A year ago, someone accused me of something in a bit of a bizarre way. I shoved it aside for a while, but it turned up in my brain again recently. Brains are strange like that - pulling up things you thought you'd moved past, or had completely forgotten, dusting them off and handing them … Continue reading The overwhelming awe of betrayal
Author: Leah Kent
Writer. Researcher. Analyst. Queer.
Denver, CO
“Sometimes an accusation is a confession”
Have you ever read something that hits you hard and you can't stop thinking about it? Usually that happens to me with novels, but I came across this quote somewhere in the wilds of Instagram recently. It struck a certain chord because there's a real-life theme here that many of us encounter in our lives. … Continue reading “Sometimes an accusation is a confession”
Botanic Gardens
Through the screen doors of discretion
I woke up this morning with a Dar Williams song stuck in my head, which is never a bad way to wake up. The specific song dredged up by my subconscious was Iowa, one of my favorites from her. The internet informs me that it came out in 1996, which was a pinnacle year in … Continue reading Through the screen doors of discretion
I stand with trans people.
What is happening in Texas is not about "child abuse" - it's about oppression and erasure. More states are passing anti-trans and anti-lgbt laws. Texas and Florida are not outliers. What can you do? Speak up. Raise awareness. Vote. Challenge bigotry when you hear and see it. Volunteer with pro-queer organizations. Donate money to organizations … Continue reading I stand with trans people.
Magic and muses
There's a magical thing that happens sometimes with any creative process. I had characters and a setting and a vague idea of what they might be up to, and I let it percolate in my head for around a year. Simmering there, in my subconscious and memories and neurological coding, and then all of a … Continue reading Magic and muses
For those who learned to endure
I was talking to someone recently about the astoundingly ignorant response of "Why didn't they just leave?" that people give sometimes in response to things like abusive relationships or cults or toxic friendships and things of that nature - and how people who have never been in those situations like to convince themselves that they … Continue reading For those who learned to endure
The end of all things 2021ish
It's the end of another calendar year, and it's tradition to have new year's resolutions. I don't do that anymore. My goals are ongoing. But I do like to reflect a bit, because one thing I've noticed as I've traversed further into adulthood is that if you're willing to work at it, your level of … Continue reading The end of all things 2021ish
Give yourself the gift of anger
I found this in my online travels, and since I'm not much for the "traditional" Western Christian version of Christmas, I thought - here's an actual useful lesson for the holiday that purports to be about lessons: It's okay to hold onto anger. You are not obligated to forgive. Not "because it's family." Not "because … Continue reading Give yourself the gift of anger
I Remember… [writing exercise]
Part 1: Start out every line/phrase with "I remember" and see what emerges. They key is not to think about it too hard - just write. My "I remember" exercises tend to be a mix of my own memories and things that emerge from the worlds and characters I create. Feel free to write this … Continue reading I Remember… [writing exercise]
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