On the Cover 2025
OutSmart’s 2025 cover stars define the voices telling Houston’s LGBTQ stories.
Throughout 2025, OutSmart’s covers served as a visual and editorial record of the people shaping Houston’s LGBTQ community. From athletes and artists to activists, media voices, and cultural leaders, each issue captured a moment worth documenting—whether it reflected progress, resistance, or creative evolution. Together, these stories trace a year defined by visibility, leadership, and community impact. Revisit the cover features and explore all of our 2025 digital issues.
JANUARY 2025
The sHARCs are one of Houston’s most inclusive women’s rugby teams, with about 80% of players identifying as LGBTQ. More than a competitive squad, they’re a community focused on welcoming all women, fostering queer visibility, and proving rugby is truly for everyone.
Read the issue here.
FEBRUARY 2025
HIV advocates Deondre B. Moore and Nathaniel Holley blend activism, visibility, and queer love into a shared mission. As partners in life and community work, they challenge stigma, uplift marginalized voices, and model how mutual support strengthens both advocacy and relationship.
Read the issue here.
MARCH 2025
Angela Hucles Mangano leads the Houston Dash with a focus on stability, representation, and inclusivity. As a queer woman in sports leadership, she’s creating opportunities she never saw growing up—strengthening the team while inspiring the next generation of LGBTQ athletes. Read the issue here.
APRIL 2025
Barcelona Wine Bar’s Houston team, led by out general manager Corey Scranton, blends Catalan-inspired hospitality with strong LGBTQ advocacy. Scranton’s leadership fuels a space rooted in community, supporting queer causes while welcoming guests into a vibrant, inclusive Montrose gathering place. Read the issue here.
MAY 2025
Houston media veterans Ernie Manouse and Frank Billingsley join Celeste Diaz Schurman on Hello, Houston!, a new Houston Public Media show blending smart conversations, community storytelling, and humor. Born from Town Square, the program offers in-depth, judgment-free journalism across radio, streaming, and podcasts. Read the issue here.
JUNE 2025
Pride Houston 365’s 2025 grand marshals showcase a diverse group of activists, advocates, and allies advancing inclusion across policy, education, and health equity. Selected by community vote and past marshals, they represent a wide spectrum of identities and leadership within Houston’s LGBTQ community. Read the issue here.
JULY 2025
East Texas natives Erica and Kristen Williams built THrō Ceramics after their relationship and creative paths aligned. Now rooted in Galveston, they combine Erica’s ceramic artistry with Kristen’s marketing skills, creating a thriving business shaped by community, color, and a shared vision for a safe, creative life. Read the issue here.
AUGUST 2025
Patrick Sims grew from a Houston church prodigy into a bold, vulnerable artist whose work blends community, spirituality, and self-discovery. His new EP, Love Notes, explores bisexual identity, emotional accountability, and love’s complexities through intimate storytelling and collaboration. Read the issue here.
SEPTEMBER 2025
Houston artist DJ Morrow transforms simple balloons into striking fine art and protest pieces, surprising viewers with politically charged installations that challenge complacency. His work pushes the boundaries of a playful medium to confront urgent social realities. Read the issue here.
OCTOBER 2025
The Gayest & Greatest Awards showcase Houston’s LGBTQ excellence, with 100,000 votes honoring community leaders, artists, activists, and emerging talent. This issue highlights standout winners—from drag artists to advocates and entrepreneurs—reflecting the creativity, resilience, and impact that define queer Houston. Read the issue here.
NOVEMBER 2025
The removal of Montrose’s rainbow crosswalks sparked outrage across Houston, prompting community protest and renewed calls for visibility, local control, and civic action. LGBTQ leaders and officials condemned the governor’s order as political theater, urging resilience, activism, and a recommitment to protecting queer rights. Read the issue here.
DECEMBER 2025
TUTS brings White Christmas to the Hobby Center with Houston-born performer Sarah Sachi in a refreshed, diverse production. The Pearland native and out bisexual artist embraces the show’s nostalgia, dancing, and holiday magic as she steps into multiple roles for this seasonal favorite. Read the issue here.
