Editor’s Notes: On Black History Month 2021
I am unapologetically, over the moon, absolutely just cheesy cornball, would probably make you roll your eyes levels, proud of being Black, especially during this — the 28 Blackest days of the year.
the speakeasy
Everything That Matters Is Stuck in the Back of My Throat
All I have is an ellipsis. Grief is a flat circle. And I never imagined I would have to live through grieving her.
Queering Faith: Reclaiming the Holy of Sexuality
How do you tell them your poem about pussy doesn’t negate your love for God? That your spirituality isn’t separate but an extension of you?
Wrestling With Kamala and Beyond: Reckoning With Blackness, Womanhood, and What Comes Next
I am ready to be fearless. To dream beyond Black womanhood and know that I — Black, queer, and not-quite-sure — am worthy, so worthy of all of the love, affirmation, and power the universe can muster.
Gender Fluidity and the Black Atlantic
I always wonder what words my ancestors had for someone like me. In embracing my genderfluid identity, I’ve found great comfort in the deep and wide of the Atlantic — the way the water connects me to kin, named or unknown.
Six Black Queer Travelers Share How They Attempt to Locate Community Around the Globe
As a Black queer traveler, there are a whole host of reasons why finding other Black queer communities can be difficult. Black Queer Travel Guide spoke to six Black queer people about their experiences of trying to find Black queer family wherever they go.
Making Amends with Valentine’s Day
I hid behind instruments, computers, Whitney’s voice, Prince’s guitar. I sat in front of my computer surrounded by cassettes, illegally downloading songs, awkwardly whispering “I love you more than I know how to explain and I’m scared so here’s a mixtape I made you.”
Foolish Child #90: It’s Black History Month, I’m on Break
Are you asking me if I want to work more than just my regular work days? In Black History Month!?!
Sundance 2021: “My Name Is Pauli Murray” Shines Brightest When Pauli Murray Takes the Lead
Pauli Murray was unspeakably brilliant, and their warmth is best captured on their own terms. With over 141 boxes of writings, 800 photographs, and dozens of tapes — the documentary “My Name Is Pauli Murray” shines brightest when it lets Murray take the reigns.
Dr. Martin Luther King and the Ferocious Possibilities of Black Liberation in Our Darkest Hour
It feels impossible not to see this Martin Luther King Day as one of grief and mourning. But Dr. King’s soft words were never going to save us. Look to his playbook instead.
Foolish Child #87: It’s Sedition!
“Are you watching white supremacists storm the capitol while eating a bowl of popcorn??”
“The United States vs. Billie Holiday” Trailer: Andra Day Stuns as the Black Bisexual Legend
Lee Daniels’ new film follows the icon through her addiction, jail time, queerness (Natasha Lyonne stars as her lover Tallulah Bankhead!), and her fight with the feds.
Reading List for the Revolution: Angela Davis & Radical Inspiration for 2021
What if we all committed to a radical reading list for 2021? What would we learn? And with this, what could we do? This collection of books will set you up with hope and pathways toward radical change in 2021.
Year of Our (Audre) Lorde: December’s Prologue
Like so many others, I’ve been chirping about the end of 2020, as if the transition from one year to the next will somehow magically suture our open wounds.
Viola Davis Towers in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” Giving Life to a Black Queer Legend
In Viola Davis’ hands, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” becomes a complex portrait of a queer Black woman hurricane whose footprints loom large over the last 100 years.
Queer Latina Tiffany Cabán Is Running For NYC Council, Bringing Hope To 2021
She ran a progressive campaign for Queens DA that put New York’s establishment on notice, and now has NYC Council in sight. “It’s not about good people or bad people, it’s just about people. We need to divest from policing and incarceration and invest in the true sources of safety.”
Year of Our (Audre) Lorde: November’s Sister Love
It has felt hard to state how much I’ve been missing my family lately. But Audre Lorde and Pat Parker’s relationship is a testament to the life-affirming power of queer kinship. Their enduring love attests to the power and beauty of Black queer sisterhood.
The Angsty Buddhist: “Avatar” & Telling Our Own Stories
I don’t think it matters much whether Avatar: The Last Airbender is “respectful” of Asian culture. I think the show is racist, and also I like it. I’m interested in what we do with the sense of agency it gives us, how it allows us to critique the structures that exist and envision our own worlds.
My Coming Out As Told Through The Outfits In “A New York Christmas Wedding”
I originally added this movie to my queue because, well, It was black. I love black people, I adore Christmas and I wanted to check out and support black films and who knows, maybe I would find a new classic. I started watching and quickly realized that not only did it feature a mostly POC cast — IT WAS QUEER!
“A New York Christmas Wedding” Asks You to Believe in the Power of Love at Christmas
I love Christmas. I love having a guardian gayngel. And even when the movie is not great, I love a queer Afro-Latina in New York getting her very own Gay Christmas Love Story.
The Angsty Buddhist: Chronic Pain & Trying Not To Be A White Yoga Lady
I’ve been told I should try to reclaim my ancestral healing practices, and this is something I would like to do. When I try to learn about Chinese things, it feels performed. I wonder if me learning qigong is any better than white lady yoga.