Anthony Cunanan
Groundbreakers
Tony Morrison
Meet one of the artists, disruptors, educators, groundbreakers, innovators, and storytellers who all helped make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people.
As GLAAD’s senior director of communications, Tony Morrison still has a journalist’s passion — which isn’t surprising, considering his over decade-long career in morning television news.
Helping lead GLAAD’s on-the-ground response to the death of nonbinary Oklahoma teen Nex Benedict this year was proof that his inner watchdog is here to stay. GLAAD’s work to fact check and make sure local and national media got Benedict’s story right “solidified that I am doing exactly what I should be doing right now in this life.”
Outside of GLAAD, Morrison’s +Life Media digital series Truth Be Told spotlights folks living with HIV and others in the community who are thriving. He’s come a long way since disclosing his HIV-positive status in a 2021 essay for Good Morning America, his former employer.
“Forcing my truth onto myself was the best thing I have ever done, and I challenge myself daily by centering myself with my truth and owning my story,” he says. “Today, my HIV status is the most managed thing in my life. I wish more people knew that. I want people to spend less time feeling sorry for me and more time advocating for people like me and destigmatizing HIV prevention, treatment, and care.”
“Equality is here to stay, as long as there are LGBTQ+ stories to tell,” Morrison continues. “Your story is the one thing that no one can take from you…. It’s wholly yours. I want people to know and understand that LGBTQ+ advocacy and activism isn’t going anywhere, because there will always be LGBTQ+ people and experiences in need of visibility and representation, because LGBTQ+ people exist in every corner of society, industry, script, business, melody, and story.” @thetonymorrison
Raffy Ermac
Raffy is a Los Angeles-based writer, editor, video creator, and critic.
Raffy is a Los Angeles-based writer, editor, video creator, and critic.
Kristoffer Reynolds
Bernardo SimBernardo Sim is the deputy editor of Out. He's also a staff contributor to The Advocate, PRIDE, and other equalpride publications. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida.
You can follow Bernardo Sim on Instagram. You can also find him on Bluesky, Threads, X/Twitter, and TikTok.
Bernardo Sim is the deputy editor of Out. He's also a staff contributor to The Advocate, PRIDE, and other equalpride publications. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida.
You can follow Bernardo Sim on Instagram. You can also find him on Bluesky, Threads, X/Twitter, and TikTok.
Bernardo Sim is the deputy editor of Out. He's also a staff contributor to The Advocate, PRIDE, and other equalpride publications. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida.
You can follow Bernardo Sim on Instagram. You can also find him on Bluesky, Threads, X/Twitter, and TikTok.
Varla Jean Merman
Meet some of the artists, disruptors, educators, groundbreakers, innovators, and storytellers who all helped make the world a better place for LGBTQ+ people.
Kristoffer Reynolds
Varla Jean Merman has been in the business of drag for 30 years, doing her best to “make people laugh, scream, gasp, and sometimes groan…all in a dress completely stretched beyond recognition.”
This drag icon’s 2024 proudest achievement was putting together a Taylor Swift-inspired show called Varla Jean: The Errors Tour. “I explore all the horrible errors I have made in my career, like not telling the director of one of my All My Children episodes that snot flew out of my nose before they aired it,” she says, “and discover that the only real mistake in life is the one you don’t learn from.”
Merman adds, “Living in Florida, I had to not only deal with the government trying to ban my job, but also deal with people in our community, all over our country, wanting to boycott my state. Our country is one body. If your hand hurts, do you cut it off? No. You show it more love and more support until it is well. Florida is filled with amazing LGBTQ+ people who are not responsible for the hideous policies that have occurred.” @varlajeanmerman