Hailed as the first gay romantic comedy from a major studio, ‘BROS’ is set to make history as its star Billy Eichner crests into the Hollywood stratosphere. From ‘Billy on the Street’ to ‘BROS’ Eichner makes a full career trajectory while pushing a gay rom-com into the land of the masses. It’s been a bit of a climb, but Eichner’s exuberant charm and roguish edge finally seem to have found they rightful way into mainstream pop culture, and there’s a giddy glee in realizing that for all of us who have been enamored from the beginning. Here he is as Dazzler of the Day for the first, and likely not the last, time.
Category Archives: LGBTQ+
August
2022
August
2022
Happy Gay Uncles Day!
Yes, this is a real thing, and you have probably forgotten to get me the gifts I so richly deserve, so hurry up and head to my Amazon Wish List to rectify the situation immediately. (My birthday is also coming up, so purchase accordingly.) As for Gay Uncles Day, it’s more of an amusement than anything else – I get enough joy out of seeing my niece and nephews that I don’t need a special day to commemorate my role as Guncle. That said, who am I to deny anyone the chance to send gifts on the second Sunday in August?
Recently, the twins asked whether I ever held them both in my arms at the same time – we were discussing how small Jaxon was and whether they were ever so small. I have several photos of me holding them both, but I think this is one of the last times I was able to physically do so. We won’t be recreating this anytime soon or later, unless I want a broken back.
June
2022
Because Pride Still Matters
“Ballet dancers and hairdressers and drag queens made it safe for football players to come out and not the other way around. Effeminate men who couldn’t hide who they were and were constantly told they were weak—because our misogynistic culture associates femininity with weakness—those guys made it safe for masculine men to come out.” ~ Dan Savage
June
2022
Dazzler of the Day: Fabio Bonavento
His fashion site just launched some fabulous terry cloth shorts, and ever since I was a kid celebrating a birthday at Burger King in a terry cloth romper, I’ve adored the fabric, especially for summer. For Fabio Bonavento, combining fashion and feel-good moments is one of life’s greatest pleasures. He earns this Dazzler of the Day feature for all of his creative endeavors, more of which can be found here. His Fafabon brand celebrates a lifestyle of inclusivity and pride, perfect for this particular month. 
June
2022
How Not To Get A Job
Having worked in Human Resources for the better part of 17 years, I’ve learned a few tips and tricks for how to get noticed and hired, and more importantly a couple of big warning flags on how not to get hired. One of the main things that most employers DO NOT look for is a criminal record based on a potential candidate’s crossing state borders with riot gear and masks with the alleged intent to intimidate, harass, and terrorize innocent attendees at a Pride event. The other thing I’ve read about is that some employers do research on their potential employees to see if they were, say, involved in some white supremacy bullshit, because that’s rarely a good look for any company. Hate just doesn’t sell like it used to. Finally, one last word – the internet is pretty much forever, and once someone’s name is out there, even in the smallest most insignificant blog, it can be connected to a heinous act of hatred far into the future.
With that said, here are the names of the 31 individuals, some of whom are purportedly part of a white supremacist group called the Patriot Front, who packed themselves into a U-haul to attend and allegedly wreak havoc on a Pride event in Idaho. They came from all over the country, and now their names will be forever tied to hatred and the specter of possible violence. Hire accordingly, America.
- Jared Michael Boyce,
- Nathan David Brenner,
- Colton Michael Brown,
- Josiah Daniel Buster,
- Mishael Joshua Buster,
- Devin Wayne Center,
- Dylan Carter Corio,
- Winston North Durham,
- Joseph Garret Garland,
- Branden Mitchel Haney,
- Richard Jacob Jessop,
- James Michael Johnson,
- James Julius Johnson,
- Connor Patrick Moran,
- Kieran Padraig Morris,
- Lawrence Alexander Norman,
- Justin Michael Oleary,
- Cameron Kathan Pruitt,
- Forrest Clark Rankin,
- Thomas Ryan Rousseau,
- Conor James Ryan,
- Spencer Thomas Simpson,
- Derek Joseph Smith,
- Alexander Nicholai Sisenstein,
- Dakota Ray Tabler,
- Steven Derrick Tucker,
- Wesley Evan Van Horn,
- Mitchell Frederick Wagner,
- Nathaniel Taylor Whitfield,
- Robert Benjamin Whitted,
- Graham Jones Whitsom
And for further info, here are a few links to the background. One doesn’t plan something like this without wanting a bit of notice, so let’s shine a light on who they are.
– 31 people with ties to White nationalist group arrested for conspiracy to riot near a Pride parade in Idaho – CNN
– 31 arrested with shields, riot gear near Pride parade in Idaho – ABC
– 31 Patriot Front members arrested near Idaho pride event – PBS
Jared Michael Boyce, Nathan David Brenner, Colton Michael Brown, Josiah Daniel Buster, Mishael Joshua Buster, Devin Wayne Center, Dylan Carter Corio, Winston North Durham, Joseph Garret Garland, Branden Mitchel Haney, Richard Jacob Jessop, James Michael Johnson, James Julius Johnson, Connor Patrick Moran, Kieran Padraig Morris, Lawrence Alexander Norman, Justin Michael Oleary, Cameron Kathan Pruitt, Forrest Clark Rankin, Thomas Ryan Rousseau, Conor James Ryan, Spencer Thomas Simpson, Derek Joseph Smith, Alexander Nicholai Sisenstein, Dakota Ray Tabler, Steven Derrick Tucker, Wesley Evan Van Horn, Mitchell Frederick Wagner, Nathaniel Taylor Whitfield, Robert Benjamin Whitted, Graham Jones Whitsom
June
2022
Dazzler of the Day: Leyna Bloom
Actress, dancer, activist and ‘Sports Illustrated’ swimsuit model Leyna Bloom brings back the Dazzler of the Day feature thanks to her beauty, talent, and power. All of that is on luminescent display in her turn as Wye in ‘Port Authority’, as well as in her extensive modeling work. Trailblazing, groundbreaking, and a superstar-in-the-making ~ watch her shine.
May
2022
Everything’s Coming Up Rainbows
June 12, 2022 will mark the return of the Capital Pride Parade and Festival – a tradition that Albany has maintained since 1970 in some way or fashion. It feels especially important this year, with so many awful turns our country has taken in going backwards regarding equality and basic human rights. We are also in a tumultuous time where some have begun to question the simple need for an LGBTQ+ Pride Events (is Boston even having an official Pride celebration this year?)
I’ve always maintained that as long as there are people who are trying to take away or deny us our rights, and as long as there is homophobia, then yes, there is a definite need for it. And even if those things went away, there would still be a need to remember and honor all of those who fought and died for whatever we have today. Besides, the world needs some joy and love, and there is no more joyful and loving place than a Pride Parade and Festival.
Check out the Capital Pride Center’s page on this year’s Capital Pride Parade and Festival to find out ways in which you can take part in this important event.
May
2022
Dazzler of the Day: JORDY
A person with such insouciant charm and magnetism deserves to have their names in all caps, and today we honor JORDY as Dazzler of the Day thanks to his creative talent and transfixing personality. His website offers more enchantment for those seeking to solve his mysteries, and he was recently announced as one of the headliners for this year’s Capital Pride Festival in Albany. His music, filled with catchy hooks and pop melodies, focuses on love and loneliness, giving listeners just a little bit more to chew on than your average pop song.
March
2022
When You Don’t Say Gay
When I was growing up, no one talked about being gay, and when you don’t see yourself in the world you wonder at your worth, your value, and your entire existence. #SayGay
March
2022
Dazzler of the Day: Nathaniel Gray
Once upon a New York State Agency meeting, I had the privilege of sitting across the room from Nathaniel Gray (he/him), who wowed with his impressive energy and ideas (and hair) at a gathering of the NYS LGBTQ+ Interagency Task Force, on which he was working as part of the Governor’s Pride Outreach team. Since then, he’s been named as the Executive Director of the Pride Center of the Capital Region, and today earns his first Dazzler of the Day. On March 31, he’ll be the proverbial ice sculpture around which a ‘Meet the Executive Director’ event unfolds at the Franklin Terrace Ballroom in Troy, NY – get your tickets here. He recently expressed his hopes and plans for his new role:
“My plans are to establish a solid foundation and resources for the Pride Center that is diverse and provides long term opportunities. I also hope to establish relationships with local businesses and organizations to provide training and consultation on LGBTQ+ cultural awareness and policies; to support schools in creating safe environments for all youth, and to engage community leadership in a dialogue about making the entire Capital Region a safe and affirming environment for LGBTQ+ folks of every age and race; LGBTQ+ Visibility Saves Lives.
I am looking forward to meeting many of you at my first community forum and hear from our region’s LGBTQ+ community.”
February
2022
Dazzler of the Day: Wilson Cruz
It was the mid-90’s, and in the midst of the tattered-flannel grunge muck I was just starting to acknowledge my sexuality. Flickering boldly across the television screen was the audaciously and unapologetically queer character of Rickie Vasquez on ‘My So-Called Life’. He was astonishing to me – so supremely confident, yet so heartbreakingly vulnerable – and the portrayal of such a person by the exquisitely talented Wilson Cruz suddenly made me realize that there might be a place in the world for other queer kids like myself. In the ensuing years, I came out and began to find my way in the world, forever thankful to Cruz for showing me another way, while Cruz forged his own journey in Hollywood, crafting a career in defiance of the typical entertainment rules for openly gay people of color. His trailblazing continues to this day, as evidenced by his current turn on ‘Star Trek: Discovery’, boldly going where no one has gone before as he shares an on-screen kiss with his on-screen husband. That’s courage. That’s bravery. That’s even more than a Dazzler of the Day.
January
2022
Dazzler of the Day: Michael Breyette
Artists make the most impressive dazzlers, and so this Dazzler of the Day was an obvious and much-deserved choice. Here is Michael Breyette – one of my favorite living artists – and what a thrill and joy it is to be alive when someone so talented is working and producing art that will surely endure long into the future. We don’t appreciate people when we should.
Breyette has been featured here in a few previous posts, such as this artist profile and a cheeky Hunk of the Day crowning. He was also gracious and kind enough to capture me back when I could fit snugly into a Speedo.
He recently posted the following on his lovely website, offering an inside look into the process of an artist in winter:
It’s great to have a busy holiday season, but it seems like forever since I was at the drawing board. I also have this ‘dream’ of coming up with a whole bunch of ideas and outlines now to carry me through the whole year. The hope would be that I’d be more proficient and could quickly finish up one work and move right on to the next, without waiting for inspiration or taking time to develop an idea. Knowing how I usually work though, I don’t think I’ll make it happen. In the past when I’ve planned out several pieces at once, I’ve only managed to complete a few of them. Maybe I lose interest, my head is just not in the same place it was when I was creating the concept.
How wonderful it is to have him in this world, making it more beautiful, making it more resonant, making it more bearable. Visit his website here for more magic and enjoy the seasonal selections of his work below.
November
2021
Dazzler of the Day: Chella Man
With a background as rich and varied as Chella Man’s, it’s no wonder he is proving to be an exceptional human being. His social media bio lists him as Deaf, trans-masculine, Chinese and Jewish. He is more importantly an author and artist, known for his work ‘Continuum’, as well as numerous other endeavors so brilliantly illuminated on his website here. Today he is named Dazzler of the Day for so proudly being himself without apology.
October
2021
Dazzler of the Day: Laverne Cox
It was her scene-stealing performance in ‘Promising Young Woman’ that turned me into a Laverne Cox fan, and resulted in this Dazzler of the Day feature. She’s been carving an unprecedented career in Hollywood, from her star-making contribution in ‘Orange is the New Black’ to her too-long-to-mention lists of firsts as a transgender trailblazer.
October
2021
Dazzler of the Day: Shangela
Shangela stormed onto RuPaul’s Drag Race in one of the early seasons I happened to watch, and left all too early, only to be brought back. And brought back again. And again, until she conquered with her indefatigable spirit and refusal to be anything but a survivor. Such resilience and defiance, coupled with the tenacious spirit to get back up after every fall and carry on, is why she earns this Dazzler of the Day honor. Nowadays she is starring in the powerful and poignant ‘We’re Here’ on HBO, empowering others to join in her journey, and branching off to things like her very own Shanitizer product in these dangerous days.












































