The year was 1956. Europe, torn up and traumatized by war, needed something that might help it heal. In came the Switzerland-based European Broadcasting Union with an at-the-time highly ambitious idea: broadcast a song contest between European countries, each represented by a performer, to the whole of Europe simultaneously. Ever since then, with the exception … Continue reading Did Susan Sontag Write “Notes on Camp” Specifically About Eurovision? Who’s to Say?
Krem Zaroogian plays many roles: an artist, an illustrator, an animator, a long-time friend of mine from our [REDACTED EMBARRASSING WEBCOMIC] fandom days. But most nights, Krem isn't Krem at all - he becomes Andromeda VII, intergalactic drag queen par excellence. Rare among drag queens, Krem's also a trans guy. Read on to learn how … Continue reading Trans Dude, Drag Queen: A Niche Interview with Andromeda VII
We talk a lot about representation here at The Niche. But I feel like something's missing from that conversation, a form of representation that hasn't been addressed yet. What is this form, you ask? It's when you're watching the show you hate-watch drunk every week with your best friends and said show suddenly becomes very … Continue reading Did Riverdale Base its New Season on That Esquire Article About Bennington College In The 1980s?
As a trans woman, I find it disconcerting that I can’t remember a single trans character from my childhood except for Alexis Meade from Ugly Betty. As a barely-out-of-the-closet queer 18-year-old, I watched the series with a feral intensity. I felt drawn to Marc’s unashamed flamboyance, his playful and loving friendship with Amanda, Betty’s ambition … Continue reading Wilhelmina Slater is the True Trans Woman of Ugly Betty
Because I attend a deeply fake school, I’ve spent much of the fall studying the concept of Camp. The traditional canon of Camp is based heavily in a London and New York sensibility, locating itself in relation to the LGBT communities in these cities. I, however, am a stubborn asshole who loves the Pacific Northwest. … Continue reading Fuck an Umbrella: Notes Towards a Canon of Pacific Northwest Camp
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