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Contents:

• EASTERN EUROPE WAS ONCE A WORLD LEAR ON GAY RIGHTS. THEN RAN OUT OF SPEGOATS
• IS BUDAPT GAY IENDLY? - HUNGARY FOM
• HOW HATRED OF GAY PEOPLE BEME A KEY PLANK HUNGARY’S THORARIAN TURN
• ‘HOT MEN COLD DICTATORSHIPS’ SCREENS GAY LIFE HUNGARY WEHO FRIDAY
• EXPLORE GAY ROOMS & RENTALS BUDAPT
• TIPS FOR GAY AND LBIAN TRAVELERS BUDAPT
• U.S. DIPLOMAT STICKS IT TO ANTI-GAY PRIME MISTER—WH A HUGE PRI PARTYPRIDE AND PREJUDICEMEMBERS OF VIKTOR ORBáN’S ERNMENT—WHICH HAS ADOPTED ANTI-LGBT POLICI—ARE WELE TO JO.DAN LADN-HALLNEWS CORRPONNTUPDATED JUL. 15, 2023 4:31AM EDT EXCLIVEPHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / GETTYDAVID PRSMAN, THE U.S. AMBASSADOR TO HUNGARY, HAS NOT SHIED AWAY OM LLG OUT THE ANTI-LGBT RHETORIC AND POLICI OF HUNGARIAN PRIME MISTER VIKTOR ORBáN AND HIS ERNMENT. SCE HIS ARRIVAL BUDAPT LAST YEAR, THE GAY HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER HAS BEEN RELENTLSLY CRICIZED BY THE UNTRY’S STATE-NTROLLED MEDIA FOR WHAT THEY PERCEIVE AS HIS PROVOTIVE PROPAGANDIZG OF PROGRSIVE WTERN VALU TO A PEOPLE WHO DO NOT SHARE THEM.HIS WEEKEND PLANS SEEM LIKELY TO SPARK ANOTHER ROUND OF VECTIVE. ON SUNDAY, HE WILL MARK THE END OF BUDAPT PRI MONTH BY HOSTG A PIIC AT HIS OFFICIAL RINCE FOR HUNGARIAN LGBTQI+ FAI—A CELEBRATN OF A MUNY WHO, UNR ORBáN, ARE BEG MA TO FEEL CREASGLY UNWELE THEIR HOMELAND.“CANDIDLY, WE’VE BEEN PRETTY OVERWHELMED BY THE TERT PARTICIPATN OM HUNGARIAN LGBT FAI AND THEIR ALLI—AND I EXPECT ABOUT 1,000 PEOPLE THERE, MAKG WHAT WE’RE TOLD WILL BE THE LARGT EVENT OF S KD HISTORY HUNGARY,” PRSMAN TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “AND I THK NOW’S A REALLY IMPORTANT MOMENT FOR THE UNED STAT AND THE TERNATNAL MUNY WR LARGE TO STAND WH THIS MUNY THAT IS CREASGLY BEG ED A DIVISIVE AND POLIL WAY THAT IS TENSN WH THE MMENTS THIS ERNMENT HAS MA TO UPHOLDG TERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS.”HIS MENTS ON FRIDAY ME HOURS AFTER DOZENS OF EMBASSI HUNGARY RELEASED A JOT STATEMENT EXPRSG SUPPORT FOR THE LGBTQI+ MUNY THE UNTRY “AND THEIR RIGHTS TO EQUALY AND NON-DISCRIMATN, EEDOM OF EXPRSN AND PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY, AND EEDOM OM VLENCE.” THE LL FOR SUPPORT IS TIMELY. THIS WEEK, HUNGARY’S LARGT BOOKSELLER, LIBRI, BEGAN WRAPPG BOOKS PLASTIC IF THE WORK CLUS LGBT CHARACTERS TO STOP BROWSG SHOPPERS OPENG THEM STOR. THE RETAIL CHA SAID WAS DOG SO PLIANCE WH A 2021 SO-LLED “CHILD PROTECTN” LAW WHICH BANNED THE “DISPLAY AND PROMOTN OF HOMOSEXUALY” TO CHILDREN UNR THE AGE OF 18. ANOTHER BOOKSELLER WAS FED ON THURSDAY FOR SELLG A GRAPHIC NOVEL ABOUT A LOVE STORY BETWEEN TWO TEENAGE BOYS BEE WAS FOR SALE THE CHILDREN’S SECTN. HUNGARIAN PRIME MISTER VIKTOR ORBAN SPEAKS DURG HIS TRADNAL NEW YEAR PRS NFERENCE AT HIS NEW OFFICE, BUDA CASTLE'S CARMELA MONASTERY, ON JAN. 9, 2020, BUDAPT. ATTILA KISBENEK/GETTY “WE’RE AT A MOMENT WHERE WE’RE SEEG EVENTS UNFOLD CLUDG BOOKSTOR BEG FED FOR DISPLAYG BOOKS, WE’RE SEEG BOOKS BEG WRAPPED CELLOPHANE TO TRY TO SOMEHOW SIGNIFY THAT THE NTENT OF THOSE BOOKS IS SOMETHG THAT NEEDS TO BE SEGREGATED,” PRSMAN SAID. “WE’RE SEEG REAL ATTACKS ON THE DIGNY OF THIS MUNY, AND SO WE THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO BRG TOGETHER LGBT FAI FOR A CELEBRATN.”EXACTLY HOW THE PIIC WILL BE RECEIVED BY HIS HUNGARIAN HOSTS IS ANOTHER MATTER. AFTER HIS SPEECH LAST MONTH AT THE BUDAPT PRI OPENG EVENT, ONE PRO-ERNMENT OUTLET ACCED PRSMAN OF “TRYG TO MAKE PEDOPHILIA PC.” BUT PRSMAN SAYS THE ATTACKS—MONLY THE FORM OF ACCATNS OF “WOKEISM”—E REGARDLS OF WHAT HE SPEAKS ABOUT. “THE RPONSE IS OFTEN THE ERNMENT SAYG: ‘YOU’RE SPEAKG ABOUT LGBT ISSU,’ OR, ‘YOU’RE PHG A WOKE AGENDA,’” HE SAYS. “AND THAT ULDN’T BE FURTHER OM THE TTH.” “UNFORTUNATELY, I DON’T EXPECT THEM TO PARTICIPATE.” BEFORE BEG SWORN TO HIS CURRENT ROLE AUGT, PRSMAN PREVLY SERVED AS THE U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNED NATNS FOR SPECIAL POLIL AFFAIRS AND AS AN ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURY. HE’S ALSO WORKED WH ACTOR GEE CLOONEY—WHO LLS HIM “CUZ”—AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CLOONEY FOUNDATN FOR JTICE.THE HOSTILY TOWARD HIM HUNGARY BEGAN BEFORE HE EVEN ARRIVED THE UNTRY. LAST JULY, A BOAT SAILED DOWN THE RIVER DANUBE BUDAPT CLOSE TO THE SE OF THE U.S. EMBASSY RRYG A SKULL AND CROSSBON BANNER MARKED WH THE WORDS “MR. PRSMAN, DON’T LONIZE HUNGARY WH YOUR CULT OF ATH.” (HE NOW DISPLAYS A PHOTO OF THE PIRATIL WELE HIS OFFICE.)DPE THE PERSONAL ATTACKS, HE’S NOT TAKG CRICISMS OF HIS ACTNS PERSONALLY. “THIS IS REALLY NOT ABOUT ME, AND ’S NEVER BEEN ABOUT ME,” HE SAID. “IT’S ABOUT THE UNED STAT’ LONGSTANDG MMENT AND PRINT BIN’S PERSONAL MMENT TO STAND UP PROUDLY AND STRONGLY FOR THE FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS OF ALL PEOPLE EVERYWHERE, CLUDG LGBT PEOPLE—CLUDG LGBT PEOPLE HUNGARY.”HE NEVERTHELS NCES THAT THERE ARE “CHALLENG OUR RELATNSHIP WH HUNGARY” AND THAT THOSE CHALLENG MANIFT “ WAYS THAT ARE AT TIM TENSE AND UNIQUE—CERTALY UNIQUE AMONGST ALLI.” DAVID PRSMAN, US AMBASSADOR TO HUNGARY, ADDRS A PRS NFERENCE AT THE EMBASSY BUILDG BUDAPT, HUNGARY ON APRIL 12, 2023.ATTILA KISBENEK/GETTY LIKEWISE, PRSMAN HAS AT TIM TAKEN UNIQUE STEPS RPONSE TO CERTA ISSU. OF PARTICULARLY PRSG NCERN IS ORBáN’S HAB OF PHG KREML NARRATIV—MUCH TO THE NSTERNATN OF OTHER NATO MEMBERS—AND HIS PERSONAL FONDNS FOR RSIAN PRINT VLADIMIR PUT. ON PRSMAN’S WATCH, HIS EMBASSY OCTOBER RELEASED A TWTER QUIZ ASKG PEOPLE TO GUS IF A SERI OF ANTI-AMERIN QUOT—CLUDG A LL FOR WAR WH THE U.S.—ME OM PUT OR HUNGARIAN ERNMENT FIGUR. (SPOILER: THEY WERE ALL OM HUNGARIANS.) AND LAST MONTH, PRSMAN QUOTETWEETED A POST OM ORBáN REFERRG TO GEE SOROS’ SON AS “SOROS 2.0.” “THE DOG-WHISTLE NSPIRACY THEORI ARE LIKE THE PLOT OF GODFATHER 3: PREDICTABLE & TROUBLG,” PRSMAN WROTE.RSIA’S WAR UKRAE IS A PARTICULARLY ACUTE STRA ON DIPLOMATIC RELATNS BETWEEN THE U.S. AND HUNGARY. IN NTRAST WH OTHER NATO LEARS, ORBáN HATED NMNG PUT’S WAR AND HAS OPPOSED EU PLANS TO SEND MORE FANCIAL AID TO KYIV. ON FRIDAY, AFTER RETURNG OM A NATO SUMM LHUANIA, THE PRIME MISTER EVEN CLAIMED “THE WT WANTS WAR” AND BLAMED THE ONGOG BLOODSHED UKRAE ON THE U.S. “IF THE AMERINS WANTED PEACE,” ORBáN SAID A RAD TERVIEW, “THERE WOULD BE PEACE TOMORROW MORNG.”CROSSROADS“I THK THAT WE HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR THAT THE UNED STAT WANTS PEACE, WE WANT THIS WAR TO END,” PRSMAN SAID. “THE PERSON WHO N END THIS WAR—TODAY—IS VLADIMIR PUT. AND ’S UNFORTUNATE WHEN WE SEE POLIL ACTORS CLUDG, THIS SE, THE PRIME MISTER, SUGGTG THAT ’S THE UNED STAT THAT IS SOMEHOW DRIVG THIS WAR. THAT ULD NOT BE FURTHER OM THE TTH.”“WE’RE A MOMENT WHERE THE STAK ARE EXTREMELY HIGH,” PRSMAN NTUED. “THERE’S A LAND WAR EUROPE. THERE’S A WAR NEXT DOOR THIS UNTRY AND FACTS MATTER. AND THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT VLADIMIR PUT STOPPED FIGHTG, THE WAR WOULD END TODAY, AND IF THE UKRAIANS STOPPED FIGHTG, UKRAE WOULD END.”THE AMBASSADOR ADD THAT “THE WORLD CHANGED” WH THE BEGNG OF THE VASN LAST YEAR. “HUNGARY I THK HAS HISTORILLY FELT FORTABLE OCCUPYG A MIDDLE ROAD BETWEEN EAST AND WT, THERE ARE REAL CHOIC TO BE MA,” PRSMAN SAID. “AND THE UNED STAT IS PAYG CLOSE ATTENTN TO THE CHOIC HUNGARY IS MAKG, AND I THK ’S TE—’S UNNIABLE—THAT HUNGARY IS MAKG CHOIC THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN OUR OTHER ALLI AND PARTNERS THE REGN, AND THAT’S THE SUBJECT OF TENSIVE ENGAGEMENT BY THE UNED STAT AND AN AREA WHERE I AM FOCED.”ANY PRENT TENSNS BETWEEN WASHGTON, D.C. AND BUDAPT NOTWHSTANDG, PRSMAN REMAS OPTIMISTIC THAT “THE HUNGARIAN PEOPLE SEE THEIR FUTURE WH THE WT.” THIS WEEKEND, AT THE PIIC, HE HOP THAT THE HUNGARIAN ERNMENT SE THE “BETIFUL DIVERSE ARRAY” OF S OWN PEOPLE TOO. FAI, HE ADDS, “WHO ARE LIVG HAPPY AND FULFILLG LIV, WHO ARE ADVANCG THE VERY HUNGARIAN VALU THAT THIS ERNMENT STANDS FOR.”THE AMBASSADOR SAYS VATNS FOR THE LGBTQI+ EVENT HAVE BEEN ISSUED TO SENR OFFICIALS ORBáN’S ERNMENT. WHETHER THEY SHOW UP OR NOT IS A SEPARATE QUTN. “UNFORTUNATELY, I DON’T EXPECT THEM TO PARTICIPATE,” PRSMAN SAID. “BUT THEY SHOULD CERTALY KNOW THEY ARE WELE.” DAN LADN-HALL
• KEN HAS ALWAYS BEEN BARBIE’S GAY BT FRIEND—NOT HER BOYIENDBARBIE’S BELOVED BEARD?FOR YEARS, PEOPLE HAVE QUTNED WHAT ROLE KEN REALLY PLAYS BARBIE’S LIFE. BUT THE TTH IS PLA SIGHT: KEN’S NOT BOYIEND MATERIAL. AT LEAST, NOT FOR BARBIE.BARRY LEVTFREELANCE WRERUPDATED JUL. 21, 2023 4:35AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEAST/GETTYIT’S BARBIE WEEK AT THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED, CELEBRATG THE DOLL’S POP-CULTURE HISTORY, OUR FAVORE BARBIE MEMORI, AND A CERTA MAJOR MOVIE. READ ALL OF OUR VERAGE HERE!“SHE’S EVERYTHG. HE’S JT KEN.” THAT’S THE TAGLE FOR THE WILDLY ANTICIPATED BARBIE MOVIE, DIRECTED BY GRETA GERWIG AND STARRG MARGOT ROBBIE AND RYAN GOSLG. THE IMPLITN IS CLEAR: COME FOR BARBIE, AND STAY FOR BARBIE… BUT KEN HAPPENS TO BE THERE TOO.KEN HAS LONG BEEN SEEN AS NOTHG BUT BARBIE’S HUMAN ACCSORY, BUT WASN’T ALWAYS THIS WAY FOR THE POOR MISUNRSTOOD DOLL. WHEN KEN WAS FIRST TRODUCED 1961, HIS FIRST MERCIAL TRIED TO POSN HIM AS BARBIE’S EQUAL AND, UNMISTAKABLY, BOYIEND. “GET BOTH BARBIE AND KEN AND SEE WHERE THE ROMANCE WILL LEAD!” THE MERCIAL PROMISED.SCE THEN, LIKE BARBIE, KEN HAS UNRGONE UNTLS TRANSFORMATNS AND FASHNS. BUT AS TIME WENT ON, KEN FOUND HIMSELF AN AFTERTHOUGHT. TOYMAKERS MATTEL NEVER GAVE HIM THE SAME KD OF BACKSTORI AS BARBIE—WHILE SHE’S HAD OVER 200 REERS, KEN HAS HAD JT SOME 40-ODD PROFSNS. (AN CREDIBLE AMOUNT OF JOBS FOR A PERSON, SURE. BUT FOR A DOLL? EMBARRASSG.) BARBIE HAS STARRED LOTS OF VIO GAM AND MORE THAN THREE DOZEN FILMS; KEN HAS HAD A MAJOR ROLE A MERE HANDFUL OF THEM. BUT THERE’S ONE KEY REASON WHY KEN IS ALWAYS LAGGG SIGNIFINTLY BEHD BARBIE AND 'S A LOT EPER THAN THE DOLL’S SEEMG LACK OF POPULARY: KEN HAS BEEN MISST. HE’S NOT BARBIE’S BOYIEND. HE’S BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.DPE MATTEL’S SISTENCE THAT BARBIE AND KEN ARE A HAPPY ROMANTIC RELATNSHIP, THERE’S PLENTY OF SPECULATN ABOUT KEN’S SEXUALY. EVEN IF HIS MAKERS CLAIM HIM TO BE STRAIGHT, THERE’S MOUNTG PROOF TO THE NTRARY. PERHAPS THE MOST DISPUTABLE EVINCE THAT KEN IS FACT BOTH A MEMBER OF THE QUEER MUNY AND BARBIE’S BTIE, NOT BOY TOY, OM A RATHER SURPRISG PLACE: 2010’S TOY STORY 3.IN TOY STORY 3, BARBIE AND KEN PLAY A SURPRISGLY LARGE ROLE. THEIR TRODUCTN TO THE FILM IS TGED WH ROMANTIC TENSN. WHEN THE PAIR MEET, THE FILM VOK A MON TROPE: A ROMANTIC NEEDLE DROP HS THE MOMENT THE LOVERS LOCK EY. IN THIS SE, ’S “DREAM WEAVER” BY GARY WRIGHT. AS FAR AS BARBIE AND KEN ARE NCERNED, THEY’RE THE ONLY ON THE ROOM. “I LOVE YOUR LEG WARMERS!” KEN TELLS BARBIE. “NICE AST,” SHE BANTERS, WH HEAVY EMPHASIS ON THE FIRST SYLLABLE. BEFORE THGS GET TOO HEATED, THEY LOCK ARMS AND WALK OFF TOGETHER. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / GETTY LET’S BE HONT—SPE THE ROMANTIC OVERTON OF THE SCENE, THEIR BRIEF EXCHANGE TELLS EVERYTHG ABOUT HOW THEY SEE EACH OTHER. KEN DON’T MENTN ANYTHG ABOUT BARBIE’S BODY, STEAD HIGHLIGHTG HER LEG WARMERS. BUT BARBIE IS UNSUBTLY TRYG TO SCE KEN JT TWO WORDS. SHE’S AFTER KEN, BUT KEN IS AFTER SOMEONE WHOSE CLOTH HE N ADMIRE.SURE, LATER THE FILM, KEN AND BARBIE SAY “I LOVE YOU” TO EACH OTHER. AND THEY GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN SAYG EACH WORD OF “I LOVE YOU”—SO SOMEONE DIFFERENT N SAY “LOVE” EACH TIME, AS KEN EXPLAS. HE MENTNS OFFHAND THAT HE HAS EVERYTHG EXCEPT SOMEONE TO SHARE WH. BARBIE AND KEN EVEN NUZZLE THEIR NOS TOGETHER. Y, THERE’S FELY LOVE BETWEEN IENDS—BUT THROUGH ALL, THERE’S NOT A HT OF SEXUAL CHEMISTRY.LOOK, I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THKG—SIR, THIS IS TOY STORY; WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU EXPECTG? IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER ROMANC THE ANCHISE—WOODY AND BO PEEP, AND JSE AND BUZZ—THERE’S NO DOUBT THAT THERE’S REAL LOVE THERE BETWEEN THE SENTIENT TOYS. THEIR PASSN FOR ONE ANOTHER TRANSCENDS MORE THAN SIMPLY BEG TERTED EACH OTHER’S OUTFS. THE SAME NNOT BE SAID OF THE MATTEL DOLLS. THAT’S MA EVINT WHEN KEN FALLY GETS AN OPPORTUNY FOR TIMACY WH BARBIE. “THIS IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS,” HE TELLS BARBIE WHEN THEY FALLY GO TO HIS DREAMHOE TOGETHER, HAVG PARENTS ALL OVER THE WORLD CLUTCHG THEIR PEARLS. BUT FEAR NOT: KEN SIMPLY TAK BARBIE TO… HIS WALK- WARDROBE. ANY SEMBLANCE OF ROMANCE MAK WAY FOR IENDSHIP, WHEN THE PAIR JUBILANTLY PESE KEN’S OUTFS. AND STEAD OF DOG SOMETHG WILD LIKE KISSG BARBIE, KEN PUTS ON A FASHN SHOW FOR HER STEAD. THE FILM WON’T SAY , BUT A POST-CREDS PUNCHLE ABOUT KEN’S HANDWRG, PLETE WH HEARTS AND STARS SURROUNDG HIS NAME, TELLS WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW.THE HEAVILY IMPLIED NATURE OF KEN’S GAYNS TOY STORY 3 HARKENS BACK TO HOLLYWOOD’S TRADNAL GAY BT IEND-TYPE CHARACTERS. IN THE HAYS CO ERA, EXPLIC REFERENC TO HOMOSEXUALY WEREN’T ALLOWED, SO CHARACTERS LIKE VAN BUREN (FRANKL PANGBORN) 1937’S EASY LIVG, KIP (DAVID WAYNE) 1949’S ADAM’S RIB, OR ADDISON (GEE SANRS) 1950’S ALL ABOUT EVE STEAD WERE IMBUED WH EFFEMATE CHARACTERISTICS, OFFERG A GLIMPSE OUTSI OF HETERONORMATIVY WHOUT EXPLICLY BEG QUEER.NONE OF THE CHARACTERS WERE THE SAME—SOME WERE TTY, OTHERS SWEET. SOME HAD ULTERR MOTIV, AND OTHERS OFFERED UNNDNAL SUPPORT. BUT EACH OF THE GAY BT IENDS WAS TRSILLY FED BY THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT IENDS. WE NEVER REALLY LEARNED MUCH ABOUT THEM AS DIVIDUALS. THEY LIVED ON THE MARGS, FLHG OUT THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS, HARDLY HAVG A PURPOSE WHOUT THEM; THAT PORTRAYAL REMAS TE TODAY. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / PHOTOS BY GETTY / WARNER BROS. DES LATER, 2010, THE GAY BT IEND WAS ALL THE RAGE; TEEN VOGUE EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO PROCLAIM THE GBF AS THE SUMMER’S MT-HAVE ACCSORY. BUT UNLIKE THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY, TODAY’S CEMA, THE GBF IS ALLOWED TO BE OPENLY GAY. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY STILL BARELY REGISTER AS PEOPLE WH CHARACTER TRAS BEYOND THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS. IN MOVI LIKE MEAN GIRLS (2004), THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006), EASY A (2010), NO STRGS ATTACHED (2011), AND ISN’T IT ROMANTIC (2019), GAY IENDS EXIST ENTIRELY THE ORB OF THEIR FEMALE IENDS. IT’S SUCH A STRONG TROPE THAT EVEN PERSISTS QUEER ROMANTIC EDI: 2020’S HAPPIT SEASON FDS JOHN (DAN LEVY) OFFERG ADVICE AND SNARKY ONE-LERS TO HIS LBIAN BTIE LI OF MEANGFUL CHARACTER VELOPMENT.IN TOY STORY 3, THE SAME IS TE OF KEN. HIS EXISTENCE PENDS ON AND CIRCULAT AROUND BARBIE. IN BARBIE, KEN HAS FOUND SOMEONE WHO REALLY UNRSTANDS HIM. HE DON’T GET ALONG WH THE OTHER TOYS, WHO MOCK HIM FOR BEG A “GIRL'S TOY.” BUT BARBIE LOV FASHN, JT LIKE HE DO. “NO ONE APPRECIAT CLOTH HERE, BARBIE,” KEN LAMENTS TO BARBIE, ABOUT THE OTHER TOYS’ TREATMENT OF HIM. “NO ONE!” BUT BARBIE DO, AND FOR KEN, THAT’S LIFE-CHANGG.THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS WHY THE FILM WOULDN’T OUTRIGHTLY STATE THAT KEN IS HOMOSEXUAL. NOT ONLY DO DISNEY SELF HAVE A PLITED HISTORY WH QUEER CHARACTERS, BUT KEN AND BARBIE ARE ALSO THE PROPERTY OF MATTEL, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN STEADFAST ASSERTG KEN’S HETEROSEXUALY. THAT’S NEVER BEEN CLEARER THAN 1993 WHEN THE TOY PANY TRIED TO REIGNE KEN’S POPULARY MATTEL’S SOLUTN? EARRG MAGIC KEN. EARRG MAGIC KEN WAS A FIERCER, FELY MORE QUEER KEN THAN EVER BEFORE. THIS VERSN OF THE DOLL HAD BLEACHED BLON HAIR, A PURPLE LEATHER VT (!), A PK-PURPLE MH TOP (!!), AND OF URSE, AND EARRG THE “GAY EAR”. BUT THAT’S NOT ALL: AROUND KEN’S NECK WAS SOMETHG THAT ANY ACTIVE PARTICIPANT OF THE QUEER SCENE THE ’90S REGNIZED STANTLY—A CK RG (!!!).THE EARRG MAGIC KEN TURNED BARBIE’S BOYIEND TO AN OUT-AND-PROUD HOMOSEXUAL RAVER. MATTEL, OF URSE, VEHEMENTLY NIED ANY CLAIMS THAT KEN WAS GAY, LET ALONE THAT HE HAD SOMETHG AS PREPOSTERO AS A CK RG AROUND HIS NECK. AS LISA MCKENDALL, FORMER MANAGER OF MARKETG AND MUNITNS, SAID AN TERVIEW ABOUT THE DOLL, “WE’RE NOT THE BS OF PUTTG CK RGS TO THE HANDS OF LTLE GIRLS.”REGARDLS OF MATTEL’S TENTNS, ’S HARD TO NY WHAT THE EYE N SEE. DPE THE NAME, CK RGS AT THE TIME WERE ED AS A FASHN ACCSORY AND A SIGN OF FIANT QUEERNS AND SEX POSIVY. AS A RULT, GAY MEN BOUGHT THE DOLL DROV, AND SPE MATTEL ULTIMATELY RELLG THE DOLL AND WIPG AWAY ANY TRACE OF EARRG MAGIC KEN, WAS NEAR-IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE KEN AS ANYTHG BUT THE GLOR HOMOSEXUAL HE WAS BORN TO BE OM THEN ON. MATTEL SPENT THE NEXT UPLE OF S TRYG TO RETA KEN’S MORE HETERONORMATIVE, MASCULE IMAGE, BUT THE VEIL WAS LIFTED, AND THERE WAS NO GOG BACK. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO/THE DAILY BEAST/PHOTOS BY GETTY/WARNER BROS. THOUGH MATTEL DON’T SEEM TO BE WILLG TO SAY KEN IS ACTUALLY GAY, THE KEN DOLLS OF RECENT YEARS SEEM TO REALLY LEAN TO KEN’S QUEERNS. THE YASSIFITN OF KEN IS CLEARLY UNRWAY. WHILE THERE IS NO WAY TO “DRS GAY,” THERE ARE SEVERAL DOLLS THAT SEEM TO SUGGT OTHERWISE, SUCH AS:FASHNISTA KEN #193, WHO LOOKS VERY EXCED TO TELL YOU ABOUT HIS NEW OBSSN, TROYE SIVAN;TRAVEL KEN DOLL, WHO HAS A SATCHEL PERFECT FOR BATHHO AND A PURPLE OVERNIGHT BAG THAT LERALLY PROCLAIMS HE’S “EXTRA;”KEN LOOKS DOLL, SERVG “I’M GONNA GIVE YOU A MAKEOVER”-TYPE REALNS WHILE SPORTG BLACK PLEATHER PANTS;THIS KEN, WHO WEARS THE LEAST HETEROSEXUAL DOUBLE NIM IMAGABLE.WHILE I HAVE A FEELG THE NEW BARBIE MOVIE WILL PUT THE WORK TO NVCE THAT KEN IS A HETERO DU WHO LOV NOTHG LIFE MORE THAN BARBIE HERSELF, THE WRG’S ALREADY ON THE WALL: KEN IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE, BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.KEEP OBSSG! SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK, TWTER, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK.READ MORE OF OUR BARBIE VERAGE HERE. BARRY LEVT
• JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS' KEV MAXEN IS FIRST AMERIN MALE PRO SPORTS ACH TO E OUT AS GAY

EASTERN EUROPE WAS ONCE A WORLD LEAR ON GAY RIGHTS. THEN RAN OUT OF SPEGOATS

Hungary’s hardle natnalist ernment passed a new law earlier this month banng ntent that “promot” homosexualy and genr change om beg shared wh children, effectively prohibg any discsn of LGBTQ them schools.

In dog so, Orbán has followed the playbook of Poland’s ernment, which has been chippg away at the rights of the LGBTQ muny for a number of years, adoptg discrimatory rhetoric and stokg homophobia. “There’s a real regrsn happeng many different untri, and rights that had been regnized are now beg challenged, ” said Evelyne Paradis, the executive director of the European branch of the Internatnal Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Associatn (ILGA-Europe). Orbán, like the ernment Poland and some other untri, is tryg to prent homophobic polici as a way of protectg natnal valu.

“It’s not about homosexuals, ’s about the kids and the parents, ” he told reporters, addg that he was a “eedom fighter” durg Hungary’s munist era. She add that the ia of natn is often closely associated wh a tradnal fay and genr rol – another way to “other” the gay muny.

IS BUDAPT GAY IENDLY? - HUNGARY FOM

“You have plac like Germany, France, Spa where 85% or more say that homosexualy should be accepted by society and then once you’re past the dividg le, on the other si of the former Iron Curta, those numbers beg to fall pretty rapidly and then get even lower as you go to Rsia, ” he said. Acrdg to Pohter’s rearch, 47% of people Poland and 49% of people Hungary say homosexualy should be accepted. “When you look at the former Eastern bloc, the untri had a long tradn of really progrsive legislatn towards LGBTQ rights, Poland for stance crimalized homosexualy 1932, which is really, really early, ” Kościańska said.

Duds said Hungary, too, was once ahead of Wtern Europe, crimalizg homosexualy 1961, although the muny remaed largely visible.

HOW HATRED OF GAY PEOPLE BEME A KEY PLANK HUNGARY’S THORARIAN TURN

Hungary is holdg a ntroversial referendum on LGBTQ rights on Sunday (3 April), at the same time as a parliamentary will be asked for their views on legislatn that lims schools' teachg about homosexualy and transgenr issu. Crics say the law, passed last year, was discrimatory, ntravened European valu and equat homosexualy wh of the vote, Euronews spoke to four members of Hungary's LGBTQ muny to fd out how they were of them told if thgs don't improve, they might not be livg Hungary much longer.

"The 35-year-old traer om Budapt feels that as a gay man, the prsure has been mountg on him recent years:"It's annoyg when someone starts shoutg loudly next to you.

He found out he was gay at the age of 14 but didn't tell anyone until he moved to Budapt at the age of 19. For example, was ma fun of at school, or sometim a sermon was said that was a s to live your homosexualy, " he said his role as an activist he was targeted by the ernment. He ed to hold gay awarens programm maly sendary schools, but the new law means this is no longer possible.

‘HOT MEN COLD DICTATORSHIPS’ SCREENS GAY LIFE HUNGARY WEHO FRIDAY

Several of my nservative gay iends who ed to vote for Fisz and opposed me beg an activist have e out and said enough is enough. Re: is Budapt gay iendly?

I give my pot of view, as several of my iends are gays (and lbians) livg BP, and several of them are expats gays who has selected to live BP of all the plac.

As lot of untri and ci Europe (wh an exceptn of Spa), gays tend to live down to earth life style i. Not particularly brgg up their gay liftyle - there is no areas like Oxford street Sydney or old town of Ibiza or Sg BP, although there are lot of gay bars, clubs, snas etc.

EXPLORE GAY ROOMS & RENTALS BUDAPT

None of my gay iends (eher hungarian, brish, amerin, sndavian etc) has told me to have had any difficulti at all, and are happy to have their liv here (i mean as to beg gay). But outsi the gay muny (bars, clubs etc), do not expect particularly pro-gay atmosphere eher. An article the Hungarian Conservative, a magaze supportive of the Orbán regime, ni that Friends specifilly would be blocked by the new l — but touts the bill’s efforts to “protect children’s natural and healthy sexual velopment” om the allegedly nefar fluence of gay propaganda.

“In a moral sense, there is no difference between pedophil and those who mand [gay adoptn], ” László Kövér, the speaker of Hungary’s parliament, said 2019. Comg off Hungary’s poor handlg of Covid-19 and a sndal surroundg a leadg Fisz figure’s vis to a gay sex party, a play to rev up Fisz’s socially nservative base by prentg them wh yet another enemy to hate is unsurprisg. But Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ stance, which clus a law makg almost impossible for gay upl to adopt the untry, means they’re leavg all behd.

"Orbán’s ernment has already outlawed gay marriage, labelled gay men paedophil, and banned trans people om legally changg their genr.

TIPS FOR GAY AND LBIAN TRAVELERS BUDAPT

In other ways the impacts are already evint: a parliament member recently shredd a children’s book featurg diverse fairytal and gay prc.

U.S. DIPLOMAT STICKS IT TO ANTI-GAY PRIME MISTER—WH A HUGE PRI PARTYPRIDE AND PREJUDICEMEMBERS OF VIKTOR ORBáN’S ERNMENT—WHICH HAS ADOPTED ANTI-LGBT POLICI—ARE WELE TO JO.DAN LADN-HALLNEWS CORRPONNTUPDATED JUL. 15, 2023 4:31AM EDT EXCLIVEPHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / GETTYDAVID PRSMAN, THE U.S. AMBASSADOR TO HUNGARY, HAS NOT SHIED AWAY OM LLG OUT THE ANTI-LGBT RHETORIC AND POLICI OF HUNGARIAN PRIME MISTER VIKTOR ORBáN AND HIS ERNMENT. SCE HIS ARRIVAL BUDAPT LAST YEAR, THE GAY HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER HAS BEEN RELENTLSLY CRICIZED BY THE UNTRY’S STATE-NTROLLED MEDIA FOR WHAT THEY PERCEIVE AS HIS PROVOTIVE PROPAGANDIZG OF PROGRSIVE WTERN VALU TO A PEOPLE WHO DO NOT SHARE THEM.HIS WEEKEND PLANS SEEM LIKELY TO SPARK ANOTHER ROUND OF VECTIVE. ON SUNDAY, HE WILL MARK THE END OF BUDAPT PRI MONTH BY HOSTG A PIIC AT HIS OFFICIAL RINCE FOR HUNGARIAN LGBTQI+ FAI—A CELEBRATN OF A MUNY WHO, UNR ORBáN, ARE BEG MA TO FEEL CREASGLY UNWELE THEIR HOMELAND.“CANDIDLY, WE’VE BEEN PRETTY OVERWHELMED BY THE TERT PARTICIPATN OM HUNGARIAN LGBT FAI AND THEIR ALLI—AND I EXPECT ABOUT 1,000 PEOPLE THERE, MAKG WHAT WE’RE TOLD WILL BE THE LARGT EVENT OF S KD HISTORY HUNGARY,” PRSMAN TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “AND I THK NOW’S A REALLY IMPORTANT MOMENT FOR THE UNED STAT AND THE TERNATNAL MUNY WR LARGE TO STAND WH THIS MUNY THAT IS CREASGLY BEG ED A DIVISIVE AND POLIL WAY THAT IS TENSN WH THE MMENTS THIS ERNMENT HAS MA TO UPHOLDG TERNATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS.”HIS MENTS ON FRIDAY ME HOURS AFTER DOZENS OF EMBASSI HUNGARY RELEASED A JOT STATEMENT EXPRSG SUPPORT FOR THE LGBTQI+ MUNY THE UNTRY “AND THEIR RIGHTS TO EQUALY AND NON-DISCRIMATN, EEDOM OF EXPRSN AND PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY, AND EEDOM OM VLENCE.” THE LL FOR SUPPORT IS TIMELY. THIS WEEK, HUNGARY’S LARGT BOOKSELLER, LIBRI, BEGAN WRAPPG BOOKS PLASTIC IF THE WORK CLUS LGBT CHARACTERS TO STOP BROWSG SHOPPERS OPENG THEM STOR. THE RETAIL CHA SAID WAS DOG SO PLIANCE WH A 2021 SO-LLED “CHILD PROTECTN” LAW WHICH BANNED THE “DISPLAY AND PROMOTN OF HOMOSEXUALY” TO CHILDREN UNR THE AGE OF 18. ANOTHER BOOKSELLER WAS FED ON THURSDAY FOR SELLG A GRAPHIC NOVEL ABOUT A LOVE STORY BETWEEN TWO TEENAGE BOYS BEE WAS FOR SALE THE CHILDREN’S SECTN. HUNGARIAN PRIME MISTER VIKTOR ORBAN SPEAKS DURG HIS TRADNAL NEW YEAR PRS NFERENCE AT HIS NEW OFFICE, BUDA CASTLE'S CARMELA MONASTERY, ON JAN. 9, 2020, BUDAPT. ATTILA KISBENEK/GETTY “WE’RE AT A MOMENT WHERE WE’RE SEEG EVENTS UNFOLD CLUDG BOOKSTOR BEG FED FOR DISPLAYG BOOKS, WE’RE SEEG BOOKS BEG WRAPPED CELLOPHANE TO TRY TO SOMEHOW SIGNIFY THAT THE NTENT OF THOSE BOOKS IS SOMETHG THAT NEEDS TO BE SEGREGATED,” PRSMAN SAID. “WE’RE SEEG REAL ATTACKS ON THE DIGNY OF THIS MUNY, AND SO WE THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO BRG TOGETHER LGBT FAI FOR A CELEBRATN.”EXACTLY HOW THE PIIC WILL BE RECEIVED BY HIS HUNGARIAN HOSTS IS ANOTHER MATTER. AFTER HIS SPEECH LAST MONTH AT THE BUDAPT PRI OPENG EVENT, ONE PRO-ERNMENT OUTLET ACCED PRSMAN OF “TRYG TO MAKE PEDOPHILIA PC.” BUT PRSMAN SAYS THE ATTACKS—MONLY THE FORM OF ACCATNS OF “WOKEISM”—E REGARDLS OF WHAT HE SPEAKS ABOUT. “THE RPONSE IS OFTEN THE ERNMENT SAYG: ‘YOU’RE SPEAKG ABOUT LGBT ISSU,’ OR, ‘YOU’RE PHG A WOKE AGENDA,’” HE SAYS. “AND THAT ULDN’T BE FURTHER OM THE TTH.” “UNFORTUNATELY, I DON’T EXPECT THEM TO PARTICIPATE.” BEFORE BEG SWORN TO HIS CURRENT ROLE AUGT, PRSMAN PREVLY SERVED AS THE U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNED NATNS FOR SPECIAL POLIL AFFAIRS AND AS AN ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURY. HE’S ALSO WORKED WH ACTOR GEE CLOONEY—WHO LLS HIM “CUZ”—AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CLOONEY FOUNDATN FOR JTICE.THE HOSTILY TOWARD HIM HUNGARY BEGAN BEFORE HE EVEN ARRIVED THE UNTRY. LAST JULY, A BOAT SAILED DOWN THE RIVER DANUBE BUDAPT CLOSE TO THE SE OF THE U.S. EMBASSY RRYG A SKULL AND CROSSBON BANNER MARKED WH THE WORDS “MR. PRSMAN, DON’T LONIZE HUNGARY WH YOUR CULT OF ATH.” (HE NOW DISPLAYS A PHOTO OF THE PIRATIL WELE HIS OFFICE.)DPE THE PERSONAL ATTACKS, HE’S NOT TAKG CRICISMS OF HIS ACTNS PERSONALLY. “THIS IS REALLY NOT ABOUT ME, AND ’S NEVER BEEN ABOUT ME,” HE SAID. “IT’S ABOUT THE UNED STAT’ LONGSTANDG MMENT AND PRINT BIN’S PERSONAL MMENT TO STAND UP PROUDLY AND STRONGLY FOR THE FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS OF ALL PEOPLE EVERYWHERE, CLUDG LGBT PEOPLE—CLUDG LGBT PEOPLE HUNGARY.”HE NEVERTHELS NCES THAT THERE ARE “CHALLENG OUR RELATNSHIP WH HUNGARY” AND THAT THOSE CHALLENG MANIFT “ WAYS THAT ARE AT TIM TENSE AND UNIQUE—CERTALY UNIQUE AMONGST ALLI.” DAVID PRSMAN, US AMBASSADOR TO HUNGARY, ADDRS A PRS NFERENCE AT THE EMBASSY BUILDG BUDAPT, HUNGARY ON APRIL 12, 2023.ATTILA KISBENEK/GETTY LIKEWISE, PRSMAN HAS AT TIM TAKEN UNIQUE STEPS RPONSE TO CERTA ISSU. OF PARTICULARLY PRSG NCERN IS ORBáN’S HAB OF PHG KREML NARRATIV—MUCH TO THE NSTERNATN OF OTHER NATO MEMBERS—AND HIS PERSONAL FONDNS FOR RSIAN PRINT VLADIMIR PUT. ON PRSMAN’S WATCH, HIS EMBASSY OCTOBER RELEASED A TWTER QUIZ ASKG PEOPLE TO GUS IF A SERI OF ANTI-AMERIN QUOT—CLUDG A LL FOR WAR WH THE U.S.—ME OM PUT OR HUNGARIAN ERNMENT FIGUR. (SPOILER: THEY WERE ALL OM HUNGARIANS.) AND LAST MONTH, PRSMAN QUOTETWEETED A POST OM ORBáN REFERRG TO GEE SOROS’ SON AS “SOROS 2.0.” “THE DOG-WHISTLE NSPIRACY THEORI ARE LIKE THE PLOT OF GODFATHER 3: PREDICTABLE & TROUBLG,” PRSMAN WROTE.RSIA’S WAR UKRAE IS A PARTICULARLY ACUTE STRA ON DIPLOMATIC RELATNS BETWEEN THE U.S. AND HUNGARY. IN NTRAST WH OTHER NATO LEARS, ORBáN HATED NMNG PUT’S WAR AND HAS OPPOSED EU PLANS TO SEND MORE FANCIAL AID TO KYIV. ON FRIDAY, AFTER RETURNG OM A NATO SUMM LHUANIA, THE PRIME MISTER EVEN CLAIMED “THE WT WANTS WAR” AND BLAMED THE ONGOG BLOODSHED UKRAE ON THE U.S. “IF THE AMERINS WANTED PEACE,” ORBáN SAID A RAD TERVIEW, “THERE WOULD BE PEACE TOMORROW MORNG.”CROSSROADS“I THK THAT WE HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR THAT THE UNED STAT WANTS PEACE, WE WANT THIS WAR TO END,” PRSMAN SAID. “THE PERSON WHO N END THIS WAR—TODAY—IS VLADIMIR PUT. AND ’S UNFORTUNATE WHEN WE SEE POLIL ACTORS CLUDG, THIS SE, THE PRIME MISTER, SUGGTG THAT ’S THE UNED STAT THAT IS SOMEHOW DRIVG THIS WAR. THAT ULD NOT BE FURTHER OM THE TTH.”“WE’RE A MOMENT WHERE THE STAK ARE EXTREMELY HIGH,” PRSMAN NTUED. “THERE’S A LAND WAR EUROPE. THERE’S A WAR NEXT DOOR THIS UNTRY AND FACTS MATTER. AND THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT VLADIMIR PUT STOPPED FIGHTG, THE WAR WOULD END TODAY, AND IF THE UKRAIANS STOPPED FIGHTG, UKRAE WOULD END.”THE AMBASSADOR ADD THAT “THE WORLD CHANGED” WH THE BEGNG OF THE VASN LAST YEAR. “HUNGARY I THK HAS HISTORILLY FELT FORTABLE OCCUPYG A MIDDLE ROAD BETWEEN EAST AND WT, THERE ARE REAL CHOIC TO BE MA,” PRSMAN SAID. “AND THE UNED STAT IS PAYG CLOSE ATTENTN TO THE CHOIC HUNGARY IS MAKG, AND I THK ’S TE—’S UNNIABLE—THAT HUNGARY IS MAKG CHOIC THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN OUR OTHER ALLI AND PARTNERS THE REGN, AND THAT’S THE SUBJECT OF TENSIVE ENGAGEMENT BY THE UNED STAT AND AN AREA WHERE I AM FOCED.”ANY PRENT TENSNS BETWEEN WASHGTON, D.C. AND BUDAPT NOTWHSTANDG, PRSMAN REMAS OPTIMISTIC THAT “THE HUNGARIAN PEOPLE SEE THEIR FUTURE WH THE WT.” THIS WEEKEND, AT THE PIIC, HE HOP THAT THE HUNGARIAN ERNMENT SE THE “BETIFUL DIVERSE ARRAY” OF S OWN PEOPLE TOO. FAI, HE ADDS, “WHO ARE LIVG HAPPY AND FULFILLG LIV, WHO ARE ADVANCG THE VERY HUNGARIAN VALU THAT THIS ERNMENT STANDS FOR.”THE AMBASSADOR SAYS VATNS FOR THE LGBTQI+ EVENT HAVE BEEN ISSUED TO SENR OFFICIALS ORBáN’S ERNMENT. WHETHER THEY SHOW UP OR NOT IS A SEPARATE QUTN. “UNFORTUNATELY, I DON’T EXPECT THEM TO PARTICIPATE,” PRSMAN SAID. “BUT THEY SHOULD CERTALY KNOW THEY ARE WELE.” DAN LADN-HALL

The first event was Pecs where two gay men, both doctors, were attacked ls than a year ago, after kissg at a club night. And unfortunately, sce the anti-LGBTQ legislatns have started, they have bee more and more regular bee I thk that this very homophobic and transphobic mory feels very much enuraged by the ernment's propaganda.

”However, he add, unr his regime, “Life for homosexual upl, for LGBT muny members, will be so much better. “Hot Men Cold Dictatorships” tells the life stori of seven gay men om two generatns Hungary. The history of the Hungarian gay rights movement over the past 50 years is explaed through terviews and archival footage.

KEN HAS ALWAYS BEEN BARBIE’S GAY BT FRIEND—NOT HER BOYIENDBARBIE’S BELOVED BEARD?FOR YEARS, PEOPLE HAVE QUTNED WHAT ROLE KEN REALLY PLAYS BARBIE’S LIFE. BUT THE TTH IS PLA SIGHT: KEN’S NOT BOYIEND MATERIAL. AT LEAST, NOT FOR BARBIE.BARRY LEVTFREELANCE WRERUPDATED JUL. 21, 2023 4:35AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEAST/GETTYIT’S BARBIE WEEK AT THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED, CELEBRATG THE DOLL’S POP-CULTURE HISTORY, OUR FAVORE BARBIE MEMORI, AND A CERTA MAJOR MOVIE. READ ALL OF OUR VERAGE HERE!“SHE’S EVERYTHG. HE’S JT KEN.” THAT’S THE TAGLE FOR THE WILDLY ANTICIPATED BARBIE MOVIE, DIRECTED BY GRETA GERWIG AND STARRG MARGOT ROBBIE AND RYAN GOSLG. THE IMPLITN IS CLEAR: COME FOR BARBIE, AND STAY FOR BARBIE… BUT KEN HAPPENS TO BE THERE TOO.KEN HAS LONG BEEN SEEN AS NOTHG BUT BARBIE’S HUMAN ACCSORY, BUT WASN’T ALWAYS THIS WAY FOR THE POOR MISUNRSTOOD DOLL. WHEN KEN WAS FIRST TRODUCED 1961, HIS FIRST MERCIAL TRIED TO POSN HIM AS BARBIE’S EQUAL AND, UNMISTAKABLY, BOYIEND. “GET BOTH BARBIE AND KEN AND SEE WHERE THE ROMANCE WILL LEAD!” THE MERCIAL PROMISED.SCE THEN, LIKE BARBIE, KEN HAS UNRGONE UNTLS TRANSFORMATNS AND FASHNS. BUT AS TIME WENT ON, KEN FOUND HIMSELF AN AFTERTHOUGHT. TOYMAKERS MATTEL NEVER GAVE HIM THE SAME KD OF BACKSTORI AS BARBIE—WHILE SHE’S HAD OVER 200 REERS, KEN HAS HAD JT SOME 40-ODD PROFSNS. (AN CREDIBLE AMOUNT OF JOBS FOR A PERSON, SURE. BUT FOR A DOLL? EMBARRASSG.) BARBIE HAS STARRED LOTS OF VIO GAM AND MORE THAN THREE DOZEN FILMS; KEN HAS HAD A MAJOR ROLE A MERE HANDFUL OF THEM. BUT THERE’S ONE KEY REASON WHY KEN IS ALWAYS LAGGG SIGNIFINTLY BEHD BARBIE AND 'S A LOT EPER THAN THE DOLL’S SEEMG LACK OF POPULARY: KEN HAS BEEN MISST. HE’S NOT BARBIE’S BOYIEND. HE’S BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.DPE MATTEL’S SISTENCE THAT BARBIE AND KEN ARE A HAPPY ROMANTIC RELATNSHIP, THERE’S PLENTY OF SPECULATN ABOUT KEN’S SEXUALY. EVEN IF HIS MAKERS CLAIM HIM TO BE STRAIGHT, THERE’S MOUNTG PROOF TO THE NTRARY. PERHAPS THE MOST DISPUTABLE EVINCE THAT KEN IS FACT BOTH A MEMBER OF THE QUEER MUNY AND BARBIE’S BTIE, NOT BOY TOY, OM A RATHER SURPRISG PLACE: 2010’S TOY STORY 3.IN TOY STORY 3, BARBIE AND KEN PLAY A SURPRISGLY LARGE ROLE. THEIR TRODUCTN TO THE FILM IS TGED WH ROMANTIC TENSN. WHEN THE PAIR MEET, THE FILM VOK A MON TROPE: A ROMANTIC NEEDLE DROP HS THE MOMENT THE LOVERS LOCK EY. IN THIS SE, ’S “DREAM WEAVER” BY GARY WRIGHT. AS FAR AS BARBIE AND KEN ARE NCERNED, THEY’RE THE ONLY ON THE ROOM. “I LOVE YOUR LEG WARMERS!” KEN TELLS BARBIE. “NICE AST,” SHE BANTERS, WH HEAVY EMPHASIS ON THE FIRST SYLLABLE. BEFORE THGS GET TOO HEATED, THEY LOCK ARMS AND WALK OFF TOGETHER. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / GETTY LET’S BE HONT—SPE THE ROMANTIC OVERTON OF THE SCENE, THEIR BRIEF EXCHANGE TELLS EVERYTHG ABOUT HOW THEY SEE EACH OTHER. KEN DON’T MENTN ANYTHG ABOUT BARBIE’S BODY, STEAD HIGHLIGHTG HER LEG WARMERS. BUT BARBIE IS UNSUBTLY TRYG TO SCE KEN JT TWO WORDS. SHE’S AFTER KEN, BUT KEN IS AFTER SOMEONE WHOSE CLOTH HE N ADMIRE.SURE, LATER THE FILM, KEN AND BARBIE SAY “I LOVE YOU” TO EACH OTHER. AND THEY GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN SAYG EACH WORD OF “I LOVE YOU”—SO SOMEONE DIFFERENT N SAY “LOVE” EACH TIME, AS KEN EXPLAS. HE MENTNS OFFHAND THAT HE HAS EVERYTHG EXCEPT SOMEONE TO SHARE WH. BARBIE AND KEN EVEN NUZZLE THEIR NOS TOGETHER. Y, THERE’S FELY LOVE BETWEEN IENDS—BUT THROUGH ALL, THERE’S NOT A HT OF SEXUAL CHEMISTRY.LOOK, I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THKG—SIR, THIS IS TOY STORY; WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU EXPECTG? IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER ROMANC THE ANCHISE—WOODY AND BO PEEP, AND JSE AND BUZZ—THERE’S NO DOUBT THAT THERE’S REAL LOVE THERE BETWEEN THE SENTIENT TOYS. THEIR PASSN FOR ONE ANOTHER TRANSCENDS MORE THAN SIMPLY BEG TERTED EACH OTHER’S OUTFS. THE SAME NNOT BE SAID OF THE MATTEL DOLLS. THAT’S MA EVINT WHEN KEN FALLY GETS AN OPPORTUNY FOR TIMACY WH BARBIE. “THIS IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS,” HE TELLS BARBIE WHEN THEY FALLY GO TO HIS DREAMHOE TOGETHER, HAVG PARENTS ALL OVER THE WORLD CLUTCHG THEIR PEARLS. BUT FEAR NOT: KEN SIMPLY TAK BARBIE TO… HIS WALK- WARDROBE. ANY SEMBLANCE OF ROMANCE MAK WAY FOR IENDSHIP, WHEN THE PAIR JUBILANTLY PESE KEN’S OUTFS. AND STEAD OF DOG SOMETHG WILD LIKE KISSG BARBIE, KEN PUTS ON A FASHN SHOW FOR HER STEAD. THE FILM WON’T SAY , BUT A POST-CREDS PUNCHLE ABOUT KEN’S HANDWRG, PLETE WH HEARTS AND STARS SURROUNDG HIS NAME, TELLS WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW.THE HEAVILY IMPLIED NATURE OF KEN’S GAYNS TOY STORY 3 HARKENS BACK TO HOLLYWOOD’S TRADNAL GAY BT IEND-TYPE CHARACTERS. IN THE HAYS CO ERA, EXPLIC REFERENC TO HOMOSEXUALY WEREN’T ALLOWED, SO CHARACTERS LIKE VAN BUREN (FRANKL PANGBORN) 1937’S EASY LIVG, KIP (DAVID WAYNE) 1949’S ADAM’S RIB, OR ADDISON (GEE SANRS) 1950’S ALL ABOUT EVE STEAD WERE IMBUED WH EFFEMATE CHARACTERISTICS, OFFERG A GLIMPSE OUTSI OF HETERONORMATIVY WHOUT EXPLICLY BEG QUEER.NONE OF THE CHARACTERS WERE THE SAME—SOME WERE TTY, OTHERS SWEET. SOME HAD ULTERR MOTIV, AND OTHERS OFFERED UNNDNAL SUPPORT. BUT EACH OF THE GAY BT IENDS WAS TRSILLY FED BY THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT IENDS. WE NEVER REALLY LEARNED MUCH ABOUT THEM AS DIVIDUALS. THEY LIVED ON THE MARGS, FLHG OUT THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS, HARDLY HAVG A PURPOSE WHOUT THEM; THAT PORTRAYAL REMAS TE TODAY. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / PHOTOS BY GETTY / WARNER BROS. DES LATER, 2010, THE GAY BT IEND WAS ALL THE RAGE; TEEN VOGUE EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO PROCLAIM THE GBF AS THE SUMMER’S MT-HAVE ACCSORY. BUT UNLIKE THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY, TODAY’S CEMA, THE GBF IS ALLOWED TO BE OPENLY GAY. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY STILL BARELY REGISTER AS PEOPLE WH CHARACTER TRAS BEYOND THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS. IN MOVI LIKE MEAN GIRLS (2004), THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006), EASY A (2010), NO STRGS ATTACHED (2011), AND ISN’T IT ROMANTIC (2019), GAY IENDS EXIST ENTIRELY THE ORB OF THEIR FEMALE IENDS. IT’S SUCH A STRONG TROPE THAT EVEN PERSISTS QUEER ROMANTIC EDI: 2020’S HAPPIT SEASON FDS JOHN (DAN LEVY) OFFERG ADVICE AND SNARKY ONE-LERS TO HIS LBIAN BTIE LI OF MEANGFUL CHARACTER VELOPMENT.IN TOY STORY 3, THE SAME IS TE OF KEN. HIS EXISTENCE PENDS ON AND CIRCULAT AROUND BARBIE. IN BARBIE, KEN HAS FOUND SOMEONE WHO REALLY UNRSTANDS HIM. HE DON’T GET ALONG WH THE OTHER TOYS, WHO MOCK HIM FOR BEG A “GIRL'S TOY.” BUT BARBIE LOV FASHN, JT LIKE HE DO. “NO ONE APPRECIAT CLOTH HERE, BARBIE,” KEN LAMENTS TO BARBIE, ABOUT THE OTHER TOYS’ TREATMENT OF HIM. “NO ONE!” BUT BARBIE DO, AND FOR KEN, THAT’S LIFE-CHANGG.THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS WHY THE FILM WOULDN’T OUTRIGHTLY STATE THAT KEN IS HOMOSEXUAL. NOT ONLY DO DISNEY SELF HAVE A PLITED HISTORY WH QUEER CHARACTERS, BUT KEN AND BARBIE ARE ALSO THE PROPERTY OF MATTEL, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN STEADFAST ASSERTG KEN’S HETEROSEXUALY. THAT’S NEVER BEEN CLEARER THAN 1993 WHEN THE TOY PANY TRIED TO REIGNE KEN’S POPULARY MATTEL’S SOLUTN? EARRG MAGIC KEN. EARRG MAGIC KEN WAS A FIERCER, FELY MORE QUEER KEN THAN EVER BEFORE. THIS VERSN OF THE DOLL HAD BLEACHED BLON HAIR, A PURPLE LEATHER VT (!), A PK-PURPLE MH TOP (!!), AND OF URSE, AND EARRG THE “GAY EAR”. BUT THAT’S NOT ALL: AROUND KEN’S NECK WAS SOMETHG THAT ANY ACTIVE PARTICIPANT OF THE QUEER SCENE THE ’90S REGNIZED STANTLY—A CK RG (!!!).THE EARRG MAGIC KEN TURNED BARBIE’S BOYIEND TO AN OUT-AND-PROUD HOMOSEXUAL RAVER. MATTEL, OF URSE, VEHEMENTLY NIED ANY CLAIMS THAT KEN WAS GAY, LET ALONE THAT HE HAD SOMETHG AS PREPOSTERO AS A CK RG AROUND HIS NECK. AS LISA MCKENDALL, FORMER MANAGER OF MARKETG AND MUNITNS, SAID AN TERVIEW ABOUT THE DOLL, “WE’RE NOT THE BS OF PUTTG CK RGS TO THE HANDS OF LTLE GIRLS.”REGARDLS OF MATTEL’S TENTNS, ’S HARD TO NY WHAT THE EYE N SEE. DPE THE NAME, CK RGS AT THE TIME WERE ED AS A FASHN ACCSORY AND A SIGN OF FIANT QUEERNS AND SEX POSIVY. AS A RULT, GAY MEN BOUGHT THE DOLL DROV, AND SPE MATTEL ULTIMATELY RELLG THE DOLL AND WIPG AWAY ANY TRACE OF EARRG MAGIC KEN, WAS NEAR-IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE KEN AS ANYTHG BUT THE GLOR HOMOSEXUAL HE WAS BORN TO BE OM THEN ON. MATTEL SPENT THE NEXT UPLE OF S TRYG TO RETA KEN’S MORE HETERONORMATIVE, MASCULE IMAGE, BUT THE VEIL WAS LIFTED, AND THERE WAS NO GOG BACK. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO/THE DAILY BEAST/PHOTOS BY GETTY/WARNER BROS. THOUGH MATTEL DON’T SEEM TO BE WILLG TO SAY KEN IS ACTUALLY GAY, THE KEN DOLLS OF RECENT YEARS SEEM TO REALLY LEAN TO KEN’S QUEERNS. THE YASSIFITN OF KEN IS CLEARLY UNRWAY. WHILE THERE IS NO WAY TO “DRS GAY,” THERE ARE SEVERAL DOLLS THAT SEEM TO SUGGT OTHERWISE, SUCH AS:FASHNISTA KEN #193, WHO LOOKS VERY EXCED TO TELL YOU ABOUT HIS NEW OBSSN, TROYE SIVAN;TRAVEL KEN DOLL, WHO HAS A SATCHEL PERFECT FOR BATHHO AND A PURPLE OVERNIGHT BAG THAT LERALLY PROCLAIMS HE’S “EXTRA;”KEN LOOKS DOLL, SERVG “I’M GONNA GIVE YOU A MAKEOVER”-TYPE REALNS WHILE SPORTG BLACK PLEATHER PANTS;THIS KEN, WHO WEARS THE LEAST HETEROSEXUAL DOUBLE NIM IMAGABLE.WHILE I HAVE A FEELG THE NEW BARBIE MOVIE WILL PUT THE WORK TO NVCE THAT KEN IS A HETERO DU WHO LOV NOTHG LIFE MORE THAN BARBIE HERSELF, THE WRG’S ALREADY ON THE WALL: KEN IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE, BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.KEEP OBSSG! SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK, TWTER, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK.READ MORE OF OUR BARBIE VERAGE HERE. BARRY LEVT

Once a relatively acceptg untry, Hungary was lled “the gayt barracks” the Communist Eastern Bloc. Today the pneers of the gay movement, their 50s and olr, ntue to fight for their rights. From private rooms and apartments to LGBTQ-iendly hotels, you have the optn to stay the heart of gay districts as well as other neighborhoods the plac you vis.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS' KEV MAXEN IS FIRST AMERIN MALE PRO SPORTS ACH TO E OUT AS GAY

A loft Soho, a shared room Barcelona or the Castro, a gay-iendly hotel Le Marais or Chelsea, experience misterb&b all gay travel statns! Tips for Gay and Lbian Travelers Budapt. U., Hungary has had to modify s laws regardg gay and lbian rights, though some olr gay people say they had better unr Socialism.