In Asia and Lat Ameri the animal is a pejorative term for gay men - but the gay men are takg the term back
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- A PRACTIL APPROACH TO QUEERG SIGNTHE FUTURE OF SIGN IS QUEER. WHAT DO THAT MEAN PRACTICE?JOHN VOSS·FOLLOWPUBLISHED QUEER DIGN CLUB·14 M READ·DEC 2, 2020--2LISTENSHAREILLTRATN MERECENTLY, I WAS ASKED TO SPEAK TO MICA STUNTS ABOUT WHAT MEANS TO QUEER SIGN. AS -FOUNR OF QUEER DIGN CLUB, I HAVE SPENT A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME THKG ABOUT QUEER PEOPLE SIGN; BUT NOT AS MUCH TIME THKG ABOUT QUEERG SIGN.HONTLY, I FD THE SUBJECT TIMIDATG. I WENT TO LLEGE FOR SIGN, BUT NOT GRAD SCHOOL, WHICH I ASSUME IS WHERE YOU LEARN TO “LOOK FOR ALTERNATE READGS OF TEXTS,” “TERROGATE YOUR PERSONAL NARRATIVE,” AND GET FORTABLE G “DIALECTIC” A SENTENCE.HOWEVER, I’VE BEEN OUT AS A GAY MAN FOR TWO S AND A WORKG SIGNER FOR HALF THAT TIME, SO I HOPE THAT MY PERSPECTIVE ON QUEERG SIGN MIGHT BE HELPFUL SUPPLEMENTG THOSE WHO ARE ACTUAL EXPERTS ON THE SUBJECT — WHOSE WORK YOU SHOULD ABSOLUTELY READ.WHEN I THK ABOUT , MY RELATNSHIP TO SIGN HAS ALWAYS BEEN PRETTY QUEER. BEFORE I EVEN KNEW SIGN WAS A THG SOMEONE ULD DO FOR MONEY, I WAS MAKG POSTERS AND WEBS FOR MY LOL QUEER YOUTH GROUPS ON BOOTLEGGED PI OF PHOTOSHOP AND DREAMWEAVER.THE FIRST TIME I REALIZED SIGN WAS SOMETHG YOU ULD DO PROFSNALLY WAS WHEN I DATED A RISD STUNT. I N’T REMEND THAT PERSONALLY, BUT DID GET ME TO LEAVE MY WORK AS A MAKP-ARTIST — ANOTHER STORY— TO PURSUE SIGN.MY FIRST REAL SIGN JOB WAS -HOE AT AN LGBTQ+ HEALTH NON-PROF BOSTON, WHERE I WAS THE FIRST — AND FOR A LONG TIME ONLY — SIGNER. I SPENT THOSE FORMATIVE YEARS OF MY REER WORKG ON JT ABOUT ANY TYPE OF SIGN YOU N IMAGE FOR DIVERSE SWATHS OF THE QUEER MUNY.SOME OF MY -OLD WORK FOR FENWAY HEALTH. LEFT TO RIGHT: WRAP-AROUND VERS FOR THE “FEMALE” TERNAL NDOMS TARGETG MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN, A SAFER SEX GRAPHIC THAT DON’T REFERENCE GENR OR SEXUALY, A SHAMELS PLUG FOR BUTT HEALTH.SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF MY TIME THERE WERE SIGNG AN UN-GENRED SAFER SEX GRAPHIC, AND A RD GAME ED TO TEACH MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN INDIA ABOUT HIV RISKS AS PART OF OUR REARCH ARM’S GLOBAL HIV/AIDS RCTN WORK.I WORKED WH QUEER PEOPLE WHOSE LIVED EXPERIENC WERE FAR DIFFERENT OM MY OWN. UNHOED TRANS+ YOUTH, MEN OF LOR WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN BUT DON’T INTIFY AS GAY, SEX WORKERS, ELRLY LGBTQ+ PEOPLE…WORKG WH THE QUEER MUNY IS A GIFT, NOT BEE I SEE MY OWN INTY REFLECTED THE WORK BUT BEE THE DIVERSY WH THE MUNY HAS BROANED MY UNRSTANDG OF THE WORLD WHILE EPENG MY SENSE THAT I BELONG HERE.HAVG THE MON MISNCEPTN THAT YOU AS A SIGNER ARE THE SOLE ARBER OF WHAT GOOD SIGN IS CHALLENGED SO EARLY MY REER IS ONE OF THE BIGGT KDNS THE QUEER MUNY HAS EVER DONE ME.WORKG WH THE QUEER MUNY IS A GIFT, NOT BEE I SEE MY OWN INTY REFLECTED THE WORK BUT BEE THE DIVERSY WH THE MUNY HAS BROANED MY UNRSTANDG OF THE WORLD WHILE EPENG MY SENSE THAT I BELONG HERE.I’VE STAYED CLOSE TO THE MUNY SCE THEN — WORKG WH QUEER CLIENTS WHENEVER I N, KEEPG WHAT I LEARNED THOSE EARLY DAYS PRENT WH ME MY CURRENT JOB, AND SELLG SIGNS TO RAISE MONEY FOR QUEER .WHILE ’S ALWAYS BEEN EASY FOR ME TO FD OPPORTUNI TO BRG MY SIGN SKILLS TO THE QUEER MUNY, ’S BEEN HARR TO FD QUEER MUNY SIGN. I FOUND MYSELF WONRG WHAT DO MEAN TO BE A QUEER SIGNER? WHAT LEGACY HAVE OTHER QUEER SIGNERS LEFT SIGN? WHERE DO I F THE FIELD?DIGN IS ALREADY PRETTY QUEERTHAT’S WHAT LED ME TO -FOUND QUEER DIGN CLUB.I’D BEEN TRYG TO NNECT WH OTHER QUEER PEOPLE SIGN, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT QUEER SIGN HISTORY, AND NOT GETTG VERY FAR. AND SO I HAD A FIELD OF DREAMS MOMENT. I CID I WAS GOG TO BUILD SOMETHG OUT THE WORLD AND BRG THE QUEER PEOPLE TO ME.I GRABBED A TWTER HANDLE AND TWEETED MY TENTN. THE NEXT DAY, I HAD A DM OM A SIGNER BUENOS AIR NAMED REBEC BROOKER WHO WOULD BEE MY FOUNR. SHE HAD BEEN VELOPG A SIAR IA, SO WE CID TO MAKE THIS THG TOGETHER. IT WAS ALMOST A YEAR BEFORE WE MET PERSON.TODAY, THE SLACK WE STARTED HAS OVER 1300 MEMBERS, AND THE ONLE DIRECTORY HAS OVER 600 PEOPLE ACROSS ALL DISCIPL — SPIRED BY SIBLG DIRECTORI LIKE BLACKS WHO DIGN, WOMEN WHO DIGN, AND LATXS WHO DIGN.WE E OUR SOCIAL MEDIA TO HIGHLIGHT SIGNERS OM OUR MUNY, WE HOST EVENTS, AND LAST YEAR WE RAN THE FIRST EVER FIELD-WI STUDY OF QUEER PEOPLE SIGN.LEFT TO RIGHT: QUEER DIGN CLUB -FOUNRS REBEC BROOKER AND JOHN HANAWALT AND MEMBERS KELLY SMALL, SETH KATZ, ALEX CHEN, RICHARD WA MAN, AND JORDAN GREEN.WE KNEW OM AIGA’S SIGN CENS THAT A DISPROPORTNATE NUMBER OF SIGNERS INTIFY AS LGBTQ+. WE ALSO SAW THAT LGBTQ+ RPONNTS EARNED LS AND DIDN’T STAY THE FIELD AS LONG AS THEIR CISGENR, HETEROSEXUAL PEERS. BUT WE DIDN’T HAVE ANY REAL DATA ON WHAT THE QUEER EXPERIENCE SIGN REALLY WAS.THE QUEER DIGN COUNT WAS A SURVEY WE RAN AT THE END OF 2019 THAT RECEIVED OVER 1,000 RPONS OM ALL OVER THE WORLD.IT TURNS OUT THAT ’S TE THAT A LOT OF WAYS SIGN EARNS S REPUTATN OF BEG QUEER-IENDLIER THAN OTHER FIELDS, BUT STILL HAS A LONG WAY TO GO. ALTHOUGH QUEER SIGNERS ARE HALF AS LIKELY AS THE AMERIN WORKFORCE AS A WHOLE TO OVERHEAR ANTI-LGBTQ+ MENTS ON THE JOB, ALMOST 90% OF OUR RPONNTS HAD EXPERIENCED SOME KD OF BIAS.AND THAT BIAS FALLS ALONG FAIAR FLT L. CIS FOLKS EXPERIENCE LS BIAS THAN TRANS FOLKS, WHE PEOPLE ARE BETTER REPRENTED THAN PEOPLE OF LOR. MEN GENERALLY REPORTED BETTER EXPERIENC THAN… EVERYONE ELSE.I THK THAT’S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TAKE-AWAYS OM THE UNT. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT QUEER MUNY, WE’RE NOT TALKG ABOUT A MONOLH, AND WE N’T TALK ABOUT QUEER INTY A VACUUM.I, FOR EXAMPLE, AM A FAIRLY BASIC FACTORY MOL CIS WHE GUY. FOR ME, “QUEER” IS MORE OF A POLIL AFFILIATN THAN A FORM OF SELF-INTIFITN. THE WAY SOME FOLKS INTIFY AS CULTURALLY JEWISH.BUT MANY WAYS, MY INTY DON’T THREATEN THE STAT QUO. I HAVE A PARTNER AND A DOG. MY GENR FS A NEAT BARY. I WORK ON NSUMER-IENDLY PRODUCTS. I N BE OPEN ABOUT WHO I AM AND STILL HAVE A SUCCSFUL REER SIGN WHOUT QUEERG AT ALL.HOW DO WE QUEER SIGN FURTHER?SO TO ME, QUEERG SIGN MEANS MAKG A NSC AND REPEATED CHOICE TO SI WH MY QUEER LLEAGU WHO DO CHALLENGE THE STAT QUO.40% OF THE SIGNERS WE HEARD OM REPORTED HAVG TO POT OUT SIGN CISNS THAT EXCLUD QUEER PEOPLE TO THEIR LLEAGU. MANY OF THEM SAID WAS EXHSTG TO FEEL SOLELY RPONSIBLE FOR CLIVE SIGN BUT WERE ALSO PROUD THEIR PERSPECTIV AS QUEER PEOPLE ALLOWED THEM TO DO .THAT’S ONE WAY SIGNERS ARE ALREADY QUEERG THE PROFSN.I VERY MUCH SEE MY WORK WH QUEER DIGN CLUB BEG PART ABOUT QUEERG THE SIGN DTRY AND SIGN PRACTICE. I WANT TO SEE QUEER SIGNERS’ NTRIBUTNS REGNIZED, I WANT THEM TO FEEL LIKE THEY N THRIVE THE FIELD.BUT N’T JT BE ABOUT REPRENTATN.IF YOU HAVE LGBTQ+ PEOPLE DOG WORK THAT DON’T CHANGE THE SYSTEMS THEY ARE WORKG , THAT’S NOT QUEERG ANYTHG, THAT’S ASSIATG. ASSIATN WILL ALWAYS TO BE NTGENT ON PLAYG BY A SET OF TABLISHED L. AND ’S ALWAYS GOG TO REQUIRE LEAVG SOMEONE BEHD. THERE HAS TO BE AN OUT GROUP THIS MOL OF THE WORLD.YOU HAVE TO CHALLENGE THE CIS- AND HETEROSEXIST (AND RACIST, AND ABLEIST, AND CLASSIST) UNRPNGS OF THE SYSTEMS SIGNERS WORK TO MAKE MEANGFUL CHANGE. AND IF YOU DO, THE OUTPUT WILL CHANGE AS WELL.AT THE SAME TIME, I THK THE QUEER MUNY SERV BETTER THAN TO BE FED OPPOSN TO OUR CISGENR, HETEROSEXUAL PEERS. CHALLENGG -ISMS SIGN IS IMPORTANT, BUT ’S ALSO TABLE STAK.WHEN I LOOK AT SIGNS CREATED BY THE QUEER MUNY, THERE ARE QUALI I THK N HELP CLARIFY WHAT MEANS TO “QUEER SIGN” PRACTICE. QUALI I HOPE WE N BRG FORWARD OUR WORK.LEFT: THE GILBERT BAKER PRI FLAG, RIGHT: PHOTO BY TTONBRO OM PEXELSQUEER SIGN IS EXPRSIVEAT S HEART, I THK OF BEG OUTWARDLY QUEER AS A PROCS OF OWNG WHO YOU ARE. GROWG MORE FORTABLE THAT INTY, OR LEARNG TO ENJOY THE DISFORT, AND SHARG WH THE WORLD.THAT EXPERIENCE N BE AS JOYFUL AS N BE PAFUL. IT N BE CELEBRATORY, N BE FIANT, AND VERY OFTEN, N BE ALL OF THOSE THGS AT ONCE.WHEN PEOPLE SUBM THEIR PROFIL TO QUEER DIGN CLUB, WE ASK WHAT PART OF QUEER VISUAL CULTURE SPIR THEM MOST, AND DRAG TOPS THE LIST. DRAG IS VISUALLY RICH (EVEN—OR PECIALLY—WHEN EXECUTED ON A BUDGET), BUT S EXPRSIVE POWER GO EPER THAN THAT.DRAG HYPERBOLE TO CHALLENGE SOCIETAL NSTCTS. THE BT DRAG PERFORMANC ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR OWN ARTIFICE WHILE NVEYG S MSAGE WH NFINCE AND THENTICY.SO OFTEN, SIGNERS ARE TRYG TO OBFTE THE ARTIFICE OUR WORK. AUTHENTICY IS THE DRAG WE PUT ON AS WE BUILD EXPERIENC PREDITED ON MUNY AND SELF-EXPRSN WHEN OUR TE TENTN IS NVERSN.DRAG PERFORMERS, BY PARISON, ARE MUCH MORE HONT WH THEIR DIENCE AND WH THEMSELV. THEY’RE EMBODYG CHARACTERS, SURE; BUT AT THE SAME TIME, MANY PERFORMERS ALSO E DRAG TO EXPLORE THEIR OWN INTI. TO DO THAT ON A STAGE TAK A REMARKABLE AMOUNT OF NFINCE AND URAGE.“IF I WA FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO VALIDATE MY EXISTENCE, WILL MEAN THAT I’M SHORTCHANGG MYSELF.” — ZANELE MUHOLIANY TIME YOU EXPRS SOME PART OF YOURSELF, YOU HAVE TO BE A LTLE B VULNERABLE. I THK A QUEERED SIGN FIELD WOULD MAKE SPACE FOR THENTICY AND VULNERABILY. TO BE HONT ABOUT THE TENT OF OUR SIGNS AS WE BUILD A SHOW AROUND . TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE VULNERABILY OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKG TO THE PRODUCTS WE SIGN TO IMPROVE THEIR LIV. TO BE RPONSIBLE WH HOW VULNERABLE THEY ARE WHEN THEY ARE EXPERIENC THAT ARE NOT OF THEIR SIGN BUT OURS.DIGNERS TALK ABOUT EMPATHY LIKE AN TELLECTUAL EXERCISE. SO MUCH OF SIGNERS’ EMOTNAL TELLIGENCE IS ED TO PROFILE AND MANIPULATE THE BEHAVR OF THE PEOPLE WH WHOM WE ALLEGEDLY EMPATHIZE.IN A QUEERER FIELD, WE WOULD ENURAGE ERS TO MAKE CISNS BASED ON RMED NSENT AND NOT SLICK HRISTICS. WE WOULD LET THEM FE THEMSELV STEAD OF FORCG THEM TO BARY CHOIC THAT TERME HOW WE TALK TO THEM AND WHAT WE ALLOW THEM TO DO. DIGNERS WOULD FEEL RPONSIBLE FOR WHAT THEIR EMPATHY UNVERS AND WOULD E THAT SIGHT TO CREATE EXPERIENC THAT ACTUALLY EMPOWER PEOPLE TO BE THEMSELV, EELY.LEFT: SYLVIA RIVERA LAW PROJECT GRAPHIC, RIGHT: ACT UP PROTT FEATURG SILENCE = DEATH POSTER, JUNE 26, 1988, EUGENEGORDON/NEW YORK HISTORIL SOCIETYQUEER SIGN IS LLECTIVEALTHOUGH EMPATHY HAS BEEN PACKAGED UP AS A NEAT LTLE DIGN THKG™ BOOKS, WORKSHOPS, AND PROPRIETARY NSULTG MOLS, THE QUEER SIGNERS I KNOW HAVE A LIFETIME OF EXPERIENCE EMPATHY ON EVEN THE MOST SKILLED SPRT FACILATOR.A LOT OF QUEER SIGNERS I’VE TALKED TO FEEL THEY ARE ABLE TO MORE FULLY PUT THEMSELV OTHERS’ SHO BEE OF HOW MUCH TIME THEY’VE SPENT PRETENDG TO BE SOMEONE ELSE.WE’VE TURNED A SURVIVAL MECHANISM OF BEG ABLE TO MOVE THROUGH SPAC THAT AREN’T FOR TO A PROFSNAL ADAPTATN. AND WE BRG THAT OUTSIR PERSPECTIVE WH WHEN WE ENTER THE FIELD.IN SIGN TODAY, PEOPLE ON THE OUTSI ARE NSIRED EDGE S AND MOST LARGE ANIZATNS DON’T SIGN FOR THEM. BUT AS ERIC MEYER SAYS, “WHEN YOU SAY ‘EDGE SE’, YOU’RE REALLY JT FG THE LIMS OF WHAT YOU RE ABOUT.”A LOT OF QUEER SIGNERS I’VE TALKED TO FEEL THEY ARE ABLE TO MORE FULLY PUT THEMSELV OTHERS’ SHO BEE OF HOW MUCH TIME THEY’VE SPENT PRETENDG TO BE SOMEONE ELSE.SO ’S NOT ENOUGH TO BRG OUTSIR PERSPECTIV TO THE SIGN PROCS, WE NEED TO BRG PEOPLE CURRENTLY RELEGATED TO THE EDG OF OUR PRACTICE AND ACTUALLY CENTER THEM OUR WORK.ONE WAY TO DO THAT IS HAVG DIVERSE TEAMS. STUDI HAVE SHOWN THAT DIVERSY LEADS TO CREASED PRODUCTIVY AND NOVATN, ALTHOUGH THE QUEERER THE SIGN DTRY BE, THE LS WE SHOULD NEED TO RELY ON BS METRICS TO ARGUE FOR WHAT’S RIGHT.WE ALSO HAVE TO EXPAND OUR FN OF A SIGN TO PEOPLE WHO AREN’T TRADNALLY CLUD AND EMBRACG A SPIR OF -SIGN.WE NEED TO ENROLL OUR “EDGE S” AS OUR PARTNERS THE SIGN PROCS TO CREATE WORK THAT SERV THEM AS WELL AS DO EVERYONE ELSE. WE SHOULD DO THIS NOT BEE PRODUCTS THAT ACMODATE ERS AT THE MARGS DO A BETTER JOB AT MEETG THE NEEDS OF EVERYONE MIDDLE (ALTHOUGH THEY DO) BUT BEE WE SHOULD BE CHALLENGG THE IA THAT THE EXPERIENC WE BUILD SHOULD HAVE MARGS AT ALL—OR THAT THE BS’S MARGS SHOULD FE THEM.WE MT ALSO CHALLENGE THE IA THAT WE ARE THE ON WHO SHOULD BE BUILDG THE SIGNS. COMMUNI N SOLVE PROBLEMS FOR THEMSELV WHEN THEY HAVE THE ROURC AND SIGNERS OM WH THOSE MUNI ARE EMPOWERED TO DO SO.VERY OFTEN, WHAT A PROBLEM LLS FOR IS NOT A SIGNER TO UNLOCK THE SOLUTN BUT THE POLIL WILL TO ENACT WHAT WE KNOW WILL WORK (UALLY MONEY, UALLY NTROLLED BY PEOPLE WHO’D RATHER NOT SEE THE PROBLEM SOLVED). NOT EVERY NAIL NEEDS SIGN THKG OR AN TERFACE OR A LOGO.“I AM NOT A BEGNG. I AM NOT AN END. I AM A LK A CHA.” ― KEH HARGI THK QUEERG SIGN MEANS LETTG GO OF OUR EGOS AS SIGNERS. THERE’S STILL SUCH A CULT OF CELEBRY THE FIELD. WE’RE TGHT TO REVERE DIVIDUAL SIGNERS WHO MAKE INIC WORK, LIKE MILTON GLASER AND THE I HEART NEW YORK LOGO. WE PAY LS ATTENTN TO WORK CREATED BY TEAMS OR EPHEMERAL WORK THAT CHEWS A SENSE OF “TIMELSNS” TO IMPROVE PEOPLE’S LIV NOW. A LOT OF ARE STILL CHASG THAT FASTCO DIGN SPOTLIGHT, THE RETROSPECTIVE OF OUR WORK, OR THE SEAT OF HONOR AT AN AIGA GALA.BUT SOME OF THE MOST MEMORABLE QUEER SIGNS AREN’T ATTRIBUTABLE TO ONE PERSON. THE “SILENCE = DEATH” POSTER, WHICH I THK IS ONE OF THE MOST STRIKG SIGNS HISTORY WAS SIGNED BY A LLECTIVE. FEMIST ACTIVIST ARTISTS THE GUERRILLA GIRLS WORK ANONYMOLY TO KEEP FOC ON THE ISSU THEIR WORK ADDRS.LEFT: GUERRILLA GIRLS, HOT FLASH, 1993, VOLUME 1, NUMBER 1, RIGHT: THE MALE FIGURE, FALL 1957QUEER SIGN IS SUBVERSIVEOTHER QUEER SIGNERS’ WORK GO UNCELEBRATED BEE WAS CREATED A NTEXT WHERE PUTTG THEIR NAME ON WOULD HAVE BEEN A PRISON SENTENCE OR WORSE.AND THAT’S WHY I THK ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF QUEER SIGN IS SUBVERSIVENS. ALTHOUGH I DON’T THK QUEER PEOPLE SHOULD BE FED BY THE OPPOSN THEY FACE OM OTHERS, HOW WE MEET ADVERSY HEAD-ON IS ONE OF THE MOST SPIRG ASPECTS OF THE QUEER MUNY.SO MUCH OF THE QUEER VISUAL CULTURE THAT SPIR ME PERSONALLY WAS CREATED TO EVA OR PROTT ANTI-QUEER LAWS.“WE NEED, EVERY MUNY, A GROUP OF ANGELIC TROUBLEMAKERS.” — BAYARD RTI LLECT MALE FIGURE MAGAZ. I LOVE THE BLACK AND WHE VER PHOTOGRAPHY AGAST NEON SPOT LORS. IT’S SIMPLE AND ’S MP, A BALANCE I OFTEN TRY TO STRIKE MY OWN SIGNS.BEEFKE MAGAZ LIKE MALE FIGURE WERE PRTED AT A TIME WHEN OBSCENY LAWS FORBA MAILG ANY MATERIALS THAT PROMOTED HOMOSEXUALY. THEY ARE NOT GAY MAGAZ POSNG, BUT THROUGH THEIR NTENT AND SIGN, THEIR TE NATURE IS CLEAR TO THOSE FOR WHOM THEY WERE CREATED.QUEER SIGNERS HAVE WORKED FIANCE OF SOCIETAL NSTRATS BOTH VERTLY, LIKE COMSTOCK-ERA PUBLITNS, AND OVERTLY. PROTT AND ACTIVISM ARE WHERE QUEER PEOPLE HAVE MA SOME OF THE RICHT NTRIBUTNS TO SIGN, BRGG A SIGNATURE BOLDNS TO MSAG THAT CHALLENGE NOT JT THE POLIL BUT ALSO THE ATHETIC NORMS OF THEIR TIME. GRAY, PHOTOPIED POSTERS ON GARISH NEON STOCK HAVE MA A MORE LASTG IMPACT ON HISTORY THAN THE HIGH BUDGET LIVERABL CREATED BY TOP AGENCI AT THE SAME TIME.I DON’T THK QUEER SIGN HERENTLY BELONGS TO ONE ATHETIC. QUEER PEOPLE HAVE MA NTRIBUTNS TO HIGH FASHN, FE ART, AND MERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY AS WELL AS LOW-BROW MP, SMUTTY Z, AND POP ART. I THK THE QUEERER SIGN BE, THE MORE DIVERSE OUR VISUAL OUTPUT WILL BE AS MORE PEOPLE ARE REGNIZED FOR THEIR WORK WHOUT HAVG TO FILTER THAT WORK THROUGH A DOMANT IA OF WHAT “GOOD SIGN” LOOKS LIKE.DIGN N “LOOK QUEER” FOR SURE, BUT LIKE DRAG PERFORMANC, THE BT OF WILL GO EPER THAN A AT OF PAT. NIKE N PUT THE PK TRIANGLE ON A PAIR OF SNEAKERS, BUT THERE REMAS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MERCIALIZG QUEERNS AND QUEERG SIGN.NORDSTROM X NIKE EPIC REACT FLYKN BETRUE RUNNG SHOE, NOT A GOOD EXAMPLE OF QUEERG SIGNTHE FUTURE OF SIGN IS QUEER
- SHOP GAY DEER
A PRACTIL APPROACH TO QUEERG SIGNTHE FUTURE OF SIGN IS QUEER. WHAT DO THAT MEAN PRACTICE?JOHN VOSS·FOLLOWPUBLISHED QUEER DIGN CLUB·14 M READ·DEC 2, 2020--2LISTENSHAREILLTRATN MERECENTLY, I WAS ASKED TO SPEAK TO MICA STUNTS ABOUT WHAT MEANS TO QUEER SIGN. AS -FOUNR OF QUEER DIGN CLUB, I HAVE SPENT A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME THKG ABOUT QUEER PEOPLE SIGN; BUT NOT AS MUCH TIME THKG ABOUT QUEERG SIGN.HONTLY, I FD THE SUBJECT TIMIDATG. I WENT TO LLEGE FOR SIGN, BUT NOT GRAD SCHOOL, WHICH I ASSUME IS WHERE YOU LEARN TO “LOOK FOR ALTERNATE READGS OF TEXTS,” “TERROGATE YOUR PERSONAL NARRATIVE,” AND GET FORTABLE G “DIALECTIC” A SENTENCE.HOWEVER, I’VE BEEN OUT AS A GAY MAN FOR TWO S AND A WORKG SIGNER FOR HALF THAT TIME, SO I HOPE THAT MY PERSPECTIVE ON QUEERG SIGN MIGHT BE HELPFUL SUPPLEMENTG THOSE WHO ARE ACTUAL EXPERTS ON THE SUBJECT — WHOSE WORK YOU SHOULD ABSOLUTELY READ.WHEN I THK ABOUT , MY RELATNSHIP TO SIGN HAS ALWAYS BEEN PRETTY QUEER. BEFORE I EVEN KNEW SIGN WAS A THG SOMEONE ULD DO FOR MONEY, I WAS MAKG POSTERS AND WEBS FOR MY LOL QUEER YOUTH GROUPS ON BOOTLEGGED PI OF PHOTOSHOP AND DREAMWEAVER.THE FIRST TIME I REALIZED SIGN WAS SOMETHG YOU ULD DO PROFSNALLY WAS WHEN I DATED A RISD STUNT. I N’T REMEND THAT PERSONALLY, BUT DID GET ME TO LEAVE MY WORK AS A MAKP-ARTIST — ANOTHER STORY— TO PURSUE SIGN.MY FIRST REAL SIGN JOB WAS -HOE AT AN LGBTQ+ HEALTH NON-PROF BOSTON, WHERE I WAS THE FIRST — AND FOR A LONG TIME ONLY — SIGNER. I SPENT THOSE FORMATIVE YEARS OF MY REER WORKG ON JT ABOUT ANY TYPE OF SIGN YOU N IMAGE FOR DIVERSE SWATHS OF THE QUEER MUNY.SOME OF MY -OLD WORK FOR FENWAY HEALTH. LEFT TO RIGHT: WRAP-AROUND VERS FOR THE “FEMALE” TERNAL NDOMS TARGETG MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN, A SAFER SEX GRAPHIC THAT DON’T REFERENCE GENR OR SEXUALY, A SHAMELS PLUG FOR BUTT HEALTH.SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF MY TIME THERE WERE SIGNG AN UN-GENRED SAFER SEX GRAPHIC, AND A RD GAME ED TO TEACH MEN WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN INDIA ABOUT HIV RISKS AS PART OF OUR REARCH ARM’S GLOBAL HIV/AIDS RCTN WORK.I WORKED WH QUEER PEOPLE WHOSE LIVED EXPERIENC WERE FAR DIFFERENT OM MY OWN. UNHOED TRANS+ YOUTH, MEN OF LOR WHO HAVE SEX WH MEN BUT DON’T INTIFY AS GAY, SEX WORKERS, ELRLY LGBTQ+ PEOPLE…WORKG WH THE QUEER MUNY IS A GIFT, NOT BEE I SEE MY OWN INTY REFLECTED THE WORK BUT BEE THE DIVERSY WH THE MUNY HAS BROANED MY UNRSTANDG OF THE WORLD WHILE EPENG MY SENSE THAT I BELONG HERE.HAVG THE MON MISNCEPTN THAT YOU AS A SIGNER ARE THE SOLE ARBER OF WHAT GOOD SIGN IS CHALLENGED SO EARLY MY REER IS ONE OF THE BIGGT KDNS THE QUEER MUNY HAS EVER DONE ME.WORKG WH THE QUEER MUNY IS A GIFT, NOT BEE I SEE MY OWN INTY REFLECTED THE WORK BUT BEE THE DIVERSY WH THE MUNY HAS BROANED MY UNRSTANDG OF THE WORLD WHILE EPENG MY SENSE THAT I BELONG HERE.I’VE STAYED CLOSE TO THE MUNY SCE THEN — WORKG WH QUEER CLIENTS WHENEVER I N, KEEPG WHAT I LEARNED THOSE EARLY DAYS PRENT WH ME MY CURRENT JOB, AND SELLG SIGNS TO RAISE MONEY FOR QUEER .WHILE ’S ALWAYS BEEN EASY FOR ME TO FD OPPORTUNI TO BRG MY SIGN SKILLS TO THE QUEER MUNY, ’S BEEN HARR TO FD QUEER MUNY SIGN. I FOUND MYSELF WONRG WHAT DO MEAN TO BE A QUEER SIGNER? WHAT LEGACY HAVE OTHER QUEER SIGNERS LEFT SIGN? WHERE DO I F THE FIELD?DIGN IS ALREADY PRETTY QUEERTHAT’S WHAT LED ME TO -FOUND QUEER DIGN CLUB.I’D BEEN TRYG TO NNECT WH OTHER QUEER PEOPLE SIGN, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT QUEER SIGN HISTORY, AND NOT GETTG VERY FAR. AND SO I HAD A FIELD OF DREAMS MOMENT. I CID I WAS GOG TO BUILD SOMETHG OUT THE WORLD AND BRG THE QUEER PEOPLE TO ME.I GRABBED A TWTER HANDLE AND TWEETED MY TENTN. THE NEXT DAY, I HAD A DM OM A SIGNER BUENOS AIR NAMED REBEC BROOKER WHO WOULD BEE MY FOUNR. SHE HAD BEEN VELOPG A SIAR IA, SO WE CID TO MAKE THIS THG TOGETHER. IT WAS ALMOST A YEAR BEFORE WE MET PERSON.TODAY, THE SLACK WE STARTED HAS OVER 1300 MEMBERS, AND THE ONLE DIRECTORY HAS OVER 600 PEOPLE ACROSS ALL DISCIPL — SPIRED BY SIBLG DIRECTORI LIKE BLACKS WHO DIGN, WOMEN WHO DIGN, AND LATXS WHO DIGN.WE E OUR SOCIAL MEDIA TO HIGHLIGHT SIGNERS OM OUR MUNY, WE HOST EVENTS, AND LAST YEAR WE RAN THE FIRST EVER FIELD-WI STUDY OF QUEER PEOPLE SIGN.LEFT TO RIGHT: QUEER DIGN CLUB -FOUNRS REBEC BROOKER AND JOHN HANAWALT AND MEMBERS KELLY SMALL, SETH KATZ, ALEX CHEN, RICHARD WA MAN, AND JORDAN GREEN.WE KNEW OM AIGA’S SIGN CENS THAT A DISPROPORTNATE NUMBER OF SIGNERS INTIFY AS LGBTQ+. WE ALSO SAW THAT LGBTQ+ RPONNTS EARNED LS AND DIDN’T STAY THE FIELD AS LONG AS THEIR CISGENR, HETEROSEXUAL PEERS. BUT WE DIDN’T HAVE ANY REAL DATA ON WHAT THE QUEER EXPERIENCE SIGN REALLY WAS.THE QUEER DIGN COUNT WAS A SURVEY WE RAN AT THE END OF 2019 THAT RECEIVED OVER 1,000 RPONS OM ALL OVER THE WORLD.IT TURNS OUT THAT ’S TE THAT A LOT OF WAYS SIGN EARNS S REPUTATN OF BEG QUEER-IENDLIER THAN OTHER FIELDS, BUT STILL HAS A LONG WAY TO GO. ALTHOUGH QUEER SIGNERS ARE HALF AS LIKELY AS THE AMERIN WORKFORCE AS A WHOLE TO OVERHEAR ANTI-LGBTQ+ MENTS ON THE JOB, ALMOST 90% OF OUR RPONNTS HAD EXPERIENCED SOME KD OF BIAS.AND THAT BIAS FALLS ALONG FAIAR FLT L. CIS FOLKS EXPERIENCE LS BIAS THAN TRANS FOLKS, WHE PEOPLE ARE BETTER REPRENTED THAN PEOPLE OF LOR. MEN GENERALLY REPORTED BETTER EXPERIENC THAN… EVERYONE ELSE.I THK THAT’S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TAKE-AWAYS OM THE UNT. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT QUEER MUNY, WE’RE NOT TALKG ABOUT A MONOLH, AND WE N’T TALK ABOUT QUEER INTY A VACUUM.I, FOR EXAMPLE, AM A FAIRLY BASIC FACTORY MOL CIS WHE GUY. FOR ME, “QUEER” IS MORE OF A POLIL AFFILIATN THAN A FORM OF SELF-INTIFITN. THE WAY SOME FOLKS INTIFY AS CULTURALLY JEWISH.BUT MANY WAYS, MY INTY DON’T THREATEN THE STAT QUO. I HAVE A PARTNER AND A DOG. MY GENR FS A NEAT BARY. I WORK ON NSUMER-IENDLY PRODUCTS. I N BE OPEN ABOUT WHO I AM AND STILL HAVE A SUCCSFUL REER SIGN WHOUT QUEERG AT ALL.HOW DO WE QUEER SIGN FURTHER?SO TO ME, QUEERG SIGN MEANS MAKG A NSC AND REPEATED CHOICE TO SI WH MY QUEER LLEAGU WHO DO CHALLENGE THE STAT QUO.40% OF THE SIGNERS WE HEARD OM REPORTED HAVG TO POT OUT SIGN CISNS THAT EXCLUD QUEER PEOPLE TO THEIR LLEAGU. MANY OF THEM SAID WAS EXHSTG TO FEEL SOLELY RPONSIBLE FOR CLIVE SIGN BUT WERE ALSO PROUD THEIR PERSPECTIV AS QUEER PEOPLE ALLOWED THEM TO DO .THAT’S ONE WAY SIGNERS ARE ALREADY QUEERG THE PROFSN.I VERY MUCH SEE MY WORK WH QUEER DIGN CLUB BEG PART ABOUT QUEERG THE SIGN DTRY AND SIGN PRACTICE. I WANT TO SEE QUEER SIGNERS’ NTRIBUTNS REGNIZED, I WANT THEM TO FEEL LIKE THEY N THRIVE THE FIELD.BUT N’T JT BE ABOUT REPRENTATN.IF YOU HAVE LGBTQ+ PEOPLE DOG WORK THAT DON’T CHANGE THE SYSTEMS THEY ARE WORKG , THAT’S NOT QUEERG ANYTHG, THAT’S ASSIATG. ASSIATN WILL ALWAYS TO BE NTGENT ON PLAYG BY A SET OF TABLISHED L. AND ’S ALWAYS GOG TO REQUIRE LEAVG SOMEONE BEHD. THERE HAS TO BE AN OUT GROUP THIS MOL OF THE WORLD.YOU HAVE TO CHALLENGE THE CIS- AND HETEROSEXIST (AND RACIST, AND ABLEIST, AND CLASSIST) UNRPNGS OF THE SYSTEMS SIGNERS WORK TO MAKE MEANGFUL CHANGE. AND IF YOU DO, THE OUTPUT WILL CHANGE AS WELL.AT THE SAME TIME, I THK THE QUEER MUNY SERV BETTER THAN TO BE FED OPPOSN TO OUR CISGENR, HETEROSEXUAL PEERS. CHALLENGG -ISMS SIGN IS IMPORTANT, BUT ’S ALSO TABLE STAK.WHEN I LOOK AT SIGNS CREATED BY THE QUEER MUNY, THERE ARE QUALI I THK N HELP CLARIFY WHAT MEANS TO “QUEER SIGN” PRACTICE. QUALI I HOPE WE N BRG FORWARD OUR WORK.LEFT: THE GILBERT BAKER PRI FLAG, RIGHT: PHOTO BY TTONBRO OM PEXELSQUEER SIGN IS EXPRSIVEAT S HEART, I THK OF BEG OUTWARDLY QUEER AS A PROCS OF OWNG WHO YOU ARE. GROWG MORE FORTABLE THAT INTY, OR LEARNG TO ENJOY THE DISFORT, AND SHARG WH THE WORLD.THAT EXPERIENCE N BE AS JOYFUL AS N BE PAFUL. IT N BE CELEBRATORY, N BE FIANT, AND VERY OFTEN, N BE ALL OF THOSE THGS AT ONCE.WHEN PEOPLE SUBM THEIR PROFIL TO QUEER DIGN CLUB, WE ASK WHAT PART OF QUEER VISUAL CULTURE SPIR THEM MOST, AND DRAG TOPS THE LIST. DRAG IS VISUALLY RICH (EVEN—OR PECIALLY—WHEN EXECUTED ON A BUDGET), BUT S EXPRSIVE POWER GO EPER THAN THAT.DRAG HYPERBOLE TO CHALLENGE SOCIETAL NSTCTS. THE BT DRAG PERFORMANC ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR OWN ARTIFICE WHILE NVEYG S MSAGE WH NFINCE AND THENTICY.SO OFTEN, SIGNERS ARE TRYG TO OBFTE THE ARTIFICE OUR WORK. AUTHENTICY IS THE DRAG WE PUT ON AS WE BUILD EXPERIENC PREDITED ON MUNY AND SELF-EXPRSN WHEN OUR TE TENTN IS NVERSN.DRAG PERFORMERS, BY PARISON, ARE MUCH MORE HONT WH THEIR DIENCE AND WH THEMSELV. THEY’RE EMBODYG CHARACTERS, SURE; BUT AT THE SAME TIME, MANY PERFORMERS ALSO E DRAG TO EXPLORE THEIR OWN INTI. TO DO THAT ON A STAGE TAK A REMARKABLE AMOUNT OF NFINCE AND URAGE.“IF I WA FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO VALIDATE MY EXISTENCE, WILL MEAN THAT I’M SHORTCHANGG MYSELF.” — ZANELE MUHOLIANY TIME YOU EXPRS SOME PART OF YOURSELF, YOU HAVE TO BE A LTLE B VULNERABLE. I THK A QUEERED SIGN FIELD WOULD MAKE SPACE FOR THENTICY AND VULNERABILY. TO BE HONT ABOUT THE TENT OF OUR SIGNS AS WE BUILD A SHOW AROUND . TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE VULNERABILY OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKG TO THE PRODUCTS WE SIGN TO IMPROVE THEIR LIV. TO BE RPONSIBLE WH HOW VULNERABLE THEY ARE WHEN THEY ARE EXPERIENC THAT ARE NOT OF THEIR SIGN BUT OURS.DIGNERS TALK ABOUT EMPATHY LIKE AN TELLECTUAL EXERCISE. SO MUCH OF SIGNERS’ EMOTNAL TELLIGENCE IS ED TO PROFILE AND MANIPULATE THE BEHAVR OF THE PEOPLE WH WHOM WE ALLEGEDLY EMPATHIZE.IN A QUEERER FIELD, WE WOULD ENURAGE ERS TO MAKE CISNS BASED ON RMED NSENT AND NOT SLICK HRISTICS. WE WOULD LET THEM FE THEMSELV STEAD OF FORCG THEM TO BARY CHOIC THAT TERME HOW WE TALK TO THEM AND WHAT WE ALLOW THEM TO DO. DIGNERS WOULD FEEL RPONSIBLE FOR WHAT THEIR EMPATHY UNVERS AND WOULD E THAT SIGHT TO CREATE EXPERIENC THAT ACTUALLY EMPOWER PEOPLE TO BE THEMSELV, EELY.LEFT: SYLVIA RIVERA LAW PROJECT GRAPHIC, RIGHT: ACT UP PROTT FEATURG SILENCE = DEATH POSTER, JUNE 26, 1988, EUGENEGORDON/NEW YORK HISTORIL SOCIETYQUEER SIGN IS LLECTIVEALTHOUGH EMPATHY HAS BEEN PACKAGED UP AS A NEAT LTLE DIGN THKG™ BOOKS, WORKSHOPS, AND PROPRIETARY NSULTG MOLS, THE QUEER SIGNERS I KNOW HAVE A LIFETIME OF EXPERIENCE EMPATHY ON EVEN THE MOST SKILLED SPRT FACILATOR.A LOT OF QUEER SIGNERS I’VE TALKED TO FEEL THEY ARE ABLE TO MORE FULLY PUT THEMSELV OTHERS’ SHO BEE OF HOW MUCH TIME THEY’VE SPENT PRETENDG TO BE SOMEONE ELSE.WE’VE TURNED A SURVIVAL MECHANISM OF BEG ABLE TO MOVE THROUGH SPAC THAT AREN’T FOR TO A PROFSNAL ADAPTATN. AND WE BRG THAT OUTSIR PERSPECTIVE WH WHEN WE ENTER THE FIELD.IN SIGN TODAY, PEOPLE ON THE OUTSI ARE NSIRED EDGE S AND MOST LARGE ANIZATNS DON’T SIGN FOR THEM. BUT AS ERIC MEYER SAYS, “WHEN YOU SAY ‘EDGE SE’, YOU’RE REALLY JT FG THE LIMS OF WHAT YOU RE ABOUT.”A LOT OF QUEER SIGNERS I’VE TALKED TO FEEL THEY ARE ABLE TO MORE FULLY PUT THEMSELV OTHERS’ SHO BEE OF HOW MUCH TIME THEY’VE SPENT PRETENDG TO BE SOMEONE ELSE.SO ’S NOT ENOUGH TO BRG OUTSIR PERSPECTIV TO THE SIGN PROCS, WE NEED TO BRG PEOPLE CURRENTLY RELEGATED TO THE EDG OF OUR PRACTICE AND ACTUALLY CENTER THEM OUR WORK.ONE WAY TO DO THAT IS HAVG DIVERSE TEAMS. STUDI HAVE SHOWN THAT DIVERSY LEADS TO CREASED PRODUCTIVY AND NOVATN, ALTHOUGH THE QUEERER THE SIGN DTRY BE, THE LS WE SHOULD NEED TO RELY ON BS METRICS TO ARGUE FOR WHAT’S RIGHT.WE ALSO HAVE TO EXPAND OUR FN OF A SIGN TO PEOPLE WHO AREN’T TRADNALLY CLUD AND EMBRACG A SPIR OF -SIGN.WE NEED TO ENROLL OUR “EDGE S” AS OUR PARTNERS THE SIGN PROCS TO CREATE WORK THAT SERV THEM AS WELL AS DO EVERYONE ELSE. WE SHOULD DO THIS NOT BEE PRODUCTS THAT ACMODATE ERS AT THE MARGS DO A BETTER JOB AT MEETG THE NEEDS OF EVERYONE MIDDLE (ALTHOUGH THEY DO) BUT BEE WE SHOULD BE CHALLENGG THE IA THAT THE EXPERIENC WE BUILD SHOULD HAVE MARGS AT ALL—OR THAT THE BS’S MARGS SHOULD FE THEM.WE MT ALSO CHALLENGE THE IA THAT WE ARE THE ON WHO SHOULD BE BUILDG THE SIGNS. COMMUNI N SOLVE PROBLEMS FOR THEMSELV WHEN THEY HAVE THE ROURC AND SIGNERS OM WH THOSE MUNI ARE EMPOWERED TO DO SO.VERY OFTEN, WHAT A PROBLEM LLS FOR IS NOT A SIGNER TO UNLOCK THE SOLUTN BUT THE POLIL WILL TO ENACT WHAT WE KNOW WILL WORK (UALLY MONEY, UALLY NTROLLED BY PEOPLE WHO’D RATHER NOT SEE THE PROBLEM SOLVED). NOT EVERY NAIL NEEDS SIGN THKG OR AN TERFACE OR A LOGO.“I AM NOT A BEGNG. I AM NOT AN END. I AM A LK A CHA.” ― KEH HARGI THK QUEERG SIGN MEANS LETTG GO OF OUR EGOS AS SIGNERS. THERE’S STILL SUCH A CULT OF CELEBRY THE FIELD. WE’RE TGHT TO REVERE DIVIDUAL SIGNERS WHO MAKE INIC WORK, LIKE MILTON GLASER AND THE I HEART NEW YORK LOGO. WE PAY LS ATTENTN TO WORK CREATED BY TEAMS OR EPHEMERAL WORK THAT CHEWS A SENSE OF “TIMELSNS” TO IMPROVE PEOPLE’S LIV NOW. A LOT OF ARE STILL CHASG THAT FASTCO DIGN SPOTLIGHT, THE RETROSPECTIVE OF OUR WORK, OR THE SEAT OF HONOR AT AN AIGA GALA.BUT SOME OF THE MOST MEMORABLE QUEER SIGNS AREN’T ATTRIBUTABLE TO ONE PERSON. THE “SILENCE = DEATH” POSTER, WHICH I THK IS ONE OF THE MOST STRIKG SIGNS HISTORY WAS SIGNED BY A LLECTIVE. FEMIST ACTIVIST ARTISTS THE GUERRILLA GIRLS WORK ANONYMOLY TO KEEP FOC ON THE ISSU THEIR WORK ADDRS.LEFT: GUERRILLA GIRLS, HOT FLASH, 1993, VOLUME 1, NUMBER 1, RIGHT: THE MALE FIGURE, FALL 1957QUEER SIGN IS SUBVERSIVEOTHER QUEER SIGNERS’ WORK GO UNCELEBRATED BEE WAS CREATED A NTEXT WHERE PUTTG THEIR NAME ON WOULD HAVE BEEN A PRISON SENTENCE OR WORSE.AND THAT’S WHY I THK ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF QUEER SIGN IS SUBVERSIVENS. ALTHOUGH I DON’T THK QUEER PEOPLE SHOULD BE FED BY THE OPPOSN THEY FACE OM OTHERS, HOW WE MEET ADVERSY HEAD-ON IS ONE OF THE MOST SPIRG ASPECTS OF THE QUEER MUNY.SO MUCH OF THE QUEER VISUAL CULTURE THAT SPIR ME PERSONALLY WAS CREATED TO EVA OR PROTT ANTI-QUEER LAWS.“WE NEED, EVERY MUNY, A GROUP OF ANGELIC TROUBLEMAKERS.” — BAYARD RTI LLECT MALE FIGURE MAGAZ. I LOVE THE BLACK AND WHE VER PHOTOGRAPHY AGAST NEON SPOT LORS. IT’S SIMPLE AND ’S MP, A BALANCE I OFTEN TRY TO STRIKE MY OWN SIGNS.BEEFKE MAGAZ LIKE MALE FIGURE WERE PRTED AT A TIME WHEN OBSCENY LAWS FORBA MAILG ANY MATERIALS THAT PROMOTED HOMOSEXUALY. THEY ARE NOT GAY MAGAZ POSNG, BUT THROUGH THEIR NTENT AND SIGN, THEIR TE NATURE IS CLEAR TO THOSE FOR WHOM THEY WERE CREATED.QUEER SIGNERS HAVE WORKED FIANCE OF SOCIETAL NSTRATS BOTH VERTLY, LIKE COMSTOCK-ERA PUBLITNS, AND OVERTLY. PROTT AND ACTIVISM ARE WHERE QUEER PEOPLE HAVE MA SOME OF THE RICHT NTRIBUTNS TO SIGN, BRGG A SIGNATURE BOLDNS TO MSAG THAT CHALLENGE NOT JT THE POLIL BUT ALSO THE ATHETIC NORMS OF THEIR TIME. GRAY, PHOTOPIED POSTERS ON GARISH NEON STOCK HAVE MA A MORE LASTG IMPACT ON HISTORY THAN THE HIGH BUDGET LIVERABL CREATED BY TOP AGENCI AT THE SAME TIME.I DON’T THK QUEER SIGN HERENTLY BELONGS TO ONE ATHETIC. QUEER PEOPLE HAVE MA NTRIBUTNS TO HIGH FASHN, FE ART, AND MERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY AS WELL AS LOW-BROW MP, SMUTTY Z, AND POP ART. I THK THE QUEERER SIGN BE, THE MORE DIVERSE OUR VISUAL OUTPUT WILL BE AS MORE PEOPLE ARE REGNIZED FOR THEIR WORK WHOUT HAVG TO FILTER THAT WORK THROUGH A DOMANT IA OF WHAT “GOOD SIGN” LOOKS LIKE.DIGN N “LOOK QUEER” FOR SURE, BUT LIKE DRAG PERFORMANC, THE BT OF WILL GO EPER THAN A AT OF PAT. NIKE N PUT THE PK TRIANGLE ON A PAIR OF SNEAKERS, BUT THERE REMAS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MERCIALIZG QUEERNS AND QUEERG SIGN.NORDSTROM X NIKE EPIC REACT FLYKN BETRUE RUNNG SHOE, NOT A GOOD EXAMPLE OF QUEERG SIGNTHE FUTURE OF SIGN IS QUEER
However, I’ve been out as a gay man for two s and a workg signer for half that time, so I hope that my perspective on queerg sign might be helpful supplementg those who are actual experts on the subject — whose work you should absolutely I thk about , my relatnship to sign has always been pretty queer. Unhoed trans+ youth, men of lor who have sex wh men but don’t intify as gay, sex workers, elrly LGBTQ+ people…Workg wh the queer muny is a gift, not bee I see my own inty reflected the work but bee the diversy wh the muny has broaned my unrstandg of the world while epeng my sense that I belong the mon misnceptn that you as a signer are the sole arber of what good sign is challenged so early my reer is one of the biggt kdns the queer muny has ever done me. Beefke magaz like Male Figure were prted at a time when obsceny laws forba mailg any materials that promoted homosexualy.
They are not gay magaz posng, but through their ntent and sign, their te nature is clear to those for whom they were signers have worked fiance of societal nstrats both vertly, like Comstock-era publitns, and overtly.
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SHOP GAY DEER
Also, gay. I have skills UI/UX, brandg, prt, and marketg am a gay llege stunt tryg to break to the world of UX/UI! At BalHe/HimI'm a gay sign director that empowers signers to do their bt work.