All posts tagged: new york

Interview: All Trans Band Ryan Cassata & The Rhythm

Published by thequeerav

Ryan Cassata & The Rhythm formed in July of this year, the by-product of connections formed through college, social media and the Long Island music scene. With a rock sound, a passion for music and some studio singles in the works, I’m not surprised if you think this band sounds a lot like the many others out there. This however, is not the case. The thing that sets this band apart are its members, Ryan (singer, acoustic guitarist, harmonica player) , Jordi (electric guitarist), Destroy (drummer) and Acadia (bass player). They are all amazing musicians, and they ALL identify on the trans spectrum. Trans visibility is continually increasing but still low, so to have an all trans band making some noise in the music scene is amazing, and up until this point more or less unheard of! Lead member Ryan Cassata is well known as many things; a singer-song writer, actor, YouTuber and LGBTQ activist. We had a chance to ask Ryan a few questions about the newly formed band, trans visibility and projects …

The Identity Project – What Defines You

Published by thequeerav

I came across this project on Tumblr and thought it was definitely worth sharing as it shows the diversity of the queer community around us in a positive, artistic and inspiring way. The Identity Project is a photography project started by San Francisco based portrait photographer Sarah Deragon at the beginning of 2014. “This photography project seeks to explore the labels we choose to identify with when defining our gender and sexuality.” Society is still catching up on the realisation that sex, sexuality and gender are all something a lot more complicated and diverse than the binary system we’ve been taught to constrain ourselves in and this project really shines a light on this diversity. To be eligible for the project participants must be a member of the LGBTQ community, choose 1-5 terms related to gender and sexuality to self-identify with, sign a model release and come to the Portraits To The People studio in the Outer Richmond neighborhood in San Francisco. Having said this, the project made it’s way to Portland, New York & Chicago in the second half of last year …

Queer Fashion – What’s Out There?

Published by thequeerav

I’ve recently picked up an interest in queer fashion and different queer labels currently available for sale. There’s a plethora of options available online, and for once, I can thank the marketing gods for pushing these options my way. Whether it’s a new queer print piece your after, or just some androgynous clothing that finally fits your style, here’s just a small list of options available so you can queer up your wardrobe today! 1. PROUD ANIMALS I came across this brand when trolling Instagram for new queer content and people to follow. They have a cool range of sexuality and gender themed prints available on t-shirts, hoodies, socks, plugs, and much more. I haven’t bought anything from them yet but FYI they ship internationally and the pricing on the products don’t seem unreasonable ($32 for a tee, $48 for a sweater just to give you an idea). My favourite is the ‘Fuck Gender Norms’ sweater; Can’t wait for winter! Check out their Instagram and Website for more info and updates. 2. ANDROGYNY Androgyny was founded by Melissa …

Orange is the New Black – 13 Quotes That Can Be Used In Everyday Conversation

Published by thequeerav

If you haven’t been living under a big ol’ queer rock lately then you’ll have heard of the new TV show Orange is the New Black. It’s a show that focuses on the story of Piper, a middle class blondie who is doing jail time for a crime she committed years ago with ex girlfriend Alex. Lots of queers…jammed into one space…crazy eyes…sexual frustration…PIE… Let’s just say It’s well worth the watch; a comedy with meaning. It even has (M)tF trans representation by someone who is trans in real life, which is rare on such a big show. Because I loved the first season so much, and am eagerly awaiting the second, I thought I’d come up with a list of OITNB quotes with examples of how they can be used in everyday conversation. Because lets face it…we all want to talk THAT talk. 1. Mr Healy’s ‘lesbian-based rooming’ talk with Piper “Lesbian Request Denied.” Whilst you may want to use this every time you tell your girlfriend you’re “too tired”, it would be advised not …