Happy June: "Closets" re-release
Hello everyone,
It’s June! In honor of Pride month and Father’s Day, and what would have been my dad’s 72nd birthday, and what will be the 21st anniversary of his passing…I’m re-releasing a story I wrote in 2015 called Closets.
Closets is a lyric essay comic in 8 parts about my dad, the mysteries he left behind, and me trying to make sense of my own identity in relation to his absences.
I’ll be sharing two sections a week over the next four weeks with updated commentary. Each of the chapters can stand alone as its own mini-comic, but naturally the arc of the entire story is richer when read as a whole. Throughout the month, I’ll also be sharing snippets of comics I’ve made over the years that feature ghosts of my dad.
Today, the story begins with the first two parts.
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Part 1: The me I'm meant to be
Part 2: In and out of closets
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Director’s Commentary, 10 years on
BTS tidbit: when I wrote the first draft of this story, the 2015 Supreme Court case ruling Obergefell vs. Hodges on gay marriage in the States hadn't been decided yet. This June 26th will be the tenth anniversary.
Here are some accompanying reads to today’s chapters:
Podcast: Vibe Check ep 65 “Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are” discusses how ‘coming out’ as a phenomenon is changing — and maybe becoming less relevant — as gender and sexuality are becoming more fluid. (And this ep 132 interview with Chase Strangio on the state of court cases re: gender affirming care in 2024.)
Comic: “I Came Out Late But That’s Okay” by Benjamin Wilgus
Late-in-life-to-queerness memoirs: The Fixed Stars by Molly Wizenberg, Frighten the Horses by Oliver Radclyffe.
Love letters from marine mammals: Undrowned by Alexis Pauline Gumbs.
Please stay tuned for the continuation of the story. And become a patron to support my creative work!
Stay safe out there,
Christina
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OTHER OFFERINGS
🐰Foment, a podcast sharing possibility models from the solidarity economy.
🌱Wandering Grace, a substack newsletter about place and (be)longing.
📚Zines for sale in my online store.
🌸Read more comics about grief, home, and identity.