Table of contents for November/December 2023 in The Advocate

Dear Valued Readers, As we enter the final chapters of an eventful year, we eagerly present The Advocates — 12 individuals who stand as a beacon of hope and a testament to the resilience of the LGBTQ+ community. This edition is graced with the indomitable Jamie Lee Curtis on its cover, an ally whose endeavors epitomize the potent force of unity, understanding, and empathy. Alongside Jamie Lee, this year’s distinguished honorees span an array of industries and their contributions have broadened horizons and shattered glass ceilings. In a time of increasing hostility towards us, it’s vital to us to feature honorees who echo the breadth of the LGBTQ+ community. The Advocates demonstrate the myriad of hues that mark our vibrant tapestry. These honorees exemplify not just survival, but triumphant flourish…

When Jamie Lee Curtis recalls a moment in time when she was overcome with a revelation, her arms propel upward, her fingers spread apart, her head jerks back, and she lets out an onomatopoeic-like boom. It’s as if a stick of dynamite ripped a negative thought or misconception out of her head and created a new path forward. A mining metaphor for opening her mind. When speaking with Curtis, a look behind her eyes reveals that mind in constant motion, eager for more information, more insight, more interaction, more explosions. Many discoveries have blasted their way through Curtis’s head. Her motto, a result of one of those detonations, is “Live Wisely and Love Well.” That sentiment is not only conveyed to all those she meets, but it’s an authentic descriptor…

(they/them) The artist and author is teaching us to lead with love. THERE ARE TIMES in life when it feels like, just when you thought there was little hope left, the universe miraculously sends you exactly what you need. And if there’s any truth to that, the universe has sent the world Alok Vaid-Menon, these days known simply as Alok. In a modern era that feels fueled by hate and division, Alok bravely leads with love. And I think we can all agree that’s something the world could use more of right now. The internationally acclaimed author, poet, and performance artist is gender nonconforming and known for their colorful hair and fashion-forward ensembles — which can, of course, sometimes spark negative comments from haters. One person recently wrote to them…

(she/her) The Emmy-winning star of stage and screen continues her unwavering commitment to HIV causes. THOUGH HER AGELESS beauty tells us otherwise, Sheryl Lee Ralph has earned herself an admirable showbiz career that has spanned over four decades now — and she’s been a fierce ally in the fight against HIV/AIDS and its stigma for just as long. After Ralph’s first big break in the 1977 film A Piece of the Action, she made her Broadway debut in 1981, originating the iconic Deena Jones in Dreamgirls (a role for which Ralph earned a Tony nomination and was later played by Beyoncé in the 2006 film version). Since then, Ralph has literally never stopped working and has appeared in dozens of movies, televison shows, and stage productions including Sister Act 2,…

(she/her) Trans people in the South deserve health and happiness — and this superheroine is providing both. TORI COOPER HAS spent her life saving lives. After years as the guardian angel of Atlanta’s trans and HIV communities, Cooper now brings her experience to a national level as the Human Rights Campaign’s director of community engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative. “In this role, her focus includes economic empowerment; capacity building programs; public safety; and expanded public education campaigns,” according to HRC, the nation’s most prominent organization fighting for LGBTQ+ equality. Before she got to this point in her career, the Virginia-bred Cooper moved mountains in Atlanta, where she worked at all levels of service, from volunteer to founder of Advocates for Better Care Atlanta, which provides health needs for the city’s…

(he/him) The Tony Award-winning writer brought one of the most delicious gay movies ever to life. MATTHEW LÓPEZ IS bringing queer Latinx representation to theater, film, and Prime Video. The out playwright turned screenwriter and film director, has had an amazing year with the release of his film Red, White, and Royal Blue. López’s film, adapted from the novel of the same name by Casey McQuiston and written by López and Ted Malawer, reportedly took the top rank on Prime Video for several days and spent a significant time in the top 10 films on the streaming platform. The film currently has a 75 percent Rotten Tomatoes score and has been lauded on its representation of a Latinx bi protagonist as well as its sex scene — even educating the…

CARMEN XTRAVAGANZA Ballroom legend and trans activist Carmen Xtravaganza, known for her beauty, talent, activism — and appearance in the 1990 ballroom documentary Paris Is Burning — passed away in early August at the age of 62. “Throughout the 1980s, Carmen reigned on the runways as one of the House of Xtravaganza’s ‘impossible beauties.’ Her presence and talent left an indelible mark on the House Ballroom scene,” read a post announcing her death on the House of Xtravaganza’s Instagram page. “Her contribution to the community and artistry will forever be remembered.” Carmen was born in Spain and moved to New York in the late 1970s. She began medically transitioning when she was 16 and living in Washington, D.C. The House of Xtravaganza emerged in the early 1980s ballroom scene as…

WORLD AIDS DAY, a global day held every December 1 and dedicated to awareness of the HIV pandemic, focuses this year on grassroots efforts, with a theme entitled “Let Communities Lead.” The goal of this year’s World AIDS Day is to strengthen groups focused on those living with, at risk of, or affected by HIV. But “communities are being held back in their leadership,” UNAIDS notes. “Funding shortages, policy and regulatory hurdles, capacity constraints, and crackdowns on civil society and on the human rights of marginalized communities, are obstructing the progress of HIV prevention and treatment services. If these obstacles are removed, community-led organizations can add even greater impetus to the global HIV response, advancing progress towards the end of AIDS.” The World Health Organization, a major driver of World…

(she/they) The actress is creating spaces for fellow queer and trans artists. WHEN INSTAGRAM HANDLE @clubcurran began posting on June 25, it was with a series of portraits. “PROUD” the caption read, with the requisite production credits. “More to come.” And more did come: for about a month the handle continued to post portraits of the editors of the then-to-be-launched publication as well as their collaborators and friends. This was community, central to the new platform as ideated by cofounder Tommy Dorfman. “Curran came to me as this idea for community and safe space and platforming queer and trans people as I started transitioning because I felt lacking in resources in a lot of ways,” says Dorfman, who shot all of the images for that launch. “The main interest in doing…

(she/they) The nonbinary musician and actor unapologetically centered queer Black sexuality in this year’s Age of Pleasure. JANELLE MONÁE’S JOURNEY as an artist and human over the last several years has been a privilege and pleasure to witness. In addition to achieving wild success as a musician with hit-filled albums like The Electric Lady and Dirty Computer, Monáe has proven that their talent doesn’t end there. She’s received much attention and critical acclaim for her acting over the last decade (Antebellum, Hidden Figures), most recently for her fascinating dual role in 2022’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Monáe, who uses both she/her and they/them pronouns, has been very open about many of their personal evolutions as well. They came out as pansexual in 2018, then revealed that they identified as…

(he/him) The co-editor in chief of Variety is making great strides for LGBTQ+ representation in media. RAMIN SETOODEH OVERSEES a newsroom that is on the pulse of the entire entertainment world and that has covered everything from awards shows to business deals to scandals to the recent writers’ and actors’ strikes. Since early last year, the co-editor in chief of the trusted and renowned trade publication Variety, which has been around 118 years, has shared the reins with fellow co-editor in chief Cynthia Littleton in overseeing editorial operations across all Variety platforms. “Working at Variety for the last eight years under Claudia Eller’s leadership has been the most rewarding experience of my career. I’m incredibly excited to be teaming up with Cynthia Littleton, one of the best reporters and editors…

There’s a John Fogerty song from the 1980s, “Centerfield,” and the first line of the refrain is, “Oh, put me in, coach, I’m ready to play today!” At 96, Maybelle Blair is ready to play, in fact she might be at the top of her game. “I feel like I’m on top of the world. In fact, I really am. This is probably one of the happiest days of my life,” she said after the New York Mets and their Amazin’ Mets Foundation presented their inaugural Legacy Award to Blair during a September pre-game ceremony at Citi Field in New York. And from over 10 feet away, Blair threw out the first pitch, and to everyone who saw it, it was a strike! “The Mets are a first class organization,…

Black Queer Creative Summit Los Angeles THIS SEPTEMBER, THE inaugural Black Queer Creative Summit was held in Los Angeles, with a focus on empowering, educating, and training 150 emerging Black LGBTQ+ creatives across five sectors of the entertainment industry: executives, creators, behind-the-scenes, on-screen talent, and music supervision. Dicks: The Musical Screening Fine Arts Theatre, Los Angeles MANY A QUEER icon could be found at a recent special screening of A24’s Dicks: The Musical in L.A. in September. In attendance were the film’s director Larry Charles, its writers and stars Aaron Jackson and Josh Sharp, and costars Nathan Lane, Megan Mullally, and Bowen Yang. Special guests included Bruce Villanch, Juju Green, Joel Kim Booster, Kerri Colby, Symone, and many others. The screening was followed by a lively afterparty at SUR, where guests were…

Talking to Jamie Lee Curtis, writing about Sen. Scott Wiener, researching Tori Cooper’s work, and simply learning about all of The Advocates — our list of 12 heroes on the frontlines of history — was a lesson in inspiration. This group’s passion for philanthropy and the thoughtful way they move through life filled The Advocate team with admiration and hope. There is no shortage of stressors to fret over these days, but all of these individuals face them with courage, determination, and most, importantly, action — whether that’s challenging the gender binary, lobbying for people living with HIV, or being outspoken about their LGBTQ+ identity. We hope our Advocates give you the same motivation to do more good and face the world with the audacity they model so well.…

When did you first realize that you were transgender? I realized around the age of 16 when a high school friend of mine asked me what my gender was. It made me think, and it made me realize that I might be. But at the time, I had other factors that kept me from transitioning. When did you decide that it was time to share with your family, friends, and coworkers? My wife actually convinced me. We were dating at the time, and she basically convinced me to tell my parents that I was trans. So, one weekend, I went to their house, and I didn’t actually tell them because the opportunity didn’t present itself. I messaged them afterwards and told them that I really wanted to tell them that…

(he/him) He’s living his best life as an actor, author, and filmmaker — and creating huge amounts of visibility for trans people in Hollywood. IT’S BEEN A big year for Elliot Page. For starters, his candid and clever memoir, Pageboy — which documents the 36-year-old actor’s journey to come out as a trans man, among other life experiences — quickly became a New York Times bestseller upon its release in June, almost instantly topping the nonfiction list. The Los Angeles Times lauded it as “raw, harrowing, and often heartbreaking,” while The Washington Post called the memoir “eloquent and enthralling.” Among the many intimate details of Page’s life that are included is the fact that he and actress Kate Mara (American Horror Story, Fantastic Four) once had a secret relationship. Despite…

(she/her) Move over Barbie, it’s Hari’s world and we’re just living in it. LOVE IT OR hate it, there’s no denying that it was a Barbie girl summer. And one of the stars of the surreal comedy-fantasy, Hari Nef, is stepping into the spotlight and creating some much-needed trans representation in mainstream Hollywood. Nef says that the iconic toy for which the hit film is named was a childhood favorite of hers — well, a Barbie computer game that is. “It was Barbie’s Magic Hair Styler,” she recently told our sister publication, Out, when she graced its September/October 2023 cover. “It was a computer game. It was mostly about her face and the glam. You could give her the right hairstyle and the right makeup for an occasion.” “The idea…

It was actually the experience of getting tested for HIV over two decades ago that first led Pedro Coronado to his career in community health work. “I think I was 19 years old, after a breakup,” Coronado recalls. “A friend of mine referred me [to a local clinic] and he’s like, ‘Oh, there’s a place in downtown Brownsville, you can get tested there and you can get condoms.’ But when I went to go get tested, they had a sign that they were hiring for a youth advocate, to work with youth and try to get them to get tested and all of that good stuff.” “So I got tested — and this was 20 years ago, when they had to draw your blood, send it out…you had to wait…