David Kam’s lifelong relationship with movement didn’t begin on the best of terms. Growing up near Malaysia’s capital city, he remembers shrieking in gym class when asked to run or compete athletically.

Ironically, it was right before the biggest move of his life when Kam fell in love with his body in motion. Like many Malaysians of certain ambitions, he planned to emigrate to the U.K. for educational and professional opportunities. While Kam was excited for the transition, he was distraught over leaving his mom, his best friend in the entire world.

Searching for a way to stay connected, they summoned inspiration from the yoga billboard across the street. “Should we check that out, mom?,” Kam remembers asking.

Years later, Kam and his mom are still moving through the world together, even if they’re nearly 7,000 miles apart.

How about we take this to the next level?

Subscribe to our newsletter for a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Subscribe to our Newsletter today

“My mom is my best friend” Kam tells Queerty. “Movement is a way to bond without words.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Kam | Movement Artist & Facilitator (@davidkam)

Though Kam initially moved to the U.K. to study architecture, he relocated to London so he could pursue dance. Now a renowned yogi, Kam calls his practice “beyond asana.” In yoga, “asana” is a Sanskrit term that describes the practice’s postures or poses.

To go beyond asana, Kam begins with a traditional posture, and then moves into more of a free form flow. The goal is to achieve flow state, where one moves in accordance with their natural rhythm.

“Your body is your home,” says Kam. “Your body is what carries you.”

In between flows, Queerty recently caught up with Kam to chat about what carries him, his favorite posture and that time he practiced near smoking pork belly. Here’s what he had to say…

Related

Deandre Pearson spills the secrets on being a go-go dancer in NYC
Deandre Pearson loves to light up a room.

QUEERTY: What can you tell about somebody through their movement?

DAVID KAM: We communicate so much nonverbally, even down to posture. If we were to strictly talk about just the way people move, what I tend to see is the way people interact with the floor. The steps they take, the way their hands arrive on the ground. You can see the kind of effort and sensitivity they have and the reflexive energy they default towards. You see their level of tentativeness. There’s no right or wrong. That’s just the way we work. You also notice rhythms and the way people move and even breathe. Those rhythms give me a good indication of whether you’re someone who’s more fiery or someone who’s more go with the flow. You can see how some people emphasize the beginning of a movement or emphasize the end of the movement, or they’re lost in the middle. That translates to people who are five hours early before a flight, or they’re dilly-dallying and arrive two minutes before the plane takes off and think they still have time.

What’s one thing about practicing yoga that people don’t know about?

You can start any time or anywhere. I still feel, sadly, the No. 1 thing I hear is, “I’m not flexible enough.” Well, then start! I also think flexibility is overrated. At least in my practices, I advocate for mental flexibility. It’s about the agility of how you respond to situations. You could be the strongest person in the room, you could be the most flexible person in the room. But if you don’t know how to apply either, it’s useless. How are you applying all of these things you’re learning in your body? Yes, we do all of these things and I notice all of this dedication within the wellness industry. But how is it actually translating day-to-day?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Kam | Movement Artist & Facilitator (@davidkam)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Kam | Movement Artist & Facilitator (@davidkam)

You just hosted a retreat in Mexico. Where are your favorite places to practice?

Wow… by far, my favorite was in Norway. I was in Norway last October, and it was just the most beautiful landscape. You could drink from the lakes there—fresh out of the lake. Northern lights, the sun was shining for us. That’s a part of retreats: you bring yourself away from your everyday and be completely immersed in nature. That being said, I feel like peace sometimes can be not overrated, but pressured towards a specific kind of container. “I can only feel peaceful when I’m at a retreat, or when I’m in this cube of a space.” But the fact is, you can find peace anywhere. Peace is really a state of mind. Going back to mental flexibility, how can you play with intention, so you can channel your energy towards where it needs to be? But yes, retreats are amazing!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Kam | Movement Artist & Facilitator (@davidkam)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Kam | Movement Artist & Facilitator (@davidkam)

Where’s one of the more unusual places you’ve practiced?

Good question… it’s a tricky one. I would say, on a bridge somewhere. It was an event where we were trying to play into the power of the masses. A flash mob, but with yoga. I like how it shifts people’s minds: “maybe that’s for me too.” I remember clearly, it was a community yoga session. People could walk up and hop in and practice. I love that, because sometimes I would have these conversations. I talked to a dad who was like, “I brought my whole family here, because it’s a free thing.” I love that! They came together, because yoga was an accessible way for them to move as a family.

Another place… I teach yoga to elderly people of South Asian descent at a community center in North London. We were practicing yoga in a courtyard and this [vendor] was smoking pork belly. So the air smelled like pork belly! We were on the chairs in a courtyard—this was chair yoga for the elderly—and we could smell our lunch. There was no sense of sage or incense. It was pork belly!

I’m sure it’s hard to choose, but what’s your favorite posture?

It’s not hard, actually. I would say tadasana, just standing. Because it’s so universal and it’s so profound. It’s also called mountain pose. You are reminding yourself that you are of nature, you are a mountain. There are so many intricacies to simply standing. In the axis of alignment, you are literally embodying your figure. It’s a call into “how am I feeling?” without having to do any of the other postures. Outside of that, if you think about being still—we are never still. We are always moving in some way. It’s really a profound posture.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Kam | Movement Artist & Facilitator (@davidkam)

When you’re not no your mat, what do you do for fun?

I’m singing! But that is my gap of awareness. From what I said before, I am so deep in the movement world, I relatively feel OK in my body. Bur what I don’t know is this space [points to his throat]. I got into it, because of teaching. I know for a fact that if I break my leg, I could still teach. But if I lose my voice, I don’t have that flexibility. So I invested in a few voice classes to better understand how I could protect my voice. Sometimes you have to raise your voice. I got into that that way, but increasingly found it’s so cathartic and so releasing to just let things out. I have so much tension in my jaw. I think that’s prevalent for many people. It’s powerful to understand all of the subtle movements that are happening.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Kam | Movement Artist & Facilitator (@davidkam)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Kam | Movement Artist & Facilitator (@davidkam)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Kam | Movement Artist & Facilitator (@davidkam)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Kam | Movement Artist & Facilitator (@davidkam)

Related

The “Rave Twink” talks about his steepest climbs, longest runs & moving into twunkdom
The “Rave Twink” is always looking for a new challenge.

Sign up for the Queerty newsletter to stay on top of the hottest stories in LGBTQ+ entertainment, politics, and culture.

Mark-Paul Gosselaar is the full package.

The extremely fit Saved By the Bell legend has pulled out all the, erm, stops to help launch his new series centered around a male Hooters-esque restaurant.

Gosselaar, who famously rose to stardom as Zack Morris on SBTB more than 30 years ago, was a surprise guest during the Bell Media Upfronts in Toronto. Appearing to not have aged a day, the 52-year-old strutted out on stage in a skimpy outfit to promote the new show Bulges, by nonchalantly flaunting his. 👀

Decked out in a sleeveless white crop top bearing the show’s name, a pair of blue booty shorts and knee-high white tube socks. MPG was giving himbo excellence.

How about we take this to the next level?

Subscribe to our newsletter for a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Subscribe to our Newsletter today

Happy Pride!

Related

“Male lingerie”: Why high socks are all the rage among hot gays
It’s a mid-calf summer

Zack Morris still got it

Gosselaar let his ripped six-pack, thicc muscular thighs and buff biceps take center stage as he danced around and threw air kisses to the crowd.

It’s safe to say the girls, gays and theys of a certain age where definitely in the midst of a full-blown Zack Attack!

A fan at the event captured the thirst-inducing moment and included the caption: “Ok Zack Morris I didn’t know you still played like that.” Oh but he does!

Watch for yourself:

Bulges

Bulges is a workplace comedy set at an “iconic and once-thriving all-male, not-so-family-friendly restaurant in Niagara Falls,” is how it was described by Deadline.

Justin Stockman, VP, Global Content for Bell Media, added: “So if Hooters is for a mainly male clientele, BULGES is for a mainly female clientele. The waiters are men, and they wear shorts. The rest is obvious. It’s basically Hooters for women.”

Understood, but don’t be so quick to alienate your gays. As political commentator and pundit Peter Rothpletz noted in a fantastic New York Times piece, Hooters can be an unlikely gay safe space!

As far as casting Zack Morris and his abs, Stockman added: “we wanted someone who might pique the interest of, ‘what is this show, and why is he on it?’ Mark-Paul Gosselaar fits the bill perfectly, and he’s very committed and super into it.”

That’s for damn sure.

Bulges is currently filming now and Gosselaar, while committed to doing whatever he has to as for as the show’s wardrobe needs, still hasn’t full embraced the show’s title.

In a recent interview with iHeartRadio, MPG admitted he still finds himself whispering the show’s title when asked what he’s currently working on.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by iHeartRadio Canada (@iheartradioca)

Now some bad news, Bulges is a Canadian comedy series and it’s still unclear if it will get distribution in the United States.

But unless TV executives have been living under a rock the last six months, they’ve seen the success of another little racy Canadian series called Heated Rivalry and there will be no shortage of takers of Bulges. 😜

Until then, we’ll keep a lookout for new images of MPG in character.

Related

“You’re perfect just the way you are”: Gay man recalls his experience with a Hooters waitress as a closeted tween
Have you ever eaten at Hooters?

Sign up for the Queerty newsletter to stay on top of the hottest stories in LGBTQ+ entertainment, politics, and culture.

This Pride Month, the mother of all film festivals turns 50, and she looks good!

Returning to San Francisco for its landmark 50th edition, Frameline—considered the “longest-running, largest, and most widely recognized LGBTQ+ film exhibition event in the world”—is celebrating in style with an incredible program of screenings and special events taking over the legendary (and beautifully renovated) Castro Theatre and beyond from June 17 – 27.

It can be hard to know where to begin with Frameline50’s robust lineup of features, shorts, and must-see titles from all over the world. From star-studded films already having the internet buzzing to documentaries exploring queer cultural touchstones like Cruising and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to repertory screenings of LGBTQ+ classics & forgotten gems, this fest really does have it all.

But don’t worry, we’re here to help with a guide to 10 intriguing new films you won’t want to miss at this year’s Frameline50. Plus, scroll down below for a round-up of 25 more features making their way to San Francisco that we’ve previously covered at Queerty & we can’t recommend enough.

At The Place Of Ghosts

A few years back, Two-Spirit director Bretten Hannam gave us Wildhood, a coming-of-age road trip movie featuring a beautiful queer love story. Their follow-up is a decidedly spookier tale, but one also told through the lens of queerness, brotherhood, and Indigenous culture. It follows two estranged Mi’kmaq brothers who, in order to ward off an evil spirit, embark on a journey to the dense forest known as the Place Of Ghosts, where they’ll confront their demons and only together try to overcome the shared horrors of their past.

Screening Saturday, June 20.

Before I Do

It’s meant to be a carefree weekend at a lakeside cabin when groom-to-be John Michael (Mutt‘s Cole Doman) brings his boys together for a bachelor party, including Kit (Love, Victor‘s Nico Greetham), Luís (The Boys In The Band‘s Robin De Jesus), Simon (Bookends‘ Jared Reinfeldt), and best man Alex (Glamorous‘s Michael Hsu Rosen), who also happens to be his ex. But old flames burn bright, and the possibility of rekindled romance for John Michael & Alex threatens to throw the whole trip into chaos in director Gayr Jaffe’s gay rom-com.

Screening Friday, June 26.

Dreamboi

Having received two X ratings and threats of censorship from the Philippine government’s motion picture review board, filmmaker Rodina Singh’s colorful & kinetic Dreamboi comes to Frameline for its U.S. premiere with quite the reputation. It’s the story of daydreaming Diwa (EJ Jallorina), a trans woman who lusts after the hunky content creator behind her favorite audio erotica (Tony Labrusca). But when she meets him in an uncompromising situation, she finds herself stuck between her liberating fantasies & the harshness of the real world.

Screening Tuesday, June 23.

Hunky Jesus

Since the late ’70s, a group of San Francisco queer folks has been dragging themselves up as the most fabulous Catholic nuns you’ve ever seen, spreading the good word of queerness through activism, protest, and charity. They are the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and they’ve turned their humble mission into a global movement. In her empowering & frequently hilarious documentary, Jennifer M. Kroot traces their amazing story—as told by the Sisters themselves—all leading up to one of their annual “Hunky Jesus” contests.

Screening Friday, June 26.

Related

PHOTOS: Hunky Jesus Contest manages to resurrect our spirits in challenging times
Oh zaddy who art in heaven.

Loves Company

If you like Kathy Bates in Misery, but wish that Stephen King adaptation was gayer & funnier, then you’ll love Loves Company. Writer/director Jason Lauritis subverts expectations with this dark comedy following washed-up TV star Blake de Troy (Grace And Frankie‘s Jack Plotnick) who, after an accident, winds up bedridden in the home of his only fan Antoinette Funk (SNL‘s Rachel Dratch), realizing if he’s able to spin this into a kidnapping scandal, it might just give him the media attention he so desperately needs to get his career back on track.

Screening Saturday, June 27.

Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders

When it was released in 1980, director William Friedkin’s crime thriller Cruising—starring Al Pacino as a cop going undercover in NYC’s gay leather scene—was a flashpoint of controversy, protested by the LGBTQ+ community & conservatives alike. Decades later, it’s largely been reclaimed as a queer classic, and in his new documentary, Jeffrey Schwarz sifts through the spiky legacy of the film, while also revisiting the shocking true-crime story that inspired it, bringing a modern lens to early stories that thrust gay culture into the spotlight.

Screening Wednesday, June 24.

Rock Out

The history of rock music is littered with flamboyant figures who brought unabashed queerness to some of the biggest stages in the world, from Freddie Mercury to Little Richard to Elton John. But, behind the scenes, there’s an entire hidden queer history to rock ‘n’ roll and its many sub-genres, which Dustin Lance Black pulls back the curtain on in his latest doc, Rock Out. It’s a story the Oscar-winner has a deep connection to, having recently lost his brother, a closeted punk musician who believes his sexuality held him back from success.

Screening Friday, June 26.

Something You Should Know About Me

For a few years now, comedian/actor EJ Marcus has been one of our favorite funny people to follow online, so we’re thrilled that someone’s finally giving him the star vehicle he deserves. Andy Fitoden writes and directs this sweet rom-com about trans cartoonist Al (Marcus), who’s completely in love with his best friend Jesse (Morgan Sullivan), who is none the wiser. But when the two room together at camp for queer artists, the close quarters leave Al wondering if he should finally make a move—and possibly ruin the friendship.

Screening Sunday, June 21 & Friday, June 26.

Sparks

Inspired by New Queer Cinema auteur Gregg Araki and French New Wave icon Jean-Luc Godard, filmmaker Fergus Campbell takes audiences to the eponymous Sparks, Nevada, the quiet town where a group of bohemian teen friends while away the hours obsessing over classic cinema & urban legends, like the one about the local reservoir that houses a time-traveling portal. So, when new girl Cleo (Eighth Grade‘s Elsie Fisher) arrives believing it to be true, this chosen family embarks on a journey that brings real “sparks” to their lives.

Screening Thursday, June 25.

Tiger

Despite being home to a vibrant queer community behind closed doors, Japan remains rather socially conservative, and that dichotomy is explored in writer/director Anshul Chauhan’s electrifying new drama. Taiga (Takashi Kawaguchi) is a thirty-something masseuse attempting to pivot to a more lucrative career in on-camera sex work. However, his sister doesn’t approve, and with their father’s health declining, she’s threatening to cut Taiga out of the will, leaving him to navigate the strange purgatory between two very different worlds.

Screening Tuesday, June 23.

25 More Frameline50 Films To Look Out For

Frameline50 will be screening tons of other fantastic films we’ve previously featured on our site in some capacity. Details for each are below with screening dates & links to where you can read more about them on Queerty:

• All Over The Guy: The Comeback‘s Dan Bucatinsky writes & stars in this early gay rom-com from ’01 about two mismatched guys, with a hilarious cameo from Lisa Kudrow. Fri. 6/26.
• Barbara Forever: A documentary ode to trailblazing lesbian filmmaker Barbara Hammer, looking back at how she created a feminist cinematic legacy all her own. Thu. 6/25.
• Bookends: Noam Ash (The Other Two) writes & stars in this dramedy about a man who moves in with his concentration camp survivor grandparents after a rough breakup. Mon. 6/22 & Fri. 6/26.
• The Brittney Griner Story: A doc about the basketball star’s overseas sports career & harrowing detainment in Russia, as told by Griner and her wife Cherelle. Sat. 6/20.
• Camp: Rising trans filmmaker Avalon Fast’s surreal, sapphic horror about a troubled young woman who’s surprised to discover a coven after becoming a Christian camp counselor. Mon. 6/22.
• Drunken Noodles: While cat-sitting in Brooklyn for the summer, an Argentinian art student becomes embroiled in a series of steamy hookups in this magical drama. Sun. 6/21.
• Enzo: A spoiled 16-year-old defies his wealthy family by taking up blue-collar work with a construction crew, where he falls for an older colleague from abroad. Tue. 6/23.
• Girls Like Girls: Hayley Kiyoko turned her sapphic pop anthem into a book, and now she’s turning that into a movie with this sweet coming-of-age romantic drama. Thu. 6/18.
• Give Me The Ball!: A rousing doc looking at the remarkable life of tennis pro Billie Jean King, who forever changed the wide world of sports for female & LGBTQ+ athletes. Sat. 6/27.
• I Want Your Sex: New Queer Cinema auteur Gregg Araki’s irreverent comedy about an artist (Olivia Wilde) who makes a young gallery assistant (Cooper Hoffman) her new sub. Fri. 6/19.
• Invisible Boys: A steamy, unapologetically queer Australian series about a group of young men discovering themselves—and each other! Eps. 1-5 on Fri. 6/19, Eps. 6-10 on Sat. 6/27.
• Jaripeo: A stunning documentary following filmmaker Efraín Mojica traveling back to the macho rodeos of their rural Mexican hometown where they had their gay awakening. Sat. 6/20.
• Last Guest Of The Holloway Motel: A doc about a closeted British soccer star who all but disappeared in the ’80s, only to resurface at a rundown WeHo motel years later. Thu. 6/25.
• Leviticus: In this Aussie horror, teen boys are subjected to a spiritual conversion therapy and become stalked by a spirit appearing as what they most desire: each tother Wed. 6/17.
• Maddie’s Secret: Comedian John Early plays a woman whose viral fame triggers memories of a traumatic past in this brilliant satire of Lifetime “message movies.” Thu. 6/25.
• Madfabulous: It’s A Sin‘s Callum Scott Howells stars in this biopic of flamboyant British aristocrat Henry Cyril Paget, who dared to be openly queer in the late 19th Century. Sun. 6/21.
• Macho Dancer: Formerly censored, this queer Filipino classic tells the steamy—and soapy!—story of a young male sex worker in Manila, remastered in 4K for the first time. Thu. 6/18.
• Maspalomas: Newly single, a 76-year-old heads to the titular queer beach in Spain, when a sudden health scare forces him back in the closet in a stuffy retirement community. Fri. 6/19.
• Mickey & Richard: An iconically butch, gay adult film star of the ’70s & ’80s, Richard Bernstein, a.k.a. “Mickey Squires,” looks back on the wild career he never expected. Tue. 6/23.
• On the Road: In this queer erotic thriller from Mexico, a hustler on the run from some dangerous men hitches a fateful ride with an unexpectedly kind big-rig trucker. Thu. 6/25.
• On The Sea: On a Brokeback Mountain set on the rough shores of Northern Wales, two rugged mussel farmers strike up an unlikely connection in this romantic drama. Thu. 6/25.
• Paris Is Burning: A vital time capsule of queer culture, this classic 1990 documentary turns the lens on the Black & Latin trans folks of NYC’s legendary ballroom scene. Fri. 6/19.
• Public Access: A doc looking back on the influence of NYC’s public access TV, which created space for some of the earliest LGBTQ+ programming in the medium’s history. Sun. 6/21.
• Teenage Sex And Death At Camp Miasma: Jane Schoenbrun’s meta, erotic horror-comedy about a filmmaker (Hannah Einbinder) & her favorite Final Girl’s (Gillian Anderson) tense bond. Sat. 6/27.
• Test: Brock Yurich writes and stars in this drama about a closeted, Christian bodybuilder who unexpectedly falls for his coach while training for his next big competition. Thu. 6/25.

Related

How Lisa Kudrow, Dan Bucatinsky & a forgotten 2001 queer rom-com paved the way for The Comeback
Bucatinsky wrote & starred in ‘All Over The Guy,” a charming gay romance free from trauma that still feels fresh 25 years later.

The last person we expected to see hanging out with billionaire David Geffen aboard his superyacht is his ex-husband, Donovan Michaels.

However, paparazzi snapped photos of the two men enjoying time together again earlier this week. Page Six published a story and photos.

Billionaire David Geffen, 83, reunites with 33-year-old boy toy on his yacht after nasty divorce https://t.co/JEZm1dSGqj pic.twitter.com/bTxVjA6aRg

— Page Six (@PageSix) June 10, 2026

It says Michaels, 33 (legal name David Armstrong), was spotted aboard Geffen’s superyacht, Rising Sun, on Monday in Mallorca, Spain.

How about we take this to the next level?

Subscribe to our newsletter for a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Subscribe to our Newsletter today

In the photos, the men could be seen talking to one another. They appeared on friendly terms.

Another photo showed Michaels smiling broadly as he talked with a member of the crew.

It comes as a surprise since the couple’s divorce appeared super messy.

Meeting and marrying

Geffen met Michaels in late 2016 via a website called SeekingArrangements.com. Geffen, now 83, was in his 70s and Michaels in his early 20s. Their first encounter was transactional—Geffen paid $10,000 for the date—but they appear to have hit things off and continued to see each other.

In 2021, Geffen shared a (now deleted) photo of himself with Michaels whilst out sailing.

Hollywood mogul David Geffin has married his boyfriend in a private ceremony.
Geffen, 80, is worth $9.14 billion, says Forbes, and regarded as a creative genius who can “see around corners.”
His new spouse, Donovan Michaels, is 30.
AKSARBENT does not opine, it merely reports. pic.twitter.com/hZhK8OcLFK

— ＡＫＳＡＲＢＥＮＴ (@aksarbent) March 16, 2023

They married in a private ceremony in Beverley Hills in March 2023. They reportedly did not sign a pre-nuptial agreement.

Divorce

The men split in February of 2025, and Geffen filed for divorce in May, citing “irreconcilable differences”.

Michaels then filed a lawsuit against his husband, alleging breach of an “oral contract” in which Geffen promised lifelong financial support and sharing of assets. The filing includes serious allegations of exploitation, forced cosmetic procedures, drug coercion, eviction, and financial abandonment.

Geffen fired a lawsuit back. It denied all of Michael’s claims, describing them as sensational fabrications and “salacious lies.” His legal team asserts that no such contract existed.

According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, Geffen’s yacht was also a point of contention.

Related

David Geffen’s nasty divorce from 33-year-old ex takes a turn no one saw coming
The 83-year-old billionaire and Donovan Michaels did not have a prenup.

According to documents seen by the WSJ, Michaels claimed Geffen promised to give him the yacht while they were married.

Once again, Geffen’s lawyers denied this claim.

The divorce was finally settled in April 2026. Both men dropped their respective lawsuits, and representatives said an amicable agreement had been reached. The details of the settlement have not been revealed. Could it be possible that Geffen allowed Michaels some occasional access to the yacht after all?

Who knows? The Hollywood Reporter says the divorce settlement for Michaels is estimated at between $15 to $30 million.

Some friends of Geffen say the allegedly demanding billionaire got off lightly.

“Geffen got off way too easy,” one unnamed pal told The Hollywood Reporter. “He was constantly running around regaling everyone about Donovan’s 9 inches. He should have at least walked away with $10 million an inch.”

Related

Did David Geffen and Donovan Michael’s divorce turn nasty over this one prized asset?
“The couple never spent a night in the same bed, let alone the same room,” says an attorney for Geffen.

Sign up for the Queerty newsletter to stay on top of the hottest stories in LGBTQ+ entertainment, politics, and culture.

You’ve seen him at the Super Bowl twice. You’ve seen him on TV. Surely, you have seen him light up Instagram.

Quinton Peron, a groundbreaking male NFL cheerleader and The Amazing Race competitor, has established himself as a world-class dancer and choreographer at the age of 33.

But that’s not all. Quinton is equally dedicated to creating a sense of belonging and empowering fitness regimens for all.

In this exclusive interview with Queerty, Peron discusses his partnership with Planet Fitness and his mission alongside the gym brand to create supportive, Judgement Free wellness spaces.

How about we take this to the next level?

Subscribe to our newsletter for a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Subscribe to our Newsletter today

He shares insights on overcoming gym intimidation, what motivates his year-round fitness journey, and his favorite 2026 Planet Fitness Pride collection merch, which benefits LGBTQ+ community centers via CenterLink, a nonprofit organization that strengthens, supports, and connects LGBTQ+ community centers worldwide.

Rachel Paulson, meanwhile, has more than 20 acting credits, including starring roles in the indie film Good Kisser and the web series Dating Zoe. She wrote, produced, and starred in queer coming-of-age feature film Making Estrangements.

Rachel, one of our favorite queer storytellers, shared exclusively with Queerty her own Planet Fitness workout journey: “At Planet Fitness, working out feels welcoming, inclusive, and Judgement Free for everyone.”

Rachel Paulson: Actress, writer, and producer with a knack for telling queer stories.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Queerty (@queerty)

Let’s get to know Quinton…

Quinton Peron: Dancer, choreographer, and trailblazing former NFL cheerleader 

Hi Quinton, Happy Pride, and thanks for talking to Queerty!

When you enter a Planet Fitness gym, you right away notice the Judgement Free ZoneⓇ. This is not just a slogan or sign, but an ethos. We’ve all experienced being judged, even in gym environments. How does this resonate with you, and what’s the best way to bring a sense of belonging to fitness?

This resonates with me personally because I remember the first couple of months of my fitness journey, I was a little nervous and intimidated. But as I got comfortable and realized that nobody was judging me, I began to relax and fully lean into my workouts. Having such a big ethos smacked on the walls right when you walk in definitely helps ease the pressure.

You are a fabulous dancer and a choreographer. You competed on the Amazing Race. You were one of the first male cheerleaders in the NFL, performing at the 2019 Super Bowl. Basically, you are a world-class athlete. Do you feel a sense of belonging in these areas?

Correction. I cheered at TWO Super Bowls, 2019 and 2022

Haha. We stand corrected! Two Super Bowls.

All jokes aside, I definitely feel a sense of belonging in all of those areas because I know how much blood, sweat, and tears I have personally put into my craft, and I know for a fact that no one can take that away from me.

What makes the perfect workout spot for you?

The perfect workout spot for me would be a place with fun, loud music, clean, plentiful equipment, and a supportive, friendly staff.

What’s your gym playlist?

My gym playlist is all over the place, and it honestly depends on the mood I’m in that day. Some days I’m listening to music, and other days I’m listening to or watching my favorite podcasts. 

What in particular are you listening to right now?

My most-played song at the moment is “Energía Bonita” by Alganori. GET INTO IT! It’s such a hot song. It’s been on repeat for a month now, haha. I’ve also had Michael Jackson’s “Off The Wall” album on repeat ever since I saw the movie.

Who are your athletic role models/influences and why? 

Shaun T is a huge inspiration to me. Dancer, husband, crazy physique… goals!

Fitness is a year-round commitment, not just during Pride season. What keeps you motivated? What keeps me motivated is the feeling of accomplishment I get when I look and feel a certain way. There’s no better feeling than knowing summer is coming, especially when you’re sooo prepared from the training you put in months prior.

You do a lot of coaching and choreography. How do you make sure everyone is supported wherever they are on their fitness journey?

One thing I do to make everyone feel supported when they are with me is to meet them where they are. It’s fine to have high expectations and goals, but I try not to set expectations for where my clients should be. They tell me their goals

Planet Fitness is partnering with CenterLink again this year. In the partnership, Planet Fitness will work with CenterLink to distribute microgrants to local LGBTQ+ community organizations to support a range of fitness and well-being initiatives. What are your thoughts on giving back this Pride season? 

My entire life is centered around giving back. I am a dance teacher and choreographer whose mission is to make sure everyone who takes my class feels included, important, and supported. I am everyone’s biggest cheerleader. I would love to help out this Pride season wherever I can.

What are your favorites in the Planet Fitness Pride collection? I really love the “You Belong” hat and the “Pride You Belong” T-shirt.

We look forward to following the careers of Quinton and Rachel. Happy Pride!

As part of Planet Fitness’ commitment to creating welcoming and inclusive fitness spaces for all, it is donating all sales profits* from the 2026 Pride Collection to CenterLink, an LGBTQ+ nonprofit organization that strengthens, supports, and connects LGBTQ+ community centers worldwide.

*Representing at least 30% of the retail purchase price of each purchase. Offer valid in U.S. only (excluding Puerto Rico), while supplies last. CenterLink contact information: CenterLink P.O. Box 24490 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33307 |954-765-6024. Purchase is not tax deductible. For more information, please visit planetfitness.com/youbelong.

Photos by Lucas Pool

Sign up for the Queerty newsletter to stay on top of the hottest stories in LGBTQ+ entertainment, politics, and culture.

House Speaker MIke Johnson is in hot water once again after his offhand comments to a Louisiana radio show started making headlines this week. His ominous prediction for 2033—the year in which he predicts we’ll run out of funding to meet Medicare claims—is a distressing detail of an even more troubling report this week. But even worse are his plans for meeting this crisis. Or rather, not meeting it.

“The reason we are in trouble is because over 74 percent of federal spending is on autopilot, mandatory spending,” he explained in the interview. “That’s your entitlement programs like Medicare, Medicaid and then things like Social Security. They have to be adjusted and fixed.”

To hear Social Security—a mandatory fund Americans contribute to with each paycheck—labeled an “entitlement” program is shocking enough. Hearing Johnson nod to an ominous “plan” to cut into these stabilizing programs during a widespread healthcare crisis doesn’t exactly bode well for any of us.

Politics, but make it gay!

Stay woke with our briefing while staying informed on all things LGBTQ+ entertainment, life, and more!
Subscribe to our Newsletter today

That’s just one detail of what has been a pretty flop-heavy week for Johnson, the notorious anti-LGBTQ+ pundit whose Grindr rumors have haunted him for years. Earlier in the week, Johnson found himself in the familiar cuck position of having to defend Tr*mp’s joyful response toward the inflation crisis.

Explaining that the president’s remarks of “I love the inflation” were taken “out of context,” Johnson tried to create context for them, in the same way that parents try to explain that their newborns’ gurglings are actually a take on the Gettysburg Address. “What he was saying is it’s going to be great to have that number and compare it to what comes next,” he explained. Sure Jan!

To make things even more embarrassing for the House Speaker, 20 Republicans defied Johnson this week to join with Democrats in passing a pro-union bill. It’s just one in a series of rebukes by restless Republicans sick of Johnson’s allegiance to Tr*mp at any cost.

The bill still has to pass through the Senate, but it’s the voting pattern that counts here. As Johnson clings tighter to the narrow House majority he’s almost certain to lose this November, he faces a critical choice: align with fellow House Republicans to plan for a post-Tr*mp future, or go down with Tr*mp’s sinking ship.

I think we all know which choice he’s making, especially in light of those Medicaid comments.

Republicans have historically had an ax to grind with Medicaid and Medicare, viewing it another government “handout” paid for by American tax dollars. But Tr*mp and Johnson’s plans reflect a turn toward the punitive in going after these crucial healthcare initiatives. The COVID crisis exposed the government’s inability to meet a widespread health disaster, and the looming Ebola and screwworm crisis threaten to plunge the country into an even worse state of collective health. Meanwhile, nearly half of American adults admit to having difficulty affording necessary care, with one-third stating that the cost of care is a hindrance to actually seeking medical attention.

The plans to slash Medicaid would also make more sense if we weren’t spending billions on the Iran War. So much for small government!

The good news is, none of this is good news for Mike Johnson. If he keeps this up, he could be back to sleeping on that anti-gay pastor’s basement couch pretty soon.

Related

Bryon Noem’s dominatrix blows the whistle on this secret kinky Republican pastime
Turns out, Bryon Noem’s humiliation feitsh isn’t an isolated case.

Sign up for the Queerty newsletter to stay on top of the hottest stories in LGBTQ+ entertainment, politics, and culture.

Texas Senate hopeful Ken Paxton has spent the start of Pride month trying to shut down a gay pool party, and karma has showed up with the quickness, because not only did he just lose that battle, he also just lost an important ally. Paxton’s own lawyer has flipped over to LGBTQ+ ally Talarico’s side, a move that bodes well for the nail-biting race this November.

Dan Cogdell, who spent years representing Paxton and contributed financially to his senate run last year, has seen the light. In a recent episode of the lawyer’s podcast, he told Talarico that he believes Paxton has lost his way.

“I defended Ken Paxton for years in the impeachment trial and in state criminal cases,” Cogdell explained. “But in my view, respectfully, I think Ken has lost sight of his core mission, which is to represent the people of Texas.”

Talarico, on the other hand, will be able to do what the state needs: uniting Democrats and Republicans to create positive change for Texans. “Republicans have had control of Texas for 30 years,” he said. “Enough is enough. We are last in the country in healthcare, bottom for education, 1st in school shootings, 1st in most uninsured.”

How about we take this to the next level?

Subscribe to our newsletter for a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Subscribe to our Newsletter today

Cogdell isn’t the only one who feels this way. Paxton was already seen among Republicans as the weaker pick against incumbent John Cornyn. Now, he’s looking pretty weak indeed.

“This is a race that could very well lead to Texas flipping blue for the first time decades,” Aaron Parnas predicted.

Cogdell might not be the showiest endorsement for Talarico, but the fact that he completely changed sides speaks to the possibility of other Republicans ditching their commitment to the Tr*mp-endorsed Paxton in favor of something new. “I stood behind the man for 8 years,” he said. But the MAGA favorite has lost his favor, in part because of his friends in high places.

Cogdell’s comments about Paxton’s alignment with Tr*mp were pretty telling. “He’s just an absolute rubber stamp,” Cogdell said of the president, whose endorsements may frighten congress, but don’t hold much water with actual voters at this point. If someone this historically aligned with the Republican party feels that a Tr*mp endorsement is a branding flaw, other Republicans surely feel the same way.

But are there enough of them to flip the historically red state in November?

That’s the million-dollar question. The good news is that Talarico, in addition to being a fierce advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and who famously declared on the Texas House floor that “trans children are God’s children”, has proven that he has the backbone to fight fire with fire against the aggressors eager to paint his masculinity as less-than simply because he believes in human rights.

“Paxton has a criminal record, I have a legislative record,” Talarico told Politico last month. He’s certainly not shy about calling up Paxton’s criminal history. In response to the (ridiculous) charge of veganism last month after the Obama taco meltdown moment, Talarico said: “I’ve been eating barbecue since Ken Paxton’s first indictment.”

Like it or not, Texas Republicans are facing the one threat they can’t dodge: a candidate who represents a hopeful new beginning for millions of tired, disillusioned voters sick of the status quo.

Related

“Medicaid for gays”: He hooked up with a doctor and got a diagnosis he wasn’t expecting

Sign up for the Queerty newsletter to stay on top of the hottest stories in LGBTQ+ entertainment, politics, and culture.

Hilary Knight has been building a hockey legacy for years. But this time, she also made sure everybody knew exactly whose moment it was.

After helping lead Team USA women’s hockey to gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics, Knight’s victory lap reached far beyond the rink. Her appearance on Saturday Night Live likely made her the first out LGBTQ+ athlete to appear on the show, and the first female athlete to appear twice. 

Notably, Knight wasn’t interested in letting Team USA’s celebration get swallowed by controversy around the men’s team and D*n*ld Tr*mp. When asked about it, she kept the attention where it belonged: on the women who earned it.

“It’s a great teaching point to really shine light on how women should be championed for their amazing feats,” Knight told LGBTQ Nation. “These women are amazing, and whatever is going on should never outshine or minimize their work and our success on the world stage.”

How about we take this to the next level?

Subscribe to our newsletter for a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Subscribe to our Newsletter today

That team-first instinct has always been part of Knight’s career. She is a five-time Olympian, a Team USA captain, and the all-time American Olympic leader in goals and points. She’s also one of the defining faces of a generation that pushed women’s hockey to be treated like the serious sport it’s always been.

Speaking to TIME before the Olympics, Knight described what it means to represent Team USA, especially against Canada, its fiercest rival. “Whenever you throw on that jersey, whenever you get to represent your country, there is just so much pride,” she said. 

That same sense of purpose was there in 2018, when Team USA won gold after the players’ 2017 fight for better treatment from USA Hockey. “We really wanted to get it done for everybody in that room and who obviously helped us get to where we were,” Knight said. “We were playing for a bigger purpose.”

For LGBTQ+ fans, Knight’s impact has another layer. In a 2023 interview on The Keller & Kess Show, she spoke directly about why coming out mattered beyond her own life.

“I realized to be able to come out is important, because there are so many people struggling with who they are,” Knight said. “Whether it’s to lend a voice or draw a little bit more attention… hopefully it’s one of those things that people can look at and feel more comfortable when they see more people come out.”

Knight’s own love story has also become part of that visibility. She and Olympic speedskater Brittany Bowe got engaged during the 2026 Games, after first connecting through the Olympic world.

“Olympics brought us together,” Knight wrote in her announcement. “This one made us forever.” The news was met with an outpouring of love, including from LGBTQ+ sports icons like Adam Rippon and Billie Jean King.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hilary Knight (@hilaryknight)

Even though she’s a famous athlete, there’s no requirement for Knight to make every interview a speech about identity in order to make an impact. Sometimes the statement is being excellent, being visible and refusing to let anyone shrink the moment.

At least we can all agree that pride looks pretty good with a gold medal, doesn’t it? 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by B R I T T A N Y B O W E (@brittanybowe)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by SELF (@selfmagazine)

Related

Azzi Fudd was selected No. 1 in the WNBA Draft and is already living up to the hype
Azzi Fudd is already a star less than two months into her WNBA career.

Sign up for the Queerty newsletter to stay on top of the hottest stories in LGBTQ+ entertainment, politics, and culture.

Jerry Fallwell Jr.’s cuck fantasies. David Vitter’s alleged diaper photos. Bryon Noem’s recent “bimbofication” fetish. What do all these embarrassing sex scandals have in common? They were perpetrated by God-fearing, family values-toting Republican men who assumed their secrets would stay in the closet.

Sadly for them, that didn’t happen.

Bryon Noem’s shocking kink took center stage earlier this year when several of his dommy mommies went on the record talking about how “ICE Barbie” Kristi Noem’s husband loved fantasizing about being transformed into a double-F cup “bimbo.” Now, one sex worker is spilling it all to The Lincoln Project, and making some salient points about Republican sex fantasies in the process.

“It’s just a Republican thing,” dominatrix Shy Sotomayor explains. “I’ve come across a lot submissives, they would do just about anything for Tr*mp.”

Politics, but make it gay!

Stay woke with our briefing while staying informed on all things LGBTQ+ entertainment, life, and more!
Subscribe to our Newsletter today

Bryon Noem’s kink is far from the only BDSM bombshell we’ve seen in the past few years. The problem is so prevalent, in fact, that in 2018, Politico wrote a report on why Republicans are more likely to engage in kinky extramarital fantasies that have the potential not only to embarrass them, but to out them as being far more deviant than any identity found on the LGBTQ+ spectrum.

“I surveyed 4,175 adult Americans from all 50 states about what turns them on,” wrote Tell Me What You Want authorJustin Lehmiller in 2018. He found that: “Republicans were more likely than Democrats to fantasize about a range of activities that involve sex outside of marriage.” They also were prone to “fantasies with voyeuristic themes, including visiting strip clubs and practicing something known as “cuckolding,” which involves watching one’s partner have sex with someone else.”

Considering the Jerry Falwell Jr. fallout, it makes perfect sense. Republican men crave power, but they’re turned on by the loss of it. That’s why the risky behaviors that make headlines offer a consistent contradiction between what these men openly preach, and what they privately prefer.

You might assume this tension reached its peak during the early Tr*mp years, but that’s not the case.

In 2023, after Tr*mp’s first term was in the rearview, a separate report found that both Democrats and Republicans were seeking out fetish content like never before. “Liberals desire being dominated by conservatives and called pejoratives,” wrote one Washington Post reporter, “while conservatives want to be mocked for supporting former president D*n*ld Tr*mp, among other perceived transgressions, according to those who participate in this subculture.”

The kink works both ways, of course: one bisexual Republican (yup, you read that right) who founded the MAGA Doms/Dommes and Libt*rd Subs group on FetLife only spoke on condition of anonymity, since he knows that if his kink was found out, he’d lose everything.

Apparently, that’s part of the thrill, and it’s baked right into the American two-party system. Critiquing reformed neocon Robert Kagan’s treatise on our dying democracy, one Baffler writer pointed out last year that: “from the beginning, [American] democracy was defined as possession—guarded for some, denied to others.” Possession of land, rights, or other finite privileges afforded at first only to the most powerful. As liberals seek to make the country truly democratic, offering the same possibilities and benefits for everyone across the board, Republicans fall into cycles of “humiliation and revenge.”

Tr*mp’s autocracy stands at the matrix of these seemingly contradictory forces: as he continues to massively fumble his second term in office, Republicans must feel some degree of humiliation, even as they count on Tr*mp to enact his revenge against what they see as the liberal agenda that defined the Obama years.

As we’re seeing, however, even the Republicans can’t help but purposely undercut their political wins with personal humiliations. Bryon Noem is only one of many. It seems like every week we hear about another anti-LGBTQ+ politician or preacher getting caught soliciting minors or worse. Being caught is starting to feel like a significant part of the kink: unless they’re risking everyone by engaging in hypocritical acts of deviancy, they can’t get off.

Which is sad for them, but pretty sweet for the rest of us watching from the wings.

Related

Figging, bottom fever & hardness: this urologist has some very gay expertise to share

Sign up for the Queerty newsletter to stay on top of the hottest stories in LGBTQ+ entertainment, politics, and culture.