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Today’s PrideNomad™ Quiz:

In Today’s Email:

Up Front: While Meta Plays Politics, Queer Social Apps Are Thriving

Destinations: Whistler Pride 2025: The Real Story

BizTip: The Tale of Two Eltons: A Lesson in Knowing Your Audience

UP FRONT:

While Meta Plays Politics, Queer Social Apps Are Thriving

Well, well, well...

Looks like Meta's latest "policy update" just sparked something interesting in our community.

And by interesting, I mean a full-on digital exodus.

Here's what's going down:

Meta recently decided to "update" their Hateful Conduct policy.

(Translation: They're now allowing certain previously restricted content about gender and sexual orientation.)

And our community's response?

"Aight, I'mma head out."

But here's where it gets good...

While Zuck and company play political football with our safety, queer-focused apps are having their moment.

Collective? Booming.

Lex? Downloads literally doubled after Meta's announcement.

Freddie? Growing faster than a pride parade guest list.

But it's not just about the numbers...

These apps aren't just providing alternatives – they're setting new standards for what safe online spaces should look like.

Freddie's partnered with Signal for encrypted messaging.

Lex is beefing up their trust and safety measures.

And Collective? They're taking up to 24 hours to review new users, checking their digital footprint like a bouncer at the world's most thorough club.

Now here's the plot twist:

Most of these apps still need Instagram (yes, owned by Meta) for marketing.

Talk about a complicated relationship status...

But you know what this really shows?

Our community's resilience.

When mainstream platforms don't serve us, we build our own spaces.

When they don't protect us, we protect ourselves.

And when they try to play both sides...

We vote with our downloads.

The real question isn't whether these queer-focused platforms will survive.

It's whether mainstream social media will ever truly understand what they're losing.

Because while Meta's trying to please everyone...

Our community is building something better.

Something authentic.

Something safe.

And that's worth more than all the META stock in the world.

Stay proud, Dear Reader!

P.S. Have you tried any of these alternative platforms? Drop a comment and let us know your experiences. Building community is what we do best. 🌈

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THE BOOK IS COMING:

Being queer and living that digital nomad life?

It’s not exactly what Tim Ferriss wrote about.

Because while everyone else follows some straight dude's blueprint from 2007...

You need to know which cities actually have a scene.

Where to get prescriptions drama-free.

And yes, even which dating apps work where.

That's why we’re writing "The Pride Nomad's Guide."

Everything those OTHER nomad books don't cover...

Written by someone who knows good wifi and great drag shows are EQUALLY important.

Click here to live your best nomad life:

(It's cheaper than one night out in Bangkok... and you probably need both.)

DESTINATIONS:

Whistler Pride 2025: The REAL Story

Let me share what REALLY went down at the 32nd Whistler Pride and Ski Festival...

Because this year was something special (frankly, EVERY year at Whistler is special).

Picture this:

Eight days of pure mountain magic under the most perfect bluebird skies you could imagine...

(Though let's talk about those temperatures... Note to self: Heated gloves are non-negotiable for 2026.)

The snow might've been a bit firm... giving us some East Coast vibes...

But when you're in one of the most stunning places on Earth, who's complaining?

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜

Let me tell you about the BEST part of this festival...

Every morning, at the top of the mountain (alternating days at Whistler & Blackcomb), magic happens.

The daily guided groups are where lifetime friendships begin.

And it's all thanks to John and his incredible team of volunteer guides...

Who've been making this happen for longer than some participants have been alive (not an exaggeration).

Whether you're just figuring out which end of the ski points downhill...
Or you're ready to tackle the double blacks...

These guides make EVERYONE feel like they belong.

This is what sets the Whistler ski week apart from all others. The mountain totally supports it—other venues won't allow non-mountain people to provide guiding services, for instance. The Whistler group ski experience truly is unique, world-class and unforgettable.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐜 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬

The schedule was packed with legendary moments:

• Comedy night with the legendary Pam Ann (who swooped in like a guardian angel when another performer cancelled)

• Drag Bingo that would make your grandma clutch her pearls

• The iconic Pride Parade Ski-Out where hundreds of skiers and snowboarders rocked rainbow flags while literal DRAG QUEENS performed on snow
(Side note: Have you ever tried walking in heels? Now imagine doing it on ICE. These queens deserve medals.)

• The Infamous sold-out Splash Pool Party (because swimming in winter is totally normal)

• And the massive Snowball finale that had us dancing until dawn

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐞𝐬

Can we take a moment to appreciate the HEROES behind this festival?

While we were all living our best lives...
The organizers were probably aging 10 years per day...
Dealing with last-minute cancellations...
And somehow STILL managing to pull off a week that felt magical.

Sure, not everything was perfect...
(Looking at you, Welcome Party at the Audain Museum... great venue, but next year maybe add some sparkle?)

But that's what makes this event so special... it's REAL.

Let's raise a Bloody Caesar (because when in Canada, right?) to the organizing team...
Who dealt with more behind-the-scenes drama than a Netflix series...
And still delivered a week of incredible memories.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲

People flew in from literally everywhere...
Australia, Europe, Brazil, you name it...
All coming together to share in this unique celebration of pride, winter sports, and community.

This is a life-changing experience that proves love, acceptance, and sick powder runs are the perfect combination.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Speaking of Australians...

Can we talk about how half of Whistler basically IS Australia?

The timing couldn't have been more perfect this year...

With the festival wrapping up just ONE DAY before Australia Day.

(If you don't know what happens on Australia Day in Whistler...
Let's just say the mountain pretends not to notice while chaos ensues. 😎)

Our Aussie friends who work the lifts, serve the drinks, and keep this mountain running...

They bring an extra spark of joy to everything they touch.

(Even if some of us need subtitles to understand their slang...)

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐞𝐬

And while we're giving shout-outs...

Let's hear it for EVERY SINGLE VOLUNTEER who made this week possible.

The folks at registration...
The pride parade coordinators...
The social media teams...
The safety crews...
The daily ski guides…
The event photographers...
The welcome desk warriors...

These beautiful humans gave their time and energy...

Just to make sure we all had the time of our lives.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

So mark these dates in your calendar RIGHT NOW:
January 25 - February 1, 2026

Because this isn't just another ski week...
This is the original. The blueprint. The gold standard.
And trust me... you want to be part of this magic.

Plan ahead—get your legs and body in shape, because those first days can be “challenging” (and dangerous) if you’re not prepared!

Peace out, snow family! ✌️

P.S. To everyone who struggled with their first ski day... we've all been there. By day three, you were crushing it.

P.P.S. And to the organizing team... thank you for making miracles happen, even when Plan A became Plan Z. You're the real champions. 🌈⛷️

BIZTIP:

The Tale of Two Eltons: A Lesson in Knowing Your Audience

Let me tell you about two Elton John tribute acts I saw recently...

Because there's a MASSIVE business lesson here.

First up was Greg Andrew in Australia, at the Broken Heel Festival.

This dude OWNED it.

He had the glasses. The mannerisms. The stage presence.

But most importantly... he had something most performers (and businesses) lack:

Total authenticity.

He didn't try to BE Elton. He was Greg Andrew, delivering the “Elton John Experience”.

And holy shit, did he deliver.

We wouldn't let him leave the stage.

Fast forward to last night in Miami...

Different story. Different performer. Different energy entirely.

This guy (Tom something) billed himself as "Sir Eltom John”, and the promo called him “the world’s No. 1 Elton John tribute band”.

(I think not.)

Dude shows up looking NOTHING like Elton... wearing basic sunglasses and a sorta-flamboyant jacket.

No audience engagement.

No energy.

Just... weird orchestral arrangements and awkward bowing gestures.

Here's why this matters for YOUR business:

Greg understood his audience. He knew what they wanted. And he DELIVERED.

Tom... didn't have a clue.

The crazy part?

Both shows had older audiences. But Greg had us dancing our asses off in Australia.

Meanwhile, in Miami, we sat there wondering if we could sneak out early.

Your audience/clients/prospects need three things from you:

• They need to TRUST you
• They need to CONNECT with you
• They need to feel like you GET them

Six months later, I'm still showing people videos of Greg's performance.

The Miami show? I'm trying to forget it happened.

That's the difference between knowing your audience... and just showing up hoping they'll like whatever you decide to give them.

So before your next launch, promotion, or piece of content...

Ask yourself:

"Am I being Greg or Tom?"

Because one of them is still getting referrals months later.

The other one... well... at least the seats were free. 🤷‍♂️

P.S. Authenticity > Perfection. Every damn time.

P.P.S. Funny thing is... during the show, all I could think about was "How am I gonna turn this into a business lesson for tomorrow's newsletter?"

But the REAL value of the night wasn't the lesson at all...

It was spending precious time with my mom, watching her reaction to this bizarre performance, and ending the night with flawless pizza at Steve's (our favorite joint).

Sometimes the best memories come from the most unexpected shows. 😂

Just don't tell “Sir Eltom John” that our pizza was more memorable than his performance...

We want YOUR input! Share your adventures and your expertise! Just reply to this email and we’ll go from there!

Quiz Answer

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