are too scared & insecure to come out. Being with someone whose in the closet means you’ve partially stepped back into the closet when you’re with them. I don’t wanna be your secret anymore.

2016 - Dancing on my Own : Calum Scott - A heartfelt remake of Robyn’s 2010 classic. Calum is openly gay, so even though he changed the pronoun gender of who is getting kissed (presumably for straight listeners), I assume he’s singing about the man who he sees kissing a girl and not the girl

2016 - Kill the Lights : Alex Newell, DJ Cassidy, and Jess Glynne - Alex identifies as gender non-conforming and goes by all pronouns. You might remember Alex from their role as Unique Adams on the Glee television show as the first transgender teenage character to appear on primetime television. “Kill the Lights” is Newell’s highest-charting Billboard success. 

2016 - Trash : Tyler Glenn - In response to the Nov 2015 Policy of Exclusion by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Tyler created this video denouncing the Church’s restrictive view of same-sex relationships. The pain and anger are so raw in this video, it hurts to watch. These lyrics are an indictment, that he’d repent his days away if we wanted him to stay, but we throw him out like trash. If this is God’s church then there should be room for ALL God’s children.

2016 - The Realness : RuPaul feat. Eric Kupper - Realness is the ability to embody the truest version of something or someone. When a drag queen says “I’m serving realness,” what they mean is that they are wearing an outfit and makeup that makes them look like an actual woman. Every person has their own version of “drag” as they use makeup, clothes, and hairstyles to express their real self. 

2016 - Only a Girl : Gia Wood - Gia came out as a lesbian to her family through this song which was her debut single. She sings that after being uncomfortable in straight relationships, she discovered she’s a lesbian through experimenting.

2016 - Woman Up : Meghan Trainor - This song found popularity with drag queens who perform it. Makes sense for drag queens who woman up.

2016 - Purse First : Bob the Drag Queen - A song based on his catch phrase from RuPaul’s Drag Race, and it’s a banger.

2016 - Wild : Troye Sivan - The song has Troye trying not to fall in love with someone, but failing. The video sees Troye strike up an intimate relationship with a childhood friend.

2016 - Into You : Ariana Grande - I’m so into you I can barely breathe, and suddenly everyone hits the dance floor. The song starts with Ariana waiting for her love interest to stop the conversation and finally make a move. She eventually trades in flirtiness for more direct instructions, A little less conversation, and a little more touch my body. 

2016 - Hands : Mary J Blige, Jason Derulo, Britney Spears, Tyler Glenn, Selena Gomez, Halsey, Ty Herndon, Imagine Dragons, Juanes, Adam Lambert, Mary Lambert, Jennifer Lopez, the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles, Kacey Musgraves, MNEK, Alex Newell, P!nk, Prince Royce, Nate Ruess, RuPaul, Troye Sivan, Jussie Smollett, Gwen Stefani, and Meghan Trainor. An all-star cast of queer singers & allies join together on this tribute to victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting with proceeds benefitting the Equality Florida Pulse Victims Fund, the GLBT Community Center of Central Florida, and GLAAD. While the message is good, I also like the video which includes a lot of queer digital creators from YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and other places, people many of us will recognize but who aren’t often held up as the most famous or best known of us.

2016 - Love Make the World Go Round : Jennifer Lopez, Lin-Manuel Miranda - The lyrics call for unity, compassion, understanding, and love in the face of the darkness of the Orlando Pulse nightclub shooting. Love is stronger than hate.

2016 - Scars to your Beautiful : Alessia Cara - This song condemns the way society negatively affects people’s self-esteem and encourages us to remember we are enough just as we are. Our true beauty comes from within. Be ourselves, and be happy for who we are.

2016 - Shameless : Tyler Glenn - The video has an old man in a black suit & white shirt tied up to a chair as Tyler sings You judge, but I don’t give a damn. I live a life so shameless. He lists things he does shamelessly now that once he would’ve been judged for: porn, one-night stands, and alcohol. Tyler has now left the church and is not letting old men in suits make him feel shame.

2016 - The Greatest : Sia feat. Kendrick Lamar - Dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community in the wake of the Pulse shooting, Sia begs us to not give up and to still follow our dreams. The video features 49 dancers, one for each victim of the shooting. The song celebrates the spirit of being defiant and trying to be the best you can be in the face of adversity.

2016 - Phone : Lizzo - Where the hell my phone? How'm I 'posed to get home? Anyone who’s ready to go home after a night of dancing but has misplaced their phone will instantly relate. While it’s a fun song, the video celebrates the beauty of realness--curves, a range of melanin, natural hair, flamboyancy. There’s a pride and self-assuredness to it all that’s compelling. And if you haven’t already, treat yourself to this cute lip sync done to the song.

2016 - That’s My Girl : Fifth Harmony - This song is an "empowerment anthem that emphasizes the importance of women working hard, taking charge of their lives and not letting manipulative men define them

2016 - Wasted Youth : Fletcher - The chorus says It’s my life, if I’m gonna waste it, I’ll be wasted on you. I love the lyrics Take the good stuff, honey, that money just won’t buy. The best things in life aren’t able to be purchased. The video shows Fletcher with her female love interest

2016 - Slow Down : Brandon Stansell feat. Ty Herndon - A nice country song about slowing down and not rushing love. The video makes it clear this is about 2 guys falling in love.

2016 - I am Her : Shea Diamond - Powerful song from a Black trans woman about being an outsider, someone on the margins. There’s an outcast in everybody’s life and I am her

2016 - Read U Wrote U : RuPaul and the Cast of All Stars 2 - Includes the queens Alaska, Katya, Detox & Roxxxy. This is the most successful of the songs created by a cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

2016 - Lgbt : Cupcakke - Lgbt is a rap anthem for queer acceptance. F*** out the way when you see me. I’m rolling with the LGBT. 

2016 - Heaven : Troye Sivan feat. Betty Who - Troye sings candidly about what it’s like for a religious teenager to come out as gay. Without losing a piece of me, how do I get to heaven? Without changing a part of me, how do I get to heaven? All my time is wasted, feeling like my heart’s mistaken, oh, so if I’m losing a piece of me, maybe I don’t want heaven? Troye explains “When I first started to realise that I might be gay, I had to ask myself all these questions—these really really terrifying questions. Am I ever going to find someone? Am I ever going to be able to have a family? If there is a God, does that God hate? If there is a heaven, am I ever going to make it to heaven?” The video features footage from LGBTQ+ protests throughout history.

2016 - Sudden Death (OMG) : Tyler Glenn - In this song, Tyler expresses the initial shock of his faith crisis. I never asked to fall from grace. Catch me I’m starting to fall! Don’t know what all this is for! Keep comin at me with your disrespect. You went and started a war. Now I don’t care any more. I keep on living like it’s sudden death.

2016 - Devil : Tyler Glenn - A song that highlights the conflict between religious belief and queerness. I found myself when I lost my faith. And of not being able to pray the gay away. The constant in his world, what he’s anchoring himself to, is that his mom still loves him, and that’s important because studies show the acceptance & love of a parent makes a huge difference when someone comes out.  

2016 - I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend : Girl in Red - This is a classic song of longing. I don’t wanna be your friend, I wanna kiss your lips. I wanna kiss you until I lose my breath. With lyrics like that, Girl in Red has every lesbian singing along. In mid 2020, Girl in Red became a popular symbol of queer identification on TikTok, where users would ask, "Do you listen to Girl in Red?" as a way of asking if someone was a lesbian.

2016 - Slumber Party : Britney Spears ft. Tinashe - The video has a lot of girl-on-girl action by Britney and Tinashe. 

2016 – I Know a Place : MUNA – This song came out around the time of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando which shattered that feeling of safety that people felt in queer bars, clubs & other spaces where we don’t have to hide who we are and should be free to be ourselves. All three members of MUNA are queer.

2016 - Boys Will Be Boys : Benny - The phrase ‘boys will be boys’ is typically used to excuse toxic masculinity, but this song turns that on its head. Benny wants boys will be boys to mean each person is different and doesn’t need to follow specific gender roles. Whatever a boy is, that’s what a boy will be.  

2017 - You Can’t Pray the Gay Away : Laura Bell Bundy - A comedic song that makes the point you can’t pray the gay away no matter what your preacher say. There’s no fighting DNA. Amen!

2017 - Undercover : Kehlani - Kehlani sings that she is going to disregard the opinions of others and pursue the relationship she wants. One way or another, I'ma love ya. Slidin' under covers. Undercover. They don't wanna see it happen, but we say f--- it. Kehlani has come out as a lesbian and confirmed this song is about a lesbian relationship.

2017 - Believer : Imagine Dragons - Overcoming the adversity you come across in life is what helps you become a “believer” in yourself. Oh let the bullets fly, oh let them rain. My life, my love, my drive, it came from pain. You made me a, you made me a believer, believer. This song was being written around the time of the election of Donald Trump, and one of the co-writers, Justin Tranter who is gender non-conforming and nonbinary, expressed fear about the future and this song is the result--speak our truth no matter who or what comes our way.

2017 - You Will Be Found : Ben Platt - Ben Platt, a gay man, sings this song from the Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen, which has the hopeful message that when you need it, someone will be there for you. It’s a beautiful song and a reminder we have a community. 

2017 - Chanel : Frank Ocean - My guy is pretty like a girl, And he got fight stories to tell, I see both sides like Chanel, See on both sides like Chanel. There’s a “C” on both sides of the Chanel logo, and Frank is bisexual so he likes both men and women, he see's the attractiveness of both sides.

2017 - Symphony : Clean Bandit feat. Zara Larsson - I really like the imagery of the lyrics. Before all I heard was silence but now with you I’m hearing symphonies, And now your song is on repeat, and I’m dancin’ on to your heartbeat. And when you’re gone, I feel incomplete. The video shows a loving queer Black couple torn apart by catastrophe and a reminder that music & art are a way for us to deal with grief and celebrate our loved ones.  

2017 - Low : Todrick Hall feat. RuPaul - This is the Wizard of Oz reimagined with a funky beat. The video has the characters of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Lion. Todrick plays both the good witch & the evil witch, basically just one woman who battles her inner demons.

2017 - Call Me Mother : RuPaul - RuPaul reminds the children who the true queen is. I'm that Glamazon. They know my name because I'm on another echelon. Miss Automatic, Supersonic, I'm a Sass-a-tron. And I ain't lookin' up to anyone, the gams are long

2017 - Beautiful Ones : Hurts - The video for this song is quite powerful. It’s done in reverse chronology, but essentially a guy at a club is smitten by a woman and wants to dance with her but is rebuffed. I think the dude figures out she is a man in drag or possibly a trans woman, so he and his friends follow her out of the club and beat her up. She makes it into a car and runs them over. Sort of a crazy video but making the statement that we are going to be unapologetically ourselves and will fight back against those who do us harm

2017 - 1-800-273-8255 : Logic feat. Alessia Cara & Khalid - This is a song about a closeted guy who is suicidal and calls a help line. The operator wants him to be alive and helps save him in that moment. The phone number in the title is the phone number for the American National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL), which now can also be contacted by dialing 988. The release of the song and performances on television resulted in increased calls to the helpline and a reduction in overall suicide numbers.

2017 - Bad Liar : Selena Gomez - The video portrays a love triangle (with each character played by Selena)--a curious high school student, a female gym coach and a male teacher. Towards the end of the video, the high school student sings the line, With my feelings on fire, guess I’m a bad liar, as she looks at a photo of the gym teacher. It’s a scene that shows the fear & bravery of acknowledging and declaring our sexual & romantic orientation

2017 - Love is Love is Love : LeeAnn Rimes - Rimes said that “a ‘Pride’ celebration is a living thing. It is breathing authenticity. It’s a space we hold for one another, a place to come into what our souls move us to be, it’s a place in love and only love,” adding “That’s why the LGBTQ community continues to inspire me and enliven my spirit every time I perform for them.”

2017 - Swish Swish : Katy Perry - A song about fighting against bullies. “Swish Swish” uses basketball metaphors to talk about overcoming hateful people and thriving.

2017 - If They Only Knew : Alfie Arcuri - This song is about a previous relationship where Arcuri’s ex-partner’s parents didn’t know their son was gay. Arcuri explained “We were together for a couple of years and half way through the relationship he came out. The song is almost like a diary entry for me telling his parents how innocent our love and relationship was because to them I was like the devil who turned their son gay. It wasn’t like that at all though, it was a beautiful love.” 

2017 - Power : Little Mix - The song is about gender politics in a relationship. Willam, Alaska and Courtney Act from RuPaul’s Drag Race are featured in the video.

2017 - Strangers : Halsey feat. Lauren Jauregui - These two bi women are singing about when a relationship turns cold and the loneliness that follows. She doesn't call me on the phone anymore. She's never listening, she says it's innocent. She doesn't let me have control anymore. I must've crossed a line, I must've lost my mind. In the video, the singers suspect each other of stealing their girlfriend’s heart so they get in a boxing ring and take each other on.

2017 - Cut to the Feeling : Carly Rae Jepson - This song is about liking someone and wanting to skip past all the awkward introductions and just get to the part where they’re being real with each other, dancing together, and celebrating love. Plus, check out this viral video by Mark Kanemura.

2017 - Know Your Name : Mary Lambert - This is a love song about having a crush on someone but not knowing her name. I wanna take you out. I wanna make you shake. I wanna drive you wild. But I probably should know your name. The video is fun as Mary and her gang of lesbians walk into an arcade and dominate...until a mysterious figure comes along and beats their records on all the arcade games. Mary and the stranger face off in a game of air hockey and gain respect for each other, then walk out the door holding hands. 

2017 - I'm bisexual - a coming out song! : dodie - Popular YouTuber dodie released this simple, quirky, delightful video in which she comes out as bisexual

2017 - Praying : Kesha - This is a hymn for the hymnless, kids with no religion. Yeah, we keep on sinning, yeah, we keep on singing. These lyrics resonate with the queer experience where religion turns its back on us and considers our love to be sinful. The song also is about learning to be proud of the person you are even during low moments when you feel alone, and even when someone hurts you.

2017 - New Rules : Dua Lipa - Even in this time when we have queer singers who share about their life and loves, not every song embraced by the queer community has to speak directly to the LGBTQ experience. Have a good beat people can dance to, inspire a bunch of memes, have a synchronized dance, and lyrics about taking control of your life and the queer community will likely embrace your song. That won’t stop us from trying to make it speak more directly to our experience, check out this remake of the video by some gay men that went viral on Twitter, and I love that the object of his affection is Justin Bieber 😆.

2017 - Sorry Not Sorry : Demi Lovato - To all the haters who try to bring you down, this song is a savage response. The best revenge is having a good life, and sorry about that, or no, not sorry.

2017 - Boys : Charli XCX - I was busy thinking ‘bout boys. Me too! Charli XCX gave the gays everything they wanted with this pop song about daydreaming of cute boys. And who can forget the viral remix where someone replaced the video game chime with the Grindr alert tone?

2017 - The Village : Wrabel - There are lyrics in this song of what religious people have said, and they sure do hurt. They say, 'Don't dare, don't you even go there, cutting off your long hair. You do as you're told' Tell you, ‘Wake up, go put on your makeup, this is just a phase you're gonna outgrow.’ There’s a line in the song that hits me hard: One line in the Bible isn’t worth a life. The video is beautiful, very poignant, it breaks my heart and gives me hope. 

2017 - Water Me : Lizzo - The song is about feeling neglected and undernourished in a relationship, literally needing to drink more water. But Lizzo loves herself and can get along without a partner who isn’t nourishing her. I don't get dehydrated, I moisturize it daily. I am my inspiration, I am my inspiration

2017 - Bad at Love : Halsey - Halsey flips through all the guys and girls she’s dated in an attempt to understand why she hasn’t yet found love. Queen of bisexual relatability!

2017 - Heaven : State of Sound - A remake of the 1984 Bryan Adams song which was a standard love song of a boy and a girl. However, there were no gendered pronouns in the song and State of Sound’s video shows it works just as well for all sorts of queer couples

2017 - Too Good at Goodbyes : Sam Smith - A relationship is nearing the end. The couple keeps breaking up with each other only to make up again. Each time they say goodbye, the less it hurts the next time.

2017 - Truth Hurts : Lizzo - Songs don’t come much more empowering than this one. Even when we feel unwanted and unchosen, listening to this song helps me think that I don’t care about what other people think about me, in fact, I just took a DNA test, turns out I’m 100% that bitch, so their loss, I don’t need them, I can do better.

2017 - Rainbowland : Miley Cyrus feat. Dolly Parton - Miley, who has come out as gender-neutral, sings this duet with her godmother, Dolly Parton, who is a gay icon and national treasure. The idea is that we’re all different, but if we could work together, accept each other, and be kinder, we could make this a Rainbowland for all of us to enjoy.

2017 - She’s Not Him : Miley Cyrus - The most famous pansexual vocalist sings that she likes her girlfriend but knows eventually that Miley is going to return to her ex-boyfriend (Liam Hemsworth). There’s no other girl that looks like ya, darling. Those eyes, that tongue, those teeth, that face, that body. Even though we’ve gone to outer space, still no way you can take his place.

2017 - Pray : Sam Smith - You won’t see Sam in church, but they say they’re a child of God at heart and are begging God to show the way. I'm not a saint, I'm more of a sinner. I don't wanna lose, but I fear for the winners

2017 - Honey : Kehlani - This openly queer singer delivers an acoustic tune of adoration for her girlfriend. This romantic song is sweet as honey.

2017 - Love is Love : Trey Pearson - Trey had been the lead singer of the group Everyday Sunday until 2016 when he came out as gay and Christian rock turned its back on him. This song celebrates the freedom to love each other without fear and was released on National Coming Out Day. 

2017 - Love is Love : Alfie Arcuri - Alfie won the fifth season of The Voice Australia in 2016. He is gay and in 2017 the fight for marriage equality was taking place in Australia. He wrote this uplifting anthem to counter some of the anti-gay propaganda. The idea of the video is that when we were kids we played with our friends and loved them and that united us, we were equal. We need to be united now and fight for love.

2017 - Feelings : Hayley Kiyoko - This song is about having a crush on someone 

2017 - This is Me : Keala Settle - This song from The Greatest Showman sings of resilience in the face of hardship, and that your struggles have made you strong enough to take on anything. Another round of bullets hits my skin. Well, fire away ’cause today, I won’t let the shame sink in

2017 - Burning : Sam Smith - After a breakup, Sam reacted in unhealthy ways. I've been smoking, oh, more than twenty a day. A fire in the chest which is burning him up has replaced the love he had for his ex.

2017 - HIM : Sam Smith - This is a song about a boy in Mississippi coming out and the conflict between his sexuality and his religious upbringing. He is grappling with the feeling that there’s no place in church for him because he’s gay. Holy Father, we need to talk. I have a secret that I can't keep. I'm not the boy that you thought you wanted. Please don't get angry, have faith in me

2017 - Fantasy : Superfruit feat. Amber Liu - Superfruit are two openly-gay members of the acapella group Pentatonix. Amber has been a K-pop star known for her androgynous looks that generate rumors about her orientation. The song is about being in a relationship with a person who makes it feel like you’re living in a dream, a fantasy.

2017 - All I Want : Walk the Moon - There are lyrics in this song that show a journey that so many queer people take, from Maybe if I were straight, to understanding that I am my own sexuality

2017 - The Joke : Brandi Carlile - Brandi is a lesbian who sings this song to uplift people who struggle because they don’t fit the mold. The powerful chorus ends with, I have been to the movies. I’ve seen how it ends and the joke’s on them. A compelling and defiant message to all the haters out there that makes us believe that it’s the picked on and overlooked who’ll get the last laugh.

2017 - Smile (feat. Gloria Carter) : Jay Z - Jay Z’s mom came out as a lesbian and he reacted with tears of happiness for her finally being able to speak her truth. The very next day he started working on this song. His mom married at a young age, had four children, but all the time she was hiding her real feelings. Mama had four kids, but she's a lesbian. Had to pretend so long that she's a thespian. Had to hide in the closet, so she medicate. Society shame and the pain was too much to take. Cried tears of joy when you fell in love, Don't matter to me if it's a him or her. I just wanna see you smile through all the hate. Marie Antoinette, baby, let 'em eat cake. The rest of the song is about turning pain to triumph.

2017 - Mystery of Love : Sufjan Stevens - This is Sufjan’s contribution to the soundtrack for the movie Call Me by Your Name, which is about the romantic relationship between 17-year-old Elio and 24-year-old graduate student Oliver. The lyrics describe romance and allude to the relationship between Elio and Oliver. 

2017 - A Million Dreams : P!nk - This song from The Greatest Showman is about the power of positive thinking, faith, and believing in your dreams.

2017 - This is Me : Kesha - A great cover of the song from The Greatest Showman about resilience in the face of hardship

2018 - Crayons : Cupcakke - Cupcakke calls out heterosexual men who cheer when they see two gay women together, but not when they see two gay men. The chorus is aggressive positivity about gay sex. Boy on boy and girl on girl, like who you f*ck and like f*ck the world. In other words, like who you like and don’t pay no mind to the naysayers. I love this lyric: Transgenders are people, so I'ma treat ‘em equal.

2018 - Most People are Good : Luke Bryan - Even Country music is coming around. Here is a Country music star singing the words I believe you love who you love, ain’t nothin’ you should ever be ashamed of. I believe this world ain’t half as bad as it looks, I believe most people are good.

2018 - My My My! : Troye Sivan - Troye said “'My My My!’ is a song of liberation, freedom, and love. Throw all inhibition to the wind, be present in your body, love wholeheartedly, move the way you’ve always wanted to, and dance the way you feel”  

2018 - Curious : Hayley Kiyoko - “Curious” is a term used in the queer community for same-sex experimentation. In the song, Hayley uses it to ask, I’m just curious, is it serious? In other words, I’m just curious, are you “curious”? Hayley says she wrote the song about a past relationship with a closeted woman, as well as various romantic experiences with women who were unsure about their sexuality and were experimenting

2018 - Proud : Rita Ora - This song is about being proud of someone who has come out.

2018 - Neverland : Holland - Holland is the first openly gay K-pop star. He goes by the name Holland as a way to honor the first country to legalize same-sex marriage. In this song, he sings to his younger self about how finding acceptance and love for who he is seemed like it would only happen in a far away neverland, but it is no longer a fantasy. Holland is helping erase the stigma around homosexuality and bringing LGBTQIA+ awareness to South Korea with his music.

2018 - LGBTQI (A New Generation) - Matt Fishel - The song and video pay tribute to queer history and to all the LGBTQI pioneers, activists and trailblazers who paved the way and broke new ground in the fight for equality. The song also celebrates today’s generation of open-minded youth and is a reminder to oppose those who try to oppress freedom, equality, and progress.

2018 - Perfect : Alex G - This cover of Ed Sheeran’s song is beautiful, and because Alex doesn’t change the pronouns, it’s a very sweet lesbian love song.

2018 - All Things (Just Keep Getting Better) : Gracious Crane - This is the original theme song for the Netflix series Queer Eye

2018 - Like You Like That : L Devine - How nice is it to have a song of a girl saying to a girl, I like you like that, do you feel the same?

2018 - Heart to Break : Kim Petras - This song is about giving someone your heart even if they might break it. Kim is a trans woman and the video features an inclusive group of queer performers

2018 - Make Me Feel : Janelle Monáe - The song’s message is sexuality is simply how a person makes you feel. In the music video, Janelle crawls between women’s legs and grinds up on both a male and a female under bisexual-colored lighting

2018 - Only You : Cheat Codes & Little Mix - A video with a lesbian mermaid? Yes, please!

2018 - 1950 : King Princess - This is the debut song by a singer who identifies as genderqueer and it did exceptionally well in Australia. It’s a story of unrequited queer love, I didn’t get the bitch in the end.  

2018 - Tongue : MNEK - This song is about being scared to tell someone you love them because it hasn’t gone well before. So I’m not gonna say it. No, I don’t wanna say it. I don’t know how you’ll take it so I'mma try not to say it. 'Cause when I said it in the past, each time it didn’t last. So I'mma try not to say it. But it feels like I might say it so I’m putting both hands over my mouth. I can only hope nothing’s gonna come out but there it is on the tip of my tongue (I think I love you). The video is a futuristic dinner party with MNEK growing more confident to approach his male love interest and finally say the words “I think I love you.”

2018 - Sitting on a Secret : The Cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 5 - "sit on something" can mean to keep a secret or to prevent people from knowing a piece of information. What is the secret these drag queen are sitting on? Their male genitals which they hide as part of the illusion of doing drag

2018 -  Drag Up Your Life : The Cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 5 - The lyrics are about adding glitz and glamour to your life.

2018 - Sanctify : Years & Years - This song is about a relationship the singer had with a straight man. “On the one hand, the guy is struggling with his sexuality and feeling unable to express himself as anything other than straight while also desiring me. I’m on the other side feeling like both a sinner and saint or a devil and angel, leading this guy down a path of ‘sinfulness’ while, at the same time, helping him explore his sexuality.”

2018 - Freaky Money (feat. Big Freedia) : RuPaul - RuPaul has made many millions and this song reflects that desire to make money. There’s a fun lip sync from season 3 of RuPaul’s All Stars, and maybe the best thing about this song is it introduced many people to Big Freedia.

2018 - Only You : Calum Scott - Calum dedicated this to his best friend who accepted him unconditionally. Even when he was closeted as a kid, he never had to hide his true self from them

2018 - Simply the Best : Noah Reid - Noah’s character on Schitt’s Creek serenades his boyfriend with this heart-felt rendition of the Tina Turner hit. Noah actually created this arrangement.

2018 - Kitty Girl : RuPaul feat. The Cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, Season 3 - “Kitty girl” is a term of endearment for someone who is sassy and can take on the world. This song was performed by Trixie Mattel, Shangela, Kennedy Davenport and Bebe Zahara Benet and is one of the most popular songs from the Drag Race franchise.

2018 - Dem Beats : Todrick Hall feat. RuPaul - Todrick is living his best drag unicorn fantasy as he struts around a nightclub full of club kids & gorgeous men

2018 - Kiss the Boy : Keiynan Lonsdale - In the movie Love, Simon, Keiynan played the enigmatic Blue, the love interest of Simon. While he doesn’t ascribe to a specific label in terms of his sexuality, Keiynan is openly attracted to men & women. The video is adorable & super-inclusive

2018 - And I Love Him : Benjamin Gibbard - The lead vocalist for the group Death Cab for Cutie is a gay rights activist (his sister is a lesbian) and sings this 1964 Beatles song, but changes the pronouns. Hearing this classic song with the “him” pronoun hit me in the right place.

2018 - Never Been In Love : Will Jay - This song seems perfect for my aro friends. I’m not missing out so don’t ask me again. Thanks for your concern, but here’s the thing, I’ve never been in love and it’s all good

2018 - Raining Glitter : Kylie Minogue - Kylie performed this at 2018 New York City Pride and the lyrics are a salute to the progress made in the 50+ years since Stonewall. No more hiding in the shadows and we all want the same, yeah, we’re looking for that hand to hold. Powerful.

2018 - I Need a Woman to Love : Ke$ha - This is a reworking of the song “I Need a Man to Love” by Janis Joplin, but changed for those who desire a same-sex relationship. The video features Ke$ha officiating at a same-sex wedding

2018 - PYNK : Janelle Monáe feat. Grimes - Monáe says the color pink “unites all of humanity” because it is the color “found in the deepest and darkest nooks and crannies of humans everywhere.” The video finds Monáe and Tessa Thompson (her girlfriend at the time) along with a group of other women dancing in a desert, having a slumber party, and wearing some iconic pussy pants, truly a testament to the power of pink.

2018 - no tears left to cry : Ariana Grande - After going through something sad, you pick yourself up, live, and love. Oh, and the lyric Comin’ out, even when it’s rainin’ down reminds me of queer people who come out and it’s often difficult, but we manage.

2018 - Category Is (feat. the Cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 9) : RuPaul - A catchphrase from the show is made into a song

2018 - If You’re Over Me : Years & Years - The song is about how trying to stay friends with an ex-romantic partner seldom works.

2018 - Girls : Rita Ora ft. Cardi B, Bebe Rexha & Charli XCX - I ain’t one sided, I’m open-minded, I’m fifty-fifty and I’m never gonna hide it. Bisexual singer Rita giving us bi-realness and the chorus is all about kissing girls.

2018 - Solo : Clean Bandit feat. Demi Lovato - Solo is about self-love in spite of heartbreak, finding strength after a break up, and salvaging the power of independence from the wreckage of a relationship. Plus, Madonna lip-synced to “Solo” on her Instagram to celebrate Pride Month

2018 - High Hopes : Panic! At the Disco - Brendon Urie says the uplifting message of “High Hopes” is “No matter how difficult your dreams seem, keep going.” The lyrics say It’s uphill for oddities, but don’t give up, it’s a little complicated. Urie created the Highest Hopes Foundation, an organization that assists nonprofit organizations in human rights efforts across the globe. The foundation donated $1 million dollars to the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) to establish Genders & Sexualities Alliances, or GSAs, at high schools across the United States.

2018 - What I Need : Hayley Kiyoko feat. Kehlani - Kiyoko draws from personal experience as she expresses frustration with dating a girl who’s uncomfortable with her sexuality. The video opens with Kehlani in a heated argument with her aunt, Kehlani storms out and into Hayley’s car. They go on a road trip adventure and get in a few messy situations before becoming a couple at the end of the video.

2018 - All Things : Betty Who - This is the theme song for the wildly popular Netflix show Queer Eye. The message things keep getting better is a good one to remember.

2018 - Colour : MNEK feat. Hailee Steinfeld - released for Pride month, it’s full of rainbow metaphors and positivity

2018 - Karaoke : Big Freedia feat. Lizzo - The lyrics encourage everyone to seize their moment and shine on stage, to express yourself without fear or hesitation, to do your best and have pride in your performance. It uses the idea of a karaoke performance as the way to convey this message.  

2018 - Rent : Big Freedia - In an interview with Billboard, Big Freedia explained the meaning of the song. “It’s not just about a person paying your rent or your mortgage, but it’s about somebody taking up space in your head and your heart, on your mind, your body or your soul.” Freedia continues, “Whatever the situation may be, they have to learn how to give something back. Not just take; they have to pay something either with their love, their time or their energy.”

2018 - Fast Slow Disco : St. Vincent - In this bittersweet song, St. Vincent describes a relationship that feels like being trapped in a slow dance and is going nowhere. I sway in place to a slow disco. St. Vincent released an uptempo pop reworking of the song titled "Fast Slow Disco." The video for "Fast Slow Disco" finds St. Vincent dancing the night away in a gay club.

2018 - American : RuPaul - Ru is announcing to the country that we’re here and we’re queer, and get used to it because ain’t no way we’re going back in time, forward to the future baby!

2018 - Girls : Girl in Red - The lyrics are about a person who’s been hiding their orientation and worried about how people will respond if they come out. After confirming I know what I like. No, this is not a phase or a coming of age, this will never change, she declares It’s not like I get to choose who I love.

2018 - Dance to This : Troye Sivan feat. Ariana Grande - According to gay singer Sivan, the song is about “that moment when you feel like you’ve been to enough house parties or events, that staying home, making out in the kitchen and cooking dinner sounds like a much, much better alternative”

2018 - Immaterial : SOPHIE - SOPHIE declares that gender norms are “immaterial.” We’re just Im-ma-ma-material (I could be anything I want)

2018 – Boys : Lizzo – Lizzo sings a song about all the boys she loves, and plenty of gay boys sing along and cheer when reaching the lyrics From the playboys to the gay boys. Go and slay, boys, you my fave boys

2018 - I’d Be Your Wife : Mary Lambert - Mary released this video on Equality Day, the anniversary of the US Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage across the USA. The video features videos from queer couples all over the country proposing and saying “I do.” In the video’s description, Lambert wrote “Our love is inherently radical and political and every time we decide to hold hands, it is a revolutionary act. Every time we leave our homes and move through the world unashamedly, we challenge heteronormative structures. There is still work to be done for many of those under the LGBTQ umbrella, but the supreme court’s ruling on gay marriage changed the course of history for the better. I am grateful to celebrate love with all of you on this anniversary. Happy Pride!!”

2018 - American Pie : Shea Diamond - Shea preaches about acceptance and equality and waiting for her piece of the American pie. People are holding onto antiquated ideas of what it means to be an American, ideas which serve to keep marginalized people on the margins, so it’s time for new ideas. Shea also did this powerful acoustic version

2018 - Americans : Janelle Monáe - Janelle calls out the bigotry that keeps Black people, women, and queer people relegated to second-class citizens. She includes part of a sermon from Rev. Dr. Sean McMillan that “this is not my America until women get equal pay for equal work, same-gender loving people can be who they are, Black people come home from a police stop without getting shot, and Latinos & Latinas don’t have to run from walls.” The song ends on this hopeful note: Because it’s gon’ be my America before it’s all over. I believe that, too.

2018 - Secrets : P!nk - This song is about hiding your true self and wanting to be honest with someone and reveal your true self while acknowledging that revealing yourself can be scary and even threatening, themes which resonate with queer people. I’ve got some things to say, 'cause there’s a lot that you don’t know. It’s written on my face. It’s gonna be hard to swallow, suggesting that she wants to open up but is aware that it may be challenging or uncomfortable. P!nk sings Everybody’s got a secret while grinding up on a super-hot lady. The pro-LGBTQ video depicts several same-sex couples.

2018 - Promises : Calvin Harris, Sam Smith - The music video is a glittery homage to vogueing and drag ballroom culture.

2018 - All I Am : Jess Glynne - Bisexual Jess Glynne sings about being in love and being united with a person. The music video starts off at the Brighton Pride festivities and then there’s a trip to Brazil with her two best friends, illustrating two different ways of being united and together.

2018 - Bloom : Troye Sivan - The lyrics are about opening up to a new love…in more ways than one. The subtext makes this our first mainstream pop song about bottoming. I bloom, I bloom, just for you. Or maybe it’s just about flowers.

2018 - What a Heavenly Way to Die : Troye Sivan - The title and inspiration for this song comes from the 1992 song “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out” by The Smiths, which includes the line To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die. Sivan heard the song on a road trip with his partner and “pictured them 30 years later, 'two old gay guys’ listening back and reminiscing.”

2018 - Revelation : Troye Sivan and Jónsi - The movie Boy Erased is about a gay man who is put in conversion therapy. The song was written for a scene where the main character Jared has a pure interaction with another boy for the first time and it feels so right and he recognizes that maybe he is just fine the way he is. Sivan explained the song as “The idea of that person being a revelation in your life, where you can kind of do something that feels so natural and so right and be fine on the other side, that was a really potent thing in my head.”

2018 - No Matter What : Calum Scott - This is a lovely song about a son coming out to his mom and her responding I just want you to be happy and always be who you are. She wrapped her arms around me and said, Don’t try to be what you’re not ‘cause I love you no matter what

2018 - If Our Love is Wrong : Calum Scott - This is Calum’s response to society’s negative views about his sexuality. He sings to his lover if our love is wrong then I don’t ever wanna be right

2018 - Baby : Clean Bandit feat. Marina and the Diamonds & Luis Fonsi - The video shows two girls falling in love at a summer camp, but then an adult leader tells them it is unacceptable. Years later, one of them is about to marry a man, but he can tell that her heart still belongs to her first love.

2018 - Hometown : Brandon Stansell - “I experienced rejection from the people who were supposed to love me the most and I thought I would never get over it. As painful as those experiences were, I can’t help but be thankful for them; they made me who I am and that is a person I am deeply proud of.” These lyrics really get to me: It’s been a while since I’ve seen you with your one red light and your Baptist steeple. The people here are hard to face, the memories harder to erase. This is the first video addressing queer topics that CMT ever played. It covers coming out, feeling rejected by your family, finding the queer community, and holding space for all parts of yourself — in just under five minutes. I prefer the accoustic version better, I think it lets the emotions come through more

2018 - We Fell In Love In October : Girl in Red - A sweet song about falling in love. We fell in love in October, that’s why I love Fall. Also the chorus which repeatedly says You will be my girl and You will be my world

2018 - Somebody to Love : Troye Sivan - Troye does a remake of the 1976 Queen classic

2018 - Old Town Road : Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus - Lil Nas had the biggest hit song ever. Since coming out as gay, his choice in cowboy apparel in the video makes sense

2019 - Juice : Lizzo - Lizzo’s message of radical self-love that celebrates the beauty of being different has earned her a huge queer following. She spreads a message of acceptance and love. Juice is upbeat, fun, and full of confidence-boosting lyrics. She made a video for Juice featuring RuPaul’s Drag Race alumni.

2019 - Nights Like This : Kehlani feat. Ty Dolla $ign - Kehlani starts the song by singing of her regrets for giving her heart to her ex-girlfriend who dumped her for a man. Thought you was mine, but you decided to be with him though. You took my feelings and just threw 'em out the window. Despite this, sometimes Kehlani misses her ex and contemplates whether to text, but decides against it. The video is quite a ride–a human-looking robot has collapsed at Kehlani’s front door. Kehlani repairs it and teaches it about love. It’s a lovely story until the android knocks Kehlani unconscious and uploads its own consciousness into her. When Kehlani awakes, the android appears to now be in control as it destroys the robot body, knocks out Ty Dolla $ign, and burns down the house, destroying all evidence, before driving away.

2019 - Lucky Strike : Troye Sivan - The lyrics feel so carefree with words such as I wanna skip stones on your skin, boy, and I wanna tiptoe through your bliss

2019 - Dancing with a Stranger : Sam Smith and Normani - This is a song about missing your former love and the person you’re with now feels like a stranger because they’re still new to you

2019 - Dead of Night : Orville Peck - The song begins with two guys having an adventure hitchhiking through Nevada. But then Six summers down, another dreamless night, you’re not by my side. Yet that summer together is Stained on my mind. Even thought that night was a one moment in their lives, it’s something the singer remembers fondly.

2019 - She : dodie - This is a beautiful song about crushing on a straight person and knowing you won’t tell them. You can enjoy being around them while knowing there won’t be anything more than the friendship

2019 - No Scrubs : Weezer - Weezer’s version of TLC’s 1999 hit song “No Scrubs” did not change the pronouns, so their lead male singer is detailing reasons why certain men may not be good to pursue for romance. Wanna get with me with no money? Oh no, I don’t want no scrub

2019 - Undrunk : FLETCHER - This is Fletcher’s first song to chart and is about wishing she could unlove her former lover, and wishing you can undo last night. Wish I could get a little un-drunk so I could un-call you

2019 - 1, 2, 3 Dayz Up : Kim Petras feat. SOPHIE - The trans music producer SOPHIE adds her voice on this pop song by the trans singer Kim Petras, which is about partying and having a good time with your friends

2019 - Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored : Ariana Grande - The lyrics make you think she’s telling a guy to break up with his girlfriend so then he can be with Ariana. However, in the video, Ariana wants a couple to break up so she can be with the girlfriend. Turns out the lyrics are vague about exactly who it is Ariana wants to get with.

2019 - Rainbow : Kacey Musgrave - The song is about hope that the bad times will one day be over. Musgraves wants it to serve as an anthem for those facing adversity, particularly in the LGBTQ community. “I feel a kinship and a friendship with that community. They really opened my eyes up to a lot of different things that I wasn’t aware of growing up in a small town in Texas. I will always be an ally and a strong supporter. ‘Rainbow’ is something that I can dedicate to that community, but also to anyone who has any kind of a weight on their shoulders.”

2019 - Super Queen (feat. The Cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 4) : RuPaul - Monét, Monique, Naomi & Trinity from All Stars Season 4 join RuPaul in a song about drag queens at the top of their craft. She popping, she dipping, she spinning, rockstar. She dropping, she flipping, she winning so hard. You better believe that the power is real

2019 - A Little Bit Alexis : Annie Murphy - This song is from the sitcom Schitt’s Creek and is inspired by the music of Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, and Britney Spears, which means it’s self-indulgent and confident, and also, those three are icons in the queer community, so is it any wonder this the song began showing up in gay clubs and on TikTok where queer people performed to it?

2019 - Wish You Were Gay : Billie Eilish - Bi-icon Billie sings this song about how it felt to be rejected by a boy she liked. Billie wishes that instead of not liking her that the reason he doesn’t like her is that he is only attracted to boys, that would be easier to accept.

2019 - So Am I : Ava Max - Ava has revealed that she’s been attracted to women in the past but chooses not to label her sexuality. Do you ever feel like a misfit? Everything inside of you is dark and twisted. Oh, but it’s OK to be different, 'Cause baby so am I.

2019 - Monopoly : Ariana Grande and Victoria Monét - BFF’s Ariana Grande and Victoria Monét sing this song which compares their successes to gathering property in the board game Monopoly. Monét came out as bisexual in November 2018 and she wrote these lyrics: And if they try come stoppin’ me, I swerve both ways, dichotomy. I like women and men. There’s not a lot of Black bisexual representation, so good on Victoria. 

2019 - Better in Color : Lizzo - This is a celebration of love in all its forms. Lizzo said the song is a declaration of freedom for people to love whoever they want regardless of what society dictates. "I wanted to talk about love, attraction and sex without talking about those boxes in which we put those things, who we feel are allowed to be in love, you know? No matter the gender, sexual orientation, skin color or economic background, because who cares about that s–t. Spice up life, love is better in colors.”

2019 - ME! : Taylor Swift feat. Brendon Urie - This is a campy, bubbly song about embracing one’s uniqueness. I’m the only one of me and that’s the fun of me.

2019 - Brave : Don Diablo with Jessie J - There was a time I wasn’t ready to be honest, but now I wanna tell the world about it, give a little, give a little something more of me. If that message doesn’t sound like coming out and feeling empowered, I don’t know what does. Some things might get in my way, but I know I’ll be okay. I will stand here all the same

2019 - Queens Everywhere : RuPaul and the Cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Season 11 - A’Keria Chanel Davenport, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Silky Nutmeg Ganache, Vanessa Vanjie Mateo and Yvie Oddly perform this exciting song.

2019 - Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels : Todrick Hall - A fun song and video about being who you are and using that confidence to strut and slay

2019 - I Like Boys : Todrick Hall - This is a coming-out-of-the-closet song. Tell them girls I’m sorry, I like boys

2019 - Chapstick : Todrick Hall feat. Trixie Mattel - This song is an empowering anthem for anyone who takes pride in their appearance and isn’t afraid to unapologetically be themselves. The lyrics emphasize the transformative power of makeup and fashion and celebrates drag culture. It is humorous to hear Trixie Mattel, a drag queen who is known for her theatrical makeup, say “It’s just a little chapstick.” It’s a way to downplay the effort and artistry involved in creating a stunning look in order to play up the importance of being bold, confident and true to yourself.  

2019 - Parents : Yungblud - Yungblud sees the older generation as acting in ways that are outdated, hypocritical, and abusive. The song quickly turns intense when he sings, My daddy put a gun to my head and said, “If you kiss a boy, I’m gonna shoot you dead.” So I tied him up with gaffa tape and I locked him in a shed. Then I went out to the garden and I f*cked my best friend

2019 - Love Yourself : Sufjan Stevens - This song was released for Pride month, and the lyrics are asking us to love ourselves and to show the reasons we believe in ourselves.

2019 - Ice Cream : MIKA - It’s a scorching hot day and Mika is hungry for ice cream. The lyrics go from talking about the heat of the day to letting a special someone know that you are interested in them, with ice cream as the metaphor. I want your ice cream. I want it lying in the sun. I want your ice cream. I want it melting on my tongue. I want your ice cream. I want it, whatcha waiting for?

2019 - Cattitude feat. RuPaul : Miley Cyrus - This raunchy, fierce, over-the-top song tells everyone to show more gratitude and stop hating on other people. Turn up your gratitude, turn down your attitude. I love my p*ssy, that means I got cattitude. If you don’t feel what I’m saying, I don’t f*ck with you

2019 - Number One Fan : MUNA - The song is about the struggle to find your self worth rather than let the naysayers who criticize you bring you down. Wouldn’t you like if I believed those words? If I’m born to lose, I’ll never try and I will never learn. Queer people often grow up hearing negative and rejecting messages from church, from politicians, and others. We have to learn to love ourselves in spite of those things. I’ve been looking at myself in the mirror, saying "Don’t leave me now" and I turn around like “Oh my God like, I’m your number one fan. So iconic, like big, like stan, like I would give my life just to hold your hand. I’m your number one fan. I’m your number one, number one fan”

2019 - You Need to Calm Down : Taylor Swift - The video features a large number of celebrity cameos, most of whom are queer, including Queer Eye’s Fab Five, figure skater Adam Rippon, singers Adam Lambert and Hayley Kiyoko, television personality Ellen DeGeneres, entertainers Billy Porter and RuPaul, and numerous Drag Queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race as they impersonate famous women. To all the haters, Why are you mad? When you could be GLAAD?

2019 - Love Yourself : Billy Porter - An upbeat song about loving yourself. And if you just believe that you’re really all you need, You won’t need nobody else. Oh, love yourself, love yourself, love yourself

2019 - God Control : Madonna - This is a song about gun control. The video pays homage to the Pulse nightclub massacre. The video features cameos from drag stars Monét X Change and Gigi Gorgeous.

2019 - C7osure : Lil Nas X - Lil Nas talks about expressing himself in a new way and living his truth, being true to himself, and following his own heart rather than looking to please other people. On June 30, 2019, the final day of Pride Month, Lil Nas X hinted that the song’s lyrics about liberation and freedom was his coming out announcement.

2019 - Higher Love : Kygo & Whitney Houston - Whitney recorded a cover of the Steve Winwood song “Higher Love” but only released it in Japan. The Houston estate selected DJ Kygo to remix Whitney’s version of the song. Kygo embued it with all the EDM sounds you’d expect in a 2019 dance song and debuted it at Pride in New York City

2019 - American Boy : Years & Years - A cover of the Kanye & Estelle song, sung by Olly Alexander, a gay man, who is the lead singer for the band Years & Years. With Olly singing, this makes the song about one guy crushing on another guy  

2019 - How do you Sleep? : Sam Smith - Sam’s poor track record with men continues. A heartbroken Sam wonders how their deceitful lover can live with himself.

2019 - Flash Pose : Pablo Vittar feat. Charli XCX - Brazilian singer and drag queen Pabllo Vittar teamed up with Charli XCX to sing a song about selfies to say maybe I do want someone else in my life. Yeah come over, come over baby. Come in my picture, that’s right, 'Cause I wasn’t trying to get a nice picture by myself.

2019 - Sofia : Clairo - Clairo is singing about a girl she likes named Sofia, and how she’s standing here alone now…wishing that you were mine. Unfortunately for Clairo, Sofia seems to think same-sex relationships are wrong, and Clairo’s response is: Sofia, know that you and I shouldn’t feel like a crime.

2019 - Crowded Table : The Highwomen - The Highwomen is an all-female supergroup comprised of country singer Maren Morris, Americana songstress Brandi Carlile, Nashville songwriter Natalie Hemby, and fiddler Amanda Shires. Two of the women are queer. Brandi Carlile is a lesbian, she & her wife have 2 children. Maren Morris is bisexual. This song is about acceptance, working together and making room for everybody to fit in. I want a house with a crowded table, and a place by the fire for everyone. Let us take on the world while we're young and able, and bring us back together when the day is done

2019 - Tiny Love : MIKA - Grand gestures of love are great but not sustainable, however doing tiny acts of love for each other can be the basis of a relationship. True love is not a sunrise over canyons shaped like hearts, or bursting into song in Central Park. Rather, it’s a still-there-Monday-morning’ kind of love.

2019 - What Mattered Most (Alternative Take) : Ty Herndon - This is a remake of Ty’s #1 song from 1995. The difference is in 1995 he wasn’t out, now he’s changed the pronouns to make it the song he wished he could’ve sung back then.

2019 - Sanremo : MIKA - The song is an idealized romantic experience in San Remo, Italy. Mika spent time growing up in San Remo as a teen and wished it were a city where individuals could be free regardless of whoever they are. Mika wants to be there, doing the things lovers do, such as dancing and sitting by the seaside. In the video, which is set in 1950′s Italy, Mika’s character is kissing his wife and daughter goodbye, then venturing out into the city, looking for a gay partner to shack up with while avoiding suspicion from police, clergymen and others. Mika winds up at an underground gay bar and leaves with another man, but on his way home is stopped by a police officer.

2019 - Tomorrow : MIKA - A lovely song about living in the moment, and reassuring his lover to focus on now and let’s worry about tomorrow until tomorrow. So kiss me under the light of a thousand stars. Oh, who gives a sh*t about tomorrow? When you know how lucky we are, oh, tomorrow worry 'bout tomorrow

2019 - I Rise : Madonna - This song was made specifically to honor the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising and to inspire marginalized people to stand up and fight. It is about resilience, surviving, and rising up against adversity. The video includes footage of Parkland H.S. shooting survivors, LGBTQ supporters, women’s rights protesters, Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman’s testimony about sexual abuse and other social justice heroes.

2019 - Lights Up : Harry Styles - It’s thought that this song is Styles coming out as bisexual. The song was released on National Coming Out Day. The video has him surrounded by and pressing up against both men and women. Lights up and they know who you are. Know who you are. Do you know who you are? Is this song Harry turning the lights up?

2019 - Loving Her : Katie Pruitt - Gay country singer Katie sings a love song. She ends the song with People don’t like what they don’t understand. If loving her’s a sin, I don’t want to go to heaven.

2019 - Don’t Start Now : Dua Lipa - This song is reminiscent of disco anthems with lyrics about resilience that are popular with queer people. Aren’t you the guy who tried to hurt me with the word “goodbye”? Though it took some time to survive you, I’m better on the other side. I’m all good already.

2019 - I Feel Love : Sam Smith - Sam remakes the 1977 classic from Donna Summer, a song about loving your body and your desires. Sam’s high notes on this song are amazing.

2019 - Rock It (To the Moon) : RuPaul feat. KUMMERSPECK - While the lyrics are reduced to two repeated lines, the infectious beat makes it fun to listen to.

2019 - Show Yourself : Idina Menzel, Evan Rachel Wood - This song from Frozen 2 is about Elsa being ready to be vulnerable and bare her soul. This song has been adopted by the queer community as a coming out anthem.

2019 - Believe : Adam Lambert - A remake of the 1998 song by Cher that is loved by many LGBTQ people. Adam’s rendition is absolutely gorgeous

Link to Spotify Playlist of these songs

Link to My Queer Playlist - Part 1 songs from 1939 to 1999

Link to My Queer Playlist - Part 2 songs from 2000 to 2015

Link to My Queer Playlist - Part 4 songs from 2020 to present

Link to my Queer Disney Songs Playlist

Link to my K-Pop Queer Playlist

Link to my Queer Religious Playlist

[briek58454521]

Let’s rant about bigotry in media and fake allies.

.Look. I get it. You want to believe that your cartoons, media and celebs are completely perfect darlings that can do no wrong, but let me be frank. I don’t care how much you don’t want to talk about it. I care about the creators who keep inviting the discourse their way through their idiocy. Whenever a creator gets in trouble for doing shit like making jokes about slave hats on a live stream, or including a blackface caricature in an art book, or killing off their gays the very episode they come out or are introduced, there’s always a subset of people who say shit like, “it was a mistake, they didn’t mean it. It kinda gives us as a leftist community a bad name when we keep attacking each other like this”.

Let’s dismantle that. And let’s break this down in three basic points I’ll use throughout. 1. It is not your place to accept an apology that was not for you, especially when in regards to racism, sexism, anti-LGBTA+ bigotry, and anti-semitism. 2. We need to stop lumping in actual criticism with alt-right idiots being shitty about marginalized groups existing, because ultimately, infighting is not the end of the world, and disagreements are not inherently bad. They are a fact of life. 3.  Most importantly of all, just because these people claim to be allies, that does not mean that they are. Because make no mistake. CARTOONS ARE NOT ANY LESS EFFECTED BY THE BIASES OF THE ENVIRONMENTS WHICH PRODUCED THEM THAN ANY OTHER WORK OF ART.

Now. Let’s break down that shit completely.

1. I used those examples as a jumping-off point, but in general, this shit always happens. A creator fucks up, they get criticism which was unquestionably earned, they get rightfully dragged, and the creator uses the backlash to garner sympathy from their audiences and paint their critics in a bad light and whine about Cancel Culture. NOW, I already talked about that in another post, but basically, it doesn’t exist, and is used as a weaponized shield from criticism. 

Thing about all of that as well is when the creators keep bringing up how they didn’t mean it like that. Most people would answer this with, “doesn’t matter, what matters is what you did”, but there’s something else that people don’t talk about. This is usually a bunch of white people excusing this shit. Or otherwise, a bunch of people who weren’t actually affected by the latest controversy. And therein lies the rub. Allies, let me put it this way. WHEN THE SUBJECT OF THE CRITICISM IS ABOUT THE PORTRAYAL OF MINORITIES IN MEDIA, YOU ARE IN NO POSITION TO EXPECT SAID MINORITIES TO FORGIVE THOSE CREATORS WHEN YOU WERE NOT AFFECTED BY IT.

Remember the Lana Del Rey controversy, where her dumbass ended up getting shit for her statement filled with venom towards other artists? Could have been cleared up if she had just accepted that she messed up and didn’t word her statement correctly, but no. She lashed out at the people who told her it was kinda racist to lump a bunch of black female artists into a conglomerate of artists who just, “twerk, cheat, have sex, and get money”, and dismissing feminism as needing to accommodate women “like her, who were more delicate”, perpetuating inadvertently to the idea that black women are less delicate, white women are petite, demure, and need to have a place above the others. AND LOOK, it’s how she responded that sealed it. Accusing her critics of being the actual racists, who hate women, and conflating the criticism with.....ugh....a FUCKING RACE WAR. Do I EVEN need to explain the problem with that?

The point is that it was idiotic of her to assume that she didn’t deserve the criticism because she “technically didn’t mean it”, when ultimately, she wasn’t the victim, she wasn’t the one who ACTUALLY got hurt by all of this, and that most of the criticism WAS NOT ANYWHERE NEAR as vitriolic as Lana accused it of being. And people do this to minorities all the fucking time. Where the praise for the work is what matters, but then they’re just upset and looking to be upset about things when they....sorry, when WE have shit to say about the fuckups. Constantly, minorities are expected to praise bare minimum bullshit lest we have self proclaimed “””””allies””””” get pissy that we aren’t playing along. Well, sorry, but, I think it be time to stop with that shit. It doesn’t matter how pure you think that person is. If the people who are the actual part of the controversy have shit to say about it, MAYBE LISTEN TO THEM instead of trying to force people to accept the apology that wasn’t even yours to accept, nor was it for you to shove in our faces to shut us up. And if you dislike that I’m saying that, just know. That’s exactly what you’re doing when you pull that shit.

2. As simply as I can put it, complaining about how a trans person is portrayed badly is not the same as complaining ABOUT the presence of a trans person, and to lump that shit onto the other pile is dishonest and willfully ignorant. When we keep getting upset about the tone, or upset about, “WAAAH, they said a me-no-like”, and lump that in with the actual facists looking to erase us from the history books, we are doing half of their job for them, and normalizing shit like what I saw the other day, where on Twitter, some asshole complained, “Anime is supposed to be an escape from reality. Adding black people to it kinda ruins the point.”

I’m gonna talk about it in the next point, but for now, understand this. NO ONE says shit like that just out of the blue without having it come from somewhere, and that attitude is all too prevalent.

In cartoons especially, criticism of the NB lizard from She-Ra is not being bigoted towards non-binary people, because the use of a fucking lizard to portray them is the ACTUALLY bigoted thing. And to lump in criticism of that with the criticism of She-Ra not being conventionally attractive enough for men to masturbate to the fucking minor is only going to long-term HARM any discourse. Because having these conversations as well as discussing these issues and educating each other about them is how we AVOID THEM. Criticism is not just a vector for asshole conservatives to be pissy about your existence. It’s also a veritable TREASURE TROVE for how not to fuck your shit up. And when we all get it, we learn. I get it, you don’t want to do shit wrong, but when you do, as everyone will, the backlash will burn itself out, and once you’ve fixed it, people will be very forgiving. Because, and it’s gonna sound mean....THAT’S HOW AUDIENCES WORK. THEY WANT TO FORGIVE YOU FOR WHEN YOU DO SHIT WRONG. So just...fix it. And listen. Yeah, you’ll get called stupid, you’ll get called “moron”, but you will have saved yourself from getting that shit ten times worse later on down the line. BEAR IN MIND, THOUGH, any of you already typing about how that’s enabling cyberbullying under the guise of critique, IT’S NOT. There’s a wealth of difference between the two, and trying to distract from the point with that is just a red herring. So stop with that.

And now....for the biggest one of all.

3. See...here’s the thing. About that anime douche. That doesn’t happen in JUST anime. It’s been around for decades, and has been a thing to this day. The WoW community got upset about womz being in power for the past 15 years, and have gotten on their high horse about black people being in the game, stating that if they were around sooner, maybe it wouldn’t, “SEEM TOO POLITICAL”, with that Asmongold jackass trying to start a second wave of GamerGate because one of the people at Blizzard said, “Black Lives Matter”. Fantasy as a genre has been so rooted in racism, that the inclusion of goblins for the most part is synonymous with anti-semitism towards Jewish people. Captain Marvel was pilloried for the past two years because the mean lady said that shit needs to change and wasn’t too nice, and also, me don’t like her too much. Basically, tone policing over a personality that we still give Howard Stern a platform for. In cartoons, the inclusion of black people is seen as an inherently political opinion. The rumors of Gen 6 Apple Jack possibly having a black voice actress prompted comments such as:

“The thiing with AJ is clearly anti-white/conservatist as a response to Trump America. What is opposite of country redneck female? Of course, and urban black woman.”

“It’s the fact that she’s black that bothers me.”

“Killing a blonde freckled Southern character for some political agenda is the last thing I want to see.”

The news of Velma Dinkley being gay was immediately pounced upon with shit about a homosexual agenda, and constant bullshit about how it was so forced, or whatever. This shit always happens, and is gonna keep happening. You know why?

Because the entertainment industry is not ready to accept minorities. The games industry is not ready to accept minorities. Cartoons are still not ready to accept minorities. They accept them for a moment, until those minorities challenge someone’s ego. Fans embrace a character until they’re a woman, or a POC, or on the spectrum, or LGBTA+. The existence of us is denigrating to these idiots’ escape, not from reality, but from us. It’s bad enough that they have to put up with us in the real world, but even worse that they have to see us in fictional shows that aren’t real.’ Us merely BEING AROUND is a bad thing, and to ask for some improvements is met with bemoaning about agendas.

Supposed allies begin and end their support with how much money we put in their wallets and how much we stroke their egos about how woke they are, and actual allies are lumped in with actual offenders. If we get upset that a show they’ve posited as so enlightening is actually the utter pits and not in any way healthy, they get upset. Tell a Reylo they’re shipping something toxic and dangerous, they’ll get upset and yell racial slurs at John Boyega for sitting next to Daisy Ridley. Say, “Fuck Arthas”, people get upset jump down your throat about how you hate forgiveness. Tell people that the Grinch ought not to be forgiven, people get upset you’re strawmaned about how you hate forgiveness.

They just don’t understand, or care about the essential fact about all of this. As I said earlier. The environments which produce the worst of offenders in these fields, and the problems we hate seeing so much are in no way less affected by the biases that they were cultivated by. And media has never been any more ready to accept minorities as people and as worthy of being portrayed as people than literally anywhere else right now. And speaking up about that is what gets these fake allies mad, especially when they LIKE the media. What makes these people so mad is not the troubling portrayal of POC, or women, or minorities. Not that we are routinely ostracized for existing in cartoons, not that this shit happens at all. They don’t give a flying fuck about any of that. It’s the thing that they have to put up with as a result of that that makes them the most upset.

Criticism. And they don’t like that.

And no matter whether or not these cartoons are made by bootlickers, or this movie was made by a TERF,  or if this creator has a history of blackface, racism, or has made garbage statements about women, if you aren’t nice and considerate enough towards their feelings, you’ll make them, and us, the allies, feel uncomfortable. NO DWAMA, just not too divisive feedback that’s ultimately worthless as it was made purely to try to appease idiots and the people most affected by these issues at the same time, meaning it had to be watered down past the point of no return in order for us to factor it in with our jaded mindsets and worldviews that are the direct cause of the problems we complain about, yet keep exacerbating through our ignorance and unwillingness to change.

If you aren’t like that, and don’t believe you should be lumped in with that, don’t behave as if you are that sort of person. But, even then, if you aren’t...listen to the actual experts. Stop listening to some white guy’s idiotic hot takes about black rep, and actually listen to black people. Listen to trans people instead of some cis white chick with no understanding of trans issues. Stop platforming the worst of offenders within these communities as the bestest ever. And most importantly....

remember that horses don’t exist.

[millionairedating]

Do You Really Know About Bisexuality? Break the Rumors

Bisexuality is a sexual orientatior that is interested in both men and women. To some people, bisexuality may sound like a superpower - double the romantic option means double the chance, right? But in reality, bisexuality can be regarded as a somewhat embarrassing identity. Bisexuals are not straight, so it's hard to think that they are the majority in terms of sexuality. On the other hand, they are often considered to be heterosexual, especially when they have heterosexual partners, which sometimes makes it difficult for them to feel their connection to the LGBT groups.

Most importantly, bisexuals are prone to serious misunderstandings. There are a lot of rumors and stereotypes surrounding bisexuality, some of which even contradict each other. Both heterosexuals and LGBT may hold these stereotypes, which makes it more difficult for bisexuals to integrate into these two groups. Fortunately, in recent years, more and more researchers have become interested in bisexuality, and research has improved our understanding of bisexuality. Here are three examples of how science can combat the misconception of bisexuality:

Myth 1: Bisexuality doesn't exist

I found this rumor particularly ridiculous: how can you tell a group of people that they don't exist? But the idea that everyone is either heterosexual or homosexual is widespread, especially among men. It's frustrating that even in the most tolerant circles of LGBT, you can sometimes hear the saying "there's no such thing as bisexual men at all".

In a recent study published in “archives of sexual behavior”, researchers have completely dismissed this myth. They gathered some heterosexual, gay and bisexual men to show them a number of pornographic movies. The subjects were asked not only to assess their subjective feelings aroused by the fragments, but also to connect physiological devices to measure changes in their penile circumference (that is, sexual excitement).

As expected, when heterosexual men watched movies performed by women, their subjective feelings and sexual excitement were significantly higher than those of men who watched movies performed by men. The opposite was true for gay men. However, the extent to which bisexual men are aroused by male and female images is relatively close. They were also more aroused by bisexual videos - videos starring two males and one female-than the other two groups. Importantly, these differences are reflected in both their own reported arousal and fairly objective data on sexual excitement. Therefore, it is clear from this study that these people are not "pretending" to be bisexual.

Myth 2: Bisexuality is just a stage

This rumor portrays bisexuality as an experimental phase or a state of confusion - usually in college. Afterwards, bisexuals will still determine their "real" identity.

Lisa Diamond has done some very complicated work on this topic, during which she has been observing women's gender identity for a long time. In a paper published in “Developmental Psychology”, Dr. Diamond reported on a group of women she had followed closely for more than a decade. The results clearly show that bisexuality is not a transitional period: only a small number of women who were identified as bisexual in adolescence changed their status to heterosexual or homosexual (only 8%) at the end of the study. However, the orientation of bisexual women is always changing over time. During the ten-year research cycle, their interest in both sexes has been changing.

Myth 3: Bisexuals will not be loyal to their partners

This rumor is probably the most vicious. It comes from the idea that a partner cannot fully satisfy someone who is interested in both sexes. Some people feel that sooner or later they will crave someone who is not of the same sex as their partner. For example, people tend to believe that bisexuals are more likely to cheat on their partners than heterosexual and homosexuals. A part of people are looking for their partner on bisexual dating sites, these platforms offer people more chances to find like-minded partners.

In fact, many bisexuals have a happy one-on-one relationship with their partner. For example, by the end of Dr. Diamond's 10-year study, 89% of bisexual women were in long-term monogamous relationships. In addition, for bisexuals who wish to have multiple sexual partners, studies have shown that they tend to achieve this goal by negotiating with their partners and establishing an open relationship, rather than going around in private behind their partners. I can't find any research to support the idea that bisexuals are less loyal or honest than people with other sexual orientations.

All in all, bisexuality, a small but growing field of research, has a bright future. It not only dispels a lot of rumors and misconceptions surrounding bisexuality, but also provides interesting insights into sexual activity in general. Unlike other sources such as popular culture or media, scientific research believes that bisexuality is a relatively stable and lasting sexual orientation. We recommend people to find bisexual partners on reliable bisexual dating apps or websites. More researches are needed to better understand the similarities, and perhaps uniqueness, of bisexual and unisexual.

[lynessam]

Hi all, and welcome to my house. Where we shall learn about all types of things together. Wherever the wind blows me, (ie, wherever and whatever it is that Spirit has me share,) is where we shall go!

The very first thing I’m going to address, which They’ve been hammering me about, is gatekeeping. Gatekeepers and “closed practices.” Buckle up buttercup. This ride is bound to be bumpy, and definitely not the one you’re expecting.

It’s come to my attention that there seem to be “way too many Chiefs and not enough Indians,” as my mom always used to tell me when I’d decided to boss around the younger kids I deemed beneath me at that time. Whoever it was I’d decided to focus my attention on in that moment, to distract myself from the real problem. Coughs*** Myself.

Now that that’s outta the way, let me share with you, not only why this is so important, but how very dangerous, Spirit keeps screaming at me, this is. Brothers and sisters, we must do better. We must fix this, now.

There has been prophecy after Indigenous Prophecy, that we shall return to the old ways. The real way. The TRUE WAYS. For centuries. It’s happening right before our very eyes. Each and every day, someone finds the courage to walk away from the toxic, patriarchal, religious poison, they’ve been indoctrinated, brainwashed, and smothered in, all their life and then, are jumping head first into Spirituality. Returning to the old ways. Finally heeding the call of their *Higher Self. Some of us have always heard that call, and had the inner knowing too, but still, denied it for decades. Too scared to do what our Divine Guides and Guardian Angels told us, for fear of being ripped to shreds by the very people who claim to be Godly “Good people.” Then finally, we hit the “F*%# IT! Stage.” Which gives us, for the first time ever, the strength to walk towards our Divine Truth. Which is such a beautiful thing! It’s nice to leave behind the shackles of shame, oppression, guilt, demonization, judgment and condemnation for the first time in your life. There’s such a sense of forgiveness, peace, truth, true unconditional love and for the first time ever, the permission (and the freedom) to finally know what it feels like, to be true to ourself! And for some of us who’ve been beaten into submission for decades, that’s HUGE! Now imagine how heartbreaking it is, to then, be hit with the very same judgement and condemnation. But this time, from the other side of the tracks. By the people you thought and hoped, really were the embodiment of “Peace, Love and Light.” That’s a shame! And absolutely unacceptable, is what Spirit tells me. And here, is why.

#1 We, (You, Me,) each and every person on this planet are NOT colors. That’s part of the toxic, patriarchal, dominant white male, division scheme they’ve been brainwashing us with for CENTURIES, solely to keep us divided, separate and at each other’s throats. The way we always have been. ITS A LIE.

#2 Religion, is nothing more than crowd control. That’s all it’s ever been about. Even multiple practices, while some are absolutely beautiful, are still really nothing more than a way, to keep us separate.

#3 Repeat after me, “I am NOT this body. I am not even this mind.” You see, the higher we ascend on this journey, and the more enlightened we become, the more we finally come to realize, we aren’t and never were this flesh. This meat suit. This tub of guts. This, just so happens to be the vehicle we’re driving for the current “lifetime/timeline.” That’s it. It’s not us. We are not it. We, are the spirit inside it. The soul. The consciousness. The essence. That’s WHO we truly are. Everything else, your height, weight, sex, eye color, ethnicity/race, social status/economic class, and religion, is simply part of the 3D construct which was and is, designed to keep you stuck, dumb, suppressed, a sheep, and more importantly, to keep us all turned against each other. It’s a sham. A dupe. A ruse.

#4 Regardless of what the color of your skin is today, know, that in your last lifetime, you could’ve been a completely different ethnicity. You also could’ve been a totally different gender as well. Why do you think there are so many people today, who identify as “gay” or bi? Again, part of the sham. Love is love. Another example would be for instance, a woman in this reality, could’ve been male in her last lifetime, which is who/what her soul resonates most with. The soul identifies more as masculine than feminine, even though she’s a woman here today, in this lifetime. So in turn, she’s attracted to women, not men. It’s the same concept for race, religion, etc.

So please understand, every time you “gatekeep,” not only are you setting your own spiritual awakening process and ascension back, but you are potentially ruining someone else’s. Maybe you don’t understand why it is they “want, or need,” to be a part of a certain practice? Maybe THEY don’t even understand it themselves? They just know they’re being led and guided by the Divine to do so. It’s not for YOU, or ME, or ANYONE to understand, nor to tell another person what they should or shouldn’t, can or can’t, do. That’s not part of our ascension process. It’s a part of theirs. And we should respect that. As long as they’re respectful and on the journey for the right reasons, nothing else matters. And the worst of it is, the Divine keep telling me, every single time, one of us does this, we’re helping the darker forces. The same ones who’ve been ruling and controlling us for centuries. We are helping them remain here and in power. My guides have also began to show me, this misinformation is intentional to stop the Native Prophecy’s from coming to pass. The very evil who dominates, has once again, found something else to make to make the less enlightened, fight about. It’s ego and it’s a lie. But a very well played one. All in the hopes of yet again, stopping the Prophecy. More importantly, to STOP their own demise and vanquishing. Via Gatekeepers. So I need each and every one of you to remember, the next time you reach for “Gatekeeping” as your go-to response, this is what you’re supporting. This, and these beings, who’ve kept us oppressed and asleep for millenniums, have once again found something to make us “squabble” amongst ourselves about. Don’t let them win my fellow Light Beings. 🖤🔮 Let’s do better!

[alexiaugustin]

I was tagged by @ffriluftslivv thank you so much love!!<33

Rules: pick 5 shows, then answer the following questions

1. skam france

2. la casa de papel

3. skam nl

4. sherlock

5. skam españa

(yeah i only watch two shows that aren't skam remakes, what are u gonna do about it huh🤷🏽‍♀️)

Who is your fav character in 2?

I love Sergio Marquina the most but I also really really love and adore Denver and my badass queens Nairobi and Raquel. These four own the show okay

Who is your least fav character in 1?

We all know the answer and it's Char🤢🤢🤢 it's Charles Mu🤢🤢🤢🤢 Charles Munie🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢 oh my god I can't even say it- He's not only a fuckboy, he's also violent and threatens girls into relationships with him and on top of that he's a rape apologist. Men like him aren't and will never be welcome in my house. I hope he gets run over by a car in s6

What is your fav episode of 4?

Probably s1 ep1 because it made me start the show. s2 ep1 was absolutely fucking amazing too. But all episodes of Sherlock are so🤷🏽‍♀️🤷🏽‍♀️

What is your fav season of 5?

Listen all three seasons of skam españa are absolutely amazing and wonderful and even tho I would vote s1 out first I'm really not able to choose between s2 and s3. A season about a young bisexual girl falling in love with with a girl for the first time?? A season that represents MI?? And most importantly a season that lets characters speak for themselves?? I👏🏼👏🏼absolutely👏🏼👏🏼love👏🏼👏🏼to👏🏼👏🏼see👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼it!! But also s3 representing a feminist girl falling into and getting herself out of a toxic and abusive relationship, while being supported by other strong girls and this season calling out society for how women are being treated here? Absolutely amazing, breathtaking and revolutionary, never seen something like this before and this season was a fucking masterpiece. Periodt!!

Who is your fav couple in 3?

Noah and Liv💑💕 my unproblematic noorhelm couple

Who is your fav couple in 2?

Raquel and Sergio all the way. They better get their happy ending or else-

What is your fav episode of 1?

s3 ep7 always and forever. Lucas opening up to others about his struggles for the first time after what feels like years. Mika telling Lucas that he shouldn't go back into the closet and the "Live your life and to all those idiots who have a problem with that; fuck them" speech. Lucas' friends being supportive as shit doing their best so Lucas feels comfortable and knows that they love and support him just the same and that nothing's changed💕 Yann apologizing to Lucas for not only leaving him right after he came out to him but also for all the times when he made fun of him or called him "gay" as a joke in the past. Yann telling Lucas that he knows that he was in the wrong and had no right to be mad at Lucas because he understood that it was his fault that Lucas didn't trust him sooner👏🏼👏🏼 Lucas apologizing to Chloé for using her👏🏼👏🏼 and finally Lucas and Eliott getting back together🎨 after Lucas finally accepted himself. Legendary. Wonderful. Brilliant. If I could only watch one episode of one show for the rest of my life I would always choose this one.

What is your fav episode of 5?

ugh that's hard to pick but maybe s3 ep9?? It was sooo powerful. But then again; I love all episodes os skam españa

What is your fav season of 2?

I looovvveee s3 of la casa de papel so so much that's why it's still so confusing to me why i pretty much disliked s4 because it's the same robbery?? It's just supposed to be the second half of it?? And still s4 managed to be the worst season while s3 shone and OUTSOLD. That's why I will never be mad about this show not ending after s2

How long have you watched 1?

Since January 2019 when s3 started airing🥰

How did you become intrested in 3?

I just wanted to watch more skam remakes and skam nl looked really amazing + the Netherlands is one of my fave countries so I had no chance but to love and stan 🇳🇱

Who's your fav actor in 4?

Probably Benedict Cumberbatch

Which do you prefer 1, 2 or 5?

Oh don't make me choose that's cruel!! Skam france will always have a very very special place in my heart even tho I know that technically skam españa is better. I would still choose skam france over both lcdp and skam españa. I'm just more excited about this show than about any other. Sorry not sorry

Which show have you seen more episodes of 1 or 3?

skam france obviously since they have 5 seasons and skam nl sadly never got more than 2 :((

If you could be anyone from 4, who would you be?

Molly🥰 I dunno why but I love her and I, too, would fall in love with Sherlock soo🤷🏽‍♀️ yeah apart from that she's incredibly smart and thoughtful so yeah would love to be her

Would a crossover between 3 and 4 work?

Sherlock and skam nl? Nah don't really think so, no

Pair two characters in 2 who would make an unlikely but strangely ok couple

Tokio and Nairobi. They both give off w|w energy and they would be an unstoppable power couple. Too bad that writers fear w|w characters, right?🤷🏽‍♀️

Overall which show has the better storyline, 3 or 5?

Ugh that's hard because skam nl and skam españa are both remakes that follow the same storyline but I'm gonna say skam españa because they really changed their Noora season storyline and I will always love the fact that they decided that a story about a teenage girl getting out of a toxic and abusive relationship has more importance than just another love story. Love skam nl tho!! Really I love both seasons of skam nl and even prefer this remake about skam españa but their storyline changes were *chef's kiss*

Which has better theme music 2 or 4?

I'm so sorry Sherlock but nobody is doing it like lcdp's soundtrack. It's just hands down absolutely amazing🦋🦋

I tag @lovelythingsn @love-and-pride @raquel-and-sergio @jxbxsbxx @thegirlnooneknows5 @littleweirdoss in case u wanna do it🦋💕