The Comment Awards Love You, and You, and You!

width=

Hi, pals! I’m back from A-Camp, and in the spirit of Camp, and the general spirit of Autostraddle, I’m about to have some feelings.

We – commenters, writers, all of us who make up this big crazy experience – say this thing sometimes around the site. We say “I love you.” We say it to people we’ve met, and we say it to people we’ve never met “in real life.” And today, I just want you to know that it’s true. I do love you.

I met some of you at the base of a mountain this past week, and…I just love you. I do. I love the glitter warriors, and I love the dapper diners, and I love the sweet, sweet people at the pool, in their bikinis, and their binders, and the people just in their bottoms. I love your laughter and your vulnerability and all of the things you do to tell the rest of us that we’re wanted in these spaces.

It’s cliché to say “generosity of spirit,” but the true open-heartedness with which so many of us met this last week, and with which so many of us meet every week on this place on the internet, rips my heart open and rebuilds it, constantly. The ways you celebrate yourselves and each other – the care and compassion you’ve given me teaches me something about having compassion for myself.

I think you’re beautiful, and perfect, and shiny, and brave, and I just love you so fucking much.

So! This week, Brittney reminded us to practice self-care.

Dr. Arizona Robbins worked her last day at ~~Seattle Grace~~ ~~Seattle Grace Mercy West~~ Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.

Trying to make friends as an adult? Molly’s got ya!

Super Late Bloomer looks so, so good!

More good news for Twenty Gay-Teen: Federal Judge Sides With Gavin Grimm in History-Making Ruling for Transgender Rights!

Listen, I did not know this was relevant to my interests, but it WAS.

And then there were your comments!

On Monday Roundtable: Queer Culture We Just Can’t Get Into:

The They Will Come Award to hihello:

i dreamt of a non-alcohol-based, non-sporting, eat-what-you-will queer gathering that concluded well before 11:30 p.m. and involved no cats, clubs, or Carol, and lo, my dream was made real there was definitely some astrology talk though

On Sunday Funday Is Getting A Lesbian President:

The Couple Confusion Award to kay:

am I the only one who saw the Aniston Tig thing and was immediately both excited and baffled – and also like deadpan Paris Hiltoned “That’s hot”.

On Also.Also.Also: Lea DeLaria and Cameron Esposito Want to Teach You How to Fist and More New Week News:

The Way, The Truth and The Light Award to Natalie and Linnea:

Natalie: A Beyoncé Mass? I’d be in church EVERY SUNDAY. “Honestly, I think Beyoncé is a better theologian than many of the pastors and priests in our church today.

On 9 Books That Got Us Through Breakups, We’ll Just Leave Them Right Here For You:

The Distinguished Author Award to Denise:

Or I could just read my decades worth of journals. Talk about sad break-up essays. They aren’t overly dramatic, AT ALL.

On Goodbye Arizona Robbins, Television’s Longest-Running Lesbian Character:

The Custom URL Award to Beth:

Arizona Robbins made me gay dot tumblr dot com I figured myself out through watching the Callie/Arizona relationship unfold. It helped me realize that being queer was an actual possibility for me and that there’s joy to be found in being authentically you. Also, dimples.

And on A-Camp X Was a Huge Success and We’d Like to Have Some Feelings About It Together:

The Even Stevens Award to CJ and Dani Z:

Okay but who am I supposed to practise what I learned in Cee’s shibari rope workshop on..?

Shia LaBeouf, obvs. (Also like in all seriousness probably any and every single person at camp if you asked. You’re a babe.)

The Casualty Award to Amanda:

Let’s put it this way: I broke my arm and it was the best time of my life. It really was the best group of people and it was nice being able to just approach others and kick off a conversation together. It was my first A-Camp but it won’t be my last. (Maybe no arm wrestling next year though)