Content Warnings: Explicit Language, Phallic Imagery, Discussion of Landlords & Housing Insecurity Introduction Twice a month, I host a shibari rope jam in my apartment. Shibari “I could go into the origins of rope bondage in the history of feudal Japan and the way it transformed through the ages by way of the theatre into what we know today as...
How Burns’ Supper Sparks Joy by Revitalizing Lost Language and Strengthening Community **The lyrics to Auld Lang Syne were written by Robert Burns, and it is noted as Scotland’s unofficial anthem. Many a Scot knows this off by heart, and the swell of the music brings a comforting sense of joy and national pride. Allow it to play as you...
Vancouver Kurds utilize ‘joy as resistance’ through unique ethnic symbols present during Kurdish Newroz. These symbols challenge culture erasure from colonial powers of Iran and Turkey while also strengthening the communal joy of local Kurds.
The BIPOC Reading Buddies program at the Vancouver Black Library strives to resist racist systems, celebrate marginalized identities, and cultivate joy as a form of resistance for Black children.
Drag performance can be mobilized by Trans bodies to access joy. Each stage of Drag, from the conception of the Drag persona, getting ready, performance, afterparty, to the end of the night, helps Trans bodies navigate negative affects in different ways. Drag complicates what transition might look like and focuses instead on what it feels like. In this way, my essay seeks to create a non linear narrative, one that instead understands the dynamics of joy, fear, hope, and uncertainty that are present in the lives of Trans subjects, explored through Drag.
Spam prevention powered by Akismet