#WhatToReadWednesday | Top Ten Gay Romances of 2025

It’s been ages since I did a #WhatToReadWednesday post, but I figured some of you might have some time off over the holidays and might be looking for something to read. 

Every year, JMS Books releases an anthology with the 10 best-selling gay romance short stories of the year. The anthology will be out on the 27th, and you can preorder it at a discount over at JMS Books right this minute, but if you’re more of a pick-and-choose kind of person, these are the titles: 

A Vampire Named Otto by Holly Day 

Zephan Amon is a psychic on the run. He comes from a powerful family famous for their wealth, but he cut ties with them over a decade ago. He’s not nearly as powerful as they are, and they want him to either hide his existence or change his name, so he doesn’t sully their reputation.

Zephan refuses, and he’s been perfectly happy living as a human far away from his family, but a series of events have left him jobless and homeless. He’s about to work up the courage to ask his sister for help when he’s kidnapped by werewolves.

A stroke of luck allows him to escape, but he runs straight into a vampire’s garden. The vampire is far more concerned about Zephan trampling on his lawn than he is about kidnappings and werewolves. He demands Zephan pay a toll of blood for the state of his poor, abused grass. A few swallows of blood can’t be worse than being recaptured by werewolves, can it?

JMS Books :: Amazon

Cakes and Ale by Jordan Demaine 

Andrew Fletcher has a quiet life, living in the sleepy English seaside town where he was born and managing a theatre open only during the busy summer tourist season. He makes an unexpected friend in one of the actors, Oliver James, who comes down from London to play Christian in Cyrano de Bergerac. Over time, their friendship turns into something more, but a burgeoning relationship is complicated by the fact Oliver has a partner in London.

When the COVID pandemic hits and the theatre is forced to close, seemingly for good, Andrew moves on from his job and from his crush. Will an unexpected encounter with Oliver several years later let them pick up where they left off? Or has too much time passed for there ever to be anything between them?

JMS Book :: Amazon

Krampus Night by P.E. Graham 

Krampus has been striking fear in the hearts of children for centuries, rewarding the good ones and punishing the naughty ones, all the while suppressing his submissive nature. Now times have changed, and his existence is nothing but an empty spectacle. He wants more. He wants to be a good boy. He wants everything a dominant like Tom can give him.

Tom is a lonely dominant searching for his perfect sub, and while he met many lovely submissives at the local clubs, he hasn’t found The One. But he hasn’t given up hope, and he dons his Krampus costume for the December 5th Perchten-themed night determined to have a good time. He’s taken by surprise by a tall, muscled man whose costume looks a little too authentic, sitting alone at the bar, declining requests from beautiful subs who just want to be spanked. If he isn’t interested in doing the spanking, what is he there for? Tom is determined to find out.

JMS Book :: Amazon

Love, Step by Step by Pat Henshaw 

Peter Lamont and Mark Trainor met as freshman in college. They separated to go to different law schools, but promised if, when they turned thirty, they weren’t attached or married, they would get back together again. Over the years, they met up time and again, keeping their friendship alive and well.

Recently, Peter turned thirty. Now for Mark’s thirtieth, Peter has planned a progressive dinner at the restaurants on the refurbished pier. Will the lovely sunset, twinkling lights, and excellent food set the scene for their reunion? Or will one of them decide to renege on the promise?

JMS Books :: Amazon

Sleigh Bells Ring by Shawn Lane 

Five years ago, Ignatius “Nate” Harrington left his unfulfilling life in California for the position of police chief in the small New England town of Storybrooke. Now at Christmas, his brother and friend are coming for a visit. Nate is pretty sure his brother just wants to convince him to come home. But Nate has a new life there and even a new guy he’s seeing. One he’s reluctant to label as his boyfriend just yet, Storybrooke native, Jackson Wedge.

Nate’s blindsided when his brother’s best friend, Danny, one of Nate’s ex-lovers who broke his heart before, has come along for the visit because he thinks Nate’s the one who got away. Nate’s mortified when Jackson witnesses him kissing Danny just before a tragic accident. Now Jackson’s in the hospital, Danny’s leaving, and the holidays are ruined. Except Nate finally knows just where he belongs and with which guy. Can he set things right in time for sleigh bells to ring in the season?

JMS Book :: Amazon

Hexes of Bronze by K.L. Noone 

Swordsman Aric and his half-fairy partner Emrys need to lie low for a while. They’ve been attracting attention, and not just from very human kings and merchants — Em’s powerful fairy-lord father is looking for his lost heir. So Aric and Em have taken some time off from heroic adventures to visit Aric’s brother Berd, an architect who’s helping build the brand-new king’s city of Ambrosium.

But the construction seems cursed. Collapsing walls, accidents, spoiled provisions — there’s dark magic at work. And Aric and Emrys find themselves drawn into a tangle of family, politics, and hidden ancient hexes.

JMS Book :: Amazon

Believe in Christmas Magic by Pelaam 

As a child, Richard believed in the magic of Christmas. Now, as a jaded adult desperate for work, he’s acting as a store elf. The weight of life is proving too much for him to bear, and in an act of desperation, he sends a letter to Santa, briefly reviving the belief he once held.

However, Santa is real, and twin elves Ellis and Emery manage to capture the letter, showing it to their mate Bear, a polar shifter. Reading between the lines of the letter, Bear sets out with the twins and reindeer shifter Rudolph to save Richard.

Can they reach him in time and teach him to believe in the magic of Christmas once more?

JMS Books :: Amazon

Secrets of Love and Time by Mere Rain 

The detective’s faithful assistant has been keeping a secret from him. No, not what you’re thinking. All right, make that two secrets.

Love between men is a serious crime in Victorian England, but that’s not why Micah Sheer is concealing his feelings for private detective Leander Maine. Sheer has a supernatural secret, that would endanger not only the two of them but thousands of other lives. Maine has devoted his life to uncovering truths — and Sheer has spent years leading him away from them.

Leander Maine is a keen observer, and he can’t help deducing that his assistant is hiding something from him. Compelled to discover his friend’s secret, he begins following Sheer, and soon the certainties of the reality he has always known begin to crumble beneath his feet. But Sheer’s motivation is still hidden from him, and Maine cannot imagine what could justify his deception. What truth could be important enough to risk their friendship? And what price will they both pay if the truth is uncovered?

JMS Books :: Amazon

Dressing for the Occasion by Ellie Thomas 

After two years of a loving relationship with Barney Marshall in Regency London, Ross Webster has gradually transformed into Rose on a permanent basis.

Rose has planned her transformation carefully, with the help of her redoubtable landlady Grace, and is now able to live an independent life free from male trappings.

But there are still challenges to face before Rose and Barney can reach their happy ever after. Their dream is to live as man and wife, but Rose dreads reconciling Barney’s wealthy parents to the idea of their betrothal.

Can the young lovers overcome this final barrier to their lifelong happiness?

JMS Books :: Amazon

How to Feed a Vampire in Space by Alexander Verlangen 

Theo needs to keep everyone alive. Earth has been destroyed, and only a handful of survivors are left. Theo and his crew of the most brilliant survivors must find a habitable planet.

The only problem is one of them, Ryder, is a gorgeous vampire who has to find a way to eat in space. Ryder is determined to find a volunteer to allow him to drink from, and he has his eyes set on Theo.

Can Theo keep everyone alive and keep the human race going?

JMS Books :: Amazon

#WhatToReadWednesday | My Favourite Gay Romances…that I’ve written

It says #WhatToReadWednesday on my to-do today, and my mind is completely blank. I feel like I’m recommending the same books over and over again, so today I’ll do a self-centred post and recommend my own books. Fun, right? 😆

The thing is, there is a sale over at Smashwords, in case you’ve missed it, and most of my books are 50% off throughout July, so if you’ve missed something…

It’s hard to pick favourites among my own books because every story has something that intrigues me or I wouldn’t have written it in the first place, but some are dearer to me than others, even though it often depends on what kind of day we’re on 😁

But I thought I’d do an Ofelia favourite and a Holly favourite in different subgenres.

Contemporary

Contemporary isn’t my favourite genre. I write it when an idea pops up, but most often they don’t LOL When something starts taking form in my mind, there are magic and monsters. But I have quite a few contemporary stories. Most of them are Ofelia books, but I have a few as Holly too.

A favourite of Ofelia’s is #PictaBook. We have a librarian with anxiety issues, a murderous cat, and a hot carpenter. Lots of fun.

My pick of Holly’s will have to be… The Dragon Next Door. It’s a fun grumpy/sunshine story and I love Adrian.

pictabook (small)

Jules Rose leads a quiet life working as a librarian. He’s happy to spend his spare time reading books and talking to his homicidal cat. What more could he wish for? But when his cozy Friday night is shattered by a friend request on his book community app, politeness gives him little choice but to accept. Jules doesn’t want to talk to anyone, but he can’t be rude. Besides, if he had to talk about something, books is the topic he’d pick.Phoenix Ford is dyslexic and avoids everything that has to do with the written word, but when the colleague he’s trying to impress calls him stupid, he decides to convince the other man, he’s mistaken. All he needs is the right book to make him look smart, a perfect balance between intelligent and short. And who better to ask for help than a guy who loves books so much, he labeled one boner-worthy on a book app?When Jules finds out Phoenix never has read a book from start to finish, he’s on a mission. He will find the right book, the book that will make Phoenix fall in love — with reading. Phoenix’s plan might have been to listen to the book Jules picked for him to impress his colleague, but that was before he got to know him. Talking about books is a sure way to Jules’ heart, but is it enough for him to agree to go on a date?

Smashwords (50% off throughout July)

thedragonnextdoor

Adrian Green’s new next-door neighbor isn’t really a dragon, but he does snarl an awful lot. The first time Adrian saw Lorcan Walsh, he knew he needed Adrian’s help. Lorcan has a fractured leg and an empty apartment. Luckily, Adrian doesn’t mind helping him fill his lair with gems, and Doris’s second-hand shop has everything a dragon could possibly want. The problem is, Lorcan doesn’t seem to want his apartment decorated, and sneaking presents past a grumpy dragon isn’t easy. All Adrian wants is to cheer Lorcan up, but when Lorcan’s ex appears at the door, Adrian fears not even vintage coffee cups will get them their fairy-tale ending. What if the way to a dragon’s heart isn’t lined with treasures?

Smashwords (50% off throughout July)

Paranormal

This is much harder. I have many paranormal stories and it all depends on what you’re in the mood for. Most of them are fated mates, interspecies couples, but I have some that aren’t.

Of Ofelia’s stories, I think I’ll go with… ugh, it’s hard to pick. Part of me wants to go with Soul Eater, but I think I’ll go with Elevator Pitch. It’s short and cute. A bat shifter and a bear shifter are trapped in a lift during a blackout.

As for Holly, it’s an impossible task to pick one! But I’m gonna with A Vampire Chew Toy. It has hurt-comfort, found family, not to mention lots of M&Ms and everyone needs some chocolate in their lives!

elevator pitch

Bjorn Ritter only wants one thing — to live his life away from nosey, demanding bears. That’s easier said than done when you’re the son of the female running the Bayside Bear Community. Cecil Baxter might be a bat, but he grew up away from shifter communities and he’s doing his best to continue to keep his distance. Shifters aren’t an accepting bunch and Cecil has never fit the norm. Already facing a dreaded meeting with his mother, the last thing Bjorn needs is a stranger using his elevator to escape a pack of werewolves. And Cecil, whose day just seems to be getting worse and worse, could really do without the added stress of finding himself trapped in an elevator with a huge bear shifter. Still, what could go wrong in three minutes?

Smashwords (50% off throughout July)

avampirechewtoy

Devin Jace lives in a huge mansion together with six other people, five of them turn furry, and one needs to drink blood to survive. Sometimes, he suspects it’s all a dream. Four years ago, he had no idea supernatural beings existed. It wasn’t until he was snatched off the street and forced to live as a blood slave he realized vampires are real and don’t sparkle. Three years ago, Mars O’Ceallaigh was part of the team who saved a badly scarred and severely traumatized Devin. As the only vampire on the team, he got to work undercover. To keep up the facade, he tasted Devin’s blood. Not a day has gone by since without him thinking about it, both the taste of the blood and Devin. But he wants Devin to be happy, and since he knows vampires are his worst nightmare, he does his best to keep out of his way. When the team learns Devin’s captor has escaped prison, Mars is convinced he will come for Devin. Devin might fear Mars, but there is someone he fears more, so when Mars swears to keep him safe, Devin trusts him. Mars more than enjoys being by Devin’s side at all times, but will spending every minute of every day with him be enough to keep him safe?

Smashwords (50% off throughout July)

Sci-Fi

Ah, fun and games, fun and games 😆 I don’t write a lot of alien romances, but I probably could spend all my time doing that and not grow bored. Here I’m gonna go with It Doesn’t Translate for Ofelia, and There Will Be Aliens for Holly. They have a few similarities – fated mates, communication problems, tails LOL. 

It Doesn't Translate

Noir Kioko had only ever seen one human before his undercover work brought him to the diner at the Luna Terminal, and that was at a distance. Humans are rare, most of them disappear without a trace, and he hopes hanging around the restaurant will give him a lead on the smuggling ring he’s investigating. There was no way he could’ve known the human would turn out to be his mate, and no way he can let it show without putting his mate in danger and possibly jeopardising his mission. Max Welch is the proud owner of the only restaurant within a light year’s distance. He left Earth four years ago to create a better life for himself, but he hadn’t considered the possibility of scary alien pirates making his restaurant their favourite hangout spot. As a measly human there isn’t much he can do about it, but as one of the pirates starts coming by almost every day he has to come up with something before he loses all his customers. That the giant cat man is rather nice to look at changes nothing. When rumours of another human arriving at the space station start to circulate, Noir’s species trafficking infiltrate and observe only mission may need a revamp. But will Noir be able to protect his mate and another one of his rare species?

Smashwords (50% off throughout July)

therewillbealiens - small

Carlo Russo is having the worst day. Not only has he lost his job, caught his boyfriend cheating, and had one too many shots with his best friend Grace, now he’s seeing aliens too. Big, black, tail-equipped aliens. After a futile struggle, he and Grace find themselves on a spaceship leaving Earth. Zenon Scoreceds Qhainqons doesn’t know what it is about the earthling male. Their mission is to bring back ten females in hopes of them being able to provide their planet with children, but he wants the male. What he’s going to do with the male, he doesn’t know, but he’s claiming him as his payment for going on the mission. Carlo doesn’t approve of kidnapping, but the aliens aren’t too bad, and once the language chip is installed, he finds it entertaining to talk to them. Zen in particular. They’re standoffish and never show any emotion, but Carlo has no problem cuddling up next to Zen at night. All Zenon wants is to spend time with Carlo, but it’s his job to get them all home in one piece. Will he be able to keep Carlo safe from all the dangers lurking along the trip? He has to because Carlo is his, and he’s not letting him go.

Smashwords (50% off throughout July)

Post-Apocalyptic

Hmm… I think I’ll go with The Maddest of Men for Ofelia since everyone loves a living lie detector, right? These guys are on the wrong side of the law.

Then I think I’ll say A Drop of Moonshine. Those guys aren’t following the laws either, but it’s an adventure LOL And who doesn’t love a slobbering dog?

The Maddest of Men

To prove his loyalty to Cham, Grayham is willing to do anything, and he does. He helps Cham run his empire by finding out the truth by any possible means. It’s not as hard as it may seem, all he has to do is ask the right questions, and his internal polygraph will tell him if someone is lying or not. And when they lie—well he deals with that too. Life as an executioner can get quite lonely, not that Grayham plans on doing anything about it. It would kill him to have to off a lover. Creed is a retrieving agent on a mission. He is to infiltrate one of Carona’s drug organisations to get to the inquisitor. Rumour states the man with the fiery red curls has supernatural powers; it also says anyone coming close to him disappears. Creed has no idea how he’s going to make it out alive or why his supervisor sent him in without backup. But, when an opening to work as a waiter at one of the drug lord’s parties presents itself Creed sets to work. In a world where people compensate for the years of bombings and starvation with clinic-bought physical perfection a man with crooked teeth and mismatching eyes stands out. Grayham notices the waiter watching him straight away. If he’s there to harm Cham, he’ll deal with it. Creed knows he must get his hands on the inquisitor so when he is invited to the man’s flat he agrees to come even though he knows it might be the last thing he’ll ever do.

Smashwords (50% off throughout July)

a drop of moonshine

In a world where the government controls everything, and every citizen is given one government-approved kill, Sid Barker is doing his best to keep his head down and not get noticed. At some point, he must have failed. Being a potato farmer doesn’t generate enough income, and Sid is making moonshine on the side to keep himself fed, but one day a liquidation agent shows up at his farm, not to kill him, but to blackmail him into giving away his moonshine for free. Thorn Hull is a liquidation agent. Every time someone hands in an application to have someone terminated, he or one of the other agents has to perform the kill. It’s a well-paying job, but no money in the world can fill the void in Thorn. He regrets ever becoming an agent, but no one has ever quit the agency and lived to tell the tale. One night in a bar, Thorn runs into Sid, who’s far from the dirty little kid he’d been the last time Thorn had seen him. Sid remembers Thorn from his childhood and asks him to help him talk sense into the agent who’s blackmailing him. Things soon escalate, and Sid and Thorn find themselves on the run from the liquidation agency. How will they be able to deal with the blackmailer at the same time as they’re on the run from the government’s trained killers?

Smashwords (50% off throughout July)

Horror

I don’t have anything as Holly that I would categorise as horror. There are some pretty graphic books, but not horror. I’ll still mention The Snowflake though because it doesn’t get nearly enough love 🤣 I mean who says serial killers don’t have emotions? They can fall in love too, and if they happen to turn a bit stalkerish, it’s not their fault.

I love this story! It’s bloody and dark, but I’ll still claim it’s a romance 😁

thesnowflakeNothing inspires art like love. Theophile Lekas has spent the last seventeen years trying to build a name for himself as an ice sculptor. Ice is his world, but he lives for Dylan Mincer. But loving from afar isn’t enough, and if Theo wants to win Dylan’s heart, he’ll need to sweep him off his feet. And what better way to do it than with a sculpture that will leave Dylan breathless and the world in no doubt of Theo’s genius? After an argument leads to murder, Theo is hit with true inspiration. And he has the perfect block to begin his project. For Dylan, Theo will create his masterpiece. And it will be as unique as a snowflake Great art requires the perfect muse.

Smashwords (50% off throughout July)

Guest Post | Alien Tails by Holly Day

Alien Tails FB

I haven’t told you about Alien Tails here! July 2nd is World UFO Day, so we figured it would be fun to do something. Holly has three stories with aliens in them, so we bundled them up to celebrate the day 😊

They’re all fated mates stories. There Will Be Aliens is a Mars needs women kind of book, only the captain doesn’t want a woman, he wants Carlo. Most of it takes place on a spaceship. 

How to Soothe a Dragon takes place here on Earth, but aliens have invaded and use mind control to rule the humans. Some of the aliens can turn into dragons. It sounds pretty dark, but they’re allergic to lemons, so there is a way to defend oneself 😁

The Devil Will Care takes place on a moon turned into an intergalactic prison. Who doesn’t dream about finding love in prison? 😳

Despite what one may think they’re all pretty light-hearted.

Alien Tails

alientailsboxsetWould you travel to another planet on the off chance of finding your soulmate? 

Alien Tails is a set of three MM romance novellas about tail-waving aliens who travel through space and find their human destined mates in the most unlikely of places. But once they’ve found them, will they be able to convince their mates to see past their differences and accept that they’re meant to be? 

Contains the stories: 

There Will Be Aliens: Carlo is having a bad day, and now he’s seeing aliens too. After a futile struggle, he finds himself on a spaceship leaving Earth. Zenon doesn’t know what it is about the earthling male. They’re to get females, but he’s claiming the male as his payment for the mission. Can he keep Carlo safe from all the dangers lurking along the trip? He has to because Carlo is his, and he’s not letting him go. 

How to Soothe a Dragon: Long before Derek was born, the planet was taken over by a mind-controlling alien race, and everyone is affected except for him. Ocren is obsessed with his human neighbor, but four years of chasing him up the stairs in their apartment building has Derek refusing to speak to him. Until he accuses him of having broken into his apartment. How will Ocren make Derek believe it wasn’t him? 

The Devil Will Care: What would you do if the devil claimed you were his destined mate? Khaal isn’t really the devil. He’s a red-skinned, horn-wearing, tail-waving, eight feet tall alien who claims Azrail is his mate. Azrail has read about mates, but it can’t apply to him. He’s human. But when Khaal plans to escape, Azrail is ready to go. Being mated to the devil can’t be worse than being locked up in prison, can it?  

Buy links: 

Gay alien romance: 95,819 words 

JMS Books :: Amazon :: books2read.com/AlienTails 

Excerpt:

(From There Will Be Aliens)

Zenon grew dizzy from all the back and forth. One second the female was taking care of the male, the next the male was taking care of the female, and then they switched again. There were so many emotions, he grew confused.

“Ghurva, wash the male.”

Ghurva widened his eyes. “I don’t—”

“I don’t need anyone to wash me. Show me where the shower is, and I’ll be fine.”

“You’re not showering alone. What if you fall, get dizzy, vomit again? You can’t—”

Zenon held his breath for a second. “So, you’ll wash your mate.”

“No!”

“No!”

He looked at Ghurva. Mates didn’t wash each other? Zenon hadn’t had anyone wash him once he’d grown old enough to do it himself, but he figured mates did if there was a need for it. He’d always imagined showing a softer side to his mate if he ever found his. No one did anymore. He believed, maybe as they’d grown more emotionless, the ability to mate had been erased. It was as if they were unable to connect with another being.

An ache spread in his chest again. He must be ill, must have gotten something while on the strange planet.

“Trust me, he doesn’t want girl cooties.”

Zenon didn’t recognize the word, but it had to do with sickness, that much he understood. “Is it contagious?”

“Very.” The female… laughed? Zenon believed it was a laugh, but he’d never heard one other than from a sound file they’d been given before the mission.

“No.” The male shook his head, winced, and grew, if possible, paler. “Bucket?”

The female looked around, spotted the small laundry basket in the corner, and dived for it. Zenon didn’t stop her. He didn’t think she could hurt them with a basket.

She held it up in front of the male and he retched. Negudade didn’t retch, but he’d seen animals do it. The stench intensified again.

The male grimaced. “Oh, fuck me.” He scrunched his face, and the female gently guided him down on the cot.

“Be careful what you wish for. These guys look mighty frisky to me.”

“Do they? I didn’t notice.”

Zenon didn’t know what they were talking about. Judging by the information snippets the language chip provided him with, he guessed they were talking about copulation, but it seemed like a strange moment. Unless the female was in heat. He pulled in a deep breath, but all he could smell was the sour stench of sickness. Did Earthlings go into heat? Negudade didn’t, but some animals did.

“Rest.”

“I’d really like to wash up. And brush my teeth.”

The female caressed the male’s forehead and pain spread in Zenon’s chest when the male closed his eyes.

A few seconds later, the female stood and walked over to Ghurva. Zenon took a step forward. He didn’t think she’d attack, but better to be prepared.

“Look.” She spoke so low, he held his breath to hear better. “He has a concussion.”

“What is it?” Ghurva glanced at him, but Zenon didn’t move a muscle.

“When someone hit his head—” She gave them both a narrow-eyed stare, “—his brain was hurt, and now it’s swelling.”

“He’ll die?” The tightness around Zenon’s ribs was back. Had he killed the male? With one small slap? Were they that fragile?

“I don’t think so. It’s not too bad. But he’s had them before, and it gets more and more dangerous the more you have them.”

“He’s had them before?” Who had hit the male? Zenon’s claws dug into the palm of his hands as he curled his fingers into fists.

“Look. He needs a calm place to rest, preferably a dark place without any harsh lights.” She gestured at the spotlight in the ceiling. “He’ll be tired and will want to sleep, but someone needs to wake him up every hour to make sure he isn’t unconscious.”

“You’re his mate.” She should do all those things.

“We’re friends, yes. We grew up together, but Carlo is… He doesn’t want people taking care of him.”

“Carlo?” She’d mentioned it several times, but it didn’t translate into anything.

“Carlo.” She gestured at the male. “His name is Carlo.”

Oh… Part of him wanted to look away, but he changed nothing in his expression and didn’t move a muscle. He should’ve understood it was a name. “What’s your name?” He didn’t know if he’d be able to distinguish her from the other females. They all looked the same, but it would be good to know her name.

“Grace.”

Her name translated as elegance—a strange name. She was small, but all of them were, and she was thin and fine limbed, but, again, all of them were. “You’re Grace and… Carlo is your… brother?”

“No, not brother… okay, let’s say he’s my brother, it’s close enough.”

“You’re not mated?” Ghurva studied her with interest.

“Mated as in… married? No, Carlo is gay. You people are okay with queers, right? Or maybe you’d want to turn around and drop us off on Earth?” The look she gave them was hopeful.

Zenon didn’t know what gay or queer was, but they weren’t turning back.