👀 Marking memories, one map pin at a time

#257 | Feel just a little less alone, and a little bit of hope

Happy Pride Month, y'all!

Yes, June is LGBTQIA + Pride Month, in case any of you lived under a rock and didn't know, so if you've noticed a sudden increase in rainbow flags and queer awareness campaigns around the internet, this is why.

Since it's 2023, and we're (mostly) all at least a little bit online and aware, one may think that acceptance of queerness is the norm now, but a quick scroll down this extensive Wiki article will show you that the reality is a lot.. bleaker, to say the least. Only 34 countries currently recognise same-sex marriages. Several countries around the world do not recognise same-sex intercourse, and therefore relationships, as legal. Even when they do, such as in India, where Sec. 377 was finally declared unconstitutional a mere 5 years ago after much back and forth on the matter; there may not be any laws that specifically prevent discrimination or protect basic LGBTQ rights.

And that's just legalities - when you add religion, long-held cultural opinions, a lack of awareness, and generations of conditioning into the mix.. well, it's not much of a surprise that queer people, no matter where in the world they might be, often feel isolated and alone, especially when they're figuring themselves out. Queerness is all about community, queerness thrives in a safe community, and even as an adult, the community isn't always the easiest to find and approach.

That's where Queering The Map comes in. According to the website, they're a "community-generated counter-mapping platform for digitally archiving LGBTQ2IA+ experience in relation to physical space." Which is a lot of words to say: they're a crowdsourced map of queer memories.

Each pin is a thought, a story, a memory that's been added by a real human. In the unlikeliest of places, you'll find stories of love and heartbreak, a little anecdote of acceptance, or a wail of grief. Funny memories and proud declarations in every language you can think of. Zoom out, and you'll see the map covered in little black pins, a way to remember that we're all going through the same thing in some way or the other. And if the map is a bit overwhelming to look at, you can always microdose it through their Instagram account, where every post highlights one pin.

Queering The Map

Queering The Map on Instagram: ”“its a bit silly. here i was talking about how most guys i liked looked a bit feminine. my uncle teased saying that maybe i just liked girls. i denied it, laughing. but thats the first time i ever considered that an option.”
#queeringthemap”

April 10, 2023

Being queer isn't a universal experience by any means, but zooming into your city and seeing queer memories there, clicking on a pin to find a relatable thought, at least that's a small source of comfort. And for the non-queer among us, this map is a reminder that being queer isn't just a "Western import", and it definitely has nothing to do with race, religion, or anything at all, really. We're everywhere. And we're sticking around. 

Pai

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