J
    James Michael Nichols

    James Michael Nichols

    HuffPost Queer Voices Editor

  • This Gay Rapper Wants To Take You Into 'The Great Outdoors'

    Now, another gay rapper is aiming to take the industry by storm with his new EP titled "The Great Outdoors: Vol. 1." Terk Lewis was born in Ohio but currently lives in New York City and also works as a dancer and a model. Check out Lewis' Soundcloud below and read the brief interview to learn more his music. The Huffington Post: What inspired this EP?

  • WATCH: 3 Eras Of Gay Sex In 3 Minutes

    What does the history of gay sex look like when condensed into a three-minute timeframe? Well, that's a hard questions to answer and certainly depends on what kinds of bodies and experiences one is referencing when they talk about "gay sex." However, this new short film, "3 Eras of Gay Sex in 3 Minutes," from Leo Herrera compartmentalizes the trajectory of sex between men who have sex with men into three distinct eras -- Pre-Stonewall cruising, 1970’s/80’s Leather BDSM and modern day app usage. “This film is about sharing a facet of our history that is rarely represented in mainstream gay media,” Herrera said in a statement sent to The Huffington Post.

  • This Gay Couple Adopted Their Gay Son After Reading Tragic News Stories About LGBT Youth

    In today’s Huffington Post Gay Voices RaiseAChild.US “Let Love Define Family™” series installment, Patrick Roth and Wade Holmes share how reading tragic news stories about LGBT youth suicides spurred them to open their home and hearts to a gay-identified foster youth who is now a permanent part of their family. After adopting his daughter Julia through a private arrangement 16 years ago, Patrick Roth and his now husband, Wade Holmes, turned to the foster care system for a very special reason when they decided to expand their family. “Although we had discussed adopting again for many years, we finally decided to do something concrete after a wave of media stories involving LGBT youth committing suicide and being bullied,” Patrick explained.

  • Big Dipper Is About To Become Your New Favorite Queer Rapper

    If you don't know who Big Dipper is, you've been missing out. "DA MONEY," edited by Gabe Gonzalez, is a hard-hitting ballroom track featuring Monica Beverly Hillz of "RuPaul's Drag Race" fame and Mister Wallace of Banjee Report. Dipper also recently got his own channel on World of Wonder's WOWPresents.

  • Meet One Of The First Cross-Service, Same-Sex Military Couple To Wed

    Kevin and Brian are one the first same-sex, cross-service couples in the military to get married -- and their wedding was absolutely beautiful. The pair initially met in 2010 at a local bar at the Naval School of Music. Brian attended the school through the Marine Corps and Kevin through the Army.

  • WATCH: LGBT Seniors Offer Incredible Advice And Perspetcive About Being Queer

    This video is going to leave you breathless. Popular gay vlogger Davey Wavey assembled a group of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) seniors to discuss their own experiences growing up as queer people, as well as how the world has changed since they were younger, in this short YouTube video.

  • Watch What Happens When The Ballroom Scene Comes To Life And Serves Runway

    Are you ready to enter "The Runway Museum"? From the makers of the viral "Voguing Train" video comes this new short film, a look at a different side of ballroom culture. Kemar Jewel and the others involved in "The Runway Museum" wanted to showcase the more elegant and extravagant side of the scene.

  • This Gay Texan Couple Shares The Story Of How Their Beautiful Family Formed

    From rationing sugary snacks to lying on the floor with the kids playing with Legos, the couple featured in today’s Huffington Post Gay Voices RaiseAChild.US “Let Love Define Family™” series has found that adopting through foster care was exactly the right fit for their family. For Dallas resident Duke Nelson and his husband, Steve Nelson, it was a completely different story. “We received our foster care license on a Friday at noon and at 3 p.m. we were told we were selected for an emergency placement,” recalled Duke.

  • Lady Gaga Has Some Advice For Sam Smith

    Before Sam Smith was an international sensation, he was a little monster. It seems the golden-voiced, openly gay darling of the music industry would cite Lady Gaga as an inspiration -- but she was, in fact, much more than that to the star. In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Smith opens up about how he used to cut class in high school in order to attend Lady Gaga concerts. In fact, he even cites Gaga as the reason he decided to move to London and struggle as a barback, copying Gaga's early struggles as an artist.

  • Teen Claims He Left School Because It Wanted Him To Go Back In The Closet

    In a depressing reminder of the world that we all live in, an LGBT vlogger claims he has been forced to change schools after administrators threatened to expel him for, well, basically... being gay. Austin Wallis, 17, runs a fairly popular channel on YouTube. The LGBT teen took to his account yesterday to share a heartbreaking message: administrators at his school allegedly told Wallis that he must go back in the closet by wiping his queer digital social media footprint or find another educational institution to attend.

  • LOOK: This Photographer Spent A Year Shooting LGBT Weddings And The Results Are Gorgeous

    This stunning collection of photos belongs to Steph Grant, a photographer who dedicated much of 2014 to documenting the weddings of LGBT couples. Throughout the past year, Grant traveled all over the country in order to photograph the big day of a number of queer couples. The photos are absolutely beautiful and The Huffington Post chatted with Grant last week about her experiences.

  • Go Inside The World Of Gay Erotic Manga And The Men Who Make It

    Are you ready for one of the most comprehensive anthologies of Japanese gay manga available in the English language? "Massive: Gay Erotic Manga And The Men Who Make It" is an effort from Graham Kolbeins and Anne Ishii that documents the work of nine different artists operating within the world of gay manga. Published by Fantagraphics Books and designed by Chip Kidd, "Massive" is a groundbreaking work that immortalizes an often over-looked corner of the queer art world.

  • WATCH: Animated Web Series Explores Queer Teen Issues In Unconventional Way

    An animated web series launched this week that explores issues affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) teens in an unconventional way. "McTucky Fried High" is the brainchild of filmmaker, illustrator and activist Robert-Carnilius and tackles a range of issues relevant to queer youth. Slated for a five-episode run, the web series will hit topics such as coming out, extreme diets, being genderqueer, bullying and sexting -- all through the use of animated food as characters.

  • NYC's First Queer Comic Convention Is Coming Your Way Soon

    Are you ready for New York City's first comic con specifically designed for the queer community? Geek OUT! announced this week that the organization will sponsor "FLAME CON" this summer and it will be the Big Apple's first-ever queer-focused comic con. "FLAME CON" is slated to take place Saturday, June 13, 2015 at the Grand Prospect Hall in Brooklyn.

  • LOOK: This Domino's BDSM-Themed Ad Is Real But You'll Never See It Promoted

    What appears to be a BDSM-themed ad for Domino's new Sriracha pizza is making the rounds on the Internet this week and it features a large tongue tied up and ball-gagged. Of course we're completely sex positive and supportive of all BDSM-related activities... but we're not convinced this is the best marketing strategy for the pizza delivery giant. Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.

  • WATCH: WNBA Star Britney Griner And Fiancé Appear On 'Say Yes To The Dress: Atlanta'

    The wedding day of one of our favorite queer athletes is fast approaching! Openly gay WNBA star Brittney Griner made headlines last August when she proposed to girlfriend Glory Johnson and documented the whole experience on Instagram. "Being on the show was super exciting! I was nervous," Griner told The Huffington Post, adding, "but I knew at the end of the day we would have a dress.

  • This 'Tech Bear' Couple Bought 'JebBushForPresident.com' And They Have Big Plans For It

    Jeb Bush is about to be in for a big surprise! CJ Phillips and Charlie Rainwater, a self-described "tech bear" couple based out of Oregon, made a decision back in 2008 to purchase the domain www.JebBushForPresident.com. Now, with Bush expected to make a run for president in 2016, the former Florida governor is going to be hard-pressed to secure this domain name.

  • New Film Explores Queer Experiences That Don't Always Make It Onto The Big Screen

    "JOHNNY" is the story of a young male prostitute hired for the night by a conflicted older man who has spent his life running from his sexuality. As the film's Indiegogo campaign notes, "JOHNNY" is the story about finding the inner strength to take ownership and responsibility over the person one has become. The Huffington Post chatted with writer and star of "JOHNNY," Brandon Crowder, this week about his vision for the film and what he hopes viewers take away from it. The Huffington Post: What are you trying to communicate with this project about being queer in the modern day?

  • Dan Savage's Life Is Set To Hit The Small Screen

    It looks like LGBT activist Dan Savage is making his next move. The "It Gets Better" founder is slated to be the focus of a semi-autobiographical, single-camera comedy on ABC, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The show, still untitled, will follow the younger years of Savage's life and the experiences of his family following his decision to come out of the closet.

  • This Openly Gay Musician Just Released Your Favorite New Break-Up Track

    Matt Palmer is a pop/R&B musician whose EP "Stranger Than Fiction" served as his debut as an openly gay artist. The Huffington Post chatted with Palmer this week about "Break-Up" and his vision for the video. The Huffington Post: What is your concept for "Break-Up"?  Matt Palmer: The concept was created by me and the director Ryan Bartley.