‘We Are Everywhere’: A Reading List for the Queer South
June first marks the beginning of Pride Month! To celebrate, Spencer George curates a list of seven pieces that range from a celebration of the work of gay photographer Jack Robinson to deeply personal essays about lived experiences in the Southern United States.
In popular culture, the stories I saw of Southern queerness often involved leaving. Queerness in these narratives was a secret shame, one that, if revealed, led to loss and disappointment. If there were happy endings to these stories, it was only because the characters left everything behind, escaping to distant metropolises where they could begin anew. There seemed to be no bridge between lives once lived and futures where the possibility of joy existed. Most of all, there seemed to be no way to have that joy without removing oneself from home entirely.
I often think that I would have come out years earlier if I had been able to see myself represented in different ways. If I had witnessed queer characters fall in love and thrive and build lives — joyous, wonderful, full lives — in the places they are from.
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i met a queer high schooler today, at my job
throughout the interaction i had with them, i watched them become more relaxed and open, simply seeing me as a queer adult doing my job
i sort of feel like i served as an example for that student, of a queer person existing successfully in society.
i could pick up on their habits mannerisms and fashion, and related my own experiences to that. they were visibly disabled, so i wanted to ease their mind about accessibility concerns in the building, so i mentioned my heart condition and trouble with walking up stairs. they were immediately more comfortable. we used the elevator
i complimented their nonbinary pride flag bracelet, and pushed my hair aside so they could see my name badge with my pronouns, and they smiled.
it's so freeing to be seen without the expectation for any explanation, and i know that so i wanted to give them that peace of mind. i wanted to show them that the world outside of high school is survivable. hope is not crushed, i am here, i am visibly queer, and so it is possible for them too.
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Can we change the T in LGBTQIA to stand for trains? I am trans, and, like, I want to be part of the community, but I also just REALLY want good public transit.
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Nonbinary people don't owe you androgyny
Transgender men don't owe you masculinity
Transgender women don't owe you feminity
Transgender people don't owe you gender-aligning pronouns
Genderqueer people don't owe you gender fuckery
Genderfucks don't owe you a 'weirdcore gender'
Xenogenders don't owe you perfect explanations
Genderfluid people don't owe you just one gender
Gay men don't owe you a 'James Charles personality'
Lesbians don't owe you acceptance of your catcalls
Bisexuals don't owe you the denial of their legitimacy
Pansexuals don't owe you to identify as anything other than what they want
Pomosexuals don't owe you a label
Spectrumsensuals don't owe you acknowledgement
Abrosexuals don't owe you just one sexuality
Sapphics don't owe you their history
Androsexuals don't owe you to 'just be gay/straight'
Gynosexuals don't owe you to 'just be lesbian/straight'
Asexuals don't owe you to 'grow out of it'
Aromantics don't owe you affection
Skoliosexuals don't owe you acceptance of your harassment
The legitimate definition for dreamsexual doesn't owe you to be silenced by the weirdo who made the cringe definition
Aegosexuals don't owe you their fine line
Polyamorous people don't owe you how their relationship works
Ambiamorous people don't owe you any excuses
Maveriques don't owe you 'just being nonbinary'
Agender people don't owe you a gender
Paragender people don't owe you a binary gender
Demigender people don't owe you anything but themselves
LGBTQ+ people in every way, don't owe you jackshit.
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Daily Quote
"There's this idea that if you're not straight, you HAVE to tell all your family and friends immediately, like you owe it to them. But you don't. You don't have to do anything until you're ready." - Charlie Spring, "Heartstopper"
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