The WNBA is bigger than ever, and part of that is thanks to teammates and best friends Courtney Williams and Natisha “T” Hiedeman, also known as the StudBudz. When they aren’t lighting up the scoreboard for the Minnesota Lynx, they stream on their popular Twitch channel.
“A lot has made us proud this year — we’ve grown a lot on and off the court,” they say. "Most importantly, streaming has let us hit bigger stages to represent the gay and masc community. It’s rare to see this kind of representation, and we’re proud to be that for others.
The StudBudz Twitch channel gives basketball fans an up close and inside look at the WNBA, and fans love the friends’ personalities and ability to keep things real. The pair hope to inspire fans and viewers to do the same. “We want to say your authenticity is your superpower,” they say. “Be confident and proud of who you are, and don t let anyone tell you otherwise.” @stud.budz @courtneywilliams10 @t5poon
Mey Rude
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.
Trudy RingTrudy Ring is The Advocate's senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she's interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud "old movie weirdo" and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and '40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate's senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she's interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud "old movie weirdo" and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and '40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate's senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she's interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud "old movie weirdo" and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and '40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
The 2025 Out100: Ian L. Haddock
These are the LGBTQ+ people making the world bolder and brighter in 2025.
Founder and executive director of the Normal Anomaly Initiative Ian L. Haddock says his work is based on a quote from Bayard Rustin: “The only weapon we have is our bodies, and we need to tuck them in places so wheels don’t turn.” Haddock’s Texas-based organization is “dedicated to eliminating barriers and creating new norms centering the Black LGBTQ+ community throughout the South,” he says.
Something that made him proud in 2025 was that a youth who is like family to him, on turning 17, came out to him as transgender. “It has been my honor and privilege to be there to support them and empower them to be their authentic self,” says Haddock, a Black queer man.
His biggest challenge was losing half the group’s budget after January 20, which brought on a mental health crisis, but he found ways to deal with it. In the coming year, the Normal Anomaly will focus on a new transitional housing initiative.
The message he sends is “to act courageously” and “be bravely visible.” @ianlhaddock