For generations, the story of Sodom and Gomorrah has been weaponized to justify discrimination—particularly against LGBTQ+ people—by those who claim the cities were destroyed due to sexual deviance. But a closer reading of both the Bible and historical religious commentary reveals a different, often overlooked truth: the real sin of Sodom was a brutal inhospitality…
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A House Divided: The GOP’s Strategy to Fracture the LGBTQ Community by Targeting Trans People
In recent years, the Republican Party has aggressively advanced a slate of policies and rhetoric aimed squarely at transgender Americans—particularly youth—under the guise of protecting children, preserving fairness in sports, and defending “parental rights.” But beneath these talking points lies a more calculated political strategy: to divide and weaken the broader LGBTQ coalition by isolating…
Letter to the Editor: The Trans Umbrella Covers All of Us — Yes, Nonbinary People Too.
The provocative trans performer Eve Versace has ignited a firestorm of debate and condemnation over her recent comments that nonbinary people are not trans, and that trans people should aspire to “pass.” A growing chorus has called for venues to drop her, while others argue that canceling our own feels very 2024 in light of…
Laurence Luckinbill Is a Straight Man Who Helped Make Gay History
The first series of events organized in October 1994 for the inaugural LGBTQ+ History Month was a film festival on the campus of the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where I was completing a graduate degree in history. Ten films were screened on four successive Monday nights: October 3, 10, 17 and 24. Among the selections…
Metro Trans Umbrella Group: Missouri AG Leads Misguided Attack on Trans Rights
On April 13, 2023, the Missouri attorney general issued an emergency order effectively barring access to gender-affirming care for transgender individuals in our state. This stunning and profoundly concerning decision undermines the well-being of a vulnerable population and sets a dangerous precedent in allowing the state to intervene in personal medical decisions. Gender-affirming care is…
Trans Kids Don’t Need a Savior. They Need Access to Evidence-Based Care
A recent piece by Jamie Reed titled “I Thought I Was Saving Trans Kids. Now I’m Blowing the Whistle” frames itself as an exposé of the Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, suggesting the program is “morally and medically appalling.” But dig deeper and it becomes clear that this article is filled…
The Hearse Chaser: Steven Brawley Preserves LGBTQ History
The nickname came up for the first time this past summer. When I heard of my friend Ed’s passing, in addition to being saddened by the loss of a special person, I was immediately concerned about his personal collection of local LGBTQIA+ history. What would happen to it? I got nervous. While I was researching…
Pod Help Us All
The best podcasts feel like being at a party with your cleverest friends, and Eric Williams’ That’s a Gay Ass Podcast hits the sweet spot. The podcast goes deep with comedians and celebrities, posting the provocative and fully tongue-in-cheek question: “Whose fault is it you’re gay?” Muny Kids alum Williams is NYC-based these days but…
What Skinny-Dipping in Sweden Taught Me About Life
I’m a proud, homegrown St. Louisan. This city is like my own emotional hot-tub party: The water is warm and full of all my favorite people. I’m comfortable and relaxed. I feel validated here, too, in certain ways, but there’s another type of validation that’s rarer — and requires venturing into the unknown. Last winter,…
5 New Year’s Resolutions For St. Louis’ LGBTQ Fam in 2018
It’s that time of year again, and St. Louis is sparkling with that Midwestern holiday glow. While you’re hanging Christmas lights, shopping for Hanukkah presents and lighting the Kwanzaa kinara, don’t forget that the ultimate test comes at the end of the month with New Year’s Eve. Sure, there’s the task of finding the perfect…
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