FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Queer Kentucky Announces Divya Karthikeyan as Editorial Manager Louisville, KY — Queer Kentucky has named award-winning journalist Divya Karthikeyan as its new Editorial Manager, ushering in the next chapter for Kentucky’s only LGBTQ newsroom. Karthikeyan will oversee the editorial direction and daily operations of Queer Kentucky’s newsroom, guiding coverage of LGBTQ […]
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Skylar Davis grows Period Y’all to fight period poverty across Kentucky communities.
Midwestern Lesbian expands after Sapphic Sips anniversary draws 200+
Author David Dominé discusses HBO’s Murder in Glitter Ball City and the Old Louisville case that inspired it.
National Queer Theater opens applications for global queer playwriting program.
Kentucky artist John Brooks explores memory, queerness, and time in his evolving artwork.
Kentucky’s Mia Kopp and Mulanie Flowers, both transgender, will compete at Miss International Queen USA 2026.
TikTok comedian Heather Shaw marries attorney Lilly Jean Coiner in Louisville wedding.
Lexington’s Last WednesGays creates a safe, welcoming space for queer community and connection.
GLAAD – A Black gay couple reflects on faith, coming out, love, and marriage during and after COVID.
After a Roebling Bridge protest, Covington and Northern Kentucky face urgent questions about safety, power and community.
Inside Set & Setting, a queer, DIY independent queer bookstore and creative hub in Louisville.
Lane Rogers, known as Blake Mitchell, a proud Kentuckian, died at 31 after a motorcycle accident.
Kentucky chef Chase Maus brings his Covington roots and queer creativity to Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship.
Violet Chachki and Gottmik bring their high-energy Knockout Tour to Louisville Dec. 11.
Lexington’s Slay Bells returns Dec. 7 to support Moveable Feast with drag, comedy, and community joy.
A new partnership between Free to Be Youth Project and Sweet Evening Breeze brings gender-affirming care packages and vital support to unhoused LGBTQ+ youth in Kentucky.
Queer life in the South holds both contradiction and hope, reshaping belonging through love.
Reka’s, a queer female-owned whole-animal butchery in Covington, blends Italian heritage, sustainable meat practices, and community-focused values.
LGBTQ+-owned and affirming businesses are shaping a more inclusive Northern Kentucky.
Jen Tullock’s new play blends Kentucky roots, queer faith, and storytelling with deep compassion.
Davis Shoulders’ Queer Communion explores queer faith, identity, and resilience in Appalachia.
Judge Lewis Grant Paisley remembered for advancing LGBTQ+ rights and true allyship in Kentucky.
RuPaul alum Penny Tration and Molly Mormen discuss drag, identity and queer life in Northern Kentucky.
Sasha Velour brings “The Big Reveal Live Show” to Louisville for a night of drag and art.
Jinkx Monsoon and BenDeLaCreme bring their all-new 2025 holiday show to Louisville, ‘The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show.’
Trans Kentuckians arm up amid fear, misinformation, and escalating political attacks.
Shapeshifting, Exploring Queer Identity, Code-Switching, and the Art of Self-Expression.
Queer wrestlers and drag queens collide at Power! Pride! Pro Wrestling in Cincinnati Nov. 14.
Trans women deserve safety, dignity, and equal access to gendered spaces—no exceptions.
Country Queers highlights rural LGBTQ+ stories of love, resilience, and community connection
Behind the Pink Door brings queer joy to Louisville with food, music, and lesbian community.
Finding queer community in Northern Kentucky: book clubs, rainbow crosswalks, neighbors who care.
OutReels Cincinnati, Nov. 7–9 at the Warsaw Federal Incline Theater, showcases LGBTQ films, talkbacks and a youth meetup to build community and representation.
Em Joy on how Louisville Youth Group empowers LGBTQ+ youth with support and resources.
Trans singer shares journey of finding voice on testosterone and tips for vocal transition care.
Free 3-week virtual voice training from Undead Voice for Kentuckians; plus $1,000 credit.
Queer Northern Kentuckians find belonging in NAMI’s LGBTQIA+ support group.
Louisville’s Time Slip Theatre opens 12th Rocky Horror run Oct. 17-Nov. 1 at PLAY | $15
Covington’s Carnegie stages bold queer stories; “Rocky Horror” runs Oct. 24–Nov. 2, 2025.
Appalachian trans-for-trans love offers freedom, understanding, and joy beyond outdated labels.
Transgender lives are under siege; survival depends on allies willing to stand and fight back.
Eastern Kentucky University students will host Pride in the Plaza on Oct. 14 after a new state law barred the school from officially sponsoring the annual event.
Louisville Roller Derby will close its 20th anniversary season with a doubleheader Oct. 4 at the Triple Crown Pavilion.
Black drag in Kentucky is protest, therapy, and joy—queens thriving beyond survival.
Queer Bourbon Week recap: NKY tastings, drag, and community—curated by Midwestern Lesbian.
Explore our Northern Kentucky Special Issue—street art, drag, affirming businesses, and Bourbon & Belonging—celebrating queer people and places across the region.
Kentucky Poet Laureate Silas House, known for his novels and essays about Appalachian life, has released his first full-length collection of poetry, All These Ghosts.
A transgender student finds acceptance, community, and hope at the University of Kentucky.
Actors Theatre of Louisville names queer leaders Amelia Acosta Powell and Emily Tarquin to top roles.
Black Wonderland creates spaces for Black queer joy, connection and regional community.
Disabled trans voices show why accessibility is the backbone of justice and activism.
Mutual aid centers BIPOC trans voices, pushing queer groups toward equity and liberation.
Trans Kentuckian share their journeys navigating HRT through clinics and DIY routes.
Kentucky’s Lexi Love joins Sabrina Carpenter at VMAs, uplifting trans rights on stage.
Kentucky board says counselor’s anti-LGBTQ+ post violated no laws after complaints.
Louisville Youth Group hosts Rainbow Dash 5K and Wacky Races Sept. 27 at Seneca Park.
Queer Kentucky amplifies trans youth voices amid harmful laws and rising mental health risks.
A gathering of raw, radiant voices: Kentucky’s trans youth share stories of truth and care.
Queer Louisville band RELAAY talks debut album Midtempo Magic and finding representation.
This issue isn’t about policy debates — it’s testimony, resistance, and survival. Kentucky’s trans youth wrote and designed this magazine themselves, speaking directly to their peers and communities. “Protect. Trans. Youth.”
The Appalachian Queer Film Festival is uplifting queer and trans stories in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
Grammy-nominated artist Janelle Monáe will headline the opening night of the inaugural America’s River Roots Festival, a five-day celebration spanning both sides of the Ohio River. Joining them on the headliner bill is Maren Morris, the country superstar who recently came out as bisexual — making two of the festival’s four headliners proudly queer. Running […]
Melanin Pride Weekend will return to Louisville on Sept. 18–21, 2025, marking its ninth year as one of the region’s largest celebrations of Black culture and LGBTQ+ pride. Founded and self-funded by Desiree Carr, creator of Pride Game Events, the four-day festival has grown from a grassroots gathering into a fixture of the city’s […]
Time Slip Theatre debuts thriller “Who Invited Them” Aug. 29–Sept. 6 at The Henry Clay.
From Kentucky to Broadway, Jacob Yates brings queer stories to life through music.
From Covington to Louisville, queer cycling groups reclaim the road and build community.
Lesbian elders reflect on Cincinnati’s SOL group and the power of chosen family since the 1980s.
In 2000s Whitesburg, Kentucky, a queer punk scene thrived—creating space, resistance, and identity in the Appalachian mountains.
The Queer Kentucky Polaroid Projects uplifts individual unique experiences from around the state.
Documentary “Our Friend Sandy” seeks to uncover life, legacy of slain LGBTQ+ Covington politician.
Trans Haven offers support, connection, and joy for trans adults across Louisville and beyond.
After decades of ministering under a pseudonym, Sister Luisa Derouen stepped into the light—risking her vocation to stand in solidarity with the trans community.
The Queer Kentucky Polaroid Projects uplifts individual unique experiences from around the state.
Trans people are shaped by unique socialization experiences—AMAB and AFAB journeys reflect deep diversity.
The Queer Kentucky Polaroid Projects uplifts individual unique experiences from around the state.
Queer News From Around the World July 19 – 25.
GOP lawmakers say cost of building galleries couldn’t be justified. Others worry about access and public participation.
The Queer Kentucky Polaroid Projects uplifts individual unique experiences from around the state.
Kentucky continues passing anti-trans legislation and some Kentuckians are fleeing.
The University of Louisville has disbanded the UofL Women’s Network and four other employee groups in response to a new state law.
The Queer Kentucky Polaroid Projects uplifts individual unique experiences from around the state.
What is it like being a trans adult in 2025? Here are three to talk about life in their 40s.
Joy Cedar, a two-spirit artist and activist, blends art, poetry, and pride to uplift Appalachia.
The Queer Kentucky Polaroid Projects uplifts individual unique experiences from around the state.
Delusiona Grandeur redefines drag with sex work, satire, blood, glitter, and defiance.
Mothman has long served as a queer symbol in Appalachia. Here’s why!
“Throuple” star Tommy Heleringers explore queer love, desire, and identity in this bold new indie film.
Queer Appalachian artist Sam Gleaves explores love, roots and truth on new album “Honest.”
Cain Culto is here, Kentucky and he’s created his own music genre: Kentucky Latin Art Pop.
The Queer Kentucky Polaroid Projects uplifts individual unique experiences from around the state.
Cinema Systers Film Festival Executive Director Laura Petrie on the importance of the sapphic community.
Dustin Hall’s art reclaims Appalachian memory, queerness, and grief through layered materials.
Louisville’s Wandering Treehouse offers safe and affirming spaces for marginalized communities.
Photographer Trish Gibson captures Appalachian grief, trauma, and queer identity through film.
LGBTQ activist Peter Taylor, a founder of Kentucky’s gay rights movement, dies at age 71.
The Queer Kentucky Polaroid Projects uplifts individual unique experiences from around the state.
Jim Obergefell reflects on 10 years since marriage equality and the fight still ahead.
Ashland archivist Hollyn-Reid preserves queer life with zines, selfies, and filing cabinets.
The Queer Kentucky Polaroid Projects uplifts individual unique experiences from around the state.
Pride festivals in Kentucky offer safety, education, and life-saving support for trans people.
Malcolm Davis uplifts Black queer Appalachian stories through Affrilachian Arts Institute.
Kentucky Shakespeare casts non-binary actor as Hamlet, debuting first queer romance on its stage.
Louisville Orchestra spotlights LGBTQ+ voices in new Pride songwriting concert June 20.
Richmond Pride brings queer joy, politics, and rural stories to the heart of Eastern Kentucky.
From Kentucky to LA, DaAnte Bowman blends dance, film & soul to uplift Black Queer artists.
New study explores mental health and resilience of LGBTQ+ youth in Appalachian Kentucky.
Queers With Shears helps LGBTQ+ Kentuckians express identity through affirming hair services.
CDC funding cut threatens HIV prevention in Kentucky, jeopardizing trust and LGBTQ+ health.
“Wish You Were Queer” brings gay comedy to Kentucky in OUTtv series spotlighting small towns.
Lexington honors LGBTQ+ history with Pride Month banners along Vine Street by Faulkner Morgan.
Garth Greenwell wins PEN/Faulkner for “Small Rain,” a lyrical novel rooted in queer Kentucky life.
Pride can’t distract us—our safe spaces are under attack and survival is on the line.
LGBTQ+ youth find safety, joy, and lasting friendships at Kentucky’s queer Camp Beacon.
Celebrate Pride with Midwestern Lesbian! 15+ queer events in Cincinnati all June long!
Pride has always been important for queer communities and individuals. As many of us know, Pride started with the Stonewall Riots in 1969, and one year later, a celebration of the accomplishments made on the anniversary birthed the first LGBTQ+ Pride marches. After thirty years of effort, June became officially recognized as LGBTQ+ Pride Month […]
Looking for a rural Pride celebration near you? We’ve got you covered!
Greg Bourke: gay dad, Catholic, activist, and accidental hero in U.S. marriage equality.
This photo essay is part of a special digital issue of Queer Kentucky surrounding harm reduction and its intersection with the LGBTQ+ community. Read the full issue here. Harm reduction strategies have played a significant role in Kentucky’s efforts to combat substance use and overdose deaths. In 2024, the state reported 1,410 drug overdose fatalities—a […]
Lexington’s ActOut Theatre stages Angels in America to explore queer life and politics.
Uncloseted Media documents two trans people using the bathroom legally in states with bans.
We’re so happy to bring on Jules Crawley as our summer reporting intern!
Nestled between a mix of homes and small businesses on the busy thoroughfare of Montgomery Road in Silverton, Ohio, lies Transform Cincy. This 3,000 square-foot house has been converted into a haven of sorts; Transform Cincy exists as a non-profit where trans and gender non-conforming youth under 18 can receive clothing to be their fullest […]
Every Memorial Day weekend, something extraordinary happens in Paducah: queer women from across the country and around the world gather for Cinema Systers Film Festival, the only all-lesbian film festival in the United States. In a town known for quilting and riverboats, this four day celebration of lesbian filmmakers has quietly and powerfully carved out […]
One Trans Man’s journey into Drag Kingdom.
The RPDR Season 17 Finalist has entered a 30-day treatment facility in Texas.
Champagne? We know you know her. She has a story to tell!
Curious about what is important to LGBTQ+ Kentuckians? Check out this groundbreaking survey.
UK students create their own Lavender Ceremony for Gradutation.
Danny Roberts celebrates 25 years of the Real World!
RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17 Finale results are in! We love you Lexi!
Queer voices in Gaza mourn love and life under Israel’s bombardment.
Terry Noel’s legacy lives on in drag and trans history.
Lexi Love is in the top four of RuPraul’s Drag Race Season 17.
The Christian-faith investing movement is a key factor driving American companies away from their DEI efforts.
Emma Curtis made history as the first openly transgender city council member in Kentucky, shaping LGBTQ+ leadership.
Our study shows queer media is a lifeline—fostering community, advocacy, and visibility in the Southeast.
Avery Plummer is archiving Queer history through sex-positive magazine, nymph(o).
The Downstairs Club was a hidden queer refuge in Kentucky, offering community, defiance, and controversy.
Willie Edward Taylor Carver Jr. explores Appalachian queer storytelling in Tore All to Pieces, his new book.
Vocalist Otis Junior found self-love through music, community, and embracing his Black queer identity.
Kentucky’s political climate threatens Queer, Trans and BIPOC communities, but Louisville Pride is still working.
PRISM is a storytelling series amplifying the experiences, creativity, and imagination of Black, Brown, and Indigenous storytellers based in Kentucky.
Appalshop’s AMI catalog holds the largest collection of Appalachian LGBTQ+ stories through film and media.
Let’s get naked and yoga! Nude dudes is letting it all hang out in Kentucky.
Every Wednesday evening and Saturday morning, runners and walkers from across Lexington gather to improve their health while also building a community of like-minded people from the Athens of the West.
It seems like everyone knows Matt Breland. Whether you covet his front-row seats at nearly every Shania Twain concert, admire his retention of Lady Gaga choreography or play along on his frequent “What shoes am I wearing?” on his Instagram (@matt_breezeland), this out and proud native Missisppian meteorologist is a fixture in the Louisville queer […]
Siri Imani began performing at 9. She struggled with rap but thrived as an artist. She founded Triiibe, a diverse artist collective in Cincinnati.
Across Kentucky and Appalachia, advocates and organizations are working to make LGBTQ community members feel welcomed and seen. That is especially true for organizations making a particular effort to celebrate the Black LGBTQ experience, through art, entertainment and advocacy. Queer Kentucky has compiled a list of six groups across the region that are uplifting Black […]
The 36th annual GLAAD Media Awards recognize groundbreaking representation of the LGBTQ+ community in media, and this year’s nominees include a line-up of talent very close to home. With the state of Queer rights at a crossroads of uncertainty and fear, this year’s nominees were fearless in telling the stories of trans athletes, being Black […]
In the early 1900s, Black drag was happening in Lexington from the Woodland Park Auditorium to the Lyric Theatre. Newspaper clippings even mention James Herndon performing as Sweet Evening Breeze, in “The Passion Dance of the Bongo-Bangoes” at the Woodland Auditorium in the 1920s and 1930s. As the years went on, other venues in Lexington […]
This weekend Louisville’s Mandala House is hosting their first LGBTQIA+ Legal Rights Day, a free event offering a wealth of resources designed to inform, educate, and uplift the LGBTQ+ community in an uncertain time. Resources include access to volunteer lawyers and notaries, on-site officiants, mental health resources, and an all day schedule of expert speakers […]
When Lafesa Johnson first started baking, it was out of necessity and creativity. As a young single mother of three, she learned early on how to make the most out of limited resources. When expensive birthday cakes were out of reach, Lafesa began crafting cakes for her children using techniques she picked up from cake-decorating […]
Louisville’s Lexi Love talks drag families and her LOVE for her hometown.
Feed Louisville is changing the way people in need receive nutritious food.
Comedy darling Matteo Lane is coming to Louisville!
In recent years, the LGBTQ+ community has faced growing uncertainty about the future of their rights, especially following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The ruling not only removed abortion access as a constitutional right but also raised concerns about the stability of other landmark decisions, including Obergefell v. Hodges, which […]
PRISM is a storytelling series amplifying the experiences, creativity, and imagination of Black, Brown, and Indigenous storytellers based in Kentucky. By Drew Webb Before this most recent presidential election, I’ve never wondered if shock is a contingent factor in heartbreak. Surprise can twist a knife but cannot wield that blade alone. It’s historically a recipe […]
What do you get when you pair up a documentary photographer invested in subcultures like hardcore music and wrestling with an anti-disciplinary queer artist?
Anita Bryant is dead.
Queer World News Round Up: Jan. 7
Meta is rolling back hate speech policy. What could go wrong?
New Years Day Queer World News Round Up: Jan. 1
Ever wondered about your state reps and how the stars guide them? Let’s dive in.
Christmas Eve Queer World News Round Up: Dec. 24, 2024
PRISM is a storytelling series amplifying the experiences, creativity, and imagination of Black, Brown, and Indigenous storytellers based in Kentucky.
Queer World News Round Up for Dec. 17, 2024
PRISM is a storytelling series amplifying the experiences, creativity, and imagination of Black, Brown, and Indigenous storytellers based in Kentucky.
“Here, Black, Femme, & Queer,” the Faulkner Morgan Archive’s traveling exhibit, celebrates Kentucky’s Black, femme, and queer history through intimate stories and images.
Stay on the lookout for these folks in 2025!
Ethel Cain announces “Preacher’s Daughter” vinyl release date.
Lexi Love is the fifth Kentucky queen to join RPDR.
Keturah Herron is one of Queer Kentucky’s 25 Faces of Fairness.
Queer Kentucky ISSUE 07: 25 Faces of Fairness is available now in select stores and on our website.
In honor of World AIDS Day, Queer Kentucky and the Faulkner Morgan Archive remember the history of HIV/AIDS in Kentucky.
Let’s have a word from the coolest dyke in Kentucky, Missy Spears. Queer Kentucky ISSUE 07: 25 Faces of Fairness is available now in select stores and on our website.
Laddy Bunny is coming to Louisville, Kentucky! Win free tickets through Queer Kentucky’s Instagram.
Amidst the divisive fear-mongering against immigrants, it is important to foster empathy and find common ground through shared human experiences.
I grew up in the outskirts of Henderson County in Western Kentucky. For as long as I can remember, every Christmas, birthday, or day worth celebrating had a central staple: Thomason’s BBQ Baked Beans. When I tell y’all it’s a special local business, I mean it. But, don’t just take my word for it. A […]
What’s your favorite scary movie? If you’re a Kentucky queer, that answer may soon be “Horrified,” a meta-horror comedy on track to film in Bowling Green and Lexington next year. Los Angeles-based queer director and writer Mike Zara is behind the film, and it stars Hallmark superstar Aimee Teegarden, renowned for her roles in “Friday Night […]
PRISM is a storytelling series amplifying the experiences, creativity, and imagination of Black, Brown, and Indigenous storytellers based in Kentucky.
In the heart of Louisville, echoed cheers and excitement bounce throughout the arena as blurs of speed zoom around an oval track. No, it’s not the Kentucky Derby; it’s the Roller Derby. For nearly two decades, Louisville Roller Derby (LRD) has been an empowering haven for a gender expansive community of people in Kentucky and […]
BLINK Cincinnati brings lights and queerness to the Northern Kentucky region.
photos by Jon Cherry Along Main Street in downtown Corbin, across the street from White Rabbit Records and bookended between the pinball museum and a local coffee shop called Folktales, Wrigley’s Taproom & Eatery celebrated its ninth birthday earlier this year. That party was, in some ways, the culmination of star chef Kristin Smith’s return […]
photos by Samuel Greenhill The spirit, fight, and resilience of Michele Hobbs. Nothing that I describe to you, from her nonstop energy to her multiple successful businesses to the Bourbon that we initially intended to speak about, sums Michele Hobbs up better than her insistence on turning all conversations to the people of Whitesburg, Kentucky. […]
For generations Bourbon whiskey has ebbed and flowed in and out of popularity and prestige, but as a uniquely American product, it’s long been part of the national beverage alcohol conversation. Over the past 20 years, however, Kentucky’s passion for the craft spirit has gained reverence from all over the world and with the institution […]
photos by Milkman Photography Josh Johnson is a Kentucky gentleman. That’s how he put it to fashion industry leaders from New York to Los Angeles while working as a clothing buyer more than a decade ago. Folks followed the phrase with confused looks and questioning glances at Johnson’s long hair and tattooed skin. “You’re not […]
photos by Beth Burrows April Elston was at work two years ago when she received an email that would change her life. Test results from an April 2022 biopsy revealed that she had cancer in her right breast, and a series of follow-up calls with her medical team presented a narrow range of treatment options. […]
Contrary to popular belief, The Kentucky Derby has always been queer. Big, boisterous hats and flashy fascinators paired with dresses in bright pastels, deep rosy reds and Kentucky blues fill Churchill Downs from the infield to Millionaires row. Let’s face it: it’s one big drag show. For the Derby’s 150th anniversary, Churchill Downs and Woodford […]
Attending Louder Than Life this weekend? Check out the 1 Million Strong tent. The music industry, a hub of entertainment and creativity, is also a sector riddled with substance abuse, much like our own queer community. With 56 percent of industry professionals grappling with addiction, there has been a push to address the severe […]
PRISM is a storytelling series amplifying the experiences, creativity, and imagination of Black, Brown, and Indigenous storytellers based in Kentucky. by Jas Turk “Grounded” by Jas Turk Current Inspirations: Dust Tracks on a Road | Zora Neale Hurston When You’re Ready, This Is How You Heal | Brianna Wiest Frybread Face and Me | Billy […]
Queer folks have often taken advantage of ambiguity as a way to get their images and fantasies before a wider audience. Advertisements, especially, have long served as a public-facing format to create such imagery. For instance, young men reading Time Magazine around the 1950s would have been greeted by ads like this one. Though meant […]
PRISM is a storytelling series amplifying the experiences, creativity, and imagination of Black, Brown, and Indigenous storytellers based in Kentucky. I heard it first, in the dark: an otherworldly squealing, high-pitched and sometimes close to sweet. Was it some kind of alien insect screeching, sending transmissions to listeners off-planet? UFOs love New Mexico, I was […]
photos by Matthew Pruitt Amy Mobley (she/her) Bar 32 Covington, KY As I step into Bar 32 located in Covington, I’m overwhelmed by a sense of nostalgia. The bar instantly feels like home, where the regulars converse like they’ve known each other for years (which they probably have) and visit this place frequently (which they […]
After the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd in 2020, something shifted in the world — at least for a little bit. Conversations surrounding race and LGBTQ+ equality infiltrated family dinner tables and corporate boardrooms across the United States. Four years later, the once touted DEI initiatives are being cut. Last week, Bourbon powerhouse […]
Louisville Public Media | By Otis Junior Published August 21, 2024 at 10:22 AM EDT Louisville rock band GRLwood has shared a brand new album titled BLOOD. The new release is the first of a trilogy of albums, with SWEAT and TEARS to complete the collection later this year. It is a deeply personal project, one that GRLwood founder Rej Forester wrote and recorded […]
photos by Jon Cherry Queer Kentucky has partnered with Louisville Magazine for our fourth print issue. We asked Louisvillians and Kentuckians at large about their queerness and its relationship to the city, where they feel at home, who was there for them when it felt like nobody else was, the biggest issues facing Louisville’s queer communities, and […]
If you have seen a drag show in Lexington, you almost certainly know about Uma Jewels. She has cemented herself as a staple of Lexington’s drag community. I sat down with her to chat about her incredible resume as a drag performer and to share her dreams for the future of local drag. So let’s […]
by Chaney Williams At the grotto beneath the statue of Mary, I spent several weeks writing and reading every day at the Loretto Community in Nerinx, Kentucky. I was there as an Artist in Residence through the Kentucky Foundation for Women. I sat on the stone bench and prayed for the collective liberation for all. […]
Saris – from an unused root meaning to castrate; a eunuch; by implication, valet (especially of the female apartments), thus, a minister of state: chamberlain, eunuch, officer. On August 10, the First Unitarian Church in Louisville will temporarily become a transformative community art project that will encourage intentional conversation between the trans community and religious […]
This story is part of ISSUE 05: Reimagining Masculinity. The magazine is available for purchase here.I struggle with understanding my own masculinity. Constantly, I am reminded in passing of my physical “unmanliness” whether it be in regards to my style of choice or how my attention to more feminine beauty regimens. I am not ashamed […]
Tickets and season subscriptions to Pandora Productions fifth show season celebrating queerness, relationships, and love are now live. Gil Reyes, producing artistic director for Pandora audiences are in for a fun and meaningful season. The stellar “MONSTER 2024-2025” themed season presented itself naturally and organically. “We had our calendar slots set before the selection of […]
A recent Jewish Heritage Fund survey found that 7% of respondents identified as LGBTQ+. Queer Kentucky has partnered with the Jewish Heritage Fund to uplift queer Jewish people. With anti-Semitism spreading in the United States and abroad, it is important to uplift our Jewish community members. Queer is an identity that crosses racial, geographic, ethnic, class, and cultural […]
Marcus Randolph and Brad Love bought Sam’s Hot Dog Stand in downtown Lexington three years ago. Sam’s has been in operation for 30 years, and the business has never shied away from queer allyship. The hot dog stand has a history of opening later at night to make food for the clientele next door at […]
Two very distinct worlds will trot side by side into Lexington the first week of August — the prestigious sport of polo and gay people. The International Gay Polo League Tournament, which produces events globally, will take place Aug. 3 at Lexington’s famous Kentucky Horse Park. Chip McKenney, founder of GPL, said his horse loving […]
Yayoi Kusama takes self-reflection literally. Her immersive experience, “LET’S SURVIVE FOREVER,” offers Kentuckians 90 seconds of unbridled introspection. The room, filled with angular and spherical mirrors, also reflects the unique lens with which Kusama engages the world. Born in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, Kusama moved to New York in 1957, where she lived and supported the […]
Queer Kentucky was built on a foundation of community. And as an organization that lives and breathes community, we are acutely aware of when our members are hurting. LGBTQ+ people are succumbing to substance use disorder at an alarming rate and Queer Kentucky is determined to loudly discuss this topic through a series of stories […]
A recent Jewish Heritage Fund survey found that 7% of respondents identified as LGBTQ+. Queer Kentucky has partnered with the Jewish Heritage Fund to uplift queer Jewish people. With anti-Semitism spreading in the United States and abroad, it is important to uplift our Jewish community members. Queer is an identity that crosses racial, geographic, ethnic, class, and cultural […]
The term “butch,” commonly associated with LGBTQ+ women, originated from a robust Lesbian subculture in the mid-1900s. While its cultural meaning has shifted and is more widely used amongst many different genders and sexualities, it is still predominantly used to describe more masculine-presenting women. In our collections at Faulkner Morgan Archive, we have a wide […]
I first got to know Dusty Ray Bottoms during Lousiville Pride last year. I was a backup dancer for Drag Daddy Production’s mainstage Wizard of Oz set, and Dusty played Elphaba in all her witchy glory. Soon we worked again for Snow White and the Seven Drag Queens, and upon seeing me at a Halloween […]
One could say that I am slightly obsessed with politics, but that would be an understatement. It’s more like a fetish, and, in this current political climate, one could call it masochistic. After Barack Obama became president, it was easy to ignorantly believe that, as a nation, we had moved past hate and the idea […]
Hear how this Kentuckian catapulted himself from a gay kid in Boone County to a big fuckin’ deal across the globe
Every month, a queer happy hour blesses a different bar in the Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati region, and in addition to the regulars that usually haunt the place, one can expect to see a gaggle of queers. Responsible for this queer takeover is Outpost, a monthly queer happy hour with a rotating venue. The idea […]
7/2- Mercury enters Leo 7/2- Neptune Retrograde in Pisces 7/5- New Moon in 14° Cancer 7/10- Pluto trine Lilith 7/11- Venus enters Leo 7/12 Jupiter sextile North Node 7/20- Mars enters Gemini 7/21- Full Moon in 29° Capricorn 7/22- Sun enters Leo 7/25- Mercury enters Virgo On the 2nd, Mercury will roam into Leo’s […]
by Will Whaley With their empowering lyrics, energetic stage presence and fashion styles harkening back to glamorous rock icons, The Daddy Sisters, Bowling Green’s very own transgender led punk rock band, is hitting a milestone in 2024. With the release of their 10-track debut album, “Beast With Two Backs” set for June 29, the rock […]
PRISM is a storytelling series amplifying the experiences, creativity, and imagination of Black, Brown, and Indigenous storytellers based in Kentucky. by Kenresa Jones Waxing Gibbous Moon March 22, 2024 11:04pm Jefferson County, Kentucky, USA PLAYLIST: Galimatias – “Wonder” Aches – “Her” Maxwell – “Silently” Marzz – “In The Morning” Emeli Sandé/Jay Electronica/Áine Zion – “Garden” […]
photos by Milkman Photography (Feature photo: Dani DeVincentis serves up drinks to Birdi & Vi’s customers) Queer Kentucky is a proud partner of the Lee Initiative. This is the first part of a series of stories uplifting Queer voices within the hospitality industry in partnership with the Lee Initiative. “We started The LEE Initiative in […]
After selling out Kentuckiana Pride last week, pop sensation Chappell Roan has dipped her pink pony toes back into the Kentuckiana community, however this time she worked with regional native Gunnar Deatherage on the perfect dress for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. The Project Runway alum took some time to chat with Queer Kentucky […]
Photos by Sarah Davis In our societies, there is an expectation on how we are supposed to act while expressing ourselves as men. This includes how we present ourselves to others. As a Black queer man I have had to “be what it is expected” of me in many situations. Knowing who I am, as […]
photos by Brett Loudermilk I Will Follow You to BG ‘Cause That’s What Us Boys Are For In 2022, I stumbled upon an Instagram post of a sun-kissed bronze, tatted, and otteresque artist, Zain Curtis. He had recently gained notoriety from screen printing T-shirts with blood infused paint to raise awareness of the homophobic blood […]
The LGBTQ History Project At the heart of our work is the extensive archive of August Bernadicou, who began recording conversations and interviews with these pioneers when he was 13 years old. With thousands of hours of recorded audio and video materials, we aim to capture the LGBTQ+ community’s struggles, losses, and triumphs. We are committed to […]
The intersection of Saint James Court and Belgravia Court in Old Louisville just got a little bit gayer. The Fairness Campaign joined dozens of queer people, young and old, to unveil a new historical highway marker this pride month. The bronze gilded sign honors trailblazing troublemakers who pushed Louisville to be a more inclusive space […]
Calvary Episcopal Church invites all to celebrate the end of Pride Month with their second annual Drag Me to Church: A Gospel Drag Show. The event follows the success of the inaugural Drag Me to Church last year, which raised roughly $9,000 and gathered hundreds of food item donations. Drag Me to Church will be held […]
It’s a complex question that traverses the realms of politics, media, and personal identity. In today’s world, where male lawmakers legislate against women’s bodies and entire American cities are banning queerness in public, masculinity can feel overwhelmingly like an oppressive force. However, amidst this narrative, masculinity can sometimes also symbolize rebellion, strength, and provide a […]
Photo: Lolita Loveless/Summer Deringer 6/3- Mercury Enters Gemini 6/6- New Moon in 16° Gemini 6/9- Mars Enters Taurus 6/17- Mercury + Venus Enter Cancer 6/20- Sun Enters Cancer (Summer Solstice) 6/22- Full moon in 1° Capricorn On the 3rd, Mercury settles into the sign of Gemini where it cosmically blossoms. This is a placement […]
This story is part of ISSUE 05: Reimagining Masculinity. The magazine is available for purchase here. As a trans man, I’ve been asking myself for years what it means to be a man and to be masculine. This is one of the things that led me to creating this piece, which originated from the time […]
At Little Mount Lavender, about a mile off the outlet mall exit in Simpsonville, Kentucky, both owners, both named Jason, own what they say is the largest year-round lavender store on the Eastern seaboard. Both Jasons are also in love: Jason Woodlief married Jason Walker, who subsequently became Walker-Woodlief, in 2014, with an officiant and […]
As early as I can remember, I’ve been a student and lover of tea, Camellia sinensis. Green tea was my preferred beverage growing up, and if given a choice between tea, juice, and soda, I would choose green tea–preferably with honey and fresh lemon.
Noah J. Ricketts, Louisville, masterfully donned 1950s drag and 1980s swag as Frankie Hines in the Showtime political romance miniseries, Fellow Travelers. The show follows a group of men, led by Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey, through the Lavender Scare, the Vietnam War, and the AIDS Crisis.
A recent Jewish Heritage Fund survey found that 7% of respondents identified as LGBTQ+. Queer Kentucky has partnered with the Jewish Heritage Fund to uplift queer Jewish people. With anti-Semitism spreading in the United States and abroad, it is important to uplift our Jewish community members. Queer is an identity that crosses racial, geographic, ethnic, class, and cultural […]
In case you didn’t know, Covington is bursting with queerness. From their downtown rainbow crosswalks, ever-growing queer-owned businesses sprinkled on Main Street, and flamboyant theater productions, the Northern Kentucky city is an underrated queer-friendly mecca. No one knows this better than Carnegie Theater Director and queer culture leader, Tyler Gabbard. “People are friendly here,” the […]
5/2- Pluto Retrograde in Aquarius 5/8- New Moon in 18° Taurus 5/15- Mercury enters Taurus 5/20- Sun enters Gemini 5/23 Full Moon in 2° Sagittarius + Venus enters Gemini 5/25- Jupiter enters Gemini In the wake of the eclipse season, we have been left open, vulnerable, and exposed. There have been some hard endings that […]
Now, I know what you’re thinking: Slipknot? Not Britney Spears or Lady Gaga or any number of queer icons? And to that, I say: Yes. Of course. Before Britney, Madonna, or Beyonce existed in my little spot in the universe…there was Slipknot. Growing up in Shepherdsville, Kentucky with a Southern Baptist family during the age […]
A recent Jewish Heritage Fund survey found that 7% of respondents identified as LGBTQ+. Queer Kentucky has partnered with the Jewish Heritage Fund to uplift queer Jewish people. With anti-Semitism spreading in the United States and abroad, it is important to uplift our Jewish community members. Queer is an identity that crosses racial, geographic, ethnic, class, and cultural […]
by Ashlee Martinez photos by Jon Cherry Queer Kentucky is a proud partner of the Lee Initiative. This is the first part of a series of stories uplifting Queer voices within the hospitality industry in partnership with the Lee Initiative. “We started The LEE Initiative in Louisville, KY in 2018 after we saw a need for […]
Dear Queer Kentucky, I am thrilled to announce Bourbon and Belonging: Kentucky’s Queer Bourbon Week. After working behind the scenes on this project since late last summer, I couldn’t be more thrilled to introduce Bourbon and Belonging to you. Over five days and across eight cities in October, participants will partake in dozens of curated […]
Grew up in St. Matthews, now living in Brooklyn, they/them photos by Clifton Mooney, he/him Queer Kentucky has partnered with Louisville Magazine for our fourth print issue. We asked Louisvillians and Kentuckians at large about their queerness and its relationship to the city, where they feel at home, who was there for them when it felt like […]
by Ami C. she/her photos by Clifton Mooney New York City Queer Kentucky has partnered with Louisville Magazine for our fourth print issue. We asked Louisvillians and Kentuckians at large about their queerness and its relationship to the city, where they feel at home, who was there for them when it felt like nobody else was, the […]
Queer Kentucky has partnered with Louisville Magazine for our fourth print issue. We asked Louisvillians and Kentuckians at large about their queerness and its relationship to the city, where they feel at home, who was there for them when it felt like nobody else was, the biggest issues facing Louisville’s queer communities, and much more. We would […]
Photo by Sarah Davis Queer Kentucky has partnered with Louisville Magazine for our fourth print issue. We asked Louisvillians and Kentuckians at large about their queerness and its relationship to the city, where they feel at home, who was there for them when it felt like nobody else was, the biggest issues facing Louisville’s queer communities, and […]
Queer Kentucky has partnered with Louisville Magazine for our fourth print issue. We asked Louisvillians and Kentuckians at large about their queerness and its relationship to the city, where they feel at home, who was there for them when it felt like nobody else was, the biggest issues facing Louisville’s queer communities, and much more. We would […]
Queer Kentucky has partnered with Louisville Magazine for our fourth print issue. We asked Louisvillians and Kentuckians at large about their queerness and its relationship to the city, where they feel at home, who was there for them when it felt like nobody else was, the biggest issues facing Louisville’s queer communities, and much more. We would […]
Luci Lyle Jeffersonville, she/her Queer Kentucky has partnered with Louisville Magazine for our fourth print issue. We asked Louisvillians and Kentuckians at large about their queerness and its relationship to the city, where they feel at home, who was there for them when it felt like nobody else was, the biggest issues facing Louisville’s queer communities, and […]
The queer community has long admired drag performers and are only recently (with the arrival of shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race or POSE) coming to widespread appreciation. Although the audience’s appetite for drag has grown, it remains a niche art form, often looked as being to0 flamboyant to be a serious art form. Covering amateur […]
photo by Bearykah Shaw 4/1- Mercury in Retrograde in Aries 4/5- Venus Enters Aries 4/8- New Moon in 19° Aries 4/19- Sun Enters Taurus 4/23- Full Moon in 4° Scorpio 4/29- Venus Enters Taurus 4/30- Mars Enters Aries Go ahead and let out your groans because this month begins with the dreaded Mercury in retrograde […]
Already enjoyed an evening of theatre at Actors Theatre of Louisville or somewhere else in town? The fun doesn’t have to stop there! Prepare for a night that’s more thrilling than an 11 o’clock number and as memorable as a classic show tune by sashaying your way to The After Show Show—a late-night offering where […]
PRISM is a storytelling series amplifying the experiences, creativity, and imagination of Black, Brown, and Indigenous storytellers based in Kentucky. by Persephanie Chiddick The country of my origin celebrated her 42nd year of independence from Great Britain the same month that I turned 32, November 2023. I stood over my latest attempt at our national […]
The views and opinions expressed in submissions to Queer Kentucky are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Queer Kentucky. Any content provided by our submissions or regular columnists are of their opinion. As a reader, you are always welcome to submit your op-eds through our submission form: […]
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE Good Friday. The New Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church’s Seven Last Words service is in full swing. But outside—in the church parking lot—another resurrection story is taking shape. Sis, the Vice President of Usher Board Number One, and her protégé Pickles find themselves in a battle royale of romantic quagmires. This joyful new […]
The queer community has long admired drag performers and are only recently (with the arrival of shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race or POSE) coming to widespread appreciation. Although the audience’s appetite for drag has grown, it remains a niche art form, often looked as being too flamboyant to be a serious art form. Covering amateur […]
Jack Harlow is bringing big gay talent to the Bluegrass for his newly announced Gazebo Festival happening May 25 and 26. Omar Apollo will grace the stage on Louisville’s Waterfront Park during the two-day festival headlined by SZA and Harlow himself. Special fan presales will take place beginning March 6, 2024 at 10 a.m. EST. […]
March Horoscopes March 10th: Mercury enters Aries + New Moon in Pisces 20° March 11th: Venus enters Pisces March 20th: Sun enters Aries (Spring Equinox) March 22nd: Mars enters Pisces March 25th: Full Moon in Libra 5° Our energy could feel more buzzy and uplifted as we shift into March, the ~energetic~ new year motivating […]
Queer Kentucky has partnered with Louisville Magazine for our fourth print issue. We asked Louisvillians and Kentuckians at large about their queerness and its relationship to the city, where they feel at home, who was there for them when it felt like nobody else was, the biggest issues facing Louisville’s queer communities, and much more. We would […]
Queer Kentucky has partnered with Louisville Magazine for our fourth print issue. We asked Louisvillians and Kentuckians at large about their queerness and its relationship to the city, where they feel at home, who was there for them when it felt like nobody else was, the biggest issues facing Louisville’s queer communities, and much more. We would […]
Queer Kentucky has partnered with Louisville Magazine for our fourth print issue. We asked Louisvillians and Kentuckians at large about their queerness and its relationship to the city, where they feel at home, who was there for them when it felt like nobody else was, the biggest issues facing Louisville’s queer communities, and much more. We would […]
Austen Smith is a spirit-forward visionary artist, writer, social researcher, and founder of Our Lunar Intelligence, a black-centered organization focusing on housing justice and arts/culture. Austen uses ancestral reverence and black philosophies of space/time to restore the imaginations of systemically disempowered peoples. The PRISM storytelling series is back, and it’s Black History Month. I am […]
Queer Kentucky has partnered with Louisville Magazine for our fourth print issue. We asked Louisvillians and Kentuckians at large about their queerness and its relationship to the city, where they feel at home, who was there for them when it felt like nobody else was, the biggest issues facing Louisville’s queer communities, and much more. We would […]
Queer Kentucky has partnered with Louisville Magazine for our fourth print issue. We asked Louisvillians and Kentuckians at large about their queerness and its relationship to the city, where they feel at home, who was there for them when it felt like nobody else was, the biggest issues facing Louisville’s queer communities, and much more. We would […]
Queer Kentucky has partnered with Louisville Magazine for our fourth print issue. We asked Louisvillians and Kentuckians at large about their queerness and its relationship to the city, where they feel at home, who was there for them when it felt like nobody else was, the biggest issues facing Louisville’s queer communities, and much more. […]
by Lar Pearl she/they When I sat down to think deeply about the intersection of my Jewish, Queer, and Kentuckian identities, I realized they all had the same obstructed, hidden-in-plain-sight start: dark, with just a glimmer of light. This is also how many seeds germinate and start their growth. Hiding, just out of sight, with […]
2/5: Mercury Enters Aquarius 2/9: New Moon in 20° Aquarius 2/13: Mars Enters Aquarius 2/16: Venus Enters Aquarius 2/19: Sun Enters Pisces 2/23: Mercury Enters Pisces 2/24: Full Moon 5° Virgo A macrocosm in bloom, we expand past our personal cosmos and reach for the idyllic, composed and assured. Enter the season of The Water […]
By Aaron Guldenschuh-Gatten he/him One June weekend, on a Friday, I arrived at the crest of a hill on a hundred-acre farm, deep in the rolling wooded hills of Central Kentucky. The setting summer sun bathed the distant pasture in gold as waves of tall grass seemed to whisper to me. A close-by friend, also […]
As gaggles of gays make plans to cozy up around their TV’s dressed in their Saltburn-themed attire to watch the glitzy and glamorous award shows, one queer Kentuckian is heading to the ceremonies with nominations in hand. Noah Ricketts, from Louisville, blessed screens donning his best elegant 1950s drag attire and 1980s swag in 2023 […]
The views and opinions expressed in submissions to Queer Kentucky are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Queer Kentucky. Any content provided by our submissions or regular columnists are of their opinion. As a reader, you are always welcome to submit your op-eds through our submission form: […]
Planetary Placements for Jan: Jan. 4th- Mars enters Capricorn Jan. 11th- New Moon in 20° Capricorn Jan. 14th- Mercury enters Capricorn Jan. 20th- Sun enters Aquarius Jan. 22nd- Pluto enters Aquarius Jan. 23rd- Venus enter Capricorn Jan. 25th- Full Moon in 5° Leo Congrats! You made it to another calendar year and if no one […]
Interview questions curated by Marwa Asad she/her Queer experience by Nick Tawasha he/him Edited by Spencer Jenkins he/him and Belle Townsend she/they The views and opinions expressed in submissions to Queer Kentucky are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Queer Kentucky. Any content provided by our […]
The queer community has long admired drag performers and are only recently (with the arrival of shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race or POSE) coming to widespread appreciation. Although the audience’s appetite for drag has grown, it remains a niche art form, often looked as being to0 flamboyant to be a serious art form. Covering amateur […]
Planetary Placements for Dec: Dec. 1st -Mercury enters Capricorn Dec. 4th- Venus enters Scorpio Dec. 12th- New Moon in 20° Sagittarius Dec. 13th- Mercury Retrogrades within Capricorn Dec. 22nd- Sun enters Capricorn Dec. 23rd- Mercury Retrogrades into Sagittarius Dec. 27th- Full Moon in 4° Cancer Dec. 29th- Venus enters Sagittarius After a period of needing […]
Planetary Placements for Nov: Nov. 8th – Venus enters Libra Nov 10th- Mercury enters Sagittarius Nov. 13th- New Moon in 20° Scorpio Nov. 22nd- Sun enters Sagittarius Nov. 24th- Mars enters Sagittarius Nov. 27th- Full Moon in 4° Gemini Summary This is an ocean we don’t mind sinking into. Our emotions have swelled and there […]
As caretakers of Kentucky’s LGBTQ+ history, we at Faulkner Morgan Archive find it imperative that we continually remind ourselves and our communities of the long-lasting legacy of queer people in the Commonwealth. One of the most prominent ways to do that is by sharing stories of our queer ancestors who paved the path for us […]
How does one become an ICON? There are many extremely talented DJs, drag performers, and emcees. However, there is only one Syimone. Over the years, the self-made local superstar has earned herself many titles, accolades, and accomplishments in almost every facet of the trade. She was recently crowned overall Best DJ in the city by […]
Beyond the small entryway, on the dance floor and at the meat racks across from the bar, was where Louisville’s gay congregation met to whore-ship, and David’s first few weeks at that bar were a “real revelation.” “I found Jesus. Except he was sitting at the end of the bar having a drink,” Williams said. […]
Miranda Deaton started Velvet Outlaw out of her natural-born desire to defy the odds and test the limits. The local clothing brand made its official debut in late April 2022 and Deaton’s Nudie inspired suits have been popping up all around the city ever since. Whether featured in local magazines or TikTok fashion trends, Velvet […]
Eric King, a Murrow and Emmy award-winning journalist, has 20 years of on air experience. He is from Bardstown, Kentucky, and he is a graduate of the University of Louisville. A journalist and broadcaster with a love for traveling and storytelling, King uses his perspective in news to challenge and educate. On the topic […]
story by Jessica Carner she/her photo by Quinton Thomas he/him I’m what you might call a late bloomer; a “later-in-life” lesbian. It’s a thing, y’all. Even though my first romantic relationship was with a woman, when that young love died on the vine I pushed those feelings aside and conformed to what was expected of […]
I first encountered Anita Bryant in a grad school gender and women’s studies course called “History of Feminist Thought.” One week, our content area was conservative activists of the mid-twentieth century. These women spent their lives pushing back on the contemporary feminist movement, advocating for traditional [read: white, middle class, American] ideas of womanhood. That’s […]
Kentucky is one of many states that are working to pass anti-drag-performance bills, which by no coincidence negatively impacts transgender people and may lead to further oppression of entire LGBTQ+ communities. Kentucky’s Senate Bill 115 describes drag as a “live performance involving male or female impersonators […] that appeals to a prurient interest in sexual […]
October 28th, 2023 By the end of October, we find the grim reaper knocking on our door asking for our dead. It is the death of bad habits, the death of things that threaten our sense of safety, or security, or a past value or stance. This is the last breath of a past identity, […]
October 14th, 2023 A recentering of the heart and energy. This is where we take our time and try to delve into pleasures as the moon crosses over the sun, casting a shadow on us. This period of darkness does not dampen our need for a new beginning or fresh start but in exchange we […]
Planetary Placements For October Oct. 3rd- Lilith enters Virgo Oct. 5th- Mercury enters Libra Oct. 9th- Venus enters Virgo Oct. 12th- Mars enters Scorpio Oct. 14th- New Moon in Libra (Solar Eclipse) Oct. 22nd- Mercury enters Scorpio Oct. 23rd- Sun enters Scorpio Oct. 28th- Full Moon in Taurus (Lunar Eclipse) October Overview Profound, penetrative, and […]
Story by Sydni Hampton she/they Photos by Ash When I first met Larah Helayne (they/he) at a bar during a show I was performing in, I was just drinking up the compliments and praise a drag queen receives throughout the night. I had no idea this random introduction would lead to me ending up being […]
My first real look at roller derby was what I consider to be the cult classic “Whip It,” a combination of bad-ass body slams and young people finding both happiness and the strength to stand in their truth. I felt so empowered by the charm of this coming-of-age film focused on finding oneself with the support […]
by Charles Stephens photo: bell hooks in 1995. Photograph by Monica Almeida/The New York Times/Redux I am a Black gay man from the South. I grew up in a working-class community in Southwest Atlanta that shaped my politics as much as my identity. bell hooks was an accomplished scholar, academic, and public intellectual from Kentucky, […]
PRESS RELEASE July 27, 2023—Rustin’ In The Rain, the new album from renowned singer, songwriter and musician Tyler Childers, will be released September 8 on Hickman Holler Records/RCA Records (pre-order/pre-save). Of the album, Childers shares, “This is a collection of songs I playfully pieced together as if I was pitching a group of songs to […]
by Bethany Robinson The later days of spring have arrived, and we are on the precipice of hot summer days with that itch to engross ourselves in the beauty of nature. Many opportunities exist to get out in the beautiful world of Kentucky outdoors, with exciting opportunities of climbing popping up within central Kentucky. With […]
The Drag Show Will Benefit the Church’s Ministry of Feeding Neighbors in Need by J.C. Phelps Louisville, KY [June 2023] – Calvary Episcopal Church, which was founded in 1860, has a long history of reaching out in love to their neighbors. In that spirit, the Downtown Louisville congregation invites and welcomes all inside their doors to […]
By Spencer Jenkins he/[email protected] Booty shorts, knee-high socks and belly-revealing crop tops are just some of the looks to embody for the Nashville-based event, MeatUp, coming to PLAY Louisville on May 27. MeatUp is an event created by couple Al Gregory and Toby Sturgill, and their friend Griffin Green. It offers a retro-inspired experience for […]
By Christian Brawner and Sunny Cobb With the 20th anniversary of the Iraq invasion approaching, and while facing a seemingly insurmountable upsurge in state repression against our trans community, I want to honor the legacy of our queer and gay ancestors by reminding you of our revolutionary struggle. It’s absolutely no coincidence that when the […]
When asked why he keeps coming back to the art form of dance, Ryan Green said that he has been dancing since middle school and is always coming back for different reasons. Green, Louisville community member turned Los Angeles professional dancer, expanded on his evolution of loving to dance and teach dancing. He shared the […]
Ready to see the most random, queer, gender roles fucking variety show you’ve ever experienced? Drag and boylesque artist Blaque Diamond, The Trans God, and founder of Love Thy Belly, LLC, Fairen Kia, joined forces to curate a safe space event for people to express themselves and learn what feels comfortable and free for them. […]
Visual artists are a vital part of Kentucky’s Queer community. Thanks to the Great Meadows Foundation, which was launched in 2016 by contemporary art collector and philanthropist Al Shands (1928-2021) in order to critically strengthen and support visual art in Kentucky, Queer Kentucky will be featuring interviews with a number of these artists. In order to […]
*Had to sign a Copy Service Agreement and Permission to Publish forms with U of L Special Archives to use the first pride flyer and Lavender Letter images* From my younger days, to when we moved to Meade County when I was in sixth grade and now into adulthood, Otter Creek Park has been in […]
When visiting your favorite local venue to be entertained by some of the badass queens that grace the stage, what snags your attention first? The flawless faces, the snatched body, or the hair that has everyone wishing they had THAT on their head? The hair can transform an outfit and performance from “Okaaaay” to “YAS […]
The Big Stomp (formerly known as PeteFest), the nation’s first music festival to focus on mental health, will return October 14 – 15, 2022. The expanded event will feature more than 30 acts across three stages including electronic jam band Lotus, indie alternative rock band Moon Taxi and electro-funk outfit The Floozies. The festival will […]
Visual artists are a vital part of Kentucky’s Queer community. Thanks to the Great Meadows Foundation, which was launched in 2016 by contemporary art collector and philanthropist Al Shands (1928-2021) in order to critically strengthen and support visual art in Kentucky, Queer Kentucky will be featuring interviews with a number of these artists. Brennen Cabrera […]
Dracula has been a staple of Actors Theatre of Louisville’s fall lineup since 1995, but this September, Dracula’s evolution is taking a leap forward with the implementation of Kate Hamill’s new feminist script, first performed in New York in February of 2020. GRAB TICKETS HERE! I hopped on a zoom call with three queer artists who […]
Jeleena Hall (Ja-lee-na) took to the skies to make history and become part of the first all women Honor Flight in Kentucky, back in June. An all-expense paid one day trip to D.C. was provided to the female veterans to see memorials and visit museums that honored the women who’ve served. She signed up because […]
Visual artists are a vital part of Kentucky’s Queer community. Thanks to the Great Meadows Foundation, which was launched in 2016 by contemporary art collector and philanthropist Al Shands (1928-2021) in order to critically strengthen and support visual art in Kentucky, Queer Kentucky will be featuring interviews with a number of these artists. It is the […]
Make no mistake, Kentucky’s Silas House has influenced our work at Queer Kentucky since writer and publisher, Sarah Gardiner, introduced his work to QKY founder, Spencer Jenkins in 2018. We are beyond proud to congratulate House on receiving the Duggins Prize for Outstanding Mid-Career Novelist, the largest prize given to an LGBTQ writer in the […]
Need more looks to kill for this raging festival season? Well theys, gays, and baes, I sure do have a newly improved, and environmentally sustainable accessory for you. Every year at Forecastle Music Festival, there is one table that shines a little brighter than others. Probably due to the immense amounts of glitter wafting through […]
We all know the story of Stonewall and historic Queer figures like Marsha P. Johnson, Harvey Milk and Matthew Shepherd, but have you heard the tales of David Williams, Henry Faulkner and lesbian feminist-led publication the Lavender Letter? Most likely, not, but you can learn about all of these Queer Kentucky gems from history this […]
Visual artists are a vital part of Kentucky’s Queer community. Thanks to the Great Meadows Foundation, which was launched in 2016 by contemporary art collector and philanthropist Al Shands (1928-2021) in order to critically strengthen and support visual art in Kentucky, Queer Kentucky will be featuring interviews with a number of these artists. Vinhay Keo […]
Still Sordid After All These Years: A reflection on the show It’s 2015, and seventeen years later, the sordid saga continues with all the same crazy characters we love. After a chance meeting with a dangerous criminal, Brother Boy, who has added Loretta and Dolly to his repertoire, is forced out on the run. Ty […]
If you’re from Kentucky, you recognize those curtains. The same intricate lace patterns that hung over the window in your Grandma’s front room or the kitchen window where she cooked the kind of comfort food you can only get in one place… home. Fashion designer and Project Runway alum Gunnar Deatherage, whose videos have almost 48 […]
When one thinks about plays, they often think about full-length pieces. These plays often clock in at just around 90 minutes, which is a substantial enough amount of time to deter some audiences. What may be a welcome meditation on a theme or issue for some, may cause another to balk. The task is also […]
By Alixandria Thomason Lussi Brown Coffee Bar is a queer friendly safe space in the downtown area of Lexington, Kentucky. From the pride flags in the window to the diversity of everyone inside, you feel welcomed the second you walk in the door. The coffee shop and bar opened in June of 2017 following a […]
By Alixandria Thomason, author of Reading (the) Rainbow: The Lexington Six is the story of six queer people in the 1970s standing up for each other and for LGBTQIA+ community. But more than that it is a cultural examination of the time–a time when homosexuality was criminalized, and when queer peoples’ lives were regularly disrupted […]
A local production of The Normal Heart brings the critically acclaimed “searing,” “passionate” and “controversial” play to Lexington, making its debut at the Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center April 1-10, 2022. Produced by ActOut Theatre Group, who’s mission is to promote thought provoking LGBTQ+ themed theatre in and around Central Kentucky, the semi-autobiographical play written […]
This February marks the 80th birthday of an icon in Kentucky LGBTQ history: Lige Clarke! Lige Clarke was born Elijah Haydn “Lige” Clarke on February 22nd, 1942, right outside the town of Hindman, in Knott County, Eastern Kentucky. He graduated from Eastern Kentucky University, then later served in the U.S. army, and began his activism […]
How to slay at a drag show: cheer, tip, and don’t steal the spotlight!
Pandora Productions, Louisville’s only theatre company dedicated and most trusted to tell the stories of the LGBTQ+ community, proudly continues their 2021-2022 Season with HEAD OVER HEELS, conceived by and original book by Jeff Whitty, adapted by James Magruder, music + lyrics by the Go-Go’s. A plot containing usurped kingship, unlikely lovers, and gender-fluid disguises […]
“It’s only terrorism if it doesn’t work. When it works, we call it a revolution.” An out lesbian state senator is up for re-election. Her female opponent is a moderate conservative who’s aligned herself with right-wing extremists. They’re locked in a tight race in which each side dog-whistles to its base and any event can […]
Kentucky is full of amazing artists. We have so many amazing LGBTQ+ artists all over the Bluegrass. One in particular has made headlines in other publications and has gone viral on TikTok for his detailed murals painted across the state, including his the Devil Wears Prada themed “Cerulean” mural. We had a Q & A […]
Header Image Source: Matador Network Although I truly wish it came as a surprise, the trend of Non-Natives referring to themselves as Two-Spirit remains a festering sore on the underbelly of the queer community. We live in an era where it’s uncouth to police another queer person’s identity, to tell them that the way they […]
[cw: sexually explicit language, images, and descriptions] 4:45 AM The numbers flash in big red marquee bulbs behind my eyelids. The scorching brightness of the movie projector in my mind’s eye flickers, jolting me into consciousness: […]
Somewhere among the waters of childhood, maybe even sooner memories tucked into the folds of rolling hills sung by the birds in the trees, I can’t quite remember. Upon our very first entrance into this world, it is the touch of the one who gave birth to us that weaves together the emergent threads of […]
{content warning: alcoholism, death, disassociation, self-pity, self-deprecation, and some things related; religion, obituaries, and generational trauma} When I stopped dancing, my body tensed for forfeit. It forgot where it was going. It edged me – herded energy to its unknown parts. Important cavities forced havoc; shimmered down in the absence of self-understanding. A kind of […]
Cave City is a small town off of 1-65 south. Most people know it as the huge ass dinosaur exit. But it’s more than that. It is home to a rich history and culture of Black Americans⸺most of which have been here since emancipation. I even lived across the street from the first school for […]
When Queer Kentucky reached out to me to create this series, I admittedly felt hesitant about accepting the task. On the surface, the task was simple: find five writers across the state who identified as Black, Brown, Indigenous or person of color, and curate the platform for them to tell their stories. It sounded easy, […]
Five years have passed since a gunman walked into a gay club in Orlando, FL and changed the lives of queer people and allies around the world forever. Pain, mourning and fear has filled the LGBTQ+ community since June 2016, but one Kentucky man is working to bring healing energy into the still raw wound. […]
by Kathryn de la Rosa New York’s second annual Queer Liberation March, a protest march against NYC Pride organized by the Reclaim Pride Coalition, came to an early end last month when NYPD officers started making arrests and brutalizing protesters with pepper spray and blunt force. This year’s march specified liberation for trans and queer […]
Before hopping into bed with a trans man, communication and consent are key—every trans body and preference is unique.
Louisville, KY – On Saturday, March 28, 2020, join the young people of Louisville Youth Group (LYG) and artists from IDEAS xLab’s Our Emotional Wellbeing for Merging the Rainbow, a Fashion Show at Unity of Louisville at 2pm. The Fashion Show was created through a collaboration between the artists and young people starting in 2019, designed to embody self-acceptance, confidence, pride, originality, and […]
VERSAILLES — With a vote of 3-2 tonight, the Woodford County, Kentucky town of Versailles, population 8,568, became the fourteenth city in the commonwealth with a Fairness Ordinance prohibiting LGBTQ discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations. By becoming the fourth city to adopt the measure this year, Versailles makes 2019 a record-breaking year for […]
by N. David Williams Williams-Nichols Collection Department of Archives & Special Collections University of Louisville Use of the word “gay” in a homosexual context may date to as long ago as Paris in the late 16th century, when homosexuals were reportedly called ‘gai,” but there are a couple of other intriguing and perhaps more provable […]
“In general, bars appear to be seasonal phenomena among the gay population. Grand openings occur only to be followed by not-so-grand closings. In Louisville, two bars have managed to survive the inconsistent nature of the clientele they serve, thereby maintaining long and continuous runs.”
HENDERSON — With a vote of three to two tonight, the Western Kentucky town of Henderson, population 28,657, became the eleventh city in the state to protect LGBTQ people from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations. , A press release from the Fairness Campaign said that tonight’s Fairness Ordinance vote comes 20 years after […]
Kaila Adia Story, PhD What does the word queer mean to you? To me, Queer means not letting society, institutions, friends or loved ones define who you are, or you hope to be. It means defining yourself, for yourself. It means living freely, unapologetically and boldly. It means feeling so emboldened within your queer self […]
By Chuck Leach, former pastor and counselor Photo by Adam Creech We must stop folks from pushing children off the ledge. Conversion therapy (sometimes called “Reparative Therapy”) does exactly that; it pushes children off the ledge by unraveling the underpinnings of self-understanding, acceptance, and personhood. Conversion therapy was concocted by well-intended but misguided people to […]
Adrian Sibernagel The label with which I most identify is “queer.” I also identify as trans (because I transitioned), bisexual (because I am attracted to more than one gender), and male (because that’s how I see and experience my own gender). But what draws me to the label “queer” is that it implies a fluidity, […]
by Jordan Roach Tucked back in Whitesburg, Ky., there is a large unassuming, wood clad, building holding a treasure trove of resources, history and culture. The Appalshop, while it’s been a constant staple of Eastern Kentucky’s culture for nearly 50 years, there is a big chance many people haven’t heard about it. If you are […]
By Remy Sisk In the spring of 1973 at the Royal Court’s Theatre Upstairs, an eclectic bunch of actors and designers were preparing to open an extraordinarily unconventional musical called, “They Came from Denton High.” At the insistence of director Jim Sharman, creator Richard O’Brien’s mashup of glam rock, Steve Reeves muscleman flicks,1950s early rock […]
Dear Readers, Here at Queer Kentucky, we aim to educate, entertain and instill pride and hope. We have created a platform for Queer people from all around our great bluegrass state to share experience, ideas, philosophies, emotions, and on and on and on. Our voices may sometimes be unfortunate, cheerful, inappropriate and sometimes down-right […]
Ty Francis, Louisville, Kentucky I am a man of color and gay. I’m open with it. I like to wear nice clothes and be fashionable. I like to change up my appearance based on where I’m going and how I’m feeling and I love it. Fuck, everybody loves queer people right now. I feel like […]
