The Queerly portrait collection documents candid moments of joy, reflection, and resilience in the lives of over 300 LGBTQIA+ people in Maine. What originated as a passion project to address social isolation during the peak of COVID quarantine has since flourished into a robust collection of portraits archiving the lives of LGBTQIA+ people statewide. These are just some of the portraits taken since 2020. This collection is an ongoing project.
Jo, They/Them. queer, non-binary/trans. Former restaurant worker turned welder. . “I spent the majority of my industrial welding career as a boilermaker. There I found all the excitement, travel, adrenaline, accolades and money I had ever wanted. However, in the Spring of 2020 a veil was lifted, and I had to remove myself from the toxic environment I had so deeply embraced and adapted to. The racism, sexism and homophobia was rampant, and I suddenly realized how complacent I had become. I had taken on a mask of toxic masculinity as a survival mechanism, and not only that but I had subconsciously become a raging capitalist. When I left, I took time to heal. I began working on identifying how I had allowed myself to fall so deeply into this harmful culture. As I began studying my own racist and sexist tendencies, I was suddenly awakened to the fact that I had been able to blend in so easily because I myself identified as one of the boys, one of the straight white males who coasted through life with all the privilege in the world. And this was in fact how I discovered my transness. Eventually I came to the realization that the only way to make the trades a safe place would be to dilute the current demographic. People's Inclusive Welding was established with the hope of creating a new wave of tradespeople, one that does not participate in the gatekeeping and toxic behavior of the current skilled trades industry. I am so lucky to have found an amazing team to support me and my dream of creating an inclusive welding school in which ALL demographics of folks can feel safe. PIW is the program I wish I had had as a queer person. It's my reparation for the complacency I adopted, and it's my version of mutual aid to folks who want a leg up into a new career. It's a dream come true to see it come to fruition, and I can't wait to see where we go from here.”
René, She/Her . “I am a queer, black, indigenous, South African, activist who has been living on stolen Wabanki Land for 31 years. I serve as Founder and Lead consultant of Embodied Equity, a small local LLC and Healing Arts Center, founded in 2018. As well as Lead Designer for The Ensemble of Color, a local nonprofit theater and performance collective, found it in 2015. I have always been a standard in this community. Very ecstaticly in my Black Femme Queerness. I am a walking demonstration of self love, of joy, of freedom. I am changing the world every day by changing myself.”
Keith, He/Him . “I think a lot about self-care these days. Like, what does it look like to have a relationship with yourself that feels grounded, safe, and fulfilled? To call in those moments and spaces that create a deeper sense of connection with your truly lovable self? I wouldn't be able to share love without giving it first to myself. Is this a sign that I'm finally growing up, me asking these questions of myself? Who knows. I just know that someone close to me once said, ""growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional."" So yea, don't let the world snuff out that inner child and your desire to play. We all deserve a chance to play and be joyful. And anyone who says otherwise isn't invited to my next animal onesie themed birthday party."
Thai, She/Her . “I’m in a process right now in my life of learning that love doesn’t have to be punitive. Growing up I believed that love was the practice of becoming someone lovable. I then spent most of my life molding myself into as many versions of lovable as necessary, leaving me completely detached from who I actually was or what I wanted. Queer love, by nature, demands the opposite - it’s gentle, it’s curious, it’s fiercely understanding. Being in queer relationships have quite literally awakened me to another way of being, they’ve let me be messier and welcomed me being a person in-process, even when I contest. Queer people celebrate themselves in a way that no other community I know does. Being given the permission to celebrate myself too is mostly very scary, but it’s also the most exciting offering. Losing all sense of myself has now left me with the unique pleasure of getting to be curious about this thing called Thai from the beginning. I get to take myself on dates, I get to meet myself for the first time and ask as many questions as I want: What’s my favorite meal? What makes me nervous? How do I want to be loved?”
Marz, He/Him & Gabe, They/They. “We identify as platonic life partners! Different displays of love, healthy commitment, and chosen families are love languages of our generation that we really embrace. Becoming roommates at the beginning of quarantine really solidified the importance of creating intentional spaces for processing and healing. We’re so grateful to have our home, animals, each other and our extended queer bubble.“
Howard, He/Him. George, He/Him . “George, he/him, 77 & Howard, he/him, 81. Yin–Yang meets introvert–extrovert: cook–artist, scientist–jokester, dancer–tai chi practitioner, linguist–historian, New Orleans Italian–Western PA Jew. We met each other late in life, navigating our aging selves apart and then together—winked online in 2009, married since 2020. Each year we get closer to our truth as individuals and as a couple. George wants to create community through the synchronous movement of line dancing and preparing food at community meals; Howard wants to move a community emotionally through his collage art as well as his gay activism and knowledge of Jewish history. We move each other through love and devotion. The luck and privilege of our personal lives, and our many years as teachers, demand that we support equality and justice. We’re heartened by the current generations’ activism and commitment.”
Donovan they/them it/its, ask them! Donovan is a genderfluid disabled artist who has been exploring their relationship to their own queerness in many ways since their schooling days. They value being their authentic self and emphasize this in their forms of expression, from makeup, to fashion, to art. Bright colors, especially pink are among the favorites that fill an overflowing wardrobe, from pastels to goth pieces. For someone who considers themselves "genderhoarder" the ability to shapeshift in outward gender expression can be a very freeing and euphoric experience, allowing one to settle into feeling like oneself. Donovan is also particularly fond of exploring somewhat surreal artistry, finding interest in new mediums, bold colors, and sometimes difficult subjects. Art expression was perhaps Donovan's first love, and is a way for them to connect with the world, difficult emotions, big emotions, and more. Navigating the world as a queer disabled person of color can be a whirlwind sometimes, but finding the ability to be authentically themselves, and express themselves as fully as possible will always be Donovan's goal. They hope others can also find the ways that feel best for them to be as fully themselves as possible as well.
Arabella LaDessé . The Goddess with many names. descends in a blaze of high energy and divine drama. With beauty that commands attention and presence that radiates power, she brings more than performance; she brings transformation. Every movement, every glance, every word is a revelation, a reminder that divinity can wear heels, shimmer under stage lights, and roar with joy. Your Portland Princess and reigning New England Queen, Arabella The Goddess embodies Melaninated Magic in motion. When she steps on stage, she doesn’t just entertain she awakens. Step into her world and watch how your questions find answers, your spirit finds rhythm, and your night becomes unforgettable.
Nina, She/They . “To me being a Queer African is to reconnect to my roots. I laugh every now and then when I repeat this mantra: ‘’How amazing that the universe knew people of kinds would be here now’’. There’s a joy in knowing that I am who I am and that is a part of my identity as a person. No one is ever just one thing, let’s rejoice in the multitude of all that we are!”
Sosanya, She/Her. . “Hi! So I took a wicked long time to think of something to write about myself….self. self. Self! That's it! Talk about the self! Specifically, the journey to self love. To anyone reading this, I understand how absolutely downright challenging it is to deeply love yourself. You are not alone! And to those who have reached that steady and long-term point where you have loved yourself, I super admire you. Kudos to you! That mental and emotional work must have been chock full of so very many ups and downs and intense internal battles. And so, no matter where you are in your personal self-love journey, I hope you not only get there as painlessly as possible and live as authentically as possible, but also more importantly, I hope you enjoy that adventure that is your own beautiful life. Good luck in your journey to love yourself!"
Dakota, They/Them . “In the last five years, I have grown into my queerness immensely. I used to fear letting the world see me for who I was. Now, I am so comfortable in my skin. A lot has to do with transitioning and finding support within my friends, family, and community. It seemed to be getting better for a while, but now, with the current political climate, it’s a scary time. I’ve had many people come to me for advice about how to support trans people in their lives, and what I can tell you is to fight for them when no one else is, even if they can’t see you do it. Tell them you love them, often. As exhausting as it is to constantly fight for your place in the world, I am taking time to cultivate a life that I love to live. I want to be a role model for younger people to keep going, to prove that it does, in fact, get better. I want to create something that means something and that will last. Being queer or trans is not a choice, but if it were, I’d choose it in every lifetime. We are palpable and unmeasurable. We radiate a sacred joy.”
Chris (He/Him) & Kylie (She/Her) . Chris: “The Queer community in Portland has given me so much to be thankful for in the last handful of years. I’m not sure what version of myself I would be had I not landed here. Portland and it’s queer inhabitants have only encouraged the best parts of me and the authentic parts of me to grow. I’ve met some of the absolute best people & i’m lucky to call them my friends. I get to take these memories with me everywhere and i’m really really excited about that. Also- my girlfriend is a babe.” Kylie: “Portland has been a pivotal time place and time in my life. I’m now moving away after three years. I’ve met the most incredible people during my time here. People who’s friendship I’ll be able to take with me for the rest of my life. Many of these friends have already moved away from Portland themselves. For so many people Portland is just a stop in life, in between two phases, and maybe even a space between two lives. Portland will mark a great divide between two phases in my own life, and im so excited for what’s next as well as grateful for who I’m walking in to it with.”
"Sam, They/Them & Airynn, She/Her . “‘We are two hearts but with one beat. Two brains but with one thought. Two souls but with one… shoe.’ - Alfalfa”
Jess, They/Them & Courtney, They/Them. “We became best friends while living at the teen shelter 6 years ago, and now we’re organizers with Maine People’s Housing Coalition. MPHC’s mission is to decriminalize, destigmatize, and ultimately end homelessness through political action and mutual aid."" Jess and Courtney were both active organizers of the Encampment outside of Portland City Hall in 2020, and continue to tirelessly work toward our mission to this day."
Maya, Ey/They/She . “I'm very grateful for the chosen family and the community I have built here since moving to Maine almost six years ago at the time of these photos. I'm very grateful for my first poetry collection coming out via @gameoverbooks, Judas & Suicide. I'm very grateful for continuing to choose to stay alive. Thank you, Kyle, for these photos and for the chosen family and community you have built in this series. Thank you for taking my photos again. :) <3”
Isaiah, He/They . “My partner and I both grew up in Hawaiʻi and we’re often asked ‘Why would you ever leave Hawaiʻi move to Maine?’ It makes me a little sad because it often implies that Maine isn’t as nice. In the past couple of years, we’ve really fallen in love with Maine. The natural beauty of this place as well as the wonderful people we’ve been able to build connections with, many of whom we’ve met through various programs by Queerly ME, makes us grateful for what Maine has given us, there’s no need to compare it to anywhere else.”
Lydia, She/Her . “I’ve been asking myself a lot lately ‘What does it mean to be resilient - as an individual? As a community?’ A nature nerd at heart, my mind turns to ecology. What makes an ecosystem resilient? It answers: Habitat connectivity - reducing fragmentation to keep communities together. Strong biodiversity - celebrating every individual and recognizing the value in our different experiences and perspectives. Nutrient cycling and sharing - mutual aid in action. Adaptability and functional redundancy - remaining flexible, caring for ourselves and others, and stepping up when needed. I could continue with this biology lesson, but you get the idea. Resiliency isn’t just about surviving, it’s about interdependence, adaptability, and care. Leanne Betasamosake Simpson says, ‘Strong communities are born out of individuals being their best selves.’ But in difficult times, it can be hard to feel like our best selves. So if you’re feeling hopeless, alone, angry, or anxious, I encourage you to step outside. Wander by a river. Breathe in a forest. Hug a tree. Slow down and observe a bug, a bird, a chipmunk. Remind yourself that we are all connected, all growing, all part of a dynamic equilibrium that carries us forward not only towards survival, but resiliency. And if you need a walking buddy, let me know.”
Tessa (She/Her) and Kira (She/They) met the cliche modern way, with Tinder. They spend their time baking, gaming, traveling, and spending the days with their two cats, Ace and Juuj. While Tessa works overnights at an assisted living facility, her true passion lies in baking and sharing the joys of food with others. With Kira’s support and handiwork they’re hoping to open their own home bakery by the summer. If you asked Kira, she’d say the goods Tessa makes are worth sharing but if she could hoard them all she would.
Roenick, They/Them. "Hi all! My name is Roenick, most call me Roe. I use They/Them/His pronouns and these are my kitties! Blanket (brown tabby) and Brisket (orange tabby) @blanketnbrisket. I live here in portland and go to school at MECA and have for 4 years now. You can find some of my work @roesbud_studio on instagram. I am excited to exist in such a queer friendly city and to meet such lovely queer souls,, it’s just so delightful. I have had the opportunity to sell at queer makers markets in congress square and everyone I have met there has been marvelous. Especially other vendors, making those connections is so beautiful and fulfilling every single time. Alas!"
Chelsea, She/Her & Laura, She/Her . Chelsea: “I believe in taking risks, and that you can reinvent the path of your life- even though it’s scary to do it. My wife and I fell in love over 10 years ago- which made us change the paths we were on to create our new happy life! This spring I overcame my fears and created a plus size consignment boutique. I launched @artemisplussize, a resale shop/co-op where you can sell and buy affordable plus size thrift. The shop is going strong with diverse styles and celebrates all plus sized bodies! I’m really excited to grow on this new creative path!” Laura: “There is no discovery without risk and what you risk reveals what you value” - Jeanette Winterson"
Yusur, They/He . “I think fear right now is a survival instinct, for many of us. I fear for myself, and my sisters, and my parents, and my students and my trans siblings and the people who are told are illegal (as if that is a thing a person can be!). I fear for the people who are forced out of their homes, stripped out of their humanities overseas. I feel fear in my bones,and underneath my finger nails, and in the sobs that get caught in my throat. It’s ok if fear has been your companion too— squeeze its hand gently. Now, we need to utilize our fear. It is incredibly easy to feel submerged with panic, to barrel into cycles of ‘what ifs’, to be lost amidst what feels like a catastrophe. We need to stay informed. We will be dusting away the spiderwebs of hateful rhetoric. We need to recognize fear-mongering for what it is. Keep reading your books, keep researching to understand your rights, keep correcting people when they’re misinformed, keep educating yourself more, keep showing up for community. I love you, I hope you’re taking care of yourself.”
Teo, They/Them . “My way of interfacing with the penal system has been informal and highly individual. About 4 years ago I had decided to reach out to incarcerated folks as a penpal. I picked a few different folks across the country and just started writing. I maintained 3-6 penpal dynamics at a time, as folks are released, or unfortunately, on the occasion that they transfer and we lose touch due to mailroom mixups or address losses (which thankfully is the more rare option). I’ve had some of my favorite conversations around religious texts via 20 page written letters where you run out of paper before you run out of things to say. It’s also been interesting learning from incarcerated queer folks, how tender dynamics and self knowledge can arise in the cracks of facilities that are so innately hostile. Particularly, one friend’s experience who started Estrogen after she had been put on death row— our discussions around fear and self actualization have been deeply impactful on me.”
Evi, They/She. . “Things feel really scary these days. My meditation teacher recently compared our group to a herd of bison, just sharing space, grazing, swatting flies off our butts…but all with the collective awareness that we are within the safety of well-intentioned and openhearted company. As a queer & nonbinary parent to a toddler, being in community with other queer families has become a critical safety net. We also feel a bit like herd animals. Certainly, sharing resources, exchanging advice, offering tangible and intangible support — but often just mutually existing in the same physical space, eating snacks and marveling at the innocence of our kids. Listening to the news about the Southern California earthquake earlier this week, I learned that elephants bunch up and stand together, creating an ‘alert circle’— a response matriarch elephants display when they perceive a threat. My collective of queer families feels like my alert circle. Elephants unite under stress, and apparently, so do we.”
kef, She/Her . kef is an artist from Vernon, Connecticut, currently based in the city of Portland, Maine— attempting to navigate her existence as an Asian American trans artist. kef is interested in how sense of identity and relationships to the world are constructed through encountered ideas and representations. Her work engages with themes such as gender and performativity, personal relationships, and the violence of the Western and cisnormative male gaze. In kef's work she identifies with a reality of being rejected by a world, in search of solidarity and connecting with others who contend with a similar existence. kef works closely with the notion of intercorporeality- the ensembles of touch, connection, embodied intimacy, and identification that circulate between subjects. The subversion that her practice performs is not in the image or in the representation, but in the simple act of being able to be next to one another. kef currently has her series Remember That I Am Thy Creature on display at Cocktail Mary in Portland, as well as shirts through Loquat Shop. On Wednesdays you can find her defying God’s plan and overdosing on estrogen."
VIVA, she/her. “All I know for certain is that I have this moment, however long it lasts, and I have my values. After that, the rest comes naturally.”
Dax, He/Him . “I’m a social worker, I’m in recovery, I’m biracial, I’m gay, I make techno music, I’m a Pisces and my saving grace is Leo moon. I moved to Portland from boston about five years ago, to start over. My life was out of control, and I was finally ready to try something new. I’m very grateful for all of the wonderful people I’ve met here who’ve helped me along my way. Cancel culture is something that I have come to understand as poisonous. Having difficult, awkward, messy, in other words “honest” conversations is the only way out. When we can sit with one another and not leave till the conclusion. If love is not the conclusion, the work is not done.”
Alejandro, He/Him. Venezuelan. . “Although right now, very early 2025, I’m stepping steadily into my thirties, it wasn’t until June of 2023 when I was able to begin building what is my own family in Maine, thanks to people that have been willing to help me navigate around the vastness and complexities of the current world we live in. I am now a part of a community where I’m embraced for being exactly as I am, doing the things I love and loving the people I choose to love. Every path you choose to take or find yourself in comes with hardships of all sorts, people and things you can’t control, some problems will last for longer, some will soon disappear overnight, in these situations, my mom has taught me to always ‘be grateful of what I have and conscious of what I do’, ultimately meaning to acknowledge that I’m the only constant in every situation so I need to take care of myself and to face the present with gratitude, happiness and confidence. These paths also come with blessings, all of them, delight yourself in them. Smile, it will only get better from here.”
Ari, She/Her . “My name is Ari Leach and I am a second generation registered Maine Guide. I grew up on the coast of Maine in Blue Hill and attended Unity College for both my undergrad and graduate degrees. I hold a BS in Wildlife Biology with a minor in Botany, and an MPS in Sustainable Natural Resource Management, completing my thesis on the softshell clam and marine bait worm conflict dynamic here in Maine. I have been deeply connected to the outdoors and nature since childhood and have continued to seek out ways to engage with my surroundings and share my passions with others. When I'm not working as a marine biologist for the state of Maine or wearing my Maine Guide hat, you can find me with my eyes glued to the skies in search of birds, on my mountain bike trying out new trails, or on the water wetting a line in hopes of a wild fish fight. I love any activity that gets me outside and closer to nature. I am also passionate about wilderness survival and ancestral skills, maintaining a wilderness first responder certification for over a decade. My hope is that I can impart a bit of knowledge, curiosity, and sense of adventure to those who join me in the wild, creating space to explore and ask questions in a safe and encouraging setting. Nature is for all, and we are all of nature.”
Alyson, She/Her . “Did you know that mice can fit through a hole the size of a pencil eraser? Now you do! Hi, I’m a queer creative who lives in Portland. When I’m not teaching preschool art I am either making my own art or modeling for photographers and figure drawing classes. I love connecting with new people and making weird art in this strange world.”
Aquarius, They/Them . “Portland has been the site of deep transformations and catalysts that have formed me into the artist that I am. I continue to experience divine reflections of my place here, and how I can have an impact on the communities that shaped me. Being from Maine and having strong roots here, I have entered a season of harvest while simultaneously planting seeds for my future. I want to continue building creative & liberation based spaces in this state, especially for Black, Brown, Indigenous and Immigrant people, and I see this as a part of my life’s work. I returned to Maine in November 2024 after spending a majority of the previous 9 years in Mexico. That spiritual journey conditioned and prepared me for what is happening in the current moment, both personally and on a collective level. I came back to my home state to be in community, to build systems of care and reciprocity, and to be an example of how to live in possibility while holding multiple and sometimes conflicting truths. It is my purpose to be a builder of worlds, a bridge between all of the simultaneous transitions, deaths and rebirths we are experiencing collectively. I am here to do liberation work, culture building, healing artistry, and to develop creative capital for groups that have been marginalized and under-resourced – queer, trans, gender expansive people, and people of the Global Majority. Maine has long been known as a creative hub and a place where the arts are celebrated. I believe this is the time to use creativity to build the world we deserve, one that puts humanity first, and is based in regenerative values. So that we can move towards right relationship with ourselves, the land, history, nature, and each other.”
Gavia, They/Them . “I identify strongly as neuroqueer: my existence as a queer individual is intrinsically tied to my neurodivergence. As an autistic, non-binary, pansexual, polyamorous person, I exist outside of every box that society has attempted to place me within and I delight in finding community in the malleable in-between spaces. As queer people, the space we take up challenges societal views of what is, what should be, and what can be. My favorite autistic scholar, Robin Roscigno, said so perfectly that Queering is ‘the act of purposeful engagement with the non-normative… it is a form of political disruption, an exercise in radical visibility, and a subversion of state control.’ Our existence in the visible sphere demands recognition that any identity can be an infinite one. We all bring such beauty, diversity, and love to this world!”
Rebecca, She/Her . “When I was outed in high school in 1978, all of my friends stopped speaking to me. My discharge from the US Navy reads; ‘Reason for Separation - Homosexuality - Engaged in, attempted to engage in, or solicited another to engage in a homosexual act or acts.’ Now, in 2025, gay marriage is legal and my wife and I can live openly as lesbians. The cultural change in acceptance of Queer folks over the past forty years has been rapid and astonishing. At least it was, until the Republican party so successfully targeted our community to be the scapegoats used by every fascist regime to gain power. Although I am horrified about the direction in which our country is headed, I stand defiant. My mantra for the next four years and as long as it takes is, ‘Louder and prouder.’ We will not go back.”
Yusur. They/He.
Letta Dicken, She/Her . Letta Dicken is a plus size, up and coming Drag Queen entertainer in the Portland Area, representing all of the plus size beauties and showing that big is beautiful. Letta loves to inspire, bring joy and create meaningful and fun messages in her art and performances. As a pillar in the LGBTQIA+ community, she is proud to be out and support and advocate for her community; and continue to fight for equality and LGBTQIA+ rights. Letta was born and raised in Belfast, Maine and had her first Drag Performance in her senior year of high school in February of 2020. Over the past few years, Letta has cultivated an inclusive and vibrant drag community at the University of Southern Maine. Producing, hosting and performing in monthly drag shows with 10-14 regular USM Student Drag Performers and anywhere between 50-100 students in attendance. Letta even won 1st place at USM's 22nd Annual Royal Majesty Drag Show in 2022. She has restored and re-established USM's Queer Straight Alliance, after the pandemic had taken a big hit and temporarily ended many student organizations. Letta is on the QSA Student Board and helps run the organization for her second year in a row, still creating tons of queer programs and events at USM. She was also a resident assistant and was the RA for USMs residential LGBTQIA+ Floores and created queer programming for residential students before moving to the West End of Portland in April of 2023 to start her professional career as a Drag Queen!"
Ryn, She/They . “When things feel imbalanced, I go to the ocean. I watch the trees. My therapist says I should take myself out on dates, so I’ve been driving along the coast, stopping anywhere with a scenic view, and drinking bubbly water infused with hemp or CBD. I’m not sure if it calms me or if it’s placebo, but does it really matter? I just moved to Portland a month ago and I’m feeling grounded. I’m also learning how to skateboard so queer skaters wya.”
Francesca, She/They . “I’m a psychotherapist in private practice and I was diagnosed with Autism this year, which has been incredibly liberating. A lot of things make sense to me that didn’t before: why I had to hide in my closet in the dark while movers took away boxes from my last apartment; why I ate mostly plain pasta in childhood; why I had to wear leg braces for toe walking in preschool. And then the strengths: sitting in a room for hours extremely focused on art; the pattern recognition that makes me a good therapist today; my endless curiosity. It’s my favorite thing in the world to connect to fellow Autistic queer folks in and out of the container of therapy.”
Thomas Smallwood, He/They. “I have lived in Portland for almost 20 years and am blessed to be part of such a big beautiful community. My time here in Portland has gifted my the opportunity to wear many hats: nanny, bartender, performer, restaurant manager and drag queen. I’d say it’s the hat of friendship that’s the biggest blessing!”
Meg, She/They . Meg is a unique individual, and that is what queerness means to her: Individuality. Meg has always felt on the outskirts of groups, just different enough never to feel a sense of belonging. They were a single, intact being, separate from the group. Their neurospicy queerness was never fully accepted (internally or externally) until living abroad in Scotland, 23 years into their life. Here, she was surrounded by a new type of human, a confident, witty, and bold type who challenged her to become deeply in tune with themself. She came out in 2021 as bisexual, but that was just the start of their journey. Nuance and difference appeared as the days passed. She explored and experimented in the city of Scots, testing each label like a new jacket. It was hard but necessary. When it came time to move on, back to Maine and back to their home, they decided it was nearly impossible to identify with a singular “label” or “description”. She was confused and detached, from their friends, her community, and our place. It was around this time, in 2023, that they discovered an organization called Queerly ME. She found, while immersed in the woods with other “different” queer humans, that individuality didn’t need to be lonely or solitary. One could be Queer without being separate or isolated. In this gathering, she saw people complimenting one another. They lifted each other up, played to their strengths, and took what they needed, giving back what they could, individuality intact. It was magnificent and inspiring. She was not only surrounded by extra-ordinary humans, but she was one, fully themself. Nearly a year later, Meg’s confidence has grown and she decided she wanted to show it off, being authentically themself. Meg belongs in this community, in this city, in this state, and in this world, just as she is: A Queer, lady-adjacent, different, and wonderful individual.
Willow Pree, They/She/He. “I'm a solitary queer house witch and spiritual seeker. Cleaning is my favorite form of magic, because it yields such tangible results both physically, emotionally, and mentally. Cultivating peace is my life's work. If I have one hope it's to help others return to themselves, and find strength in the beauty and richness of their own soul's journey. The world needs our truth and we need each other's love and care to come back to it.”
Emily, She/Her. Over the span of three years, Emily has made friends with her herd of friendly goats, caring for them in rotation with a group of invested friends while producing milks and cheeses, rearing cycles of goat kids, and simply enjoying the kind and understanding company that goats can so amply provide."
Skip, He/Him . “Skip Brushaber has been active in the LGBTQ and recovery communities for many years. He is one of the founding members of AIDS Project and the Our Paper Collective. For many years, Skip was on the board of the Westbrook Food Pantry and volunteers at the Animal Refuge League. He also is a greeter at the Equality Community Center and actively participates in activities through the Network for Older Adults. A published writer and mixed media artist, Skip is committed to human rights and social change through his art. He resides in Westbrook with his three four legged friends who rescued him.”
Mat, He/Him.
Michael Donovan, He/Him . “I’ve lived in South Portland for the last 20 years and I have been fortunate enough to be a part of an amazing theater community, with theaters within a few streets of each other. South Portland is home to two venerable community theaters, Lyric Music Theater and The Portland Players. Community theater has given me many opportunities and I am thankful. But like all theaters, and the arts in general, the pandemic has hit hard. With my home theater, The Portland Players, it has been sixteen plus months of no income. But hopefully, all local arts organizations will be able to keep going and continue to bring art, theater, music and dance to our wonderful city. Please, donate to your favorite local creative groups and keep the community rich with the arts!!”
Kathy, She/Her . “Yes, Big Bad Butch is who I am….but secret is I am a sap inside!!! I always say I came out at birth and That is true. Life is so much better when you get to be who you are from day one.”
Jocelyn, She/They . “An Aries with a Capricorn moon, an artist, and queer. My main areas of focus right now are transgressing heteronormative spaces, in and outside of myself, to queer white supremist delusion, heteronormative conditioning, time, and space, as well as sexuality and gender. I am in graduate school and moving into writing and performing a thesis that intersects academia and art. I am also running for City Council in South Portland! My platform is focused on dismantling whiteness within myself, first and foremost, and at the public service and local government level. I will work to do that regardless of whether I get elected or not because now is the time. Black Lives Matter, Black Trans Lives Matter, and the work is not over, it will never be for white people. We need to continue to show up and do real work.”
Gina, They/Them . “I want to take this opportunity to uplift the love I have found in my queer friendships. I have fallen so deeply in love with my friends, letting myself lean into the beauty of how we show up for each other. I have been so held and seen within these connections as my own queer identity has evolved, finding these friendships to be deeply transformative in the course of my life. I am old enough now to have friends that I made as a young adult coming out as queer and now these same folks have known me for more than half of my life seeing the many iterations of my queerness and life unfold. To have connections like that is powerful beyond words and I am deeply grateful to be loved and to love in that way. In a world that centers romantic relationships as the ‘worthy’ relationships to build one's life around (and I do love romance), I can't help but want to shout to the world how deeply and profoundly I love my friends. And a little shout out to Queerly Me where I have met some of my new friend loves in the last few years.”
James, They/Them . “When Kyle Warnock agreed to be involved in my upcoming photo series and asked me to be involved with his in return, I was thrilled. As two very different photographers both primarily photographing queer subjects in very different ways, our meeting in real life had been quite overdue. However, I was NOT prepared for this photoshoot. I had misunderstood the plans we made and thought that ~I~ would be shooting ~him~ on this day. Not the other way around. I'm happy that's what happened though, because I think not having put myself in the headspace of ""I'm being photographed today"" until moments beforehand added an extra layer of vulnerability to shoot that might not have been there otherwise. For me, so much of the portraiture I do is about finding beauty, power, and authenticity in those moments of vulnerability. I'm delighted with the sides of me Kyle witnessed: someone who is often a little bit flustered, typically a little bit self conscious, and usually a lot bit goofy.”
Lili (pronounced lee-lee), prefers name instead of gender pronouns. . “I moved to Maine with my partner and three cats 3 years ago after receiving a remission status from colon cancer for a change of pace and a different type of fresh air than the Midwest has to offer. Maine has been a great place to get into hiking and connect with nature, I love spending time outdoors. I’m looking forward to doing that more in these warmer months, despite heavily preferring the cold. I also love reading mystery & thriller novels, writing poetry, baking, and playing Pokemon games (Platinum is the best!). Since coming here, I’ve gotten very in touch with my spiritual and religious beliefs and have met others within the Jewish community who have become close friends. I’ve gotten very involved with the Maine Coalition for Palestine & Jewish Voice for Peace, with whom we now have a state pod, connecting with aligned Jews fighting for Palestinian liberation and liberation for all people throughout Maine. @jvp.maine Baking is my heart’s passion. It was a large part of what helped me mentally get through my cancer treatments, and I feel very strongly that all cultures live on through three things: language, music, and food. I’ve led multiple cultural baking and food history classes and feel great joy and pride with every student’s finished product. People learn how to handle the motions of a dish, respect where it comes from, and taste the history behind it. I’m starting a baking business centered around these ideals, with the hope of connecting people with foods from mine and other cultures. I’m still seeking my queer community in Maine, but the more I find myself the more friends I find. The BIPOC Queer community here is small but extremely vibrant, and I am excited and hopeful to find myself as a more connected part of it.”
Yusur, They/He . “I think fear right now is a survival instinct, for many of us. I fear for myself, and my sisters, and my parents, and my students and my trans siblings and the people who are told are illegal (as if that is a thing a person can be!). I fear for the people who are forced out of their homes, stripped out of their humanities overseas. I feel fear in my bones,and underneath my finger nails, and in the sobs that get caught in my throat. It’s ok if fear has been your companion too— squeeze its hand gently. Now, we need to utilize our fear. It is incredibly easy to feel submerged with panic, to barrel into cycles of ‘what ifs’, to be lost amidst what feels like a catastrophe. We need to stay informed. We will be dusting away the spiderwebs of hateful rhetoric. We need to recognize fear-mongering for what it is. Keep reading your books, keep researching to understand your rights, keep correcting people when they’re misinformed, keep educating yourself more, keep showing up for community. I love you, I hope you’re taking care of yourself.”
Ellis Ivy, He/Him . “Throughout my life I have found the most peace when I am moving. It’s when I ask my body to reach for a goal, master a new skill, or perfect an old technique that I truly feel at home in my skin. It’s how I meditate, where I find joy and how I release. And I’m always more excited to experience that in community, with people who are finding that joy as well. With PowerFolx, I wanted to create a space where others would feel not just comfortable, but embraced and celebrated, while exploring movement…no matter their history, their ability, whether being physical is something that comes naturally, or something that they’ve struggled with. But also, somewhat selfishly, I wanted to create a community for myself. I wanted to introduce fellow queers to Muay Thai, in the hopes that they would find it as empowering, cathartic and enriching as I do. PowerFolx is still young (we just turned 1! Woohoo!), but we’ve already got a great group of fighters who are getting to enjoy the improved physical and mental health that comes from practicing a martial art. And we’ve definitely got lots of goals for evolving and improving the program in the future. If you want to see if you’re the kind of weird that likes punching and kicking stuff with your friends, then come check us out!”
Chris, He/Him . “Life happens fast. It’s ok to slow down. Take naps.”
Mark. "It's no secret that the cannabis industry is dominated by cis white male culture, a lot of it pretty toxic. Coming into the Higher Grounds of Maine project six years ago as a queer- and woman-owned effort I had two options: play by the rules of the industry (a path I've tread too often), or build something authentic to who I was and hope that in Portland our community would find us and resonate with it. I wanted to fight for space and provide jobs for queer and trans people who would otherwise face a lot of obstacles entering it as well. I knew it would be tough...cannabis is also a hyper-political industry and frankly to succeed one needs to be in front of politicians. That's also a very conservative and straight male space. I certainly have my own share of privilege and that helped me opt for kicking the door down, growing my hair out long and unabashedly queer, and putting together a completely different kind of cannabis concept, nothing like I've ever seen and have yet to discover anywhere else in the industry. It's been a huge help connecting with other queer business owners, LQBTQIA+ workers and customers here in Portland and sharing that struggle. It's a work in progress. But being true to this project has helped me be true to myself and own the queerness that I put away to fit in at a young age. I feel like I've grown immensely as a queer person over the last six years and a lot of that's due to this community, for which I am truly grateful."
Queers on Quads.
Kevin, He/Him . “Live, Laugh, and Love, but most of all, be proud of who you are.”
Dimitri, He/They . “What does it mean to be male? This is something I used to ask myself. Several years ago my spouse came out as nonbinary, so I became fixated on words like ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’; I questioned them and used them cautiously. What was I trying to say instead: kind, strong, empathetic? There was always a more truthful word. Doing this brought me to realize I did not identify with the common cultural idea of a masculine person. I removed a box society placed me into, realizing I was greater than the space that held me. I can be beautiful, tender, brave, I can be anything — I can be myself. Who I am doesn’t line up with what I’m told a CIS male looks like, and that’s okay! Don’t let this world put you in a box, because you cannot be contained or defined. I have come to love the word queer. It allows me to declare that I don’t quite fit in with the CIS gender straight box of society, but I don’t have to plant my flag in any other constricting boxes, either. I am allowed a semblence of fluidity. Am I nonbinary? Pansexual? Polyamorous? I am just Dimitri!”
Gabrielle (She/They) . “I’m leaving Greater Portland again at the end of the summer to manifest my caretaker dreams at Yale University. In a few years I’ll finally be a midwife & nurse practitioner. I spent about 10 years to make this happen, and what I have learned along the way is that the best way to take care of others is taking care of yourself first. Greater Portland is forever one of my homes though. It’s not ever goodbye, it’s see ya later.”
MINX, They/Them . “Always inspired by Queen B. Making Portland feel like home as a biracial, gender fluid queer person has been a challenge. But every day I wake up and live my fantasy and you can’t tell me anything about it.”
Samaa, She/Her. “One of the whitest things about the late 1980s was Nestle's ad campaign designed to convince us that their white chocolate bars (Alpine White bars) were actual chocolate rather than the sweet wax we all knew them to be.”
Travis, He/They. . “I pulled my father's abandoned acoustic guitar out of his closet when I was 14. At the time, I was into heavy metal and grunge. My first band was called Phlegm Sandwich, and we mostly played Nirvana covers at the Bucksport High School talent show. After I graduated from UMF, I moved to Boston and joined a queer punk/noise band called Pornbelt. Over the next few decades, I was a part of many groups, from old-time/contra to costumed cover bands. Whenever I would move to a new city, I would immediately start looking for people to play music with. After returning to Maine in 2019, I wanted to get a queer punk or old-time band together. I started to give up on it until I met a bass player who wanted to play both! After we found our front person, it came together. Many years ago, I tried to start a band called Queer Beach, named after a lesbian pulp-fiction novel from the 60's.That band didn't take off, but I always hoped I'd be able to use the name again. When we were trying to decide a name for our current band, my bandmate said what about Queer Beach!?! I couldn’t believe it! Amidst the political nightmare, Queer Beach and teaching quilting classes in Portland and Westbrook bring me immense joy and keeps me focused on my friends and community.”
Trevor, He/Him . “I feel like this year alone has been very personally a rollercoaster of good and chaotic. And part of me feels a little guilty for that, guilt that during a literal pandemic I can feel myself still grow, thrive, and prosper into someone different. In the last ten months alone I’ve met so many wonderful people, and grown closer with those whom before I only thought of in passing. Which is crazy! Coming from someone who before covid was a very successful homebody. I think it’s safe to say many had that same epiphany I did, that during this ‘panorama’ being an introvert isn't the big ole flex you think it is, especially while the metaphorical doomsday clock is ever ticking on, (like the ocean was on FIRE! Remember that! And without delving into our current reality of murder hornets and monkeypox, I’m thankful. So very thankful for the milestones and memories that have been scattered along my path. Even now I wonder who I would’ve been if I had chosen to stay the same but am so grateful I didn’t. With that being said I relish in these bursts of happy chaos, from dinner with friends, to picnics at sunset, to watching strangers become lovers and then strangers again. It is because of this I can be less afraid and more curious or even eager for what could possibly happen next.”
Topher, He/Him . “I'm out here chasing bliss, wondering all the while if here is where I’m meant to be. Sure, people have greeted me with open arms, a seat at the table and communities have become family, but what can I offer beyond what I consume and produce? Is the care I offer to this new land, to the people who were here before me enough? Am I giving to the culture here or only a gluttonous consumer and gentrifier? Many Mainers are all too familiar with the practice of discouraging outsiders from calling this place home: from the Irish, to the French Canadian, to the most recent Somali communities. Despite holding identities outside these communities, I still find myself inhabiting a body that does not look like your ""typical Mainer"". I grew up in LA (Los Angeles not Lewiston-Auburn) and moved here to get an education only to fall in love with the land. I felt claustrophobic at first, constantly bombarded with whiteness, but I like to think I've found the confidence to show up fully and make space for those on the fringes. It's a lot better than thinking I've just grown numb to it all. Bliss is what I find when I get on those 8 wheels. Wind billowing through my hair and earrings jangling along to the mellifluous melodies merrily playing through my phone. Childlike discoveries are made with every spin, fall, and jump. And, I find that this is exactly where I'm meant to be.”
Riley, He/Him. “I started Pride in Movement Physical Therapy after finding myself deeply disenchanted with the insurance model of physical therapy. I didn’t like some non-medical profession dictating how I provide my care, so I’m not letting them anymore. As a cash-pay practice, I get to decide what is best for my patient and guide the session to best support their needs. I’m a mobile practice, so I travel to my patients to decrease barriers of providing care - you don’t have to go anywhere, I come to you - my travel range is on my website but I provide telehealth as well. I provide a wide range of care as well being an orthopedic physical therapist (so, all your general bodily aches and pains) but also a pelvic health PT (another wide range of conditions such as incontinence, pelvic pain, sexual dysfunction, and more). I also enjoy working with populations experiencing chronic pain as I find my approach can help them to understand their pain and help to take back their life from it. You probably already guessed from the name of the business, but I want to specialize in being a queer-affirming provider (though I am happy to treat anyone of any background). As a gay man myself I know the comfort that can be found in working with a provider who understands that part of you and I want to be able to create that space for others in the capacity I can.”
Alexis, She/Her . “Finding a community and expressing myself has been one of the most liberating experiences in my adult life. Joining this project out together by @truthspeaks207 has been one of the most rewarding things I've done since moving to Portland. Being true to myself while celebrating other community members and listening to their stories has been inspiring. Dance Activism has allowed me to find a path to healing and reconciliation with apart of me I've long neglected. I'm excited for my 'rebirth' and to dance my way into my actualized self.”
Camille, They/Them . “I'm lucky to have amazing friends in Portland who love me for exactly who I am. For the first year or so after coming out, I really struggled with isolation and had to work through a lot of growing pains. It's been really incredible to see that as I've learned more about myself, and leaned more into my authenticity, my life has become so full of friendship, connection, and love. The energy from my queer community has helped me achieve some goals that have felt incredible, like making zines and learning how to play guitar! I feel really lucky that I get to be myself and I wish that for everybody, especially my trans and gender nonconforming homies (trans flag trans flag). And yeah, if there are any queers in Portland who watch One Piece hit me up!”
Halen, They/Them . “Growing up, I always felt different from the people around me because of my race, but also because of who I’ve always been inside. As a kid in rural Maine, I didn’t have anyone around me who looked or felt like me. In my late teens, I struggled with feeling like I fully belonged in any community. I never fully felt a part of queer spaces or black spaces because I am a biracial bisexual. Over the last two years, I’ve found peace in my intersectionality. I’ve focused on becoming someone I am proud of and not worrying about if I fit in somewhere. The community I have always wished for is now in me and in the people who love me for every part of me. I think it’s so important for black queer people to nourish and love themselves. Don’t let the worry of expectance stop you from embracing every facet of your identity. Life is too short to spend it trying to squeeze into a box that was not made for you.”
Jake Krueger, They/Them, is a queer chaplain, innkeeper, community organizer, and death educator. Through much of their life Jake has been concerned with questions related to spirituality, connection, and meaning-making both as an individual seeker, and as a matter of discourse and practice within the queer community. They see building queer spiritual communities as the center of their work in the world–lifting up queerness and queer people as beautiful and sacred. When they’re not in chaplain mode you can often find them at Mercury Inn, a small bed and breakfast in Portland that they co-own, co-habitate, and co-operate with one of their partners. Jake is a big fan of all things science fiction and fantasy, spurned by a deep and abiding childhood love of the X-Men, their favorite story-world metaphor for the queer experience. X-Men taught Jake about the importance of cultivating a sense of self worth and building a chosen family in a world that tries to tear queer people down for our queerness. The lessons learned in reading those silly superhero comics formed the foundation for the community building efforts Jake pursues now. If you’d like to see the kind of community Jake is trying to build check out the monthly LGBTQ+ Heart Circle hosted at Portland’s Equality Community Center–you can find information on the next circle on the ECC’s calendar, or follow Jake at @theheartfarmer for story announcements and updates.
Meg, They/Them.
Aru, She/Her . “To be “queer” was to be an anti-imperialist, and yet somewhere along the way “Queer” was stripped of its political content, left to stand as a mere personal identity. To “be queer” now means to be a particular kind of consumer; and while I’ve only lived in this country for three years, this transformed American “Queer” (one of your hottest cultural exports) is one that I’m deeply familiar with. To all abroad, this new “Queer” tries to convince us that liberation lies in the consumption of U.S products, and to us within, that to “liberate them” we ought to defend U.S and its allies’ interest everywhere in the world. But this is not what “Queer” has always meant— and it is not what it has to keep on meaning. Leslie Feinberg reminds us that before the rainbow flag, The Gay Liberation Front flew the flag of North Vietnam. For them, anti-imperialism was part and parcel of queerness. The Palestinian cause has once again captured the attention of the world, and rightly so. Palestine and its people are bravely fighting against a settler colony— maintained by the one we pay taxes to— that has for decades sought to dispossess them of their land. We, in response, must stand in solidarity with them, and while we do so remember that this is but one of the many times we have done so, and one of the many times we will need to do so still.”
Dakota, He/Him . “When I was a teenager, I often cut and colored my hair as part of my journey in self creation. I found it to be a soothing but radical act, to change my hair to better reflect how I wanted to be perceived by others. Over the last 14 years since I started cutting hair, I’ve found a specific joy in helping others shape their hair to create the image of how they want to be seen in the world. It means the world to me to be trusted with that job and to give back to my community in such a personal, and intimate way. We all deserve to feel our best selves, and often, that starts with a good haircut.”
Kasey, He/Him . “I discovered longsword fencing because I wanted to fight with swords, but I fell in love with it and Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) for the community and friendships I made. My first instructors and club embraced that I was gay, which was welcome to me in a world where other sports had for many years seemed foreign and out of reach. It's a huge honor to start and run a HEMA club here in Maine. When I'm fighting or sparring-- I feel so full, alive, and honestly... I just have a lot of fun doing it. I want Moose Historical Fencing to be a space where everyone can have that, and where anyone can train safely and grow as fighters and as people."
Will, He/Him . “So happy to be where I am in life after staying closeted most of it. I am proud to be a part of the senior community. Yes, seen a few summers, so let’s just say 60 something and leave it at that. Love being eclectic, so the term Queer fits me perfectly. I avoid negatively in life as much as I possibly can but it still happens. I gravitate toward the type of people that are positive, kind, fun and creative, they are my safety zone. The meaning of life to me in a plain nutshell is learning, especially from other people. A child at heart, simple things will always amuse me. Give me a holiday and I am there to celebrate it. I embrace who I am, proud of it, wouldn’t change a thing. I live everyday by - “Lucky To Be Different”.
Wendy, She/They . “As I approach 70, after more than a half-century of feminist, anti-racist, ecological, anti-capitalist, queer and gender radical activism, I’ve learned that my survival depends on celebrating each victory - no matter how small - honoring each moment of kindness and laughing whenever the opportunity arises. ‘Be joyful though you have considered all the facts’ (Wendell Berry).”
Gaby, She/Her . “I’m Gaby, and I’m a car girl.” Though officially retired, Gaby is an experienced car mechanic in Lisbon Falls, ME. offering repairs to LGBTQ+ folks through her shop. Keeping car costs affordable for the community and mentoring LGBTQ+ folks looking to enter a historically cisgender heterosexual male dominated field, she hopes to create a space where LGBTQ+ can feel empowered in their craft, and welcome."
Beth (She/Her) and Tania Sturtevant (She/Her) with their daughter Sophia (She/They). . “We have been together for 31 years now! It hardly seems possible, time passes so quickly. We became parents more than 20 years ago to our daughter Sophia; best decision ever.”
Cinnamon, They/Them.
Daniel, He/Him . “Family has always meant a lot to me. I was born at Maine Medical Center and adopted at 3 weeks old. My parents moved to New Jersey where I grew up. Growing up in the 80s, in a small town in New Jersey wasn't easy for a queer kid. I was bullied from the age of 12 until the day I graduated high school. Once I reached college it would take me 2 more years to find the courage to come out and finally start living as my authentic self. After college I moved to Brooklyn and started to build and find my queer family. A family of love, support, shared experiences, and life long friendships. I lived there for 21 years and those were the most impactful years of my life. And now I am back. Back to where my journey started. My husband works at Maine Medical Center, I have a huge biological family all around, and have started to find a new queer family of friends here in Maine. Recently, I started a monthly Queer Family gathering with some old and new friends and am hoping to have it be a regular thing that allows for any and all queer Mainers to have a place to be supported and celebrated. Because no matter how a family is created, everyone deserves to be a part of a family of love.”
Dylan, He/Him . “I can’t believe how many new and gorgeous feathers I’ve grown. How I’ve been tentatively kicking ass, queer fierce joy overflowing my heart to my hands as I roll up my sleeves and plant seeds of courage and love, caring for the kaleidoscope of my people. My former lives have all helped me grow into my present, as I rise in a burst of ocean waves to fly, to sing, to dance. To keep fighting.”
Alex, They/Them . “I have always been in-between as a person, whether that is ethnicity, race, or gender. Not 50% this and 50% that but 100% a third, unique thing; the insider with an outside perspective. I was really lucky to grow up in Los Angeles where in-between-ness isn’t too uncommon and I could really explore my identity. It’s a real privilege that I was able to have a community that gave me the experience to look at the world as a gradient not a binary. I’ve been in Maine for over a decade but I am new-ish to Lewiston. I joke that I just moved here to say that I moved from one LA to another. When I came to Lewiston, I thought about the issues and identities that are important to me and which ones would make the most sense to engage with. There are so many wonderful queer people in the area but there is a lack of spaces for us to gather and build community. I ended up taking on running an existing social event called Second Saturday and with some friends we’ve built L-A It’s Happening Queer @itshappeningqueer to organize that event and others. I’ve also helped organize Pride in Lewiston for the past couple of years and this year will be my biggest yet. We are going to have a whole week of events from June 1st to June 8th. I am really looking forward to it. If you find yourself in Lewiston, get in touch: I wouldn’t mind showing you the city I love.”
Declan, He/Him . “Growth is hard. It forces you to face everything you’ve been running from and truly see yourself for who you are. I recently heard a podcast interview where the woman being interviewed jokingly described emotional growth and dealing with your feelings as “gross and inconvenient”. I love that so much. As someone with a dark sense of humor who has been experiencing a prolonged season of growth I can relate heavily to feeling disgusted and bothered by this entire process. I am having to deconstruct and rebuild everything I have spent a lifetime building walls around. It’s hard, painstakingly slow work and is literally the worst. But it’s also led me to levels of mindfulness, enlightenment, and radical self acceptance I didn’t even know existed. It is allowing me to free myself from old habits, beliefs and past experiences in order to make room for new chapters, new beginnings and new relationships. I still have a long way to go on my path to spiritual abundance but I’m so proud of the person I am becoming and the foundation I am setting for my future. Besides, I’d rather be gross and inconvenienced than trapped between a bunch of dusty old walls.”
