Justine Lindsay becomes the NFL’s first trans cheerleader, a gay rugby player is the victim of a hate crime & Hulu’s Fire Island is centering gay Asian men in their new movie – Wednesday, June 8, 2022

Brittney Griner has been wrongfully detained for 111 days, Justine Lindsay makes history in the NFL, a hate crime leaves a gay rugby player unsure if he will play again & Queer Asian men are centered in the new film Fire Island.

00:00 – Welcome & Intro

00:48 – Happy Pride

01:08 – Intro Music by Aina Bre’Yon

01:48 – Justine Lindsay makes history in the NFL

03:10 – A hate crime leaves a gay rugby player unsure if he will play again

04:07 – Queer Asian men are centered in the new film Fire Island

04:43 – Anna’s Got A Word

Things for you to check out 

Join the QCrew

Sign the Petition – Secure Brittney Griner’s Swift and Safe Return to the U​.​S.

https://www.change.org/p/secure-brittney-griner-s-swift-and-safe-return-to-the-u-s

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Transcript

Family, this is your favorite queer radio personality Anna DeShawn with our queer news for today. Now, if you enjoy what you hear please consider joining the QCrew. The QCrew is our monthly membership program we just started to help us grow the podcast. I want to bring on a producer, an editor, and travel around the country to tell our stories. If you’re down with it check the link in the show notes for more information. Now for the news. 

Brittney Griner has been wrongfully detained for 111 days, Justine Lindsay makes history in the NFL, a hate crime leaves a gay rugby player unsure if he will play again & Queer Asian men are centered in the new film Fire Island. 

Our leading story for today is coming out of North Carolina where the Carolina Panthers made history by hiring the first openly trans cheerleader in the NFL. Do you know Justine Lindsay? Well you do now and the NFL is no easy place. The south isn’t either. Justine has kept her identity a secret to everyone but her family. Even her best friend didn’t know. She said, “This is big, I think more people need to see this. It’s not because I want recognition. It’s just to shed light on what’s going on in the world.” Well she is definitely doing just that. The coach of the Panthers cheer squad said that Justine did put that she was trans on her application but that’s not what got her the job. Her talent did. She went on to say, “My goal is to create a team of individuals that are absolute fire on the field but are incredible human beings in the locker room, good friends, good people, and at the end of the day, you have to walk through the door first to get to that spot.” And Justine did just that. Owning her blackness and her baldness. Two features that don’t traditionally align with NFL cheerleaders. She has already started receiving hate so send her some love on Instagram. I’ve included her handle in the show notes. 

Now in a sobering story, a gay rugby player was the victim of a hate crime a couple of months ago which ulitmately may keep him from participating in the sport ever again. Evan Somer was leaving a bar when he was approached by someone yelling gay slurs. Before he knew it the man was attacking him. An attack that left him with a fractured eye socket, 2 fractures in his ankle, a dislocation in his ankle and other minor injuries. I’m sharing this story because it’s pride month and we’re going to be out and about and having a good time. Please make sure you have a friend plan in place. Make sure you’re never alone and that you look out for each other. Everyone out here isn’t looking out for our best interest. 

For our last story today, let’s talk entertainment. One cool thing about Pride month is that new queer content tends to drop and this year is no different. Have you all heard about Fire Island? Fire Island is a rom-com film that has dropped exclusively on Hulu which centers a group of gay Asian friends. Asian representation in television and film is pretty non existent so a wholesome, funny, and really gay rom-com is just what I need. I’ll be watching it tonight and will let you know tomorrow what I think. 

Let’s close out the podcast with a word from Bayard Rustin. I’m choosing queer folks this month, of course. He said, “If I do not fight bigotry wherever it is, bigotry is thereby strengthened. And to the degree that it is strengthened, it will thereby have the power to turn on me.” I want to use this word to remind us that we are all connected. That our oppressions are connected and there isn’t a hierarchy of them either. They just are and we have the power to fight and our fighting is far stronger together than it is apart. Till tomorrow family, peace. 

Sources

We are BG

https://wearebg.org/

Justine Lindsay Makes History as the NFL’s First-Ever Openly Trans Cheerleader

https://www.gayemagazine.com/post/justine-lindsay-makes-history-as-the-nfl-s-first-ever-openly-trans-cheerleader

Justine Lindsay Is The NFL’s First Openly Trans Cheerleader

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/paigeskinner/justine-lindsay-nfl-first-trans-cheerleader

Gay Rugby Player Beaten So Badly He May Never Play Again

https://www.advocate.com/news/2022/6/06/gay-rugby-player-beaten-so-badly-he-may-never-play-again

Do Queer Films Like Fire Island Need to Pass the Bechdel Test? https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/2022/6/07/do-queer-films-fire-island-need-pass-bechdel-test