Dwayne Ratleff grew up Black, poor and gay in 1960s Baltimore. As a youngster, his loving grandma taught him: “Don’t explain yourself, be yourself.” Ratleff has written an impressive, award-winning debut novel – a memoir really...

The post Author Dwayne Ratleff on ‘Dancing to the Lyrics’ first appeared on Out In The Bay.

A yearly "Day of Drag" and a Drag Mall? While many states are restricting drag, San Francisco Drag Laureate D'Arcy Drollinger is spreading the humor and "sparkle" of drag to make positive change in the world.

The post World’s first Drag Laureate shares art, joy, politics of drag first appeared on Out In The Bay.

Just in time for potentially awkward holiday gatherings, we present a holiday fave: Author and civil rights lawyer Abby Dees tells our allies go ahead, ask LGBTQ relatives or friends your burning questions. If you’re queer, she...

The post Pagans for dinner? Making holidays queer-comfy first appeared on Out In The Bay.

Is Burning Man worth the heat and dust? What’s queer about it? Is it true that many “straight” boys and girls put out there, as they explore their sexuality?

The post Burning Man – art and queer exploration first appeared on Out In The Bay.

When musician and educator Nick Lawrence shared his story with me, I understood “transgender” like never before. His album “I Am a Man” is about his personal journey. In original songs and in our intimate...

The post A transgender experience in song and talk first appeared on Out In The Bay.

Singer-songwriter Marilyn Mitchell, who played in San Francisco’s popular 2003-2010 all-trans rock band Lipstick Conspiracy, shares music and life stories this week – and hints that her former group may get back together. Her latest...

The post Marilyn Mitchell melds life, politics on latest rock album first appeared on Out In The Bay.

Quick, what’s your sexuality? Most of us know roughly where we fall on the Kinsey scale that goes from zero (totally straight) to six (flaming faggot or butchest of dykes). But have you considered another...

The post Learning from Asexuals About Sex & Relationships first appeared on Out In The Bay.

In poems and prose both heavy and uplifting, Pamela Sneed takes us to Ghana and the streets of New York, tackling the history of slavery, gentrification, health care disparities evidenced by the HIV and COVID pandemics, and much more.

The post ‘Funeral Diva’ Pamela Sneed: ‘We can heal’ first appeared on Out In The Bay.

As we await the reopening of the storm-damaged Pacifica Pier, we bring you a poet's stories of connection on this historic pier.

The post Peers connect on Pacifica Pier in ‘Spell Heaven’ first appeared on Out In The Bay.