Me Time
Bookends
In many ways, it's been a sh*t show of a week. Though when we see the amazing determination, resistance and support coming from the people of Minneapolis/St. Paul, we have to be grateful that there are still Americans who get the difference between right and wrong, who love all of their neighbors, and who are showing the rest of us how to push back with love and creativity.
All that and NYC has become a frozen tundra (with apologies to anyone who's location is even colder).
Plus, my birthday is coming up on Sunday. It's not just any birthday, it's a milestone start of my next decade.
In the illustrious words of Simon & Garfunkel in one of their earliest songs, "Old Friends," "How terribly strange to be 70."
Sapphic Lit and Other Book Stuff
LGBTQ Kids' Books Lauded With Youth Media Awards in Multiple Categories - Mombian
LGBTQ-inclusive children’s and young adult books were among the titles honored at the American Library Association’s Youth Media Awards today, winning not only Stonewall Awards for LGBTQ titles, but also awards in several other categories—proving again that those who wish to ban them are keeping kids from some of the best books around.
How to protect your mailing list from spam bots
From Jae: spam signups aren’t just annoying. They can hurt your newsletter over time in three major ways:
Author Shaun Rein's voice 'cloned with AI' to read book on 'deepfake' podcast
An author who discovered “deepfake” YouTube videos of himself reading chapters of a book published in the UK by John Murray Business – an imprint of John Murray Group, a division of Hachette UK – has suggested that video content is a “dangerous” new battle for publishers when it comes to breaches of copyright through AI.
Writers and Artists Need a Way to Label AI Use: Here’s What That Could Look Like | Jane Friedman
Right now, without clear standards, artists don’t know what’s expected of them, and audiences don’t know what they’re getting. Given this problem, I created a solution.
A simple, comprehensive AI disclosure form - Josh Bernoff
Every writer should have a standard AI disclosure posted. They should also include it in their contracts. Anyone working with a writer — whether they’re a ghostwriter, an author, or any other kind of writer — deserves to know how they use AI. By posting this information, you make it clear to others which AI uses you allow in your process as a writer.
News For A Challenging Time
How To Do Something For ICE-Occupied Minneapolis | Autostraddle
No matter where you are, there's something you can do.
HRC warns LGBTQ progress faltering as Trump enters second year
One of the clearest trends from the survey is a decline in perceived acceptance. The data found that 21.6% of all U.S. adults say acceptance of LGBTQ+ people has declined in the past year. Among LGBTQ+ adults themselves, that number jumps to 29.7%.
That erosion of acceptance is translating into tangible changes in behavior. Nearly half of LGBTQ+ adults surveyed — 47.5% — reported being less out in at least one area of their lives over the past 12 months, at least in part due to cultural shifts or executive actions taken by the Trump-Vance administration.
African LBQ women face structural, state-supported violence, report says
A new African Human Rights Coalition (AHRC) report reveals how lesbian, bisexual, and queer women experience systematic violence that begins within families and communities and continues through displacement, detention, and so-called host countries.
Study finds same-sex behavior is as important for primates as “making babies” - Queerty
The study noted same-sex behavior in 59 primate species, with such behavior “common” in at least 23 of these species. This suggests a common evolutionary root.
The 2026 journalist’s digital security checklist
A risk assessment, or threat model, helps you identify your digital assets and create a plan to keep them safe. Knowing what you’re facing is key to ensuring you have the appropriate safeguards in place.
Opinion | The Popularity of ‘Heated Rivalry’ Masks a Darker Trend of Anti-Gay Bias - The New York Times
Gay and lesbian people, newly woven into the fabric of mainstream society, may have been collateral damage in a broader revolt against a system that felt broken, especially among younger generations grappling most intensely with uncertainty about their future.
Top LGBTQ+ friendly countries in 2026 - QnotesCarolinas.com
The countries highlighted here represent a snapshot of places that currently offer strong legal protections and relative social stability for LGBTQ+ people. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and conditions can change quickly as governments shift and political climates evolve. Still, these examples help illustrate what safety looks like when it is embedded into legal systems, healthcare infrastructure, and public accountability, rather than left to cultural goodwill or temporary leadership.
Culture and Joy
1348 Ex Voto puts a lesbian knight in the jousting seat & she's kicking all the boys' asses - Queerty
. Not only does this game deliver on representation, for the sadly often underserved lesbian gaming community, it promises a medieval world that doesn’t view queer women as anachronistic, but puts their stories center stage.
Brittany Bowe Recalls Meeting Girlfriend Hilary Knight at Beijing Olympics (Exclusive)
The U.S. speed skater tells PEOPLE about her and Team USA hockey star Hilary Knight's first dates during the 2022 Winter Olympics
"On the Ice, She's My Enemy": Engaged Lesbian Couple to Compete in 2026 Olympics | Them
Anna Kjellbin and Ronja Savolainen play for the Toronto Sceptres and Ottawa Charge, respectively.
Amber Glenn Wins 3rd Figure Skating Championship In A Row Ahead Of Olympic Debut - GO Magazine
the first openly queer woman to represent the U.S. on the Olympic Figure Skating team
Why women’s soccer is so important to queer people | CNN
Many queer people feel drawn to the women’s game and the crowds at matches are often populated by LGBTQ+ fans. It’s common to see rainbow scarves around the necks of spectators and queer couples can often be spotted showing affection to one another in the stands.
Maybelle Blair, Sue Wicks & More To Be Inducted Into LGBTQ Sports Hall Of Fame - GO Magazine
The newly announced class recognizes pioneers from women’s baseball to the WNBA, alongside media figures and sports leaders who pushed inclusion forward.
'Heated Rivalry' Has Nothing on the Real-Life Rivals-to-Wives Tale of These Olympians | Them
the real-life story of two women’s hockey players: American Olympian Julie Chu and Canadian Olympian Caroline Ouellette, rival team captains who sported the same jersey number.
The story of their romance has once again gone viral
W.N.B.A. Star Natasha Cloud Doesn’t Play When It Comes to Love: ‘Modern Love’ Podcast - The New York Times
The New York Liberty point guard seems to have it all: a successful W.N.B.A. career, fierce confidence and a loving relationship with her girlfriend and teammate, Isabelle Harrison. On and off the court, Cloud radiates self-assurance and seems to know exactly who she is, but that sense of self was hard-won.
Tessa Thompson's Style, Substance and Self-Possession | C Magazine®
Thompson has spoken openly about being attracted to both men and women, but she keeps her personal life to herself.
Jodie Foster: An American Oscar-Winner in Paris - The New York Times
She plays Lilian Steiner, an American psychoanalyst whose tightly controlled life in Paris unravels after her patient of nine years (Virginie Efira) dies suddenly, apparently by suicide. Convinced she was murdered, Lilian begins an obsessive private investigation. Her ex-husband, Gabriel (Daniel Auteuil) agrees to help. Along the way she consults a hypnotist and enters a hallucinatory dream state in which she and her patient were lovers in a previous life, playing in the string section of a Paris orchestra during the Nazi occupation.
Brittany Snow Previews Major ‘Hunting Wives’ Season 2 Death: "I Stood Up On My Couch" | Them
She also promised steamier seasons than the show's debut.
Gooooooo Sapphics! Our 21 Favorite Queer (and Queer-Coded) Onscreen Cheerleaders | Them
By the end of this semi-subjective (but by no means exhaustive) list of our favorite queer and queer-coded cheerleaders, you may find yourself wondering whether women shaking pom poms, doing high Vs, and throwing each other in the air is indeed the gayest thing an athlete can do.
'Ultimatum: Queer Love' Wedding: Haley and Pilar Talk Elopement's Gavin Newsom Surprise | Them
From starring on season two of The Ultimatum: Queer Love, almost breaking up and then getting engaged on camera for the world to see, to eloping at San Francisco’s City Hall, Drexler and Dizon’s life has seemingly been flipped upside down. But one thing is clear: Their love is stronger than ever.
Reneé Rapp Is Giving the Gays Everything They Want (Jennifer Beals) | Autostraddle
Reneé Rapp blessed her fans that were born in and before “the 1990s” by calling on a true queer icon to do this part: Jennifer Beals. And it feels worth noting that, perhaps because she’s not British, she was putting her own spin on it, but Jennifer Beals said, “But you look so sexy” instead of fit. Whether it was the change in words or just the sheer fact that THE Bette Porter was smouldering at her, Reneé practically squealed her next line out, which is extremely relatable. Jennifer Beals then proceeded to flashdance to the song and looked like she was having a great time.
Emmy Winner Erin Doherty Says She’s Still Looking for the Right Queer Role | Them
Though the actor has yet to play a queer role herself, she put her queerness front and center at the Emmys. There, she won Best Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her role as clinical psychologist Briony Ariston in episode three of Adolescence. Doherty kissed her girlfriend, Sinéad Donnelly, on her way up to the stage; her girlfriend was also the last person the actor thanked in her speech.
Unrivaled Is Back (And Very Gay) - GO Magazine
The off-season three-on-three basketball league is back for its second season
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There is always light, if only we're brave enough to see it. If only we're brave enough to be it.
Amanda Gorman