Until You Change — Photographer Paola Paredes went undercover to document an alarming trend: the Ecuadorian rehab facilities that 'treat' gay people by brutal force. Drawing from the accounts of former patients, she pieced together why some never make it back.
Written by: Cian Traynor
Strike a pose... — The Kiki scene is blowing up out of New York. But veterans of the voguing community know it’s no passing trend. This is a subculture backed by some serious history – and it’s got the political bite to prove it.
Written by: Kieran Yates
Gender stories — Arabia Felix first donned make-up aged ten in his bedroom, playing alone as children often do. Today, aged twenty-three, hundreds of thousands take joy in his artistry, through videos on YouTube and tutorials on drag enjoyed by adoring fans around the globe. An online community may revere him, but at home in Kuwait, this life remains a closely guarded secret. Kuwaiti legislation punishes "imitating the appearance of a member of the opposite sex" with imprisonment or fines. His art, drag alter ego, and sexuality are all outlawed, and yet Arabia remains defiant. His make-up may embody traditional Arabian beauty, but it’s also his armour - and he’s preparing to fight.
Written by: Arabia Felix / Michael Segalov
“Nothing about me is weird; society makes me weird.” — Jacob Tobia has a stiletto collection rivaling Ivanka Trump and facial hair most men would envy. But this 24-year old Southerner turned Brooklynite is neither masculine nor feminine. Jacob is genderqueer – or gender neutral – identifying as a person who sees beyond having only two gender options. As an advocate, working for Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice by day and moonlighting as a writer and TV personality after-hours, Jacob pushes for non-conforming gender acceptance every waking moment. Whether it’s penning a piece for Huffington Post asking why “dressing professionally” can’t mean a clean-shaven man wearing pearls, or publicly criticising transgendered media-darling Caitlyn Jenner, Jacob is out to make equal rights for genderqueer people a reality no matter how uncomfortable it makes others.
Written by: Jacob Tobia / Megan Broussard
"There is a way I need to speak to feel like I can speak at all" — Jenny Hval's career has seen her toy with genre and image constantly. On her new record, she's found a voice that speaks clearly for her.
Written by: Alex Robert Ross