Author: Read with Pride

Let’s talk about icons. Not just anyone who can belt out a power ballad (though that helps), but those rare artists who truly get it, who understand the queer experience on a level that goes beyond performative allyship or rainbow-washing during Pride month. Celine Dion? She’s been one of ours since way before it was …

The Heart of a Woman: Celine Dion's Connection to the Queer SoulRead More

When Miley Cyrus dropped “Midnight Sky” in August 2020, she wasn’t just releasing another banger, she was reclaiming her narrative in the most unapologetic way possible. The song became an instant anthem for anyone who’s ever been told they’re “too much,” “too fluid,” or “too complicated” to fit into neat little boxes. And let’s be …

Midnight Sky: Miley Cyrus and the Fluidity of Modern StardomRead More

Small watermark: www.readwithpride.com The phrase “Born This Way” is so much more than a chart-topping Lady Gaga anthem, it’s become a battle cry for LGBTQ+ youth everywhere seeking acceptance, mental wellbeing, and the freedom to thrive. Here at Readwithpride.com, home of the best MM romance books, heartfelt gay fiction, and top LGBTQ+ book recommendations for …

Born This Way: The Impact of Lady Gaga’s FoundationRead More

When Tina Turner strutted onto that stage in 1982 to open the first-ever Gay Games in San Francisco, she wasn’t just showing up, she was making a statement. At a time when the AIDS crisis was just beginning to devastate our community and most celebrities wouldn’t touch LGBTQ+ events with a ten-foot pole, the Queen …

Simply the Best: Tina Turner's Strength as a Beacon for Queer FansRead More

When we talk about LGBTQ+ icons in music, names like Lady Gaga, Cher, and Madonna instantly come to mind. But let’s take a moment to appreciate the Empress of Soul herself, Gladys Knight. While she might not be plastered across Pride floats or headlining every gay rights benefit concert, her music has been the soundtrack …

The Empress of Soul: Gladys Knight and the Community's LoveRead More

If you haven’t heard of Chappell Roan yet, where have you been? This pink-haired powerhouse has taken the music world by storm, becoming the queer pop icon we didn’t know we desperately needed. From small-town Missouri to Coachella stages and Grammy nominations, her story reads like the kind of heartfelt gay fiction we love here …

Rainbow High: Chappell Roan's Meteoric Rise to Queer StardomRead More

Look, we need to talk about Taylor Swift. Not the breakup songs (though we love those too), not the re-recordings (justice for Taylor’s Version), but something that matters just as much to our community: how one of the biggest pop stars on the planet evolved from subtle ally to full-throated advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. And …

Snow On The Beach: Taylor Swift's Evolution as an LGBTQ+ AllyRead More

In May 2023, something magical happened. Kylie Minogue released “Padam Padam,” a two-minute-and-forty-six-second banger that immediately became the soundtrack to every gay brunch, Pride celebration, and spontaneous dance party across the globe. The song didn’t just chart, it peaked at number one on the UK Downloads Chart for three consecutive weeks and became her highest-charting …

Padam Padam: How Kylie Minogue Captured a New GenerationRead More

When King Princess burst onto the music scene in 2018 with “1950,” she didn’t just give us a catchy indie-pop anthem, she handed the LGBTQ+ community a love letter wrapped in synth beats and raw emotion. In a world where queer artists have historically been asked to tone it down or keep things ambiguous, King …

King Princess: Redefining the Queer Rockstar ImageRead More

Let’s talk about Donna Summer. And let’s be real from the jump, this is a complicated story. The Queen of Disco gave us the soundtrack to countless nights at gay clubs, anthems that became woven into the fabric of LGBTQ+ culture, and then… well, things got messy. But here’s why her legacy still matters, even …

The Disco Queen: Donna Summer's Complicated but Essential LegacyRead More

When you think of queer icons in music, your mind probably jumps to Lady Gaga’s anthems or Cher’s legendary status in gay bars worldwide. But there’s something equally powerful: and maybe even more revolutionary: about Brandi Carlile’s journey through the traditionally conservative world of Americana and folk rock. She didn’t just crack open the door …

Queer as Folk: Brandi Carlile's Authentic Americana JourneyRead More

In a music industry that’s historically asked LGBTQ+ artists to stay in the closet or at least whisper their truth, Kehlani showed up with a megaphone. From the moment she burst onto the scene in 2014, she made one thing crystal clear: her queerness wasn’t a footnote to her artistry, it was the whole damn …

Honey for the Soul: Kehlani's Unapologetic Queer NarrativeRead More

When you think of fierce LGBTQ+ allies in the entertainment industry, names like Lady Gaga and Cher probably come to mind first. But there’s another powerhouse who’s been quietly (and sometimes not so quietly) doing incredible work for the queer community: Jennifer Lopez. Yeah, that J.Lo: the triple threat who somehow manages to slay on …

The Power of Love: Jennifer Lopez's Dedicated AllyshipRead More

Before Lady Gaga told us we were born this way, before Cher became the ultimate gay icon on Twitter, there was a flame-haired piano goddess sitting at her Bösendorfer, singing about God, sex, trauma, and transformation. Tori Amos never asked to be anyone’s spokesperson, but for countless queer kids growing up in the ’90s and …

Under the Pink: Tori Amos and the Sacredness of Queer StoriesRead More

If you’ve ever found yourself strutting down a grocery aisle mouthing “sissy that walk,” congratulations: you’ve been RuPaulified. And honestly? Same. RuPaul Charles didn’t just create a TV show; he orchestrated a full-scale cultural revolution that brought drag from underground dive bars straight into your living room, your memes, and your everyday vocabulary. Let’s talk …

Sissy That Walk: RuPaul's Transformation of Pop CultureRead More

Pop music has always been more than just sound: it’s a full sensory experience where visuals tell stories that lyrics sometimes can’t. For the LGBTQ+ community, pop culture’s visual language has been both a lifeline and a celebration, a coded conversation and a loud proclamation. From the glittering rebellion of early icons to today’s unapologetically …

The Visual Language of Queer Desire in PopRead More

The music industry has always been a space where queer culture thrives, but 2026 marks a revolutionary shift. We’re no longer waiting for straight allies to validate us: we’re creating our own icons, and they’re topping charts worldwide. From drag-inspired aesthetics to unapologetically sapphic anthems, the future of pop is undeniably, gloriously queer. At Read …

The Future is Queer: A Look at the Next Generation of Pop IconsRead More