Letter From Your Editors

Hello butternut squashes drawn into the form of tiny puppets!!!

Well, we are BACK from A-Camp and now it’s time to have our mid-year identity crisis and start scheming for how to shake things up and move things forward. Here we are ENJOYING THE SUMMERTIME:

1st: Laneia // Courtney, Kaylah, Sarah // Valerie // Carmen + Reneice // Kayla
2nd: Drew // Sam + Heather // Vanessa // Rachel // Al(aina)
3rd: KaeLyn // Stef // Riese + Kristin // Carrie // Alexis

I hope everybody had a wonderful Pride Month, a month during which every website on the planet goes balls to the wall with thematic Pride content and we look at each other circa late May with dazed expressions on our faces like, “UHHHH should we do anything for Pride?” It has a way of feeling arbitrary, you know? Plus it’s a very crowded marketplace. Lucky for us all, this year HBO forced our hand with the Gentleman Jack campaign, enabling us to do cool shit like this incredible photoshoot recreating iconic photos from the ’70s-’90s gay archives and these cool humans reminiscing about their first Prides. The Outsiders Issue has been full of so many incredible stories that we wouldn’t have been able to tell without REI’s help. It feels really good to have worked with two big sponsors these past few months who listened to us, worked with us to develop on-brand ideas for us and them, and created solutions where EVERYBODY WON.

We’re heading to Indio for a very warm Senior Editors’ retreat this month, during which time we’ll be planning that fundraising campaign, going through writer applications (that call will go up this week), re-assessing probably everything about how we conduct ourselves and our business and its accordant humans, eating Yvonne’s taco recipe in memorium, laughing a lot and probably crying a little bit. Once the fundraising plan succeeds (it will, right?) we’ll be hiring some part-time help because wow push has definitely, as they say, come to shove.

In a few months, we’re going to start looking for new Co-Directors for A-Camp (specifically, QTPOC in the LA area who have experience in event planning, marketing, event management, human resources, or other relevant fields) and are excited for this next stage in Camp’s development.

It’s gonna be a very busy fall as the 2020 election starts roaring to life and The L Word reboot takes over my life!!!

We hope you enjoyed this month’s kinky photo shoot and roundtable about Outdoor Sex! Thank you so much for investing in the community that invests in you.

Love,

Riese / Laneia / Rachel / Heather / Carmen

Top 10 Most Popular Posts From May

These posts were hella popular this month.

1. Are Janelle Monáe and Lupita Nyong’o Dating Or Just Canoodling!!???, by Heather Hogan
2. The 14 Most Heterophobic Movies of All Time, by Drew Gregory
3. BREAKING: Cara Delevingne and Ashley Benson Bought a Sex Bench, Excuse Me, Coming Through!!, by Stef
4. “The L Word” Reboot Will Be Called “Generation Q,” Which Probably Stands For “Quasimodo”, by Riese
5. Queer Art of Failure: Notes on Camp and the 2019 Met Gala, by Al(aina)
6. Queer Horoscopes for May 2019: Claiming Joy and Power in Your Body, by Corina
7. No Filter: Welcome To The House Of Janelle Monáe and Lupita Nyong’o, by Riese
8. The L Word’s Lisa The Lesbian-Identified Man: A Trans Symposium, edited by Riese, words by Grave Lavery, Phoenix Casino, Sadie Edwards, Drew Gregory and Kat Callahan
9. Kickass Butch Batwoman and Even More Lesbian Witches: Everything You Need to Know From 2019 Network TV Upfronts, by Natalie Duggins
10. Articles Published on The Toast That I Later Learned Were About Me, a Partial List, by Grave Lavery

Nine Important Excerpts From Editorial Conversations

Laneia: Kristin and Marni
if either one of you cares about me at all please send a test message to “all staff” in remind before i turn into potato salad
the gross kind, undercooked potatoes and olives
Kristin: Oh god I’m scared ok
Here goes
Laneia: if you don’t love me at my “potato salad with olives” you don’t deserve me at my “not bothering you about this anymore”

Robin: Where do we stand on my confetti canon? Should I bring it to camp?
Laneia: hopefully we stand in a pool of confetti

Rachel: Remember when riese was hospitalized at dinah and the person doing the billing asked riese who was helping her and she said ‘my friends’ and the person wrote down ‘my fans’
Riese: HAHAHAHA
my finest moment
Rachel: I think it speaks highly of you that they did not question in that moment that you had fans!
Heather: lolololol i never heard this part of that story
it’s perfect

Laneia: hey have y’all heard that the stonewall riots were 50 years ago
Heather: hmm. no, i don’t think anyone’s mentioned that.
Rachel: the what now
Riese: stonewall?
what’s that
is that the wall that was in germany
Laneia: that’s a good guess riese
Rachel: milieu of lgbt historical docudrama atomic blonde
Riese: great film

Carmen: After seeing Men in Black, I can only 100% agree with this: Are You Ready for the Summer of Hot Emma Thompson?
Drew: I still need to find a night to get appropriately high and go see Men in Black!!
Your review confirmed this to be the right approach
Carmen: ooooh yeah, it would’ve been better high

Lauren: guys how are well tellin staff about all these changes
i mean campers
how will campers know
aren’t the programs already printed?
Kristin: Yeah but INSERT
Robin: we are going to make an insert
its going to be great
Riese: Make an anal insert
Laneia: karen i was wondering if you’d heard about inserts
Robin: i have a whole vision for the insert lolol
Lauren: insert?
Riese: Talk about it a lot
Lauren: I DONT KNOW WHAT THE INSERTS ARE
Riese: You know
Kristin: Katch up Karen
Robin: yea like a little thing we stuff into every program that says “Program Changes”
Lauren: insert it in my brain please
Laneia: they’re going to revolutionize the way we have anal sex _and_ disseminate information
Riese: like when you go to see molly ringwald play sally bowles in cabaret on broadway
Kristin: Yes
Riese: and instead there’s an insert that says “the role of sally bowles will be played by Susie McNobodystein”
Robin: and also M&K will probably make announcements i assume
Lauren: ok
Kristin: Might even sing a song
Robin: make a song about schedule changes

Laneia: do y’all think that :rainbow: :bomb: :two_hearts: is a good series of emojis to convey pride
on instagram
Rachel: wish there was a brick emoji
is flaming sword a real emoji or just a slack emoji
Laneia: there is a brick emoji actually
it’s a stack of them
flaming sword is slack
sadly
unicode could really get some great ideas from us
Rachel: they’re wasting our talents

Riese: y’all i swear… i’m going to end up reading my grocery list at the reading at this rate
Robin: ooo do it in an australian accent

Robin: we probably need flags for this
Stef: now we need a flag team
CAMERON YOU’RE UP
Cameron: What
Stef: congratulations you get a flag
Cameron: What am I flagging
Lex: so like to be a ref you need to like know what football is right
Stef: :waving_white_flag:
surrender
Cameron: You just need to know the shape of a football I think which we all learned from Hey, Arnold! probably
Robin: is this what they look like
Cameron: I love giving up

Laneia: kristin is that flight the latest alex can board a plane that day or the earliest arrival in lax that day
Kristin: I just asked standing by for an answer
Laneia: this is fun
just some girls bonding
hanging out
Lauren: like a sleep over
Robin: planning camp is like having one long panic attack with your friends
Kristin: Alex has to work that day so she can (Hahahaha Robin) only get in by 7:45
Laneia: well fuck
Robin: i feel like we move the panel, put it on the insert, have someone pick her up
that is my gut opinion lol
Kristin: Yeah I think it’s mine too at this point
Laneia what was your suggested chess move
Laneia: i wonder what you thought about the schedule solution i suggested upthread?
idk man i’m just an unshowered 38 yr old woman standing in her kitchen asking it to unpack itself
Kristin: Ugh it’s so much moving
And I am a 38 yr old unshowered woman
Robin: same
Kristin: Imagine if we were white men
We’d be showered and sipping a cocktail
Laneia: omg imagine all the money we’d have
i would buy the most expensive hair products if i were a man
Kristin: I would have someone buy me expensive hair products
And put them in my hair FOR me
Laneia: so yeah i am just wondering schedulewise about the movements of the things, but for alex i agree that she just gets in on wednesday night
omg genius Kristin
Robin: laneia for the suggestion win then!
Laneia: i love winning YESSSSSS
first of all i want to thank riese for believing in me

HERE AND QUEER AT A-CAMP (photo by Molly Adams)

Best Laid Plan(ner)s

Every month a different editor will give you a sneak peak into their notebook organization situation. This month Rachel’s giving you a sneak peek tour of her planner!

What We’ve Been Reading

KaeLyn:Trust Exercise by Susan Choi

Carolyn: Permission by Saskia Vogel

Carrie: Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by adrienne maree brown

Natalie: The Queen by Josh Levin

Valerie Anne: The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone by Olivia Laing

Heather: Clairdelune: Book Two of The Mirror Visitor Quartet by Christelle Dabos

Al(aina): More Than Two: A Practical Guide to Ethical Polyamory by Franklin Veaux and Eve Rickert

Drew: How to Write an Autobiographical Novel: Essays by Alexander Chee

Riese: How to Write an Autobiographical Novel: Essays by Alexander Chee

Alexis: On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

Sarah: Salt by Nayyirah Waheed

Laneia: Mostly Dead Things by Kristen Arnett

Rachel Why We Dream, by Alice Robb

MEET A WRITER’S PET!

Get to know some of our writer’s pets. It’s Pride month, so we are going to diverge slightly from our normal pet coverage. Here’s a special interview with our Community Editor Vanessa’s Stuffed Unicorn, Princess Lilac! Edible Glitter for everybody! 

✨🌈🦄 ✨

What’s your favorite food (includes human food)?

What a great question. My favorite food of all times is glitter. I know that sounds like it isn’t edible, but my first parent, Vanessa, is one of the sparkliest queers in the world and she always has a lot of edible glitter on hand. She and I have had long talks about what “edible” really means in the context of “edible glitter,” and if it’s safe for humans or stuffed unicorns to be ingesting the stuff, but at the end of the day we both feel really committed to our brands and listen, I’m a giant pink stuffed unicorn. Of course my favorite food is glitter.

What’s your most perfect sleeping scenario?

My most perfect sleeping scenario is to be surrounded by a bunch of hot queer babes. I got born the weekend Vanessa had a slumber party themed birthday bash – she found me on sale in the Valentine’s Day section of Fred Meyer grocery store and just couldn’t resist – yes I know her birthday is in December but she was having a belated birthday party because she felt frustrated by all her friends being busy around her actual birthday with winter holiday obligations – anyways! – the weekend I got born a LOT of REALLY hot queer people used me as a prop for their photobooth pictures at Vanessa’s party, and then a big group of them fell asleep in a giant pile on Vanessa’s bed while cuddling me, so it just feels really right to reenact that scene as often as possible, you know? Perfect, you might say.

If you could have a home on the beach, near mountains, or in a lush forest, which would you pick and why?

Ohhhhh, great question. Definitely a lush forest! Which is so perfect because do you know where I live? I live in Portland, Oregon! Which is kind of like a lush forest! And in any case is very close to actual lush forest, isn’t that lucky? You almost could say I am hashtag blessed because honestly, I am living the dream! My dream! I am living my real and whole dream! I mean currently I actually live in Quinn’s bedroom, because when Vanessa decided to move to New York for school she thought it would be smart to let me stay in the place I feel settled and allow another babely queer to step in and co-parent me, which I truly appreciate, and Quinn and I are extremely bonded now, even though I still love Vanessa, but anyway what I’m trying to say is Quinn’s bedroom is also dreamy. Basically I am always living the dream because I’m an optimist. But I love lush forests. And Vanessa. And Quinn. And YOU!

Would you say you’ve seen a ghost?

A GHOST?!?!?! Absofuckinglutely not. I will not be taking further questions at this time la la la la la la ahhhhhhhhhhh OKAY NOW I AM SCARED WHY ARE YOU ASKING SCARY QUESTIONS?!?!?!?!?! IT IS PRIDE SEASON, FOR GODDESS SAKE! NO MORE SCARY QUESTIONS HERE EAT SOME GLITTER AND LET’S FORGET THIS EVER HAPPENED.

Which other stuffed animals do you look up to and why?

I’ve heard a lot about Riese’s Tinkerbell and I think she seems really cool but probably like, too cool for me. I’ve heard she has a real dog doppelganger named Carol and I don’t have one of those yet – an animal doppelganger, I mean. If anyone knows of a large pink unicorn with a purple mane that wants to be my real animal doppelganger they should get in touch!

What do you wish you could say to your Mom?

Vanessa and I speak a really similar language – some might call it GLITTER FEMME, maybe? Just spitballing here – so I don’t think there’s much I have to say to her that she hasn’t already heard! I want her to know I’m very happy with my new parent Quinn but that I still miss her a lot, and that I hope she moves in with Quinn one day so we can all live under one roof, next door to Nate and Megan, like one giant blended family.

SLACKERS

Gentleman Jack emoji arrived in Slack right before we left for camp, just thought you should know.

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Hot Hot Summer Retro-Reading

Some posts for you to enjoy as the summer warms up and threatens to consume you.

via Grease Bats: Summer Exes

Get Baked: Summer Berry Cobbler With Buttermilk Biscuit Crust, by Laneia (2015) – This is more than just a recipe it’s like… an experience. I love when Laneia publishes a food post because I always know it’s actually gonna be a personal essay!

How to Keep Your Summer Makeup Looking Cool When It’s Hot Hot Hot, by Nora (2017) – How to stop your face from melting off your face as the earth gradually warms, heating towards an ultimate boil!

55 Popsicles to Make Your Summer a Breeze, by Al (2017) – “Lights up. Your girlfriend, Jan, calls you from home as you’re walking down the street. “Babe, I found a popsicle mold in our neighbor’s free box! I’ll make us something to survive this heat wave!” You smile. Your step quickens knowing that when you get home, the love of your life will have prepared you something refreshing. Lights fade out on you, walking into the sunset, smiling.”

Unashamed To Be Fat: Wear the Shorts, It’s F*cking Hot Outside, by El Sanchez (2014) – “We are not wearing shorts in public to make people want to fuck us. We are wearing shorts because it’s summer and IT’S FUCKING HOT OUTSIDE.”

Playlist: It Was The Summer of ’99, by Riese (2018) – This is a playlist but it was also basically a personal essay about the summer of ’99? I don’t know I was thinking about it a lot.

Top Ten Ways to Survive the Summer Without Air Conditioning, by Rachel (2014) – Rachel really provided a timeless service for the world with this one.

The Day Pride Died

Heather: i saw rainbow aioli tonight so that’s a wrap on my personal 2019 pride
Vanessa: heather
like…the condiment???
Heather: YES
on — wait for it — fish tacos
Stef: i was about to ask!!!!!
Natalie: Wow
Stef: was it like a flavored aioli or was it just swirly mayonnaise
Heather: garlic rainbow swirly mayo
Stef: garlic is the flavor of pride for sure
Vanessa: wooooooow
well that’s that
Stef: were the fish gay
Vanessa: pride is over
Stef: on the taco
did anybody check to see if the fish were gay
Heather: i didn’t ask because the man who ordered them next to us at the bar was explaining basketball and i didn’t want to have to stab him at the same exact moment pride died
Stef: i’ll always remember where i was when pride died
Heather: 

Vanessa: HEATHER
Heather: and that’s not even where i was. i just searched “rainbow aioli fish tacos.” IT’S AN EPIDEMIC!
Vanessa: jesus christ
Stef: like vanessa wouldn’t have done this with ombre pink aioli
Vanessa: I never would have

Five Posts Rachel Can’t Believe You Motherf*ckers Didn’t Read Last Month

The True Story Behind ACT UP and Sandra Bernhard’s Character on “Pose”, by Carmen

We’re already so lucky to have Pose on our teevee and laptop screens, and during Pride month it’s even more exciting and resonant to unpack the storylines based on our real history — I’m so grateful for Carmen’s thoughtful explanation of Sandra Bernhard’s character and the real-life lesbians of the AIDS epidemic and ACT UP! There are so many cool facts from primary sources Carmen included here; check it out!

“Vida” Showrunner Tanya Saracho on Working in a Room Filled With Latinx Creators and Getting Queer Sex Right, by Yvonne

Even if for some reason you aren’t gripped by the promise of detailed descriptions of how cool and nice Roberta Colindrez is and how they choreographed the bathroom sex scene, you will still undoubtedly swoon over Yvonne’s writing and rapport with Tanya.

Insta Crush, by Vanessa

HELLO have you checked out Vanessa’s new series, in which we all get to learn more about the cool, talented, hilarious, hot, sometimes stoned geniuses that Vanessa meets via Instagram? Longtime friends of the show will remember one of Vanessa’s seminal projects, Straddler on the Street, and will be delighted to know that she’s still brilliant at getting to know fascinating people and drawing out and highlighting the coolest, weirdest, most authentic things about them.

Going Outside with Joshua Jennifer Espinoza, by Drew

A really good interview is always at its best a conversation you’re privileged enough to witness, in which both interviewer and interviewee get to be real people who form a real connection in front of us. You will not be shocked that Drew is just such one really good interviewer/profiler, and that this piece about hanging out with Joshua Jennifer Espinoza is smart and tender and raw and will stay with you for a long time (and is a great entry to JJE’s work if you haven’t read her before!).

Georgia’s Abortion Ban Can’t Be Defeated Without Queer and Trans Black Women and Femmes, by Neesha

It already feels like the Georgia abortion ban was six months ago, but reader, it was not. The best piece I’ve read on it was from Neesha, whose reported piece on the queer and trans black women and femmes who have already been doing the work in the South is required reading on how progressive responses to reactionary policy need to move forward.

May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor

Laneia: christ i hope she has insurance
Heather: she does, thank goodness
Laneia: can you imagine just getting a major medical procedure w/out needing to move money from 3 separate credit cards first
Heather: no i sure cannot
AMERICA!
Rachel: we’re all doing great
Heather: and dental insurance is such a fucking joke
Rachel: yeah dental insurance is extremely not real
Heather: it’s like getting one of those rite aid coupons for 30% off that you have to use that day and on no sale items
Rachel: I do appreciate that we get batteries along with our electric toothbrush heads
that’s kind of the big draw for me
Heather: and it’s packaged so neatly!
you can also get bonus lasers in the beam dental video game if you brush your teeth with the app on
Heather: 

Laneia: wow y’all are living a little dream
Rachel: 🙃

Social Media Spotlight

It was a big month for love not being a lie on the queer lady internet. Carmen’s recap of the night we spent with Roxane Gay and Debbie Millman at A-Camp was a big reason for that. Maybe you saw the comments, but you also deserve to see the tweets.

MY FAVORITE COUPLE

— sarah starwars (@sarsquared) June 18, 2019

legit tears at “Whatever Debbie wants.”

— Lori (@butyinthebrkdwn) June 18, 2019

im going to throw up this is the sweetest thing I’ve ever read 😭💕

— exhausted young woman (@hello_aubs) June 18, 2019

Legit crying happy tears at work @rgay Congrats to you both <3

— Emma Osborne⚡️ (@redscribe) June 18, 2019

MAYBE LOVE ISN’T DEAD AJ

— Emma Osborne⚡️ (@redscribe) June 18, 2019

this is beyond delightful – i legit yelled 'ROXANE'S GOT A SWEETIE' – but @rgay i need to know about THAT JACKET, please

— Caryn Rose (@carynrose) June 18, 2019

@rgay so happy for their love!

— Martine Joelle ✨☸️🏳️‍🌈 (@martinejoelle) June 18, 2019

😍 Power couple! And so much respect for their story. ❤️

— d͡ʒɛɹmi bearimy (@GeremyGood) June 18, 2019

Nothing makes me happier than this article I read it every day https://t.co/AmbcCgESpS

— VILLANELLE (@_mollyrr) June 21, 2019

I mean, if Roxane says so, it must be true. My world is shaken. https://t.co/CzhLbU3r5d

— Jess (@jessicaesquire) June 19, 2019

I’m not crying, move. https://t.co/tpKUMcZY6N

— Ashlee🌱🌕 (@ashleeaburnett) June 19, 2019

https://twitter.com/gittelspawn/status/1141110227246419973

This is the cutest gay shit I ever read. https://t.co/pqB7kP19cQ

— Emily, sudden daytime logic-bot 🤖📊 (@EmilyMooseGoose) June 18, 2019

this is the cutest lovie dovie shit i've read in ages. recommended🐥 https://t.co/G8cyeP8BNq

— هبة (@hajooj_) June 18, 2019

LOVE MIGHT BE REAL?????????? https://t.co/eM62853CqE

— 👻🎃🌙 (@telis) June 18, 2019

Some winners at A-Camp after their very impressively coordinated and rehearsed performance for Homecoming Court! (photo by Molly Adams)

WE LOVE ALL THE JILLS HERE THOUGH

I saw this horrifying image on Shutterstock when I searched “baby names” and now you have to see it too.

Rachel: debbie has such powerful ex-girlfriend energy as a name
Heather: truly!
Laneia: it’s up there with tonya
Heather: tonya may be the ultimate one. rachel you should investigate this.
Rachel: hm we could do a bracket
i’m into this idea
Heather: honestly rachel is a really good strong ex-girlfriend name
RACH-el
Laneia: i was about to say, stacy is a hard-hitter as well
Heather: oh stacy too for sure
Rachel: I am not saying you’re wrong heather but I am saying you have an ex named rachel
which I think is a slight bias
Laneia: !
Heather: and stacy has two exes named rachel!
both of whom i actually love a lot
stacy’s only ex that i have a problem with is jill
Laneia: gross
Heather: thank you
Rachel: franklin had an ex named jaycee and obviously the only other jaycee on earth is jaycee dugard
Heather: her parents must have hated her too
Laneia: just name the poor thing mud
Heather: JAYCEE
Rachel: so it is difficult to disentangle them for me, conceptually
Heather: well of course
Laneia: for sure the same person
Heather: my college ex-boyfriend has the all-time best ever ex-boyfriend from rural georgia name
chip
chip carter
Rachel: CHIP
I remember chip
Heather: thomas william carter III
chip
Rachel: it’s a pity he never ran for office
the name is right there
Heather: his dad sold chevy camaros, obviously
i think chip owns like some zaxby’s now
Laneia: oh my god

XOXO

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