Browsing Tag

queer

‘Queerskins’ Virtual Reality Film Evokes Feels in 360 Degrees at Houston Cinema Arts Festival

A photo from the Queerskins installation as part of Houston Cinema Arts Festival.

The opening salvo of Queerskins: A Love Story plays out over the backdrop of AIDS Crisis America. Ed (Drew Moore) and Mary-Helen (Hadley Boyd) are driving down a country road filled with memories of their son, Sebastian (Michael DeBartolo), who has recently passed away—a victim of the crisis. Using photorealistic virtual reality (VR), the viewer is thrust into the middle of this scene, witnessing the couple’s heart-wrenching conversation firsthand from the back seat of their Cadillac. On the seat next…

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Why Are Straight Folks Obsessed with LGBTQ Folks’ Bodies and Sex Lives?

A photo of LGBTQ bodies.

So, who is the man and who is the woman? We’re both males. We’re partners. We share duties and don’t subscribe to traditional gender roles. At least, that’s how it is in my own relationship. And here we are, six years together, and people still believe it’s okay to ask me if my partner or I shapeshift into a lady behind closed doors, as if the notion that two people of the same gender can live together and share their lives,…

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The Queer Doula: Adventures in Providing Support and Education Around Birth, Abortion, and Pregnancy

A photo of a queer doula.

I have always loved birth. As a teen and young adult, I would spend hours glued to TLC’s A Birth Story and other ER shows that depicted live births with a twist of trauma and terror. I found every unique birth story endlessly fascinating. What was this family’s journey? How would this birth be different? What would the baby look like? As I observed birth after birth, I came away with one clear conclusion by the age of 14: I…

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‘I’ Will Not Be Erased: Activist Alicia Roth Weigel Gets Intersexy in the Lone Star State

A photo of intersex activist Alicia Roth Weigel.

What is intersex? It’s the ‘I’ in LGBTQIA, but it’s still something that not many folks know about. Intersex is a condition in which individuals are born with reproductive and sexual anatomy that does not fit into the institutionalized “male” or “female” boxes. In honor of Intersex Awareness Day (October 26), we caught up with Alicia Roth Weigel, an “intersexy” “policy, advocacy, and campaign strategist for the progressive movement.”…

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Why I Won’t Gentrify My Career

An illustration of a queer career.

In June 2018, I started my consulting and expert witness firm, The National Center for Equity and Agency, which specializes in sexual misconduct prevention and increasing cultural inclusion. Starting my own business meant building a brand, not only for the business, but a brand for me personally as well. What was the image I wanted to portray? Who did I want to impress and connect with? What was the vibe that I wanted our logo, language, and colors to exude?…

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Femme Fashionista: Stylist Miramar Dichoso On Body Positivity, QPOC Representation

A photo of fashion stylist Miramar Dichoso.

There’s a certain glow that surrounds Miramar Dichoso when she talks about fashion. Sporting velvet sandals and socks adorned with pearls, the Austin-based stylist and speaker excitedly contemplates what new shade (if any) will replace the millennial pink phenomenon. “People might find forward fashion a little odd because it hasn’t quite been embraced by the mainstream yet. I love wearing socks with open-toed sandals because I love whimsy in fashion,” she comments on her outfit choice. “I get a myriad…

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