OutSmart Magazine

Founded in 1994, OutSmart is a celebrated monthly magazine that has been providing local and national news to the LGBTQ community in Houston for over 25 years. Available in both print and online formats, we connect with more than 200,000 readers each month and have a dedicated audience that stretches from Houston all the way to Los Angeles. Our reach even extends internationally, with readers in Canada, Mexico, the UK, Australia, and various other countries. OutSmart has earned numerous accolades on local and national stages. We were honored as the “Nation’s Best Local Magazine” by the Vice Versa Gay Press Awards and received the title of “Best Local Publication in Houston” from the Houston Press for four straight years (2006-2009). You can grab a complimentary copy of OutSmart at any of our 375+ distribution points throughout the Houston area. We also distribute the magazine at select locations in Austin, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, and San Antonio.

LGBTQ+

English

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Articles

Diamond Stylz Elevates Black Trans Stories Through Media and Advocacy

6 days ago | outsmartmagazine.com | David Clarke

From podcast microphones to political strategy sessions, distinguished activist Diamond Stylz is making sure Black trans voices are heard loud and clear. A cultural anthropologist, award-winning journalist, filmmaker, and vibrant personality, Stylz has made it her life’s work to build the spaces she didn’t have while growing up. “This is kind of my default,” Stylz explains. “Anybody who is queer can relate to the fact that their existence in a room changes it. Just walking in a space changes it.
Latino/a/x Dance Festival Highlights the Power of Performance and Identity

1 week ago | outsmartmagazine.com | Olivia Flores Alvarez

Things take a political tone when Gabriel Mata appears at the 5th Annual Texas Latino/a/x Contemporary Dance Festival this weekend. Mata, an openly gay man, premieres “Con Angel,” a duet conceived with Angel Ramirez, as a solo. The title means With Angel in Spanish. Both Mata and the queer Ramirez (he/them) are based in Washington, D.C., but Ramirez, who is originally from El Salvador, was unwilling to risk traveling to Texas for the festival because of irregularities in their immigrant status.
Todd Waite Retires from the Alley Theatre with Final Turn as Sherlock Holmes

3 weeks ago | outsmartmagazine.com | Olivia Flores Alvarez

Actor Todd Waite says goodbye to his signature character in Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery this month. After performing in 135 productions with the Alley Theatre over the last 25 years, Waite is retiring as a member of the resident company. Now 65, Waite once said he didn’t want to appear as an elderly Sherlock. While he loves the character and enjoys exploring the role, he’s afraid the audience would reject a doddering detective.
Montrose Country Club: Houston’s New Hub for Dining, Poolside Fun, Nightlife

3 weeks ago | outsmartmagazine.com | Olivia Flores Alvarez

Houston’s Montrose neighborhood, long known as the city’s LGBTQ epicenter, is about to welcome an exciting new addition to its entertainment and dining landscape. The Montrose Country Club, an upscale-yet-accessible restaurant, day club, and nightlife venue, officially opened its doors on March 14.
Beloved Queer Bar Star Sailor Closes, Leaves Lasting Houston Legacy

3 weeks ago | outsmartmagazine.com | David Clarke

When we chose to spotlight Houston’s beloved queer-owned eatery and bar Star Sailor in our April issue, we never could have predicted that founder Marin Slanina (she/they) would be announcing Star Sailor’s closing at the end of March. For four years, the Heights hot spot has been more than just a place to grab a burger and a drink. It has truly been a sanctuary for Houston-area LGBTQ individuals and their allies.
The Kennedy Brings East Coast Elegance to Houston Nightlife Scene

3 weeks ago | outsmartmagazine.com | David Clarke

Houston is known as a foodie’s paradise because its dining and nightlife scene is filled with sleek, contemporary establishments. But one of the newer kids on the block, The Kennedy, stands apart from the crowd. Nestled at 3210 West Dallas St., this intimate and luxurious supper club and piano bar brings a rich, lived-in ambiance reminiscent ofsome iconic East Coast institutions. Owner Andres Q.
Visionary Drag Queen

3 weeks ago | outsmartmagazine.com | Sam Byrd

Iris Seymour’s body is an eyeful, with a quick-witted sense of humor to match. She knows all, she sees all, and she blabs it to everyone during her side-stitching trivia shows and performances. Believe it or not, the busty beauty attended the University of Houston for biomedical engineering but left college to keep sight of her drag career. It seems like her hindsight was 20/20, because once she started drag, her performing career came into focus. “Seymour” about what makes this queen a spectacle.
King and Queen for a Day

3 weeks ago | outsmartmagazine.com | David Clarke

Love can find us in the most unexpected of places. For Paris London, a longtime Houston entertainer, former Houston Rockets dancer, and media personality; and Jorge Serrano, a quiet and kind-hearted Houston native, their journey began on the Grindr app—a fact they share with pride. They know that love and modern-day fairy tales can begin anywhere. “Why be ashamed of where you came from or where you’re going?” Paris says.
MFAH’s “Tamara de Lempicka” Retrospective: A Journey of Talent, Glamour, and Secrecy

3 weeks ago | outsmartmagazine.com | Olivia Flores Alvarez

She was smart. She was sexy. She was savvy. Most importantly, she was incredibly talented. “Tamara de Lempicka,” a retrospective of the Polish-born painter currently on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH), chronicles both her daring work and her even more daring life. The exhibition opens with a wall-size image of the bisexual Lempicka. She is glamorous, chic, staring boldly into the camera, yet half of her face is in shadow.
Pops Conductor Steven Reineke Gets Wicked

3 weeks ago | outsmartmagazine.com | Olivia Flores Alvarez

British actor/singer Cynthia Erivo is just one Oscar away from joining the EGOT club (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards, a rarely achieved standard of excellence). With two Oscar nominations already to her credit, there’s no doubt she’ll soon be among that exalted company. Erivo has just completed a whirlwind awards season where she promoted her most recent film, the blockbuster Wicked. Now the openly queer Erivo is coming to appear in two concerts with the Houston Symphony.