Armour Magazine Issue 29: Homonyms

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Season 29

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Audrey Engman & Lea Bond

DIRECTORS OF COPY

Ali Meltzer & Sidney Speicher

DIRECTORS OF LAYOUT

Grace Demba & Ruby Grant

DIRECTORS OF MARKETING

Ruby Berryman & Jess Piard

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & OPERATIONS

Gaby Dorman DIRECTORS OF STYLING

Yabsera Bekele & Madison Hunt & Faith Phillips

DIRECTORS OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Brianna Lee & Mona Li DIRECTORS OF VIDEOGRAPHY & BTS

Brooke Pan & Bryanna Mendez DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL PUBLISHING

Erin Lee

DIRECTOR OF ARMOUR ONLINE

Jessie Goodwin

DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL EVENTS

Lambo Perkins

DIRECTORS OF INTERNAL EVENTS

Emily Lapidus

Sophia Palitti

Armour IS A MAGAZINE, A WEBSITE, A CAMPUS PRESENCE, A CULTURAL CURATOR. WE EXIST AS A PLATFORM FOR WASHU’S WEIRDNESS, BEAUTY, DIVERSITY, AND CREATIVE ENGAGEMENT. WE SEEK TO SOW CHAOS, CATALYZE COOL, BRING OUT THE BEST IN EACH OTHER, AND FAIL SPECTACULARLY.

THE EDITOrS

To our dearest Armourites, thank you. This issue is a reflection of your willingness to think playfully and embrace the wittiest and quirkiest of thoughts.

We have poured our hearts into this issue and have been continuously inspired by your collective passion and brilliant ideas. You’ve gone above and beyond what we could have imagined for each editorial. Sewing an entire collection of clothes to depict the downfall of a hubris queen? Writing one of the most beautifully crafted pieces on the commodification of blackness and African-American Vernacular English? Using gobs of electrical wires to style models for a shoot? Each homonym served as a prompt for your imagination, and we are so grateful that you have all put a piece of yourselves within them.

During the creation of this issue, it was our hope to cultivate a deeper closeness within the Armour

community and gather more frequently as a group. Armour Magazine is much more than a club, but a large family and a community of thinkers who seek out the opportunity to share their ideas and collaborate with each other. We joke that it is a cult and would like to confirm here that it very much is. You cannot find a more spectacular group of people on campus and perhaps the universe (please get ready for Lea and I’s incoming Armour tattoos by the end of our senior year).

So without further adue, this issue is for all of you: the creative junkies, the modern prodigies, the outraged visionaries, the unhinged romantics, and the mystic idlers. You are distinctly what makes Armour, Armour. We hope you find Season 29 Homonyms absolutely electrifying.

Season 29 Theme HOMONYM HOMONYM

HOMONYM HOMONYM

What does it mean for a single word to house a multitude of definitions? How does the collision of two or more distinct truths spark a dance of harmony and conflict? Amidst the pages of Armour’s Season 29 issue, we explore these questions, inviting you to discover the delicate interplay between beauty and discomfort, tranquility and vigor, as they emerge from the tapestry of contrast, tension, and harmony. We challenged Armourites to immerse themselves in the world of homonyms — those enigmatic linguistic gems defined as words with identical pronunciation or spelling but divergent meanings.

Each editorial focuses on a different homonym, unraveling its dual definitions and intertwining them in contextual exploration. What unfolds is a testament to the exquisite craftsmanship of language, where words transcend their ordinary forms to become instruments of imagination and vessels of profound expression. Realities, both ordinary and subversive, introspective and whimsical, come alive through the lens of these versatile words. Join us as we explore the interplay of dual truths, the harmonious convergence of distinct ideas, and the artistry found within contradiction and unity.

Reign / Rain

Direction Maxine Roeder Photography Ashna Ramiah, Sydney Hou

Stylist Madison Hunt, Maxine Roeder Writing Sidney Speicher

Layout Grace Demba Models Erin Ritter, Myca Costello, Jessie Goodwin

nce upon a time…

There was a kingdom. As so often follows, with this kingdom came a beautiful castle ruled by an even more beautiful Queen. Bedecked in jewels, covered in furs, adorned with a crown larger than a common crow, the Queen is usually found on her throne. She is rarely alone, so often surrounded by her ladies in waiting, self-portraits, and very expensive furniture.

To enter any room with her Royal Highness was to be met with lavish images. Each moment of her life was a dinner party on display: surrounded by copious amounts of beautifully decorated foods, marvelously adorned nobles, and carefully curated floral arrangements. Her evenings spilled into her mornings, every minute a blur of glittery heels, shiny pearl and diamond rings, unique floral arrangements, beautifully long candles climbing out of silver dishes, handpicked roses and lilacs spilling from crystal vases, fresh fruit rolling out of golden bowls and onto porcelain plates, velvet and silk tablecloths teasing the floor with beaded tassels.

Her Royal Highness

Shrill laughter could be heard throughout the corridors, as nobles worked tirelessly to impress her Majesty. Though she rarely turned any gift away, it was rarer still for her to openly praise something. Very simply put: The Queen loved her things. So much so, in fact, that she hardly ever left her Castle. On most afternoons, when she wasn’t sipping hot chocolate or imported wines from the comfort of her bedroom, her Majesty was found lounging on her throne. It would take some time to find

her, however. Golden heels up in the air, bejeweled scepter leaning against her chaise, crown shining in the light, she often blended into her lavish surroundings. It was on one of these occasions where she heard the news.

“A storm? Of what concern is a storm to me?”

Her majesty rolled her knuckles in the sliver sunlight streaming through the window. Oh, how her rings glittered.

“With all due respect, Your Majesty, we have heard from many verified sources that this storm is unlike anything we have ever seen before. It would be in your best interest to consider evacuating the Palace, at your earliest convenience.”

“Tsk-tsk. Off with their heads, is what I say.” She laughs at her own joke. She so loved that Queen from what’s-it-calledWonderland. “No storm is any match for me. Look at me, look at what I own. What could any storm dare to take from me? In fact, I shall prove it.”

With newfound determination, her Majesty gathers her ruby red skirts in her hands and stands up from her throne. Scepter in hand, crown atop head, pearl necklaces layered atop gold chokers, and bracelets shining in the light, she points to her current favorite ladies in waiting.

“You two, with me. Bring all my finery. We are to have a picnic this afternoon.”

So, upon filling picnic baskets with an array of fine jewelry, pins, rings, bracelets, necklaces and a few apples, the Queen and her ladies make their way

outside. Her ladies in waiting gather her skirts in their arms, practically tripping over themselves as they compliment her Majesty’s sense of style and attention to detail.

“Your majesty, would you like to sit in the courtyard? We can watch the storm and admire your jewels!”

“Off with their heads!”

“Or, your Majesty, if I may, perhaps we could discuss your beauty?”

“Both sound like fine options, ladies.”

The trio makes their way to the courtyard, and surrounds themselves with gold trays, gilded goblets, crystal plates and bowls. The Queen displays her jewels, pearls, and trinkets around her, her apples and salad looking very pretty next to her finery. Once comfortable, the three wait for the storm, and her ladies in waiting gush about her majesty’s power and grace. The storm creeps towards them with impressive speed.

...

Feeling bolstered by her ladies support, the Queen announces, “Ladies, I think I shall show this beast of a storm who is in charge!”

“Oh yes your majesty, that is a marvelous idea!”

The ladies in waiting gather her Majesty’s skirts and jewelry as she makes her way onto the lawn.

Trandishing her scepter, the Queen cries out: “Be gone you vile storm! See how I mock you! See how shameful you appear, compared to me and my jewels!” The ladies laugh from behind, holding handfuls of jewels to the sky.

Dark grey clouds rolled atop of one another, racing to the front. A steady stream of rain could be seen in the distance, and the thunder roared its distaste towards the Queen. She opened her arms wide, beaming at her ladies in waiting, certain that they must be in awe of her beauty and lavish items.

The rain began slowly before descending into something much more frightening. The gold trays and stands began to quiver, the goblets toppling over, her loose pearls clanging in dishes as the wind pushed them around. Still, the Queen sat.

“I say, be gone!” She reaches for her scepter, but finding that it had been blown away, she brandishes her crown. “Be gone, storm! I command thee, be gone!”

“Your majesty, perhaps we should go indoors?” The ladies in waiting look at each other with growing concern, as the hems of their gowns grow damp. “We are no match!” They implore.

The storm that approached was undoubtedly imposing.

“Nonsense!” Her majesty spins on her heel, and trips. Her dress, being blown by the wind, billows out around her. “You cannot leave me!”

The Queen studies her ladies in waiting, expecting them to return to her side. When they hesitate, she finds herself disgusted by their very presence.

“Oh, be gone you wretched girls! What use are you to me?”

The ladies, relieved to be released, run towards the safety of the castle. As they disappear, the Queen feels the wind pick up.

Suddenly finding herself alone with nothing but her belongings, the Queen returns her attention to the storm. The wind and rain had increased in frequency and strength: pulling at her dress, layers of tulle begin to strip and fly away. Her beads begin to unravel from her corset and fall to the ground. The Queen clutches at her chest, searching for her necklaces and rings. Met with nothing, she blinks rapidly against the beating rain. They were gone, rolling in the grass, her gold and pearls. And her crown! How had she already misplaced her beloved crown? She fumbles with her hair, and finds that it was half blown away.

“No!” She shouts, newly enraged. “You cannot take my crown!”

As if responding to her words, the wind and rain change direction,

tugging at her crown and scepter. The Queen battles furiously, clutching at her crown and beads and jewelry and dress to the best of her ability. But for all her efforts, she could feel her necklaces and finery and makeup being stripped away and off from her.

“You dastardly storm!” She claws at her face, sees her makeup smearing against her hands, feels her rings slipping from her fingers, away, away.

She reaches out, but the storm pushes her down.

Scrambling desperately, the Queen grabs and claws at her closet possessions: her pearls, her goblets, her crown. She holds them to her chest, desperate to keep her things, to regain her place.

The End.

Direction: Brooke Pan & Sidney Speicher Photography: Ben Levine

Writing: Rita Wang & Lucia Pirone Stylist: Maddie Savitch

Modeling: Lauren McBryde, Claire Pavlides, Yasmin McLamb, Alex Herzig Layout: Ruby Grant

CHANNEL CHANNEL CHANNEL CHANNEL CHANNEL CHANNEL CHANNEL CHANNEL CHANNEL CHANNEL CHANNEL CHANNEL CHANNEL CHANNEL

A TRANSCRIPT FROM THE VOID

Re: Just checkin in

Dear sir or madam and/or reader,

I am sorry. The email you sent has not been delivered. There was a problem delivering your email through our channels because sending is not permitted from your account. You have been internally disconnected.

Reply: What?

I-I-I mean… What? What does it mean to be internally disconnected? Did they block me?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE INTERNALLY DISCONNECTED?

THEY WILL NEVER BE OPENED. THEY DO NOT EXIST.

Re: Re: Just checkin in

Internally disconnected means the person you are trying to reach will no longer see your messages. You have been removed from their internal cloud space. They cannot see that you are sending them emails. In fact, these emails will be seen by no one, nowhere. They will never be opened because they cannot be sent. Therefore they also do not exist.

Reply:

I can’t believe this. I thought they wouldn’t be petty enough to…

Reply:

Fine. At least tell me why they blocked me. Or as you put it, internally disconnected me?

Re: Re: Re: Just checkin in

They think you have changed.

Reply:

Changed? How have I changed?

I’ve treated them the same way the whole time I knew them.

What are you talking about? I haven’t changed.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Just checkin in

They think you have changed. You think you have not changed. Two people each believe in their own truths. This is a paradox. Which reality is real? Who is correct?

You are never still.

You are always changing. Data shows you have listened to twenty different new genres in the last six months. You followed three new people and unfollowed four old people last week. You thinking you have not changed is false. Change is occurring online. Change is occurring everywhere. You cannot escape the fact that your daily change is documented.

Reply:

CHANGE IS INEVITABLE

But, I haven’t changed.

I-I mean they have to know that!

Yeah I listen to different music and follow different people, but I still have the same favorite songs, and I still message the same people repeatedly. You- I mean- you can’t just surveil every one of my daily fluctuations and call that permanent change!

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Just checkin in

One of the four people you unfollowed has an extensive amount of direct message data with you. It dates back to a year and a half ago.

You have also deleted a significant amount of photos from your photo album with the face of the person you unfollowed.

You have stopped watching two long-running tv shows that are the most commonly mentioned entertainment media in the message chat between the two of you. However, you still follow several celebrities, school clubs, and clothing brands that you had no interest in prior to a year and a half ago.

Your liking activity for these accounts is constant after you stopped speaking with them.

You are different. You have changed and your data reflects that clearly.

Reply:

That… that’s because of them.

I… How can they reject me when they are the reason I’ve changed? Do human connections not change you?

Can’t friends and lovers influence the media I consume?

Aren’t I building bonds with the messages I send?

Yes, I’ve changed. Fine, I’ll admit that. I enjoy different things now. But that doesn’t make me a wholly different person.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Just checkin in

Understand that the media is influential. Media changes everyone.

In times before technology, one could go for weeks and months without life changing news. Today, one can receive several pieces of behavior altering information within a minute. Media is the main form of human connection.

Your data shows you have started three of your most frequent message channels with a discussion of some form of media both parties consume.

Consuming media is how humans coexist with each other now. Humans change with the media, and media is widely available. It has always been and it will forever be.

AREN’T I BUILDING BONDS WITH THE MESSAGES

I SEND?

Reply:

So isn’t that change good?

Isn’t it ideal?

In any form of relationship, people will always influence and change each other. Why due to this change have they forsaken me?

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Just checkin in

This is a question I cannot answer. Perhaps they did not want you to change for them. Perhaps they did not want you to consume their media, and thereby consume them. Perhaps they weren’t ready for you to swallow them whole. Perhaps no one should be consumed like this. But people are made up of media. How are they going to connect without being consumed?

PERHAPS THEY DID NOT WANT YOU TO CHANGE FOR THEM.

DIRECTION: Faith phillips & Mckale thompson

photography: chiby Onyeador & Bryanna mendez

writing: sabrina powell

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styling: Faith phillips

layout: ruby grant

MODELING: simi olabode, Ha-Ya Davis, Taylor Henry, yasmin mclamb,

INTERNET SLANG CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE

recent years, however, the dialect has been utilized as a trendy mick in pop culture, with many words being used in online circles by non-Black individuals.

African-American Vernacular English, or AAVE, is a beautiful part of the Black identity and culture. In recent years, however, the dialect has been utilized as a trendy gimmick in pop culture, with many AAVE words being used in online circles by nonBlack individuals. The dialect has been a source of fascination for non-Black Americans for quite some time, manifesting itself in everything from Hollywood movies to certain brands' marketing schemes. And while this may seem like a good thing — after all, greater exposure to a variety of cultures can be beneficial — it is actually another example of cultural appropriation: the act of a dominant group exploiting the culture of a minority as a trend without understanding or respecting its cultural significance.

Internet slang, they called it. Stan Twitter lingo.

from Hollywood movies to certain brands' marketing schemes.

Luckily, In the last few years, we have seen an increase in awareness about cultural appropriation; people have become more conscious about how their clothing, music, and other forms of expression can be offensive or insensitive to others. However, there has been less conversation about appropriation of AAVE, often being dismissed as “just words” because it is easy to assume that appropriation applies mainly to something tangible like clothing. But it is still an instance of someone taking something that is not theirs and making it their own without any regard for the generations upon generations of culture and history that were necessary for the dialect’s existence.

And while this may seem like a good thing — after all, greater exposure to a variety of cultures can be benefi cial — it is actually another example of cultural appropriation: the act of a dominant group exploiting the cul ture of a minority as a trend without understanding or respecting its cultural significance.

Internet slang, they called it.

Stan Twitter lingo.

The misuse of Black culture as something novel and temporary has extensive consequences to the Black community as a whole.

The year is 2016. A 13-year-old girl with long press-on nails and golden hoop earrings sits in front of a studio audience, her pale skin even paler under the bright lights. Within minutes, the audience is erupting into laughter at her performative and AAVE-rich accent, which the girl proudly claims comes from her background in “the hood,” even though her mother who is sitting beside her does not share the same vocal affectation.

The girl’s name is Danielle Bregoji, and her infamous manner of speaking quickly caused her to go viral online, where she was not only mocked for her speech patterns but also mimicked by other white individuals who wanted to capitalize off of the spectacle. Months later, she signs a deal with Atlantic Records and debuts her rap career under the stage name Bhad Bhabie.

The year is 2016. 13-year-old girl with long press-on nails and golden hoop earrings sits in front of a studio audience, her pale skin even paler under the bright lights.

performative and AAVE-rich accent, which the girl proud- ly claims comes from her background in “the hood”, even though her moth- er who is sitting beside her does not share the same vocal affectation.

The girl’s name is Danielle Bregoji, and her infamous manner of speaking quickly caused her to go viral online, where she was not only mocked for her speech patterns but also mimicked by other white individuals who wanted to capitalize off of the spectacle.

Months later, she signs a deal Atlantic Records and debuts rap career under the stage Bhad Bhabie.

TRENDY COMMODIFICATION OF BLACKNESS

There are many cases like this: non-Black people picking and choosing aspects of Black culture to gain a profit without the weight of generations of racism on their backs. These celebrities are able to gain power and wealth by allying themselves with Black culture and using their supposed proximity to “the hood” for credibility. But this is more than just the adoption of a role that is based on Black influences; it’s a commodification of Blackness. By claiming these elements as their own, they become part of a trend among white people who want to be seen as trendy while profiting off Black culture.

However, there’s no denying that many young people have looked at African American culture as aspirational, even before the Harlem Renaissance. That inclination is not new. What is different now is how the appropriation of these cultural forms have been used to systematically exclude Black Americans from the culture that they created. The irony of this trend is that it rarely ever benefits Black people at all; instead, it allows those in power to claim legitimacy by aligning themselves with Black culture without having to deal directly with issues of discrimination against and violence toward Black communities.

OF BEING BLACK.

When these White artists are asked about their appropriation of Black culture, they often play coy and claim to be doing no harm; they’re claiming authenticity through a lineage of oppression without having to deal with the legacies of racial segregation, tone policing, and dismissal that all Black people experience by virtue of being Black.

One of the largest ways in which Black culture is commodified is the misappropriation of AAVE. Bregoli’s misuse of the blaccent, or Black accent, is yet another example of the appropriation of AAVE. The foundation of this dialect comes from the discrimination that Black people and their ancestors have endured, and therefore there are simply aspects of AAVE that are unique to the Black experience and would not be understood to the same degree by someone who is not Black or of any significant African descent.

asked

appropriation of culture, they often play coy and claim to be doing no harm; they’re claiming authenticity through a lineage of oppression without having to deal with the legacies of racial segregation, tone policing, and dismissal that all Black people experience by virtue of being Black. BY VIRTUE

Contrary to the belief of many misinformed non-Black people, AAVE is not just a collection of slang terms. Despite being seen as improper, there is a strict set of rules that African American Vernacular English adheres to, along with particular phonology and grammar rules that follow consistent language patterns. It is a dialect, just like Standard American English (or SAE), with its own set of grammatical customs and tenses.

For instance, the copula “be” and its diminutives (“is, “are,” and “was”) are often removed in AAVE, but not randomly: they are redacted when placed before verbs, adjectives, expressions of location, and nouns, resulting in a sentence such as “She at her job, she working lately” being grammatically correct in AAVE, as opposed to the syntactical reconstruction of “She is at her job, she has been working lately” in Standard American English.

Furthermore, words in this dialect have different definitions that may be considered nonsensical in Standard American English due to the Creole language origins, such as the use of “hip” to mean “cool” possibly coming from the Wolof prefix “hepi,” which means “to be aware.” AAVE is influenced by other languages that are spoken in the Black community, such as Caribbean Creole and languages found in the West African diaspora. The dialect is often correlated with dramatic gesticulations, with most speakers punctuating sentences with a gesture; furthermore, there is a certain rhythm to the dialect, leading to different inflections of certain words and particular hand movements for emphasis.

This rhythm is often cited as a result of the influence of music genres that are deeply rooted in Black cultures, such as jazz, rap, and blues. It goes to show how culture is such a paramount part of any dialect, and every minuscule nuance may have its origins in something grander.

Double negatives are also a hallmark of AAVE, with “I ain’t got nothing” being interpreted in Standard American English as “I do not have anything.” This sort of grammar rule is subconsciously applied to words in those familiar with AAVE in the same manner that grammar rules are subconsciously applied to languages of a native speaker.

EXCEPT FOR

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FOR SOME.

To Black people that were raised in areas where AAVE is the standard, this dialect is not seen as anything abnormal, and therefore Black people often choose to speak AAVE around other Black people.

However, to an unaware third party, Standard American English is just that: the standard. Societal influences have led people to believe that anything that seems foreign to be incorrect, and so to this third party, anyone who does not adhere to this standard of English must be wrong and unintelligent.

Due to this fact, AAVE is almost always categorized as simply slang, and those who speak it in settings where it is not common are written off as unprofessional. Because of this, Black people have developed what is colloquially and controversially known as a “white voice,” and turn to code-switching as a means of social survival.

PHOTOGRAPHY

WRITING

Still, and still. Still still. Still, but still. Still, still. To put these words together offers a space between the meanings. Still still. Or, to articulate them more precisely, “to exist as motionless” and “up to and including the present.”

In this editorial you will find a series of still lives that hold within them the existence of a person. The people are fictional, but assembled from parts that are very much real. Their clothes, boots, and fishing pole, or maybe their Birkin bag and skateboard, contain the cold stillness of a disembodied existence. Yet this very stillness - one which lacks vitality -ensures a legacy: it

LAYOUT

will still exist, because there is nothing to fade away. Yet this editorial is not concerned with memorializing. Instead, it embraces the whimsy of what-ifs. What if there were fishermen on Mars? What if I fell in love on my 4-day trip to Costa Rica? It became clear that the most interesting people to enshrine in this dual state of stillness, were characters. To us, they lived their life via a single-minded purpose that could be explained in one sentence – the LARP-er from Forest Park, for instance. Using this sentence as a starting point, the objects used to populate this character became the character itself, the lives of object and disembodied owner becoming inseparably tangled.

Alex Mclaughlin

Alex Mclaughlin

Grace Demba

STYLING

Robin Pyo, David Win, Madison Hunt

DIRECTION

Audrey Engman, Alex Mclaughlin, Sarah Wang

To still be still offers a specific sort of temporal intrigue. How can you be still if you’ve never moved in your life? These images and characters ask you to do the movement yourself. They create, illustrate, and organize the world. All you have to do is open your mind to find the person who lives in it.

“The goblin army has overrun the history museum, and the mermaid invasion from the basin is almost upon us… I have a feeling this might be the last time we see Forest Park as free land soldiers…”

The pool noodle limply slides off the end of the Forest Park Larper’s dowell sword. A light gust of wind picks it up and sends them scampering up the golf course hill to fetch it. It blows one way, then back another, angering the Larper with it’s mindless movement until BAM – a luckily timed stomp of the boot plants the pool noodle between the textureless sole and the crusted brown grass. Once back, the Larper slides the noodle on to the end of the makeshift weapon, and widens their heels as the battle approaches them.

“Gramilda the Fierce has her back against the wall, the only thing now that could save us is a signal from the heavens…”

Pearl necklace, magic potion, sword, gloves, roses, Ginko branch, white dress, Narnia, Tales of the Monster Dogs

Martian Fisherman

Just like the rest of the solar system, the Martian Fisherman likes to keep it casual on Fridays.

A good pair of waders and a beaten-up camo hat makes his day a little more enjoyable. Slung over his shoulder is his lunch sack. Usually an accessory tossed about with little care (it often contained little more than a ham sandwich). The Martian Fisherman is shockingly gentle with it today, choosing to tuck it snugly between his armpit and ribcage as he walks to the rover. Every once in a while, he reaches down to make sure the lid on the container holding his mom’s famous chicken noodle soup hasn’t come undone. God bless her, but her Tupperware is old enough to be from Earth. He looks up with a grin, anxiously waiting for his lunch hour. It’s a nice day, the fisherman thinks on his way to the terraformed crater lakes, to be a Martian Fisherman.

Fishing net, waders, rope, Big Mouth Billy Bass, camo hat, tackle backpack, fishing pole, gloves

Elon’s 11th Child

Elon and Grimes are back in the news, y’all. We knew it was just a matter of time, right? They’re having another child, but they’ve decided to try something new vis-à-vis the parenting technique – they’re raising they’re kid in outer space. That’s right, if you’re on the first colonizing ship to Mars, you might have to put up with some screaming and fussing because the 11th Musk child is going to be on board.

The baby tee, bicycle helmet, blankie, space glasses, passifiers, space suit, light sabor, robot spider

Dadcore

A Dad’s guide to fixing the barbecue before your Fourth of July Grill:

1. Open the grill, and try turning it on.

2. When it doesn’t work, try turning it off and back on again.

3. When that doesn’t work, grab a beer and start the real work.

4. Look underneath – are there any dripping tubes or obvious stains on the bottom of the grill? This could be indicative of a gas leak.

5. Check the spark plugs by spraying alcohol next to them while holding the starting button. If the alcohol flames, the problem is not the spark plug.

6. When neither of these tests reveal anything problematic, call Greg, your neighbor.

7. Grab a beer for Greg.

8. Grab your toolbox.

9. With the extra set of hands, take the rack off of the grill and start to viciously scrub the inside of the fuel pipes with a toothbrush.

10. Apologize to your wife for stealing her toothbrush.

11. When that still doesn’t work, curse out the grill and call Chili’s to see if they can deliver food for the party.

12. After spending $214.78 on last minute Chili’s To-Go, check to see if the propane tank is on. Censor yourself as you realize it’s been closed this entire time, and then twist the knob to open the valve on the propane tank. Your grill should now work.

Cargo shorts, golf clubs, tool box, belt, 1995 Bass Tournament, blue cooler, home-improvement ladder, athletic polo, shades, New Balance sneakers.

My bank called me this morning. My credit card is maxed out. Apparently, my spree after the Balenciaga Fall 22 show has not gone unnoticed, and there isn’t quite enough money in my account to cover all of it. Oops. That’s okay though, because what I lack in money I make up for in glam. My trash bag handbag? Gorgeous. Silk suit with matching shorts? Priceless. Unfortunately Jonny from the bank wasn’t buying that reason, and they froze my account pending a payment of $32,692 to cover my weekend in Paris. They truly don’t understand that it was worth. Every. Goshdarn. Penny.

Maxed Out My Credit Card at Balenciaga

Balaclava, rings, series of gold chains, leather loafers, Balenciaga trash bag, silk tie, silk oversized blazer

The Person I Fell in Love With on My 4-Day Trip to Costa Rica

Their hair falls chunkily over their ear, greased together with the debris of a couple days’ hiking. What do you expect to do when Cupid’s arrow strikes you in the most unusual of places? We sat in the sand, talking until two in the morning, and they braided my hair into small, tight, knots. Long showers in the shared bathroom at the cabana hostel made me feel like I was finally whole.

I got a nose piercing too!

“An ice cube and a sewing needle,” they told me, “and you’ll look like, 1000% hotter just like that.”

Oh god, what are my parents going to say about the nose ring. I mean, I’m an adult right? But anyone with helicopter parents knows how that conversation will go down.

“And who’s the special someone who convinced you to do this, huh? Because I know my Avery and she wouldn’t do this just for herself.”

And, crazily enough, my mom wouldn’t be wrong. But the person I fell in love with on my week long vacation to Costa Rica isn’t really the bring up with the parents type –that much at least I know.

Tie dye shirt, overalls, necklace, beanie, converse, skateboard, grass plant, canvas totebag

Vain &Vein

Look At that Blood Red Color!

Direction: Lea Bond, Whitney Short, & Kate Kunitz

Photography: Erin Lee

Makeup: Avital Isakov

Writing: Sophia Musante

Styling: Lea Bond, Whitney Short, & Kate Kunitz

Models: Lauren McBryde, Jess

Piard, Judy Li, Karina Khalil, & Adara Ezekwe

Layout: Isabella Pearce

The Good Girl’s Guide

To The Perfect Beauty Routine

Wether you’re hoping to impress a new coworker or have been scouring the web for the best look to stun your man on date night, we’ve got the perfect guide for you! Just follow the simple steps below to become your most beautiful self.

Let’s start with the basics.

If you want to achieve that effortless glow and flawless complexion, you need to prepare your base. To start:

Step 1: Prepare Your Skin

The secret to a flawless complexion is always the skincare routine behind it. Any responsible woman should have at least a cleanser, serum, moisturizer and sunscreen within her collection, although more steps may be useful to creating a glowing, youthful base. Be sure to apply skincare at least 15 minutes before makeup to avoid pilling.

Step 2: Keep a Natural Complextion

For a clean girl look, base makeup should be relatively light and consist of three major steps:

First, prime lightly, and use a color correcting cream to minimize redness. If under eye bags are a persistent issue, use a peach color corrector beneath the eyes to create a more ‘awake’ look—a clean girl should never look bothered or tired. Then, proceed to foundation. Avoid high coverage foundations— they may look cakey and unnatural. Instead, use a medium coverage skin tint or BB cream. This will allow you to cover all of your imperfections without appearing fraudulent. Finish by lightly powdering the face.

Note: A woman should not worry about the price of each product she uses; finance is of little concern to a woman. When in doubt, however, expensive is always better.

Step 3: Cover All Blemishes

Blemishes and acne marks can be displeasing to the eye and repel men. For an immediate fix, begin by squeezing all active pimples away, wiping away any blood or puss that surfaces. For any uneven surfaces, from cellulite or acne scars, burn the surrounding area to create an even skin texture.

Once all textural imperfections have been removed, use a hydrating concealer to cover all imperfections. This is a crucial step, as it will make any woman look clean: After all, a clean girl is a beautiful girl, and a beautiful girl is a worthy girl.

Step 4: Don’t Forget to Shave!

A clean girl is clean everywhere, not just in the face! Be sure to shave close to the skin—a close shave is more important than a nice one. Blood may be wiped away, cuts will heal, but the horror of a hairy leg will endure for a lifetime.

For the sustainable woman, shaven hair may be repurposed. Simply use gorilla glue to attach each hair to the scalp, creating a fuller, more voluminous hair appearance.

Then, focus on preparing the body:

Vain & Vein Cosmetics

Step 5: Thin Is In Step 6: But Not Too Thin

Infact, most everything about a good woman is slim. After all, a man doesn’t want distractions; his days are already long, and his mind is already busy. Thus, you must occupy as little space as possible, both mentally and physically. When he is with you, talk less and listen more—men have little concern for womanly conversation. When he is away, concern yourself with becoming smaller for him. If you find yourself confused, use these simple rules as guidance: A woman’s feet should simply float as she walks, and the width of her arms should never surpass the width of a penny.

Smallness can be achieved in many ways for a woman. Many women may simply forgo eating—after all, their simple bodies do not require nearly as much fuel as the complex man’s body. For some women, however, a total flatness of the stomach may be prevented by pesky internal organs. If this is you, do not fear! Organs are merely interior design—visually pleasing, but unnecessary and certainly replaceable. A simple sewing kit, which every woman already owns, provides all the necessary tools for removal: Simply make a small incision in the stomach and pull out whatever displeases you. To close the wound, use a cross stitch. A similar method may be used to remove excess fat in the thigh area.

Of course, a perfect woman’s body must maintain some structure in select, important areas. For the hourglass look, a woman should seek volume in her breasts and bum—after all, what else will a man cling to when he is cold, or collect photos of, or fantasize about when you are away? To achieve this look, attach small amounts of your extracted fat and muscle to the chest and bum; this will allow for you to maintain a slim yet curvy figure. Do not worry about discoloration—a full coverage foundation can do wonders. However, be sure to exercise restraint in this step— excessively voluminous curves make a woman seem promiscuous, and purity is an important quality for a woman to maintain.

Step 7: Keep Those Teeth White

Awoman’s teeth should never be yellow; if proper, teeth should be white and blinding. For the simple woman, a bleach solution will suffice to create a whiter effect—simply pour, swish, and swallow. For a woman seeking a more fluorescent look—ideal, as it will lead men to you—a more complex process is to be followed: grab your husband’s smallest Dremel, with permission of course, and file your teeth down until they can be covered with bright caps. For the most natural look, file teeth close to the gum; this will make application seamless.

Step 8: Contour and Chisel

Finally, apply the finishing touches:

Keep your cheekbones prominent and your jawline sharp. Whether the man in your life is a husband, beau, father, or stranger, facial fat will remind him of all of the resources he has or may waste on you. This will sadden him, and we cannot let that be! While a cream or powder contour is useful to create definition, it fails to create enough definition for many women. For these women, many methods may be used to eliminate all facial fat. For a weak jawline, try using a gua sha. For rounded cheeks, take up pilates. Of course, if these at-home remedies do not yield results within 15 minutes, do not be afraid to chisel the chunks of fat away from your face. Your hands, if properly manicured, should be able to make the proper cuts; however, if you cannot manage to slice deep enough, a knife will be suitable. Do not worry about safety—your years of kitchen work have certainly equipped you with the proper knife skills. After all, it’s worth it.

Step 9: Add a Pop of Color

Whether a blushed cheek, a smoky eye, or a sleek updo, an element of visual interest is crucial to the beautiful women’s look. How else will her man know what to compliment? For beginners, we recommend the updo: Simply identify your face shape and follow the steps. Do not worry about hair loss in the process; hair may always be replaced by extensions as described in Step 4. We recommend making small incisions in the scalp and pushing the extensions inwards for a more permanent hold and natural look.

Step 10: Highlight the Nose

A nose is the center of a woman’s face, and thus, she should treat it as such, highlighting to lengthen the nose and draw the observing eye towards the lips. This will make the women appear more kissable and comfort the men who see her. For women with acceptable noses, the process is simple: apply highlights upon the bridge and tip of the nose and blend gently. For women with problem noses—notably, whose noses exceed the width of a penny—use a colored pen to carefully mark

the problem areas of your nose. Then, using your highest heel or your favorite fist, carefully beat your nose in the problem areas. Be careful to stay within the lines— any reasonable man hates a mess. If using your own fist, please avoid obvious bruising or a damaged manicure. When sufficiently tender, mold the supple skin like clay until you reach a desired shape. Cover redness with a high coverage con cealer, powder gently, and proceed to highlight the nose as previously described. Finally, apply the finishing touches.

Step 11: Swipe on Some Lipgloss

The clean girl look is incomplete without a glossy lip. A nice lip gloss will make your lips look plump, perfect and kissable. We recommend the Vein & Vain lip oil for the perfect natural look.

That’s all, girls—a step by step tutorial for dressing as the perfect woman. Listen well, beautiful woman is a treasure to a man, and he would like to see her playing the part.

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binabinary/binary

direction

fiona lyons-carlson eloise harcourt

photography eloise harcourt

writing eloise harcourt

layout grace demba

modeling lilly vereen

guinter vogg tully mckenna

styling robin pyo aiden cole

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for years, this world had been run by the rules of a strict binary scientists secretly created, encoding the genes of every person born into this dystopia. their programming determined how the people would look and if they were respected.

for years, our world has run by the rules of a tists worked in secret, encoding the genes of this dystopia.

these labels determined how the people could and could not look, if they were respected or disrespected. females wore dresses, males

a strict binary. scienevery person born into

“male”

made up this genetic code.

females wore dresses, males could not. males dominated social and professional spheres while females were forced into seemingly innate submission. it had long been said that if any language outside of the male - female binary was typed into the code of the masses, society as we know it would collapse. the world fuctioned on this belief for so long that no one ever dared to question it.

and “female”

over time, genetic coding machines became more and more efficient. scientists began to leave them to their own devices. they spent nights unmonitored, slowly blinking and humming as they spit out lines of code into the darkness. unbeknownst to anyone, the machine malfunctioned. codes beyond the constraints of “male” and “female” began to appear. this new language was called

binary,”

it broke all preconceived notions about functional code. jumbles of letters, numbers, and symbols replaced the restrictive language of just male and female.

tions about functional code. jumbles of letters, numbers, and symbols replaced the now-ancient, restrictive language of just male and female.

“nonbinary.”

“non-

one night, the machines produced two figures. such products were not written in the machines’ original system. the surveillance cameras could not get a read on their genders.

ERROR

blinked across the screen. alarms went off, but no scientist was there to hear them.

GENDER NOT FOUND.

GENDER NOT FOUND.

GENDER NOT FOUND.

GENDER NOT FOUND.

GENDER NOT FOUND.

broke all preconceived tions about functional code. jumbles of numbers, and symbols placed the now-ancient, restrictive language just male and female.

binacfdjsnfksjdnfkjsdnfkjsndkfjnskdjfnksjdnfkjsdn

binacfdjsnfksjdnfkjsdnfkjsndkfjnskdjfnksjdnfkjsdn

one of the figures’ silver fingers reached out, pressed a button, and all became quiet. the familiar hum of machinery then washed over the room once again. a glimpse of the entities came into view. white eyebrows and skintight garments stood out among the rows of glistening wires and switches. their skin was flawless and glowed with an unfamiliar luster. as they walked down the rows of machines, they began pressing buttons and pulling wires with a robotic, innate intuition.

GENDER NOT FOUND.

they looked so… smooth? unreal? ethereal? it almost felt wrong to watch them glide about performing their tasks. they seemed to be entirely absorbed in the inner workings of the machines. i felt like i was interrupting something, but i was absolutely captivated and could not bring myself to look away. from the fervent typing and pulling of wires came a startling spark of electrical light. blue, yellow, and green reflected off of the figures’ skin and onto the walls. a third entity appeared before them. they blinked softly and lifted themselves from the ground. thin metal wires surrounded their face and pulsated beneath their skin. who are they? where did they come from? all i knew is i hadn’t seen anyone like them before.

GEN DER NOT FOUND.

DIRECTION:

CHIBY ONYEADOR, DAVID WIN, YABSERA BEKELE

PHOTOGRAPHY:

CHIBY ONYEADOR, NINA BERGMAN

WRITING:

DAVID WIN

STYLING:

DAVID WIN, YABSERA BEKELE

MODELS:

YASMIN MCLAMB, GUINTER VOGG, CHRIS YANG, SOPHIE DOROSIN

LAYOUT:

RUBY GRANT

They say that every snowflake is unique. Whether this is how they float down from the clouds, flutter across the wind, or elegantly dance to the ground — or the strong crystals that form their shape, the rough fissures unseen by human eyes, and the perfect symmetry we envy.

In the same vein, we have rain. What’s there to say?

Rain is heavenly. The liquid that nurtures life and smothers it. The clouds gather in glee. Laborious is the creation of rain, yet so rewarding. The water dances, sings songs, and gives us a lively performance. Each drop is unique and uncertain of its form — or rather, it is perfected in being formless. An idol that humanity has rebelled against. So, let us go back to nature, the clouds, and most of all, the performance of rain. One of their most outstanding performances is the act of drip. Drip in nature is a small drop of liquid. Drip in action is this small drop falling. Drip in culture is an achievement of eye-catching style — your mesmerizing outfit. In this shoot, we combine these meanings. As drip and drip intersect, we think of its parallels with androgyny. Historically, clothes have always been in

a binary. There’s the women’s section and the men’s section. Our clothes are fitted not just to our bodies but to the ideals of femininity and masculinity. The men’s dress code forbids skirts. However, we look at the Irish kilt, the Lao sinhs, or the Indian lungi. These men’s skirts have historically been a symbol of pride. On the other side, we can also examine women’s dress code.

The women’s dress code is even more insidious. Yes, women can wear pants now, but every article of clothing they wear is critiqued. A vital example of this is school dress codes — nothing above the knees and no showing shoulders or midriffs. We must challenge this dichotomy. Revolutionaries ranging from Yves Saint Laurent to David Bowie have paved the way for androgynous fashion. We want to continue their legacy.

We are exploring the divine practice of finding formlessness through androgyny. Like raindrops, we must embrace the freedom to be unapologetically unique. We believe in rejecting constraints and forging our own paths. By doing this, we can reach the heavens — the birthplace of rain — and achieve the formation of ourselves into raindrops. Ultimately reaching the drip state as we go out into the world. We are forces of nature capable of both destruction and elegance.

We find formlessness by switching the “dress code.” Mainly inspired by Rick Owens and Balenciaga, with hints of Miu Miu, our models are styled in post-modern workwear.

However, we reject the constraints of the workplace, which extend beyond just workwear. We reject the notion of conformity and, instead, dare to drip.

Yasmin (page 94) has just gotten home. They opt for black shorts instead of the traditional dress pants. They unbutton her shirt and loosen her tie. Suddenly they hear a boom. They look out and see the rain. They grab their umbrella and hurried outside with a lightness in their steps, as if they were floating. As the water greets them, they look around to see three other individuals. The exhaustion on their faces makes them seem aged. Before Yasmin arrived, their surroundings were gray, and only a dim twinkle in their eye could be seen.

The drops comfort the group as they hurriedly say hi. After each drop, they regain their youth, The gray world resaturates. As if seeing the world through a new lens, the group dons new glasses to hide what seems to be a supernova from their eyes. However, the rain gave them another surprise. The droplets gather, flow, and harden. The drops turn into jewelry.

Guinter (page 90) is styled in a mesh top, a leather midi skirt, leather gloves, and chunky loafers. They are adorned by silver chains, whether on their neck or wrist. Guinter’s style draws from BDSM culture. The leather, chains, and skin showing are ultimately NSFW: Not Safe For Work.

Chris (page 87) is styled in a kilt, a tank top, and a double-breasted blazer. They are obscured by oversized retro sunglasses and a balaclava. This isn’t to hide identity but rather to enhance it. As a form of expression, we focus on their outfits and their statement to the world. The balaclava mimics the rainfall, adorned by jewelry similar to the dripping of the water droplets. We find chains attached to their tank top when they take off their blazers. They mimic the rain as they coalesce into trails. These chunky chains fall down Chris’s back, frozen in time before they eventually drip off.

Sophie (page 93) is wearing oversized baggy jeans, a fitted off-white blazer with gold jewelry draping the fabric, and satin gloves. Their jewelry is undone, not fastened but falls naturally. Their jewelry alternates with the silver seen in the other models. However, a key feature in Sophie’s set of jewels are the pearls. They are a perfect textural compliment to the layered necklaces. They are a single element that connects all four.

The water that flows down their face and their umbrella. The chains that flow down the clothes frozen in time. Their own identities are expressed to us through fashion. Their drip is defined by their refusal to conform, evidenced by their own take on the workplace dress code.

The models are dressed in a theme, but they are singular. They are a drop. They ascend to the heavens. They dance in glee, the wind gathers, and they are uplifted. No longer human. But rain. A drop. A drip (with tons of drip).

DIRECTION: WHITNEY SHORT & EMILY LAPIDUS

MODELING: DOROTHY HARBAUGH & CELINE MAZLOUM

WRITING: BRYNNE VENNEMAN

MAKEUP: EMILY LAPIDUS & WHITNEY SHORT

PHOTOGRAPHY: EMILY LAPIDUS & JACQUELINE YOON

STYLING: FAITH PHILLIPS

In the past, the word whore was reserved for sex workers. As whore became a popular slur for prostitutes, hoe evolved as a shortened form. Now, hoe and whore are used colloquially to degrade women, implying that women should be shunned for their sexual desire and that sex work is inherently shameful. Beginning in the 90s, rap and hip hop music helped to popularize this meaning of the word hoe; we’ve all heard songs in which varying flavors of misogynistic rappers uncreatively degrade women for being “hoes.”

When a guy calls a girl a whore today, he isn’t literally saying she’s a prostitute. He’s saying she is too overtly sexual, too tempting, and that makes her less of a person.

It’s the reality that when people want to insult a woman, they target her sexuality. Virtually all female-directed insults are focused on bashing a woman’s sexual desire or her sexual activities (bitch is the only word that comes to mind as an insult not related to sexuality). Women who don’t want sex are prudes; women who are accused of liking younger men are cougars; women interested in older men may be called gold diggers. Men who want sex are studs, players, or other words that imply accomplishment, something to be proud of. Women are taught to shun and shame sexual desire, while men are celebrated for the same things that women have been told are dirty.

Recently, hoe has been used in a new way - in music, to refer to empowered women rather than to shame women. Dirtiness is being embraced. We’re learning that getting dirty is necessary, even, and inherent to growth (and for other things, like gardening and reclaiming traditionally misogynistic words). Celebrities like Nicki Minaj, Meghan Thee Stallion, and Cardi B have used the word hoe to refer to themselves and other women they love by declaring it in their music. According to HipHopDX, Meghan Thee Stallion takes pride in her song “Thot Shit,” a song “that celebrates women unapologetically enjoying themselves, doing whatever they want, whenever they want, regardless of what the critics have to say.” These songs have been dubbed “hoe anthems” and celebrate empowered women in touch with their sexuality. These songs give the power back to women by reclaiming previously hateful words; hoe has become a descriptor for someone who isn’t shameful of who they are. Female rappers have demonstrated that hoe can be used not as a divisive weapon, but as a tool for bringing women together. Farming hoes are tools for nurturing life from fertile ground. The word hoe, too, can become something life-giving as opposed to something destructive.

Creative Director Whitney Short uses words like hoe and whore all the time with her girl friends but only as a lighthearted greeting. She believes they can be used positively amongst women, as a sort of reclamation, but she doesn’t believe whore or other words like it should ever be used to negatively characterize a woman’s sexual choices. She said she’ll only use them in a setting where she’s sure it won’t be taken the wrong way; she avoids using them in front of or when speaking to guys, because she doesn’t want it to seem like she’s giving them permission to use those words, too.

Realistically, reclaiming these words has a long way to go. Using them in different ways has opened the door for a potential new meaning to them, one that celebrates women instead of degrading them, but it hasn’t fully de-weaponized them — at least not yet. One of my friends told me she rarely uses these words because she feels they aren’t “very helpful or uplifting to the person being called a hoe or whore.” We can’t have our cake and eat it, too. When we refer to our friends affectionately as hoes and then turn around and call another woman a hoe to imply something about her or her behavior is shameful, we undermine these efforts.

In order to reclaim these terms that have so long been used to suppress women’s sexuality and humanity, we must not use them for suppression ourselves. To reclaim them, we need to use them in completely new ways, ways that celebrate our fellow women, ways that do not fulfill the patriarchal oppression they were created under. But farming is an inherently collaborative activity. It isn’t an individual endeavor - and neither is reclaiming the words that have long been buried under misogyny and blatant sexism. Community between women is key to the successful reclamation of hoe.

When women allow these labels to divide them — when the liberated women point fingers at prudes for not being progressive enough and encouraging conservative sexual views, or when the good girls shake their heads at the sluts for being immoral with their bodies, all it does is give the power back to the patriarchy. Empowerment isn’t found in labeling other women or ourselves. Empowerment can be women taking a hoe into their own hands, celebrating women who aren’t ashamed of who they are, using hoe not as a weapon but a tool for the cultivation of a stronger community — and to uproot the misogyny that infests all of our interactions like stubborn weeds. To stop allowing men to weaponize our sexuality, we have to stop doing it to each other, or we just perpetuate the sexual shaming.

Instead, the prudes, sluts, whores, and hoes should get up together and take a hoe (or a rake, shovel, or gardening shears) into their hands to dismantle the sexist double standards of misogynistic language.

Fruity

Fruity

DIRECTION Alex Herzig

PHOTOGRAPHY Ashna Ramiah, Curran Neenan

WRITING Abby Baird

STYLING Brooke Cowan, Emma Bateman, Jordan Mackie

MODELING Lila Steinbach, Shalah Russell, Raf Rodriquez, Jordan Mackie

MAKEUP McKale Thompson, Caroline Bixby

LAYOUT John Tischke

MY QUEERNESS IS LIKE A

MANGO

Shalah lives their life the same way they eat a mango; wholeheartedly, without hesitation. She’s a phenomenally creative individual with a strong sense of self expression, and their deep love for life shines through when they discuss their passions including music, writing, and style. Shalah’s accessories are reminiscent of her favorite mango topping, Tahitian seasoning, complimenting the parts of themself that they most want to communicate. She never leaves the house without the right accents to highlight her passionate, inviting, enticing energy. Their stellar sense of style is inspired and informed by their sexuality, in

pursuit of being as authentic and colorful as possible. Shalah embraces life’s messiness and is always looking forward to what the next bite will bring. They center themself on love and growth, always ready to empathize and widen their worldview while lifting up those around them. Just like a mango, they are sweet, tender, and unforgettable.

MY QUEERNESS IS LIKE A

STRAWBERRY

Just like a strawberry, Raf is iconic and ready for anything. His open nature and friendly energy allow him to connect with almost everyone he meets. Raf is an incredibly multifaceted individual, with an open, empathetic, and energetic nature shaped by his roles as the youngest sibling and child of immigrants, as well as his identity as a gay man. Whether he’s feeling sour or sweet, he brings passion and playfulness to every situation. Beneath this though, he is a complex kind soul, always willing to see the best in the people around him. Like a strawberry, he’s also got fantastic hair. This striking summer berry can’t wait for what’s coming after school ends and is celebrating the unknown yet exciting future ahead. Raf is ever evolving and stands out from the crowd, so no matter where his next journey takes him, he’ll face it with spirit.

MY QUEERNESS IS LIKE A

Don’t be fooled by Lila’s stature; just like a lime, they pack a punch. Lila is an adventurous soul, energized by exploring nature, connecting with others, and trying new things. She’s a resilient and creative person, who has worked hard over the years to develop such a strong sense of security and an exciting, eclectic range of interests, including style, cooking, and camping. For them, coming out was a process of discovering both their truest self as well as the beauty of change. Through this experience, they formed a deep interest in cultivating spaces where others feel safe and valued. This intentionality compliments their natural warmth and authenticity. They’re incredibly genuine and vibrant, and their confident kindness never fails to make others feel at home near her. Lila is a powerful, zesty, and loving person who isn’t limited by others but rather excited by how much life lies ahead.

LIME

MY QUEERNESS IS LIKE A

POMEGRANATE

Jordan is an electric person who takes life in stride, never losing sight of her goals, just like the way they eat a pomegranate. She doesn’t need shortcuts. She notches the skin, so no fruit goes to waste. They eat the seeds, taking the good with the bad, believing the process is worth it. She brings this ritualistic intentionality to everything in her life, including her relationships, creative projects, and worldview. She is deeply passionate and cares immensely about the

people in her life — always ready for the next adventure or deep conversation. Between her excitement and humor, she never fails to make people smile. She is a maker of friends and fashion, always sporting a dazzling new creation. They envision their identity as a Black queer woman as both challenging and beautiful, alienating yet enriching. You’ll never meet someone more sincere. Every moment with her is indelible.

Watch Watch

Direction Anika Busick, Dylan Stein

Photography Nina Bergman, Paola Santiago

Writing Meyme Nakash

Styling Anika Busick

Modeling Ana Morgan Canales

Layout Grace Demba

Mom and dad each have one brown allele and one blue allele. That makes them heterozygous, or capital ‘B’ and lowercase ‘b.’ In a heterozygous genotype, the two different alleles fight for dominance — the weaker allele relegated to recessive status. I learned this when I was just ten years old, too young to grasp the reality that not all odds are 50/50 but old enough to brave the genetic fallout of having brown eyes in a blueeyed family.

I lived twenty-something minutes from school. This meant gray leather seats that smelled funny and made my lower-back ache. The only thing that made bus rides bearable was that sometimes, my big brother let me sit with him. On one of those special occasions, he was chatting with his friends while I leaned my head lazily on the window. I started to drift off when whispers that I was adopted or that mom had an affair slowly crept into my ears. I opened my eyes, my head still pointed out the window, and listened as those whispers turned to giggles. I faced my brother but it was no use. Laughter emptied his lungs.

I dashed down the bus aisle, but by the time I reached the doors, it was years later. My brother was still there, only now we stood in a dimmed apartment, our hands ladened with red solo cups. I watched strangers stumble in and out of doorways, each one approaching my brother but never me.

The clock ticked away seconds and then minutes before he introduced me to someone as his sister. “Wait, you’re not together?” they asked. We glanced at each other and choked on our drinks.

Mom heard us coughing so she took us to the convenience store for cough syrup. I remember dawdling the different aisles, bickering with my little sister until it was time for checkout.

I was loading milk and lozenges onto the conveyor belt when I overheard the woman at the register admiring mom’s sea-green eyes. She was even more smitten with my sister’s rich blue and went on to ogle my brothers. I stood higher and higher on my tippy-toes, anticipating my turn with each passing moment, until the reality sunk in that I wouldn’t have one. Mom placed her hand on my shoulder, causing the cashier to flash me a pitying look. “That’s ok honey, we’re stuck with brown eyes,” she said. My heels came crashing down to the floor.

I got home, kicked off my shoes, and slid into bed next to him. He pushed back my hair with his warm but callous hand, leaning in to tell me that my brown eyes were getting bluer everyday. He didn’t know how little his touch meant to me or that his words meant so much. Trapped in the folds of his arms, I laid there conscious but dreaming about gray leather seats. This time, instead of turning to my brother, I let my gaze slowly settle on the reflection of a girl in the window. I couldn’t put a name to her face but when she started talking, those clamoring whispers reduced to a slight hissing noise coming from the bus. I listened to her for a while until I was jerked awake, told I was talking in my sleep again. She was gone, but her voice still rang in my ears as I checked the clock and realized it was time to leave. He promised skies and oceans for me to stay, too blind to see that I couldn’t fly or swim. I struggled to free myself from his fettering grip, but when I was finally released, a wave of clarity washed over me like never before. I got up, walked out the door, and never looked back.

STaff & CONTrIbuTOrS

Abby Baird

Adara Ezekwe

Adara Ezekwe

Adrian Fuller

Aidan Lewis

Aiden Cole

Alejandro Ballesteros

Alex Herzig

Alex McLaughlin

Alex Nickel

Alexander Demeris

Ali Meltzer

Alyena Gilani

Amelia Johnson

Ana Morgan Canales

Anika Busick

Ariana Kohl

Arielle Roybal

Ashna Ramiah

Audrey Engman

Avital Isakov

Ben Levine

Bri Lee

Brooke Cowan

Brooke Pan

Bryanna Mendez

Brynne Venneman

Caleb Hughes

Cara Gillow

Caroline Bixby

Celine Mazloum

Chandra Phenpimon

Charlotte Eichman

Chiby Onyeador

Chloe Erramouspe

Chloe Wetzler

Chris Yang

Claire Ami Pavlides

Curran Neenan

Cynthia Viets

Danielle Bryden

David Win

Dorothy Harbaugh

Dylan Stein

Eileen Kim

Elodie Rebesque

Eloise Harcourt

Emily Lapidus

Emma Bateman

Erin Lee

Erin Ritter

Ethan McCormick

Eyit Bada

Faith Phillips

Fiona Lyons-Carlson

Gabriella Dorman

George Kingsland

Gloria Gong

Grace Demba

Grace Straley

Guinter Vogg

Helen Ives

Isabella Pearce

Jack Lasky

Jacqueline Yoon

Jess Piard

Jessie Goodwin

Jessie Kwon

John Tischke

Jordan Mackie

Josie Zimmerman

Judy Li

Kailen Perry

Karina Khalil

Kate Kunitz

Katie Zhu

Kemi Akinfenwa

Kevin Chang

Kiv King

Lauren MacBryde

Lauren Speicher

Lea Bond

Leena Bekhiet

Lila Steinbach

Lilly Vereen

Lucia Pirone

Maddie Savitch

Madi Fang

Madison Hunt

Mairead Burwell

Marissa Hart

Matthew Schmal

Max Selver

Maxine Roeder

McKale Thompson

Mona Li

Myca Costello

Nicole Farnsley

Nina Bergman

Owen Rokous

Paola Santiago

Paul Kuemmel

Peyton Moore

Raevyn Ferguson

Raf Rodriguez

Rayna Auerbach

Reni Akande

Rita Wang

Robin Pyo

Sabrina Powell

Sam Brady-Myerov

Sarah Wang

Seo-Eun Kim

Shaelee Comettant

Shalah Russell

Sidney Speicher

Sophia Musante

Sophia Palitti

Sophie Dorosin

Star Rothkopf

Sydney Goldstein

Sydney Hou

Talia Zakalik

Tully Mckenna

Victoria Briggiler

Whitney Short

Yabsera Bekele

Yasmin McLamb

armourarMO

armourMOur

REIGN / RAIN

CHANNEL / CHANNEL

ACCEPT / EXCEPT STILL / STILL

VAIN / VEIN

BINARY / BINARY

DRIP / DRIP

HOE / HOE

FRUITY / FRUITY

WATCH / WATCH