Unapologetic Queer

Illustrated Cities of Europe Nick Matej

This is a poster I was recently commissioned to do for Great Little Place. GLP is an app that has been created with the sole aim of presenting you with the hidden and less known bars and restaurants around you, or an area you are planning to visit. I was given a list of fifteen European cities for which I had to create illustrations depicting famous landmarks and unique architectural styles.

This is the election that counts. Start educating yourself now on who will be campaigning to be your congresspeople/governor/etc. 

Register to vote NOW. Don’t wait. You can do it any time.

This is the fight we need to win.  VOTE  VOTE  VOTE

Get your birth certificates. There may be a fee or long wait times. Make sure you get a certified copy.

Make sure you have ID. Dig into your state’s laws and the whole Real ID thing, because (and sorry I can’t research this now, but pneumonia) I believe there are certain states whose driver’s licenses don’t qualify for Real ID.

Make sure you’re registered to vote. Google it. Follow the instructions for your state.

Know where your local polling place is or find out if you can vote by mail.

Vote in ALL your upcoming elections. Yes, that means the little ones for city council or dog catcher or whatever. Vote those racist, homophobic, bigots out at every level.

They’re like weeds. You can pull up every visible bit, but if you leave one tiny segment of root, they’ll just come back.

Here’s how to find out if you’re registered.

Here are the deadlines for when to register.

Here’s how to register, if it turns out you’re not.

Actress Samira Wiley for Stylist Magazine F/W 2017

Photography: Andrew Yee

The expelled half-giant. The young werewolf. The repentant Death Eater.

He protects them and gives them a second chance. All he asks in return is their loyalty.

And, if on occasion he requests that they undertake a certain task, invoking their debt of gratitude - well, that is no more than he is owed.

He once thought to add a certain disowned Black to his collection, but quickly realised his mistake.

Sirius is not an outcast, but a rebel. He knowingly chose his path, and chooses what price he is willing to pay for it. He refuses to be used.

Harry was an outcast due to a childhood filled with abuse and neglect. 

Vernon made him an outcast by dismissing his claims of magic, berating him, locking him in a CLOSET and putting bars on his window, and let’s face it, even though her editor made her cut it out, Jo intended for there to be physical abuse. 

Petunia made him an outcast by enabling and contributing to this abuse, as well as making Harry do dozens of chores while doting on Dudley. 

Dudley made him an outcast by bullying him and threatening any students at school who wanted to be his friends. 

And the rest of the wizarding world made him an outcast when they bullied him for being an outsider.

Harry James Potter became an outcast the moment he was placed with The Dursleys.

…

*Shrnf…*

*Horace Turns His Handsome Snout To Face YOU*

I know this goes against a lot of people’s perspectives, but don’t go around asking people their pronouns. Up until now I’ve remained more or less dispassionate on this topic, but this directly affected me today and it sucked.

I was interviewing a prospective hire at work and the whole thing went great… Really liked the guy. But as the interview drew to a close, just as several other people had entered the room, he very nicely blurts out one last question…

“Oh hey, Kaydee, what are your preferred pronouns?”

I. Just. About. Fell. Over.

I simultaneously had to process the fact that I had just been read by a total stranger - something I’m completely unaccustomed to - and also that he outed me in front of my new boss, someone with whom I hadn’t yet had a conversion about being trans.

I was mortified, worried, pissed off, and yet totally unable to be mad at him. I’m sure he had read crap on the Internet about ‘normalizing’ asking people for their preferred pronouns and thought he was being a bona fide hero for putting it into practice.

So let me just say this. Don’t. Don’t go asking a total stranger for their preferred pronouns. You don’t know if they’re trans or whatever else, you don’t know that they want to have that conversation and you have no right to spring that on them. Not to mention you have no idea who they are or aren’t out to. So stow it.

I was dressed in a professional black pencil skirt and a pink peplum top and in 3 inch heels. Go with what you freaking see!! If you’re not sure and you don’t want to offend, go with neutral pronouns. Don’t. Fucking. Ask. ESPECIALLY NOT IN FRONT OF OTHER PEOPLE, AND ESPECIALLY NOT IN SOMEONE’S PLACE OF WORK!!

Anyway, their findings are hardly surprising – if you’re in a heterosexual relationship, you’re less likely to come out or face discrimination:

Bisexuals are much less likely than gay men and lesbians to say that their sexual orientation is an important part of who they are. Only 20% of bisexuals say being bisexual is extremely or very important to their overall identity. The shares of gay men (48%) and lesbians (50%) who say the same about their sexual orientations are much higher. (Due to the small number of transgender adults in the survey, it’s not possible to break out their responses. However, they are included in the total LGBT shares reported here.)

Bisexuals are also much less likely than gay men or lesbians to have “come out” to the important people in their life. Only 28% of bisexuals say all or most of the important people in their life know they are bisexual. By comparison, 77% of gay men and 71% of lesbians say the important people in their life know about their sexual orientation.

This semester I assigned myself to draw Portugal in the Steven Universe style! Tbh I can’t even believe they all done SMH! Steven Universe and @rebeccasugar is a huge inspiration to me