Crystal Fox will appear in "The Big Door Prize" as a lesbian, Selena Gomez was supposed to be bisexual in "Wizards of Waverly Place," and a queer journalist creates an LGBT newsletter.
Crystal Fox Stars In ‘The Big Door Prize’ As A Lesbian
Apple TV's “The Big Door Prize” dropped March 29 and includes lesbian representation. Heather Hogan with Autostraddle described the show as a cross between “Twilight Zone,” “Black Mirror,” and “Schitt's Creek.”
Crystal R. Fox, an ally of the LGBT community, plays Izzy, the mayor, a business owner, a middle-aged lesbian "mommi," and a former dancer. Izzy also has a drama-filled complicated relationship with her ex-partner.
A central plot point includes a machine called MORPHO that dispenses cards to reveal life's true potential.
Izzy's card reveals she is a dancer, and that label takes a particular hold of her.
"I can't think of a time I've gotten to watch a Black lesbian in her 60s live out a rom-com plot on TV!" said Hogan.
Between the mystery, existential questions, and the lesbian rom-com plot, “The Big Door Prize” is a must-see.
Selena Gomez Was Meant To Be Bi In ‘Wizards Of Waverly Place’
Selena Gomez. Photo via Twitter.
“Wizards Of Waverly Place” allowed Selena Gomez to rise to stardom in the early 2010s. Gomez played Alex Russo, a sly, sarcastic, sneaky, and outgoing wizard, the show's main character who was meant to be bisexual.
“Wizards” cast Jennifer Stone and David DeLuise host a rewatch podcast titled “Wizards of Waverly Pod,” where they reminisce on their time together with guests who helped make the show what it is today.
In the latest episode, Peter Murrieta, the show's executive producer and head writer, revealed that Alex was initially meant to be bisexual.
In season 3, Alex befriends Stevie Nichols, played by Hayley Kiyoko. The writers wanted to "expand outside friendship."
"I wished we could have played more with what was quite obvious to a lot of us was the relationship between Stevie and Alex. But we weren't able to at that time…" said Murrieta.
In response, Stone said, "If we were just a few years down the line, we maybe could have played with that."
#Stalex fans were right, though this ship must remain imaginary.
Arizonan Journalist Creates LGBT Newsletter To Bolster Queer News
Joseph Darious Jaafari. Photo via lookoutphx.com.
Arizona, like Florida, is one of 15 states with 10+ anti-LGBT bills this legislative session.
Joseph Darius Jaafari, an investigative reporter with the Arizona Republic, founded LOOKOUT PHX, an online LGBT newsletter on Substack, due to the lack of queer coverage in local Arizona news.
"This is something that we need. This is something that people want," said Jaafari in an interview with Fronteras.
Jaafari founded LOOKOUT in January with his husband, Jake Hilton, and has clarified that the newsletter is not affiliated with the Arizona Republic.
LOOKOUT has covered a range of pieces, from prisoners being punished for queer intimacy to a gay couple being run out of their home and more. Jaafari says that's "just the beginning."
"We have health issues that we need to talk about, we have testing issues we need to talk about, we have education issues, we have housing issues, all these things that just are not covered thoroughly and consistently. They're treated as an afterthought," said Jaafari.
