MUST WATCH FILM:
Bottoms
Your mandatory watching for this STUN issue is Bottoms (2023). Though a satirical look at high school dynamics, this comedic and often absurd depiction of lesbian friendship had my whole body shaking with laughter. The movie follows two teen girls who accidentally create a fight club in an attempt to get with cheerleaders. It is funny, smart, and weirdly wholesome, giving high hopes for the next wave of LGBTQIA+ movies to come.
The soundtrack alone gives you queer music realness with Charli XCX composing a number of original songs. Further featured songs, including Avril Lavigne’s ‘Complicated’ and ‘Pain’ by King Princess, work to bring out the bottom in all of us.
MUST LISTEN PODCAST:
The Imperfects: Gina Chick – Don’t Fight Life
If you are going outside – listen to this. Whether you are on a bushwalk, doing some gardening or just taking a moment in the sun, you need to hear this podcast interview. You may recognise Gina Chick as the winner of Alone Australia but for Gina that is just one small part of her story. The queer and neurodiverse adventurer experienced a range of tragedies, building her resilience and relationship with nature. In two hours, you can see the world through a new set of eyes. Gina explains birdsong meanings, the importance of dance, the role of grief and the true value of solitude. Take some time out of your day and reconnect with your emotions and the natural world. It is worth it.
MUST LISTEN SONG:
Send My Love To John – Rina Sawayama
If you take one thing away from these recommendations let it be this song. Rina sings from the perspective of an immigrant mother making amends with her queer son. The song is deeply cathartic as she sings an apology that feels almost universal to anyone whose sexuality or identity has not been accepted by their family. It’s a love letter to queer immigrants as well as a thank you to the chosen families that have nurtured them. If you need a little cry, this is the song to let it out to.
MUST LISTEN ALBUM:
Snow Angel – Reneé Rapp
Gen Z bisexual icon Reneé Rapp’s latest album is absolutely magical. The album toes the line between feminine angst and queer frustration, all through the incredible voice of the young Broadway star. The album’s first song Talk too much sums up life as an oversharing sapphic, a topic painfully relevant to many of us. With a grungy guitar element alongside her effortless vocals, the song is powerful, raging and sexy. Her song Pretty Girls is an anthem for hopeless romantics, primarily the sapphics stuck on straight girls. It’s rare an artist hitting the mainstream with so much traction is openly queer. She is Gen Z’s bisexual Regina George, and we thank her for that.
MUST READ BOOK:
Pageboy by Elliot Page
Pageboy is a raw and heart wrenching memoir detailing the story of transgender actor Elliot Page. This read is addictive. Elliot’s writing style subverts traditional memoir timelines to frame the world through his eyes. From the quips about Canadian culture, the painful moments in Hollywood as a young trans man and the deeply personal stories of his youth, Pageboy is one you won’t want to put down.
MUST SMELL:
Flowers!
Seriously, when was the last time you stopped and smelled the roses? Heat and rain, though not an ideal combination for most humans, bring some of the most vibrant flowers I have ever seen. Tucked away in the bush in both of my hometowns Newcastle and Canberra, yellow, pinks and purples are adorning our trails. If you are lucky, this includes some very elusive orchids. Whether you buy, pick or see one on a bush, it is well worth spending a moment of your day smelling a flower.
