All Posts By

Rachel Abbott

Queer Reads for Every Quarantine Mood

Posted on March 26, 2020

Given the current state of the world, you’re probably spending a lot of time at home right now. With restaurants and bars closed, sporting events and concerts cancelled, and the world at large on pause, we’ve entered an unprecedented state of stillness. On the bright side (if there is such a thing), this is an excellent opportunity to catch up on any books, shows, or movies that you’ve been longing to experience. Whatever your social distancing mood is, we’ve got…

A Quick and Queer Guide to the Democratic Presidential Primary

Posted on February 25, 2020

A photo of voting in the Democratic presidential primary.

Texans (and American voters everywhere), the presidential primary election draws near! Although we are no longer contending with a whole circus of Democratic candidates, there are still a lot of people running in hopes of beating Donald Trump. It can be difficult to sift through the endless articles, advertisements, and heated debates to get to the true heart of these candidate’s issues. That’s why I have created this quick and easy guide to understanding each of the candidates’ stance on…

Out of the Dream House: On Carmen Maria Machado, Domestic Abuse, and Queer Healing

Posted on February 19, 2020

In late January, InPrint Houston, an Houston-based, non-profit organization that supports writers and readers of fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction, hosted a dual memoir event with Carmen Maria Machado, author of In the Dream House, and Carolyn Forché, author of What You Have Heard is True. The event was moderated by Daniel Pena, a faculty member at the University of Houston Downtown, as a part of InPrint’s Root Brown Reading Series. Machado and Forché discussed creating memoirs through traumatic events—Machado…

Let It Snow: Netflix’s New Holiday Rom-Com is Pure Queer Christmas Magic

Posted on November 25, 2019

The nights are getting longer, and drinks are beginning to shift from pumpkin to peppermint. The temperature is dipping down into cold weather (and then up, and then down again, because Texas). That can only mean one thing—the season of cheesy Hallmark-esque holiday movies is now upon us. This year, everyone who is tired of the same rehashed heteronormative storylines has a reason to rejoice! Let It Snow, which debuted on Netflix earlier in November, has an absolutely adorable queer…

West Texas and Wonder: A Review of ‘Are You Listening’ by Tillie Walden

Posted on October 15, 2019

A photo of Are You Listening? by Tillie Walden.

If you’re a fan of Texan creators, graphic novels, or queer main characters, Austin-raised cartoonist Tillie Walden’s latest graphic novel is the fall release for you. Published in September 2019, Are You Listening? is a dreamy road trip story with modern flairs of magical realism. The book’s West Texas landscape oscillates between fantastical and familiar, and the characters will have you rooting for them to the very last page. …

Beyond Happily Ever After: LGBTQ Fave Steven Universe Returns as Full-Length Movie

Posted on September 9, 2019

A photo from Steven Universe: The Movie.

After an eight-month hiatus at the end of season five, the LGBTQ cartoon favorite Steven Universe is back in action, now as a feature-length musical movie. Written, directed, and produced by series creator Rebecca Sugar (she/her and they/them), the movie marks not an end to the show, but rather a fresh look at this era of children’s programming. Steven Universe has provided great queer-positive family programming since 2013, and the new movie is no exception.…

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power: The Best Queer Cartoon Around

Posted on August 16, 2019

There’s a new superhero in town, and her name is She-Ra. Well, she’s not exactly new. She-Ra originally appeared in the 1980’s as a feminine answer to He-Man, and it was widely acclaimed as being…well, campy at best. When I told one of my coworkers that I was watching She-Ra, he verbatim asked, “You mean the old toy commercial?” Sometimes delightful, sometimes cringe-worthy, always cheesy, the She-Ra of the last century was a cult favorite that faded into the fabric…

Does Texas Love Me Back? On Being Femme, Queer, and Southern

Posted on July 10, 2019

A photo of queer southern femme Rachel Abbott.

I’ve lived in Texas my entire life—nearly 25 years, a quarter of a century. I love Texas. It’s in my blood and bones. I live for the margaritas and tacos, the inflated sense of ego, the trips to H-E-B, and the bright orange Whataburger cups. I even like the heat. The first day of spring, when the temperature creeps over 90 degrees, reminds me of being wrapped in a familiar blanket. The only problem is that I don’t know how…

A Royal Romance: ‘Red, White, & Royal Blue’ Makes Bisexual Literary History

Posted on June 3, 2019

If you binge romance novels, if you love realistic queer representation, or if you’ve ever fallen into a fugue state while scrolling through updates about the Royal Family, I’ve got excellent news—Casey McQuiston’s debut novel, Red, White & Royal Blue, will check each of those boxes for you, and it’s quickly becoming the hottest romance read of 2019.…

Rachel Abbott

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