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Identity

‘I Feel That I Have Arrived’: The Journey of a Southern Latina Trans Health Advocate

Posted on September 27, 2017

A photo of Latina trans health advocate Lea Córdova.

When you meet Lea Córdova, MA, MS, you don't know what is more astonishing: the action-packed life she has lived as a Latina trans health advocate, or the fact that this irrepressible dynamo is in fact 76 years old. Lea and I have seen each other at LGBTQ and activist events around North Carolina for many years, and I've come to admire her as one of my elders. I caught up with her on a sunny September afternoon, shortly after she'd…

Like a Mimosa Blossom: Making My Peace With the Queer South

Posted on September 13, 2017

An illustration of mimosa blossoms in the queer South.

Well, that’s what I always told myself, at least. When I arrived in North Carolina from the Northeast as an effeminate, bookish eight year old, nothing seemed right. Southern twang and slang mystified me, while I struggled to adjust to new foods, schools, and manners. And the homophobic and gender-oppressive bullying I’d always encountered seemed, if anything, to intensify. I couldn’t wait to grow up and get out.…

Reclaiming Brujería Through Queerness

Posted on September 8, 2017

A photo of a queer brujería spell on Donald Trump.

Brujería often possesses a negative reputation and is feared as a manifestation of evil. But for many young Latinx millennials—and more specifically queer Latinx millennials—it is an outlet for empowerment and freedom. Spectrum South recently caught up with Alex Aguilar, a self-identified queer bruja from the Rio Grande Valley who is now based in Austin.…

Why I Won’t Use Latinx

Posted on September 6, 2017

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.…

Transouthern Youth: Meet Landon Richie

Posted on August 30, 2017

A photo of Houston transgender youth Landon Richie.

To his 26,000 Instagram followers, Houstonian Landon Richie embodies confidence—his posts are eloquent and encouraging, his face smiling and strong. In person, Richie is just as self-aware. He chats effortlessly about his activism, identity, and passions. It’s not until his mom, Erika, mentions an upcoming school band practice that I’m reminded the savvy individual sitting across from me is only 14 years old.…

Speaking Out: Intersex Texan Promotes Protective Policy

Posted on August 25, 2017

A photo of intersex advocates Koomah and Mo Cortez.

When Mo Cortez was five years old, he woke up in a hospital bed, peeled back the sheets, and discovered a large red “X” on his groin. Cortez was born intersex—with ambiguous genitalia—and surgery was an attempt to “normalize” him. Instead, it made it him feel dehumanized, he says, “like a Frankenstein.” But despite his many challenges since then, Cortez says he has found truth in his identity, and has used his own experiences as motivation to tirelessly advocate for…

Dear Queer Brown Girl: A Letter To My 21-Year-Old Self As She Starts Grad School

Posted on August 11, 2017

A photo of Sasha Lamprea, queer brown woman in grad school

Listen, morena, I guess what I’m trying to say is that higher education is hard—and it’s even harder when you’re trying to prove that you deserve to be there as much as the next person. So when you start feeling like you’re having a harder time than your colleagues, it’s because you probably are. Be kind to yourself.…

Exploring Identity: How Spectrum South Inspired College Students to Embrace Their Truths

Posted on August 4, 2017

Illustration of diverse people exploring identity.

Shortly after my summer class began, Spectrum South launched with its series of narrative pieces in which the publication’s core group of writers explored their own queer and southern identities. While each piece was unique to the writer, all of them spoke to the intersections of identity and journeys of queer self-discovery. This inspired me to use these pieces—written by queer millennials—to get my students thinking about their own identities (queer and not) on a deeper level. Each student was…

Queer Online Activism: Pansexual YouTuber Talks Identity in the Digital Age

Posted on July 14, 2017

A photo of pansexual writer and YouTuber Sydney Turner promotes queer online activism.

In the digital age, a great deal of queer identity and community is built on the Internet. From memes on Tumblr to watching the HRT journeys of trans YouTubers, the online world presents a whole new way to express queerness. Spectrum South recently caught up with Sydney Turner—writer, comedian, and YouTuber—to discuss the possibilities and repercussions of being queer online.…

Infinite Ways to Be Queer: Filmmaker André Pérez on ‘America in Transition’ and Trans Identity in The South

Posted on July 12, 2017

Photo of out trans man and director of America in Transition documentary series, André Pérez.

Pérez travels across America, including to several southern states, to interview and document trans and gender-variant lives on camera. The interviewees act as storytellers, detailing their experiences as artists, entrepreneurs, HIV advocates, veterans, and more.…

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