The livelihoods of LGBTQ Texans are on the line at the Texas Capitol this week. A slew of anti-LGBTQ bills are scheduled to be heard at the Texas legislature starting on Wednesday, April 17, 2019, each posing a dire threat to the day-to-day existence of LGBTQ residents in the state—but it’s not too late to fight for justice.…
After the spotlight locks onto the mic and the door to the back room shuts, host Bob Morrissey steps to the front of the jet black room with a Lone Star in his hand and a relaxed grip on the microphone. The lone disco ball spins in the dark above his almost impressively unkempt hair. Within five minutes, Morrissey introduces the show with a story about how he managed to be more impressed with the Hitchcock film Strangers on a Train…
This year, OUTsider Fest celebrated its fifth year with enthusiasm, collaborative spirit, and queer BIPOC avant-garde delights. Artistic director Curran Nault and president PJ Raval opened their home to morning Conferences on the Couch, casual round-table panel discussions of the previous night’s performances and exhibitions, and created a space for the different artists to discuss their views and work through the lenses of different academically salient topics. In the afternoon and on into the evening, performative works ranging from theatre…
In this episode, the Veer Queer crew talks with Houston-based chef Adán Medrano about Texas indigenous cooking, the importance of food in relation to resistance, identity, and community, and his upcoming film, The Roots of Texas Mexican Food.…
Out theatre director and immersive experience extraordinaire Brian Clowdus doesn’t ask how before laying down a grand plan. The Atlanta-area theatrical pioneer first entered the national spotlight for using an actual helicopter in Serenbe Playhouse’s production of Miss Saigon; he then graced Spectrum South in August 2018 when he sank the set and sent actors plummeting beneath the waves in Serenbe’s Titanic.…
Telling stories about the nuances of queer female sexuality is the core of playwright Christina Quintana’s craft. In an essay about her play Scissoring, Quintana writes: “I love women, I love lesbians, I believe in stories about queer women of color more than anything.” This passion is precisely where Quintana draws inspiration for her latest play, Azul, which receives its world premiere at Southern Rep Theatre in New Orleans from March 27 to April 14, 2019. The production is a…
SB17 would provide any professional licensed by the state of Texas a license to discriminate based on “sincerely held religious beliefs.” The religious exemption bill is being called the latest aggression against LGBTQ Texans—as well as other individuals not protected at the federal level, such as single parents or people who practice a religion that differs from that of the service provider.…
Imagine an artistic experience that instantly evokes a feeling of community. Imagine a stage on which no subject is too taboo, where no performer hides behind insecurities. Imagine an event that encourages true genuineness—free of shame, judgement, or expectation. Imagine a space where there are no demands to conform artistically, socially, or sexually; performers are fully allowed to own their individual truths. Yet, this space is not a figment of our imagination—it existed for 10 years as a monthly performance…
Over the past several months, LGBTQ+ folx have been overrun with spotlight as Christian denominations’ dysfunction has been prominently displayed. It has never been an easy feat to identify as both a Christian and LGBTQ+, but in the modern day, some would say that they are completely opposing viewpoints. Balancing the two can feel like hiding both of your identities under a rock. With the recent headlines surrounding the Southern Baptist Church’s and the United Methodist Church’s decisions on LGBTQ+…
Like so many southerners, photographer Ransom Ashley, 26, had to leave his hometown before fully embracing his roots. While growing up in Shreveport, Louisiana, he was bullied for being “different.” As a gay adolescent, he turned to art as a way to channel his isolation. “I started photography as an outlet to navigate my feelings about who I was,” remembers Ashley. “It became my version of a diary.”…
