Timmy Spagnolo and Dylan Salsedo are giving “Nationals week” the cutest boyfriend upgrade

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Timmy Spagnolo and Dylan Salsedo are giving “Nationals week” the cutest boyfriend upgrade

If your Instagram feed suddenly turned into a nonstop cheer-and-dance rom-com, you’re not alone.

Creator and cheerleader Timmy Spagnolo and his boyfriend Dylan Salsedo are both in Orlando for the mega-week that basically feels like the Super Bowl of college spirit squads: the UCA & UDA College Nationals.

Yes, it’s one giant event week where cheer and dance teams take over Walt Disney World, and it runs January 16–18, 2026.

And yes, it’s happening at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, which is why you’re seeing that location pop up in stories.

The part that’s confusing at first is that UCA and UDA are two different championships happening side-by-side.

UCA is the cheer side, and UDA is the dance side, and teams can be competing on different schedules in different halls even though everyone is “at Nationals.”

So when you see Timmy posting “UCA Nationals Day 1,” he’s not just vibing in the crowd — he’s competing.

Timmy is there with Farmingdale State, and he’s been sharing behind-the-scenes moments from the trip with the kind of energy that screams “core memory.”

Meanwhile, Dylan is competing on the dance side with Hofstra University Dance Team, where he’s listed as a team member on Hofstra’s official spirit-support page.

In other words: Timmy at UCA, Dylan at UDA, same weekend, same complex, different competitions.

And that’s exactly what makes their posts so sweet, because they’re basically doing the Nationals version of long-distance — except it’s just sprinting between arenas with a coffee and a phone charger.

Timmy has been hyping Dylan up with proud-boyfriend posts from inside the venue, and the “cheering my boy on as ALWAYS” vibe is honestly the kind of support we deserve to see more of.

At the same time, Timmy’s own content makes it clear he’s in the thick of it too, with “Day 1” updates and that big “we made it” team energy that hits different when you know how much work goes into getting there.

Also, can we talk about the emotional whiplash of seeing them go from full performance mode to full couple mode, including that oceanfront kiss photo that looked like it belonged in a movie trailer?

It’s giving “National Couples Day,” but make it competitive, sweaty, and deeply wholesome.

And honestly, the best part isn’t even the rivalry of it all — it’s that they’re showing the internet what supportive queer love looks like when both people are chasing something big at the exact same time.

Two athletes, two championships, one very loud love story, and we’re seated for every update.

Want to follow along? Timmy is on Instagram as @timmy_spagnolo and Dylan is @_dylansalsedo_, and their Nationals week content is basically a masterclass in “cheer boyfriend” excellence.

A real-life queer baseball love story that echoes Heated Rivalry

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A real-life queer baseball love story that echoes Heated Rivalry

Two former college baseball rivals turned boyfriends have given queer fans a love story that feels almost scripted — in the best possible way.

Division III baseball players Aiden Phipps and Cole Philpott first crossed paths when their teams — the Beloit Buccaneers and the Grinnell Pioneers — faced off on the diamond in early 2023.

What began as competitive banter and playful DM exchanges eventually evolved into something deeper off the field. Their chemistry grew as their friendship developed, and soon they were officially dating by June of that year.

In December 2023, Outsports named Phipps and Philpott its Male Heroes of the Year for sharing their story publicly and showing other LGBTQ+ athletes what’s possible when you live authentically and without apology. Their visibility resonated because, in a sport culture where same-sex relationships are still rarely acknowledged, they chose to be open about who they are and who they love.

What has made this story especially magnetic for queer audiences is how closely it mirrors the central arc of Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov in the hit series Heated Rivalry — a show that became a cultural phenomenon for its portrayal of two elite athletes who go from opponents to lovers. The emotional beats — rivalry turning into connection, vulnerability growing out of respect, and love emerging where competition once ruled — play out in both the fictional show and in Phipps and Philpott’s real life.

In Heated Rivalry, Shane and Ilya’s relationship blew up because audiences were thirsty for queer love stories set in traditionally masculine sports spaces. Seeing parallels in real life — two baseball players meeting through the game and discovering a bond that transcends rivalry — feels exhilarating for many fans, as if the fantasy life of TV is reflecting tangible change in the real world.

Phipps and Philpott’s journey wasn’t only about falling in love, though. It was also about authenticity and courage: Phipps publicly explored his bisexuality for the first time as their relationship progressed, and both young men spoke about how their teammates and families responded with support once they shared who they were.

That’s part of what made them Outsports’ Male Heroes of the Year – not just the romance, but the way they helped expand what queer visibility in college sports can look like.

For queer fans who have devoured Heated Rivalry and become invested in stories of vulnerability and connection in sports, Phipps and Philpott’s narrative hits with an almost narrative completeness. It doesn’t rely on drama or angst, but on two people meeting through competition and discovering love, support, and an authentic self in the same place where they once only knew rivalry.

And maybe that’s why it resonates so strongly: whether it’s hockey in a scripted universe or real college baseball, queer love keeps surprising us in the best ways — by showing up where we least expect it and turning rivalry into connection, inning by inning, slide by slide.

Joel Kim Booster and John-Michael Sudsina got married, and their love story is pure queer joy

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Joel Kim Booster and John-Michael Sudsina got married, and their love story is pure queer joy

Comedian, actor, and writer Joel Kim Booster has officially married his longtime partner, John-Michael Sudsina, in a celebration that feels both intimate and deeply symbolic.

The couple tied the knot on New Year’s Eve in San Francisco, surrounded by close friends, chosen family, and fellow queer creatives who have been part of their lives for years.

Booster shared the news with characteristic warmth and humor, marking the moment not as a spectacle, but as a deeply personal milestone rooted in gratitude and love.

Their relationship began in 2021 after the two met in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, a place Booster has jokingly referred to as “gay Disneyland,” and what started as a vacation romance quickly grew into something lasting.

Sudsina works as a creative producer in the gaming industry and has largely stayed out of the spotlight despite being a steady presence alongside Booster.

That balance between public and private has long defined their partnership, with Booster frequently crediting Sudsina as grounding, supportive, and quietly essential to his life.

In 2024, the couple announced their engagement after Booster proposed on Jeju Island in South Korea, the place of his birth before being adopted and raised in the United States.

The proposal carried particular emotional weight for Booster, who has spoken openly about reconnecting with his origins and reclaiming parts of his identity that once felt distant or inaccessible.

Booster’s personal journey has often informed his work, from his stand-up comedy to his writing and acting roles, all of which center queer experience with humor, honesty, and cultural specificity.

He is best known for co-writing and starring in Fire Island, a modern queer reimagining of Pride and Prejudice, and for his role on the Apple TV+ series Loot.

As an openly gay Korean adoptee who grew up in a conservative evangelical environment, Booster has been candid about the long road to self-acceptance and visibility.

That openness has made moments like his wedding resonate beyond celebrity news, landing instead as a reminder of what queer adulthood and stability can look like.

The New Year’s Eve ceremony reportedly blended elegance with humor, mirroring the couple’s shared values and the community they have built around them.

Friends including fellow comedians and actors were in attendance, creating a space that felt less like a red-carpet event and more like a chosen-family gathering.

In an era when queer relationships are still politicized and scrutinized, Booster and Sudsina’s marriage reads as both joyful and quietly radical.

It is not framed as an endpoint, but as a continuation of a partnership that has already weathered growth, change, and public life.

For fans who have followed Booster’s career and evolution, the wedding feels like a full-circle moment rooted in safety, love, and self-determination.

And for queer audiences more broadly, it is another visible reminder that happiness does not have to be loud to be powerful.

Sometimes it looks like two people choosing each other, year after year, and finally saying yes in a room full of love.

📷 IG: @ ihatejoelkim

The Traitors’ Matthew Hyndman on conversion therapy, survival and activism

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The Traitors’ Matthew Hyndman on conversion therapy, survival and activism

Matthew Hyndman is one of the breakout personalities on the current season of The Traitors, where his strategic mind and quick wit have made him impossible to ignore. But long before reality TV, he faced a very real, very harmful experience that shaped his life and his advocacy.

In a 2021 article in The Independent, Hyndman wrote about being pressured into conversion therapy — not by strangers, but by the church community he was deeply involved in at the time. After private messages about his sexuality were revealed publicly in an email, he says he was encouraged to “fix” himself in front of hundreds of fellow missionaries.

Instead of healing, it deepened his sense of alienation and set him on a very different path.

A painfully common story

Conversion therapy refers to practices aimed at changing or suppressing LGBTQ+ identities. Though widely discredited by major medical organisations, these practices continue in many religious and community settings around the world. For Hyndman, it wasn’t framed as abuse at the time — it was presented as support, a pathway back to “normalcy.”

Yet the experience left lasting effects. Being told you need to change who you are as a condition of belonging — that internal message can take years to undo.

Turning trauma into purpose

Rather than stay silent about what happened to him, Hyndman chose to act. He co-founded Ban Conversion Therapy UK, an advocacy group aimed at pushing for a robust legal ban on conversion practices across the United Kingdom.

The UK government pledged years ago to outlaw conversion therapy, but activists and survivors say progress has been slow and loopholes remain. Groups like Ban Conversion Therapy UK are working to close those gaps and ensure that all forms of conversion efforts — whether religious, “therapeutic,” or informal — are clearly prohibited and punishable under the law.

Hyndman’s work with the organisation involves speaking publicly about his own experience, amplifying the voices of other survivors, and lobbying policymakers to commit to meaningful legislative change rather than watered-down guidance.

Why his story matters

A lot of public conversation about conversion therapy focuses on historical abuses or distant practices. But Hyndman’s account underlines a crucial truth: these things still happen, and often under the banner of religion or community support.

For many LGBTQ+ people, particularly those raised in conservative or faith-based environments, the idea that their identity is something to be fixed is not an abstract notion — it was lived reality. The psychological and emotional impact can be profound, especially when it intersects with rejection, internalised shame, and loss of community.

By naming his experience and dedicating himself to change, Hyndman gives audiences both inside and outside the queer community a bridge: one that connects personal history with public action.

From reality TV to real-world impact

It’s easy to enjoy Hyndman’s gameplay on The Traitors without knowing the resilience forged in earlier chapters of his life. But understanding that context deepens the appreciation of who he is off screen — someone whose humour and intelligence are matched by an unwavering commitment to fairness and dignity.

As conversations about conversion therapy continue to evolve globally, voices like Hyndman’s remind us why legislation matters, why visibility matters, and why collective accountability for harmful practices can’t be delayed indefinitely.

📷 IG: @ yermatty

Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang respond after backlash over Jasmine Crockett comments

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Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang respond after backlash over Jasmine Crockett comments

Comedians and podcasters Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang have addressed the reaction to their recent comments about Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett and her U.S. Senate campaign.

The controversy began on an episode of their podcast Las Culturistas, where Rogers said he believed people should not donate to Crockett’s campaign, arguing that her profile made her unlikely to win a statewide race in Texas.

Yang agreed with the assessment, framing the conversation as a strategic opinion rather than a critique of Crockett personally.

The remarks quickly circulated beyond the podcast’s core audience, drawing criticism from listeners who felt it was inappropriate for entertainers to discourage financial support for a real political candidate — particularly one running in a difficult and high-stakes race.

Their response

In response, Rogers and Yang clarified that they were expressing a personal political opinion, not issuing instructions or attempting to suppress civic engagement. According to Out, Rogers emphasized that he was speaking from his own perspective on how political donations are best used, and that listeners should ultimately make their own decisions.

Both hosts pushed back on the idea that they were telling people not to participate in politics, saying they support progressive causes broadly even when they disagree about strategy or tactics.

Why it struck a nerve

The reaction highlights a recurring tension around public figures who occupy cultural rather than political roles.

Rogers and Yang are best known for comedy and pop-culture commentary, but their large and politically engaged audience means even off-the-cuff remarks can take on added weight when they touch on elections and campaigns.

For some listeners, the issue wasn’t disagreement with their analysis, but discomfort with the idea of entertainers discouraging donations — especially at a moment when many progressives argue that long-shot races still matter for building visibility and infrastructure.

Queer voices and political expectations

The episode also speaks to expectations placed on high-profile queer figures.

Both Rogers and Yang have previously talked about their own political evolution since 2016, and their audience often looks to them not just for humor, but for cues about values and engagement.

That combination — cultural influence paired with political opinion — can be volatile, particularly when opinions cut against what some listeners see as collective responsibility.

No resolution, just conversation

There is no clear consensus emerging from the exchange.

Some listeners appreciated the clarification and accepted the comments as one viewpoint among many. Others remain uneasy about entertainers weighing in on donation strategy at all.

What the moment ultimately underscores is how blurred the line has become between cultural commentary and political influence — and how quickly that blur can turn a podcast conversation into a broader public debate.

📷 IG: @ mattrogerstho / fayedunaway

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