this week in queer!

Yesterday, a Russian court upheld the sentencing of Brittney Griner to nine years in a penal colony for drug smuggling. Read about the appeal’s rejection here. According to writer Fabrice Houdart "Griner has become a political pawn in the depressing geopolitical game rocking Eastern Europe." U.S. officials have said this was the expected outcome of the hearing and they will continue to push for a prisoner exchange, calling her imprisonment wrongful detainment. We are horrified. Our thoughts are with Brittney and her family.

What’s new in the music biz? Tegan and Sara’s new album Crybaby is out, and it delivers. “Yellow” is a standout. Watch them look back on their long career in Them. Kim Petras has just become the first trans artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 alongside Sam Smith, who became the first non-binary artist to do so. Lesbian singer Mary Lambert, who you may know for singing “Same Love,” got married to her partner in Maine, and their wedding pictures were featured in People Magazine. Also, Redcar, the artist formerly known as Christine and The Queens, posted an extremely cool and hot photo on Instagram.

For your reading pleasure. Check out Emma Corrin on the cover of The Cut (shot by our ever-talented friend Emily Lipson!)

Read this essay about top surgery in Esquire, and learn more about the anti-trans bills being proposed around the country in The Washington Post. Feast your eyes on this gutsy essay by Julia Armfield, author of the excellent new novel Our Wives Under The Sea. Also, why not contemplate how animated shows have been making huge strides in queer representation, but why that progress might not last?

Other dispatches from the little gay people inside the internet:

• Kiersey Clemons and Barbie Ferreira are set to star in a new movie about drag kings in the ‘90s. The Young King will mark the directorial debut of filmmaker Larin Sullivan.

• Some sleuths are convinced Rebel Wilson is engaged to her girlfriend.

• Some people thought the lesbian emu girl was going to start another pandemic because she was cuddling her sick emu, but it turns out he was just stressed. (We can’t believe we just wrote that sentence.)

• Carmen from The Good Fight has a girlfriend. If you’re getting war flashbacks of Kalinda from The Good Wife, raise your hand.

• The loss of an icon. Sad news this week – on Monday, beloved actor, comedian, and singer Leslie Jordan passed away at the age of 67. Most well-known for his role on Will & Grace. We hope you’ll twirl in his honor today.

• Chloë Grace Moretz is probably still dating her girlfriend of four years, reports show.

• Real Housewives of Orange County alumn Alex Bellino has a trans son, and he wants everyone to know he’s proud of who he is.

We can't wait to see 500 of you at our Dykey Hallows party with the Leslie this Saturday at 3 Dollar Bill. We hope to see some of you in this costume...

Until next time,Evan Rachel Wood’s tongue piercing in the movie Thirteen

This newsletter was written by Kira Deshler and edited by Nicole Ripka