There I was, wearing my lucky pair of jeans, glitter on my face, holding my cousin's hand amidst a diverse crowd filled with feather boas and Dr. Martens in some abandoned warehouse in Vancouver. I’d never felt more comfortable at a party in my life.
I was about to see the most stunning drag performance. Frida Kahlo paintings were projected across the walls of the massive building, and the performer wore a white bodysuit that allowed the projections to cross her body in a kaleidoscope of tropical colour. She danced so beautifully, and I remember thinking “Frida would love this.”
I grew up with a visible queer community that was celebrated, and some of my most favourite people in the whole world are queer. I watched a family member grow up trans, and I’m telling you that as soon as that girl was old enough to articulate herself, she was showing us who she was. What a gift to watch her over the years - living her truth.
As a writer, I treat queer stories with a lot of care. As a reporter, I’m really invested in making people feel welcomed and heard. I want it to be known that the queer community is safe with me.
I was blessed with a no-nonsense mother who was a nurse and talked to me about all the different ways chromosomally and biologically a baby can be born. I’ve always found it odd when people cannot fathom someone being born intersex or having the soul of one gender but not the “matching” biology. I love complexity and diversity. I love our little stardust antics - living, loving, worshiping, and making art in creative and beautiful ways.
Whoever created this universe, they had no allegiance to a gender binary. The animal kingdom is rife with gender anarchy and homosexuality. Bees, chickens, clownfish, monkeys, lions, penguins, dolphins – it's a reality of being on this planet, and the human queer community has a rich history and culture that merits a lot of pride.
