There’s no question that 2025 was a challenging year for our community. Our rights, livelihoods, and very lives—already under attack from the right—saw that onslaught ramp up, and increasingly, our supposed allies began abandoning us. However, our community is nothing if not resilient, and our superpower is—and has always been—finding queer joy in the face of adversity. Whether that came from the shows and movies we loved, the celebrities we obsessed over, the humor and wit we brought to bear in dark moments, or simply the continued evolution of our culture, lived out loud and proud.
And that joy comes through in the stories that resonated most with you. With the year coming to an end, we took a look back at the most-read stories, and some clear patterns quickly emerged. First, a bad year can’t keep our libidos down—the thirst was real and rampant. Our stories and representation still matter deeply to us; shows and movies that told them piqued and sustained our interest. We support our team off the field, but especially on it, and women’s sports have a major place in our hearts. And of course, our sense of humor remains as hilarious and cutting as ever, so the roasting was plentiful and hilarious.
So with that in mind, here are the stories, the moments, the topics, and the celebs you—the PRIDE reader—were living for most this year.
1. Bulges, bulges, bulges—as far as the eye could see
Rylie Jeffries' bulge on 'Big Brother' goes viral
Rylie Jeffries' bulge on 'Big Brother' sends gay fans into a frenzySara Mally/CBSDavid Corenswet's 'Superman' bulge has the gays in a frenzy
David Corenswet manspreads in sexy new pic & gays are sweatingMatt Winkelmeyer/WireImageDavid Beckham's son, Cruz, goes viral for sexy bulge pics
David Beckham's son, Cruz, goes viral for sexy bulge pics that have the gays droolingJeff Spicer/Getty Images12 of the hottest bulge moments in pop culture history
The best bulges in pop culture history.James Devaney/GC Images; Warner Brothers Pictures; footage still via The Dre Barrymore Show2. 'Heated Rivalry' had us hot, bothered, and fully unwell
All 14 sex scenes on Heated Rivalry season one, ranked
All 14 sex scenes on 'Heated Rivalry' (so far), ranked
CraveHeated Rivalry' star's nasty back arch is going viral
'Heated Rivalry' star Hudson Williams' nasty back arch is breaking the internetSpicy gay hockey 'Heated Rivalry' stars can't stop flirting
Heated Rivalry stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie
Footage still via Instagram @hudsonwilliamsofficial; Courtesy of Carina Press
'Heated Rivalry' season 2: every steamy & romantic moment from the book we can't wait to see
'The Long Game' book cover and Shane and Ilya in 'Heated Rivalry.'Carina Press; Crave3. Sapphics on the silver screen and the small screen had us seated…
20 lesbian movies that you haven't seen (but totally should)
20 lesbian movies that you haven't seen (but totally should)Film Movement; Good Deed Entertainment; Samuel Goldwyn Films
25 lesbian films coming in 2025 we can't wait to see
Lesbian movies coming in 2025: Hedda, Stone Cold Fox, Lesbian Space PrincessPrime Video; IFC Films; Umbrella Entertainment4. Especially 'The Hunting Wives,' which became a full-blown sapphic obsession
All 11 sex scenes on The Hunting Wives (so far), ranked
Malin Akerman and Brittany Snow in 'The Hunting Wives'NetflixBrittany Snow knows you think she's in love with Malin Åkerman and she agrees
Brittany SnowKristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty Images5. Republican Grindr conspiracies had our heads spinning
Why 'Mike Johnson Grindr' is trending on social media
The reason Republican 'Mike Johnson Grindr' is trending on social media explainedVladimka productions/shutterstock; Kent Nishimura/Getty ImagesMassive Grindr outage reports coincide with the Charlie Kirk memorial service in Arizona
Charlie Kirk memorial at Turning Point USA Headquarters in Phoenix, AZ, on September 13, 2025; stock image of the Grindr app on a phone in someone's pocketmelissamn/Shutterstock; Mehaniq/Shutterstock6. As did the Efron brothers—one nasty back arch in particular
Zac Efron rocks a tight swimsuit in new vacay pics
Zac Efron during the Netflix 'A 'Family Affair' Los Angeles Premiere.Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty ImagesDylan Efron is a dirty boy with an odd hot take on showering
Dylan Efron at the "Squid Game" Season 2 Los Angeles premiere at Los Angeles City College on December 12, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty ImagesThe Traitors' star Dylan Efron's sexy pics go viral
Dylan Efron 'nasty' back arch pic gives 'The Traitors' gays something to root for after, you knowPhoto by Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for 2XU Malibu Triathlon; Euan Cherry/Peacock7. Speaking of cuties, hot blondes in tighty-whities also caught your eye (shocker!)
Robert Irwin is stripping down & rocking tiny briefs
Robert Irwin is stripping down & rocking tiny briefs in new underwear campaignBrendon Thorne/Getty ImagesFreddie Stroma goes viral in his sexy & tight white briefs
'Peacemaker's Freddie Stroma goes viral in his wet tighty whities & gays are having a field dayJohn Nacion/Variety via Getty Images8. But not for long, because watching the powerful get roasted was simply too good
Mark Zuckerberg ends fact-checking & the internet responds
Meta Connect developer conference - 25 September 2024, USA, Menlo Park: At the Meta Connect developer conference, Mark Zuckerberg, head of the Facebook group Meta, shows the prototype of computer glasses that can display digital objects in transparent lenses.digital collage by Nikki Aye for Pride.com, photo by Andrej Sokolow/picture alliance via Getty ImagesElon Musk's 'Hitler' haircut has the internet roasting him
MAGA Elon Musk's bizarre 'Hitler' haircut is so bad the internet can't stop roasting himAndrew Harnik/Getty ImagesVivian Wilson says her father Elon Musk is a scam artist
From left: Elon Musk and Vivian Jenna Wilson.BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images; Footage still via TikTok @vivillainous9. Including our (least) favorite TERF
Harry Potter' actors defending (or criticizing) JK Rowling
From left: Harry Potter actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, David Tennant, and Bonnie Wright.Fred Duval/Shutterstock; Ron Adar/Shutterstock; Eugene Powers/Shutterstock; DFree/Shutterstock4 ways Bowen Yang's Dobby take down of J.K. Rowling on 'SNL' was a masterclass
4 ways Bowen Yang's Dobby take down of J.K. Rowling on 'SNL' was a masterclassNBCJ.K. Rowling slammed over latest pathetic dig at Harry Potter actors
J.K. Rowling slammed over latest pathetic dig at 'Harry Potter' actorsJon Furniss/WireImage10. Queer women in sports—and their love stories—had us cheering loudly
Meet 7 queer athletes playing professional women’s tennis
Meet the 7 lesbian & sapphic athletes hitting it big in professional women’s tennisMorgan Hancock/Getty Images; Robert Prange/Getty Images; Elsa/Getty Images)Meet all 41 queer players in this season's WNBA
Meet all 41 queer players in this season's WNBANBA Media Ventures; John McClellan via Wikipedia; LORIE SHAULL VIA WIKIPEDIA; Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd's relationship timeline
Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd's relationship timeline keeps sending lesbians into a spiralM. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images42 lesbian sports power couples who are winning at life and love
From left: lesbian sports power couples Rafaelle Souza and Halie Mace; DiJonai Carrington and NaLyssa Smith; Lena Oberdorf and Natalia Padilla-Bidas.Meg Oliphant/Getty Images; Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images; Footage still via Instagram @halie_mace11. And twink-to-twunk transformations? Yeah, those captured our imaginations, too
Nicholas Galitzine's twunk era is here in first He-Man pic
Nicholas Galitzine's thighs steal the show in first He-Man photoPhoto by Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty Images23 celebs who went from twink to twunk
From left: Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Jonathan Bailey in their twink and twunk eras.The Weinstein Company; Marvel; BBC; NetflixHeated Rivalry' star Connor Storrie transformed from twink to twunk & gays are melting down
'Heated Rivalry' star Connor Storrie transformed from twink to twunk & gays are melting downCraveGays are sharing their twink to twunk evolutions
Gays are sharing their twink to twunk evolutions are we're SWEATINGCourtesy of @Tan_Tan06 on XWhen they write the history of 2025, they’ll chronicle the pain and fear so many felt and endured—but don’t let them make you forget there was also plenty of queer joy, celebration, and yes… thirst.
7 beginner frotting tips from gay sex expertsCrave Canada
