The start of 2021 was rife with big events—on the macro scale, the nation watched in shock as a riot stormed the Capitol of the United States, and only a few weeks later, we witnessed our first female vice president step into her role. After a year under varying states of lockdown and social isolation, we rejoiced at the rollout of the long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine. At the micro scale, families around the nation saw their broods expand with the births…
‘They’: A Poetic Ode to Non-Binary Identity
Posted on June 1, 2021They By Sojourner They lives in the nucleus of my cells, it rarely boils to the surface of my flesh. Most days it’s not ready to face the eyes of others. They is not interested in what my appearance is read as by external forces, it carries no regard for social morays or stratification. They remembers and honors the child that often said “I want to be a boy,” while equally loving femme aesthetics because they knew no box could quantify…
As We Emerge: LGBTQ BIPOC Mental Health Following Isolation
Posted on May 28, 2021Wow, where has the time gone? 2021 has already raced by, and I can’t believe it’s already May. As vaccines are rolling out, it feels like the world is finally starting to open back up just in time for summer, with the prospects of travel and social life on the horizon. While some are chomping at the bit to emerge back into society, others are much less comfortable, still feeling the weight of the pandemic. The month of May marks…
AFAF 3: Queer Spirituality with Bonnie Violet
Posted on May 11, 2021In this month’s episode of the Asking for a Friend podcast, host Dr. Laura McGuire chats with Bonnie Violet, a trans genderqueer chaplain, spiritual drag artist living with HIV, and recovering addict, about her experiences with queerness, religion, sobriety, HIV, and being "a chaplain of another sort."…
The Mahogany Project Celebrates Four Years of Serving Houston’s BIPOC Trans Community
Posted on April 22, 2021Four years ago this month, Houstonian Verniss McFarland III saw a personal dream realized—the founding of the Mahogany Project. The fledgling non-profit organization set out with a powerful mission—to bridge the gap between empowerment and education in Black and Brown LGBTQIA+ communities.…
The Dining Divide: Is Southern Cuisine Open to All?
Posted on April 16, 2021In my eyes, travel is synonymous with eating. The first thing I do whenever I reach a new destination is search for the area’s most delicious restaurants—ones that are unique, different than those at home, and that have a great environment. But unfortunately, as a queer, Black person, not all restaurants and businesses are as welcoming as I would like, especially when traveling in the South.…
The Art of Resistance: MFAH Presents New Documentary on Activist and Artist David Wojnarowicz
Posted on April 14, 2021We’ve all seen the photo: a man, pictured from behind during a 1988 demonstration at the FDA headquarters. The back of his denim jacket contains a large inverted pink triangle and the justifiably livid words stenciled in white: IF I DIE OF AIDS—FORGET BURIAL—JUST DROP MY BODY ON THE STEPS OF THE F.D.A. The man in the jacket is artist David Wojnarowicz, the subject of the new documentary film 'Wojnarowicz,' now playing as part of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston’s Virtual…
AFAF 2: Fat Sexuality with Hilary Wermers
Posted on April 13, 2021In this month's episode of the Asking for a Friend podcast, host Dr. Laura McGuire chats with sex educator Hilary Wermers about fatness, queer sexuality, finding pleasure, and the debate between body positivity and body neutrality.…
Visionary Futures: DiverseWorks Exhibition Explores Questions of the Future Through Queer, Non-binary BIPOC Lens
Posted on April 2, 2021Showcased by Houston’s DiverseWorks and running between February 19–April 11, the online exhibition Visionary Futures is a series of projects created by six queer, non-binary artists of color that critically explores questions of the future, the ways in which we survive, and the legacies that we leave behind. “We are conditioned through popular culture, art, and music to believe a certain set of standards, and that we have to achieve them,” says DiverseWorks curator Ashley DeHoyos. “Through Visionary Futures and…
How Can We Talk to Kids About Consent? Sexologist Dr. Laura McGuire’s New Book is Here to Help
Posted on April 1, 2021This queer and non-binary sexologist is helping parents and teachers of K-12 students navigate conversations about consent in their debut book, Creating Cultures of Consent. …