All Posts By

Josh Inocéncio

Why I Won’t Use Latinx

An illustration of Latinx.

In the past few years, “Latinx” has stormed to prominence—first in online communities, then in mainstream media platforms as well as academic discourse. “Latinx” seeks to end the gendered designations in the Spanish language, replacing “Latino” and “Latina” with a term that includes both genders, as well as gender nonconforming and non-binary people.…

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From One South to Another: Houston Dash Player Talks Journey from South Africa to Texas

From South Africa to the U.S., soccer player Janine van Wyk now calls the Houston Dash home.

For Janine van Wyk, playing soccer—or football as it’s known in her home country of South Africa—required her to be a trailblazer. “There weren’t any girls’ teams or girls who even played soccer back then,” says van Wyk, one of the most recent additions to the Houston Dash’s team. “There were no ways for girls to participate in the sport.”…

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Out of the Closet, Into the Cinema: A Curated List of Queer Films for Our Community

A photo from Weekend, one of our 100 queer films.

Five years and over 100 films later, I’m publishing this list online for others to peruse, enjoy, and add to as well. Consistently, I run into fellow queer people who aren’t familiar with our rich cinematic history that dates back to at least 1930s Germany with Mädchen in Uniform. Local teachers and professors have even started requesting recommendations for their classes. And while my list isn’t perfect, it’s a place to begin a conversation about queer representation in cinema.…

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Think Globally, Act Hillbilly: A Road Trip through Kentucky on Grindr, Tinder

An illustration of a road trip through Kentucky.

A huge part of me grew up closeted in Kentucky, and I know that—in a state of roughly four million folks—lots of other boys did, too. And while the cities of Louisville and Lexington brim with gay bars and rainbow crosswalks, there are plenty of guys living out and proud in smaller towns, too. I wanted to meet and connect with fellow gay men across Kentucky, so I rebooted Tinder and Grindr.…

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Sacred Steps: A Pilgrimage to Mexico City

Spectrum South writer Josh Inocencio overlooking the Teotihuacan pyramids in Mexico City, Mexico.

The history of my family (and an outrageously cheap Expedia deal) is why I ventured to Mexico City in May, to finally look upon the sites that compose a whole third of my ancestors. And though Montezuma’s Revenge confined me to an entire day of gulping peach Pedialite and binging 'Master of None,' I still paid pilgrimage to everything I wanted to see. From the Catholic cathedrals to the Teotihuacan pyramids to Frida Kahlo’s studio, my three friends and I…

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What is the South?

An illustration of the south.

Inspired by a friendly yet fiery conversation with my friend about which states constitute “the South,” I decided to curate a more formal dialogue between Dr. Rachel Afi Quinn, Dr. Trevor Boffone, and myself—all queer people based in Houston with roots spread throughout the region—where we could hash out our ideas on what the South truly is. The following is an edited version of our conversation……

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From Bus to Brick: TOMO Mags Builds Community Through Independent Print Magazines

A picture of independent magazines sold at Tomo Mags in Houston, Texas.

Walking into TOMO Mags on West Alabama Street in Houston’s Montrose district, you encounter the city’s only magazine shop that is both an artistic incubator and community sanctuary at once. Co-founded by husbands Vico Tadeo and Keiwing Chong, TOMO Mags offers a range of niche magazines—including local publications on architecture, photography, and design—that you cannot typically find in corporate hubs like Barnes & Noble.…

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