THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

On a related note, McKellen opened about confessing his sexuality to his family, adding that he regrets not coming out of the closet "much earlier," India.com noted. The 76-year-old actor confessed that, had he seen the significance of coming out before, he would have been a different and a happier person. The X-Men and Lord of the Rings star said that he felt much "freer" after coming out as gay and his family didn't give a damn about his sexuality.

Lane Bryant announced the Project Runway alum Christian Siriano will create a limited-edition line for its next designer collaboration, set to hit stores in spring 2016, The Huffington Post reported. The brand, which debuted its first-ever designer collaboration back in 2013 with Isabel and Ruben Toledo, has been making a shift toward higher fashion. Siriano has previously lent his keen eye for design to brands like Payless and Puma.

Jennifer Kent, who directed the creepy 2014 film The Babadook, will helm the lesbian film Alice + Freda Forever, Deadline noted. Alexis Coe's book tells the story of a budding romantic relationship between two young girls in 1892 Memphis, Tennessee, that incited a sensational murder and shocked the nation. The Babadook won Kent the Australian Directors Guild Award for Best Feature and the Australian Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.

According to files the FBI released, the late Whitney Houston was the victim of an extortion plot that threatened to reveal secrets about the late singer, Extra revealed. The secrets, which are detailed in the new book Whitney & Bobbi Kristina: The Deadly Price of Fame, alleged Houston was having a lesbian affair with her friend and assistant, Robyn Crawford. Houston denied the relationship with Crawford in the past; ex-husband Bobby Brown once said, "The media was accusing her of having a bisexual relationship. In Whitney's situation, the only solution was to get married and have kids."

Madame Tussauds San Francisco announced that it will debut a wax figure of Laverne Cox, star of Orange Is the New Black star and transgender-rights activist, on June 26 during "Pride Weekend" festivities in the Bay Area, according to Time.com . It is the first-ever transgender figure in the museum's history. Cox's likeness will join wax figures of George Clooney and Leonardo DiCaprio at the museum, The Hollywood Reporter added.

The Trevor Project will host its annual "TrevorLIVE New York" on June 15 at the Marriott Marquis, presented by Wells Fargo and Kevin Potter, a press release stated. Hosted by Beth Behrs ( of the TV show 2 Broke Girls ), other celebrities slated to attend and/or present are Susan Sarandon, Raven-Symone, T.R. Knight, Rosie Perez, 2015 Tony Award winner Alex Sharp, 2015 Tony Award winners Jeanine Tesori and Lauren Patten ( Fun Home ), Alex Newell and Kyle Dean Massey. Sir Ian McKellen will be honored for his ongoing support of the LGBTQ community with the Trevor Hero Award; Maine's Ryan Fecteau, the youngest openly gay state legislator, will be named the Youth Innovator Honoree; and Johnson & Johnson will be honored with the 20/20 Visionary Award. The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ young people ages 13-24.

Caitlyn Jenner is slated to receive the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at next month's ESPYs award show in Los Angeles on July 15—but some say Lauren Hill should be honored instead, The New York Daily News reported. Hill battled a brain tumor during her freshman year at Mount St. Joseph's before dying. One Twitter user, Cliff Saunders, posted, "Glad Jenner is finally able to live life on her own terms, but the Ashe award for courage? Lauren Hill deserves that." Hill dedicated the final months of her life to raising funds to help fight cancer, and raised more than $1.5 million before she died April 10.

The man who wrote the Vanity Fair cover story on Caitlyn Jenner has walked in her shoes, The New York Daily News noted. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Buzz Bissinger penned the prose to accompany Annie Liebovwitz's photos of Jenner in the July 2015 issue of the magazine, and Bissinger isn't a stranger to a life in transition. Bissinger, who has written Friday Night Lights, revealed in a 2013 GQ essay that he loved buying women's clothes; he also stated that he's experimented with homosexuality and revealed a fascination with S&M culture. Bissinger told Vanity Fair that while he doesn't regret the GQ piece, he called it "very flawed."

Caitlyn Jenner—whose Vanity Fair cover scored the magazine's website's biggest day in history, with more than 9 million unique visitors—has signed with CAA, which will work with her to create a platform for her activism in bringing awareness to the transgender community, TheWrap reported. Jenner is now a client in CAA's speakers department, which will identify opportunities for her to share her transgender experience and channel the attention from her transition into opportunities to address LGBT issues. The agency's philanthropic arm, the CAA Foundation, will also provide strategic counsel in helping Jenner spread her message.

A clip from the hit Fox animated show Family Guy has gone viral for referencing the gender transition of Caitlyn Jenner ( formerly known as Bruce ) more than six years ago, Just Jared noted. In the 2009 episode, baby Stewie Griffin and the talking dog Brian are discussing Jenner's son Brody's birth. "Bruce Jenner is a man," Brian says. Stewie says, "No, Brian, that's what the press would have you believe but he's not. Bruce Jenner is a woman. An elegant, beautiful, Dutch woman."

Make Up For Ever just revealed its first social-brand campaign—the "Be Bold. Be Unexpected. Be You." campaign promoting self-expression—and it stars none other than transgender model Andreja Pejic, alongside Once Upon a Time actress Jamie Chung, according to US Weekly. While the campaign does not officially launch until July 16 ( with events at Sephora stores ), the first photos have been released, along with a video starring both individuals. Pejic's inclusion marks the first time that a transgender model has starred in a major cosmetics campaign.

Actor Sir Patrick Stewart has come out in support of the Northern Irish bakers who sparked a "gay cake" debate by refusing a request from a customer who asked for a same-sex marriage slogan in icing, Chron.com noted. The owners of the Ashers Bakery in County Antrim made headlines when they were taken to court for refusing to decorate a cake with the message "Support Gay Marriage" above a picture of Sesame Street characters Bert and Ernie. Speaking on the UK TV show Newsnight, Stewart said, "I found myself on the side of the bakers… It was not because it was a gay couple that they objected. ... It was the actual words on the cake they objected to."

Film and Broadway star Tim Curry, who suffered a stroke in 2012, made a rare public appearance at a Tony Awards viewing party in Los Angeles, according to Extra. The Rocky Horror Picture Show star was honored with The Actors Fund Lifetime Achievement Award, and told Los Angeles magazine he was "doing well." Curry was nominated for a Tony for several roles on the stage, including Amadeus, My Favorite Year and Monty Python's Spamalot.

Diana Ross took one great step into the digital age recently by joining Twitter—and adding to the diva's renaissance in pop culture is Empire creator Lee Daniels, who revealed he's pitching the legendary singer for season two, Radio.com noted. TMZ asked Daniels what guests he'd like to have next fall and he responded, "I want Diana Ross. I'm obsessed with Diana Ross." Ross had nearly 17,000 followers on Twitter after one day.

Openly gay executive producer Greg Berlanti was slated to give the featured Keynote speech at the 2015 PromaxBDA: The Conference event that took place June 9-11, TheWrap reported. Joseph Gordon-Levitt was also added to the keynote lineup that included lesbian comedian Tig Notaro as well as Viacom Music and Entertainment President Doug Herzog. According to its website, PromaxBDA is "the global community of professionals passionately engaged in the marketing and promotion of television and video content."

Logo has announced a "Sunday Funday" block that launches July 26 in addition to a new show called Food To Get You Laid and renewed series, according to a press release. Featuring real people, real relationships, real kitchens and real ingredients, each episode of "Food" will focus on one couple trying to take the relationship to the next level. Among the returning series and specials are the Trailblazer Honors ( June 27 ), RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 4 RuVealed ( July 26 ) and Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos' Secret Guide to Fabulous ( July 26 ).

The latest RuPaul's Drag Race winner has been crowned, NewNowNext.com noted. Violet Chachki was crowned the winner of season seven, besting Pearl and Ginger Minj. Among other things, the three finalists had to lip-sync to songs crafted specifically for them, and Katya was crowned Miss Congeniality.

Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin have clarified remarks they made in May regarding their salaries on Netflix series Grace and Frankie, TheWrap noted. "We made a joke in an interview about our salaries [that] was taken out of context," the actresses said in a statement. In May, the actresses revealed during a press event for the comedy that they found out they were making the same salary as their male co-stars Martin Sheen and Sam Waterston—even though the two women are the leads on the show.

Out journalist LZ Granderson has joined ABC News as a contributor, TheWrap noted. He will continue on as a senior writer at ESPN, where he covers the NBA and serves as tennis editor. Granderson also hosts and co-produces several digital programs for the so-called Worldwide Leader in Sports. Granderson was named Journalist of the Year in 2011 by the National Lesbian Gay Journalists Association, among other awards and recognitions he's received.

The newly launched official website TheBillyConcept.com aims to illustrate Billy ( marketed as the first "out and proud" gay doll ), documenting the history of the Billy concept from the years 1993 to 2003, according to a press release. It has been more than 20 years since Billy was first exhibited as a sculpture at a London Arts Benefit for Aids in November 1994, in what was a highly politicized period in gay history. John McKitterick and Juan Andres created the conceptual artwork and, eventually, 1,200 limited editions of the Billy sculpture were made.

It's official: Janet Jackson will indeed put out her first original album in seven years before the end of 2015, CBS News noted. Jackson's Rhythm Nation record label will partner with BMG for the worldwide release of her eleventh career record ( not including her five remix and compilation albums ) slated for this fall. The first single is slated to drop in a few weeks. Her last album, Discipline, hit gold in 2008; however, the artist took a long hiatus following the untimely death of her brother Michael Jackson in June 2009.

The Wendy Williams Show is extending its season through the summer for a third year in a row, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The daytime talk show will continue to air new episodes through Thursday, July 23. The extension comes at the tail end of another successful season for the New York-based production, which has seen steady growth ever year.

Singer and actress Jennifer Lopez is facing backlash and a lawsuit after a steamy May 29 performance in Rabat, Morocco, that aired on live television, Newsweek reported. A Morocco education group has filed a lawsuit against the singer and the concert promoter, on the grounds that in her performance Lopez "disturbed public order and tarnished women's honor and respect." Advocates also are getting loud about Mustapha Khalifi—the promoter who booked Lopez for the Mawazine World Rhythms International Music Festival, along with Pharrell, Usher and Maroon 5—and are calling for his resignation.

New series Empire and Transparent are among the nominees for this year's Television Critics Association ( TCA ) Awards, TheWrap noted. The winners will be announced at a ceremony Aug. 8 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel as a part of the TCA's summer press tour, which runs July 28-Aug. 13. Among the many other nominees are actress Viola Davis, PBS program Frontline, RuPaul's Drag Race, the HBO movies Bessie and Olive Kitteridge. Friends, Late Night with David Letterman, The Shield, Star Trek and Twin Peaks are up for the Heritage Award.

Amazon Studios announced that a special audio commentary version of the Golden Globe award-winning series Transparent is now available to Amazon Prime members, a press release stated. Members can experience the series through the eyes of show creator Jill Soloway and cast members such as Jeffrey Tambor, Judith Light, Gaby Hoffmann, Amy Landecker and Jay Duplass. The version is available using the Amazon Instant Video app for TVs, connected and mobile devices or online at www.amazon.com/transparentcommentary.

In celebration of LGBT Pride Month, Comcast announced it will feature a specially curated collection of films from Frameline, according to Business Wire. Frameline has selected an eclectic mix of LGBT independent film titles that will be made available to Xfinity TV subscribers on Xfinity On Demand and online to the general public at Xfinity.com/LGBT. Among the features slated to be shown beginning June 15 are Decoding Alan Turing, Voices from the Front, The Paper Mirror and Changing Our Minds: The Story of Dr. Evelyn Hooker.

Jim Bailey—a self-proclaimed "character actor" who did spot-on re-creations of such iconic female entertainers as Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand and Peggy Lee—has died at age 77, The Hollywood Reporter noted. Bailey died of cardiac arrest from pneumonia complications at Pacifica Hospital of the Valley in Sun Valley, California. Among other achievements, Bailey was a regular in Las Vegas for years, did a Streisand tribute at halftime of the 1978 Super Bowl and put out three albums. On a 1985 episode of the NBC sitcom Night Court, Bailey played a college friend ( Chip/Charlene ) of John Larroquette's character who had undergone gender-reassignment surgery.

Ronnie Gilbert—who was part of the Weavers, the seminal quartet that helped propel folk music to wide popularity—died June 6 in Mill Valley, California at the age of 88, The New York Times noted. Her partner, Donna Korones, confirmed Gilbert's death. The Weavers—whose other members were Pete Seeger, Lee Hays and Fred Hellerman—started playing together in the late 1940s. The group became known for such folk standards like "On Top of Old Smoky," "Goodnight, Irene" ( which blues singer Lead Belly first recorded ), Woody Guthrie's "So Long, It's Been Good to Know Yuh" and "The Hammer Song" ( a.k.a. "If I Had a Hammer" ).

TV showrunner Shonda Rhimes will be publishing her first novel this November, discussing a personal journey she experienced, The New York Daily News reported. Year of Yes will share the story of the writer's year where she decided to say yes to everything and it changed her life. The executive producer of Scandal, Grey's Anatomy and How to Get Away with Murder has said the books will show how a self-professed introvert transformed herself.

Brittney Griner filed for an annulment with Glory Johnson-Griner a day after Johnson-Griner announced she's pregnant and a month after the two WNBA players married, the Associated Press reported. "In the week prior to the wedding, I attempted to postpone the wedding several times until I completed counseling, but I still went through with it," Griner said in a statement. "I now realize that was a mistake." Johnson-Griner's agent, D.J. Fisher, said in a statement that her client was unaware of the filing and was "extremely hurt and blindsided" by Griner's actions. Griner, the 6-foot-8 Phoenix Mercury star, married Johnson-Griner on May 9, three weeks after they were arrested on domestic-violence charges for a fight at their home in suburban Phoenix.

The former lawyers for Michael Egan, the man who accused several Hollywood figures of sex abuse last year, have issued apologies to two of the accused, former NBC President Garth Ancier and David A. Neuman, TheWrap noted. Jeff Herman wrote in a letter to Ancier and Neuman, "Based on what I know now, I believe that I participated in making what I now know to be untrue and proveably false allegations against you. Had I known what I learned after filing the lawsuits, I would never have filed these claims against you." Attorney Mark Gallagher wrote a separate letter apologizing to Neuman. Egan made headlines last April after alleging that X-Men director Bryan Singer, Ancier, Broadway producer Gary Goddard and former Disney executive Neuman had sexually abused him.

In Chicago, American Theater Company's ( ATC's ) board of directors has named respected Chicago artist Bonnie Metzgar as its interim artistic director, effective immediately, according to a press release. Metzgar, the former artistic director of About Face Theatre, had an ongoing relationship with ATC, including directing the documentary play Let Me Down Easy by Anna Deavere Smith earlier this season. The board also announced it will conduct a national search for new permanent leadership for the theater, following the unexpected passing of ATC Artistic Director PJ Paparelli last month.

Beyonce hyped a big announcement to be made on Good Morning America on June 8, releasing a teaser video, US Weekly noted. Howevrer, the Grammy winner, 33, made her appearance on the show simply to discuss her vegan diet. The result was that a social-media backlash occurred. "They had the dramatic music in the Beyonce/GMA interview commercial and she's announcing that she only eats grass lmao," one Twitter user wrote.

Adam Rodriguez is set to recur as a guest star on Empire's second season, TheWrap noted. The CSI: Miami and Magic Mike franchise star will play Laz Delgado, a smooth-talking concert promoter with expert hustler skills. Laz is a native New Yorker and former EMT who takes an interest in Cookie ( played by Taraji P. Henson ). Previously announced guest stars on the sophomore season of Fox's smash hit include Chris Rock, Lenny Kravitz, Alicia Keys and Ne-Yo.

A report says that soccer star Hope Solo was belligerent toward the police officers arresting her—many of whom deemed her the "primary aggressor"—in a domestic-violence incident last year involving her half-sister and nephew, Time.com noted. The ESPN report states that the U.S. national goalkeeper, 33, called one officer "such a bitch" and claimed he was scared of her "because you know that if the handcuffs were off, I'd kick your ass." The ESPN report also reports further allegations on the incident through interviews with Solo's half-sister Teresa Obert, including that she had been drinking, that she punched Obert multiple times in the face and slammed Obert's then-17-year-old son's head into a concrete floor.

Police are investigating the death of Victoria Siegel, the daughter of a billionaire couple featured in Queen of Versailles, a 2012 documentary about their unfinished Orlando-area super-mansion, ABC News noted. Siegel, 18, was found unresponsive in the family's home in Windermere, Florida. Construction on the famed house began nine years ago, but progress slowed after the recession hit in 2008. Siegel reportedly battled pill addiction, Page Six noted.

The parents of Josh Duggar said their son "improperly touched" four of their daughters, two of whom said they were outraged when their sealed juvenile records were released, ABC News reported. Reports surfaced last month that Josh Duggar, who's on the family's reality series 19 Kids and Counting, had been investigated in 2006 for inappropriately touching minors. Josh, now 27, responded to the allegations of sexual misconduct last month, explaining that he "acted inexcusably" when he was 14 and "sought forgiveness for those I had wronged."

Kim Kardashian reported on social media that her dress caught fire following the Council of Fashion Designers of America awards, Page Six noted. "Shout out to Pharrell & [his wife] Helen who saved my life last night!" she wrote on Instagram. Kardashian's husband, Kanye West, presented Pharrell with the CFDA's Fashion Icon award, and Kardashian presented Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom with the media award.