Grey Weinstein (they/he)Recently, 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.
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giovanni (they/them)i 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)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.
2/15/2020 0 Comments LGBT Rights and Pragmatic Ethics: It is Time the Movement Stops Centering Cis, White, Gay MenSam Braden (he/him) In a clip from a recent reality TV show, a gay guy is arguing with a Chinese woman who had invited the Red Cross to take blood, telling her that she had invited a group which hates him. He says, “You just wouldn’t understand, because you’re not a minority.” Flabbergasted, she points out that she’s Chinese. A couple weeks ago, I saw a video of a guy on twitter saying that Lady Gaga shouldn’t be a gay icon since she doesn’t know what it’s like to face discrimination and hate every day of one’s life. Someone pointed out his mistake regarding Lady Gaga’s sexuality-- she’s bi. However, I think this correction was inane because the discrimination women in the entertainment industry face is well documented, probably more so than a white, gay lawyer living in Hell’s Kitchen, NYC.
AnonymousAre you part of the LGBTQIA+ community? Are you thinking about rushing? I was once in your shoes, and even did rush. Well, here’s something to think about: the Greek Life community is not exactly “welcoming” to us. In fact, we’re not even meant to be in this space as it is made by and for straight cis people. I am not saying do not rush, as I love the friends I have made and the community I have carved for myself in this institution. It is just also necessary to think it through, and to be aware of some things going on that might make you feel less than comfortable.
2/15/2020 1 Comment The Cost of Being Trans in 2019: Gender-Affirming Healthcare Comes With a Hefty Price TagEzra Mal Fry (he/him) I have been fairly fortunate in my life as a trans* man. I (eventually) gained the support of my parents, who have been very helpful in my pursuit of a medical transition. However, there is still a very real cost to all of this. And I don’t mean in any mental or emotional form. I mean money, and lots of it.
Adrian Beyer (he/him) If I had a dollar for every time someone has called me a “sweet, baby boy,” “smol bean,” or some other cutely condescending name, I’d have enough saved for top surgery by now. The comments don’t just stop at basic physical appearance, and usually relate to my gayness. I’ve been called “twink” or had someone inappropriately insist that I’m a bottom an absurd amount of times. Yes, it’s true that I’m short, blonde, relatively hairless, and have a higher voice. I would think that it should come naturally that I wouldn’t want to be associated with these traits, since they go against the masculinity I try so hard to cultivate as a trans man. Yet cis people seem borderline obsessed with pointing out my more feminine characteristics, which are often out of my control. Why is this?
Konrat Pekkip (he/him) Growing up, I never had strong sentiments towards religion, spirituality or any kind of “God”. The only times I went to church was on Christmas Eve, and I only ever set foot in mosques when I visited relatives in Istanbul with my family. Not to pray, but to admire the stunning insides of the Sultan Ahmet and Süleymaniye Mosques. That is not to say that I didn’t enjoy religion though. After all, it was Baby Jesus who brought us presents on Christmas Eve, and I always knew the gifts I received on Kurban Bayram (observed as Eid al-Fitr in other parts of the world) had something to do with Mohammed. Christianity, Islam, and I did not have beef, ever
Sam Braden (he/him) In the 2020 race for the Democratic nomination, a dynamic exists among the candidates which would have been unthinkable a couple decades ago: the candidate who invokes God and his Christian faith the most, who constantly appealed to morality and his religion, who is trying to take up the mantle of the American Evangelicals from the Trump-era Republicans, is the only fag in the race. Of course, I’m talking about Mayor Pete Buttigieg.
2/14/2020 0 Comments Why You Shouldn't Say ThatEmma Collins (she/they) It seems like slurs are being reclaimed all over the place! From my cishet professors calling LGBTQIA+ people the all encompassing term “queer,” to folks self labeling as “dykes” and friends calling each other “fags,” the LGBTQIA+ community seems to be reclaiming words that were once seen as harmful. The thing is, though, these words are still seen as harmful by some. For me, as someone who self identifies as queer, hearing my cishet friends call me queer still makes me cringe. I am just one person and I do not speak for the entire LGBTQIA+ community, so I had 106 LGBTQIA+ identifying University of Michigan students fill out a survey regarding which reclaiming slurs they use, which ones they do not, and their thoughts around these reclaimed slurs.
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