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Eye for an Eye’s Jess Swaim Talks Tattoo Artistry, Non-binary Identity in Conroe

Posted on January 18, 2019
An illustration of Conroe based tattoo artist Jess Swaim.

Tattoos. From metropolises like New York and Los Angeles to small town Texas, this art form has always welcomed the most marginalized in society. Spectrum South recently caught up with Jess Swaim, a nonbinary tattoo artist based out of Conroe, Texas, to talk about their experience tattooing LGBTQ clients, navigating a male-dominated industry, and queer parenting in the small town about an hour north of Houston.…

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Five Essential Self-Care Habits for Queers

Posted on January 14, 2019
A photo of queer self-care.

Self-care is not just Instagram fodder, Lush bath bombs, aromatherapy, and crystals. It’s not selfies, expensive beverages, salads, yoga poses, or even spa services. Self-care is actually work. And it often can be free. It’s akin to the psychological concept of re-parenting, or self-stewardship. It is adulting 2.0. It’s an essential skill that combats the effects of living in the relentless consumerist culture we’re steeped in. But don’t let that discourage you, because here are my top 5 self-care tips…

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#SpectrumScavenger: A Scavenger Hunt to Discover Houston’s Hidden Public Art

Posted on January 11, 2019
A photo of a Houston scavenger hunt.

Attention adventurers, fortune hunters, and explorers! Let’s try something new together—and if it works out, we just may make it a regular thing. I want to help you uncover some of Houston’s most spectacular (but relatively hidden) public art. But naturally, there’s a price. Instead of just telling you where to go and what you’ll find, I thought I’d take you on a spirited scavenger hunt across the city. So carve out some time, follow the given clues, and go…

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Traveling While Queer: Miami

Posted on January 8, 2019
A photo of queer Miami.

Welcome to the third installment of Traveling While Queer! Join me as I journey across the country to discover our shared queer history and sightsee in some of my favorite cities. Along the way, we will explore hidden havens, places of LGBTQ significance, and help you to plan a top-notch gay getaway. Our next stop is bringing that heat—welcome to Miami!…

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Spectrum South’s Best of Queer Music 2018

Posted on January 2, 2019
A photo of queer music.

Innovators, advocates, and revelers in the weird—queer artists often create the work that impacts society the most. Eye-opening, thought provoking, and sometimes even unsettling, it’s often art that turns tides. This year, we asked our staff for their personal nominations for best song by a queer artist in 2018. We’re excited to share with you our top picks—and few runners up! We won’t judge if you’re suddenly compelled to dance around your apartment in your underwear to the Spotify playlist…

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Spectrum South’s 2018 Year in Review

Posted on December 31, 2018

Happy (almost) New Year, queers! 20GayTeen has been a wonderful whirlwind for the Spectrum South team—full of transformative interviews, profound personal narratives, heartwarming celebrations of community, and our continued efforts to create a digital safe space for queer folks across the South.…

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Revolutionizing Gender Care from the Inside Out, with Dr. Colt Keo-Meier at UTMB in Galveston

Posted on December 28, 2018
An illustration of gender care at UTMB.

Only in the last few years or so has access to hormone therapy for the transgender and gender non-conforming population become more readily available in the South. Yet, recipients are often barred from hormone therapy by “medical gatekeeping,” which requires each patient to produce a letter of diagnosis and recommendation from a licensed mental health professional and attend up to six months of psychotherapy. Thanks to WPATH (World Professional Association for Transgender Health) and people like Dr. Colt Keo-Meier, however,…

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Supporting Queer Sex Workers: How and Why

Posted on December 17, 2018
A photo of the sex workers red umbrella.

Sex work is term and concept that is, at best, misunderstood and vilified at worst. While almost everyone has benefited from sex workers’ labor at some point in their lives, few acknowledge this fact or think about the lack of support or rights that these artists and healers have in western modern society.…

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