Joe Polito x Gaygenda by Gaygenda Magazine

JOE POLITO

GAYGENDA ISSUE 003

JANUARY-MARCH

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Redefining the Gay Agenda

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Issue 003 January-February-March 2022

Senior Editor

Cover by

Eva Clark

Joe Polito

Content Editor

Cover StylingTop Supporter Joe Polito's Janelle Abbott Youssef Nassib

Erika Della Cioppa

Content Editor

Katie Mulcahy

Writer

Hannah Dickson

Writer Marrisa Doud Editor in Chief Tanner Armstrong

GAYGENDA was founded in 2021 None of the contents within this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any means (electronic, photocopying, screenshot, recording, or otherwise) without the express prior permission of the publishers. The depiction, likeness, appearance, or reference of any person or entity in GAYGENDA cannot be taken as an indication of social, political, or sexual orientation nor gender identity of such persons and entities. 2022 GAYGENDA All rights reserved. P.O. BOX 579 K0A 2T0 North Gower, ON

IN THIS ISSUE

Eric Sedeño, the Internet's Bestie, on his chaotic gay content Eric Sedeño @Ricotaquito

Pursuing Your Passions and Embracing Your Truth with Joe Polito Joe Polito

@Journeybyjoe

Transitional Identities: A Conversation with Left at London Nat Puff

@leftatlondon (Nat Puff)

PHOTOGRAPHY: MADISON KIRKMAN WARDROBE: JANELLE ABBOTT

PHOTOGRAPHY: ANGEL STRANGIS

Being the Main Character of Your Own Life with Noah Davis Noah Davis @noahdavis

IN THIS ISSUE GovernmentSanctioned Discrimination of LGBTQ+ Kids Marrisa Doud Katie Mulcahy

Canada to End 30-Year Discriminatory Blood Ban Hannah Dickson

PUBISHER'S NOTE

Erika Della Cioppa

It's hard to believe that we are already signing off on the first quarter of 2022. This magazine marks our third issue of Gaygenda, and our team is continuing to implement a steady stream of improvements! Ultimately, our goal with Gaygenda magazine has always been to introduce readers to inspiring creators, activists, and ideas that are making a difference for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. In GM003, we had the incredible opportunity to connect with four individuals who make the world a better place for us all, each in their own unique way. At the end of the day, we strive to put role models on the cover of Gaygenda—especially for the sake of the 2SLGBTQIA+ youth in our community. We are excited to continue to highlight and platform 2SLGBTQIA+ excellence as we dive deeper into 2022. Tanner Armstrong Editor in Chief | GAYGENDA

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HEADLINES 180+ Dehumanizing Attacks on LGBTQ+ Rights Are Being Pushed by Lawmakers in the US HIV Diagnosed More among Heterosexuals than Gay Men in the UK New Zealand Bans Damaging Conversion Therapy Practice in Landslide Vote Florida House Passes Controversial "Don't Say Gay" Bill LGBT Identification in US Ticks Up to 7.1% A Woman Is Cured of HIV Using a Novel Treatment Germany Announces the Country's First-Ever Commissioner for LGBTQ+ Affairs 2022 Winter Olympics Were Officially the Gayest Ever As Swaths of Open LGBTQ+ Athletes Compete Trans Flag Planted at Antarctica's Highest Peak to Celebrate 'Resilience' of Community

HEADLINES TikTok Bans Deadnaming, and Pro-Conversion Therapy Content Trans People in Ukraine 'Stuck' in Kyiv following Russian Invasion Mj Rodriguez Has Made History as the First Transgender Actress to Win a Golden Globe LGBTQ+ People in Afghanistan Continue to Face Grave Threats since Taliban Takeover Apple Adds Gender-Neutral Siri Option Voiced by Queer Person—Meet ‘Quinn’ Britney Spears to Write Tell-All Memoir in 'One of the Biggest Book Deals of All Time' Greece, France, Canada to Address Absurd Blood Bans on Gay and Bisexual Men Moderna Confirmed That the First Participants Have Been Dosed with Its Experimental HIV Vaccine

MARRISA DOUD | ERIKA DELLA CIOPPA It’s always a breath of fresh air to see a creator online bringing nothing but pure joy. Eric Sedeño, AKA ricotaquito online, brings his personal brand of chaotic, lighthearted humor to TikTok in short videos that show you just how much fun he has making them.

ERIC

Eric lives in New York City, uses he/him pronouns, and describes himself as “a gay, male, Hispanic, annoying person”—his words, not ours. Eric’s bubbly personality makes him likable and relatable, so I would leave out the adjective “annoying” if it were me. Eric was always a happy kid, but he wasn’t super popular growing up, so he learned how to find joy in what was available. Eric was raised in Texas, which has a reputation for being pretty conservative. His family is Catholic, and Eric remembers being taught that being gay was wrong. He heard things like that all the time growing up, so naturally, he hid who he was to fit in. Like most queer people, Eric eventually went off to college, where he was able to make new friends and explore who he was. He says that since this time, he’s felt like he’s in a constant state of growth and learning how to love himself.

Can you share some of your coming out journey? I grew up in Texas, which is obviously pretty conservative, and my family is Catholic. I was scared to admit things to myself. I grew up wanting to fit in, so I just really didn't want to be gay for a long time. I think once I went to college and really explored myself—internally and externally—I just realized that I had been lying to myself. Like, I knew in middle school, but it was the acceptance that was really challenging. I just had to have some experiences that allowed me to understand that it's okay, and to meet people who I knew would accept me either way. Once I had some supportive people around me who weren't going to abandon ship, I felt totally ready to tell them, and explore myself while being open about it.

Where do you think your joie de vivre comes from?

ERIC SEDEÑO ILLUSTRATIONS: ERIC SEDEÑO

“I think when I started really being okay with myself and loving myself is when I found support,” he says of his time in college. He found that establishing a group of people who accepted and cared about him helped him come into his own. That’s something that the internet has made so much easier—online communities (like Gaygenda *wink*) can help isolated kids feel like they are not alone. And TikTok creators like Eric also help with that in unbelievable ways. Eric says he’s always had a love for social media and the way it helps people become more engaged, but he didn’t start really participating until after a big breakup. Since starting his TikTok during the earlier part of the pandemic, he’s gained over 700k followers. He never expected this kind of success, but he’s glad to have it and be able to spread joy and positivity in whatever ways he can. His community has helped him in this way, too. One of Eric’s favorite TikToks he’s posted was a “virtual hug” to his community. In this video, Eric was everything you could ever want in a hype man. Evidenced by over 20,000 comments, this viral video touched the hearts of everyone on the FYP. I don't know about you, but that's the kind of wholesome content I want on my feed—and I'd like to see it much more often!

When you're gay, you have to look introspectively, and there's levels to it. You have to accept that you're gay, and be able look in the mirror and say, "I'm gay," and try to be okay with it. After that, you have to really learn how to love being gay and how to love yourself. Going through thoughts like "what's wrong with me?" is the hardest part of the process, but you have to learn to appreciate yourself for who you are. I think that process has really allowed me to love myself and find joy in myself.

After posting your 'virtual hug' video, what went through your heart and mind while reading the comments? I was crying while reading the comment section for that video. I've literally never had so many nice and loving comments in the comments section before. It was really overwhelming—I almost didn't even post the video because I thought it was really cheesy. At the end of the day, I was really glad that I posted it.

How would you describe your relationship with your audience? This year, I want to focus on building that relationship a little more. I think it's pretty funny—sometimes they're mean to me and sometimes they tease me, but I think that, in their heads and in mine, we're like internet friends, and I really love that. I think that my relationship with them is pretty open, but I do think it's like an internet friendship. We're all like best friends in some weird way, for sure.

,, Chase the serotonin.

When asked what he thought his greatest blessing was, Eric said, “that I’m not a glasshalf-full or half-empty kind of person, but a ‘there’s no water in the glass, but I’m still happy I have the glass’ kind of person.” That kind of giddy optimism is so rare with everything going on in the world, and it’s absolutely beautiful to see someone use their platform to share that. When asked what he's learned about life, Eric shared his belief that the point of life is to “chase the serotonin.” If you take nothing else away from this, take that. Go out there and do what makes you truly happy. Life is simply too short. Talking with Eric was an absolute joy, and if you want to experience that joy for yourself, go check out Eric on TikTok and Instagram (@ricotaquito), and on Twitter (@theericotaquito). He also teased that he may have some YouTube content coming in the future, so keep an eye out for that. The world is a better place with creators like Eric using their platforms to spread positivity and happiness. ERIC SEDEÑO ILLUSTRATIONS: ERIC SEDEÑO

@RICOTAQUITO @RICOTAQUITO @THEERICOTAQUITO

ERIC SEDEÑO ILLUSTRATIONS: ERIC SEDEÑO

JOE POLITO @JOURNEYBYJOE

JOE POLITO MARRISA DOUD | ERIKA DELLA CIOPPA

If you’re looking for hilarious and relatable gay content to fill your feed, look no further than Joe Polito, AKA journeybyjoe on TikTok and Instagram. Joe uses his platforms to forward his modeling career, share his experiences traveling, and express his prowess as a photographer. Plus, his TikToks are funny, relatable examples of what it's like to be part of the LGBTQ+ community today.

Before we dive into it, however, we have some things to clear up. We asked Joe if people had any common misconceptions about him, and he says that people tend to think he’s super short. He tells us that this is not the case at all— believe it or not, Joe is actually 6 feet tall! Betrayed by his camera angles, Joe is delighted anytime someone is surprised by his stature when they recognize him in public. A short king Joe is not!

Joe Polito was born and raised in Toronto as part of an old-fashioned Italian family. Growing up, he attended Catholic schools and believed he had to uphold a certain type of masculinity, so he played sports, dated girls, and had a lot of guy friends. Over time, he began to realize there was something different in his relationships with the girls he was supposed to like, compared to how people around him dated. He finally knew he was gay when he developed a massive crush on his high school best friend—which, as we all know, is a staple of a closeted gay upbringing.

I create my content for the younger version of myself who was still in the closet. Joe was around nineteen when he came out. He first told his best-friend-turned-crush, then a cousin, then his whole immediate family over dinner one evening. While his family is super supportive now, the news came as a massive shock to them at the time. It was up to Joe to educate his family on the LGBTQ+ issues that they knew nothing about.

A lot of kids experience the same thing when they come out to their families. Not only do some people—especially older generations— not know about queer issues or people, they also don’t realize how much there is to know. They don’t know they’re missing the details, so the responsibility falls to the kids to educate them. In situations like this, Joe’s words of wisdom are: “Patience is key.” Coming out can be tricky—family is sometimes especially difficult, but if they’re willing to work with you and learn, that’s a big step in the right direction. Education is the most important thing—it’s what has gotten us to this point as a community. Be patient and tell them who you are. If they want to listen, they will.

Did you experience any confusion or denial about your identity?

Not a lot of people know this about me, but I was a huge basketball competitor and played a lot of sports during high school. As you can imagine, going to a Catholic elementary and high school was extremely challenging, on top of the sport team environment. Knowing that I was gay, and then hearing all of this talk referring to 'gays' in a negative connotation was hard. I also felt the need to uphold this 'masculine standard,' which was really difficult, especially when I was younger and just trying to figure everything out. It took a lot of growing up for me to realize that it's fully okay to come out and to just be yourself. There are so many other people that are going through the same thing, and knowing that just made me feel like I wasn't alone.

@JOURNEYBYJOE JOE POLITO @JOURNEYBYJOE

@JOURNEYBYJOE

Was it difficult for you to let your guard down while you were closeted?

Yes, especially when it came to upholding that masculine standard. At points, I maybe over-masculated myself to better fit in. I didn't want anyone to think that I had the slightest bit of femininity in me, because maybe they'd think I was gay. I would watch what I said and everything because I was just so afraid of someone calling me out. I definitely was on guard with how I expressed myself. But after coming out, all of that went out the window. Today, I can just be whoever I want because I'm free now, and it's really a liberating experience that just feels right.

We also talked about how coming out helped Joe build confidence while playing with gender and fashion. Studying abroad in Europe allowed him to really explore who he was and what made him feel the most confident. During that time, he started doing photoshoots and getting into modeling, which eventually turned into a successful career in social media. Joe’s TikTok account currently has over 325k followers, and his Instagram isn't far behind at 145k. He uses his platforms to document his life and experiences—sharing his life with others is a joy that he’s harbored since he was young, inspiring him to get his first camera when he was around ten or eleven years old. He was influenced by YouTubers like Tyler Oakley and Joey Graceffa, who provided a large portion of the queer representation available on the internet at the time. Joe says he could see himself creating content online as his career forever, and he’s even considering getting into YouTube so that he can create longer, more substantial videos.

“I create content for the younger version of myself who was still in the closet,” Joe says of his work on TikTok. Representation is very important, and having so many people actively participating in creating that representation is changing the landscape of the internet for the better. Still, some people will never understand how much it means to see someone like you being themself. Joe does what he does so that a younger generation of queer kids don’t have to suffer in isolation the way he did growing up. We asked Joe for some parting words of inspiration, and he implores you all to remember that you’re not alone. If you ever feel that way, there’s a whole community of people who will support you. He also advises people to try “prioritizing what makes you the most happy, not living up to other people’s standards.” It’s definitely easier said than done, but I think this is great advice. You can find more of Joe Polito on TikTok & Instagram (@journeybyjoe). He’ll have information coming soon about his upcoming merch release and, if you're interested in traveling, he’s hosting a group trip to Bali this summer through TrovaTrip. You can find more info on his socials about this very exciting opportunity. Joe’s content is lighthearted, fun, and inspirational, and he is one of many creators we admire for providing muchneeded representation for the LGBTQ+ community.

LEFT AT LONDON PHOTOGRAPHY: MADISON KIRKMAN WARDROBE: JANELLE ABBOTT

LEFT AT LONDON HANNAH DICKSON | KATIE MULCAHY TW: MENTION OF SUICIDE

Can you please introduce yourself?

LEFT AT LONDON:

My name is Nat, and my artist name is Left at London. My pronouns are she/her… I feel like my gender is doing a shift—I don't know what to, but we're going to find out. How do I identify? I don't. I simply exist and hope for the best. I feel like gender is something that is very much influenced by the way we interact with the world, the way that we have been raised in this world, even beyond childhood—and being raised literally means just growing and changing in one environment to me.

Are you always excited by your own evolution?

LEFT AT LONDON:

LEFT AT LONDON PHOTOGRAPHY: MADISON KIRKMAN WARDROBE: JANELLE ABBOTT

Left at London, also known as Nat (she/her), is an indie-pop musician, poet, and online personality from Seattle, Washington. She launched her online career on Vine, growing a following for her comedy and song parodies, and began releasing her own music in 2017. She has since released several popular songs, including Pills & Good Advice, 6 Feet, and Kudzu. Her lyrics often cover topics surrounding mental health and navigating the world as a queer person. Nat sat down with us to talk about identity, self-exploration, and music, and to share with our readers that it's okay to explore and be fluid in your identity.

Christ, no! It has been overwhelming at points —to the point where I didn't want to see that process happen, whether that be through denial or literally ending my life. I feel like now I am in a much more consistently self-aware place, which is great, but sometimes selfawareness means being aware that you know nothing about yourself, and that is okay. Even if you are in the same place, you can look outside your window and see the changes from day to day, season to season, year to year. The world is changing around you and you can't expect yourself to stay the same. [Nat laughs.] I’m just now remembering that this came out of the question, ‘how do you identify?’ which is such a basic and easy question to answer, usually. That question, ‘how do you identify?’ is a question that's taken for granted, because it takes a lot of courage to know that how you identify is how you are. It takes a lot of selfknowledge to know that same thing, and it takes a lot of self-respect to acknowledge that how you are and how you self-identify can change. 18

How do you better accept that it's okay for your life and who you are to be constantly changing?

LEFT AT LONDON:

Checking in with yourself. When I say 'checking in with yourself,' I’m not just talking about asking yourself a question and answering it immediately. I’m talking about stripping yourself of everything but the one thing that you want to focus on. One of the things that really helped me understand my gender was laying down, closing my eyes, and imagining literally everything being stripped of me until I was just left with, ‘what is my gender?’ and trying to understand that and see that change.

How did you get started with music?

LEFT AT LONDON:

I don't know what my intentions were when I started getting into music, but I just really wanted to play drums, and my dad was like, ‘you should learn piano first,’ and I was like, ‘cool, I’ll learn piano.’ Then I started learning guitar. That was my primary instrument for years and years and years, to the point where I was trying to get a degree at my community college in guitar performance. It was around this time I realized I could be a producer, and I started working more and more on my production skills. It wasn't until the pandemic that I bought a bunch of plug-ins and really started working to understand what each plug-in did, trying to understand what makes songs sound good to me, and how I can make my songs unique. I want people to see me growing and changing along with my music, and I think that my music, because it is a representation of me, represents that growth and that change. Now that I’m in the position that I’m in, I want to finish these albums, release them all, and not pay as much attention to the reaction. 19

Can you share your process of unlearning unproductive beliefs about yourself?

LEFT AT LONDON:

That is a question and a half! I appreciate questions that make me think. I feel like the way that you unlearn things is mostly just critically asking yourself the same questions that you have already been told the answers to and going from there. One thing that I’ve been trying to do lately is meditate a lot more. I will just focus on my breathing in a dark, quiet room until I’m focused on nothing, and then out of the nothingness comes my subconscious. When you sort of…talk to your subconscious like that, you start understanding, ‘this is what I’m really thinking about, this is really what's giving me anxiety, this is what's really keeping me from finding peace.’

Do you ever experience the feeling of backsliding?

LEFT AT LONDON:

All the time. I think the really interesting thing about life is that once you reach a goal, you can un-reach that goal. This was what my entire debut album was about, specifically in the scope of mental health. You are going to fail at things that you were succeeding at in the past, and that's okay. As long as you understand what to do when you fail, because it's likely to happen, and it’s likely to happen often. Being able to just accept that and say, ‘well, that's life,’ sometimes is all you need.

Left at London's next project is confirmed to be the EP “Transgender Street Legend Vol. 3"

As emphasized by Nat, self-exploration and personal reflection can be the key to learning new things about your identity, and can help you learn to connect more deeply with yourself. Our identities are fluid and ever-changing, and while that might be an overwhelming concept, our queerness is what gives us the ability to adapt, change, and grow over time. We cannot wait to hear the next Left at London album, and to see what Nat does next. To keep up to date with what Nat is up to, and to watch for new music from Left at London, follow her on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter, and check her out on Spotify (@leftatlondon). @LEFTATLONDON @LEFTATLONDON LEFT AT LONDON PHOTOGRAPHY: MADISON KIRKMAN WARDROBE: JANELLE ABBOTT

@LEFTATLONDON

NOAH DAVIS HANNAH DICKSON | KATIE MULCAHY

Noah Davis is an artist, singer, songwriter, and is “in the business of being a bad bitch.” The LA-based musician is known for his absolute bops with catchy lyrics that speak to the queer experience and are enjoyed by everyone. We got the insider info on how Noah got started in music, what it means to write music about queer relationships, and his new album, Nursery Crimes. Growing up in Arkansas with parents who were both pastors, Noah first started singing in church. Noah explains that when he first started performing, he was nervous and “really bad,” often comparing himself to others, but soon realized that “not being great” was just not the vibe: “That was not going to work for me, because being the main character of this family… I do have to be the most iconic.” This drive to be a better singer and performer spurred his obsession with singers like Christina Aguilera, Beyoncé, Boyz II Men, and Brian McKnight—trying to figure out how to mimic their vocal patterns and iconic riffs. As a queer person in a conservative community, Noah never imagined he would have a career in music. 21

He “wanted to take music seriously, but being from such a small place that's super conservative… It felt like there were far too many hurdles.” Noah kept singing and creating music for fun and in church, but never thought it would go any further than that.

I am an artist, and I’m not creating art for other people. After auditioning for American Idol (and the iconic Katy Perry “wig” moment) in college, Noah began to realize that there was a real opportunity to gain a following and to share their music with people. With a quickly growing online fan base, Noah now had a reason to leave Arkansas, explaining their thought process as, “Listen… It would be rude if I didn't give them all the music that they're so desperately wanting and needing, so I’m going to move to Los Angeles.”

After arriving in LA, Noah realized he had underestimated what he was getting into and how big the competition would be. He remembers thinking: “Oh wait… Y'all are writing your own music? No one told me that! They did not say that on Instagram.” Noah’s family back in Arkansas was supportive, but at the same time they were skeptical, which gave him the drive to “prove to these people that I know what the hell I’m talking about, and I am just as iconic as I said I was when I was fourteen and telling everybody that I was going to be famous.” Noah needed to prove that he could find success and happiness as a singer, not only to his family, but also to himself, saying, “I needed to prove to fourteen-year-old me that, 'hey, you did exactly what the fuck you said you were going to do.'” Motivated by these challenges, Noah began to write his own songs on the piano, and discovered he really enjoyed the process. Describing the surreal feeling of hearing his voice on his first recorded song, Tickin’ on Us, Noah says, “I was like, ‘Oh my god, that's me singing my lyrics that I wrote, over a song that has my name on it.’” This feeling soon became addictive for Noah, and he started writing more songs, releasing more music, and putting in the work to grow his career. Noah says that after the release of his hit song Tea, he wanted to “put effort and mindfulness into creating a whole album. A whole piece of art.” This would manifest into Noah’s first album, Fuck Flowers, which was released in 2021. For Noah, song creation is a collaborative process, combining the talents of different amazing, creative people. “I’m a really good writer and I’m a really good singer, but I can't produce for shit,” Noah explains. “So I love working with people who can add their own artistic spin to what they're doing, add their own vision to it…. It's always just going in with friends and being like, ‘What's the best or most fun thing that we can make today?’” Clearly, this process of creative collaboration has been successful, as Noah’s music has surpassed 341,300 monthly listeners on Spotify, all released independently without the help of a music label.

Experiencing this level of success without a PR team or marketing is really rare. What's that like for you?

It's super crazy because on one side of the wheel, I feel super proud of myself and my big fat juicy brain, but then I see people who do have huge teams that are doing "better" because they have so much help. So sometimes it's super frustrating to know that I'm creating at the same level and the same quality but it maybe doesn't get the same level of attention as other people.

What have you had to endure to become the person you are today?

Of course, having to heal from the common traumas of growing up in the conservative Christian South, and having to maneuver coming out to my family and losing relationships because of it. It's all just very weird, and it's a thing that a human shouldn't have to think about. As a human being, I shouldn't have to think about who I'm going to offend or creep out, especially in my own family. Also, being the person who is now educating my family at the same time. A big thing people don't realize is that when you are the one who steps outside of the box, you also tend to be the educator, and you tend to catch a lot of flack for that. You'll get a lot of offensive questions and triggering topics thrown your way, but you feel required to explain them with grace because it's your family and you want them to learn. I think at the end of the day, conversations and patience are the easiest ways to get to people.

While queer artists and musicians are gaining more and more popularity, there is still a drastic lack of queer representation in the music industry. Noah tells us that, while there are so many music icons who are sex symbols changing the way our culture views sexuality and art, there is a lack of music that specifically represents the queer experience, saying, “Can I listen to Beyoncé talking about getting dick and relate? Sure. But if it comes from another queer person whom I know has had shared experiences with me, and they're writing this music and being liberated by it, I think it gives new meaning and visibility to that person.” These feelings inspired Noah to write a whole album about sex and relationships. The queer experience of love and sex is so different and follows a different timeline than the heterosexual norm, and Noah explores this and his own history throughout Fuck Flowers. These moments of collaboration, struggle, and creating, releasing, and promoting Fuck Flowers independently without the help of a label pushed Noah to become a better version of himself as an artist and writer. Moving forward, Noah wants to put out more music that can inspire and help others, while still making art that is for himself first. “I am an artist, and I’m not creating art for other people,” he explains. “I’m creating art for me that I share with other people, and it's not their job to like it or dislike it. If you don't like it, it's just not for you.”

Although he has queer experiences that inform many of his songs, Noah’s music is not just for gay people. He wants to create music that everyone can enjoy, explaining, “I wanted to create something that did have a storyline of a queer person that queer people could relate to, but that was also just good pop music that anyone can vibe to. I didn't want it to be so queer in nature that it felt like only queer people could listen to it…. Let a gay person's music be part of your sex playlist. That's what we need.” Noah does it for the girls and the gays, but also the straights, the bisexuals, the enbies, and everyone in between. Two of Noah’s newest songs, Twinkle Twinkle and Hush Little Baby, are part of their upcoming EP, Nursery Crimes. This album is experimental and versatile when it comes to genre, with Noah explaining, “I want to do everything, and I don't want to be constricted by genres.” In Nursery Crimes, Noah turns nursery rhymes into rap songs, and ends the tracklist with a ballad, allowing listeners to experience the diversity of his range. Queerness encourages genre-bending and experimentation within the arts, and Noah’s music does exactly this. We are so excited to hear the rest of the album, and to see what comes next for Noah. To watch for new music and to stay up to date on what Noah is up to, follow him on Instagram and Twitter (@noahdavis50), and on TikTok (@noahdavis).

@NOAHDAVIS @NOAHDAVIS50 @NOAHDAVIS

NOAH DAVIS @NOAHDAVIS

GovernmentSanctioned Discrimination of LGBTQ+ Kids MARRISA DOUD | KATIE MULCAHY In the early months of 2022, we have already seen some major disturbances in the world, including new attacks on LGBTQ+ rights in America. You would think that, by now, people would start to get over themselves and let queer people be, but I guess not. Florida and Texas are under siege this week, but they aren't the only states to introduce bills or acts that could potentially be harmful to LGBTQ+ youth. In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott encouraged teachers and other professionals to report parents who give their children gender-affirming care. This started with Attorney General Ken Paxton, who likened gender-affirming care to child abuse, and now the state government is looking to investigate parents of trans children. At this time, this has not been admitted into Texas law, and the opinions of Attorney General Paxton and Governor Abbott hold no legal precedence, though it is terrifying to think that men in those positions can spread these kinds of thoughts.

It’s not the first time Texas has been under the microscope for unfair treatment of LGBTQ+ youth. In 2021, a new bill was introduced that said any student who wanted to participate in sports in a Texas school had to provide their birth certificate and play for the team it stated. If a trans boy wanted to play on the boy's team but was assigned female at birth, he would have to play on the girl's team. This bill put kids at greater risk of alienation, diminished their chances of success in their chosen sport, and led to more bullying and discrimination. Then came Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill, which has become known by critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The bill passed Florida’s House of Representatives and is now waiting for its time in the Senate, where a similar topic has recently been discussed. The bill would ban the discussion of certain LGBTQ+ topics in schools, to make sure all education is “ageappropriate.” 25

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According to a poll performed by the Public Opinion Research Lab at the University of North Florida, roughly 49% of Florida citizens were against the bill, but it passed anyway. Republican Governor Ron DeSantis expressed support for the bill, but never said flat-out whether he would sign it. Florida’s House of Representatives also passed the “Stop WOKE Act,” which would affect how teachers and employers handle the discussion of critical race theory. While representatives of the bills claim they are not trying to be malicious, both bills make it ten times easier for those in positions of power to gloss over queer and black history. Avoiding discussions like this makes LGBTQ+ issues more taboo, stigmatizes the LGBTQ+ experience, and isolates students even more. This brings lawmakers and social justice advocates back to the Equality Act. The Equality Act seems to be an unattainable dream that would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include LGBTQ+ people, and make discrimination in terms of housing, employment, and public accommodations illegal. The act passed the U.S. House of Representatives in 2019 but was shot down by the Senate, citing religious opposition. There is a very easy way to simplify this debate. Do lawmakers care about LGBTQ+ youth or not? Yes or no? It’s starting to seem like the answer is no, and the effects on the mental health and wellbeing of kids who are actively being discriminated against by their own government will be detrimental. So what can we do? Keep people talking. Use social media to spread the word about how much these bills hurt us. Talk about how important LGBTQ+ history is, and how much of the modern world it affects. Don’t let fear keep you quiet.

And finally, keep saying “gay.” 26

Canada to End 30-Year Discriminatory Blood Ban HANNAH DICKSON | ERIKA DELLA CIOPPA Canadian Blood Services is recommending they end their problematic ban on blood donations from men who have sex with men and trans women. Currently, men who have sex with men (MSM) and trans women who have not had sex reassignment surgery cannot donate blood unless they have been abstinent for three months. Canadian Blood Services and Health Canada both cite concerns about increased risks of HIV transmission as a reason for the ban on donations.

After years of advocacy from the queer community, Canadian Blood Services has finally declared that they would like to end the blood ban and the waiting period for donation, shifting towards a “sexual behavior-based screening for all donors and collection types…screening all donors, regardless of their gender or that of their sexual partners, according to the risk associated with their sexual behavior.” With Canada dealing with its continued blood shortage, this new model would keep the blood supply safe, while allowing a new group of donors to contribute. This change comes after almost 30 years of restrictions. Beginning in 1992, Canada introduced a lifetime ban for MSM and trans women, after the Tainted Blood Scandal of 1985, wherein the Canadian Red Cross (the predecessor to CBS and Héma-Québec) failed to test or screen donors, and over 2,000 Canadians were given HIV-positive blood. Although this incident wasn’t the fault of the queer community, it’s us who have been held accountable for this incident. In 2013, this policy evolved and MSM and trans women became allowed to donate, but only if they had abstained from having sex with other men for 5+ years. This time frame has continued to shrink over the past several years, changing to 1 year in 2016, and 3 months in 2018. However, many still refer to these policies as discriminatory and based on harmful stereotypes, rather than science. 27

Canadian Blood Services has historically argued that this policy is necessary because HIV is more prevalent within the queer population. However, HIV doesn’t discriminate and can be transmitted to anyone, regardless of sexuality or gender. Many of the people who are advocates for changing these policies have argued that switching to a set of screening questions that focus on behaviors (in addition to the rigorous testing already in place) would be a safer and more science-based approach that would be less harmful to the queer community. Canada’s Liberal government promised to make repealing this policy a priority in 2015, and again in 2019, but Canadians are still waiting. This promise was not included in the party’s 2021 platform. Although the NDP (Canada’s more left-leaning party) and the Conservative party rarely agree, both parties have called out the Liberals for using LGBTQ+ issues as virtue signaling and failing to follow through. For many years, Canada has been dealing with a blood shortage, but rather than screening all potential donors, MSM and trans women who have not undergone sex reassignment surgery are kept from donating. Recently, Calgary, AB, and London, ON have been used as test cities for these new screening policies, and MSM have been able to donate plasma as long as neither they nor their current partner have had any new partners in the last 3 months. Plasma can be donated every 7 days, and with it being used to treat many different illnesses and conditions, the demand has been rising in Canada and around the world. Additionally, since the waiting period to donate blood was decreased between 2013 and 2018, there has been no increased risk of transmittable infection from donated blood, and the Public Health Agency of Canada has stated that, “between 2009 and 2018, there have been no reports of HIV transmission through blood transfusion in Canada.” These outdated policies contribute to longstanding prejudices against the queer community, and it’s time for them to go! To learn more about these policies, or to sign the pledge to support ending Canada’s blood donation ban, visit https://allbloodisequal.ca/ 28

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What do you love about the 2SLGBTQIA+ community? Anonymous

Anonymous

the excitement never dies

how hot everyone is (bisexual)

I love being proof that there is no one way to correctly be human.

Anonymous

not being straight

feeling more safe with other LGBT+ people

how spicy our personalities are

Anonymous

being able to see another gay person and immediately become friends

having flavour <3

EVERYTHING

Anonymous

it's let me have great friend groups with fellow LGBTQ members

it makes me feel beautiful

Being as hot as possible

Anonymous

makes you a stronger individual

I just love how happy we get when we finally come out, s**t's hard!!

the ability to dress in whatever way i damn well please

Anonymous

women Reply

Anonymous

being different but still feeling like you belong

that i don't have to settle for the bare minimum (men)

A selection of responses to our recent Instagram stories! @gaygendamagazine

NOAH DAVIS | LEFT AT LONDON | JOE POLITO | ERIC SEDEÑO

“LOVE IS NEVER WRONG.” — MELISSA ETHERIDGE GAYGENDA 2022 | ISSUE 003