Today in Gay

Alexandra Grey wants to tell stories. The actor, singer and producer wants to tell trans narratives, but she is tired of seeing the same kind of roles, where transness is at the center of the character’s journey, or they have a whole side-plot because they aren’t part of the script’s “world.”In this interview, Grey is generous enough to offer her insightful and powerful reflections on the struggle for accurate representation for herself and other queer black actresses on screen. We also get a very special and intimate look at her first days in Hollywood, when she met our very own Nay Bever, who worked at the LA LGBT Center and saw the focus and clear determination that the actress had, early on.Checkout our full write up of the interview on our Substack! ♥︎ TiG TeamFollow us on Substack!Today in Gay is brought to you in part by:➤ Jasmin Savoy Brown (IG) - Co-Creator / Executive Producer➤ Nay Bever (IG) - Co-Creator / Executive Producer / Host➤ Lauren Klein (IG) - Executive Producer / Editor / Composer➤ Vico Ortiz (IG / Substack) - Host / Associate Producer➤ Linh Nguyen (IG) - Co-Producer➤ Andrés Pacheco Girón (Web) - Researcher / Associate Producer➤ Maritza Navarro (IG) - Supervising Producer➤ Jax Ko (Web) - Creative Director This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit todayingay.substack.com

Welcome to part 2 of our special edition marriage equality anniversary episodes. Ten years ago today, same-sex marriage was legalized in the U.S., after the Supreme Court ruled marriage a fundamental right for all.Twenty years before that, Jim Obergefell met John Arthur.What began as a love story between two people became a landmark case that changed the lives of millions. To mark the 10-year anniversary of Obergefell v. Hodges, we sat down with Jim Obergefell and Obergefell attorney Ken Mogill. What followed was a conversation not just about the legal battle for marriage equality — but about love, grief, resilience, and the unfinished work of justice.This anniversary however, isn’t just about looking back. We’re sitting firmly in our reality — acknowledging the rising hostility our community is facing, forcing us to defend our rights and existence once again — and seeing today as a recommitment to the fight for equality.We sincerely hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know more about this life-changing case and more about the people behind the names. Happy Pride, y’all.♥︎ TiG TeamJim’s Work:■ https://www.obergefell.com/■ https://equalityvines.com/■ https://www.justmarried.us/Follow us on Substack!Today in Gay is brought to you in part by:➤ Jasmin Savoy Brown (IG) - Co-Creator / Executive Producer➤ Nay Bever (IG) - Co-Creator / Executive Producer / Host➤ Lauren Klein (IG) - Executive Producer / Editor / Composer➤ Vico Ortiz (IG / Substack) - Host / Associate Producer➤ Linh Nguyen (IG) - Co-Producer➤ Andrés Pacheco Girón (Web) - Researcher / Associate Producer➤ Maritza Navarro (IG) - Supervising Producer➤ Jax Ko (Web) - Creative Director This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit todayingay.substack.com

Ten years ago today, same-sex marriage was legalized in the U.S., after the Supreme Court ruled marriage a fundamental right for all. 13 years ago that, Ken Mogill started working on one of the companion cases to Obergefell v. Hodges , DeBoer v. Snyder.On this 10-year anniversary of Obergefell v. Hodges, we sat down with attorney Ken Mogill and had him walk us through the political climate and legal landscape as context for the 2012 - 2015 legal battle for marriage equality.Tune in to follow the queer mapping and TiG lore that lead us to Ken and to hear about having allies in unexpected places. We hope that this episode paints a better picture of the many layers of this landmark case.♥︎ TiG TeamFollow us on Substack!Today in Gay is brought to you in part by:➤ Jasmin Savoy Brown (IG) - Co-Creator / Executive Producer➤ Nay Bever (IG) - Co-Creator / Executive Producer / Host➤ Lauren Klein (IG) - Executive Producer / Editor / Composer➤ Vico Ortiz (IG / Substack) - Host / Associate Producer➤ Linh Nguyen (IG) - Co-Producer➤ Andrés Pacheco Girón (Web) - Researcher / Associate Producer➤ Maritza Navarro (IG) - Supervising Producer➤ Jax Ko (Web) - Creative Director This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit todayingay.substack.com

Over here at Today in Gay we are always learning along with you and it was so enlightening to learn a little bit more about the legislative process in Puerto Rico with the first out trans person to hold an elected office in the island’s history, Marielle De León Toledo!Vico and Marielle go way back to 2019, after meeting and dancing at a Drag show in Puerto Rico. I don’t know about you, but I want my politicians to be able to Kiki. De León Toledo can do that, and so much more!To learn more about Marielle and view the links mentioned on the pod, check out our Substack write-up for this episode!♥︎ TiG TeamFollow us on Substack!Today in Gay is brought to you in part by:➤ Jasmin Savoy Brown (IG) - Co-Creator / Executive Producer➤ Nay Bever (IG) - Co-Creator / Executive Producer / Host➤ Lauren Klein (IG) - Executive Producer / Editor / Composer➤ Vico Ortiz (IG / Substack) - Host / Associate Producer➤ Linh Nguyen (IG) - Co-Producer➤ Andrés Pacheco Girón (Web) - Researcher / Associate Producer➤ Maritza Navarro (IG) - Supervising Producer➤ Jax Ko (Web) - Creative Director This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit todayingay.substack.com

This episode was originally recorded Monday, June 16th, intended to air on June 17th — but because what will now be known as a historical Today in Gay* moment in history, we had to postpone a day.*Jasmin’s dog Stella escaped Lauren’s (EP/Editor) house, resulting in a 2.5 hour search party, joined by the kindest strangers we’ve maybe ever met! Check out the pre-roll in today’s episode to get the semi-full scoop! (we will definitely be sharing more details from this absolutely bonkers experience!)Today we are processing the protests over the weekend — No Kings but Drag Kings! In good news, Oregon’s “Freedom to Read” library bill — which stop schools from banning books just because LGBTQIA+ folks wrote them, is headed to Governor Tina Kotek’s desk! As Nay says, “Let’s not teach our kids that their stories are too controversial to belong on the shelves.” Period!In other good news, we are are celebrating a federal judge blocking the Trump administration from enforcing anti-diversity and anti-transgender executive orders targeting LGBTQ and HIV-serving non-profits, a headline we originally covered as it happened earlier this year, and a reminder why we LOVE a lawsuit! In reflecting on the weekend’s protest, we also discuss some new research out of UCLA’s Williams Institute, regarding impacts of immigration enforcement on LGBT adult immigrants in Los Angeles County. A reminder of why protests like the ones over the weekend are so important! Oh and also, F**K ICE. The flys buzzing around Vico also agree, and Nay encourages them to go find the real piles of s**t (ICE)! Speaking of Vico, we keep you In The Loop on their solo show performances in LA, and Nay gives us her firsthand experience from LA opening night! ♥︎ TiG TeamFollow us on Substack!Today in Gay is brought to you in part by:➤ Jasmin Savoy Brown (IG) - Co-Creator / Executive Producer➤ Nay Bever (IG) - Co-Creator / Executive Producer / Host➤ Lauren Klein (IG) - Executive Producer / Editor / Composer➤ Vico Ortiz (IG / Substack) - Host / Associate Producer➤ Linh Nguyen (IG) - Co-Producer➤ Andrés Pacheco Girón (Web) - Researcher / Associate Producer➤ Maritza Navarro (IG) - Supervising Producer➤ Jax Ko (Web) - Creative Director This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit todayingay.substack.com

*A note from our team: Things are scary out there. We stand with the immigrant community and we stand with everyone fighting for the rights of all humans, who have a right to exist here. F**K ICE.Nay sat down with a surprise sidekick, our very own Lauren Klein, for today’s interview with musician, songwriter and author, Sara Quin, who you may know from the band “Tegan and Sara.” This was a super special get, as Tegan and Sara are currently in hibernation for 2025. So, getting to have this fun, honest and thought provoking conversation with Sara was a real treat!Check out the full write-up of this episode, featuring some reflections from Nay and Lauren, on our Substack!And don't forget to check out Sara and Tegan’s Substack, I Think We’re Alone Now(*the only place you can catch Sara during the T+S hibernation!*)Today in Gay is brought to you in part by:➤ Jasmin Savoy Brown (IG) - Co-Creator / Executive Producer➤ Nay Bever (IG) - Co-Creator / Executive Producer / Host➤ Lauren Klein (IG) - Executive Producer / Editor / Composer➤ Vico Ortiz (IG / Substack) - Host / Associate Producer➤ Linh Nguyen (IG) - Co-Producer➤ Andrés Pacheco Girón (Web) - Researcher / Associate Producer➤ Maritza Navarro (IG) - Supervising Producer➤ Jax Ko (Web) - Creative Director➤ Kai Davies - Video Editor This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit todayingay.substack.com

Hey y’all, Nay here. I am full of gratitude today because I feel so lucky to be able to bring you this special edition In The Loop episode of Today in Gay. For this Thursday’s episode, Vico and I are honored to have Cristina Costantini and Tam O’Shaughnessy here to talk about the upcoming documentary Sally.Sally is a heartfelt and inspiring documentary about Sally Ride, the first American woman to go to space. Written and directed by Cristina Costantini, Sally is a skillfully woven masterpiece that lets us see Sally’s deliberate and powerful character but also an intimate glimpse into her personal life. Tam, who is absolutely iconic by the way, executive produced the project while also being one of the hearts of the film. You see, Tam and Sally had a private romance for 27 years. Their story is complicated, riveting, and important. You NEED to watch this doc as soon as you can. (It airs on National Geographic on June 16th and on Disney+ and Hulu on June 17th!)I can’t stress to y’all enough how important our queer elders are and how special it was for Vico and I to be part of this conversation. Tam is a legend and Cristina did a beautiful job bringing this beautiful piece of our community's legacy into 2025. Let us know if you watch it and what you think!Follow us on Substack!Today in Gay is brought to you in part by:➤ Jasmin Savoy Brown (IG) - Co-Creator / Executive Producer➤ Nay Bever (IG) - Co-Creator / Executive Producer / Host➤ Lauren Klein (IG) - Executive Producer / Editor / Composer➤ Vico Ortiz (IG / Substack) - Host / Associate Producer➤ Linh Nguyen (IG) - Co-Producer➤ Andrés Pacheco Girón (Web) - Researcher / Associate Producer➤ Maritza Navarro (IG) - Supervising Producer➤ Jax Ko (Web) - Creative Director This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit todayingay.substack.com

Today’s Wednesday motto is fuuuuck ICE. We hope everyone in L.A. is safe and supported!Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA): All ResourcesIn today’s episode, Nay and Vico are sharing queer highlights from the Tony Awards — which is perhaps the gayest of all the awards shows. After all, there’s no such thing as a straight Tony Awards! And speaking of winners and losers, we’re getting into the beef between legendary Olympian Simone Biles, literally the GOAT, and Trump’s transphobic poster “athlete” Riley Gaines, who peaked at fifth-place in college and hasn’t let it go since. To quote an excellent burn: "Simone Biles has 11 Olympic medals. Riley Gaines has 11 Fox News appearances complaining about people who actually win medals."WorldPride also wrapped up last Sunday with a lively rally, the International March on Washington for Freedom. The message from the crowd was loud and clear: the queer community is NOT standing down. So yes, WorldPride may be technically over but we've still got 19 more days of June and a lifetime of resistance.PLUS, there’s a Good Gay News VOICEMAIL!!! Look, if you need Nay and Vico to gas you up, then you NEED to be calling into our voicemail line and leaving a message. ☏ Hit our line at +1 (551) 333-5247 ♥︎ TiG TeamFollow us on Substack!Today in Gay is brought to you in part by:➤ Jasmin Savoy Brown (IG) - Co-Creator / Executive Producer➤ Nay Bever (IG) - Co-Creator / Executive Producer / Host➤ Lauren Klein (IG) - Executive Producer / Editor / Composer➤ Vico Ortiz (IG / Substack) - Host / Associate Producer➤ Linh Nguyen (IG) - Co-Producer➤ Andrés Pacheco Girón (Web) - Researcher / Associate Producer➤ Maritza Navarro (IG) - Supervising Producer➤ Jax Ko (Web) - Creative Director This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit todayingay.substack.com

Today, we are reflecting on the events from this past weekend — from Dyke Day LA to the LA ICE protests, we’re holding each other through it!‼️ Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA): All Resources In the headlines, we’ve got some good gay news coming out of Puerto Rico — besides Vico, that is! Today, we’re celebrating the PR Supreme Court’s ruling that nonbinary and gender non-conforming folks can update their birth certificates to include “X” gender markers! It’s a major win in the face of Trump’s “two biological sexes” executive order.Standing alongside Puerto Rico in supporting the community is Elmo! Sesame Street made a Pride post that sent Republicans into a tailspin, accusing PBS of “grooming kids.” Head over to the Substack post of today's episode and see if you can spot the alleged “grooming….”Despite the rights’ hysteria, people are still showing out for LGBTQIA+ rights — like Lambda Legal, which raised $285 million (surpassing its goal by $105 million!!) to support its legal work. The best part? The money didn’t come from corporations; it came from the community.In the Loop today, we’ve got the team behind Lesbophilia, a shocking new short film starring our very own Vico Ortiz!!!♥︎ TiG Team***Follow us on Substack!***Today in Gay is brought to you in part by:➤ Jasmin Savoy Brown (IG) - Co-Creator / Executive Producer➤ Nay Bever (IG) - Co-Creator / Executive Producer / Host➤ Lauren Klein (IG) - Executive Producer / Editor / Composer➤ Vico Ortiz (IG / Substack) - Host / Associate Producer➤ Linh Nguyen (IG) - Co-Producer➤ Andrés Pacheco Girón (Web) - Researcher / Associate Producer➤ Maritza Navarro (IG) - Supervising Producer➤ Jax Ko (Web) - Creative Director This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit todayingay.substack.com

Hey, y’all! We’ve got a repost for you today because a combo of dentist appointments and wonky audio and internet meant our episode was falling short of our usual masterpiece. We promise that we’ll be back with fresh episodes next week! For today, I, Nay, invite you to give our voicemail QUEERIES episode a listen (or re-listen) and let it inspire you to hit our line soon. 😎 We want to hear from you! We want your Good Gay News and to know what’s happenin’ in your town. Wanna shout some out? Let us know. We’d love to pass along some love to a cool queer person in your life. Oh! And be on the lookout for some Pride reflections from us coming your way tomorrow, right here on our Substack!♥︎ Nay & TiG Team☏ LEAVE US A MESSAGE! +1.551.333.5247 Follow us on Substack! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit todayingay.substack.com