Advocate NL 6/16/26

Hello folks and Happy Tuesday! Audience Editor Edgar Ramirez back in your inbox, here to reveal The Advocate's cover star for July/August: Don Lemon!“A lot of people wrote my career obituary,” Lemon tells Christopher Wiggins. “And thank goodness they turned out to be wrong.”Wrong indeed. Since leaving CNN and going on his own, Lemon Media Network has surpassed 10 million followers across platforms, with more than 50 percent growth in the past year.His January arrest didn’t hurt his career — it turbocharged it. And by his side the entire way was his husband, Tim Malone, whose profile shot up massively after he was photographed walking intently out of a Los Angeles courtroom hand-in-hand with Lemon.Now, for our July/August cover story, the couple takes The Advocate through those surreal days following Lemon’s arrest and how they’re navigating life as Lemon’s media empire skyrockets.“Two years ago, people told me independent media was a step down. Ten million followers later, I think we’ve answered that.”This story is part of The Advocate's July-Aug 2026 print issue, on newsstands July 7. We'd love your support if you haven't become a subscriber yet. You can also download the issue through Apple News+, Zinio, Nook, or PressReader starting June 18.Until next time!Don Lemon was written off. Then everything changedChildren's Hospital Colorado resumes trans care — but says no doctors will provide itIdaho police say alleged antigay beating can’t be charged as a hate crimeIntersex teacher in Florida says school fired him based on belief he was transAndrew Rannells kissed and told: How dating Anderson Cooper inspired his 'Girls' storylineFederal court blocks Idaho law criminalizing restroom use by transgender people