You’re either a “cat” lesbian or a “dog” lesbian—and I am firmly the latter. So when my friends sent me an Instagram post back in October advertising a “Yappy Hour” hosted by LADY, a queer collective in Dallas, I instantly replied, “Lez go!”…
Dallas
To Be Queer and to Be Outside
Posted on August 15, 2019Texas 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…
This Café and Bookstore is Creating Alternative Ways for QTPOC to Build Community in Dallas
Posted on March 25, 2019Oftentimes, queer community is forged at gay bars, nightclubs, or other social gatherings centered around alcohol. And if you’re a queer person of color seeking community, it can be even more challenging to find a place or event to meet others like yourself. Niecee X, a 29-year-old community organizer and artist, is trying to change the scene in Dallas by organizing QTPOC-centered open mics, intentional conversations, and dinner parties with the hope of one day opening Revolution Café and Bookstore…
Black and Queer-Owned Vegan Pop-Up Electric Kitchen Lights Up Dallas Community
Posted on February 20, 2019Electric Kitchen, a plant-based pop-up and catering company in Dallas, offers a vegan twist on a classic Southern staple—biscuits and gravy. Fluffy, delicious pillows of goodness are loaded up with not just gravy but your choice of an array of toppings including: chickpea scramble, sweet potato hash, coconut bacon, non-dairy cheese, potato and cauliflower chorizo, sautéed mushrooms, avocado, tomato, or pickled onions. The result has been a hit with customers.…
First They Came for the Socialists: Navigating Gay Jewish Identity Following the Pittsburgh Tragedy
Posted on December 4, 2018The Shabbat music begins, but the usual exhale of my weekly worries doesn’t come. There is a tension in its place—a tightness. Typically, I find only the comfort of community and familiarity at a Shabbat service. But today, as I glance back at the strikingly oversized crowd, I am acutely aware that we are all targets. It’s an unwelcome feeling—one that I have not experienced since my days of fearing schoolyard bullies in the ‘80s and ‘90s.…
Daring Dreams: Dark Circles Contemporary Dance Explores Gay Identity in 2018-19 Season
Posted on June 25, 2018Joshua Peugh, the artistic director and co-founder of Dark Circles Contemporary Dance, is quickly transforming Texas into a site of experimentation with bold pieces that explore gay identity, among other relevant themes.…
Queer Fitness Instructor Bethany C. Meyers on Finding Yourself, Personally and Professionally
Posted on May 8, 2018Downstairs from street level, I sit in a quaint Manhattan coffee shop, nestled in the bustling hubbub of the Flatiron District. I recognize Bethany C. Meyers’ energy the moment they walk in, despite the heavy coat enveloping their petite frame, the bulky headphones, and celebrity sunglasses.…
Transouthern Youth: Meet Niko Gonzalez
Posted on April 16, 2018High school sophomore Niko Gonzalez is a one-man revolution. At age 16, this openly trans and gay teenager is sending ripples through his Catholic school and diocese, challenging restroom regulation, and simultaneously paving the way for future generations of queer students.…
If Only We Could Remember: Being Queer and Indigenous in the South
Posted on November 15, 2017I am an unapologetic queer indigenous femme woman, activist, artist, and educator with hair on my legs and under my armpits. I currently live in a place called Texas where I bear witness to police killings, klan/neo-nazi rallies, confederate flags, and trump propaganda—essentially white supremacy wrapped in the violently-appropriated indigenous Mexican aesthetic of the “cowboy.” Today, the u.s. South yells the same war cry that my ancestors have heard over and over again—a proud declaration of settler colonialism. …
Beyond Borderlands: Reconciling Queerness in the Rio Grande Valley
Posted on June 12, 2017It’s been eight years since I left the Valley, but the Valley is my very being, and I carry it everywhere I go. The Valley and my queerness are equal parts of me. They’re both intrinsic to my identity as a queer Tejana — a diehard Texan with Mexican roots, a proud lesbiana, y Xicana.…