Identity Archives - MyUmbrella

Discovering the Secrets of the Universe

By : Miranda Kargol March 30, 2021 Comments Off

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, written by Benjamin Alire Sáenz, is my absolute favorite book. The first time that I read it was in the summer of 2019. At the time, I had been reading through some queer young adult literature, and this one caught my eye. The moment that I started reading, I was absorbed into their world. The book centers around a young boy named Aristotle, who goes by Ari, as he struggles to find ways to fill his free time during the summer. He decides to learn how to swim, and while he is at the pool, he meets another boy named Dante. They quickly bond over how they both have unique names, and their connection continuously develops throughout the book. One aspect

In a Time

By : Shelonda Montgomery March 1, 2021 Comments Off

The rain falls delicately as the sun rises The sweet smell of jasmine fills the air He sleeps atop a mountain of maroon pillows I lay beside him on a Persian rug and trace his lips with my finger The thick plush leaves of the bird of paradise hang lovingly over our heads I tousle his hair and watch the thrashing willows His untuned guitar leans carelessly on a wooden chair It will fall soon The rain falls like diamonds as the lilies dance divine Honey filled mason jar rest atop the small wooden table beside a bamboo She sleeps in a small hammock that is affixed to peach trees I lie beside her and take her hand. She arches her fingers and slips them between mine Her lavender-scented hair

I Like the Wine, Not the Label

By : Miranda Kargol February 21, 2021 Comments Off

Schitt’s Creek has been an incredibly popular show over the past few years, especially regarding its representation of queer identities and relationships. One of the main characters, David Rose, is a pansexual man. The first time that the audience is made aware of his identity is in a conversation that he has with his friend, Stevie, in which he says, “I like the wine, not the label.”. This analogy is a wonderful way to describe what it means to be pansexual, especially since it is often confused with being bisexual. Pansexual: Being attracted to all genders. Bisexual: Being attracted to multiple genders. Many people’s experiences with their sexuality change throughout their lifetime. Many will adopt different identity terms at different times. Identity is not fixed. You can gain and change

What Does Gender Mean to You?

By : Miranda Kargol February 7, 2021 Comments Off

Everybody expresses gender in their own way, whether that be through how society has constructed gender or your own personal identity. Gender is seen in how people dress, talk, and the actions they take. It is such a strong part of our everyday lives and we don’t even realize it. To society, gender shows our differences from each other. Girls wear skirts, boys wear pants. Girls wear makeup, boys don’t. However, have you ever stopped to think about why we do these things? Where do we get these ideas of gender from? Who decided that girls wear pink and boys wear blue? Who decided that girls play with Barbies and boys play with trucks? Why are these such common assumptions? “Doing gender” was not something that I was aware of

Can We Talk About the Word?

By : Shelonda Montgomery January 4, 2021 Comments Off

“Can we talk about the word?” Emilia says. Zahra sits, writing in her brown, leather-covered notebook in Central Park at a round, white, steel table. Her yellow dress dances across her crossed legs as she slightly moves, habitually turning her ankle, which makes her gold sandals bounce. Beside the notebook is half a bottle of water and a peach. The day is kind and warm. The sun is shining bright. Several hummingbirds hover near a tree that cast its shadow over the small white table and Zahra. Zahra had been walking for some time before she grew tired and decided to rest. Now she writes, I need you here with me to - “Can we talk about the word?” Emilia, again, says. Zahra stops writing, pressing her pen on the

The Lake: A Sestina

By : Lorenzo Mendez December 27, 2020 Comments Off

Amid evergreen song, Mother Earth’s voice blares enough to conceal that of the boy—events that had long defined his hide from his obscurities. Was it the painted nails on masculine digits, the slight strut in his stride, or the two personalities he wore that made faces turn to an uneven arc? The same ones that upturn upon that bible verse: leviticus, sinful, a single color. Of course, the lake he stares into is stripped of its hues. Its once glinting color now stands dull with the rest of the onlookers: black and white, not enough. And though the refracted image of the boy, in hindsight, is him, neither the arc around his belt, nor his murky skin could hide his real image. An image that strings together two narratives into

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