ACTIONS – This week – learn!
One of the biggest ways you can improve your advocacy is to learn about queerness. Sometimes activists can be so eager to defend the rights of marginalized groups, that we skip right over listening to their experiences. Today’s daily action is therefore to learn about queerness, through a collection of videos, books, and pieces of music. Pick two or three things to watch or read today, or spend your week listening to one a day, either way, I hope to widen your definition of LGBTQIA identities and the queer experience.
Please keep in mind that my queer experience is one of many, and while I tried to do my best to pull from a variety of different voices, I am still only one person. And my experience has limitations.
With love,
Velocity Rose
Some things to watch:
Jacob Tobia – Promoting a “Gender-Chill” Exploration of Identity with “Sissy”
Length: 6 minutes
Summary: This is an interview with gender non-conforming author Jacob Tobia about the ways we think about gender and ourselves in relation to society at large.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo3rCzl_JB4
Identity: A Trans Coming Out Story
Length: a half hour
Summary: A philosopher describes the experience of realizing they are transgender.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AITRzvm0Xtg
Tracing the Roots of Pop Culture Transphobia
Length: about a hour
Summary: A video essay exploring the legacy of transphobia in the media over the last several decades.
Some things to read:
I’m Not a Girl written by Maddox Lyons and Jessica Verdi
Format: Picture book
Summary: This book was written in part by a twelve year old transgender activist to share their story with other children.
https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C3601652
My Shadow is Purple written by Scott Stuart
Format: Picture book
Summary: This book contains my favorite allegory for gender, and I have used it to help both children – and adults – conceptualize gender outside of the limitations of the words “boy” and “girl.”
https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C3814195
Sister Outsider written by Audre Lorde
Format: A collection of essays and speeches
Summary: A classic, and for a much older audience than my other recommendations, this book is about Lorde’s lived experiences being black, a lesbian, and a communist.
https://seattle.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S30C2458940
Some things to listen to:
Queer Serial
Summary: This is a podcast discussing the queer history of America by a transgender historian. https://open.spotify.com/show/1cZNZ8VE4ifYcBFWJRBqCx?si=a710825b5cc847cb
Candy Says
Summary: This song was written about a trans icon who committed suicide at 29 years old and, in this version, is performed by a trans singer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nZepYn1e7Y
Revolution Lover
Summary: This song is a personal favorite. It is by Left at London, a local trans artist, and for me this song speaks of hope, of weary times, heartbreak, and faith. This is the song I play on repeat one when I’m heading home after a protest. This is the song I put on when I hear news about another anti-trans law being put into place. This is the song I sing loudly while crying and laughing at rock bottom. It’s an anthem.
https://open.spotify.com/track/3qBg6BeHJlGgwl5aCa09EC?si=9ddb6ca32a454321
ORGANIZATIONS – This week, Queer the Land
In their own words:
“Queer The Land is a collaborative project grounded in the self-determination of queer, trans, and two spirit Black/ indigenous/ people of color (QT2BIPOC) and the vision of collectively owning our land and labor.”
A note from Velocity:
Queer the Land does such amazing work in our community and I can never seem to stop singing their praises! They do a lot of mutual aid work and help connect marginalized communities to the natural spaces they have been historically pushed out of.
Support their work:
https://alliedmedia.org/post/donate-to-queer-the-land
EVENTS
There are loads of pride celebrations, events, and parades happening this month! Take advantage of the good weather and check some of them out!
Trans Pride: June 23rd, 6PM-9:30PM
Produced by Gender Justice League, Trans Pride Seattle increases the strength of the trans & gender diverse community and our allies—both within and beyond Seattle—through increased visibility, connection, love, and the celebration of our lives!
https://transprideseattle.org/
Run and Walk with Pride 2023: June 24th, 9AM
RWWP is a family friendly event for Seattle Frontrunners, the LGBTQIA+ community, and our allies to celebrate Pride and raise money for Peer Seattle. Choose one (4K/2.5 miles) or two (8K/5 miles) loops around Seward Park or a virtual run.
https://seattlepride.org/events/run-and-walk-witth-pride-2023
Considering Matthew Shepard: A Choral Suite: June 24th, 7PM
In October of 1998, Matthew Shepard, a young, gay student at the University of Wyoming in Laramie was kidnapped, severely beaten, tied to a fence and left to die in a lonely field under a blanket of stars. Five days later, when Matt passed away, the world was watching. Approaching the eve of the 20th anniversary, composer Craig Hella Johnson responded with his first concert-length work, Considering Matthew Shepard.
https://seattlepride.org/events/considering-matthew-shepard-a-choral-suite
Seattle Pridefest Capitol Hill: June 24th, 12-8PM
PrideFest Capitol Hill is back! Three stages, 2 beverage gardens, over a hundred vendors—including your favorite Broadway businesses—and free fun for all ages! The street festival runs for five blocks from Roy in the north to John/Olive in the South, just across from the light rail station. We also have family, youth, and all ages activities happening on Barbara Bailey Way and the AIDS Memorial Pathway Plaza and fun extending into Cal Anderson Park and Bobby Morris Playfield.
https://www.seattlepridefest.org/schedule/2023/6/24/pridefest-capitol-hill
Seattle Pride Parade: June 25th, 11AM-3PM
The Parade route will again run downtown Seattle along 4th Ave, between Pike St and Denny Way (step off will be at Westlake Park). This LGBTQIA+ reunion is a free, fun, community-wide celebration advancing awareness of LGBTQIA+ issues and promoting mutual respect and equal human rights for all.
https://seattlepride.org/events/seattle-pride-parade-2023
Seattle Pridefest Seattle Center: June 25th, 12-8PM
Three stages, three beverage gardens, over one hundred artists, over a hundred exhibitors including festival food vendors….and as always: FREE!
https://www.seattlepridefest.org/schedule/2023/6/25/pridefest-seattle-center-2023
If you made it all the way to the bottom, thank you!
Make sure you fill out the Daily Action sheet, so we can see our organization’s work!
