Since I was three, I understood that I wasn’t a girl, despite living in a girl’s body. My family has never supported me, and I didn’t feel safe to openly come out as a transmasculine non-binary person until I was in my mid-twenties.  I believe that I would be much happier today, and have fewer mental health problems if I had been accepted as transgender in my childhood or teenage years. This is why I believe that supporting trans youth is essential to their well-being. Especially now, when so many conservative politicians are trying to stop them from being themselves.  Here is my lis ..read more

Traveling solo doesn’t have to mean that you’re always alone. Queer full-time solo traveler and creator of travel Instagram account, @thelesbianpassport, Allyssa Leaton shares tips on how to be safe during solo adventures by picking the right destinations, seeking out queer-inclusive events, and creating intentional connections along the journey.  If you’re considering planning a trip alone, you’ve probably already contemplated the countless benefits of solo travel. Traveling without a companion closes the door to compromise and opens a window to the freedom of your own choices. “My favor ..read more

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On April 15, Chicago’s North Side residents were graced with the opening of the first all-LGBTQ+, BIPOC-owned marijuana dispensary. The dispensary is named after a new weed company, Sway, founded by Edie Moore and spouses Art Johnston and José “Pepe” Peña. Igniting Positive Change Peña is a Cuban immigrant who runs a popular gay bar, Sidetrack, with his husband, Johnston. The couple are well-known LGBTQ+ civil rights activists in the area. Moore is a Black veteran known for her years spent fighting for equity in the state’s legal marijuana industry.  The founders say that Sway is one of t ..read more

When I was a teen, our culture made me believe that I was a monster. It wasn’t because I was an autistic, non-binary, transgender child who had never felt comfortable in a girl’s body. It was because I was raised in an extremely conservative Christian family, and there is something even worse than being trans among religious zealots… Something more “sinister.” As a child, I could not understand the concept of love. I heard the word “transgender” — at least in whispers — but I never heard the word “aromantic” while I was growing up. In my teenage years, I was sure that I was alone in the world ..read more

As LGBTQ+ people, we know that we aren’t welcomed, much less safe, everywhere. Our safety varies by country, state, city, neighborhood, and even household. Relocation seems to be the most obvious answer to this issue, but moving isn’t always a realistic option. Tagg sat down with two leaders at Rainbow Railroad, an organization created to aid at-risk LGBTQ+ folks in getting to safety, to discuss why that is.   A Flawed System It’s important to start this conversation with one truth: relocating as a refugee is a process — one that can take weeks, months, or even years, to complete. In the ..read more

Quinceañeras hold profound cultural significance within the Latinx community, as the event celebrates the transition from girlhood to womanhood. Leading up to my 15th birthday, I took an untraditional approach to this staple event in my culture. My name is Victoria F. Vega, and I am a proud Latina with roots tracing back to Puerto Rico and Uruguay. Now, picture this: it’s the eve of my 15th birthday, and the air is buzzing with anticipation for my quinceañera. But here’s the twist — my journey to womanhood is about to take a detour through Queer Street, and I don’t even know it yet!   Pre ..read more

Writing comes naturally to Layla Said, creator of Said Nothing. Media. She told Tagg that sharing her life through art was something she “always felt really compelled to do.”  Said’s poetic and written talents will officially culminate in her first poetry book, “Don’t You Cry, I’m on Venus.” Releasing this summer, this 7-year project reflects her life journey in navigating the world as a queer BIPOC woman.   A Life of Poetry Said’s book took its first breath during her junior year of college when her professor, Sarah McCallum, encouraged her to become a poet. “She was the first perso ..read more