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Galfie: Spreading Love, Acceptance, and Queer Pride Through FLAGS

It's noon on a Friday. I'm sitting in Blanchard's on Broad Street, sipping a cappuccino and chatting with the founders of Galfie about life, love, queerness, and, of course, their business. Hannah and Jade Sullivan are partners not only in life but also in their flag...

‘Let’s Talk’ Feeling Confident During Sex

Relationships in the city can be complicated and if you are young, dating and navigating it all on your own can be a real challenge. So we want to help and are introducing a column called 'Let's Talk' with queer writer Cosmy Pellis, a twenty something living in the...

Amber Saint Lexington: From YouTube to the Drag Scene in Richmond

In this interview, Justice Smith talks to Amber Saint Lexington, a drag performer in the Richmond drag scene. Amber shares her journey from practicing makeup on her cousins and using her own portraits as models for her portfolio to becoming a drag performer. She also...

Anti-Trans Bills Cause Harm, Fear Even If They Fail, Advocates Say

RICHMOND, Va. -- Anti-transgender legislation is on the rise nationwide and in Virginia. Even if proposed legislation fails, the vitriol that makes headlines impacts LGBTQ communities, advocates say. Legislation considered anti trans usually falls under efforts that...

Our Richmond, VA Celebrates Black History Month 2023 Rundown

Black History Month is an annual celebration of the achievements and contributions of African Americans throughout US history. The celebration originated from “Negro History Week,” proposed by noted historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson and other prominent...

Black Pride RVA 2022 Is In Full Swing!

Five years ago, Black Pride RVA became the first Black LGBTQ event in the state of Virginia. Created and hosted by Us Giving Richmond Connections (UGRC), Black Pride RVA came into being in order to celebrate the unique intersection of identities experienced by all Black LGBTQ people, to promote equality for Black LGBTQ people within the broader...

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Hampton Roads Pride Fest: Thanks, I Needed That

We're only halfway through 2022, and already it's been a rough year for the LGBTQ community. While overt attacks on transgender people in particular have been happening for a while now, legal actions by states like Texas and Alabama have outright made it unsafe for trans youth and their families to even live in those states. Then, on Friday, June...

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Punchline Pride: An Interview With Apple Brown Betty

Hello reader! It’s Pride month and Sandman Comedy Club has a show for and by the local LGBTQ community. Punchline Pride is this Sunday, and will feature a lineup representing different faces of the community’s funniest comedians in Richmond. I’ve seen most of the lineup at different shows around town, and they all kill. I got to talk with...

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Pushing Us Back Into The Closet: Banned Books Edition

Two prominent Virginia Republicans are trying to have Maia Kobabe's Gender Queer declared obscene and prohibited to be sold or lended to minors. Is it really obscene, though, or is it the graphic memoir's open and unapologetic depiction of nonbinary identities and experiences that's the issue? We decided to see for ourselves. Last week, the...

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Traverse Comedy Wants to Help You Believe in Your Comedy Dreams

Mary Jane French knows a thing or two about making someone laugh. Whether you have seen her stand up at open mics or showcases, or have seen one of her recent shows around town with her comedy production team, Traverse Comedy, I’m sure you've laughed at at least a few of her jokes. And by a few, I mean all of them.  Comedy itself is a very...

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