𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒆 🥀

i have a MASSIVE hyperfixation on the history of the catholic church, its dogmas, & structure—consequently, i respect individual believers, and the overall desire to leave the earth better than you were born into. however, i openly critique the institution for a myriad of its conservative, straw based dogmas that have been used to justify centuries of oppression of various marginalized groups.

growing up as a non-catholic in a catholic school gave me a rather unique perspective on catholicism, ie as the poem is titled, having catholic trauma without ever being baptized.

thank you to my dearest friend kit for the title statement ☺️

paul amrani (a fellow queer dancer and theatre artist) made the title statement on their IG story, their response to the events on that day, and i was moved by their words that i wrote the first draft in under five minutes and posted it to my IG. since then, i’ve revised it, and am posting it here in it’s (for now) completed state.

merely existing authentically as a queer artist is my protest, and i am so proud of it.

girls don’t kiss girls, girls bake bread—my first published poem! published in Pulse Magazine in Fall 2023, written during a paid fellowship, from my collection “Q.”