Who among us doesn’t love a good deal?
Here's a novel Black Friday idea: instead of spending all your hard-earned pink dollars on greedy corporations who don't give a damn about the LGBTQ community, why not actually spend your money on businesses run by queers? Besides their products are better because they're made for us, by us, with our needs in mind.
With Black Friday closing in, the OUT team compiled a list of fabulous gifts - created and run by queers - that we'd like to see under our Christmas tree (or Hanukkah bush) in 2018.
1. Mark+Richard Crop Tops
Already in effect, Marek + Richard has 30% off the entire store now through Friday. (Just use the code DIRTY30 at checkout!) The fabulously queer clothing company has crops for days, along with cheeky texts on shirts like "Pizza and Anal", "AYO SIS!", "THOT", and "Pound Cake", which is why associate editor Zachary Zane is obsessed. You may recognize their bright designs from when the company's two founders, Neil Marek and Robbie Richard, got married by Alyssa Edwards on her Netflix series, Dancing Queen.
2. Boy Smell Candles
Founded back in 2015 by co-founders and real life partners Matthew Herman and David Kien, Boy Smells prides itself in being "Packaged in pink and conceived beyond the gender binary." They also have some limited-edition smells for the holidays like Redhead, Cedar Stack, and Cinderose.
Deputy editor Fran Tirado is currently obsessed with Cinderose. "It has the perfect balance between smoky musk and delicate tuberose that is quickly becoming my regular house scent... Sidenote, they make underwear too and their briefs in blush are the cutest ever."
3. “Trans is Beautiful” Apparel
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caption="" photo_credit=""]Culture and entertainment director Travell Anderson suggested buying something from Trans is Beautiful Apparel. They make the perfect shirt for allies to show their support for the trans community. In case you're feeling guilty taking part in the capitalist machine, you can sleep easy knowing that a large portion of the proceeds go to Werk Those Pecs, which donates funds to trans folks for everyday living expenses, including but not limited to, bills, hormones, ID or passport gender marker changes, and/or name changes.
4. Velour: The Drag Magazine, Hardcover Edition
Right in time for the holidays, Sasha Velour has released a hardcover collector's edition of her Drag Magazine, Velour. Social editor Ian Martella recommended the 300-page, ad-free hardcover book, which has illustrations, collages, fashion editorials, poems, interviews, and essays by over 75 queer artists and drag performers from around the world. As stated on their website, "Since its inception in 2013, the magazine has been dedicated to showcasing the work of drag queens and drag kings, queer, trans, AFAB, and non-binary drag artists from all backgrounds."
5. Hyperice Hypervolt Cordless Vibration Massager
"A friend recently used this on me, and I'm pretty sure his neighbors heard the noises I made as he worked me over -- not in a sexual way!" says culture editor, Rose Dommu. "This electric massager really digs into your muscles, working out every kink until you're completely boneless. It has multiple heads and speeds, meaning you can get exactly the right pressure for whatever's ailing you. I truly deserve this for Hanukkah, Gay Santa!"
6. STUZO Clothing
Stuzo Clothing is a line of androgynous athleisure owned and operated by QPOC couple Stoney Michelli and Uzo Ejikeme. They create designs -- shirts, pants, hats, sweaters, face masks -- in limit quantity to ensure you stand out among the crowd.
7. Unwifeable, a Memoir
Unwifeable was written by Mandy Stadtmiller, a profound writer and personality known for her work at New York Mag, xoJane, and her "Girl Talk" column at Penthouse. The 2018 memoir is an emotionally-raw, hilarious, and extremely relatable book. It was Zane's favorite memoir he read this year!
"As women and queer men, I think we've all thought that there is something fundamental to our personality that inhibits us from finding Mr. Right, especially if we haven't ever had a serious partner," Zane explained. "We begin to believe we're too crass, self-centered, messy, immature, or any one of a number of other negative attributes. We fear that these parts of our identity will plague us to be single forever, so we attempt to change parts of who we are for a man, or we give up completely on the prospect of finding love. Mandy was able to provide a modern take on these universal feelings, which nearly all queer men and women struggle with."
