Freddie Mercury: Queen Sger, Gay Clubs, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ – Rollg Stone

freddie the gay

World Entertament News Network reports that QUEEN guarist Brian May did not realize his bandmate Freddie Mercury was gay for years — bee the flamboyant star had a strg of girliends. The pair was close durg the early days of the band, but the legendary guarist sists he had no cl...

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WAS FREDDIE MERCURY GAY?

In the film, the real tensns of gay life the 1980s – om ernment apathy towards the AIDS crisis, to rampant anti-gay prejudice – don’t get their due. * freddie the gay *

” The film has been dogged by accatns of homophobia, and the film’s director, Bryan Sger, was acced of rape and sexual abe. But as a gay historian, I keep g back to somethg else – the tragic history that’s glargly absent om this movie.

Gay men, the thkg went, were gettg bee of “risky” behavrs like havg lots of partners.

QUEEN GUARIST BRIAN MAY: 'I DIDN'T KNOW' FREDDIE MERCURY WAS GAY

* freddie the gay *

The medil profsn’s view of HIV was so lored by the ia that was trsilly gay that at first they named the vis “GRID, ” an acronym for “gay-related immunoficiency. But there was nothg about gay sex particular that ed AIDS. Lots of straight people had multiple partners the 1970s and 1980s, but ially, by chance, some muni of gay men were h harr.

Glossg over the era’s homophobia. Two years before he was diagnosed, a Los Angel Tim poll found that a majory of Amerins wanted to quarante HIV-posive people; 42 percent wanted to close gay bars. Anti-gay protters heckle marchers durg the 1990 Gay Pri Para along Fifth Avenue New York.

FREDDIE MERCURY’S SEXUALY REMAED A MYSTERY EVEN TO HIS QUEEN BANDMATNICK DERISONICK DERISOPUBLISHED: MAY 16, 2018KEYSTONE, GETTY IMAGSHARETWEETTHEY DIDN'T KNOW. MAYBE, THEY DIDN'T WANT TO KNOW.QUEEN NEVER TALKED MUCH ABOUT FREDDIE MERCURY'S SEXUALY, AND EVEN LS ABOUT THE DISEASE THAT EVENTUALLY KILLED HIM. "WE WERE VERY CLOSE AS A GROUP," DMMER ROGER TAYLOR SAID, NOT LONG AFTER MERCURY DIED OF AIDS 1991. "BUT EVEN WE DIDN'T KNOW A LOT OF THGS ABOUT FREDDIE."STILL, MERCURY'S BANDMAT WERE NFINT OF ONE THG: HE ULDN'T BE FED SOME SUPERFICIAL, BARY WAY. THAT SIMPLY DON'T REFLECT THE PLEXY THAT SHOT THROUGH EVERY ELEMENT OF MERCURY'S LIFE AND, OF URSE, THE BAND HE ONCE ONTED.IF ANYTHG, SOME SAY, FREDDIE MERCURY WAS BISEXUAL, LONG BEFORE THAT BEME SUCH A MONLY DISCSED THG. "I DON'T THK EVEN HE WAS FULLY GNIZANT THE BEGNG," GUARIST BRIAN MAY ONCE TOLD THE DAILY EXPRS. "YOU'RE TALKG TO SOMEONE WHO SHARED ROOMS WH FRED ON THE FIRST UPLE OF TOURS, SO I KNEW HIM PRETTY WELL. I KNEW A LOT OF HIS GIRLIENDS, AND HE CERTALY DIDN'T HAVE BOYIENDS THOSE DAYS, THAT'S FOR SURE. I THK THERE WAS A SLIGHT SPICN BUT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME THAT HE WAS GAY."MERCURY KEPT TO HIMSELF, PERHAPS AS A FENSE MECHANISM BUT ALSO BEE HE LIKED TO CULTIVATE A SENSE OF MYSTERY. IT WORKED: QUTNS ABOUT JT HOW MERCURY MIGHT BE PORTRAYED DOGGED THE QUEEN DOCU-DRAMA BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, EVEN BEFORE WAS RELEASED TO THEATERS. MAY ADD THAT MERCURY REVEALED TO QUEEN THAT HE ALSO LIKED MEN ONLY "YEARS AFTER WAS OBV.""THE VISORS TO FREDDIE'S DRSG ROOM STARTED TO CHANGE OM HOT CHICKS TO HOT MEN," MAY TOLD THE TIM OF LONDON 2017. "IT DIDN'T MATTER TO ; WHY SHOULD ? BUT FREDDIE HAD THIS HAB OF SAYG, 'WELL, I SUPPOSE YOU REALIZE THIS, THAT OR THE OTHER,' THIS VERY OFFHAND WAY – AND HE DID SAY AT SOME POT, 'I SUPPOSE YOU REALIZE I'VE CHANGED MY PRIVATE LIFE?'"SOME ARGUE THIS SHIFT WAS ONLY A BELATED MANIFTATN OF FEELGS THAT WERE ALWAYS THERE, RATHER THAN ANY KD OF SUDN REALIZATN. CLASSMAT AT THE ST. PETER'S CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCHOOL PANCHGANI, INDIA, AN ELE BOARDG SCHOOL WHERE THE YOUNG TANZANIA-BORN FARROKH BULSARA HAD BEGUN SCHOOL AT AGE EIGHT, APPARENTLY ALWAYS SPECTED HE MIGHT BE GAY. NEEDLS TO SAY, TIM WERE DIFFERENT 1954."HE HAD THIS HAB OF LLG ONE 'DARLG,' WHICH I MT SAY SEEMED A LTLE FEY. IT SIMPLY WASN'T SOMETHG BOYS DID THOSE DAYS," SCHOOLMISTRS JA SMH SAYS MERCURY: AN INTIMATE BGRAPHY OF FREDDIE MERCURY. "IT WAS ACCEPTED THAT FREDDIE WAS HOMOSEXUAL WHEN HE WAS HERE. NORMALLY, WOULD HAVE BEEN, 'OH, GOD, YOU KNOW, 'S JT GHASTLY.' BUT WH FREDDIE SOMEHOW WASN'T. IT WAS OKAY."THE BULSARAS EVENTUALLY END UP MIDDLEX, NEAR LONDON, AFTER THE FAY'S HOMELAND – THEN LLED ZANZIBAR – WAS NSUMED A REVOLUTN 1964. THERE, FARROKH BULSARA WAS PERMANENTLY LEFT BEHD FOR FREDDIE MERCURY, THOUGH EVERY NTRADICTN WAS PLACE OM THE START.WATCH QUEEN'S 'BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY' VIOHIS OUTFS WERE WILDLY ANDROGYNO; HIS ONSTAGE PERSONA RPORATED A THEATRIL SENSE OF MP. "IN THOSE DAYS, WAS THE FASHN TO BE KD OF DANDYISH, AND I SUPPOSE WE HAD A HAND CREATG THE FASHN," MAY TOLD THE DAILY EXPRS. "SO THERE WAS THIS DOUBT PEOPLE'S MDS AS TO WHETHER YOU MIGHT BE GAY OR NOT. IT WAS A NVENIENT LTLE PLACE TO BE."EVEN THE CISN TO LL HIS BAND QUEEN WAS MEANT TO PROVOKE, TO LOR EVERYTHG THEY DID WH A WHISPER OF MYSTERY: IS HE OR ISN'T HE?"THE NAME WAS FREDDIE'S IA," TAYLOR SAID IS THIS THE REAL LIFE?: THE UNTOLD STORY OF QUEEN. AT THIS POT, THE TWO WERE SELLG ODDS AND ENDS AT THE FAMOLY BOHEMIAN KENSGTON MARKET, STILL HOPG MIC ULD ONE DAY PAY THE BILLS. "IN THOSE DAYS, THERE WAS A PRETTY ECCENTRIC CROWD THERE, AND A LOT OF THEM WERE GAY AND A LOT OF THEM PRETEND TO BE, AND JT SEEMED TO F ," TAYLOR ADD. "I DIDN'T LIKE THE NAME ORIGALLY AND NEHER DID BRIAN, BUT WE GOT ED TO ."TRACKS LIKE "BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY," WHICH SO LONGED FOR AN UNREACHABLE EEDOM, SEEMED TO BE HTS AS TO WHAT MAY HAVE BEEN EP SI HIS HEART. "THERE'S BEEN SO MUCH ANALYSIS OF THE SONG, BUT I SUBSCRIBE TO THE THEORY – AND I NEVER DISCSED WH [FREDDIE] – THAT WAS HIS G OUT SONG,” JOHN REID, QUEEN'S MANAGER AT THE TIME, SAID SOMEBODY TO LOVE: THE LIFE, DEATH, AND LEGACY OF FREDDIE MERCURY. MAY, ON THE OTHER HAND, VEHEMENTLY DISAGREED.BEYOND THE WOMEN MERCURY DATED DURG QUEEN'S EARLY YEARS, HE MATAED A LENGTHY RELATNSHIP WH MARY AT – FIRST AS A ROMANTIC PARTNER AND ONE-TIME FIANCEE, THEN AS THE CLOST OF NFIDANTS. HE REVEALED HIS SEXUAL YEARNGS TO AT WHILE QUEEN WERE AT WORK ON 1976'S A DAY AT THE RAC – STATG FLATLY BACK THEN THAT HE WAS BISEXUAL. "I TOLD HIM, 'I THK YOU'RE GAY,'" AT TOLD THE DAILY MIRROR 2000. "AND NOTHG ELSE WAS SAID. WE JT HUGGED."BY THE EARLY '80S, MERCURY'S OUTLANDISH OUTFS HAD GIVEN WAY TO A TONED AND TRIM STYLE, PERHAPS AS HE GREW MORE NFINT HIS OWN SK. BUT TROUBLE LOOMED, AS THE AIDS CRISIS SWEPT THROUGH THE GAY MUNY. AFTER YEARS SPENT UNABASHEDLY ENJOYG THE SEXUALLY OPEN DIS SCENE MUNICH, WHERE QUEEN HAD RERD, MERCURY SUBMTED TO A PAIR OF AIDS TTS. THE RULTS WERE NEGATIVE 1985, BUT HE WASN'T SO LUCKY 1987. LATE LIFE, HE'D SETTLED TO A STURDY PARTNERSHIP WH JIM HUTTON, BUT WAS TOO LATE TO SAVE MERCURY. A CKTAIL OF DGS THAT SOON MA THE ILLNS MANAGEABLE WAS NOT YET MON E.LATER, SOMEBODY TO LOVE SOUGHT TO PPOT THE MOMENT WHEN MERCURY NTRACTED THE HUMAN-IMMUNOFICIENCY VIS, SAYG HE AS ALREADY EXHIBG SOME SYMPTOMS AS EARLY AS SEPTEMBER 1982 WHEN QUEEN WERE NEW YORK CY FOR AN APPEARANCE ON SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.CONTUG A LIFE-LONG TREND, MERCURY CHOSE NOT TO DISCS ANY OF THIS TOO EPLY WH QUEEN. "WE KNEW SOMETHG WAS GOG ON," MAY ADMTED LATER ON, "BUT WAS NOT TALKED ABOUT."WATCH QUEEN'S 'THE ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIV' VIOEVENTUALLY, MERCURY WAS STCK WH AIDS, A GROUP OF BILATG SYMPTOMS ED BY HIV. FALLY READY TO DISCLOSE HIS HEALTH ISSU, HE RETURNED TO ANOTHER FAIAR TROPE: "HE SAID, 'I SUPPOSE YOU REALIZE THAT I’M ALG WH THIS ILLNS,'" MAY TOLD THE TIM OF LONDON. "OF URSE, WE ALL KNEW, BUT WE DIDN'T WANT TO. HE SAID, 'YOU PROBABLY GATHER THAT I'M ALG WH THIS THG AND I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT , AND I DON’T WANT OUR LIV TO CHANGE, BUT THAT’S THE SUATN.’ AND THEN HE WOULD MOVE ON."BY THE TIME QUEEN RELEASED THE MIRACLE MAY 1989, HAD BEE CLEAR TO THEIR SGER THAT HIS TIME WAS NNG SHORT. MERCURY SET ABOUT RERDG AS MUCH AS HE ULD, THE HOP OF PLETG MULTIPLE QUEEN ALBUMS. HE NEVER TOLD HIS PARENTS HE WAS GAY OR THAT HE HAD AIDS."HE CID TO JT VE ALL OVER TO THE HOE FOR A MEETG," TAYLOR TOLD ROLLG STONE 2014. MERCURY SAID, "YOU PROBABLY REALIZE WHAT MY PROBLEM IS. WELL, THAT'S AND I DON'T WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. I DON'T WANT TO BE KNOWN. I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT . I JT WANT TO GET ON AND WORK UNTIL I FUCKG WELL DROP. I'D LIKE YOU TO SUPPORT ME THIS."SO MUCH, AS ALWAYS HAD, REMAED UNSPOKEN. THE BAND CLOSED RANKS AS WORK BEGAN ON INNUENDO, WHICH FOLLOWED 1991. (ADDNAL RERDGS OM THIS PERD WERE LATER ED TO NSTCT 1995'S MA HEAVEN.) MAY AND TAYLOR, ON MORE THAN ONE OCSN, FOUND THEMSELV VOICG THEIR BANDMATE'S UNEXPRSED FEELGS."WE DIDN'T SPEAK TO EACH OTHER ABOUT LYRICS," MAY TOLD MOJO 2004. "WE WERE JT TOO EMBARRASSED TO TALK ABOUT THE WORDS." MAY'S "THE SHOW MT GO ON" AND TAYLOR'S "THE ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIV" "WERE THGS THAT WE GAVE TO FREDDIE AS A WAY OF HIM WORKG THROUGH STUFF WH ." MAY TOLD ROLLG STONE. "AND THAT WASN'T SPOKEN. IT WAS TRYG TO FD THE END BEFORE WE GOT THERE."DPE HIS CREASGLY GNT APPEARANCE, MERCURY NTUED TO NY REPORTS THAT HE HAD NTRACTED AIDS – UNTIL HE SUDNLY RELEASED A STATEMENT ON NOV. 23, 1991. MERCURY WAS FOUND AD THE VERY NEXT DAY, AS TAYLOR SHED TO HIS BEDSI. PETER FRETONE, MERCURY'S PERSONAL ASSISTANT OVER HIS LAST 12 YEARS, LLED TO SAY "DON'T BOTHER G."FREDDIE MERCURY REMAED A ENIGMA: AFTER ALL OF THIS TIME, AND AFTER ALL OF HIS MANY SUBSEQUENT LOV, MERCURY'S WILL DICTATED THAT MARY AT – NOT JIM HUTTON, OR ANY OTHER MAN BEFORE HIM – WOULD RECEIVE NEARLY HIS ENTIRE TATE. AT, WHOM MERCURY HAD SCRIBED AS THE "LOVE OF MY LIFE," WAS ALSO TO SPREAD HIS ASH A SECRET LOTN. SHE STILL LIV HIS ELABORATE MANSN; THE R IS UNCHANGED."ANYONE WHO PORTRAYS FRED AS PURELY A GAY STORY," MAY TOLD THE DAILY EXPRS, "IS MISSG A LOT OF THE POT."YOU THK YOU KNOW QUEEN?   FREDDIE MERCURY: YEAR BY YEAR PHOTOS

No one “Bohemian Rhapsody” is overtly homophobic; when homophobia appears at all, ’s subtler forms. In real life, Mercury faced rampant homophobia – he never really me out publicly, and ’s easy to see why.

Passed a notor anti-gay law that clared, officially, that homosexualy shouldn’t be promoted and that same-sex upl had “pretend” fai, not real fai. When Freddie Mercury changed his look to mimic a style popular among gay men, not all of his fans were on board. Ask yourself: When you danced to “YMCA” at your high school talent show, did you know was about gay culture?

In the 1980s, Mercury dched his glam rock look and cut his hair a style popular gay subculture, donng a black leather jacket and sportg an enviable, geo mtache. (Image cred: Alamy)As a new box-set of Mercury’s solo work is released, Nick Leve nsirs the Queen legend’s myster inty – and his plex relatnship wh both his race and 1984, two years after the Gay Men’s Health Crisis anisatn was formed New York to bat Aids, Freddie Mercury sred his first solo h wh Love Kills. In his lifetime, Brish newspaper The Sun brand the sger a “bisexual rock star”, and recent years the media has equently referred to him as gay.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* FREDDIE THE GAY

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data-ttid="ContentHearContaer" class="ContentHearContaer-cGKRbE knDxNq"><div class="ContentHearHedAccredatnWrapper-GFiQf cDNVlV"><div data-ttid="ContentHearTleBlockWrapper" class="ContentHearTleBlockWrapper-cjmSKp eiGjZk"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubric" class="ContentHearRubricBlock-LmpbT tPofh"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubricDateBlock" class="ContentHearRubricDateBlock-kAQcZP fTFWxD"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX gPBNpL bric ContentHearRubricContaer-eTudtt iRsSlw"><a class="RubricLk-gRWSOU cwyjHY bric__lk" href="/culture"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Culture</span></a></div></div></div><h1 data-ttid="ContentHearHed" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearHed-NCyCC iUEiRd jdcWfa isouMH"><em>Bohemian Rhapsody</em>’s Queer Reprentatn Is Downright Dangero</h1></div><div class="ContentHearAccredatn-lfctVB etVsnJ ntent-hear__accredatn" data-ttid="ContentHearAccredatn"><div class="ContentHearDek-bIqFFZ eijTxK">"It’s not <em>Bohemian Rhapsody</em>’s historil ntext that moniz Mercury’s same-sex attractn — ’s the mera self."</div><div class="ContentHearByle-kmPyCa emiglw"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset ContentHearContributorImage-cvjZXn epCAJC"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa ContentHearContributorImage-cvjZXn epCAJC rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 80w" siz="66px"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 90w" siz="66px"/><img alt="" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></span><div class="ContentHearByleContent-dpPmNn DRFq"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl ContentHearByl-cZqgyJ bHLeKI"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH hdWCIC byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bCbgyH gnILss byle__preamble">By </span><a class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM ByleLk-gEnFiw iUEiRd hSmufO skIR eErqIx byle__name-lk button" href="/ntributor/naveen-kumar">Naveen Kumar</a></span></span></p></div><time data-ttid="ContentHearPublishDate" dateTime="2018-11-03T08:00:00-04:00" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearPublishDate-eIBicG iUEiRd dCoEhu bDGyxQ">November 3, 2018</time></div></div><div class="SocialInsWrapper-hKMEXV ffgPVr social-ins social-ins--standard ContentHearAccredatnSocialIns-jorO fPzfaa ntent-hear__social-share"><ul data-ttid="socialInslist" class="SocialInsList-cHVTIA ivmblD social-ins__list"><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR fxaFQj social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--twter social-ins__list-em--standard"><a aria-label="Share on X" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU blkfJb social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--twter" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div 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href="mailto:?subject=Bohemian%20Rhapsody%E2%80%99s%20Queer%20Reprentatn%20Is%20Downright%20Dangero& rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-email" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" xmlns="><tle>Email</tle><path d="M6 23h20V9H6v14zm3.631-12H22.37l-6.368 5.661L9.631 11zM24 12.227V21H8v-8.773l8.002 7.109L24 12.227z" fill-le="evenodd"></path></svg></div></a></li></ul></div></div></div><div class="ContentHearLeadAsset-hGbumP dDDxdb lead-asset ContentHearLeadAssetWrapper-hfXHEc Grck" data-ttid="ContentHearLeadAsset"><figure class="ContentHearLeadAssetContent-kOfYSG dRGWbI"><div class="ContentHearLeadAssetContentMedia-bLEIpi jjhWdS lead-asset__ntent__photo"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset ContentHearRponsiveAsset-bREgIb hONbnm"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz ccdiSo"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa ContentHearRponsiveAsset-bREgIb hONbnm rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w, 1920w, 2240w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="A still om Bohemian Rhapsody" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></div></div></span><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE hTTfoq ptn ContentHearLeadAssetCaptn-hPWmSN hfnsqH"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd eNhSMp fNaHcW ptn__cred">Alex Bailey</span></div></div></figure></div></div><asi class="PersistentAsiWrapper-VGrR oEIBz persistent-asi persistent-asi--align-left" style="posn:absolute;top:to;height:to" data-ttid="PersistentAsiWrapper"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jNgrSF sticky-box ContentHearPersistentAsi-fsnAmQ dFzKzm"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="SocialInsWrapper-hKMEXV ffgPVr social-ins social-ins--has-background ContentHearSocialIns-jzJiyg fLarGt social-ins--share"><ul data-ttid="socialInslist" class="SocialInsList-cHVTIA ivmblD social-ins__list"><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR gQILrJ social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--twter social-ins__list-em--has-background"><a aria-label="Share on X" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU etOOvH social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--twter" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-twter" focable="false" width="30" height="30" viewBox="0 0 1200 1227" fill="none" xmlns=" style="width:45%;height:45%"><tle>X</tle><path d="M714.163 519.284L1160.89 0H1055.03L667.137 450.887L357.328 0H0L468.492 681.821L0 1226.37H105.866L515.491 750.218L842.672 1226.37H1200L714.137 519.284H714.163ZM569.165 687.828L521.697 619.934L144.011 79.6944H306.615L611.412 515.685L658.88 583.579L1055.08 1150.3H892.476L569.165 687.854V687.828Z" fill="black"></path></svg></div></a></li><li class="SocialInsListItem-mbhR gQILrJ social-ins__list-em social-ins__list-em--email social-ins__list-em--has-background"><a aria-label="Share via Email" class="external-lk SocialInExternalLk-huuzOU etOOvH social-ins__lk social-ins__lk--email" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"mailto:?subject=Bohemian%20Rhapsody%E2%80%99s%20Queer%20Reprentatn%20Is%20Downright%20Dangero&" href="mailto:?subject=Bohemian%20Rhapsody%E2%80%99s%20Queer%20Reprentatn%20Is%20Downright%20Dangero& rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><div class="SocialInContaer-huXzUC pMzVC social-ins__in-ntaer"><svg class="SocialInNetworkInComponent-cZaKGz dlOAhZ in in-email" focable="false" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32" height="32" xmlns="><tle>Email</tle><path d="M6 23h20V9H6v14zm3.631-12H22.37l-6.368 5.661L9.631 11zM24 12.227V21H8v-8.773l8.002 7.109L24 12.227z" fill-le="evenodd"></path></svg></div></a></li></ul></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></asi></hear></div><div data-attribute-verso-pattern="article-body" class="ArticlePageContentBackGround-cNiFNN kJkLmH article-body__ntent"><div class="ArticlePageChunksContent-etcMtP bwyLBj"><div data-ttid="ArticlePageChunks" class="ArticlePageChunks-fLyCVG eOdfIs"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bectqB body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p><em>Bohemian Rhapsody</em> opens wh Queen’s 1976 h “Somebody to Love,” unsubtly blazong Freddie Mercury’s qut for pannship as s central dilemma, alongsi the meteoric rise of the band that ma him an in. “Can anybody fd me somebody to love?” Freddie (played by Rami Malek) pleads as the mera pans over his shoulr a flash-forward to the Live Aid performance that crystalized Queen’s place among the world’s greatt rockers.</p><p>The ontman bpic, theaters November 2, far om ignor the sger’s alleged bisexualy, as <a href=">feared might</a> when the first trailer was released this sprg. (While Mercury was known to have relatnships wh both men and women, he <a href=">strongly risted mentg</a> publicly on his private life.) But director Bryan Sger’s characterizatn of Mercury’s sexualy has ltle, if anythg, to do wh sex. In fact, there is not a sgle sex scene the film’s drawn-out ntime — a startlg omissn given Mercury’s storied sexual appete, and even spe the movie’s PG-13 ratg. (Pl, this is supposed to be about rock ’n’ roll, remember?)</p><div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--article-mid-ntent" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--article-mid-ntent nsumer-marketg-un__slot---ntent"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><p>Rather, <em>Rhapsody</em> seiz on s protagonist’s sexualy as the root of a dual and stctive nature; a pivot around which to nstct s narrative of petg, and ultimately irrencilable, sir. Sger sts Mercury’s psychosexual imagatn as a tug-of-war between nventn and perversn, love and lt, secury and dissolutn. Such reprentatn isn’t jt cliche and dangeroly rctive s vilifitn of homosexual sire and implic validatn of bisexual inty. It also renrs a flh-and-blood pneer of genrqueer glam rock wh a richly erotic psyche as a hollow and false totem of the perils of fame.</p><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><p>Any film about a queer celebry, set even the recent past, has an obligatn to ntextualize how a star's queerns was exprsed and received durg ls tolerant tim. But ’s not <em>Bohemian Rhapsody</em>’s historil ntext that moniz Mercury’s same-sex attractn — ’s the mera self.</p><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad---ntent"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot---ntent" data-no-id="uhy7"></div></div><p>Mercury’s nservative Parsi-Indian background and the rock scene’s heteronormative fan appeal were doubly stacked agast him. But <em>Bohemian Rhapsody</em> is only dly ncerned wh potential fallout om mom and dad (played by Meneka Das and Ace Bhatti) — stereotyp of South Asian immigrant parents if I’ve ever seen them. They wrg their hands when their son abandons his birth name, Farrokh Bulsara, to fully adopt his stage moniker. Mr. Bulsara is briefly shown readg tabloid headl about his son’s backroom dallianc wh men, and keepg the paper om Freddie’s mother. A rolutory scene that fds them quietly acceptg Jim Hutton (Aaron McCker), who would go on to be Mercury’s lifelong partner, as a “iend” Freddie brgs home for tea is so pat as to feel absurd.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB kNleGZ sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="3xkjx"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div data-ttid="RowWrapper" class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="9x7h"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bectqB body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>Admtg to his same-sex attractn uld have also spelled reer suici — not jt for Mercury, but for the entire band. But <em>Bohemian Rhapsody</em> is even ls ncerned wh how Queen’s ontman may have grappled wh his fear of such nsequenc. There are no scen of fan spicn or backlash, or any evince to suggt Mercury was worried about how fans might react were they to know more about his private life. (Nor do show the legns of queer fans who might have been spired to know the tth.) A prs nference that fds reporters probg to mors of his gay liaisons is overwhelmed by the ontman's dnkenns, offerg ltle sight as to why he so stnchly guard his privacy. Instead, Mercury’s passn for nservg his relatnship wh fans is meant to be implied, as the film posns his ketic nnectn to teemg arenas as the te love of his life.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-1 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p>By all acunts, another of Mercury’s great lov was his longtime pann and sometime fiancée Mary At (Lucy Boynton). From the moment he meets her backstage at a rock show, jt after briefly cisg a man nearby, the movie figur Mary as an anchor of domticy. The two quickly fall love and share a chaste morng-after scene on a mattrs beneath a piano before he leav her behd London as Queen tours the world. Scen that fd Freddie sharg late-night phone lls wh Mary om the road are juxtaposed wh flash of the sger stalkg through gay bars, all red-lights and leather, or watchg a man disappear to the men's room, beckong Freddie wh his ey. Whether he’ll follow isn’t a qutn of sire, but one of viance. After all, he has a perfectly voted woman wag at home on the other end of the le.</p><p>The film’s avatar for gay perversn the peculiarly wholome form of <em>Downton Abbey</em>’s Allen Leech, who plays Pl Prenter, a gay member of Queen’s management team. When Pl first mak a pass at Freddie, the sger sists Pl has him all wrong: “You only see what you want to see,” Freddie tells him. It’s a lud nial, or a rightful claim to feelg misunrstood about the fluidy of his sire — perhaps both. Soon afterward, when he shakily nfs he thks he’s bisexual to Mary At, she rponds jt as one might expect: “You’re gay.”</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="n57sjb"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="RecircMostPopularWrapper-bRuGTi jkTTgR recirc-most-popular-wrapper viewport-monor-anchor"><div class="RecircMostPopularConter-jiViNn ktrplG recirc-most-popular-sparrow-trackg hi-asi-ad" data-most-popular-id="mod-most-popular-401"><div 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summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dHMSJg summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH ecFEgL byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name">Samantha Riel</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff dWIojf summary-em summary-em--has-borr summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-si-by-si summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw jykXPG" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Virgo Season Is Gog to Be Punishg. What to Expect Based on Your Sign" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl clSLtF summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX gPBNpL bric SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Astrology</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM jRfyII summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk--unrle-disable" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ jbVqqA summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Virgo Season Is Gog to Be Punishg. What to Expect Based on Your Sign</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dHMSJg summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH ecFEgL byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name">Jennifer Culp </span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></li><li><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ RecircMostPopularSummaryItem-jQxxiw gmWMTZ ad ad--asi"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--asi" data-no-id="gcyk5a"></div></div></li></ul><div class="RecircMostPopularFooter-enPjgs laPXdt"></div></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div><div data-ttid="RowWrapper" class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="guat3s"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bectqB body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p>But rather than show even chaste scen of affectn between Freddie and Pl (or any man for that matter), the movie sts Pl as the stigator and eventually the story’s outright villa. The two are implied to be at least sexually volved, if not romantilly, though none of that appears on screen. Pl persuas the ontman to sign his own rerd al, sentially breakg up the band. Freddie’s time sequtered wh Pl Munich workg on his solo rerds is clearly nsted as his rock bottom — Pl isolat Freddie om his loved on, most pecially Mary At, while leather-clad gay revelers trash his homtead. When Freddie is diagnosed wh HIV shortly afterward, ’s easy enough to see why and hard not to thk the movie nsirs some kd of retributn.</p><p>Freddie Mercury died om plitns of AIDS 1991, only revealg his diagnosis publicly the day before his ath. Whether Mercury was ed bisexual — or gay, as Hutton, the sger’s partner at the time of his ath <a href=">claimed before his own 2010</a> — feels bi the pot. Brian May and Roger Taylor, Queen's remag livg and active members, executive produced <em>Bohemian Rhapsody</em>; ’s not surprisg that they might lor Mercury’s time away om the band, and the arms of many different men, as a dark perd that Pl Prenter sced him to (particularly given Prenter’s public airg of grievanc after his termatn). It’s likewise no surprise that director Bryan Sger, who has <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">scribed himself</a> as “que bisexual” and ntu to <a href=">ny</a> multiple <a href=">accatns of sexual misnduct</a>, might make a movie about a supposedly bisexual character and scpuloly avoid touchg on any kd of sex whatsoever.</p><p>Freddie did fally fd himself somebody to love. When they first meet the film, the sger tells Tim Hutton, “I like you.” After returng the sentiment, Tim adds, “Come and fd me when you like yourself.” Of urse, he has a pot — and Freddie do seek him out, eventually (<a href=">Hutton’s acunt</a> of their first meetg differs signifintly). But ’s hard to image that whatever self-loathg Mercury may have felt uld eclipse the shame <em>Bohemian Rhapsody</em> heaps upon him for beg wh men. After two-pl hours of characterizg his sexualy as a battle between good and evil, the movie treats Mercury’s till-ath-did-they-part gay romance wh a shg. “Is this the real life?” ask the openg not of the film’s tle song. “Is this jt fantasy?” <em>Bohemian Rhapsody</em> is firmly — and regrettably — the latter.</p><p> </p><p>**<em>Get the bt of what's queer. <a href="*"></a><a href=">Sign up for our weekly newsletter here.</a></em></p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="pzpwho"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div 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byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bCbgyH gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Michael Cuby</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff fKazuH summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--article summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eIFuYX" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href="/story/l-self-siblgs-mic" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Artist Col Self Knows Mic Is Val to Queer Survival" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl clSLtF summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX gPBNpL bric SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Culture</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dVrbhU summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk--unrle-disable" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href="/story/l-self-siblgs-mic" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ kBFaWv summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Artist Col Self Knows Mic Is Val to Queer Survival</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dHMSJg summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH ecFEgL byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bCbgyH gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Sasha Geffen</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff fKazuH summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--article summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eIFuYX" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href="/story/ll-her-ganda-trans-jtice-philipp" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet="(Mike_Simpson) 120w, (Mike_Simpson) 240w, (Mike_Simpson) 320w, (Mike_Simpson) 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet="(Mike_Simpson) 120w, (Mike_Simpson) 240w, (Mike_Simpson) 320w, (Mike_Simpson) 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Call Her Ganda and the Fight for Trans Jtice the Philipp" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="(Mike_Simpson)"/></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl clSLtF summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX gPBNpL bric SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Culture</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dVrbhU summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk--unrle-disable" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href="/story/ll-her-ganda-trans-jtice-philipp" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ kBFaWv summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed"><em>Call Her Ganda</em> and the Fight for Trans Jtice the Philipp</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dHMSJg summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH ecFEgL byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bCbgyH gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Samantha Riel</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eIFuYX ad ad--read-more"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--read-more" data-no-id="mbksdb"></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff fKazuH summary-em summary-em--has-le summary-em--article summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm eIFuYX" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href="/story/salman-toor-time-after-time" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz hlQxkn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Salman Toor's New Art Exhibn Is a Breathtakg Visn of Queer Intimacy" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl clSLtF summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX gPBNpL bric SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Culture</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dVrbhU summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk--unrle-disable" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href="/story/salman-toor-time-after-time" target="_self"><div data-ttid="ClampWrapper" class="ClampWrapper-kZxfkB hTTNGO clamp SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ kBFaWv summary-em__hed"><div class="ClampContent-hilPkr jVhSBH"><div class="SummaryItemHedTag-TWblf gxaOcP" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Salman Toor's New Art Exhibn Is a Breathtakg Visn of Queer Intimacy</div></div></div></a><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY dHMSJg summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH ecFEgL byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd bCbgyH gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Osman Can Yerebakan</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryCollectnGridToActnWrapper-gnReGN eGayfk"></div></div></div></div></div></div><div data-ttid="RowWrapper" class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="TaboolaWrapper-hMVdpE iYfBhy"><div class="TaboolaWidgetWrapper-egPIjc hkSrgt TaboolaWidget-eUSdED hQCCRa" data-ttid="TaboolaWidgetWrapper"><div class="TaboolaWidgetContent-iBEQTO eXroXG TABOOLA" id="taboola-below-article-thumbnails---f" data-ttid="TaboolaWidgetContent"></div></div></div></div><div data-ttid="RowWrapper" class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--footer should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--footer" data-no-id="g6lya"></div></div></div></div></div></ma><div class="BasePageMaFooterFiller-hTlZph jSriYf page__ma-footer-filler"></div><div data-ttid="RowWrapper" class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--cm-footer" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--cm-footer"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div data-ttid="RowWrapper" class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan BasePageSeFooterRow-kpEBGH jqlJed"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK eRggVV grid grid-margs grid-ems-0 BasePageSeFooterRowGrid-iBGjXL zQNeb"><div class="GridItem-buujkM kHPPIF grid--em"><footer class="SeFooterWrapper-bXjkRY cCBFKg se-footer--wh-store"><div class="SeFooterGridNoMargs-jSrXSj kdlxBX" data-ttid="SeFooterGridNoMargs"><div class="SeFooterBrandInfo-cdoqKy cdkwFG"><div class="SeFooterLogo-eYlNHY eigdAF se-footer__logo"><a href="/"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset SeFooterLogoRponsiveAsset-ckjzWk kubVDn 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