readwithpride.com There’s a certain kind of magic that happens when a small nation decides to lead the world. Back in 2013, while much of the globe was still debating the “validity” of queer love, Aotearoa New Zealand stood up, cleared its throat, and sang its heart out. For those of us in the LGBTQ+ community, …

Kiwi Pride: NZ’s 2013 Marriage Equality WinRead More

readwithpride.com If you’ve ever wandered through the streets of Sydney or Melbourne during a Pride march, you’ve likely seen them: the towering headdresses, the stark white face paint, the neon-bright habits, and enough glitter to be seen from orbit. They are the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and while they look like a fever dream of …

Nuns of the Cross: The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence AURead More

readwithpride.com When you think of Dunedin, New Zealand, your mind probably jumps to a few things: the steepest street in the world, the legendary “Scarfie” culture, and a climate that makes you wonder if the sun forgot where the South Island is. But beneath the layers of woolly jumpers and the mist rolling off the …

Southern Stars: Queer Student Life in DunedinRead More

readwithpride.com When we think of queer life in Australia and New Zealand, our minds often go straight to the neon lights of Oxford Street in Sydney or the vibrant, windy hills of Wellington. We think of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, the glitter, the protest, and the pride. But there is a whole …

Wild Hearts: Nature and Queer Identity in the AntipodesRead More

readwithpride.com When we talk about the greatest love stories in history, we usually get the standard Romeo and Juliet or maybe Achilles and Patroclus. But if you’re looking for a bond that literally rewrote the rules of the soul: and serves as the ultimate blueprint for the soulmates trope in modern MM romance books: you …

Rumi’s Love: The Soul of Queer SufismRead More

readwithpride.com History books have a funny way of “forgetting” the most interesting people. For a long time, the narrative of the American West was all about rugged cowboys and stoic pioneers: usually depicted as straight, cisgender, and very white. But if you scratch the surface of the red dust in New Mexico, you’ll find a …

We’wha’s Legacy: Zuni Two-Spirit TraditionsRead More

readwithpride.com If you’ve spent any time scrolling through the latest MM romance books or diving deep into LGBTQ+ fiction, you know that the “chosen family” trope isn’t just a plot device: it’s a lifeline. It’s that moment in a story where the protagonist realizes that the people who share his blood might not be the …

Radical Faeries: Spirituality in the WildRead More

readwithpride.com It’s March 1st, 2026, and if you’re sensing a sudden shift in the vibes, a mixture of chaotic energy, glitter, and the smell of apricot-filled pastries, you aren’t imagining things. We are officially on the eve of Purim. For those who grew up in the tradition, it’s the loudest day on the Jewish calendar. …

Purim: The Original Queer MasqueradeRead More

readwithpride.com If you’ve ever found yourself deep in a “found family” trope in your favorite MM romance books, you know there’s something incredibly powerful about creating a community where the world hasn’t left you a seat at the table. But long before we were binge-reading queer fiction on our Kindles, there was a community in …

Sacred Rites: Hijras and South Asian CultureRead More

readwithpride.com If you’ve ever stayed up until 3 AM devouring a forced proximity MM romance, thinking, “There is no way these two could get any closer without catching feelings,” I have some historical tea for you. Ancient Greece didn’t just invent democracy and olive oil; they essentially invented the “battle couple” trope, and they did …

The Sacred Band: Devotion in Ancient GreeceRead More

readwithpride.com If you’ve ever wandered through a classical art museum, scrolled through a particularly moody Pinterest board, or spent way too much time in the “hurt/comfort” tag on Archive of Our Own, you’ve met Saint Sebastian. He’s usually tied to a tree, looking slightly more “ethereal” than someone being pelted with arrows probably should, and …

Saint Sebastian: Faith, Pain, and Queer IconographyRead More

readwithpride.com If you’ve ever felt like the modern world is a bit too “square” for your tastes, or if you’ve found more solace in a quiet grove of trees than in a crowded city bar, you’re not alone. For many in our community, the path to self-discovery doesn’t just lead to the dance floor: it …

The Horned God: Queer Paganism and NatureRead More

readwithpride.com If you’ve ever spent an afternoon lost in the pages of a gay historical romance, you know there’s something uniquely magnetic about forbidden glances in ancient hallways and the heavy weight of tradition clashing with personal desire. But what if I told you that in ancient Japan, these stories weren’t just the stuff of …

Temples of Desire: Same-Sex Love in Ancient JapanRead More

readwithpride.com If you’ve ever cracked open a particularly emotional MM romance book, you know the one, where the main character has been kicked out of his home or his church and finally finds a group of people who say, “Hey, you’re okay exactly as you are”: then you’ve felt the “Sanctuary” trope. It’s that sigh …

A Sanctuary for All: The Rise of the MCCRead More

readwithpride.com Let’s be real: for many of us in the LGBTQ+ community, the word “religion” carries more baggage than a transatlantic flight. We’ve spent years: decades, even: being told that sacred spaces aren’t for us. But what if I told you there’s a spiritual tradition where being “different” isn’t just tolerated, but actually seen as …

Orishas and Identity: Queer Spirits in SanteríaRead More

readwithpride.com There is something inherently cinematic about the moments just before sunset during Ramadan. The air feels thick with anticipation, the kitchen smells like a heavenly mix of cardamom and frying pastry, and everyone is checking their watches every thirty seconds. But for many in our community, that sunset has historically been met with a …

Unity in Faith: The Modern Queer Muslim IftarRead More

readwithpride.com If you’ve ever sat in a pew on a sweltering Sunday morning, fans fluttering like butterfly wings and the Hammond organ trembling beneath the floorboards, you know that the Black Church isn’t just a building. It’s a heartbeat. It’s the soul of a community that has survived through rhythm, prayer, and an unbreakable bond …

Praise and Pride: The Black Queer Church ExperienceRead More

readwithpride.com If you’ve spent any time scrolling through the MM romance books section of your favorite e-reader, you know the “brothers-in-arms” trope is an absolute powerhouse. There’s something undeniably magnetic about two soldiers facing the world together, their bond forged in the heat of battle and deepened by a secret only they share. But while …

Sergius and Bacchus: The ‘Gay Saints’ of HistoryRead More

readwithpride.com There is something undeniably magical about Friday evening as the sun starts to dip below the horizon. For centuries, Jewish families have marked this moment with the lighting of candles, the braiding of challah, and a shift in energy from the frantic “doing” of the workweek to the restorative “being” of the Sabbath. But …

Queer Shabbat: Redefining Jewish TraditionRead More

readwithpride.com The rhythm of the drum isn’t just a sound; it’s a heartbeat. If you’ve ever stood at the edge of a dance circle, you know that vibration that travels from the soles of your feet straight up to your chest. But for a long time, for many Indigenous LGBTQ+ folks, that circle felt like …

Sacred Circles: The Two-Spirit Powwow RevivalRead More