Pride and a Pair of Showgirls Until a few days ago I completely forgot that this is Pride month. June also happens to be Marilyn Monroe's 100th Birthday. Since Marilyn was an outspoken champion of gay rights decades before it became socially--and professionally--acceptable for celebrities to do so, I decided to feature her as one of our 2026 Pride cover girls. Even though she died in 1962, Marilyn is an enduring icon for gay and straight audiences alike: there's a radiance and vulnerability about her that continues to fascinate us today. My other cover girl is Jane Russell, Marilyn's co-star in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes . Russell also happened to be a (lower key) gay ally who celebrated her birthday in June--this month would mark her 105th birthday. Jane Russell's impact was never as phenomenal as Marilyn's but, at one time, she was one of Hollywood's highest paid stars. My grandpa--the John Wayne western-loving cowboy/rancher/dedicated hedonist--certainly ad...