We’ve done a lot of “End of Year” lists this year, 10 of them in fact! Reaching from television and film to music to even our own most read posts of the year. And as we bring 2021 to a close, we wanted to end our recap of the year’s best on a personal note.
We asked our editors to pick one thing published on Autostraddle[dot com] in 2021 that they had absolutely zero things to do with. Something that they loved purely as a reader. A lot of what happens behind the scenes of our scrappy indie media empire — haha — can go unseen, but Autostraddle is for most of us a job of passion and care. We got into editing here because we loved reading here. We hope you love reading here, too! And end of year reflections are a great time to honor that.
Right away we should also note that these are only SOME of our favorites! This is a curated selection, and by no means a complete list! For example, Carmen would want you to know that Vanessa’s series on grief has helped her cope with a lot of her own and that Ro’s “Yes, Some Of Us Use Dental Dams (And They’re Hot)” was the funniest, most straight forward and comfortable piece of sex education she read last year. And that’s just the beginning!
What were some of yours? Thank you for reading Autostraddle! This job has a lot of long hours and hunched backs and finger cramps and (ok, it’s the end of the year, we can be honest) cold cereal for dinner, but it’s also a lot of love and you know what? Being able to tell our queer stories, on our own terms? There’s no greater honor.
Thank you, always, for trusting us with it. We hope that we do you proud.
Sincerely,
Your Editors
Comments
Ro! You made me cry in such a nice way! Thank you!
<3 <3 <3!
This is a beautiful way to recap the year.
I loved all of the articles mentioned here and often recommend articles from AS to straight/cis friends and family because they are just SO GOOD I want to share with everyone.
Of the articles published during 2021 I will hold Rachels goodbye and Laneias Essay during the 2nd fundraiser close to my heart. <3 they mean so much to me <3
This was the sweetest thing to read! Not only do I have a list of articles to visit or revist, but I can rest affirmed in the community of writers who hold so much love and care for each other and to us, the readers. Thank you!
These are all incredible posts and really just represent just how much the writers have accomplished around here this year in general!! SO PROUD TO WORK HERE WITH YOU ALL <3
My fav this year was also Drew’s interview with Daniela Sea. It changed and healed my relationship with my transmasc identity and broke my heart for the way that media representation can get it so wrong and do so much damage.
I also look forward to the pieces on this list that I haven’t read yet.
i loved that one too! so much!