On this Valentine’s Day, many of us find ourselves dreaming of finding that special someone who will make life that much sweeter. Five years ago, I had the honor of meeting two amazing women who found and have sustained that sweetness in one another—both as a couple, and as the founders of the South Daytona–based chocolaterie, Sappho Chocolates.…
By Dr. Laura McGuire Activism: noun, /ˈaktəˌvizəm/ efforts to promote, impede, direct, or intervene in social, political, economic, or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society. I have been an activist since I was seven years old. I believe that some of us are born with a special gene that propels us to be active in changing the world we live in. It’s not something we have to work at; it’s something we can’t live without. We…
If you’re a Halloween fanatic like me, the sight of spooky pop-up costume shops around town signals your favorite time of the year. But what if I told you that you could get your oddity and eerie fix all year round, simply by making a journey to Houston’s Greater Heights? On the corner of Yale and 15th Street lies the Wilde Collection, an LGBTQ-owned oddities store run by Lawyer B. Douglas II and Tyler Zottarelle. Encircled by the shop’s curiously odd…
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…
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.;…
Electric 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.…
Creating a business is no joke. Between articles of incorporation and business bank accounts to mission statements and target audiences, it’s enough to make your head spin and send you down that dreaded rabbit hole of self-doubt and insecurity, only to spit you out the other end questioning your entire purpose in life. Dramatic? Maybe a smidge. But I think we can all agree that self-doubt is evil and has no business in business—we don’t know her. Here’s what we do…
Tattoos. From metropolises like New York and Los Angeles to small town Texas, this art form has always welcomed the most marginalized in society. Spectrum South recently caught up with Jess Swaim, a nonbinary tattoo artist based out of Conroe, Texas, to talk about their experience tattooing LGBTQ clients, navigating a male-dominated industry, and queer parenting in the small town about an hour north of Houston.…
When you think of embroidery, the image of a delicate grandmother stitching dainty flowers on a pillow might come to mind. Loss Cat Stitchery, however, is smashing that stereotype. Putting a modern, risqué twist on this old-fashioned hobby, the Tallahassee-based makers’ boutique stitches up designs with profanity, edgy jokes, social activism, and support for the queer community. …
For those who don’t know, October is LGBTQ History Month—a win for the Gay Agenda as we attempt to take over the year one month at a time. To honor this auspicious observance, which includes National Coming Out Day (October 11), Spectrum South is taking a moment to look at some of the organizations that help our community thrive.…
