Blake Byle (they/he)In the late 80s and early 90s feminist political theorists like Wendy Brown, Susan Okin and Catharine McKinnon published theoretical works on issues pertaining to women’s opression under the current system of government. They argued that the state perpetuates a masculinist prerogative through ambiguous yet entwined modalities. However, their analyses are limited because they are framed through a binary lens: masculinist system vs. women. The solution to this problem is through applying a more intersectional frame that relates the masculinist system to hetero-nonconforming subjects.
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Anita Rao (she/her)Who belongs in the outdoors? To some, a traditional outdoorsman may come to mind. He is physically fit, conquering nature with every fishing trip and embodying peak masculinity as he connects with the Earth. He may be clad in flannel, camo, or a fur hat, but probably all of the above. Philosophies of man and solitude, pushing yourself to your physical limits, and going off the beaten trail surround him. This archetypal outdoorsmen clearly does not encompass everyone who appreciates nature. Furthermore, a physically taxing and isolated outdoor experience may not be safe or possible for many people. Still, outdoor recreation has long excluded those who are not wealthy, white, and able-bodied men from reaping all the benefits nature has to offer.
Grey Weinstein (they/he)I was fifteen when I first came across the word “asexual” on the internet and felt the world shift beneath my feet. So many things that had been bothering me— the way I felt repulsed by the mere mention of sex when all my classmates seemed fascinated by the topic, the way I couldn’t relate when I heard my friends talk about their crushes, the way I moved through the world feeling broken and damaged and too scared to tell anyone— suddenly clicked into place like pieces of a puzzle. If I hadn’t stumbled across that phrase, on Twitter of all places, I might have gone on hating myself for years.
Elessar Younglove (they/fae)I recently spoke with a friend of mine experiencing dysphoria. My friend is kind and creative. She loves to read poetry. If I’m lucky, she loves to share it. But recently, she hasn’t felt like sharing anything.
“I can’t help but hear a manly voice when I talk,” she told me. AnonymousMy grandparents’ house has a rarely-used attic, cluttered with old and mostly forgotten items. Leaning against one wall, spotted with a thin layer of dust, is a large print of my grandfather in his college years. You see, my grandpa went to Princeton University before women were admitted, which meant his theater department was all male. And of course, someone had to play the female roles. Which is how this attic ended up being graced by a photograph, several feet tall, of my grandfather in drag. Chest hair bristles out from under the hem of his leotard, his tutu and tights slightly askew-- as I noted the first time I saw the picture at age 12, he doesn’t make a very pretty ballerina.
Elessar Younglove (they/fae)I am sitting in therapy, explaining why I haven’t come out to my parents. “It’s like when you knock over a vase,” I say. “You’ve broken something. It’s shattered over the floor and you can’t fix it.” I’m well aware of how damaging this metaphor is, but the only thing that stops is the steadiness of my voice when I wipe my eyes. “But if no one ever finds out it's broken, they can’t be mad at you. I don’t want to tell my parents about the broken vase. I don’t have anything to lighten the load like, ‘Hey, I’m bisexual but at least I aced my exam.’ I need to ease the blow of the broken glass. So, until then I’ll just… stay in the closet.”
4/1/2021 2 Comments Combating Gender DysphoriaElessar Younglove (they/fae)This article is written from my perspective, a genderfluid, bisexual woman. As such, gender dysphoria will be discussed through that lens.
Grey Weinstein (they/he) // Editor-in-ChiefRecently, I’ve noticed that many people (myself included) tend to talk about LGBTQ+ activism as a self contained social issue. That is to say, LGBTQ+ advocacy is at times portrayed as The Gays fighting against The Homophobes, without intersecting with other social issues. But sometimes homophobia and transphobia manifest as high hospital bills or skyrocketing prescription drug costs. That’s right, I’m talking about everyone’s favorite topic, the nightmare that is the American healthcare system. Personally, I would love to see more explicitly queer organizing around healthcare as a human right. LGBTQ+ issues aren’t self contained; queer and trans people interact with other oppressive systems. And nothing screams “oppressive system” like healthcare in the US, where private insurance companies and prescription drug costs create barriers to much-needed care.
giovanni (they/them) // Creatives Editori talk best through poetry. this is probably the case because of how the words are always more than what they are literally written out to be. my experience of being in queer spaces here at michigan are a mixture of things. but overall, since this is a predominantly white institution and black people in general only make up 3% of the population and black trans people even less than that, i always find myself longing to be with more people who share more of my identities than just queerness. and even though i still am a part of those spaces, there are often times a disconnect between the things i feel and what others in those spaces see from me. this three-part piece attempts to explore a few of these lenses.
Daniel Salas-Escabillas (he/him) // Opinions Editor Before much recently, the idea of celebrating "Pride" was unheard of. In many places being queer was seen as "less than," and although there are still some settings that condemn queer culture, prideis a lot more commonplace now. In the US, we have come to celebrate our lives and journeys around the month of June. In Ann Arbor, MI, we have pride events in August as well. With all this personal expression and planning and the number of events that go on, companies have caught wind of a colorful new market, and they continue to take advantage of the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
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