Troye Sivan, sausage slinging & the Staples Baddie: 10 things we’re obsessed with this week

This week, all is right in Gay World.

Mark Mark
Aug 1, 2026 - 20:00
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Three-panel image. From left to right: The viral Staples Baddie holds up two coasters for a TIkTok; a teaser image of Troye Sivan in makeup and a red lipstick; six red and yellow beanbags shaped like sausage.

For once, it seems all is OK in Gay World: Mercury left retrograde, WorldPride kicked off in Amsterdam and a new Gregg Araki film is in theaters. More on that later.

Otherwise, the world of LGBTQ+ news has kept trucking along: Sam Smith got engaged, Evan Mulrooney’s glow-up gagged us and a twink is coming for Timothée’s crown.

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Plus, hockey bros compared hogs, Sasha Allen spilled on his new album and Salina EsTitties gave us the gayest meme of the summer.

Otherwise, it’s been all bops, books and baddies.

Without further ado, here are 10 things we’re obsessed with this week…

1. Dancer From the Dance by Andrew Holleran

The cover for "Dancer From the Dance" by Andrew Holleran featuring a polaroid photo of two men with their feet in a pool.
Image Credit: Amazon

Andrew Holleran’s novel Dancer From the Dance, available in paperback for $13.30 on Amazon, should be required reading for any gay man about to board the ferry to Fire Island Pines. I recently re-read the 1978 book, which The Atlantic dubbed one of its Great American Novels, for a club and was once again astonished by its breathtaking prose and how relevant this story about hopeless romanticism, looking for love, settling for sex and finding your crew under the disco ball still feels.

Oh, Malone and Sutherland, you would’ve loved Andrew Ahn’s 2022 film Fire Island, and, of course, Grindr.

2. Leather daddy-approved body wash

Three-panel image. From left to right: LeatherDaddy Body Wash, a shirtless man in briefs smiles talking a selfie in the mirror, a bottle of LeatherDaddy Body Lotion is pictured on a counter next to a leather hat.
Image Credit: LGBTQ Outpost/Instagram @leatherdaddyskinco

LeatherDaddy Skin Co. founder Chris Wright-Garcia started his business with a simple idea: “Skincare should feel good—and a little sexy.”

Based on their expansive collection (available at LGBTQ Outpost) and thousands of satisfied Instagram followers, I’d say mission accomplished.

My personal faves are the LeatherDaddy Body Wash, infused with their signature leather, scotch and vanilla scent, as well as the moisturizing LeatherDaddy Body Lotion. Both items start at $15.

3. Paddywax Candles

Two-panel image. On the left, a collection of ceramic candles colored in stripes. On the right, a pink and orange candle pictured with its lid on it. Its side reads: "Paddywax Infrared Mango."
Image Credit: Paddywax Candles

If you’re a candle gay like me, you’ve probably amassed so many wax-filled containers that you need to start doing layoffs. Thankfully, that’s not a problem with Paddywax Candles, whose thoughtful and intentionally crafted offerings are manufactured to have a long-lasting second life after they’re done burning.

I recommend the adorably shaped Cabana Collection, starting at $27, which include coastal scents like Lost at Sea and Sienna Sunset, and are made out of a food-safe ceramic. The stackable Infrared Mango ($28) which comes in a chic pink-and-orange combo, and the La Playa collection, are designed to be repurposed into a margarita glass.

4. I Want Your Sex

Gregg Araki’s new film is as zany, colorful and hilarious as you’d expect. Olivia Wilde is captivating, Cooper Hoffman is adorable, Charli XCX is spot-on and there’s a deceptively realistic coming-of-age story underneath all the chains, whips and maid costumes.

If you’re looking for a quickie, check out our interview with the film’s intimacy coordinator.

5. Troye Sivan’s imminent return

IDK what Troye Sivan (and his naughty lil’ finsta) are up to, but if the music is anything like 2023’s Something to Give Each Other, we should be preparing for a full-on, five-star, gay-pop emergency.

6. Gay Odyssey merch

A white t-shirt hangs on a clothesline reading
Image Credit: Etsy

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey might be making box-office history, but the epic adaptation was a little light on the historically accurate ancient Grecian homosexual love-making for my tastes.

Needless to say, I wasn’t expecting anything when I searched for “gay Odyssey merch” on Etsy, so I was delighted to find this Mean Girls-inspired tee, available in long or short-sleeve and currently on sale for $21.73. It’s not Odysseus and his men keeping each other warm during those long nights in the Trojan Horse, but we’ll take what we can get.

7. Hormona Lisa’s husband’s work potluck

I love that there’s a social media account reporting on what Drag Race alum Hormona Lisa cooked for her husband’s first-ever work potluck like it’s the Royal Wedding. For those wondering, it was crockpot funeral meatballs, pigs in a blanket, Rotel dip, mini steak quesadillas, and cheesecake bars. I’m sure there was nary a crumb leftover!

8. Slinging sausages in the backyard

Two-panel image. On the left, a wooden contraption that reads "Sling It" with slots and a stack of yellow and red sausage-shaped bean bags are placed next to it. On the right, the same contraption is pictured with bean bags thrown around it.
Image Credit: Uncommon Goods

I’m sorry, but you can’t create a yard activity called Sling It: The Medieval Sausage Slinging Game (available for $119 on Uncommon Goods) and expect me to not make a gay joke… or purchase it immediately. This 2-4 player game involves lobbing sausage-shaped bean bags at a target with the goal of sliding into scoring slots and being crowned the Royal Sausage-Slinge (which was also my nickname in college).

Honestly, corn hole is shaking.

9. “Hell’s Belles” by Zolita

Zolita channels fan favorite docs, The Hunting Wives and a steaming hot dose of WLW chaos in her new music video for “Hell’s Belles,” which she wrote, directed and stars in. I can’t get this boot-stomping, finger-licking, sticky tune out of my head. I’d watch a 10-part series!

Thankfully, there’s more to come with her new album dropping August 28.

10. The Staples baddie

Staples will never find a better ambassador than Kaeden Rowland, a.k.a. the viral Staples Baddie. This trans content creator is constantly posting day-in-the-life videos of her job, in which she crafts coasters, prints the craziest travel mugs, explains the store’s expansive services and never misses an opportunity to show off a good manicure to her nearly 600,000 TikTok followers.

The best part is the office retailer is fully aware of her posts, and supports it! Miss FedEx Store could never.

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