Queer Ancestor Spotlight: El Baile De Los Cuarenta y Uno
El baile de los cuarenta y uno, or ‘The Dance of the Forty-One’, refers to a social scandal in early 20th century Mexico. As with many aspects of queer society in this era this event revolves around a police raid of a private home during a dance at which 19 men were dressed in drag. The Mexican government attempted to suppress discussion of this event since it involved elite members of society but it became heavily satirized in the Mexican press and media. Some, such as writer Carlos Monsiváis, refer to this event as the invention of homosexuality in Mexico.
Queer Ancestor Spotlight: Matthew Shepard
This month’s Queer Ancestor Spotlight is deeply personal to me. The story and legacy of Matthew Shepard’s death functions almost as bookends to my coming out process and finding affirming queer community. I was just starting to realize I was not exactly like my other male friends when Matthew’s death became a national story. I traveled the inner journey of coming out to myself while his death rippled through the politics of the United States. I came out publicly shortly before the act bearing Matthew’s name codified sexual orientation and gender identity in federal hate crime law. And I found myself on the other side of the historic legalization of same-sex marriage as a married gay man, surrounded and supported by queer community in the Washington National Cathedral as we gathered to celebrate the life and legacy of Matthew as his ashes were finally laid to rest.
Queer Ancestor Spotlight: The Lady Chablis
I am so very excited to share a spotlight on The Lady Chablis! She is not only an iconic figure, but also part of the rich cultural legacy of one of my favorite cities - Savannah, GA - and my favorite book - Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
The Lady Chablis, also known as The Grand Empress and The Doll, was born in Quincy, FL on March 11, 1957. Chablis did not prefer to go by any labels other than “The Lady Chablis” and did not personally identify as a drag queen. Through exposure in John Berendt’s best-selling 1994 book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and subsequent film adaptation Chablis became one of the first trans performers to be introduced to a national audience.
Guest Post: I Know My Value Ritual
I’m very excited to share another guest post from my friend Boudica! Y’all might remember a previous ritual she shared to America’s forgotten goddess, Columbia. This time she shares a ritual to reaffirm and reclaim your value that is inspired by the MCU’s Agent Carter. I hope you enjoy this pop culture ritual!
Guest Post: Cultivating Hope
I’m excited to again share a guest post from Doozy! In this post Doozy reflects on the necessity of hope in the world. She writes about things we might take for granted or not appreciate, our interconnectedness with the seen and unseen world around us, and the hope those things can provide when things look bleak or we are exhausted by everything happening. She talks about her view on hope as an important magic that takes conscious effort but can transform the world.
Queer Ancestor Spotlight: Chevalier d'Éon
Charles-Geneviève-Louis-Auguste-André-Timothée d'Éon de Beaumont, usually known as the Chevalier d'Éon, was born in October 1728 in Burgundy to a minor noble family. Due to their androgynous physical characteristics and natural abilities as a mimic they served as a French diplomat and spy in England and Russia. For the first 49 years of their life they appeared publicly as a man but after 1777 lived as a woman.
Queer Ancestor Spotlight: Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands
This month we remember a short-lived micronation that was born as a political response to LGBTQ+ discrimination in Australia. This micronation was founded in 2004 and lasted until 2017. The territory was comprised of small and mostly uninhabited islands and reefs in the Coral Sea, northeast of Queensland, Australia.
Guest Post: Reimagining Our Relationships With Divine Entities
I’m very excited to share this guest post with you. The below essay centers Doozy’s lived experience with an autoimmune disorder and how it informs her relationship to her own body as a way of critically examining relationship-building and power dynamics within establish cosmologies. It dives into the reciprocal relationship between deity and devotee and asks us to deconstruct the idea of “worship” in a way that acknowledges the way both ends of the relationship interact with and depend on one another.
Ritual: Queer Ancestor Dance Party
For Pride Month 2021 I decided to write down and share something that I frequently do on my own as a way to recharge and connect with my Queer Ancestors. I am talking about hosting a Queer Ancestor Dance Party!
Queer Ancestor Spotlight: Bayard Rustin
Bayard Rustin was a central figure in the civil rights movement in United States the 1950s and 1960s. He was well versed in non-violent protest and helped to shape the movement as an advisor and collaborator. Due to his homosexuality, however, he remained in the background sometimes by choice and sometimes by necessity.