5. Berserk by Kentaro Miura
Berserk is fuckin’ seminal. No one needs me to sit here and write about why it’s awesome but I’ll try. Miura was a living genius, a paragon of art and talent: a member of the Godhand of artists, if you will.
Much has been said about the hyperviolence and sexual content in Berserk, which chronicles the adventures of Guts, a one-armed and one-eyed demon slayer who swings a giant piece of metal that somewhat resembles a sword.
I don’t have a problem with violence and frankly I love the erotic, and I love sexual content in my art. So it should be a slam dunk. And yet what drew me had both everything and nothing to do with the sexual content.
In fact it was these videos by Super Eyepatch Wolf and Lady Emily, which highlighted a very important quality of Berserk—for every brutality, there’s tenderness. At one point Guts, a sexual assault survivor himself, cannot perform for his partner because of a flashback. Because of PTSD. Because of a man that harmed him when he was a child.
This scene, where two naked people—both battered and broken by difficult and violent lives defined by predatory men—love and empathize with each other truly. A woman can look at a man who has been brutalized by another and still see him as whole and worthy of love.
So I had to read it. And when I got to that scene I felt my eyes fill because I saw something I’d been needing to see.
4. Legally Blonde: The Musical
I’m not going to explain this one too much, I’m just going to say that it’s a wonderful musical full of bops about a young woman who is constantly underestimated and proves to others—and more importantly herself—that she can do it.
Back to the sun. Back to the shore. Back to what I was before.
That line from the show’s ballad has made me cry since I was in high school. Not to mention this line, that arrives like a punch to the gut: “Some girls were just meant to smile.” Not to mention Gay or European, not to mention the Greek Chorus, not to mention fuckin’ everything about Paulette Bonafonte.
The whole pro-shot is available on YouTube and has been for years. Check it out.
3. Gay Dudes Getting Naked Online.jpeg
I’m also not gonna explain this one, I’m just gonna say that if you’re a boy of f word experiencing taking your clothes off on twitter dot com and the OnlyFans I appreciate you, you are the backbone of this country amen.
2. Trixie and Katya
The iconic duo from Rupaul’s Drag Race season 7 have a YouTube show, a podcast, and numerous interviews, and I go to sleep listening to them almost every night. I decided to include this podcast episode because Katya talks about her experience with psychedelics which is also something I love!
Any two person friendship can be broken down along the Trixie and Katya dichotomy, and what’s more one person can occupy both roles in different contexts.
For instance with my best friend Ram I am definitely the Trixie. Grounded, down to earth, thoughtful and driven while he is intuitive, insane, and beloved. On the other hand, with my friend Gavin I am the Katya because I am fucking bananas and not grounded at all compared to him and his level head.
I love highlighting drag queens at the same time Texas lawmakers are trying to make them illegal (at least while children are around). It’s very rebellious, very sexy, very cool of me.
1. Precious Friendship
I happened to get on the phone with one of my best friends on Wednesday and the topic of my mental health came up, because I’ve been a hill full of red flags lately. I found myself breaking down the dark spiral of thoughts I’ve been swimming through daily, to someone who has had their own spirals.
And it reminds me of the friend who called me every day while I was having a mental breakdown and dropped off Melatonin and McDonalds at my house (the most powerful M’s). It reminded me of the good girlfriend of mine who does spirit fingers with me.
It reminds me of the bestie I have who always has the answers. And the one I live with who always makes me laugh with how insane she is—we take turns being Katya—and it reminds me of my oldest friend that I’ve had since grade school who still checks on me even now.
My friend who was my professor. My friend who hooks me up with free drinks. My friend I make out with. My friend who is my ex. My friend who took me to my first rave and gave me my first [redacted].
And it reminds me that I should live. Not for all of them—well, a little bit that—but for the person they see in me, the person they believe in and invest in and love.