‘Barbie’: Ken Has Never Been Barbie’s Boyiend. He’s Her Gay BFF.

Contents:

• THIS IS THE STATE OF GAY NIGHTLIFE SHANGHAI
• 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 WRERPUBLISHED 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
• JAGUARS ACH KEV MAXEN OUT AS GAY HISTORIC ANNOUNCEMENT
• THUNR ROSTER CNCH: VETERAN FORWARD RUDY GAY WAIVED
• BEG GAY IN CHA (AS A FOREIGNER 2020-21) ?️‍? WHAT’S THE TTH?
• RON DESANTIS'S FLORIDA BOARD OF EDUTN: HEY, WHAT ABOUT THE “PERSONAL BENEF” OF BEG A SLAVE?FLORIDA’S NEW AIN AMERIN STUDI CURRICULUM STANDARDS WILL FORCE PUBLIC SCHOOL STUNTS TO LEARN ABOUT SOME OF THE SUPPOSED UPSIS OF SLAVERY.BY ERIC LUTZJULY 20, 2023RON DESANTIS SPEAKS DURG A MPAIGN EVENT IOWA JULY 14.RACHEL MUMMEY/BLOOMBERG VIA GETTY IMAGSAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVERON DESANTIS’S WAR ON “WOKENS” SCHOOLS ASCEND TO DANGERO NEW HEIGHTS WEDNDAY, AS FLORIDA’S STATE BOARD OF EDUTN APPROVED NEW AIN AMERIN STUDI CURRICULUM STANDARDS THAT, AMONG OTHER THGS, WOULD FORCE PUBLIC SCHOOL STUNTS TO LEARN ABOUT SOME OF THE SUPPOSED UPSIS OF SLAVERY — A WHEWASHG OF HISTORY THAT THE STATE’S LARGT TEACHERS UNN CRIED AS A “BIG STEP BACKWARD” FOR TN.“GOV. DESANTIS IS PURSUG A POLIL AGENDA GUARANTEED TO SET GOOD PEOPLE AGAST ONE ANOTHER, AND THE PROCS HE’S CHEATG OUR KIDS,” ANDREW SPAR, PRINT OF THE FLORIDA EDUTN ASSOCIATN, SAID A STATEMENT BLASTG THE NEW AIN AMERIN STUDI STANDARDS. “THEY SERVE THE FULL TTH OF AMERIN HISTORY, THE GOOD AND THE BAD.”FLORIDA PUBLIC SCHOOL STUNTS MAY NOT GET THAT UNR THE NEW L APPROVED WEDNDAY, WHICH REQUIRE TEACHERS— A SECTN ON SLAVERY— TO NOTE THAT “SLAV VELOPED SKILLS, WHICH, SOME STANC, ULD BE APPLIED FOR THEIR PERSONAL BENEF.” IN A SECTN ON “RENSTCTN AND BEYOND,” A PERD MARKED BY JIM CROW AND ROUTE WHE TERRORISM ON BLACK MUNI, THE NEW L DICTATE THAT STUNTS MT BE TGHT ABOUT “ACTS OF VLENCE PERPETRATED AGAST AND BY AIN AMERINS,” WHICH, AS DEMOCRATIC STATE SENATOR GERALDE THOMPSON POTED OUT, SUGGTS CINTS LIKE THE OEE MASSACRE WERE “SPARKED BY VLENCE OM AIN AMERINS.”“THAT’S BLAMG THE VICTIMS,” SAID THOMPSON, WHO, AS THE WASHGTON POST NOT, HELPED PASS A 2020 LAW REQUIRG FLORIDA SCHOOLS TO TEACH ABOUT THE 1920 MASSACRE, WHICH A WHE MOB KILLED DOZENS OF BLACK RINTS OF OEE, FLORIDA, ELECTN DAY VLENCE. (MANNY DIAZ, FLORIDA'S TN MISSNER, PRAISED THE CHANG, SAYG THAT “THIS IS SOMETHG THAT IS GOG TO SET THE NORM FOR STANDARDS OTHER STAT.”)TWTER NTENTTHIS NTENT N ALSO BE VIEWED ON THE SE ORIGAT OM.THE NEW STANDARDS E AS DESANTIS, A NTENR FOR THE 2024 REPUBLIN NOMATN, LAT HIS WAR ON SO-LLED “WOKE” TN, WHICH HAS CLUD BOOK BANS, THE REJECTN OF AN ADVANCED PLACEMENT URSE ON AIN AMERIN STUDI, AND THE PASSAGE OF THE STOP WOKE ACT, WHICH PROHIBS THE STCTN OF MATERIAL THAT ULD MAKE SOMEONE FEEL “GUILT, ANGUISH OR ANY FORM OF PSYCHOLOGIL STRS.” HIS NCERN FOR THE POSSIBLE “ANGUISH” OF FLORIDA STUNTS DO NOT SEEM TO EXTEND TO BLACK STUNTS, WHO ULD BE FORCED TO LEARN ABOUT THE SUPPOSED “BENEF” OF SLAVERY, NOR DO SEEM TO EXTEND TO LGBTQ KIDS AND THEIR FAI, WHO HAVE ALSO BEEN TARGETED HIS BATTLE. DESANTIS EXPAND HIS “DON’T SAY GAY” LAW THIS YEAR, AND THE FLORIDA BOARD OF EDUTN VOTED WEDNDAY FOR L THAT TOOK EVEN FURTHER — CLUDG BY BARRG TEACHERS OM ASKG STUNTS THEIR PREFERRED PRONOUNS. DIAZ SAID THE MOVE WOULD PROTECT KIDS OM “UNWELE FLUENC AND DOCTRATN," PRAISG DESANTIS, THE LEGISLATN, AND THE BOARD FOR WHAT HE SCRIBED A STATEMENT AS THEIR “UNWAVERG MMENT TO THE HEALTH, WELLBEG AND SAFETY OF OUR STUNTS.” BUT, AS CRICS CHARGED, THE L NSTUTED AN LATN THE “POLILLY-MOTIVATED WAR ON PARENTS, STUNTS, AND TORS” FLORIDA. “OUR STUNTS SERVE CLASSROOMS WHERE ALL FAI ARE TREATED WH THE RPECT THEY SERVE AND ALL YOUNG PEOPLE ARE WELED,” JENNIFER SOLOMON, EQUALY FLORIDA PARENTS & FAI SUPPORT MANAGER, SAID A STATEMENT WEDNDAY. “INSTEAD, THE DESANTIS ADMISTRATN NTU TO WIELD THE STATE AGAST .”“STOP TURNG OUR KIDS’ CLASSROOMS TO POLIL BATTLEFIELDS TO SRE CHEAP POTS,” SOLOMON NTUED.BUT DESANTIS, OF URSE, SHOWS NO SIGN OF STOPPG: HIS RELENTLS CULTURE WAR HELPED LIFT HIM TO NATNAL PROMENCE, AND HE HAS MA HIS CENTRAL — NAY, HIS ONLY — PCH TO GOP VOTERS HIS SPUTTERG PRINTIAL MPAIGN. “WE’VE MA THE STATE OF FLORIDA THE PLACE WHERE WOKE GO TO DIE,” HE SAID AT A RECENT MPAIGN EVENT. “AND NOW, IS OUR MISSN AS AMERINS TO ENSURE THAT JANUARY 2025…WE LEAVE WOKE IOLOGY THE DTB OF HISTORY WHERE BELONGS.”MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIRRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, INHERG GRACELAND, AND MORETE CRIME, TE FAH: THE SERIAL KILLER AND THE TEXAS MOM WHO STOPPED HIMTHE TAN SUBMERSIBLE DISASTER WAS YEARS THE MAKG, NEW DETAILS REVEALWHY THE GEIA INDICTMENT AGAST TMP AND HIS ALLI IS THE MOST SWEEPG YETIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMER25 PERFECT TV EPISOS FROM THE LAST 25 YEARSA NEW SLIM AARONS BOOK CAPTUR A LOST WORLDFROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)MOST POPULARGEIA REPUBLINS SAY THEY'LL MOVE TO REMOVE FULTON COUNTY DA FANI WILLIS FROM OFFICE WH NEW STATE LAWBY ERIC LUTZMEGHAN MARKLE WILL BE JOG PRCE HARRY GERMANY FOR THE INVICT GAMBY ER VANRHOOFTHE TAN SUBMERSIBLE DISASTER WAS YEARS THE MAKG, NEW DETAILS REVEALBY SAN CASEYERIC LUTZ
• SHANGHAI GAY BARS & SPAC
• LONDON'S LANDMARK BUILDG DOTTED WH STRIP CLUBS, GAY VENU TO TURN TO MOSQUE

THIS IS THE STATE OF GAY NIGHTLIFE SHANGHAI

For ntext throughout the remar of this article, jt know that Luc 390 is the cy’s most popular gay nightclub, and Roxie is the cy’s most popular (read: only) lbian bar/club.

Though this is changg more and more recent years, there’s a several block strip Changng district around Panyu Lu and Fahuazhen Lu that has a reputatn as Shanghai’s “gayborhood” thanks to s beg the lotn of almost all the cy’s major LGBTQ+ bars and clubs. Newer spots have cropped up elsewhere the cy recent years, and lbian bar Roxie is a pletely different neighborhood north Jg’an, but the few blocks rema the epicenter of Shanghai gay nightlife.

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 WRERPUBLISHED 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

Luc 390 will have a performance or two peppered throughout the night nearly every weekend, while other gay bars like Hunt, Roxie and newer SAOxHAUS, along wh recurrg queer parti like Msa, also regularly showse performers. The are signifintly more expensive than a night out at the gay bars and n n you as much as 300–400rmb, but n be worth the ocsnal splurge for the productn valu and the variety show experience, where you n drk several hours of fierce performanc wh different genr of drag rather than a sttered lip sync here and there at the club.

JAGUARS ACH KEV MAXEN OUT AS GAY HISTORIC ANNOUNCEMENT

Many of the gay bars, cludg HUNT and Luc, are safe, welg spac for newbie queens and kgs to show up drag for parti and special events, which may eventually lead to an ocsnal gig lip-syncg or hostg an event. Grdr, which is back unr Amerin ownership after s brief stt wh a Beijg-based pany that lnched 1, 000 thk piec about data privacy, is available, along wh all the other major Wtern gay apps om Jack’d and Scff to Hor and Growlr. The most popular Che gay datg app by a large marg is Blued, which has 24 ln ers Cha as of 2020.

Rice Bar – Rice Bar has been around for over 10 years and is one of the few gay bars Shanghai that’s appropriate for a zy one-on-one drk rather than a long sweaty night on the dance floor. Il Vo – Directly across the street om Kartel, Il Vo is a iendlier, zier and much gayer versn of that famoly sloppy we bar.

THUNR ROSTER CNCH: VETERAN FORWARD RUDY GAY WAIVED

Rik – For the sporty gays, the send venue om the people behd Roxie is a perfectly mpy neon-l roller rk bar. There are many more rourc based Shanghai for gay, lbian, bi, trans and queer dividuals, but bee the tablishments often exist a grey area, listg them all out uld do more harm than good. So while this list is very much jt a snapshot of a moment time, and any of the bars and parti uld disappear whout warng, I’ve tried to provi all the tools you might need to embark on your own gay odyssey to the sordid, fierce, rilient world of Shanghai LGBTQ+ nightlife.

BEG GAY IN CHA (AS A FOREIGNER 2020-21) ?️‍? WHAT’S THE TTH?

The one, the only – Luc 390 is the first name Shanghai gay nightlife and the place that any newbie queer to the cy should h up first. It’s the most reliable optn on any given weekend, wh a mic policy of techno and gay pop anthems om Brney through Gaga and eher drag performanc or gogo dancers every Friday and Saturday night. Luc also ocsnally holds muny events durg the week, and somehow retas a welg ra whout too much of the meat market vibe that n plague mastream gay nightclubs.

The worldwi cle lbian bars has been well-documented, and n be hard for queer women to feel like they have a reliable place to go, even major ci wh a flourishg gay nightlife scene. Unapologetilly sexual s promotnal materials and events, wh pole dancers, traffic light parti and sgl nights, Roxie embodi a proud, bched, mpy hedonism that’s the norm at gay bars like Luc but rarely, if ever, found at their lbian equivalent.

In the fall of 2019, the iendly gayborhood bar formerly known as Happs42 rebrand unr the name HUNT, after the party promoters who now own . HUNT, meanwhile began life as a party promotn pany back 2011 and is one of Shanghai’s most tablished gay promoters, curatg an eclectic roster of events that now have a permanent home at the bar. We’ve always had a soft spot for the muny vibe of Happs42, and bg forc wh HUNT’s diverse, amb event planng mak this an excg gayborhood space that’s very quickly g to s them on WeChat: HUNTShanghai.

RON DESANTIS'S FLORIDA BOARD OF EDUTN: HEY, WHAT ABOUT THE “PERSONAL BENEF” OF BEG A SLAVE?FLORIDA’S NEW AIN AMERIN STUDI CURRICULUM STANDARDS WILL FORCE PUBLIC SCHOOL STUNTS TO LEARN ABOUT SOME OF THE SUPPOSED UPSIS OF SLAVERY.BY ERIC LUTZJULY 20, 2023RON DESANTIS SPEAKS DURG A MPAIGN EVENT IOWA JULY 14.RACHEL MUMMEY/BLOOMBERG VIA GETTY IMAGSAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVERON DESANTIS’S WAR ON “WOKENS” SCHOOLS ASCEND TO DANGERO NEW HEIGHTS WEDNDAY, AS FLORIDA’S STATE BOARD OF EDUTN APPROVED NEW AIN AMERIN STUDI CURRICULUM STANDARDS THAT, AMONG OTHER THGS, WOULD FORCE PUBLIC SCHOOL STUNTS TO LEARN ABOUT SOME OF THE SUPPOSED UPSIS OF SLAVERY — A WHEWASHG OF HISTORY THAT THE STATE’S LARGT TEACHERS UNN CRIED AS A “BIG STEP BACKWARD” FOR TN.“GOV. DESANTIS IS PURSUG A POLIL AGENDA GUARANTEED TO SET GOOD PEOPLE AGAST ONE ANOTHER, AND THE PROCS HE’S CHEATG OUR KIDS,” ANDREW SPAR, PRINT OF THE FLORIDA EDUTN ASSOCIATN, SAID A STATEMENT BLASTG THE NEW AIN AMERIN STUDI STANDARDS. “THEY SERVE THE FULL TTH OF AMERIN HISTORY, THE GOOD AND THE BAD.”FLORIDA PUBLIC SCHOOL STUNTS MAY NOT GET THAT UNR THE NEW L APPROVED WEDNDAY, WHICH REQUIRE TEACHERS— A SECTN ON SLAVERY— TO NOTE THAT “SLAV VELOPED SKILLS, WHICH, SOME STANC, ULD BE APPLIED FOR THEIR PERSONAL BENEF.” IN A SECTN ON “RENSTCTN AND BEYOND,” A PERD MARKED BY JIM CROW AND ROUTE WHE TERRORISM ON BLACK MUNI, THE NEW L DICTATE THAT STUNTS MT BE TGHT ABOUT “ACTS OF VLENCE PERPETRATED AGAST AND BY AIN AMERINS,” WHICH, AS DEMOCRATIC STATE SENATOR GERALDE THOMPSON POTED OUT, SUGGTS CINTS LIKE THE OEE MASSACRE WERE “SPARKED BY VLENCE OM AIN AMERINS.”“THAT’S BLAMG THE VICTIMS,” SAID THOMPSON, WHO, AS THE WASHGTON POST NOT, HELPED PASS A 2020 LAW REQUIRG FLORIDA SCHOOLS TO TEACH ABOUT THE 1920 MASSACRE, WHICH A WHE MOB KILLED DOZENS OF BLACK RINTS OF OEE, FLORIDA, ELECTN DAY VLENCE. (MANNY DIAZ, FLORIDA'S TN MISSNER, PRAISED THE CHANG, SAYG THAT “THIS IS SOMETHG THAT IS GOG TO SET THE NORM FOR STANDARDS OTHER STAT.”)TWTER NTENTTHIS NTENT N ALSO BE VIEWED ON THE SE ORIGAT OM.THE NEW STANDARDS E AS DESANTIS, A NTENR FOR THE 2024 REPUBLIN NOMATN, LAT HIS WAR ON SO-LLED “WOKE” TN, WHICH HAS CLUD BOOK BANS, THE REJECTN OF AN ADVANCED PLACEMENT URSE ON AIN AMERIN STUDI, AND THE PASSAGE OF THE STOP WOKE ACT, WHICH PROHIBS THE STCTN OF MATERIAL THAT ULD MAKE SOMEONE FEEL “GUILT, ANGUISH OR ANY FORM OF PSYCHOLOGIL STRS.” HIS NCERN FOR THE POSSIBLE “ANGUISH” OF FLORIDA STUNTS DO NOT SEEM TO EXTEND TO BLACK STUNTS, WHO ULD BE FORCED TO LEARN ABOUT THE SUPPOSED “BENEF” OF SLAVERY, NOR DO SEEM TO EXTEND TO LGBTQ KIDS AND THEIR FAI, WHO HAVE ALSO BEEN TARGETED HIS BATTLE. DESANTIS EXPAND HIS “DON’T SAY GAY” LAW THIS YEAR, AND THE FLORIDA BOARD OF EDUTN VOTED WEDNDAY FOR L THAT TOOK EVEN FURTHER — CLUDG BY BARRG TEACHERS OM ASKG STUNTS THEIR PREFERRED PRONOUNS. DIAZ SAID THE MOVE WOULD PROTECT KIDS OM “UNWELE FLUENC AND DOCTRATN," PRAISG DESANTIS, THE LEGISLATN, AND THE BOARD FOR WHAT HE SCRIBED A STATEMENT AS THEIR “UNWAVERG MMENT TO THE HEALTH, WELLBEG AND SAFETY OF OUR STUNTS.” BUT, AS CRICS CHARGED, THE L NSTUTED AN LATN THE “POLILLY-MOTIVATED WAR ON PARENTS, STUNTS, AND TORS” FLORIDA. “OUR STUNTS SERVE CLASSROOMS WHERE ALL FAI ARE TREATED WH THE RPECT THEY SERVE AND ALL YOUNG PEOPLE ARE WELED,” JENNIFER SOLOMON, EQUALY FLORIDA PARENTS & FAI SUPPORT MANAGER, SAID A STATEMENT WEDNDAY. “INSTEAD, THE DESANTIS ADMISTRATN NTU TO WIELD THE STATE AGAST .”“STOP TURNG OUR KIDS’ CLASSROOMS TO POLIL BATTLEFIELDS TO SRE CHEAP POTS,” SOLOMON NTUED.BUT DESANTIS, OF URSE, SHOWS NO SIGN OF STOPPG: HIS RELENTLS CULTURE WAR HELPED LIFT HIM TO NATNAL PROMENCE, AND HE HAS MA HIS CENTRAL — NAY, HIS ONLY — PCH TO GOP VOTERS HIS SPUTTERG PRINTIAL MPAIGN. “WE’VE MA THE STATE OF FLORIDA THE PLACE WHERE WOKE GO TO DIE,” HE SAID AT A RECENT MPAIGN EVENT. “AND NOW, IS OUR MISSN AS AMERINS TO ENSURE THAT JANUARY 2025…WE LEAVE WOKE IOLOGY THE DTB OF HISTORY WHERE BELONGS.”MORE GREAT STORI FROM VANY FAIRRILEY KEOUGH ON GROWG UP PRLEY, INHERG GRACELAND, AND MORETE CRIME, TE FAH: THE SERIAL KILLER AND THE TEXAS MOM WHO STOPPED HIMTHE TAN SUBMERSIBLE DISASTER WAS YEARS THE MAKG, NEW DETAILS REVEALWHY THE GEIA INDICTMENT AGAST TMP AND HIS ALLI IS THE MOST SWEEPG YETIVANKA TMP IS NOT LETTG HER DAD’S MOUNTG LEGAL WO RU HER SUMMER25 PERFECT TV EPISOS FROM THE LAST 25 YEARSA NEW SLIM AARONS BOOK CAPTUR A LOST WORLDFROM THE ARCHIVE: TOO HEPBURN FOR HOLLYWOOD (2006)MOST POPULARGEIA REPUBLINS SAY THEY'LL MOVE TO REMOVE FULTON COUNTY DA FANI WILLIS FROM OFFICE WH NEW STATE LAWBY ERIC LUTZMEGHAN MARKLE WILL BE JOG PRCE HARRY GERMANY FOR THE INVICT GAMBY ER VANRHOOFTHE TAN SUBMERSIBLE DISASTER WAS YEARS THE MAKG, NEW DETAILS REVEALBY SAN CASEYERIC LUTZ

Part of the very earlit generatn of LGBTQ+ bars Shanghai, Asia Blue is the cy’s olst gay bar still currently operatn.

Owner Andy buted the first versn of Asia Blue back 2000, when Shanghai nightlife was a very different animal and openg a bar tered to gay men was a trailblazg enavor.

SHANGHAI GAY BARS & SPAC

Owner Takuya hails om Jiangsu provce and is fluent Japane, so the bar is pecially popular wh gay Japane expats. One of s founrs, Jg, went on to lnch plastic., which siarly provis an alternative to hook-up foced gay club nights, but wh a smaller, iendlier feel (and no ver charge!

Vibe is low key and chatty, wh a mic policy of tablished and beloved gay anthems om a rich array of pop divas. Intertgly, there are almost no referenc or signifiers of any kd their promo material that uld classify Calori as an LGBTQ+ party – Jefey, who lnched Bonbon along wh -founrs Jacky & Yel, scrib as a “muny for all global cizens to fully embrace their inti” – but Bonbon has a built- dience of gay men who fahfully attend their events. However, as one of the olst gay party promoters Shanghai, Angel has survived many a fallen club – Shanghai gays of a certa vtage may remember their home base at ICON a few years ago, and their regular nights at Obama club before that.

LONDON'S LANDMARK BUILDG DOTTED WH STRIP CLUBS, GAY VENU TO TURN TO MOSQUE

Origally lled Happs 42 until 2019, when changed to HUNTbar, this small spot to om the owners of the former unrground gay bastn Shanghai Stud.

Lol NewsMIAMI – The diplomatic ti between the Uned Stat and Jamai uld soon be jeopardy.There are reports that Jamai is refg to accred the spoe of a gay Amerin diplomat.“Our culture is not really acceptg of ,” said Renae Stevens, who was visg the Jamain nsulate Miami Wednday.Attorney Wayne Goldg is an advisor to Jamai’s ernment.“The whole ia of legislatn to legalize same-sex marriag, I thk they still have a long way to go,” he said. Gay men uld be sperm om one wh an egg grown om the cells of the other to have children blogilly related to both. While ’s difficult to pot to any direct crackdown, the realy is that over the past ’s bee tougher to be gay Cha.