illustration – OutWrite

two illustrations of ggggrimes, a Black nonbinary person with dark hair and matching gold glasses, septum ring, and earrings. On the left they present as Gabriela with long hair with tight waves, a black v-neck sweater, and a smile in front of a dark violet background with leaves. On the right they present as Theo with locs, a mustache, an orange durag, a dark shirt with blue flowers, and a neutral expression in front of an orange patterned background

Queer Next Up: ggggrimes

ggggrimes (they/he/she) is a Black non-binary artist from the Bronx, NY. Their work portrays queer people of color living beautiful, colorful, and honest lives, with a focus on trans people.

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

Created by Zoë Collins (She/Her) This piece was originally published in our Spring 2022 print issue “Reflections of Radiance.“

digital illustration of cupid with pale skin, flowing blonde hair, and grand pink feathered wings. he winces and cries, struck by an arrow and bleeding pink glittery blood

Art & Illustration

Love Conquers All

Illustrated by Chrys Marr (She/They) This illustration was originally published in our Winter 2022 Volume 2 print issue “Wanting: A Queer Beauty & Burden.“

digital illustration of a tiger roaring and bearing its teeth against a textured gray background interspersed with yellow chains. Written in red text across the illustration is “SHAKE YOUR CHAINS TO THE EARTH LIKE DEW YE ARE MANY, THEY ARE FEW”.]

Art & Illustration

The Mask of Anarchy

Illustrated by Chrys Marr (She/They) This illustration was originally published in our Winter 2022 Volume 1 zine “Queer Rage, Resistance, & Renaissance.“