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How the Overturn of Roe v. Wade Will Impact LGBTQIA+ Couples in the South

Posted on September 23, 2022
A photo of protests surrounding the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade

The U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022. In doing so, the Supreme Court gave states the right to outlaw abortion. Several states, many of them in the South, have trigger laws, which state legislators have already approved, that went into effect immediately or almost immediately after Roe v. Wade was overturned. A perhaps unforeseen result of the overturn is that the ruling may also make it more difficult for LGBTQIA+ couples in the South to adopt…

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Houston-based ‘Paradox Moth’ is the Queer, Black-owned Streetwear Brand Breaking Stereotypes

Posted on June 30, 2022
A photo of Paradox Moth co-founder Chuck Ohamara.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced us to get creative—in the ways we work, the hobbies we adopt, and the art we make. For queer Houstonian Chuck Ohamara, that creativity birthed Paradox Moth, a fully inclusive, LGBTQ-focused, minimalist streetwear brand. Along with fellow co-creator and queer model Alex Sundstrom, Ohamara set out with a simple mission: to build a fashion brand for everybody and every body. “It started as a side hustle,” Ohamara explains. “We wanted to test how to run…

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Reproductive Justice, Love, and Rock n’ Roll: ‘I’ll Have What She’s Having’ Hosts Picnic Fundraiser for Abortion Access in Texas

Posted on June 1, 2022
I'll Have What She's Having members Lindsay Rae (l) and Keisha Griggs.

Between the leaked Roe v. Wade draft opinion, horrific attacks on trans kids from the state’s legislature, and the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, Texans have experienced immeasurable trauma these past few months. The Houston-based, women-led organization I’ll Have What She’s Having (IHWSH)—composed of women chefs, hospitality professionals, entrepreneurs, physicians, scientists, artists, and other professionals united in social activism—is turning pain into action.…

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Holding Space and Creating Magic: The Wanderoo Lodge is a Queer Haven for Travelers and Locals Alike

Posted on October 15, 2021
A photo of the owners of the Wanderoo Lodge.

By Barrett White The land where Eureka Springs, Arkansas, sits is Osage land. Though the Osage people protected their land from neighboring tribes, they allowed people from any tribe—hostile neighbors or not—to bring their ill onto the land to visit the natural springs, believed to have healing properties. This historic, benevolent gesture of goodwill is well-remembered in present-day Eureka Springs. Just ask locals David and Ethan Avanzino, who jointly run the Wanderoo Lodge—an LGBTQ-owned and -operated outdoor adventure lodge in…

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Sax Hacks with Jax: Why I Made a Video Series on Chronic Pain and Sexuality

Posted on August 13, 2021
A photo of Sax Hacks with Jax, a video series on chronic pain and sexuality.

Ten years ago, when I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia as a high-school senior, Instagram wasn’t a thing. Facebook was all the rage, YouTube the feature of most teenage hangouts. I searched these platforms and others, desperately looking for virtual community forums of other people living with chronic pain—only to find the occasional group of middle-aged women, usually Anglo-Christian, living in the suburbs. I went to one of their meetups, over an hour drive from my parents’ house. As I lay…

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For the Comics, For the Culture: Black, BLASIAN, QUEER-owned Comic Shop Hosts Pop-Up in Houston’s Third Ward

Posted on July 30, 2021
An illustration of the co-owners of Gulf Coast Cosmos Comicbook Co. in Houston, Texas.

Did you know that Houston’s Third Ward is home to a queer-owned, Black-owned comic book shop? From now until July 31, Gulf Coast Cosmos Comicbook Co. is operating as a pop-up, with plans to soon be a permanent fixture in the community. The store is creating new comic fans and providing a safe haven for current aficionados.…

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Why Polyamory is Part of My Queer Identity

Posted on June 11, 2021
A photo of hearts representing polyamory.

I’ve always liked the idea of a big family. Blood relatives are included in that picture, sure, but really it’s about chosen warmth and community—lots of people sharing space, intimacy, laughter, and safety. Maybe it’s because I’m an only child from a small, disjointed family. I’ll never know, and I don’t know how much that root matters. What I do know is that, after dating for over 10 years, I identify as polyamorous whether I am partnered or not. This…

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Journals of a Leo and a Virgo: Pandemic Passion Projects

Posted on June 4, 2021
A photo of new queer literary journals.

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…

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