Fans are tearing into Netflix’s Stranger Things after the penultimate episode centered on Will’s coming out, blaming it for weak writing and a stumble heading into the finale.

HHS has launched an investigation into Seattle Children’s over gender-affirming care for transgender minors.

A vote by Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana in support of civil marriage sparked fierce backlash from ultra-Orthodox parties inside Israel’s governing coalition.

Right-wing outrage followed Zohran Mamdani’s appointment of out lesbian FDNY veteran Lillian Bonsignore as fire commissioner.

New research suggests twice-yearly injectable PrEP does not interfere with hormone therapy, removing a major barrier for trans and gender-diverse people seeking HIV prevention.

The University of Oklahoma has fired a transgender teaching assistant after she gave a student a zero on an essay that cited the Bible and described trans people as "demonic." The university has not released the findings of its investigation. www.metroweekly.com/...

Jonathan Bailey is 2025’s highest-grossing actor, powered by blockbuster roles in Wicked: For Good and Jurassic World Rebirth.

Nicki Minaj took the stage at AmericaFest 2025 and reaffirmed her anti-trans rhetoric.

Still haven’t picked your New Year’s Eve plan? Dance it out, keep it casual, or skip the cover altogether — 21 gay D.C. spots are ready for midnight. Plus: Who’s open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Barry Manilow has revealed he’s been diagnosed with lung cancer. The 82-year-old says it was caught early, surgery is planned, and no chemo or radiation is expected.

A relentless year produced relentless movies. Film critic André Hereford names Metro Weekly’s 10 best films of 2025 — led by One Battle After Another — plus ten more that nearly made the list. Plus: Zach Schonfeld's 10 best.

Only 30% of Sniffies users identify as gay — and the city-by-city data is revealing.

From Aladdin to Sky Masterson — Broadway leading man Jacob Dickey on gay typecasting and finally landing the role he’s wanted to play for years. Guys and Dolls is at Shakespeare Theatre Company through January 8.

One of our most unusual Year in Scene photograph covers from back in the print days. See if you can figure it out!

Lavish song-and-dance spectacle, big Broadway flair, and standout musical moments — Francesca Zambello brings classic Guys and Dolls roaring to life at Shakespeare Theatre Company, writes critic Kate Wingfield. ★★★★★

Openly gay NYC councilmember Erik Bottcher is dropping his congressional bid to run for an open state Senate seat in New York.

A California man has pleaded not guilty after a 57-year-old gay man was left in a coma following an attack outside a Sacramento LGBTQ nightclub. Police say the assault occurred after the victim was insulted over his Halloween costume. www.metroweekly.com/...

In Clay is "powered by a knockout batch of songs, and the galvanizing force of a woman reclaiming her time, her art, and her story," writes André Hereford in his review. ★★★★☆

2025 was brutal. For many in the LGBTQ community, protest wasn’t symbolic -- it was survival. A year-end reflection on resistance, Pride, loss, and hope by Will O'Bryan. www.metroweekly.com/...

Gay ANC 1E chair Brian Footer has suspended his campaign for the open Ward 1 D.C. Council seat, stepping back from a crowded race to focus on family responsibilities.

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Mike Albo’s new audiobook, Hologram Boyfriends, traces queer identity, longing, and love with a bold sound design that adds layers to the story.

As Trade enters its second decade, co-owner Ed Bailey reflects on his career in D.C. nightlife and the people who made it possible. “All of this was conceptualized by very, very smart, incredibly hardworking people who have worked for me for decades,” he says.

A transgender woman says she was assaulted by a former security guard while staying at the Hilton Dallas Lincoln Centre during Dallas Pride weekend.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched a bathroom “tip line” encouraging residents to report and photograph transgender people accused of using the “wrong” restroom.

A looming flood becomes a metaphor for repression and desire in Sandbag Dam, a gloomy Croatian gay drama. ★★☆☆☆

Rules for Living turns holiday tension into uproarious, smartly observed chaos at Round House Theatre — a sharp, funny spiral of family coping strategies gone haywire. ★★★★☆

Sydney Sweeney can’t save The Housemaid from its thin thrills — but it’s pulpy, trashy fun anyway. ★★☆☆☆

The U.S. House voted to ban Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming care for trans youth. Advocates warn the move could have serious consequences for families.

Police allege a Wisconsin man used Grindr to impersonate another man and lure strangers to the victim’s home in a year-long catfishing scheme.

The U.S. House passed a bill that would jail doctors for providing gender-affirming care to transgender youth and punish parents who consent to treatment.

Brock McGillis isn’t buying the idea that HBO’s Heated Rivalry will help hockey players come out.

A Louisiana man allegedly used explicit images to extort an LSU student into sex. www.metroweekly.com/...

Adult film star Lane V Rogers, known as Blake Mitchell, has died at 31 following a motorcycle accident in California.

“Femboy” has overtaken “twink” as the most searched term on PornhubGay, according to the platform’s 2025 Year in Review.

After a Pride mural was paved over, St. Petersburg responded with rainbow bike racks.

A ban on transgender athletes at U.S. military service academies is now part of Congress’s annual defense bill.

Conservative groups are accusing Chick-fil-A of betraying its values after a franchisee celebrated a gay wedding.

Everyman Theatre’s Deceived smartly reworks Gaslight into a female-centered thriller, rich in suspense and atmosphere. ★★★☆☆

Swiss tennis player Mika Brunold has come out as gay, becoming only the second active male professional tennis player to do so.

Jason Collins, the former NBA center and trailblazing gay athlete, says he has been diagnosed with Stage 4 glioblastoma. Collins says he went public to be honest about his illness and to offer comfort to others facing serious disease.

Lesbian Rep. Julie Johnson faces a high-stakes Democratic primary after former Rep. Colin Allred exits the Senate race. Allred drew criticism last year for echoing Republican rhetoric on transgender athletes.

Two 10-year-olds reported a man who ripped down a Pride flag outside a Doylestown candy shop. Police identified a 60-year-old suspect, who now faces criminal charges.

Jonathan Groff brings urgency and bite to the filmed Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along, which proves uneven but compelling at its best. ★★★☆☆

Five major LGBTQ groups have endorsed California State Sen. Scott Weiner as he runs for Congress in Nancy Pelosi’s open seat.

Equality PAC has endorsed NYC Councilmember Erik Bottcher for Congress, backing the openly gay Democrat as he runs to succeed retiring Rep. Jerry Nadler in Manhattan’s 12th District.

The National LGBTQ Task Force is bringing its flagship Creating Change conference to Washington, D.C., in January 2026, as LGBTQ rights face renewed attacks under the Trump administration. Registration is now open through Dec. 22.

Today was an “excavating the storage archives day” with our new archivist Walker. Some of what we unearthed: Post-MAL 1998 and pre-MAL 1999. Slightly enhanced because we were on newsprint back then and they’re a bit faded. More to come!

Seattle will move forward with its World Cup “Pride Match” on June 26 despite objections from Iran and Egypt over the Pride branding. Both nations asked FIFA to intervene, but local organizers say the plans stand.

Capital Pride is changing its dates. The parade and festival are moving to June 20-21, with organizers saying the shift provides a safer space for the community and avoids conflicts with Trump’s birthday events.