Ping Me Baby One More Time
It's Friday! The Queerly Newsletter is here, ping-free and all limbered up for the Tokyo Games meaning the snacks are in and I've printed out the men's diving schedule.
This week Tommy Dorfman, Michaela Cole and Whitney Houston feature in the Queerly News, Streamlover has made it to a second week to keep you entertained over the impending rainy weekend and there's a look ahead to The Queerly Radio Show, on air today from 5pm BST.
Don't forget Queerly's Non-Stop Pride Weekend is on from this evening through to the early hours of Monday providing the perfect soundtrack to your celebration.
Have a fantastic weekend!
Queerly News & Views
Tommy Dorfman Comes Out As Transgender Woman — www.gaytimes.co.uk
The star, best known for roles as Ryan Shaver on 13 Reasons Why and Bobby on Jane the Virgin, has been “privately identifying and living as a woman – a trans woman” over the past year.
Speaking with TIME, Tommy – who uses she/her pronouns – said she’s made a medical transition and sees this as her “reintroduction” to the world.
Michaela Coel Joins ‘Black Panther’ Sequel — www.hollywoodreporter.com
Coel, who most recently released HBO series I May Destroy You to critical acclaim and four Emmy nominations, will join filmmaker Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which is currently filming in Atlanta.
It is expected that much of the cast of Marvel’s first Black Panther film, which includes Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Daniel Kaluuya and Winston Duke, will return.
You Need to Stop Accusing Harry Styles of Queerbaiting — i-d.vice.com
Accusations of queerbaiting have been rife in our recent pop cultural discourse, flung extensively and scattergun at many a celebrity, with the most recently accused including Madonna, Billie Eilish, and repeat offender Harry Styles.
The allegation in short: that seemingly non-queer stars 'appropriate' queer culture and aesthetics in an attempt to secure the monetary support and standom of LGBT fans, without actually committing to identifying publicly as queer.
It purports that this facade allows them to brush up against the perceived edginess of queer identity — without the cost of openly occupying one in a queerphobic world.
Whitney Houston Hologram Concert Coming to Vegas — variety.com
Whitney Houston’s estate has announced that “An Evening With Whitney: The Whitney Houston Hologram Concert,” a new residency at Harrah’s Las Vegas, will begin on Oct. 26.
The concert will feature the virtual image and voice of the late singer backed by a live four-piece band and background singers and dancers performing “all the hits,” according to a promotional video.
Lil Nas X and sexy cellmates dance naked in new video — ew.com
Earlier this week, Lil Nas X tweeted that the video for his new single "Industry Baby" was "NOT FOR YOUR KIDS." And boy, he wasn't kidding. If this is what life in the clinker is like… well, lock us up.
The Japanese LGBTQ+ Community Wanted Tokyo 2020 to Be a Statement. Then COVID Came — www.them.us
The Tokyo 2020 Games will be historic for the LGBTQ+ community. But for equality advocates in Japan, it will not be the Olympics they hoped to host.
On its face, the forthcoming Games will be the queerest yet, with an estimated 121 openly LGBTQ+ athletes entering the competition. However, none of these publicly queer athletes are expected to come from the Olympics’ host country.
Streamlover
Reclaiming Amy — www.bbc.co.uk
To mark the ten year anniversary of the death of Amy Winehouse, her closest family and friends, who were with her throughout her life, reveal the truth about the music icon and the impact that her loss has had on them.
Amy’s mother Janis, who has never spoken in depth before, wants to reclaim the legacy of her daughter, celebrating Amy as the complex, strong and incredible woman she was and giving a different version of events from the story of the singer so often told. Available from 9pm, BBC iPlayer.
It's the show with that viral shower scene 🍆 and a 24% rating on Rotten Tomatoes but don't let that put you off. Billie's daring sexual past collides with her married-with-kids present when Brad, the bad-boy ex she can't stop fantasising about, crashes back into her life. Yes, it is trashy and you will definitely LOL at moments you are not supposed to but you quite quickly become invested in how it's going to play out.
Therapy by Anne-Marie — songwhip.com
Anne-Marie scrapped an entire album in 2019 which was, in her words, "some really weird shit". Instead she settled down during lockdown last year to write the songs on Therapy, which is packed full of pop gems and includes collaborations with Niall Horan and Little Mix.
The Queerly Radio Show
The Queerly Radio Show is back today at 5pm BST with special guests Mikaella Clements and Onjuli Datta chatting to Rob about their debut novel The View Was Exhausting, Taylor Swift, Bennifer and more! Rob will also have new music from Anne-Marie and Little Mix and the official start of another Non-Stop Pride Weekend on Queerly. Listen on TuneIn and at queerlyradio.com