When holidays collide

Was Christopher Columbus gay? A National Coming Out Day mystery solved

There's a statue of Christopher Columbus in SoMo. Enough said?
Tony Bullard
It's National Coming Out Day.
diogenesii.wordpress.com
And also Columbus Day ... You think that's coincidence?
Rendering by Currier and Ives/Library of Congress
Shopping for pumpkins in Ottawa for Canadian Thanksgiving.
Photo by Lars Plougmann

This was one busy day if you’re a closeted Canadian. Monday is National Coming Out Day as well as Canada’s Thanksgiving.

Many countries observe National Coming Out Day including Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Croatia, Poland and the United Kingdom. Monday is also Columbus Day. Coincidence?

Historians have contacted CultureMap with a shocking new theory: Christopher Columbus was gay. I know some gay men might not want his name on their team's roster — he massacred the natives, got a bit money-hungry and was terrible with directions. However, the evidence is overwhelming. Since the Italian-born explorer is no longer with us, I will take the time to come out for Christopher Columbus.

Still unconvinced? Consider the following:

1. His name was Christopher Columbus.

Not Chris but Christopher. As author David Rakoff says, “Of course it’s not ‘Adam and Steve.’ It’s Adam and Stephen. No gay man in his right mind would go by ‘Steve.’ ”

2. He always wore that frilly little hat. Gay men are great at accessorizing.

3. He has a statue in SoMo (South Montrose). Everyone knows that’s gay-town.

4. He hung out with Queen Isabella a lot. Queens love queens.

5. His marriage was pure politics. He married Filipa Moniz Perestrelo, the daughter of the Porto Santo governor and Portuguese nobleman of Genoese origin Bartolomeu Perestrelo. Some records report that Filipa died in 1485. Others speculate that Columbus may have simply left his first wife … because he was gay.

Sadly Columbus lived in a time when homosexuality was viewed as sexual deviance and unaccepted. Stand up for the explorer and come out for him.

Inform strangers, "Christopher Columbus was gay and I accept him for that."

unspecified

how to fight loneliness

Alt-rockers Wilco will break your heart on 2025 tour coming to Houston

Photo by Peter Crosby

Wilco will play at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving on May 7.

Everyone's favorite alt-rock band, Wilco, will come back to the Houston area with their latest tour, Wilco: Sweet and Sour, which will stop at The Lawn at White Oak in Houston on May 4.

The tour kicks off in Fairhope, Alabama on April 25, traveling to 17 cities in a little under a month.

Despite the truncated nature of the tour, they'll still hit three Texas cities, including San Antonio on May 6 and Dallas on May 7.

All U.S. shows will feature an extended opening set by Grammy-nominated Waxahatchee, followed by a full-length set by Wilco.

The 2025 tour will be a special one for the band, as it marks the 30th anniversary of their debut album, 1995's A.M.

They've gone on to release 13 studio albums in their career, most recently Cousin in 2023.

Tickets will go on sale via presale beginning 10 am Thursday, January 16 ahead of the general on sale 10 am Friday, January 17 at LiveNation.com.

Wilco: Sweet and Sour 2025 Tour Dates

Fri. Apr. 25 – Fairhope, AL @ Halstead Amphitheater
Sat. Apr. 26 – Tallahassee, FL @ Adderley Amphitheater
Sun. Apr. 27 – St. Petersburg, FL @ Mahaffey Theater
Tue. Apr. 29 – Miami, FL @ Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theatre
Wed. Apr. 30 – St. Augustine, FL @ The St. Augustine Amphitheater
Fri. May 2 – Birmingham, AL @ Avondale Brewing Company
Sat. May 3 – New Orleans, LA @ Saenger Theatre
Sun. May 4 – Houston, TX @ The Lawn at White Oak
Tue. May 6 – San Antonio, TX @ The Espee
Wed. May 7 – Irving, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Fri. May 9 – Nashville, TN @ The Pinnacle
Sat. May 10 – Atlanta, GA @ Chastain Park Amphitheatre
Sun. May 11 – Chattanooga, TN @ Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium
Tue. May 13 – Wilmington, NC @ Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park
Thu. May 15 – Charlotte, NC @ The Amp Ballantyne
Fri. May 16 – Asheville, NC @ Asheville Yards
Sat. May 17 – Louisville, KY @ Iroquois Amphitheater

concerts music