It’s hard to get a suit to fit just so. But if the person wearing the suit happens to have been born in a body that includes broad hips, narrow shoulders or breasts, then the question of tailoring brings a whole new set of problems. Can the tailor handle the customer’s request without overt bigotry…
True Tales of Transgender Aging
Too often, the narrative on transgender people is simplistic: it either focuses on the very real tragedies of bigotry and hate-based violence, or it is entirely youth-focused. But there’s a whole cohort of trans people who are facing another obstacle, one that comes for everyone eventually: age. Photographer Jess T. Dugan and her partner, professor…
Bisexuals: Here, and Also Queer
If you went to Tower Grove Pride last year, maybe you saw a quietly revolutionary booth. It hoisted pink, lavender and blue flags for bisexual pride. Amid the immediately recognizable rainbow flags that have drenched Pride celebrations for decades, the bisexual flag is still uncommon — despite some estimates, including a 2011 study by the…
A Sea of Support for Trans Folx at Pride
Two St. Louis trans people died in one week recently. We lost Alix Johnson to suicide and Castilla to overdose. That’s two too many, and for Jolene Gosha, it demands response and action. Gosha, parade coordinator at Pride St. Louis, is on a mission to create a beautiful, visible wave of support for the trans…
Spark Something Great Over Dinner Saturday Night
Eat, vote, and change our world on Saturday by funding someone’s great idea. Each month, FoodSpark St. Louis hosts potluck style dinner parties that serve as micro-incubators, with informal but focused conversations on art, politics, identity and more. For the past four months, events have been centered on the LGBT community, in partnership with QTPOC:…
Ladies, All The Ladies: “The Queens” at Hamburger Mary’s
Spend Sunday evening immersed in the fascinating world of competitive female impersonation. Feature-length documentary The Queens, screening at Hamburger Mary’s, dives deep into the Miss Continental Pageant, based out of Chicago’s iconic Baton Show Lounge. Unique among female impersonation pageants, Miss Continental is open to transgender performers. Director Mark Saxenmeyer will be on hand to…
Photos from Cabaret Risqué: FELLA-nies and MISS-demeanors
Earlier this month, the Gateway Men’s Chorus held its annual major fundraising bash. The May 5 event at Mad Art Gallery featured louche and lovely performances, cocktails and a silent auction. Lovely Lola Van Ella produced and emcee’d. Ken Haller sponsored the VIP reception entertainment, Macspertise brought the dessert reception, and Michael Simon sponsored the…
Strut Your Stuff for Mutts at Spring for Strays
It’s finally time to hit the Moonrise rooftop, and what better way to kick off St. Louis party season than with a fundraiser for down-on-their-luck doggos? Well, maybe a fundraiser like that but with a drag show. Luckily, that’s just what Stray Rescue has planned for this Sunday Funday afternoon. Spring for Strays takes over…
A Peek Inside the Fragrant World of Cherokee Street’s Blk Mgk Woman
Adria Nicole, 40, is a presence — physical, metaphysical, even olfactory. On a bitterly cold night in January, she welcomes me into her office at the Nebula co-working space off Cherokee Street. Her scent is beguiling. Is that…sandalwood? Frankincense maybe? I don’t ask, not yet. As we wend our way through the building to her…
Our Third Issue is Out!
Here’s some Russian collaboration that we can get behind: In early February, I attended a dinner and panel discussion hosted by Pride St. Louis. The organization has embarked on an ambitious cultural exchange project with Avers, an LGBTQ group from the Samara region of Russia. Several members of Avers were in town and attended the…