Eliel Cruz

Dear Person Who Didn't Message Me Back On Tinder, So there I was, swiping away on a Thursday night, when I came across your profile. You were cute, you said you were down for drinks and you didn't have any pictures with guns and dead animals. So I…

My date and I had settled into our entrées when we started talking about what we do for work. Other than a few awkward pauses during our appetizers, I felt like the date was going well. But that quickly changed when I told him that even though I had…

Forty percent.  That's how much of the homeless youth population identifies as LGBT, even though less than 5% of the American population identifies as LGBT. With a new photo book, See Me: Picturing New York's Homeless Youth, photographer…

This week brought a news update that many could have predicted: Young Americans are less religious than ever, as about 35% of adult millennials identify as religious "nones," according to the Pew Research Center. What does that mean for the dating…

Ugly stereotypes may be the reason so many bisexual people have found it difficult to come out, according to a new study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.  A group of 45 self-identified bisexual people told researchers that their friends' and…

"Butt play" is officially in our vernacular, now that it's embraced in pop culture and our bedrooms. Straight women are enjoying anal sex more than ever, as far as surveys and anecdotes can tell. When it comes to gay men, pop cultural depictions of…

We've all heard arguments against public displays of affection: It's inappropriate, distasteful or even flat-out "gross." Sometimes such sentiments zero in on a certain act (no one wants to see someone's tongue all over someone else's face), but too…

Dating isn't easy for anyone. But few things rock potential relationships more than one partner feeling insecure — and dating someone sexually fluid can feel threatening to even the most secure individuals. Which is why there's arguably nothing that…

Conversion therapy, also known as reparative therapy, is a dangerous pseudo-science intended to "change" LGBT people's sexual or gender identity. Despite the overwhelming evidence against the effectiveness and safety of the outdated practice — every…

Apps like Tinder are made to connect people with exactly what — and who — they want. But what if what you want from a sexual partner isn't all that you want? The fluidity of our sexual preferences is an established human reality, yet it's one that…

A woman is giving up leggings ... for Jesus.  In a short and sweet post, religion blogger Veronica Patridge detailed her decision to stop wearing the popular clothing item in order to help keep men focused on what's important. The Oregon mother of…

Let's talk about sex, baby. Let's talk about you and me — and the church. For centuries, the Christian church has had what amounts to a monopoly on Western conversations about sex and marriage. And during this time it has given a lot of bad advice…

What does it look like to be gender queer? Ultimately, one of the most beautiful parts of the identity is its flexibility. "You can have a feminine, masculine or androgynous presentation and still identify as gender queer or gender fluid, etc.…

Ever thought you could help change a stereotype with a selfie? Now you can. Image Credit: Twitter "I was inspired by the use of the word 'clean,' especially common in gay culture, to describe oneself as STI/STD free. Indirectly this implies that…

Do you know what America's veterans look like? There are approximately 21.8 million veterans in the United States, according to the census. But it can be difficult sometimes to see the diversity of faces that make up such an imposing statistic. Here…

Alan Cumming recently sat down with TV host Larry King in an effort to once and for all put to rest any confusion over bisexuality. The Cabaret star, who has long been a vocal advocate for the LGBT community, told King he's never felt ashamed about…

In July 2003, the Olsen twins, Hilary Duff, Mandy Moore, Amanda Bynes, Alexis Bledel, Lindsay Lohan, Raven Symone and Evan Rachel Wood graced the cover of Vanity Fair as the next generation of teenage stars. It was a particularly iconic moment in…

Sorry Minnie, Mickey Mouse is coming out of the closet.  Americans were first introduced to our country's most famous mouse in 1928 as part of the short film Steamboat Willie (the first cartoon that featured sound, according to TIME.) Walt Disney's…

Hatred thinly veiled as a religious belief is still hatred.  It's about time anti-LGBT Christians stop couching their fear and discrimination in the name of religion. More often than not, it's not so much a conversation about how someone lives their…