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
From the dedicated, warrior top, to the Tokugawa twinks of Edo, these character archetypes enjoyed wide public knowledge and appreciation, which was unheard of in contemporary areas of the Western world. The literature produced in this time reflected a world where love and sex between men could be accepted and celebrated.
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?
1. Inigo Montoya When I was a kid, the movie I insisted on watching way too often was The Princess Bride. I was obsessed. I can do all the best quotes -- yes, with the voices too. I recently re-watched it for the first time in many years and was struck with two realizations: the … Continue reading Five Influential Mustaches That, In Retrospect, Should Have Made Me Realize I’m Trans
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
Hello! I hope that you're all having a cozy November evening. If, once you've defrosted your limbs and made a nice cup of something warm, you want to snuggle down with a movie, we here at The Niche implore you to consider All That Heaven Allows (you can do it here, if you like.) Yes, … Continue reading Rock Hudson in All That Heaven Allows: An Ode to the Simple Man
Inspired by this post. 1. What's your favourite flavour of ice cream? a) My own tears. b) Fake asthma medication. c) Cocaine. 2. Would you be comfortable coming out to your mother? a) Last year, on my birthday, she got me three gifts: a pack of rainbow-colored gel pens, a cassette of Madonna's greatest hits, and … Continue reading Niche Quiz: Which Emotionally Unstable Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with a Crush on Your Best Friend, Finn Wolfhard, Are You?
Have you or a loved one recently been accused of witchcraft? Has Goody Pynchon been eyeing you funny ever since your husband refused to let her husband borrow a horse? Has your mere presence at Sunday service resulted in a hushed crowd and stilled room? Whatever the reason, you should know that your current fears … Continue reading How to Survive Salem: A Handy Guide to Avoid Being Accused, Convicted, and/or Hanged During the Witch Trials of 1692
Hey, The Niche! I've got a question for your career advice columnist, and I'm hoping you can help me! See, I'm a mediocre writer with no academic qualifications or professional experience beyond a degree in gender studies -- you may already see the problem here -- and gosh, I'm just trying to make a living … Continue reading Meghan Murphy, the Toronto Public Library, and the Easiest Grift in the Universe
In 1912, Wilfrid Voynich bought an unreadable book. It is a Medieval tome of strange plants, women in green baths, star charts, and otherworldly machines. No human alive knows what it says. Yet. For years, ambitious cryptologists, accomplished linguistic scholars, Internet sleuths, and interested spectators have striven to decode the Voynich Manuscript. There is only … Continue reading The Voyniche Manuscript
