• Kim Petras asks to be released from Republic Records amid album delays
• Vermont proposes state trust fund to protect gender-affirming health care
• Federal judge blocks DOJ demand for trans youths’ personal data
• LGBTQ+ protests erupt across Florida, Tennessee, and Utah
• MAGA reacts to rumored Bad Bunny Super Bowl dress
• Hundreds of Minnesota businesses close to protest ICE operations

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• Retired Australian basketball star Andrew Ogilvy comes out as gay during the NBL’s annual Pride Round, saying the culture in sport has finally shifted
• U.K. hockey player Zach Sullivan reflects on the emotional impact of Heated Rivalry and the lasting trauma faced by closeted athletes
• The LGBTQ Sports Hall of Fame announces its 2026 inductees, including trans non-binary runner Nikki Hiltz
• Tennis legend Billie Jean King and former NBA player Jason Collins to receive the Glenn Burke Award for courage and authenticity
• Heated Rivalry stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie named Olympic torchbearers for the 2026 Milano Cortina Games
• The Ottawa Senators launch Heated Rivalry–inspired jerseys to support Ottawa Pride Hockey
• Actor Max Parker cast as Heimdall in Prime Video’s upcoming adaptation of God of War
• Alexander Skarsgård clarifies viral comments after fans speculate about his sexuality
• Actor Ruby Rose accuses Nicki Minaj of mistreating tour staff
• Wexford Pride partners with TITE Film Festival to showcase trans-led short films in County Wexford
• Iowa lawmakers advance legislation restricting classroom discussions of gender identity and sexual orientation
• U.S. Department of Education opens Title IX investigation into a Maine school district over a trans student in co-ed cheerleading
• South Carolina state Rep. RJ May sentenced to 17.5 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to child sexual abuse material charges
• Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney receives standing ovation at the World Economic Forum
• New polling shows growing U.S. public support for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement

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• Dolly Parton Turns 80 and Celebrates the LGBTQIA+ Community
• Harry Styles Announces New Album and Reflects on Queer Visibility
• Study Finds Same-Sex Behavior Across 59 Primate Species
• Stonewall Relaunches Rainbow Laces as #MoveWithPride
• UK Study Finds Higher Drug and Alcohol Death Rates Among LGB People
• Nearly Half of LGBTQ+ Americans Say They’re Less Out Than a Year Ago
• U.S. Publishers Pull Back From Queer Books Amid Political Pressure
• University of Arkansas Drops Law Dean Pick Over Trans Rights
• Utah’s Anti-Trans Bill Sparks Alarm Among Advocates

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• Polyamorous Americans remain legally unprotected despite growing visibility
• ‘Heated Rivalry’ season two expected to begin filming this summer
• Rhea Seehorn confirms ‘Pluribus’ season two writers’ room is officially back
• ACLU launches “More Than a Game” campaign as Supreme Court weighs trans sports bans
• Michigan judge resigns after racist and anti-LGBTQ+ recordings surface
• Tennessee lawmakers introduce bills targeting marriage equality, Pride flags, and LGBTQ+ workplace protections
• Russian streaming platforms charged under anti-LGBTQ+ “propaganda” law as queer stories continue to spread
• Dating apps reshape queer spaces in Ireland, raising concerns about community loss
• NYPD searches for suspect after anti-LGBTQ+ attack on New York City subway
• Most conversion therapy in the U.S. still administered by religious leaders, new data shows

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• DOJ lawyers resign over handling of Renee Good case
• San Antonio removes rainbow crosswalks in Pride District
• NY Attorney General Letitia James leads lawsuit against HHS
• AI backlash after Grok generates nonconsensual sexual imagery
• MacKenzie Scott donates $45 million to The Trevor Project
• Euphoria Season 3 trailer drops with a five-year time jump
• Slo Pitch: a queer sports mockumentary on the horizon
• NeNe Leakes returns to Bravo — but not with a peach
• Sydney Sweeney targeted by transphobic conspiracy

Please complete our audience survey. It helps me learn more about you and what you like most about this show. I am always looking for ways to improve our content/podcast/show. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=0qI0Tj7TBKvS&ver=standard

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• Hockey player Jesse Kortuem comes out as gay, crediting Heated Rivalry with giving him the confidence to live openly
• Transgender youth face growing sports bans across the U.S., raising concerns about safety, belonging, and access
• Hawaiʻi enacts landmark parentage law strengthening protections for LGBTQ+ families
• CDC warns of rising STI rates nationwide, with syphilis and congenital syphilis driving the most urgent concerns
• Maryland woman arrested after viral video shows alleged homophobic attack inside Virginia supermarket
• Nearly half of LGBTQ Americans report being “less out” amid rising hostility, new HRC survey finds
• New research shows inclusive restroom design improves access and reduces wait times for everyone
• Gay Minneapolis pastor says ICE agent detained him at gunpoint following Renee Good killing
• Harry Styles announces first album in four years, sparking speculation of a disco-inspired era
• Vivian Jenna Wilson appears in Savage X Fenty Valentine’s campaign, continuing the brand’s inclusive legacy
• Heated Rivalry resonates with queer viewers in Russia watching under anti-LGBTQ+ repression

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In this Listen Up Girl special report, I break down one news story that isn’t just trending — it’s resonating.

What started as a queer hockey romance has become a full-blown cultural moment. Heated Rivalry has crossed from fandom into the mainstream, landing on late-night television, dominating social media, attracting pop-culture heavyweights, and pulling in audiences no one expected — including straight men, women, sports fans, and viewers who never thought they’d care about a hockey love story.

In this episode, I explore how the show took over, why the chemistry and performances hit so deeply, and how the actors helped redefine masculinity, vulnerability, and desire on screen. We talk about why women are obsessed, why straight guys are watching and staying, and why queer audiences see themselves reflected so clearly in this story.

I also dive into what’s coming next — including Season 2 anticipation and the announcement of Unrivaled, the third novel in Rachel Reid’s beloved series, where secrecy fades and visibility finally takes center stage.

This isn’t just a TV recap.

It’s a cultural breakdown of how one story cracked something open — and why it matters right now.

Please complete our audience survey. It helps me learn more about you and what you like most about this show. I am always looking for ways to improve our content/podcast/show. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=0qI0Tj7TBKvS&ver=standard

Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/therealzachre

Hosted by Zach Randles-Friedman

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• Unrivaled, the third Shane and Ilya novel, is officially announced by Rachel Reid
• Mark Ruffalo and Wanda Sykes protest ICE-linked killings on the Golden Globes red carpet
• Teyana Taylor wins Best Supporting Actress and delivers a powerful message to Black women and girls
• Erin Doherty wins a Golden Globe and thanks therapists in emotional speech
• Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie bring Heated Rivalry energy to the Golden Globes stage
• New YouGov poll shows most Americans view Republican transphobia as a problem
• Colorado Gov. Jared Polis considers clemency for election-fraud figure Tina Peters
• Dorinda Medley discusses lavender marriages on Reality Checked
• Supreme Court set to hear cases on bans targeting trans girls in sports

Please complete our audience survey. It helps me learn more about you and what you like most about this show. I am always looking for ways to improve our content/podcast/show. http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=0qI0Tj7TBKvS&ver=standard

Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/therealzachre

Hosted by Zach Randles-Friedman

https://www.listenupgirl.com/

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.