letter from the editor

When the late, great Nina Simone—an icon in the truest sense of the word—died in 2003, she left behind a legacy that met at the intersection of art, civil rights, and Black excellence. Though April marked the twentieth anniversary of her passing, her impact continues to be felt in art of all genres and mediums, as if the parts of her she chose to share with us are still brimming with life. 

This volume’s theme, Resurrect, was selected in Nina’a honor. Addie and I hoped to inspire pieces about rising from ash, about building a new life from rubble, about standing up for the final round just when everyone else thought it was over. And, of course, we wanted it all captured through the lens of queer fashion.

This volume’s submissions did not disappoint, and our sections are packed with pieces that span style, format, meaning, and message, much like the work of Ms. Simone herself. 

Our stellar team of editors selects each submission with love and care, and none of them are to be missed; however, there are some personal favorites that I hope you’ll spend some extra time with. This volume’s cancel & gretel section is packed with exceptional work, like Michelle Zacarias’s essay, “Losing My Leg and Finding My Footing.” afrodisiac features a striking poem about the proverbial Big Chop, by South African writer Davin Makokha. And of course, I’d be remiss not to give a special shout-out to Ethan Wood’s important piece on age gaps in relationships among gay men, which was illustrated by our own Jo Davis-McElligatt.

As you explore the issue, you’ll likely notice that things look a little different. We figured that while we were on the subject of resurrection, we’d breathe some new life into just femme & dandy with a completely new layout and design, courtesy of our incredible graphic artist Keet Geniza. We have big plans for our little passion project and are honored to have your support along the way. 

We are, as always, deeply proud of this volume and the work of our contributors. We hope that as you make your way through the issue, something you once believed was long dead in you is resurrected as well.  

Feeling Good,
Sarah Sheppeck 
Co-Editor-in-Chief