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The Hot Towel: This QPOC-Owned Barber Shop is Cutting Out Homophobia

A photo of the Hot Towel staff.

Walk into the Hot Towel, an all-female-run, queer-owned, full-service barber shop (stylized as ‘Barb*Her’) located in Houston’s Uptown/Galleria area, and you’re immediately struck by the space’s comfortable and relaxing vibe. Even more so, you’re hit with the overwhelming sense of love among its team members. It’s clear that the Hot Towel isn’t a one-woman show centered around owner Tinisha Cox; it’s a place of genuine comradery. This feeling was confirmed when I reached out to Cox for an interview. She…

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Last Woman Standing: Where Have All The Lesbian Bars Gone? And Are They Coming Back?

A photo of Julie Mabry, owner of Pearl Bar in Houston.

There is an obvious lack of safe lesbian bars and queer nightlife spots for femmes and lesbians in Houston. This is not just a regional issue, but a ubiquitous, nationwide setback. After scouring the Internet, I could only confidently identify 10 bars in the entire United States (now don’t crucify me if I’ve missed one) that were demarcated as lesbian bars. You read me right: Su Ellen’s in Dallas; Henrietta Hudson in New York; League of Her Own in D.C.;…

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When to Talk to Your Kids about Queerness

A photo of talking to your child about queerness.

The birds and the bees. Life and death. Why do we exist? Bringing up tough conversations with kids is always a large task. The question is not only how to address these things but when. As queer parents and allies, we may hear conflicting messages on when and how to bring up queerness. From gender identity and expression to sexual orientation, there are many schools of thought on the age-appropriateness of these socially divisive topics.…

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To Be Queer and to Be Outside

A photo of being queer and outside.

Texas is rich in natural beauty. Because the state is so large, it boasts several different kinds of terrains and climates—breathtaking views of mountains, canyons, hill country, and plains. This beauty often feels like Texas’ best kept secret, as it may not immediately come to mind when people think of the state. I've lived in Texas my entire life and I'm just now appreciating the stunning nature found here—and how it heals me as a queer person living in this…

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Queer, Southern, and In Love: ‘Fried Green Tomatoes’ and Quintessential Lesbian Literature

I must have been around 13 years old the first time my mom showed me the film Fried Green Tomatoes. She said it was a film about fierce southern women working together to beat the odds and succeeding—something she knew a lot about. While my mom is a Yankee through and through, she married a southerner and lived in Tennessee for several years. She fell in love with the land and its history, an admiration reflected in her connection to…

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Nothing Good Happens After Midnight: Being Noah Diaz

A photo of Spectrum South writer Noah Diaz.

I turn off the rumbling window air conditioning unit at my apartment. It hasn’t worked in weeks, and I’m finally ready to come to terms with it. I open up the windows to my apartment, a building I tell people is 100 years old, but if I’m being honest, I don’t know if that’s true or not. I feel a breeze—warm, of course. It sweeps through the middle of my studio apartment, making my unopened mail join my dirty laundry…

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