Cher Remembers Her “Sweet Prince” Bob Mackie, Who Has Died At 87

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Cher Remembers Her “Sweet Prince” Bob Mackie, Who Has Died At 87

Cher is mourning Bob Mackie, the longtime friend and designer whose imagination helped shape her public image.

Following his death at 87, she called him her “sweet Prince” and pictured him taking his sequins, beads and sketch pad to heaven, according to People.

It is a tender image for a farewell to someone whose work brought so much exuberance to the stage and screen.

Mackie’s death was announced on September 14, 2026.

The looks that became memories

His collaborations with Cher produced costumes that remain instantly recognizable, including her feathered 1986 Oscars ensemble.

Across television and live performance, his designs helped make an entrance feel like an event.

His work also embraced comedy, particularly during his eleven seasons designing for The Carol Burnett Show.

For Mackie, a costume could help a performer discover a character or deliver a visual punchline.

That range is part of what makes his legacy so distinctive: spectacle, humor and an understanding of the person wearing the clothes.

A world of possibility

The New York Times obituary, republished by The Philadelphia Inquirer, explores how Mackie’s work became a touchstone for gay viewers.

Author Frank DeCaro recalled the sense of escape and possibility those glamorous television worlds offered him.

That is a meaningful part of Mackie’s cultural contribution.

A spectacular costume can become more than something beautiful to look at.

For someone watching from a place where standing out feels difficult, it can offer an image of self-expression worth holding on to.

The partnership behind the work

Mackie’s personal story also included a long creative and romantic partnership with fellow costume designer Ray Aghayan.

Aghayan hired him in 1963, and the two shared a costume-design Emmy in 1967.

They built careers alongside a life together, with Aghayan dying in 2011.

Their partnership belongs in the story of the man behind the famous costumes, alongside the performers and audiences his work touched.

Remembering the person

Cher’s tribute brings that enormous legacy back to the affection between two people who worked together for decades.

Audiences have the photographs, the performances and the entrances they can still picture years later.

She is also remembering her friend.

Somewhere between those public memories and that personal goodbye is the measure of what Mackie gave: work that people recognized, enjoyed and carried with them.

📷 @bobmackie

🎥 Watch more LGBTQ+ stories on B-Gay’s YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@BGaycom

He Beat Him In The Final & Thanked Him For Inspiring Him To Come Out

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He Beat Him In The Final & Thanked Him For Inspiring Him To Come Out

Mika Brunold won the trophy in Tulln, Austria, then used his victory speech to recognize the man he had just beaten.

Addressing João Lucas Reis da Silva, Brunold thanked his opponent for inspiring him to come out.

It was an affectionate moment of recognition after a historic ATP Challenger final between two openly gay players.

From qualifying to the title

Switzerland’s Brunold defeated Brazil’s Reis da Silva 6–4, 6–3 in the September 13 final.

He finished the tournament with seven match victories, having started his run in qualifying.

That gave him plenty to celebrate on sporting terms alone.

When the ceremony arrived, he also wanted to acknowledge something personal about the player on the other side of the net.

A thank-you beyond the score

According to Outsports, Brunold told Reis da Silva that his coming out had been an inspiration.

He also recognized their opportunity to encourage people struggling with their sexuality.

The significance lies in that direct connection: one athlete’s openness had helped another take his own step.

Now they were sharing a professional tennis final and speaking publicly about what that visibility could offer others.

Room to compete and belong

For a young player wondering whether being openly gay can fit alongside sporting ambition, seeing these two compete offers something concrete to hold on to.

They reached a final, played for a title and made room for gratitude afterward.

There is no need to diminish the competition to appreciate the moment.

Both players wanted to win, and Brunold earned the victory.

His acknowledgment of Reis da Silva simply added another reason to remember the day.

Sometimes the person you are trying to beat is also someone whose example helped you feel more able to be yourself.

In Tulln, Brunold had the chance to tell him.

📷 @mikabrunold @joaolreis

🎥 Watch more LGBTQ+ stories on B-Gay’s YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@BGaycom

Chris Gallant’s Old Leather Photos Are Supposed To Be A Scandal

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Chris Gallant’s Old Leather Photos Are Supposed To Be A Scandal

Chris Gallant once posed for fetish retailer Mr. S Leather, and years-old photographs are now receiving fresh attention during his congressional campaign.

Our question is simple: why should consensual modeling be treated as evidence that someone cannot serve the public?

The New York Post published its report on September 13.

Gallant is the Democratic candidate challenging Republican Representative Nick LaLota in New York’s First Congressional District.

What his attorney says

Attorney Sara Azari confirmed the photographs’ authenticity and described a consensual shoot with Gallant’s then-partner, with whom he had a committed four-year relationship.

According to Azari, the arrangement allowed the retailer to use selected images for products.

She says the company honored his later request to remove them, while publication on unrelated adult websites was unauthorized.

Her response rejects the suggestion that the photographs determine his qualifications for Congress.

A record voters can examine

Gallant’s campaign biography describes military service beginning at 17, work as an FAA air traffic controller, union leadership and volunteer firefighting.

Those experiences provide context for his candidacy and a basis for questions about his judgment, priorities and plans.

They should not be a prerequisite for treating his consensual sexuality fairly.

The same principle should apply to someone with a far less decorated résumé.

Where is the public-interest argument?

Candidates should expect scrutiny of their conduct, honesty and ability to do the job.

But a claim that old consensual photographs reveal unfitness for office needs an argument beyond the possibility that some readers will find them unconventional.

A tabloid’s framing also cannot stand in for evidence of voter reaction or electoral consequences.

Constituents are entitled to assess Gallant’s platform and decide whether he deserves their support.

At B-Gay, we see no reason that modeling for a fetish retailer should, by itself, disqualify anyone from that consideration.

Ask him what he would deliver for his district, how he would approach legislation and how he would remain accountable.

Those are questions worth answering.

📸 IG: @gallantny (with fiancé Mike Ingram)

🎥 Watch more LGBTQ+ stories on B-Gay’s YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@BGaycom

Turkey Detains Dozens In Raids Targeting LGBTQ+ Groups

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Turkey Detains Dozens In Raids Targeting LGBTQ+ Groups

Turkish authorities detained at least 47 people following raids targeting LGBTQ+ associations, according to an updated Reuters report published September 13.

The operation has drawn condemnation from human rights advocates, who describe it as an attack on the community and independent civil society.

Raids and blocked access

Prosecutors reported 26 detentions in an Istanbul-led investigation and another 21 in Ankara.

LGBTQ+ association Kaos GL separately reported at least 50 activists detained, including people taken from their homes.

The differing figures reflect accounts from authorities and the organization, rather than a single agreed total.

Kaos GL also reported restrictions on access to websites and social media accounts connected to LGBTQ+ organizations and advocates.

Authorities invoke family protection

The Associated Press reports that police operations began early Sunday and targeted LGBTQ+ rights and HIV awareness groups.

Justice Minister Akin Gurlek presented the investigations as a measure to protect children, families and public order.

Authorities cite allegations including prostitution and obscenity.

Those allegations should not be treated as established guilt.

Turkey’s Human Rights Association condemned the raids as politically motivated and accused authorities of using criminal allegations to stigmatize the broader community.

The people beyond the headlines

Raids on community organizations also raise concerns for the people who rely on them for information, support and connection.

A blocked website or an inaccessible office can make reaching that community harder.

LGBTQ+ people have families, relationships and everyday lives that deserve protection.

Their right to fair treatment should remain central as these investigations develop.

Sources: Reuters and The Associated Press.

🎥 Watch more LGBTQ+ stories on B-Gay’s YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@BGaycom

Vaughn Hillyard Is Taking A Few Weeks Off TV For The Sweetest Reason

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Vaughn Hillyard Is Taking A Few Weeks Off TV For The Sweetest Reason

Vaughn Hillyard is taking a final few weeks of parental leave, and his latest family update offers a very sweet explanation.

The political reporter shared affectionate photographs as he told Instagram followers he would be stepping away from work before returning in October.

At the center of the update is Hudson, the son he and husband Devan Cayea welcomed in April.

“You’re here, and we’re so grateful you are,” Hillyard writes.

He follows that thought with his explanation for the break: “And why I’m about to disappear from work for a final few weeks of leave before coming back in October”.

A little more time with Hudson

The couple welcomed their first child on April 4, 2026, making this an update from their first year as parents.

This latest stretch of leave gives Hillyard more time with his son before his planned return to reporting.

He has named October as his return month without announcing a specific day.

The photographs accompanying the update bring the family into focus, including a tender outdoor moment with Hillyard holding Hudson and a couple selfie with Cayea.

For viewers accustomed to seeing him covering politics, it is a glimpse of the husband and father behind the familiar television face.

The family they have built

Hillyard and Cayea met in early 2020 and married in 2023.

Earlier this year, Hillyard spoke with The Advocate about becoming a father, and B-Gay covered the couple’s journey to welcoming Hudson.

His new post offers a simple, affectionate continuation of that story: their son is here, and Hillyard is making room in his working life to spend more time with him.

There is something especially warm about the gratitude in his opening words.

For now, the next date viewers need to know is October.

Until then, there is a little more time for Hudson and the everyday experience of being Dad.

📷 @vaughn_hillyard

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