Prisoner Survey Underscores How We Are Failing LGBTQ Youth in America

LGBTQ Prison Reform

A report by Black and Pink gives us a better picture of the lived experiences of LGBTQ people in prison.  Close to 1,200 prisoners were surveyed in 2014.

Download the Executive Summary and Recommendations

Download the Entire Report Her

While some of the recommendations in the report stretch the limits of imagination (such as eliminating the criminal justice system entirely), the experiences reported by LGBTQ prisoners are disturbing and demand attention.

One of the most striking pieces of information is just how young many of these individuals were when they were first incarcerated.   Approximately 2/3 or respondents were arrested before their eighteenth birthday.

When you look more closely at the factors that may have contributed to their imprisonment, you’ll discover the challenges many LGBT Youth in America face.

Unsafe Schools: Less than a third of respondents completed high school outside of prison.

Homelessness: Close to 20% of respondents reported being homeless prior to arrest, while only 52% reported stable housing.

Unemployment and Criminalized Economies: Over a third of respondents reported being unemployed prior to their incarceration, nearly 7 times the 2014 national unemployment rate in 2014.  Many reported engaging in sex work or selling drugs for their survival.

Given the very real challenges young people faced (again, the majority of whom were teenagers at their first arrest) the fact that they ended up in the criminal justice system is not surprising.  Deeply troubling, of course, but not surprising.

Once incarcerated LGBTQ Prisoners face many injustices which are documented in this report.  Of course, young or old, all LGBTQ prisoners facing these injustices deserve our attention, our support, and our advocacy.  Please read the entire report and consider what you can do to make a difference.

Our Identities Under Arrest

LGBTQ Identities are Under Arrest

Arrests and prosecutions for consensual same-sex sexual acts, or for diverse gender expressions, continue unabated across the world. And yet, they are considerably under-reported.

Our Identities Under Arrest is a new publication by ILGA World offering a global overview of the enforcement of laws criminalising consensual same-sex sexual acts between adults and diverse gender expressions.

The report reviews hundreds of cases in which law enforcements subjected LGBT and gender-diverse persons to fines, arbitrary arrests, prosecutions, corporal punishments, imprisonments and more – up to (possibly) the death penalty.

Governments often argue that criminalising laws are ‘dormant’, but this report offers evidence that such claims are largely inaccurate. How – and how often – they are enforced can vary abruptly and in unpredictable ways, making both our communities on the ground and asylum seekers who managed to flee live perpetually under threat.

The Our Identities under Arrest report will be of great value to the advocacy work of human rights defenders. It will assist asylum seekers and the legal experts working on their cases. And it will provide researchers, media outlets, governmental and global agencies with the necessary information to build a holistic picture of how the criminalisation on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression really looks like.

Click the link below to read the full report:

SAGE Dedicates $1 Million to Support Trans Elders

Transgender and Nonbinary Elder Program Equity Fund

SAGE, the world’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ+ elders, recently announced the Transgender and Non-Binary (TGNB) Elder Program Equity Fund. The decision to create the Fund emerged following SAGE’s collaboration with Trans Equity Consulting (TEC), led by Cecilia Gentili and Cyd Nova, to develop theorganization’s strategy to build more TGNB-related services and advocacy for elders.

The TGNB Elder Program Equity Fund will dedicate $1 million to support TGNB-focused services and advocacy at SAGE, both in New York and nationally. These opportunities are vital to TGNB members of SAGE’s community, as trans older people are at a higher risk of discrimination, marginalization, health disparities, and poverty as they age.

“It feels particularly appropriate to announce this initiative during Trans Week of Awareness because the need to amplify and recognize trans experiences is the very core of the TGNB Elder Program Equity Fund,” said SAGE CEO Michael Adams. “Decades after Stonewall, which was led by TGNB people, TGNB elders are still pushed to the margins in society and even within the communities they helped to create.

“Equality cannot be achieved without action to dismantle the anti-TGNB oppression that many of our transgender and non-binary elders still face today. The TGNB Elder Program Equity Fund is what that action looks like,” said Joanna Rivera, SAGE’s Manager of TGNB Outreach & Community Engagement.

“This initiative allows us to continue honoring our TGNB elders while they are still with us, letting them know that we see them and embrace them as valuable members of our community.”

“Transgender and non-binary elders have survived and fought for equality in various capacities over the years, and this recognition through the TGNB Elder Program Equity Fund is a definitive step towards the respect, change, and acceptance we deserve,” said SAGE constituent Sandi Salas.

The TGNB Elder Program Equity Fund was created with a gift from the Estate of Jack Dowling to honor his friendship with legendary transgender activist Marsha. P. Johnson. The two formed a bond from their time spent together during the community heyday of Chelsea Piers and became close acquaintances and kindred spirits. Dowling, who passed away in February of 2021 due to COVID-19 complications, wanted Johnson’s legacy to live on for trans elders for years to come through his generous gift to SAGE.

Heather Mizeur Runs for Congress

Heather Mizeur

From the Victory Fund: Heather Mizeur has spent her professional life over the last 25 years passionately engaged in public service. She is a policy expert, a former legislator, a small business owner, a farmer and the founder and CEO of a non-profit organization focused on social justice. 
 
Heather’s life is defined by a commitment to service and stewardship that was formed in her early years. She is the oldest daughter of a factory welder who was an active United Auto Worker for more than 30 years. Five generations of family farming also run deep through her DNA. Heather’s spiritual life, rooted in her Catholic faith, is the animating force behind her dedication to social justice — a passion and faith shared by her wife, Deborah. They met on Capitol Hill while Heather was U.S. Senator John Kerry’s Domestic Policy Director and were married in 2005, pledging then to do everything they could to bring marriage equality to Maryland. 
 
Heather was known in Annapolis as a legislative powerhouse during the eight years she served in the Maryland General Assembly — leading the charge on passing marriage equality, banning fracking, enacting criminal justice reforms, and expanding health insurance for children, women, and families. After leaving elected office, Heather founded Soul Force Politics, a non-profit organization dedicated to bridging the worsening divisions in American politics and civic life. Heather’s career also includes four years of national service as a member of AmeriCorps. 

Find out more at www.heathermizeur.com

José Matthews on Protecting Trans Youth

José Matthews

Update: Since this article was written the policy to support transgender and nonbinary students was passed by the Red Clay School District.

In January of this year, the Christina School District in northern Delaware became the first school district in Delaware to adopt a policy to support transgender and nonbinary students. José Matthews hopes the Red Clay School District will be next.

Matthews believes that students should never have to worry about their sexual orientation or gender identity being a barrier to their education. “Christina has shown such grace and leadership in this realm when they passed their policy. I think we can do the same, but it’s going to take a lot of encouragement for the school board to do the right thing,” states José.

This is not a new mission for the youngest member of the Red Clay School district. José, who was elected to the school board in 2018 at the age of 22, first brought a proposal to support trans and gender diverse students to the school board more than four years ago.

“This board has had four years to make a difference, and in reality, they’ve had a lot longer than that. I know we need to continue to raise the issue and we need to let folks know there is hope out there, and we need to fight for it.”

Despite the challenges, Matthews enjoys serving on the school board, balancing this volunteer position along with a full-time job in the healthcare industry. “There is something really rewarding about being able to wake up every day and speak to parents, students, and teachers, and make it possible to educate our children. It’s really not a small feat to run the largest school district in the state.”

He also enjoys connecting with LGBTQ+ students. “When I went to school, I really didn’t have any teachers that identified with the LGBT community. It’s been incredibly rewarding to have a number of students reach out to me and say how important it is for them to see someone sitting in a position of power as a gay man. I am humbled and honored to represent the community and be a part of the community that way.”

José has learned a lot from LGBTQ+ students. “I’ve learned that they are strong and resilient. But I’ve also learned the need to continue to fight for equitable policies that ensure that no student in our district or our state should have to worry about their sexuality or their gender identity being a burden or interfering with their educational experience.”

Looking at elected officials up and down the state, José emphasizes that there are voices and people missing in this work. He would like to see more young people, more people of color, and more LGBTQ+ people running for school board positions.

He cautions, however, that it is a big commitment. “I would encourage those interested to talk to people in your community and get some sound advice. Talk to your school board members, the people in your community, your school district leadership; have open conversations to make sure it’s the right decision for you, but more so, make sure it’s right for the community.”

As for advancing the Transgender and Gender Diverse Student Policy, co-sponsored by fellow board member Adriana Bohm, José comments, “I think folks need to pay attention. They need to pay attention to what’s happening at the local policies, because a lot of the time the local policies can have more of an impact on our lives than the larger policy debates that are happening.”

He continues, “Folks need to understand how important these school board roles are, and people need to engage if they are not. If you are not engaged, now is the time to do so, because our students and their futures are at stake. We need to fight for social justice and equality. And I need people to join me in this fight.” 

This article originally appeared in Letters from CAMP Rehoboth.

Black Trans Filmmakers Declare Transphobia Is a Sin

Transphobia is a sin

SEATTLE, Jan. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — When Lady Dane Figueroa Edidi and J Mase III began co-editing the Black Trans Prayer Book a few years ago, they had no idea how much the idea of dismantling toxic religious practices would resonate around the globe. In January of 2019, they hosted the first of what would become an annual event called the #TransphobiaIsASin Campaign. This social media event’s purpose is to bring attention to religious violence impacting Trans, Non-Binary and Gender Expansive people globally (especially those that are Black, Brown and/or Indigenous.)

On Saturday, January 15th, Dane and Mase will launch the fourth iteration of this campaign which has had thousands of participants from countries all over the world, and they want to invite anyone to participate that is “invested in ending religious (ie: all) violence against Trans, Non-Binary and Gender Expansive Peoples.” Dane and Mase go on to say, “Anti-Trans religious violence does not just look like demonizing Trans people within worship spaces. It is the theology that finds its way to the tongues of politicians who create anti-Trans policies. It manifests as the framework that blooms violence against Trans people on the street, in their families, and in community at large.”

The two say one of their ultimate goals is to make theologies of liberation more accessible than theologies of violence. For them, this campaign gives people from all over, looking to share in that vision, a space to connect and build. Currently working on adapting their text, the Black Trans Prayer Book into a documentary, they have outlined ways for people everywhere to participate in this weekend’s #TransphobiaIsASin event:

  1. Take a photo of yourself with a sign saying one of the following lines: “Transphobia is a Sin,” “Transphobia is Haram,” “Trans People are Divine,” or “Trans People Exist Because Our Ancestors Existed”
  2. Use the hashtag #TransphobiaIsASin
  3. Post to social media on or close to Jan 15th

To close out the campaign, Lady Dane and J Mase will be holding a workshop to delve deeper into healing from religious trauma on Tuesday January 18th at 4pm PST/7pm EST. Follow along by checking out the hashtag #TransphobiaIsASin on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and all social media platforms. Learn more about their work at www.TheBlackTransPrayerBook.org.

National Center for Transgender Equality Launch 2022 U.S. Trans Survey Pledge 

US Trans Survey

The National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) and partners are excited to launch the 2022 U.S. Trans Survey Pledge (USTS) at ustranssurvey.org. Through the USTS Pledge, members of the trans community can now sign up to receive information about the survey, learn how to participate and pledge to take the survey when it is released in 2022. 

“NCTE is proud to partner with the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition, TransLatin@ Coalition, National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance, and other organizations that serve trans people nationwide on the 2022 U.S. Trans Survey,” said Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, executive director of NCTE.

“The Black Trans Advocacy Coalition is incredibly excited to be a partner for the 2022 U.S. Trans Survey, the leading source for insight into the real-life experiences of the trans community. As the largest trans survey in the U.S., we know that it’s critical to ensure that the experiences of as many Black binary and nonbinary trans people as possible are captured in the survey,” said Carter Brown, national executive director of BTAC.  “We are encouraging everyone to be a part of history and pledge to take the 2022 U.S. Trans Survey.”   

“Our organization is grateful to partner on such an important milestone for our community with the 2022 U.S. Trans Survey,” said Bamby Salcedo, president and CEO of the Los Angeles-based TransLatin@ Coalition. “The data we will generate as a community will provide support for our continued advocacy for our specific needs.”

Information about the U.S. Trans Survey:   

  • The U.S. Trans Survey is the largest survey of trans people in the United States.  
  • The USTS documents the lives and experiences of trans people in the U.S. and U.S. territories.   
  • The U.S. Trans Survey is for all trans people ages 16 and up.   
  • The USTS is for people of all trans identities, including binary and nonbinary trans identities.  
  • The USTS is the main source of data about trans people for the media, educators, policymakers and the general public, and covers health, employment, income, the criminal justice system and other aspects of life.   
  • USTS reports have been a vital resource, including the reports on the experiences of people of color and reports by state.   
  • In 2015, nearly 28,000 people took the USTS, making it the largest survey of trans people in the U.S. to date. A lot has happened since then, and it’s time to conduct the USTS again in 2022.    

Participants who sign a pledge form to participate will receive email updates from NCTE about the survey. Taking the pledge does not obligate anyone to take the survey and participation is voluntary. Participants will be asked to consent to take the survey once it becomes available. 

Philemon Chambers, breakout star of Netflix’s ‘Single All the Way’

Philemon Chambers

Its the Most Wonderful Time of the Year for Philemon Chambers

Breakout star of Netflix’s ‘Single All the Way’ on being merry about his gay new rom-com role

By Chris Azzopardi

Philemon Chambers can’t believe he’s in a queer Christmas movie. It’s the kind Chambers, recently named “Next Big Thing” by the Hollywood Reporter, could only dream of watching when he was a little queer boy growing up in Compton, California. Then, Black queer characters in mainstream film and TV didn’t exist, and when they finally did, those characters were in the closet or shamed for being out of the closet.

Much has changed since for Chambers, and for the better. Now, the 27-year-old actor, who could previously be seen in small TV roles on “Criminal Minds” and “All Rise,” is the change he always hoped to see in “Single All the Way,” Netflix’s addition to the LGBTQ+ holiday rom-com boom of the last couple of years. Here, queerness is incidental to the sweet, marshmallow center of this love story.

In the film, Chambers plays the adorably likable Nick, who accompanies his roommate and longtime friend, Peter (Michael Urie of “Ugly Betty”), on a trip home for the holidays to see Peter’s family in New Hampshire. It’s an especially kind gesture given Peter has recently learned that his boyfriend is married to a woman. Though Peter’s mom (Kathy Najimy) desperately wants to connect her newly single son with James (Luke Macfarlane), the rest of the family does everything in their power to help Peter and Nick see they’re more than just friends.

Recently, Chambers chatted about the humbling responses he’s received about “Single All the Way” from LGBTQ+ people around the world, how he and Urie developed their chemistry over Zoom, and the message he hopes the movie delivers to young Black queer kids.

This seems like a really big moment for you. Does it feel that way?

It still is a euphoric type of moment. I’m not overwhelmed because it’s a good feeling to finally have this film out ’cause we’ve been talking about it for such a long time. To have it out and to see the response that people are having toward it and the love that it’s garnering — wow, I’m gobsmacked.

Whats it like to be a part of the queer Christmas streaming movie boom that started last year?

It’s nice that these types of stories are being told and that they’re being told authentically by queer [and] gay actors. It’s monumental in that respect because usually they hire a heterosexual actor to portray a gay character. So it’s not an accurate depiction of them, of us. It’s not.

I feel like the films that were released, we needed them at that time. But we really need “Single All the Way.” “Single All the Way” is the first film of its kind to not hold onto the homophobia and not hold onto any negativity. It is pure joy, pure love, pure happiness. And I’m glad that we’re moving in this direction. I can’t wait to see what happens and what comes from it.

Are you and Michael sharing in the splendor of what being a part of this movie feels like right now?

Me and Michael actually had like a 15-, 20-minute conference last night just about how much love we are getting. Everybody is loving Peter and Nick. Everyone is loving the story. And I could not imagine doing this and going through this with anybody else other than Michael Urie. He is such a gem. But yes, we talk literally every day. He’ll respond to me when he wants to respond to me, ’cause I know I’m a little bit annoying.

I watched this with my mom, and it was a powerful thing to be able to watch something with her thats authentic to my experience as a gay man.

Even my mom, she was like, “Oh, I’m gonna watch this film so many times.” And I was just like, “OK, you’re gonna watch it ’cause I’m in it. We get it.” And she’s just like, “No. It’s just a really good story.” She was just like, “I love that it’s not about the characters being gay. It’s about the character finding love, about the family wanting the character to be in a relationship no matter who it is.”

It’s nice to have something like this where you don’t, again, see that homophobia, you don’t see the negativity behind it. But you see a family rallying behind their son. I feel like that is so monumental to have. I got a Twitter DM yesterday from a gentleman; he lives in a different country. And he was saying where he is, it is a crime to be gay. He watched the film and he had said for the first time he felt like he had been seen. And that gave him hope.

That must mean a tremendous amount to you.

I cried. It means a lot to me that it’s affecting people in the way that it affected me. It’s a beautiful thing to be able to stand in the forefront for people and be that conduit. Like I said in another interview, Nick made me accept myself even more.

In what ways did playing the character make you feel more comfortable with your sexuality?

It’s different when your life is private. It is such a difference when you’re not in [the] public eye, when people really don’t know who you are. It’s easier to live your life how you wanna live your life. You can go out. You can be with your boyfriend or your girlfriend, whatever. But there is a difference when now you are in [the] spotlight and people are trying to figure out who you are, what you do, who you’re dating. I’m like, “Why do you wanna know who I’m dating?” I’m single. I do feel like I’m like Beyoncé — you know, the relationship is private until [points to his finger and motions putting a ring on it]. Just saying.

I just feel like that’s a personal thing. But with accepting myself, I accepted myself. I did. If people would ask, I would tell them. But it was more the liberation that I got from playing Nick, because Nick is how I am with my family. My mom is just like, “OK, is this the boyfriend?” I’m like, “Mom, no. It is not. This is a friend.”

When I got home and I really sat down and got to think about everything, I was like, this is the representation that I needed when I was a kid. And now I’m gonna have to talk to people about this and I’m able to now, versus before it was a touchier subject. I’m like, why not stand in the forefront? Why not be that vessel? Why not be that conduit to embrace fully who I am? I feel like as we get older, the idea of trying to put on for people should go away. I’m just at that point in my life where I genuinely love who I am. I owe a lot of it to Nick, in [the] sense of how he is and how the Harrison family was with him. It just showed that these types of things can be normal.

Did Michael give you tips on navigating being out in the public eye?

Michael gave me more tips on how to navigate the industry in a sense of just being an actor. He has been truly a blessing. So has Jennifer Robertson (as Lisa, Peter’s sister). So has Kathy Najimy (as Carole, Peter’s mom). So has Barry Bostwick (as Harold, Peter’s dad). Even Jennifer Coolidge (who plays Peter’s Aunt Sandy) has given me advice. Rookie amongst veterans.

What advice did Jennifer Coolidge give you? And was there any bend and snap action on set?

You said bend and snap? You talkin’ about [does a little snap]. Jennifer Coolidge, her advice was, “Have fun.” Jennifer Coolidge’s approach to everything — she does not know what she’s gonna do until she does it.

The chemistry between you and Michael seemed so easy.

The thing about being in a pandemic is everything is over Zoom. Me and Michael, we did our chemistry read over Zoom. And we had to give chemistry over Zoom, which is kind of a tough thing to do because it’s hard to sometimes articulate. But honestly, when me and Michael started, everything clicked. It was an automatic thing. It was not forced. We were able to play off of each other over Zoom. I remember getting off of Zoom and going into my sister’s room and being like, “I don’t know what just happened, but I love it.”

What does it mean to you to be a queer person of color playing this character?

I echo this a lot: I am what I needed when I was younger. It’s one of those things where I still have my pinch me moments. To be at the forefront where there is a story out there for young Black men who are maybe questioning themselves or already know who they are, that is positive, that [says] you can come out, you can say these things, you can be yourself, and there is a family out there that will love you, genuinely and unconditionally for who you are — it still is one of those things where I am still taken aback, still humbled. I’m just very, very grateful to have this moment. I text my team every day — I even message Netflix [laughs] — And I’m like, “Thank you so much for allowing me the opportunity to be a vessel and to be a conduit.” It means the world to me.

What about a sequel? Theres been talk, and you can tell me. This is a safe place.

The non-answer answer to that is, Chris, if you must know, Netflix is amazing. And you know, there’s no telling what you’ll see from Nick and Peter.

As much as I am interested in knowing what happens with Nick and Peter in a potential sequel, I am also interested in knowing what it means for them when it comes to Aunt Sandy’s annual pageant in New Hampshire.

You know what? I feel like, if anything, what should happen is Nick and Peter should be in the pageant. We could do a whole little thing. We could act along with Aunt Sandy. I’m just saying.

Shes a tough director. Do you think you have what it takes to be in her pageant?

You know, I can scream. And I can remember my lines.

Chris Azzopardi is the Editorial Director of Pride Source Media Group and Q Syndicate, the national LGBTQ+ wire service. He has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Cher, Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, GQ and Billboard. Reach him via Twitter @chrisazzopardi.

LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS Awareness Days in 2022

LGBTQ Awareness Days

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
February 7, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

Transgender Day of Visibility
March 31, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

National Day of Silence
April 22, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

Lesbian Visibility Day
April 26th, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

International Family Equality Day
May 1, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

National Honor our LGBT Elders Day
May 16, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia
May 17, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

National Asian and Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
May 19th, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

Harvey Milk Day
May 22, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

Pansexual Visibility Day
May 24, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

Long Term Survivors Day
June 5, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

World Refugee Day
June 20, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

World Suicide Prevention Day
September 10, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

National HIV & Aging Awareness Day
September 18, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

Bisexuality Day
September 23, 2022
event page link

National Coming Out Day
October 11, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

National Latinx HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
October 15, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

LGBT Center Awareness Day
October 19, 2022
event page link
| facebook event link

International Pronouns Day
October 19th, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

Spirit Day
October 20, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

Asexual Awareness Week
October 23-29, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

Intersex Awareness Day
October 26, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

LGBT Stem Day
November 18, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

Transgender Day of Remembrance
November 20th, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

Polyamory Day
November 23, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

World AIDS Day
December 1, 2022
event page link | facebook event link

photograph by Ted Eytan

‘Coming Out Colton’ Bares Not All But A Lot

Colton Underwood

By Lawrence Ferber

When former star of “The Bachelor” and pro football player Colton Underwood came out on a “Good Morning America” interview in April 2021, there was one question interviewer Robin Roberts didn’t ask: What’s your type?

Fortunately, fellow out athlete Gus Kenworthy presses Underwood for that tidbit — the answer is daddies, y’all! — in the first episode of Netflix’s six episode docuseries “Coming Out Colton.” For those unfamiliar, Underwood’s claim to fame and infamy was his season as the “virgin” Bachelor, subsequent to which he became obsessed with, stalked, and terrorized contestant Cassie Randolph, who ultimately filed a restraining order against him.

To its credit, the series doesn’t absolve Underwood of this behavior — he’ll be read to filth both virtually and to his face by the final episode — but it does go a long way to explaining how he became such a hot closeted mess.

The first four episodes are entirely dedicated to preparation for the “GMA” interview by coming out to family members and friends, seeking advice from Kenworthy and other gay sports figures like NFL trailblazer David Kopay and Esera Tuaolo, and tackling the toxic religious and sports world homophobia that twisted him so profoundly (and led to a suicide attempt).

The first couple of episodes are annoyingly repetitive in their structure (coming out, advice session, rinse, repeat). But what packs a punch is Underwood explaining to a high school coach how the flippant, virulently antigay things he heard from fellow teens and mentors alike caused pain both then and now, seeking ownership from the man for allowing and engaging in that behavior. And a scene in the religion-centric fourth episode (a tedious, fast-forward affair if you consider religion bunk or didn’t suffer that same upbringing), when Underwood seeks acceptance from his pastor via telephone call but instead receives an earful on the sinfulness of homosexuality and gay marriage because “the Bible makes it pretty clear,” legit sucks to watch. A crushed Underwood admits the call creates confusion and doubt even now, and he wonders if the devil’s working through him.

Underwood’s so green about all things LGBTQ+ that Kenworthy is like his Gay 101 teacher, schooling him in terms like PrEP. And it’s cringey to witness the pair visit a gay sex and clothing shop for the first time — when trying on a leather harness, Underwood asks “what’s the point of this?” to which Kenworthy responds, “dancing and vibing” — and meet with a central casting group of white as fuck male cisgays in Nashville for a “coming out party.”

Things get more interesting during episode five, titled “Public,” which focuses on Colton before and after the “GMA” interview, and lifts the veil on what the hell Underwood was thinking during his ‘Bachelor” run.As Kenworthy notes in Ricky Ricardo-speak en route to “GMA,” “You kind of have some explaining to do.” And he does.

Although all reality series are contrived and Underwood is a {ITAL major} reality whore (the Netflix series was announced the day after the “GMA” interview aired), it’s hard to deny the sincerity also at play when Underwood reveals his “Bachelor”-era motive to create a public persona as heterosexual on TV, and forge a relationship with Randolph, so he’d become straight off-camera. That’s so messed up, right?

Randolph reportedly declined to take part in the Netflix series (despite offers of compensation), but other “Bachelor” and “Bachelor”-adjacent personalities join by the final episode, plus there’s a clip from the show. Frankly, “Bachelor” clips and news reports at the show’s front end would have been helpful for context and served as reminder why his coming out carries weight in certain circles (and Twitter). And there’s a ridiculous, cheesy, out-of-nowhere montage of gay trailblazers at the end which essentially places Underwood in the same context — and his coming out of the same impact — with Christine Jorgensen, Matthew Shepard’s murder, and Harvey Milk, which overstates his importance to a ludicrous, tasteless degree.

And who do I want to give my rose to? One of the series’ most memorable inclusions: Pastor Nicole Garcia, the first transgender woman of color to be ordained, part Judge Judy and part Dr. Phil minus the quackery and epic eye-rolling. She serves Underwood (who, spoiler alert, ditches his homophobic pastor and joins the LGBTQ-inclusive Metropolitan Community Church) a dose of seasoned, fierce wisdom and humility we could use more of. Can we get a “Pastor Garcia” season order, please?