Indonesian LGBTQ panic, a homophobic Trump staffer and Shawn Mendes on top

Happy New Year, friend! I hope you had a chance to recharge during the holidays and are ready for another year of supreme queer energy

Here’s a sneak peek into this week’s edition of our newsletter, Xtra Weekly:

QUEER NEWS AROUND THE WORLD

Aside from being the biggest ‘who dis?’ of the new year, U.S. President Donald Trump’s newly appointed senior legal adviser, Jenna Ellis, is also an anti-Muslim homophobe who supports conversion therapy, according to documents by Media Matters for America. Also this week: How the conviction of an Indonesian gay man in the U.K. has sent a wave of fear through the LGBTQ community in Indonesia, and the U.S. United Methodist Church’s split into two denominations.

SIS, CULTURE IS QUEER

Shawn Mendes was a gay porn site’s top searched term of 2019, trans actor Josie Totah has been cast in the upcoming reboot of Saved By The Bell and Jake Gyllenhaal is going gay again. See? Pop culture is oh-so queer.

All these stories and more in this week’s Xtra Weekly.

GIFBOX

Here’s a little present (yes, it’s a GIF) to welcome you to the weekend.

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