Boy Culture Links: Surprising Pre-'50s Era of Tolerance for Queer People in Ireland Described, Dems Soar in Michigan, Man Arrested for Trying to 'Beat the Gay Out of' Kid + MORE

MAY 6, 2026

Walter Smith & Arthur Fitzsimmons, whose relationship is described in the diaries of David Strain, which informed Hulme’s research (Image via Public Record Office of Northern Ireland)

THE GUARDIAN: Tom Hulme, a queer historian, has uncovered and documented what is called a “surprising” era of tolerance for queer people in Ireland … before the ‘50s and ‘60s.

TWITTER: Clown-show moment in the California gubernatorial debate between the Republicans.

KENNETH IN THE (212): Thick thies save lives.

HUFFINGTON POST: Dems kick ass in special election in Michigan.

NEW YORK TIMES: Ohio’s existential fork in the road is here — in November, they’ll elect either Vivek Ramaswamy, a MAGA tool, or Dr. Amy Acton, a Democratic healthcare specialist.

PEOPLE: Helena Bonham Carter didn’t get along creatively with Mike White — so Laura Dern will appear on Season 4 of The White Lotus instead.

WFLA: A Davenport, Florida, man was arrested for trying to beat the gay out of a 5-year-old kid.

YAHOO!: Billy Eichner on how he and Colton Underwood feel about each other after he once joked Colton could be the first gay Bachelor. (And he already secretly was.)

THEM: The oldest Texas gay bar is strapped for cash — may need to close if an upcoming fundraiser fails to shake some dollars out of the LGBTQ+ trees.

Repairs will run about $10K. (Image via Facebook)