Queer Journey Book (Copy) — Queer Journey Book
108 pages of portraits and words from the queer community of Colby College 2020-2021. Printed by Blurb.

Portrait of Alaleh (Copy) — Portrait of Alaleh

Portrait of Wendy (Copy) — Portrait of Wendy

“When I said goodbye to my uncle at the airport, he told me. “I will see you at your wedding.” I couldn’t say a word because I wasn’t sure whether I could still have a wedding. Or if I could, could I invite him?

Portrait of Sylvia (Copy) — Portrait of Sylvia

As a pansexual women, I feel the label of my identity is much more for other people then it is for me. I have never had to come out to myself. I feel like I have to pick a label for the ease of other people, even though pansexuality itself I see as a word to describe a label free orientation.

Portrait of Sophya (Copy) — Portrait of Sophya

beep boop bop pow!!!
Never deny your intuition! you know yourself more than anyone else could! Look past all that self-doubt you’re grown accustomed to and really lean in to who you are. People are durable, and your identity is too!!!

Portrait of Lucas (Copy) — Portrait of Lucas

Portrait of Reagan (Copy) — Portrait of Reagan

I thought I was queer, but really I’m your pussy eating, big titty, sacrilegious Femme Fatal.

Portrait of Owen (Copy) — Portrait of Owen

The best thing I’ve done for myself, getting top surgery, made my body so perfect in my eyes but my body is now a political artifact, and people think they’re allowed to comment on it. I love my scars. They’re my battle scars of years of denying myself my truth and my needs. My scars don’t make me scary. I now live life 100% rather than putting so much effort into hiding. I’m just a badass goofball with some scars. They tell a story.

Portrait of Olivia (Copy) — Portrait of Olivia

What is queer? That is the question. I’m me, let me be me. Smile, laugh, be happy, with me. Love me, hug me because I am just so much you too.

Portrait of Muna (Copy) — Portrait of Muna

Portrait of Lexie (Copy) — Portrait of Lexie

The world wants to make me believe that my queerness - my transness is wrong, unacceptable, or not enough - but I AM QUEER JOY!

Portrait of Kenzie (Copy) — Portrait of Kenzie

Sweet sweet sweet
Oh, yes, I am and so are you.
Tell me until your face turns blue.
Passionately, undeniably, mouth-wateringly sweet.

Here or there. I ask myself this often. “In between,” I say out loud in the long nights. Yes, I think I am okay with being nothing & everything all @ the same time. In between … In between..

Portrait of Beven (Copy) — Portrait of Beven

I treat my queerness like I treat my hair - with love, joy, and individuality. ‘cuz why be straight… when you can be QUEER + CURLY?!

Portrait of Lucy (Copy) — Portrait of Lucy

Portrait of Gabriel (Copy) — Portrait of Gabriel

**IN MY OWN SKIN**
Not knowing how to describe with words how I feel is unsettling bc I want to say it out loud. I want to understand myself to feel comfortable.

Portrait of Avery (Copy) — Portrait of Avery

Sometimes I want to disappear. Take my (a)sexuality and hide away from the world. But other times I want to be so big. It is me. Sometimes I want to be me.

Portrait of Adrian (Copy) — Portrait of Adrian

i was (am?) scared
to be soft around others,
to let the history -- the
parts of me -- ooze out of
the body Do you see me now?
see these curves, see this soft?
Choke on it — i was (am?) scared to be soft around others, to let the history -- the parts of me -- ooze out of the body Do you see me now? see these curves, see this soft? Choke on it

Queer Journey
2020-2021

These portraits and words represent my desire to connect with queers members of the LGBTQ+ community — a community I was deprived of growing up. Here, I welcome you to see us for who we are and read our narratives. Through the act of reflecting, listening, and conversing with each person I’ve met, I came to understand their individual experiences and how beautiful our identities shape us.