The Comment Awards Are Full Of Love

Hi, sweet pals! I love you! Get ready to dust off those birthday hats, because we’re (still) celebrating a very special occasion. This week, the glorious, weird, shiny-haired, hardworking fever dream we call Autostraddle.com turned ten years old!

Autostraddle changed my life in a million important ways. So many of you understand, because you were right there alongside me on your own journeys. When I first came to AS, I joined with the name Queer Girl and used a cartoon as my profile pic because I wasn’t out in my real life and I was terrified that someone might somehow find me online. I didn’t have queer friends, I hadn’t dated, I wasn’t able to talk to my family about any of the things that were affecting me. I was stuck and scared.

Five years later, all of those things have changed. Every single part of my life is different and better, in ways that were unimaginable before I found AS.

I’m out, now. To everyone. And I’m surrounded by wonderful friends, by a queer community who lifts me up and centers me and helps me remember that I’m not alone, every single day. That process of learning to be comfortable in my own skin, of learning to trust people with my important truths, it was all so inextricably linked with Autostraddle, with all of you, with this glorious community of weirdos. I can’t imagine it any other way.  My name is Darcy, and I don’t have to hide the parts of myself that are Queer Girl, anywhere I go.

Happy Birthday, Autostraddle. You’re a goddamn miracle. And every single one of you is part of it. That is why I say I love you, nearly every week! Because we are all the miracle, together. Together, we are why I still believe in the internet as a force for good. Because of Riese, because of every writer, every person who comments. Because of you.

And! You sent us birthday cards and told us how you met us, Reniece made us a birthday cake, and Riese, Cee, Laneia, and the rest of the team unveiled an a m a z i n g yearbook that features so much history, tidbits, pieces and photos from the past ten years!

In other news, Heather loved Captain Marvel, and you can too!

Kaelyn wrote about some ways to make activist spaces safer for everyone.

Hello, yes, this is extremely relevant to your interests: It’s Time to Recognize Holland Taylor’s Supreme Domme Energy. Correct.

Gaby Dunn has a graphic novel coming out, and Autostraddle has an exclusive look for you!

Rachel wants to help you to practice safer sexting.

If you haven’t yet heard of Juliantina from Amar a Muerte, get ready for them to be your new fave queer couple.

Here is a bunch of the team in their favorite boots! This was so pure!

Because life just turn, turn turns, and because they love us and know exactly what we need, KRISTIN AND RIESE ARE LAUNCHING AN L WORD PODCAST! This is not a drill! The name is perfect, the theme song by Be Steadwell is ridiculously good, they are all perfect humans, and I cannot fucking WAIT to listen to this.

And then there were your comments!

On FRIDAY OPEN THREAD: When Did You Find Autostraddle And What Happened Next?

The Romcom We Deserve Award to Max:

I found Autostraddle at some point during an internet hole that I fell down while googling “how to know if you should leave your girlfriend?

On Here’s an Exclusive First Look at Gaby Dunn’s New Graphic Novel, “Bury the Lede”:

The BOOM! Goes the Dynamite Award to

For a second there I didn’t realize it was part of a publisher name and thought “BOOM!

On Foolish Child #41: Foolish ACE Child:

The Castles In The Sky Award to Noodlesforever:

How did I know this would be about a burrito? Could it be because I once sang “Just the Two of Us

On No Filter: Hayley Kiyoko Meets Her Hero!

The Family Tree Award to Snaelle and Jane (click through for all of them!):

Steph Beatriz is your older sister. She got in a LOT of trouble growing up but somehow is the one all the grandparents love the most. You try really hard not to be jealous of this, and the fact that years later, this is somehow still true.

Haykey Kiyoko is your mom and she supports you and loves you and would do anything for you. When you write a book/ get an award you’re going to dedicate it to her.

Brittani is your baby cousin who spends all their time in the treehouse and only 3 people have ever been allowed to see what’s up there. No, you still can’t go up there.

I do not want to be related to all these people I would like to make out with!!!!!! REPLY TO THIS COMMENT

On How We Wear: Boots:

The Stef “Minimal Sunlight” Schwartz Award to Stef:

robin “minimal jewels

And the SATC Power Lesbian Episode Award to Cleo:

Hah, found a photo. Here I am in my Lesbian Ken Art Director look, which is very similar to my everyday bi art and design professor look, back when I taught. Note the Chelsea boots. [Photo of a Ken doll looking very lesbian, wearing all black and carrying an attache case. Next to it is a photo of Cleo in a near-identical outfit with a near-identical case].

On Soccer Legends Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris Are EnGAYged!

The Representation Matters Award to Liv:

Between this awesome coverage of women’s soccer players and the beautiful (heartbreaking) announcement of One day at a time, I finally bought an autostraddle membership to support queer media covering the issues like these that i care about most.

And on USC Associate Athletic Director Donna Heinel Is Gay, Did College Admissions Crimes:

The Donna Martin May Not Graduate Award to Donna M:

Be gay and do crimes but like, in a Robin Hood kind of way, and this shouldn’t need to be clarified.

See a comment that needs to be here? E-mail me! Queergirlblogs [at] gmail.com.

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Darcy

Darcy, a.k.a. Queer Girl, is your number one fan. They're a fat feminist from California who doodles hearts in the corners of their Gay Agenda. They're living through a pandemic, they're on Twitter, and they think you should drink more water! They also wanna make you laugh.

Darcy has written 376 articles for us.

20 Comments

  2. So glad you are here, QG! I look forward to seeing the Comment Awards every week. You always make me smile.

    • haha this i cannot answer, but i DEFINITELY change my sheets more often when a dog sleeps in my bed :-D

        • That and dogs don’t wash their feet, nor do we usually wash their lil feets for them everyday.
          It’s like having your shoes in bed with you.

  5. Darcy ~ YOU are our hero!!

    You don’t just Glimmer, you shine like a burning beacon of queerness!

    Love you – thank you for everything you’ve done and all the joy you keep bringing and sharing ☀⭐☀⭐☀

  6. I just love you QG Darcy and this column so damn much. My heart was already overflowing just reading your intro and then I saw that I got a comment award!!! I’d like to thank Mattel, Lesbian Ken, AutoStraddle and Chelsea boots!

    I also have to confess that I don’t fully understand my award – is SATC a tv show I’m not watching or some acronym the kids are using on Snapchat?

    • I love you, Cleo!

      Sex and the City (SATC) had this one episode where Charlotte started hanging out with these power lesbin gallery owners. It was very silly but when I think lesbian gallery owner, it’s what I think of! Lol

  7. Darcy! I’m so glad you’re here! Not to be repetitious, but I do so love this community. It is my dream one day to be able to meet all of you beautiful people.

  8. Another superlative selection of consummate comments. With ace award names ! Thank you QG for making me day so much brighter.

    OMG I laughed so hard this week. Oh wait, I laugh like this every week ! Wonderful Autostraddle.

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