Every year when the calendar turns from May 31 to June 1, it can feel like the world got gay overnight. Pride Month marks the peak of queer and trans news, when major media outlets, corporations, production studios, casting departments and pretty much every aspect of culture races to acknowledge that LGBTQ2S+ folks exist.
The first day of the month usually brings a torrent of news, from magazine covers to casting announcements and carefully timed coming-outs. It’s a lot to get through! Thankfully, every week in “The Buzz” we round up the most important news to keep you in the loop of queer and trans pop culture.
This week we’re looking at the first wave of Pride Month 2022, from steamy magazine shoots to new trailers and renewal announcements.
Here’s what you missed this week in pop culture.
→ It wouldn’t be Pride Month without some steamy magazine photo shoots featuring LGBTQ2S+ stars, and 2022 was no exception. Mags pulled out all of the stops to ensure we all know that these folks are here, queer and ready to serve face.
Elliot Page graced the cover of Esquire, where he also penned a nuanced essay about transition, work, books and sex. When I woke up June 1, it was the first thing I saw on my Twitter feed and honestly I haven’t stopped thinking about it since.
Meanwhile, Sara Ramirez talked controversial comedy icon Che Diaz and the future of And Just Like That… for Variety.
Joel Kim Booster and Billy Eichner teamed up for Entertainment Weekly to promote their respective gay rom-coms and to also be literally outstanding in a field.
JoJo Siwa upped the gay energy for Paper Magazine (now that’s an Elvis movie I’d watch).
Mae Martin appeared in British GQ, though they took some issue with how it was received online.
And Olympian Tom Daley graced the cover of the Advocate.
Honestly, I’m going to launch a petition for every month to feature this many queer stars living their best lives.
→ This week, forever ally Lynda Carter is out here reminding us all that Wonder Woman is for the bisexuals.
→ Fire Island stars Bowen Yang and Margaret Cho spoke to NBC Out about how LGBTQ2S+ spaces can be unwelcoming for queer Asians.
“There’s just this deep need to externalize these feelings that we’ve kept inside of us our whole lives,” Yang said. “I obviously have these frivolous, kooky, goofy moments with my queer Asian friends. But I also feel like there is this grounding force of us all, like, seeing, acknowledging the pain.”
→ The first trailer for Billy Porter’s directorial debut, Anything’s Possible, is here! The coming-of-age romance film stars Eva Reign as a confident high schooler who becomes the subject of a crush.
→ After sporting an outfit with the word “queer” during awards season earlier this year, King Richard star Aunjanue Ellis spoke openly about her bisexuality for the first time last week.
“I am a work in progress, and my family and my community are works in progress,” Ellis told Variety. “I really believe that that is important to say because I’m not alone. We see people on the other side of it, where everybody’s good and fine: ‘Love is love.’”
→ The upcoming film adaptation of Casey McQuiston’s beloved novel Red, White & Royal Blue has cast its two leads! Taylor Zakhar Perez (Netflix’s The Kissing Booth) and Nicholas Galitzine (the 2021 version of Cinderella) will be stepping into the roles of Alex and Prince Henry.
→ Actress and trans advocate Angelica Ross has released a new single and a VERY sultry music video to go along with it.
→ For the Pride episode of her iconic satirical talk show, comedian Ziwe took on queerbaiting with a little help from Crush actress Rowan Blanchard.
→ Everyone got really excited when it appeared that American Girl outed one of their famous dolls on the first day of Pride month. But in a statement, the company walked it back.
“The new Molly collection releasing today is simply aligned with when all of our new summer product is debuting. Nothing more.”
→ Midway through a concert last week, the singer Syd announced that they got married and fans are obsessed.
→ Kate Bush is back in the cultural conversation thanks to the much-hyped needle-drop of her hit “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” in the new season of Stranger Things. But if you’ve been a queer teen at any point in the past five decades, it’s likely you’re already familiar with our beguiling British queen.
→ A bunch of stars turned up for the West Hollywood Pride parade this past weekend, including Janelle Monáe, JoJo Siwa and Cardi B.
→ This one’s for the gaymers—Skrim and Fallout mods can now finally use the words “queer” and “lesbian” in titles without them being flagged by word filters.
→ The trailer for Apple TV+’s new comedy Loot is here, and it looks like we’re going to get a badass (and badassly hilarious) turn from Michaela Jaé Rodriguez.
→ Meet the 10 queens set to star in Drag Race: France Season 1.
→ After weeks of fan campaigning, HBO Max has finally renewed the beloved queer pirate comedy Our Flag Means Death for Season 2. Arrrrr!
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