What To Read
Read This Now
What HBO’s “The Last of Us” Meant For an AIDS Crisis Survivor
The show’s episode about an older gay couple’s love in a dire setting brought back memories of commitment and heartbreaking loss in a time when much of society was unable — or unwilling — to help.
Queerphobia and Fatphobia in Criticism of Sam Smith
Non-binary singer Sam Smith has caused waves with the release of their music video for I’m Not Here to Make Friends, a triumphantly queer declaration of joy and confidence.
From Insult to Empowerment: The Journey of the Word Queer
While there is a clear history of the word being used in aggressive and insulting ways, the meaning(s) and uses of queer have never been singular, simple or stable.
Review: Hijab Butch Blues
Lamya H’s Hijab Butch Blues is a powerful and life-affirming story of coming-of-age and self-discovery.
I Wanna Dance With Somebody: A Fleeting Glimpse of Queer Black Joy
I Wanna Dance with Somebody charts the life of global superstar Whitney Houston in an epic narrative of talent and struggle.
Review: Broken Valley
Owen Lach’s Broken Valley is a captivating queer science fiction tale that blends clever world-building, breathless action, and thoughtful, compelling relationships.
Categories
Categories
INTERVIEWS
BOOKS
QUEER LIFE
TRANS LIFE
MEDIA
MUSIC
ARTS
INTERVIEWS

Featured
Story
Despite Bans, Queer YA Books Are Still Selling Well
by Jennifer Gerson | Sep 1, 2022
When Phil Stamper was growing up in the early 2000s, he couldn’t go into a Barnes & Noble and find an LGBTQ+ section for young adults.
“There weren’t enough books to fill those shelves,” Stamper, a popular author of contemporary, queer young adult (YA) novels, told The 19th. His latest book, “Small Town Pride,” released in May, is deeply rooted in his own lived experience of being gay in a rural community which now, thanks to books like his, might feel less isolating.
“Now, you can go into any bookstore or library in even the smallest and most conservative town, and you will find a section. It’s crazy to go home to rural Ohio, where I was raised, and find my book in any bookstore there.”

MEDIA
Celebrating Contemporary Black Film
Yes, #OscarsSoWhite – but there are still plenty of reasons to celebrate contemporary Black film
What HBO’s “The Last of Us” Meant For an AIDS Crisis Survivor
The show’s episode about an older gay couple’s love in a dire setting brought back memories of commitment and heartbreaking loss in a time when much of society was unable — or unwilling — to help.
Queerphobia and Fatphobia in Criticism of Sam Smith
Non-binary singer Sam Smith has caused waves with the release of their music video for I’m Not Here to Make Friends, a triumphantly queer declaration of joy and confidence.
Beyond BMI: A New Book Embodies Fat Liberation
In her new book Weightless: Making Space for My Resilient Body and Soul, Evette Dionne takes readers on a personal and political journey that begins with her own health issues and her resultant encounters with fatphobia in the medical establishment.