Latest news with #transcommunity
New York Times
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
On Fire Island, a Dinner Made for and by the Dolls
When the editor Fran Tirado first began going to Fire Island, the queer beach community off the South Shore of Long Island, she found it to be surprisingly white, cisgender and male. In the summer of 2021, as Tirado, 34, was coming into her trans womanhood, she felt 'like I didn't belong,' she says. By the next year, she'd resolved to host her own gathering celebrating those who'd historically felt unwelcome on the barrier island because of their gender identity. 'I just wanted a reason to galvanize a bunch of trans people to descend,' she says with a smile. The now-annual event is called Doll Invasion, fitting for a weekend each August where trans folks lead the charge. Tirado, who was in March 2025 named the editor in chief of Them, brings together an all-trans lineup of performers and musical acts. The festivities double as a fund-raiser, with donations and proceeds from ticket sales going toward mutual aid efforts and helping to finance trans-led artistic initiatives. (Entry is free for trans people, and everyone else is asked to pay a suggested fee ranging from $50 to $150.) This past summer, for the third annual Doll Invasion, the D.J.s Macy Rodman and Lina Bradford and the drag performer Cherry Jaymes entertained the crowd along the sand, and the money raised went to Queer|Art and Advocates for Trans Equality, among other nonprofit organizations. The Friday night before the performances and pool party began, the event's full cast and crew — including stage managers, culinary staff and performers — gathered for a family-style dinner by the water, outside of the beach house they'd rented. 'It's a moment of gratitude for everything that people give to pull off Doll Invasion,' Tirado says. The model, writer and director Geena Rocero cooked and hosted an outdoor kamayan feast — a Filipino meal in which food is served on banana leaves and eaten communally by friends and family. 'Kamayan means eating with your hands [in Tagalog],' says Rocero, 42, who was born and raised in the Philippines. That tactile approach held a special meaning for the group assembled. 'It's [an act] of reclamation, as our bodily autonomy is being attacked,' she says. The event also commemorated the loss of the Argentine artist, actress and trans rights activist Cecilia Gentili, who died in February of last year. In her honor, the weekend's theme was 'All Dolls Go to Heaven' — throughout the weekend, guests wore grand feathered angel wings and bold, glittery eye makeup. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
The Guardian
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Kae Tempest: Self Titled review – the rhythms in his lyrics are still so distinct
On a track called Bless the Bold Future, Kae Tempest wrestles with the urge to bring children into a world beset by catastrophe; the landscape of the 39-year-old's fifth album Self Titled is indeed characterised by pain, anxiety and suffering. On Hyperdistillation, a man dies sleeping rough outside uninhabited penthouses as NHS backlogs threaten lives, and the ravey Diagnoses presents mental health issues as 'the right response to a world gone wrong,' while Statue in the Square's doomy grime reckons with a climate of transphobia (Tempest came out as non-binary in 2020 and earlier this year revealed his gender transition). And yet, there is something irrepressibly joyous about this album, which is essentially a collection of love letters: to the trans community, to the Londoner's home town, to his partner. Tempest's ability to imbue societal decay and personal torment with strange beauty, via lyricism honed on the performance poetry scene, is unparalleled, and his roots in the art form are still very much evident in his earnest, rhythmic delivery. Sometimes, the actual music struggles to keep up and fit in. While 2022's The Line Is a Curve let the words shine over a backdrop of classy, unobtrusive indie electronica, here the instrumentals are far more attention-grabbing: magisterial strings, gospelly R&B and, on Neil Tennant collaboration Sunshine on Catford, full-beam 1980s synth-pop. It can feel like a random grab bag of genres, and the potent sonics are sometimes overbearing. Then again, the effusiveness does help to underline the hope and hard-won happiness that, against all odds, underpins this rich, compelling and timely record.
New York Times
01-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Have Gay Rights Gone Too Far, or Not Far Enough?
To the Editor: In 'Gay People Won. So Why Does It Feel as if We're Losing?' (Opinion guest essay, June 29), Andrew Sullivan claims that trans people, by seeking to protect the civil rights necessary for them to live safely, are trying do undo the gender binary and discount the gender identity of others. But just as gay marriage did not erode the institution of marriage or make heterosexual marriages any less valid, the protection of the rights of trans folks simply has no effect on the validity of anyone else's gender. As the mother of a trans child, I am terrified by the anti-trans legislation and rhetoric currently in vogue. I am afraid for my child's safety. I'm afraid that she will not be afforded the right to feel comfortable in her own body. I'm afraid that she will view abandonment by people like Mr. Sullivan as evidence that she is not wanted in this world. One primary source of comfort for me has been the wisdom and experience of trans adults — all of whom have survived much worse. I sincerely hope that The Times will publish the views of one of those brilliant leaders sometime soon. Skylar BrettSeattle To the Editor: As a centrist Democrat and a gender‑critical gay man approaching 70, I deeply appreciate how Andrew Sullivan revives meaningful discussion and makes room for dissident voices. I was an effeminate boy who grew into a confident, masculine gay man — living proof that gender-nonconforming youth can flourish without conforming to harmful gender ideology. Today, I worry that many boys like me are at real risk of being steered into false identities — not because they belong there, but because it has become an unassailable ideological mandate. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Daily Mail
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Ncuti Gatwa pays tribute to the trans community following 'woke' Doctor Who exit in surprise Glastonbury appearance as he introduces Jade Thirlwall in foul-mouthed speech
Ncuti Gatwa paid tribute to the trans community in a surprise Glastonbury appearance on Saturday as he took to the stage to introduce Jade Thirlwall ahead of her solo debut. The former Doctor Who star, 32, was in high spirits as he welcomed the crowd at the Woodsies stage, and he welcomed 'pop's new princess' in a foul-mouthed speech. Ncuti said: 'Are you feeling hot? Sweaty? About to get hotter and sweatier because pop's new crown princess is in the building. 'I hope you bi****s are f*****g ready! Ladies and gentlemen, they's and them's. All our beautiful trans brothers and sisters. The performance is about to begin. He concluded: 'Flash photography and video is encouraged. Enjoy the show.' Moments later, the ex Little Mix star, also 32, made a showstopping entrance, turning heads as she hit the stage in a skin-tight white crop top emblazoned with the word 'Glasto'. Flashing a glimpse of her toned midriff, the former Little Mix star teamed the top with khaki oversized cargo trousers featuring a red tartan waistband and a sparkling diamante embellishment. She completed the look with chunky white trainers and layered a khaki parka over her shoulders, accessorising with an extravagant faux-fur hat. Jade delivered a high-energy set to an enthusiastic crowd, marking her debut Glastonbury performance as a solo artist. She treated fans to tracks from her upcoming album That's Showbiz Baby! along with Little Mix favourites including Shout Out To My Ex, Woman Like Me, and Touch. It comes after Ncuti was replaced by Billie Piper after stepping down from his role as the Time Lord, following falling ratings and accusations of 'woke' storylines. Doctor Who was watched by around 2.5milion last Saturday - around 2million fewer people than the numbers watching when Jodie Whittaker, the previous Time Lord, was on the show until 2022. But this is still a tiny fraction of the sort of interest it used to attract. At its peak it was watched by around 13million on a Saturday night in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. The Sex Education actor appeared to blame the physical and mental demands of the show for his exit in a new video following fan speculation he was axed from the show. Moments later, Jade, also 32, made a showstopping entrance, turning heads as she hit the stage in a skin-tight white crop top emblazoned with the word 'Glasto' The former Little Mix star teamed the top with khaki oversized cargo trousers featuring a red tartan waistband and a sparkling diamante embellishment The Angel Of My Dreams hitmakerknown professionally as JADE, is an outspoken supporter for the LGBTQ+ community, and earlier this month during a performance led thousands of fans in an anti-JK Rowling chant. She was performing at Mighty Hoopla in London when she sang one of her new songs FUFN (F*** You For Now) - using it to take aim at the Harry Potter author. 'Transphobes,' JADE shouted, as the crowd replied: 'F*** you'. She then turned attention to the writer, yelling ' JK Rowlin g' to which the crowd chanted again: 'F*** you'. A festival-goer shared the clip online with the caption: 'Jade, the legend you are!!!' JK has denied being transphobic, but she previously said she would 'happily' go to jail for misgendering a trans person rather than referring to them by their preferred pronouns. She is also using the new Harry Potter series to fund organisations dedicated to removing trans rights, with her 'Women's Fund' website saying it will offer financial support to those fighting trans inclusion 'in the workplace, in public life, and in protected female spaces'. The author made her first controversial comments about trans people six years ago, and has long claimed their inclusion in spaces such as bathrooms is a threat to women. The kooky singer oozed confidence as he strutted his stuff on stage Meanwhile JADE has a long history of showing support for the LGBTQ+ community, winning a Gay Times allyship award in 2021. She has also been nominated for a Celebrity Ally Award at the 2025 LGBT Awards, with her boyfriend Jordan Stephens also receiving a nod in the category. The award was previously won by actor David Tennant in 2024. Recently, JADE signed an open letter pledging solidarity with the trans community following the recent UK Supreme Court ruling, alongside her former bandmates Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Perrie Edwards. Other British artists to sign included Charli XCX, Florence Welch and Dua Lipa. Just days ago, JADE used her BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend performance to make a statement about her allyship as she wore a dress in the trans pride flag colours. JADE's relationship with Rizzle Kicks star Jordan began through their passion for social justice, with the pair making their public debut at the Black Trans Lives Matter march in 2020. She recently said she has been warned about career backlash for speaking out on issues she is passionate about. Speaking to Stylist magazine recently, JADE said: 'I have been warned there could be consequences for speaking out about things like Palestine, but these are basic human rights. 'We're seeing an attack on the trans community, and I have a very big LGBTQ+ fanbase. 'I can't sit back and not be vocal about defending that community. I'm happy to pay the consequences if it means doing the right thing.'
BBC News
27-06-2025
- BBC News
When dressing in drag could get you arrested
In 1962, dozens were arrested at a drag and trans ball in New York City under laws criminalising gender nonconformity. The event, now largely forgotten, reflected growing tensions between LGBTQ communities and police - tensions that would erupt later that decade at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village.
