Sneerin’ queers

Artist goes back to school with some awesome, snarky queer art


A little while ago I had one of those mornings. You know the kind: where idiots are abusing your core values and identity, and you just want to grab them, shake them and scream incomprehensibly.

I even made a captioned Ecard image to reflect on or share whenever I’m feeling that way:

Going to school is one of those times, especially for queer people. Suddenly you’re leaving that safe little bubble at home and dealing with screeching undergrads, grumbling administrative staff; you’re navigating the big, bad world of heterosexuals, basically.

That can mean lots of unsolicited questions and statements about your identity directed at you or just flying around in the environment in general. Luckily for us, one incredible illustrator is spreading some queer and trans wisdom in the form of original, unimpressed stickers.

New Mexico illustrator Shelby Criswell shared a series of amazing stickers — apparently made on priority mail stickers? — they’re planning on posting around their campus and town, like this one:

They’re also the artist behind this fantastic ongoing web comic titled Gallivant, about a teenage, genderqueer cat in a small town who is inspired to follow a gregarious fox on an adventure, among other works.

Kudos to you, Criswell. Good luck back at school, from one empathizing queer to another!

Michael Lyons is a queer-identified, chaotic neutral writer, activist, misanthrope, sapiosexual, and feline enthusiast. He is a columnist, blogger and regular contributor with Xtra and has contributed to Plenitude Magazine, KAPSULA Magazine, Crew Magazine, Memory Insufficient e-zine, The Ryersonian, Buddies Theatre blog, Toronto Is Awesome blog and Fab Magazine and more.

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