Marrs Attacks: Girls, girls, girls

Good news! Your favorite gay magazine has an exclusive interview this month with one of the hottest female pop stars around. She’s here to tell you what makes her so fabulous, what gives her that who-cares attitude, and why her gay fans mean oh so much to her. Is it Gwen? Is it Kylie? Is it Beyoncé?

Are you still reading?

Guess what: straight female pop stars are not what the gay community needs endorsing it. Yes, it is nice. Yes, they are kind to boost the profiles of lesser-known periodicals by granting interview time. Yes, gay people like their music, too. But no, no, no, they are not unique to our cause or breaking any ground.

Unique recording artist support of gay rights would have to come from the likes of Ice Cube, Toby Keith or Mötley Crüe. Those are interviews I would read, because they have more at risk. Those are people we haven’t seen grace the cover of every other gay rag. Those are artists whose fans aren’t quickly thought to be gay, and whom some would think have no gay fans at all.

Maybe those interviews have already been done and I just slept through that month. I haven’t seen it all, and perhaps more genres of music and types of musicians are being profiled by these magazines than I’m aware. It just seems to me that every time I’m told by cover photos and splashy layouts to be excited by so-and-so’s exclusive dish session, it’s a Top 40 heterosexual female with little to lose when she declares, proudly, “My gay fans have always meant a lot to me. They’re my people.”

Boring!

Not all gay men like dance music. We don’t all worship Madonna, and some of us wouldn’t be caught dead at a nightclub. Yet one would think, from glancing at the covers and leafing through the pages of our own digests, that we wait with baited breath for the next instruction to “be ourselves” and “love who we are” from someone who has danced on our floors but not walked in our shoes.

What does a straight girl have to risk here, anyway? Nothing, near as I can figure. To a straight female artist, gay men are more or less free money; they’d be stupid not to target us. Rarely will other straight women come down on a diva for giving a shout out to her gay fans. Either women are more polite when it comes to things like that, or they’re less territorial about whom their favorite artists represent. Most girls just don’t care to spread the hate. Rock fans, on the other hand, might actually go breaking CDs and boycotting concerts if Iron Maiden (hey—they still have a career in Europe) were to perform at Pride. Not that any of us actually wants to see Eddie in drag, but you catch my drift. (OK, I should have gone with Metallica for my example. Still…)

I want to read about someone whose ego is on the line. I want people outside of our comfortable circle to step inside the ring and support us. Love feels good no matter where it comes from, and I don’t suggest we stop the flow of that. I just think we should make a big deal out of things that are different, not things that are easy. Straight girls are too easy.

WhistlePig + Alfa Romeo F1

SHOREHAM, VT (September 13, 2023) — WhistlePig Whiskey, the leaders in independent craft whiskey, and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake are waving the checkered flag on a legend-worthy release that’s taking whiskey to G-Force levels. The Limited Edition PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is a high Rye Whiskey selected by the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake drivers, with barrels trialed in their wind tunnel to ensure a thrilling taste in every sip.

The third iteration in WhistlePig’s Single Barrel PiggyBack Legends Series, the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is bottled at 96.77 proof, a nod to Valtteri Bottas’ racing number, 77, and the precision of racing. Inspired by Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver, this Rye Whiskey is finished with lychee and oolong tea. Herbal and floral notes of the oolong tea complement the herbaceous notes of WhistlePig’s signature PiggyBack 100% Rye, rounded out with a juicy tropical fruit finish and a touch of spice.

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by Spectrum Medical Care Center

Nurse Practitioner Ari Kravitz

When I started medical transition at 20 years old, it was very difficult to get the care I needed for hormone replacement therapy because there are very few providers trained in starting hormones for trans people, even though it’s very similar to the hormones that we prescribe to women in menopause or cisgender men with low testosterone.

I hope more providers get trained in LGBTQ+ healthcare, so they can support patients along their individual gender journey, and provide the info needed to make informed decisions about their body. I’ve personally seen my trans patients find hope and experience a better quality of life through hormone replacement therapy.

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Descanso Resort swimming pool and lounge area

Descanso Resort, Palm Springs' premier destination for gay men, just received Tripadvisor's highest honor, a Travelers' Choice "Best of the Best" award for 2023. Based on guests' reviews and ratings, fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor's 8 million listings around the world receive the coveted "Best of the Best" designation. Descanso ranked 12th in the top 25 small inns and hotels category in the United States. Quite an accomplishment!

Open less than two years, Descanso Resort offers gay men a relaxing and luxurious boutique hotel experience just minutes away from Palm Springs' buzziest restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping. Descanso has quickly established itself as a top destination for sophisticated gay travelers, earning hundreds of 5-star guest reviews and consistently ranking in Trapadvisor's top positions alongside brother properties Santiago Resort and Twin Palms Resort.

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