The robots are getting too powerful. It’s starting to feel like we are inching closer and closer to the Terminator timeline every day. If you don’t believe me, keep reading to see these images of Tom Holland as Link from Legend of Zelda. A.I.-generated art is all the rage right now, with tools like DALL-E 2, Midjourney, and NightCafe making the rounds online. Tools like these create unique images prompted by text input using machine learning models.
Instagram @danlev
A.I.-generated art has even gone on to win art competitions, much to the dismay of many human artists. These tools are guaranteed to shake up the industry, forever changing how we create, consume, and interpret art and visual media in general.
Be that as it may, it can’t be denied that this technology is mind-blowing and really cool. Its potential applications are limitless and we’re already getting glimpses into what could be. Take for example these A.I. generated concept photos of a Legend of Zelda live-action film by Netflix starring Tom Holland. These incredible concept images were generated on Midjourney at the behest of Dan Leveille. Though there was some talk of Netflix pinning Tom Holland to play Link a few years back, there has been no confirmation that it’s in the works. If Netflix and Tom Holland aren’t already working on this, they should be because these images are incredible.
Leveille is the Director of Product Marketing at Deviant Art as well as the developer of Equaldex, a tool that tracks the progress of LGBTQ+ rights across the world. Given Leveille’s background, it’s hardly surprising that he has developed something of a fascination for A.I.-generated art. Some of his other prompts include a muscular Mario and a real-life Dora The Explorer.
Oh, but it gets gayer. We have yet to share Leveille’s pièce de résistance. The 34-year-old followed up on the popularity of the post with a few other Rupees. First and foremost, the crowning jewel of these images, Tom Holland as Link in his Gerudo Town garb, complete with exposed midriff and bright purple and turquoise fabric. It truly is a sight to behold.
Instagram @danlev
Don’t go yet! Leveille’s Instagram is the gift that keeps on giving. Inspired by the response to this series of photos, Leveille turned to an AI-script writing program. The creator of Equaldex wrote a script in which Link reveals that he’s gay to Ganondorf. The results, generated using OpenAI’s GPT-3, need to be heard to be believed. Tom Holland’s Link is gay, confirmed.
If you’re like us, you got swept up in the ‘Jvntoni’ news yesterday. Antoni Porowski and Jonathan Van Ness toyed with our emotions by announcing that they were “finally together.” As expected, and surmised by many gay internet sleuths, the Queer Eye stars left out an important clarification. This isn’t a romantic partnership as much as it is a business partnership. Porowski and Van Ness took to social media today to announce the launch of Yummers, a sustainable pet food company they both co-founded.
“[I] hope you’re not too heartbroken we were being clever lil bebes,” Van Ness said in the comment section. They went on to explain that Yummers has been a baby of theirs in the works for years. The brand makes gourmet mix-ins to make your pet’s food “infinitely more flavorful and nutritious.”
If you’re like us, and you are feeling ever so slightly disappointed this wasn’t the beginning of a beautiful polyamorous relationship, read on. To celebrate the launch of Yummers, and to imagine what might have been, here are 10 of our favorite Antoni Porowski and Jonathan Van Ness (Jvntoni) moments.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Jonathan Van Ness once had a teeny tiny crush on Antoni Porowski. The Queer Eye star eluded to that on more than one occasion. Who can blame them? Porowski has been a fan favorite for quite some time—possibly in part due to his tasteful thirst traps on Instagram. It goes both ways, too. Van Ness and Porowski famously exchange flirtatious banter during the show. Now it seems they’re taking it to the next level. Antoni Porowski and JVN took to social media today to announce that they are “finally together.”
“After years of joking about it, we’re finally together,” Porowski wrote in a Tweet. He included an image of him and Van Ness holding hands, looking very couple-like. “More tomorrow,” he continued.
Some personal news ❤ after years of joking about it, we’re finally together. Here’s to giving things a shot 🙂 More tomorrow pic.twitter.com/H4ZFumqkf9
Almost immediately after, Van Ness took to Twitter to share a similar update. “We’re finally together,” Van Ness wrote. “Details tomorrow, but know that we’re very happy and feeling supported by the people around us.” They included an image taken at the same time, with both stars nestled together, staring lovingly into each other’s eyes.
We’re finally together ❤️ Details tomorrow, but know that we’re very happy and feeling supported by the people around us ????️???? pic.twitter.com/9wNStao1sd
As adorable as these photos are, we all know that there is more to this than meets the eye. First and foremost, Van Ness is already married. They have been hitched to Mark Peacock since 2020, and appear to be happily wed as of last week. Additionally, Porowski recently celebrated his third anniversary with his boyfriend Kevin Harrington. So, unless things have changed very dramatically and very rapidly, something else is clearly afoot.
Barring that they reached some sort of polyamorous arrangement, it’s likely that the Queer Eye stars are actually embarking on a new project or partnership together, with the announcement coming tomorrow. Whatever the story, we can’t get too mad at them for toying with our emotions. They are our faves after all.
Check back again tomorrow for the scoop, and in the meantime join us as we sample some choice reactions (and detective work) from gay Twitter.
I bet they are partnering in business! Their account on Instagram only follows three people, one of them being a dog treat/food brand. The other two being their own accounts. pic.twitter.com/92DhanCFzp
Antoni & Jonathan tomorrow: haha oops auto-crop, anyway here’s our new alcohol line. Here’s to giving it a SHOT (get it) ???????? pic.twitter.com/u7scrFk0MC
What else could you expect from Deadpool actor, Ryan Reynolds? The 45-year-old actor joined his YouTube co-host and Always Sunny in Philadelphia star Rob McElhenney in doing something a little different. The pair decided to document their colonoscopy journies to raise awareness for colon cancer. Both Reynolds and McElhenney readily admit that they are extremely competitive, and a year ago they made a bet.
For context, Reynolds and McElhenney are co-chairmen of the Welsh soccer club, Wrexham FC. Reynolds bet that McElhenney would not be able to learn Welsh in a year. “He was so sure, he said he would publicly broadcast his colonoscopy if I could do it,” McElhenney said…in Welsh. Although McElhenney’s pronunciation and cadence could use some work, it seemed Reynolds had to hold up his end of the bargain.
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What Is a Colonoscopy?
“Rob and I both, we turned 45 this year,” said Ryan. “Part of being this age is getting a colonoscopy. It’s a simple step that could literally, and I mean literally, save your life.” Bet or no bet, it is incredibly valuable to demonstrate the importance of getting screened. This was made all the more poignant by the findings of both Reynolds and McElhenney’s doctors.
The video, made in partnership with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, walked through the process from a first-timer’s perspective. During a colonoscopy, a long, flexible tube with a tiny camera at the end is inserted into the rectum. The camera allows your doctor to examine the colon, take samples of tissue, and remove polyps or other types of abnormal tissue if necessary. Patients are typically sedated during the procedure.
Going In
Reynolds’ procedure took approximately 25 minutes, during which time the doctor found and removed an “extremely subtle” polyp. “This was potentially life-saving for you,” Dr. Lapook a very groggy Reynolds. “I’m not kidding, I’m not being overly dramatic. This is exactly why you do this. You had no symptoms.” Earlier the doctor described colonoscopies as “extremely effective,” making the procedure a must for men 45 and over.
The doctor then showed an image of the polyp in Reynold’s colon before removal. “You are interrupting the natural history of a disease of something of a process that could have ended up developing into cancer and causing all sorts of problems,” said Dr. Lapook.
Next in line was McElhenney, who also decided to document his colonoscopy. “I figure I can’t go wrong in terms of comparing myself to Ryan,” said McElhenney. “They either find nothing,” he continued “or they find a polyp, and it’s even bigger than his—which is awesome—or it’s smaller than his. Either way, I win.”
McElhenney’s doctor, Dr. Treyzon also underscored the importance of regular screening. “Colon cancer is a 100% preventable disease if healthy people get their periodic test,” he told McElhenney. McElhenney’s test revealed three small polyps, which were removed during the procedure. “Because you did such a great job with the cleanout, it was spotless inside,” said Dr. Treyzon. “You crushed it and you made the job really easy for us that way.”
Before a colonoscopy, doctors will instruct their patients to follow a specific diet to clean out their colon for the procedure. This involves following a special diet the day before the exam, taking prescribed laxatives, and adjusting any medication if necessary. The doctor also explained to McElhenney that there appears to be no strong evidence that diet changes prevent polyp formation. “What does make a difference, is screening and surveillance,” explained Dr. Treyzon. “So getting in on time is the key.”
You may recognize McElhenney from his portrayal of Mac in Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Mac is openly gay in the show. Check out the video of Reynold’s and McElhenney for yourself, and ask your doctor if a colonoscopy is right for you.
In the simplest terms, “cishet” is a term used to describe someone who is cisgender and heterosexual. But, more than that, this term encompasses all of the privileges that come with being cishet in a society that values heterosexuality and cis-ness above all else.
Let’s break down the meaning of cishet and the privileges that cishet people have.
The term “cishet” is an abbreviation describing people who are cisgender and heterosexual. Cisgender people are those whose sex assigned at birth aligns with their gender identity. This is in contrast to transgender and non-binary people, whose gender identity is incongruent with their assigned sex. The Latin prefix “cis” means “on this side”, while the prefix “trans” means “on the other side of”.
“Heterosexual”, on the other hand, describes those who are attracted to people of the opposite gender. This is in contrast to bisexual/pansexual/sexually fluid people, who are attracted to more than one gender, and homosexual people, who are attracted to people of the same sex.
How Do You Pronounce Cishet?
Cishet is pronounced /ˈsɪs.hɛt/ or “sis-het”.
Is Cishet The Same As Straight?
Cishet is not exactly the same as straight. While the “het” part of cishet describes the heterosexual (or straight) identity, the “cis” part describes people whose gender identity matches their sex.
Not everyone who identifies as cisgender is straight – some cisgender people identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, or otherwise. Likewise, not everyone who identifies as straight is cisgender – some straight people are transgender.
Pexels / Ali Karimiboroujeni
Understanding Sex, Gender, And Other Related Terms
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of what it means to be cishet, let’s clear up some terms. These terms will also help you better understand the differences between being cishet and straight.
Sex
Sex is a biological classification doctors determine for you when you are born, often based on your physical sex characteristics. As such, a person’s sex is often referred to as their “sex assigned at birth”.
While most people are born with either male or female internal and external sex characteristics, a small percentage of the population is born intersex. These are people who are “born with reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t fit into the boxes of ‘female’ or ‘male’”. Some intersex people have anatomy that is typically representative of the male or female sex but also has combinations of chromosomes that differ from male (XY) or female (XX) sex chromosomes.
Gender
Gender refers to the socially constructed characteristics that we commonly attribute to men and women. This encompasses norms, roles, relationships, and behaviors that our families, community, institutions, the media, and society at large reinforce.
Gender Identity
This refers to the innermost conception of your own gender. For many people, their sex assigned at birth aligns with their gender identity – this is what it means to be cisgender.
As previously discussed, people can be cisgender, transgender (having a gender identity that does not align with one’s sex assigned at birth), or non-binary (identifying as neither male nor female).
Gender Expression
This refers to the way people present their gender. The most obvious form of gender expression is through one’s clothing, but behavior, mannerisms, speech, hairstyle, and pronouns are some other ways of expressing one’s gender. You can have a masculine, feminine, androgynous, gender-neutral, or gender non-conforming expression.
Sexual Orientation
This describes who you’re attracted to. Some people define sexual orientation as the type of person you’re sexually and romantically attracted to, while others differentiate their sexual attraction from their romantic attraction.
There are many different types of sexual orientation, but some of the most common ones are:
Gay
Lesbian
Bisexual
Pansexual
Asexual
Sexually fluid
Queer
Shutterstock
What Does It Mean To Be Cishet?
Being cishet means being cisgender and heterosexual at the same time. According to a 2017 survey, 4.5% of US adults (or approximately 14.65 million people) identify as LGBT, including about 1.4 million people who identify as trans. This means that the majority of the population identifies as cisgender and/or heterosexual.
But, even without looking at the numbers, it’s not hard to conclude that cishet people make up the majority of society. Mainstream media, pop culture, literature, and policies all reflect a cis-hetero-centric worldview. Most people assume that others are cishet until proven otherwise.
All this leads to an invisible problem – cishet people benefit from a staggering amount of privilege that they, more often than not, are not even aware of, solely based on being cishet.
What Does Cishet Privilege Mean?
The problem with privilege is that it is mostly invisible, and it is this invisibility that allows privilege to thrive in the first place. Privilege is like a shield that keeps people from seeing the challenges that less-than-privileged people face and empathizing with them.
Here are some examples of what cishet privilege looks like:
Others consider your identity the “norm” — they validate and even celebrate it in media and literature.
You don’t have to come out or worry about being rejected by your friends and family for who you love or how you identify.
You don’t live in fear of being judged, discriminated against, bullied, verbally abused, or physically harassed for your gender identity and/or sexual orientation.
Your lived name and pronouns are acknowledged and respected by loved ones, co-workers, classmates, and strangers.
Your gender expression or gender identity doesn’t bar you from entering or participating in places like religious institutions, schools, workplaces, etc.
You are not turned away from sex-segregated facilities like restrooms, prisons, domestic violence shelters, etc.
Your personal identification documents represent your lived name and gender identity accurately.
You aren’t refused medical care just because you don’t have the approval of a psychiatrist.
Pexels / Ron Lach
The Bottom Line
So, what does it mean to be cishet? In short, people use the term to describe both cisgender and heterosexual people.
But, beyond its literal definition, being cishet means having privileges and advantages not afforded to those in the LGBTQ community. This can look like several things, from walking down the street without fear of violence or harassment to automatically being perceived as the “default” in many situations.
It’s important to understand cishet privilege and how it affects people’s lives to work towards creating a more inclusive society.
Have you ever felt like your gender doesn’t quite tick the boxes of either “male” or “female”? Maybe your gender is somewhere between or outside of those two categories? Then, perhaps you may relate to the term “non-binary”.
But what does non-binary mean, exactly? How does it feel to identify as such? And what pronouns do non-binary people use? Let’s take a look at the answers to these questions.
Non-binary describes someone who identifies as neither male nor female. It can be used to describe someone’s gender identity or as an umbrella term for a range of identities that don’t fall into the binary system with which most of society categorizes gender.
If all of that sounds confusing, let us clear up some terms first.
Gender identity is your personal sense of your own gender. Most people will identify as either male or female. And for most people, their gender identity aligns with their sex assigned at birth — that is, the sex your doctor or parents determined for you based on your external sex characteristics.
If you were born with a penis, you were most likely to have been assigned male. For those born with a vagina, you were most likely to have been assigned female. Additionally, if you feel as though your sex assigned at birth aligns with your gender identity, that makes you cisgender.
On the other hand, people who identify as transgender feel that their sex assigned at birth doesn’t align with their gender identity. Many trans people opt to undergo gender-affirming surgery or hormone therapy so that their physical appearance aligns more with what they conceive as their gender identity.
But, for non-binary people, gender goes beyond just male or female. For non-binary people, gender is more like a spectrum, a rainbow of varied hues from maleness to femaleness. Some non-binary people may identify somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, outside of it altogether, or with more than one gender at varying points in their life.
Pexels / Anna Shvets
What Is The Non-binary Umbrella?
There is no one way to be non-binary. Many different identities fall under the non-binary umbrella, including:
Agender: These people identify as having a neutral or no gender identity. Some non-binary people prefer to identify as genderless, gendervoid, or neutrois, which are similar to being agender.
Bigender: These are people who identify with two genders. These genders do not have to be only male or female.
Genderfluid: These are people whose gender identity fluctuates over time. They can also be described as moving between different gender identities. A genderfluid person may identify as more female one day, genderless the next day, and more male on another day.
Genderqueer: Some people use this somewhat controversial term to define their gender identity. The term is a play on the word “queer”, which was once used to describe something “strange” or “unusual”. While once used as a slur against people who deviated from gender norms, “queer” is now used to describe anyone or anything that isn’t straight or cisgender.
Getty Images
Are Non-binary People Transgender?
Some people in the non-binary community identify as transgender and see non-binary as an identity that falls under the trans umbrella. After all, non-binary people, like trans people, find that their gender identity does not align with their sex assigned at birth.
However, it is important to note that many transgender people do not identify as non-binary. While there are transgender people who identify as non-binary, many trans people identify as either male or female. As such, one should not assume that a trans person identifies as non-binary as well.
Like some trans people, some non-binary people also elect to undergo medical procedures such as gender-affirming surgery and hormone therapy so that their bodies align more with their identity. For many, these procedures help to alleviate gender dysphoria – a sense of distress or impairment associated with the incongruence of one’s assigned sex and gender identity. Gender dysphoria can be severely debilitating for some and is associated with anxiety, depression, isolation, and self-harm risks.
It should be noted that a medical transition is not the only way to transition. Some trans and non-binary people are perfectly happy in their bodies and prefer to transition in other ways, be it socially, legally, or by experimenting with one’s gender expression.
For example, a non-binary person may choose to be referred to by a more gender-neutral name. Or, perhaps they’d like to change their gender markers on their legal documents from F or M to X. Others may opt to style themselves differently, whether that means dressing more or less feminine/masculine or wearing more gender-neutral clothing.
Pexels
What Pronouns Do Non-binary People Use?
Most non-binary people prefer to use gender-neutral pronouns. There are many different types of gender-neutral pronouns out there, but the most commonly used are they/them/theirs pronouns.
There is much debate about the supposed “grammatical correctness” of using the singular “they” to refer to one person. However, the Oxford English Dictionary has pointed out that the use of the singular “they” has been around for centuries, tracing back to 1375 when it appeared in works such as the medieval romance William and the Werewolf.
Here is an example of the singular “they” in a sentence: “Rowan and I will be working on a project later. They’ll be here at 4.”
The singular “they” is also commonly used to refer to someone whose pronouns you’re unaware of. For example, you could say, “Someone left a message for you earlier. They asked if you could call back once you got home.”
Some non-binary people prefer to use more than one set of pronouns or rolling pronouns. These can be used alternately in a single sentence or across separate sentences. Some people may have a preference while others are fine with either one.
Here’s how you can use the rolling pronouns “she/they” in a sentence: “Jess won’t be joining us at the movies. She said she has to finish packing for her trip. But they’ll catch up to dinner later.”
Other gender-neutral pronouns include:
ze/zir/zirs
ze/hir/hirs
xe/xem/xyrs
ey/em/eirs
Jacob Lund / Shutterstock
The Bottom Line
Non-binary people are those who do not identify as exclusively male or female. There is no one way to be non-binary, as everyone experiences their gender differently. This can make it difficult for people who don’t know what non-binary means to understand it.
However, that doesn’t mean that non-binary people don’t deserve to be treated with respect – that involves acknowledging their lived names and pronouns, learning more about their unique challenges, and advocating for their rights.
If you’re like most people, you may not have heard the term “cisgender” before. But it’s important to know what it means, especially if you want to be an ally to the transgender community. Let’s explore the meaning and importance of the term “cisgender” below.
The Oxford English Dictionary’s “cisgender” definition is “a person whose sense of personal identity and gender corresponds to his or her sex at birth”. The term combines the Latin prefix “cis”, which means “on this side”, and the word “gender”, which many people define as the socially constructed characteristics of men and women.
So, how do you know if you’re cisgender? If you were born with a penis and testes, assigned “male” at birth, and continue to identify as male, you are considered cisgender. Likewise, if you were born with a vagina and uterus, assigned “female” at birth, and continue to identify as female, you are also considered cisgender.
According to the American Historical Association, the OED cites a 1994 post by biologist Dana Leland Defosse to the Usenet newsgroup alt.transgendered as the first recorded use of the term.
Transgender Studies Quarterly’s May 2014 issue states that the term “emerged from trans* activist discourses in the 1990s that criticized many commonplace ways of describing sex and gender. The terms man and woman, left unmarked, tend to normalize cisness — reinforcing the unstated ‘naturalness’ of being cisgender”.
In other words, using the terms “cisgender man” or “cisgender woman” to describe people who don’t identify as transgender or non-binary is an act of resistance against the belief that cisgender identities are the so-called “norm”. The term “cis” helps “distinguish diverse sex/gender identities without reproducing unstated norms associated with cisness”.
Shutterstock / Dmitry Demidovich
Cisgender vs Transgender And Non-binary
So, what does cis mean when compared to transgender and non-binary identities? The Latin prefix “trans” means “on the other side of” and describes how trans people identify differently from their sex assigned at birth. In a sense, many people understand cisgender as the “opposite” of being trans.
Thus, a transgender man is someone who was assigned female at birth but feels that their gender identity is male, and a transgender woman is assigned male at birth but identifies as female.
Non-binary people, on the other hand, are people who do not identify as either male or female. The term “non-binary” refers to the rejection of gender as a binary system – the idea that gender is only male or female.
For non-binary people, gender is more like a spectrum, a wide range of identities spanning from feminine to masculine. Non-binary folks can identify somewhere within that spectrum or even outside of it altogether.
Shutterstock / Jacob Lund
Cisgender vs Straight
Contrary to popular belief, identifying as cisgender differs from identifying as straight. However, you can identify as both at the same time.
Cisgender is a gender identity, whereas straight (or heterosexual) is a sexual orientation. Sexual orientation and gender identity are two different aspects of our identities. This means that you can be cisgender and identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual/pansexual, or straight.
Gender identity describes your innermost conception of your gender – your maleness, femaleness, or lack of either.
Sexual orientation, on the other hand, describes who you find attractive. Heterosexual or straight people find people of the opposite gender attractive. Gay and lesbian people find people of the same gender attractive. Meanwhile, bisexual and pansexual people find people of the same or different genders attractive.
What Is Cishet?
“Cishet” describes people who are cisgender and heterosexual.
People in queer circles often use the term “cishet” to refer to those who do not belong to the LGBTQ community. While, yes, you can be cisgender and gay/lesbian/bisexual at the same time, the truth is that there are more cisgender and heterosexual people than there are LGBTQ people in this world.
What Is Cishet Privilege?
Cishet privilege refers to the freedoms and benefits cishet people gain from cisheteronormativity, the prevailing assumption that everyone is and should be cisgender and heterosexual. This assumption leads society to treat anyone who identifies outside that standard as anomalies or deviants.
While the LGBTQ movement has afforded queer people more rights and protections than ever, there is no denying that cisheteronormativity is still a pervasive problem that leads to stigma, discrimination, and violence. Here are just a few examples of what cishet privilege can look like:
Having personal identification documents that represent one’s identity accurately
Not being questioned for or denied entry into private spaces for having a different gender presentation from one’s ID
Not being turned away from sex-segregated facilities such as restrooms, domestic violence shelters, and prisons;
Not being refused proper medical care or needing a psychiatrist’s approval
Not being expected to change one’s gender expression or gender identity to fit dress codes and “standards” in places like religious institutions, schools, workplaces, government offices, etc.
Not having your lived name, personal pronouns, and gender identity questioned and denied by family, friends, co-workers, and strangers
Seeing yourself accurately and respectfully represented in fictional works
Not living in fear of being accosted or physically harassed for your gender identity and expression
Living free of fear or the threat of rejection from your loved ones
With all these barriers standing in the way, transgender and non-binary people thus face higher incidences of mental illness, substance abuse, homelessness, poverty, joblessness, and lower educational attainment.
How To Counter Cishet Privilege
If you identify as cishet, there are many ways you can use your privilege to help, including:
Educate Yourself And Others On LGBTQ Issues
Privilege is like a bubble that shields you from experiencing or even seeing the hardships of less-privileged people. As such, people with cishet privilege must go the extra mile to educate themselves and understand the challenges that non-cishet people experience.
Moreso, you need to understand that the onus of educating cishet people does not lie on queer people, who have enough on their plate as it is.
Create And Support Safe Spaces For LGBTQ People
If you want to break down cisheteronormativity, you need to foster safe spaces for all LGBTQ people. One simple way to do this is by being an out and proud ally to the queer community. Use and respect people’s lived names and personal pronouns and call out homophobia and transphobia. Additionally, be open to others correcting and educating you when you make a mistake.
Pass The Mic To LGBTQ People
Being an LGBTQ ally means recognizing that cishet people have all the resources and means to enforce and protect their privilege. While this also means that cishet people have more power and privilege to speak up for the queer community, this doesn’t mean that you should speak over or for them.
LGBTQ people can speak to the unique challenges of living underprivileged. Additionally, queer people know which solutions will help bring more equality and opportunities to their community. As such, you should make an effort to give LGBTQ people the opportunity to speak for themselves.
Shutterstock / Jacob Lund
The Bottom Line
So, what does it mean to be cisgender? In short, it means your gender identity matches your birth-assigned sex. This contrasts with transgender people, who feel their assigned sex does not match their gender identity.
Understanding these differences is an important step in working towards creating a more inclusive world for all. Above, we note just a few ways you can counter cishet privilege. Keep reading our site to learn more about how you can be an ally to the LGBTQ community!
From the moment Lil Nas X pole danced his way into hell, danced all up on the devil, before killing him and stealing his crown, it was clear. Lil Nas X had secured his place as king of the internet. His talent, humor, and intimate understanding of the internet are unparalleled, and it makes him very influential online. Now, because of Lil Nas X’s Tweets, we can officially confirm that this online influence translates into offline power.
Lil Nas X is manifesting the kind of world he wants, and he’s doing it during his first-ever U.S, tour, the Long Live Montero Tour, in Detroit. If you’ve been following Lil Nas X on social, you already know that the clips of his performances are jaw-dropping. However, in true Lil Nas X fashion, great music and incredible performances are just the beginning. It all started when Lil Nas X took to Twitter to say that he’s “not going to be proud of [himself] until furries show up at [his] concert.” Unsurprisingly that went viral, and his fans were more than happy to grant his wish. Furries were then spotted at a later show, and Lil Nas X’s Twitter timeline has been furry-central ever since.
not going to be proud of myself until furries show up at my concert
Fresh off the heels of his last request, it seems Lil Nas X now understands the power he has. Recently the 23-year-old rapper and singer went back to Twitter to push the envelope one more time. “Not gonna be proud of myself until there is a big or*y in the audience at one of my concerts,” he wrote. He later shared both this Tweet and his original one with a shot of the furries at his concert. The caption read, “now we wait.”
Naturally, this sent Twitter into a firestorm. Who knows how they’re going to show up at the next concert, but you know Lil Nas X is about to sell out every seat in record time. If you don’t believe us, check out some of the memes that were born out of this call to action.
If it’s not clear to you know how much influence he holds over the gays (as he should), then stand by for the photos coming after his next gig. Not to mention, what Lil Nas X Tweets are coming next? Honestly, we’re kinda scared.
Fall is quickly approaching, but summer isn’t over just yet. It seems the season still has a lot more to offer—as evidenced by the recent pictures of Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey floating around. The saucy photos capture the actors as they film their upcoming miniseries and all of gay Twitter re-upped their Showtime subscriptions.
Both out gay actors are cast as lovers in the historical drama, based on the best-selling novel by Thomas Mallon. The book follows Fordham graduate and devout Catholic, Timothy Laughlin (Bailey) and his unexpected love affair with State Department official Hawkins Fuller (Bomer). The story follows the couple from the ’50s during the height of the Lavender Scare, to the AIDS crisis in the ’80s.
What better way to build anticipation for the miniseries than pictures of the stars frolicking gayly among the waves? If these pictures of them are anything to go off of, the show is sure to be a gay epic. This is the kind of marketing a gay can get behind. We’re not alone in that assessment either.
Jonathan Bailey and Matt Bomer filming Showtime’s upcoming romance series FELLOW TRAVELERS. pic.twitter.com/OilV9dlqD5
Bailey is well-known for his role as the gorgeous but tempered Viscount Anthony Bridgerton in the beloved Netflix series, Bridgerton. Bomer made a name for himself after starring in projects like Magic Mike, The Normal Heart, and American Horror Story. Now audiences must prepare to see Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey play lovers spanning four decades.
Romantic and sexual orientations describe whom we are sexually attracted to, or whom we want to form romantic relationships with. However, there are some people who feel little to no sexual and romantic attraction toward other people. This is known as aroace, and this identity has different versions of flags with a special symbolism for the community.
Here, we briefly discuss what the term “aroace” means and how it differs from being aromantic and asexual. We also break down the different elements of popular versions of the aroace flag. Read on to learn more about this identity!
Aroace, Aromantic, And Asexual: What’s The Difference?
In the past, there has been some confusion about aroace, aromanticism (a.k.a. “aro”), and asexuality (a.k.a. “ace”). However, these are three very different identities on the ace spectrum.
Asexuality describes feeling little to no sexual attraction for other people. Aromanticism is a term for those who have little to no romantic feelings for others. Aroace is like a combination of the two, as it describes feeling little to no sexual and romantic attraction.
Note that there are multiple identities under both the ace and the aro spectra. Anyone who identifies with identities under both spectrums is aroace. For example, an aromantic asexual, a demiromantic greysexual, and an aceflux lithromantic are all descriptions of people who are aroace.
@aroace_is_real/instagram.com
What’s The Difference Between Oriented Aroace And Angled Aroace?
There are other types of attraction apart from sexual and romantic. An example is sensual attraction, which is the desire to touch and receive touch that isn’t necessarily sexual. Another is aesthetic attraction, which describes admiration for someone’s appearance without wanting romantic or sexual contact with them.
Some aroaces may feel these types of attraction for other people. If they feel that this form of attraction is significant enough to be part of their identity, they may choose to identify as oriented or angled aroaces. Oriented aroaces are those who are aromantic and asexual. But feel a form of attraction that they deem significant enough to acknowledge.
Angled aroaces, on the other hand, are those who are on the ace and aro spectrum, and also feel a form of attraction that is neither sexual nor romantic. The term “angled” aroaces was coined by Tumblr user black-aros in 2019 after they realized that oriented aroaces didn’t include individuals with aro and ace identities on the spectrum.
What Is Aroaceflux?
Quora user, Ezrasberry, coined the term Aroacefulx in October 2020. It describes a person who is aroflux and aceflux. This means that their romantic and sexual orientations may fluctuate but generally stay within the aromantic and asexual spectra within their lifetime. These fluctuations can happen at the same time and be correlated, or they may happen at different points in their lives.
Aroaceflux can be combined with other identities. Generally, aroaceflux people can feel varying levels of romantic and sexual attraction, but always towards the same gender/s in their lifetime. For example, a woman may describe herself as “aroaceflux lesbian”, meaning that she rarely feels sexual or romantic attraction, but when she does, it’s towards other women.
@_aroacespec_/instagram.com
What Is The Aroace Pride Flag?
There are at least 11 different designs for the asexual aromantic flag. And each has a special significance for its colors and symbols. In 2016, DeviantArt user, Pride-Flags, created one of the oldest aroace flags. Their flag features a combination of the purple-striped flag of the asexual community with the green-striped flag of the aromantic community.
A second design posted shortly after by Pride-Flags features an older yellow design for the aromantic flag, but embedded in a heart shape. DeviantArt user decaykid created a third version in 2017 with fewer stripes and slightly different shades of the original colors.
Tumblr user, aroaesflags, created another version known as the sunset flag created on December 11, 2018. Aroaesflags explained the deliberate choice of distinct colors to illustrate that being aroace was a unique identity that wasn’t just a combination of aro and ace. The design elements have the following meanings:
The top orange stripe represents the aroace community, as orange is a color between ace purple and aro green. This was explained by aroaesflags as representing “both the unity of ourselves as aroaces as well as our places in both the aro and ace communities”.
The yellow stripe symbolizes relationships and love that exist outside of conventional ideas of sexuality and romance for relationships.
The white stripe symbolizes feelings of wholeness, as aroace people are “whole people on their own”. It represents aroaces who are “aplatonic, nonamorous, or otherwise not seeking a committed partnership.”
The stripes in two shades of blue represent the aroace identity. Blue is another color in between green which symbolizes aromanticism and purple which represents asexuality. Having two shades of blue was deliberate, to show that there is an entire spectrum of aroace experiences and identities.
There’s also a separate aroaceflux flag created by Quora user Ezrasberry in October 2020, featuring a gradient of stripes in shades of dark purple, blue, and green. Alternative versions of the aroaceflux flag typically feature pink and blue stripes in varying shades.
@ace.aroboretum/instagram.com
The Bottom Line
The aromantic asexual flag is an important representation of the aroace community. It’s helpful for showing people that they aren’t alone in their feelings and experiences. It also creates a sense of community where aroaces can feel comfortable expressing themselves. There is no “official and only” version of the aroace flag, so feel free to choose the design that resonates the most with you!
