digital painting of a group of queer people with different body types and identities enjoying a day at the pool
Opinion
Our Bodies: A Study on Beauty Standards and Body Image in the Queer Community

It’s summer time! And you know what that means: driving with the windows down, ice cream sundaes, and all of our body image issues that we concealed under winter clothes being brought to the surface! 

a digital illustration of Jackson, a white man with long, brown hair staring off to right wearing purple jacket with a flower pattern and white collar, a white scarf, and a white cowboy hat with an upside down pink triangle stitched in the middle. From left to right, the background fades from dark blue, light blue, purple, red, and dark purple
Creative Writing
Archaic

Illustrated by Christopher Ikonomou (Xe/He) This poem was originally published in our Winter 2022 Volume 1 zine “Queer Rage, Resistance, & Renaissance.“ assembled in the literal and reaching out to touchsuits and ties and evil eyes on years and years…

illustration of a spiral bound calendar titled The Straight Agenda, a photo of a bride and groom featured on the cover
Opinion
The Straight Agenda

Graphic by Kelly (She/Her) “Is there a name for women who like women?” my six-year-old daughter asked me recently. “Not like a friend ‘like,’ but like they want to marry each other,” she clarified, in case I wasn’t sure what…

Featured
Other: The Unheard Voices of QPOC Adoptees

You know what’s always stressed me out? Back in high school, when we had to take standardized tests, there’d always be a preface question about which race you identify as. They’d list the options — African American, Caucasian, Asian, Latino,…

Arts & Entertainment
Ship Happens: The Inevitable Outcome of Underrepresentation

Ship, n. Short for romantic relationship. v. To endorse a romantic relationship. Shipping, n. The act of endorsing a romantic relationship, usually fictional, usually in a fan-created work. 2016 was a poor year, like most years, for queer representation in…

Creative Writing
In Defense of Valentine’s Day

I love Valentine’s Day. There. I said it, and I’m not even slightly ashamed. I’m not ashamed of my torrid love affair with chocolate, or the fact that while I prefer daisies, I find a well-presented American Beauty rose to…

Community
Ga(y)mers: A Queer Look at the State of the Gaming Industry

I like my videogames, but I would like them a lot more if they would stop being so blatantly homophobic and heteronormative.

Featured Posts
illustration of a nonbinary Latine brown person with chin length black hair, glasses, and a deep blue cropped shirt. they have thick eyebrows and hairy arms.
Community
Hair: Chronicling My Journey to Queer Joy
illustration of a nonbinary south asian person wearing a bright green turtleneck sweater and purple pants. they swing on a swing set and smile up into the dusk sky, rainbow shapes emanating from their head into the night.
Community
A Revisit
I'm an educator at our local aquarium, and a few weeks ago, I had a band of young girls come up to me and listen attentively as I taught them about whale vertebrae and feeding patterns. One question seemed to prompt the next, and they stayed with me until the end of my shift. After I said goodbye, a young girl chased after me and shouted down the hallway. hey! I turned around to answer any lingering whale questions, but to my surprise, she just gave me a big hug. And she told me, "i want to be just like you when i grow up." In my search for "queer joy." I usually find myself coming up short. Because it would be amazing if I felt pride and joy in my identity, but usually I just wish that I could be like everybody else. It's exhausting to feel so often like a square peg in a round hole, but sometimes all you need is a whale cart. Sometimes it's just one thing that makes all the rest okay, and if "queer joy" feels like a million miles away, "queer getting by" or "queer keeping-my-head- above-water" is just as important. My guess is you're reading this in search of queer joy and I'm sorry I can't make content to fit that bill. but you being here searching for it is really beautiful, too.
Art & Illustration
Whale Cart
illustrated patchwork quilt with a different scene on each panel, including a sun tattoo, a map of california and texas, a pinky promise, a pitcher pouring out water, a paintbrush with red paint, and a skeleton with an exposed heart.
Poetry
patchwork
simple illustration of a young feminine figure having their chin held by a masculine older figure, their dark silhouettes behind them.
Community
Growing Together
mockup of books and DVD cases stacked on a rainbow table in front of a pink wall. the media includes mrs. dalloway by virginia woolf, steven universe season one, and moonlight
Arts & Entertainment
Getting to Queer Joy in Media
cover of the book "filthy animals" by brandon taylor next to a picture of the author, a Black man with short hair and glasses. the background is deep yellow with multicolored stripes
Arts & Entertainment
“Filthy Animals”: An Exploration of Queer Sexuality and Masculinity
cartoon illustration of an asian female college student with long black hair tied into a low ponytail wearing a hoodie and backpack. she looks at the bulletin board in her old high school, viewing a poster reading "our school loves lgbtq+" with a rainbow flag.
Opinion
Do Progressive High Schools Facilitate Queer Joy?
graphic with light pink and white gradient background and matching gradient decorations. a centered quote reads "to put it plainly, OutWrite showed me the possibility of queer joy, and I took it" said by Christopher Ikonomou (xe/he), editor-in-chief. a thin black border encases the quote and a version of the outwrite logo
Archives
Letter From The Editor: On Queer Joy (Spring 2022)
photo of a grassy landscape in Los Angeles, focused on small white flowers blooming under a hanging tree branch
Community
Queer Spaces in Outdoor Places: An Examination and Reflection of Green Space Inequities in Los Angeles
photo of Jairis Carter and Mareshah Dupree acting in the play Abortion Weekend
Arts & Entertainment
“Abortion Weekend”: Respecting Multiple Personhoods
monochromatic dusty pink illustration of two female silhouettes walking down the street under a street lamp
Creative Writing
piper&jenny
digital painting of a group of queer people with different body types and identities enjoying a day at the pool
Opinion
Our Bodies: A Study on Beauty Standards and Body Image in the Queer Community
photo collage of artists performing on stage at Palomino Festival including Amythyst Kiah, Kacey Musgraves, and Valerie June
Arts & Entertainment
Palomino Festival Displays Country Music’s Progress Toward Diversity
black and white comic by steph liu (she/her) titled "tied too tight". top panel depicts two girls, one with a high bun and the other with long hair. the former ties a red string around the others finger, a pool of thread on the ground beside her. text reads "i think i did it wrong". bottom panel depicts the two, bodies made up of the same string, dancing together and holding each other. text reads "i think i took this string that tied us together and wove it into a love story."
Art & Illustration
Tied Too Tight
photo of The Mother Birdie, a white nonbinary person with short, bright red hair, bold red lips, and their chest painted with realistic planets and stars
Community
Drag, Deafness, and Defending Queer Youth with The Mother Birdie: Disability Pride (Month) Spotlight
simple illustrated 50s movie poster depicting a red-haired woman with a white headband, green eyes, pearl necklace, and yellow gingham dress behind a tan brunette with glasses and purple coveralls. behind them is a blurred interior of a movie theater. written by kristin haegelin, illustrated by christopher ikonomou. la rousse.
Creative Writing
La Rousse
digital painting of two pairs of young children. one shows a boy and girl kissing while the other are two shy girls holding hands in secret
Opinion
There is Not Only Sex in Homosexuality
photo of Walela Nehanda, a Black nonbinary person with dark braids threaded with colorful beads and shells, a beaded necklace, a deep yellow layered top, and tattoos. they stand in front of green foliage with a powerful expression
Community
Finding and Standing Up For Yourself with Walela Nehanda: Disability Pride (Month) Spotlight
photo of a Brown nonbinary person with shoulder-length black hair, glasses, a yellow sweater over a white button down, a black face mask, and black pants. they stand in the UCLA botanical gardens on their phone with a flower tucked behind their ear.
Creative Writing
Fragile Dandelions
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