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	<title>Gays and Confused</title>
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	<description>A guide to life for the gays and confused.</description>
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		<title>This Queer Horror Novel Will Make You Uncomfortable and That&#8217;s Exactly the Point</title>
		<link>https://gaysandconfused.com/black-flame/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=black-flame</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[tcsandoval]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Queer Book Club]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gaysandconfused.com/?p=1349</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Black Flame by Gretchen Felker-Martin (affiliate link) is the most unsettling book I&#8217;ve read this year and I mean that as a compliment. The premise: It&#x2019;s 1980s New York and a repressed film archivist is restoring a cursed underground horror film from Nazi-era Germany. As someone who went to film school, I was immediately intrigued. What I didn&#8217;t expect was how deeply personal and disturbing Felker-Martin&#8217;s vision would get. Some spoilers ahead. Title: Black Flame Author: Gretchen Felker-Martin Genre: Queer horror / psychological horror What Is Black Flame About? Set in 1980s New York, Black Flame follows Ellen, a film archivist restoring a cursed underground horror film called The Baroness. As she works frame by frame, the film begins to bleed into her reality. She sees visions, hears voices, and has strange encounters that may or may not be supernatural. The deeper she goes, the more her carefully controlled life begins to unravel. Why it&#x2019;s queer: Ellen is a deeply repressed queer woman clinging to a suffocating version of heterosexual normalcy. She&#x2019;s terrified of her [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">1349</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>12 LGBTQ+ Holiday Movies for Your Winter Watchlist</title>
		<link>https://gaysandconfused.com/lgbtq-holiday-films/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=lgbtq-holiday-films</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[tcsandoval]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 16 Dec 2025 02:49:24 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Queer Film Club]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gaysandconfused.com/?p=1249</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Every year I tell myself I&#x2019;m going to be That Gay Who&#x2019;s Fully Committed to the Holidays&#x2122;, indulging in the magic of hot bevys, cozy fits, and gatherings with my gaggle. But every year the season sneaks up on me and sprints right past me. One way I try to slow things down is by kicking back with holiday movies. And of course I want them to feature a gay storyline. So, if you&#x2019;re looking for some flicks to get you in the spirit, here are 12 gay holiday movies to make your season merry and bright. Make the Yuletide Gay Synopsis:&#160;Holiday chaos erupts when a closeted college kid&#x2019;s boyfriend visits him at home with his unsuspecting parents. Why you should watch it:&#160;This movie leans all the way into campy humor with a parade of double entendres, mostly delivered by Olaf&#x2019;s clueless but progressively modern parents. While the acting can be a little rough, the film makes up for it with earnest heart. There are many LGBTQ+ films that center on coming out, but few are wrapped in holiday cheer. Plus there&#x2019;s a merry cast keeping the whole thing warm and goofy including Olaf&#x2019;s Christmas-obsessed mom, his forgetful pothead dad, [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">1249</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Shop Small, Shop Queer: A Joyful Holiday Gift Guide</title>
		<link>https://gaysandconfused.com/small-queer-shops/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=small-queer-shops</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[tcsandoval]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 29 Nov 2025 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Shop]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gaysandconfused.com/?p=1279</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The holiday shopping season is officially here! Before you default to a mega-retailer, consider shopping a little more intentional and a lot more queer. Small Business Saturday is the perfect excuse to shop with purpose and put your dollars toward independent, queer-owned shops that bring culture and our community&#x2019;s pride into everyday life. From thoughtful gifts to joyful little treats for yourself, this list of small queer-owned businesses makes holiday shopping feel meaningful and festive. The Little Gay Shop The Little Gay Shop is one of my favorite places to stop into when I&#x2019;m home in Austin, TX. This unapologetically queer marketplace curates art, apparel, books, magazines, and gifts exclusively from LGBTQ+ artists and makers from around the world. Their brick and mortar spot is part retail space, part community hub, and fully committed to amplifying queer voices in the heart of Texas. Come for the merch, stay for the culture. JZD Founded in Brownsville, TX by queer Latina creators Jennifer Serrano and Veronica Vasquez, this lifestyle brand was built to celebrate Latinx identity, empowerment, and community. They&#x2019;ve become well known for the iconic &#x201C;Latina Power&#x201D; tee, a cultural reset, honestly, but JZD&#x2019;s apparel and accessories go far beyond merch. [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">1279</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Inside Giovanni’s Room: A Queer Classic That Changed Literature</title>
		<link>https://gaysandconfused.com/giovannis-room/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=giovannis-room</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[tcsandoval]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 11 Nov 2025 03:12:28 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Queer Book Club]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gaysandconfused.com/?p=1227</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. If you love inspiring LGBTQ+ memoirs and novels that explore masculinity and identity, James Baldwin&#x2019;s Giovanni&#x2019;s Room (affiliate link) is essential reading. As part of my own little Queer Book Club, I&#x2019;ve been posting my reactions and thoughts regularly on Threads and Bluesky as I read. I fell a bit behind schedule with this one, but I&#x2019;d love for you to join the conversation. This was my first James Baldwin novel and I really enjoyed his very conversational almost stream of consciousness style. The story unfolds like a tangle of attraction and guilt, told entirely through the lens of one man trying (and failing) to outrun himself. Let&#x2019;s get into it. Uneasy Dreams in Paris and New York When we first meet David in Paris, it feels almost like a romantic escape, but the illusion doesn&#x2019;t last. Paris is magical and precarious, a city where beauty and despair live side by side. We find that David&#x2019;s been scraping by, chasing security through older patrons like Jacques, while pretending not to notice how dependent he&#x2019;s become [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">1227</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>I Found Magic (and Mayhem) in Queer Cinema at NewFest 2025</title>
		<link>https://gaysandconfused.com/newfest-queer-films-2025/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=newfest-queer-films-2025</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[tcsandoval]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Oct 2025 22:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Queer Film Club]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gaysandconfused.com/?p=1207</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Look, I set out into this world armed with a film degree and I&#x2019;m not afraid to watch a low budget indie flick and muse on it for the next few days. So naturally I&#x2019;m hyped for NewFest, New York City&#x2019;s LGBTQ+ film festival, every year. I was really looking forward to attending the festival in person this year, but had the opportunity to travel for work this week and had to settle for a virtual pass. But babe, I really put that pass to test and watched so so so many films this week. From campy sci-fi adventures to devastating documentaries, every film reminded me how expansive queer storytelling can be. Here&#x2019;s a rundown of some of my favorites. Laugh Riots Shorts Program I kicked things off strong with Laugh Riots, a lineup of queer comedies that ranged from absurd to unexpectedly touching. The standout for me was She Raised Me, a delightfully bizarre short about a man whose famous actress mother is, quite literally, a puppet. It pulled off high-concept weirdness with both humor and heart. Then there was Bugged, a chaotic comedy set in a Bushwick apartment crawling with bedbugs and queer tension. It made me an [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">1207</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>From Trauma to Terror: Revisiting the Gay Slasher They/Them</title>
		<link>https://gaysandconfused.com/gay-horror-they-them/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=gay-horror-they-them</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[tcsandoval]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 11 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Queer Film Club]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gaysandconfused.com/?p=1168</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Spooky season is one of my favorite times of the year and to celebrate I&#x2019;m diving into some gay horror films. The campier, bloodier, and queerer the better. I&#x2019;m kicking things off with They/Them, a 2022 LGBTQ+ horror movie from Blumhouse set in a conversion therapy camp. On paper, it&#x2019;s a killer concept: queer teens fighting for survival and identity in a place designed to erase them. It&#x2019;s But I&#x2019;m a Cheerleader meets Friday the 13th, only with fewer thrills and way more trauma. They/Them (2022) Directed by: John Logan Starring: Kevin Bacon, Theo Germaine, Anna Chlumsky, and Cooper Koch Summary: A group of LGBTQ+ teens arrive at a remote conversion therapy camp that promises to make them straight, but things take a dark turn when a masked killer begins picking people off one by one. The tea: TL:DR They/Them struggles to deliver real scares but shines in moments of community and queer resilience. It leans heavier on trauma more than terror, but it&#x2019;s one of the few horror films centered on queer characters and that makes it worth watching (at least once). Where to stream: Peacock, Apple TV, Prime Video &#x1FA78; The Setup: Horror in the Woods The film [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">1168</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Motherhood, Secrets, and Spanish History: Why Parallel Mothers Matters</title>
		<link>https://gaysandconfused.com/almodovar-parallel-mothers/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=almodovar-parallel-mothers</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[tcsandoval]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Sep 2025 01:42:20 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gaysandconfused.com/?p=1148</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Pedro Almod&#xF3;var is one of my all-time favorite directors, a true master of blending camp, melodrama, and big emotions. He&#x2019;s one of the most celebrated LGBTQ+ directors working today and I&#x2019;ve always wanted to challenge myself to watch his entire filmography. What I love about his films are the colors, the strange-yet-normal situations, and the way campy melodrama somehow makes serious topics hit even harder. Parallel Mothers (2021) Directed by: Pedro Almod&#xF3;var Starring: Pen&#xE9;lope Cruz, Milena Smit&#160; Summary: Two women give birth on the same day, and their lives get tangled thanks to a hospital mix-up. At the same time, one of them is investigating unmarked graves of her townspeople from the Spanish Civil War. The tea: This film isn&#x2019;t just about melodrama or shocking plot twists, it&#x2019;s about history, memory, motherhood, and how personal trauma echoes political trauma. Where to stream: YouTube, Prime Video, Philo, Apple TV I finally caught Parallel Mothers on a plane, not exactly a Criterion theater setup, but it was worth it. The film balances melodrama, desire, and political history in classic Almod&#xF3;var style, offering both campy fun and profound emotional resonance. The Story (Spoilers Ahead) We open with Janis (Pen&#xE9;lope Cruz), a photographer trying [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">1148</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Ultimate Gay NYC List to Close Out the Summer</title>
		<link>https://gaysandconfused.com/gay-nyc-end-of-summer-events/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=gay-nyc-end-of-summer-events</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[tcsandoval]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 12 Aug 2025 03:19:33 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Life]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gaysandconfused.com/?p=1128</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Somehow, we&#x2019;ve blinked and summer&#x2019;s already slipping through our fingers, but it&#x2019;s not over yet. There&#8217;s still plenty of gay magic to be had, and I&#x2019;m determined to squeeze every last drop out of it. These final weeks can feel like a blur of beach trips, rooftop hangs, and &#x201C;we&#x2019;ll do it next weekend&#x201D; plans&#x2026; until suddenly it&#x2019;s fall. So I&#x2019;ve rounded up the best LGBTQ+ events happening in New York City before summer takes her final bow. From sweaty dance parties to fantastic film screenings, here&#x2019;s your end-of-summer guide to celebrate, connect, and send off the season in style. &#x1FAA9; Summer Soirees &#38; Discos For the nights you want to sweat it out on the dance floor, flirt under neon lights, and do it all for the plot. 17th Annual Madonna Worship Night Kate Bush: The Dreaming (full album spin) Celebration: A Madonna Party PLANET YES: GAGA NIGHT w/ Dirtyfinger &#x1F496; Community Hangs &#38; Low-Key Fun From dance lessons to drag bingo, not every night has to be a rager. Find connection, creativity, and time together. Queer Ride Club Summer Series Kickoff The LGBT+ Male Figurative Drawing Group Queer Tango Lessons &#x1F3AC; Outdoor Films &#38; Art Exhibits Dreamy summer [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">1128</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Resistance and Resilience in an Inspiring LGBTQ Memoir</title>
		<link>https://gaysandconfused.com/queer-book-club-before-night-falls/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=queer-book-club-before-night-falls</link>
					<comments>https://gaysandconfused.com/queer-book-club-before-night-falls/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[tcsandoval]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 11 Aug 2025 09:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Queer Book Club]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gaysandconfused.com/?p=1106</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Okay, confession time. I started reading Reinaldo Arenas&#x2019; Before Night Falls (affiliate link) months and months ago and promised myself that I&#x2019;d post about it on socials as my own Queer Book Club. Needless to say, I&#x2019;m a very slow reader and it took me quite a while to get this book club session started. This memoir has been on my reading list for ages and I&#x2019;m so glad I read it. Not only did I find it beautifully written but also offers an unflinching, intimate look at gay life under an authoritarian regime. If you&#x2019;re a fan of inspiring LGBTQ memoirs that explore resilience, resistance, and identity, you absolutely must pick up this book. Why Before Night Falls Is One of the Most Inspiring LGBTQ Memoirs The first 100 pages cover Arenas&#x2019; youth in rural Cuba and honestly, it was pretty jarring, and at times a little uncomfortable. I&#x2019;m not sure what I came to this book expecting, but what I found was a deeply intimate and sometimes brutal account of life under an [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
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			<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">1106</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>The LGBTQ+ Pet Brands Every Gay Dog Dad Should Know</title>
		<link>https://gaysandconfused.com/lgtbq-pet-brands/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=lgtbq-pet-brands</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[tcsandoval]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 07 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Shop]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://gaysandconfused.com/?p=1093</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Growing up in a pet household, I can barely remember a time where I wasn&#x2019;t accompanied by a dog, cat, or even an armadillo (that&#x2019;s a story for another day). Animals, especially dogs, have always been part of my family, and I believe they should be well cared for and very stylish. I spent years with my Italian Greyhound, Tripp, which is the number one dog breed for gay men (I will not be taking questions), and now I&#x2019;m looking forward to many adventures with my new pup Rider. To make sure he lives a happy and healthy life, I&#x2019;m always on the hunt for products that are safe, high-quality, and built to last. And since I love shopping small and queer-owned whenever possible, here&#x2019;s a roundup of LGBTQ+ owned pet brands that offer everything from chic collars to tasty treats. Timberdog (affiliate link) Founder Leena Chitnis loved adventuring with her pup, Kashi, but struggled to find travel gear for their outings. That&#x2019;s when RuffRest (affiliate link) was born. It&#x2019;s a clever all-in-one dog bed, [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">1093</post-id>	</item>
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