There have been many changes in the City of West Hollywood due to COVID; this is not the first time the city has faced adversity. Flashback to the mid-’80s when a large number of the population of the West Hollywood community was dying from AIDS. The city was in mourning…and they need a little cheer. Entering the scene with a unique style of drag, the West Hollywood Cheerleaders was started by 13 gay men in 1986. Not only would the group become a source of hope, awareness, financial aid, and education for the LGBTQ community, but it would also become a safe place for the group itself, with many of the members having overcome addiction, surviving family abandonment, and healing from years of bullying. The Cheerleaders would become a forceful family, unto their own, to be reckoned with. Now with medical advancements in HIV and AIDS treatment, there’s a new generation of the LGBTQ community that has never experienced the mortality of the 80s and 90s. Our HIV & AIDS outlook has changed, and so to, have the West Hollywood Cheerleaders. They are making history for the future…now celebrating 25 years, they are looking to support the voice of our youth. At the head of the West Hollywood Cheerleaders, is their fearless leader, Nicklaus Fox, aka Helen Back.

We chatted with Nick about the history and impact of Weho Cheer, the changes in LGBTQ philanthropical culture, the evolution of drag culture, sobriety, the importance of supporting our youth, and creating a more inclusive environment for our community...with host Alexander Rodriguez.

Make sure to check out our in-depth chat with Nick in the latest issue of GED Magazine, on newsstands or at GEDMag.com. Check out the West Hollywood Cheerleaders at WehoCheer.org