Breaking up sure does suck, doesn’t it? What a rotten time you’re having. We’d like to scoop you into a quilt and bring you some tea or ice cream or a foam baseball bat, but instead we’ve gathered some words and drawings for you!
I BROKE UP LIKE THIS is the second edition of the “Better Together” ‘zine series, a collaboration between Autostraddle.com and Everyone is Gay in which we thematically unite some of our most important internet-writings and put them on paper for you to have and hold forever. We hope this series will make you laugh and/or cry and/or go “omg” and hide your face, and we’re thrilled about smashing the work of so many diverse writers into one tiny eternal booklet, accompanied by the work of a different queer artist for every issue.
Laneia and Riese have been working with Kristin and Dannielle on this project for many months along with illustrator Amanda Matthews. It was all put together with the generous assistance of editor Alyse Knorr and laid out by Sophie Argestsinger.
I BROKE UP LIKE THIS includes some of your favorite Autostraddle essays, quotes from queer musicians, advice from Kristin Russo and Dannielle Owens-Reid, a playlist from Julia Nunes, and a really triumphant “Love is a Lie” collage by Riese. It also includes an original never-published-before essay by Kristin Russo, and excerpts from three “Interviews With My Ex-Girlfriend,” an interview series only accessible online to A+ Members.
Plus — if you’ve yet to pick up your OMG I’M GAY ‘zine, you can buy BOTH of these majestic print situations for the bargain-basement price of $20! THIS IS A SPECIAL DEAL FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY! After April 1st, it’ll be $26 for both.
Authors with their Autostraddle work featured in this issue include Riese Bernard, Laneia Jones, Gabby Rivera, Carmen Rios, Lizz Rubin and Phoenix Casino. Also, my dear friend Krista, who gave us the best break-up advice you’ve ever heard that one time.
You can get your copy now for a mere $16 in the Autostraddle store! All profits support the writers of Everyone is Gay and Autostraddle.com. Quantities are limited so get yours STAT!
Buy Your Copy Now.
I ordered the value pack last week and am so excited for it to arrive, but also as a thank you for giving away free A+ memberships on your bday this month. Enjoying allll the A+ stuff from the archives since I won a bronze membership; homework can wait.
Hey, I ordered the ‘OMG, I’m gay!’ zine months and months ago (pretty much when it came out – before Christmas?), alongside some pants and something else (I think). The other stuff arrived but I never got the zine, which I was most excited, and got no reply to my emails. Any idea how I can sort this/who I should contact? I can probably dredge up a confirmation email for my order if that’d be helpful.
that is really really odd that you wouldn’t get a response to any emails about it? did you email bren [at] autostraddle [dot] com? she has ALL THE ANSWERS
Knowing me, I probably emailed bran [at] atuostraddle [dot] com or something, so will try again. Tanx so much (and sorry for the bother).
Immediately after writing that, I went and forwarded my emails to bran [at] autostraddle [dot] com, proving my point in spectacularly stupid style.
My first real love and I broke up 7 days ago after 2 years. So this is very relevant to me. But since I’m trying to pretend it didn’t happen, I’m not ready to order it, I guess.
Then again maybe I’d find an answer in it to “How do you break up if you still love each other so much but it’s just not the right thing?”
You guys. I don’t understand how every day people make it through break ups. It’s just so hard and she was so cuddly.
SO MANY HUGS BEING SENT TO YOU THAT IS THE WORST <3
Losing the cuddles is the worst, worst, worst part. :(
If I can offer you a reading suggestion (to supplement this zine of course, not replace it!), I’ve been reading a book called “The Wisdom of a Broken Heart” by Susan Piver and found it immensely helpful – and I’m usually the type to roll my eyes hard at self-help crap. I’ve been through two major losses in the last couple of years and I honestly think it saved me from a full-on episode of major depression.
Hey, my first real love broke up with me last week too. We were together for two years and three months. I AM SUPER SAD AND MISS HIM LOTS. We also still love each other but he just didn’t think it was right for him anymore. It’s just really hard right now.
Lots and lots of hugs for you. We’ll both get through this.
Is it weird to send a copy to my ex who is having a rough time after the break up?
i believe that is super gay and totally okay
yes it might be my peak lesbian moment. everything else will be downhill from here.
if my ex did this to me i would very much want to punch things
Yeah, I would say it depends on the dynamic between you and your ex. I’ve been sharing my breakup survival book with mine, but we’re still close and talk openly about everything. If that were not the case it would probably come across a bit condescending.
I’ve never dated anyone long term enough to consider it “breaking up” so this is not really relevant to my interests.
I am just ordering it because I know there will be more, and I’ll regret it if I don’t have a complete set.
annddd, i just ordered. along with pretty much the entire store. oops.
Will there be merch for sale at A-Camp? I cannot PayPal anymore.
(…Which I just realized might mean I won’t be able to renew my A+ subscription next year?? #*%!*@ I wish there was some other payment option. They locked me out of my account when I tried to remove my cc number a few months back, and refuse to unlock it unless I mail them proof of identity and SIN number – which there is no way in hell I’m willing to do, when any schmo with an e-mail address can sign up for an account without having to prove anything. Sorry for the rant but ARGH, they are evil and I hate them.)
You can pay for A+ via credit card too! I agree PayPal is the worst.
Oh phew. Thank you Cee!
GUESS WHAT CAME IN TODAY’S MAIL!
I would LOVE to buy this, but the shipping cost to where I live (Iceland) is almost as much as the zine itself. Is there any chance of getting an electronic version?
$16 for a Zine…… Ok
I’m lying in bed. Crying right now, thinking about breaking up right now. It’s evetythjng I want and nothing I want too. There’s too much pain but so much hope for something so much better. But it feels selfish, it feels selfish to break up your family because you realized you’re gay.
Feeling desperate to read this break up zine cover to cover. Help. I don’t see it in the shop – is there somewhere else to look?
Also will I be sad forever and why did a relationship so close to perfect have to destroy us?