Letter From the Editor: Welcome to the New INTO

ReadI made a playlist a while ago called “Sad Lesbian Shit.” The songs on it are exactly what you’d expect: There’s Tracy Chapman “The Lot Behind Saint Mary’s,” some Ani DiFranco deep cuts, and a whole lot of Ferron. More recently: Phoebe Bridgers, Mitski, and girl in red. 

I’ve shared those songs, and talked about them, with almost everyone in my life, in some way or another. And even though they’re deeply personal, sad songs, they bring a lot of joy with them. Because those songs–like most queer art—are cultural touchstones that keep bringing queer people together, over and over again. They’re songs that bring up complex emotions and personal histories for all of us, no matter who we are and where we grew up. And with every year, the playlist keeps growing. It’s a living thing. 

That playlist is what I want the new INTO to be. Here, you can read about the diversity of queer experiences and discover the way you want to be. We want to publish intimate stories not just about what it’s like to be queer today, but what it’s like to be you.

And sure, we’ll throw shade and kiki about how “The L Word” could have gone differently and whatever Bimini Bon Boulash and Lil Nas X are up to. But we’ll also talk about the hard parts of being queer, and the ecstatic parts. 

On the new INTO, you’ll read about the TikTok creators who are using their platforms to change the way we think about queerness, bodies, and culture. You’ll read tutorials on how to do the basic stuff of life that no one really guides you through, interviews with queer elders, and first-person essays about everything from rejection to sobriety to family struggles. You’ll learn about new artists, hear survival stories, and stories of queer people thriving despite the odds. You’ll read about the very gay past, and get excited about the future, which is only getting queerer. The world is changing. It’s becoming a more diverse, equitable, and hopeful place for us to live in, and we want to celebrate and honor that. 

Part of that is celebrating writers—voices both new & familiar—and ways of thinking about the world that are expansive and complex. 

Because nobody is a monolith, babe. Nobody.