Hello, dear readers, and welcome to our first edition of LGBTQ+ Art! We highlight the works of LGBTQ+ creators or any movie, book, or other forms of art that has an LGBTQ+ focus. Today, we'll be focusing on one of my favorite films, Hairspray (the 2007 remake)! Hairspray was directed by Adam Shankman, who is an openly gay man. He has directed The Pacifier, Hairspray, What Men Want, and many other movies. He also plans on directing the sequel to Enchanted, which is a live-action movie produced by Walt Disney Pictures.

Adam Shankman is not only a director, but a producer, dancer, author, actor, and choreographer. He was a judge on seasons 3-10 of So You Think You Can Dance, as well as a dancer in music videos for Paula Abdul and Janet Jackson. As you can see, Adam Shankman is a very talented man, but let's explore his famous work, Hairspray.

Hairspray is a romantic musical movie based in 1962 in Baltimore, Maryland. The movie is based on the famous 2002 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was inspired by John Waters' 1988 film Hairspray. To keep a long story short, there are three versions of Hairspray: two movies and one Broadway musical.

The story revolves around Tracy Turnblad, a plus-sized 16-year-old girl who adores the Corny Collins Show along with her best friend Penny Pingleton. If musicals are your thing, trust me, the soundtrack is amazing. Full of wonderful songs such as Run and Tell That, Without Love, and You Can't Stop the Beat. Around every corner there's a different song to dance and sing along with. Not only that, but the message of Hairspray is a beautiful one of inclusiveness and equality, and the quality of the film makes it fun and easy to watch over and over again.

Not only is the movie amazing, but the cast and crew of Hairspray is extraordinary. Full of household names such as Queen Latifah and Zac Efron, as well as lesser-known actors, the performance is lovely, and I have never found myself to be bored or unsatisfied. It's truly an experience, and I hope all of you out there that have watched it agree with me.

If you ever want to check the film out, it is available on Prime Video for 3.99 (rent), and it's in Netflix's rotation (it's not up at the moment, but it was up months ago). If you ever get the opportunity, I recommend you give Hairspray a chance!

Hello, Prism readers! Welcome to your LGBT+ News round-up! In this article, I will be bringing to your attention noteworthy events that have transpired recently for the LGBT+ community. It's easy to miss all that is happening in the world for us with so many other events going on too. We all know how the coronavirus has taken over our lives in every way this year. But, still, there are many things happening for the community that we should take notice of.

I'd like to start with a recent news story about the census in the UK which is something that takes place every 10 years. It's due to take place next on March 21st, 2021. The census is a legal requirement for all households in the UK to fill out, putting information as to who lives in each house. Their name, age, gender, occupation, and that sort of thing. It's been announced that for the first time, beginning next year, the census will include a voluntary question for people over the age of 16 to put their sexuality. This is a big moment in that it will provide a lot of important data that can be used by the government and charities to provide better provisions and programs to help LGBT+ people in the UK. A real step forward in terms of progress, I feel! For the first time, there will be more accurate data about exactly how many people identify as part of the community and that will show that we are a large part of society that deserves to have equality in all things.

Elsewhere, we know that religion can often be a very contentious issue for the LGBT+ community, with religion often being at odds with supporting LGBT+ rights. However, in October, Pope Francis gave his support for LGBT+ people to have civil unions. That's a major statement from a religious figure that has a lot of influence worldwide and I am sure many people will be pleased to hear that even organised religion is becoming more accepting of the community's rights.

In addition, recently in Northern Ireland in October, we saw the law amended that enabled civil partnerships to be converted into full marriages. The legislation was originally passed back in January but has taken a little while to fully come into effect. The rest of the UK had legalised same-sex marriages, however, that had not been the case in Northern Ireland yet. Now Northern Ireland joins England, Scotland, and Wales in recognising same-sex marriages. A real win for the community in Northern Ireland.

Furthermore, let's not forget HEX itself! We have seen a big commitment this year from the site to work to better improve the way LGBT+ people are represented and safeguarded. We have seen the creation of the new Diversity Committee whose mission is "to create a safe, fair, and welcoming HEX that is sensitive to and fully supportive of the needs of its diverse user base". We hope to see the great work this committee will hopefully do.

Finally, let's also take a moment to mention the creation of this awesome new publication, Prism! We hope you enjoy it and that it gives you hope and positivity in these uncertain times because as Dumbledore once said: "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light."