Summer Is For Ebony Lesbians

WTF did I just consume? is a monthly column that assesses content genres and how in the world they came to be.

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Hello and welcome to "WTF Did I Just Consume?!"

Things have picked up to 1000% since last month, my loves. I've got a job, moved out of my grandparents' home, and finally completed what feels like the 6th reboot of my life. As things start to even out, I've reconnected with my first love: reading. I usually aim to read 2-3 books a month, but that wasn't happening for me this spring. So, I decided to revisit some familiar works that I knew, appreciated, and loved. I started off slowly with some essays and articles, and then delved into poetry.

As the summer begins and I’ve just finished my 100 sun salutations I am so excited to see what black lesbian around me are going to get up to. I know that people are going to come out with skin glowing, in their best clothes, and with their mental health up. It’s really a season meant for black people to thrive, be free, and have fun. Whatever goes down this summer, I will be carrying the following in my bag: My sunscreen, my big ass sun hat, my swimsuit, some Aquaphor, my clear Koss headphones, and of course a good book written by a beautiful black womxn. So, let's dive into it. What the F* have I been consuming?

1. Pablo Neruda's Love: Poems

I recently reread this, the first book I gave to my partner two summers ago, and "Hustling Verse: An Anthology of Sex Workers' Poetry," which was gifted to me by my friend Sarah. The more I read, the more I realized the significance these texts hold in my life.

I reminisced about the summer of 2021 when I initially explored both books, a time my friends and I dubbed the Lesbian Renaissance. Specifically, it was an Ebony Lesbian Renaissance, with black sapphic individuals everywhere embracing their sexuality in the sweltering heatwave that swept the East Coast in August. It was truly a beautiful time, and I wonder which situationships, couples, and identities endured beyond that winter. It was also the summer after I graduated college and returned home to DC to live with my parents. I randomly attended a book club and formed new and life-altering friendships with M Lovell and Fabiola Ching.

2. DykesDay! A Holigay

This is, in the publisher's words, "an anthology of prose and poetry exploring a fictional surrealist holiday for lesbians," based on Lovell's original manuscript and published by Hermetic State. This poetry collection features some of the most talented individuals I've encountered, and I'm immensely grateful to have had the opportunity to get to know and collaborate with them. Soon to be released are the accompanying soundscapes or audiobook, produced by yours truly and MANIIK. The text itself is brimming with love, lust, technology, and sapphic sentimentality.

As I traversed through its pages, I felt like I was entering different realms within this meticulously crafted universe. Emotions are palpable on every page, with some subjects being very realistic while others are pure fantasy, evoking a sensuous flow from the mind. I can't help but think of the play written by M Lovell and Maya Martinez, featuring giantesses, elven beings, and devouring of summer fruits. Anywaysssss, all this to say, I took the time to revisit the work, and I want to shine a spotlight on the two stunningly Ebony Lesbians who are behind this entire operation.

3. M Lovell

The epitome of a multihyphenate. She is a visual artist, performance artist, poet, geneticist, and an incredibly cool fashionista. Her creativity flows upwards from her heart and radiates into the world, embracing our bodies and souls. Fabiola Ching is an avid explorer with an unparalleled passion for reading and archives. Being a Cameroonian sibling is an added bonus for me, so it was only natural that we were drawn to work together. Both of these extraordinary individuals are based in DC and have been presenting the book at various readings and public showings lately, including a recent Happy Hour event with Dirt., an independent platform, collective, and resource for accessible critical art discourse based in the DMV.

4. As the summer begins and I’ve just finished my 100 sun salutations I am so excited to see what black lesbian around me are going to get up to. I know that people are going to come out with skin glowing, in their best clothes, and with their mental health up. It’s really a season meant for black people to thrive, be free, and have fun. Whatever goes down this summer, I will be carrying the following in my bag: My sunscreen, my big ass sun hat, my swimsuit, some Aquaphor, my clear Koss headphones, and of course a good book written by a beautiful black womxn.

So this here, my loves, is WTF I Just Consumed this past week. I hope to see you all next month with another deep delicious dive. In the meantime, don’t be shy, tell me WTF you’ve been consuming online!

Xoxo Saz