Oregon: Lesbian speaker aims for governor seat
NBC News reported on May 30 that Tina Kotek, the country's first out Lesbian House speaker, will be running to also be the country's first Lesbian governor. She was also Oregon's longest-serving speaker, from 2013 until January of 2022, when she stepped down to enter the gubernatorial race.

Kotek already has the state's Democratic nomination for governor, so she's off to a good start. She still has to defeat Christine Drazan, a Republican and former minority leader of the Oregon House, in November's general election. According to NBC, Republicans are keen on Oregon as a potentially big win in a blue state.

Kotek would be the fourth LGBTQ Democrat to have headed a state government, behind New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey, who is Gay; Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who is also Gay; and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, who is Bisexual.

Kotek insists that milestone isn't her reason for running. "But I also I know that it can create inspiration for young people to be like, 'Look, life can get better. I can do whatever I want, because look at this person or that person.' So, it'd be an honor."

The CW makes white waif a Black billionaire
NBC News reported on May 31 that the Tom Swift book series has been reimagined for TV as a Black, Gay billionaire in a new sci-fi mystery drama expanding on The CW's Nancy Drew universe.

Tian Richards, of previous Nancy Drew fame, will be playing the eponymous Tom Swift, a charming and ingenious inventor "with unlimited resources and unimaginable wealth." The conflict begins when Swift's father, played by Christopher B. Duncan, goes missing on a momentous trip to Saturn. Tom will search for the truth about the incident, while a globe-spanning secret society tries to stop him.

Co-creator Noga Landau said subverting the original Tom Swift novels was a big priority, given that they were about a white, blonde, blue-eyed boy and depicted Black communities badly. "I think the inspiration for it came from the fact that I've just never seen a Black Gay billionaire on-screen before," he told NBC News, "and I really wanted to see one."

Empire writer Cameron Johnson, also a co-creator, said he wanted to strike a balance between authenticity, given his own experiences as an openly Gay Black man, and universality.

Richards was a good choice for the role, given his "wit, heart, humor, and charm" during the audition. Co-creator Melinda Hsu Taylor said Richards brings "a kind of sunniness" to the character. "You can't help but love him when you're around him in person, but I think it comes through on the screen."