Rehoboth’s Gallery 50 to host shows by two gay artists

THEY FALLY MA ‘A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN’ GAY: INSI THE MAKG OF THE REMARKABLE NEW SERIBATTER UP!PHOTO ILLTRATN BY ELIZABETH BROCKWAY/THE DAILY BEAST/AMAZONABBI JABSON, D’ARCY CARN, AND THE TEAM BEHD THE REIMAGG OF THE 1992 FILM TELL OBSSED WHAT TOOK TO MAKE A SERI ABOUT SPORTS THAT IS SO UNABASHEDLY QUEER.KEV FALLONSENR EDOR, OBSSEDPUBLISHED AUG. 18, 2022 5:01AM EDT FOR LENNIALS AND MEMBERS OF GEN X—OR, REALLY, PEOPLE OF ANY AGE WH GOOD TASTE—PENNY MARSHALL’S 1992 FILM A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN IS A FOUNDATNAL MOVIE. THERE’S NO CRYG BASEBALL! GEENA DAVIS TCHG THE BALL WHILE DOG THE SPLS! MADONNA SWG DANCG! ROSIE O’DONNELL WAS SO GOOD!IN THE 30 YEARS THAT HAVE PASSED SCE S RELEASE—A HORRIFYG STATISTIC THAT MA MY KNE CREAK AND ACID REFLUX ACT UP AS I TYPED —OUR RELATNSHIP WH THE MOVIE EPENED. A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN WAS ALREADY HUGE, MD YOU; MARSHALL BEME THE FIRST WOMAN TO DIRECT A FILM THAT GROSSED $100 LN AT THE BOX OFFICE WH BIG, AND A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN ALSO ACPLISHED THAT FEAT. BUT EARNED S STAT AS ONE OF THOSE MOVI THAT, IF ’S PLAYG ON TBS ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON, YOU ARE SPIRUALLY OBLIGATED TO STAY WH UNTIL ’S OVER. IF I MAY BE SO BOLD, ’S A PERFECTLY STCTURED FILM.AND AS PEOPLE’S RELATNSHIPS WH THE MOVIE CHANGED AND THE WORLD CHANGED AROUND THEM, WE HAD THE SAME (AND IF WE’RE BEG HONT) MORTIFYG REVELATN, AN EPIPHANY THAT WE’RE EMBARRASSED TO ADM NEVER DAWNED ON UNTIL WE WERE ADULTS—OR MAYBE NOT EVEN UNTIL THE NEW AMAZON A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN SERI BEGAN STREAMG LAST WEEK. OH MY GOSH, YOU REALIZE. THEY WERE PROBABLY GAY.SURE, ’S OBV NOW. WE SAID ’S EMBARRASSG! AMAZON “I DIDN’T GROW UP AWARE OF THOSE UNRTON EHER,” ABBI JABSON (BROAD CY), WHO -CREATED AND STARS THE NEW SERI, TELLS THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED. “BUT I THK THE MOVIE WAS SOMETHG THAT QUEER PEOPLE FELT A NNECTN TO, WHETHER OR NOT WE KNEW WHY.”“A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LOVE THE MOVIE—GAY PEOPLE, STRAIGHT PEOPLE— DIDN’T DAWN ON THEM UNTIL THEY’VE THOUGHT OF AS AN ADULT,” SAYS D’ARCY CARN (THE GOOD PLACE), WHO -STARS. “AND THEN THEY’RE LIKE, WELL, OF URSE THEY WERE GAY!”BOTH MARSHALL’S FILM AND THE NEW AMAZON SERI CHRONICL THE FORMG AND SURPRISG SUCCS OF THE ALL-AMERIN GIRLS PROFSNAL BASEBALL LEAGUE 1943, A SEISMIC MOMENT SPORTS THAT HAD BEEN ALL BUT LOST TO HISTORY. IT WAS WARTIME, AND, WH THE MEN AWAY, OWNERS OF PROFSNAL BASEBALL TEAMS FLOATED THE IA OF DRAFTG WOMEN TO THE FIELD ORR TO KEEP AMERI’S FAVORE PASTIME THE SPOTLIGHT DURG WHAT WERE OTHERWISE UNSETTLG DAYS.THE WOMEN WERE SUTED OM ALL OVER THE UNTRY AND BROUGHT TO CHIGO FOR TRYOUTS. ONE OF THE TEAMS ASSEMBLED, THE ROCKFORD PEACH, BASED ILLOIS, BEME THE SPIRATN FOR THE MOVIE—AND, NOW, THIS TV REIMAGG AND EXPANSN. THE FILM FEATURED DAVIS, MADONNA, O’DONNELL, AND LORI PETTY AS THE ATHLET UP TO BAT AGAST GENR BIAS—ATTENDG FISHG SCHOOL BETWEEN PRACTIC, PLAYG SKIRTS—WHILE WOWG FANS WH THEIR UNNIABLE SKILLS. AMAZON’S SERI, WHICH JABSON -CREATED WH WILL GRAHAM (WH MARSHALL’S BLSG BEFORE HER ATH), STARS JABSON AND CARN ROL THAT ULD BE SEEN AS ANALOGO TO THE FILM. BUT, AT EIGHT EPISOS, ALSO GETS TO ROUND BAS THAT MARSHALL ULDN’T, CLUDG FOLLOWG THE CHARACTER OF MAX CHAPMAN (PLAYED BY CHANTé ADAMS), A BLACK WOMAN SPERATE FOR THE OPPORTUNY TO PLAY THE LEAGUE AT A TIME WHEN SEGREGATNIST POLICI MA THAT SEEM IMPOSSIBLE. ADVERTISEMENT THERE’S A STORY THAT GRAHAM LIK TO TELL, WHICH IS RELAYED OM A STORY THAT ROSIE O’DONNELL—WHO MAK AN CREDIBLY MOVG MEO THE SERI—TOLD HIM. APPARENTLY, WHEN O’DONNELL WAS MEETG WH MARSHALL ABOUT THE FILM AND HER CHARACTER, THE BRASH, SPFIRE THIRD BASEWOMAN DORIS, SHE BLUNTLY TOLD MARSHALL: DORIS IS OBVLY GAY. “AND PENNY WAS JT LIKE, ‘NO,’” GRAHAM LGHS. “THERE WERE JT PLAC YOU ULDN’T GO AT THAT TIME.” (O’DONNELL ME OUT PUBLICLY 2002.)THEN THERE’S THE MEMORABLE SCENE WHEN, DURG TRYOUTS, A STRAY BALL THE OUTFIELD IS PICKED UP BY A BLACK WOMAN, WHO LNCH LIKE A NNON BACK TO HOME PLATE. SHE’S NEVER SEEN AGA. MARSHALL CLUD THE SCENE TO REFERENCE THE NEGRO LEAGUE PLAYERS AND THEIR RICH HISTORY. “I KNEW WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO DO THAT STORY, BUT I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM.” WHEN THEY MET WH MARSHALL BEFORE HER ATH 2018, SHE TOLD GRAHAM AND JABSON THAT HER ORIGAL CUT OF THE FILM WAS FOUR-AND-A-HALF HOURS LONG. (RELEASE THE MARSHALL CUT, YOU WARDS!) “SHE SAID, ‘THERE WAS SO MUCH THAT I WANTED TO DO THAT I DIDN’T GET TO DO,’” GRAHAM EXPLAS. THEY ASKED ABOUT THAT MOMENT, SPECIFILLY. “SHE WAS LIKE, ‘YEAH, I KNEW WE DIDN’T HAVE TIME TO DO THAT STORY, BUT I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM.’”THE NEW A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN IS THAT OPPORTUNY. IT’S A URSE RRECTN. IT’S A VALIDATN OF THE EXPERIENC OF THE REAL-LIFE WOMEN; MAYBELLE BLAIR, FOR EXAMPLE, THE PLAYER WHO SERVED AS THE SPIRATN FOR CARN’S CHARACTER, GRETA, ME OUT AS GAY JT THIS YEAR AT AGE 95, SPIRED BY WORKG AS A NSULTANT ON THE SERI. AND ’S PROOF THAT A REBOOT/REMAKE/REIMAGG—WHATEVER IS THAT WE’RE LLG THE DAYS—HAS VALUE WHEN ’S THE TALYST FOR EPENG A STORY.“WE WERE NEVER TRYG TO RECREATE THE FILM, BUT REALLY TRYG TO SHOWSE AND DIVE TO THE STORI THAT WE FELT WERE NOT SHOWN THE FILM,” JABSON SAYS. THE QUEER WOMEN AND THE WOMEN OF LOR EXISTED. NOW WE FALLY GET TO MEET THEM. ADVERTISEMENT THERE’S A PHENOMENON POP CULTURE THAT HAS ALWAYS SEEMED BAFFLG. STEPPG UP TO THE PLATE THERE ULD BE A PERSON FOR WHOM WATCHG LIVE SPORTS IS A FORM OF TORTURE. (THAT PERSON IS ME.) YET THAT SAME PERSON ULD BE OBSSED WH SPORTS MOVI AND TV SHOWS: VOUR THEM, GH OVER THEM, CRY LIKE A BABY AT THE CLIMAX EACH TIME, AND UNT ANY NUMBER OF THEM AMONG THEIR FAVOR. (OH HI, ME AGA!) SPORTS? GROSS! SPORTS MOVI? I’M ALREADY WEEPG AND MAKG PLANS TO SEE AGA.“THERE’S A LOT OF A BASEBALL GAME, IF WATCHED S ENTIRETY, WHERE YOU’RE LIKE, ‘I’M GONNA GO GET A DRK FOR A SEC,’” JABSON SAYS. BUT MOVI AND TV SERI ABOUT SPORTS SPRT RIGHT TOWARD THE MOST DRAMATIC MOMENTS. THEY’RE SIGNED TO BE EXCG, SORT OF THE WAY “YOU MIGHT NOT WATCH SPORTS, BUT YOU’LL NEVER MISS THE SUPER BOWL,” ADAMS ADDS.WHILE WORKG ON A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, JABSON WAS NSTANTLY TALKG ABOUT THE FILM RUDY. "‘WHAT’S THE RUDY MOMENT THIS?’ IT’S ABOUT THE LOVE OF THE GAME, AND ’S ABOUT THE GUY WHO GETS TO FALLY PLAY. AND ALMOST SURPASS WHETHER THEY W OR LOSE.”FOR CARN, THERE WAS SOMETHG ABOUT THE 1992 A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, PARTICULAR. “I DON’T UNRSTAND A SEND OF FOOTBALL. I UNRSTAND SOCCER. I REALLY DO LOVE BASEBALL, THOUGH,” SHE SAYS. “AND I LOVE SPORTS MOVI. I REMEMBER WATCHG BULL DURHAM AND BEG LIKE, ‘HUBBA HUBBA…’” BUT MARSHALL’S FILM WAS A WATERSHED, SEEG-THE-WORLD-DIFFERENTLY KD OF MOMENT FOR HER, “BEG A LTLE SPORTY GIRL AND NOT SEEG ANY GIRLS ANY OF THE OTHER MOVI.” ADVERTISEMENT “GETTG TO SEE 50 DIRTY, SPORTY GIRLS A MOVIE ON SCREEN AT ONE TIME BROKE MY BRA OPEN,” SHE SAYS. “I REMEMBER WAS A FEELG OF, LIKE, THIS IS POSSIBLE. THIS WAS REAL. THIS WAS ALLOWED. I WAS LIKE, ‘I NEED TO DO THAT.’” AMAZON GRAHAM, ON THE OTHER HAND, ADMS TO HAVG A TORTURED RELATNSHIP WH SPORTS. HIS HBAND IS A FOOTBALL FAN, AND HE’S TRIED LOVG FOR HIM. GROWG UP, HIS FATHER ENURAGED HIM TO PLAY LTLE LEAGUE, “WHICH, AS A LTLE QUEER KID WHO FELT LIKE HE WAS UNRVER AS A BOY, WAS VERY STRSFUL.”HE NOW REGNIZ THE VALUE OF THAT, THOUGH, AND N NNECT TO WHY HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SO MOVED TO EMBARK ON ADAPTG A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, SPE HIS EXPERIENCE AS A TRMATIZED YOUTH ATHLETE. (WHERE IS THE SUPPORT GROUP FOR THAT?)“WATCHG BASEBALL WAS A WAY FOR ME TO MUNITE WH MY DAD, EVEN WHEN I FELT LIKE I DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO BE THE RIGHT KD OF SON,” HE SAYS. “SO ’S EMOTNAL FOR ME. ON THE OTHER HAND, I LOVE A SPORTS MOVIE. I ULD WATCH FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGA. AND HALF OF THE CHARACTERS THAT SHOW PROBABLY DON’T THK I SHOULD HAVE RIGHTS! I WOULD STILL WATCH ! I THK ’S ABOUT THE FEELG OF BELONGG TO A GROUP AND TO A TEAM THAT I THK, FOR QUEER PEOPLE PARTICULAR, N BE SO POWERFUL.” AMAZON ADVERTISEMENT IT’S HARD TO UNRSTATE THAT POWER WHEN YOU WATCH THE NEW SERI, PECIALLY IF YOU’RE A FAN OF THE ORIGAL A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN AND PECIALLY IF YOU’RE A QUEER FAN OF . THE QUEER REPRENTATN AND THE DIGNY GIVEN TO THE CHARACTERS’ STORYL IS LIKE A FIREWORKS SHOW OF PROGRS, EACH DIVIDUAL EXPLOSN UNIQUE AND SPECIFIC, TOGETHER PROVIDG THIS LORFUL, KALEIDOSPIC DISPLAY OF VARIED THENTIC EXPERIENCE.BUT ’S THE MATTER-OF-FACTNS WH WHICH THE SHOW APPROACH THIS CLIVY THAT MAY ACTUALLY BE THE SPECTACLE. THERE WAS NO FANFARE LEADG UP TO THE RELEASE THAT THIS WAS GOG TO BE THE GRAND QUEERIFITN OF A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, AND ’S TREATED THE SERI AS LTLE MORE THAN AN ATTEMPT TO ACCURATELY REFLECT THE HUMANY OF THE WOMEN AS THEY LIVED .THERE’S A BREADTH OF EXPERIENCE. JABSON’S CARSON, WHO IS MARRIED TO A MAN WHO IS OFF AT WAR, HAS THE SLOW REALIZATN THAT SHE’S ATTRACTED TO CARN’S GRETA AS THEIR BOND GROWS THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. GRETA AND HER BT IEND JO (MELANIE FIELD) ARRIVE WH A REFUL SET OF L FOR HOW TO ACT ON THEIR SAME-SEX ATTRACTNS WHILE REMAG SAFE OM BEG OUTED. ROBERTA COLDREZ’S LUPE AND KELLY MCCORMACK’S JS WEAR THEIR GENR NONNFORMY AND QUEER NFINCE ON THEIR SLEEV, ECHOG BACK TO CHARACTERS THE 1992 FILM WHO WERE QUEER-D, BUT WHOSE SEXUALI WERE NEVER FURTHER VELOPED. AND ADAMS’ MAX DISVERS, THROUGH A NEW GENR NONBARY IEND, A VERABLE FANTASIA OF BLACK QUEERNS THAT REORIENTS HER ENTIRE WORLD AND HOW SHE SE . AMAZON “NOW MORE THAN EVER, THERE ARE MORE QUEER CHARACTERS BEG REPRENTED ON SCREEN, BUT THERE’S UALLY STILL, LIKE, ONE A SHOW,” JABSON SAYS. “THIS IS REALLY DIVG TO A VERY BROAD RANGE OF QUEERNS.”GOG BACK TO THE NAIVE A-HA MOMENT THAT THE CHARACTERS THE 1992 FILM WERE PROBABLY A LTLE GAY, WE START TALKG ABOUT THE 2020 NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY A SECRET LOVE, WHICH WAS PRODUCED BY RYAN MURPHY. SPEAKG PERSONALLY, THAT WAS WHEN MY EY WERE OPENED TO THE FACT THAT THERE WAS SO MUCH MORE THAT THE WOMEN WERE SHOULRG BEYOND THE PRSUR WE SAW MARSHALL’S MOVIE: AS JABSON SAYS, “BEG ASKED TO PLAY BASEBALL AT THE TOP OF THEIR GAME—WHICH IS WILDLY ATHLETIC, GRTY, DIRTY, AND DIFFICULT—WHILE UNR THE MALE GAZE AND FULL MAKP, FULL HAIR, WEARG LIPSTICK, AND WEARG SHORT SKIRTS.” ADVERTISEMENT THEY ALSO HAD TO NAVIGATE A WORLD THAT WOULDN’T ACCEPT THEIR LOVE STORI. THE FILM REUNTS THE RELATNSHIP BETWEEN TERRY DONAHUE, WHO PLAYED THE BASEBALL LEAGUE OM THE FILM AND THE SERI ALL THOSE YEARS AGO, AND HER PARTNER OF 72 YEARS, PAT HENSCHEL, AND WHAT TOOK FOR THEM TO E OUT TO THEIR FAI AFTER A LIFETIME TOGETHER. “THAT DOC TORE ME UP,” JABSON SAYS. DONOHUE AND MAYBELLE BLAIR KNEW EACH OTHER DURG THOSE BASEBALL DAYS THE ’40S. JABSON’S NVERSATNS WH BLAIR WERE VALUABLE SCRIPTG THE AMAZON SERI; A SECRET LOVE ADD EVEN MORE EMOTNAL NTEXT.“HEARG MAYBELLE’S STORI AND HEARG OTHER ACUNTS OF WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE... LISTEN, I THK SHE TALKS ABOUT MORE A POSIVE WAY THAN MAYBE SHE SHAR ABOUT HOW DANGERO WAS—AND STILL IS A LOT OF PLAC THE WORLD TO BE TO BE QUEER,” SHE SAYS. “I MEAN, SHE JT ME OUT AT 95. SO THAT ALONE TELLS YOU THERE’S A LOT OF STAK AND THERE’S A LOT OF FEAR G OUT. IT JT REALLY MATTERS TO SHARE THOSE STORI.” AMAZON THE A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN SERI HAS SENT VIEWERS DOWN RABB HOL, SPERATE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE REAL-LIFE WOMEN WHO SPIRED THE ROCKFORD PEACH THE SHOW—A JOURNEY WHICH TAK THEM TO NAM LIKE MAYBELLE BLAIR, TERRY DONAHUE, AND NEGRO LEAGUE PLAYERS LIKE MAMIE JOHNSON, CONNIE MAN, AND TONI STONE, WHO WERE SPIRATNS FOR ADAMS’ CHARACTER. ADVERTISEMENT “ANYONE WHO CLAIMS TO BE A LOVER OF BASEBALL SHOULD KNOW THEIR NAM ONT TO BACK—WHO THEY PLAYED FOR AND EVERYTHG LIKE THAT—BEE ’S SO INIC, AND ’S SO HISTORIC WHAT THEY DID,” ADAMS SAYS.BUT ALL OF THIS IS AN ENAVOR THAT, REALLY, STARTED WH PENNY MARSHALL 30 YEARS AGO—SOMETHG THAT, AS THE SERI IS PRAISED FOR THE CLIVY THAT HER FILM LACKED, GRAHAM IS QUICK TO REMD PEOPLE. “HAVE A GREAT TIME. THE STORI CHANGED MY LIFE. AND THEY'LL CHANGE YOURS, TOO.” HIS AND JABSON’S PHONE NVERSATN WH HER WAS, AS ONE WOULD IMAGE, NERVE-WRACKG; THE SE OF A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, AK TO VISG GOD TO ASK ABOUT REIMAGG THE BIBLE. THEY TALKED FOR A LONG TIME. AT ONE POT, SHE SAID SHE NEED TO E THE BATHROOM AND DISAPPEARED FOR 15 MUT. THEY WONRED IF THEY HAD BEEN GHOSTED. BUT SHE RETURNED AND EXPLAED ALL THE THREADS THAT SHE SPERATELY WISHED SHE ULD HAVE EXPLORED. THEN SHE TOLD THEM, “HAVE A GREAT TIME. THE STORI CHANGED MY LIFE. AND THEY’LL CHANGE YOURS, TOO.”EVERYONE I TALKED TO SHARED THE SAME SENTIMENT: WHAT THE MOVIE DID AT S TIME, DID PERFECTLY. AND NOW THEY’RE JT LUCKY AND PRIVILEGED TO GET TO DO MORE.“THERE’S SOMETHG REALLY POWERFUL ABOUT HAVG YOUR STORY TOLD ONE WAY,” GRAHAM SAYS. “AND ISN’T THAT TERTG HOW WE ACCEPT THE STORY THAT WE’RE GIVEN?” THAT’S WHY HE THKS THIS SHOW WILL BE PROFOUND TO MANY PEOPLE. “THERE’S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAVG TO READ YOURSELF TO SOMETHG AND BEG ABLE TO SEE YOURSELF RIGHT THERE.” ADVERTISEMENT KEEP OBSSG! SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK, TWTER, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK. KEV FALLON
MAY 2023: WHAT’S NEW, GAY AND STREAMG ON NETFLIX, HULU, PARAMOUNT+ AND HBO MAX
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT A SEEMGLY FAKE DOCUMENT A GAY RIGHTS CASE
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
REHOBOTH’S GALLERY 50 TO HOST SHOWS BY TWO GAY ARTISTS

THEY FALLY MA ‘A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN’ GAY: INSI THE MAKG OF THE REMARKABLE NEW SERIBATTER UP!PHOTO ILLTRATN BY ELIZABETH BROCKWAY/THE DAILY BEAST/AMAZONABBI JABSON, D’ARCY CARN, AND THE TEAM BEHD THE REIMAGG OF THE 1992 FILM TELL OBSSED WHAT TOOK TO MAKE A SERI ABOUT SPORTS THAT IS SO UNABASHEDLY QUEER.KEV FALLONSENR EDOR, OBSSEDPUBLISHED AUG. 18, 2022 5:01AM EDT FOR LENNIALS AND MEMBERS OF GEN X—OR, REALLY, PEOPLE OF ANY AGE WH GOOD TASTE—PENNY MARSHALL’S 1992 FILM A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN IS A FOUNDATNAL MOVIE. THERE’S NO CRYG BASEBALL! GEENA DAVIS TCHG THE BALL WHILE DOG THE SPLS! MADONNA SWG DANCG! ROSIE O’DONNELL WAS SO GOOD!IN THE 30 YEARS THAT HAVE PASSED SCE S RELEASE—A HORRIFYG STATISTIC THAT MA MY KNE CREAK AND ACID REFLUX ACT UP AS I TYPED —OUR RELATNSHIP WH THE MOVIE EPENED. A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN WAS ALREADY HUGE, MD YOU; MARSHALL BEME THE FIRST WOMAN TO DIRECT A FILM THAT GROSSED $100 LN AT THE BOX OFFICE WH BIG, AND A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN ALSO ACPLISHED THAT FEAT. BUT EARNED S STAT AS ONE OF THOSE MOVI THAT, IF ’S PLAYG ON TBS ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON, YOU ARE SPIRUALLY OBLIGATED TO STAY WH UNTIL ’S OVER. IF I MAY BE SO BOLD, ’S A PERFECTLY STCTURED FILM.AND AS PEOPLE’S RELATNSHIPS WH THE MOVIE CHANGED AND THE WORLD CHANGED AROUND THEM, WE HAD THE SAME (AND IF WE’RE BEG HONT) MORTIFYG REVELATN, AN EPIPHANY THAT WE’RE EMBARRASSED TO ADM NEVER DAWNED ON UNTIL WE WERE ADULTS—OR MAYBE NOT EVEN UNTIL THE NEW AMAZON A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN SERI BEGAN STREAMG LAST WEEK. OH MY GOSH, YOU REALIZE. THEY WERE PROBABLY GAY.SURE, ’S OBV NOW. WE SAID ’S EMBARRASSG! AMAZON “I DIDN’T GROW UP AWARE OF THOSE UNRTON EHER,” ABBI JABSON (BROAD CY), WHO -CREATED AND STARS THE NEW SERI, TELLS THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED. “BUT I THK THE MOVIE WAS SOMETHG THAT QUEER PEOPLE FELT A NNECTN TO, WHETHER OR NOT WE KNEW WHY.”“A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LOVE THE MOVIE—GAY PEOPLE, STRAIGHT PEOPLE— DIDN’T DAWN ON THEM UNTIL THEY’VE THOUGHT OF AS AN ADULT,” SAYS D’ARCY CARN (THE GOOD PLACE), WHO -STARS. “AND THEN THEY’RE LIKE, WELL, OF URSE THEY WERE GAY!”BOTH MARSHALL’S FILM AND THE NEW AMAZON SERI CHRONICL THE FORMG AND SURPRISG SUCCS OF THE ALL-AMERIN GIRLS PROFSNAL BASEBALL LEAGUE 1943, A SEISMIC MOMENT SPORTS THAT HAD BEEN ALL BUT LOST TO HISTORY. IT WAS WARTIME, AND, WH THE MEN AWAY, OWNERS OF PROFSNAL BASEBALL TEAMS FLOATED THE IA OF DRAFTG WOMEN TO THE FIELD ORR TO KEEP AMERI’S FAVORE PASTIME THE SPOTLIGHT DURG WHAT WERE OTHERWISE UNSETTLG DAYS.THE WOMEN WERE SUTED OM ALL OVER THE UNTRY AND BROUGHT TO CHIGO FOR TRYOUTS. ONE OF THE TEAMS ASSEMBLED, THE ROCKFORD PEACH, BASED ILLOIS, BEME THE SPIRATN FOR THE MOVIE—AND, NOW, THIS TV REIMAGG AND EXPANSN. THE FILM FEATURED DAVIS, MADONNA, O’DONNELL, AND LORI PETTY AS THE ATHLET UP TO BAT AGAST GENR BIAS—ATTENDG FISHG SCHOOL BETWEEN PRACTIC, PLAYG SKIRTS—WHILE WOWG FANS WH THEIR UNNIABLE SKILLS. AMAZON’S SERI, WHICH JABSON -CREATED WH WILL GRAHAM (WH MARSHALL’S BLSG BEFORE HER ATH), STARS JABSON AND CARN ROL THAT ULD BE SEEN AS ANALOGO TO THE FILM. BUT, AT EIGHT EPISOS, ALSO GETS TO ROUND BAS THAT MARSHALL ULDN’T, CLUDG FOLLOWG THE CHARACTER OF MAX CHAPMAN (PLAYED BY CHANTé ADAMS), A BLACK WOMAN SPERATE FOR THE OPPORTUNY TO PLAY THE LEAGUE AT A TIME WHEN SEGREGATNIST POLICI MA THAT SEEM IMPOSSIBLE. ADVERTISEMENT THERE’S A STORY THAT GRAHAM LIK TO TELL, WHICH IS RELAYED OM A STORY THAT ROSIE O’DONNELL—WHO MAK AN CREDIBLY MOVG MEO THE SERI—TOLD HIM. APPARENTLY, WHEN O’DONNELL WAS MEETG WH MARSHALL ABOUT THE FILM AND HER CHARACTER, THE BRASH, SPFIRE THIRD BASEWOMAN DORIS, SHE BLUNTLY TOLD MARSHALL: DORIS IS OBVLY GAY. “AND PENNY WAS JT LIKE, ‘NO,’” GRAHAM LGHS. “THERE WERE JT PLAC YOU ULDN’T GO AT THAT TIME.” (O’DONNELL ME OUT PUBLICLY 2002.)THEN THERE’S THE MEMORABLE SCENE WHEN, DURG TRYOUTS, A STRAY BALL THE OUTFIELD IS PICKED UP BY A BLACK WOMAN, WHO LNCH LIKE A NNON BACK TO HOME PLATE. SHE’S NEVER SEEN AGA. MARSHALL CLUD THE SCENE TO REFERENCE THE NEGRO LEAGUE PLAYERS AND THEIR RICH HISTORY. “I KNEW WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO DO THAT STORY, BUT I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM.” WHEN THEY MET WH MARSHALL BEFORE HER ATH 2018, SHE TOLD GRAHAM AND JABSON THAT HER ORIGAL CUT OF THE FILM WAS FOUR-AND-A-HALF HOURS LONG. (RELEASE THE MARSHALL CUT, YOU WARDS!) “SHE SAID, ‘THERE WAS SO MUCH THAT I WANTED TO DO THAT I DIDN’T GET TO DO,’” GRAHAM EXPLAS. THEY ASKED ABOUT THAT MOMENT, SPECIFILLY. “SHE WAS LIKE, ‘YEAH, I KNEW WE DIDN’T HAVE TIME TO DO THAT STORY, BUT I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM.’”THE NEW A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN IS THAT OPPORTUNY. IT’S A URSE RRECTN. IT’S A VALIDATN OF THE EXPERIENC OF THE REAL-LIFE WOMEN; MAYBELLE BLAIR, FOR EXAMPLE, THE PLAYER WHO SERVED AS THE SPIRATN FOR CARN’S CHARACTER, GRETA, ME OUT AS GAY JT THIS YEAR AT AGE 95, SPIRED BY WORKG AS A NSULTANT ON THE SERI. AND ’S PROOF THAT A REBOOT/REMAKE/REIMAGG—WHATEVER IS THAT WE’RE LLG THE DAYS—HAS VALUE WHEN ’S THE TALYST FOR EPENG A STORY.“WE WERE NEVER TRYG TO RECREATE THE FILM, BUT REALLY TRYG TO SHOWSE AND DIVE TO THE STORI THAT WE FELT WERE NOT SHOWN THE FILM,” JABSON SAYS. THE QUEER WOMEN AND THE WOMEN OF LOR EXISTED. NOW WE FALLY GET TO MEET THEM. ADVERTISEMENT THERE’S A PHENOMENON POP CULTURE THAT HAS ALWAYS SEEMED BAFFLG. STEPPG UP TO THE PLATE THERE ULD BE A PERSON FOR WHOM WATCHG LIVE SPORTS IS A FORM OF TORTURE. (THAT PERSON IS ME.) YET THAT SAME PERSON ULD BE OBSSED WH SPORTS MOVI AND TV SHOWS: VOUR THEM, GH OVER THEM, CRY LIKE A BABY AT THE CLIMAX EACH TIME, AND UNT ANY NUMBER OF THEM AMONG THEIR FAVOR. (OH HI, ME AGA!) SPORTS? GROSS! SPORTS MOVI? I’M ALREADY WEEPG AND MAKG PLANS TO SEE AGA.“THERE’S A LOT OF A BASEBALL GAME, IF WATCHED S ENTIRETY, WHERE YOU’RE LIKE, ‘I’M GONNA GO GET A DRK FOR A SEC,’” JABSON SAYS. BUT MOVI AND TV SERI ABOUT SPORTS SPRT RIGHT TOWARD THE MOST DRAMATIC MOMENTS. THEY’RE SIGNED TO BE EXCG, SORT OF THE WAY “YOU MIGHT NOT WATCH SPORTS, BUT YOU’LL NEVER MISS THE SUPER BOWL,” ADAMS ADDS.WHILE WORKG ON A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, JABSON WAS NSTANTLY TALKG ABOUT THE FILM RUDY. "‘WHAT’S THE RUDY MOMENT THIS?’ IT’S ABOUT THE LOVE OF THE GAME, AND ’S ABOUT THE GUY WHO GETS TO FALLY PLAY. AND ALMOST SURPASS WHETHER THEY W OR LOSE.”FOR CARN, THERE WAS SOMETHG ABOUT THE 1992 A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, PARTICULAR. “I DON’T UNRSTAND A SEND OF FOOTBALL. I UNRSTAND SOCCER. I REALLY DO LOVE BASEBALL, THOUGH,” SHE SAYS. “AND I LOVE SPORTS MOVI. I REMEMBER WATCHG BULL DURHAM AND BEG LIKE, ‘HUBBA HUBBA…’” BUT MARSHALL’S FILM WAS A WATERSHED, SEEG-THE-WORLD-DIFFERENTLY KD OF MOMENT FOR HER, “BEG A LTLE SPORTY GIRL AND NOT SEEG ANY GIRLS ANY OF THE OTHER MOVI.” ADVERTISEMENT “GETTG TO SEE 50 DIRTY, SPORTY GIRLS A MOVIE ON SCREEN AT ONE TIME BROKE MY BRA OPEN,” SHE SAYS. “I REMEMBER WAS A FEELG OF, LIKE, THIS IS POSSIBLE. THIS WAS REAL. THIS WAS ALLOWED. I WAS LIKE, ‘I NEED TO DO THAT.’” AMAZON GRAHAM, ON THE OTHER HAND, ADMS TO HAVG A TORTURED RELATNSHIP WH SPORTS. HIS HBAND IS A FOOTBALL FAN, AND HE’S TRIED LOVG FOR HIM. GROWG UP, HIS FATHER ENURAGED HIM TO PLAY LTLE LEAGUE, “WHICH, AS A LTLE QUEER KID WHO FELT LIKE HE WAS UNRVER AS A BOY, WAS VERY STRSFUL.”HE NOW REGNIZ THE VALUE OF THAT, THOUGH, AND N NNECT TO WHY HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SO MOVED TO EMBARK ON ADAPTG A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, SPE HIS EXPERIENCE AS A TRMATIZED YOUTH ATHLETE. (WHERE IS THE SUPPORT GROUP FOR THAT?)“WATCHG BASEBALL WAS A WAY FOR ME TO MUNITE WH MY DAD, EVEN WHEN I FELT LIKE I DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO BE THE RIGHT KD OF SON,” HE SAYS. “SO ’S EMOTNAL FOR ME. ON THE OTHER HAND, I LOVE A SPORTS MOVIE. I ULD WATCH FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGA. AND HALF OF THE CHARACTERS THAT SHOW PROBABLY DON’T THK I SHOULD HAVE RIGHTS! I WOULD STILL WATCH ! I THK ’S ABOUT THE FEELG OF BELONGG TO A GROUP AND TO A TEAM THAT I THK, FOR QUEER PEOPLE PARTICULAR, N BE SO POWERFUL.” AMAZON ADVERTISEMENT IT’S HARD TO UNRSTATE THAT POWER WHEN YOU WATCH THE NEW SERI, PECIALLY IF YOU’RE A FAN OF THE ORIGAL A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN AND PECIALLY IF YOU’RE A QUEER FAN OF . THE QUEER REPRENTATN AND THE DIGNY GIVEN TO THE CHARACTERS’ STORYL IS LIKE A FIREWORKS SHOW OF PROGRS, EACH DIVIDUAL EXPLOSN UNIQUE AND SPECIFIC, TOGETHER PROVIDG THIS LORFUL, KALEIDOSPIC DISPLAY OF VARIED THENTIC EXPERIENCE.BUT ’S THE MATTER-OF-FACTNS WH WHICH THE SHOW APPROACH THIS CLIVY THAT MAY ACTUALLY BE THE SPECTACLE. THERE WAS NO FANFARE LEADG UP TO THE RELEASE THAT THIS WAS GOG TO BE THE GRAND QUEERIFITN OF A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, AND ’S TREATED THE SERI AS LTLE MORE THAN AN ATTEMPT TO ACCURATELY REFLECT THE HUMANY OF THE WOMEN AS THEY LIVED .THERE’S A BREADTH OF EXPERIENCE. JABSON’S CARSON, WHO IS MARRIED TO A MAN WHO IS OFF AT WAR, HAS THE SLOW REALIZATN THAT SHE’S ATTRACTED TO CARN’S GRETA AS THEIR BOND GROWS THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. GRETA AND HER BT IEND JO (MELANIE FIELD) ARRIVE WH A REFUL SET OF L FOR HOW TO ACT ON THEIR SAME-SEX ATTRACTNS WHILE REMAG SAFE OM BEG OUTED. ROBERTA COLDREZ’S LUPE AND KELLY MCCORMACK’S JS WEAR THEIR GENR NONNFORMY AND QUEER NFINCE ON THEIR SLEEV, ECHOG BACK TO CHARACTERS THE 1992 FILM WHO WERE QUEER-D, BUT WHOSE SEXUALI WERE NEVER FURTHER VELOPED. AND ADAMS’ MAX DISVERS, THROUGH A NEW GENR NONBARY IEND, A VERABLE FANTASIA OF BLACK QUEERNS THAT REORIENTS HER ENTIRE WORLD AND HOW SHE SE . AMAZON “NOW MORE THAN EVER, THERE ARE MORE QUEER CHARACTERS BEG REPRENTED ON SCREEN, BUT THERE’S UALLY STILL, LIKE, ONE A SHOW,” JABSON SAYS. “THIS IS REALLY DIVG TO A VERY BROAD RANGE OF QUEERNS.”GOG BACK TO THE NAIVE A-HA MOMENT THAT THE CHARACTERS THE 1992 FILM WERE PROBABLY A LTLE GAY, WE START TALKG ABOUT THE 2020 NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY A SECRET LOVE, WHICH WAS PRODUCED BY RYAN MURPHY. SPEAKG PERSONALLY, THAT WAS WHEN MY EY WERE OPENED TO THE FACT THAT THERE WAS SO MUCH MORE THAT THE WOMEN WERE SHOULRG BEYOND THE PRSUR WE SAW MARSHALL’S MOVIE: AS JABSON SAYS, “BEG ASKED TO PLAY BASEBALL AT THE TOP OF THEIR GAME—WHICH IS WILDLY ATHLETIC, GRTY, DIRTY, AND DIFFICULT—WHILE UNR THE MALE GAZE AND FULL MAKP, FULL HAIR, WEARG LIPSTICK, AND WEARG SHORT SKIRTS.” ADVERTISEMENT THEY ALSO HAD TO NAVIGATE A WORLD THAT WOULDN’T ACCEPT THEIR LOVE STORI. THE FILM REUNTS THE RELATNSHIP BETWEEN TERRY DONAHUE, WHO PLAYED THE BASEBALL LEAGUE OM THE FILM AND THE SERI ALL THOSE YEARS AGO, AND HER PARTNER OF 72 YEARS, PAT HENSCHEL, AND WHAT TOOK FOR THEM TO E OUT TO THEIR FAI AFTER A LIFETIME TOGETHER. “THAT DOC TORE ME UP,” JABSON SAYS. DONOHUE AND MAYBELLE BLAIR KNEW EACH OTHER DURG THOSE BASEBALL DAYS THE ’40S. JABSON’S NVERSATNS WH BLAIR WERE VALUABLE SCRIPTG THE AMAZON SERI; A SECRET LOVE ADD EVEN MORE EMOTNAL NTEXT.“HEARG MAYBELLE’S STORI AND HEARG OTHER ACUNTS OF WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE... LISTEN, I THK SHE TALKS ABOUT MORE A POSIVE WAY THAN MAYBE SHE SHAR ABOUT HOW DANGERO WAS—AND STILL IS A LOT OF PLAC THE WORLD TO BE TO BE QUEER,” SHE SAYS. “I MEAN, SHE JT ME OUT AT 95. SO THAT ALONE TELLS YOU THERE’S A LOT OF STAK AND THERE’S A LOT OF FEAR G OUT. IT JT REALLY MATTERS TO SHARE THOSE STORI.” AMAZON THE A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN SERI HAS SENT VIEWERS DOWN RABB HOL, SPERATE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE REAL-LIFE WOMEN WHO SPIRED THE ROCKFORD PEACH THE SHOW—A JOURNEY WHICH TAK THEM TO NAM LIKE MAYBELLE BLAIR, TERRY DONAHUE, AND NEGRO LEAGUE PLAYERS LIKE MAMIE JOHNSON, CONNIE MAN, AND TONI STONE, WHO WERE SPIRATNS FOR ADAMS’ CHARACTER. ADVERTISEMENT “ANYONE WHO CLAIMS TO BE A LOVER OF BASEBALL SHOULD KNOW THEIR NAM ONT TO BACK—WHO THEY PLAYED FOR AND EVERYTHG LIKE THAT—BEE ’S SO INIC, AND ’S SO HISTORIC WHAT THEY DID,” ADAMS SAYS.BUT ALL OF THIS IS AN ENAVOR THAT, REALLY, STARTED WH PENNY MARSHALL 30 YEARS AGO—SOMETHG THAT, AS THE SERI IS PRAISED FOR THE CLIVY THAT HER FILM LACKED, GRAHAM IS QUICK TO REMD PEOPLE. “HAVE A GREAT TIME. THE STORI CHANGED MY LIFE. AND THEY'LL CHANGE YOURS, TOO.” HIS AND JABSON’S PHONE NVERSATN WH HER WAS, AS ONE WOULD IMAGE, NERVE-WRACKG; THE SE OF A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, AK TO VISG GOD TO ASK ABOUT REIMAGG THE BIBLE. THEY TALKED FOR A LONG TIME. AT ONE POT, SHE SAID SHE NEED TO E THE BATHROOM AND DISAPPEARED FOR 15 MUT. THEY WONRED IF THEY HAD BEEN GHOSTED. BUT SHE RETURNED AND EXPLAED ALL THE THREADS THAT SHE SPERATELY WISHED SHE ULD HAVE EXPLORED. THEN SHE TOLD THEM, “HAVE A GREAT TIME. THE STORI CHANGED MY LIFE. AND THEY’LL CHANGE YOURS, TOO.”EVERYONE I TALKED TO SHARED THE SAME SENTIMENT: WHAT THE MOVIE DID AT S TIME, DID PERFECTLY. AND NOW THEY’RE JT LUCKY AND PRIVILEGED TO GET TO DO MORE.“THERE’S SOMETHG REALLY POWERFUL ABOUT HAVG YOUR STORY TOLD ONE WAY,” GRAHAM SAYS. “AND ISN’T THAT TERTG HOW WE ACCEPT THE STORY THAT WE’RE GIVEN?” THAT’S WHY HE THKS THIS SHOW WILL BE PROFOUND TO MANY PEOPLE. “THERE’S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAVG TO READ YOURSELF TO SOMETHG AND BEG ABLE TO SEE YOURSELF RIGHT THERE.” ADVERTISEMENT KEEP OBSSG! SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK, TWTER, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK. KEV FALLON

”“A lot of people who love the movie—gay people, straight people— didn’t dawn on them until they’ve thought of as an adult, ” says D’Arcy Carn (The Good Place), who -stars.

“And then they’re like, well, of urse they were gay!

MAY 2023: WHAT’S NEW, GAY AND STREAMG ON NETFLIX, HULU, PARAMOUNT+ AND HBO MAX

Apparently, when O’Donnell was meetg wh Marshall about the film and her character, the brash, spfire third basewoman Doris, she bluntly told Marshall: Doris is obvly gay. It’s a validatn of the experienc of the real-life women; Maybelle Blair, for example, the player who served as the spiratn for Carn’s character, Greta, me out as gay jt this year at age 95, spired by workg as a nsultant on the seri. ”Gog back to the naive a-ha moment that the characters the 1992 film were probably a ltle gay, we start talkg about the 2020 Netflix documentary A Secret Love, which was produced by Ryan Murphy.

” I’m not sure which girls on the show are gonna be the gay on, but queer actor Regan Aliyah is playg Juliana, so I’m placg at least one bet on her. Hulu’s May 2023 Shows for Girls, Gays & Theys.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT A SEEMGLY FAKE DOCUMENT A GAY RIGHTS CASE

His sensibily as a gay artist has shaped and elevated the magaze’s athetic, but he has to keep his creativy check lt Mx be seen as a magaze for gay men. But fish strong, as the nflict over Richie’s bathhoe project grows and Mx has to nsir whether ’s too risky for the magaze to speak to gay men, or even gay moments like this, the historil fictn feels not entirely historil.

AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTA supposed requt for a webse for a same-sex weddg played a mor role a major clash between ee speech and gay rights at the Supreme Supreme Court led last week that a Colorado graphic signer has the right to refe to create webs for same-sex Jiang for The New York TimAfter the Supreme Court led last week that a Colorado graphic signer has the right to refe to create webs for same-sex marriag, crics of the cisn raised qutns about a form clud urt papers the se that appeared to show that a gay uple had sought the servic of the signer, Lorie man who supposedly submted the form said he was unaware of s existence until a reporter for The New Republic lled him. He is, moreover, straight, married to a woman and a supporter of gay rights. More about Adam LiptakA versn of this article appears prt on, Sectn A, Page 12 of the New York edn wh the headle: Crics Are Qutng a Seemgly Fake Document a Recent Gay Rights Case.

He’s Barbie’s gay bt iend. 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 heavily implied nature of Ken’s gayns Toy Story 3 harkens back to Hollywood’s tradnal gay bt iend-type characters.

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

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 of the characters were the same—some were tty, others sweet.