In 2013, Melvin Robert stepped into the parking lot of his old elementary school. He observed the playground equipment he hadn’t touched in 20 years, and rounded the corner until he reached a set of stairs that would lead to the auditorium. He was here to attend his first rehearsal as part of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA). 

Untethered and unsituated, Robert wanted community. At his best friend Trinity’s urging, he found himself now with one foot in the past, and one inching towards a new future. 

Taking a few hesitant steps forward, he sees it. A wayside trash can: not, but might as well have been, the same trash can he was thrown into as a child, the first time he was called a gay slur. He felt anxiety knot his stomach, building in his throat. “I [thought] about that little boy,” Robert told the Blade. “I put my hand over my heart and said, ‘We’re good.’ Because, on the other side of the trash can, was the most beautiful group.” 

Robert found the community he’d always wanted, and the voice within himself that he had buried out of shame. In the chorus, a sea of 300, Robert met people who would provide him with love, support, and encouragement that was a plentiful stream. He would also sing, for the first time in his life, without fear — the fear that had dampened and smothered his joy for so long.

On Mar. 21 and 22, Robert will return as a guest soloist for GMCLA’s upcoming Spring concert, “AND THE BEAT GOES ON.” A celebration of gospel, R&B, and Motown, the concert will transport guests through the expansive and transformative sonic fabric of Black American music and history. 

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Robert performed his last concert for GMCLA in 2018, after which he began his rocketing rise in entertainment journalism. A self-starter in the field, Robert is now an Emmy-winning broadcast host and currently serves as entertainment anchor for KTLA 5. 

The Blade sat down with Robert to discuss his lifelong relationship to music, his return to GMCLA and his dreams as an artist.  

Music has shaped your life from a young age. What were those early listening experiences like, and how does it continue to change and influence you?

I have a very eclectic taste in music. I attribute that to my dad. Growing up, [on] many mornings, my younger brother, Eric, and I would wake up to the sound of my dad. He would open the door to our room, and he’d go sit in a chair and play the saxophone. That’s how he would wake us up in the morning. [On the way to] school, my dad would play — some days it’d be Steely Dan, and some days it’d be Bob, Tupac Shakur, and Stevie Wonder. My dad had this really eclectic taste in music that inspired me. 

And I always loved musical theater. I used to love going to the theater as a kid, to the Ahmanson and the Pantages. I wanted to be in a big buxom Broadway show. My grandma Vera loved Nat King Cole and Ray Charles and Fats Domino, and was from New Orleans. So I grew up with a lot of that Zydeco music playing throughout the house, and jazz, and that really influenced me as a person.

Music has been there for me when I really needed it. When I was first coming out, I remember listening to Yolanda Adams’ “Open My Heart,” and I would play that while driving around. It was my prayer when I was trying to figure out my identity and my sexuality — knowing I was gay but being really afraid and being like: God, please, help me get through this [at] 16 or 17. 

Music is transformational, and it is a healing balm. I believe so much in the power of music. I believe so much in the power of musical theater and Broadway. I believe that theater is a temple: [we’re] together for that one moment in time, [in a] sanctuary to learn, heal, and be transformed. 

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What does it feel like to return to GMCLA for this Spring concert?

I’m so excited to be back with my brothers in song, [and] I’m humbled at the invitation to return. It’s very much a homecoming to be with everybody, and when they told me what I was going to be singing, it was so meaningful and impactful to me. One of the songs I’m going to sing is Ray Charles’ “Georgia on My Mind.” It was such a wink from my grandmother, Vera, because she would listen to that song. I have such fond memories of being in the kitchen or other rooms in her house and hearing that song. 

Music is a big connection to memory. Sometimes you hear the first couple notes of a song, and you just go somewhere mentally: whether it takes you back to a moment of sadness or joy or heartbreak or pain, or maybe where you were when you first heard it, or you hear a new song, and you just stop, because the lyrics are so powerful and the melody is touching to you. Music is so important and necessary. It’s medicine. 

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Do you still have dreams of being on Broadway, and how does that fuel you?

Those dreams have never left me. I haven’t given up on it. I think in the last couple of years, I paused on that because I just didn’t have the time to devote myself to anything other than being a host. I’m really humbled by all of it. Within that, I love to sing and dance. It’s still very much a part of who I am. I think in my core, I am an artist. It’s what sets my soul on fire, and it’s what makes me feel the most blissful, the most at peace, and the most at ease. 

We spoke about the concept of “homecoming” and the cycles of returning to who you are. What would you say to your younger self, who you saw again at that first rehearsal?

That people love you, even when you think people are not thinking of you, or people are not holding you in their hearts. I know that that’s your story that you want to tell yourself, [but] you’re more meaningful and impactful to people than you realize. It’s not always easy to believe in yourself, yet you must continue journeying forward and continue the work that you’re doing to believe in yourself. As hard as it is, you have to keep pushing, and you have to keep going, and you have to continue to have faith in who you are and the intent behind why you do what you do. 

“AND THE BEAT GOES ON” will be performed on Mar. 21 and 22. Tickets and information can be found here.

Kristie Song is a California Local News Fellow placed with the Los Angeles Blade. The California Local News Fellowship is a state-funded initiative to support and strengthen local news reporting. Learn more about it at fellowships.journalism.berkeley.edu/cafellows.

Sapphic exaltation can be found poolside at The Dinah, where for the last three decades, sapphic people have gathered to dance, find long-lasting community, and celebrate their own sacred queer joy. Affectionately dubbed “lesbian Coachella,” The Dinah is one of the largest music festivals held for queer women and sapphic people, including trans and nonbinary community members. 

The Dinah has always been loud and proud, and was brought to fruition by renowned party thrower Mariah Hanson. In 1991, she organized the festival’s first iteration, molding the Palm Springs Modern Art Museum into a lively, safe bubble for sapphic people to experience high-voltage, unfettered togetherness and belonging — without shame, harm, or discrimination. 

Over 30 years later, The Dinah has become a sapphic “utopia”: a multi-day gathering where people can find community, revel in sapphic excellence, and see some of the biggest superstars in their space thrive on stage. Previous performers include Doechii, Margaret Cho, the Indigo Girls, Tegan and Sara, Princess Nokia, and Lauren Jauregui. 

In 2026, the festival sees another evolution: new leadership. Bella Barkow and Rose Garcia have acquired the festival from Hanson and are aiming to make the event more inclusive, accessible, and joyful than ever. They want to preserve the alchemy of queer parties — these are the very spaces that they, as queer youth, discovered liberation and love. 

Barkow grew up in Toronto’s rave scene and would spend time hanging out in Church and Wellesley, the city’s queer-friendly nucleus. 2,000 miles away, Garcia was stirring up L.A.’s club scene, her infectious wiles becoming the real-life inspiration for a character in the lesbian TV bible, The L Word.

They both also have history with The Dinah: Barkow, a queer event producer, managed the festival’s operations before their recent acquisition. Garcia was hand-plucked by Hanson to host and emcee the festival for over a decade. 

Wild, rebellious, and uplifted by community, Barkow and Garcia are now dedicated to preserving and multiplying this space for other sapphic people across generations. As co-owners of the festival, they speak with great care about carrying this torch forward: of preserving this ecosystem that Hanson constructed and maintained, alone. Their challenge is two-fold: how do they preserve its history and essence while also creating enough breathing room for change and transformation?

The Blade sat down with Barkow and Garcia to talk about their vision for The Dinah and its future. 

Rose, before you were an emcee and now co-owner of The Dinah, you were attending the festival as a young queer person. What was that like for you?

Garcia: When I first discovered the Dinah, it was in my early twenties, and I couldn’t afford to go for the whole weekend. I was young, working, going to school, and figuring things out, so my friends and I would hop into a car and drive up for Sunday’s pool party. When I first showed up there, I was like: this is incredible. I’ve never seen so many sapphic women in one space. It was thousands upon thousands of women. And even though I’m in a big “market” in LA, we still didn’t have a lot of places to go back then. We had the Palms bar and a couple of clubs, but nothing to this scale. 

So when I walked [into the Dinah], I was meeting people from Australia, Europe, Canada — people from all over the world. And it was so amazing, because I never knew something like this existed. It became my go-to place and a part of my life, honestly: [I could] congregate with my friends, take this amazing trip, and be around thousands of folks and feel a sense of acceptance and safety. 

You’ve both been upfront that you want to make sure The Dinah is affordable, inclusive and accessible. Tell me more about the value of that and how you’re making this happen. 

Barkow: It’s nice to think that LGBTQ rights are on a linear path towards betterness, but unfortunately, the world is not working like that. We both believe that this event needs to keep being accessible to the younger generation, to the people who, like us, came out when they were young, and perhaps saw it on The L Word, or The Real L Word, like myself. I remember seeing it when I was in Toronto and being like: “Oh my God. This place exists. This is a real thing. I can actually go there and be myself.” We do think it’s important that this event is for everyone. I’ve had women in their 70’s who are first timers coming up, so you never know. 

Garcia: I also want to interject that even though it’s been open to everyone, we want to actually scream it from the top of the mountains: that it’s not only a sapphic, women-loving-women (WLW) event. It’s open to all of our friends, and we accept and want everyone to feel welcome. That’s really important to Bella and me. We want to make sure our trans community feels welcome, [our] nonbinary community. We want everyone to feel that they can come to this space and feel accepted. 

Barkow: I started gender sensitivity and proper pronoun usage training with the front-of-house staff at Dinah about two years ago, and we’re hoping to expand that and make sure that all staff, including hotel and security, are aware of that. There’s always the fear that [they could] misgender or misrepresent someone based on how they look. [We make it clear] you need to understand that our community is very, very specific. You need to support that and be a part of it. 

What are you most excited about in this new era of The Dinah?

Garcia: I’m excited to see the people who are going to come. When we launched the tickets, we got an overwhelming, warm, amazing reception. That was something that I was initially worried about [in] the change of hands. “Is it going to fare well with the community?” And we’ve been accepted. So, we’re excited to see what the community says about our first production and to see the faces of people just being happy, celebrating, and enjoying the weekend, and to look at my partner and be like: Man, we did this. Our blood, sweat, and tears for the last 10 months are finally coming to fruition.

Bella: I’m really excited to see how the community takes to the new initiatives that we’re bringing out that are community building-specific activations, so things for the solo and single travelers and things for the sober community that really expand the event. [It’s] a music festival first and foremost, but also a space to build lifelong friendships. As Mariah used to call it, this five-day utopia [is] a place where the outside world doesn’t matter and we’re all there to be together and enjoy community together. 

You’ve acquired The Dinah and you’re deep in the planning of this year’s festival. Does all of this, and the reception you’ve received, give you hope for the future of sapphic spaces?

Garcia: Yes, I think it does. Mariah used to have a partnership program [and] we’re going to reignite that. [We’ll] reach out to a lot of sapphic spaces throughout the country and all over the world, and [become] promotional partners. Not only does it support them in any events that they plan on having, because Dinah does have a big draw and a big reach, but it also helps us reach out to those markets as well. And we support each other. It’s a win-win for both. We [also] see a lot of the younger generation working on bringing more events to the community, and Bella and I are big supporters of all of them. 

Barkow: It’s the understanding that there’s enough room at the table for everyone. We need to support each other as a community. Historically, it’s always been like a woman is sitting at the table and she says: “Oh, this is my seat, and it’s the only seat, and so I have to protect my seat.” And that’s not true. I see this as an opportunity for us to help pull other women up to come join the table because there’s a seat for everyone. 

Dinah 2026 takes place from Sept. 30 to Oct. 5 in Palm Springs. More information can be found on their website.

Kristie Song is a California Local News Fellow placed with the Los Angeles Blade. The California Local News Fellowship is a state-funded initiative to support and strengthen local news reporting. Learn more about it at fellowships.journalism.berkeley.edu/cafellows.

With all of the political and social turmoil going on in the nation, it is imperative that our community take a breath and focus on the strength we queer folk have and the good that our leaders are doing. On March 26^th, 7 pm at the Abbey in West Hollywood, the Los Angeles Blade and the community will come together to celebrate the 9^th annual Best of LA Awards.

Nominated by and voted on by our readers in an online process, the Best of LA Awards puts the spotlight on the leading movers and shakers from the business, political, entertainment, nightlife, non-profit, sports realms, and beyond. This year featured a particularly diverse mix of longtime leaders and fresh faces, all making waves to bolster the queer community in Los Angeles.

This year’s award show will be co-hosted by RuPaul’s Drag Race’s Salina EsTitties (winner of last year’s Best Drag Performer) and Los Angeles Blade publisher Alexander Rodriguez. The evening will also include a live performance by three of this year’s Local Musical Artist of the Year: Prince Joshua, Tom Goss, and Ross Allan. The men of MISTR will also make an appearance to spice up the evening. In an excited text to the Blade, EsTitties exclaimed, “As the current reigning Best Drag Performer of Los Angeles, and having won Best Drag Show and Best Brunch in the years prior, I’m thrilled to be hosting this year’s Best of LA Awards!”

Graciously hosted by The Abbey, the awards show is supported by Visit West Hollywood and MISTR, longtime supporters of the Blade, as well as Gym Bar, a first-time Best of LA sponsor.

This year, Pride House LA/West Hollywood will co-present the Best Local Sports Team award and the Blade’s first-ever Legacy Athlete Award, being awarded to Gus Kenworthy. In addition, Genevieve Morrill will accept the Local Hero Award, in recognition of her 15 years as the president and CEO of the West Hollywood Chamber.

Congratulations to this year’s nominees. Winners will be announced online and at the Best of LA Awards show on March 26^th. The event is free and open to the public.

• Best Drag Performer
• Cake Moss
• Charles Galin King
• Kyra Jete
• Laylah Amor
• Misty Violet
• Best Drag Show
• Bring It To Brunch at Mattie’s
• Brunch Service at The Abbey
• Hamburger Mary’s West Hollywood
• Las Reinas at Mickys
• Rocc-ettes at Mattie’s
• Local Influencer of the Year
• Charles Hernandez (CnoteLA)
• Curly Velasquez
• Justin Martindale
• Lucas Dell
• Rose Montoya
• Victoria Pousada Kreindler
• Best LGBTQ Bar
• Gym Bar
• Kiso Los Angeles
• Mattie’s Weho
• Or Bar
• The Abbey
• Best Happy Hour
• 33 Taps
• Fiesta Cantina
• Hi-Tops
• Mickys
• Motherlode
• The Abbey
• Go-Go of the Year
• Daniel Mooney
• Gabriel Gonzalez
• Jay Nova
• Prince Joshua
• Steven Dehler
• Victoria Shaw
• Best Restaurant
• Bottega Louie
• Hamburger Mary’s
• La Boheme
• Pura Vita
• WeHo Bistro
• Best Radio or TV Station
• CHANNEL Q
• KTLA
• LatiNation
• OUTtv
• REVRY
• Best Cannabis Retailer/Lounge
• Artist Tree Lounge
• Elevate
• Green Qween
• Med Men
• The Woods WeHo
• Best LGBTQ Owned Business
• Fan Girl Cafe
• Green Qween
• JJLA
• MISTR
• Wildfang
• Best LGBTQ Social Group
• Dark Circle Film Society
• Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles
• NLGJA Los Angeles
• Outloud Sports
• Unique Woman’s Coalition
• WeHo Dodgeball
• Best House of Worship
• Congregation Kol Ami
• Founders Metropolitan Community Church Los Angeles
• Hollywood Boulevard Episcopal
• Hollywood United Methodist
• InVision Church Los Angeles
• Activist of the Year
• Cory Allen
• Joshua Marin-Mora
• Liliana Perez
• Maebe A. Girl
• Rose Montoya
• Public Official of the Year
• CA State Treasurer Fiona Ma
• Chelsea Byers
• John Erickson
• Lindsey Horvath
• Maebe A. Girl
• Best Local Pro Sports Team (co-presented by PrideHouse LA/West Hollywood)
• Angel City FC
• LA Chargers
• LA Dodgers
• LA Lakers
• LA Rams
• LA Sparks
• Los Angeles FC
• Local Ally of the Year
• Abbe Land
• Jessica Steinman
• Kevin De Nicolo
• Lindsey Horvath
• Senator Lena Gonzalez
• Best Doctor/Medical Provider
• AIDS Healthcare Foundation
• Better U
• Dr. Eric Chaghouri
• LA LGBT Center
• St. John’s Wellness
• UCLA CARE Center
• Most LGBTQ-Friendly Workplace
• AIDS Healthcare Foundation
• City of West Hollywood
• JJLA
• Los Angeles LGBT Center
• Revry
• Non-Profit of the Year
• Asian Americans Advancing Justice (SoCal)
• Equality California
• Los Angeles LGBT Center
• Out Athlete Fund
• Project Angel Food
• Trans Lifeline
• Best Local Actor
• Annie Reznik
• Jason Caceres
• Matthew Scott Montgomery
• Nhut Le
• Shaan Dasani
• Trevor Dow
• Best Local Theatre
• Celebration Theatre
• Center Theatre Group
• Geffen Playhouse
• International City Theatre
• LA Opera
• Pasadena Playhouse
• Local Musical Artist of the Year
• Prince Joshua
• Robert Rene
• Ross Alan
• San Cha
• Tom Goss
• Best LGBTQ Event
• Dinah Shore
• GLAAD Awards
• LA Opera Pride Night
• MISTR’s National PrEP Day
• Outloud Music Festival at Weho Pride
• Pride Night by Hyperion LA
• Best Regional Pride
• DTLA Proud
• Hermosa Beach
• Long Beach Pride
• Palm Springs Pride
• WeHo Pride
• Best Promoter of the Year
• Andres Rigal
• Ash Rodriguez
• Beau Byron
• Joshua Flores
• Paul Nicholls
• LGBTQ Professional of the Year
• Cory Allen
• Erik Braverman
• Kathleen Rawson
• Liliana Perez
• Michael Ferrera
• Tristan Schukraft
• Best Bartender
• Alex Satoshi DiDio
• Danny Hernandez
• Manny De Cielo
• Matthew Stratman
• Michael Susi
• Michael Vega
• Best DJ
• Boy Apocalypse
• DJ Les Ortiz
• DJ SRO
• Lord Izac
• Simon Harrison
• Best Local LGBTQ Podcast
• BabyGay
• No Matter What Club
• On The Rocks
• Sloppy Seconds Podcast
• Very Delta
• Best Salon/Spa
• Bautis LA
• Folklore Salon & Barber
• Project Q
• Shorty’s Barber Shop
• The Massage Company WEHO
• Best Music Venue
• The Disney Concert Hall
• The Hollywood Bowl
• The Roxy Theatre
• The Troubadour
• The Wiltern
• Best Fitness/Workout Spot
• Barry’s WEHO
• Equinox on Sunset
• Gold’s Gym
• John Reed Fitness
• LA Fitness, Hollywood
• Best Hotel
• Andaz
• The West Hollywood EDITION
• Hotel Ziggy
• Kimpton La Peer Hotel
• SoHo House

Local Hero Award: Genevieve Morrill, West Hollywood Chamber

Legacy Athlete Award (co-presented by PrideHouse LA/West Hollywood): Gus Kenworthy

For more information, email [email protected]

Once upon a time in the 1940s, a teenager named Roland Loomis, who lived with his devout Lutheran parents in Aberdeen, S.D., received a hand-me-down camera from his uncle. It was a gift that would change his life.

Small and effeminate, he didn’t exactly fit with the “in” crowd of his small rural town; but he had an inner life more thrilling than anything they had to offer, anyway, and that camera became the key with which it could finally be unlocked. Waiting patiently for those precious hours when he was alone in the house, he used it to capture images of himself that expressed an identity he had only begun to explore, through furtive experiments in body manipulation that incorporated exotic costuming, erotic nudity, gender ambiguity, and what many of us might call (though he would not) self-mutilation, including the piercing of his skin and other extreme forms of physical modification.

Young Roland would go on to become famous (or perhaps, notorious) in the decades to come, but it would be under a different name: Fakir Musafar, the focal figure of filmmaker Angelo Madsen’s documentary “A Body to Live In,” which opened in Los Angeles on Feb. 27 and expands to New York this weekend. 

Like Musafar himself, who died of lung cancer at 87 in 2018, it’s a documentary that doesn’t quite follow the expected rules. Eschewing “talking head” commentators and traditional narration, Madsen spins his movie from his subject’s extensive archives and allows the information to come through the voices of those who were close to him: collaborator and life partner Cléo Dubois, performance artists Ron Athey and Annie Sprinkle, and underground publisher V. Vale are among the many who contribute their memories and impressions of him, while evocative photos and film footage create a hazy “slide show” effect to provide a guided tour of his life, his art, and his legacy. Less a biography than a chronicle of profoundly unorthodox self-discovery, it details his development from those early days of clandestine self-photography through a continual evolution that would see him become a performance artist, a central figure in the burgeoning BDSM culture, a seeker who espoused eroticism as a spiritual practice, the founder of a “Radical Faeries” offshoot for the kink/fetish community, and ultimately an elder and mentor for a new generation for whom his once-taboo ideas and explorations had essentially become mainstream – thanks in no small part to his own pioneering efforts.

It’s a fascinating, hypnotic trip into a culture which might feel disturbingly transgressive to those who have never been a part of it – yet will almost certainly feel like being “seen” to those who have. It opens a window into a lifestyle where leather, kink, BDSM, gender play, and non-monogamous “situationships” are not just accepted but viewed as natural variations on the spectrum of human sexuality; and in the middle of it all is Musafar, on a deeply personal quest to connect with the deepest part of his essence through the intense and ritualistic pursuit of an inner drive that keeps pushing him further. As one reminiscing cohort remarks during the film, it’s as if he is “trying to find an answer to a question that” he “cannot form.”

Indeed, it might be said that Madsen’s movie is an exercise in forming that question; bringing his own “transness” into the mix as he examines the various aspects of Musafar’s ever-evolving relationship with self, identity, and presentation, he evokes a timely resonance in which the imperative to make physical form match psychic self-perception becomes an irresistible force, and draws a direct line between his subject’s fluid ambiguity and the plight faced by modern trans people over the bigotry of those who think gender is strictly about genitalia. Perhaps the question has to do with whether we are defined by our identities or by our physical form – or if both are malleable, adaptable, and in a constant state of flux.

In any case, with regard to Musafar, “A Body to Live In” is unquestionably a film about transformation, not just of physical manifestation but of consciousness itself. In his journey from being little Roland, the outcast schoolboy with a secret fetish, to Fakir, the spiritual psychonaut for whom sex and gender are only walls that separate us from a true and eternal essence, he is embodied by Madsen’s reverent documentary as a being in the process of breaking free from the restrictions of physical existence, of transcending all such distinctions by letting go of life itself – something underscored not only by the section of the movie dealing with the impact of the AIDS epidemic on Musafar’s deeply-bonded community, but by his own words, spoken in a deathbed interview that serves as a connecting thread throughout the film. We are kept unavoidably aware of the mortality which – for Musafar at least – seems little more than a prison that keeps us from the unfettered joy of our true nature.

But while Madsen honors his subject as a pillar – and an under-sung hero – of contemporary queer culture, he also addresses the aspects that made him a “problematic” figure; in his life, he drew criticism over perceived cultural appropriation from the indigenous American tribes whose sacred rituals inspired the kink-flavored practices which facilitated his own spiritual odyssey, and which he popularized among his own acolytes to give rise to the still-controversial “Modern Primitive” movement that has been criticized by some for turning meaningful cultural traditions into an excuse for trendy fashion accessories. Even Musafar’s survivors, whose love for him exudes palpably from the stories and memories they share of him throughout the film, make observations that point to his flaws; yet at the same time, Madsen’s documentary makes clear that Musafar himself never saw himself as perfect, either – just as someone willing to endure the kind of suffering that most of us might find unbearable in order to get closer to perfection.

Of course, it probably helped that he enjoyed that so-called “suffering,” but that’s perhaps too glib an observation in the face of a film that so clearly makes a case for the deep and sincere commitment he held for his quest for transcendence; but it’s also a helpful reminder that his practices – which might seem macabre and twisted to the uninitiated – were also an experience of joy, an exercise in rising above pain and making it a vehicle toward enlightenment, and in achieving a deeper understanding of one’s own place in this confusing place we call the universe.

Full disclosure: “A Body to Live In” is an intense experience, replete with candid sexual conversation, frequent nudity, and graphic scenes of extreme fetish practices – like suspension by metal hooks through the skin – which might be hard to handle for those who are unprepared to be confronted by them. Even so, as dark and menacing as it might be for the squeamish outsider, the world revealed in Madsen’s eloquent portrait is full of treasures and steeped in dark beauty, and it’s hard to imagine a more fitting way than that to portray a queer pioneer like the former Roland Loomis.

While many of the speeches given at this week’s GLAAD Media Awards touched on the Trump administration’s ongoing attacks against the queer community, the evening was also a rare opportunity for the LGBTQ+ community to come together and celebrate each other’s unique accomplishments in the competitive world of entertainment and media.

As legends like Kiss of the Spider Woman and Dreamgirls director Bill Condon hit the star-studded red carpet at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, The Blade asked GLAAD nominees and guests to reflect on recent moments of queer joy in their lives — however that phrase may resonate.

“Heated Rivalry, I know it’s a cliche, but that is pure joy!” Condon said. “There’s something about its Canadian nature that’s exactly what we need in America right now.”

For performer Frankie Grande, who was in attendance as a GLAAD nominee for outstanding breakthrough music artist following the release of his “very gay, very femme-forward” debut album Hotel Rock, joy has been found on stage. “I’m in rehearsals right now for the Broadway show Titanique, and it is so gay! I’m so grateful, and it’s just been the most fun I’ve ever had.”

Being nominated by GLAAD was extra special for Grande: “I wasn’t really expecting it to do major things, but it was embraced by this community. And that’s the only thing I really cared about. I was hoping that it would continue to inspire people who maybe aren’t in a place where they’re seen or heard. And now they’re dancing around their living room to “Boys!”

David Archuleta recently released his memoir, Devout, about his journey from the American Idol stage to being closeted in the Mormon church. Now, he’s reflecting on his relationship with family after fully embracing his queerness.

“I have other siblings that are part of the LGBTQ+ community, and it’s been great just to relate to them,” Archuleta said. “When I first came out, my mom was like, ‘No, I can’t accept this.’ And now she sticks a rainbow flag in her front yard!”

Canada’s Drag Race guest star and GLAAD presenter Lauren Chan found the courage to come out through fashion. Last May, she became the first out lesbian on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. On the red carpet, she shared how “it’s important to also recognize the small moments, right? Now being married to my wife, I have joyous moments every day in the kitchen. We see our friends in the community in New York, and we feel joy. And I feel an immense amount of joy in this room!”

That sentiment of joy and community in the room continued throughout the evening, as queer icons Liza Minnelli and Laverne Cox made appearances. The GLAAD Media Awards will officially air Saturday, March 21, on Hulu.

Check out The Blade’s coverage from inside the room here.

Katya Zamolodchikova has been a breakout star since their tenure on RuPaul’s Drag Race. With Trixie Mattel, they’ve created a veritable media empire with multiple YouTube series, live shows, tons of brand awareness, and podcasts. Katya steps away from their frequent collaborator to unite with everyone’s favorite frenemy, Grindr, on an interview podcast, “Who’s The Asshole?”

She brings her offbeat sense of humor, irreverent mind, and a new hairpiece to interview some of the hottest people of the moment. This season features Jinkx Monsoon, Jeremy Scott, everyone’s favorite transvestigator Luscious Massacr, Peaches, Pat Regan, and The Traitors star Colton Underwood.

This marks the fourth season of this podcast, which has a distinctly different vibe from The Bald & The Beautiful in the same way Monet XChange plays off Bob the Drag Queen, but is a consummate professional interviewer on Monet Talks. Katya breaks from playing off her straight man, Trixie, and instead partners with Grindr. It’s the perfect combination for a sexy, unhinged podcast with some of your favorite queer celebrities dishing about life, sex, and app culture. 

Katya took time for quick chat and gave us a brain dump of her hottest thoughts about everything from Heated Rivalry to hooking up. 

 Edge: What do you love about this podcast?

Katya: I love getting to talk to wildly different people about sexual ethics, social mores, and really dissect our behaviors and patterns around sexuality. 

E: What is your take on the Heated Rivalry phenomenon?

K: I love it. I love them. I love gay sex and I can’t wait for season 2.

What does dating look like in a post-Heated Rivalry world?

Probably just fucking on a Zamboni. I think that’s the vibe. 

Any thoughts on Pillion?

I think it’s very important. I think it’s essential. In a way, it’s even required. (I haven’t seen it yet.) 

What is the state of Drag? Drag Race?

Drag is, has always been, and will always continue to be corny, so we must do everything in our power to be as cunty as possible. Drag Race is franchising all over the globe, and I think it’s amazing. 

Has “representation” sanitized queer expression?

I don’t think so. You should see some of my queer friends and the way they express themselves! Nothing sanitary there!

Who benefits from “respectable” drag?

Restaurant and nightclub owners. Less blood and feces to clean up. 

How have the apps changed queer culture?

They have changed our culture in so many ways. For introverts and shy folk, apps are such a boon! I was afraid to talk to anyone up to age 30. I would have to give a big, warm thank you to Grindr for helping facilitate my year of sexual discovery.

Hot takes on dating? Polyamory? open relationships?

It’s always much simpler than people think. Do you like him? Do you? You should be able to answer that question in 2 seconds. Does he like you? You should answer that in 3 seconds. The rest is just trial and error and hopefully a lot of moaning and groaning (on the hockey rink only, of course).

Katya has six episodes of this season of “Who’s The Asshole?” premiering each Thursday on YouTube and your favorite podcast apps. 

Last night’s GLAAD Media Awards had a few pleasant surprises in store.

Throughout the evening, which was hosted by Mean Girls star Jonathan Bennett on Thursday, March 5, at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, the audience was clued into the fact that a mystery guest would make an appearance. By the end of the night, it was revealed to be none other than Cabaret star and queer icon Liza Minnelli, who was in attendance to accept the newly-created Liza Minnelli Storyteller Award.

An emotional Minnelli told the crowd of queer attendees and creatives, “You make me so proud because you’re so strong, and you stand up for what you believe in. You really do, and it’s so nice to be here. I feel like a five-year-old!” Everyone then joined in a happy birthday celebration for Minnelli’s upcoming birthday on March 12, and the release of her upcoming memoir, Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!

Another moment that got the audience standing and cheering was when Orange Is the New Black star Laverne Cox took to the stage to call out how “what is going on right now in the United States of America is not right.”

She said, “Identify, I said this earlier, and I’m going to say it again, what dehumanizing language and images are. Call it out and don’t buy into it! So much of my struggle over the past several years [has been] trying to figure out how to combat this assault on my community, rhetorically. I do not want to have the conversation about my life and my humanity on the oppressor’s terms.”

That message was echoed by Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers when accepting the Stephen F. Kolzak Award for their Las Culturistas podcast and pledging to donate $10k to Equality Kansas after the state revoked transgender people’s driver’s licenses. “We cannot accept this award without condemning the rampant active transphobia from this administration,” Rogers said. “We are also here to let them know in advance that they are fighting a losing battle. When we gather in rooms like this, we are always going to have each other’s backs.”

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Among the big winners last night were Heated Rivalry for outstanding new TV series, The Traitors for outstanding reality competition program, Stranger Things for outstanding drama series, Palm Royale (which was just cancelled after two seasons) for outstanding comedy series, Come See Me in the Good Light for outstanding documentary, Kiss of the Spider Woman for outstanding wide theatrical release film and a tie between A Nice Indian Boy and Plainclothes for outstanding limited theatrical release film.

Quinta Brunson received the Vanguard Award for her hit TV series Abbott Elementary, which features Jacob, an openly queer character played by Chris Perfetti. Brunson said, “Queer people have been a part of my life since birth. I have to shout out my uncle… who was the first example of representation in my life of queer people, who allowed me to be free. There are so many people in the room who changed my life.”

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On the music side, Young Miko won for outstanding music artist, and KATSEYE won for outstanding breakthrough music artist. Demi Lovato even opened the show with a steamy performance of her single “Kiss.”

The GLAAD Media Awards will officially air Saturday, March 21 on Hulu.

Todd Stephens, director of both the outrageous Another Gay Movie (which turns 20 this year!) and Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild!, knows all too well that the era of early 2000s comedies like Wet Hot American Summer and Not Another Teen Movie has largely come and gone.

But with the theatrical re-release of his 2008 cult classic Another Gay Sequel, which features memorable cameos from RuPaul, Perez Hilton, Scott Thompson and the late Colton Ford, Stephens is hopeful that his 2000s comedies will find new audiences and “make people laugh” in our increasingly “crazy, dark” world.

“Nobody’s really making these kinds of raunchy, irreverent satires [anymore]. I mean, people are afraid. Comedians and filmmakers are afraid of being cancelled if they cross the line, which sometimes we do when we’re making crazy comedies,” Stephens says. “There are things about Another Gay Sequel that I would never do now. I wish I could go back and change. But it takes a lot of guts to make a politically incorrect film, and I think that’s why people still appreciate seeing that.”

Shot on location in Florida, Another Gay Sequel follows four young men (played by Jake Mosser, Jonah Blechman, Jimmy Clabots, and Aaron Michael Davies) who spend their spring break vacation in Fort Lauderdale — the goal, of course, to hook up with as many men as possible. What ensues must be seen to be believed, as Stephens’ comedy harkens back to pre-Grindr and pre-Instagram hookup culture.

“I made films primarily for the queer community so we could laugh at ourselves. Up until that time, mid to early 2000s queer content was so serious — coming out films where the queer characters were agonizing about who they were,” Stephens says, while foregrounding that he made his own coming out movie with 1998’s Edge of Seventeen. “I wanted to do something different and set it in a world where they were already out loud and proud. Being queer was not the conflict. They just wanted to get laid like every other young guy!”

While Another Gay Movie grossed nearly $800,000 worldwide and has continued to reach queer audiences, Stephens admits he faced more challenges when coming back for the sequel two years later. He says, “The sequel was not as well-received as the original. I think that’s generally the case with sequels. The other challenge with Another Gay Sequel is that I was originally going to make it with the cast of the first movie, and unfortunately, right before we started shooting, two of the guys decided not to come back.”

Stephens continues, “I didn’t speak to them for years, but now, over the years, we’re all friends again. Actually, we just had dinner a couple of weeks ago and even batted around ideas for doing a part three of the trilogy. So who knows!”

In the indie film scene, Stephens is known for his more understated character dramas. Most recently, Stephens wrote, directed, and produced Swan Song as the final film in his “Ohio Trilogy,” which also features 1998’s Edge of Seventeen and 2001’s Gypsy 83. The 2021 release starred the late Udo Kier as hairdresser Pat Pitsenbarger, based on the queer inspiration that Stephens looked up to growing up in Ohio.

“When Udo opened the door to his house and introduced me to his dog, whose name was Liza Minnelli, I was like, ‘There’s another whole side of Udo that the world hasn’t really seen.’ He was, honestly, probably the best actor I’ve ever worked with in my life. Every day watching him on set was like a masterclass in acting,” Stephens says. “It’s a big loss, but Udo had a legendary career, so he left a lot of amazing work behind for us to check out.”

Recalling both his experiences working with the late Kier and Ford, and the importance of younger queer people connecting with the icons that came before them, Stephens says: “When I was growing up, the small town gay bar was where I met people from other generations. They told me stories and passed on queer culture. There was this intergenerational conversation that happened because we were gathering as a community. That is, sadly, something more challenging these days.”

He concludes, “The five queer resorts we shot at in Another Gay Sequel, for example, are all gone. The physical gay world is becoming extinct, and that’s something we have to work harder at to learn from our elders — the ones who paved the way for us. It’s more challenging, but we just have to work a little harder to connect with everybody. Get off our damn phones and go be with our people!”

Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild! is currently streaming on all major platforms.

The 48th annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade was held on Feb. 28.

(Photos by Cori Mitchell)

Most gay men of a certain age remember “the kiss.”

It was the moment Madonna’s dancers Salim Gauwloos and Gabriel Trupin locked lips in the hit 1991 documentary film “Truth or Dare,” which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this spring.

The kiss was hot, but what made it groundbreaking is that it appeared in a mainstream Hollywood movie that screened in suburban multiplexes across the country. This wasn’t an obscure art house film. The movie, and tour on which it was based, received months of breathless media attention all over the world for bold expressions of female empowerment and queer visibility. Madonna was threatened with arrest in Toronto for simulating masturbation on stage and Pope John Paul II urged Catholics to boycott the show, triggering a media firestorm. 

“Truth or Dare” was billed as a behind-the-scenes documentary of the tour, but it quickly became clear that the real star of the show wasn’t Madonna, but rather her colorful troupe of seven backup dancers, six of whom identified as gay: Kevin Stea, Carlton Wilborn, Luis Xtravaganza Camacho, Jose Gutierez Xtravaganza, Gauwloos, and Trupin; Oliver Crumes III identifies as straight.

We saw them party and march in the New York City Pride parade. They were unabashedly queer at a dangerous time — before protease inhibitors began to stem the AIDS plague and before most celebrities and politicians embraced the gay community in any real way. Being out in 1991 carried major risks to career and reputation. 

Enter Gauwloos, one of those brave dancers who vogued his way into the hearts of countless gay men entranced by his handsome looks, his stage presence, and dance skills. 

Gauwloos — known then and now as “Slam”— sat down with the Blade to talk Madonna, the lasting impact of “Truth or Dare,” the public disclosure of his HIV status, and plans for a new book on his life. 

His story is fascinating — from growing up in Europe to dancing in New York to landing the gig of a lifetime with Madonna. He performed on that tour while secretly HIV positive and went without medical treatment for 10 years because he was living in the United States as an undocumented immigrant. Not even Madonna knew of his HIV status. Two other dancers on the tour were also HIV positive but no one talked about it. Ironically, Madonna was singing “Express Yourself” and advocating for condom use during her concerts yet backstage three of her dancers were secretly positive.

“A lot of people were dying so I wasn’t going to tell Madonna I had HIV,” said Slam, now 57. “And the others didn’t either. It wasn’t the moment to do it. She used to make speeches about Keith Haring and AIDS and I thought it’s going to be me next.”

Gabriel Trupin died of AIDS in 1995. Slam was diagnosed at age 18 in 1987, a frightening time when a positive test result often meant a death sentence. He booked the “Blond Ambition Tour” at age 21 after moving to New York. His friends encouraged him to audition but Slam resisted because he wasn’t a big Madonna fan.

“It was crazy, everyone wanted that job,” he said, “but I wanted to dance with Janet Jackson and Paula Abdul.” He listened to his friends and shortly after the audition, Slam received a call from Madonna herself inviting him to join the tour.

“We all wanted to be stars but not even Madonna knew how big that tour would become. The way it was choreographed and directed, the stars aligned. … It never looks dated even today.”

The world tour kicked off in Japan in April 1990 then moved to the United States and Europe, stirring controversy wherever it went. There was the iconic cone bra; the aforementioned simulated masturbation during “Like a Virgin”; and religious imagery that offended many Catholic groups and the Vatican.

And the controversy didn’t end with the tour. Cameras were rolling throughout the tour for what Slam thought would be a “video memory” for Madonna. But as the tour unfolded, director Alek Keshishian reportedly became more interested in what was happening behind the scenes so plans for mere tour footage were expanded into a full documentary.

“We were young and partying and didn’t really know what was going on,” Slam said. “You live in this celebrity bubble and you sign a paper – I don’t even know what I signed.”

In 1992, Kevin, Oliver, and Gabriel sued Madonna for invasion of privacy and fraud claiming she used some footage without their consent. They claim they were told nothing would be included in the film that they didn’t want to be seen. In one specific incident, Gabriel alleged that he told producers he didn’t want the scene of him kissing Slam to be in the film as he wasn’t fully out.

“Gabriel was forcibly outed,” in the movie, Kevin said in a 2016 interview.

Slam did not join his colleagues in the lawsuit.

“I couldn’t sue because I was illegal but I wasn’t ever going to sue,” Slam said. “I’m not a suing kind of person. But good for them, they fought for it and won. A lot of people don’t have the balls to sue Madonna.” The suit was settled two years later for an undisclosed sum.

“We were all conflicted about the kiss,” he said with a laugh. “The kiss, oh my God, my boyfriend is going to kill me! Belgian stress!”

Beyond worrying about his boyfriend’s reaction, Slam had concerns about the impact of being openly gay on his modeling career.

“In 1990, you couldn’t get high fashion campaigns as an openly gay model,” he said. “I was worried about that. I couldn’t get a campaign because I was gay. My agency told me to say I was straight and it was just a game.”

In 2016, pegged to the 25th anniversary of “Truth or Dare,” the surviving six dancers filmed a documentary about their lives post-Madonna titled “Strike A Pose.” In it, Slam publicly revealed his HIV status for the first time in an emotional scene with his former colleagues.

“I found the strength to tell the world I have HIV,” he recalls. “I was scared but I felt brave. The outcome and messages were beautiful. After I saw ‘Strike A Pose,’ I knew we gave people hope. And not just for gay people.”

He was infected in 1987 but didn’t get treated until 1997. After the tour ended, he said he went into a depression and his agency dropped him. 

“I was partying too much after the tour,” he recalls. “I made a decision to live as an illegal alien.” In 1997, Slam collapsed and was rushed to the hospital with pneumonia. 

“They started treating me and thank God the new HIV drugs were out, the cocktails, it took me a couple months to get better.”

Madonna didn’t participate in “Strike A Pose” and Slam said he hasn’t seen or spoken to her since the end of the tour. He said he had no idea of the impact “Truth or Dare” would have. 

“You look at this movie in 1991 and you don’t think it’s going to be such a big thing and 35 years later it’s still helping people,” he said. “It was helpful for people who felt alone at that time. It was such an important documentary.

“I don’t think younger gay people realize how important Madonna was to gay and queer visibility — she was a big part of it. We showed the world it’s OK to be gay and that was the great message of this movie.”

He noted that, decades later, many of his friends have transgender kids and that queer culture is represented in much of mainstream pop culture.

“It’s amazing how far we’ve come,” he said. “I know we’ll always be marginalized but we have come so far. I’m really proud of our community. The current nightmare will be over and I do believe that things will get better.”

Referencing President Trump’s attacks on the LGBTQ community and crackdown on immigration, Slam described the situation in the U.S. today as “sad.”

“Everything is such a mess,” he said. “Some of these people have lived here 30-40 years and they take you out of your home. I can’t even imagine. It breaks my heart. When I was illegal it was a different story.”

Slam met his husband, Facundo Gabba, who’s from Argentina, in 2000, and he helped him get a legal case together to win citizenship. He filed a case in 2001 and was told there was a 99 percent chance he wouldn’t be permitted to stay in the United States because they weren’t allowing HIV-positive immigrants to remain in the country. But he got his green card anyway in 2005 and became a U.S. citizen in 2012. 

Today, Slam and Gabba live in Brooklyn, though they travel a lot because “I can’t take the cold.” The couple married in Argentina in 2010 and in the U.S. in 2016.

Slam is still dancing and working as a choreographer. He’s teaching at a contemporary dance festival in Vienna in July and even offers online lessons via Salimdans.com.

As a longtime HIV survivor, Slam is dedicated to a healthful lifestyle.

“You have to keep moving; when you move you stay healthy,” he says. “Dance heals everything. I do yoga, I eat healthy and clean as possible. I don’t watch much TV … I try to stay healthy and positive. If I absorb all of the negativity I would be sick.”

In addition to his ongoing work in dance and choreography, Slam is in the early stages of writing a book about his extraordinary life and pioneering career.

“I always knew I had a book inside of me. I want to talk about my HIV status. I know I can inspire more people. I want to tell even more secrets in the book; secrets are a poison so I want to tell everything.” 

Among those secrets, he notes, is a desire to write about his strict Muslim father and the years he spent as an undocumented immigrant in America. 

“Those are the things I want to talk about, the struggles. It’s a love story, hope and resilience. I know it will help people.”

As for his friends from the tour, Slam says he remains in contact with Gabriel’s mother and José Xtravaganza is his best friend. Baltimore’s Center Stage theater is currently developing a new musical about Xtravaganza’s life. And Slam said he occasionally talks to Oliver, though “he still can’t pronounce Sandra Bernhard’s name.”

At the end of our interview, Slam indulged a round a rapid fire questions:

• Favorite song to perform in the “Blond Ambition” tour? “Express Yourself.”

• Aside from Madonna, who was your favorite artist you worked with? Toni Braxton in “Aida” on Broadway. 

• Favorite Madonna song? “Live to Tell”

• Favorite Madonna video? “Bedtime Stories”

• What’s more stressful: performing in a concert or performing on the VMAs? “Both, because we always had to be perfect.”

• Did you go to Madonna’s recent “Celebration” tour? “I didn’t see the show but I saw clips online.”

• What do you remember most about performing “Vogue” at the VMAs? “It was nerve-racking for them to flip those fans.”

• When was the last time you vogued? “I teach classes so a couple weeks ago.”