Though it’s pushing 45 itself, the Advocate. is toasting the youngin’s with its list of Forty under 40, young LGBT pioneers involved in activism, the arts, science, politics, the environment, education and other arenas.
Some of the names on the list are familiar—like 25-year-old performer Mike Munich (left), who we’ve lusted after in Andrew Christian videos and Gaga performances; Liz Feldman, 34-year-old writer for TV’s 2 Broke Girls; and Jazz, the 11-year-old co-founder of TransKids Purple Rainbow Foundation and the subject of the documentary I am Jazz.
But many are just young people who are working hard to effect change in their own communities, like Mike Halterman, the 26-year-old founder of Arkansas’ Out on the Town magazine, who tells the Advocate:
“People [here] never had a voice of their own in their own media before this. It was always, ‘Here, read this magazine from Atlanta, Dallas, etc., that doesn’t cater to you at all and doesn’t have anything relevant to how you live your life over here.’ A lot of us live rural lives and…things are a little slower here. The communities are more tight-knit.
So many…like Ellen DeGeneres, Cat Cora, Lance Bass…have left the South and made an impact nationally, but my goal was to always make a difference at home.”
Man, do we feel old.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
For the full list of Forty under 40, visit Advocate.com.
Sam
The list was quite… coastal.
Bipolar Bear
As a commenter on Facebook asked, how about a 40 over 40 list? We don’t do enough to celebrate the older pioneers in our community. It wasn’t all closets, toilet sex and suicide: http://bipolarbear.co.nz/2011/07/01/its-not-for-us/
Mike
Oh cool, I’m mentioned by name (and photo!) on Queerty. Loves it!
Mike
(I’m the fat-but-still-hot one at the bottom, not the guy up top.) 😉
Mike
@c ron: Mwah to you too. 😉
Cristina
Congrats, Mike!
DouggSeven
That Brian Sims dude is one of the hottest things I’ve ever seen/heard.
Jason von Kreuzberg
nothing is more “NEVER hot” than the vapid superficiality that people like “Steven” and “c ron” inflict on our community, reinforce all of the old stereotypes of gay men being vain and shallow
mc
Great job MIke. Please ignore the trolls who’ve probably accomplished a hell of lot less than you’ve done.
Chadboy
I’m guessing that the ages of “The 40 Under 40” are their online ages. I hope ADVOCATE carded these people, because several of them are not the ages they say they are. Having lived in NYC for 20 years I recognize a couple from yearsssssss ago and they are older than claimed in this article. Obviously, ADVOCATE didn’t do their research seeing that one of the guys has his age listed as “30s”.
Mark
How about 50 over 50
Danny
Takes courage to be out and proud in Arkansas. Good for him.
jeff4justice
Take that over 40 people.
J Stratford
@Mike:
Ignore the trolls. Pity them if you must. They are probably ugly inside and has no one to love them, so they spread their misery in anonymous fora like Queerty.
w.e.
Ageist much? Typical fascist gay bullshit.
Elmwood Mac
Way to go Mike, congrats. As for the Muscle Mary’s and Ab Queen’s when will you ever grow up. By the way, you are getting older and older everyday…ewwwwwwww.
Scott Gatz
@Mike: congrats! glad to see you recognized. And a note to the commenters here, remember our policy, don’t attack your fellow commenters.
Mike
@Scott Gatz: Thank you! And for the one who insisted I pick “one and only one,” I make my own damn rules so I pull a Kelly Taylor, choose me, and pick both. xoxo!
TiredoftheBS
This magazine still exists? Who reads this?
Eric in Chicago
Who gives a flying fuck about this or people under 20. Who cares. Show us people still making a difference at 60 or 70 or later. Quit kissing ass to youth all the time. It’s gross.