Southern California Fires and Mutual Aid
Although the fires are mostly contained today, Angelenos struggle to rebuild, whether they were directly or indirectly impacted by the crisis. It’s dehumanizing to attempt to resume business as usual because entire communities were leveled and livelihoods were lost. Supporting local mutual aid efforts and collectively pressuring administrative bodies remain crucial in serving the needs of our communities.
Sappho in the Modern Day
Charlie Richmond/OutWrite Content warning: Discussion of lesbophobia. “someone will remember us I say even in…
Misgendering the Misgendered
I first witnessed a transgender character misgendered by her own author in “The Man Who Thought Himself a Woman,” a short story published anonymously in 1857. The text was assigned for a queer short stories course at UCLA, and while I wasn’t surprised that a transgender character was misgendered by a writer in 1857, I was surprised that a professor of queer studies in 2023 would as well.
Facing Expanding Class Sizes and Dwindling Resources, LA Teachers Go On Strike
Teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) continue to strike this week amidst increasing class sizes and insufficient support for low-income students across the city. Demonstrators cite a lack of school nurses, librarians, and counselors, as well as…
Democrats Take House, Governorships, State Legislatures in Blue Wave Election
Democrats swept up the majority in the US House and in several state legislative chambers in last night’s midterm election. In addition, Democrats flipped seven key governorships from red to blue in a massive rebuke to President Trump. In total…
Taylor Swift and the #MeToo Midterms
“It is difficult to imagine that Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court over the weekend had no effect specifically on how Swift and other young victims of sexual misconduct view politics.” Content Warning: Sexual Assault and Harassment Country-turned-pop star Taylor…
India Decriminalizes Queer Sex
Graphic by Angela Zheng On September 6, the Supreme Court of India issued a milestone ruling decriminalizing consensual gay sex, CNN reports. Stemming from a law imposed during British imperialism in India, the previously legal Section 377 dictated that “Whoever…
Starbucks Expands Healthcare Benefits for Trans Employees
Starbucks, a corporation that occupies every other street corner in America, stated on June 25 that they are expanding healthcare benefits for their transgender employees. According to their website, this coverage will include procedures formerly considered “cosmetic.” Their press release…
Queer Candidates Are Flooding the Democratic Field Ahead of November’s Midterm Elections
Nearly two dozen states have already held primary elections to establish each party’s nominees for the midterm elections later this year, and one trend is becoming clear: the Democratic Party is nominating more queer candidates than ever before. With every…
Massachusetts to Introduce New LGBTQ Curriculum to Schools
In Fall 2018, The Boston Herald reports, Massachusetts schools will introduce an optional LGBTQ curriculum to its high schools. The curriculum will include topics in history, English, and health and was developed by teachers and the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ…