feature image by Elsa – FIFA / Contributor via Getty Images

Hello and welcome to the first Pop Culture Fix of 2026! Kicking off the year with some good gay news: NWSL superstars Sam Kerr and Kristie Mewis are officially married after their New Year’s Eve wedding. The two had a son last May and officially tied the knot this past weekend, with Mewis in a white wedding gown and Kerr in a black tuxedo. A Heated Rivalry of Their Own, Mewis and Kerr have played against each other on opposing teams, and their relationship burst through internet barriers (aka even I heard about this and I don’t follow sports at all) when their displays of “sportsmanship” resulted in the iconic “They’re lesbians, Stacey” response.

The event, which took place in Australia, where Sam Kerr is from — Kristie Mewis is what my dad would call “a local girl” aka from anywhere in Massachusetts — is being called the royal wedding of soccer by fans. The couple shared iconic photos of them becoming “wifeys” (their words, not mine), including an adorable one of Mewis on Kerr’s shoulders.

Congrats to the soccer wives, and to all my NWSL-obsessed friends who have followed this relationship closely since they were just flirting on social media. May the rest of the year be this merry and gay.

Don’t Go Offsides, Here’s More News for You

+ Comedian Heather Shaw married Lilly Jean Coiner on New Year’s Eve, too – hopefully this pattern in a good sign for a gay year ahead

+ Rhea Seehorn won the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series for playing everyone’s favorite grumpy lesbian in Pluribus and thanked her fellow nominees, which included Bella Ramsey for The Last of Us

+ But I’m with Miley Cyrus when she says the arts should be “a community, not opponents” re: awards shows

+ Bella Ramsey (sporting new short hair) was asked about saying they want to play Spiderman someday and they forgot they said that but would still be down

+ Stephen Schwartz talks about writing songs for Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in Wicked: For Good

+ Queer actress Myha’la to star alongside Zazie Beetz, Heather Graham, and Patricia Arquette in bloody horror-comedy They Will Kill You

+ Adolescence‘s Erin Doherty totally U-Hauled with her girlfriend and she doesn’t care who knows it

+ Meet Cardi B’s trans glam squad that she featured on RuPaul’s Drag Race

+ Stranger Things‘ Robin almost wasn’t gay, but thank the TV gods Maya Hawke and Joe Keery had more best friend energy than romantic chemistry

+ And speaking of Stranger Things, ICYMI I covered the final season and how important queerness was to the plot