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[0:19] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Hello and welcome to The Drama Book Show.

[0:21] David Rigano: My name is David Rigano.

[0:23] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yes, and we're here to talk about The Queens’ English, the Young Readers LGBTQIA+ Dictionary of Lingo and Colloquial Phrases by Chloe O. Davis.

[0:35] David Rigano: Mark.

[0:38] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yes.

[0:39] David Rigano: Do you know what it means to come through?

[0:43] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Absolutely.

[0:44] David Rigano: It's an accolade used to affirm something fabulous.

[0:47] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Can you use it in a sentence?

[0:49] David Rigano: Come through.

[0:53] Mark-Eugene Garcia: With this baked mac and cheese. That's what that's the example in the book at least. I just I think about it from Drag Race where.

[1:00] David Rigano: Yeah.

[1:01] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Come through.

[1:03] David Rigano: Oh yeah. I had so much fun. But I would love for someone to come through with some baked mac and cheese for me, actually. That sounds fantastic about now.

[1:12] Mark-Eugene Garcia: I've just been having regular mac and cheese because somebody brought all those boxes here to the store.

[1:16] David Rigano: Someone brought us for Halloween.

[1:17] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Oh, were you here for that?

[1:18] David Rigano: No.

[1:19] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Oh, someone came in. I think I saw a box of mac and cheese upstairs and I was like, I don't know if that's doing it.

[1:25] David Rigano: Yeah, that was like 60. Someone came in with a backpack from the mac and cheese people, like that were like canvassing cheese people.

[1:33] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Craft.

[1:34] David Rigano: Canvassing up and down the street with backpacks full of mac and cheese boxes and just like giving them out.

[1:39] Mark-Eugene Garcia: I took four boxes home. You know what though? I'm glad I was here on the apples day and not the mac and cheese day.

[1:46] David Rigano: My doctor and my dietitian also were glad that I was here on the apples when we got a what a case of twelve bags of apples.

[1:55] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yeah, they told me it was going to be a case of 12 and I really thought it was like 12 apples. I don't know why I thought they would give me a box of twelve apples.

[2:01] David Rigano: It was a person it was the same thing. It was the same thing. Somebody was just like we have a bunch of apples and I asked if I wanted them here at the store and I was like yeah there's only six of us working so 12 apples that's two apples per person.

[2:13] Mark-Eugene Garcia: That's amazing not knowing that it was 12 bags of apples.

[2:17] David Rigano: So I've actually my last few meals have been like drama and kaflama.

[2:21] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yes.

[2:22] David Rigano: My last few meals have been mac and cheese and apples.

[2:25] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Not together separately no that's I'm here for it.

[2:28] David Rigano: Oh really you're here for it come through the yeah come through come for that apple mac and cheese.

[2:34] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Uh-huh I think that's like putting like a slice of or like chunks of cheddar in your apple pie.

[2:39] David Rigano: Okay, okay. That makes sense wait okay I've never done that but interesting so I've also never been apple picking people yes you can edit that in or keep it out whatever you want to do I was trying to pages with this broken band-aid.

[2:58] Mark-Eugene Garcia: I fell out of a tree this week I was climbing a tree because what's the line from Dear Evan Hansen? Truly I feel like I've been Evan Hansening all week.

[3:09] David Rigano: I was filming I should sign your yeah sign my band-aid your band-aid I was filming reshoots for a movie this week up in the Poconos.

[3:16] Mark-Eugene Garcia: That's right yeah and a movie version of Redwood.

[3:19] David Rigano: Yeah and the last day I walked out we were done filming and we're all getting ready to leave this cabin and I saw a tree and I thought you know what I haven't climbed a tree in a long time and probably because I'm in my 40s. But I thought, what the hell? I'm gonna climb a tree.

[3:32] Mark-Eugene Garcia: So I climbed this tree, and I was like halfway up where I intended to climb to, and I remembered that it snowed. It snowed overnight, so the snow had melted, so it was just we have a tree. But I was already committed to the climb, and my friend was taking a photo, and the photo was done, and I realized as I'm starting to climb down, I'm gonna fall. Like I'm gonna slip out of this tree.

[3:51] David Rigano: And so I put my legs against the trunk.

[3:56] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Sounds like some foolishness and debauchery when you describe someone's acting in an outlandish or comical way for others' amusement.

[4:03] David Rigano: 100%.

[4:04] Mark-Eugene Garcia: I kicked off of the tree so I wouldn't scrape the tree on my way down, but my hand was still attached, and I just scraped the bark.

[4:11] David Rigano: And so I have I think I want to say it's my horror crux that's left there on that tree because I left a bit of finger on that tree. Hence the band-aid, which makes it hard to flip through these really gay pages.

[4:24] Mark-Eugene Garcia: What's your term for that?

[4:29] David Rigano: I know as we go back to this, like I'm stuck on the pages of the labels of gay.

[4:36] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Uh-huh.

[4:37] David Rigano: Because like for a long time I identified in that bear world just because.

[4:42] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Uh-huh.

[4:43] David Rigano: But now I'm like, after almost a year of kickboxing, am I a jock?

[4:49] Mark-Eugene Garcia: I'm the wrong person to I'm not a gym bunny, a gym rat. I'm not sculpted, as this says.

[4:56] David Rigano: And I am like a gym bunny is sculpted, is under 50.

[4:59] Mark-Eugene Garcia: I am. A rat can be any age, someone who works out at the gym seven days a week. I do not do that. But I am muscular and athletic.

[5:07] David Rigano: But I heard that you recently skipped a Broadway show to go to the gym.

[5:11] Mark-Eugene Garcia: I did.

[5:13] David Rigano: I know, because I saw your husband there last night.

[5:15] Mark-Eugene Garcia: I did. And you're like, no, Mark's not here.

[5:18] David Rigano: I okay.

[5:19] Mark-Eugene Garcia: I skipped a Broadway show to fight somebody.

[5:23] David Rigano: Let's make it very clear.

[5:24] Mark-Eugene Garcia: First and second rule, you're not allowed to talk about that.

[5:27] David Rigano: I was literally fighting someone.

[5:30] Mark-Eugene Garcia: But a super duper athletic guy. Like, I think I'm a jock now.

[5:34] David Rigano: Okay.

[5:34] Mark-Eugene Garcia: That's exciting. Like it's I'm gonna start identifying.

[5:35] David Rigano: I'm looking through.

[5:35] Mark-Eugene Garcia: I'm gonna start identifying as that.

[5:42] David Rigano: That makes me very happy. Not that I wasn't happy being a I'm not a wolf because I don't think I'm lean.

[5:49] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Okay.

[5:49] David Rigano: Yeah, I'm definitely muscular and athletic. But we'll let Instagram decide.

[5:53] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yes.

[5:53] David Rigano: Yeah. Please chime in the comments.

[5:57] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Please, you know what we don't get enough of is commenting on people's bodies. That's we don't get enough of that online.

[6:03] David Rigano: So let's please bring that to it.

[6:05] Mark-Eugene Garcia: No shade.

[6:07] David Rigano: No shade.

[6:07] Mark-Eugene Garcia: I am not about this life.

[6:09] David Rigano: No shade, house mother.

[6:13] Mark-Eugene Garcia: So as we've tangented on to this book, this is a genius book because it delves into so many terms in this community that are part of our general vocabulary.

[6:26] David Rigano: Whether we think about it or not, no matter the age, like I when I first picked this up, I thought I'm not gonna know half of these things because I'm in my 40s.

[6:35] Mark-Eugene Garcia: But as I'm going through, I'm like, oh my god, not only do I know this term, it's so wonderful to find out where it came from. But also that this isn't like a book of terms that only young baby gays, which is a term in the book, gabies use.

[6:54] David Rigano: It is it's a book designed for LGBTQIA+ youth to have a better understanding of the history of the community.

[7:06] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Truly, I think growing up as a young gay, knowing terms like knowing who someone's drag mother was would have been beneficial, and not having to figure it out later or found a sound like I don't know what I'm talking about, and I would respond to somebody's thing of that.

[7:20] David Rigano: A lot of this is also like the kind of stuff that people start learning as they find their found family.

[7:27] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Truly.

[7:33] David Rigano: Is what I was called in high school.

[7:35] Mark-Eugene Garcia: That makes sense.

[7:36] David Rigano: Learned from Pose.

[7:38] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yeah.

[7:38] David Rigano: No, truly. And this is not just for queer youth. This is real, this is just cultural information.

[7:50] Mark-Eugene Garcia: No, truly.

[7:51] David Rigano: And it's making it accessible. And there is an adult version of this as well.

[7:56] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yeah.

[7:56] David Rigano: But the entire the specific point of this is to make it accessible to young people.

[8:02] Mark-Eugene Garcia: I think also growing up, like there was only a few things you could be, because there was only a few things that there were words for.

[8:26] David Rigano: And that's another thing that the book really helps delve into helping someone who's questioning find their identity. Know that it's okay that their identity can change and that it's a spectrum, and what you may feel one day may not be what you feel the next day.

[8:43] Mark-Eugene Garcia: And it's about what you feel at the moment and what makes you happy and makes you feel correct. And I think that the book gives the vocabulary for that so that you can use that term with confidence and tell people like this is who I am. This is who I am right now. And I this is how I need you to see me.

[9:02] David Rigano: She said that she feels like everyone, not specifically queer people, but everyone can find two terms in this book that they identify with.

[9:16] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Nice, yeah.

[9:17] David Rigano: And I also think there is something that this is certainly like in the mental health world as well. As soon as you hear a word that you go, oh my god, that's me. Oh my god, it feels so good.

[9:31] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Validate it.

[9:32] David Rigano: Yes. Especially if it's and again, I'm speaking from a mental health the first time I heard executive dysfunction, uh-huh. I was like, oh, there's a name for this thing that's not my fault, that's not just me being lazy or like stupid, and especially if you're a kid who's feeling things that is in any way outside of this very specific box.

[9:59] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yeah.

[10:00] David Rigano: To be told, no, you have a belonging, you have a place where you fit.

[10:04] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yeah, and I think that it's interesting because there's talk on both sides of, I mean, there's talk on all sides about like, why do we need labels? Why do you need this? And it's too label-y, but us often those labels are about finding your family, about finding that person who sees the world as you do.

[10:19] David Rigano: I'm not the only person who looks at the world this way.

[10:21] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yeah.

[10:22] David Rigano: Or I'm not the only person who feels these things. It's wonderful to find that validation. And it's wonderful to not need a label if you don't.

[10:31] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yeah, totally.

[10:32] David Rigano: But that doesn't mean that no one does.

[10:38] Mark-Eugene Garcia: It's so neat to see kids these days saying this is exactly who I am. And whether or not that's who they are tomorrow, that's a different thing. But it's just like they there is a word that they can find that says this is how I feel right now about myself in this moment. And I have that ability to do that.

[10:54] David Rigano: Like that to me is incredible. And then that someone took the time to collect all of I'll say all of them, or most of them at least, into a place where someone who maybe doesn't know how to define certain things about themselves or their life can seek it out.

[11:16] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Truly.

[11:17] David Rigano: And another thing I really love in here, and I'm gonna step up on a soapbox on this, is that I am a gay of a certain age. Like I just am. And so I didn't I grew up in the late 80s and 90s, but like I became aware of the world really in the 90s, and so I caught a lot of the tail end of the AIDS crisis and and so on, and it was long before prep and long before all of that.

[11:41] Mark-Eugene Garcia: And so it was a different world, a world of fear, and gay history was part of that world because it was still ongoing and that situation was still ongoing, and I think a lot of that has because there is now we have prep and now we have other solutions, that some of that has disappeared from the general knowledge of the queer community.

[12:06] David Rigano: And so one thing I love about this book is it talks about where the words came from and the history behind that, and I think it's important because in elements of COVID-19 when we had that, like there was a time where I felt like we were leading by example of saying, hey, listen, we've done this before. Like we've we've done this seclusion, we've done this, like staying away from each other, we've done this pandemic thing that not everyone else has, and so I think it's important that we have that history.

[12:31] Mark-Eugene Garcia: And this acknowledges that, and this says this is where some of this comes from. And that's why a TV show like Pose is important. That's why a play like Angels in America is important. But also sometimes it needs to be told not in an artistic way.

[12:45] David Rigano: Yeah, but in just a straightforward way.

[12:48] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Or a queer forward way in this case.

[12:50] David Rigano: Yes.

[12:51] Mark-Eugene Garcia: So let's let's go queer forward into it already. Help me and welcome me. Chloe O. Davis and Amanda Brute.

[13:08] chloe o. davis: Oh, hello, hello.

[13:11] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Thanks so much for being here.

[13:14] chloe o. davis: Thank you to Amanda.

[13:16] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Thanks for asking me.

[13:18] chloe o. davis: For coming. And I also have to shout out another Amanda in the audience, who is also my associate choreographer on the Choreo team of Gypsy Rip Viral. So it was so exciting. But thank you so much for being here. We're gonna dive in and talk about The Queens’ English, the LGBTQIA+ dictionary of lingo and colloquial phrases.

[13:38] chloe o. davis: This is my passion project. My baby. I actually have two babies. The first one was in 2021, and that's the adult version of The Queens’ English. And this one, the new one, I mean young readers version, truly celebrates the vibrant, diverse, intergenerational intersectionality of Queerlingo. A lexicon that absolutely should be celebrated and is celebrated in this book. There's over 800 terms used to describe our collective ways of being LGBTQIA+.

[14:10] chloe o. davis: And I love that plus because that also articulates the many identities and layers of who we are, whether it be a gender, whether it be A Row, whether it be ace, whether it be poly. There's so many words used to describe who we are. And so this dictionary is absolutely fun and celebrates that. And yeah, it is my passion project. There's actually a dedication that I wrote at the beginning of this dictionary, and I want to just read it out. This dictionary is dedicated to all of the LGBTQI Plus youth and you all out there who take the courageous path each day to completely be yourselves. You encourage us all to love our inner beauty and ideas. Even when faced with the challenges of not being embraced by others, I write to affirm and remind you that you are exceptional and more than enough.

I absolutely see your greatness. Together, we will build a safe, respectful, empowering, and loving environment for you to thrive. Always know that there's a hug, high five, fist bump, or a kind word ready for you whenever you need it, Chloe. So that's exactly what I mean about this love letter. I feel like a little bit about me. I am a proud black bisexual, biromantic, demisexual. I play around with being androgynous, and I've dibble dabbed with polyamory. However, these are words that I've used to describe me, and I know they're so layered, but writing this dictionary allowed me to stand truly firm in who I am and the evolution of that. And I'm not gonna give my age, although it's 50. I've been writing for 50 years.

No, joking. No, it took about 15 years plus. I've been researching it. I don't mind telling my age. I'm 41 years old. And so just to give you a little perspective, in 2006, when I first started creating this dictionary, I was in a time of not necessarily being able to say that I'm bisexual. It's no, you're gay, are you straight? And like, but no, I really think I'm interested in more than one, more than one gender. And but during that time in those early 2000s, it's like, no, you're gay, you're straight. So I think it was about creating a resource where I saw myself. Because not only did I need to see myself as being bisexual and being firm in that, but I also needed to see myself and my community being celebrated, being black or being people of color, and also being part of the LGBTQI plus community.

I don't think we were celebrated. A lot of times things were we talk about heteronormative, right? If we talk about heteronormativity, it's this idea that society says it's binary, it's mask, it's fin, it's male, it's female, it's black, it's white, right? And there are these structures, these constructs that are associated with those. Sometimes they're archetypes, sometimes they're stereotypes, but there are these constructs. But there's also this word called homonormativity. And what I was seeing in growing up is this homonormativity where there is you're gay or you're straight, you're lesbian, you're gay, or you are straight. There's no in between. And also there's this dominance of who is being represented, right?

And it's the representation was being white, or the representation was being male, and so this idea of the homonormativity. And so I didn't see myself in that. And so that was why I really dived into researching and finding words that truly articulate an experience of me, but also experience of my wonderful colleagues and artists that I've been surrounded around. Because back in 2006, I was part of a dance company called Philodanko, Philadelphia Dance Company group for them. But it was like one of my first times being in this professional world. And a lot of my friends were part of the ballroom scene. Ah, we know about the ballroom scene now, right? Of course now we do, but in 2006, everybody's like, what the hell is that?

But we know the ballroom scene now because we have a group called Drag Race, we have pose, we have legendary, we have, of course, Paris is burning, a beautiful documentary that dives into the ballroom scene in the early 1990s and before. But my friends are part of that, right? So words like come through, fierce, snatch, slay. We know these words now read, shade. We even hear these words on CNN or MSNBC, like truthfully. When I hear them, I'm like, well, look at that. But uh what it was also growing up as uh in the dance world, I grew up on fierce work, and I've always said it, but it's interesting to know this comes from a community that is vibrant and excellent, however, needed to create language to supplement their self work, right?

Because of the double whammy of prejudice, of homophobia, queer phobia, transphobia, and so needed to create a community, the ballroom scene where they could truly flourish, right? And I was so interested in language, and I used to always be like, What does snatch mean? And I could hear it. Of course, I know it at millions, but I wanted them to explain it, and a lot of times my friends would explain it in a using slang. And I don't like to use slang. I like to use lexicon because if there are words that we're using to articulate ourselves and our experience, our traditions and our values, that is a lexicon. That's not slang. I don't want to demean it just because it doesn't feel academic. However, what I did was play around and say, let's make it academic.

So I would a word would come up and I would listen to how it's being used, and then I was like, oh, it means I know it sometimes uses British accent. It worked sometimes. I think it works a little bit, you know what I mean? Giggles exactly. That's exactly what was happening. So I would I would do that. And over time, this would be we rode the bus to go to or planes to go to different cities to perform. And over time, my list started to grow and grow. And I want to say, I look up maybe three months in, and I had a list of a hundred words, and I was like, wow. And I was challenged. I finally said, I think, wait a minute. There is there needs to be a dictionary for all these words. I've gone through snatched, over, come through, witch queen, femme queen, boy, fire, fever, beat, beat for the gods, house down.

There's so many different words from this particular community, whether it be Ball and Scene or gay, black, and queer community. And I was challenged by one of my friends and also colleagues to say, when you write it, call it the Queen's English. So that's how it's got its name. And I just want to honor a community that saw something that I was doing that I didn't know I saw, and literally 15 years now, 16 years later, there are two editions to this book. So I feel so honored to have support from a community to say, yes, this is needed. I thought it was needed. I thought it was needed because I wanted to honor and give truly a presence and platform to a lexicon of wonderful people and identities. And I wanted something for myself. I advocate for understanding the spectrum of identity. I truly advocate for it and learning more about ourselves, but learning more about each other.

[21:29] Amanda: Which I'm gonna let her take over in a second. I talk about being part of Philadelphia, which was predominantly black, and whether it be gay or even lesbians or even bisexual people in that in that company that helped me stretch myself and learn language about myself and about my communities. Then I travel over to Adams Family, and that's where we met. We were on the Adams Family tour shout out. And it's interesting because I also found myself being the only black person in this community. The Adams family, but it was wonderful. But I met Amanda, and I remember telling her, like, hey, I'm writing this dictionary, and this was a again another like bus time pastime. Yes. And to sit here with you now and to hold this book and also to support you and your beautiful wedding.

Shout out, Kristen. And also that beautiful baby, Frankie. It's just lovely to see the support and how much we have grown, but almost also how much this book has grown. So thank you for being here tonight and having been in conversation with me.

[22:39] chloe o. davis: Yes. So I have such clear memories of yes, we were on a bus, but Chloe would come up and she'd be like, okay. So what do you know this word to be? What does it mean to you? And we have all of these conversations over several months, and here we are. I think that was roughly like a decade ago.

[22:58] chloe o. davis: Yeah, and what I love about this. So the first Queen's English came out four years ago, five years ago.

[23:06] Amanda: 2020, February 2021.

[23:10] chloe o. davis: Okay, yes. So that's currently sitting on my bookshelf, easily accessible from my desk. And it's the type of thing that, you know, if I come across a word, I'm like, wait a minute, what does that one mean? Or I have a thought about something, it's there, it's accessible to me. And I'm learning new things every day. And I feel like all of us, whether you're in the queer community or you're not, it's a continues to be an evolution of terms, phrases, labels, all of that. And it can what I think is beautiful is it continues to evolve and re-evolve. So my labels are gonna change. And sometimes because sometimes I read the book, I'm like, oh, wait a minute. I was bisexual, but now I think I miss. And so it's a really beautiful thing that I think it can encapsulate all of that.

Now, we've got the Queen's English, which is special to me because as Chloe said, now I've got a almost five-year-old daughter, and she can't read yet, but she'll be able to read eventually. And I think it's a great way to, it's a great resource to have access to terms, meanings, thoughts, community. Like I it just it's community in a book.

[24:17] chloe o. davis: So what I would like to know from you is what was your thought process in deciding to write a young reader's version? What was the main catalyst for you?

[24:29] chloe o. davis: Along the lines of what I explained about myself is that I needed a resource as my 20s. I needed a resource to help me navigate identity and what I was feeling and be supported in that, be empowered in that, because I didn't have those resources. And so I created that. And as I was creating the adult version, I already knew in the back of my mind I wanted a young reader's version. Now I had to convince my publishers. What happened was when the adult book came out, I had so many parents asking me, is this appropriate for my 10-year-old? And I'm like, ooh. Maybe not. However, there are terms that you can read together. Maybe you just we need to read it together so you can skip over those that are not appropriate.

Because on the adult version, it really dives into all parts of who we are because our attraction is also important for us to let me go back. What is identity, right? We say our base base, of course, we can say your sexual anatomy, like what the doctor assigned you as. And you can say A F A B, A M A B, I'm saying so AIA B. Do we know these terms? I'll read from these a little later, but assign female at birth, assign male at birth, assign intersex ever. So the doctor can assign those things. However, that's our sexual anatomy that doesn't necessarily have to correlate with our gender identity. That's what goes up here as I'm pointing to my head because it's who we believe ourselves to be, and that could be so many things.

That could be big gender, that can be gender fluid, that can be flux, that can be cisgender, that can be transgender, so many identities, right? Then you have your attraction, and that is so many things. That's romantic attraction, right? I said I was I said I was bi-romantic, meaning I'm romantically attracted to more than one gender, and I'm also bisexual, so that's my physical attraction. I am physically attracted to more than one gender. But then you also have not just your romantic or physical attraction, but you also have your like relationship attraction. I talked about I do feel like I'm sitting on the monogamous side now, but I have explored poly. But these are also relationship attractions, right?

That we don't always address, but that's part of us. And then we also we have our gender expression. And I talked a little bit about mine being like thin, yes, because it feels like that. But sometimes I like to be androgynous. I really love is it time already? I know. I feel like we're my matcha is ready. No, but sometimes I enjoy this androgynous feel, and so that's my gender expression. Now, the this is just base, right? And I'm talking to adults here because everybody's here, I believe we're all we're adults, or sometimes, and that's a lot of information, but not to also talk about or let's also talk about the other layers of like our race, and let's talk about the layer of our language, first language.

Let's talk about are we first generation, second generation immigration, like all of the things that's also part of identity. That's a big mouthful. And I want I wanted our young people to dive into who they are, their identity, and be celebrated about having that intersectionality. Like I wanted them to be celebrated, not told you can't, just to celebrate, just to have this focus of understanding that we are so unique, and as we explore who we are, let's celebrate that, let's empower that. It is okay to feel like you don't fit in this box of being male or female, that it's okay to be non-binary, it's okay to be gender flux where you feel like you're a little bit of this and a little bit of that, and it's okay for that.

And so I really wanted to create the young reader's version so they had accessibility to take a book, read it by themselves in their little corner, with their little matcha or hot chocolate or whatever they want to do.

[28:24] chloe o. davis: They're so advanced right now. They are so advanced, right? No, but and I'm gonna read something, but for them to have access, complete access, and to be for them to be taught and celebrated, and not sometimes youth they're scolded for asking questions because of their curiosity. And I don't think that's fair. I feel like they're in a place where they need to learn and questions are good. And so let's ask a hard question even about coming out. And I'm gonna read actually a section because I love this. I was able to interview some youth, some fourth graders, some fifth graders, some seventh graders, third graders, and they're just so smart. They're just so smart, and they just they I think sometimes we have to take the back seat to them when we're talking about gender identity and expression.

We need to learn from them. So this is I'm gonna show you. So the book is really colorful. We'll talk about the illustrations and colors a little later. But let's talk about coming out one on one. Okay, accept the most authentic you and the LGBTQI plus community coming out is a phrase most commonly used in reference to a person sharing their sexual orientation, romantic orientation, gender expression, or gender identity with the world. It is a part of a personal journey towards self love, self acceptance, and living authentically. Coming out can happen on your own terms and at your own pace. It's never too early or too late to come out. Sometimes it's even better to think that you're not coming out, but coming into the most amazing self, right?

Telling someone, especially your family or loved ones, that you are LGBTQI plus is a big step and can sometimes feel scary. For some encouragement, a few young friends share their best coming out or coming into your self-advice. Coming out is hard, but when you come out, you should surround yourself with people who love you no matter what. So when you come out, nothing should change. You should and they should love you then no matter what. And that's Lexi, she, her fifth grader. Gender expression is like how you express yourself, like with your clothes, with your hair, or with your makeup and stuff. Your gender expression doesn't have to match your gender identity. And sometimes your gender expression could be maybe giving off the vibe that you're masculine when actually you're you identify as a girl or the other around.

Just be yourself. This is Athena, she they Z pronouns fifth grader. Sit out of a bottle, uh water bottle that says I'm gay. Ha ha, just joking. But you could do that if you wanted. Whenever you're ready to whenever you feel ready and comfortable, you can come out whenever you want. You're free to be whatever. It's your choice. And that's Dante, he him sixth grader. There are a bunch of people that support you, and you don't have to be scared to come out. Don't be afraid to be yourself because you are who you are, and you really can't change that. That's Daisy, they them, fourth grader. Coming out can feel weird because you are sharing a special part of yourself and you are making yourself vulnerable.

But remember, you are not alone. Millions of other people have done this too. So it's not just you. Other people have tried to come out and felt the same awkward thing that you've been feeling. You're not alone. Daniel, he they, fourth grader. Do you do you know what do you hear what I'm saying? Are we adults taking note? Okay, just saying because I am. Okay. Sometimes people will put you in a box and think you are one gender based on how you look. They will think you are automatically a boy or girl because of how you dress and look. Not everyone is going to understand that you are non-binary. Still be yourself. Find people who can relate to you and know who you are, even who you want to be, and then they'll support you.

This is Emerson, she they fifth grader. I'm not forcing you to do it right now, but don't ever be ashamed of it. If you don't really want to say it, you can give them hints or something. You can wear types of things that relate to you and your sexual orientation and what you identify as. That's Maya, she her seventh grader. And then it goes on to say, are you interested in reading books about LGBTQI plus youth experiences? Here's a list of books that you may enjoy to find helpful tips to assist you on your journey with exploring your gender identity and sexual orientation. And some, I'm not gonna read all, but some that are represented here are All Boys Aren't Blue, The Art of Being Normal, As the Crow Flies, Bodies Are Cool, Melissa, George, If You Were a Girl, and others.

So I love this section, and this is many are in this whole book, and I call them interstitial sections where it breaks up just the terminology, but it goes into the who, what, where, when, and why of the queer community. It gives lessons. Some others that we have is the history of gays in the military. We talk about HIV and AIDS crisis, and the history of that. We talk about how to tuck in mind amongst others. But oh, we even talk about the lesbian spectrum, and we also talk about the animal kingdom. All is included in here. But I just wanted to say that the reason why I created this young reader's version is because I just want, I just want everyone to have an opportunity to start young and feel affirmative with who you are.

A lot of times we don't get to feel that until we're adults. And I'm not saying that's too late, but it's never too late. But what would it feel like as a young person, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, to be told, oh, you're perfect just the way you are? Like, what kind of adults are you gonna create when you have that type of affirmation? And that's what I wanted to do with the book. Yeah. And let's just take a moment to celebrate the progress. Because I'm gonna guess that most of us here, when I was in high school, there were maybe there were a handful of people who were out of the closet. All right. But nowadays, you're walking into a middle school, and kids know they are they're identifying as all sorts of different gender identities, like thinking about sexuality, all of it, and they get it.

And any if somebody decides that they're going to be she, her one day, and they them tomorrow, they can turn it on a dime. It's us, and I want to say the great joke that like if you can't turn it on a dime, it just means you're old. And it's so true. Because the games of today, like they get it, it is seamless, they're not even thinking about it. And that I think is progress. And I think a book like this is only going to help empower the youth, whether they decide that they're that they feel like they are queer or whether they're straight, whatever it is, this is gonna help to empower them. And you talked a little bit about representation, and yes, that's seeing it in on television and in film, but it's also being able to go to a book and say, Oh, that's me.

I literally had that feeling today where I was like, Oh, I had never heard the term. I always like to play this game with Chloe when we do this. I'm like, so I found a new term today. And so there was a term called girl fag. I had never heard it. And essentially, hang on, let me, I don't I don't want to, yeah. Let me read, let me read it. I don't want to misquote anything. Hold on. Where did it go? As long as I can oh I know how the alphabet works. If you find a thing. Girl fag. Okay, noun. A cisgender girl who is attracted to a gay guy. Quote, Cliff, I have a girl fag. Morris, shut up. No, you don't. Cliff, I do. Johanna told me at lunch, Cliff, I know you're gay, but I want to be your girlfriend so bad.

Morris, I'm screaming. So then it says, You want more info, think. This is how this is how the book works. I love how it's all broken down. Think a straight girl crushing on a gay boy. And the usage note is this term originated in the gay male community. The term fag originated as a derogatory slur for gay men, but has since been reclaimed by some of the LGBTQIA plus community. Me too. Me too. Me too. LGBTQIA plus, boom, just do it fast. It may still have negative connotations for some people. Please be aware that this term can be considered mature. So I'm sitting there thinking about girl fag. And that's not how I feel now. Don't worry, honey. I don't want you to think I'm coming out as straight today.

But I will say that I've had a lot of conversations with lesbians who all talked about the fact that at some time we were all we were often attracted to gay men, and it makes a lot of sense. Because gay men, I always say my first male crush was on a man who is now gay, we're still very good friends, but he was so nice to me, and we shared a lot, we loved a lot of the same things, and then I had a conversation with 300 lesbians, and they're like, Oh, yeah, I was in love with a longary list of gay men. And so I was like, it's a thing. It is a thing. Girl fags may very well evolve into lesbians. Not all of them, but some of them or elky lesbian potential. And this happens a lot. I definitely read YA, so I feel like uh the young reader's version of Queen's English works well for me too.

Because I really I enjoy the pictures. I love that. I want to talk about first of all, you everyone understands why Amanda needs to just be a conversation partner and read about the book because she's absolutely hilarious. But what I love about the book is and why you said like the book can be for anyone, even though it's for the young readers, but it's broken down to a very understandable, simple, simply digestible form where we're learning information and it has to be fun. I said if I was gonna geek out and be a lexicographer, then let me at least be creative about it. But I love what you read. So the dictionary is broken down in different sections, right? So you have your term of course, you have your part of speech, absolutely.

And you have definitions for because you have to understand that as I was doing research, every each word has like etymology to it, right? So one time it meant this, another time it meant this to this generation, it went this. Let's even talk about queer. Like it means this to this generation, it means this generation, it means this is a generation. So I think it was only it had it was very imperative that I included everyone's experiences. Of course, I find the nucleus of what this word meant, but let me include these experiences, and so that's why there could be more than one definition. Our world is not black and white, it's very colorful, as you see the front of the book. But then also what is interesting is showing how the word is used.

And I love the giggles when we had how the word world fab was being used. And that was really important to me. It was important to me to be able to show the nuance and the vibrancy of the communities that created this word, because we're just funny. We're funny, we're witty, we're shady, all the things, but we're just colorful, and that's also how we learn when we understand how the word is being used, and also where we're honoring and appreciating a word and the community that uses it and not appropriating it. You know what I mean? So that was really important for me to have that type of color, and also patting myself on the back that I do have a little comedic flair in me when my writing and then the other part having think want more info, think it was just a simple way of saying this is the synonym, right?

If we wanted to have a quick relationship to say, oh, this word to this synonym that's relatable, that's important. So that's why you have what more info think. And then the other part, like I said, there's usage note. Usage note gives more information to say where this term comes from, because we have to honor where terms come from, where they originated from, and also where they're commonly used. That is the staple to say, no, this language, this lexicon is important, right? And now it's in a book to say, yes, it's academic, it's quotable, New York Times has it down, you know what I mean? Yes, we can reference these words and honor the communities that created it because you have to remember, like we weren't given a platform to say our words are ours.

So I think that's important with the usage notes to say where words come from, but also to show when a word can feel derogatory by some members of the community and when a word can feel pejorative or when a word actually can be very empowering because it has been reappropriated. That's important. And so I wanted to mention those things in the dictionary. And the other component that I don't think girl fag habit, but there's another component that's in the dictionary called we have and oh usage, we have digital. So digino really talks about the etymology of a word or how it's been used now, or just more information surrounding the word and the community and of where the word comes from. But it's a dictionary, but it's like an encyclopedia, but it's also kind of Google, but in a book, you know what I mean?

I tried to go hard. But thank you for reading that and sharing that. And I also second you finding words that connect with you. There's my goal was to when this dictionary came out, I wanted to. I started with one, I said no, dream bigger, two. So I said I wanted at least two words. Like everyone in here should be able to relate with at least two words in this book. So that means that this is a book for everyone. Because if we can relate with two at least two, then it's for you. So I appreciate that. Yes. And it's also an excellent reminder because we talk about words that feel derogatory to some, and other people feel like they are reclaiming them, and they feel empowered by the use. Dyke I can think of as one bag is another, but it's an excellent reminder to just you can never make assumptions about how someone in the community is going to receive that word.

And it's always a good idea to ask and make sure this is how I feel comfortable being referred to. This is my identity. Call me a dyke today if you want to. It's okay. I want gonna cringe. Um speaking of a dyke, okay. Speaking of it, no, I do want I want to celebrate words, but I also want to educate, right? So there have been words that that have some that can be controversial, particularly within our community and just in general. Words like dyke, words like fag, even the word like queer, right?

[42:27] chloe o. davis: Yes, these words at times were used with malice, were considered derogatory, but over time have been reappropriated by some members of the community to say we're taking back what is ours.

[42:41] chloe o. davis: So I actually want to just read "dyke" and I want to read some other words that are associated with dyke, and we can learn the etymology of dyke.

[42:49] chloe o. davis: Okay. Dyke. Now, a lesbian, bisexual or queer, female, a masculine, aggressive lesbian, bisexual or queer girl or woman.

[43:00] chloe o. davis: Related dikey adjectives, see also bull dagger, the lesbian spectrum.

[43:06] chloe o. davis: On yes, so it also the canary can say, hey, it's like a map. Try here.

[43:11] chloe o. davis: But see, also it says see bull dagger, the lesbian spectrum on age 255.

[43:16] chloe o. davis: Usage. This is the example. When we use the word dyke in the lesbian community, most of the time it's okay.

[43:24] chloe o. davis: But if we use the word and you're not a lesbian, then there is a big problem.

[43:29] chloe o. davis: Want more info? Think a lesbian.

[43:31] chloe o. davis: Usage note. This term was once a slur for butch women and lesbians, but has been reclaimed by some of the LGBTQ plus community.

[43:40] chloe o. davis: It may still have negative connotations for some people.

[43:43] chloe o. davis: Please be aware that this term can be considered mature.

[43:47] chloe o. davis: Did you know bull dyke or dyke, traditionally meaning butch lesbian, dates back to as early as the 1920s?

[43:57] chloe o. davis: Later became a slur directed towards masculine lesbians, but has since been reappropriated by many members of the lesbian community as an empowering descriptor for queer women or gender non-conforming people who are typically attracted to women.

[44:11] chloe o. davis: And a little bit more about dyke or bull dagger or bull dyke. It actually is a word that is over a century years old.

[44:19] chloe o. davis: It started in the Harlem Renaissance, when black women who were attracted to women, or black women who just had a masculine flair, were bull dykes or bull daggers.

[44:30] chloe o. davis: And some people who use this word with true empowerment were Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey.

[44:36] chloe o. davis: So just a little history on that. And that's also things that are included in the dictionary.

[44:40] chloe o. davis: So we just get a full scope of the word. And of course, if we ever want to go down the rabbit hole, there's ways to do that.

[44:47] chloe o. davis: Whether we see another word that's connected to it, or whether we can just kind of find more history and learn more about the Harlem Renaissance.

[44:54] chloe o. davis: Other words that came from the Harlem Renaissance, which is also an interstitial in the dictionary in the life, in the closet, reefa, hype, like these words came from the Harlem Renaissance.

[45:04] chloe o. davis: So it's just interesting again, learning the etymology of a word. Even how it now there's words called dycon, noun, a woman usually gay, but not always, who is considered an icon within the lesbian community.

[45:17] chloe o. davis: Okay, who throw out some dycons. I know you know them. Come on, throw them out.

[45:22] chloe o. davis: Dycoms? Dycon. And they don't have to be, they don't have to be lesbian.

[45:27] chloe o. davis: Oh. But they can but they absolutely have to support the lesbian community.

[45:31] chloe o. davis: They have to support the West would be basically one more info. Think queer or queer-friendly women who are game changers.

[45:38] chloe o. davis: Who's that? Throw them out. Throw them out.

[45:40] chloe o. davis: Yeah, who's that one? A dykecon?

[45:42] chloe o. davis: Anybody? Dyikon.

[45:44] chloe o. davis: Like, I would say you said one too.

[45:49] chloe o. davis: How about Sarah Paulson?

[45:50] chloe o. davis: Sarah Paulson. Come on.

[45:53] chloe o. davis: Who said Holland Taylor?

[45:54] chloe o. davis: And Holland Taylor, both dycons.

[45:57] chloe o. davis: That's a power dycon double right there.

[45:59] chloe o. davis: Leah Delaria.

[46:00] chloe o. davis: Yeah.

[46:01] chloe o. davis: Kate Blanchett.

[46:01] chloe o. davis: Kate Lynch.

[46:02] chloe o. davis: Yes.

[46:03] chloe o. davis: Yeah.

[46:04] chloe o. davis: Madonna.

[46:05] chloe o. davis: Oh, Madonna, Sandra Bernhard, yeah.

[46:09] chloe o. davis: Hannah Waddingham.

[46:11] chloe o. davis: Yes.

[46:11] chloe o. davis: What about what about some straight women supporting?

[46:17] chloe o. davis: Straight up about that.

[46:20] chloe o. davis: I think Kate Blanchett's kind of wizard.

[46:22] chloe o. davis: Yeah, I need the blue too.

[46:24] chloe o. davis: I was trying to do some other ones.

[46:25] chloe o. davis: I was trying to do Oprah and but there's so many words.

[46:31] chloe o. davis: And what about Dykes on Bikes?

[46:33] chloe o. davis: That's a motorcycle club that actually is about empowering this identity of women who are masculine, but empowering that.

[46:41] chloe o. davis: And they were actually founded during the first San Francisco Pride Parade.

[46:46] chloe o. davis: So they really empowered the word and reappropriated it to bring this celebratory feel to it.

[46:52] chloe o. davis: So yeah, so these are ways that over time the community has reappropriated a word to make it feel empowering and celebrating.

[46:59] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yeah.

[47:00] chloe o. davis: My all right. So my next question, and I guess this is gonna get we're gonna get a little serious here.

[47:07] chloe o. davis: Is what do you think the significance is of releasing the book in 2024?

[47:14] chloe o. davis: Given all of the anti-LGBTQIA plus rhetoric, the limits on expression, on speech.

[47:20] chloe o. davis: What is the significance and the impact of the book coming out now?

[47:25] chloe o. davis: Yeah, if I wrote this book honestly to really encourage conversations around diversity, inclusivity, intersectionality, and diving into hard conversations around identity, that's why I wrote it because I want us to have conversations.

[47:25] chloe o. davis: I want us to pick up a book and say and look at something like, oh, AAPR, what does that mean?

[47:46] chloe o. davis: Or Latine, oh, what does that mean?

[47:47] chloe o. davis: Or gender flux, oh, what does that mean?

[47:50] chloe o. davis: Or transmasculine, what does that mean?

[47:52] chloe o. davis: Or blockers, what does that mean?

[47:55] chloe o. davis: I literally wrote this because I want us to have conversations about who we are and who the people around us are.

[48:04] chloe o. davis: And if I could just have conversations with all these politicians and community leaders and teachers and counselors and therapists and moms and dads and grandparents and caregivers and doctors and nurses, I would because it is about the people, and we are so different, but we are so the same.

[48:29] chloe o. davis: It is because of our differences that make us unique, this ever-evolving humanity, but it is our differences, and the more we know about our differences and learn about them and have conversations about them, then I feel like that's how humanity grows.

[48:46] chloe o. davis: And the large, I don't know, picture of how to answer this question.

[48:51] chloe o. davis: I think this book is an opportunity for us to dive into really understanding the spectrum of identity.

[48:57] chloe o. davis: We're constantly learning about ourselves.

[48:59] chloe o. davis: So if we're constantly learning about ourselves, I can only imagine what youth, what our youth is doing.

[49:04] chloe o. davis: We're in a different place now.

[49:06] chloe o. davis: We're in a different place.

[49:07] chloe o. davis: Like I grew up with a very binary scope of like bathrooms, right?

[49:12] chloe o. davis: Now we're growing up in places where we want gender neutrality or inclusivity.

[49:18] chloe o. davis: And I just I think that we just have to have conversations around our change.

[49:24] chloe o. davis: And the beautiful thing about a book, and more so words, words.

[49:29] chloe o. davis: We create words to help articulate our again, our values, our traditions, our beliefs, and who we are.

[49:33] chloe o. davis: And sometimes mainstream, more so with this dictionary, mainstream society didn't have words to really articulate that for, so we create our own.

[49:41] chloe o. davis: But then what it does is it shows a word shows our past, it tells us our present, and it's gonna tell us our future.

[49:49] chloe o. davis: And when we dive into these words, we're diving into stories, we're diving into people's relationship with themselves and with others.

[49:56] chloe o. davis: We're diving into when the world was not open to something, when the world was timid about something, when the world is receiving something.

[50:05] chloe o. davis: I feel like that's the word queer.

[50:07] chloe o. davis: We queer, there was a time where the world was like, no.

[50:10] chloe o. davis: There's a time where we're like, oh, and now there's time where yes, because now we don't really say LGBTQ plus.

[50:15] chloe o. davis: I love saying it.

[50:16] chloe o. davis: We say queer because, well, once upon a time, it was gay.

[50:19] chloe o. davis: Gay was this inclusive word that was representative of people who were not straight, but it doesn't work anymore.

[50:27] chloe o. davis: We just can't say gay.

[50:28] chloe o. davis: We have to queer is this all-catch phrase, this umbrella term that identifies someone who is non-cis-gender or non-heterosexual and or so.

[50:38] chloe o. davis: I think this book is powerful.

[50:39] chloe o. davis: I think it's timeless.

[50:41] chloe o. davis: I think it is a way for us to connect.

[50:45] chloe o. davis: That is why I wrote this book.

[50:46] chloe o. davis: I wanted us to connect.

[50:48] chloe o. davis: I wanted to connect, but I wanted us to connect.

[50:50] chloe o. davis: I want us to stand next to someone who looks completely different, whether it be race, whether it be body type, whether it be attraction, whether it be gender expression, gender identity, but we can look at each other and find our similarities.

[51:02] chloe o. davis: But we have that conversation because we have that openness.

[51:05] chloe o. davis: So I charge this platform in this book to help us connect.

[51:11] chloe o. davis: So that way we can figure out what the solutions are where everyone feels the idea of things being equitable, things being inclusive, things being focused on a particular group.

[51:28] chloe o. davis: I don't like to say marginalized all the time.

[51:30] chloe o. davis: A group that is underrepresented.

[51:32] chloe o. davis: How can we find representation for them?

[51:33] chloe o. davis: So I think that's what it is.

[51:35] chloe o. davis: It's just how can we connect?

[51:37] chloe o. davis: And I feel like the Queen's English is a beautiful way for us to connect.

[51:40] chloe o. davis: We can grow together.

[51:41] chloe o. davis: I feel like caregivers and children can grow together.

[51:45] chloe o. davis: I feel like teachers and students can grow together.

[51:47] chloe o. davis: I feel like grandparents and grandbabies can grow together.

[51:51] chloe o. davis: I feel different classes, upper class, lower class, middle class can grow together.

[51:56] chloe o. davis: So it is a platform for connection.

[51:59] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yeah.

[51:59] chloe o. davis: And when you were talking about you wish you could send a copy of this book to politicians, doctors.

[52:05] Mark-Eugene Garcia: But that's so true because I think so much.

[52:09] chloe o. davis: Hate is based in fear and the fear.

[52:11] chloe o. davis: If people don't like to, especially around conversations around pronouns and identity and sexuality, the folks who are might be outside of our community, they don't want to look stupid.

[52:23] chloe o. davis: And that is the that I that is the base I truly believe for everyone being like, what's this word now?

[52:28] chloe o. davis: And what is this term?

[52:29] chloe o. davis: And I don't understand it.

[52:30] chloe o. davis: And I'm like, if you would just take a moment to educate yourself and feel like you would you feel empowered to use some of these terms, I think it's gonna be fine.

[52:30] chloe o. davis: Yeah, and just ask somebody how they wanna how they would like to be identified.

[52:43] chloe o. davis: That's it.

[52:43] chloe o. davis: It's as simple as that and then every we can then celebrate all of those differences and similarities like you said there's definitely two words in here just I'm sure more dozens to describe everybody in this room yes I love that you're right and I love I also love doing I don't say DEI conversations anymore but again having conversations where we do dive into identity and the spectrum of identity and I love doing it for like corporate groups and yeah I love doing it for universities and colleges it's just great because that is the thing I think people fear being wrong yes but I want to say it's okay because that means you're learning yeah and we should always learn put our put ourselves in positions to learn and so I do want to talk about common pronouns one on one so this is also another interstitial so let's learn okay pronouns are personal identifiers that validate and support a person's gender identity the pronouns listed below are singular pronouns that refer to a single individual and I just want to throw this out here too it's a did you know fact later in the dictionary but they was the word of the year I think back in 2019.

[54:00] chloe o. davis: I think they was the word of the year just saying okay while this list is not exhaustive the pronouns below are commonly used to represent a range of gender identities including male female transgender queer gender queer gender fluid, non-binary, gender non-conforming, and other expressions.

[54:18] chloe o. davis: So a few, there's so many, but you have he they z a the they, Z, A, V, Fay, Tay.

[54:25] chloe o. davis: There's many more, but just a few physical characteristics may not always determine a person's pronouns.

[54:30] chloe o. davis: So it is best to respectfully ask someone pronouns when you are unsure.

[54:35] chloe o. davis: Do not feel ashamed to ask.

[54:37] chloe o. davis: Your thoughtfulness is appreciated.

[54:39] chloe o. davis: It is important to understand that many gender inclusive pronouns are used to limit binarism and other wide, sorry, and otherwise assuming someone's gender.

[54:49] chloe o. davis: It is not uncommon for a person to use more than one set of pronouns like she, they, or he, she, and or use neo-pronouns like ze or they to affirm their identity.

[55:01] chloe o. davis: Pronouns are powerful identifiers, and misgendering someone is problematic and taken very seriously.

[55:07] chloe o. davis: If you use the wrong pronoun to identify someone, offer a sincere apology, rush it off, and keep working on it until it becomes second nature.

[55:15] chloe o. davis: Let's all continue to encourage, learn, and celebrate the many ways human identity is expressed.

[55:20] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yes.

[55:21] chloe o. davis: So I just I love that because you're right when we talk about pronouns or even chosen names, right?

[55:27] chloe o. davis: Identity is ever evolving, and you can feel one way about yourself today, but then tomorrow, or even like a year later or three years later, it you're something different, and that is okay.

[55:38] chloe o. davis: And again, understanding the use of having more than one series of pronouns, right?

[55:44] chloe o. davis: So for instance, when we were reading the coming out, you had someone who is he, they, or she, they, and that's fine.

[55:51] chloe o. davis: That is validated, that is accepted, and that means that they use both.

[55:56] chloe o. davis: So it is okay to use both.

[55:57] chloe o. davis: Someone's oh no, I used the wrong one.

[56:00] chloe o. davis: It's okay.

[56:00] chloe o. davis: No, she, they, and not always, but a lot of times, what someone leads with, whether it's she, they, that means she is maybe the I don't want to say dominant, but maybe the most used, and that's okay, but they is also accepted.

[56:15] chloe o. davis: Or if someone uses they Z, right?

[56:19] chloe o. davis: And that first one is usually the one that is most often used.

[56:23] chloe o. davis: Not to say it's the primary, it's just most often used.

[56:26] chloe o. davis: So they would lead that way.

[56:27] chloe o. davis: And we talk about neo-pronouns.

[56:29] chloe o. davis: Neo pronouns are a set of pronouns that are starting to, they're new, neo new, right?

[56:35] chloe o. davis: Starting to be developed that are just not they.

[56:38] chloe o. davis: A lot of times people would associate someone who is non-binary or gender flux, gender fluid, gender queer, and just immediately assume they is the pronoun. And no, it doesn't have to be they. There are other ways to identify oneself. And then there's nouns of pronouns, which you want to learn more about that, grab the dictionary. But lane it just also shows how language is continuing to evolve. But we have to respect that though. I feel like sometimes we look at something and because it's unfamiliar to us, we dismiss it or we don't validate it. But we have to understand that we are learning. Just like we learned this iPhone, and we would learn how to use it over time. We can go back when we didn't have phones, but now we have we went from pages to cell phones to all of these things. We learned how to use it because of evolution. It is the same thing with identity and language. We will learn how to do it. You just have to be open to do that.

[57:33] chloe o. davis: Yeah. So I feel like we have touched on how the book works in terms of the definition, usage notes, the digital, and a lot of the interstitials. And what I love that I feel like the big difference between the original and the oh, that's my cheek sheet. Don't mind me. Um, but between the original Queen's English and the Young readers, is there's a lot more color and illustrations throughout the book. And so I do want to talk a little bit about your choice and how you used illustrations throughout the book because there's just so many. Let me see if I can find a better one. Let's see. Bobby S. You just had one open on your page. I should have used your page. Man, in general, um, here's some. This is a good one.

Yes. Oh, I love that one. Yep. Um, in general, both books are illustrated heavily. I it was just really important to have that representation where a picture is worth a thousand words. And definitely in the adult version, I worked with his name is Troy Lambert, he was my main illustrator, and then I also worked with Cassandra Fontine. I worked with Sinead Benjamin, I worked with Mark. So it's just I tried to work with individuals who also represented the scope of being LGBTQI Plus. That was very important to me. So some of those illustrations were also part of the young readers version. But I also have to say, shout out to this one was a little different because there were so many different illustrations and illustrators that were part of this process.

So many. And the designer, shout out to Danielle with Simon and Schuster, she was just so wonderful and really went and dived in to really bring and celebrate different illustrators and bring them to the book.

[59:23] chloe o. davis: So in the back of the dictionary, you actually have the illustration credits, and we have like over four pages of that because it was really important to just celebrate artists, and I really appreciate that. That was so that was a big difference. It's just there were more illustrators and illustrations in the dictionary because pictures are just beautiful, and it just shows the diversity of who we are. So the color. So I hand picked these colors. I'm an artist. What can I say? But yeah, the color scope was really important. Even the difference with each page has an example like a staple formula, and even using like the colors of our current pride flag was important. So everything was just really much handpicked.

Some colors you'll see accents, the pride flags. So pride flags are throughout the dictionary to really support the community at the back of the book. You actually see the diversity of pride flags. It's just the colors. We are colorful. We are vibrant community, and that was just really important to have that. So again, I said if I was gonna nerd out, I had to nerd out with creativity. What can I say?

[1:00:34] chloe o. davis: Yeah, so the illustrations, the color, that's what really brings it to life. My writing, yes, thank you. And thank you to the research process. I want to say a good 70% of this information was primaries from me sitting down with people having conversations for over 15 years to find out the truth of our community, and then of course, over time, we had more information online that I can use or in newspapers, magazines, etc. These are people's stories, and I think that's really important. So, how a lot of times how can I use the image of that person and bring it to the dictionary? So some things are literally images of people that I've talked to over time to do that. So I just love the illustrations.

They're just so beautiful. It's art. I said I wanted, I wanted a coffee table book, I wanted a book that was beautiful, I wanted a collage, and I feel like that's what was created. So I'm very excited. I have to shout out to Simon and Schuster for allowing me to have such autonomy over this book. That doesn't always happen with authors. I that's not been my experience. But I'm hearing that is not the experience. I was like, whoa, I'm blessed.

[1:01:47] chloe o. davis: So thank you. No, I just knew what I wanted. I knew what I wanted. I fought for what I wanted. I advocated for what I wanted. And even in the process, I was able to learn, but I was able to teach. I was able to say why we needed to have this type of representation, why I needed to see someone. I need to see, particularly with different illustrations, I needed to see all shades of brown and all hues, and I needed to see all abilities. I need to see body different body types. Like I need to see this. I need to see braces. I need to see glasses. I need to see all that because I needed to see representation because I needed our community to see that representation. So that is what this book is. It is my love letter.

It is stories of our community. And I'm just so honored that you all were here to listen tonight. And you all are listening on the podcast. I always like to say buy a book, gift a book because sometimes it's about accessibility, and the book is accessible, but sometimes we have to give it to the person or to the community or to the group. And so I always like to say buy a book, gift a book. It's really important that we continue to share the knowledge and also just celebrate a language that is so powerful and impactful and life-changing. So that's just my speed of thank you.

[1:03:04] chloe o. davis: And I guess I think the last time we were together, we have a peep up. Here I am tapping on the clock. But the last time we were together, I ended up buying books for four or five different families that I know, queer and straight. And both were like, I love this. And even if the kids aren't quite ready for it yet, they will be. And it's gonna help the parents have conversations and just talk about these things. That's it. Knowledge is power.

[1:03:30] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Do you want to take some? Do you want to do some QA?

[1:03:33] chloe o. davis: I would love to do some QA or Nate.

[1:03:36] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Oh, oh my gosh.

[1:03:38] chloe o. davis: You will get a bit of time.

[1:03:41] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yeah, Flowey during the signings.

[1:03:44] chloe o. davis: So if you have questions, we don't have time as part of the event as part of the podcast. You may have some time.

[1:03:52] chloe o. davis: That is blue. I will I will definitely close out. I would say again, buy book of the book, but also visit www.the queens with an s English.com or the queen's English US.com. The Queens’ English US.com because you have the books that you can navigate to purchase. There's also a UK version. So if you're on the UK, there's one for you. But there's also these wonderful videos that kind of dive into again the who, what, where, why, and how of the quick community and talking about language. So I think those are really excellent to look at. So I just want to say thank you so much to this wonderful bookstore, drama.

[1:04:34] chloe o. davis: Drama Bookshop. Come on, amazing. Thank you for celebrating books like this. Also, thank you for celebrating theater. It's just this beautiful thing that you all are doing. And thank you for having us platform for us to share our literature. Thank you.

[1:04:44] Mark-Eugene Garcia: And thank you.

[1:04:56] David Rigano: And we're back.

[1:04:58] Mark-Eugene Garcia: So informative.

[1:04:59] David Rigano: With a fresh new vocabulary.

[1:05:00] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yeah.

[1:05:01] David Rigano: Uh I just get the book. It's just it's so well written and so wonderfully perfect.

[1:05:10] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yeah. I just really enjoy it. And it I I think that it also lays things out in such a clear way that especially if you're someone who feels like there's suddenly so much more queer culture in the world that you are not familiar with. This makes it feel not overwhelming, not scary.

[1:05:29] David Rigano: Uh-huh.

[1:05:34] Mark-Eugene Garcia: It's just a very like friendly way to introduce you to parts of again a culture that you might be a part of or a culture that you might not be a part of. Not know anything about.

[1:05:45] David Rigano: Yeah. And I think it's important to know those differences.

[1:05:49] Mark-Eugene Garcia: And you can find yourself in this book. That's the thing is I think as a queer person, you could I have found myself in this book on multiple pages, on multiple labels, on multiple terms that just have as well, because these aren't str all of them strictly queer terms. They're some of it is terminology that is important to the queer community, but is but doesn't necessarily strictly apply.

[1:06:15] David Rigano: No, we're all so different, and we're all just I mean, I think this is what I was saying to you before that I would think about I have a couple of lesbian friends in particular who I can think of who if we're walking down the street and and we're in the middle of a conversation, and maybe someone attractive walks by, both of us lose our train of thought. And I've thought for a long time, like there has to be a word for that, and unfortunately, there is, and I've forgotten what it is, and I was trying to look for it in the book, and I didn't have the time to find it before we started recording this. But what is the word for that when like when a straight man and a gay woman are attract have the same outward attraction?

[1:07:01] chloe o. davis: We talked about homosexuality being attraction as it relates to your own gender.

[1:07:06] David Rigano: Uh-huh.

[1:07:07] chloe o. davis: But what are the words for attraction as it relates to the other person's gender or gender presentation?

[1:07:14] Mark-Eugene Garcia: And so that's why this book delves into things that it like if you're just talking about being attracted to feminine people, feminine presenting people, then that is going to apply to some gay women, and that is going to apply to some straight men.

[1:07:33] Totally.

[1:07:34] David Rigano: Yeah, it's it also could apply to some gay men.

[1:07:37] chloe o. davis: Yes.

[1:07:37] David Rigano: It really there's a lot more nuance in the world than we think there is.

[1:07:42] chloe o. davis: And I think also growing up, I didn't know that either, and that's coming as a queer person. So seeing that now, it just it opened my eye. And I hope it continues to do that for others too. It's a way of looking into the past, but also looking into the future.

[1:07:56] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Another way to look into the future, David?

[1:07:58] David Rigano: Tarot cards.

[1:08:00] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yes, tarot cards.

[1:08:03] David Rigano: And we have a pretty that was this is so cheesy. In an episode where we're talking about such things, like that was so cheesy.

[1:08:09] Mark-Eugene Garcia: I know I did I couldn't think of another segue.

[1:08:11] David Rigano: But we have a pretty cool tarot deck.

[1:08:14] Mark-Eugene Garcia: We do here.

[1:08:14] David Rigano: And this was another example of someone coming into the store and going, I made this and I think you should carry it.

[1:08:20] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yeah.

[1:08:20] David Rigano: And us looking at it and going to the case. Oh my god, yes.

[1:08:23] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yes.

[1:08:23] David Rigano: Yes.

[1:08:23] Mark-Eugene Garcia: And also just the fact that they another thing that just flies off the shelves.

[1:08:27] David Rigano: Yeah.

[1:08:27] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yeah. It's hard to keep this.

[1:08:29] David Rigano: Especially if you're in the store.

[1:08:30] Mark-Eugene Garcia: There is literally one left that I'm holding here.

[1:08:34] David Rigano: And that's the Al Hirschfeld Broadway tarot deck.

[1:08:38] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yeah.

[1:08:39] David Rigano: And that was it was a fun, unique event with an actual tarot reading with one of the first staff with Sloth.

[1:08:44] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yeah.

[1:08:44] David Rigano: Yeah.

[1:08:45] Mark-Eugene Garcia: And a tarot reading for the entire assembled audience.

[1:08:50] David Rigano: Yes.

[1:08:50] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yes.

[1:08:51] David Rigano: It was.

[1:08:52] Mark-Eugene Garcia: I don't want to say magical because it's not the right word for it, but it was a mystical.

[1:08:56] David Rigano: Yes.

[1:08:56] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Nice.

[1:08:57] David Rigano: Magical, mystical miracle.

[1:09:00] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Is it true?

[1:09:01] David Rigano: Bedazzled.

[1:09:02] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Can it be?

[1:09:02] David Rigano: Bewildered.

[1:09:04] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Things are impossibly lyrical.

[1:09:04] David Rigano: You're going Lorence Hart, I'm going Stevens on time.

[1:09:07] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Bewitched.

[1:09:09] David Rigano: Bejeweled.

[1:09:11] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Yes.

[1:09:12] David Rigano: Beguiled.

[1:09:13] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Bobbles, Bangles, and Beads.

[1:09:15] David Rigano: Now that's Kismet.

[1:09:16] Mark-Eugene Garcia: That's and this is I don't know if you can tell, but it's late.

[1:09:24] David Rigano: We're recording this one late.

[1:09:25] Mark-Eugene Garcia: This is the last one that we have to do for the day.

[1:09:28] David Rigano: Mark, you can keep this in or cut it out. I don't know.

[1:09:30] Mark-Eugene Garcia: I don't care.

[1:09:32] David Rigano: But join us in the next episode where we talk about the creation of and get a reading from the Hirschfeld Broadway tarot deck.

[1:09:43] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Absolutely.

[1:09:43] David Rigano: It's going to be a fun episode.

[1:09:45] Mark-Eugene Garcia: It'll be the first of another marathon of episodes that we recorded once.

[1:09:49] David Rigano: I think we should bring wine next time.

[1:09:52] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Oh sure.

[1:09:53] David Rigano: Progressively wind.

[1:09:55] Mark-Eugene Garcia: No, it was a very fun episode, and I'm excited to share it with you.

[1:09:59] David Rigano: And we will soon.

[1:10:01] Mark-Eugene Garcia: So remember, follow us on Instagram at Drama Book Show Podcast.

[1:10:04] David Rigano: Please subscribe to the drama bookshop on Eventbrite so that you can be alerted whenever we add live events to our calendar.

[1:10:11] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Leave us some Instagram comments.

[1:10:12] David Rigano: Leave us some ratings.

[1:10:13] Mark-Eugene Garcia: Leave us some stars or some reviews.

[1:10:16] David Rigano: We love to read it and it helps get us seen.

[1:10:19] Mark-Eugene Garcia: And remember, all the books that we talk about can be found here at the bookshop.

[1:10:23] David Rigano: And so can we.

[1:10:24] Mark-Eugene Garcia: And we will see you at the bookshop.