Art & Illustration

Defy, Protect, Celebrate

Defy erasure. Protect history. Celebrate community.

Protect our migrants

Immigration is the heart of what has built the United States as a collection of diverse communities, rich in varied cultures, languages, backgrounds, but unified in their ability to contribute to the society they call home. The current U.S. administration has been merciless in its campaign of anti-immigrant sentiment and policy. ICE raids terrorize neighborhoods, mass deportation leaves families devastated and tortured under inhumane conditions. Migrants, outstanding reflections of the so-called ‘American Dream,’ must live in fear as the nation that should have welcomed their efforts only punishes them brutally, calling them the ‘enemy.’ It is vital in such challenging times that we stand in solidarity with immigrants, that we support their cause in resisting the injustice they are currently facing. In this way, we recognize the beauty and strength in a U.S. that is defined by diversity, collective unity, and acceptance.

Elis Lundholm: The first (out) trans athlete in the Winter Olympics

Elis Lundholm is a 23-year-old mogul skier from Sweden. He is the first openly transgender athlete to ever compete in the Winter Olympics. He identifies as a transgender man and uses he/him pronouns in English, but competes in the women’s category. In his recent Olympic debut, the NBC announcers proceeded to misgender him multiple times despite the announcers at the event gendering him correctly. NBC later apologized and cut the footage of his segment, unfortunately deleting the footage of this historic moment. He finished 25th in his category but has made history as the first not only openly trans man to compete, but also the first transgender athlete to compete in the Winter Olympics. At a time when trans people in sports have become so demonized, I think it’s important to see people like Elis compete and prove that we deserve to be here just like anybody else.

Step on ICE

As families are viciously torn apart and lives are being upturned due to ongoing ICE crackdowns, we have to stand together and be there for our community and our people. ICE is not welcome — not here, not anywhere. People should not have to live every day in fear wondering if their life or the lives of their loved ones will change at any second. People should not be afraid of stepping outside of their homes, picking their kids up from school, going to work — living their lives. We can not and will not rest until this is no longer our reality and ICE is abolished.

Partners in Slime

Happy early Valentine’s Day to all! No matter how you’re celebrating, take care of your loved ones and keep it weird.

In a world where I am loved

Becoming an adult was defined by overcoming queer trauma. There are days where I fall back into feeling like I am not lovable. But the friendships I have found pull me back into reality, into a world where I am loved and can exist authentically. And so I write them all down in my book and read them to myself when I have doubts. I love you, I love you, we love you so much.

I’m sorry but we’re burning down

Illustrated by Lindsay Oh (she/her)/OutWrite It really sucks when someone you like, romantically and platonically, has vastly different world views than you. This is about that time I learned my friend/crush didn’t believe in climate change.

Recognized Amongst Nature

here
a wretched body becomes comfortable turmoil
untangles
from within a forsaken shell
The forest won’t judge flesh
blood   and bone
a family of limbs

PHOTOSYNTHESIS

It is a beautiful thing, wanting nothing at all from someone you love because you live with mutual understanding beyond the primal need for physical touch, found in fleeting evenings doomed to end with someone closing the door without looking back. It is a beautiful thing, telling them that you love them over the phone while you’re crying your eyes out because you don’t know what to do now; then you’re laughing until there’s a moment you allow yourself to forget. I remember life before my queer friends, how it felt begging for someone I could see myself in just enough to spark a casual conversation built on genuine interest instead of twisting those unwilling into sharing hyperfixations created for those of us who know what it’s like to have to fight for the ones you love.

Portraits of the House

Illustrated by Steph Liu/OutWrite This illustration was originally published in our Winter 2023 print issue “Culture.” From left to right: Angie Xtravaganza, Erskine Christian, Paris Dupree, Crystal LaBeija, Dorian Corey Thanks to “A History of Ballroom: Documenting the Era of…

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