Let me be clear: Queer joy isn’t just a vibe—it’s a full-blown magical working. A spell. A hex against hopelessness. It is a monkey wrench tossed into the gears of A system that says we aren’t allowed to exist, let alone find joy in this life. We live in a system of oppression that would…
Flight Club Darts Partners With Sugarwitch to Celebrate Pride
This Pride Month, Flight Club Darts in Clayton is hitting the bullseye with a festive celebration that’s equal parts playful, flavorful, and fabulously supportive. Partnering with the beloved queer-owned ice cream sandwich shop Sugarwitch, Flight Club is serving up an irresistible limited-edition treat: The Ursula. Inspired by everyone’s favorite sea witch with a twist of…
How Author Jeff Copeland Reintroduced Andy Warhol Superstar Holly Woodlawn to the World
Author Jeff Copeland was not like the other boys growing up in exurban St. Louis in the 1970s. Rather than playing sports, he was fascinated by the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. Copeland decided early on that he wanted to write about celebrities, and with the help and encouragement of his resourceful mother, who came…
The spell begins the moment you decide
Picture it, a stretch of I-40 at night. I’m one of only a few cars on the road. I am driving to my hometown from Oklahoma City to feed the animals at my mother’s house. Inside the car I am coming to a decision. Do I live as myself? Or do I continue to live…
A 1991 Corporate Loss to Indianapolis Led to OKC’s Big Win
In the early 1990s, Oklahoma City was adrift. Struggling with a stagnant economy, a sleepy, dated downtown that closed at 5:00 pm, and little national recognition, civic pride was hard to come by. Old-money Tulsa, 90 miles to the northeast, and the booming, glitzy Dallas, 200 miles south, looked down on Oklahoma City as being…
When Rejection Hits Hard: Understanding and Protecting Yourself from Severe Responses
Rejection is a universal experience—whether romantic, social, or professional, most people can recall a time when they were passed over, turned down, or excluded. But for some, rejection doesn’t just sting—it detonates. Their reaction is disproportionate and can create fallout that affects everyone around them, including friends, family, and even innocent bystanders. Understanding these intense…
Floyd Collins: Beautiful Music, Resonating Underground
A meditation on dreams, ambition, and the price of spectacle. Reviewed by Adam Josephs, Out in STL May 2025, Lincoln Center Theater – Vivian Beaumont Theater The secret to great performance art is that it makes you care about the characters, no matter how abstract or unconventional. Lincoln Center’s revival of Floyd Collins Hooks you…
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…
Who’s Fighting For Us? Cover Story
“Who’s fighting for us?” It’s the question that has echoed across the nation in the wake of the election. Our rights and our very democracy are being dismantled, and we’ve often seen tepid responses from those we look to for action. We’re demanding more, and we’re seeking to regroup and rebuild. At the dawn of…
Spectacular Spectrama: The Men Behind the Lights and Sounds of St. Louis Nightlife
Spectrama Lighting and Production, the company run by thruple Christopher Taber, Rusty Warning, and Evan Rose, has elevated our local nightlife scene with world-class production skills that wow audiences and pack dancefloors. Their work was a factor in their home bar, Rehab St. Louis, being voted “Best Gay Bar” by Riverfront Times readers during the…