The Hollywood Reporter debuted its Pride issue yesterday morning with a cover story, “The 50 Most Powerful LGBTQ Players in Hollywood”.

 

Now THIS is a Pride cover. For one, it actually includes Billy Porter which already puts it miles ahead of certain other magazines. The story itself is a collection of 50 profiles that feature LGBTQ talent in the industry. What’s great is that it not only showcases celebrities, but also many of the people who work behind the scenes of the queer shows we love. It’s literally the Show Your Work of covers.

Representation starts behind the camera in boardrooms and offices. Without queer storytellers, producers, directors, and showrunners, authentic representation is not possible. In this issue, THR highlights the unseen work that goes into shaping and creating these pioneering shows. For example, one of the people featured is Cindy Holland who greenlit Orange is the New Black and is largely responsible for Netflix’s status as the most inclusive platform. 

The very goal of a Pride issue should be to feature and promote the work of queer talent. It’s so refreshing to see people in this profile who often never stand in the spotlight. I’m so inspired reading about the work of Steven Canals, writer and showrunner on Pose. We NEED aspiring queer talent to see the value that they can bring to Hollywood, especially when they’re not on screen!

 

I would strongly urge you to read through all 50 of the profiles in detail. Each features a brief description of the person and their work. It’s also a catalogue of good LGBTQ shows. I probably made a list of like 25 new things I need to watch after reading this article. Most profiles feature answers to a few fill-in-the-blank questions taken from the ones listed below:

I first felt represented when I saw _________________

I’ll feel good about Hollywood’s LGBTQ representation when _________________

The person I think doesn’t get enough credit for their activism is ___________________

My mentor is _________________

LGBTQ story I’d love to see onscreen is ________________

I felt most proud to be part of the community last year when ___________________

 

Each of these questions accomplishes something unique. “I first felt represented” demonstrates the importance of representation in shaping the careers of today’s “Most Powerful LGBTQ People”. (It’s also a great playlist of gay movies to watch.) Some answers even point to a still glaring gap in the stories that exist in Hollywood today. The answers to “I’ll feel good about Hollywood’s LGBTQ representation when” contain almost 50 different views of the future of queer representation in Hollywood. My favourite is Russell T. Davies’s:

“I'll feel good about Hollywood’s LGBTQ representation when we get great big hot superheroes, please. Not sweet representations. But great big horny bastards, male and female."

The other questions highlight the creativity of the individuals featured and points us in the direction of other pioneers and trailblazers in our community. Through each individual answer, instead of telling, THR shows us the variety of perspectives and experiences that make up the industry. Even though we’re at a high point for LGBTQ embracement in the industry, there’s still so much more we can do. Seeing an issue like this fills me with hope and pride, a feeling that I hope the next generation of LGBTQ creatives shares as well.