Live Loud and Proud with PrideHouseLA

June may be the most colorful and unapologetic time of the year, but should we stop celebrating our true, authentic selves once Pride Month is over? Absolutely not. 

There are several ways to amplify queer voices, but social media apps like TikTok have become an important platform for the LGBTQ community to express themselves. Gay, transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming influencers are creating meaningful and safe spaces for queer people and allies. 

Such influencers include the members of PrideHouseLA, rainbow emblazoned content house that looks to spread tolerance and acceptance. Founded by actors/dancers Mollee Gray, her trans husband Jeka Jane, Kent Boyd, and Garrett Clayton when TikTok lacked progressive inclusivity, the house gained notoriety after dancer and social media personality JoJo Siwa used the platform for her own coming out. PrideHouseLA is a judgment-free zone and acts as a central hub to show support for LGBTQ artists and fans.

Gray, Boyd, and Clayton are well-known for their roles in Disney’s hit Teen Beach franchise, while Jane is a professional dancer and choreographer. The four of them spoke more about PrideHouseLA with OFM, as well as their hopes for the collective and the significant impact it has made on them. 

Can you tell us more about how PrideHouseLA began?
Mollee Gray: We started PrideHouseLA right around when the pandemic hit. We decided to be each other’s quarantine bubble, and we did not even start it with the intention of being a Pride house. Kent, Garrett, and I did Teen Beach Movie together, and we saw that TikTok had a huge fanbase for that. There are a lot of Teen Beach fans. So, we were like, ‘Let’s go to the beach and make some Teen Beach content.’ It became very popular; then we were like, ‘We can’t just do Teen Beach content.’ Obviously, Jeka was not in the movie.

The idea of starting one of these houses came about, and we didn’t even really know what a content house was. We were very new to TikTok. Like, what would we be called? We are all gay, so the Gay House? The Queer House? I was like, ‘The Pride House!’ So, we ended up calling ourselves that, and then we talked about if we were going to do this, we would have to trust one another and feel safe with each other. We must also make other people feel safe and have a mission.

We do not want to just be pretty people making TikToks in crop tops—we want to have a message. A place where people like us can come to our page and feel included. It is a very inclusive home and more of a mission rather than an actual house. It’s a lot of fun, and we believe that we have something that we can share with everyone.

What do you hope viewers take away from the channel’s content?
Garrett Clayton: We hope viewers know that we are trying to spread joy, love, and positivity. We are completely proud of our differences, and we want everyone to feel comfortable. This is a safe space for the online community because there is a lot of aggression, difficult conversations, and predatory behavior out there. We want to be a safe space for young people and allies so they can learn about our community and ask questions. We want everyone to feel like this is an amazing place to go forward as a community.

What have you enjoyed the most about being a part of PrideHouseLA?
Jeka Jane: It has been nice having a close friend group, especially over quarantine. We decided we were the only ones we get to hang out with, so it has been nice to be creative in this way. Also, it has been fun to learn new dances and be comedic. 

Kent Boyd: I like consistency. Being freelancers in the entertainment industry, we are all over the place. So, I like that we are building consistency with each other, with our fans, and we want to make a space where people can reach us if they need us. Confide in us. If they need to be boosted up, we are there for them. Social media can be so hard at times, and it can be so consuming, but this idea of a house, of a family supporting you, is wonderful.

MG: I think my favorite part of being part of PrideHouseLA is just hanging out with everyone. We are thinking all the time about what kind of TikToks we can do, but also what else we can do for our community. We have gotten so close with each other; we are a family. I have never had close friends like this. I am a social butterfly, but I am also kind of shy, so I keep my circle very small. I have always wanted a friend group like this, and we are just a family now.

GC: The messages that we have gotten showing how this is affecting other people’s lives for the better have really made a big impact. That has inspired us to work harder and keep going. If we didn’t feel like this was making an impact or doing the right thing, we would not keep going. Really, we are so grateful and so excited to see the direction this house is going towards. We cannot wait to see what more it can become.

How beneficial do you believe TikTok and other short-form video content has become?
KB: It ebbs and flows, but I just find it so fun. You can be silly; you can be gross; you don’t have to be so presentable. You can just kind of exist, whereas your Instagram and Facebook are a little bit cleaner. I find that I really do connect with TikTok so much because I am a choreographer; I am a dancer, and it is an avenue for normal—I call them muggles—but normal people who do not necessarily dance every day. They can get their eyes on it, and that’s my thing. I am very grateful for the app.

GC: I think short-form video content has become more beneficial to the individual content creator. In the past, you would have to hope to have the opportunity to showcase your work, showcase the abilities that you have, or showcase your support. You would have to kind of ask for that, whereas now, you can create that space for yourself. You can use your voice and

find a community of people who you support, and they support you back. 

It has really empowered a lot of people. Not just the queer community, but all different communities to find ways to band together, block out that hate, and stand up for each other. I also think the education process has also completely been woken up because of this. I have learned a lot by being in this online community. Not only was I unaware of it, but I do not know if I would have been able to find it. 

Mollee and Jeka, as a married couple, how would you say PrideHouseLA has personally helped you and your relationship?
JJ: I feel like it has helped me feel more seen as a trans person and be more comfortable with my story. When I first came out, I was looking for information on top surgeries, testosterone, and even the most important one for me, fertility. When I was looking for information, there were not a lot of people talking about that stuff. So, Mollee and I decided to start a YouTube, and we documented our whole fertility process and we put all that information out there just for the next trans person looking to find that information. I want to be able to help people like that and be a pioneer in some way. This has been helpful for me, too, because I want to learn more about it.

MG: I have gone through so many ups and downs during this pandemic, and I would usually rely on Jeka as my person to vent to. I would vent about this, cry about that, but it is cool to have a group of people and realize that it is not just me feeling this way. We are each other’s best support system. We protect each other.

What does Pride mean to you?
MG: I love this question. To me, Pride is this sacred feeling that, especially queer people, get to hold. When you come out and someone says they are proud of you, you finally feel proud of yourself. You feel prideful that you are who you are. Even if you have not come out publicly, you are still finding that Pride and that validation of someone saying they are proud of you. Pride is a word to honor yourself and just live authentically you.

KB: It means so many things, but for me, it’s confidence. That was the biggest thing. Feeling confident with whatever choice you want and eliminating the guilt and shame, which should not be in the realm of where we are. We are not doing anything wrong. I want to be that person to be like, ‘Hey, let’s make sure we are not functioning from a place of guilt, hurt, or fear.’

GC: Obviously, it is about acceptance and joy, but it is also about self-love and loving others. Finding ways to support not just the people in your immediate vicinity spectrum. There is a lot of love to give, and I think people are sometimes more focused on creating hateful conversations instead of spreading positive dialogue in helping each other come together in a more productive way. So, Pride to me is that joy of learning and becoming a brighter, more awake human. Finding ways to support people in different communities that you love.

JJ: To me, Pride is just a celebration of life. The Stonewall Riots started with Marsha P. Johnson, and we need to remember her, lift her, and celebrate how Pride even began. It is a celebration of love, visibility, and everything.