It’s officially Super Bowl season! (Anyone seen the super fork or spoon yet?)
While “sports” aren’t typically front of mind for most LGBTQ+ people, we’ve been strapped to find any news this week not centered on the most-watched telecast of the year.
This year, defending champions Kansas City Chiefs go head-to-head with the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas. Our country queen Reba McEntire is set to perform the National Anthem, while Usher is taking on halftime show duties.
But who will take home the Super Bowl LVIII trophy?
It just might go to Taylor Swift‘s boyfriend’s team, if the Swifties have any say. The pop star’s relationship with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has captured the nation (and angered conservatives) all season long.
That being said, we just hope both teams have fun.
Whether you’re hitting up a party, watching from home, or biding your time until Gay Super Bowl (the Oscars, duh!), we’ve got you covered. Here are the 10 things we’re obsessed with this week…
1. Gay Beer
Image Credit: Gay Beer
Nothing says game day like a “brewski beer.” And if you’re looking for a lager that doesn’t skimp on the fruitiness –– pun intended –– you’ll want to check out Gay Beer. I mean, just look at this can! It’s wearing an ascot!
Gay Beer was born from founders Jason Pazmino and Jon Moore’s desire to honor queer heritage and create a beer marketed at the LGBTQ+ community year-round. Not just Pride Month. Fittingly, a portion of its proceeds benefit LGBTQ+ groups like Housing Works and The Ali Forney Center.
According to its site, Gay Beer is a blend of Vienna Malt and Mandarina Hops featuring hints of honey and crisp citrus, with six to 24-packs available for $18 – $72 online. Bud Light is shaking, and rightfully so!
2. “Go Taylor’s Boyfriend” Sweatshirt
Image Credit: Etsy
The media blitz surrounding Swift and Kelce’s whirlwind romance is akin to a high school’s obsession with the quarterback and cheerleader going steady. Except Travis is a two-time Super Bowl champ and Taylor is the biggest celebrity in the world.
Nevertheless, one of my favorite running TikTok gags has been straight girls telling their sport-obsessed boyfriends that Taylor put Travis on the map. The truth is, the NFL wasn’t on a lot of girls’ or gays’ radar until Tay started showing up and Jason Kelce got shirtless. This ultra-soft sweatshirt (also available as a tee and in a variety of colors for $16 – $25 from Etsy) is the perfect way to keep that energy going. And yes, I will be turning it into a crop top when football season is over.
If you’re going to headline the Super Bowl halftime show, you need a good pair of boxer briefs and it’s safe to say Kim Kardashian’s brand (which is dropping a new collection the day after the game for $18 – $52) fits him very well.
4. NFL’s A Night of Pride with GLAAD
Image Credit: Getty Images
The gays made it to the Super Bowl! For the third year in a row, the NFL celebrated their “commitment to LGBTQ players and fans” by holding game-week event “A Night of Pride” alongside GLAAD. Still, the mere existence of the event (which was hosted by Lance Bass and featured a performance by Queerties-nominated singer VINCINT) was enough to anger right-wingers. But the NFL’s unwillingness to back down speaks eons to the environment they’re working to foster for the next generation of LGBTQ+ players.
Also in attendance were queer former football players like R.K. Russell, Carl Nassib, and Jeff Rohrer who told the audience, “It was very hard to be the first guy in a same-sex marriage as an ex NFL player, especially being a Dallas Cowboy. You think it’s going to be harder, then you learn it’s really not, people are more accepting than you think.” Aw!
5. Kansas City Chiefs Gay Jersey
Image Credit: NFL Shop/Getty Images
OK, this one isn’t exactly for us, but it’s kind of camp. For the uninformed, Willie Gay Jr. is a linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs and helped the team score a win against the Philadelphia Eagles at last year’s Super Bowl.
And as all players’ do, the Mississippi-native’s jersey ($129 – $169 from NFL Shop) reads his last name: “GAY.” As far as we know, Willie himself is not gay, but that doesn’t mean LGBTQ+ Chiefs fans can’t rock these threads with dual purpose.
6. Rewatching Madonna‘s 2012 Super Bowl Halftime Show
If you get a group of gay men into a room with YouTube access, it won’t take long for someone to load up a diva’s show-stopping halftime performance. The game has hosted an impressive roster of incredible performers, from Diana Ross, to Gaga, Katy Perry, J.Lo and Beyoncé.
Still, Madge’s 2012 show at Super Bowl XLVI is hard to beat. With ornate costumes, slacklining, appearances by LMFAO, Nicki Minaj, M.I.A., and CeeLo Green, it’s an action-packed 12 minutes. Never mind that middle-finger controversy, you simply can’t go wrong opening with “Vogue” and ending on “Like a Prayer.” World peace indeed!
7. Chips, dips, and a bit of gay heat
Image Credit: Shaquanda’s Hot Pepper Sauces/Target/Trader Joe’s
Leave the queso dips and buffalo wings to your more culinarily skilled friends. It’s my personal belief that you can never go wrong with chips and dips at a party or for dinner. I’m not saying grab just any ol’ jar from your local CVS Pharmacy, but I guarantee your snacks will go devoured with some careful curation.
The best part of a Super Bowl party, aside from the carb-loaded snacks, is the opportunity to win. And I’m not just talking about your favorite team. These Super Bowl games are perfect for anyone with a competitive spirit (and those looking to make its three-hour runtime go by faster).
Whether you want to try out Swiftie Bingo ($4.99), bet on the game as a whole (with options from $3 to $5), or use the broadcast’s ad breaks as reason to party ($9-$15), there’s an endless array of downloadable templates and scorecards on Etsy. And if all else fails, drink!
If you’re not the fantasy football type (or you’ve lost miserably the past three years in your straight friend’s league), then this game may be more your speed. Bracketology, a free mobile app, runs fantasy leagues for reality TV shows like The Bachelor, Survivor, and RuPaul’s Drag Race. You can join a public league or compete against friends in your own private one.
We’re only a few episodes into the new Drag Race season and I’ve never been more emotionally –– and financially –– destroyed by a lip sync. Who says sports fans get to have all the fun?!
10. The Tortured Poets Department by Taylor Swift
Image Credit: Taylor Swift Online Store
If you thought the Swiftie sizzle would die down after the big game, you don’t know the power of Tay –– or her fans. After winning her thirteenth Grammy Award last weekend, the “Anti-Hero” singer revealed her 11th album The Tortured Poets Department (available for pre-order $12.99 – $34.99 online) is dropping April 19.
The record’s mysteriously verbose title is certainly a win for artsy gays and anyone old enough to remember Tumblr aesthetic accounts. And with a track list of intriguingly unhinged titles like “But Daddy I Love Him,” “I Can Fix Him (No I Really Can),” “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys,” and a Florence + the Machine collab, we will be streaming!
