Being Other Elsewhere
A commonplace trope in the 2ST LGBQ+ sphere is that of escape — be it escape from persecution, violence or simple loneliness. The deeper uglier truth beneath this fantasy is that there is no escape. The monsters we run from stalk us wherever we go. These presentations show how the monstrosities of Racism, Islamophobia, Transphobia, and State Violence seek out and attack the vulnerable and marginal people. Bixa Travesty places itself in the context of a Brazil that is locked in the chokehold of ultra-conservative politics. In this analysis, the Travesti emerges as a figure who embodies resistance on every level, politically, artistically and personally. In Traversing Darkrooms: The Lure Of The Glory Hole one of the sacred institutions of gay male life, the Club is exposed as a site of White supremacy. A Match Boy in Toronto gives space to an incredible artifact of local history: a photonovel. This blending of text and image gives valuable insight into the narrative gaps around HIV/AIDS.