Popping culture: Jonah Mowry is a real person

Last Sunday, I posted this open letter to Jonah Mowry after watching his video. The video, which was posted in August, seemed to have garnered a lot of attention in the past few days. In my letter, I wrote:

I don’t know if you’re real. This is the internet after all. But for the sake of argument, let’s say you are. I hope you are.

And then today, I saw this:

So what does this mean? It means he is real. It means things may have gotten better for Mowry. It means that he’s still a kid in the eighth grade who chews gum when he makes videos. It means that he’s like a lot of youth at that age, developing and understanding himself and how he expresses that.

I still believe in what I said in my previous post. Jonah needs the support he’s receiving. Lots of kids do. My letter to him was open, because I believe everyone needs to hear words of support. Not just eighth graders with YouTube accounts and occasional uncanny connections to the cultural zeitgeist.

Everyone.

Journalist, writer, blogger, producer.

Keep Reading

Cole Escola won a Tony. But why are acting awards still so gendered?

The “Oh, Mary!” star became the first non-binary actor to win a lead acting Tony Award

How trans comics can save the world

ANALYSIS: The world is growing increasingly hostile toward the LGBTQ2S+ community. We need superheroes now more than ever

‘Disappoint Me’ is a study in compassion

Nicola Dinan’s second novel raises big questions about forgiveness, justice and responsibility
A pink background with two hands made out of American dollar bills in a handshake; behind the hands are women playing sports

Womens sports is booming. Can it continue ethically?

ANALYSIS: The WNBA and PWHL are thriving, but will problematic partnerships in the interest of profits threaten their success?