A Big Pride Fail

Are male strippers the only gay "role models" Pride Houston can think of? Grand Marshals choice perpetuates stereotypes

Jaymes Vaughan has abs of steel, perky pecs and a you'll-do-anything-for-me smile that has men and women — gay, bi, straight, transgender, confused — swooning over this hard-as-a-rock Las Vegas Chippendales dancer. Along with James Davis' baby face and glistening torso, he formed a duo that went quite far in last season's Amazing Race, earning a second place finish in the globetrotting reality television show.

The twosome, Jaymes and James, will helm Houston's Pride Houston activities, the Chronicle reports, which includes serving as celebrity grand marshals for the Houston Pride Parade, set for 8:15 June 29. The parade usually promenades along Westheimer between Dunlavy and Montrose. Jaymes and James will also show off their musical skills at the preceding festival, scheduled from 1 p.m to 7 p.m.

You can thank Pride Houston for perpetuating the false stereotype that the community only cares about hot bodies and fame.

After last year's grand marshal announcement left fans of the parade asking, "Who the hell is Madison Hildebrand?" the appointment of the much better known hunky bros first appears to be a positive move for Pride Houston. Except, once again, some connection to the Bayou City appears to be unimportant as a criteria for celebrity grand marshal.

You can thank Pride Houston for perpetuating the false stereotype that the community only cares about hot bodies and fame too. Aren't there more meaningful role models out there beyond glorified strippers?

Joining them in their official roles is a coterie of locals who have contributed to the GLBTQ community chosen by popular vote. Nominees for male grand marshal are JD Doyle and John Nechman; nominees for female grand marshal are Gay Nell Gulihur, Liz James and Robin Brown; and nominees for ally grand marshals are Anna Eastman and Januari Leo.

unspecified

Thanks, Queen Bey

Pop icon Beyoncé donates $100,000 to University of Houston Law School

Photo by Erza Shaw Getty Images

undefined

Pop megastar Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has donated $100,000 to the University of Houston Law Center Criminal Justice Clinic through her BeyGOOD Foundation. The gift will allow the clinic to hire fill-time faculty to head it, benefiting the students who study there.

“I am delighted that the BeyGOOD Foundation has made this very generous gift to the UH Law Center,” said Leonard Baynes, dean of the UH Law Center. “Not only will this funding help establish a full-time criminal justice clinic that provides pro bono legal services in our community, but it will also supercharge our already excellent criminal law and justice programming.”

The clinic is one of nine at UHLC. It helps students learn to navigate the criminal justice system, especially on behalf of clients that are underserved by skilled attorneys. People of color are affected disproportionately by a lack of good, ethical representation.

Beyoncé, the most decorated artist in Grammy history and easily the biggest musical star native to Houston, has a long history of advocating for criminal justice reform. She was a staunch supporter of the police reform following the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, asking law enforcement to “stop killing us” in a web post. In 2020, she penned an open letter to the Kentucky attorney general asking for justice in the death of Breonna Taylor.

Through her BeyGOOD Foundation, established in 2013, Beyoncé has focused mostly on expanding the prospects of Black-owned business and offering education opportunities to students. Forwarding the cause of legal representation in Texas while also helping out marginalized communities compliments her other philanthropic work.

“At UH Law, we envision a legal profession where ‘everyone has the opportunity to prosper,’ as BeyGOOD envisions, and we will achieve this vision by providing access to strong and effective legal representation in criminal proceedings,” Baynes said. “And together, through this gift, the BeyGOOD Foundation and UHLC will shepherd the next generation of criminal justice attorneys in the city of Houston, the state of Texas and the nation.”