JJ Geiger
Storytellers
Justin Torres
Meet one of the artists, disruptors, educators, groundbreakers, innovators, and storytellers who all helped make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people.
Justin Torres is a novelist and UCLA professor who made waves with his 2011 debut novel, We the Animals. The semi-autobiographical book was named one of the “100 Best Books of the 21st Century” by The New York Times. His sophomore novel, Blackouts (2023), landed Torres the National Book Award for Fiction.
“Winning the National Book Award for my novel, Blackouts, was incredible — and I’m proud of that,” Torres says. “During the ceremony, many of the nominees across categories came together and collectively called for a ceasefire in Gaza. Tragically, that was almost a year ago, the early days of a genocide that has only worsened.”
Growing up in Brooklyn with a Puerto Rican mother and Italian-Irish father, Torres felt isolated as a mixed-race gay man. But the writer has learned to embrace his identities and use his platform to support other marginalized groups.
“Queer liberation is connected to other struggles for liberation. As a teacher, it’s heartening to see so many young queers understanding those connections and leading student protest movements against the genocide in Gaza.”
Bernardo Sim
Bernardo Sim is the deputy editor of Out, as well as a writer and content creator. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida. You can follow him on Instagram at @bernardosim.
Bernardo Sim is the deputy editor of Out, as well as a writer and content creator. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida. You can follow him on Instagram at @bernardosim.
Charlotte Drury
Mey RudeMey Rude is a journalist and cultural critic who has been covering queer news for a decade. The transgender, Latina lesbian lives in Los Angeles with her fiancée.
Mey Rude is a journalist and cultural critic who has been covering queer news for a decade. The transgender, Latina lesbian lives in Los Angeles with her fiancée.
Mey Rude is a journalist and cultural critic who has been covering queer news for a decade. The transgender, Latina lesbian lives in Los Angeles with her fiancée.
Laurie Hernandez
Meet some of the artists, disruptors, educators, groundbreakers, innovators, and storytellers who all helped make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people.
Charlotte Drury
The nation rooted for Laurie Hernandez as a part of the “Final Five” USA gymnastics team at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where she won the team gold and silver in balance beam. That was when she was a teen. Now the next stage of her life has begun.
Hernandez, who has been dating her partner Charlotte Drury since 2020, is currently a full-time NYU student. This summer, she provided commentary for NBC’s coverage of women’s gymnastics at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she quickly became a fan-favorite announcer. She even dropped a clever “and they were roommates…” Sapphic reference!
The future is bright for Hernandez, who next plans on acting and writing (both novels and screenplays) and is looking forward to graduation, after which she hopes to continue to make the world a better place. “In a world often weighted with shame and judgment, be the person that makes a space welcoming for all,” she says. “It’s a conscious thought, but a worthy one.” @lauriehernandez