5 LGBT things you need to know today, Dec. 19

1. Showtime’s “Billions,” which premieres Feb. 19, will have gender non-conforming Asia Kate Dillon as its star. Dillon plays Taylor, an intern at the hedge fund the series centers on. Like the real-life actor, Taylor will also be gender non-conforming, a first for TV.

2. Nine-year-old Missourian Avery Jackson is the cover girl on National Geographic’s January 2017 issue. The transgender youngster is one of many on the gender spectrum featured in NatGeo’s latest edition, which examines gender from both scientific and social lenses.

3. G Lounge, a favorite gay bar in the Manhattan neighborhood of Chelsea, will shut its doors Jan. 1 after 20 years in business.

4. President Obama appointed Catherine Lhamon, the assistant secretary of education for civil rights, and attorney Debo Adegbile to the bipartisan US Commission on Civil Rights last week. The Human Rights Campaign praised the appointments, with HRC Legal Director Sarah Warbelow saying both “dedicated their careers to defending and strengthening our civil rights laws.”

5. VIDEO OF THE DAY: The pros and cons of Christmas, according to comedian Zach Noe Towers. Pro: festive attire; Con: festive attire tends to cover up more skin because, well, it’s cold outside.