Queer people have always existed. In every era, in every culture, even when the world around us refused to see it, we’ve been here. And wherever queer life was forced underground, queer language finds a way to surface. Sometimes it’s in coded gestures or private diaries. Sometimes in poems, letters, or novels that seemed innocent … Continue reading Queer people have always found each other
Author: Leah Kent
Writer. Researcher. Analyst. Queer.
Denver, CO
Whitman’s Gospel of the Body: Queer, Democratic, and Sacred Flesh
I’ve been rereading Walt Whitman recently. He’s a good autumn read – heavy nature imagery and blatant queer joy, which is what I tend to crave this time of year. I will go to the bank by the wood and become undisguised and naked,I am mad for it to be in contact with me. Walt … Continue reading Whitman’s Gospel of the Body: Queer, Democratic, and Sacred Flesh
Female Desire & Forbidden Truths in Le Fanu’s Carmilla
In Victorian literature, women often became the canvas for society’s unspoken fears and desires. The era was obsessed with controlling female sexuality and codifying gender roles, yet also fixated on the possibility of what might happen if those boundaries were crossed. Morality fiction thrived, and morality tales were even applied to history books in how … Continue reading Female Desire & Forbidden Truths in Le Fanu’s Carmilla
Why Fan Fiction Matters to the Queer Community
I’m a big fan of fan fiction, both as a pastime and as a general concept. My introduction to fan fiction came in the 1990s, when I stumbled onto an online forum where people were writing alternate storylines for a popular TV show. At first, I thought it was just a fun way to imagine … Continue reading Why Fan Fiction Matters to the Queer Community
Queer book review: The Last Nude by Ellis Avery
Ellis Avery’s The Last Nude paints an intoxicating picture of 1920s Paris – its art, its women, the haves, the have-nots, and the dangerous glamour of being desired. For queer readers, it’s a novel that both seduces and unsettles, capturing the way infatuation can swing into self-delusion. The first section of the novel is, in … Continue reading Queer book review: The Last Nude by Ellis Avery
Storytelling & Resilience
Stories aren't just for entertainment - they're integral to our survival and humanity. And now, more than ever, we need storytellers. The Ancient Secret to Resilience (That Science Is Only Now Catching Up To) Long before there were research papers and data charts, there were stories. Stories told around fires. Stories sung in ceremonies. Stories … Continue reading Storytelling & Resilience
Dealbreakers
One of the really beautiful things about being in your 40s is that is truly is the "idgaf" decade. Things that seemed important when you were younger suddenly aren't really important, and things you overlooked become appreciated. It's been a tumultuous year for personal relationships, and after therapy and soul-searching, I realized that at 45, … Continue reading Dealbreakers
Queer book review: Bloom by Delilah S. Dawson
Writers can learn a lot by reading. This novella is a great study in plot and character arcs, pacing, feminine horror, representing less represented queer identities, and toxic relationship dynamics. Overview Bloom by Delilah Dawson is the story of Ro, a very new assistant professor of literature, and her obsessive relationship with Ash, an artisan … Continue reading Queer book review: Bloom by Delilah S. Dawson
Doubt
I saw this movie back in 2008 in the theater, and really liked, but I haven't seen the whole thing start to finish since then. This morning it happened to be on, and I sat and watched it and was amazed all over again. It's actually quite good, and it's a great movie for a … Continue reading Doubt
Mycelial knowledge
I've been taking courses in environmental studies that lean heavily into indigenous knowledge. One of the things I learned was that there is no word for "weed" in the Menominee language. They believed every living thing had value and had a reason for existing. I love the idea that no piece of life is wrong … Continue reading Mycelial knowledge
Mental Wanderings: Art, Nature, Life 