Spartan Daily Vol. 161 No. 2

Students can’t afford San Jose

By Alina TA ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

As cost in housing, tuition and food increase, San Jose State students are finding it difficult to live in San Jose.

Daeton Dennert, information management systems junior, said he is used to the cost of living being expensive as a native from Los Angeles, but it was still shocking for him to move to San Jose.

“Honestly at this point it seems like SJSU isn’t an option due to the lack of housing,” Dennert said in a text.

Housing

Dennert said he had a hard time finding a place to live when he started to apply for housing at SJSU.

“The housing department has been nothing but a nightmare,” he said through text.

Dennert said he first tried to find housing from SJSU’s housing services, but was not able to book a dorm room because he signed up two days late after having medical issues.

“I honestly didn’t think two days would be that big of a deal,” Dennert said.

He said after being around the 800th person on the waitlist for housing at SJSU, he spent two months messaging “every Facebook group possible” to see if he could find a place to live that would cost under $1,600 a month.

“It’s really disappointing to see,” Dennert said through text.

In August 2023, San Jose had 1,434 rental units available at the average cost of $3,280 a month, according to a webpage from Zillow Rental Manager.

Dennert said he found an apartment around Aug. 15 for $1,000 and prepared to pay for it with 80% of his salary per month.

On top of being a full-time student, Dennert is also a lineman who earns $25 an hour climbing electrical poles to install fiber optic poles.

A few days after he moved into the apartment, Dennert said the rental was a financial scam after the landlord broke down the front door and kicked him and his roommates out.

“They fabricated a rental portal and everything,” Dennert said through text.

Dennert lost $100 dollars from the scam after paying for the first month.

“It’s just honestly quite a lot,” he said.

Kristen Weaver, SJSU Care’s interim student affairs case manager, said SJSU Cares can provide students with emergency housing.

SJSU Cares is a program that assists students when they are experiencing an unforeseen economic crisis, according to its website.

“We’re happy to sit down with a student to talk about [their] options,” Weaver said.

However, she said SJSU Cares can only provide emergency housing for up to 28 days and students must meet with a case manager in order to see if they meet the program’s criteria.

“So it’s not a one and done thing,” Weaver said. “It’s really important to understand the complexity and nuance of each situation, which is why that case manager role is so important.”

She said students must also speak with a case manager to discuss possible ways to receive permanent housing outside of SJSU Cares.

“While we may not be providing the housing directly, we are working with that student to provide indirect support, get them access to information and help them to be successful long term,” Weaver said. Dennert said although his ability to do his school work has not been affected yet, his problems with housing has been giving him a lot of stress.

“I was very stressed daily with knowing if I could even attend the school,” he said. “Am I going to have to drop out [the] last second, or even, like, live in my car for a few weeks until I find a place?”

Dennert still did not receive a response from SJSU’s housing department by the time of his interview.

SJSU’s Housing Department did not respond back for comment in time of writing this article.

Tuition

Along with the high cost of rent in San Jose, the California State University’s (CSU) Board of Trustees proposed to increase tuition for all CSU students every year by 6%, during their July 12 meeting.

The CSU Board of Trustees is a group of 25 members that adopt regulations and policies governing the entire CSU system, according to its website.

75% of the money gathered from tuition increases will go to increasing pay and benefits for faculty and staff, according to notes from California’s State Student Association (CSSA) July Plenary provided by SJSU’s Associated Student Board.

The association is a non-profit studentled organization that advocates for student

needs while engaging students in system-wide state and federal policy-making process, according to a webpage from Cal State East Bay.

Dennert said students may choose to enroll into other universities from the University of California (UC) system if tuition increases.

“It’s honestly kind of destroying the point of the CSU system,” Dennert said.

Dennert said he thinks if the pricing between the two types of universities is too similar, most students will choose to go to a UC for the reputation and prestige.

“I just feel like Cal States are lacking in a lot of areas and they should stay cheap for that reason,” he said.

During the CSU meeting on July 12, Nathan S. Evans, the CSU’s Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, said 60% of students who are enrolled at a CSU have their tuition fully covered by financial aid.

Julia I. Lopez, a member of the CSU’s Board of Trustees, also said financial aid for students is a large component in the CSU system.

“Affordability is clearly one of our priorities, but I think it is also important to realize that financial aid is also an essential component of other priorities,” Lopez said.

Sophomore political science student and the Director of Legislative Affairs for SJSU’s Associated Students, Estevan Guzman said the CSU Board of Trustees still needs to consider how the 6% yearly increase in tuition will affect the other 40% of students who do not have their tuition fully covered by financial aid.

“They don’t really bring up the 40%, which consists of middle class students who don’t qualify for those grants or scholarships as well as international students or undocumented students,” Guzman said.

He also said the CSU Board of Trustees has been “radio silent” in acknowledging the concerns for students who are part of that 40%.

“They haven’t really explained what they’re going to be able to do to support those students,” he said.

Guzman said he personally identifies as a student who is part of that 40% of students who still have to pay at least part of their tuition.

“Well as an individual, I sympathize with a lot of students,” Guzman said. “I for one [am] part of that 40% that the CSU keeps pushing.”

Guzman said he is already in debt and is currently working eight hours a day.

“On top of that, having those extra restrictions just so we can get food, just so

we can afford our tuition . . . I can start to feel the impact,” he said.

Food

Starting on July 1, students will also no longer receive temporary exceptions in order to be eligible for food stamps under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), according to a webpage from the Food and Nutrition Service from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

SNAP or CalFresh is a program that provides monthly financial aid for low-income individuals and families to supplement their grocery budget so they can afford to buy produce, according to a webpage from the California Department of Social Services.

Dennert said he is planning to sign up for food stamps, but is disappointed to hear about the recent changes to the SNAP Program.

“I know a lot of friends that [are] literally surviving off of that money from CalFresh for their food,” he said. “So hearing that it’s really disappointing.”

Kristen Weaver said students should not look at CalFresh and the changes to the program in a broad perspective.

“It’s not really helpful to necessarily talk about the eligibility really broadly because it’s very nuanced,” Weaver said.

She also said SJSU does have a separate program called the Spartan Food Pantry.

The Spartan Food Pantry is a walk-in food assistance program for students on campus, according to a webpage from the university website.

Weaver said students are eligible if they are enrolled with the university and have a household income less than $34,000.

“We intentionally make the Spartan Food Pantry as accessible as possible,” Weaver said. “So the eligibility criteria for that, I’m happy to say, is something that a lot of students qualify for.”

She also said students do not need documentation to prove they meet the criteria.

Estevan Guzman said students are concerned about the high cost of food, housing and overall living.

“A lot of students are already living paycheck to paycheck,” he said. “And if this increase results in them having to cut back on either medication or food.”

INFOGRAPHIC BY ALICIA ALVAREZ

City Hall raises two pride fl ags

By Vanessa Real STAFF WRITER

San Jose City Hall hosted a pride-flag raising for Silicon Valley Pride on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Silicon Valley Pride extends the celebration of Pride into the month of August with a week of activities ending with a parade and festival on Aug. 26 and Aug. 27.

The organization celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and its allies in San Jose and neighboring cities, according to its website.

Nicole Altamirano, chief executive officer of Silicon Valley Pride, hosted the event and explained why it was important to celebrate Pride outside of June.

“Because our community isn’t just vibrant in the months of June and August,” Altamirano said. “Our community lives out proud every single day, and every single day that’s a radial act of defiance to those that would see us persecuted.”

Mayor Matt Mahan said when the LGBTQ+ community is not being celebrated, there is a risk of reverting back to unacceptance.

“We have to affirm our values and celebrate the value of living out proud every single day based on the reality that when we don’t loudly and proudly consistently affirm our core values, we can see backsliding,” Mahan said.

City Councilmembers

Pam Foley and Devora Davis consistently host City Hall’s Pride flag raisings twice a year in June and August.

Davis said raising these flags have a lot of meanings for the LGBTQ+ community.

“It showcases how we as a city are proud of and welcomed those in the LGBTQ+ community,” Davis said. “We are making a commitment, a promise, that we will continue to make this city a safe space, and that we want to strengthen our relationship and be inclusive of

everyone including the LGBTQ+ community.”

Foley shared her reasoning as to why community members need to continue fighting for and protecting the LGBTQ+ community.

“We must ensure that every man, everyone no matter who they are, or whom they love, has an equal place in our

society,” Foley said.

Foley said she shares a connection to the community because her brother died from AIDS, and is her number one reason to advocate and support LGBTQ+ rights.

Mahan said City Councilmember Omar Torres is the first out LGBTQ+ person of color to sit on San Jose’s City Council.

Torres said the gay community is being bombarded with unjust treatment on multiple levels.

“We reached an era where once again, our trans community is under attack, our gay community is under attack, our gender non-conforming community is under attack, from school boards, to city councils, to the federal level,” Torres said. “Our community continues to be attacked.”

He said there are multiple ways in which the

LGBTQ+ community is expressing their pride.

“That is why when we are parading down the Santa Clara Street, when we’re dancing at Splash, when we’re enjoying brunch with beautiful drag queens, we let people know that we are loud and we are proud,” he said.

Splash is a gay nightclub in downtown San Jose according to its Instagram bio.

While Mahan and councilmembers Davis, Torres and Foley began to raise the LGBTQ+ and trans community flags, the Silicon Valley Gay Men’s Chorus performed the national anthem.

Corey Miller, the artistic director and conductor of Silicon Valley Gay Men’s Chorus, spoke about the history the choir has with singing at the flag raising.

“Silicon Valley Gay Men’s Chorus has been invited to sing at the Pride flag raising since it first

started with Ken Yeager raising the pride flag the first time many years ago,” Miller said.

Councilmember Omar Torres expresses why he believes Silicon Valley Pride helps the San Jose Downtown community.

“A lot of folks come here, rent hotels and eat in the restaurants, and hang out in downtown San Jose,” Torres said. “So that’s why again it’s really important to celebrate Silicon Valley Pride, especially since a lot of our small businesses are still struggling post COVID-19,” Torres said.

Students welcomed back to campus

By Matthew Gonzalez EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Seventh Street Plaza was lined with booths, balloons and food trucks for a Fall 2023 Weeks of Welcome kickoff on Monday.

Weeks of Welcome is a biannual event designed to help new and returning students acclimate themselves to San Jose State’s campus for the new semester.

Various events will take place between Aug. 21 and Sept. 29 according to a campus events webpage.

Programs such as student government, athletics, the music and dance department and representatives from the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library were all in attendance.

Jess Prudent, campus programming coordinator within student involvement said the timing of all Weeks of Welcome events are crucial in student connections.

Prudent said while student involvement can provide ways for students to engage in campus activities, it’s ultimately up to them to take advantage of social gatherings and organizations.

“So what we do is create opportunities for [students] to engage and for them to engage in a way that feels safe or casual or welcoming,” Prudent said. “Instead of going just into an office, you can meet people, you can play activities and have games, so I would say it’s about as impactful as you want it to be.”

Health Science Librarian

Suzie Bahmanyar said the kickoff has been a good way to promote resources the library offers.

“This [kickoff] helps introduce them to ‘oh you got a library and you’re offering things, like, save money on textbooks, jobs, laptops for the semester,”’ Bahmanyar said. “So [there is] a lot of good benefits to getting to understand what’s available at the library.”

Bahmanyar also said the library’s location on the northwest edge of campus might impede students from accessing its resources.

Data science freshman Maya Simon said the event exposed her to a variety of programs and clubs SJSU provides.

“They have all these tables and stuff showing what SJSU has to offer,” Simon said. “For example the Wellness Center, also marching band and stuff like that.”

Simon said an interesting piece of information she got during the event was the Student Wellness Center’s dedication to safe sex and healthy students.

“I learned about the different things that [the Student

Wellness Center] gives out,” Simon said. “For example, like condoms and how they offer different shots and vaccines.”

Business administration freshman Carina Chan said the large size of the event helps bring students together and promote a space for friendly and informative interactions.

Chan also said the kickoff encourages her to embrace a more extroverted side of herself.

“I’d say in high school I was definitely super introverted,” Chan said. “But since [college] is a new page, new school, I’ve decided to try and put myself out there, see what college is about.”

Aside from improving interpersonal communication among students, Prudent said social events can lead to academic success.

“Multiple research articles across multiple universities have shown that when our students are able to connect within the first four to six weeks of their time with us, they tend to do

better academically,” Prudent said.

According to a June 14 Central Michigan University academic journal article, the relationship between social relationships and learning is statistically significant.

The same article also found that students who face challenges with social relationships often translate to poor academic performance, according to the same article.

Software engineering graduate student Harika

Kolipaka said the kickoff made her excited for the start of the semester.

Kolipaka also said this is her

first time living away from her home country of India, and that it’s comforting to know there are outlets if she ever feels the need to converse with someone or be part of an organization.

“It’s really overwhelming to do everything on your own, but there’s so many clubs and so many resources on the campus,” Kolipaka said. “I think I can reach out to anyone if I want to talk to somebody regarding my mental health. I think there are many pretty good resources on campus.”

Correction

On Monday Aug. 21, the Spartan Daily wrote the reccomended ratio of students to one counselor as 1,00015,000, while the correct ratio is 1,000-1,500 students. The Spartan Daily regrets this error.

VANESSA REAL | SPARTAN DAILY

In honor of Silicon Valley Pride, intersectionality and transgender pride flags were raised in front of City Hall on Tuesday.

MATTHEW GONZALEZ | SPARTAN DAILY

Students gather at 7th street on campus to interact with various Weeks of Welcome activities held by different SJSU orgnizations.

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Councilmember Omar Torres helps raise a pride flag as a LGBTQ+ communuity member.

VANESSA REAL | SPARTAN DAILY

RHA hosts tote bag painting event

By Tracy Escobedo STAFF WRITER

Over 150 students RSVP’d Tuesday for the Resident Hall Association’s tote bag painting event for students living on campus.

The event was held in the multipurpose room of the Campus Village 2 building where only 48 people were able to partake in the event because of the limited materials provided.

The Resident Hall Association focuses on advocating for the interests and welfare of students living in the residence halls according to its website.

“One thing about RHA that I’ve learned is that you sort of understand what students on this campus want,” said Cristy Aguilar, RHA vice president of marketing and digital media art senior. “I think that a lot of people living in the dorms are really attracted to events where they can just sit down, relax and do something craft related.”

The Resident Hall Association is hosting a “Weeks of Welcome” series for students living on campus and this tote bag painting event became a hit as people started trickling in.

“Because it was so popular, we will be adding another painting event soon,” Aguilar said.

Fabric paint, paint brushes and pencils were the provided materials for students to use.

Many came in with an idea on what they wanted to do, they pulled up their Pinterest boards and began sketching. Others started painting whatever came to mind.

“This looks like a bunch of hearts but it’s not!” said freshman music education major Jasmine Kelly-Tanty.. “I’m gonna make these strawberries.”

Waitlisted individuals were standing outside in hopes of being let in.

Political science freshman

Arianna Sandoval was one of the

students that got to create her own bag from the event.

“I don’t know what I’m doing, but I guess that this [painting a tote bag] is what I’m doing,” Sandoval said.

“Until I Found You” by Stephen Sanchez played on the speakers

Christy Aguilar

her tote bag.

The majority of students who attended the event were freshmen including business major Azalea Sanchez who came to ease her beginning of the semester nerves.

“I just came back from a power nap so I just came to relax,” Sanchez said. The Resident Hall Association will post upcoming events through its Instagram page.

RHA

vise president and marketing and digital media art senior

as Sandoval painted pink, blue and yellow doodles all over

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CORRECTIONS POLICY The Spartan Daily corrects all significant errors that are brought to our attention. If you suspect we have made such an error, please send an email to spartandaily@gmail.com.

EDITORIAL POLICY Columns are the opinion of individual writers and not that of the Spartan Daily. Editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Editorial Board, which is made up of student editors.

Adrianna Sandoval, political science freshman, paints a tote bag at Resident Hall Assisication’s Weeks of Welcome event on Tuesday afternoon in the CV2 dorms.

I think that a lot of people living in the dorms are really attracted to events where they can just sit down, relax and do something craft related.

Students paint tote bags on Tuesday afternoon in the CV2 dorms during Weeks of Welcome event.

JOANNA CHAVEZ | SPARTAN DAILY

Lion dancers electrify 7th Street

1: Phlillip Tran lifts Nam Le while performing during the Weeks of Welcome Kick-Off on 7th Street.

3:

Vietnamese Student Association presents a lion dancer performance during Weeks of Welcome at

4: The lion dancers perform in front of a crowd.

2: Nam Le, founder of the Lion Dancing subsection of the VSA club, performs the traditional Southeast Asian dance.

The

SJSU.

5: Nam Le, electrical engineering sophomore and founder of the Lion Dancing subjection of the VSA club performs for the audience.

PHOTOS BY ALICIA ALVAREZ | SPARTAN DAILY

Spartans gear up for the new season

By Navin Krishnan STAFF WRITER

After an appearance in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl last season, the San Jose State Spartans football team looks to find success in the Mountain West Conference despite a difficult non-conference schedule.

SJSU head coach Brent Brennan led the Spartans to a 7-5 overall record and 5-3 against Mountain West opponents.

The Spartans will face backto-back top-20 ranked teams in No. 6 USC with 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams and No. 18 Oregon State to start the 2023 season.

Senior quarterback Chevan Cordeiro said his team has a demanding couple of games to start the season.

“We got a tough schedule ahead of us, we got USC Week 0, Oregon State Week 1 and then Mountain West [Conference] everybody’s good,” Cordeiro said in an Aug. 11 post-practice interview. “You can’t take anyone lightly, we’re gonna take it day by day, game by game and we’ll see how we perform.”

Brennan said his team plans to keep its focus on the first game of the season.

“I don’t think any of us benefit from looking in the rear view. We need to be focused on what’s happening right now with this team,” Brennan said. “Coming out of training camp and just getting ready for this game, that’s really all we’re worried about.”

Cordeiro heads into his second season as the Spartans starter after leading the Mountain West with 3,250 passing yards and 23 touchdowns last season.

“He’s [Cordeiro] an incredibly hard worker,” Brennan said.

“Chevan’s expectations for himself are extremely high. He’s invested so much in this program and in the guys on the team, and he just puts so much into it.”

Cordeiro, born in Hawai’i, plans on having a warm reception when the Spartans travel to Honolulu on Oct. 28 to take on his previous team, the University of Hawai’i.

“It’s going to be like playing a home game for me and I can’t wait,” Cordeiro said in the same post-practice interview. “I know they’re going to be better than last season, so it’s gonna be a good game.”

SJSU will look to take home its first Valley Trophy since 2019 when it hosts reigning Mountain West Conference champions and rival Fresno State on Nov. 11. Despite Cordeiro’s return, the Spartans will be missing key components on both sides of the ball, losing wide receiver Elijah Cooks and linebacker Viliami ‘Junior’ Fehoko to the NFL. Fehoko was named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year while Cooks had 1,076 receiving yards last season. The Spartans will introduce new players to CEFCU Stadium

such as sophomore defensive back DJ Harvey and junior running back Quali Conley.

Harvey, a transfer from Virginia Tech, recorded six tackles last season while Conley, a transfer from Utah Tech, played in all 11 games finishing the season with 1095 rushing yards.

Senior running back Kairee Robinson is set to return in his fifth season for the Spartans after rushing for a career-high 752 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.

Brennan said he’s hopeful that the Spartans can bolster a more effective running game than

last year with the help of an experienced offensive line.

“We got some good senior leadership in that group with Jaime [Navarro] and [Anthony] Pardue which I think helps,” Brennan said. “Quali [Conley] has been a great addition to our team we’re very very happy he’s here.”

The Spartans will kick off the season against USC at 5 p.m. on Aug. 26 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF SJSU ATHLETICS

San Jose State senior quartback Chevan Cordeiro runs in for a touchdown in a win against University of Wyoming last season.

On-screen queer stories warm my heart

there’s a new wave of queer media that showcases queer people merely existing.

Representation is essential to empowering a minority community in media.

Jillian Darnell MANAGING EDITOR

Confession: I cried at the end of the second season of the Netflix Original series, “Heartstopper.”

I sobbed like a baby when I saw Nick and Charlie holding hands in Paris.

It was gut wrenching to see Darcy’s family at home being blatantly homophobic to her. And it was soul crushing to see Charlie admit to self harm after years of being bullied for being gay.

However I also loved seeing Elle, a transgender woman, in a healthy relationship. I ruminate over Issac’s character development in discovering his asexual identity.

I love seeing queer joy, young queer people dating in high school, going on to prom with dates and creating a queer-found family.

However, I was also envious because that wasn’t my high school experience.

Many people, especially older queers, can relate to the harsh reality that they will never get to have the youthful queer experience, but we can still watch young queer people thrive.

It’s incredible to see queer youth nowadays celebrating their identity with flying colors in safe public spaces. To have this normalized and put on television is heartwarming to see.

As people start to celebrate Silicon Valley Pride this year,

We have “Red, White, and Royal Blue” which was recently released on Amazon Prime. It is a quirky romantic drama of the prince of England getting together with the first son of the United States.

One thing I do want to point out, while I do love that we’re getting queer representation through Achillean stories, which is specifically a man or man-aligned relationships with other men, there should be more Sapphic, transgender, genderqueer asexual and representation of all the colors of the rainbow.

The LGBT library website describes

queer person who grew up in a town that was conservative and closeted.

Even though I grew up in a Southern California city, indirect homophobia was extremely common.

For example, teachers at my high school were given safe space stickers to post in their classrooms which indicate that teachers would not tolerate any discriminating behavior against

house at 17-years-old and had to spend time couch-surfing, fully supporting himself, paying his own rent by 18.

I had to watch my genderfluid friend struggle with trying on different clothes in the male and female sections of the department store as staff members kept coming up to redirect us to the section they believed would fit their gender.

some states including South Dakota, transgender kids are being forced to detransition, according to a March 20 Vice News article.

The words “gay” and “queer” are being taken out of school curriculums in states across the country.

Another example is “Good Omens,” a TV series where an immortal angel and devil live alongside one another watching humanity grow since the beginning of time and instead of residing on the side of good or evil, they pick their own side.

There is also

xample is “Good and devil one another manity grow nning of time f ood or evil, heir own scover oming s year, of the njamin ory of merican he 90s love ing to ew ation sons of

“Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe” coming out later this year, an adaptation of the book by Benjamin Alire Sáenz that details a story of Mexican American boys in the 90s falling in love while learning to navigate a new country as first generation sons of immigrants. With this new wave of queer intersectionality being represented in media, we are showing how the queer community represents an eclectic array of every group, from neurodivergent to ethnic minority communities, we are a part of every culture.

Our community is beautiful and thriving, and it’s brilliant to see that finally on screen.

sa pp hic as mom check her messages I grew up w RuPaul with my hou

I had to text a girl I knew as platonically as I could, because her mom would check her messages.

Entire classes that have mere segments discussing queer identities, specifically AP Psychology, are being banned in the state of Florida, according to an Aug. 3 Politico article.

storytelling depicting female and female relationships.

“Heartstopper” is one of the few shows that displays an authentic, healthy representation of characters with different sexualities and identities with a lovely and enticing storyline and there should be more shows like it.

It’s incredibly reassuring to watch shows like these as a

LGBTQ+ groups in their spaces. I saw multiple teachers tuck these stickers away in their desks, or simply allow prejudice to happen in their classrooms while the stickers loomed ironically on the wall.

I grew up with so many queer friends in the closet or disowned from their families. A friend of mine who identifies as a transgender man was kicked out of his

I grew up watching RuPaul with my friends at their houses, but ultimately keeping quiet about our love for anything queer at school.

about anythin

Again enthrall l ife-c h to see stor ies “Heart s on te w h discrimin in the bac character identities bein sh It’s to s where queer peopl exist, where queer p

Again, it’s so enthralling and life-changing to see queer stories like “Heartstopper” on television, where discrimination is in the background, and character’s natural identities being at the forefront of the show.

It’s incredible to see media where queer people simply exist, where queer people are just in love. Normalizing the queer experience warms my little bisexual heart.

While television is finally beginning to warmly convey queer relationships,our reality is much colder.

Right now queer people are being killed in different parts of the world for existing.

Even in the U.S., the right to same-sex marriage will soon be debated in the Supreme Court, and in

We need queer stories, healthy, happy queer stories – so they can reach those young trans kids in Florida, so they can reach queer adults in Nigeria where they hide from their government with laws that can imprison them, according to a Jan. 14, 2014 BBC News article.

Queer stories need to move forward and progress so they can continue to reach that young queer girl from Torrance, Calif., who needs to feel a small offer of validation to feel content in her identity. We need queer stories, so she can finally hold hands with that girl she shares tacos with in her Spanish class everyday.

Please keep watching queer films and television series, whether you’re inside or outside the community it’s important to engage and promote these shows to LGBTQ+ community the love it deserves.

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LGBTQ+ music artists keep me going

was in middle school and it was a turning point for me and my taste in music. I was heavily questioning my sexuality at the time and I was especially afraid of how people would react if I were to come out.

To see one of my favorite musicians use his music to freely express his sexuality while also seeing massive success and critical acclaim at the same time was incredible to me.

In the last few years, I have seen a massive uptick in the prominence and popularity of the music of LGBTQ+ musicians, and we are starting to see a renaissance of impactful queer music.

Not only are more LGBTQ+ musicians at the top of the charts and in the public eye than ever before, but with social media apps such as TikTok and Instagram it’s never been easier to discover bands and artists that would’ve otherwise been mostly unheard.

Some of the biggest artists of the last several decades of pop are publicly queer, and many have made amazing music documenting their experiences.

With few exceptions, until a few years ago queer representation in popular music was pretty hard to come by. Though there have always been LGBTQ+ musicians, only in recent years have musicians started to truly sing about their own experiences to a wider audience.

Los Angeles rapper Tyler, the Creator’s 2017 album “Flower Boy” was the first record of his to contain lyrics alluding to coming out of the closet and his attraction to men.

In a later interview with Paper magazine, he would go on record to say that he considers himself “queer” instead of any other label to describe his sexuality. “Flower Boy” went on to be nominated for “Best Rap Album” at the 2018 Grammy Awards.

“Flower Boy” came out when I

I know many felt the same way, as since the release of “Flower Boy” I’ve met a lot of people that had the same experience of finding acceptance after the record’s release.

I mention Tyler, the Creator specifically because of how much he has started to open doors for queer artists in our popular culture, especially with rap and R&B being some of the biggest genres of the charts today.

When artists as big as Tyler, the Creator feel free to fully express themselves on such a public stage, it tells other artists and fans that it’s okay to follow in their footsteps.

In addition to the very top of the Billboard charts, there are more fantastic LGBTQ+ musicians and bands that I can recommend than I can count.

My favorite queer band of all time is Car Seat Headrest.

Frontman Will Toledo’s lyrics combine his love for literature and poetry with a self-reflective writing style that often covers subjects about his own struggles with his queer identity, belonging and growing up. Their 2018 record “Twin Fantasy” is a heartbreaking concept album about Toledo’s first gay love, written when he was 19. It contains some of the most heartfelt and beautiful depictions of queer love and heartbreak I have ever heard.

Songs like “Sober to Death” and “Bodys” tell beautiful and

harrowing stories of a doomed relationship being held together out of fear. The entire record is a heartfelt and brutally honest self reflection on how Toledo creates a fantasized version of his partner, one that could never exist in reality.

Toledo perfectly encapsulates the anxieties and insecurities of a fleeting gay romance. There’s so many nuances to queer relationships that I have never heard anywhere else. Toledo tells stories about his fears of coming out of the closet, his daydreams of growing old with his boyfriend, his need to be adored and how he and his boyfriend start to

start to harm each other because of their

that stay in your head forever.

“Make Room” and “Open Mouth, Open Heart” are two nearperfect pop-punk records that excite front to back. The band is constantly making audiences aware of social issues, and even inviting mutual aid and charities to live shows.

Destroy Boys demonstrate that music can be more powerful than just songs. Even some of the most political of punk bands would probably be stumped if you asked them how to support their causes.

Destroy Boys on the other hand not only know what they stand for, but they constantly make their fans aware of these issues and how to take action on

aware issues them

and uncomfortable.

Their lyrics often cover themes of sexual trauma, existentialism and death in ways that are almost never subtle, and McCallion and Rooks vocals constantly go between subdued whispers to guttural screaming – often at the same time.

There’s something about their music that is so fantastic because McCallion and Rook are never afraid to be themselves. If there’s anything special about the band it is their dedication to self expression.

McCallion is never afraid to speak on her traumas, or fall into the “manlier” side of her voice while she sings. Their music, however abrasive it may often be, has left a significant positive influence on me and my transition.

Rook’s eponymous solo project is also fantastic, and her 2022 album “UGLY DEATH NO

REDEMPTION ANGEL CURSE I LOVE YOU” is a fantastic deep dive into the struggles of transition and finding self acceptance as a trans woman.

It’s so important to find music that speaks to you, and your own struggles.

mutual fear of being alone. These are stories that could only be told by someone who has lived through these experiences and many of them could never have been written by someone in a heterosexual relationship.

Another favorite band of mine is Sacramento punk rock group the Destroy Boys. Alexia Roditis’ self-reflective, honest and sometimes snarky lyrics give way to incredibly catchy hooks

Whether it’s on social media or at their live shows, the band is constantly mentioning how and where to support their causes. They understand how to enact change, and actively show their fans how to do it.

Canadian noise-pop duo Black Dresses consists of trans musicians Devi McCallion and Ada Rook is a project that effortlessly blends earpiercing distortion and screaming with an amateurish sense of pop songwriting that is often uncanny

There are more queer bands and artists than ever before, and most of that music is absolutely fantastic and worth checking out. There are so many more bands and artists that cover a much wider spectrum of genres and styles than I could ever write in a simple article.

If you take anything away from this article, it should be that queer music is in a great place, and its future is looking even better.

Alexia Frederickson A&E EDITOR

GRAPHIC BY JILLIAN DARNELL

GRAPHIC BY JILLIAN DARNELL