HELLO! QUEER WORLD issue #1

A Worldwide LGBTQ+ Community Magazine

HELLO! QUEER

WORLD EXCLUSIVE! Folk Singer Katy Day

Disability in

Drag Drag

10 Queer-Owned Small Businesses to Follow

June 2026 No. 1

In this In this issue... issue...

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

03

JOSH BENNY ILLUSTRATIONS

04

TAROTSCROPES

05

10 QUEER-OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES TO FOLLOW

07

LOVE IS COMMUNICATION

09

SO I WON’T FORGET

11

LIVING IN FULL COLOR

13

DEATH THAT LINGERS

16

QUEER ART IS QUEER WITCHCRAFT

18

INTERVIEW: KATY DAY

21

HOW TO MAKE A TRAVEL JOURNAL

25

DISABILITY IN DRAG

27

QUEER VOICES BOOKS 01

25

Editor-in-Chief

London Alexander

HELLO! HELLO!

QUEER WORLD QUEER WORLD

Photographers

Olivia Graves Contributing Writers

London Alexander TheWitch of Hemlock John Promani Lloyd Josephs Mimi Oh Lindsay Ely Jennifer Adams Contributing Graphic Designer

Josh Benny Cover Contributors:

London Alexander TheWitch of Hemlock John Promani Lloyd Josephs Mimi Oh Lindsay Ely Jennifer Adams Katy Day Additional Cover Credits Source image photographers: Jeremy Lucido, Tomas, Aceves, Austin McKee Source image models: Tyree Fifer, Austin Mckee 02

MEET THE EDITOR I’m exhausted by algorithms, and

AI,

and

logins,

I

and

thinking,

ads, and platforms that think is

connect

to

with

create real

the

“I’m

already

truth is, there is constant change that we are doomed to not understand if we aren’t

queer

actively trying to learn about

artists in this magazine, it’s

it. There are intersectionalities

clear that there are people

like being Black and queer

out there who want the same.

that

present

a

different

experience than just being

This magazine is not meant to

queer or just being Black.

be around forever. In fact, I

There’s transphobic ideology

hope it isn’t, because, when

within

this magazine is gone, it will

the

LGBTQ+

community systems that may

mean that queer artists have

have

found an endless supply of

begun

intentions

platforms.

with

good

are

now

but

grossly outdated.

Hello! Queer World is here to provide

a

LGBTQ+

artists

platform to

Together, let’s see where this

for

magazine goes and what we

display

can learn from each other’s

their craft, connect with likeminded

you

thinks, including myself. The

people.

I’ve already received and the of

of

life.” That’s what everyone

and

Based on the responses that contribution

many

accepting of different ways of

they know what I want. What want

so

reading this right now are

subscriptions, and slop, and

I

know

groups,

and

art. This magazine’s existence

help

will depend on the need for it.

build a digital community that

If

reaches around the world. manity.

a

countries

homophobia, ableism, trans-

represented in this magazine

phobia, and so many other

and to have readers engage

hateful beliefs are the result

with parts of the world they

of being stuck in an echo

aren’t familiar with.

chamber of false realities. The

of

readers

and

contributors want a space

My goal is to have artists from variety

the

Racism,

classism,

only way to escape it is to be Living in a bubble is one of

introduced to different ways

the biggest detriments to hu-

of life.

where the queer community around

the

world

can

connect, then I will forever be proud

to

present

to

you

HELLO! QUEER WORLD. Letters to the editor can be sent to: QueerAroundtheWorld@proton.me

LONDON ALEXANDER 03

Editor-in-Chief

Josh Benny is a career graphic designer and illustrator based in Hollywood, California. His works are often inspired by fashion illustration styles of the 1980s, utilizing clean, minimal, and careful linework. He’s adapted his traditional training in byhand figure illustration, portraiture, and airbrush techniques to the digital design space. These works Photographer: Jeremy Lucido, Model: Tyree Fifer

Josh Josh

are part of a growing collection celebrating male beauty and form in a bold, commercial graphic style.

JoshBennyDesign.com

Benny B Benny enny

Model & Photographer: Austin McKee

04

JUNE 2026 TAROTSCOPES BY THE WITCH OF HEMLOCK Aries (March 1 - Apr 19) King of Wands

Your days of selling yourself water and pretending it’s tequila are done. Quit waiting for things to happen to you. As a sign ruled by Mars, you’re a person of

Ditch the inner critic. Pin your hat on a voice in your head that doesn’t sound like your dad’s this Father’s Day.

action! The King here asks that you plan the

Cancer (June 22 - July 22) 6 of Cups

bold

perform,

Oh, Cancer, June’s bringing nostalgia,

though, and channel it creatively and

collecting a bouquet of dandelions to blow

constructively. One prepared, successful

away their seeds all at once to make the

action after another. Go forth in June and

biggest wish possible come true. You’re

bring the spark

cutting the bullshit out with the Six of Cups

action you’re

about

to

and going back to simplicity. Hold yourself

Taurus (Apr 20 - May 20) Judgment

Breathe. The forgiveness you’ve waited for, the clarity and awakening you prayed for-it’s here. The spirits heard. You can step out into that brave new world with clear, bright eyes and spend some time seeing both into yourself and into others. Devotion with you comes easily, Taurus, but Judgment calls on you to seek devotion to the act of right relationship with yourself. The vulnerability

gently this June; let the sun warm your skin.

Connect with your inner child; tell them they’re safe and mean it. Hold space for what comes up.

Leo (July 23 - Aug 22) Justice

What goes up has to come down, Leo. As your elevated sense of justice goes up, your patience plummets. People have not been choosing safety when it comes to you

you’ll find there is worth it.

and testing your boundaries. You have

Gemini (May 21 - June 21) 7 of Swords (reversed)

equal measure with the aggressor, and

done your best to react with fairness and in everyone

applauds

your

exerted

self-

Not sure what you’re trying to do, Gemini,

control. Kill ‘em with kindness, Leo. They’ll

but this card’s saying it ain’t working,

get theirs. All you have to do is wait like a

honey. Lie to yourself about what an

lion in the shade.

acceptable number of shoes to own are; don’t

lie

about

your

worth.

This

maladaptive fantasy you’ve created, where everybody determines you’re a fraud, is some show, but it isn’t reality. You have talent, a vibrancy in your words that can’t 05

be replicated, and a curiosity found in few.

Virgo (Aug 23 - Sept 22) 10 of Cups (reversed)

Put down the letter opener, Virgo; this doesn’t mean things are out of order. The vibe this June is to reckon with your feel-

ings of disconnection due to distance,

Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 19) 4 of Wands

whether emotional or physical. You are

Hope your hands are free, Capricorn,

away from your favorite people, and to be

because you’re about to be handed your

honest, it’s given you a chance to see a few

flowers this June. You’ve been busting your

of them for who they really are. When you

ass all year, and now, you’re at the

stop reaching out, they don’t initiate. This

threshold

June, spend time reciprocating with who

dreamed of for years, and the reward is a-

reciprocates with you.

comin’. Just please don’t sigh if it turns out

Libra (Sep 23 - Oct 23) The Hanged Man

Libra, love you, but don’t force it or you’ll

of

a

big

milestone

you’ve

to be a vacation from work. Just kidding, Capricorn…unless?

one is clearly heavier than the other, doing

Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18) Page of Cups (reversed)

more of the work and pulling their weight.

Can I ask a little something, Aquarius? We

That’s you. Take the time to look at the

love that you value your independence and

situation, ask a trusted confidant about it,

your unique perspective, but right now, it’s

and

Your

giving creative block. A little doubt has

discomfort about the situation means that

crept in. That’s okay, but some of that

it matters. So treat it as such, and give it a

independence has turned into loneliness

breather to reconsider all the angles and

and some Manic Pixie Dream silliness

possibilities.

about why others don’t understand you.

break it. You can’t balance those scales if

put

your

heads

together.

Scorpio (Oct 24 - Nov 21) 2 of Pentacles (reversed)

Halfway through

the year and you’re

We do. We’re just a tad worried, Aquarius.

This June, check back in with yourself and your support circle and be heard.

already almost burnt out! Chill, Scorpio,

Pisces (Feb 19 - Mar 20) Death

have a Coke and sit. You’ve been taking so

We know you’re welling up with tears and

much on, and your need for privacy is

muttering, “Cool, cool, cool” under your

rapidly turning into a missed opportunity to

breath about how things are changing, but

delegate. Let somebody help you, whether

let’s get an ice pack on that vagus nerve

that’s a loved one providing support at

and take stock. Two arms, two legs, one

home or a coworker who frankly could do

head, one heart--all good? Good. Say it

more. Get your ride-or-die and handle this

with me: “Change is okay and it doesn’t

together.

mean I’m a failure.” Do it again. Now say, “I can do hard things.” Again. You’re going to

Sagittarius (Nov 22 - Dec 21) 4 of Cups (reversed)

get stronger and things will feel better. This isn’t a punishment. Pinky swear.

It’s got to be uncomfy for a radiant soul like yourself to feel so stuck, Sag, but this June, use that stuck-ness to look around for a rope to pull you out of the sand. To belabor the metaphor, that rope might be attached to your next new adventure. Wherever you’re aiming, archer, it may look like nothing, but something awaits you in that big sky.

06

5 QUEER-OWNED 5 QUEER-OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES SMALL BUSINESSES TO FOLLOW

1

t Black Mas

With original designs and custom illustrations created by Brandon Redenius, Black Mast is a clothing line inspired by escapism, spooky, camp, and glam. Bold colors on black backdrop takes alternative style to a whole new level.

@Black_Mast 07

3

Abprallen

Whimsical pastel-colored pins and stickers that are juxtaposed with skulls and all things spooky. Erik creates ORIGINAL art rather than the same old, tired reprints of pins found elsewhere. The pride and gloom of Abprallen are shipped worldwide!

@AbprallenUK

3

rte y Libros A a ri e rb a La B

4

r Maniac The Colou

A combination barber shop and art space, La Barbería is adorned with Adolfo’s signature fine-line art that presents a thematic mix of punk, queer, and revolutionary anarchy. On some glorious occasions, Adolfo shares their creative process and reveals breathtaking locations from San Javier, Chile.

Anjali Raj is a visual designer that has illustrated vibrantly colored children’s books.

Based in India, Anjali has recently opened an online shop selling stationery, calendars, and stickers with an assortment of cute designs.

@LaBarberiaArteYLibros

@TheColourManiac

5

int Co. r P e r u ig f s Tran

Transfigure Print Co. is a US-based screen printing collective that makes custom prints for shirts, totes, and more. They also have a brick-and-mortar shop in Michigan and have proudly raised more than 100k in support of the LGBTQ+ community!

@TransFigurePrintCo

08

LOVE LOVE IS IS COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION

BY JOHN PROMANI

THE POWER OF QUEER COMMUNITY IN “THE BOYFRIEND”

During the pandemic, my friends and I got together on FaceTime to watch TV and try to help each other keep it together. It was necessary then but is also a tradition we continue today. When we started, we watched Married at First Sight. Now, we mainly watch RuPaul’s Drag Race, but we will watch a season of Married at First Sight or Love is Blind in between Drag Race seasons. We enjoy these two dating shows for the juicy drama they create, both predicated on a concept that would never happen in real life—watching how people come together or totally lose it with a stranger. More recently, I’ve been encouraging my friends to watch The Boyfriend, a slow-moving but incredibly endearing Japanese gay dating show.

The Boyfriend is simple. There is no playing with the idea that attraction shouldn’t matter. There’s no meeting someone at the altar for the first time or talking to each other across separate rooms sight unseen until you propose. No, The Boyfriend understands that relationships are sacred and to build them you need to move slowly and through different kinds of interactions.

In this show, ten gay men from around Japan come to The Green Room to live and work together for two months. In both seasons, the men work on a coffee truck around the town they are staying in. Two people work a shift.

Most of the time, someone is randomly selected, and that person picks who they want to work with. It’s one of the few chances the guys get one-on-one time with another person, and it's during those trips that they start to test the waters with their feelings.

At a time when queerness in America is under attack (from laws being passed preventing people from transitioning to free speech being used to allow gay conversion therapy), I think shows like The Boyfriend are more important than ever. They show not only queer people but also anyone with a Netflix account what it means to live as a queer person. The Boyfriend gives hope and shows how to honestly show up for people in your community. It teaches how to build community in a different society with lessons that can be learned in the US too, like the need to listen and respond with compassion to someone with a different perspec-.

09

tive. When one of the guys inadvertently disrespects the lifestyle of one of his castmates, they get mad initially, but they discuss the situation further, apologize, and grow closer to each other. Rather than just staying divisive and angry—things very common in American politics and life, partly thanks to the algorithms in the screens we all are glued to—they talk to each other.

They take a moment to think about what happened, readjust their feelings, talk with their other friends, and then go apologize. They move beyond their differences, learn from each other, and become a closer-

knit community because of it. This is what queer and non-queer people need to see. Queer people need to see this so we can tighten our bonds together in the face of the adversity that is already against our way of life.

And non-queer people need to see it so they can understand we’re not that different and how differences can be surmounted and learned from to bring people closer together. Queer art, like The Boyfriend, has the power to do that—to bring people together through love, compassion, celebration, and mutual understanding—and that is what the world needs now more than ever.

John Promani is a queer writer who loves music and video games and is still just trying to figure it all out.

Travel Vlog Travel Vlog Queer Around the World is my adventure traveling around the world, exploring queer communities in each country to show that, wherever you are, there’s a queer community for you!

I started this journey in 2019 when I escaped my hometown of Los Angeles to see what other queer

communities were like around the US. My travels have since evolved to explore queer communities globally!

Journey with me on my YouTube channel as I take you through queer communities all around the world, struggle to figure out how to live as a full-time traveler, and fight my never-ending battle with mental health.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.

Praesent scelerisque lectus quis risus iaculis iaculis.

Etiam condimentum quam lobortis, ultrices orci ut, viverra lorem. Nulla in fermentum orci. Sed quam risus, maximus id urna eget, convallis facilisis felis.

SO I WON’T FORGET

By Lloyd Josephs I see him in the places we used to visit, Sandy Bay where the sun glazed his face and cascaded over his nude body.

Bronx Bar, where he somehow knew the exact moment to turn around and smile at me.

The old Manhattan Bar, neon reflected the edge of his face while he spoke about the life he thought we might still have.

We walked past the queues outside Opium and The Loft, past the noise spilling out of Rosie’s while the ‘girls’ kiki’d over cigarettes and half-finished drinks.

Driving home with the windows cracked, neither of us ready for the night to end.

Past Stargazers, known for good music and bad decisions.

Past Adult World, where I once watched him emerge from a darkroom, red light washed over his face while porn flicked somewhere in the background.

I remember him in rainbow make up at Pride, refusing to shrink himself for anyone.

I remember him worried about his results, waiting until nobody was looking before slipping free condoms into his pocket.

I remember him standing in the bookstore, hiding a copy of Gay Times inside a car magazine, stealing glances at a life he hadn’t learned how to live yet.

I remember him sitting on the train, brushing his knee against a stranger’s, desire

11

passing silently between them before disappearing at the next stop.

All gone.

The bars. The bookstores. The darkrooms. Some of the men too.

Queer spaces disappear quietly. One bar closes. One bookstore changes ownership. One darkroom becomes a gym or luxury apartment.

And suddenly an entire generation loses the geography of its becoming.

We talk about queer art as expression, but sometimes it is preservation. Proof that people loved here, desired here, survived here. That before dating apps and rainbow marketing campaigns, queer people built entire worlds out of glances, code words, cigarettes outside clubs, hidden magazines and borrowed courage.

Maybe memory is the last place some versions of us get to survive.

Now, remember… I remember, so I won’t forget him.

A subtle homage that lived silently in his head.

A quiet witness to a life that refused to disappear.

Lloyd Josephs is an LGBTQ+ writer from Cape Town whose work blends fiction and memoir to explore queer love, desire, and the complexities of relationships. His writing, known for its honesty, humour, and emotional resonance, can be found on his own Substack blog. lloydjosephs.substack.com 12

Let’s be brutally honest: Being a Black woman is already hard enough. As part of the overlap of intersectionality, I fully identified as a dark-skinned, cisgender, bi/demisexual, Catholic, Black-American woman

of

Nigerian

culture

revolves

descent,

around

LIVING IN

FULL COLOR

whose

the

BY MIMI OH

Igbo

diaspora, and disabled (Neurodivergent: autism/ADHD).

Society likes to overlook autistic women of color. It turns its eyes to autistic white males,

whom

it

identifies

as

being

interested only in trains and math. This group is unfortunately present in the media as a so-called “accurate

representation”

instead

of

going in-depth into the intersectionality of disability.

My parents had me evaluated, and I received my autism diagnosis. Nowadays, whenever diagnosed

There are not enough resources for minority students who are disabled, and

I

tell very

people early

that

on,

I

was

they

act

surprised, and tell me about how they got their diagnosis well into their adult years.

there’s a lack of education/tolerance

This demonstrates he lack of access to

about neurodiversity, which I’ve faced

healthcare and medical bias towards the

firsthand.

Black community. Said, namely, if a Black child

For the first 12 years of my life, I didn’t have a full context of what was going on with my behavior. When I was 13, my mother explained my diagnosis. In my toddler years, I started walking when I should’ve

already

been

according

to

parents.

my

babbling, I

was

completely silent, except when I wanted

is

taken

to

get

diagnosed,

evaluators dismiss them, stating that the child

doesn’t

“look

autistic.”

They’re

looking for a type of autistic behavior, which is based on stereotypes of autism and that white males are more likely to be diagnosed early on compared to nonwhite people, females, and queer & trans people.

milk I would say “mah” a couple of times.

Upon getting my diagnosis, I was placed

To my mother, it sounded adorable.

in occupational therapy sessions to

13

manage my motor skills. When I started kindergarten,

I

was

enrolled

in

an

Individualized Education Program (IEP) that required services such as speech therapy and other accommodations for 12 consecutive school years.

For the duration of the IEP, I was able to meet others like me on the disability spectrum. This reassured me that I wasn’t the only one. However, I did have my fair share of experiencing some form of ableism from my neurotypical peers. I recall being called the R-word by some. It would’ve surprised me if they learned it from their parents, who ead misleading websites

like

Autism

Speaks

for

encounters with disabled people.

by

my

peers

due

exactly autism-friendly. They were in bad areas, which to this day, I wonder why my parents try to find a school with a proper setting for someone like me.

Anyway, trying to socialize with other Black

kids

(African-American)

was

severely problematic, as the kids from elementary about

school

disability

weren’t

and,

like

educated my

family

members, failed to adjust. This was also the case with the teachers I had in middle and high school.

Unsurprisingly, I was labeled as the “weirdo”

“SOCIETY LIKES TO OVERLOOK AUTISTIC WOMEN OF COLOR”

to

my

“problems” (i.e., stimming). Heck, I was even yelled at by various adults over something I had no control over, which, to this day, contributes to my feeling like I’m always walking on eggshells. I was, of course, bullied as a result, before, during, and after school hours. It was worse during the school bus rides, which is why I don’t like the school bus that much.

My family wasn’t good at adjusting the home setting to my disability. Lack of understanding was the culprit here. I

During my last year of middle school, I recounted times when this group of African-American 8th graders

tried to

make me conform to the stereotype of the ghetto hoodrat because they viewed my neurodivergence as equivalent to “acting white.” This was based on the false notion that autism is something only white people experience.

They were peer pressuring me into dressing more like a video vixen from those rap videos that objectify Black women even though we were all in our

went to middle schools that weren’t 14

early teens! This was an unfortunate example of adultification towards Black minors: treating Black girls as adults, unlike white girls.

This was most likely due to the home environments these kids were raised in, where they were forced to grow up and exposed to what society thinks that “Black culture” is. It ignores the ancestral roots that are overshadowed by Black trauma, stereotypes, and inner turmoil overrun by violence and sex. This differs from my family’s Igbo cultural roots, which is not the environment that was born and raised in.

I was also bullied again for not fitting in

“THE KIDS FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WEREN’T EDUCATED ABOUT DISABILITY AND, LIKE MY FAMILY, FAILED TO ADJUST.”

with the “Black mold” and Eurocentric beauty

standards,

making

isolated

from

the

Black

acting

in

manner

a

me

feel

community,

that

invoked

stereotypes of Black people, making me question my place as a Black woman.

It wasn’t until years later that I was reminded of the quote “being Black isn’t what I’m trying to be, it’s what I am,” and upon attending a support group for Black autistics, it gave me more pride about my identity as a whole, and that I should like something I am not for the validation of society.

15

Mimi Oh is an auteur filmmaker and writer who can be found on Instagram @MimiOh01

Death That Lingers

by Lindsay Ely

Death reeks here,

The air is thick,

It lurks and follows.

Full of the smoke from a gun,

Moldy corners and rusty pipes,

spirits intertwined with the particles.

Rotting meats of

The bones pile up.

Red,

Death reeks here.

White, And Blue.

Barrels sing songs of death While the worn meat hooks Hang and clang, The quiet slapping of old rotting meat bodies Will sit full.

In the deep canals of my ear, I can hear the edge of its knife Running along the neck of decapitated rabbits.

Sharpened corners of the mouth, Piles of heads grow, Shackles wearing into the wrist, Blood and guts turn bloodshot, Death reeks here.

Lindsay Ely is a creative writing and visual arts student

at

Wheaton

College,

in

Norton,

Massachusetts. Their work thematically focuses on their political beliefs and current events, queer identity and experience, and mental health and trauma. They have had their work published in their school magazine and in Literature Today.

06

16

Surviving an encounter with a gun-wielding lesbian, a car chase by a jealous stranger, and being drowned by drag queens, The Downtown Underground is the satirical memoir of a queer kid that stumbled into the outrageous world of Downtown Los Angeles' drag scene.

Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble 17

N ot long ago, many other forest queer

cases, the queer people in a single small

folks and I discussed on Threads what it

town not only knew each other but were

was like growing up queer in Appalachia.

communally in an on-again, off-again relationship; had been hate-crimed at

From

a

to

least once; used the arts to escape

disguise bigotry to laughable hypocrisy

everyday bigotry, and couldn’t wait to

to

leave. Appalachians face generational

a

membrane-thin questioning

but

tolerance

“supportive”

demeanor, we traded experiences. One

poverty,

post read: “Being queer in Appalachia is

addiction, familial abuse of every form,

being told ‘I don’t agree with your

CSA, exploitation of workers, disability

lifestyle’ by someone who has five baby

rights crises, widespread environmental

daddies and a Confederate flag pool

destruction, AI data centers, cultural

float.” Several posts shared how, in many

mistrust of modern medicine, and mental

rampant

alcohol

and

drug

QUEER ART IS

QUEER WITCHCRAFT

BY THE WITCH OF HEMLOCK

health epidemics, but to hear our families

It was easier to come out saying I

tell it—the biggest problem they had was

practiced Appalachian folk magick than

the existence, visibility, and public joy of

to come out as queer. Those who live

people

of

here know the rules of these mountains

women,

and

color,

unmarried

most

childfree

especially,

queer

people.

and know there are those who steward the land. We know not to whistle at night and that smelling cucumbers without any

Though what I realized as I read through

nearby meant a copperhead in our midst.

the posts was several of us living in this

We know to curtain our windows after

complicated place were artists and even

dark. Appalachian folk magick, what’s

more fascinating, witches.

sometimes magick”

This made sense to me.

in

referred

to

the

hills,

as

“Granny

incorporates

working-class materials for working-class concerns. We would baptize protective

18

root bags in whiskey, take up the foot

same in the pursuit and service of us and

tracks of our enemies, and carry iron for

the natural world. It wasn’t my only form

haints and the Fair Folk, and our sacred

of mysticism, Appalachian folk magick. I

cloth was sturdy flannel.

was also a prolific writer.

I learned this magick with intense pride.

I wrote cosmic horror, finding a similarity

This was mine, with the magick of my

between the eldritch unknowables in the

woods and my hollers. I could easily wear

darkness between the stars and the

flannel and claim it was for protection but

mountains I’d deeply loved all my life. I

also to appear more masc. I could put on

also wrote queer retellings of all the

my boots, “for the snakes,” I’d say.

tragedies I read as a girl, when being a

Nobody questioned the short nails and

girl was too dangerous. I wrote to survive.

shorter hair if I was there on a healin’

I wrote to daydream an authentic queer

journey. I moved through spaces queerly

life that wouldn’t come to fruition until I

dressed if they thought I’d help. The less I

was almost thirty. I wrote for the day I

spoke and the more I let the silence hold

went

the magick, the more I garnered the trust

demanded

needed to do my work. And ultimately,

auditioned for. Writing was an alchemy

for them to leave me the fuck alone.

and manifestation practice.

Writing and witchcraft were the most

You who reads this, I see you. We

silent, safe ways to shout my queerness in

needn’t speak to know each other. Our

Appalachia.

queer ancestors don’t need to either.

Whether you’re an actor, a musician, a

They did enough shouting for a lifetime

writer, a designer, a makeup artist, a

to bequeath us enough visibility and

sculptor, a weaver, or any other fashion of

sovereignty to continue their fight while

artist, you are also a magician. You are

making our art.

no-contact a

with

people

performance

I

who never

also an alchemist. We who face our pain without obstruction and transform it into beauty, into the grotesque, into the colorful, into the dark.

Our shame and guilt do not just build within

us;

we

build

with

our

most

sensitive materials. Witchcraft does the 19

The Witch of Hemlock is an Appalachian IrishAmerican pagan witch who offers teaching, divination, and meditations for the community to assist on their paths, with their healing, and through their grief, in whatever form these take.

TheWitchofHemlock.com

CALL IN CALL IN THOSE THOSE QUEER ANCESTORS QUEER ANCESTORS FOR YOUR FOR YOUR ART ART Identify a queer ancestor that speaks to

couple of lines from her song, “I Want to

you.

Be Evil”. In the song, she said she wanted

I

recommend

either

finding

a

queer

to trump an ace in bridge and lay down a

ancestor who did the same art you do or a

powerful card even when she didn’t need

queer icon in general who inspires you and

to, just to see the look on her partner’s

who makes you feel seen. Some of mine

face. She wields power and fire, untamed

include David Bowie, Eartha Kitt (though

and brave. In addition to the Ace of

not queer herself, she was publicly pro-gay

Wands, I also place one of my plants with

during the AIDS crisis and regularly did

her when I write. Eartha was an avid

charity benefit concerts to help fund aid),

gardener in life and trusted soil more than

Freddie Mercury, Marsha P. Johnson, Julie

diamonds or gold. She also makes me feel

d’Aubigny, Kevin Conroy, and Adrienne

like I can grow enough hope to keep

Rich.

going.

Once you’ve chosen an ancestor, sit with

Before

their art and reflect on how they make

moment to look into the eyes of the

you feel.

queer ancestor, and give thanks in words

How did they live up to their authenticity?

or in thoughts—depending on which you

How did they alchemize their pain into art?

intuit the ancestor would respond to

What are they saying to you in their art?

best.

Obtain a photo of the ancestor and place it beside your art’s workbench. Select a frame they might have liked. Surround the ancestor with objects that reflect how they make you feel.

For example, Eartha Kitt reminds me of my sovereignty as a woman, that I am not obligated

to

“behave

properly

woman”

nor

compromise,

as

a

apologize,

shrink, mask, or chase what I desire.

Therefore, beside an image of her when I write, I place the Ace of Wands. This is

you

begin

creating,

take

a

Begin creating. Add a candle to your work to enhance the ancestor-inspired session.

It can be fully customizable to your needs, desires, and craft.

Dear queer artist, I wish you joy you never have to hide. I wish you luck that you never have to apologize for. I wish you extravagance and radiance.

Gods guard your steps.

The Witch of Hemlock

both in reference to her unapologetic passion for art and people, and also to a

20

KATY DAY

By London Alexander

Texas has been a center of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, but that hasn’t stopped folk singer-songwriter Katy Day from performing, cherishing queer joy, and building community in Fort Worth. Day opens up about her experience with the toxic political environment surrounding her and how she finds solace within her community.

You've got a new single that just came out called

I love that! I’m a huge advocate for therapy.

“Nothing More” that is quite the emotional ride.

Yes! Asbolutlely. Shout out therapy!

It was so cathartic writing through this song. It's about going through life and having been in abusive relationships. And so writing it felt like a bit of a release.

How would you describe the genre of your music?

I’m a folk singer-songwriter, but I have a little bit of Indie alternative twist to a lot of my music, because I

What inspired you to pursue music Ever since I was a kid, I knew I was destined to do music throughout forever. That was always going to be my thing. It's always been a fact. Not like, “this is what I want to do.” It's always been this is where my future is heading. And you're going to be there or you're not.

feel like a lot of it leans on that heavier and darker

My second dream job when I was a kid was I wanted

side. I've been writing a lot about my life and my life

to be an entomologist. But now I'm horrified of bugs.

experiences lately. This has been a new thing for me

So that one didn't work out. Throughout high school,

over the past year. Therapy really helped open

I was still doing music. And then my family's like,

everything up. And so it made songwriting just that

“Oh, college.” And I’m like, “Oh, OK?” So I tried to do

much more easy.

forensic psychology for a little bit. I decided, man, I

21

can't do this. So I switched my major to music therapy. I can’t do this either. It’s not like full music.

This is not my life. And so never went back to college and have just been pursuing it on my own ever since.

A lot of artists, especially those starting out, are afraid to ask for things. I think they’d be surprised at how easy it is to reach out and ask. Do you have any other advice for artists to get seen more?

[Just asking] has been my life motto throughout forever. I've really started stepping into it more over the past few years. It's not that I feel like I'm owed anything. I feel like everybody is owed something.

Because they're a part of this universe that's so great and so vast. If you truly just ask for it, you will get everything you want and more. I just truly put myself out there and just go for it. That would be my advice to anybody. Truly just go for it because the worst you can get is a no. The likelihood of you getting a no from 20 people that you ask is very low.

You have your grandma on the beginning of “Nothing More.”

I am like incredibly sentimental and I save everything always. I save every voicemail that anybody ever leaves me. What if this is like the last time I get to talk to them? Four years ago, I left her a letter saying that I'm in a queer relationship and I sealed it and I gave it to her. I told her

“you cannot open this

until I leave.” So I left the house. She called me that same day. I didn't answer because I'm petrified of losing half my family because I'm gay. And she left me a voicemail, and I didn't listen to it. And then the second day she called me again, and I didn't answer because I was scared. And this was the voicemail from the second day.

What's the queer climate like in Texas and in your circles right now?

Horrible. Idid lose half of my family whenever I came out. My dad's side, the entire side gone, except for my grandma and grandpa, his parents. They're still part of my life actively. Everybody else gone. And the place I work is incredible. I love the people I work with. I love my clients. I am a music teacher. I keep my identity to myself because I don't need to be about my personal life. But some parents have found me on TikTok and pulled their kids out of my class because I'm gay. And they made it like this huge theatrical thing.

Because of algorithms and social media, artists have two jobs now: self-promotion and creating their art. Does it ever get exhausting balancing both?

Oh, definitely, for sure. Sitting and having to edit through content and then thinking of what I want to post. Sometimes I'm a perfectionist. I absolutely adore when other people make human mistakes. But when I make a human mistake, it's like, “oh, detrimental.” Editing through content and stuff is so

22

tedious. because I’m like “oh, flat. Not this one, girl.”

Let's end this interview with some extra queer joy.

Can you tell the viewers some queer joy in your life

Katy Day’s new single “Nothing More” and full

outside of the music?

Meeting people through music who have been queer

discography can be found on Apple Music and

and come up to me and spoke to me and talked

and Instagram at @KatyDayOfficial.

about how it related to their life and thanking me for doing what I'm doing. That led into so many different friendships. I have met a group of amazing people who started an art club, and I've been going to that art club every month. It's just this beautiful queer space where everybody gets to be themselves. Stuff like that has really helped make me feel comfortable in who I am and helped strengthen relationships between me and other people in the community.

And I think right now we need that so bad. We need that.

“SOME PARENTS FOUND ME ON TIKTOK AND PULLED THEIR KIDS OUT OF MY CLASS BECAUSE I’M GAY.”

23

Spotify. She can be found on TikTok, YouTube,

Check back on the Queer Around the World YouTube channel for the full exclusive interview!

SUPPORT QUEER ART LGBTQ+ artists have worked diligently, putting love and effort into the making of Hello! Queer World magazine. We appreciate the outpouring support for this artistic venture.

Though we are aiming to keep the magazine free, there is a cost of work hours, operation, and the website to host it.

We have a $250 goal to cover these costs.

If you’re able to, please consider making a donation that will continue keeping queer voices and art alive during times when we need community the most.

Any amount beyond our goal will be donated to the LGBTQ+ Resource Center serving the Dallas-FortWorth communities.

Texas has been hit especially hard with anti-trans, anti-immigrant, and anti-queer legislation with funding cut at the federal and state levels. LGBTQ+ centers in Texas can use all the support we’re able to give.

PayPal

The Resource Center provides programs and assistance to LGBTQIA+ communities and anyone impacted by HIV/AIDS through advocacy, health, and education.

Other ways to support Hello! Queer World: Share magazine link across social media Embed magazine onto blogs/websites Send letters of encouragement to the editor and contributors.

“Like” posts on Instagram and follow artists.

Contribute to the magazine through writing, visual art, interviews, and more!

24

How to: How to:

Make a Make a Travel Travel Journal Journal

By Olivia Graves

Keeping a travel journal makes me slow down, be present, become more curious, and collect things in my own way. You don’t need anything special to make one-- a journal of some kind (you probably have some already that have never been used because you don’t want to “ruin” them) and a pen.

Why not make something unique for yourself that you’ll love instead of buying something from an overpriced tourist shop? Keep your memories, thoughts, and breakthroughs in one place that you’ll cherish more than photos.

Let’s start it now.

Rules: Journal

ere everywh 1. Take it

ose it 2. don’t l le overnab 3.Be ung

Take your journal, open it to the first page, and... draw a GIANT, UGLY SCRIBBLE. I’m serious!

Now that it’s “ruined,” you don’t have to worry about trying to keep it pretty with the stacks of your other unused journals.

Writing There are no limits to how this journal should look, be, or have inside, but here are some ideas beyond the usual daily entries to get your creativity going:

First impressions of people and places

expectations and hopes vs reality

things you overhear regional recipes daily memories

media recommendations 25

Drawings & Art plants & animals buildings

a simple doodle to fill the page

food & drinks

Drawing is a great way to kill time waiting for planes and trains. You don’t have to be a Renaissance

trace the shadow of something

People around you

artist or even good at drawing.

You can doodle what you see or make lines and see where it goes.

Collect trinkets Plane tickets receipts

stickers photos

cut outs from pamphlets pressed flowers & leaves

Bring a glue stick or tape and some

children’s

craft

scissors

(they’re safe to fly with) to collect trinkets along your way.

Don’t think too hard about the journal. Let it be a mess. In fact, make it a mess. Let coffee spill on it, let dirt rub into it, rip pages out, put pages in, create pockets, make pop-ups, poke holes.

By the end of your trip, you should have a personal journal that carries more memory than a souvenir Tshirt. I hope it’s torn, worn, and ugly in its own unique way.

26

Disability

in

Drag

By London Alexander

Drag artists are redefining what it means to be disabled. They’re showing that able-bodied people don’t get to decide what is or isn’t “accessible.”

Drag has always obliterated the cute little boxes that society tries to put queer people into, in much the same 27

way

that

the

disabled

community

continues to show that there are many ways to be disabled. Queer, disabled artists

are

now

celebrating

their

intersectional identities through art that plays with absurdity, drama, and over-the-top fun!

GLAMPUTEE Glamputee is a San Francisco, CAbased drag artist and activist who shifts their art beyond the stage and into

disability

education

through

online courses.

HIMISH MACBETH Spreading queer disabled joy and anarchy, Himish is a Scotland-based drag king that brings the camp, the glam,

and

wheelchair

the to

fully

his

decorated

larger-than-life

performances!

HOT WHEELZ A “drag creature” in a wheelchair wants to “make the corporate ladder into a ramp,” as they say on an episode of “Canada’s a Drag.”

HELL O’ WEENIE An alternative drag queen that serves looks, chaos, and punk energy in the London area while living

with

Ehlers-Danlos

syndrome.

DRAG SYNDROME Drag Syndrome is the first-ever drag collective dedicated to performers with learning disabilities.

Touring all around Europe, the group highlights pageantry, artistry, and performance before Down Syndrome and disability.

28

QUEER VOICES IN QUEER ROMANCE

SHASSII (SHE/HER)

Shassii’s writing is filled with

Celebrating queer love within the bookish space, these own voices authors give us

love,

pain,

healing,

and

Her

debut

acceptance.

novel is a sapphic thriller

incredible stories where queer joy is

following the darker side of

always the outcome.

abuse, forced proximity, and love that does not always conquer all.

BAILEY NICOLE (THEY/THEM) Bailey

gives

us

gritty,

character-focused LGBTQ+ romance with found family at their core. Consumed follows

childhood

best

friends

into

adulthood and fame while exploring the realistic side of mental health.

K. ANCRUM (SHE/HER)

K focuses on young adult fiction filled with diversity and

representation.

book,

The

Her

Corruption

of

Hollis Brown, gives a fresh take on possession while showing the

SONIDO REYES (HE/THEY)

Sonido

gritty cycle of American poverty and the strength of community.

writes

fiction

full

of

queer and Latine characters

in

a

variety of genres.

Their YA novel, The

Lesbiana’s

Guide to Catholic School, explores the struggle to find comfort within yourself and those around you while tackling religion, race, and social status.

Sonido previously published under the name Sonora Reyes.

29

CHIP PONS (HE/HIM) Chip

gives

us

romantic

comedies rooted in queer joy

and

everyone

the

belief

that

deserves

their

happily ever after. His newest release takes a trip to the paranormal realm where the former god of the underworld gets banished to the mortal realm and falls for a human funeral director; available June 16th, 2026.

DEVON MCCORMACK (HE/HIM)

KELLEN GRAVES (THEY/THEM)

gay man who writes a wide

author of queer romance;

array of novels, including

most known for their world

romance, erotica, para-

building and fantastical

Devon is an out and proud

Kellen is transmasc indie

normal and young adult. Between These

characters. Their most recent release, A

Sheets is a male-male romance featuring

Bone in his Teeth, takes a darker turn,

a bisexual war veteran struggling with

adding horror elements to a fantasy

PTSD.

between a lighthouse keeper and sea siren.

SKYLER SNOW (THEY/THEM) & BREA ALEPOÚ (SHE/HER)

RILEY NASH (HE/THEY)

Riley writes heartfelt stories about broken boys finding

Partners

home in each other. His

partners

latest release, This Might duo

the-top mafia

writing,

this

messy

LGBTQ+

romances.

series

following

the

Vitale

Brothers.

ELLIOT WAKE (HE/HIM) a

and

They’re best known for their six-book

convenience.

is

in

life

author duo gives us over-

Hurt, follows an unlikely stumbling into a marriage of

Elliot

in

best-selling

author of love stories, hate stories, and everything in between. Black Iris is a sapphic story of revenge. with twists that will leave you turned upside down on every page. Previously, Elliot published books under his birth name, Leah Raeder.

Jennifer

Adams

(she/her)

is

a

sober

bartender, chaotic mood reader, and queer bookish content creator thriving off of Red Bull and early 2000's emo music. She strives to one day be as confident as her four year old cracking eggs. @SobrietyAndBooks

30

RESOURCES

ILGA WORLD International

TREVOR PROJECT

organization

Crisis

intervention

and

with interactive maps that

suicide prevention in the US

show LGBTQ+ laws around

and

the world.

through

Canada.

24/7

help

calls,

and

text,

desktop chat.

PFLAG supporting, education, and

DIGITAL TRANSGENDER ARCHIVES

advocating for the LGBTQ+

Free

Organization dedicated to

community as well as allies in

the

US,

China,

and

Australia.

archives

preserving

trans history around the world.

POINT OF PRIDE

LGBTQ+ OUTDOORS

Financial

US nonprofit with chapters

aid

and

diret

support to trans folks in need of health and wellness care. Trans surgery funds and free chest binders.

the

country

connecting LGBTQ+ people to nature through group hikes, camping, and more.

CENTER LINK

LIBBY Library app that let’s you borrow

around

from

libraries

Database

of

LGBTQ+

centers around the world

around the world for free, including

the

Queer

Liberation Library.

World’s

largest

queer-

REVRY

focused magazine covering

A FREE TV app that plays

news.

exclusively

queer

content

like the first ever drag king show, King of Drag.

31

PINK NEWS local UK and international

IGLTA International queer-friendly travel guides, tours, events, businesses, and more.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

RAINBOW RAILROAD

A list of free online LGBTQ+

that helps LGBTQ+ refugees

Human rights organization

archives.

find safety outside of their

HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN

DESI RAINBOW

The US’ largest civil rights

Organization

CENTER FOR BLACK EQUITY

organization

Asian families and friends of

for

the

country.

for

LGBTQ+ community and a

LGBTQ+

great

promotes understanding and

database

for

all

resources.

WANDERLOG Interactive map of LGBTQ+ bars all around the world!

individuals

South that

acceptance.

Global

organization

improving lives

Black

through

for

LGBTQ+ economic,

social, and health equity.

LGBT FOUNDATION Provides

sexual

resources

and

health education

with easy-to-read guides.

Also provides info on Black queer Prides events.