5 LGBT things you need to know today, March 24

1. There are reports that the St. Louis Rams made a deal with the NFL where they would draft Michael Sam in order to not have to appear on HBO’s “Hard Knocks.” Sam was the first openly gay player drafted in NFL history and was picked in the seventh and final round by the Rams in 2014. Rams coach Jeff Fisher is denying the report.

2. Buzzfeed has 11 rare images from the world’s largest trans archives.

3. “When I was studying at NYU, I took classes in critical studies, and one of my favorites was on queer cinema. We’ve told the straight, heteronormative stories ad nauseam by now, in our movies, our shows, our commercials – everywhere. I think it’s healthy to make work that disrupts and questions that, and shows alternative narratives. That’s what an artist should do.” James Franco talks about his “gay obsession” for his Rolling Stone cover story.

4. Rupaul tells Vulture that the show “Lip Sync Battle” is “a poor ripoff” of “Rupaul’s Drag Race” and is another instance of “straight pop culture” lifting things from gay culture.

5. VIDEO OF THE DAY: Check out Ro Rowan’s debut music video “1997,” an autobiographical account about gender awareness and growing up in the ‘80s and ‘90s