the speakeasy

foolish child

fullscreen

webcomics

Foolish Child #16: Black Current Events Month

“You keep using a weird combination of words. ‘Post’ and ‘racial’ implies that race is no longer an issue.”

Dickens —

Feb 15, 2017

fullscreen

personal essay

first person

How Whitney Houston Taught Me the Greatest Love of All For My Queer Black Self

My journey to self-love through the influence of Whitney Houston’s life and music.

Reneice Charles —

Feb 15, 2017

black history month

harlem renaissance

playlists

Playlist: Black Queer Music History, Pt. 2 (1930s-1960s)

It was hard enough to be black during this time, let alone black and queer, but these musicians did it and they made awesome music!

Ari —

Feb 9, 2017

auli'i cravalho

disney

movie reviews

“Moana” Celebrates the Power, Strength and Magic of Brown Girls But Misses the Mark With Pacific Islander Representation

One of my favorite parts of the movie is the reverence that Moana has for her ancestors and her culture, even while she pushes it and challenges it to embrace…

Mey —

Feb 7, 2017

black history month

Gladys Bentley

music

Playlist: Black Queer Music History Pt. 1 (Early 20th Century)

Black queer artists have been killing the game forever. Check out what they were doing in the early 20th century.

Ari —

Feb 2, 2017

black history month

call for submissions

straddleverse

Call For Submissions: “Renaissance,” Personal Essays From Black LGBT Women

I’m guest editing an essay series for Autostraddle next month and am looking for personal essays about how your black queer life has been saved or influenced by art in…

Aisha —

Jan 27, 2017

personal essay

the speakeasy

first person

Why I’m Unapologetic About My Sensuality as a Black Trans Woman

“For me, as a Black Trans Woman, to find her body not only as something worthy and magnificent (as it is), but to find someone to share that magick with,…

Vita E. Cleveland —

Jan 16, 2017

notes from a queer engineer

regular

geekery

The True Story Behind “Hidden Figures”

Let’s take a look together and see which parts of the film were fact, and which parts were beautiful, exquisite, powerful fiction.

Laura Mandanas —

Jan 12, 2017

music video premiere

music videos

music

Time to Be Floored by Shea Diamond’s Stunning New Video for Trans and Self-Empowerment Anthem “I Am Her”

I’m beyond honored and blessed to premiere the new live version of “I Am Her,” Diamond’s powerful anthem stripped down into an a capella performance.

Mey —

Jan 11, 2017

latina

latinx

tv reviews

Netflix’s “One Day at a Time” Is the Revolutionary, Feminist Latinx Family Sitcom We Didn’t Know We Needed

One Day at a Time is so revolutionary in its depictions of what a family might actually look like in America. It’s got the same recipe of an old school…

Yvonne —

Jan 10, 2017

feminism

the speakeasy

movie reviews

“Hidden Figures” Shines As Bright As The Stars

When you’re stargazing, remember Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson’s work. Tell their stories over and over. They’ve been silenced for so long; now it’s our turn to keep…

Ari —

Jan 6, 2017

essay collection

intersectionality

lgbt book reviews

Rebel Girls: “The Crunk Feminist Collection” is the New Year’s Read Feminists Need

This is the year the resistance takes shape. And for feminists looking for a roadmap, The Crunk Feminist Collection is the newly-printed guidebook that sets the path.

Carmen —

Jan 4, 2017