Hello! Here’s a thing about me: I love to read YA. I particularly love to read the YA that I wish baby Queer Girl had been able to access when she was a teen – books that make me feel powerful, books that tell me I’m not alone, books that make me feel seen.
All the way back in 2016 (were we ever so young?), in a fall books round-up, Carolyn recommended Not Your Sidekick, by C.B. Lee; last week, I finally managed to buy and read it! I don’t want to spoil the plot, but it made me feel all of the things I mention above, and it (and a conversation with Straddler Katie) got me thinking about every day superpowers. Like how I can always grab the exact number of envelopes I need for a project at work, or how I always manage to catch the eye of babies, who then beam at me (and I beam back, it’s a whole thing), when I’m out in public places. Ordinary superpowers: everybody’s got at least one, and I KNOW you’ve got one too. Want to tell us about it?
This week, activist, model and The L Word: Generation Q actress Jillian Mercado came out!
It’s the end of a decade! (What?!) Rachel brought us 80 of the best queer books, Abeni rounded up 50 of the best queer and trans albums, and Drew put together 50 of the best queer movies of the decade. We are so blessed!
For You Need Help, Abeni answered a letter from a trans lesbian who isn’t sure where to begin.
This is EVERYTHING: The 12 Queer Sex Positions Of Christmas.
Autostraddle has a new Deputy Editor! Hi, Kamala!
On Good Trouble, Stef and Lena returned to the Coterie!
Want to have phone sex? Vanessa’s got everything you need to know.
Ooh, mocktails!
And then there were your comments.
On “The L Word: Generation Q” Episode 102 Recap: Less Is More:
The Unvarnished Love Award to Deli Twotone:
On 8 Cute Queer Holiday Romances to Snuggle up with this Holigay Season:
The Eight Crazy Nights Award to Chandra:
On 17 Very Good Queer Meme Instagram Accounts to Follow:
The Spiked Award to Morgan le Gay:
On The 12 Queer Sex Positions Of Christmas:
The Dreams Come True Award to Archie:
On The 50 Best Lesbian, Queer, and Bisexual Movies of the Decade:
The Minority Report Award to Tam:
On Welcome Our New Autostraddle Deputy Editor, Kamala Puligandla!
The Oasis Award to shamblebot:
And on Pop Culture Fix: Hallmark Accidentally Started a Lesbian Christmas Movie Avalanche:
The Thanks, I Hate It Award to Kristana:
![Look, I know that we love women and we love cats, but that we’re not supposed to mix the two up. Still, that picture does something for me. [Image of Taylor Swift in CATS]](https://www.autostraddle.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Screen-Shot-2019-12-19-at-8.43.47-PM.png?resize=710%2C525)
See a comment that needs to be here? Let me know! Write “comment award” below the comment, or tag me! I’m [at] queergirl.
The Unvarnished Love Award
Brilliant
Seconded, for both the comment itself and the award title
After using an orbital sander to make the surface receptive, of course
Slow circles work best
You’ll want to use a fine grit for this kind of job
I’d rather just get nailed
Slow silky strokes, following the grain.
A well constructed bench should use tongue in groove joints
That final picture is also doing things to me but non of those are good things…
Ah well, whatever floats your goat!
same, lol
It’s the Uncatty Valley
(I feel like I’ve used this pun before but it fits so whatever)
How can you not like Tail-or Swift?
It’s such a purrfect pun, it can absolutely be used more than once!
Let’s not get our whiskers in a bunch.
Oh look, a bench !
Wow, thanks QG ! Truly it’s all down to Riese and her wonderful captions. They lacquer for nothing.
And gratitude to everyone in the Comments’ comments for showing me exactly what I want to be in my next life. But you must come with.
Bagsy being the inner one in the nest of tables…
Come again with that wonderful British slang
Coming again has been the theme of this entire thread
Honestly you come up with the very, very best award titles, qg!
Everyday superpowers: fitting 3 x more into a carry-on than it holds. Getting tea and toast to be ready at the exact same time…lol neither close to as good as yours!
Oh wait, I just re-read and your superpower was catching the eye of babies, not babes, qg 😂
@snaelle, for sure @queergirl makes every babe feel shiny and new
Oh this reminded me of the David O’Doherty song ‘Very mild superpowers’! It’s very funny!
I’m surprisingly good at lifting heavy furniture. I’m also really good at looking at a crocheted item and recreating it without a pattern. In return I got some super-weaknesses too. Often when I sing babies start to cry and I tend to walk in to things a lot.
My superpowers: cake wrecks, and ability to orgasm within 60 seconds if required. But I’m all about separation of the powers so I don’t multi-task with these gifts.
I’d for sure like some of that cake though, were you ever to multitask
I’ve been trying to figure out in what situation having an orgasm within 60 seconds is required. Fun? Convenient? Sure. But required?
This created an image in my mind of an adorable character in a Miyazaka film catering to a more adult crowd. Whimsical and magical. Now we just need a small conflict to drive the plot, and a cast of quirky but charming support characters!
There’ll be no shortage of people in here to provide the cats!!
Me! Yow
see @undercity witch there’s a use for your purring already!
LOVE YOUS LOVE YOUR SUPERPOWERS
I had a feeling Chandra’s Chanukah fairy comment would get a comment award when I read it – brilliant literary analysis!
One of my super powers is making things fit – I’m excellent at packing suitcases and moving boxes and cars etc.
Aw thanks 💚