4 LGBTQ2 happenings to wind you up or down right now

What to watch: QueerX Live TV Channel

To honour National LGBTQ2 History Month, QueerX will be running a free live TV channel featuring queer films, short series, music videos and more from Oct. 1 to Oct. 31. The program, presented by Revry, will also be premiering the streaming service’s new POC-driven panel, “Amplify Voices,” which will explore the intersectionality of Black and queer identity through different lenses, including entertainment, sports and politics. The panel will feature hosts like DJ and activist Joshua “Zeke” Thomas, Fox News contributor Donna Brazile, NBA Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas and other notable voices. The theme of this year’s festival is “Rise Up,” encouraging political participation through screenings and panels. QueerX virtual streaming events will be taking place daily from Oct. 1 to Oct 31, viewable on the festival’s website.

What to read: The Times I Knew I Was Gay by Eleanor Crewes

London-based illustrator Eleanor Crewes has transformed a quirky zine into her debut graphic novel, The Times I Knew I Was Gay, which follows the author’s life as she navigates self-discovery and her sexuality. Recalling past relationships and awkward encounters, the author reflects on how coming out isn’t a singular event; fighting misleading desires, the character comes out to herself multiple times. The Times I knew I Was Gay by Eleanor Crewes will be available on Amazon in the U.S. and Canada on Oct. 6.

What to listen to: “Boyfriend for the Night” by Bryce Bowyn

Washington-based dance-pop singer Bryce Bowyn is releasing a new single, “Boyfriend for the Night,” on Oct. 6. Inspired by ’80s pop sheen, Bowyn’s latest song is layered with synth sounds and explores the short-lived intimate moments the singer found himself inhabiting while recovering from a breakup. After using temporary flings to feel a romantic connection again, the singer realized that recreating the past “was not a recipe for success.” “Boyfriend for the Night” by Bryce Bowyn will be available to stream on Apple Music and Spotify on Oct. 6.

What to look at: Lambda LitFest

Lambda Literary, the group behind the Lambda Literary Awards, is hosting its 4th annual Lambda LitFest, a week-long festival celebrating queer Black writers and artists, starting on Oct. 5. The festival aims to celebrate, support and connect BIPOC writers, artists and activists who open the conversation of making art while trying to dismantle a white supremacist, hetereonormative world. Events include “Black Joy,” a panel featuring, among others, activist and writer Nicole Shawan Junior and queer playwright and screenwriter Roger Q. Mason discussing the importance of Black joy and how it can be harnessed and celebrated in art; and “Writing in Hollywood as Black and POC LGBTQIA+ Folks,” featuring Steve Harper, writer of ABC’s American Crime, trans writer and director Kase Peña and more. Lambda LitFest runs every night from Oct. 5 to Oct. 9 at 9 p.m. EST on Zoom. You can register for the events on the festival’s website.