A year of queerness, courage, humor, reckoning, and joy—told in the words of those who lived it out loud.
THE WORD WE KEPT COMING BACK TO: QUEER
David Archuleta (August 2025)
“Queer allows for fluidity and space. It leaves room for growth and discovery. But it also has this spirit of rebellion. There’s strength in that—it’s colorful, complex, and it means simply being.”
Nina West (December 2025)
“Queer is powerful, welcoming, and expansive. It holds everyone—every shape, every story—without exclusion.”
Jake Wesley Rogers (August 2025)
“Queerness is punk. It challenges the mold. It exposes structures that harm not just queer people, but everyone.”
Sasha Colby (August 2025)
“I’m not just trans or pansexual or poly. I’m queer. I live queer. It’s defiance. Like, yeah—I’m queer. What now?”
Rev. Dr. Renee McCoy (December 2025)
“Truth is bigger than fear. Being queer is about refusing to compromise who you are—even when it’s scary.”
COMING OUT, COMING HOME
Dave Koz (April 2025)
“I was no longer willing to be two halves of one person. I needed to feel whole.
I was willing to risk it all—and instead, everything got better. Over 20 years later, it’s the best gift I ever gave myself.”
SOBRIETY, SURVIVAL & SELF-WORTH
Cheyenne Jackson (June 2025)
“Sobriety doesn’t make life easier—it makes it clearer. Now I can look in the mirror and say, ‘You’re okay. You’re enough.’”
PRIVILEGE, POWER & RESPONSIBILITY
Brock McGillis (January 2025)
“I’m a cis, white, masculine-presenting gay man. That opens doors. I can use that privilege to benefit myself—or to create change. That choice matters.”
Evan Wolfson (June 2025)
“Worry doesn’t protect us. Action does. If you’re scared about our rights or democracy, the answer is to get to work.”
ART, CAMP & CULTURAL LEGACY
Barry Bostwick (October 2025)
“It was freezing, low budget, and chaotic—but the water was hot because everybody was in it. Frank-N-Furter’s fantasy, and I was 100% in.”
James & Jamesy (November 2025)
“Yes, there’s flirtation. Yes, there’s innuendo. And yes—most audiences love it.”
Frank DeCaro (December 2025)
“You can’t understand disco if you only honor the ‘cool’ parts. The tacky stuff matters too.”
FAITH, DOUBT & RECLAIMING THE DIVINE
Jake Wesley Rogers (August 2025)
“Religion belongs to the oppressed. If it’s being used to hurt people, it’s not spiritual. If you’re queer and feeling spiritual—it’s your birthright.”
MAKING IT LAST
Glenn (Toad the Wet Sprocket) (July 2025)
“We could’ve gotten lazy—or we could step it up. We chose to step it up. Making music keeps you young.”
Mindi Abair (February)
“Bonnie Raitt writes songs that matter. She’s an incredible instrumentalist—and there aren’t enough women like that to look up to.”
VISIBILITY, REST & BEING HUMAN
Sasha Colby (August 2025)
“Being visible is powerful—but exhausting. Rest is sacred. I’m trans, pansexual, poly—and funny. I’m a whole sitcom.”
THE LINE THAT SUMS UP 2025
Lady Bunny (November 2025)
“Representation only matters if it reflects real experiences.”
EDITOR’S NOTE
2025 reminded us that queerness is not a trend, a talking point, or a marketing hook. It’s lived. It’s argued with. It rests, it resists, it laughs, and it survives. These voices didn’t just reflect the year—they defined it.
