graphic showing an iPhone screen with an iMessage conversation. the sender sends a red heart and question mark, the recipient represented by the rainbow flag sends a trans flag with a canceled symbol. below the phone reads "dating sucks" on a pink background
Community
What’s HER Problem?: 5 Issues in Trans Dating

Graphic by Christopher Ikonomou (Xe/He)Co-Written by Lorely Guzman (They/He/She) and Mia Riedel (She/Her) Dating can be a messy experience, but when you’re trans, it’s a minefield. Even amongst the queer community, who tend to be more open-minded than their straight…

photo of black woman holding a sign reading abortion is health care/ health care is a human right. at a pro choice protest
Opinion
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…

photo of filmmakers and experts behind the film Framing Agnes
Film
“Framing Agnes”: A Story of Dis- and Reconnection

Photos by Lex Ryan/UCLA FTV Archive As part of a larger showing presented by the UCLA Film & Television Archive on April 18th, some of the OutWrite staff had the chance to watch the film, “Framing Agnes,” a tale about…

simple illustration of a swarm of black and white butterflies
Opinion
The Consequences of Forced Invisibility

Graphic by Kelly (She/Her) **Trigger warning for suicide mention, death, and transphobia** For the transgender community, individual visibility is complicated. For those who want to be recognized as trans, that desire to be seen is at war with the need…

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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