Good morning, shamrocks! We’re got just a few days left to celebrate Autostraddle’s 13th birthday with a membership or donation! For my 13th birthday, I had a party where I received eight (8) identical gift sets from Bath and Body Works, my friends and I sang along to Chumbawamba, and my goth friend gave my Christian friend a whole entire makeover, complete with black eyeliner, a black velvet top from my closet, and a choker. How did YOU celebrate 13?
This week, Carmen would like to know: have you considered 90s Angelina Jolie?
Much like my actual adolescence, 13 Going on 30 was…kinda gay, actually.
Another spring, another set of crafts Vanessa didn’t try during the winter but will probably definitely get to next year!
Oh WOW, this resonated: Being or Becoming Real.
Em helped a reader who can’t quite find their vibe.
Yashwina spoke to Melissa Febos about her new book, Bodywork. This was so good!!!
There has never been a better time to join A+, because you! Too! Could set up the brackets for Autostraddle’s March Madness!
Hahaha oh wow pals we are so gay: The Gayest Things You Did at 13. This list will give me life FOREVER.
And then there were your comments!
On Have You Considered… Angelina Jolie in the 90s?
The Geocities, Gia Cities Award to Brandi:
On The 30 Gayest Things About the Supposedly Straight Rom-Com “13 Going On 30”:
The 30, Flirty and…Isolating Award to Em:
The Mostly Dead Things Award to Sollemnia and Iarran mé:
On “Astrid & Lilly Save the World” and Crush on Girls:
The I Feel Seen Award to Sasha:
On Melissa Febos on “Body Work,” Medieval Women, and First Drafts:
The Mystics, Avengers and Nuns, Oh My Award to Gina and Iarran mé:
On No Filter: “What Is Ashley Benson Doing Right Now?” Is Something I Wonder Often:
The Better to Have Loved and Lost Award to vavavoom:
And on The Gayest Things You Did at 13:
The Bosom Friends Award to Ally and Phibley:
See a comment that needs to be here? Let me know! Tag me [at] queergirl.
QG witnessing a Christian to Goth makeover on your 13th birthday is just… I’m gobsmacked. What an awesome prezzy.
RIGHT? It was so good and the only thing better would’ve been someone giving me a makeover, the energy is unparalleled lol
I’m loving all this 13th Birthday energy. Mine was… not very memorable but I’m sure there are some lovely, awkward pictures at my parents’ house that might jog my memory. I’ll have to look the next time I go over there 😂
oooh
ok i’ve got a question for you, what video game were you playing at 13? i think we’d just bought Riven and I was doing exactly what I’d done with Myst — running around exploring the environment without any clue how to play the game lol
This is such a mood! When I turned 13 I played a bunch of Sega Genesis games (since I bought one with my lawnmowing & babysitting earnings from the prev. summer). At that point it would’ve been mostly Sonic The Hedgehog 2 🦔🦊💎 and Jurassic Park 🏃🏼♀️💥🦕🦖
On our (still very new!) computer, I played a ton of Windows 3.1 Solitaire, a very basic flight sim called Jetfighter II, and my prized game at the time: Lemmings 2. Those latter two games came on floppy disks which I still have! 💾
ooooh, you were allowed to have a video game system! teen qg would’ve been SO jealous
Two in one week! 🥳 Thanks QG!
<3!