You Are (Queer) Here is growing, and we need your help!
This project began last summer as a documentary film following two queer, gender non-conforming/non-binary South Carolinians on a journey across the globe (currently in post-production–see teaser below). Since then, it’s grown into an active travel blog and social media presence with thousands of readers/followers.
Now, with your help, I’d like to expand You Are (Queer) Here to reach a wider audience, providing more content on LGBTQ travel and diverse cultures worldwide. Find out more about what’s in store for You Are (Queer) Here’s future below, and if you like what you’ve seen so far, donate today at www.gofundme.com/you-are-queer-here-winter-campaign.
Plans for the project include the following:
- Expansion of site to include easy-to-access resources for LGBTQ travelers (and round-the-world travelers, more generally)
- A moderated discussion board for travelers to share questions, concerns, and resources
- Educational information on the LGBTQ community for non-LGBTQ folks (and/or those who are questioning)
- Guest posts by talented writers/travelers from across the globe weighing in on LGBTQ culture, gender diversity, intersectional identities, etc.
- A special #TravelingWhile series with guest bloggers discussing how their identit(ies) impact their travel
Additionally, with the recent presidential election outcome in the U.S., I’m planning to broaden You Are (Queer) Here’s artistic scope, including partnering with other artists/writers and arts organizations to organize community arts projects around themes of liberation, equality, justice, resistance, and revolution (and, of course, sharing selected works on the website and You Are (Queer) Here’s social media).
Korean Queer Culture Festival, Seoul, 2016
Why is this important?
As a queer, gender non-conforming traveler, I’ve been surprised by the lack of resources and information regarding traveling while LGBTQ. Without such information, some LGBTQ folks might be afraid to travel, unsure where they’d be safe/welcomed, and uncertain about what to expect while moving through certain regions and countries. Through You Are (Queer) Here’s website and social media presence, I’d like to begin to remedy that–both with stories and recommendations.
Additionally, in light of the recent U.S. elections, it’s now more important than ever to highlight the voices and stories of diverse populations. Through the #TravelingWhile series, guest bloggers, new community arts projects, and my own writing, I hope to draw attention to our beautiful, diverse, and sometimes difficult world while encouraging empowerment, respect, and resistance.
Why do I need your help?
The travel is self-funded, but donations are needed to sustain and expand my work at You Are (Queer) Here, including project development, recruitment of writers/artists, research, and, of course, writing. So if you like what you’ve seen so far and you want to see more–with more depth–donate today to help make these projects a reality.
Mural in Rishikesh, India, 2016
Where can I see more of your work, or where can I learn more?
Check out any of the previous blog posts on You Are (Queer) Here (archives to your right) to learn more about my journey and this project. That’s also where you can find the story of how, out of the depths of depression, I made the decision to go on this journey around the world that has since spawned a documentary-in-progress, a travel blog, and my ambitions to create a space for sharing more resources for LGBTQ travelers.
Also, if you’re interested in learning more about me and my creative work, visit my writer/author website at www.alexisstratton.com.
you are (queer) here 