Tag: gen z

  • FINESSE’s New Pride Campaign Drags Anti-Trans Laws With Style, Sass, and Satire

    FINESSE’s New Pride Campaign Drags Anti-Trans Laws With Style, Sass, and Satire

    The fashion-forward series “Read All About It” reclaims headlines and turns political attacks into moments of trans triumph.

    Timed perfectly with the federal court’s move to block the Trump administration’s passport restrictions targeting transgender Americans, queer-founded fashion label FINESSE is making headlines of its own. The brand just launched “Read All About It”—a four-part, satirical Pride campaign that calls out some of the year’s most egregious anti-trans laws by giving them a makeover.

    With a lineup of trans Gen Z It-Girls at the helm, each starring in and co-directing their own video, the series reclaims power with humor, glam, and radical authenticity.

    Headlines, But Make It Trans and Talented

    The Read All About It series transforms some of the most politicized moments for the trans community into fashion-forward mini-films. Each segment highlights a different flashpoint: bathroom bills, military bans, sports restrictions, and the infamous passport policy.

    And the dolls are not just starring, they’re co-creative directing every scene. FINESSE worked closely with its trans cast to ensure each story was told with care, flair, and full approval through multiple rounds of feedback.

    Episode 1: Zaya Perysian vs. Passport Erasure

    Leading the charge is Zaya Perysian (@zayaperysian), who made headlines earlier this year after winning a legal battle against the Trump administration. In February, a State Department directive attempted to block the use of “X” gender markers on passports. Zaya fought back, and won.

    In the campaign’s first video, Zaya reenacts and reclaims that policy through an empowering, tongue-in-cheek visual retelling. Known for documenting her transition and being named a TikTok LGBTQ Trailblazer, Zaya is proving once again that she’s more than a viral moment, she’s a movement.

     

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    Episode 2: Ve’ondre Mitchell Calls Out the Military Ban

    Next up is Ve’ondre Mitchell (@veondre), a GLAAD “20 Under 20” honoree and former Human Rights Campaign Youth Ambassador. In February, the Department of Defense banned those with a history of gender dysphoria from serving unless they met strict waiver conditions.

    Mitchell brings the absurdity of this decision to life in her episode, blending military chic with scathing satire. A proud advocate and musician, she also just dropped a new single, “Gay,” timed perfectly with the campaign’s release.

     

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    Episode 3: Stella Menino Takes on Florida’s Bathroom Law

    Stella Menino (@stelluhb), a TikTok star with nearly 60 million likes, brings her signature humor to a sobering topic. In March, Florida enforced its first anti-trans bathroom law, leading to the arrest of a trans woman at the state capitol.

    Stella’s video pokes fun at the twisted logic behind these so-called “safety” policies, using comedy and camp to highlight the real threat: state-sanctioned discrimination.

     

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    Episode 4: Dialló Mitch Dismantles Trump’s Sports Order

    Rounding out the campaign is Dialló Mitch (@__mystylist), a model and stylist known for pushing boundaries in fashion. Her episode tackles Trump’s executive order “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” which redefined Title IX to exclude trans girls and women.

    Dialló, who describes her style as “fearless, risky, and expressive as f*ck,” takes on the policy with runway-ready athleticism, pushing back against transphobic tropes with elegance and edge.

     

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    Resistance in Rhinestones

    With “Read All About It,” FINESSE is reminding us that protest can be bold, beautiful, and hilarious. By blending satire, high fashion, and trans-led storytelling, the brand isn’t just responding to political attacks, it’s rewriting the headlines entirely.

    And in a time when the trans community is being targeted across legislative fronts, the message is loud and clear: the girls aren’t going anywhere, but they might show up in full glam to read you for filth.

  • Report: Books Featuring People of Color and LGBTQ Characters Targeted in Surge of School Bans

    Report: Books Featuring People of Color and LGBTQ Characters Targeted in Surge of School Bans

    A new report by PEN America reveals that more than half of the books banned in U.S. schools last year focused on people of color or members of the LGBTQ community, highlighting a disturbing trend of targeted censorship against marginalized groups.

    Released on Thursday, the analysis found that more than 10,000 instances of book removals took place across schools and districts last year, impacting a total of 4,218 titles. Of those banned books, 36% featured characters or themes related to people of color, while 25% included LGBTQ characters or narratives. Additionally, 28% of the books with LGBTQ themes centered on transgender and/or genderqueer characters.

    “This targeted censorship amounts to a harmful assault on historically marginalized and underrepresented populations — a dangerous effort to erase their stories, achievements, and history from schools,” Sabrina Baêta, senior manager for PEN America’s Freedom to Read program, said in a statement. “When we strip library shelves of books about particular groups, we defeat the purpose of a library collection that is supposed to reflect the lives of all people. The damaging consequences to young people are real.”

    The report sheds light on the genres most affected by the bans, revealing that realistic fiction, dystopia/sci-fi/fantasy, history, biography, mystery, thriller, educational books, and memoirs were among the top targets. Picture books and graphic novels, which often tackle sensitive topics, made up nearly 17% of the banned titles.

    Notably, books that address history and biography were especially targeted, with 44% of these works featuring people of color and 26% specifically focusing on Black individuals. Additionally, 25% of history and biography books dealt with LGBTQ themes, and 9% featured transgender or genderqueer characters.

    The analysis also emphasized that book bans frequently affect works featuring multiple marginalized identities. More than half (54%) of all banned books with LGBTQ characters also included people of color, showing how these intersecting identities are disproportionately targeted.

    The report comes amid a broader wave of book bans, often spearheaded by parents and conservative activists who claim that such content makes students uncomfortable or is sexually explicit. In Florida, for example, the state’s Department of Education released a list of books removed from some schools, including classics like The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison and Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut. The department has defended these actions, arguing that no books are being banned but rather removed due to their perceived sexual content.

    Critics, however, argue that these restrictions limit students’ access to vital information, stifling their ability to engage with diverse perspectives and preventing LGBTQ and students of color from seeing themselves represented in literature. PEN America noted that over half of U.S. schoolchildren are students of color, and younger generations are increasingly identifying as LGBTQ, with nearly one-quarter (23.1%) of Gen Z identifying as LGBTQ according to a Gallup survey.

    The analysis also took aim at the rhetoric surrounding books deemed “explicit.” While 31% of the banned books included minimal references to sexual experiences, only 13% featured more descriptive depictions of sex. PEN America’s analysis argued that such content, often cited as problematic, can serve as a valuable resource for students to better understand human experiences, including complex topics like death, violence, and mental health.

    In the face of mounting book bans, PEN America continues to advocate for the right to free expression in literature, urging educational institutions to resist efforts to restrict access to diverse stories and perspectives. The nonprofit warns that these bans are not just an attack on specific books but on the broader ideals of education, diversity, and inclusion.

  • Spy Kids Will Save the Day in All-New Netflix Movie

    Spy Kids Will Save the Day in All-New Netflix Movie

    Y2K Kids Rejoice: The Spy Kids Have Come Out of Retirement.

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