We are the Queerdos, Mister.

From the iconic title of this column to the horror and camp references that can be found on Dragula and even RuPaul, there is one undeniable truth in the queer community: Queers mesh well with weirdos, and vice versa.

It’s pretty simple psychology. Since the beginning of time, and frankly, still right now, the queer community has been demonized, literally. We’ve been called demonic and satanic— See the recent priDEMONth phenomenon, a true Christian fear turned queer meme. So, why wouldn’t we accept and even embrace what makes us weird or unusual?

And embrace we have, from alternative hair and makeup styles to gender-bending to tattoos and piercings to underground music. We keep salons and thrift shops in business, consider tattoos and concerts self-care, and contribute greatly to the funding of underground music and cinema. And we’re queering every single one of those areas.

So, this month, we celebrate the queerdos. From the weird EDM stylings of Wreckno to horror-themed stores and sewntogether stuffed animals, these pages highlight all things queer and weird. Read on for the best queerdo recommendations and some of the most compelling stories.

-Addison Herron-Wheeler

by Ray Manzari