Last Thursday was International Womens Day. But we make up 51 percent of the global population so why limit us to one small day. Instead, celebrate our successes and struggles, our heart and our determination all year round. And if we’re highlighting impressive women, it doesn’t get more impressive than the Notorious RBG. Ruth Bader Ginsburg is more than an icon. The trailer for her new documentary is almost as wonderful as she is. Our work is far from done. May RBG - who turned 85 last week - live forever, leading the fight.

p.s. I’m not kidding, I want RBG to live forever. Can we form a protective circle around her or something? I mean it. She must be protected at all costs.

Well, now isn’t this interesting. Cynthia Nixon, actress, activist, and the “Sex and the City” character we all secretly aspired to be in retrospect, is running for governor of New York. She announced yesterday via Twitter. Now, I don’t live in New York. My father’s side of the family are all from there and most still live there. And I have good friends living there now. I know there’s a lot amiss in the state – like, oh I dunno, the subway. And I know it needs serious people with good ideas to fix them. I am not, on the surface, against the concept of a celebrity candidate. I am, however, against unqualified celebrity candidates. Luckily, Cynthia does not appear to be one of those.

While she may be a first-time candidate she is an outspoken feminist and long-time education and LGBTQ rights advocate. An out bisexual woman, Cynthia is married to longtime education organizer Christine Marinoni and mother of three children. She will be running as a Democrat in the primary against incumbent Governor Andrew Cuomo this September.

Now, New York has never had a female governor, let alone an out LGBTQ governor. If Cynthia wins she would join Oregon's Kate Brown (who is also bisexual), as the nation’s only out LGBT governors elected to office.

Look, win or lose I respect her decision. People should put their activism, their energy and their expertise where it can do the most good. We need all the help in this fight we can get.

p.s. People who shit all over “Sex and the City” as superficial and vapid tend to be the kind of people who shit on women in general for being superficial and vapid. Sure, it wasn’t all Shakespeare and certainly could have been more diverse. But its depiction of unapologetic female friendship and unabashed female sexuality was – and continues to be – radical.

Sometimes it’s good to stop and realize our progress – especially in times like these. Certainly, our political progress is imperative. And we should fight with everything we have to become a more just, more fair, more equal and more kind world.

But how far we come in our entertainment and our fiction, that matters too. Because representation always matters. Just think, only 10 months ago none of this existed. We didn’t have the Amazons of “Wonder Woman” or the Valkyrie of “Thor Ragnarok” or Wakandan warriors of “Black Panther.” But now, now we do. And little girls, and boys and kids who identify as whatever they want, can look up at them and say, “Hot damn, I’m going to be that badass one day, too.”

Damn, I love it when weird things I like come together. Like, for instance, I love lesbians. And, also, I love me some Emily Dickinson. And some Molly Shannon. And definitely some of the director of “Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same.” So, imagine my delight when all those divergent weird things find each other in one movie called “Wild Nights With Emily.” The film at SXSW now is from director Madeleine Olnek of “Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same” fame and stars “Superstar” star Molly Shannon as the titular Emily Dickinson in a comedic – and Sapphic – look at her life. I know, you love every single part of that weird sentence.

Now if you know anything about Olnek’s work is it is a) very gay and b) very odd. But, you know, in a good way – for both. I really loved the quirky-to-the-extreme “Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same.” It was a low-budget absurdist hoot. Her follow up “The Foxy Merkins” was also quite quirky and gay, though – at least for me – not as endearing. But her work isn’t bland, that’s for sure.

Reviews of “Wild Nights With Emily” have praised the film’s reframing of Dickinson’s public persona. Not the spinster recluse who didn’t want to publish her work, but a vibrant, warm and brilliant gay woman who had a lifelong romance with her childhood friend/future sister-in-law Susan Gilbert.

Indiewire said the film the “Best Lesbian Comedy in Years” that is “anchored by a surprisingly touching love story” between the two women. Olnek brings also some of her favorite regulars for the film, both Susan Ziegler (as Susan Gilbert) and Lisa Haas – who were in her previous two films as well – return here. While Olnek’s work may not be for everyone, I am excited to fully embrace the weirdness and queerness of it all. Plus, I’ve always thought Molly Shannon had unplumbed depths. And, you know, she’s freaking hilarious. So there’s that.

So, what do you think? A good lesbian film to get excited about? Well, “Hope” is the thing with feathers.

You know how I feel about the scourge of gun violence in our gun crazy country. And you know how I feel about the young people leading the charge for sensible gun control. So this weekend, you know I’d love for you to support the March For Our Lives this Saturday. Young people, particularly young people of color, have been at the forefront of some of our greatest progressive movements throughout time. The Civil Rights Movement, the anti-war movement and so on. So if the adults in the room won’t act, the youth will grow up and do it for them. Happy marching weekend, all.

We see these lawmakers representing the NRA, and not their constituents. We see our “leaders” making excuses and refusing to act. On Saturday, they’ll see US. pic.twitter.com/7OGttnRSsz

— March For Our Lives (@AMarch4OurLives) March 21, 2018

I could watch this gif all day, I really could. There’s something so wonderfully subversive about these looping clip. While it really needs no set up, it shows a Chinese female TV presenter and her male counterpart face off in a cotton-candy eating contest. And she crushes it. And him. And social norms. All in the span of three seconds flat. The way she stuffs the candy in her mouth with both hands. Her please, serene look at completion as he chomps on obliviously. This, my friends, is art. I love it. Imma watch it a couple dozen more times. Seize the day with two hands ands stuff everything that stands in your way. Happy Monday, kittens.

Look, this movie may end up sucking. Maybe not. It’s hard to say. But, then, we know three things for sure. One, it stars Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon. So, you know, that does not suck.



The other two things we know for 100 percent sure?

1) Kate McKinnon runs around in a tank top and suspenders


2) Kate McKinnon wears a suit and tie.


So, in conclusion, it doesn’t matter how good or bad this movie ultimately turns out to be. I will be seeing this movie. And, I am guessing, you might, too. I mentioned Kate McKinnon runs around in a tank top and suspenders, right?

Hey, here’s a puzzler. Why would a movie that won overwhelming raves from critics and took home the prestigious grand jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival take two whole months to sell? Why wasn’t it snapped up immediately in the midst of a bidding war? Well, if you guessed, “because it has lesbians in it,” you just might be right.

Last week the film “The Miseducation of Cameron Post,” a movie I’ve been excited about since it was first announced way back in the fall of 2016, finally sold to FilmRise, an indie distributor whose most famous project so far was “Going Clear,” the Scientology documentary. It’s a great pick up for them, no doubt, but where were the other studios?

Look, not to bring up “Carol” again for the umpteenth time, but that “Carol” did not even get a best picture nomination and “Philadelphia,” “Brokeback Mountain,” “Moonlight,” and “Call Me By Your Name” all did is the way Hollywood sees LGBTQ films about men versus LGBTQ films about women, period.

I forgot to post this photo of Greta Gerwig and Tilda Swington holding hands on the red carpet during award season. I rediscovered it in my “To Do” cache of saved photos the other day. And I felt it wrong, on a cellular level, to keep it from you now – even though it is terribly belated. Because a dapped Victoria lady and her swell Victorian lady companion are a treat to see anytime.

As important as it is to continue to fight to improve all that is wrong, we should celebrate all that is right. A win is a win. And two national magazine covers featuring three queer women of color – that’s a win-win-win, and then some. I couldn’t be happier to see Lena Waithe on the cover of Vanity Fair and Stephanie Beatriz and Natalie Morales on the cover of The Advocate. I couldn’t be happier to see them receive the mainstream accolades they all so deserve. And I couldn’t be happier to see these faces reflected back from magazine racks across the nation. Representation will always matter. The more people get to see themselves reflected back in their heroes, the more we will all know is possible. Happy weekend, all.

As I’ve said before and I’ll say forever, I’m all about the ladies on Dorothy Surrenders. But, that doesn’t mean I’m automatically against all men – or all straight white men in particular. Nope, this man-hating lesbian has loved at least two men unconditionally. I loved my father. And I loved Fred Rogers. In fact, when I was a kid and we’d get dressed up for a special occasion where my dad would have to wear a tie, the highest praise I could give him was, “Daddy, you look just like Mr. Rogers.” And that, neighbor, is the truth.

In these troubled and troubling times, it seems like the next tragedy or tragic assault on our civil rights is just a tweet away. So it’s easy to feel frazzled and cynical and angry all the time. Anger is an important motivator. But, if I learned anything from countless hours watching “Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood” when I was little, it’s that kindness is a better one. Thank you, as always, for coming here and sharing your hearts and minds with me all these years. I appreciate all of you more than you’ll probably ever know. Thanks for making this neighborhood always feel like home.

I greatly enjoyed “Thor: Ragnarok” for many reasons. 1) All the 80s awesomeness. 2) All the Cate Blanchett awesomeness. 3) All the Tessa Thompson awesomeness. While I’d seen Tessa in other things, it really wasn’t until Ragnarok where I realized the true scope of her awesome. Like, whoa, that’s a lot of awesome. Sadly while her Valkyrie is meant to be canonically bi, you certainly couldn’t tell from the film. Those scenes were left on the cutting room floor, alas. We can only hope she returns to Thor-land and makes it explicit this time. Or, better yet, just give Tessa’s Valkyrie her own damn film. Tessa is clearly ready. Clearly.

The saying is three makes a trend. So three favorite female former co-stars reuniting in real life is a trend that brings three times the joy for our little shipper hearts. Last month in March, appropriately Women’s History Month, we were treated to a trio of reunions of lovely ladies who were once onscreen colleagues.

First there was Stephanie March and Mariska Hargitay, who reunited on the set of “Law & Order: SVU.” Stephanie, a.k.a. ADA Alex Cabot, is reprising her role as a guest star in an episode this month. Alex and Olivia back together again? Yes, all the pleases.



Then there was Simone Lahbib and Mandana Jones of “Bad Girls” fame. Now, admittedly, I never got into the late 1990s, early 2000s series. But I certainly watched Nikki ad Helen fanvids. And I certainly know how much the sight of them here, as if still together after all these years, warms so many hearts.



And finally, how can you not love seeing Bo-Bo and Lil Mama back together again? Anna Silk and Ksenia Solo had a lunch reunion last week and it made me miss “Lost Girl” all over again. I miss all those lovely humans sharing a screen together, I really do.

“Westworld” is a fascinating show. It’s a spooky with the lights on kind of show that throws our definitions of the most basic building blocks of our existence into question. What makes us human? How do we get our souls? What defines life, period? I’m excited for the start of the second season. And I’m even more excited that an our queer woman like Evan Rachel Wood is at the heart of it all. Wait, do hosts have hearts? The show is a wonderful showcase for the bisexual star. I can’t wait to see what she, and the show, can do. Oh, and Tessa Thompson and Thandie Newton are certainly nothing to sneeze at.

See, now this is where being an old fogy really hurts my lesbo street cred. Many of you have probably already heard of Hayley Kiyoko. I mean, I’d heard of her the last couple of years. I recognized her name. I knew she was a former Disney and Nickelodeon star turned singer-songwriter. But I never stopped to really listen, or watch, because sometimes I’m like *shakes fist at radio* who are these whipper snappers and why should I care?

Well, in the case of Hayley Kiyoko you should care if you like fun bops (I think the kids say bops again, right?). But you should really care if you like fun bops about girls liking other girls. In fact, creating intricate mini-movies for her music videos that play our like straight-up femslash fanfic is kind of her things.

Like take “Girls Like Girls”


Or her latest, “Curious”


She came out as a gay woman near the start of her musical career. And it has become her goal to normalize LGBTQ relationships, particularly female same-sex relationships, through her music and videos. Fans have dubbed her “Lesbian Jesus,” and she had dubbed 2018 “20GAYTEEN.”

Last week she released her debut album, “Expectations,” which has garnered great reviews thus meeting its own title. See what I did there? Ahem.

And for all the critics saying all she does is sing about girls and make videos where she smooches ladies, well, she told Refinery 29 last week:

“I’ve had several music industry execs say ‘You’re doing another music video about girls?’ I literally looked at them and was like, um, yea...Taylor Swift sings about men in every single song and video, and no one complains that she’s unoriginal. I’m not over-sexualizing my music. I make out with women because I love women, not because I’m trying to be sexy. That’s not to turn heads — that’s my life.”

I rewatched “San Junipero” for the umpteenth time last weekend. But like a fine wine and some cheeses, it only gets better with age. I don’t know how you can look at this behind-the-scenes shot of Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Mackenzie Davis and not smile? Because you simply cannot. Now that’s a way to start your week. Happy Monday, kittens.

I am still trying to decide if I’m going to watch the second season of “The Handmaid’s Tale.” It’s not that I disliked the first season, far from it. This is a well filmed, well acted, well written show – of that there is no doubt. My decision is not based on its merits, but whether I can stomach it. Some shows are hard to watch because they’re so unblinkingly realistic. And some shows are so hard to watch because they’re uncomfortably close to being unblinkingly realistic. And “The Handmaid’s Tale” is, very unfortunately, in the later category. In so many ways, it cuts too close to the bone with our current political climate. Granted, it’s the resistance that is meant to inspire us. But, still, with headlines testing the levels of our incredulity in this endless hellscape of a news cycle, sometimes I wonder how much more I can take – even fictional bad news. But then again, it is very well filmed, acted and written and features out queer characters and women. So, you know, how can I not? So in about two weeks when it returns April 25, will you be watching? Or is the news each day more than enough of that?

Welcome to 20GAYTEEN, indeed. This trend of female pop stars acting out all of our queer lady fantasies in their music videos? I AM HERE FOR IT. Janelle Monae already blessed us with the best Bisexual Lighting in a music video, ever. And now she, and Tessa Thompson, are back together to get even gayer? How gay? Like dancing in Pussy Pants gay. Like Tessa as the clit and Janella as the labia gay. Like these are the actual lyrics, “Pink like the inside of your, baby/Pink behind all of the doors, crazy/Pink like the tongue that goes down, maybe/Pink like the paradise found.”

Oh, and then there was all of this.



And this.



And this.



And this, I mean, COME ON.



Look, I don’t know if Janella and Tessa are dating and this whole song/video is an ode to the amazing sex they’re having together. But, damn, I sure hope it is. (Autostraddle did an exhaustive investigative report when the “Make You Feel” video came out and evidence has only continued to mount…ahem.)

Also, I hope when inevitably asked by reporters if they’re dating, they simply reply with this image.



Anyway, even without the Janelle/Tessa connection, this video is amazing because you have a major music star singing explicitly about the joys of the female vagina. (Also, Tessa’s been wonderfully inclusive to our trans and non-binary sisters in her posts about the video as well, so props for that – the more people feel included the merrier we are all, I say.) A positively queer and queer positive videa featuring beautiful women of color, well, that is a very, very good thing.

Right, so now the only question is where do I find myself some Pussy Pants?

Yes. That is all. Yes.

They year of great Bisexual Lighting continues. The latest member of our LGBTQ tribe to claim a spot at the Big Out Table is “Broad City” star Abbi Jacobson, who came out as bisexual in a recent interview. *hold for applause and stoner head nods*

As she told Vanity Fair:

“I kind of go both ways; I date men and women,” she says. “They have to be funny, doing something they love. I don’t know—I’ve never really been interviewed about this before.”