Howdy yâall,
My name is Nolan Parker, Iâm the new-ish music editor at the Mercury, and Iâm an absolute faggotâwelcome to the 2025 Queer Guide!
Queerness is expansive beyond comprehension, literallyâthere arenât enough letters in all the alphabets combined able to describe our existence. Weâre involved in every facet of every society, whether youâre aware of it or not (youâve met a trans person, I promise). You name it, weâve made it better, funnier, more fabulous. If I had a choice, Iâd be more queer.
But itâs not all Drag Race and âPink Pony Clubââitâs actually rarely that. There are real targets on our backs that have only been brought into sharper focus under the current US administration. Itâs fucking devastating seeing our trans siblings lose their rights while unchecked violence (gun and otherwise) eternally stalks homos wherever we go. Actual genocide is here, actual fascism is here.
Itâs these, along with myriad other omnipresent dangers that helped reveal the theme of this yearâs Queer Guide as âBe Gay, Do _____.â Be gay, do community! Be gay, build networks of care! Be gay, free Palestine!Â
The theme is lifted from Be Gay, Do Crime by the Mary Nardini Gang, a group dedicated to the teachings of Italian anarchist Mary Nardini. The short text of radical queer ideology insists upon the here and now: We take care of us because we know us; we know what we want and need. Itâs up to you and meâright nowâto envision the realities (plural) we want to live in, then put ourselves in those realities, and build them for ourselves, with ourselves.
We canât control those who jump to poor faith conclusions when we talk about crime. If youâre reading this honestly, youâre willing to entertain the idea that crime is defined by those in power, and when the law is against you, it affects your view of crime and criminality.
At the same time, while the historic and present trauma inflicted upon us and our friends is a source of queer grief, queerness is also a deep well of joy and connectedness and understanding and love. We fucking ruleâand because weâre queers, everything we do is queer! Be gay, do your math homework. Be gay, do it. Be gay, do whatever nourishes you,
gives you energy, and a sense of self. If itâs starting a garden, start a garden! If itâs going to a Sniffies orgy, do that! Be gay, do _____!
The Mercury's Queer Guide 2025 has it all: Trashy gay gossip, suicide hotlines, a gay city guide by she/her about town Jenna Fletcher, femme vogue classes, the anticipatory Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a centerfold of queer Portland happenings, a queer mixtape, rockhounding with backroads legend Alison Jean Cole, queer books in NOPO, and more!
The back of the issue is especially slay featuring horoscopes by Kenzie Ballew, a comix guide to zero proof Portland by Shay Merk, and a coloring page by local art alchemist Samuel Fancy featuring local musical alchemist Nonbinary Girlfriend.
Read it alone, read it in community, read it at the orgy! However you read it, I hope you enjoy it.
Boots the house all the way down mama,
Nolan
