Latest news with #Giovanni'sRoom
NDTV
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
From Drag Brunches To Queer Neighbourhoods: 6 Reasons Why LGBTQ+ Travellers Love Philadelphia
When people think of LGBTQ+ hotspots around the world, it's usually the big names that pop up-New York, San Francisco, Amsterdam, and Berlin. But ask someone who's been in the know, and they'll tell you: Philadelphia has quietly — and confidently — become one of the most welcoming, vibrant LGBTQ+ destinations worldwide. It's not just rainbow crosswalks (though yes, they have those, too). It's the way the city owns its queer history, supports its community, and serves up everything from queer-owned dive bars to history walks that'll genuinely surprise you. Here's why Philadelphia is the 'IT' LGBTQ+ destination this year. Here's Why Philadelphia Is A Must-Visit LGBTQ+ Destination: 1. The First City To Officially Recognise Gay Rights Let's start with the receipts. Philadelphia was the first American city to pass legislation that banned discrimination against people based on sexual orientation back in 1982. That wasn't a fluke — this city has been at the forefront of LGBTQ+ advocacy for decades. The first organised LGBTQ+ protests in the US actually happened outside Independence Hall in 1965, four years before Stonewall. Today, you'll find a plaque there commemorating the "Annual Reminders" protest, honouring the queer activists who helped change the course of American history. 2. The Gayborhood Isn't Just A Name, It's a Vibe Yes, it's actually called the "Gayborhood", and no, it's not a gimmick. Tucked between 11th and Broad Streets, and Pine and Walnut Streets, this area has been a haven for LGBTQ+ people since the 1970s. Look down and you'll see rainbow pride flags embedded in the street signs — Philly was the first city in the US to do that. Walk a few blocks and you'll hit staple queer bars like Woody's, a multilevel club that's been around since 1980, and Tabu, a queer sports bar that somehow manages to mix drag shows with football screenings and not miss a beat. 3. Queer Culture Is Woven Into The City's DNA Philly doesn't try to compartmentalise its LGBTQ+ culture. It's part of the city's pulse. There's Giovanni's Room, the oldest LGBTQ+ bookstore in the US (yes, it's still open), named after James Baldwin's 1956 novel. Or the William Way LGBT Community Center, which houses archives dating back to the early 20th century. Fancy something more interactive? The Philly AIDS Thrift store funds HIV services and also happens to be one of the best vintage shops in the city. 4. A Food Scene That Doesn't Quit (And Queer People Are Running It) From high-end restaurants to late-night food trucks, Philadelphia is having a moment with food, and LGBTQ+ chefs are right in the mix. Try Kalaya, a James Beard Award-winning Thai restaurant led by Chef Nok Suntaranon, or check out The Trestle Inn for whiskey sours and go-go dancers in a retro setting that feels more Berlin than Broad Street. And the drag brunch scene? Top tier. You've got places like Punch Line Philly and Fabrika where local queens put on Broadway-level performances while you sip mimosas and forget about tomorrow. 5. Pride Is Year-Round Yes, there's the annual Pride parade and OutFest (the nation's largest National Coming Out Day event), but the queer community doesn't go quiet in between. You'll find queer film festivals, LGBTQ+ art exhibitions at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and even drag-hosted walking tours of Old City. Basically, no matter when you visit, something's happening. 6. A City That's Walkable, Affordable, And Real Here's the thing: Philly doesn't try too hard. It's got that scrappy, authentic energy you don't always get in polished, overpriced cities. You can actually walk from one queer venue to another. Public transport is easy. And you won't have to sell a kidney just to stay the night. Bottom line? Philadelphia isn't just a place where queer people live — it's a place where they thrive. Whether you're in town for a weekend or thinking about making a more permanent move, Philly's got room for you-and it's loud and proud about it.
The Guardian
10-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Inside Giovanni's Room review – pulsing dance retelling of James Baldwin novel
In the centre of a minimal stage, set designer Jacob Hughes has placed a single room. It's a cube, separated from the outside world; a refuge, an escape, or perhaps a trap. It effectively sucks your attention, just as it sucks in David, the protagonist in James Baldwin's 1956 novel Giovanni's Room, and what happens in here explodes his life. Literary adaptations in dance are fraught with pitfalls, predominantly how to express the intricacy and specificity of thousands of words through movement only. 'There are no mothers-in-law in ballet,' George Balanchine famously said. Here it is aunts: there's no way you'd know the woman in red is David's aunt (unless you read the synopsis, which is recommended) but perhaps it doesn't matter. What dance can do is express Aunt Ellen's disapproval though her superior gait and dismissive flick of the wrists. There is a lot that is said through bodies alone in this new retelling by Phoenix Dance Theatre and the company's artistic director Marcus Jarrell Willis. The way in the opening scene, David (Aaron Chaplin) moves as if his body's not entirely under his control, almost tripping himself up, a shorthand for the physical urges that will drive him off course when he meets handsome bartender Giovanni (Tony Polo). There's the dance between the two men, skirting each other, with nerves and reticence and then the dawning certainty of a connection; with hunger and tenderness. There's an urgency pushing at the movement throughout, the pulse of a city's nightlife, the club scenes cleverly threaded with slivers of styles that look at times like the 1920s, at others the 2020s – Willis brings a currency and vernacular groove to his choreography. There's some nice craft: the opening of Act II – snapshots of David and Giovanni's relationship between blackouts, the tension stretched, especially when life outside Giovanni's room encroaches – is very effective. But it feels as if there are depths and details of Baldwin's text unilluminated, sometimes plot, sometimes the different textures of fear and anxiety, hatred and self-hatred. And there's a claustrophobia in Marc Strobel's layered score that becomes grating, the volume ramped up to create 'atmosphere', as if they don't trust that the dance could speak for itself. At Dundee Rep, 12 March; Northern Stage, Newcastle, 19-20 March; Birmingham REP, 28 May; Liverpool Playhouse, 5 June; and Sadler's Wells East, London, 11-14 June
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
5 Black LGBTQ+ trailblazers who influenced history
Throughout history, there have been figures whose legacies have endured, continuing to shape movements and events. These individuals defied the odds and were pillars of resilience, expression, and authenticity. As we celebrate Black History Month, we spotlight some Black LGBTQ+ game changers who had a major impact on the community. Marsha P. Johnson Marsha P. Johnson's name is synonymous with revolution and advocacy, particularly for trans rights. A Black trans woman and one of the most iconic figures in the fight for LGBTQ+ liberation, Johnson co-founded the Gay Liberation Front and the Street Trans Action Revolutionaries (STAR). She was present at the Stonewall Riots of 1969, a defining moment for the LGBTQ+ rights movement. Johnson's activism was marked by her compassion for marginalised communities, especially trans and homeless youth, offering them shelter and support. Her legacy continues to inspire as a symbol of courage and social justice. Marsha P. Johnson: Trans activist. She was a leader at the infamous Stonewall Riots & helped homeless LGBT+ youth. — 🌙𝑀𝒪𝑅𝑅𝐼𝒢𝒜𝒩 ✨ (@GayGothMermaid) February 16, 2016 Jackie McCarthy O'Brien Jackie McCarthy O'Brien made history as the first person of colour to play for the Republic of Ireland senior women's football team. She made her debut in 1983, going on to secure a total of 13 international caps. She also earned a place on the Irish women's rugby team, making a similar number of appearances and being their first mixed-race player. James Baldwin Writer and activist James Baldwin was one of the most profound voices of the 20th century, exploring race, identity, sexuality, and marginalisation. His works, including Giovanni's Room and The Fire Next Time, confronted the painful realities of racial and sexual identity in a divided America. Baldwin's eloquent exploration of race and queerness resonated widely, making him an intellectual and advocate for human rights. His courage to speak truth to power paved the way for generations of activists and thinkers and his words continue to inspire today. 'It took many years of vomiting up all the filth I'd been taught about myself, and half-believed, before I was able to walk on the Earth as though I had a right to be here.' —James Baldwin — AFRICAN & BLACK HISTORY (@AfricanArchives) January 11, 2025 Gladys Bentley Gladys Bentley was a revolutionary figure in early 20th-century Harlem, known for her powerful voice and unapologetic gender expression. As a queer Black woman during the Harlem Renaissance, Bentley defied norms both onstage and off, performing in speakeasies and nightclubs where she captivated audiences with her bold performances of jazz, blues, and gospel. She was known for dressing in men's clothing and challenging conventional ideas of femininity. gladys bentley was a lesbian gender-bending blues singer, pianist and entertainer during the harlem renaissance. according to the new york times she was harlem's most famous lesbian in the 30s. — ale ☆ (@romansnby) June 1, 2020 Willi Ninja Known as the 'Godfather of Voguing', Willi Ninja was a legendary figure in New York City's ballroom scene. Rising to fame in the 1980s, Ninja's innovative dance style—characterised by sharp, angular poses and fluid movements—was a defining element of voguing, a dance form rooted in Black and Latino LGBTQ+ communities. As a leading figure in the ballroom scene, Ninja helped bring voguing into the mainstream. His contributions not only shaped the world of dance but also became a symbol of resilience for those marginalised in mainstream society. Ninja's legacy continues to thrive in LGBTQ+ culture and fashion, influencing contemporary artists and dancers worldwide. Willi Ninja voguing in the studio and at the 1998 House of Fields ball. In this clip, which is from the 1998 short documentary Voguing: The Message, he cites the people who taught him to vogue including Little Michael and Hector Valle Xtravaganza, founding father of the house. — come from behind (@GoAwfCis) January 3, 2025 These five Black LGBTQ+ individuals were not just trailblazers; they were visionaries who challenged societal norms and fought for the rights, visibility and inclusion of the most marginalised throughout history. As we continue to face new challenges and struggles, their legacies remind us of the power of standing unapologetically in one's truth and fighting for a more just world for all. The post 5 Black LGBTQ+ trailblazers who influenced history appeared first on GCN.
Los Angeles Times
19-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Andrew Garfield, Percival Everett and Attica Locke among L.A. Times Book Prize finalists
The finalists for the 45th Los Angeles Times Book Prizes were announced Wednesday morning, recognizing a group of celebrated writers. Actor Andrew Garfield, novelist Percival Everett and author, screenwriter and TV producer Attica Locke are among the 61 nominees across more than a dozen categories honoring literary achievement. Garfield is one of the finalists, alongside actor Matt Bomer, in the audiobook production category, which is being given in collaboration with Audible and spotlights performance, production and innovation in storytelling. The category was first introduced last year. Garfield is recognized alongside several actors, including Cynthia Erivo, Andrew Scott and Tom Hardy, for lending their talents to Audible's original adaptation 'George Orwell's 1984.' Bomer is up for his work narrating James Baldwin's 'Giovanni's Room.' Among the dozens of finalists are the writers behind some of the most talked-about books of 2024, including author and activist Ta-Nehisi Coates. Journalist and author Jesse Katz's 'The Rent Collectors: Exploitation, Murder, and Redemption in Immigrant LA' is also up in the current interest category. Filmmaker and writer Miranda July, who wrote and directed 'Kajillionaire,' is among the fiction finalists for 'All Fours.' 'Pemi Aguda, Cynthia Carr, Taiyo Matsumoto, Andrea Freeman, Cindy Juyoung Ok, Lev Grossman, Zoë Schlanger and K.A. Cobell are also finalists. The awards ceremony, which will take place April 25 at USC's Bovard Auditorium ahead of the 30th Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, also includes a number of honorees in special categories. Poet Amanda Gorman will be honored with the Innovator's Award recognizing her work to 'bring books, publishing and storytelling into the future.' The former Los Angeles youth poet laureate rose to fame when she read her stirring poem 'The Hill We Climb' at President Biden's inauguration and has since used her voice to highlight important issues including climate change, social justice and literacy. 'Amanda Gorman is an eloquent voice for the next generation. Her skillful use of poetry to motivate, inspire and enact social change is incredibly powerful,' Times Executive Editor Terry Tang said in a news release Wednesday. 'We are thrilled to be honoring Gorman with this year's Innovator's Award and to shine a light on the work she has done — and continues to do — in promoting literacy to empower the youth to get involved.' Pico Iyer, the renowned author of 'The Art of Stillness,' will receive the Robert Kirsch Award for lifetime achievement, which celebrates a writer with a substantial connection to the American West. Iyer's latest work, 'Aflame: Learning From Silence,' is a reflection on the power of meditation, even through stressful life events, including his California home burning down decades ago. 'Pico Iyer is a treasure,' said Ann Binney, Times associate director of events and book prizes administrator. 'While he travels the world, he always finds his way back to California. I have known Pico for many years, and it is such an honor to recognize him with the Robert Kirsch Award. His beautiful words sharing his own experience of loss and recovery offer us welcome comfort, especially during this time as we recover from our recent devastating wildfires.' The Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose will go to Emily Witt for 'Health and Safety: A Breakdown,' a bestselling memoir about Witt's exploration with psychedelic substances and the New York City dance-club scene. It offers a sharp and timely examination of life in America during Donald Trump's first presidential term. Witt is also an investigative journalist and has previously written 'Future Sex,' a deep dive into modern dating and sexuality. 'Emily Witt exposes a country in the throes of ongoing trauma in a coming-of-age memoir — keenly observed, unapologetically told — that feels scarily emblematic of our life and times,' the judges of the Isherwood Prize said in a statement. The award, which is sponsored by the Christopher Isherwood Foundation, honors exceptional work and encompasses fiction, travel writing, memoir and diary. The Book Prizes recognize titles in the following categories: audiobooks, autobiographical prose (the Christopher Isherwood Prize), biography, current interest, fiction, first fiction (the Art Seidenbaum Award), graphic novel/comics, history, mystery/thriller, poetry, science fiction, science and technology and young adult literature. Finalists and winners are selected by panels of writers who specialize in each genre. For more information about the Book Prizes, including the complete list of 2024 finalists, visit Pico Iyer, 'Aflame: Learning From Silence' Emily Witt, 'Health and Safety: A Breakdown' Amanda Gorman Jiaming Tang, 'Cinema Love: A Novel' 'Pemi Aguda, 'Ghostroots: Stories' Joseph Earl Thomas, 'God Bless You, Otis Spunkmeyer: A Novel' Jessica Elisheva Emerson, 'Olive Days: A Novel' Julian Zabalbeascoa, 'What We Tried to Bury Grows Here' Matt Bomer (narrator), Kelly Gildea (director, co-producer), Lauren Klein (producer); 'Giovanni's Room: A Novel' Narrators: Clare Brown, Ayanna Dookie, Korey Jackson, Andrea Jones-Sojola, Brittany Pressley, Emana Rachelle, Malika Samuel, Heather Alicia Simms, Diana Bustelo, Tyla Collier, Alejandra Reynoso, David Sadzin, André Santana, Shaun Taylor-Corbett; Producer: Allison Light; 'New Nigeria County' Narrators: Andrew Garfield, Cynthia Erivo, Andrew Scott, Tom Hardy, Chukwudi Iwuji, Romesh Ranganathan, Natasia Demetriou, Francesca Mills, Alex Lawther, Katie Leung; Producers: Chris Jones, Mariele Runacre-Temple, Robin Morgan-Bentley, Nathan Freeman; 'George Orwell's 1984: An Audible Original adaptation' Dominic Hoffman (narrator), Linda Korn (producer); 'James: A Novel' Michele Norris With a Full Cast (narrator), Mike Noble (producer); 'Our Hidden Conversations: What Americans Really Think About Race and Identity' Laura Beers, 'Orwell's Ghosts: Wisdom and Warnings for the Twenty-First Century' Cynthia Carr, 'Candy Darling: Dreamer, Icon, Superstar' Alexis Pauline Gumbs, 'Survival Is a Promise: The Eternal Life of Audre Lorde' Pamela D. Toler, 'The Dragon From Chicago: The Untold Story of An American Reporter in Nazi Germany' Jessica Goudeau, 'We Were Illegal: Uncovering a Texas Family's Mythmaking and Migration' Jonathan Blitzer, 'Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis' Ta-Nehisi Coates, 'The Message' Jesse Katz, 'The Rent Collectors: Exploitation, Murder, and Redemption in Immigrant LA' Robin Wall Kimmerer, 'The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World' Wright Thompson, 'The Barn: The Secret History of a Murder in Mississippi' Rita Bullwinkel, 'Headshot: A Novel' Jennine Capó Crucet, 'Say Hello to My Little Friend: A Novel' Percival Everett, 'James: A Novel' Yuri Herrera translated by Lisa Dillman, 'Season of the Swamp: A Novel' Miranda July, 'All Fours: A Novel' Kris Bertin and Alexander Forbes, 'Hobtown Mystery Stories Vol. 2: The Cursed Hermit' Taiyo Matsumoto, 'Tokyo These Days, Vol. 1' Bhanu Pratap, 'Cutting Season' Miroslav Sekulic-Struja translated by Jenna Allen, 'Petar & Liza' Ram V and Filipe Andrade, 'Rare Flavours' Andrea Freeman, 'Ruin Their Crops on the Ground: The Politics of Food in the United States, From the Trail of Tears to School Lunch' Andrew W. Kahrl, 'The Black Tax: 150 Years of Theft, Exploitation, and Dispossession in America' Aaron Robertson, 'The Black Utopians: Searching for Paradise and the Promised Land in America' Joseph M. Thompson, 'Cold War Country: How Nashville's Music Row and the Pentagon Created the Sound of American Patriotism' Michael Waters, 'The Other Olympians: Fascism, Queerness, and the Making of Modern Sports' Christopher Bollen, 'Havoc: A Novel' Michael Connelly, 'The Waiting: A Ballard and Bosch Novel' Attica Locke, 'Guide Me Home: A Highway 59 Novel' Liz Moore, 'The God of the Woods: A Novel' Danielle Trussoni, 'The Puzzle Box: A Novel' Remica Bingham-Risher, 'Room Swept Home' Andrea Cohen, 'The Sorrow Apartments' Cindy Juyoung Ok, 'Ward Toward' Pam Rehm, 'Inner Verses' Alison C. Rollins, 'Black Bell' Jedediah Berry, 'The Naming Song' Lev Grossman, 'The Bright Sword: A Novel of King Arthur' Kelly Link, 'The Book of Love' Jeff VanderMeer, 'Absolution: A Southern Reach Novel' Nghi Vo, 'The City in Glass' Rebecca Boyle, 'Our Moon: How Earth's Celestial Companion Transformed the Planet, Guided Evolution, and Made Us Who We Are' Ferris Jabr, 'Becoming Earth: How Our Planet Came to Life' Daniel Lewis, 'Twelve Trees: The Deep Roots of Our Future' Kyne Santos, 'Math in Drag' Zoë Schlanger, 'The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth' Traci Chee, 'Kindling' K.A. Cobell, 'Looking for Smoke' Safia Elhillo, 'Bright Red Fruit' Carolina Ixta, 'Shut Up, This Is Serious' Kim Johnson, 'The Color of a Lie'
