The hardest part about being a Brown person who was socialized as a girl was enduring the constant jabs about my hair. I hit puberty at 9, which meant that there were years and years of constant insecurity about my hair. It was too much, too messy, and there was always hair in all the wrong places. The hair on my head was beautiful, thick, and long, but the hair on my body was ugly, thick, and wrong. As a Brown person, my facial and body hair were always under scrutiny, especially because my hair grew at faster rates (and was much thicker) than my other peers. I was tormented for my Frida Kahlo-like brows, for my arms that looked like a werewolf’s, for my body not being up to par with white, cishet beauty standards. One time, my aunt cruelly joked that she was going to gift me money for laser hair removal because the hair on my arms was too much for her.
“Filthy Animals”: An Exploration of Queer Sexuality and Masculinity
I recently read “Filthy Animals” by Brandon Taylor, which was released last year in 2021. I’d been looking to read more explicitly queer novels, ones that explored themes outside traditional YA themes. “Filthy Animals” is an exploration of queer sexuality and masculinity, a book that seems to understand the contradictions between all levels of queer identity. It is a book that aims to explore generational trauma, the past haunting its characters like an ambivalent ghost where the characters crave an intimacy they haven’t before.
“Abortion Weekend”: Respecting Multiple Personhoods
I recently saw a play called “Abortion Weekend,” directed, produced, and written by two Black queer creatives, Mareshah Dupree and Jairis Carter. “Abortion Weekend” is exactly what the play is titled: a young pregnant woman and her friend trying to figure out how to induce a miscarriage during the last weekend of the summer.
Fragile Dandelions
Photo by Zoë Collins This piece was originally published in our Winter 2022 Volume 2 print issue “Wanting: A Queer Beauty & Burden.“ I love you. The first time I said it, my hands shook, my heart beating as fast…
I Don’t Get To Choose Who I Love: An Essay on Bisexuality
Photo by Zoë Colliins (she/her) I used to wonder if there was something wrong with me. I had an affinity for all genders but was often told that it was impossible because, eventually, I’d have to “choose” my future lover…
My Body Is Not Your Political Playground
Photo by Caitlin Ochs/Reuters On Monday, May 2, 2022, documents leaked from the Supreme Court that Roe v. Wade would be struck down. This didn’t surprise me. For years, I knew that this was a possibility. Since the election of…
“The Batman” (2022): A Bisexual’s Superhero Dream
Official film still provided by Warner Bros Entertainment **This article contains spoilers for “The Batman” (2022).** I will admit, I am a fan of superhero movies. Since I was a child, I watched both Marvel and DC films, preferring the…
We Must Demand UCLA Continue Masking & Testing Protocols
Photo by Ashley Kenney/Daily Bruin Spending the last two years in the pandemic and trying to avoid getting sick with COVID-19 (or anything else, for that matter) has shown me a very scary cycle that the country goes through. When…
“Encanto”: Being the Family’s Black Sheep
Still from Disney’s “Encanto“ (2021) **This article contains spoilers for Disney’s “Encanto” (2021).** In late November of 2021, Disney released the long-anticipated movie “Encanto.” The film centers around a mestiza, Colombian family, the Madrigals, who were blessed with magical powers…
Striking For Our Safety: The Community Calls For Hybrid Options
Photo provided by the Disabled Student Union (DSU), Undergraduate Students Association Council (USAC), and Mother Organizations Coalition (MO) In the Fall quarter of 2021, I covered a student protest led by the Disabled Student Union (DSU). The demands for transparency…