Carbon Chemist

Tag: lgbtq+

  • Trans Americans Are Turning to TikTok to Crowdfund Their Relocations

    Trans Americans Are Turning to TikTok to Crowdfund Their Relocations

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    Since the election, Richards says that applications have skyrocketed, with a majority of requests coming from Texas and Florida. In October, TCP had gotten a little more than 20 applications. By mid-November, that number was already over 400. “Everyone is terrified right now,” she says. “Nobody really knows what’s going to happen … the rhetoric is already occurring and already being translated to legislation. We have our problems already, even without whatever Trump’s going to do.”

    On platforms such as Instagram, mutual aid funds have offered a safe way for people to both anonymously seek assistance for, and donate toward, relocation costs, medical costs, therapy, travel expenses, and more. One popular account started in 2020, transanta, posts stories from and letters from trans people in need; users can then anonymously donate directly to whomever they like by visiting that person’s gift registry, which is shared by the Instagram account. Others, like Genderbands, offer yearly grants for a variety of transition care-related costs, including procedures, travel costs, and paperwork.

    It can be tricky, however, for people in need to find these networks. Both Iris and Kaliyah were familiar with Rainbow Railroad, a non-profit operating globally that helps LGBTQ+ flee persecution, but less so with smaller, more concentrated efforts. Getting word out to people who need assistance is paramount. Complicating the issue is also the question of safety for organizers themselves. To make themselves known is to also put a target on their backs.

    Richards has taken the responsibility of a spotlight to better protect her team, she says. TCP is intent on “​​scaling as quickly as possible,” including fundraising, training volunteers, and trying to compile resources outside of Colorado. “We’re talking to other groups in Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Washington, the other safe states who are trying to compile similar resource lists like we do,” she says. “We’re trying to support other groups trying to do the same so we can meet this demand.”

    None of that work can be done blindly and requires careful vetting. “It’s definitely tricky,” she says. “It requires a lot of trust on both ends.”

    “And even some of those networks are too underground for us to touch. They will not work with a 501(c)(3), which I respect. I understand that because we are more above ground than most of these networks have been, we are inherently at a greater risk.”

    With weeks left before Trump takes office in January, the politicization of the trans community shows no signs of slowing down. Kaliyah points to the millions of dollars Republicans spent on anti-trans ads in the most recent election cycle. “For people who refuse to educate themselves—we are also in the age of misinformation where things that are not true get spread,” Kaliyah says. Focusing on trans people, she says, ”was just a way to sway the election for people who were already radically right to further demonize a demographic of people.”

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  • The Secret Telegram Channels Providing Refuge for LGBTQ+ People in Russia

    The Secret Telegram Channels Providing Refuge for LGBTQ+ People in Russia

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    Telegram’s prevalence as a far-right hub in some parts of the world and a place for both pro- and anti-LGBTQ+ content in Russia gets at broader questions of moderation and regulation on social media platforms. Any platform that’s not trying to crack down on any type of content, Walter notes, will become “a place where people who are not able to express themselves freely on mainstream platforms are gonna move, because they just feel safer posting there.”

    As Russia’s war in Ukraine has continued, it has embarked on a campaign to eradicate what it sees as the West’s influence, including acceptance of queer people. Walter notes that some anti-LGBTQ+ Telegram propaganda campaigns in the region go so far as to claim Ukraine is training its soldiers to be gay. Nine months into the conflict, the country’s parliament passed a law criminalizing attempts to promote “nontraditional sexual relations” in everything from movies to ads to online posts.

    “The restrictions, which render life precarious for LGBT+ individuals in Russia, have a much more ambitious purpose—to consolidate conservative support at home and position Russia as the defender of ‘traditional values,’” Graeme Reid, the director of Human Rights Watch’s LGBTQ+ rights program, wrote last year. That precariousness has only increased in the year since.

    Before Sozaev fled Russia, his primary organizing tool and social media hub had been Facebook. A Russian court banned Facebook, along with Instagram, in 2022, labeling the Meta platforms as “extremist.” The ruling spared WhatsApp, but for organizers like Sozaev, Telegram has become their meeting place.

    Still, LGBTQ+ people remain cautious. Some of their public Telegram channels have been targeted, indicating that the government is watching. Anyone who uses their real name on the app risks investigation. Sozaev explains that people often encourage each other to delete the Telegram app from their phones before trying to cross the border. Their devices could be searched, and the presence of the app could put them in jeopardy and prevent them from being allowed out of the country. Telegram groups also provide tutorials instructing LGBTQ+ people on what they should do if they are being questioned by Russian authorities.

    “Just going on our Telegram channel and seeing concrete steps for how people get out” and then finding community with other LGBTQ+ Russians is what is most effective, says Maxim Ibadov, the national coordinator for RUSA LGBTQ+, a nonprofit formed in 2008 to support Russian-speaking queer people in the US.

    There are about 1,000 people on RUSA LGBTQ+’s Telegram channel, and although most members are US-based, people in Russia frequently reach out to the organization looking for ways out of the country. Often, people active in the chat connect people looking to escape with organizations like Rainbow Railroad. Others share strategies for where they crossed the border.

    Ibadov notes that Telegram is one of the primary ways their organization connects with people trying to leave Russia and community members who have recently arrived in the US and need support rebuilding their lives. “They don’t know where to go, and they might not have the desire or comfort to go to our in-person events at first,” Ibadov explains, noting that being able to follow the RUSA LGBTQ+’s Telegram is a way to build trust and confidence in the organization and its members.

    Telegram also helps RUSA LGBTQ+ community leaders know what kinds of support their members need. The organization recently started a Telegram chat for queer-identifying parents after a lesbian couple who made it to the US from Russia reached out looking for opportunities for their children to connect with other kids.

    The interactive nature of Telegram also lends itself to community members providing mutual aid to each other. Ibadov says that often someone will come to their Telegram channel to ask about how to access health care or legal support, and before RUSA LGBTQ+ staff or volunteers can respond, numerous community members will have already weighed in.

    Ibadov notes that for many LGBTQ+ people in Russia, Telegram is one of the few places they can see people living openly. As a result, they see their organization’s presence on the platform as vital not just for providing resources but also giving hope. “LGBTQ+ people in Russia can’t [publicly] fight; we have to fight for them here,” they say, “so there is hope for them there.”

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  • The Best Gender-Neutral Clothing Brands (2024): Tested and Reviewed

    The Best Gender-Neutral Clothing Brands (2024): Tested and Reviewed

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    The fashion industry writ large reinforces gender norms in many ways, but there’s one every one of us encounters daily: gendered sizing and styling. A faceless entity decides what a man or woman should look like, and if you don’t fit either mold or identify with either label, that’s your problem. Thankfully, there’s a growing segment that offers tools to opt out of that binary.

    Gender-neutral and gender-inclusive clothing brands offer a wider range of fits and styles than you might find at a traditional company. These companies make clothes for queer, nonbinary, and trans bodies of all shapes and sizes. I’ve tested and worn dozens of these and whittled down my favorites below.

    Every garment in this list links to its manufacturer and also some other retailers that carry these garments. On some third-party retailer websites, the items we’ve highlighted are placed in gendered clothing sections, which is disappointing considering it’s 2024 and these items are explicitly gender-neutral. I’m just giving you a heads-up so you’re not surprised to see the gender-neutral underwear I recommended get categorized as “for women” at Amazon.

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    Both&

    Both& offers a wide assortment of tops and bottoms based on a sizing system the company developed independently. Rather than using existing size frameworks, Both& developed its signature length-to-width ratio by surveying its community, asking people what they liked and didn’t like about the way traditionally sized clothing fit their bodies.

    The result can be seen best in its signature tees. Not only are they made from durable heavyweight cotton, but they also hang on your body in a way that creates a silhouette that steps outside the shapes that gendered garments often reinforce. The Khazeel tee, for instance, hangs in such a way that it easily conceals the presence of a binder, while the drop shoulder cut hangs off of, rather than skims, the body.

    TomboyX

    I’ve been a TomboyX wearer for years now and can’t help but sing its praises. With everything from shorts, briefs, and thongs to bras and outerwear, I’ve never had a TomboyX garment that disappointed. Underwear can be tricky for queer and trans people for any number of reasons, but TomboyX has a wide variety of cuts and fits, with sizes that go up to 6X.

    I’m a big fan of the bikini briefs and boy shorts for everyday wear, and the 9-inch shorts for wearing around the house or under skirts. The bra selection is also one of my favorites of any company on this list. TomboyX offers traditional number-letter sizing on some of its bras but offers standard S to 4X type sizing on other bras. If you’ve had trouble finding a bra that fits, I can’t recommend the all-day bralette enough. It offers support and breathability, plus fits perfectly under any top.

    Wildfang

    Originating in my hometown of Portland, Oregon, Wildfang has been a mainstay of the gender-neutral fashion scene for years. Its founders sought to break free from gender norms and offer clothes that can be feminine, masculine, neither, or all of the above.

    With inclusive sizing going up to 4X on some garments (unfortunately, some top out at 3X) and including tall sizes, it’s pretty easy to find things that will fit your body no matter your body’s shape or gender presentation. Some of the pants do tend to have a higher crotch than you might expect, even on the larger sizes, so you might have to size up on those depending on your proportions—or get the tall size.

    I’m a huge fan of the high-waisted coverall. Not only do you get to wear a flight suit like an astronaut or space miner, but they’re fashionable, come in a variety of vibrant colors, and fit so well you’ll want to wear it all the time even if it’s way too warm out to be wearing a full-body coverall.

    Another mainstay of my wardrobe (and my partner’s) is the essential cropped button-up. As just an outer layer, it can turn a sports bra and a pair of pants into an outfit, and the fit hangs off your body rather than squeezing it or circus-tenting off of it like traditionally sized men’s button-ups can.

    Thistle and Spire

    I’ve historically had a complicated relationship with lingerie. If it fits my bust, it doesn’t fit my shoulders; if it fits my waist it doesn’t fit my butt, and so on. I could write a dissertation on the lingerie brands that have failed me. Instead, I want to highlight my new favorite: Thistle and Spire. If you’re active in online sex worker (OnlyFans, Fansly, etc.) communities, you’ve seen some of these garments, for good reason.

    Thistle and Spire offers inclusive sizing and size details on its garments that tell you what you need to know about how each item fits. A part of the reason for that is its dedication to offering garments that will make you feel hot no matter your size, gender, or sexual orientation. And you’ll see that dedication reflected in the models wearing each garment. Finding lingerie modeled by someone with a body that looks like yours is an extremely affirming experience.

    Thistle and Spire’s entire catalog is ornate, sexy, and creative, but my favorite is the Medusa set. The bralette fits my bust (and shoulders) perfectly and offers a high degree of adjustability to make sure it fits the body just right. The same goes for the matching bottoms. Here’s another thing Thistle and Spire does that feels like it should be impossible: the lingerie is comfortable. It supports my body where it needs to be supported, and it’s comfy to wear for long periods, so much so that you’ll want to wear it everywhere—you can!

    Just throw on some pasties (Thistle and Spire offers these too) and you can wear the bralette as an actual top. They even ship in a mesh bag you can use to wash them (in delicate mode).

    The Fluxion

    Shopping for a binder is hard. The best results you’ll get come from stores that take your measurements and custom-make you a binder made for your specific body, but that can take a long time, and it’s expensive.

    When shopping for binders for my partner, hearing about the wait filled them with dread. So I set out to find a middle option: a binder that fits them the way they want and ships in a shorter time frame. That’s how I found the Fluxion.

    The binders are durable and well-made, with sturdy stitching on every seam, and a comfortable cotton lining inside a Lycra shell. It feels like a tight swimsuit material, and during testing I found it does a great job of binding a large bust on a small frame, or a medium bust on a large frame. Because they’re made from Lycra, they do stretch out and need to be washed to get the tautness back. That’s something you don’t have to worry about as much on binders made from non-stretch fabrics or custom-made binders like those offered by companies like Shapeshifters.

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  • When My Country Invaded Ukraine, I Faced a Choice: Give Me Propaganda or Give Me Death

    When My Country Invaded Ukraine, I Faced a Choice: Give Me Propaganda or Give Me Death

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    A month later, the world saw images of mass graves in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha, dead limbs sticking out of the sand. Outside our building one morning, on an old brick wall that was previously empty, was a fresh message, the paint still wet: “Russians, go home.” My boyfriend went back to Russia so he could obtain a European visa, promising he would be back in a month, but he never returned.

    Image may contain Clothing Glove Adult Person Footwear Shoe People Accessories Bag Handbag and Hat

    ARTWORK: MICHELLE THOMPSON; GETTY IMAGES

    I spent the rest of the year on the move: Cyprus, Estonia, Norway, France, Austria, Hungary, Sweden. I went where I had friends. The independent Russian media that I’d always consumed went into exile too, setting up operations where they could. TV Rain began broadcasting out of Amsterdam. Meduza moved its Russian branch to Europe. The newspaper Novaya Gazeta, cofounded by the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dmitry Muratov, reopened in Latvia. Farida Rustamova, a former BBC Russia correspondent, fled and launched a Substack called Faridaily, where she began publishing information from Kremlin insiders. Journalists working for the independent news website Important Stories, which published names and photos of Russian soldiers involved in the murder of civilians in a Ukrainian village, went to Czechia. These, along with 247,000 other websites, were blocked at the behest of the Prosecutor General’s Office but remained accessible in Russia through VPNs.

    “During the first days of the war, everything was in a fog,” says Ilya Krasilshchik, the former publisher of Meduza, who went on to found Help Desk, which combines news media and a help hotline for those impacted by war. “We felt it our duty to inform people of what the Russian army was doing in Ukraine, to document the hell that despair and powerlessness leave in their wake. But we also wanted to empathize with all of the people caught up in this meat grinder.” Taisiya Bekbulatova, a former special correspondent for Meduza and the founder of the news outlet Holod, tells me, “In nature you find parasites that can force their host to act in the parasite’s own interest, and propaganda, I believe, works in much the same way. That’s why we felt it was our duty to provide people with more information.”

    I wanted to continue my work in journalism, but the publications that had fled Russia weren’t hiring. My application for a Latvian humanitarian visa as an independent journalist was rejected, and I didn’t have the means to pay the fees for US or UK talent visas.

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  • ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Trailer Hopes Pegging Can Save the MCU

    ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Trailer Hopes Pegging Can Save the MCU

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    As with most movie commercials that dropped during Super Bowl 2024, the new trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine was only advertised with a teaser. Makes sense considering trailers are usually a couple minutes and Big Game ads are decidedly 30-second spots. But there was a different reason it was only a teaser that aired on television and encouraged fans to watch the full trailer online: The full trailer introduces pegging to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

    The trailer opens on Wade Wilson’s birthday party. There’s a knock at the door. Wilson (aka Deadpool, played by Ryan Reynolds) answers and is greeted by agents from the Time Variance Authority, the timeline-policing outfit at the center of Loki. As the TVA agents whip out their glowing Time Sticks, Wade retorts “Pegging isn’t new for me, friendo. But it is for Disney.” Then he looks directly at the camera.

    We won’t get into pegging here (IYKYK), but suffice to say, Wade’s right. While it might be a run of the mill joke for Deadpool, it’s something new for MCU/Disney offering. Deadpool & Wolverine is the first Deadpool movie to hit theaters (it drops in July) since Disney completed its $52 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox and brought Deadpool and the X-Men into the MCU fold. Doing so, and bringing Wolverine into the mix, was always going to require some sort of timey-wimey retconning—he’s had two movies worth of adventures while the other Avengers were out chasing Thanos—so tying Deadpool to the TVA makes sense from a continuity (and Kang Dynasty) perspective. It’s also a sign that at least someone at Disney knows the MCU needs to be shaken up.

    As it stands, Deadpool & Wolverine is the only Marvel movie coming out this year, and the last one—The Marvels—didn’t exactly light the world on fire, despite being a really good time. Many speculated in 2023 that Marvel was losing its way. Introducing a foul-mouthed horny hero, one that builds on the rather queer themes of the Thor movies and Loki, seems to be Disney’s plan for injecting some excitement into the franchise.

    When I interviewed Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy last year, I asked him about bringing some bite to the gentle world of Marvel. When I asked if the movie would be R-rated, he said, “Fuck yes.” When I asked about Deadpool’s identity, he perked up, noting that “the pansexual openness of Deadpool is delightful. … [he’s] so audaciously ahead-of-his-time fluid.” Ideologically, he stood on the side of Disney in being against legislation like Florida’s “Don’t say gay” bill, which has put the Mouse House in a legal standoff with the state’s governor, Ron DeSantis.

    It would be easy to write off the queering of the MCU under the auspices of Disney as an empty attempt at “edginess”—one that only winks at LGBTQ+ fans without actually representing them. There is something to the cynical view, but given the blowback Disney is likely to receive for releasing Deadpool & Wolverine during Hot Election Year Summer, the effort appears genuine.

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