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.

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From Instagram to “I Do”: Donald Simon and Julius LaCour Tie the Knot

1 week ago | outsmartmagazine.com | David Clarke

The chemistry wasn’t exactly instantaneous in 2022 when Donald Simon III first met Julius LaCour Jr. at the Bourbon Pub during Southern Decadence after they had previously connected on Instagram. “I came to the bar and he ignored me,” Donald recalls with a laugh. “He gave me a drink and walked away.
Scot More Helps LGBTQ Houstonians Reclaim Their Lives Through Homeless Court

1 week ago | outsmartmagazine.com | David Clarke

When Scot More came home from a date one night when he was 18, he didn’t expect to be told to leave. His mother was waiting in her reading chair, which was an ominous signal, More says, because “I know she doesn’t read.” What followed was a moment that shaped the trajectory of his life and career. “She goes, ‘Where were you tonight?’ I said, ‘I was on a date.’ I told her his name, and she did the classic, ‘Oh, my God, what did I do wrong? Nobody needs to know this.
First Christian Church Katy Celebrates Marriage Equality Anniversary

1 week ago | outsmartmagazine.com | Houston Press |Marene Gustin

This June marks ten years of marriage equality. In 2015 the Supreme Court ruled on Obergefell v. Hodges, which officially granted same-sex marriage rights nationwide.
The Trocks Return to Houston, Kicking Off Pride with Pointe Shoes and Punchlines

1 week ago | outsmartmagazine.com | David Clarke

There’s ballet, and then there’s Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. Dubbed “The Trocks,” this all-male comedy ballet troupe fuses drag artistry with rigorous classical technique and skill, making high art hilariously accessible and gloriously queer. As part of their 50th anniversary celebration, The Trocks return to Houston for two performances on June 26 and 27 at the Wortham Center’s Cullen Theater, presented by Performing Arts Houston.
Evan Low Makes History as First Asian American to Lead LGBTQ+ Victory Fund

1 month ago | outsmartmagazine.com | David Clarke

Openly gay activist and politician Evan Low was first endorsed by the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund at the age of 20. Back then, he was a bright-eyed young city-council candidate in California with big dreams, a lot of courage, and no guarantee of success. Although he didn’t win that first race, his defeat didn’t stop him. He ran again, and won. At 23, Low became the youngest openly gay mayor in the United States. Fast-forward two decades, and the now well-established trailblazer is stepping into a new role.
Bibi Xia Creates Spaces for Sapphic Joy and Belonging in Houston

1 month ago | outsmartmagazine.com | Olivia Flores Alvarez

What started as a birthday party turned into something much bigger for Bibi Xia. When she was planning her celebration at Pearl Bar, she had no idea it would lead to her becoming the bar’s events director. “It’s like Julie had a sixth sense,” Bibi says, referring to Pearl’s owner. “I used to organize a lot of charity events back in New York City, but I never imagined I’d be doing it in Houston.”For Bibi, events are never just about having drinks—they’re intentional spaces for connection.
Ernie Manouse and Frank Billingsley Bring Fresh Energy to Hello, Houston!

1 month ago | outsmartmagazine.com | David Clarke

Vibrant and trusted Houston media personalities Ernie Manouse and Frank Billingsley, along with Celeste Diaz Schurman, are serving up smart conversations, heartfelt storytelling, and occasional dad jokes every weekday on Houston Public Media. Hello, Houston! is their new show that blends the affable gravitas of the two beloved media veterans with the bustling energy of Houston. Manouse and Billingsley consider the show to be more than just a gig.
Fifty Years of Love: Thomas and Daniel Celebrate a Life Lived Out Loud

1 month ago | outsmartmagazine.com | David Clarke

On a Sunday afternoon in 1975, two strangers met at the Woodward Bar in Detroit, Michigan. Thomas Chelena, in town for a clergy meeting, had stopped in for a cocktail. Daniel Malachowski, recovering from a picnic, was propped against the piano bar, “trying to initiate some contact.”“And there he was,” Daniel recalls. “From there, I had to take him dancing at a disco bar. From there, we proceeded home.
Houston Ballet Premieres Stanton Welch’s New Adaptation of Raymonda

1 month ago | outsmartmagazine.com | Olivia Flores Alvarez

Houston Ballet artistic director Stanton Welch tackles one of the most beloved stories with the world premiere this month of Welch’s adaptation of Raymonda. The full-length ballet is set to music by Alexander Glazunov. Inspired by Marius Petipa’s original 1898 choreography and other variations, Raymonda follows the titular character as she and her sisters navigate the complicated world of young love in the midst of a treacherous royal court.
Desmond and Justin Bertrand-Pitts Build a Life of Love, Faith, and Family in Houston

1 month ago | outsmartmagazine.com | David Clarke

In Houston’s Sunnyside neighborhood, Desmond and Justin Bertrand-Pitts have spent nearly 20 years building a life rooted in love, intention, and community. Rewind 18 years and Justin, then living in Tifton, Georgia, was scrolling through BlackGayChat.com, an online forum that predates the now-ubiquitous dating apps. He stumbled across Desmond’s profile and was drawn in by his dazzling smile. “It was definitely Justin who made the first move,” Desmond recalls. “He was very persistent.